The King’s Shining Countenance in Elul Awakens Us to Never Give Up on Ourselves and Others
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
The month of Elul is called Chodesh HaRachamim because in the month of Elul the Thirteen attributes of Mercy are revealed. The theme of the month of Elul is “Ani l’Dodi v’Dodi Li, I am to my beloved and my beloved is to me”. Our service of Hashem begins with Ani l’Dodi which represents the process of teshuva, returning to Hashem from below to above. How is this connected to there being a revelation of the Thirteen attributes of Mercy which is a revelation from above to below?
In Likutei Torah the Alter Rebbe analogizes this to a King who goes out into the field to greet his subjects with a shining countenance. In the discourse there is a distinction between the city where the King's palace is, the field and the desert. The King doesn't go to the desert; he goes only as far as the field. Feeling one with Hashem is when we are learning the Torah and doing mitzvos. Then we are in Hashem’s city in proximity to the King’s palace. When we are involved in our mundane worldly affairs but they're all done for the sake of Heaven, then it’s like we're in the field which serves the city and the palace. If we are trapped by our base and mundane desires however then we are in the desert far from the King’s palace.
In the month of Elul the King goes out into the field. If our lives are basically in order and we are using our routine activities to fulfill the will of Hashem, then we will be inspired by Hashem's shining countenance and aroused to return to Hashem in the month of Elul. However, if we are in the desert where the King does not go how will we become inspired?
The Rebbe answers this question by explaining the specific wording used by the Alter Rebbe in the analogy of the King in the field; “When the King goes out into the field he receives all of them with a shining countenance”. The Rebbe asks why does it say “all of them”, it should have only said “‘and he receives them’ (with with a shining countenance)” which means that he receives them when they come to greet Him? The Rebbe explains that the people that are stuck in the desert, meaning stuck by their yetzer hara and feel that they can't escape their base desires, deep down really want to escape. They want to get out of the desert, they want to do teshuva, they want to get closer to Hashem. They want to throw off their disregard for Hashem and all that is holy and accept Hashem’s yoke joyfully.
For now they have given up however, considering themselves addicted to the yetzer hara believing they cannot change and that it’s impossible to shake off physicality and their various addictions and attachments to the world. Hashem sees into the heart of a Jew and knows that he or she wants to change. This desire is so important that Hashem accepts that will already at that point, even while seemingly as of yet disconnected from any change of behaviours. Hashem is saying to each of one of us that He accepts what we want, our desire to be connected. This gives us all the power to break out of our addictions to our thoughts, words and actions that separate us from Hashem and enable us to go out to greet the King.
This week there was a 6 year old child that was lost in Brooklyn. There is a story that a 56 year old man told after hearing about this lost child. An announcement had been made to gather a search party to go out where the child had last been seen to find him before nightfall. It was a rainy afternoon. This man wasn't sure if he could make a difference. He said the following.
“I really wasn't going to go but then I thought about my six year old grandson. If it were him I would want every single person out there searching until he was found so I got dressed in my sneakers, a ball cap and a white shirt with long sleeves so I can be easily seen and also protected from the elements. When I arrived on the scene people were mostly milling about waiting at the command center in the marshes. They were drawing up a grid but I didn't want to wait. I just started walking and was searching with my flashlight.
Most of the arriving crowd was behind waiting for instructions. Other people had been searching in that area for hours to no avail so I took an alternate route under the bridge by the Belt Parkway and then up and down the beach calling out his name but there was no answer. After walking around for maybe an hour and a half I was getting tired. I was feeling like I really shouldn't be staying out here too long because I have to watch out for my own health. When I started going back I noticed a dirt path and I turned onto it calling out the child’s name. I heard a child's voice say “Ta (Father)” so I said back “Is that you, is that you?” I didn't hear anything else. I looked behind me and saw another guy there and said did you hear that? He said yes I heard it too. He went rushing off into the marsh, the youngster that he is.
I happened to have the cell phone number of the top cop who was running the search, Richie Taylor the Deputy Inspector in the NYPD, so I called him. He didn't answer. I called him and I called him like a crazy person, over and over again. Finally he answered and I said to Richie that I had heard something and that he should send some units to where I was. 15 minutes later a few ATV’s showed up and then later a big truck with a massive light. Everyone was asking me from where I heard the voice and where I was standing at the time etc. I just stood there and felt stupid because what if I'm taking resources away and I didn't really hear anything.
Once they had my location I asked if it's okay to go. I started walking out and about two minutes later I heard loud shouting. Some people around me said they found the child and they're singing and dancing. I was so thankful and danced with everybody for a couple of minutes, I think that made it on the news. I then left because I was completely drenched from the rain. Later I received a phone call from Richie saying that it was my call that made the major break in this case. Your tip brought us to the right place.
I can't even tell you how much I was, and remain shaken from this experience. It just shows that that one person can make a difference. We need to just just go and take action. I was thinking, who am I just some 56 year old guy, but I went anyway. Apparently that made a difference. Right when they were giving up hope, right when the sun was already set, the rain started coming down and eliminating any trail. When you just keep going to do and don't worry about looking stupid or feeling stupid, you just do. I'm so thankful that I got to be part of the story and that boy is okay and the family is okay and Klal Yisroel is going to be okay…”
Those of us who have wandered out into the desert are like that lost child who is drenched and covered in mud. Nevertheless there is a still faint voice within us calling out for our Father. When we don’t give up hope Hashem hears our call and finds us before nightfall, the end of the galus and gives us the chance to return to His home. The Rebbe also gave us the responsibility to reach out to others that are lost, much like the man in the story. We don’t give up on others and we try to help them find their way back. When we don’t allow ourselves to feel that we can’t make a difference and just keep doing our best it may just be that our efforts will be the ones ‘break the case of galus’ and bring all of the lost children back to their Father’s table. It's in one moment that we do teshuva and then we are immediately redeemed.
May we all go out together to greet Hashem with Melech HaMoshiach before Rosh HaShana.
A Good Shabbos