by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
You may think that you are a clutch of lavender,
I do not know if you are.
You shampooed your hair,
You breathed in the 2 a.m. breeze,
You tiptoed through mattresses of sleeping children,
You struck your heart, which grew increasingly broader.
That is all that it takes:
A sky as lickety-split as a postage stamp,
A cousin who lives in the Bronx,
A box of matches,
And the reply from the government ministry
That they cannot repeal the law of gravity.
Perhaps you will meet a chameleon
Or watch the braids of brown ants weaving their fall provisions.
Everyone is happy with his porridge.
All right then. Order blackberry wine
And carry it back to your table with two hands.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Cessation of Animal Sacrifices and Vegetarianism
by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
Animal sacrifices will diminish under the influence of the amount of consumption of completely non-sanctified meat.
This is because the verse states, “When your spirit desires to eat meat…” (Deuteronomy 12:20). And how can a person with a perfected spirit desire to eat the flesh of a living being, since such a person rather sees in the animal a proper instrument to perfect Divine justice by making an effort to improve the animal and impart intelligence to it?
For the sake of the needs of the day, it is possible that there will exist many animals throughout the course of an entire era at the threshold of such perfection that it will accustom them to sacrifice their lives as an offering to Hashem, as a sign of their great awareness of the goodness that accrues and will accrue to them as a result of the service of Hashem that has brought mankind to that point: that he has risen to such a degree that he focuses all of his endeavors upon elevating animals and their honor. And in accordance with the value of the animal’s perspective, they will require that approach--i.e., of being sacrificed.
Alternatively, there will still be a need to continue drawing such energy of the sacrifices into the world so that the worst and most degraded members of the human race will not return to freely choose evil deeds, regressing from ethical perfection. Offering sacrifices makes that possible.
Alternatively, the Sanhedrin may find it proper, in accordance with the power that it possesses to uproot a law from the Torah when that involves non-action (Yevamot 89b), to declare sacrifices of living beings non-obligatory, since the killing of animals for non-sanctified purposes has ceased to be the norm.
The Bible supports this, for the verse speaks of a sacrifice as “bread”: “My sacrifice, My bread for My fires” (Numbers 28:2), yet regarding the same sacrifice the Bible refers to “one sheep” (Exodus 29:39, Leviticus 14:12). This appears to be a contradiction. The resolution is that as long as animals are killed for non-sanctified purposes, one may offer them to God; but when animals are not killed for non-sanctified purposes, sacrifices should be composed of bread.
Our Sages allude to this in saying that “all the sacrifices will be nullified except for the thanksgiving offering, which will not be nullified” (Yayikra Rabbah 9:7)—because it is composed in part of bread. Thus, the verse states, “and the flour offering minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be sweet to Hashem as in former days and years of old” (Malachi 3:4)--because that which remains fit to be a sacrifice after supernal human perfection is the flour offering.
And, to return to the verse on sacrifices, it speaks of “My sacrifice, My bread” (as noted above), and the following verse states, “And tell them: this is the fire-offering that you will offer to Hashem”—i.e., you realize that ultimately the offering will consist of “My bread for My fires,” “bread of the minchah.” However, at the present, until that time of perfection, tell them to sacrifice sheep.
The matter depends upon whether the sacrifice is considered to be “a pleasing fragrance.” And it will grow clear in the time of perfection that killing animals cannot give a “pleasing fragrance.”
It is possible that, in accordance with the ruling of the Sanhedrin and with verses found in the Prophets, the sacrificial service will revert to being offered by the first-born. Since there is an explicit verse in the Torah that leads to this presumption, such an idea is not to be considered as uprooting anything from the Torah, but rather as upholding the Torah.
The first-born were disqualified from offering sacrifices as a result of their role in the sin of the Golden Calf (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:5). But it is impossible that a sinful matter should last forever, because teshuvah, repentance, preceded the world (Tanchuma, Nasso 11:11).
Therefore, every impression of the sin of the Golden Calf will be rectified, and at that time the sacrificial service will revert to the first-born. The cohanim will of course not be disqualified, since “once they have ascended they do not descend” (Zevachim, Chapter 9).
We may derive that the obligation to offer animal sacrifices is in force only when those who offer them are solely cohanim. Therefore the verse states that in the present era, “[The person bringing the sacrifice] will have it slaughtered on the north side of the altar … [but only] the sons of Aaron, the cohanim, will sprinkle its blood” (Leviticus 1:11). However, when the first-born will also be qualified to serve, then due to the elevation of animals and all of existence, animals will not be used for sacrifices, but only bread and flour-offerings, as a sign of appreciation and elevation.
And in every case that we find a verse in the Torah and apply straightforward reasoning, the Great Court has the power to deliver such significant rulings—and in particular when we add the appropriate verses in the Prophets.
However, this vision refers to days in the far distant future. It is possible that the rectification of the world including with the resurrection of the dead will occur prior to that. And then in truth a number of matters will change in accordance with the quality of the new time.
Only wicked people eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge while it is unripe, for they do not appreciate the great worth of everything in its time.
Machberot Boisk 1:8
Animal sacrifices will diminish under the influence of the amount of consumption of completely non-sanctified meat.
This is because the verse states, “When your spirit desires to eat meat…” (Deuteronomy 12:20). And how can a person with a perfected spirit desire to eat the flesh of a living being, since such a person rather sees in the animal a proper instrument to perfect Divine justice by making an effort to improve the animal and impart intelligence to it?
For the sake of the needs of the day, it is possible that there will exist many animals throughout the course of an entire era at the threshold of such perfection that it will accustom them to sacrifice their lives as an offering to Hashem, as a sign of their great awareness of the goodness that accrues and will accrue to them as a result of the service of Hashem that has brought mankind to that point: that he has risen to such a degree that he focuses all of his endeavors upon elevating animals and their honor. And in accordance with the value of the animal’s perspective, they will require that approach--i.e., of being sacrificed.
Alternatively, there will still be a need to continue drawing such energy of the sacrifices into the world so that the worst and most degraded members of the human race will not return to freely choose evil deeds, regressing from ethical perfection. Offering sacrifices makes that possible.
Alternatively, the Sanhedrin may find it proper, in accordance with the power that it possesses to uproot a law from the Torah when that involves non-action (Yevamot 89b), to declare sacrifices of living beings non-obligatory, since the killing of animals for non-sanctified purposes has ceased to be the norm.
The Bible supports this, for the verse speaks of a sacrifice as “bread”: “My sacrifice, My bread for My fires” (Numbers 28:2), yet regarding the same sacrifice the Bible refers to “one sheep” (Exodus 29:39, Leviticus 14:12). This appears to be a contradiction. The resolution is that as long as animals are killed for non-sanctified purposes, one may offer them to God; but when animals are not killed for non-sanctified purposes, sacrifices should be composed of bread.
Our Sages allude to this in saying that “all the sacrifices will be nullified except for the thanksgiving offering, which will not be nullified” (Yayikra Rabbah 9:7)—because it is composed in part of bread. Thus, the verse states, “and the flour offering minchah of Judah and Jerusalem will be sweet to Hashem as in former days and years of old” (Malachi 3:4)--because that which remains fit to be a sacrifice after supernal human perfection is the flour offering.
And, to return to the verse on sacrifices, it speaks of “My sacrifice, My bread” (as noted above), and the following verse states, “And tell them: this is the fire-offering that you will offer to Hashem”—i.e., you realize that ultimately the offering will consist of “My bread for My fires,” “bread of the minchah.” However, at the present, until that time of perfection, tell them to sacrifice sheep.
The matter depends upon whether the sacrifice is considered to be “a pleasing fragrance.” And it will grow clear in the time of perfection that killing animals cannot give a “pleasing fragrance.”
It is possible that, in accordance with the ruling of the Sanhedrin and with verses found in the Prophets, the sacrificial service will revert to being offered by the first-born. Since there is an explicit verse in the Torah that leads to this presumption, such an idea is not to be considered as uprooting anything from the Torah, but rather as upholding the Torah.
The first-born were disqualified from offering sacrifices as a result of their role in the sin of the Golden Calf (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:5). But it is impossible that a sinful matter should last forever, because teshuvah, repentance, preceded the world (Tanchuma, Nasso 11:11).
Therefore, every impression of the sin of the Golden Calf will be rectified, and at that time the sacrificial service will revert to the first-born. The cohanim will of course not be disqualified, since “once they have ascended they do not descend” (Zevachim, Chapter 9).
We may derive that the obligation to offer animal sacrifices is in force only when those who offer them are solely cohanim. Therefore the verse states that in the present era, “[The person bringing the sacrifice] will have it slaughtered on the north side of the altar … [but only] the sons of Aaron, the cohanim, will sprinkle its blood” (Leviticus 1:11). However, when the first-born will also be qualified to serve, then due to the elevation of animals and all of existence, animals will not be used for sacrifices, but only bread and flour-offerings, as a sign of appreciation and elevation.
And in every case that we find a verse in the Torah and apply straightforward reasoning, the Great Court has the power to deliver such significant rulings—and in particular when we add the appropriate verses in the Prophets.
However, this vision refers to days in the far distant future. It is possible that the rectification of the world including with the resurrection of the dead will occur prior to that. And then in truth a number of matters will change in accordance with the quality of the new time.
Only wicked people eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge while it is unripe, for they do not appreciate the great worth of everything in its time.
Machberot Boisk 1:8
Hasidic Tales of the Neschizer, Apter & Other Rebbes
5. On Friday night of Tavo, 5627 (1867), the Neschizer rebbe told that the Berditchever once said, “Master of the world, I do not have the ability to say, ‘And Hashem said, I have forgiven.’ So You say, ‘I have forgiven’—for I do not have the power to say anything.”
6. One time, the Neschizer rebbe was in the town of Ratna for the Friday night Sabbath meal in his house. At his table, we were no more than two of his household. He told at length of the holy R. Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta and Meziboz.
And he spoke of him as well one time on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and also on a Sunday night, the parshah of Balak 5627 (1867), and also on a Monday, the parshah of Bamidbar 5627 (1867), and the eve of the holy Sabbath, Tavo, 5627 (1867) and Tuesday night of Vayishlach, the fourteenth of Kislev 5628.
And from all of those occasions, it emerged that the Apter rebbe used to tell exaggerations.
And the holy Neschizer rebbe said of him (the writer states: either in the name of the Berditchever or in the name of the Lubliner—I don’t recall which) that he knows the secret of the statement of our sages that “We learned an exaggeration.” Therefore he had the ability to tell exaggerations.
One time, the Apter sat at a meal with the holy rebbe. R. Boruch of Meziboz, and he told many exaggerations. The people standing there they looked and thought that perhaps the Mezibozer would begin to laugh at this, and they themselves laughed. But it was not so. And after the Apter left, the Mezibozer said, “Of all of the men of Poland, I have not seen anyone as wise as he, for he has a golden scale in his mouth, with which he weighs each word before he says it.”
And the Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter was in Berditchev in the great throng that wanted to greet him the Berdichever, the Berditchever] brough the Apter a glass of spirits and a piece of cake.
And after the Apter tasted it, he went into a few houses and he told an exaggeration that in the town of Yass (where he had apartments and a rabbinical post [unclear]), a bridge was built before his mansion, and he told of the wood and the nails in the thousands, in the way of great exaggeration.
A merchant who would go to Yass, Mr. Noach, was standing there, and he nodded his head and said “Yes, rebbe, the truth is as you say.”
And the Apter turned his face to him and asked him, “R. Noach, how do you know that?”
One time, the Neschizer rebbe went to his brother, the Kavler, in Meziboz. The Apter rebbe was led the Neschizer rebbe all of his rooms, in order to show him affection.
The Neschizer rebbe said that he did so purposefully, since the wife of the Apter was bedridden (and it was understood that the Neschizer rebbe would have in mind to pray on her behalf).
The Apter told him that due to his fear of an informer, he had directed that the notes people gave him with their requests should be burned, and they were burned three days in a row. The Neschizer rebbe held himself back a great deal from laughing at this exaggeration since he knew [the Apter’s] holy way.
The Neschizer rebbe told that the Apter said that he had already been in the world ten times. He had been on the level of cohen gadol, prince, king and so forth. And this time he was in the world to rectify the area of the love of Israel, and he was naturally very good. And he said that it appeared to him that he would not have to come into this world any more.
Regarding the work Oheiv Yisrael which was printed, the Neschizer rebbe said that it did not have the taste that the words had had when they were heard from the Apter’s holy mouth literally.
At that time there was also printed the book Nishmat Adam. The Neschizer rebbe praised it a great deal as being good.
The Neschizer rebbe said that [the Apter] acted as a very good leader for the generation: “er iz geven zeiyer a sheiner manhig hador.”
The Neschizer rebbe said that the Apter’s face was similar to that of the Neschizer rebbe’s father, the Moharam.
The Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter rebbe was in Berditchev, he directed his son, the holy R. Yitzchak Meir, during his meal that if the Neschizer rebbe comes, to bring him before him.
And when the Neschizer came before the Apter, the Apter asked him his opinion about the fact that he had decreed a Monday, Thursday, Monday post-festival fast (bahab).
The Neschizer rebbe told him that in Berditchev people accepted the fast that he had decreed. They confessed their sins, and repented and recited his prayers (maamadot).
The Apter answered him, “If I had the strength to decree one such more bahab fast, it would certainly be very, very good.”
The Neschizer rebbe wanted to ask him about this lack of strength, but he was unable to do so.
The Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter was staying in the town of Kalbisov, for the month of Nissan he went to Lublin to be with the Lubliner.
The Lubliner asked the Apter if he knew R. Boruch of Meziboz, and he replied that he did. “And it is true that he is a great tzaddik and very wise--but only for himself (nar par zich).”
And the Lubliner asked him if he knew the Moharam.
The Apter answered, “No.” And he asked him, “Tell me about the Moharam.”
The Lubliner answered him, “If you would know the Moraham, you would see that he has Torah, prayer, eating and sleeping—it is all one deed (altz eins)—and he can raise a soul to its root.
(The writer states: one of those standing before the rebbe of Neschiz spoke up: “Is this not as it is written ‘in all your ways know Him’?” But the rebbe of Neschiz answered, “No. This is a greater path, as is stated in the name of Ramban on the verse ‘and cling to Him.’” This is quoted in his work, Toldot Yitzchak, parashah Nasso.)
The Apter decided to go to the Moharam. But after a wagon was prepared for his journey, he was slandered, and he had to go to the kreiz—the secular court system, and the next day as well.
And since there wasn’t much time before Passover he was unable to travel to Neschiz. He decided to go to Neschiz in the summer. But after Passover, the news arrived that the Moharam, the Ark of God, had been taken away on 8 Nissan 5560.
This is what the Apter tell the Neschizer rebbe, and he concluded, “si tit mir zeier bank-- I am filled with yearning that I did not see the Moharam.”
The Neschizer rebbe told that an old woman who sat in the market selling items something told her friend as follows: “I do not know if it was when I was awake or in a dream that I saw my husband, of blessed memory, who passed away a few years ago. He was running, and I began to weep, ‘You left me with orphans and no money!’ But because he was running, he did not answer me. After he came back, he said to me, ‘From now on, you will have an income. And the reason that I did not reply to you before is that I had to smoke the path in order to purify the air because otherwise the tzaddikim who come from the Holy Land cannot bear it. They are coming to see the Apter, who will leave the world soon.’ That was on a Tuesday. And at that time the Apter was still well. And on Thursday the Apter passed away.”
May his merit protect us and all Israel.
And the Neschizer rebbe concluded by saying twice, “This is a fine story.”
Zicharon Tov
6. One time, the Neschizer rebbe was in the town of Ratna for the Friday night Sabbath meal in his house. At his table, we were no more than two of his household. He told at length of the holy R. Avraham Yehoshua Heschel of Apta and Meziboz.
And he spoke of him as well one time on the eve of Rosh Hashanah and also on a Sunday night, the parshah of Balak 5627 (1867), and also on a Monday, the parshah of Bamidbar 5627 (1867), and the eve of the holy Sabbath, Tavo, 5627 (1867) and Tuesday night of Vayishlach, the fourteenth of Kislev 5628.
And from all of those occasions, it emerged that the Apter rebbe used to tell exaggerations.
And the holy Neschizer rebbe said of him (the writer states: either in the name of the Berditchever or in the name of the Lubliner—I don’t recall which) that he knows the secret of the statement of our sages that “We learned an exaggeration.” Therefore he had the ability to tell exaggerations.
One time, the Apter sat at a meal with the holy rebbe. R. Boruch of Meziboz, and he told many exaggerations. The people standing there they looked and thought that perhaps the Mezibozer would begin to laugh at this, and they themselves laughed. But it was not so. And after the Apter left, the Mezibozer said, “Of all of the men of Poland, I have not seen anyone as wise as he, for he has a golden scale in his mouth, with which he weighs each word before he says it.”
And the Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter was in Berditchev in the great throng that wanted to greet him the Berdichever, the Berditchever] brough the Apter a glass of spirits and a piece of cake.
And after the Apter tasted it, he went into a few houses and he told an exaggeration that in the town of Yass (where he had apartments and a rabbinical post [unclear]), a bridge was built before his mansion, and he told of the wood and the nails in the thousands, in the way of great exaggeration.
A merchant who would go to Yass, Mr. Noach, was standing there, and he nodded his head and said “Yes, rebbe, the truth is as you say.”
And the Apter turned his face to him and asked him, “R. Noach, how do you know that?”
One time, the Neschizer rebbe went to his brother, the Kavler, in Meziboz. The Apter rebbe was led the Neschizer rebbe all of his rooms, in order to show him affection.
The Neschizer rebbe said that he did so purposefully, since the wife of the Apter was bedridden (and it was understood that the Neschizer rebbe would have in mind to pray on her behalf).
The Apter told him that due to his fear of an informer, he had directed that the notes people gave him with their requests should be burned, and they were burned three days in a row. The Neschizer rebbe held himself back a great deal from laughing at this exaggeration since he knew [the Apter’s] holy way.
The Neschizer rebbe told that the Apter said that he had already been in the world ten times. He had been on the level of cohen gadol, prince, king and so forth. And this time he was in the world to rectify the area of the love of Israel, and he was naturally very good. And he said that it appeared to him that he would not have to come into this world any more.
Regarding the work Oheiv Yisrael which was printed, the Neschizer rebbe said that it did not have the taste that the words had had when they were heard from the Apter’s holy mouth literally.
At that time there was also printed the book Nishmat Adam. The Neschizer rebbe praised it a great deal as being good.
The Neschizer rebbe said that [the Apter] acted as a very good leader for the generation: “er iz geven zeiyer a sheiner manhig hador.”
The Neschizer rebbe said that the Apter’s face was similar to that of the Neschizer rebbe’s father, the Moharam.
The Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter rebbe was in Berditchev, he directed his son, the holy R. Yitzchak Meir, during his meal that if the Neschizer rebbe comes, to bring him before him.
And when the Neschizer came before the Apter, the Apter asked him his opinion about the fact that he had decreed a Monday, Thursday, Monday post-festival fast (bahab).
The Neschizer rebbe told him that in Berditchev people accepted the fast that he had decreed. They confessed their sins, and repented and recited his prayers (maamadot).
The Apter answered him, “If I had the strength to decree one such more bahab fast, it would certainly be very, very good.”
The Neschizer rebbe wanted to ask him about this lack of strength, but he was unable to do so.
The Neschizer rebbe told that when the Apter was staying in the town of Kalbisov, for the month of Nissan he went to Lublin to be with the Lubliner.
The Lubliner asked the Apter if he knew R. Boruch of Meziboz, and he replied that he did. “And it is true that he is a great tzaddik and very wise--but only for himself (nar par zich).”
And the Lubliner asked him if he knew the Moharam.
The Apter answered, “No.” And he asked him, “Tell me about the Moharam.”
The Lubliner answered him, “If you would know the Moraham, you would see that he has Torah, prayer, eating and sleeping—it is all one deed (altz eins)—and he can raise a soul to its root.
(The writer states: one of those standing before the rebbe of Neschiz spoke up: “Is this not as it is written ‘in all your ways know Him’?” But the rebbe of Neschiz answered, “No. This is a greater path, as is stated in the name of Ramban on the verse ‘and cling to Him.’” This is quoted in his work, Toldot Yitzchak, parashah Nasso.)
The Apter decided to go to the Moharam. But after a wagon was prepared for his journey, he was slandered, and he had to go to the kreiz—the secular court system, and the next day as well.
And since there wasn’t much time before Passover he was unable to travel to Neschiz. He decided to go to Neschiz in the summer. But after Passover, the news arrived that the Moharam, the Ark of God, had been taken away on 8 Nissan 5560.
This is what the Apter tell the Neschizer rebbe, and he concluded, “si tit mir zeier bank-- I am filled with yearning that I did not see the Moharam.”
The Neschizer rebbe told that an old woman who sat in the market selling items something told her friend as follows: “I do not know if it was when I was awake or in a dream that I saw my husband, of blessed memory, who passed away a few years ago. He was running, and I began to weep, ‘You left me with orphans and no money!’ But because he was running, he did not answer me. After he came back, he said to me, ‘From now on, you will have an income. And the reason that I did not reply to you before is that I had to smoke the path in order to purify the air because otherwise the tzaddikim who come from the Holy Land cannot bear it. They are coming to see the Apter, who will leave the world soon.’ That was on a Tuesday. And at that time the Apter was still well. And on Thursday the Apter passed away.”
May his merit protect us and all Israel.
And the Neschizer rebbe concluded by saying twice, “This is a fine story.”
Zicharon Tov
Friday, August 7, 2009
הזיקית סגרה ופתחה הכפפות שלה
by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
an attempt to translate my own poem into Hebrew. The English original is directly below.
הזיקית סגרה ופתחה הכפפות שלה
והפנתה גלגלי עיניה הגביעותיות לבחון את העפר הלבן.
היא חיכתה למישהו חכם להסביר לה השמש החמה
אבל לא הצליחה להבין
והתגלגלה לתוך האטד המוכר לה.
החנות מכרה דבש-שמים
הכחול שלו חרך כקלף
ממורח על קרקרים אפויים מעיסה של מחשבות ישנות.
קנוניה של נמלים העבירה מסרים של להבי עשב.
אכלו את הסודות אבל אף פעם לא הבינו אותם.
הם היו, כמובן, עסוקים.
עפר ואתמול מתפשטים על הרחוב,
הנדנדה מתנונדת
ושיר קטן מטפטף מקיר סדוק.
an attempt to translate my own poem into Hebrew. The English original is directly below.
הזיקית סגרה ופתחה הכפפות שלה
והפנתה גלגלי עיניה הגביעותיות לבחון את העפר הלבן.
היא חיכתה למישהו חכם להסביר לה השמש החמה
אבל לא הצליחה להבין
והתגלגלה לתוך האטד המוכר לה.
החנות מכרה דבש-שמים
הכחול שלו חרך כקלף
ממורח על קרקרים אפויים מעיסה של מחשבות ישנות.
קנוניה של נמלים העבירה מסרים של להבי עשב.
אכלו את הסודות אבל אף פעם לא הבינו אותם.
הם היו, כמובן, עסוקים.
עפר ואתמול מתפשטים על הרחוב,
הנדנדה מתנונדת
ושיר קטן מטפטף מקיר סדוק.
A Chameleon Folded and Opened His Mitten Hands
by Yaacov Dovid Shulman
A chameleon folded and opened his mitten hands
And turned his cone eyeballs to investigate the white dust.
He was waiting for someone wise to explain the hot sun,
But could not understand
And he trundled into the familiar brambles.
The store sold sky-honey,
Whose pale blue burned like parchment,
Spread on crackers made from the dough of old thoughts.
A cabal of ants passed messages of grass blades.
They would eat the secrets but never understand them.
They were understandably busy.
Dust and yesterday are spread across the roadway,
The swing swings back and forth,
And a little song trickles from a cracked wall.
A chameleon folded and opened his mitten hands
And turned his cone eyeballs to investigate the white dust.
He was waiting for someone wise to explain the hot sun,
But could not understand
And he trundled into the familiar brambles.
The store sold sky-honey,
Whose pale blue burned like parchment,
Spread on crackers made from the dough of old thoughts.
A cabal of ants passed messages of grass blades.
They would eat the secrets but never understand them.
They were understandably busy.
Dust and yesterday are spread across the roadway,
The swing swings back and forth,
And a little song trickles from a cracked wall.
Torah for Its Own Sake
by Rav Avraham Yitzchak Kook
The basis of “Torah for its own sake” involves strengthening the might of the Congregation of Israel, which is concealed within us.
The more that we bring forth from [the Congregation of Israel] areas of knowledge and a broadening of feelings, the more do we expand its power and cause its appearance to be radiant.
And we expand the Torah itself, which is the spirituality of the true life of the Congregation of Israel, hidden within us and cloaked within the entire Torah and in its every specific detail.
Orot Hatorah 2:6
The basis of “Torah for its own sake” involves strengthening the might of the Congregation of Israel, which is concealed within us.
The more that we bring forth from [the Congregation of Israel] areas of knowledge and a broadening of feelings, the more do we expand its power and cause its appearance to be radiant.
And we expand the Torah itself, which is the spirituality of the true life of the Congregation of Israel, hidden within us and cloaked within the entire Torah and in its every specific detail.
Orot Hatorah 2:6
More Stories of the Rebbe of Neschiz
Regarding The Service Of Tzaddikim
1. The holy Sabbath, parashah of Eikev 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that the rabbi of Berditchev was always filled in joy, and with that energy he would toil in his prayers and in all of his deeds (as his holy way is known).
The Neschizer rebbe said, “One time I saw him on the eve of Yom Kippur, as he was at the meal. Beautiful melodies poured forth from his mouth, and afterwards his eyes brimmed with just two tears and no more. Afterwards, he was brought a stuffed fish intestines (aksn), and he said, ‘May all of our requests (ask) be filled for good.’ Then he was brought a soup called yakhil and he began to call out loudly, ‘Israel, hope (yachel) in Hashem!’ And he was extremely joyous. And similarly all of his service was filled with tremendous extreme joy.”
2. The parashah of Pinchas 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that in Berditchev there lived a fine man named R. Liba. One winter’s night after the market a person came to his house, seeing that a lamp was still burning in his house.
R. Liba received him and hosted him, and he himself made the bed for him to sleep on. The guest said to him, “Why do you yourself trouble yourself to make place for me to lie down?”
R. Liba replied, “You think that I am making a place for you to lie down. But I am making a place for me to lie down”—meaning that he was preparing himself for the world to come.
3. The Neschizer rebbe also told at that time that when his father the Moharam was learning from the maggid and the rebbe, R. Michel of Zlotshov, an upstanding man came to R. Michel and requested a charitable donation.
R. Michel told the Moharam to give the man the money, and he did so.
Afterwards, a simple man came for a donation. This time, R. Michel himself stood up himself and gave him.
The Moharam asked him about that, and R. Michel answered him that giving charity brings about a holy unification. Therefore, when giving to a worthy person, it is relatively easy to make the unification. But when giving a simple person, it is more difficult to make a unification. And therefore he had to do it himself.
4. The evening of the holy Sabbath in the month of Menachem 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that the holy R. Arele of Zitamir was at first one of the students of the gaon of Vilna, but he did not accept him in his heart.
He heard that R. Levi Yitzchak (later the Berditchever rebbe) had a yeshiva in Zelikhov.
The rebbe R. Arele also came to his yeshiva, and the Berditchever placed him in the fifth place from him and did not acknowledge him. Even when R. Arele asked proper questions, he would not answer him.
R. Levi Yitzchak said that as long as R. Arele had [editor: some 2 or 3 words are at this point erased in the book], he did not want to draw him close.
Afterwards, when R. Levi Yitzchak felt that R. Arele had been properly purified, he drew him close to him, because he was worthy of that. And he learned with him the Gemara, “If a person finds a writ of debt, under what circumstances does he not return it?” And R. Levi Yitzchak explained it to R. Arele as follows: “If a person’s debt or sin has been found out, why doesn’t he return to God in repentance?”
Zichron Tov
1. The holy Sabbath, parashah of Eikev 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that the rabbi of Berditchev was always filled in joy, and with that energy he would toil in his prayers and in all of his deeds (as his holy way is known).
The Neschizer rebbe said, “One time I saw him on the eve of Yom Kippur, as he was at the meal. Beautiful melodies poured forth from his mouth, and afterwards his eyes brimmed with just two tears and no more. Afterwards, he was brought a stuffed fish intestines (aksn), and he said, ‘May all of our requests (ask) be filled for good.’ Then he was brought a soup called yakhil and he began to call out loudly, ‘Israel, hope (yachel) in Hashem!’ And he was extremely joyous. And similarly all of his service was filled with tremendous extreme joy.”
2. The parashah of Pinchas 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that in Berditchev there lived a fine man named R. Liba. One winter’s night after the market a person came to his house, seeing that a lamp was still burning in his house.
R. Liba received him and hosted him, and he himself made the bed for him to sleep on. The guest said to him, “Why do you yourself trouble yourself to make place for me to lie down?”
R. Liba replied, “You think that I am making a place for you to lie down. But I am making a place for me to lie down”—meaning that he was preparing himself for the world to come.
3. The Neschizer rebbe also told at that time that when his father the Moharam was learning from the maggid and the rebbe, R. Michel of Zlotshov, an upstanding man came to R. Michel and requested a charitable donation.
R. Michel told the Moharam to give the man the money, and he did so.
Afterwards, a simple man came for a donation. This time, R. Michel himself stood up himself and gave him.
The Moharam asked him about that, and R. Michel answered him that giving charity brings about a holy unification. Therefore, when giving to a worthy person, it is relatively easy to make the unification. But when giving a simple person, it is more difficult to make a unification. And therefore he had to do it himself.
4. The evening of the holy Sabbath in the month of Menachem 5627 (1867).
The Neschizer rebbe told that the holy R. Arele of Zitamir was at first one of the students of the gaon of Vilna, but he did not accept him in his heart.
He heard that R. Levi Yitzchak (later the Berditchever rebbe) had a yeshiva in Zelikhov.
The rebbe R. Arele also came to his yeshiva, and the Berditchever placed him in the fifth place from him and did not acknowledge him. Even when R. Arele asked proper questions, he would not answer him.
R. Levi Yitzchak said that as long as R. Arele had [editor: some 2 or 3 words are at this point erased in the book], he did not want to draw him close.
Afterwards, when R. Levi Yitzchak felt that R. Arele had been properly purified, he drew him close to him, because he was worthy of that. And he learned with him the Gemara, “If a person finds a writ of debt, under what circumstances does he not return it?” And R. Levi Yitzchak explained it to R. Arele as follows: “If a person’s debt or sin has been found out, why doesn’t he return to God in repentance?”
Zichron Tov
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