Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,
We are in the midst of the summer break and many Chassidim take advantage of this time of the year to travel. When a Chassid travels, he needs to keep in mind the words of the Rebbe (HaYom Yom 10 Tammuz): “Soon after he undertook the leadership of the chassidic community, the Alter Rebbe delivered the following teaching: [It is written:] ‘A man’s steps are made firm by G‑d.’ When a Jew arrives at a particular place, this is for the purpose of doing a mitzvah, be it a mitzvah between man and man, or between man and G‑d. A Jew is an agent of [G‑d] Above, and wherever an agent is, he derives his power from the Sender. The superiority of souls over angels [in this regard] lies in the fact that [G‑d confers His agency to] the souls through the Torah.”
This is from a letter (Igros Volume 5, page 103) written to the Chassid, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Cunin. Rabbi Cunin, who is the grandfather of Rabbi Shlomo Cunin of California, was a leading Chabad Chassid and activist in America. He invested in stocks and many people invested their money with him. He used to recommend that they donate shares to the Previous Rebbe and succeeded in doing so. When the Frierdike Rebbe needed money, he told everyone to sell their shares and donate the proceeds to the Rebbe. No one wanted to sell, so he was the only one who sold all his shares and brought the money to the Rebbe. The next day the shares went up five hundred percent and everyone was so upset. Why did he sell the shares? Two days later, when the value of the shares fell to zero, the Rebbe called him and blessed him, his children and grandchildren, to the end of all generations, with success.
When the Rebbe came to the United States, R. Mendel was among the activists who purchased the building 770 on Eastern Parkway, which later became the center of Lubavitch in America. When he felt that his end was near, he sold all his possessions and gave the sale proceeds to the Rebbe. He later learned that he had a four hundred dollar credit and asked the Rebbe what to do with it. The Rebbe told him to do what he did with the rest of the money.
In that letter, the Frierdike Rebbe speaks very strongly about Ahavas Yisroel. He mentions that the Baal Shem Tov said that one must go on Mesiras Nefesh for Ahavas Yisroel. He briefly mentions the famous story associated with this teaching (see the book The Making of Chassidim, published by Sichos in English) about the Chassid of the Baal Shem Tov, Reb Mordechai. From a group of three friends, he alone became a Chassid of the Baal Shem tov. This came about in the following manner.
Reb Mordechai was living in far-away Podolia. While there, he heard a rumor of the great miracle-worker who lived nearby, whose fame as a great scholar and kabbalist had spread throughout the region. Being a great scholar and kabbalist himself, Reb Mordechai desired to visit the famous Baal Shem Tov.
When he arrived at the Baal Shem Tov’s court, he remained for a long time. He was grateful to G‑d for giving him the good sense to come to the Baal Shem Tov. He was, however, distressed that he did not know where his two childhood companions — Reb Yisachar Ber and Reb Chayim — were. If only he knew where they were, he would inform them of his whereabouts, about the great Torah insights that he was privileged to hear, and the paths of avoda and worship of the Creator that he had been privileged to witness.
After hearing this teaching of the Baal Shem Tov, about Mesiras Nefesh for Ahavas Yisroel, the more Reb Mordechai contemplated these words the more he began to think about his old friends Reb Yisachar Ber and Reb Chayim. He really ought to find out where they were, and inform them of the new path being taught by the Rebbe the Baal Shem Tov. He realized that to find his companions, he himself would have to travel to the villages around Mohilev. It is a long and amazing story, but he was eventually successful. The Rebbe also relates how this teaching initiated a series of events that led one of the Alter Rebbe’s Chassidim to redeem a Torah scroll that had been in the possession of gentiles for three years.
This theme, that Hashem directs the footsteps of man, repeats itself a few times in the HaYom Yom.
3 Elul: “A person who believes in Divine Providence knows that “the steps of a man are made firm by G‑d.” [A person goes to] a particular place because his soul must refine and perfect something there. For hundreds of years, or even from the very beginning of creation, the object that must be refined or rectified waits for that soul to come and do that task. Similarly, this soul itself, from the moment of its emanation and creation, waits for the time that it will descend [to the physical world] to refine and perfect that which has been assigned to it.”
14 Cheshvan: “‘A man’s footsteps are made firm by G‑d, [and He desires his way].’ Every member of the Jewish people has an assigned spiritual mission in life — to build a dwelling place for G‑d. Moreover, every individual, whoever and wherever he may be, must make great efforts to seek out and find a spiritual livelihood, just as he seeks out ways of earning his material livelihood. This is because ‘he desires His way’ — G‑d’s path — as is stated of Avraham, ‘For I have known him,’ [because he commands his children and his household after him,] that they should observe the way of G‑d (Havaya).
“There are two paths, the path of nature and the path that is higher than nature. G‑d created the world in such a way that it would appear — to mortal eyes — to follow the path of nature. This is ‘the path of Elokim.’ Torah and mitzvos, by contrast, are ‘the path of Havaya,’ which draws down into nature the higher realm that transcends nature. In response [to a Jew’s dedication to ‘the path of Havaya’], G‑d draws down to the Jewish people spiritual influence that transcends nature, within the framework of nature.”
Dear Chassidim!
This physical world is made up of time and space. Just as Hashem sets the footsteps of man so that they are in a specific place for a special mission, the same is with time. If Hashem, who is the source of life, placed us in a certain generation and era, it is because we are able to accomplish the mission of that era and time.
Our mission, in this time and era, is very clear: To prepare ourselves and the world around us for the Geula. During the summer and your many travels, you will probably be meeting many different types of Jewish people. Just as it is important to prepare for your physical trip, to pack up and prepare food etc., the same is true for our main mission. Everyone should prepare a few thoughts about Moshiach that they can share on a minute’s notice that would be readily accepted and understood by the one listening to the message.
The message should be inspiring, so that the person listening will want to learn more and will get involved in learning about Moshiach. As we learned in the HaYom Yom (6 Iyar): “Our Sages state: ‘One should not take leave of his friend except amidst words of halacha (Torah law).’ According to our holy Rebbeim, this alludes to the kind of Torah teaching that propels the listener and transforms him into a mehalech — one who strides from level to level, and from peak to peak. In this dynamism lies the superiority of souls over angels, [who are described as ‘those who stand’]. For the soul’s ascent is facilitated by positive activity, such as doing a favor for a fellow Jew in material matters and especially in spiritual matters.”
We always represent the Rebbe, and we have the z’chus (Sicha 3 Shevat, 5752) to be the “Aharon – mouthpiece” of the Rebbe. We have the privilege to be his Shluchim to fulfill his mission. It is a great merit that comes with responsibility. “[Halachically,] a shliach (agent) is as one with the person who empowers him. In this vein, the Sages observe that [in the Torah] an angel is actually called by G‑d’s Name when he serves as His agent. How much more does this apply to souls, for [when fulfilling G‑d’s will] they attain this [identification] to an even higher degree. Chassidim are the agents of the Rebbe — the Alter Rebbe. When we act, we are bound [to him]. Then, every dimension of one’s being is bound [to the Rebbe]: one walks like a chassid, eats like a chassid, and sleeps like a chassid.” (6 Iyar)
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com