Do we hear the Rebbe speaking to us directly today?
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
On Acharon shel Pesach 5719-1959 the Rebbe shared the following story. Before Rav Yosef Kalbo, one of the greatest talmidei chachmim of his time became a chosid of the Alter Rebbe he spoke to the Alter Rebbe about the Baal Shem Tov without the proper respect. The Alter Rebbe told him that the revelation of the Baal Shem Tov surpassed even the revelation of Eliyahu HaNavi. Knowing the Alter Rebbe's greatness, Rav Yosef Kalbo was certain that there was a reliable reference for the Alter Rebbe's statement, so he asked for the source. The Alter Rebbe answered that it was an open Gemara. Rav Yosef began to scan the entire Shas in his mind but couldn't locate it. The Alter Rebbe told him that it's a Gemara in Bava Metziah 85:. The Gemara says that when Eliyahu HaNavi revealed a secret that he wasn't given permission to reveal he was punished. The Baal Shem Tov on the other hand the Alter Rebbe said revealed the greatest secrets and not only was he not punished, he was rewarded with a bracha! These revelations continue to be shared by his students and his students students until the coming of Moshiach.
Upon hearing this Rav Yosef Kalbo turned to the Alter Rebbe and asked: "Nu, and what about you (Meaning do you too have that same greatness)?
The Alter Rebbe replied, that also is a Gemara. When someone pours a prohibited liquid for example into a permissible liquid, the column of liquid of the prohibited liquid that is being poured connects the two liquids and renders the permissible liquid prohibited. This principle is known as nitzuk chibur, the column of liquid connects. If this is true for prohibited matters, all the more so for matters relating to kedusha, nitzuk, flow definitely connects. Our Master and Teacher the Baal Shem Tov poured out his holy words to his student the Maggid and then to us.
This isn't just a nice story, its an important lesson and message for us. For too many of us the yetzer hara says: You know who you are and how low you are etc., how can you possibly feel that you can be one that spreads the wellsprings of Chassidus and brings Moshiach? (Who are you kidding?)The answer is that we aren't even looking at our personal situation or state of affairs; rather it is because of nitzuk, the outpouring of the Torah of the Baal Shem Tov and of all of the Rabbeim that we are connected; its not about us.
All of this is in an even greater measure in Chassidus Chabad where the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov are brought down into intellect and internalized in a wounderous unity, a yichud niflah. Through Chassidus Chabad we can draw inner penimius of the emunah as it is in the essence of the soul into revelation in a way that is greater than even the revelation of Eliyahu. Through this we have necessary tools (of Chassidus) to bring Moshiach.
The Rebbe ended by saying that everything the Alter Rebbe said in the Tanya needs to be understood as the Alter Rebbe speaking directly to us in our situation as we are, and not as if the Rebbe was speaking to someone else. This is similarly true regarding all the Rebbe's Sichos and Maamarim. Because of this we say to ourselves: the Rebbe is speaking to me, the Rebbe is encouraging me to complete my shlichus of bringing Moshiach today.
A Good Shabbos
