What does Hashem your God require of you? Dear friends, On the 7th day of the month of Av [Sunday], the Slonimer Rebbe , the Author of the multi-volume series , ‘Netivot Shalom’ [ ‘The Paths of Peace’], Rav Shalom Noach Barzovsky [zatza’l] passed away to his World of Truth [approximately 15 years ago?]…I have been privileged to be a steady student of his enlightening teachings for many years…. The following is my favorite article of his….It describes for us the mind-state of being in a state of presence…What we are doing by being present and paying attention to all that is happening to us from within and from without, is in fact, hearing what it is that Hashem wants from us at all times…… Shabbat Shalom, yitzchak What does Hashem your God require of you? In the holy book “Yesod Ha-Avodah” (vol. 4 chapter 1) the author quotes Arizal as follows: “Since the creation of the world every day and every single moment is utterly unique, every person is utterly unique, and no-one has the capacity to repair what his fellow repairs…The way in which one performs one’s mission of ‘selecting the holy sparks’ is determined according to the particular year, day, moment and the nature of the individual.” This idea is crucial; one needs to discern what it is that Hashem requires of him—of him in particular. What are the ways open for him to come close to Hashem according to the root of his soul, according to his qualities, according to the day, and the period of history in which he lives? One who lacks this clarity of personal mission is like someone who wanders aimlessly in the streets, not knowing where he wants to go. This clarity is necessary for all aspects of one’s service—for knowing one’s mission in general, for matters concerning one’s nature and character, and for knowing one’s obligation in every situation. It safeguards him in all his decisions; he confidently maintains a course that ascends to the house of God. The first matter he needs to reflect deeply upon is his special mission in the world. Why has his soul come in to the world? The key to detecting his mission is that it is connected to his own root of wormwood and gall, that is the particular area in his personality that causes him the greatest difficulties and brings out the worst in him. The tzaddikim have said that his mission on earth is to correct precisely that area, and it is a mission that requires nothing short of total dedication. When it becomes clear to a person that his soul has descended for the purpose of rectifying this particular trait—that this is his mission on earth—no sacrifice is too dear for him. He will not let himself be deterred or distracted from expending every effort toward the fulfillment of his life’s mission. The same idea applies concerning one’s strengths. One needs to discern the special talents with which Hashem has bestowed him and through which he is given the opportunity to draw closer to Hashem. For God created this corresponding to that. In the same way that one has a particular negative trait, one also has a particular strength through which he can successfully ascend spiritually. If one does not recognize his special strength he is like a person blind in one eye who is exempt from the “viewing” sacrifice of pilgrimage. If someone is blessed with an exceptional talent in Torah, it is a sign that his mission is to succeed in Torah; if someone loves to be generous, it is a sign that this area is connected to the root of his soul. This basic idea is included in the explanation of the tzaddikim—“Strange Service” (Avodah Zarah, idolatry) means “service that is strange to him.” It is possible for a Jew to serve Hashem his whole life—even accomplishing great things—without fulfilling the mission that he was created for. You can accomplish great things but they may not be what Hashem your God requires of you. It is also basic that one knows what is required of one at a particular time and situation for, as we quoted previously from the Arizal, no moment is like any other. Our master Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin—may his merit shield us—was once asked what the most important thing is in the service of Hashem. He answered: “the thing that Hashem requires of him in that moment.” A person needs to contemplate deeply in every moment and situation—both in moments of illuminated clarity, as well as moments of difficulty and confusion—what it is that Hashem requires of him right now. When one experiences clarity one realizes that it is possible to draw close to Hashem in moments of difficulty and confusion. Our master, author of Beit Avraham, commented on the verse (Exodus 20) Moses approached the fog where God is. Rashi quotes that Moses was brought within three barriers—darkness, cloud and fog—for Moses knew that God is even in the depths of such darkness. Even in such situations one can experience Blessed Divinity. When one experiences moments of such darkness it is a sign that one’s mission, in this situation, is to serve Blessed Hashem specifically from the darkness—that only from this situation can he fulfill his current mission. In every situation one finds oneself, one needs to realize that, in order to fulfill his life’s mission, he is required to serve Hashem and draw near to Him through precisely this situation. Regarding this the Baal Shem Tov commented on the verse (Ecclesiastes 9) a pauper’s wisdom is despised (b’zooyah). The wisdom of the pauper is to recognize that in this (b’zoo) is God (Yah), that the Blessed Creator is with him in the midst of his hardship. We might add that just as when one is blessed with great wealth it is a sign that his way to come close to involves his generosity and kindness, so too the service of the poor person is that he serve Hashem with his poverty through accepting it with love. The same idea applies to one’s traits and characteristics. Some people have been blessed with a refined nature; they remain far from anger and are not driven from the world by jealousy, lust, and arrogance. The mission of such people is that they serve Hashem through their fine qualities. Some people, though, are completely engulfed in negative qualities; they are filled with lusts and overwhelmed by them, God forbid. When such a person experiences clarity of mind he realizes that his whole purpose in life is to exert himself unceasingly to uproot his negative qualities. Likewise some people’s minds and hearts are naturally open to Torah and service of Hashem while others’ are completely closed. Through experiencing clarity of mind the latter realizes that his particular mission is to exert himself working from within his close-minded state and that there is no other way for him to fulfill his mission. Then he won’t complain or suffer needless confusion as to why his task seems so difficult, and he will sense that everything is being sent for his benefit. Also, when a person transgresses or experiences some spiritual failing he needs to realize that his task, at such a time, is to resist resigning himself to the circumstances. His mission, in such a situation, is precisely to draw himself free from whatever pit of destruction or depths of filth he fell into. This is his specific service in this moment. This idea is expressed in the account of the sages (Avoda Zara 17a) concerning Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya—a man who was said to have committed every sin in the world. When he repented he sat between two mountains and hills and asked that they intercede for him—“Mountains and hills plead for mercy for me!” He asked the heaven, the earth etc…but none would intercede. Eventually he realized that it only depended only on him. He sat with his head between his knees and wept until his soul departed. A heavenly voice then proclaimed: “Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya is prepared for life in the world to come.” Rabi wept and exclaimed, “Not only is it possible for someone to acquire his world in an instant; he is even called ‘Rabbi!’” The explanation is that Rabbi Elazar ben Durdaya’s mission in life was specifically this—that having fallen into the depths of filth he extricate himself from there. Once his life’s mission was completed his soul departed. This is why he is called “Rabbi” for he teaches the path for all those who repent. In a similar vein the Baal Shem Tov—may his merit shield us—commented on the verse If your dispersed ones are at the furthest edge of heaven—from there He will gather you—From there specifically. It is only when he has been flung to the furthest reaches of heaven, and nevertheless persists and refuses to give up, that he will be gathered from there. The Designer of All has brought him to a situation of disgrace in order that his broken heart lead him to the fulfillment of his personal mission. Because of its great importance, it is in the area of awareness that a person is most easily led astray. The Arizal alluded to this when he commented that the first two letters of the names Balak and Bilam spell “bilbul” meaning “confusion” for he could only bring about the downfall of the people after he had confused them first. Sometimes one is beset by confusion directly; other times the confusion comes about in an indirect manner through diversion. Confusion is like an enemy that wages war: sometimes it attacks head-on; other times it acts cunningly by diverting attention to another place with the sole intent that one desert the main battlefield. Similarly it is the way of one’s negative inclination that one indulges in various desires or behaviors until one becomes despondent, for the real goal of the inclination is not the behavior but the despondency that it leads to. In a state of despondency one succumbs easily to one’s basest instincts without resistance. When one is in a state of mindful clarity, however, his awareness will save him even from the lowest depths. Concerning this idea it is written Remember what Amalek did to you –Consider well and understand that what Amalek did was because of you, for you were lowly, without the courage to resist him. One’s strength is only through mindfulness—through the unshakeable knowledge that Hashem is always with him and will never desert him. I go down to the nether-world—You are there... Even though I walk in the valley of the shadow of death I don’t fear evil for You are with me… The holy Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin once said: “A Jew who is not able to find the strength to pray after having transgressed even the worst sin in the world has not even reached the entrance to Jewishness!” This is the inscrutable depth of Jewish faith—that there is always a path to the Holy One. It is vitally important that one recognize the age one lives in, and what its special significance is. This is what is meant by the verse (Deuteronomy 32) Understand the years of the generations, and, as we wrote earlier, quoting the Arizal, every day is different and every epoch in history carries with it a unique mission. In light of this we are obligated to reflect deeply on the era we live in. What is our special mission? We live in astonishing times. Our age began with a holocaust the likes of which we have never known as a people—wiping out all the faithful Jewish communities of Europe. Yet we did not fall into complete despair. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzatto writes (in his book KeLaCH Pitchei Chochmah) that a draught is followed by rains of abundant blessing. Similarly, after a period of terrible concealment we have experienced a great influx of divine benevolence and compassion, though we cannot understand how any recovery is possible after such destruction. Only one generation later we see the rain of blessing in the wonderful flourishing of centers of Torah, yeshivot and Hassidic communities. Who would have imagined such thriving previously? The Blessed Holy One has established a unique generation, dedicated to His Torah and His service to an extent unknown in any of the recent previous generations. Moreover, the tribe of Levi has arisen once more, as Rambam writes (at the end of Hilchot Shmitta and Yovel): Why didn’t the Levites merit a portion in the land of Israel? Because they were designated to serve Hashem and to instruct His upright ways…Therefore they were separated from regular society and designated as Hashem’s army as it is written Hashem blesses His army… This designation is not restricted to the tribe of Levi but is available to anyone at all whose spirit and mind draw him to stand before Hashem, to serve Him, and to know Him…Such a person becomes sanctified—holy of holies—Hashem is his portion and his inheritance for all eternity. In our era there are thousands of young men, married with families, devoting their lives completely to Torah study and service of Hashem—“to stand before Hashem, to serve Him.” Never before have we witnessed so many people of such dedication. A new community has also arisen—one unlike anything that we have ever known—the community of estranged Jews who have returned to their roots. Thousands of our Jewish brethren have returned to their spiritual source. Some of these people were in the middle of successful careers, some lived in the depths of depravity, and some were deeply involved in a lowly materialistic life. Yet they were all transformed; now they spend their days and nights totally devoted to Torah and serving Hashem. Is this not absolutely stunning?! Who brought about this great and holy spiritual revolution? Only You—Hashem Himself—in all His glory! You demonstrated Your strength and Your wonders. We have been promised a time when the world will be filled with knowledge of Hashem like waters cover the sea. Perhaps we are witnessing the first few droplets and, if we so merit, the drops of awareness will increase until we merit to witness the complete fulfillment of the verse. Much is required of us. Though we do not fully understand it, we intuit that we live in a very great time of history. We need to recognize the importance of our mission, our obligation, and our task in this generation—we need to utilize what has been given to us—so that we not despise the King’s gift, God forbid. On the other hand we cannot help but notice how awful the spiritual state of the Jewish community is. There are those whose Judaism is not faithful. Concerning this we can understand what the sages said (Sanhedrin 98a): “The son of David only arrives when the generation is either completely worthy or completely guilty.” How can it be that a completely guilty generation brings about the redemption? We can explain this though by utilizing an idea from the holy books—that the defect caused by the tree of knowledge was the mixing of good and bad, and the final rectification, when the Messiah comes, will be the separation between the good and the bad. The meaning of the passage is that the son of David will come to a generation whose mixture will be sorted—that it will be the kind of generation that will be clearly sorted into those who are completely worthy and those who are completely guilty—but there will be none who possess a mixture. This separation depends on correcting one’s awareness. As the sages comment concerning the recitation of havdalah in the blessing for “knowledge” (daat): “If one lacks knowledge, how can he possibly perform separation?” We are beginning to perceive this vision in our generation. This generation calls us to great things. Rabbi Moshe of Kobrin commented on the verse The day is vast. It’s not a time for gathering cattle. “The great and awesome day is approaching. This is not a time to gather up “cattle and worldly possessions."
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 07:23:47 +0000