755_Beis Moshiach 27/08/2010 12:43 PM Page 3 contents CHAI ELUL: A KING IN THE FIELDS 4 D’var Malchus | Sichos In English MOSHIACH: A MATTER OF LIFE AND 7 LIFE Thought | Rabbi Zvi Homnick JEWISH REVIVAL IN THE CITY OF THE 14 TYRANT Shlichus | Nosson Avrohom IN THE MERIT OF THE CHILDREN 24 Chinuch CHASSIDUS AND MUSAR [CONT.] 28 Insight | Yisroel Yehuda USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 WOMEN AND ELUL: CONCEPTS AND [email protected] 32 www.beismoshiach.org CUSTOMS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Elul M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: TEACHING THE TEACHERS Boruch Merkur Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD HEBREW EDITOR: 38 Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan [email protected] THE TRAIN OF LIFE AND DEATH 40 Feature | Sholom Dovber Crombie Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082- 0272 is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $160.00 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and in all other places for $180.00 per year (45 issues), by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. Postmaster: send address changes to Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Copyright 2010 by Beis Moshiach, Inc. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. 755_Beis Moshiach 23/08/2010 6:13 AM Page 4 d’var malchus CHAI ELUL: A KING IN THE FIELDS From Proceeding Together — Volume 2. Sichos In English In the case of comprehensive souls, the 2. ARE YOUR FELLOW CREATURES PLEASED souls of those whose only concern WITH YOU? throughout their lives was a total These three loves are so interconnected that they are in fact dedication for the sake of their disciples one.[599] As the Mishna teaches:[600] and for those who were bound to them “Anyone with whom his fellow men are pleased, G-d is pleased with and for all of Israel, there is no external him; but anyone with whom his fellow men are not pleased, G-d is factor that can separate them from not pleased with him.” their “flock,” their main concern. The choice of the word brios (here translated “fellow men,” but lit., “creatures”) recalls how the 1. HOW TO CLIMB THE paved a way that enables every Alter Rebbe explains (in ch. 32 of BAAL SHEM TOV’S single Jew, even the very simplest, Tanya) our Sages’ description[601] LADDER. to serve G-d; the Alter Rebbe of Aharon: “loving creatures and showed how every single Jew, even drawing them near to the Torah.” Concerning[591] Chai Elul, my the very simplest, can serve G-d. There the Alter Rebbe notes: “This revered father-in-law, the Rebbe Elsewhere[596] he uses a different means that even those who are far [Rayatz], writes[592] that it is the image: The Baal Shem Tov set up a from G-d’s Torah and His service, birthday of our mentor, the Baal ladder so that everyone (including for which reason they are classified Shem Tov, and of the Alter Rebbe. simple people) would be able to simply as creatures” — i.e., their And, as is well known, on a ascend; the Alter Rebbe showed sole quality is that they are G-d’s person’s birthday his soul- people how to climb the ladder. creatures — “one must attract with root[593] is dominant. (Like every Though the meaning of the path strong cords of love... to draw them subject in nistar, the mystical and the ladder are not spelled out close to the Torah and the service of dimension of the Torah, the source explicitly, it is clear from other G-d.” (The concept of being “G-d’s for this, too, is hinted at in nigleh, teachings of my revered father-in- creatures” figures in an encounter the Torah’s revealed dimension — law[597] that the major theme of the recorded in the Gemara:[602] in the Talmud Yerushalmi.[594]) Baal Shem Tov is the love of G-d, a When R. Elazar one day Hence, on Chai Elul the teachings love of the Torah and love for a commented on an ugly man whom of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter fellow Jew.[598] Sometimes this is he met, the latter retorted, “Go and Rebbe are infused with new expressed in ascending (instead of tell the Craftsman Who made strength. descending) order: love for a fellow me....”) And just as those who are As it is expressed by my revered Jew, a love of the Torah and the love called mere creatures are to be father-in-law, the Rebbe of G-d. loved and drawn near to the Torah, [Rayatz],[595] the Baal Shem Tov so, too, in our present context, it is 4 17 Elul 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH 755_Beis Moshiach 23/08/2010 6:13 AM Page 5 the opinion of exactly such fellow one’s heart comes to feel that no obligation to hear Kiddush” — even Jews that the Mishna considers: separation is possible between one’s though one who is himself not “Anyone with whom his fellow men love of a fellow Jew, of the Torah obliged to hear Kiddush cannot [lit., creatures] are pleased, G-d is and of G-d, because they are all one enable others to discharge their pleased with him; but anyone with — just as Israel, the Torah and the obligation.[609] The explanation is whom his fellow men [lit., Holy One, Blessed be He, are all that Rabbeinu HaKadosh is not creatures] are not pleased, G-d is one. included in the category of men in not pleased with him.” general who have died and who are From the earlier-mentioned 4. THE REBBE STILL free of the mitzvos; rather, he has interconnection between the three HAS OBLIGATIONS. the obligation of Kiddush (like all loves, it follows that a lack of other obligations) as previously. ahavas Yisroel (“his fellow men are Explaining the content of the In this light, too, we can not pleased with him”) proves that twelve days from Chai Elul to Rosh understand the episode recorded in there is a lack of ahavas ha’Torah HaShana, my revered father-in- Emek HaMelech[610] in which and ahavas Hashem (“G-d is not law, the Rebbe [Rayatz], Avraham Avinu was once counted pleased with him”). teaches[603] that they should be a towards a minyan — because, To examine this connection time of spiritual stocktaking for the unlike the departed in general, he is more closely: Ahavas Hashem alone twelve months of the year, a day for not free of the mitzvos. can lead a man to isolate himself each month. For a start, Chai Elul In the case of comprehensive from people in general and from itself is the day of cheshbon souls,[611] the souls of those simple folk in particular. Similarly, ha’nefesh for the past month of whose only concern throughout ahavas ha’Torah alone can make a Tishrei — when many of those their lives was a total dedication for man so precious in his own eyes present today were together with the sake of their disciples and for that he keeps himself distant from my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe those who were bound to them and his fellow Jews. These two loves [Rayatz] during his lifetime in this for all of Israel, there is no external alone are thus insufficient. And not world. factor that can separate them from only is ahavas Yisroel And since the Rebbe [Rayatz] their main concern. Hence now, indispensable: a lack of this love says that Chai Elul is the day of too, they are not separated from indicates (as above) that one is cheshbon ha’nefesh for the past their flock[612] — now, too, they lacking in one’s love of G-d and of month of Tishrei, it is certain that are present in this world and under the Torah. he himself is also taking stock of obligation in all matters of the Loving one’s fellow Jew fortifies last Tishrei. Torah and the mitzvos — and help one’s love of the Torah and makes Now there are people who are and support them in all their affairs. one’s love of G-d true. And [true] afraid that after the histalkus there They enable Jews at large to fulfill Ahavas Hashem and ahavas is a state of being[604] “free their obligations. Not only are they ha’Torah bring about ahavas among the dead.” In truth, not “free” of the mitzvos, but they Yisroel. however, this phrase does not apply are under obligation in all matters to everyone. Thus Seifer Chassidim as before. Indeed, their obligation is writes[605] that tzaddikim, who even greater than before, because 3. THE THREE LOVES are referred to as alive even after ARE REALLY ONE. the limitations imposed by a finite their passing,[606] are not like body no longer exist.[613] (It is In this matter Chai Elul plays a other men[607] who have died and likewise explained in Tanya,[614] major role: Even if throughout the who are free of the mitzvos; rather, that “even a perfect tzaddik who year these three loves and their even after their histalkus they have serves G-d with awe and with a love interconnection were somewhat all their previous obligations. that delights in Him,” is neglected, they and their With this in mind we can nevertheless an entity who loves — interconnection are revitalized with understand the statement in the which is not the case when the the arrival of Chai Elul — the Gemara[608] that after his passing limitations of the body cease to birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and Rabbeinu HaKadosh used to visit exist.) the Alter Rebbe, the day on which his home every Friday evening for Thus, in relation to the their teachings are infused with new Kiddush.