Dear Alumni Sheyichyu! Sholom U’Brocho! It’s been a while, so I’ll do my best to catch up on the missed mazel tov’s. And thanks to those of you who gave me the push to get started again.
Mazel Tov to Nossi Gaerman on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Levi Druin on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Shaya Zirkind on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Yaakov Wrightman on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Levi Vogel on the occasion of his engagement. May they use out the special period of Yokor Mikol yokor to its’ utmost! Mazel Tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Akiva Nussbaum on the birth of their daughter. Mazel Tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Gittlin on the birth of their daughter. Mazel Tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Levi Langsam on the birth of their daughter. Mazel Tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Sendy Dubrawsky on the birth of their daughter. Mazel Tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Gurary on the birth of their son. May they bring him up lTOveCHuMAA”T mitoch harchovo, and to be true chayolim/os! (If anyone is aware of any mazel tov’s that I omitted please let me know).
Thank you as always for the feedback, it is much appreciated, and thank you, once again, for the push to resume sending these.
As chassidim we are all well aware of the importance of “lebben mit di tzeit”, so here is a story by way of preface:
There was a chosid who, according to his circumstances, was required to give his wife a get. The chosid, however, refused to cooperate, and no amount of pressure could convince him to change his mind. At one point, the Rebbe Maharash became involved, and he called in the chosid, demanding that he give his wife a get. The chosid, however, felt unable (or unwilling) to comply.
“Rebbe” the chosid exclaimed, “altz vos ihr vet mir heissen bin ich greitt zuton, ober dos ken ich nit ton”! [whatever you demand of me I am prepared to obey, but this is one thing that I just can’t do].
The Rebbe’s face became very serious, and he remarked: “In that case it appears that there is a problem with the area of "מי שיש בו יראת שמים דבריו נשמעים", [whoever possesses yiras shomayim; - his words are heard and if not..]. The Rebbe Maharash leaned his head on his arms for a few moments.
When the Rebbe lifted his head, his face was awesome (it is known that, in general, the Rebbe Maharash had a countenance that would instill fear into onlookers, and – apparently – on this occasion it was especially so). The chosid was frightened, and immediately cried out: “Rebbe, I am prepared to give the get this instant!” [According to another version of this story, the chosid wanted to divorce his wife, and the Rebbe Maharash was advising him not to].
Oftentimes we are very similar to the chosid in the story. Of course, we consider ourselves big chassidim, who are very devoted to the Rebbe and committed to carrying out all of his directives. We will go to great lengths and endure extreme difficulties in order to fulfill our Rebbe’s every wish. Up until that one matter regarding which we are not ready to listen. The one matter about which we say: ‘Rebbe, I’ll do everything that you tell me, except this one thing’! We tell ourselves: ‘This I can’t do, I’m simply not capable, for any number of reasons’. We might convince ourselves: ‘The Rebbe didn’t mean specifically me’, or ‘He didn’t mean it specifically now’, or ‘I don’t need to take it so literally, I can focus on the spirit of his words’.
We have any number of excuses and justifications to procrastinate or outright avoid doing it. And we comfort ourselves with the knowledge that: ‘look how many good things I’m accomplishing, look how much important work I’m doing, look at how many sacrifices I make’. Indeed, we are ready to do anything. But that one thing, that צו השעה, that “order of the day”, that single most important directive, - that, we want to run away from. We want to say – like the chosid in the story – I’m ready to do anything else, so consider me a chosid even if I refuse this one request.
But, often, that one request is the one; - the one that really counts and really makes a difference, the one that distinguishes between the genuine chosid and everyone and anyone else.
In the times of the Frierdige Rebbe, with the war being waged by the communist regime against Yiddishkeit, the Frierdige Rebbe demanded of his chassidim to dedicate themselves to teaching Torah and mitzvos to Jewish children. This mission was known as “Tashbar”, so, just as we have “mivtzoim”, they had “Tashbar”.
Once, during a farbrengen, the Frierdige Rebbe turned to R’ Itche der masmid and said to him: “Itche, vest du ton in Tashbar, bizt du meiner, un tomer nisht, bist du nisht meiner” [‘Itche, if you devote yourself to Tashbar, then you can consider yourself mine (my chosid), but if not, then you are not mine’].
R’ Itche was a great chosid; - his davening, learning and avodas Hashem were legendary. He was a chosid of immense stature, and was singularly devoted to the FR, to the point of mesirus nefesh. But, nevertheless, the Frierdige Rebbe informed him unequivocally that at that time the “mitzvas hayom”, - the צו השעה and “order of the day” was “Tashbar”, and doing everything else without that just wasn’t sufficient.
What is the lesson to all of us?
I’m sure all of you are working hard on davening. Everyone undoubtedly has shiurim in nigleh and chassidus, and I know that, for many of you, participating in these shiurim involves sacrifices on various levels. I know that everyone is very involved, each in his or her way, in mivtzoim and hafotzas hamaayonos chutza. There were so many beautiful and creative Hakhel events that took place this year in accordance with the Rebbe’s wishes. And of course, the relentless and tireless work of the many shluchim worldwide, both those with much fanfare and those with no fanfare, never ceases to amaze and astound.
But, let us try to figure out, what would the Rebbe be saying to us today, what are the Rebbe’s directives right now? Let us take a look into the farbrengen of Shabbos Parsha Teruma 5752, - the last farbrengen – to date – that we were zoche to hear from the Rebbe in connection with this very week.
As in every farbrengen, there is a long discussion about the Parsha, the reason why “gold” is the first material listed amongst the requirements for the mishkan and the significance of it, along with a lengthy discussion of the related ideas found in meforshei Hatorah and in Chassidus. As always, the Rebbe concludes with the practical hora’ah, the timely lesson and directive that is to be derived from all of the preceding discussion. Let me try to give a free translation of the lesson and directive of this week’s farbrengen:
“The lesson of all of the above: First and foremost we learn that the Eibishter ruled in the Torah – which is eternal and for all generations.. simply, that every Jew needs to be wealthy, both in a spiritual sense, as well as materially in the most literal sense. Moreover, - every Jew already possesses great wealth, and if it is not apparent, it is because he needs to reveal it through his avoda ..
..So we have the unequivocal lesson and directive: A Jew must work on being a wealthy man in actuality in all areas, firstly – in a spiritual sense.. to be wealthy in Torah and mitzvos, and also to be wealthy in money, in order to have the means to do Torah and mitzvos with menuchas hanefesh and menuchas haguf, and to have the means to increase in giving tzedaka and in beautifying the performance of mitzvos.. and in general to utilize the great wealth to transform one’s own home into a beis hamikdash for the Eibishter..”
The “order of the day”, in short order, is to be rich! So, how many of you are actually rich? Okay, you learn a lot of Torah, you’re transforming the world around you, you’re taking care of endless programs and activities and doing so much good that it is mind-boggling.
But are you rich?
So you say: ‘Sure, I’d love to be rich, but I don’t know how, I don’t have the ability’. Like the chosid in the story, you say ‘Rebbe, I can do everything you tell me to do, but this one thing is just too hard for me’. Or maybe you are thinking ‘Of course, chassidim have to be wealthy, but that doesn’t mean me, there’s just no way’. Or you’re thinking ‘I’ll be satisfied to be wealthy in the spiritual sense, which will take so much work as it is, when I finish that perhaps I can think about material wealth’. Or maybe you’re making the very true and logical rationalization: ‘Look, I have BH a wonderful family, wonderful children, great friends, so many blessings, I feel like the richest man in the world’.
All is true and right. Yet, when the Rebbe tells us something, we need to know that, first and foremost, he means exactly what he says, in the most literal and practical sense. He means me, and you, and now. And since "אינו מבקש אלא לפיכחן", it means that if we commit ourselves to it, we’ll realize that we have the ability to carry it out (and beyond our wildest expectation or imagination). Just like you managed to figure out how to daven (without machashovos zoros, and with occasional ahava ve yira..), just as you find the time and the ability and focus to have kevius itim laTorah, and just as you accomplished such unimaginable – even miraculous – feats in various areas of shlichus with the kochos and brochos of the Rebbe, so too you have to figure out how to carry out this directive literally. Simply, you – we – all of us have to become rich (and if after you become wealthy you still remember me, that will be a fringe benefit..)
[When the Rebbe first came out with “Uforatzto”, with mivtza tefillin, it was revolutionary even – especially – to chassidim. R’ Nissan Nemenow was a genuine chosid and mekushar, but (I heard told) it was, at first, unfathomable to him that the Rebbe was instructing them to simply approach a Jew in the street and suggest to him to put on tefillin, literally. He farbrenged about it (so I was told) and explained that surely what the Rebbe was asking was that they work on internalizing and spreading the avoda ruchnis of teffilin; - shibud halev ve hamoach etc. Of course, it soon became clear to all that the Rebbe meant what he said very literally, and he joined in as well].
So, it’s not enough that you’re davening for many hours, or learning Torah diligently, and dedicating yourself to mivtzoim and shlichus and hafotza etc. The Rebbe wants you – each and every one of us – to become rich. And since it is a directive of the Rebbe, it needs to be carried out according to the Rebbe’s hasogos; - according to Rebbe’s understanding. Which means, not just to have a few dollars that you can flaunt (or a few million), but to be fabulously wealthy! No more procrastinating. No more excuses. No more rationalization. The Rebbe means me and you, and now, and simply and literally.
First and foremost, I think the Rebbe wants us to adapt a different mindset. Being wealthy – and wanting to be wealthy – is not something negative or shameful or revolting. It’s not only OK, it’s expected and demanded, it’s what we have to do and strive for. It’s the “order of the day” of this week. Of course, chas vesholom to be a rich like a goy, indulging in the nefesh habehamis and its’ base desires, and of course it is repulsive to pursue wealth in a grobbe materialistic way, focussing on the material aspect of the money. But you can (and must) be a genuine chassidishe gvir; - giving precedence to the amassing the spiritual wealth (as the sicha states), and understanding that the material wealth, as well, is merely a tool to make our avodas Hashem easier and more productive. With that outlook our spiritual wealth and material wealth go hand in hand, both are positive requirements.
One of the early Chassidic maters was R’ Uri of Trilisk, known as the sorof (angel) of Trilisk. He was known as a great wonder-worker, but his chassidim lived in great poverty. Once he was visited by one of the other tzaddikim of his generation, and the tzaddik asked him: “You perform so many wonders, why can’t you provide your own chassidim with a better financial situation?” R’ Uri replied: “My chassidim are not interested in money”. And to prove it, he called in one of his chassidim who was a very poor melamed that was passing by. “Reb Yid”, R’ Uri said to the melamed, “now that I am sitting with this tzaddik it is an “eis ratzon”, - an auspicious moment, and you should use the opportunity to ask for anything you desire”. Without hesitation the melamed responded: “My only desire is to be able to recite “Boruch She’omar” with the same fervour as my Rebbe”!
“You see”, concluded R’ Uri, “my chassidim have no interest in material possessions!”
But the Rebbe is expecting from us a very different approach than that of the chassidim of yesteryear. We should be interested in amassing much material wealth – alongside our spiritual wealth and as part of our avodas Hashem – because that is a part of our charge and our mission, and part of how we will transform the world into a dwelling place for Hashem.
I once saw a chassidishe Yid who was working hard at arranging for himself the Aliya of maftir Yona (maftir yona is known to be a segula for ashirus). He was apologetic about it to me, explaining that (even though (in his mind) “ess past nisht” – it’s not fitting – for a chosid to be so obsessed with ashirus, but) he was not interested in the material wealth, but in the fact that it was surely also a segula for spiritual ashirus, of which he was (he felt) greatly in need.
The truth was that I knew that his interest (in the Aliyah) was for the sake of the material wealth, and – presumably – he realized that I understood that. The only problem was his embarrassment and being defensive about it. There’s nothing “un-chassidish” about seeking to amass great wealth. On the contrary; - it is a mitzvah and a mitzva and an explicit directive of the Rebbe.
R’ Heschel Ceitlin a”h was a chassidishe Yid living in Montreal. When the Rebbe spoke (one of the times) about the importance of owning a home (rather than renting, - something the Rebbe frequently advocated), he wanted to carry out the Rebbe’s wish, as a chosid, and planned to purchase a house (in place of the one that he was renting).
But (I heard) here, R’ Heschel faced a dilemma: You see, to buy a house (unless you have all the cash up front, which most people don’t), you need a mortgage. And in order to apply for a mortgage, the applicant needs to have a checking account. Which is actually one of the simpler criteria. But R’ Heschel didn’t have a checking account. Because he had never entered a bank. As a matter of principle, he would not go into a bank. To him a bank, which was all about money and the obsession with material pursuits was the antithesis of everything that he stood for and dedicated his life to, and it was not a place where he would willing be seen. On the other hand, it is (probably) impossible to open a checking account without going to the bank. And then again, without a checking account he couldn’t apply for a mortgage, and thus be unable to fulfill the Rebbe’s directive. On the one hand there was the Rebbe’s urging to own a home, but on the other hand were his principles. Not knowing what to do, and as a true chosid, he wrote to the Rebbe about his dilemma. (I don’t know exactly what the Rebbe responded, but, apparently, he ended up acquiring his house).
But, I think, the Rebbe wants us to have a different mindset. No more is there a need to view the wealth with suspicion or revulsion. No need to avoid it or flee it. As the Rebbe said (during the famous and historical exchange) to the Kapischniyer Rebbe: “The Eibishter is not a ganov. There is no need to fear the Eibishter, or fear the gifts of wealth that He is ready to bestow upon us. We should readily acquire wealth, confident in our ability to face the challenges that accompany it successfully and integrate it into our avodas Hashem.
So, you don’t have to be reluctant or hesitant about going into a bank. Since being rich is what the Rebbe demands and expects of us, you should go to the bank happily and confidently and proudly (and perhaps even put on your gartel first), and do whatever it takes in there to increase your wealth and multiply it many times over. On second thought, perhaps you shouldn’t go into the bank either. There’s no reason for you to enter the bank. Rather, you should own the bank. And let everyone else worry and discuss whether or not they should go into your bank!
(There is much more to be said on the subject, including some beautiful stories and anecdotes, but I see it got longer than it should be as it is. Besides, why should you spend time reading emails, when you can be out there working on becoming multi-billionaires)!
L’chaim! May each of us do our part – with the help of Hashem – to be fabulously wealthy in the spiritual sense, in our learning and davening and mivtzoim, and fabulously wealthy in the literal sense, and may we speedily dance with the simcha of Adar, and with כספם וזהבם אתם both in the spiritual sense (ahava and yira) and the literal sense, into the final geula with the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu – when “gelt vet zein ohn ashiur” - TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
לזכות 'ר שלום מרדכי הלוי בן, רבקה לגאולה וישועה קרובה ושלימה י"תומממש– 'ושיהיה חודש "אשר" נהפך ובריא' מזלי בפרט) בדינא' בהדי( נכרי בפשטות ובגשמיות ולמטה ט"מיי"תומממש
p.s. I want to call your attention as well to another hora’ah in the same thing, a bit further, just before the end, also a very basic and simple directive (about putting into practice the simcha of Adar), which I didn’t manage to address here, so I hope you look it up.
ה"בלילק" ועש' פר, תרומה משנכנס "אדר מרבים,"! בשמחה ט"תשע שמועה" טובה תדשן עצם"
