Why
We Would Defend “Fanaticism”
By
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg
I
once heard the following story about Rabbi Yosef Dovid Azulai,
known as the Chida, at a Chassidishe farbrengen held during
the Three Weeks.
Years
ago there was a custom among Moroccan Jews, especially among the
Moroccan nashim tzidkaniyos, that at precisely noon on
Tisha B’Av they would commence with elaborate preparations to
greet Moshiach.
[Tisha
B’Av, as is known, is the time when “Malka Meshicha is
born.” As the Rebbe MH”M shlita explains (see Volume 2
of Seifer HaSichos 5751, page 744), the meaning of the word
“born” includes the concept of
Moshiach’s rising to greatness, particularly in spiritual
greatness – “head and shoulders above the people” — in
accordance with all the laws that define a Jewish king, as well as
the quality of rav, also characteristic of Melech
HaMoshiach. The Rebbe further explains in this sicha that
“birth” does not refer to the actual time Moshiach is born (as
an infant is not yet the “savior of Israel”), but rather, to
Moshiach’s revelation as the Redeemer.]
In
any event, at exactly chatzos on Tisha B’Av, the Moroccan
Jewish women would take out their mops and pails and start
scrubbing the house for the important guest due to arrive at any
minute. Spices and fragrances would be strewn about to perfume the
air. Taking the words of our Sages to heart, the women would get
ready for Moshiach Tzidkeinu in the plainest and most literal way
they could.
When
the Moroccan rabbanim and community leaders learned of this
custom, they reacted with a great hue and cry. What these women
were doing was against the Shulchan Aruch! How could they
wash the floor on Tisha B’Av, when one isn’t even allowed to
touch water? Yes, they agreed, a Jew is supposed to anticipate
Moshiach’s coming and pray for his arrival, but only in a manner
permitted by Jewish law. The rabbanim began a campaign to
eradicate this custom, and even succeeded in several locations.
One
Tisha B’Av, the Chida was visiting a small village when he
learned that this custom was still being practiced there.
Resolving to do something about it, he ascended the bima in
shul and delivered a special address.
“Dear
Jews,” the Chida began, “I know that your intentions are good,
and that you are only trying to express your emuna in
Moshiach in the most tangible way possible. At the same time, as
believing Jews, we are forbidden to deviate from halacha
even a hairsbreadth. According to Jewish law, it is very doubtful
that this custom is permitted, and it may even be forbidden. I am,
therefore, appealing to you to tell your wives and daughters to
refrain from it from now on. And in the same way that G-d has
surely rewarded you for your good intentions, as you were unaware
of the halacha, may He continue to reward you generously
for abandoning the practice.”
The
simple Moroccan Jews were very surprised by the Chida’s request.
After all, cleaning the house on Tisha B’Av was something they
had been doing their entire lives. Nonetheless, as religious folk,
they were ready and willing to obey whatever the rav told
them.
The
Chida left the podium pleased that he had managed to remove a
stumbling block from the local community. Then he overheard two
women talking among themselves. “Did you hear what the rav
said?” one woman asked the other incredulously. “He announced
that Moshiach isn’t coming this year, so we don’t have to
bother cleaning the house.”
The
Chida was absolutely horrified. What had he done to damage the
simple faith of these pure and holy nashim tzidkaniyos?
Without hesitation he walked back to the bima and demanded
everyone’s attention. “Rabosai,” he cried out.
“Dear Jews! I apologize publicly and retract my former
statement. It is true that there is a very big question about
whether it is permissible to clean the house on Tisha B’Av. But
if refraining to do so will in any way weaken your faith in the
coming of Moshiach, it is far better to continue practicing your
longstanding custom.”
(I
have since heard from reliable sources that the custom continues
until today in several communities, despite years of effort to
eradicate it.)
*
* *
The
period of the Three Weeks emphasizes just how crucial it is to
have true ahavas and achdus Yisroel as a
prerequisite for the Geula. As the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach
explained on Shabbos Parshas Matos-Masei 5751:
“It
should be added and stressed that the connection between ahavas
Yisroel and the future Redemption is not only a means of
nullifying the reason for exile, which was caused by the opposite
of ahavas Yisroel. Rather, as we are now at the end of the
entire service of the exile, having completed all ‘42 journeys
through the wilderness of the nations,’ and are now ‘al
Yarden Yereicho’ (a reference to the level of Moshiach, who
is described as ‘morach vada’in’), on the very
threshold of the Geula, there is no doubt that the cause
for the Galus has already been corrected. Thus at present,
the emphasis on ahavas Yisroel must be as a foretaste and
beginning of the true and complete Redemption, which is associated
with a unity that is above division, as emphasized in the unity of
the Jewish people.”
There
are several letters of the Rebbe shlita that discuss how
true ahava and unity can be achieved. On the one
hand, the Rebbe makes the point that it is not through
making concessions on fundamental principles, because making
concessions does not lead to true peace and unity; rather, it
creates the potential for friction and dissention.
But, since there is a need to strengthen and encourage hiskashrus
and emuna in our Rebbeim, nothing should be done that would
lessen anyone’s hiskashrus, even if it is expressed too
fervently.
*
* *
In
a letter addressed to Professor Avrohom Yitzchak Katz (Igros
Kodesh, Volume 18), dated 28 Adar I 5719, the Rebbe writes:
“After
begging your pardon, although I do not think that my words will
surprise you, I must say that I do not agree with you. My
reasoning is derived from the obvious need to maintain the unity
of our people, concerning which I am sure we are in agreement. If
our people’s unity was crucial throughout the ages, how much
more so in our own times, which all agree is a period of crisis,
when people are confused and values are being eroded. At such a
time, concessions and the like are very dangerous, especially when
new ideas and philosophies are popping up overnight.
“Regardless
of the issue, whenever a person is considering adopting a
particular approach, the thing to do is to look at that
philosophy’s most radical statements, even if these statements
are only accepted by a minority of its adherents. For fanaticism
can radically emphasize and alter the direction of a given
philosophy if not corrected in time.
“It,
therefore, follows that all who cherish the unity of the Jewish
people, even in non-religious circles, must defend that unity and
do everything possible to avoid weakening it and making
concessions. This is especially true given that anyone who
considers the matter honestly will be forced to admit that
concessions do not lead to peace and unity, but on the contrary,
merely create the potential for constant friction and
ever-increasing dissention.”
In
another letter dated the first day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5720 (Igros
Kodesh, Volume 19), written to Rabbi Zevin, the Rebbe
discusses the need to strengthen hiskashrus, even if it
seems too fanatical:
“Concerning
what you wrote to me about the customs related to Hagba,
etc., what emerges from your letter is that these customs have
already been in practice for some time, on the basis of their
having been followed in the shul in which the Rebbe Rayatz
used to daven.
“Although
at first glance your argument for ceasing these practices seems to
be valid, particularly in light of the fact that the old-time
Chassidim conducted themselves differently when they first arrived
in the Holy Land, the problem facing us now is this: Are we
permitted to do anything that might conceivably damage someone’s
hiskashrus to our holy Rebbeim, even if it is expressed too
fervently?
“The
question can be compared to the story in the Talmud (Sukka 32)
about Rabbi Kahana, who opined that when preparing the Four Kinds,
one may use hadassim with a certain configuration of leaves
(two and one), although he himself did not specify that they must
be in this configuration. Nonetheless, after expressing this
opinion, his students scrupulously pursued this approach as an
expression of their hiskashrus.
“How
much more so does this apply to the case at hand! Moreover, when
someone sees that the custom is being altered he will ask why, and
will be informed that it is a custom that was practiced by our
holy Rebbeim. The point I am making is that should the previous
custom be restored, it would weaken the position that one should
follow whatever customs were practiced by the Rebbe Rayatz.”
As
this applies to us, the customs practiced in the shul of
the Rebbe Rayatz surely include declaring “Yechi” after
davening and after reading the Torah (after Kaddish
and on days when Kaddish isn’t recited after “sheini”),
as well as referring to the Rebbe as “the Rebbe Melech
HaMoshiach shlita.”
In
the Rebbe’s words, “concessions do not lead to peace and
unity, but on the contrary, merely create the potential for
constant friction and ever-increasing dissention.” The way to
achieve true peace and unity is not through making
concessions on fundamental principles and exchanging “land for
peace” (so to speak), G-d forbid, but by sticking to our
“fanatical statements” as an expression of hiskashrus.
At
the same time, it is self-evident that it is crucial to have true ahavas
Yisroel for those who do not yet agree with us. For “we
are all the sons of one man”: we are all Chassidim, we are all
connected to the Rebbe, and all of us are waiting expectantly for
his immediate hisgalus with the full and complete
Redemption, now!
“Yechi
Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed!”
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