Part III. Close to Jews
Favored Nation Status
Now, once we understand the importance of this principle of being physically close to Hashem, there’s another part of the subject that shouldn’t be overlooked. Because if to be daveik b’Hashem means to come close to any place that’s favored by Hashem’s Presence, it opens up for an entirely new panorama of perfection available to us. And it’s available right here in Flatbush – especially in Flatbush.
I’ll explain that. The Gemara tells us in Mesichta Brachos (7a) that among Moshe Rabbeinu’s requests of Hakadosh Baruch Hu after He forgave them for the sin of the eigel was, ל≈‡ָר¿ׂ ̆ƒי לַﬠ הָינƒכ¿ׁ ̆ ה∆ר¿ׁ ̆ƒּ ̇∆ׁ ̆ ׁ ̆≈ּ ̃ƒּב – he asked Hashem that always and forever the Shechina should reside among the Bnei Yisroel.
Now, that’s not a simple matter to explain exactly what it means, but whatever it was, it means that Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s Presence should be especially among us. And only us; because Moshe’s second request was, ֹ̇וּמֻ‡ לַﬠ הָינƒכ¿ׁ ̆ ה∆ר¿ׁ ̆ƒּ ̇ ‡ֹּל∆ׁ ̆ ׁ ̆≈ּ ̃ƒּב םָלֹעוָה – that the Shechina should not rest on any other nation. And so when Hakadosh Baruch Hu granted Moshe those requests, it meant that forever and ever, if you’re going to seek out closeness to Hashem, you’ll find it among the Jewish people.
Favored Places
Now, you have to know that it depends on numbers. When Hashem comes to rest on Am Yisroel a special kind of Shechina rests on big numbers. Everybody knows that when ten Jews come together, ‡ָי¿רָׁ ̆ ‡ָּ ̇¿ינƒכ¿ׁ ̆ הָרָׂ ֲ̆ﬠ י≈ּב לֹּכ – Hashem loves that and He comes to be present (Sanhedrin 39a). The Shechina is there and therefore, יƒּ ̇¿ׁ ַּ̆„¿ ̃ƒנ¿ו ל≈‡ָר¿ׂ ̆ƒי י≈נ¿ּב¿ךֹו ̇¿ּב – you can say kedusha and do other certain things in honor of His Presence.
And when there are more Jews, there’s more Shechina. It means He’s more present. הָינƒכ¿ּׁ ַ̆ה ין≈‡ ל≈‡ָר¿ׂ ̆ƒי¿ּב ֹ̇בוָב¿ר י≈נ¿ׁ ּ̆ו יםƒפָלֲ‡ י≈נ¿ּׁ ̆ƒמ ֹ̇חוָּפ לַﬠ הָרֹוׁ ̆ – When there are twenty two thousand Jews together, it’s a different kind, a more intense kind of Shechina (Yevamos 64a). And so each additional person is an especial addition of Hashem’s Presence. A very important addition! We owe, by the way, a great debt of gratitude to the mothers and fathers of big families just because of that. They’re bringing the Shechina down more and more.
Location, Location, Location
Now, I read in the newspapers an article that Flatbush is full of Orthodox Jews now and it’s bursting at the seams. That’s what the newspapers say. The Syrians brought thousands of Syrian Jews here. We’re jammed with Russian Jews. A lot of Israelis too. Not only frum Jews, other Jews too, but let’s hope they’ll all become frum. The streets are crowded with white people, baruch Hashem. It’s a pleasure. White people are a great pleasure, but white frum Jews are even a greater pleasure because it means that we’re living close to Hashem.
And so let’s say there’s a man in Scarsdale who hears this tape – we have people in Scarsdale too – and he wants to come close to Hashem. Imagine such a person, he’s hearing now these words that to come close to Hashem means to physically come close. So he should think, “What’s the best place to cling to Hashem? Scarsdale or Flatbush?
Of course, I personally say that the very best place – and I’m not partial – is Williamsburg. Because Williamsburg is crowded with what’s closest to the European, original type of frum Jew. But we’re not going to ask this Scarsdale man to move to Williamsburg; that’s too much. And his wife surely won’t agree. But at least come to the Shechina in Flatbush!
Sacrifice for Flatbush
“Oh,” he says, “but we have a yeshiva ketana in our town. We have a kosher butcher and a shomer Shabbos grocery. We’re very happy. We’re building up a Jewish community in our town.”
Maybe it’s true. I’m sure some people are doing good things. But I’m also sure that you’re missing out on the greatness of being physically close to the Shechina. That’s pshuto shel mikra of the mitzvah of dveikus; ָּ̃ב¿„ƒ ̇ ֹבוּו means you should cling to Hashem physically. And to be mekayem that mitzvah, no question that a place crowded with Jews is a much better place. It pays even to change your livelihood, your parnassah if necessary. A neighborhood like that is worth any money in the world because you’re close to the Shechina. Of course, not always is it feasible but if possible, everything should be done to be in a place of more Shechina.
Rav Miller’s Kol Korei
If I was anyone of importance I would say that we should issue a kol korei from some headquarters – let’s say Agudas HaRabbanim or some other rabbinical headquarters – a public proclamation for all Jews to move back to Brooklyn. “Come back to the frum neighborhoods of Boro Park and Flatbush.” I would say Monsey also.
In the course of time everybody will have children and children’s children. They’d buy houses and all the others living here would have to move out. Because why should a gentile live in a house that cost $400,000 dollars in Brooklyn – that’s what the Jews are offering – when they could live much more cheaply in Maspeth? And so they’ll move out. But the Jews? The Jews will all move back – closer to Hashem.
Now, it’s not enough however just to live in a place crowded with Jews. It’s very good because on all sides you see Jews who are practicing Judaism and doing it openly. People are raising families; all frum, all with yarmulkes, all with tzitzis hanging out. You see women pushing baby carriages – there are two babies in the carriage and four more holding onto the sides of the carriage.
As you walk in the street, houses and houses, blocks and blocks of shomrei Torah. You see signs everywhere, glatt kosher. You see yoshon signs now; many stores outside, yoshon signs. Shomer Shabbos cosmetics advertised in the drugstore. Wherever you go, if you see signs that the Orthodox population, the frum population is increasing, baruch Hashem. It’s a happiness for us.
Appreciate the Shechina
But it’s not enough if you’re not appreciating the kirvas Elokim. This is the place to be! That’s how you think. But not because of the kosher cosmetics or the kosher pizza stores. That’s good too but what we’re most interested in is we want to be with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And when you have more Jews present, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is absolutely concentrating His Shechina more and more.
And so being here is called kirvas Elokim – to be close to Hashem physically! Just to be there, to walk in Flatbush is a fulfillment of the mitzvah to come close! When you walk down the streets of Williamsburg where frum Jews live, streets of Boro Park where frum Jews live, you walk on certain blocks in Crown Heights, you should feel a great happiness of kirvas Elokim. Have in mind you’re close to Hashem, physically. It’s true either way but the more you think about it the bigger effect it has on you.
Blocks and blocks of big mezuzas! Big families! It’s a happiness! This is the place to be! Not only because you don’t have to worry about a hold up, about someone pulling a knife out of his sock to take your money. It’s a happiness because here is where the Shechina is! בֹטו יƒל יםƒ ֹ̃ל¡‡ ַ̇ב¿רƒ ̃ – To be close physically to Elokim, that’s the best good for me (Tehillim 73:28).
Out of Town Shechina
Now today, baruch Hashem, it’s not only in Flatbush. I read an article, a clipping, from a certain newspaper whose name I don’t want to mention at all, and it was telling that in Miami they’re noticing that young Orthodox Jews are increasing and multiplying. The reporter was describing a visit to a pizza shop, a kosher pizza shop and he ordered a piece of pizza; he wrote there that he had to wait thirty minutes before he was served because it was jammed with people.
And the rabbi told the reporter, “Once upon a time, this community was dying out, but now it’s vibrant. It’s growing. Young Orthodox people are filling up the place.”
There are other fine places too. Baltimore, Philadelphia, even Passaic, wherever you go today, kehillos are growing up. Toronto is full of frum Jews; Orthodox Jews increasing. Baruch Hashem, they’re spreading everywhere.
The Great Replacement Theory
Now, our enemies are unhappy about it – you have to know that. Baruch Hashem, they are very unhappy. But we are happy about that too. Like David Hamelech said, יָר¿רֹוׁ ̆ ןַﬠַמ¿ל – for the sake of my enemies who look at me (Tehillim 5:9). Let my enemies look and ם∆יה≈ּנƒׁ ̆ ̇∆‡ ה≈ה¿ ַ̃ה – let them gnash their teeth. Let their teeth fall out. The more we grow the more they’ll have to gnash.
Of course, it’s not enough yet. We want the whole America to be jammed with frum Jews because the more they increase, the more Hakadosh Baruch Hu increases His Shechina. And that means that we can live lives of greater achievement, greater perfection, by being physically close to Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
Living for Closeness
And that’s what we live for, for kirvas Elokim. Like our teacher, the Mesillas Yesharim says in his introduction: רָבָּ„ַּב „ֹעו ל≈ּכַּ̇¿סƒּ̇∆ׁ ̆¿ּכ – If you look more thoroughly into the purpose of life, ה∆‡¿רƒּ̇ – you’re going to see, יƒּ̇ƒמֲ‡ָה ּ̇מו≈ל¿ַּׁ̆ה יƒּכ – the true perfection, the true success of a person, ך≈רָּב¿̇ƒי ֹוּב ּ̇ו ̃≈ב¿ּ„ַה ַ̃ר ‡ּהו – is only to come close to Hashem. To cling to Hashem and to be near to Him, that’s the greatest success there is. And it’s considered an especial gift to the Am Yisroel, that success. ֹבוֹרו¿ ̃ םַﬠ – We are the people that can be most close to Him.
And what we’re saying here tonight is that it’s not only a question of coming close to Him in your ideas, in your penimiyus, inwardly in your thoughts, in your neshama, in your middos. It’s not only that we should talk about Him all the time and think about Him all day long. It also means physically. And the people who come close to Him in this world, ם∆יכ≈ ̃ל¡‡ 'הַּב יםƒ ̃≈בּ¿„ַה םּ∆ ַ̇‡ – You who cling to Hashem physically in Olam Hazeh, םֹוּיַה ם∆כּ¿לֻּכ יםּƒיַח – you will live forever and ever with Him in the Next World (Devarim 4:4). Kirvas Elokim; that’s our success and our happiness forever and ever.
Have A Wonderful Shabbos
