Rabi Yochanan saw the need for a more comprehensive, more thorough solution. And that was for the original Reish Lakish to cease to exist, to begin anew, as a new entity, built solely on the foundations of holiness. So vital was this goal, that it overshadowed any other considerations.
The Alter Rebbe had a chosid by the name of R’ Michel Opotzker, who was a great chosid, a big maskil in Chassidus and a true oveid Hashem. Once, during a yechidus he complained to the Alter Rebbe that the chakirah – Jewish philosophy – that he had studied before learning Chassidus, was now disturbing his avodas Hashem. The Alter Rebbe advised him to sleep in socks (or slippers). Since Chazal tell us that this is קשה לשכחה, it makes one prone to forget, this would cause him to forget and be relieved of the unwanted ideas in his mind.
All of this has very great relevance to each and every one of us. We are now in the days between Yud Kislev, the birth of a chosid, and Yud Tes Kislev, the bris of a chosid. And we all just marked, with great shturem, a milestone Yud Daled Kislev, the day of our hiskashrus with the Rebbe. Of course, we need to increase our learning chassidus, and our following the darkei hachassidus. We need to ensure that all of the farbrengens are hisvaaduyos pe’ilos, that they have practical impact on our day-to-day life. But sometimes we need to make a deeper evaluation: Is Chassidus truly our foundation, or are we merely using the concepts of chassidus and the “language” of Chassidus to further the agenda of our NHB, to help it to be an even bigger beheima?
“Leida”, the birth of a chosid, implies that this defines completely who and what you are, that there is no possibility of any prior existence. Rosh Hashono for Chassidus implies that this is the head, the source, that ultimately governs all else. And we need to examine if that is indeed the case. And the tool for this evaluation is chassidus.
R’ Itche der masmid was a chosid who was a “murammei’am”, who was a lofty derhoibener Jew who inspired awe and respect amongst all types of Yidden, wherever he went. Once, R’ Itche went into a shul (not a Lubavitcher shul), accompanied by another chosid. As soon as those present noticed him, they jumped to their feet in awe. R’ Itche immediately motioned with his hand that they should be seated. The other chosid said to him (probably in jest): “Why do you assume that they’re standing up for you, and you are therefore indicating that they can be seated, perhaps they are, in fact standing for me, and it is not your place to tell them to be seated”. R’ Itche thought for a moment, and told him “You’re right!” That night, R’ Itche farbrenged for many hours about this incident, explaining that it is only through chassidus that we are able to identify, and therefore rectify the דקות הרע – the subtle imperfections that exist within us even when on the open we are doing everything right.
[I don’t think there was any doubt to anyone that the people were showing respect to R’ Itche. But R’ Itche was, apparently, finding fault with the fact that his reaction, and his arriving at this conclusion, was instinctive].
We need to – perhaps – use the power of these special days to – where deemed necessary – restart our life, and be reborn, on the solid foundation of chassidus and connection with Elokus, and to build all else, every other aspect of our life, on this base. This will help us better experience the way chassidus is אור, a light and illumination וחיות, and a source of life and lebedigkeit for נפשנו, our neshomo and our life.
L’chaim! May we all use this month and these days of geulah to experience geulah in every aspect of our lives, and to have a true Rosh Hashono leChassidus, and may the Eibishter bring about the למסמך גאולה לגאולה to the complete and ultimate geulah with the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu NOW!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
