THE POWER OF A JEW TO WITHSTAND EXILE

Jews always have the power to withstand exile. Even when the will of a Jew in matters of holiness and Torah and Mitzvos is sometimes concealed, his true desire is to fulfill G-d’s will. * From Chapter Six of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis.)

Translated by Boruch Merkur

11. […] We are presently in the final generation of exile and the first generation of redemption. The Jews throughout all preceding generations and eras have already amassed a vast quantity of “our deeds and our service,” even completing the final birurim (acts of refining the world). Now the primary emphasis is first and foremost the completion and perfection and end of the avoda – to bring [the third and final stage of a Jew’s avoda] the Gimmel of the true and complete redemption, geula, into actuality!

12. The power for each Jew to succeed in all areas (from their onset until their conclusion) comes from the first [stage of avoda, the] Alef, the “Ani – I” of every Jew, which is connected with and is one with the “Anochi” above [the essence of G-d]. Even as [the soul of] a Jew descends into [a body within] the physical world, the statement remains true that the entire world was created “for the sake of the Jewish people, who are called ‘reishis,’” the head (rosh) and beginning (reishis) of the entirety of Creation.

The power for each Jew to reveal this Divinity within him comes from Moshe Rabbeinu, and likewise with regard to the incarnation of Moshe in each generation. The Moshe Rabbeinu of this generation is my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, leader of our generation. Through the Rebbe, all three manifestations of the Luchos – the First Luchos, their shattered remains, and the Final Luchos – are achieved, together with the karnei ha’hod, the rays of splendor that were emitted from the face of Moshe Rabbeinu after receiving the Final Luchos.

This concept is especially relevant as this Shabbos we read the entire parsha of “ki sisa es rosh b’nei Yisroel – when you (Moshe) sisa (count or uplift) the Jewish people.” In addition to the fact that, in general, Jews are the head, with the power of Moshe Rabbeinu Jews experience “the uplifting of the head.” This elevation, in turn, provides the power to accomplish what is discussed later in the parsha: the concept of Alef (the First Luchos), as well as the concept of Beis – avoda performed within the world. The latter, the avoda of Beis, includes serving G-d even at the lowest possible depth, and transforming that depth and uplifting it to the level of the Final Luchos, with the revelation of the karnei ha’hod. Every Jew has the [spiritual] capacity to receive this revelation. Not only that, but through avoda performed in the physical world a Jew can receive this revelation even as he exists in the physical world.

Moreover, in addition to the fact that every Jew receives the revelation of the karnei ha’hod, the concept of karnei ha’hod finds expression in each individual Jew, on account of the aspect of Moshe within him.

The Alter Rebbe explains in Tanya the saying of our Sages on the verse, “Now, Yisroel, what does G-d, your L-rd, ask of you other than to fear G-d, your L-rd” – “Are we to understand that fear [of G-d] is a small matter? Yes, it is. For Moshe Rabbeinu it is a small matter.” That is, in virtue of the aspect of Moshe within each person – because to Moshe “fear is a small matter.”

Accordingly we can understand the corollary: When is it appropriate to say that to Moshe (as well as the Moshe within each individual) it is “a small matter”? Within Moshe there is a whole spectrum of levels: corresponding to his foot, his torso, all the way to his head or crown. It is with respect to yira tataa – the lower level of fear, associated with Moshe’s foot (reminiscent of “the feet of the nation of which I am in their midst”) – that the expression “a small matter” applies. However, beyond that level, there are higher aspects of Moshe, described as intermediate [his torso] and great, superior, the level of his head and even higher still, the level of crown, Kesser-Malchus, embodied by Moshe’s karnei hod, as is known.

Similarly it is understood with regard to the aspect of Moshe within each Jew – that in virtue of this dimension of holiness, he possesses within him all levels of Moshe – from “small,” to “intermediate,” and “great,” including Kesser (karnei ha’hod). The innovative concept here is that [although in all matters there is a balance between holiness and evil] the (true) concept of Kesser has no counterpart on the Other Side. Yet this unique dimension of holiness is imparted to every single Jew. (Jews are bestowed with the level of Kesser-Crown in virtue of their being “children of kings.” In fact, they are actually “kings” (Tikkunei Zohar, Preface 1b, beg.)). In all times and in all situations – even in the time and circumstance of exile – a Jew has the Kesser-Malchus of the karnei ha’hod.

In terms of soul-powers, Kesser corresponds to the power of will, including the power of mesirus nefesh, self-sacrifice. The will of a Jew towards G-d is always in full measure, at all times. It is for this reason that Jews always have the power to withstand exile. Even when the will of a Jew in matters of holiness and Torah and Mitzvos is sometimes concealed, his true desire is to fulfill G-d’s will, as in Rambam’s famous ruling (Laws of Divorce, Ch. 2, end).

(From the addresses of the Rebbe delivered on Parshas Sisa, 10-18 Adar Rishon 5752; Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 436-437)