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The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Topsy-Turvy

he hallmark of a true sage of the mesorah (tradition) is Yosef Bronstein the radical embracement of a Tparadox. On the one hand, the talmid Judaic Studies Faculty, Breuer College and chacham is completely beholden to Stern College for Women the received from previous generations. But simultaneously, 3 העולם נחשב בעינינו כתוהו וכצל ולכך אמרו /he has the ability and obligation to innovativeness. It was this new )סוכה ב.( צא מדירת קבע ושב בדירת עראי breathe new life into these ancient old philosophy that fueled ’s להורות כי גרים אנחנו עלי ארץ מבלי קבע. sources by offering innovative singular activities in the second half of interpretations and novel theories.1 the twentieth century. Behold, the Torah counselled us that It is the proper balance between The Rebbe’s approach to the mitzvah on , which is the end of the days these two poles that allows the talmid of sukkah is a prime example of his of repentance, we should accept upon chacham to stay true to the timeless interpretive method and philosophy. ourselves an exile, so that the entire world mesorah while making the eternal In this essay, I will summarize what will be in our eyes like nothing and like a Torah timely and relevant to the I understand to be his central thesis shadow. And therefore they said (Sukkah people of his generation. regarding the nature of the sukkah and 2a) “leave your permanent dwelling and stay in a temporary dwelling” to This description is perfectly apt for contextualize it within the broader framework of his thought. teach that we are strangers on this world Menachem Mendel Schneerson, without any permanence . . . 5 the seventh Rebbe of Chabad (henceforth “the Rebbe”). His A Transient World According to Rav Yehonatan 6 adherence to the Torah of previous Eibeschitz and others, the temporary generations in general, and to the Masechet Sukkah opens with a debate nature of the sukkah represents the teachings of his predecessors in regarding the status of a sukkah that fleetingness of this world. Living in a particular, is well known. He was is higher than twenty amot. Rava sukkah for a week engrains within us a master of both nigleh and nistar,2 explains that the debate depends on that we are mere travelers, temporarily with, of course, a particular expertise if a sukkah is a “permanent dwelling,” lodging in the hallway of this world in the voluminous discourses of and therefore even a structure of this while on a journey to the palace of the his predecessors. Every ma’amar height is suitable for the mitzvah, next world. (Chassidic discourse) he delivered or a “temporary dwelling,” and began with a citation and analysis of therefore such a tall structure is The Nullification of the World 4 a previous Rebbe’s Torah, and it was disqualified. The fact that we follow these ideas that created the contours the latter opinion is often used as the On the surface, there is much in of his thought. However, through foundation of a homily regarding the Chabad thought that would confirm a rigorous textual and conceptual take-away message of the sukkah. For this conclusion. One of the central analysis of these earlier teachings he example, here are the words of Rav tenets of is was able to develop a sophisticated Yehonatan Eibeschitz: acosmism — a belief in the illusory nature of the world. When our eyes והנה יעצה לנו התורה בסוכות שהוא סוף and comprehensive thought system observe the world that surrounds us ימי תשובה לקבל על עצמנו גלות ולהיות כל of his own, which is striking in its

9 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5777 and perceive a physical reality teeming with diversity, we are in fact being fed The Lubavitcher Rebbe on the Four an illusion. In truth, nothing exists Species other than God — ain od milvado in the most literal sense possible. If we The ,Vayikra Rabbah 30:9, has a very cryptic had spiritual eyes we would be able to comment on the : פרי עץ הדר זה הקב”ה שכתוב בו )תהלים קד( הוד והדר לבשת see through the façade of reality and כפות תמרים זה הקב”ה שכתוב בו )תהלים צב( צדיק כתמר יפרח recognize the hidden true nature of the cosmos — simple divinity. 7 R. Menachem Mendel וענף עץ עבות זה הקב”ה דכתיב )זכריה א( והוא עומד בין ההדסים וערבי נחל זה הקב”ה דכתיב ביה )תהלים סח( סולו לרוכב בערבות And while other Kabbalistic schools 1902-1994 בי-ה שמו. exhorted their students to not dwell on this radical idea,8 Rav Shneur “The fruit of a beautiful tree” (), this is The Holy Zalman of , the founder of One Blessed be He as it states, (Tehillim 104) “He is clothed in glory and Chabad Chassidut, did just the beauty.” “Branches of a date palm” (), this is The Holy One Blessed be He opposite. ThroughoutTanya he as it states, (Tehillim 92) “The righteous one flowers like a date.” “A branch encourages his readers to contemplate of a braided tree” (hadasim), this is The Holy One Blessed be He as it states, the nothingness of our world and even (Zechariah 1) “He stands between the myrtles (hadasim).” “Willows of the the complete dissolution of the self valley” (aravot), this is The Holy One Blessed be He as it states, (Tehillim 68) into the light of the simple unity of “Who rides in the skies (aravot) with his name “Y-ah.” Hashem.9 This contemplative service, What is the midrash trying to teach us by associating the four species with known as bittul, is identified by the God? R. Schneerson, Sha’arei HaMoadim, Sukkot pp. 151-152, suggests Alter Rebbe as the general principle that one of the goals of the mitzvah of taking the four species is to bring underpinning all of Torah and mitzvot: God into our lives through the performance of mitzvot. The midrash is trying to convey the message that by taking the four species, we are actually .taking” God into our lives“ וזהו יסוד כל התורה להיות בטול היש לאין וכל השלשה דברים שעליהם העולם עומד Torah To Go Editors היינו תורה ועבודה וגמ”ח כולם ענינם בטול היש לאין. And this is the basis of the entire Torah, Hashem Is Here, Hashem Is will be purified to the degree that that there be the annihilation of being There... human beings will be able to stand (yesh) into nothingness (ayin), and all the “without being nullified in their very three things on which the world stands, But this description of the existence” and perceive the “Divine that is Torah, worship, and charity, are all nullification of the world is only one light that will be revealed to them . . . aspects of the annihilation of being into pole of the great paradox elucidated without any cloak.”14 nothingness.10 in .11 Once the Alter Rebbe understands the unity of Hashem to In the context of Sukkot, such a The Rebbe’s First Address — mean that from Hashem’s perspective philosophy would seemingly lead Hashem’s Garden nothing exists other than Him, this one to Rav Yehonatan Eibeschitz’s simple sense of unity also grants great understanding of the sukkah’s As early as his firstma’amar as the significance to this world. Everything symbolism. If the goal of our service leader of Chabad, the Rebbe outlined that we perceive in our world is is to pierce the illusion of reality and what he saw as the mission of his permeated with divinity and can be 15 see nothing other than Hashem, then generation. He focused on a midrash a conduit of experiencing Hashem.12 the sukkah stands as a reminder that that describes “Ikar Shechinah” as Our and service are not only nothing in this world is as permanent, mitzvot originally occupying “tachtonim.” intended to condemn this world to or even as ontologically stable, as it When Adam ate from the Tree of nothingness, but also to draw divinity Knowledge, the Shechina ascended seems. 13 into it. This pole will reach its peak in to the first heaven, and with the next the times of Mashiach when the world six major human sins the Shechina

10 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5777 continuously ascended until it reached — within specifically our lowly world.16 tachtonim engendered a conscious the seventh and highest heaven. revolution in many poles of religious Previous generations tended toward Then seventzadikim , beginning thought and practice.18 Focusing on a more spiritualized service, with the with Avraham, merited to lower the “tachtonim” created an inverse goal to “extricate [oneself] from the the Shechinah, level after level, until hierarchy in which items, activities straits of contraction ... and to rise ... Moshe, the seventh , merited to and places that were previously into the hidden world in which the bring the Shechina back to the land. considered more overtly “spiritual” light of the Ein-Sof, the completely became secondary to specifically the After dissecting the midrash’s key hidden God, gleams and shines as it more physical and seemingly secular. terms, the Rebbe concluded that “Ikar were.” 17 According to the Rebbe, as we The example that is relevant for our Shechina” refers to the highest levels approach the days of Mashiach, our discussion is the changed perspective of divinity and “tachtonim” refers to focus must shift from the heavens to on how the world outside of “the “this lowly world.” In other words, finally bringing theIkar Shechina back four cubits of halacha” should be the ideal home for the Shechina is to its garden, to our lowly world. not the higher spiritual worlds, but perceived. To clarify this radical assertion, the our physical one. He then made the If previous generations of Rebbe cited the above-mentioned striking assertion that would define students were taught to stay in the eschatological prediction of the Alter Chabad under his tenure: Beit Midrash, far from the dangers of Rebbe — that when Mashiach comes, the outside world, this was because the physical world will no longer hide שנמצאים אנחנו בעיקבתא דמשיחא, בסיומא the Shechina was still in the seven the presence of Hashem but we will דעקבתא, והעבודה – לגמור המשכת heavens. However, in order for our be able to perceive reality in its true השכינה, ולא רק שכינה כ”א עיקר שכינה, generation to complete its mission, form and see Hashem everywhere. It ובתחתונים דוקא. the Rebbe felt that we must begin to We are now very near the approaching is the mission of the last generation see the entire world in the messianic footsteps of Mashiach, ndeed, we are at to demonstrate the divinity of the light — as Hashem’s garden and the conclusion of this period, and our tachtonim — of all that seems lowly home.19 Therefore, now is the time to spiritual task is to complete the process and secular. take the spiritual energies amassed in of drawing down the Shechinah — The charge to cultivate adirah be- previous generations to go everywhere moreover, the essence of the Shechinah — from secular college campuses to Katmandu — in order to demonstrate Previous generations of yeshiva students were that even such places are, in truth, a 20 taught to stay in the Beit Midrash because wellspring of divinity. the Shechina was still in the seven heavens. The Rebbe’s Temporary/ Permanent Sukkah However, in order for our generation to With this background, let us briefly complete its mission, the Rebbe felt that look at the Rebbe’s conception of the we must begin to see the entire world in sukkah as a temporary dwelling.21 While he shared Rav Yehonatan the messianic light. Now is the time to take Eibeschitz’s sukkah-world analogy, his take away message had a different the spiritual energies amassed in previous spin. The Rebbe noted that in light generations to go everywhere — from secular of our ruling that the structure of the sukkah is “temporary,” it is striking college campuses to Katmandu — in order that we find the exact opposite language regarding how we are to demonstrate that even such places are a supposed to behave in the sukkah. wellspring of divinity. The Mishna22 says that “all seven days

11 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5777 a person should make his sukkah of our world solely in terms of what be-tachtonim, the ultimate permanent permanent (keva) and his house our eyes currently perceive. If we (keva) home. temporary (arai),” and Rashi explains understand the notion of Hashem that one’s main place of living for the being revealed through each and every Conclusion duration of Sukkot should be the aspect of this world and the mission sukkah. This idea is underscored by of creating a dirah be-tachtonim, then While the Rebbe and his generation the Yerushalmi’s source for we must begin to live our lives in a were ultimately unsuccessful in this : “permanent” fashion. Every action completing the dirah be-tachtonim, on th and interaction in all four corners the 28 of Nissan 5751, less than a כתיב בסכת תשבו ואין תשבו אלא תדורו. of the world can help reveal the true year before his debilitating stroke, he כמה דאת אמר וירשתם אותה וישבתם בה. divine nature of reality. It is written: “In sukkot you shall sit left marching orders for his followers: מה עוד יכולני לעשות כדי שכל בנ”י ירעישו teishvu)” and the phrase “you shall sit” This idea is applicable to the full) ויצעקו באמת ויפעלו להביא את המשיח means nothing other than “you shall gamut of human experience. Even בפועל לאחרי שכל מה נעשה עד עתה לא dwell.” As you must say [of this verse a simple and temporary hut that is הועיל והראי’ שנמצאים עדיין בגלות ועוד concerning the settling of Eretz Yisrael]: comprised of the “leftovers of the ועיקר בגלות פנימי בעניני עבודת השם. הדבר You shall possess it and you shall dwell granary and harvest” can become“ היחידי שיכולני לעשות למסור הענין אליכם in it (ve-ye-shavtem bah)” (Devarim a home for the Shechina.25 Being ... ואני את שלי עשיתי ומכאן ולהבא תעשו honest in business and mentioning 23.(11:31 אתם כל אשר ביכלתכם. The dwelling in the Land of God’s name to colleagues helps build the equivalent of the mishkan What more can I to do to motivate the certainly has a permanent aspect to 26 it as that is where the Jewish people in the office. Helping a single not entire Jewish people to clamor and cry will live for all of eternity. So while the yet observant Jew put on in out, and thus actually bring about the sukkah is structurally temporary, life Alaska lets Hashem crack through coming of Mashiach? All that has been should be lived there in a permanent the surface of reality in yet another done until now has been to no avail. For fashion.24 location. Fighting poverty in America we are still in exile; moreover, we are while inspiring the American public in an inner exile in regard to our own The Rebbe said that the same to lead moral lives filled with biblical service of God. All that I can possibly do dichotomy is true of the world values can reveal God in non-Jewish is to give the matter over to you . . . I have around us. The world as we see it is society in heretofore unimaginable done whatever I can; from now on, you truly a transient place of little value, proportions.27 These activities as must do whatever you can.28 not worth our time and attention. well as every other activity in our May we merit to complete this But this is only accurate if we think lives are all part of creating a dirah mission.

12 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5777 Endnotes is a story regarding the Alter Rebbe on his brings them much closer together. This is deathbed (recorded at (www.likkuteitorah. highlighted by the fact that Rav Soloveitchik 1 For a beautiful description of these two com/Tzav--for%20interim%20web%20 quotes the midrash of Ikar Shechina be- poles, see the article of mori ve-rabbi Rabbi posting.htm): tachtonim as a source for halakhic man’s this- worldly orientation (Halakhic Man, pg. 55) Michael Rosensweig, “Mesorah as a Halachic ...there is a well-known story relating that, – the same midrash that the Rebbe made into Source and Sensibility” printed in the on his deathbed, the Alter Rebbe gestured the cornerstone of his philosophy. summer 2011 edition of Jewish Action. It is toward the ceiling and asked his grandson and available at https://www.ou.org/jewish_ eventual successor, the Tzemach Tzedek, what 18 See Levin, Heaven on Earth, 6-27; Alon action/05/2011/mesorah_as_halachic_ he saw there. “I see wooden beams,” replied Dahan, Go’el Aharon: Mishnato ha-Meshihit source_and_sensibility/ the Tzemach Tzedek. “I see only Godliness,” shel R. Menahem Mendel Schneerson (Contento 2 For a record regarding the Rebbe’s his grandfather said. de Semrik, 2014), 38-62 for a summary. Dahan’s book is based on his dissertation, profound scholarship, see Nechemia Polen, 8 Nefesh HaChaim 3:3,6. “The Rebbe: Life and Afterlife of Menachem Dirah be-Tahtonim: Mishnato ha-Meshihit shel Mendel Schneerson by Samuel C. Heilman 9 See, for example, Tanya, Likutei Amarim, R. Menahem Mendel Schneerson, (submitted and Menachem M. Friedman (review)” chapter 33. as a doctoral dissertation, Hebrew University Press, 2006). Modern 34:1 (2014), 127-129. 10 Torah Or, Parshat Noach, 11a. Translation 3 This adjective is taken from the writings from Elior, The Paradoxical Ascent 19 For a beautiful articulation of the Rebbe’s of Rav Feital Levin, one of the select cadre to God: The Kabbalistic Theosophy of Habad positive view of our world in light of these charged with transcribing the Rebbe’s oral Hasidism, trans. Jefferey Green, (SUNY Press, ideas, see his emphatic address from January th discourses. In his book Heaven on Earth: 1992), 144. See there for a broader analysis of 26 (10 of Shevat) 1972, available at http:// Reflections on the Theology of the Lubavitcher this contemplative process. www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/ player_cdo/aid/253998/jewish/Its-a- Rebbe, Rabbi Menahem M. Schneerson 11 Rachel Elior, The Paradoxical Ascent to Beautiful-World.htm. (Kehot, 2002), a summary of the Rebbe’s God, 131-138. “comprehensive and consistent theological 20 See, for example, Likutei Sichot volume 12 See, Tanya, Likutei Amarim chapter 41, system,” Rav Levin writes the following in 33, pg. 275; Inyanah shel Torat ha-Chasidut, 52. For a clear explanation of the matter his forward: “It appears justified to maintain, chapter 21; Rav Levin, Heaven on Earth, 128- see Nissan Mindel, Rabbi Schneur Zalman as this book does, that the general thrust of 138. the Rebbe’s theology, whilst firmly rooted Volume 2: The Philosophy of Chabad (Kehot in classic Chasidic teachings, is strikingly Publication Society, 1974), 124-125. 21 See, Likkutei Sichot volume 9, pg. 91; Torat Menachem 5713 volume 1, pg. 24. innovative. Indeed, even those relevant 13 Tanya, Likutei Amarim, chapter 36-37; perceptions that were expressed previously Liuktei Torah, Drushim le-Rosh ha-Shanah, 22 Sukkah 28b. are no longer isolated thoughts, but are 61a. For more sources and an analysis see Dov 23 Yerushalmi Sukkah 3:9. Translation is from now incorporated into a total system.” It is Schwartz, Mah’shevet Habad (University of the Schottenstein Edition. important to note that Rav Levin reports that Bar Ilan Press, 2010), 118-119. the Rebbe read and edited this book before 24 This dichotomy is sharpened according 14 Tanya, Likutei Amaraim, chapter 36. approving it for publication, making it an to the approach of Rav Michael Rosensweig, authoritative primary source for the Rebbe’s 15 Midrash Rabbah, Shir ha-Shirim 5:5 “BeInyan Mitzvat Sukkah” (Beit Yitzhak 30) philosophy. 285-297, that the cheftza of the sukkah itself 16 Bati LeGani 5711, end of chapter 3. needs to be treated as a keva home despite its 4 Sukkah 2a and 7b. English translation is from http://www. temporary structure. 5 Ya’arot Devash, Derush 6 (Or HaSeifer, chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/ 1983), pg. 134. aid/115098/jewish/Basi-Legani-5711- 25 See Torat Menachem cited above. Chapter-3.htm. 6 See Shalmei Todah on Sukkot, pg. 20-22 26 Torat Menachem 5750 volume 4, pg. 192. 17 Halakhic Man, 61. This is Rav that similar ideas were expressed by the 27 See, for example, http://www.chabad.org/ Soloveitchik’s description of the Alter Rebbe’s Chida, Gra, Kli Yakar and Rabbeinu Yonah. therebbe/article_cdo/aid/558041/jewish/ explanation of the ’s sound. While for Turning-Disappointment-into-Food-for-the- 7 Tanya, Likkutei Amarim, chapter 20-22 Rav Soloveitchik the chassid (homo religiosus) Hungry.htm. and the opening chapters of Sha’ar ha-Yichud stands as a foil to halakhic man, the Rebbe’s ve-haEmunah. A good illustration of this idea articulation of the final stages of Chassidut 28 Torat Menachem 5751 volume 3, pg. 119.

Find more shiurim and articles from Rabbi Yosef Bronstein at http://www.yutorah.org/Rabbi-Yosef-Bronstein

13 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Sukkot 5777