THE POWER TO TRANSCEND

Dear reader sh’yichyeh,

We recently 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.”

The apparent reason why this HaYom Yom was written for 6 Iyar is because the source of the HaYom Yom is a letter of the Frierdike Rebbe dated on the 6th of Iyar. The letter (Igros Kodesh Vol. 6, pg. 287) was written to Rabbi Moshe HaKohen Shayevitch, who asked how he can be mekushar to the Frierdike Rebbe. The Rebbe answered that it comes through the learning of Torah and Avoda. Then the Frierdike Rebbe continues to explain the idea quoted in the above-mentioned HaYom Yom.

This Reb Moshe was the Gabbai in his shul. Our Rebbe wrote to him (25 Teves 5711): “As I once said: [(When its letters are rearranged) the word] gabbai (גבאי) [serves as an acronym] for the phrase: אנא בכח גדולת ימינך, ‘We implore You by the power of Your right hand…’ Implied is that one who, by Divine providence, was chosen to be the gabbai of a synagogue must have power [expressed] in kindness (i.e., “Your right hand”) and with a tone of asking (“We implore”), i.e., your influence should be powerful [“the power”], but it should be expressed with the quality of kindness. [You should] make the synagogue a chassidishe shul and illuminate and bring warmth to all your surroundings.”

Another letter about his influence (12 Elul 5705): “‘One who influences others [to act] is greater…’ You have the responsibility to organize a committee in your community that will take on itself, bli neder, a fixed tax, a proper sum to be sent monthly, designated to assist our work, your and our endeavors, the task of printing and distributing the books published according to the directives of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Shlita.”

Yet, the most famous letter to this Chassid is about spending Yom Tov with the Rebbe. The Rebbe writes (in a letter dated 24 Tishrei 5708, published in I Will Write it in their Hearts): “I had thought that just like every year, on the days of Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Torah we would meet and be able to speak together. It appears that [this year] various factors stood in your way and prevented you from making the journey. How regretful! As our Sages (Rosh Hashanah 16b) state: ‘A person is obligated to appear before his teacher on the festivals.’”

While that may be the plain reason for the HaYom Yom being featured on that date, it is fascinating to note that the idea also connects to a major event which took place on 6 Iyar many years later. On 28 Nissan 5751, the Rebbe gave us the responsibility and privilege of bringing Moshiach. Chassidim were energized but felt that they needed direction as to what new Avoda was demanded of them now that was not done before.

The Rebbe said at the next farbrengen (Shmini): “What this duty consists of is also simple: increasing one’s Torah and mitzvos. This means learning both the open aspects of the Torah and the inner aspects of the Torah and performing the mitzvos with distinction… All of this should be done with an intense anticipation and desire for the Redemption – ‘I anxiously await his coming every day.’ As we say every day in the prayers: ‘May our eyes behold Your return to Zion in mercy’ and (on weekdays) – ‘Speedily cause the scion of David Your servant to flourish.’ This has been mentioned many times.”

While this was a clear instruction of the Rebbe, to many it was not enough. They felt that Torah and Mitzvos is something that they had been doing the whole time, and something new and more directly connected to Moshiach should be revealed to the Chassidim so that they could do their newly appointed job properly. In a now famous letter, Rabbi Chaim Gutnick implored of the Rebbe to reveal to the Chassidim what can be done to bring the Geula.

The next Shabbos, Tazria-Metzora, 6 Iyar, the Rebbe revealed the new path to bring the Geula: “The question is: Since we’ve already completed ‘our actions and service throughout the duration of exile,’ what is the ‘straightforward path’ (the easiest and fastest among all the paths of Torah) that all the Jewish people, who have concluded their service, should choose to realize the revelation and coming of Moshiach?

“… This increase in learning the Torah concerned with Moshiach and Redemption (Malchus Sh’b’Tiferes) is the ‘straightforward path’ to actually cause the revelation and coming of Moshiach and Redemption…

“These places are: the Written Torah (particularly ‘the words of the prophets… for all their books are filled with this matter’); the Oral Torah, in the Gemara (particularly the tractate Sanhedrin and the end of tractate Sota) and in Midrashim; and especially the Inner Teachings of the Torah, beginning with the Zohar (‘With this book of yours, the book of the Zohar, they will leave their exile in mercy’), through Toras Chassidus (that through the spreading of the wellsprings outward the master, King Moshiach, will come), to the Torah of our Rebbeim, our Leaders, and principally in the Torah (Maamarim and Likkutei Sichos) of the Leader of our generation. Learning this material is a sample of and preparation for learning the Torah of Moshiach, ‘For a new Torah shall go forth from Me,’ meaning he will teach to all the people the Inner Teachings of the Torah (the reasons of the Torah) and knowledge of G-dliness (‘know the G-d of your fathers’). This is in agreement with the halachic ruling of the Rambam that ‘in that time… the Jews will be great sages and know hidden matters, attaining knowledge of their Creator, etc.’

This is clearly connected to the HaYom Yom of 6 Iyar. “One should not take leave of his friend except amidst words of Halacha (Torah law).” By learning Halacha about Geula and Moshiach, we take leave of Galus.

Perhaps we can suggest a deeper connection between this HaYom Yom and Moshiach. The main lesson of the 6 Iyar HaYom Yom is that we should become a Mehalech, one who strides, in our Avodas Hashem. But from where does this ko’ach to stride in Avodas Hashem come from?

The Rebbe writes (HaYom Yom 23 Nissan): “The concept that there is a revelation of Moshiach on the last day of Pesach is relevant to the entire Jewish people. On Pesach, [the dynamic between G‑d and His people is characterized by] a leap, and [Pesach begins with] ‘the night of G‑d’s watchfulness.’ Overall, we experience freedom. Afterwards, however, we are plunged back into the world. This, then, is the above-mentioned revelation of Moshiach — the resolute power that it generates, enabling us to go on in the world.”

It is the power of Moshiach that enables us to be above the world and thus free the world and the people in it from the limitations of the world. It is primarily the perceived Galus mentality limitations that we impose on ourselves. These limitations tell us that we have been in Galus and thus will remain in Galus. It is therefore very hard to internalize that we can actually leave Galus by learning about Moshiach.

The Rebbe addressed this (Balak 5751): “Despite the uproar associated with this matter in recent times within this year, the year of ‘I shall show him wonders,’ and after witnessing the wonders which testify that this is ‘The year that the King Moshiach will be revealed,’ we see how difficult it is to inculcate the awareness and the feeling that we are literally standing on the threshold of the Messianic Era, to the point that one begins to thrive on matters of Moshiach and Redemption…

“The solution to this dilemma is Torah study concerning Moshiach and Redemption. For Torah – which is G-d’s wisdom, and thus transcends the natural order of the universe – has the capacity to alter the nature of man. Even when one’s emotions are still outside the parameters of Redemption, G-d forbid (because he has not yet emerged from his internal exile), he can nevertheless learn the Torah’s teachings concerning Redemption, and thereby be one elevated to the state of Redemption. One then begins to thrive on matters of Redemption, borne of the knowledge, awareness and feeling that ‘Behold he is coming.’”

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