B”H Erev Shabbat Naso - outside of Eretz Yisroel, 13th of Sivan, 5780; June 5th, 2020 147 Leib was too embarrassed to say any- Paying Full Attention thing. So he turned and went downstairs. The Maggid, Rabbi Aryeh-Leib of The next day, as they continued their Polnoye desperately wanted to learn the journey in the wagon, the Baal Shem language of birds and animals. He Tov asked R. Aryeh Leib to sit next to thought this knowledge would be useful him. After some time passed, the Baal in soothing the souls of his followers and Shem Tov said, "I know that the reason the congregations to whom he preached. for your coming to see me is to learn the The language of the animals, birds and language of the birds and animals. I've even the plants and rocks is always decided to teach it to you. There is, how- known by at least one person in every ever, one condition that is of utmost im- generation. He knew that in his genera- Yehoshua Wiseman - yehoshuawiseman.com portance. You must listen with your full tion, this knowledge had been acquired attention to what I'm about to say." by the holy Baal Shem Tov. R. Aryeh Aryeh Leib. Then, after Shabbos, the Leib decided to beg the holy Baal Shem Baal Shem Tov instructed Alexei, his "Oh yes Rebbe, I promise to give my Tov to teach him this language. Alt- wagon driver, to prepare his wagon for a hough possibly presumptuous, he rea- undivided attention to all that you say," journey. He invited R. Aryeh Leib and R. Aryeh Leib answered. soned it was okay to ask because, "after several others of his close followers to all, I only plan to use the power for the join him. They all readily agreed. R. sake of Heaven. With this knowledge, I Aryeh Leib especially was filled with The Baal Shem Tov continued, "To will be more able to help my followers excitement; he was thinking that his begin: it is known that the Heavenly overcome their worldly concerns." wish might finally be fulfilled. Chariot is supported by 'four Heavenly beings, each with the face of a lion and the face of a man on the right side, the Having made up his mind, R. Aryeh The next day, after many long hours of Leib traveled to Medzibuz. The trip face of an ox on the left, and the face of travel, the wagon with the Baal Shem an eagle.' It is also known in Kabbalah seemed to take almost no time because Tov and his followers stopped at an inn. his mind was engrossed with thoughts of that from the eagle face flows the life The Baal Shem Tov went right up stairs power to the birds, from the ox face listening to the speech of birds and ani- to a private room that the innkeeper pre- mals. It was already night when he ar- flows the life power to the domestic ani- pared just for him. The rest of the travel- mals, from the lion face flows the life rived. The Study Hall of the Baal Shem ers stayed in the main common room of Tov was lit up and filled with his follow- power to the wild animals and from the the inn. Being tired after the long trip, man's face flows the life power down to ers. R. Aryeh Leib entered and saw the they all immediately fell asleep. Baal Shem Tov sitting at a table speak- the lower man. Also the language of the ing with a group of his close followers. birds, the animals and people comes While he was sure that the Baal Shem Only R. Aryeh Leib couldn't fall asleep. from the Heavenly Chariot. A wise per- Tov had noticed him, the Rebbe's eyes He kept wondering if the Baal Shem Tov son who can see things at their source in didn't meet his to acknowledge his arri- would teach him the knowledge he des- the Heavenly Chariot can understand the val. Later, after most of the followers perately wanted to learn. Later in the speech of the birds and animals." had already left the study house, R. Ar- night, he heard the Baal Shem Tov pac- yeh Leib still waited and hoped to be ing back and forth in his room. So he Continued on page 3 recognized by the Baal Shem Tov. Final- gathered his courage and went upstairs ly, when the Baal Shem Tov walked out to speak with him. When he reached the Shabbat Times of the study hall, he glanced over to R. top of the stairs, he saw a bright light Aryeh Leib and greeted him in a formal shining from the Baal Shem Tov's room. Candle Lighting Motzei Shabbat He started to go into the room but then tone, "Shalom Aleichem." Johanesburg 1155 0166 realized that the bright light was shining from the face of the Baal Shem Tov. He London 0166 56100 R. Aryeh Leib was upset. "Why didn't he stood glued to the floor, unable to look Melbourne 1115 1115 greet me warmly as he always has be- away from the Rebbe's face that was fore?" he thought. "Maybe I should just ablaze like a fire. Montreal 3108 0189 leave. But then again, there is nothing New York 3160 0151 more important to me than learning the language of the birds and animals. So no, When the Baal Shem Tov walked over to him, R. Aryeh Leib nearly fell to the Chabad Of Israel I won't leave. I'll just wait for a better Rabbi Joseph I. Aronov floor with fear and begged forgiveness time to approach him." Published by M.L.S. Kfar Chabad (03) 3731777 for disturbing him. The Baal Shem Tov Editor: Aharon Schmidt gently put his hand on his shoulder and For the next few days, the Baal Shem [email protected] said "R. Aryeh Leib, don't be afraid. Please guard the sanctity of this publication Tov didn't say anything special to R. What is it that you want?" But R. Aryeh Building our own Sanctuaries the colossal edifices that continue to exist out of a sense of compulsion. Its erection even today. was a happy event, not a sorrowful one. He "And it came to pass on the day that Moses therefore made a miracle to express this had finished setting up the Sanctuary..." The wooden planks of the Sanctuary concept, and the Sanctuary was erected weighed far less than these stones. Why with a feeling of true freedom and libera- We read in this week's Torah portion, Na- then did the Jewish people find it impossi- tion. so, that after the Jewish people finished ble to lift them? Why was it necessary for constructing all of the Sanctuary's different the Sanctuary to be erected by means of a Serving G-d with Joy components, they brought them to Moses miracle? so he could erect it. The massive wooden This same principle applies to the erection planks were just too heavy; even working Freedom and Liberation of our own individual "Sanctuaries" together, the Jews were unable to build the through the performance of G-d's mitzvot. Sanctuary by themselves. The answer lies in the fact that the pyra- mids were built by slave labor, by avodat Observing the Torah's commandments Recognizing this dilemma, Moses asked parech (back-breaking, rigorous work). should never be considered "back-breaking G-d how human beings could be expected labor"; rather, we must strive to carry out to perform such a difficult task. In re- The only reason the Jewish slaves were G-d's commands willingly and joyfully, sponse, G-d instructed Moses to put his able to move the stones was because Phar- secure in the knowledge that G-d grants us hand on the enormous boards, whereupon aoh compelled them to. The Jewish people His full assistance. they rose by themselves. The Sanctuary had no choice; they obeyed Pharaoh's com- was thus erected in a miraculous manner. mands out of fear. Adapted from the teachings of the Lubav- itcher Rebbe; Shabbos Table and From Why was a Miracle Necessary? This fear motivated them to tie themselves our Sages reprinted from LchaimWeek- together with rope (as seen in the paint- ly.org - LYO / NYC; Take on More reprint- But why was it necessary for G-d to per- ings) and perform the seemingly superhu- ed from Keeping in Touch, Sichos in English. form a miracle? man feat. According to historians, it was the Jewish Building the Sanctuary, however, involved slaves who built the pyramids in Egypt. an entirely different type of work. The Take on More Indeed, the Torah tells us, "They built Sanctuary was an edifice to be erected treasure cities for Pharaoh, Pitom and willingly, with joy in being able to execute A chassid came to the Rebbe with a prob- Ramses." Each individual stone of the pyr- G-d's command. However, the wooden lem: he felt over-extended. He was em- amids weighed several tons. And yet, as planks proved too heavy for the Jews to ployed as principal of a day school, wrote depicted in ancient hieroglyphics and lift. a weekly column for the city’s Jewish paintings, the slaves somehow managed to newspaper, and contributed to several drag these tremendous weights and build G-d didn't want the Sanctuary to be built other publications. He was constantly being sought after for personal advice and counseling, and had also gained a reputa- tion as a public speaker.