אנכי ה'I am your Hashem
Reb Aharon Hagodol of Karlin ZY”A, was a Talmid (disciple) of the great Maggid of Mezrich ZY”A. One night as he was engrossed in Torah study a knock was heard at the door. It was from a fellow Talmid of the Maggid ZY”A who came to bid farewell to him. When the fellow Talmid knocked on the door, Reb Aharon Hagodol asked who is there. The student answered, “Ich” – “I”. Reb Aharon did not open the door for a long time until finally he opened it. He said there is only one “I” in the world, that is Onoichy Hashem – I am Hashem. The Talmid replied that he still must stay by the Maggid ZY”A to learn Toras Hashem.
Raninu Tzadikim, Reb Y”T Ehrlich Z’’L
The Engraving of Faith in Every Jew
For in order to elevate you has Hashem come; (20:17)
Meaning, the essence that Hashem [G-D] Blessed He, Himself said "Onochi – I Am Your Hashem, and Lo Yiyeh Licho – It should not be for you a foreign god", is symbolized and engraved in the heart of every Yid, until the point that even the low of the lowest, will be Mosser Nefesh – sacrifice his life, Al Kiddush Hashem – for The Name of Hashem Blessed He. And that is Levavur Nasos – To elevate Klall Yisroel, that they should stand in a Nisoyon – a tribulation.
It was in the height of WW2 the armies of Nazi Germany were overriding Polish towns without mercy. As the town of Kozhnith was destroyed the Shul of the Kohznitzer Maggid ZY"A was set aflame. The Sifrei Torah were saved from the Shul, but not for long. As the shul was burning the Germans approached the Mayor of the city, a Jew who was a Bundist. The general offered the Mayor to Chas VeSholom desecrate the Sefer Torah and thereby save himself. The Mayor stood aside the Burning Shul and he immediately jumped into the fire, giving his life Al Kiddush Hashem, rather than to Chas Vesholom forsake The Name of Hashem, even in his low and farfetched situation of Yiddishkeit. From this story we see the Heilige words of The Possuk and the explanation of the Heilige Berditchiver – The Kedushas Levi. As Onochi and Lo Yiye Licho were said from Hashem himself, it penetrated the depths of every Jewish soul, as we were all at Har Sinai, That Hashem is one and the only one. And that there is none besides Him.
This is alive with every single Yid to this very day, in every place and every situation.
A Yid once would come to The Beis Aharon ZY"A on a regular basis. He once did not come for three years. The Beis Aharon questioned him on this, to which the Chossid Answered "I heard the Rebbe say something that held me for three years". The Beis Aharon immediately called for the Koseiv – scribe to record this. The Chossid replied "Tzu Dienin Der Bashfer iz vie mehn iz, Vos mehnn iz, uhn Vehn mehn iz – To serve Hashem is where we are, what we are and when we are "!
