Weekly Story: Hashem’s Greatness 

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon 

Being that the Baal Shem Tov’s yahrzeit is the first day of Shavuos, and during every Shavuos farbrengen the Rebbe discusses the importance of learning (Chumas and Tehillim, and) the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov – Chassidus, I thought I will post something that I will bezras Hashem say at a farbrengen on Shavuos about a difference between Chassidus Chagas and Chassidys Chabad.

As always, your feedback and comments are greatly appreciated and welcomed.

One night when the Beis Yisroel (HaRav Yisroel Alter of Gur), came to the kosel, he noticed one of the students in his Yeshiva. Going over to him, he rhetorically asked, “What is the greatest praise of Hashem?”

Without waiting for a reply, he continued, “The greatest praise is that Hashem doesn’t laugh.” Saying that he walked away from the student. 

When the student returned to the yeshiva, as soon as he saw the Rebbe’s brother, HaRav Pinchos Menachem who was then the Rosh Yeshiva (and later succeeded him to become the Rebbe of Gur), he repeated to him what the Rebbe had said, and asked him to please explain and clarify, what the Rebbe was telling and guiding him.

The Pnei Menachem said to him, when a person says to Hashem time after time he will improve, in his conduct, davening, learning or yiras shomayim, Hashem doesn’t laugh. Hashem doesn’t think and make the calculation that that person had already said numerous times, that he had resolved that from now on he will improve, and you see he hadn’t. So why should I believe that person now. Rather, Hashem believes that this time the person is sincere.

But when I ask a student about his conduct or something else, not only will I believe him the first time he promises to improve and change, but I will believe him the second, third and fourth time as well, and perhaps a few more times. But after this happens again and again, it can come to a point, that I or another person that hears it, might question the person’s sincerity. Does he really mean it? Is he really trying to improve his conduct etc?

However, the Rebbe was saying to you, that Hashem doesn’t question the person’s sincerity, even when it is the 100th time, Hashem believes them.

The Beis Yisroel was explaining it, in accordance with the approach of Chassidus Chagas, emphasizing the aspect of middos – characteristic traits.

However, in Chassidus Chabad, this very concept is explained from the pers[ective of understanding. And not being satisfied with the inspiration on its own. 

Why is it indeed that Hashem believes us three times each weekday, when we say סלח לנו – Forgive us. The explanation given is, since Hashem is infinite, therefore. the thousandth time is just like and by Hashem it is actually exactly as if it is the first time. So won’t we trust someone the first time?!

Chassidus Chabad is giving an understanding and greater appreciation to the teachings of Chassidus. 

This is the meaning of the saying that all of us ate from the same bowl [of the Maggid], but the Baal HaTanya (the Alter Rebbe), he took from the creamiest part of the bowl.

So while we should increase in our learning of Vhassidus, those of us who merited to learn Chassidus Chabad, should resolve, nit on;y to learn it, but learn it in a manner that we can give it over to others and fulfill Moshiach;s requirement of spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus forward.

A Taste of Chassidus – Matan Torah

וידבר אלקים את כל הדברים האלה לאמר – And Hashem spoke all of these words to say. Likkutei Torah Bamidbar 15

We have to understand two aspects in this possuk. 

Couldn’t the possuk just say, And Hashem said, [the ten Commandments], I am Hashem your G-d….? After all, isn’t that what ” All of these words is referring to?” Furthermore, the word לאמר normally is informing us that Moshe was instructed to repeat what Hashem told him, to the Jewish people. But by Matan Torah, Hashem spoke directly to every Jew, so to whom were the Ten Commandments supposed to be repeated to?

The Alter Rebbe explains that the word Eleh (these) is the plural of Zeh (this). And just as Zeh means the aspect that the possuk is referring to is revealed, so too does Eleh mean that it should be revealed.

The question then becomes, which concealed aspect is the possuk instructing us to reveal?

Chassidus often discusses the two levels of Ohr – light from Hashem that gives life to the world.

There is the lower level, which is called Ohr Hamimaleh, which comes down in a manner that is appropriate for each individual entity to receive it. Then there is the Ohr Hasoivev, that is above the entities capabilities to receive it. So this level is concealed from them.

The same thing is with the Torah. There is the essence of the Torah, which is the essence of Hashem, and that level is beyond the ability of something that was created and limited to truly comprehend. Essentially, that level is concealed from us.

However, there is also the lower level of the Torah, the way Hashem enclothed the Torah in physical aspects, and even discusses situations where people lie or do other things that are wrong (evil). That level we are able to comprehend.

The Aseres Hadibros (Ten Commandments) begin with the words, Anoichi Hashem Ehloikeicha  – I am Hashem your G-d.

Chassidus explains this to mean, that the exalted level of Anoichi, which is referring to Hashem’s essence, should pentetrate down here in a way that it becomes revealed, לאמר, you are to accomplish this same feat throughout the generations. 

This is the reason Chumash Devorim which is called Mishne Torah (a repetition of the Torah), begins with the words of אלה הדברים – these are the words that Moshe spoke…. The reason why Hashem instructed Moshe to repeat the mitzvos that we were already given (and commanded to do), is that Moshe should add the clarification that Hashem told him, so this way human intellect can grasp it, and it will become revealed (clear) to them. 

[In other words, the first four chumashim were said by Hashem, as the Torah is His wisdom, while Devorim were said by Moshe, as the Torah of Hashem is repeated by a human. This is in essence the meaning of the possuk ותורתיך And Your [Hashem’s] Torah, בתוך מעי [are inside me], or better yet the possuk ותורתיך על לשוני and Your Torah is upon my lips.

The question then becomes, how does one accomplish this? After all, the sublime level of Soivev and even higher, is pure G-dliness which is infinite, and we are mere creations, which are limited! So how can we contain those lofty levels?

The Torah informs us that we left Mitzrayim in order to accept the Torah, and as noted the first words we heard were Anoichi Hashem Eloikeicha, that even the level of Anoichi, which is higher than Hashem, is supposed to be drawn down and became part of you. The Jewish people understood that in order for this to become the reality, they began counting to demonstrate their desire to receive it.

When Hashem gave us the mitzvah of counting the Omer, the Torah says מהחל חרמש בקמה – when you cut down the barley stalks. The word קמה is normally translated to mean standing upright, and the deeper meaning of these words means, in order for one to receive the Torah as Hashem’s Torah (and not just as some deep wisdom and knowledge), one has to cut and eradicate their  ego and self-importance [standing strong and firm (in all seven characteristic traits).]

But the mitzvah of counting the Omer came after we were given the Torah, and if one has to attain complete nullification, in order the Hashem’s essence as it manifests itself through His Torah, in order that it rests upon him, how were they able to receive the Torah at Har Sinai?

But being that they weren’t given the opportunity to fulfill mitzvos before Matan Torah, therefore, the fact that they weren’t then at the level of complete nullification, wasn’t their fault or shortcoming, so Hashem decided that He would grant it to them on His own.

However, the Jewish people understood that in order to be able to receive the Torah properly, as it is in its original level the essence of Hashem, there has to be this total nullification, and while they couldn’t express it through fulfilling of mitzvos, they declared it by saying Naaseh before V’nishma. We will obey Your will, not only when we understand, and not only when we do not understand it, but even when it is against our understanding.

And this is what לאמר means: Just as Hashem’s essence was brought down at Matan Torah, Hashem is giving us the ability to continuously succeed and accomplish this.

This also explains why learning Torah is more important than all other mitzvos, as we are connecting to Hashem’s essence as it is higher than the world when we learn His Torah. But at the same time we say, if there is no one else to fulfill the mitzvah, you are to interrupt your learning and fulfill the mitzvah.

For if one ignores fulfilling Hashem’s will, that demonstrates a lack of nullification on the person’s part. The person is saying my learning takes precedent over and above Fulfilling Hashem’s will. In other words, the person has not completely nullified his ego,

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeii, and their Chassidim, He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at [email protected].