Feeling Proud (II)

ב"ה למען ישמעו • דברים תשע"ז • 420 EDITOR - RABBI SHIMON HELLINGER FEELING PROUD (II) A Chossid’s Pride fathers, davening slowly from a Siddur. Many were acting in a ‘worldly’ manner, that he was simply envious because their children were different. following the crowd. Today, that has become an Reb Mordechai Lieplier, a prominent chossid of the They would wonder aloud: “How did these come to excuse. When questioned about a behavior, a Alter Rebbe, was firm in his observance of mitzvos, behave like this? These kleine yidelach!” person justifies himself by saying, ‘But everyone thanks to his pride. When his Yetzer HaRa would does it!’ “ When boys were ridiculed for their peyos and tzitzis try to incite him to do something wrong, he would they were not ashamed, nor did they respond, for On another occasion, the Frierdiker Rebbe said: stand up tall and shout, “I?! – the chossid of the they knew the vast difference between them and “Recently, people have begun feeling embarrassed. Alter Rebbe, the wealthy lamdan and maskil (who other children, and looked upon them with pity Embarrassed – from whom? From some ‘clothing on learns Chassidus in depth), should do an aveira?! and sympathy. a post’?! This embarrassment has actually caused That is not befitting for me!” ,many people to compromise their Yiddishkeit )דברי הימים גורקאוו ע' עה( The Rebbe adds that every Yid can have this pride. so that they leave ‘pieces’ at the barbers and the When a Yid thinks of his great ancestors, recalls tailors… We need not be embarrassed by them; they that he stood at Har Sinai and was given the Torah, should be embarrassed by us.” )סה"ש תש"ב ע' and that the entire world was created for him – CONSIDER )126 ,120 ,92 he will feel that it is unbefitting for him to lower himself even in the slightest. Did the Chinese people not care The Rebbe once expressed surprise as to how a Yid about what anyone thought of could possibly feel inferior, relative to the goyishe )תו"מ ח"י ע' 58( lifestyle and culture: “You are part of a nation that After a yechidus with the Rebbe Rashab, Reb Zalman them? Or did they only care about HaShem chose from among all other nations – and Duchman went out to the courtyard, where the a different society? you are ashamed of them?! At the time when their Frierdiker Rebbe asked him what the Rebbe Rashab ancestors were cannibals, the Yidden had received had told him. Reb Zalman related that he had been How does realizing the inferiority the Torah and were following its moral ways, and instructed to travel to Warsaw. In response, the only later did the goyim begin following those ways! Frierdiker Rebbe encouraged him at length not to of those who ridicule us cause us Why should a Yid be ashamed to lead the rest of the be influenced by his surroundings and to act just as not to be embarrassed? world by the light of the Torah?” )שיחו"ק תשל"ח ח"ג ע' he did when in Lubavitch. )170 “Look at the Chinese,” said the Frierdiker Rebbe. in 1941), one of the young) תש”ב In the year “They walk around here in the same way they do in chassidim served as a rov in a small community. their homeland, because they know that at home Once, as he entered the room of the Frierdiker He strove to improve the observance of Yiddishkeit everyone dresses as they do…” Rebbe for yechidus, the chossid Reb Zalman Gurary there, but he was met with resistance. Some of found him looking downcast. The Frierdiker Rebbe the local Yidden did not appreciate his efforts )לשמע אוזן ע' 123( told him that he was upset because he did not see and constantly ridiculed him. This had such a The chossid Reb Meir Gurkov records in his enough Yiddishe pride among his chassidim. strong effect on the young chossid that he even memoirs: considered leaving his position. Reb Zalman responded, “How can that be? In all Living in communist Russia, the children of other circles, they speak highly of the pride of When the Frierdiker Rebbe got word of this, he sent chassidim were distinct from their neighbors. Lubavitcher chassidim.” him a letter of encouragement in which he wrote: Their clothes were refined and covered them “I am surprised that you are being affected by the properly, and their tzitzis showed from under their The Frierdiker Rebbe’s face lit up: “Is that so?” opinions of the people. You must bear in mind that clothes, even in the summer heat. Yiras Shamayim Reb Zalman later found out that this had greatly ‘there will always be poor amongst us’, people and eidelkeit could be seen on their faces, especially uplifted the Rebbe’s spirits. who are ‘poor’ in Torah and good middos and will with the long peyos that extended down their brazenly try to disturb good things. You must not )בכל ביתי נאמן הוא ע’ cheeks. )179 be affected by their words, just as a person riding Even during play, the difference was noticeable. EMBARRASSED OF WHOM? in a fancy carriage would ignore the shouts of They would not take part in wild activities and crazies. Take it as a sign that you are doing good stood on the side with dignity. Their derech eretz The Frierdiker Rebbe lamented: “In days gone by, work, and the truth will prevail.” led the way. In shul, they would stand near their a person would be embarrassed to say that he was )אג"ק ריי"צ ח"ו ע' צה( ב"ה The Daily EightEEn PRESS A Master Of all trades The Life and Worldview of Wellspring Farbrengen reb MeiLech ZweibeL plus Living a MiracuLous routine EIGHTEEN ENLIVEN YOUR DAY. A Farbrengen with Reb Meilech WRITING - EDITING - TRANSLATING ADD +13474711770 TO YOUR CONTACTS NOW AVAILABLE the MYstiCal the Rebbe Do You Want www.SELLMILESNOW.com PoWeRs of tzaDDikiM anD the ChilDRen a Mikvah? AND WHATSAPP: SUBSCRIBE. R. Yankel Kaidaner Snapshots Rabbi Binyomin Cohen Price: $6 / $5 NY CHASSIDICDIGEST.COM [email protected] 732-987-7765 RABBI CHAIM HILLEL RASKIN ROV - KFAR CHABAD BEIS REB HILLEL PARITCHER Reb Hillel Paritcher is one of the most well- kiddush levana, but now I would not be able known chassidim of all time, the symbol of to bear it.” (Reb Groinem, the mashpia in HAVDALA IN THE NINE DAYS an oived, and a hallowed gaon and tzadik. Lubavitch, would say that if Reb Hillel said Reb Hillel was a chossid of the Mitteler “believe me” you could believe him…) What should I do about havdala during the Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, and was Nine Days? appointed by the Mitteler Rebbe as mashpia for the Yidden living in the colonies. Reb In his later years, the Tzemach Tzedek To commemorate the absence of nesachim (wine poured Hillel reared many young chassidim did not say Chassidus regularly. Once, a into a channel on the mizbeiach), we refrain from according to the ways of Chassidus, and group of new chassidim came to Lubavitch 1 drinking wine and grape juice during the Nine Days. even taught and wrote unique teachings of and were disappointed that the Tzemach What about wine which is needed for a mitzva? On Chassidus, some of which are printed in the Tzedek was not saying maamorim. They Shabbos, all poskim agree that one may drink wine, sefer “Pelach Harimon.” Reb Hillel passed complained to the Tzemach Tzedek that th they came to hear Chassidus. The Rebbe .(1864) תרכ”ד ,since one may not mourn openly on Shabbos.2 However, away on the 11 of Av regarding havdala there is a machlokes: R. Yosef Karo told them they should go to Reb Hillel holds that it is permissible since one drinks it for a and he would teach them Chassidus. The mitzva, and not for personal joy;3 the Rama holds that Reb Hillel travelled to Lubavitch twice chassidim complained, “A kli sheini cannot one should preferably give it to a child to drink.4 (Note: a year, for Chanukah and Shavuos. One cook.” (A borrowed term from Hilchos at a ceremony that requires wine – such as havdala, bris year after Chanukah, the middle of the Shabbos, implying that learning Chassidus or chuppa – the hagafen is a part of the ceremony, and month was approaching and the moon from Reb Hillel would not have the same the one who recites the bracha need not take a sip as had not been seen. Reb Hillel mentioned “cooking effect” as hearing it directly from long as someone else drinks it.)5 his concerns of missing kiddush levana to the source, the Rebbe himself.) The Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek. The Rebbe assured replied, “But it is yad soledes bo.” (Another How old should the child be? On one hand, the child him that there will be a levana. Reb Hillel borrowed term implying that the Chassidus must be old enough that he is required by chinuch to went to farbreng joyously with the chassidim of Reb Hillel was still boiling hot and would recite brachos, while on the other hand, he cannot about the Rebbe’s promise that the levana have an effect.) be mature enough to appreciate the destruction of will be seen. the Beis Hamikdash, for then he will be barred from Reb Hillel taught them the beginning drinking wine during the Nine Days. Poskim set this age In middle of the farbrengen someone burst of Tanya, and he prefaced it by saying, bracket at 5-9 years of age.

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