Dear Alumni Sheyichyu!
Sholom U’Brocho!
With hearts overflowing with gratitude to the Eibishter, we join R’ Sholom Mordechai halevi Rubashkin in celebrating the first anniversary of his liberation. As we rejoice over the enormity of Hashem’s kindness, להודות ולהלל לשמך הגדול על ניסיך ועל נפלאותיך ועל ישועותיך, let us pay close attention to learning and internalizing the lessons to be learned, especially about the immense powers of emunah and bitochon!
Mazel Tov to Zisha Kraman on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Mendy Kirchenberg on the occasion of his engagement. Mazel Tov to Shmuly Greisman 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. Levi Zaltzman on the birth of their son. Mazel tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Leib Silberstein on the birth of their son. Mazel tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Mendel Schtrockson on the birth of their son. Mazel tov to Rabbi and Mrs. Meir Posner on the birth of their daughter. May they bring them up lTOveCHuMAA”T mitoch harchovo, and to be true chayolim/os! (If anyone is aware of any mazeltov’s that I omitted please let me know).
Thank you as always for the feedback, it is much appreciated.
The Story of the Shliach’s First Event
The following story, is one that I’ve heard a number of times over the years, with slight variations. It seems to have actually take place, but with whom, and what were the exact details, I’m not sure:
A young shliach arrived in a city, full of enthusiasm and optimism, to begin his work in the city. He started off gradually, making connections, reaching one Jew after another. Eventually he reached the point at which he felt ready to hold his first major event, and, as is often the case, it was going to be a Chanuka party.
Needless to say, there is much preparation that goes into planning any event, and in this case, being his first pe’ula on a large scale, this was even more true. He had to secure the hall, reserve the music, plan the food, design the décor, arrange the entertainment. He had to rent tables and chairs and various food utensils. And, of course, there was the marketing, finding every opportunity to publicize his event, thinking up creative mediums to advertise and reach as many Jews as possible. And he had to sort out a logistic arrangement for the parking, so that there would be ample space for as many vehicles as conceivable. (This is all not to mention having some reasonable idea of how to fund all of this).
It was exciting, though slightly daunting, and the closer he came to the big day, the more single-mindedly he was focused on ensuring that he crossed all of his t’s and dotted all of his i’s. Of course, he was somewhat worried, there is always so much that can go wrong ch”v, but mainly he was filled with eager anticipation for what was expected to be his big debut.
Finally, the long-awaited day arrived! Although the event was scheduled for 6:00, the shliach was running around all day with the last minute preparations. At 5:30, he had done all he could, and he knew that it is now in the Eibishter’s hands. There were clear signs directing the cars to the ample parking spaces, and the tables and chairs were set up tastefully, with extra chairs on the side to handle a possible overflow crowd.
Surprisingly, it was still early, and he would actually have a few minutes to relax, the calm before the storm, before he would need to begin greeting the first of his guests. He sat down at a chair, mopped his brow, perhaps said a few kapitlech tehillim, and tried to enjoy the quiet while it would last.
At 5:55 he began to tense up; - any minute now his guests would begin arriving, and he turned his focus to the door. But the door remained undisturbed.
He wasn’t overly concerned yet, after all, not everyone needs to be punctual, but he was very eager for things to start moving.
6:20. The door had still not moved. He was unquestionably growing impatient, and becoming decidedly concerned. Why had no one arrived yet?
6:45. His huge hall was silent as a graveyard, and the shliach was beginning to panic. What would happen to his event?! Where was everyone?!
7:00. He was coming to the horrible realization that his major event was, somehow, turning out to be a dismal failure! How could that have happened?! Not even one single person! It was unbelievable!
7:25. He finally lost all hope. He sent home the band and the waiters, while picturing the massive quantities of latkes and donuts that he would have to somehow dispose of. He felt humiliated, depressed, disillusioned, shattered, and he didn’t know where to hide himself. He couldn’t imagine facing himself, let alone anyone else. He didn’t know how he would recover, how he would continue to function the next day.
7:45. Someone came to the door, he said he was looking for a party that was supposed to be happening there. The poor shliach was so humiliated, he had no idea how to tell the person that the party had, somehow, never materialized. He definitely was in no position to deal with anyone at that point. He sent the person a message that the party had, unfortunately been cancelled, and been moved, and been rescheduled, and that he should keep in touch and stay tuned. And he let out a sigh of relief when the man departed.
The shliach somehow managed to drag himself home that night, feeling like a mourner. The first thing he did, the following morning, was write a report to the Rebbe. He described the entire catastrophe, concluding with his heartfelt question, how was it, in fact, that such a thing could happen.
The shliach received the following response (sometimes I heard that the question was posed to Rabbi Chodakov, and the response was received from him, rather than from the Rebbe):
“Sometimes a shliach makes an event, and it can be a very successful event, and 1000 people attend. The shliach, even if he is very active and energetic, will not be able to greet all 1,000 people during the course of the evening. At most, he’ll personally greet 100. And from those 100, most he will lose touch with. At best, there will be 10 of them with which he will develop a long-term connection. And even with those with whom he becomes personally connected, there will be various levels of how much they become affected by him. Chances are, there will be 1 out of those 10 who will be thoroughly influenced by him to the point of actually changing his life completely, and accepting upon himself the yoke of Torah and mitzvos (which is, after all, the ultimate goal).
“And, here, in your case”, he was told, “the Eibishter decided to spare you the effort and distraction etc. of 999 people (and he spared you dealing with the 999 nudniks), and sent to you directly the one person on whom you would be able to have to ultimate influence, the one who was the purpose of the whole event, so that you can focus exclusively on him. But you sent him away!!!”
The Lesson for Our Avodas Hashem
Of course, the story gives much perspective for someone who is planning an event. But, I think, it has much relevance to us in our usual avodas Hashem. Because, we each have to ask ourselves, how many people have we sent away?
We are all here for a shlichus, for a purpose, and the ultimate goal is avodas habirurim, - elevating and refining the world, and transforming it into a dirah lo yisborach. There are many steps, and many means to reach this goal. In general, we each have our designated areas of responsibility, the specific shlichus to which we are assigned, and which has to be our main focus.
But, that having been said, it is still a fact that – as the Rebbe writes in a letter – אין אתנו יודע עד מה בעבודת הבירורים. We never can know with certainty which specific acts have the greatest impacts. And therefore there needs to also be an approach (as the Rebbe writes in the same letter) of חטוף ואכול חטוף ושתה, - of enthusiastically embracing and “grabbing” every opportunity of birurim, of imbuing holiness and G-dliness into the world. And we never know far-reaching the effects of any individual act are.
Let us try to apply the lesson of the above story to our own situation: Each of us has our shlichus; - the way or ways through which we attempt to bring G-dliness into the world. Some of us are putting on tefillin with many Yidden. Some are giving out menoras or other mitzvos. Some are giving shiurim, teaching and educating and spreading Yiddishkeit.
Some may be planning a major event, perhaps a Chanuka party for their community, or the guys on their mivtzoim route. Perhaps it is being planned on a very grand scale, for 1,000 guests etc. On the way to whichever shlichus you’re involved in, you may have to stop to daven mincha. Because you are so preoccupied with the shlichus you’re heading to, you pay very little attention to the words of the siddur? After all, you are in a rush to put on tefillin with less fortunate Jews, amongst them, surely, a few karkafta’s. Or you are about to coordinate a massive event, 1,000 guests, the mayor and the president and the governor and the janitor will all be attending. Surely the Eibishter will understand if this one mincha is not up to par. After all, what is more important?
But (besides the yiras shomayim and kabolas ol angle that demands you to attach proper attention to your davening) by doing so, you may just be sending away the guest who would have been (part of) the purpose of your entire event!
To paraphrase the response in the above story: You make an event with 1,000 guests, and personally greet 100 of them, and develop a close relationship with 10 of them, all in order – perhaps - that one person should be influenced to change his live, to live a life of holiness and G-dliness, - of (amongst other things) saying אמן יהא שמיה רבא מברך and קדוש קדוש קדוש and proclaiming the holiness of Hashem in the world. And perhaps that was the Eibishter’s ultimate desire, perhaps that is what would have made the greatest difference to Him.
[It doesn’t seem like much to us, but we know that by the Eibishter it carries a lot of weight. We may not be concerned with evil decrees, but the fact that Chazal tell us that a ר' איש recited properly has the power to reverse a negative decree of 70 years, gives us an inkling of how vital it is. (When R’ Leibel Groner came want to farbreng in Toronto, he shared a memory of how the Frierdige Rebbe came out, once, to the Chassidim, and said a remark about Omein Yehei Shmei Rabo, that inspired them to feel great chayus in its’ recital for some time). אין אתנו יודע עד מה, so we can never evaluate how much of a part it plays in the ultimate objective].
And on the way to your shlichus, the Eibishter sends you a “guest”, an extra kedusha, omein or Omein yehei shmei rabo or Borchu of your own, for example, that you can achieve easily, without excessive effort or undue input or sacrifice on your part. But, being preoccupied with your plans and your shlichus, - you send the guest away! Being too preoccupied with your own plans, - with last minute confirmations on your phone or with intense discussions and conversations or just with your overwhelming preoccupation – you either disregarded it altogether, or didn’t give it the attention that it needs and deserves!
The Story of R’ Hillel Paritcher
R’ Hillel Paritcher was once overcome with a great desire to go to Lubavitch for Shabbos. Being late in the week, most of the wagon-drivers and Ubers told him that it was unreasonable, it was just too late, and he should forget about it (and wake up earlier next week...). However, there was one particular baal agolah who was a disciple and a great admirer of R’ Hillel, who was very eager to accommodate him. He told him: “Rebbe, if you want to go, I will take you there. I will make haste, and get there in time for Shabbos. But, I must make one stipulation. It will be a challenge – as it is – to make it, and any additional delays will make it impossible. Therefore, you must agree not to daven ba’arichus on the way, because the extra time that that would require, would make our goal an impossibility”.
Rabbi Hillel agreed, and they set off on their journey. At one point, they stopped for a brief rest, and R’ Hillel went to a side to daven. He began to concentrate, and he stood by a tree, and davened. And he davened. And davened. And davened some more. The poor wagon-driver was watching in consternation, as any hope of achieving their goal was rapidly evaporating. When R’ Hillel finally concluded, he turned to him and questioned him about it. After all, it was for R’ Hillel’s sake that the condition was made.
R’ Hillel explained: “Imagine someone is going to Leipzig, to the market, to sell some merchandise. On the way, he meets an acquaintance who is interested in purchasing that very merchandise. Is there any sense in him refusing because he was heading to Leipzig?! The same is with me. I am going to the Rebbe so that he can strengthen my connection with Hashem, - help me daven. If, along the way, I manage to daven, does it make any sense for me to shorten it because I was on the way to the Rebbe?!”
Grabbing Every Opportunity
So, while we put in the greatest effort to reach the obvious goals, the ones that we know are speeding our arrival at our ultimate destination (not to mention getting us some prime space on CBC or the New York Times or collive), let’s be sure not to inadvertently send away other “guests” who we may encounter along the way, who may just be (unbeknownst to us) of equal importance.
Whether it’s a davening. Or more concentration while making a brocho (how many opportunities do we have for that? The simple focus on the words Boruch atoh whenever we pronounce is described by the Alter Rebbe as one of our ways of experiencing mesirus nefesh). Or more time and effort in learning Torah and making chidushei Torah (something which may not seem like much to us, but the Alter Rebbe teaches us about the great impact that it has). Or a random act of ahavas Yisroel.
[In the Union Mikva, there were no towels provided, and I often had to “borrow” from someone standing near me. On one occasion, when I asked a young man if I could use his towel, he handed it to me joyously, saying: “Of course, Rabbi Weinberg told us that every day before davening we have to make sure to do a favor for another Jew”. I don’t know the identity of the ‘Rabbi Weinberg’ mentioned. But, I found it very impressive that this person, on a daily basis, was actively and consciously seeking an opportunity to do a favor for another!]
So, while everyone needs to continue all the wonderful work that they’re doing (and it’s so amazing and inspiring to see all of the extraordinary accomplishments from all sides and in every single area), we should take caution not to send away the “guests” we encounter along the way, nor underestimate their importance.
We are at the last, darkest, point of the golus, and we need to take advantage of every bit of light, every opportunity of light, to completely eradicating it, not missing any and not losing any. Together we will be מאיר את החושך, - illuminate any last remaining points of darkness, and change them to the everlasting light of the geulah of Moshiach now!
L’chaim! May we all do our part to illuminate the last traces of darkness by grasping and taking advantage of each and every opportunity of light, חטוף ואכול חטוף ושתה, and the Eibishter should channel our collective light to bring about teikef umiyad mamosh the everlasting light of Moshiach with the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu NOW!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
