Piaczena Yohrtzeit Torah and Famous Moishele Good Shabbos Story

BS"D

NOACH 5770: LOOKING OUT

ON THE 66^TH YARTZEIT OF THE HOLY PIASECZNER REBBE ZT"L HY"D, 4 CHESHVAN 5770

By Rav Zvi Leshem

Rebbe Kalonymus Kalmish Shapira was martyred 66 years ago today. In his 1929 drasha for Parshat Noach[1] he addresses the famous dispute regarding the comparative righteousness of Noach as compared to that of Avraham.[2] His conclusion is that whereas Avraham spread monotheism throughout the world, making many converts, Noach was concerned only with saving his own sons. Avraham was constantly looking outwards, towards all of humanity, to teach the true service of the Divine, but Noach, although he was a Zaddik, had a very narrow agenda of familial spirituality and was unconcerned with the religious welfare of his generation.[3]

This distinction has strong roots in earlier Chassidic literature. Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev[4] also sees the two figures as two different models of Zaddikim. For Reb Levi Yitzchak, famous as the defender of Am Yisrael, the main difference between Noach and Avraham was in their attitudes towards the people around them. Noach walked with G-d, that is to say, only with G-d whom he served, but he did not walk with other people in order to bring them close [to Divine service]. Thus Noach also made no attempt to rebuke his contemporaries, nor did he pray to HaShem on their behalf. He rather accepted the Divine decree of destruction passively. This is in dramatic contrast to Avraham, whom we know devoted his life to spreading the word of the L-rd and making converts. He also prayed to avert the Divine decree of destruction from the depraved populace of Sodom.[5]

How did the Piaseczner put this insight into practice? In his Letter to Parents and Teachers, that serves as the introduction to his 1932 revolutionary education classic, Chovat HaTalmidim, the Rebbe writes as follows regarding the trend in his time of young Chassidic youth "going off the derech": The yeshiva heads are only concerned with their own yeshivot and students, and they are only concerned with the "best" boys. They comfort themselves saying "while it is true that there are now a lot of irreligious Jews, but there are also a lot of fine Tora students and servants of HaShem. But they also need to look outside of their yeshivot, and see the massive numbers of the irreligious…are we to be satisfied with the mere handful of students in our yeshivot, is that all of Am Yisrael?[6]

The message is clear. Am Yisrael needs leaders who do not only think about the needs of their particular group, or of the Tora "elite" but who, like the holy Piaseczner Rebbe himself, have the needs of the entire Jewish People at hand. May the merit of the holy Rebbe protect all of Klal Yisrael, and may his Tora continue to guide us in true Chassideshe Avodat HaShem. May we merit the speedy fulfillment of the words of the Mashiach to the holy Baal Shem Tov, that when the wellsprings of Chassidic teachings and mystical practices spread throughout the world, the Redemption will occur.

Shabbat Shalom.

---

[1] Derech HaMelech pp. 5- 9.

[2] See Rashi, Bereshit 6:9 s.v. B'Dorotav.

[3] There is however an opinion that Noach did rebuke his fellows (unsuccessfully). See Tora Shlama 155 and 171 in the name of the Yemenite Midrash HaGadol.

[4] Kedushat Levi s.v. Eleh.

[5] For another discussion on two models of Zaddikim, see Noam Elimelech, Veyechi, s.v. Vayikach, regarding Ephraim and Menashe.

[6] Chovat HaTalmidim, p. 12.

Dixie Yid 10/23/09 Update: R' Leshem just e-mailed out a recording of Rav Shlomo himself singing the "Moishele Good Shabbos" nigun. ENJOY!

Dearest Friends,

Sometimes, as hard as it might to be to sit and write, you just gotta share… no matter what.

This past Wednesday night changed my life forever, but before telling you exactly why, PLEASE refresh your memory, and open your hearts to one of the Reb Shlomo's most powerful moments in his life.

Reb Shlomo ztz'l:

Ok, I don't want to tell you sad stories, it's not really sad, maybe a little bit, but it's a gevalt. Every person needs, especially our children, we should have our fathers and mothers for a long time. We also all need Rebbes, and then every person, once or twice in your life, you meet somebody and it mamesh reaches you so much that it mamesh carries you your whole life. So one of my Rebbes, which I saw just twice or three times in my life, was a Yid and his name was Reb Moshe.

My father was a Rabbi in Baden Bei Din, in Austria, and here comes 1938. I don't want to mention their name in shul, but they mamesh they took over. And you know in Germany it was not so dangerous yet to walk on the street. In Vienna it was mamesh dangerous from the first day on. Yidden couldn't go to shul anymore, especially my father.

So Shabbos morning it was only dangerous from 8 o'clock on, but between 5 and 8 in the morning it was less dangerous. So my father made a minyan in the house. People would come at six o'clock, mamesh they davened so fast mamesh, Kriyas Hatorah would go so fast because everyone wanted to be home before 8.

My brother and I were little kids. When you don't see people all week long, you are mamesh hungry to see a person. So I remember my twin brother and I, we were nearly up all Friday night. We couldn't wait mamesh, we wanted to open the door for the minyan.

At six o'clock, a knock at the door, mamesh to see a yid mamesh standing there with Pachad, afraid. I open the door a little bit and he would slip through the door, and then I close the door fast.

But then one Shabbos, I remember it was Parshas Bamidbar. I open the door. I see mamesh a Yid with little peyis, like most Rizhiner chassidim, they didn't have big beards. They just have a little beard. But this yid? He's not afraid. He started singing:

Good Shabbos good Shabbos. Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Oy Good Shabbos good Shabbos, Good Shabbos.

This Yid was mamesh in another world.

Finally he walked in and he walks up and down and the whole time he is singing Good Shabbos good Shabbos.

Then he turns to me, I'm a little boy and he says to me in Yiddish, "what is your name, what is your name,"

So I didn't want to chas v'shalom stop the melody, so I answered him back singing, "my name is Shlomo, what is your name."

He said "Moishele, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Oy Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos."

So my brother and I called him "Moishele Good Shabbos"

I want you to know, he came in for the minyan and we began to daven fast. And you know, basically when it comes to Nishmas Kol Chai you are not permitted to talk, but obviously Reb Moishele, nebech, couldn't hold back. He said to the chazzan 'you are davening down instead of davening up. Your tefillahs have to go up and the way you daven everything goes down because you daven so fast.' And he was crying. Listen to what he says. He says, yidden, maybe this is the last Shabbos we are saying Nishmas Kol Chai. Is this the way to say Nishmas Kol Chai?

So the chazzan said, I don't know any better.

I'll remember it till Mashiach is coming. Moishele walks to the amud.

I want you to all to sing with me softly. He started singing: Nishmas Kol Chai Tevarech Es Shimcha Hashem Elokeinu Veru'ach Kol Basar Tefa'er Useromem...

But you know friends, he davened the whole davening with this niggun. Even chazaras hashatz, kedushah. Then they lained, and by that time it was already 10:30 but nobody mamesh cared. Moishele mamesh lifted up the whole, nobody had fear anymore.

Finally the davening was over around 11 and my mother brought in wine to make Kiddush. And I want you to know, the whole time the windows were closed and the shades were down. Moishele says, when you make Kiddush, you have to open the windows. You have to say Kiddush for the whole world.

I mean it's crazy. People started saying Moishele, this is just too much. The people in the street want to kill us.

Mamesh I'll never forget it. Moishele says, who are they, the children of Esav? He says, they are our cousins. You know why Esav is Esav? Because he forgot what Shabbos is. Maybe if some Yid is saying V'shamru B'Nei Yisrael Es Hashabbos, maybe Esav will remember what he learned by Yitzchak.

He opened the windows and Moishele was mamesh standing by the window and mamesh you could see the Germans walking up and down the street. It was Min Hashamayim, He mamesh had the wine outside of the window and he was singing:

"V'shamru B'nei Yisroel Ess haShabbos….."

After davening my parents invited him to eat with us and Moisheleh began telling us, mamesh so much b'tzniyus, half telling half not telling. He says, I want you to know I am on the black list of the Germans. Suddenly we remembered, Moisheleh's picture was on every street corner. It said 'the most wanted Jew by the Furor.'

What was his avodah? What was he doing? If you remember thousands of Yidden were arrested and nebech, their wives and children were dying from hunger. Moishele was up all night carrying food to every house.

This was Parshas Bamidbar, and on Pesach he mamesh brought matza to 2000 families in Vienna, gevalt.

So they were looking for him and one night he says they caught him and hit him over the head but mamesh at that moment, he said that the Ribbono Shel Olam gave me koach, he turned himself away and ran off. So he says, during the day I cannot walk on the street so I'll stay here.

Then he says to us, I want to come again, most probably I'll come Wednesday night. Now friends.,I want you to know how shabbosdik he was. He says I'll come Wednesday night and it will be around 4 o'clock and I will knock on the door 7 times l'Kovod Shabbos and you'll know it's me.

And again, the way my house was that my brother and I slept closest to the outside door.

And I mamesh could not sleep all night, waiting for Moishele Good Shabbos to come.

At around 4:30 we hear mamesh a subtle knocking 7 times. We open the door and Moishele is standing by the door singing:

Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos

We asked him where is this niggun from. Moishele told us that he was in Lublin on Rosh Hashana, davening with the Breslover chassidim. He heard it there from the old chassidim who said that his was the niggun which Reb Nachman himself davened too. It was the first time we ever heard of Reb Nachman.

He stayed in our house all night long singing. That was the last time I saw him.

We left for America and my brother I went to Mesivtah Toras VaDa'as. Everyone that came to the Mesivtah … we mamesh taught them the niggun "good Shabbos."

Later on I had the privilege of meeting young people, especially in San Francisco. I had the house of love and prayer, it was a gevalt. Baruch Hashem, I want you to know, this niggun mamesh turned on hundreds of thousands of people to Shabbos. Not to be believed.

The most important thing is that I taught all those kids that even on Wednesday night we say good Shabbos. We are living in an age before Mashiach, we cannot wait till Shabbos to say good Shabbos. You can say good Shabbos all the time.

Anyway, this all took place 1938, and in the meantime, time is flying. And I don't want to tell you bad things but just open your hearts. A few years ago I walk on the street in Tel Aviv on Ben Yehuda by street, by the Yarkon. Suddenly a Yiddele from Vienna see me. Aren't you Shlomo Carlebach, and I said yes. 'Do you remember Moishele, you know, Moishele from Vienna?'

Somehow it struck me and I said, you mean Moishele Good Shabbos? Is he still alive? maybe he's in Bnei Brak, Gevalt! Who knows where he is!

He says, let's go down, there's a little park by the river and I'll tell you the story.

He says, I want you to know I was one the closest friends of Moishele good Shabbos.

(By the way, I thought my brother and I were the only ones who called him Moishele good Shabbos. Obviously everyone called him that. All of Vienna called him Moishele good Shabbos)

Chevre, give me your hearts for a second. This Yiddele says that Moishele finally got himself a false passport, an English passport. Moishele had two children, a little boy and a little girl. He, his wife and two children were sitting on the train leaving Austria, with a passport to go to London. And this yidele says 'I was there on the train'. His wife kep on begging him Moishele, please don't sing And he was singing this niggun nonstop. Please, she said, don't make any noise. Wait until we go out of the border.

The train is slowly leaving. Moishele says I have to sing Good Shabbos Good Shabbos one more time to say so long to Vienna, I have to say goodbye to the city, I have to say good Shabbos. He opened the window and started singing one last time Good Shabbos Good Shabbos Good Shabbos Good Shabbos.

The most heartbreaking thing happened. Since his picture was all over the city, one of the people on the train recognized him and called over one of the Germans. They stopped the train and dragged off Moishele. And I swear to you, this yidele told me. Moishlee didn't stop singing Good Shabbos till that final whip which killed him.

Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos, Good Shabbos Good Shabbos.

I want you to know something incredible.

A few years later, I was supposed to go to do a concert in Manchester on Sunday. and the way to go to the concert I had to leave Tel Aviv Friday morning and I was thinking of going to London and then Sunday I would go to Manchester.

While we are flying, suddenly they announce there's a gas strike in London and they are landing in Zürich. Anybody who wants to go to London when they get to Zürich - they would take care of it and it would be a 16 hour delay, minimum, Friday afternoon.

So one Yid says why don't you got to Antwerp for Shabbos and from there, there will be a ship that leaves at six o'clock in the morning and gets to London at 12 and from there go to Manchester.

Ok, I'm right in Antwerp it was two hours before Shabbos and the Yid who is sitting next to me on the plane invites me for Shabbos and I say yes.

While I'm still talking to this Yid, someone comes up to me. I know this face. He was so sweet that I didn't want to hurt him that he should think that I don't know who he was. He says, mamesh Shlomoleh, come to my house for Shabbos.

I said I'm already going to this Yiddele but give me your telephone, if I have a Melaveh malka I'll invite you. So he writes it down, his name is Heschel.

After he left I said, who is this Heschel. He said, he's the son of Moishele Good Shabbos. Oy, Gevalt, I couldn't believe it.

We have a Melaveh malka, and this yid is there. I say to Hesheleh, do you know your tatty's niggun?

You know something, the most heartbreaking thing; he was too small to remember. I mean Can you imagine it was clear to me the holy gas strike in London was only that I should be in Antwerp and I gave him over his father's niggun.

And gevalt, he looks exactly like his father.

And I want to share with you one more thing.

The last time I saw Moishele, the last time before he walked out he was standing by the door for a long time and he sang

"Tzur Yisroel Tzur Yisroel Kume Be'ezras Yisrael Ufdei Chinumecha Yehuda Veyisroel..."

I want you to know friends, I'm singing this niggun all the time, all the time.

*******************

This past Wednesday night was the wedding of our dear friend Rocky Ziegler to his beloved Bina Wilkinfeld. The wedding was awesome, mamesh awesome. The colorful range of Shtreimels and hippies singing and dancing together was incredible.

Our dear friend and teacher, R Sholom Brodt had the zchus to marry off the couple.

After the chuppa, a young chassidishe yid, a princely looking chassid came up to R Sholom asking him if he was using the tune of Moishele Good Shabbos for the brachas under the chuppa. R Sholom said yes and asked him why he is asking.

'I am Moishele great-grandson, it's my great-grandfather's niggun' replied this yid.

We all began to come up to this very young, shy and humbled yid. We couldn't believe it… we felt we were all part of the story. One by one, we came up to him, bursting with utter simcha and total amazement. This chassid never saw anything like this, and hinted to me that this was very overwhelming for him.

How do I begin to explain to him who his great-grandfather is to us, and to thousands and thousands more? How do I begin to explain to him that thousands of yiddelach daven to his great-grandfather's niggun every day, every Shabbos, every holiday? How do I begin to give over to him who his great-grandfather was to our Rebbe?

He approached me a few minutes later and asked me if I was driving back home, and if I had room in the car for him, his wife and two children. Crazily enough, he only lives 15 minutes away from us. I was humbled beyond belief by the thought of driving him and his family home.

As we closed the door of the car, and a 25 minute ride approaching us, I began to seriously feel Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Succos, all at once. It was so beyond my wife Bina and myself, we simply couldn't believe it.

But then, thank G-d I remembered a recent disc of Reb Shlomo ztz'l I had in the car during Succos. It was a concert on Succos, on the night of the Ushpizin of Moshe Rabbeinu. And during this concert Reb Shlomo began pouring out his heart. 'Friends, I want you to know, one of my greatest Rebbes in the world, one of my greatest teachers I will ever have was Reb Moishele Good Shabbos…' And then Reb Shlomo told over the story with more fire than ever before.

My wife Bina found the cd, and we put it on.

This chassid, whose name is Eliezer Heshel, the son of Moshe Heshel, the son of Eliezer Heshel, the son of Moishele Heshel – thee Moishele good Shabbos… he had never heard the story before. He knew some facts and some stories about his great grandfather, but other than knowing the tune… he didn't know that much more.

He sat behind me, and all I could hear while Reb Shlomo ztz'l was davening away in the backround, was Moishele's great-grandson's amazement. Pshhhh…psssss. He was literally going out of his mind.

His wife (who is related to Rocky's kalla) gave me their home number. Eliezer told me that they have a picture in an old family picture album… one picture of their great-grandfather. He is going to dig it out of the storage in his parents house, and get it to us.

As he got out of the car and was about to walk into his home, he tuned to me and said 'May the zchus of my grat-grandfather Moishele stand for you, your family and your freinds forever.'

I spoke to him last night, and he told me that all they know is that Moishele's ashes are burried somewhere in Vienna. He then told me that Moishele's yahrtzeit is coming up, the tenth of Chsehvan, just six days before our Rebbe's yahzrteit.

What on earth do we know?

Good Shabbos Kodesh

Shlomo & Bina Katz

(Video is of Yehuda Green using R' Shlmo's Moishele Good Shabbos Niggun for Kadish after Slichos and other great niggunim)

Shabbos Shuva, Yom Kippur, Mikva & the Baal Teshuva- By Rav Zvi Leshem

BS"D

SHABBAT SHUVAH

Removing the Impurity of Our Transgressions

Rav Zvi Leshem

In Al Hateshuvah, Rav Soloveitchik writes that any transgression carries with it two negative repercussions - liability and impurity. Although the sinner is obviously liable to punishment, the more serious issue is the tumah, the impurity that has resulted from the sin. This is not in the technical halachic sense, but rather refers to the metaphysical aspect of the spiritual uncleanness that distances us from Hashem. Consequently, explains the Rav, Yom Kippur has two results, kapparah, atonement, and taharah, purity. Each of these is the antidote for one of the results of sin. Rabbi Yehudah Hanasi held that Yom Kippur provides atonement even if the individual does not repent. While this opinion is not accepted, it nonetheless needs to be understood.

For this reason, Rav Soloveitchik writes, "There is atonement without repentance, but there can be no purity without repentance." In other words, just as the sin has a technical ramification in the realm of punishment, so too can the special holiness of Yom Kippur together with its potent sacrifices technically remove the liability for punishment. But can this properly correct a damaged relationship? Does this relieve us of our personal need to appease Hashem? In this situation, does it give us the status of baal teshuvah, penitent, so beloved before God? Obviously not! That can only be achieved through sincere teshuvah with a broken heart!

In the Mishnah, Rabbi Akiva dramatically declares, "You are happy, O Israel! Before whom are you purified, and who purifies you? Your Father in heaven … just as the mikvah purifies the impure, so God purifies Israel!" The Rav points out that this statement was made not long after the destruction of the Second Temple. The Jews at that time were despondent. With no Temple, High Priest, incense offering, or scapegoat, how could they possibly achieve atonement? They felt doomed to lead eternal lives of spiritual tumah, with no chance of repairing their misdeeds and coming close to Hashem. Against this backdrop comes Rabbi Akiva, the eternal optimist, to remind Am Yisrael that ultimately there is only one source of forgiveness, atonement, and purity - Hashem Himself! Even a mikvah is only a mikvah because God has decreed it to be so. Since we no longer have a Temple, the answer is sincere repentance, which brings with it both atonement and purity. For this reason, Rav Soloveitchik concludes his discussion with an idea found in the Maharal and other sources, and takes the comparison between God and the mikvah quite literally. "We must enter into God, into the holiness of Yom Kippur like we enter a mikvah, with no foreign item interposing between our body and the water, with no part of our body remaining outside of the water." As long as we are holding back, as long as we aren't ready to jump in and completely immerse ourselves in Elokut, we cannot really be purified.

The Slonimer Rebbe writes in Netivot Shalom that the three forces that can purify the Jew are the mikvah, Am Yisrael and Hashem Himself. He then quotes the Beit Avraham that, "just as the mikvah only purifies if there is no interposition whatsoever, so too Am Yisrael can only purify if there is no interposition between one Jew and his fellow." This is, of course, another explanation for the halachically mandated need to appease anyone whom we may have offended before Yom Kippur, and to forgive wholeheartedly anyone who has offended us, even if they did not ask. The Netivot Shalom ultimately sees us going through a process in which the mikvah purifies the body (and one must immerse on the eve of Yom Kippur). The connection with Am Yisrael purifies the lower portions of the soul, and finally, Hashem purifies the higher levels of our souls. This is reminiscent of the Piaseczner Rebbe, who writes that to achieve spiritual unity we must first integrate our own personalities, and only then achieve Jewish unity. After that, all of Am Yisrael can finally unite with Hashem.

On Shabbat Shuvah we enter into high gear preparing for Yom Kippur, which is just a few days away. As we have learned from Rav Tzaddok Hakohen, the Shabbat before any holiday contains that holiday's essence, and in this case that is most certainly true. On Shabbat Shuvah, we can already feel the awe and joy of Yom Kippur, its holiness and beauty. Now is the time to plunge into all of the mikvaot: those of water, Am Yisrael, and ultimately that of Hashem Himself. Wash carefully; remove all particles that stand in the way. Nullify yourself to the purifying powers that surround you. Then you will be ready for a Yom Kippur that provides you not only with atonement, but with purity as well.

BS"D

YOM KIPPUR

Before Kol Nidrei

Rav Zvi Leshem

The Rambam has a famous position that only those Jews who live in Eretz Yisrael are referred to as the tzibbur, the public community. This fact invests the Jews living in Israel with a serious responsibility for our brethren who are still in the Diaspora. The Maharil, in his Laws of Yom Kippur, quotes Mahari Segel, who asks why we have longer piyutim, liturgical prayers, regarding the goat that was offered in the Temple than we do about the scapegoat, whose power of atonement was far greater? One of the answers given is particularly interesting. The goat offered in the Temple atones for violations of the Temple's purity and holiness. Since the Temple's holiness is still in effect even when the building is destroyed, and entering the Temple Mount in a state of ritual impurity is a grievous sin, the Jews of the Diaspora ask Hashem to forgive the Jews of Israel who may have been remiss in this area. This reflects the principle that all Jews are responsible for each other. As a proof, the Maharil cites the confessional liturgy in which every Jew asks forgiveness, in the plural, for a long list of sins he may never have committed, since in fact, each of us is asking for forgiveness for every Jew. Let us take a deeper look at the mutual responsibility that every Jew has for each other.

In Chovat HaTalmidim, the Piaseczner Rebbe describes the states of yichud ilaah v'yichud tata, upper and lower unification. Lower unification takes place within Malchut, the collective body of Am Yisrael. After all of the Jews have united (lower unification), then they can collectively unite with the upper sefirot, i.e. with Hashem Himself, reaching the state of upper unification and rectifying all of reality. The Rebbe uses this idea to explain the statement made before we perform many mitzvot, "for the sake of the unity of Kudsha Brich Hu (Hashem) and the Shechinah (represented by the collective Jewish People) … in the name of all of Israel".

The Rebbe explains that this process actually has three stages. Firstly, each one of us must work to make ourselves into an integrated personality, in which the body, brain, and soul all work together to serve Hashem. We all know that when we are feeling personally "not put together" we are not in a state in which we can maintain proper relationships with other people. Secondly, each one of us must work to unite ourselves with all of Am Yisrael. Unfortunately this is easier said than done, but we must never cease in our efforts to bring authentic unity to the Jewish People. Only after these two aspects have been perfected are we, Am Yisrael, as represented by the Shechinah, able to unite with Hashem. Thus the prayer formula which discusses uniting Hashem and the Shechinah ends "in the name of all of Israel," since the higher unity of God and the Shechinah is absolutely dependent upon the prior unification of all of Israel.

The Piaseczner Rebbe further writes in Zav v'Ziruz, that if we want to make spiritual progress, we should set ourselves an annual goal. Where do I want to be one year from now? What kind of person do I want to be by next Yom Kippur? Then, throughout the year, I should measure myself by the standards of the "new person" and check periodically if I am succeeding in closing the gap between the old and the new. If at the end of the year, I am no closer than I was a year ago, then in a sense I have wasted a year of my life, God forbid. Every year we should make it our goal to work on unity, including the personal, national, and cosmic levels. If we all sincerely make this our top priority, we can, with Hashem's help really change ourselves and the world.

Tisha B'Av - A Temple Visualization - Rav Zvi Leshem

BS"D
TISHA B'AV

A Temple Visualization
Rav Zvi Leshem

(Note: This is a visualization meditation on the Temple, to make the idea of the Holy Temple and its destruction more real to the reader.)

You are walking through Jerusalem's Old City on Shavuot with your family, heading for the Beit Hamikdash. You are taking part in Aliyah Laregel, a pilgrimage to the Temple. As you get closer to the Temple Mount, more and more people appear, coming from all directions. There becomes a veritable stream, and then a great river of people, including all sorts of Jews from all over Israel, and even some from abroad. Here and there are also gentiles, on their way to witness the great holiness. You get closer and closer, finally going up one of the ramps, and through one of the gates. The beauty and splendor of the Mikdash are overwhelming. It is the most majestic place in the world, and the presence of the Shechinah is palpable. Thousands, tens of thousands of Jews davening to Hashem, now inside the courtyard, surround you. The Kohanim are doing the Avodah, the Temple Service, and the Levi'im are singing Shir Hamaalot, the songs of ascent. All would appear to be perfect.

Yet, deep inside you know that all is not well. There are too many divisions, too much factionalism, and even violence within the Jewish nation. Am Yisrael is divided into groups, each claiming that they follow the only true path to serving God. Even you sometimes catch yourself hating those with whom you differ. But why? After all, they are your fellow Jews, and they also believe in the Torah, keep the mitzvot, and serve Hashem. They are different, just different, that's all. If things continue this way, what will happen? Where is it all leading? It can't be a good thing…

After months of siege, you are tired, hungry, and depressed. Will it ever end? Will the Romans leave? Will we ever stop fighting among ourselves? The Roman battering rams and catapults incessantly bang and crash, and your head feels like it will explode from the noise. And then, Roman soldiers are actually in the city. They kill and destroy everything in their wake. You watch from the small window of your hiding place, terrified. Death is everywhere. Corpses litter the streets. The stench is overpowering.

Tisha B'Av arrives. You are well aware of its history. On this day, the Spies and Am Yisrael cried for no reason, disdaining Eretz Yisrael. On this day, some 600 years ago, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the First Temple, and the Jews were exiled to Babylonia. What does this day hold in store for us now? Furtive glances toward the Temple Mount tell you that the Mikdash still stands. The enemy would surely not dare to touch it!

Toward afternoon, thick smoke fills the air. Glancing from your hidden window your worst fears are confirmed - the Temple is burning! Great flames fill the air and clouds of thick black smoke continue billowing upwards. Now all is truly lost, and you are filled with despair. Hashem must really hate us to allow such a thing to happen - to destroy His own house! Longing for the greatness that was once the Mikdash, for the beauty of Aliyah Laregel, you are filled with thoughts of teshuvah. But it is too late. What good can it do, now that the Temple is in flames?

Before long you are discovered, led outside into the courtyard and bound with heavy chains. On top of everything else you will be led into exile and sold as a slave to the heathens in Rome. If only we had obeyed Hashem! If only we had loved each other! If only we had not hated! Now all is lost, our land, our Temple, and each other. Worst of all, it seems as though we have lost God Himself, lost the Shechinah! Never has She seemed so utterly remote, so inaccessible! The situation is completely hopeless, not only physically, but also spiritually. All of this is rushing through your brain as the endless march to Rome begins. …

Although your perspective is limited to what your eyes can perceive, there is another, non-physical reality as well. As you continue the obliviousness of the march, your body aches, and yet paradoxically your mind is free, your neshamah is liberated from your body. At this stage you no longer feel your body, and your neshamah soars above, viewing that which is hidden to your eyes. Instinctively you fly back to Jerusalem, back to the Mikdash. The city is completely devastated - nothing is standing! You fly up to the Temple Mount, and you find that all is in ruins. And yet, as you approach the place where the Temple once stood, your neshamah enters a different reality. You glide toward the Holy of Holies, filled with trepidation. There is no doubt that the kruvim, representing Hashem and Am Yisrael, will be facing away from each other, the final sign that we violated Hashem's will. This will be the final sign that Hashem no longer desires His once-Holy people. That will be the most terrible sight of all, the final confirmation that all is truly lost, that there is no hope.

You now enter through the Parochet. And what do you see? The two great kruvim still stand on top of the Aron, angelic, and yet human. One, in the form of a man, symbolizes Hashem. The other, a woman, symbolizes Am Yisrael, symbolizes you. They are not facing apart. They are facing each other. And yet, there are not only facing each other, they are touching each other. Filled with love, they caress each other; they embrace each other. Hashem and Am Yisrael still love each other. They desire and yearn for each other. You love Hashem, and you know, you actually feel, that Hashem loves you as well. You are now filled with warmth, with a feeling of contentment and well-being as you watch the sensuous embrace of the kruvim. Slowly, you make your way forward to the female kruv, to the kruv of Am Yisrael. You are part of that kruv, and you enter Her reality, you merge with Her. You are no longer watching the embrace; you are part of it. You can feel Hashem's actual presence that surrounds you, and feel His breath. Your neshamah is part of His breath. Your individuality melts away as you are subsumed in the Divine Presence. Hashem loves you. You feel His love enveloping you, protecting you. This is the true peace you have yearned for all your life. Now you can let go. Let go of all the hatred. Let go of all jealousy and competition. Let go of all the physical desires. There is only Hashem.

Lag BaOmer, Penimius Hatorah and Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai- Guest Post by R. Zvi Leshem

Tomorrow, 19 Iyar, is the 120th birthday of the Holy Piaseczner, Rebbe Kalonymos Kalmish HYD. He was connected with every fiber of his being to the holy Zohar of Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai and viewed the Zohar HaKadosh as the Sefira of Keter Elyon, which was completed when unified with the Chassidic teachings of the Holy Besht, representing the Sefira of Malchut.
May the merit of Rebbe Shimon, the Besht and Rebbe Kalonymos protect Am Yisrael and bring the final Geula! Chag Sameach, Rav Zvi

BS"D
REBBE SHIMON'S INNER VISION:
A NOTE ON LAG B'OMER
Rav Zvi Leshem

The Kabala, of which Rebbe Shimon Bar Yochai's (who's Yartzeit we commemorate on Lag B'Omer) holy Zohar, is the preeminent work, is often referred to as Penimiut HaTora, the Inner Dimension of the Tora. Others refer to it as the hidden light of the Tora. Many years ago Rav Yehoshua Reich shlita pointed out to me that even in the realm of Halacha Rebbe Shimon focuses on the inner dimension, since he poskins in Hilchot Shabbat[1] (and his positions are accepted) the principles of dvar sh'aino mitkavein mutar[2], and melacha sh'aino tzricha l'gufa patur[3], positions that essentially define physical actions, with their resultant Halachic consequences, according to the person's inner intention. Thus two people could perform the same act on Shabbat and be judged completely differently depending upon their thoughts at the time.

The [4]story of Rebbe Shimon's hiding in the cave from the Romans begins with a disagreement between him and Rebbe Yehuda. Rebbe Yehuda praises the Romans for building great markets, bridges and bathhouses. Rebbe Shimon retorts that all of these were built for the purpose of serving the Romans' evil intentions, prostitution, taxation and the worship of the body. After this Rebbe Shimon was sentenced to death and fled to the cave. We can see clearly that Rebbe Yehuda focuses upon the external physical reality whereas Rebbe Shimon defines these things based upon the internal intension.

Check and see, in the principles of Hilchot Shabbat mentioned above, in which Rebbe Shimon defines the action based upon their internal intentions, his opponent, who defines them based upon the external physical reality, is none other than Rebbe Yehuda.

May Rebbe Shimon's merit protect all of Am Yisrael.
Lag B'Omer sameach!
[1] Interestingly, the Zohar refers to Rebbe Shimon as "Shabbat" and the Karliner Rebbe would say "Gut Shabbos" in Meron, even during the week! See the Netivot Shalom on Lag B'Omer.
[2] Baitza 23a.
[3] Shabbat 121b.
[4] Shabbat 33b[!].

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Guest Post by Rabbi Zvi Leshem - Lag B'Omer - Reflections From Rav Shagar, zt'l

BS"D
LAG B'OMER – REFLECTIONS FROM RAV SHAGAR ZT"L
Rav Zvi Leshem

Introduction:

Lag b'Omer always falls out around the time of Parshat Emor, which deals with the issue of Tumat Met, the impurity caused by the dead. I once heard from Rav Shabbtai Rappaport shlita that chukim are not "strange" arbitrary laws, rather they are "taboos" deeply ingrained (chakuk) in the human subconscious, such as the fear of death and the sense of impurity and uneasiness, let alone terror, that it leaves us with. Rav Shagar zt"l wrote much about death and its rectification, even before his illness. He seemed to realize the power it holds over us and the need for us to deal with it in spiritually positive ways.[1] Perhaps in his own soul he also had a premonition that he would not remain in this world for long. Yesterday, while looking through various notes and papers pertaining to Lag b'Omer, when we commemorate the yartzeit of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai (Rashbi), I came across long forgotten notes from a shiur that Rav Shagar gave on 15 Iyar 5764 (spring of 2004) about Lag b'Omer. The shiur dealt with the death of the Zaddik, and of course was focused upon Rashbi. Yet for me, re-reading my notes, it was clearly discussing the death of the Zaddik – HaRav Shagar himself….I must admit that my notes are brief and there is clearly much that I didn't understand, and yet, I feel the need to write down these thoughts, as they are related to the Hilula, the celebration, of our Zaddik, whose second yartzeit will be in 25 Sivan, in just over a month. The shiur was based primarily upon two sources, the Gemara in Eiruvin 54a with Rashi's commentary, and Rebbe Natan's Lekutai Halachot: Nezikin 3:8-9[2]. I ask the reader's forgiveness for this brief peek into a topic that deserves a much fuller treatment. I hope that I have merited understanding Rav Shagar's intent correctly.

The Gemara compares our lives in this world to a Hilula, a wedding feast. We are enjoined to enjoy physical pleasures now, for they will not be available in the next world, and our lives pass by very quickly, like a wedding feast. There is little point in long-term planning, as the inevitability of death hangs over all of our heads at all times, and no one knows when his time will come.[3] Rebbe Natan discusses Lag b'Omer, the Hilula of Rashbi, and why it is such a joyous day. He contends that the death of the Zaddik stimulates a great rectification, for humanity and for the cosmos. Death is likened to a long sleep and the resurrection of the dead is the awakening from this slumber. The main avoda of the Zaddik is to rectify the Jewish People, helping them to do teshuva and draw close to HaShem. Paradoxically, this is mainly achieved when the Zaddik is asleep, or in a state of nefila, fallen-ness, which is akin to sleeping. For it is at these times of Mochin d'Katnut, constricted consciousness, that the Zaddik is low enough to connect with the average person and be able to help him to find HaShem. This is also achieved when the Zaddik engages in worldly discussions or tells stories. Additionally, when the Zaddik sleeps, his soul goes up to Heaven in the form of Mayin Nukvin, feminine waters, causing great yichudim, unifications above. Thus according to the Zohar and the Ari, the greatest unification and rectification of all is achieved with the death of the Zaddik, in which his entire soul rises above, together with endless sparks which are rectified. Therefore the Zaddik is greater in death than in life, for he is able to enact a more profound and expansive rectification. This is apparent from the Zohar's description of the death of Rashbi (on Lag b'Omer). At the moment of death the souls of many sinners whom the Zaddik was unable to influence in life are rectified as well. This is why the prostration upon the graves of Zaddikim has such a profound impact causing people to do teshuva, with the greatest example being the visitation of Rashbi's grave in Meron on Lag b'Omer.[4] The celebration on the Zaddik's yartzeit is a premonition of the great joy that will occur at the time of the resurrection of the dead, and Lag b'Omer is also the turning point in Sefirat HaOmer from judgment to sweetness, as the lights of Matan Tora begin to shine.[5]

Rav Shagar adds to the above the understanding that our world is a Hilula, a wedding feast, which moves on headlong towards death, here today, gone tomorrow. Chassidut emphasized this in the context of the Hilula of the Zaddik. However, if the wedding is actually a foreshadowing of inevitable death, why is it experienced as ecstatic joy? The answer is bound up in our view of death. As long as we are trapped into apprehending death as no less than the complete extinction of the human being, than life does seem to be a fruitless experience with no hope of personal redemption. Paradoxically, this pessimistic view, which can lead to nihilism, is a function of our belief in ourselves as "yeish", something. However, if we can accept that in reality we are "ayin", nothingness, then death ceases to be extinction, and becomes, in the view of the Ari, evaporation and return to unity within the Divine Ayin. Either way, our sense of temporality and terminality become more and more acute as we move though life.

The First Lubavitcher Rebbe (based upon earlier Kabalistic sources) points out the paradoxical reality that "loss produces presence", and thus, people sometimes seem much more present after they have died. When someone is alive, we tend to understand them based only upon limited (and external) aspects of their personality, whereas after they are gone, we are able to gain a total understanding that eluded us during their lifetime. When the Zaddik dies, his soul becomes incorporated into the Ein Sof, the endless expanse of Divinity above. According to the Ari this is an aspect of the raising of Mayin Nukvin, feminine waters. These are the feminine waters of the Shechina, which when aroused, cause a great cosmic unification. This unification, dependent upon the avoda of humanity, enables the human being to transcend temporality and achieve eternity.

Our yearning for unity with HaShem above is matched by His desire for us. However, what does He desire, what can we give to Him? HaShem needs our stories, which are our lives. These stories arouse HaShem's passion for us, also leading to zivug, to cosmic unity. When this happens our sparks, particles of our own souls, are rectified. Then we rise to the Shechina at the time of our death, the beginning of deep sleep and a dream-like state. We experience this daily in prayer, when we fall upon our faces in Tachanun, giving ourselves over entirely to HaShem and achieving the awareness that we are not really in control at all. Ultimately, just as regular sleep leads to the renewal of our consciousness (hitchadshut hamochin), so too, this great sleep prepares us for the ultimate renewal – the resurrection.

May we merit to experience the presence of all of the great Zaddikim; Rashbi, Rebbe Nachman and Rav Shagar, as "larger in death than in life". May we all do teshuva and merit, after 120 years, to evaporate into the great expanse of Ayin, in a great state of unity and rectification. May we merit the ultimate rectification of the Messianic Era and the Resurrection.

Shabbat Shalom, Lag b'Omer sameach.

[1] See our drasha for Ve'etchanan – Nachamu 5768, and see the chilling passage in Rav Shagar's Al Kapot HaManul, p. 68-71: Compassion comes from the helplessness of the human being. I sit by the bed of a cancer patient, his days are numbered, he groans with pain…instead of denying and fighting it – which only increases his suffering and fear, he needs to learn to accept, to get go of his grasp and give himself over to the will of HaShem, to accept his lack of control…when he lets go…something deeper is created, compassion…
[2] Based upon Rebbe Nachman, Lekutai Moharan 35.
[3] Of course this "Dionysian" description of life, death and pleasure requires explication in its own right and can hardly be taken at face value as the standard Rabbinic view of reality and proper behavior. For a wedding drasha based upon this Gemara, see Rav Yair Dreifuss shlita, Reim HaAhuvim, p. 95.
[4] See also the Netivot Shalom on Lag b'Omer.
[5] See also the Bnai Yissaschar on Lag b'Omer.

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How Sorah Gave Up Her Life By the Akeidah...

As a continuation of yesterday's post about Moshe's questioning of the Jewish people's suffering as a sign of Emunah...

Rav Zvi Leshem brought up another teaching from the sefer Aish Kodesh on Parshas Chayei Sorah along similar lines.

The Piaczena Rebbe asks why Rashi's comments about the fact that the Torah (Breishis 23:1) splits up the years of Sorah's life, he explains the phrase "שְׁנֵי, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה" as meaning that all of Sorah's years were equally good. Isn't that implied by the first part of his comment on that verse?

He explains this by pointing out Rashi's comment on the next verse. Sorah died as a result of the shock of hearing that her son Yitzchak was about to be slaughtered by Avraham as a test from G-d. The Aish Kodesh brings several sources to show that Sorah didn't have to die from this and that she had enough Emunah in Hashem's plan for the world and her family not to actually die from such shock. But that she intentionally allowed herself to die.

The Aish Kodesh says that she did so as an intentional protest in order to show that some suffering is just too much. He says that suffering helps a person in the same way that salt helps preserve food. The right amount of salt makes food better. But Just as too much salt ruins food, rather than preserves it, too much suffering breaks and destroys a person. So too, Sorah was trying to show Hashem that the suffering of having to sacrifice one's own son to fulfill the word of G-d is just too much. Perhaps she could have lived through the shock, but part of her would have died with the knowledge that her son would die. Rather than live as "half a person" after that, she prefered to let herself die to show Hashem that too much suffering should not be placed upon the Jewish people, her children.

Realizing that he wrote this sefer when he was living in the Warsaw Ghetto, during the Holocaust, he says that if that suffering was too great, how much more so his and the Jewish people's suffering was too much in their time! I think it's also important to remember that he also had multiple chances to get out of the Ghetto, but that he refused in order to stay with his people, thus giving his own life to relieve the suffering of his beloved Jewish people just as Sorah did.

He says that one might think that Sorah sinned by allowing herself to die rather than to live. But, echoing the words of the Midrash Raba that I quoted yesterday regarding Moshe, since her act was designed only to help and save the Jewish people from their suffering, Hashem did not find any fault in her for it. And that is why Rashi says that the Torah used the words "שְׁנֵי, חַיֵּי שָׂרָה," to teach that all of Sorah's years were equally good. Meaning: Even her last act on earth, the act of giving up her life to relieve her grandchildren's suffering, was as equally good as the rest of her sinless lifetime.

-Dixie Yid

(Picture courtesy of jrf.org)

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Who is the Rav Moshe Weinberger of Israel???

I wrote last week about Rav Zvi Leshem and Rav Yair Dreifuss' visit to the United States. They are working on a project to publish the writings of Rav Shimon Gershon Rosenberg, Rav "Shagar." Baruch Hashem, they were able to meet Rav Moshe Weinberger on that occassion.

I, like most Americans, had never heard of Rav Shagar, zt"l, before they "introduced" him to me. It is unfortunate that the world outside of Eretz Yisroel is only learning about him after his petira in 2007. My impression is that the unique thing that he brought to the world is that he has done more than anyone else in this generation to bring the light of Chassidus into the Dati Leumi and "modern orthodox" communities in Israel. As Rav Shagar was quickly losing his short battle with Pancreatic Cancer, he put the thousands of computer files of his detailed notes on every aspect of Torah onto a memory key. He came to Rav Dreifuss with the memory key, and handed it to him with instructions to put those files on his computer and find a way to publish them, since he would not longer have the opportunity to do it in his own lifetime.

Apparantly, most of the Dati Leumi Yeshivos, notwithstanding their study of Rav Kook's seforim, are basically Litvish in nature, and the "modern" communities in Israel suffer many of the same problems spiritually that we have here in America. This revolution of the light of Chassidus within the Dati Leumi communities is a relatively new thing, and hopefully it will continue to grow and re-invigorate those segments of Am Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel.

Rav Moshe Weinberger has a similar raison d'etre in being a Rav in Woodmere, NY, in the Five Towns. For an explanation of his goals in becoming the Rav of Cong. Aish Kodesh in Woodmere, NY, see his article from Jewish Action Magazine from 9 years ago. For much of the American modern orthodox community, Yiddishkeit is basically just a checklist of obligations that we check off so that we don't feel guilty. It is mostly an outside set of behaviors, rather than an effort at forging a relationship with Avinu Shebashamayim, our Father in shamayim. Rav Weinberger's goal is to bring the fire of Chassidus to the frigid hearts of the American Jewish community.

I don't know definitively who the "Rav Moshe Weinberger" of the Jews of Eretz Yisroel would be, but it seems to me that Rav Dreifuss' efforts as the Rav Shagar's friend and co-Rosh Yeshiva at Siach Yitzchak, to fulfil the last wishes of Rav Shagar, and his tremendous mesirus nefesh in that regard would definitely fit in that category. So I wish them much hatzlacha in their efforts.

To make a tax deductible donation to their project make out a check to "PEF Israel Endowment Fund, Inc." and write "Bikurei Nehosha" in the Memo. Send the check to:

PEF Israel Endowment Fund, Inc.
317 Madison Ave., Suite 607
New York, NY 10017

-Dixie Yid

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Rochel/Leah - Foundation of the Home - Guest Post by R' Zvi Leshem

This is a beautiful d'var Torah explaining the difference and essence of Rachel and Leah, according to the inner side of Torah by Rav Zvi Leshem (Blobstein). He also has very good advice and words about silence versus action as a response to the unbelievable atrocity in Mumbai.

Today, we, all of Am Yisrael and all civilized people, are mourning the holy victims from Chabad House in Mumbai as well as all of the victims from this horrific attack. On the one hand "silence is above speech", as HaShem said to Moshe when he asked about the justice of Rebbe Akiva's death, "be quiet, this is what has come into My thoughts" (as explained by Rebbe Nachman). We are speechless, but we can attempt to make a difference. We can learn l'ilui nishmatam of the victims (and the refua of the wounded), we can recite Tehillim and Mishnayot. We can also try in our own small way to make the world a better place. Smile, speak kindly, give others the benefit of the doubt, do a favor and be very careful to avoid lashon hara. And of course daven to HaShem to comfort the families and that the world will become a safer and healthier place and that we really do want the Geula...
HaShem Yikom Damam! besorot tovot, kol tuv,
Zvi

BS”D
VAYETZEI 5769: RACHEL THE ESSENTIAL MOTHER[1]
Rav Zvi Leshem

Regarding the verse and Rachel was barren (akara), the Midrash[2] teaches, Rachel was the essence (ikara) of the house. Rebbe Shimon ben Yochai taught, since everything is dependent upon Rachel, all of Yisrael are called after her, as it says, Rachel cries for her children. Continuing this theme, the Bet Aharon[3] adds, Rachel is the Shechina, as it says, Rachel cries for her children.[4]

Regarding Rachel and Leah the Zohar[5] writes, akeret habayit (the essence of the house) - is Rachel…happy is the mother of children – is Leah. The Zohar further identifies Rachel with the Shmita year and the revealed world. Leah is identified with Yovel and the hidden world.[6] Regarding their names, the Mai HaShiloach[7] cites the Midrash that everyone has three names, the name they receive from their parents, the name that society gives them and the name they make for themselves. Parents choose names based upon their intuitive understanding of the child’s nature when they first see her.[8] The name Rachel indicates that her heart if full of jealousy and victory, which she does not utter…and her jealousy is for the sake of Heaven…Leah is the language of exhaustion (nileh), for she was always exhausted and thirsty for HaShem’s deliverance. Earlier in Polish Chassidut the Chozeh of Lublin had explained[9] that Leah represents the trait of humility, whereas Rachel is yira, the fear of G-d, for yira includes all of Yisrael as one…therefore yira is called Kenesset Yisrael.

In contrast with the Tora’s description of Leah’s “weak eyes”, Rachel is described as being beautiful, and states that Yaacov loved her for her beauty. Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev completely rejects the idea that Yaacov, the greatest tzaddik, would have loved Rachel because of her physical beauty. He explains that since Yaacov represents the sefira of Tiferet, beauty, it was his way in worshipping HaShem to uplift all of the world’s beauty and use it to serve HaShem. Yaacov saw a spark of beauty in Rachel and he lifted it up to its supernal source and served HaShem with it.[10] In a similar vein, The Kozhnitzer Maggid also analyzes the beauty of Rachel, for the Tora would not have wasted words just to tell us that she was physically beautiful. In his understanding, yofi, beauty, is a trait in Avodat HaShem. When we are told in Mishlei that beauty is frivolous, but a G-d fearing woman will be praised, this means that she will be praised for her beauty as well. When the Tora praises Rachel’s beauty, it follows that she is also righteous.[11] This is a departure from the usual understanding. There is not a complete dichotomy between external and internal beauty. However, external beauty is only significant as an addition to internal beauty. This combination creates a harmonious over-all beauty that we would perhaps associate with chen, grace, a softer, gentler form of all encompassing spiritual and physical beauty that compliment each other. This was the beauty of Rachel. The Meor v’Shemesh states that unlike Leah whose deeds were all in secret, Rachel was tzenuah b’pharhesia, publicly modest[12] and everyone realized that she was righteous.

As we know, Leah, who perceived herself as being hated, was blessed with many children. Rachel, on the other hand, remained barren for many years. Her harsh demand from Yaacov to provide her with children or she would die, was calculated, according to Reb Simcha Bunim of Preshyscha, to cause Yaacov to hate her, so that she would also merit children![13] Rachel didn’t only exhibit great self-sacrifice in enabling Leah to trick Yaacov and marry him, she was also willing to sacrifice his love in order to be able to participate in the building of Am Yisrael. As Rav Soloveitchik writes; she gave her sister the signs…without knowing that she would also be able to marry her beloved in the future. She sacrificed herself for her sister, asking nothing in return. Rachel’s fate is to pave the way for another woman, while enduring painful loneliness. Her greatest sacrifice was her early death…she didn’t have any nachas from her children Yosef and Binyamin, and wasn’t even buried next to her husband…that victory went to Leah.[14]

Rebbe Nachman writes[15] Rachel cries for her children (Yirmiyahu 31:14). This is the idea of the beautiful maiden who has no eyes (Zohar), for Rachel was beautiful in form and beautiful in appearance. Therefore the main birthing of the Tzaddik who is the idea of Yosef, who was also beautiful in form and in appearance…is from Rachel. But now in exile, after the destruction of the temple, there is the idea that Rachel cries for her children, for she is the idea of the beautiful maiden who has no eyes, for her eyesight has been taken away by her crying. We now understand that both Leah and Rachel cried profusely. Leah cried out of fear that she would be forced to wed the evil Esav, and subsequently because she felt unloved and rejected. Rachel also cried, firstly due to her barrenness, and later because her children, Am Yisrael, were forced into exile.

Rachel’s final crying is recorded in Yermiyahu.[16] Thus says HaShem, a voice is heard in Rama, bitter crying, Rachel is crying for her children, she refuses to be comforted for her children that are gone. Thus says HaShem, stop your voice from crying and your eyes from tears, for there is reward for your action, says HaShem, and they will return form the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future says HaShem, and the children will return to their boundary.

And it has been revealed in a dream;[17] the shofar of the first day of Rosh HaShana (associated with Leah) is the crying of Leah. The shofar of the second day of Rosh HaShana (associated with Rachel) is the crying of Rachel. The first day is that of the higher teshuva of Bina, the second of the lower teshuva of Malchut. Perhaps in the final redemption Rachel will join Yaacov and Leah in Maarat HaMachpela. At the end of the passage of Yermiyahu (Haftara of the second day of Rosh HaShana), Rachel is comforted. May we also be comforted. Shabbat Shalom.

[1] A close reader following my writings over the years has probably detected my strong identification with Leah, my Savta (we are from the tribe of Levi). This year I was asked to give a shiur about Rachel on her yartzeit, 11 Cheshvan, and this was a great tikkun for me. I have always felt that Leah suffered greatly from existential loneliness, feelings of rejection and from being misunderstood. As a result of my recent learning I have come to appreciate the extent that Rachel, despite being the “preferred” wife, also suffered greatly. Her great self-sacrifice for Am Yisrael and for Leah are now clearer to me. I am beginning to come to terms with her being considered “the essential mother”. She is also my Savta. As usual I benefited from the work of my colleague Rav Eliyahu Yedid, in his Arba Imahot v’Am ha Malchut.
[2] Bereshit Raba 71:2. Based upon Bereshit 29:31.
[3] Vayetzei, s.v. Vayomru Yadanu.
[4] In Kabala, both Rachel and Leah are identified as aspects of the Shechina. Leah, is Bina, the Higher Shechina, whereas Rachel is Malchut, the Lower Shechina.
[5] Part One, 154a. Based upon Tehilim 113:9.
[6] For a different reading of Rachel and Leah, see Rav Soloveitchik, HaShitin she’b’Kenesset Yisrael, in Yemei Zikaron, p. 63-66. He identifies Rachel with Chesed and Leah with Gevura. This idea, borne out by his pshat reading of the story, is nearly impossible to reconcile with the Kabalistic and Chassidic understandings of Rachel and Leah.
[7] Part One, Vayetzei, s.v. Shem HaGedola, based upon the Midrash Kohelet Raba 7:3.
[8] This is related to the idea, often quoted in the name of the Baal HaTanya, that parents receive nevua when choosing the name of their child.
[9] Divrei Emet, Vayetzei, s.v. Od yesh Ledakdek.
[10] Kedushat Levi, Vayetzei, s.v. Vayehi, Vayeshak, Vayavo. He further adds that Yaacov’s love for Rachel increased when she enabled him to also marry the great tzaddeket Leah. See also the Shem M’Shmuel, Vayetzei 5679; Rachel was the essence of the house and Yaacov gave her precedence over Leah. Rachel was his true partner according to his essence, whereas Leah was an additional “acquisition”. See also Bereshit Raba 68:3, that distinguishes between going for your zivug (Yaacov and Rachel), and your zivug coming to you (Yitzchak and Rivka). The Bet Yaacov, Vayetzei 43, adds in the name of the Ari that Yaacov and Leah is a case of your zivug coming to you. According to the Bet Yaacov, this unconscious marriage is actually the higher of the two.
[11] Avodat Yisrael, Vayetzei, s.v. eRachel Hiyita.
[12]Vayetzei, s.v. VeNireh Dehinai. It is worth noting this unusual combination, which sounds almost like an oxymoron.
[13] Kol Shimcha, Vayetzei 12, based upon Bereshit 30:1-2.
[14] See note 6.
[15] Lekutai Moharan 2:67.
[16] Chapter 31:14-16.
[17] See my Drasha for Rosh HaShana, Before the Shofar, 5765.

(Picture courtesy of chabad.org)

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