Why
Does It Never Happen To Us?
By
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg
HaRav
HaKadosh R’ Moshe Alshich (“the holy Alshich”) lived in
Tzefas during the same time as the Arizal. The Alshich was the
official darshan of the city, while the Mara D’Asra was
the famous Beis Yosef (Rabbi Yosef Karo, compiler of the Shulchan
Aruch). The chazan, completing the stellar cast of
medieval gedolim, was the famous R’ Shlomo Alkabetz,
author of the liturgical poem, “Lecha Dodi.”
(Author’s
note: In the preface to the Lubavitcher machzor it is noted
that the Chabad nusach of davening “is that which
is followed in the beis midrash of the Rebbe shlita.”
R’ Shlomo Alkabetz, therefore, has a distinct merit in that “Yechi
Adoneinu” is sung after his poem every Friday night in 770
and in every Chabad shul around the world, as was done in
the Rebbe MH”M’s presence for over a year and a half.)
It is said
that whenever the Arizal got up in shul to deliver a drasha,
the Alshich would immediately fall asleep. The Alshich was very
perturbed by this and tried several segulos to stay awake,
but none of them worked. Finally, when it became obvious that
something more than meets the eye was going on, he asked the
Arizal for an explanation. “Your neshama,” the Arizal
told him, “relates to the world of drush, rather than the
world of sod. Thus, whenever sod is about to be
revealed, it simply cannot listen.”
The Alshich,
as the local darshan, attracted many listeners. In addition
to the greatest geonim and tzadikim of Tzefas, many
simple Jews came to hear him speak.
One time the
Alshich gave a sermon on the subject of parnasa. HaKadosh
Boruch Hu, he explained, is the only source of a person’s
livelihood. He and He alone “provides sustenance for the entire
world with grace, with kindness and with mercy.” No matter how
hard a man works, he can never make even a penny more than is
decreed from Above. Therefore, the Alshich continued, it is simply
a waste of time to become too involved in worldly matters. Better
to put all that effort into learning Torah, observing mitzvos
b’hiddur, and to trust in G-d for all one’s needs.
Among the
listeners in shul that day was a simple Jew who could
barely read Hebrew and daven. Nonetheless, he was an
extremely pious and G-d-fearing individual who worked very hard to
eke out a living. Every morning he went out into the field with
his horse and wagon, and dug deep holes in the earth to extract
the clay. In the evening, when he returned to town, he would sell
the clay for a few coins. Needless to say, it was not a very
lucrative business.
When this
Jew heard the Alshich’s sermon it made a great impression on
him. He accepted the Alshich’s words literally, without any “chochmos,”
and resolved to put them into practice. Why was he killing himself
for a few cents when his time could be better spent reciting
Tehillim? So he decided to stay at home and work on his
relationship with Hashem. Let the parnasa run after him for
a change of pace!
This fellow,
not being very educated in Jewish matters, was unfamiliar with the
concept of having to create a “vessel” through natural means
for G-d’s blessing. Taking the Rabbi at his word, he stayed home
and said Tehillim a whole day long. Surely an all-powerful G-d
could provide for his family without his personal intervention.
The Jew was
really enjoying his newfound life style. After years of
backbreaking labor, it was a pleasure to daven at a
leisurely pace and devote himself to developing his spiritual
side.
Meanwhile,
his family and friends were trying desperately to convince him
that he was making a mistake. That can’t be what the Alshich
meant, they pleaded. You must have misunderstood him. What do you
expect, that money will fall from sky? But the Jew refused to
listen.
“I heard
him myself,” he insisted. “The Rabbi said that if a person
trusts in G-d, G-d will send him everything he needs. ‘Cast your
burden upon the L-rd, and He shall sustain you.’ Why should I be
a fool and knock myself out for nothing?”
Two days
later there was nothing left in the house to eat. The man’s
family begged him to go out to work, but he refused. With no other
option they decided to sell the horse and wagon, but the man
didn’t care. What did he need a horse and wagon for, if G-d
Himself would soon be sending him parnasa?
A few days
later the Jew was sitting and saying Tehillim when the
horse and wagon, heavily laden with clay, suddenly walked into the
courtyard. The children ran to feed and water the horse, and began
to unload the cargo. Hidden inside they found a barrel full of
gold and silver coins.
It turned
out that the goy who had bought the horse and wagon had
gone out that day to dig for clay and inadvertently uncovered the
treasure. After hiding it in the wagon, he had climbed back into
the pit to retrieve his shovel. At that moment the walls of the
pit caved in, killing him instantly. The man had left no heirs. On
instinct the horse had returned to his old home, bringing the
fortune to his former master and transforming him into an instant
millionaire.
The story
soon became famous in the city of Tzefas, prompting the
Alshich’s disciples to come to him with a complaint. “But we
also trust in G-d!” they cried. “Why do none of us ever get to
see any open miracles, and we have to work hard for a living?”
“The
answer,” the Alshich explained, “is tmimus. The simple
Jew had faith with his whole heart and soul, and truly deserved
everything he was given. In your case, your emuna is
already ‘tainted’ by intellectual understanding, and that’s
why you have to work hard and expend effort…”
***
There are
many popular tales told like this, especially among followers of
the Baal Shem Tov. In all of these stories, the simple, uneducated
Jew who does everything with a real tmimus is able to
attain more than the biggest lamdan or the highest tzaddik.
The quality
of tmimus (wholeness and sincerity) enables a person to
grasp the etzem (essence), whereas the intellect relates
only to giluyim (outward revelations). Thus, because etzem
is on a higher level (and contains all of the giluyim),
whoever attains the etzem attains everything.
At the Siyum
HaRambam of 5746 (printed in Volume 27 of Likkutei Sichos,
starting on page 249), the Rebbe explains that there are three
levels of “knowledge of G-d”:
The first
level is the simple recognition that G-d exists. This precedes any
particular Divine commandment.
The second
level includes the commandments to comprehend G-dliness, leading
to an understanding that G-d is the First Cause and the most
sublime Essence.
The highest
level is that no matter what we understand, it doesn’t even
begin to approach what G-d is. G-d is above all intellectual
comprehension and definition; the Torah allows us a glimpse into
His true Essence, but our understanding will always remain
limited.
At first
glance, one would think that the first level, the simple
recognition that G-d exists, is only a preparatory step for
reaching the higher levels. But the truth is, the Rebbe explains,
that this is the main point! Whatever comes after this basic
concept is in the realm of “giluyim.” It is precisely
the unformed, literal acceptance of G-d’s existence that reveals
His highest Essence, and is, therefore, the foundation for
everything that comes afterward. G-d’s Essence encompasses all
further “giluyim,” which are automatically contained
within it.
In the same
way, the Rebbe continues, all of the various levels of
“knowledge of G-d” that will characterize the Days of Moshiach
stem from the essence of Moshiach himself, from the fact that
Melech HaMoshiach will be revealed and functioning in the world.
Furthermore,
Moshiach has his own intrinsic “value” that is unrelated to
any effect he has on the world, in the same way that G-d doesn’t
exist for any other purpose. Therefore, even before Moshiach has
fully exerted his influence, his very existence serves to reveal
the underlying G-dliness of creation. The tikkun of the
world that follows Moshiach’s arrival is only the natural
consequence of his revelation.
(This is one
of the reasons that the Rambam emphasizes that Moshiach is “a
descendent of the House of David”: The sovereignty of the
Davidic dynasty is independent of the king’s having being chosen
by the people. A Davidic king is a “king by virtue of his
essence,” and doesn’t require any outside verification. This
special quality is derived from the yechida of the king’s
soul, which constantly pines for the “Yechido Shel Olam.”
In the same way, Moshiach is Moshiach by virtue of his essence,
and does not exist for the purpose of the world or any specific
effect he will have on it.)
Of course,
lest anyone conclude that because Moshiach is so lofty he
doesn’t require our participation, the Rebbe immediately reminds
us that actually everything depends on us: “Everything that
happens in the future is contingent on our deeds and service now.
Even the coming of Moshiach (which transcends tikkun olam)…is
effected by our actions and service at present.”
The Rebbe
goes on to explain that one of the primary ways we do this is by
studying the Rambam’s works, the purpose of which is not only to
determine practical, halachic courses of action, but is
Torah study that is purely “li’shma.” This will bring
about Moshiach’s revelation, which is also purely “li’shma,”
and not for any underlying reason.
This sicha,
like many others, underscores how important it is to participate
in the Siyum HaRambam, and urge as many people as possible
to begin the yearly cycle of study.
It also
brings to mind the Rebbe’s words in the famous sicha of Parshas
Toldos 5752: “The main innovation of the coming of Moshiach
is the revelation of his essence. All the details that come
afterward (his public disclosure after redeeming the Jewish
people, and all other features of the Days of Moshiach) are only
the result and consequence of the basic revelation of his essence,
and are included within it.
“The
declaration, ‘Yechi Adoni HaMelech Dovid l’olam,’
expresses the eternity of the sovereignty of the House of David,
which continued through King Solomon, and will be perfected and
completed by Melech HaMoshiach, who is ‘descended from the House
of David and the seed of Solomon.’ The declaration is thus
intended to effect the revelation of Melech HaMoshiach, and
thereafter, to bring about his public revelation through his
actions in the world.”
In light of
the Rebbe’s statement on Shabbos Parshas VaYeira that Moshiach
not only exists but is already revealed, and all that is left is
to actually greet him, we can understand how essential it is to
make this declaration in speech, in writing, and in every way
possible.
The first
thing we must do is foster an awareness that the Rebbe Melech
HaMoshiach is chai v’kayam in the literal sense, and that
he continues to answer our requests and to lead and guide us. For,
as the Rebbe explained on Shabbos Parshas Shoftim 5751, it is the
obligation and merit of each member of our generation to connect
to him, to fulfill his directives (“your judges”), seek his
counsel in important matters (“your advisors”), and believe in
all of his prophecies, “culminating in the main prophecy [about
Moshiach’s imminent arrival], a prophecy that is not being
uttered as a scholar or judge, but as a prophet, which grants
assurance that it will indeed occur: ‘Immediate teshuva
will lead to immediate redemption’ and ‘Behold, Moshiach is
coming.’”
To conclude:
The main intention of saying “Yechi” is to access the etzem,
the essential revelation and existence of Melech HaMoshiach in the
world, whose function is to reveal G-d’s Essence. This will
bring about the Rebbe’s revelation to the world at large, with
the true and complete Redemption immediately. |