It is known that when the Alter Rebbe was in prison, he was visited by Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid.
The Alter Rebbe asked the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid the reason why he was in prison. They answered that because he was revealing Penimius HaTorah in such an open way, a kitrug- a decree on high arose that caused the imprisonment. He asked that if this was the case perhaps he should not continue with this approach. They answered him that in the end he would be victorious and then he should not only continue but should do so in an even greater measure.
From this we understand that the reason for prison was not due to a fight with the Misnagdim rather a decree from above. Since this was clarified to the Alter Rebbe why did he ask if should continue? In a seemingly similar incident with the Maggid it was the Alter Rebbe himself who provided the answer. Once, Reb Pichas of Koritz was not pleased when he found a page of Chassidus near a bathroom. When the Alter Rebbe saw this he gave him a mashal to avoid a hakpada. Once, the child of a King was seriously ill. The doctors said that the only remedy was to grind a special stone into powder. This stone was a precious diadem in the King’s coveted crown. The King gave orders to dismantle the crown and use it to save the prince’s life. They explained that the prince’s mouth was shut. The King answered to feed him drop by drop, and if that did not work, to place it on his lips so that possibly it would eventually absorb into his mouth. Even though most of it might be lost and it was a rare and priceless stone, it was well worth it because the King said that “I need the prince, without the prince I do not need the crown”. So too the Jewish people in galus are Hashem’s prince. The Jewish people need Hashem to use his crown jewel, Penimius HaTorah, even on the lips, notwithstanding the fact that some might fall on the ground, so that perhaps a few drops will become absorbed. If so: Why was there a decree aroused from above again against the Alter Rebbe since he already explained the purpose of spreading Chassidus, and; Why was the Alter Rebbe asking if he should continue?
The Rebbe explains that there are two reasons why Chassidus is revealed in our present times.
The first reason is because the galus is so dark that we need medicine to survive. We need spiritual injections to fight the spiritual diseases and infectious bacteria prevalent in our times. The neshama needs a strong dose of medicine to revive the heart and provide a ‘stimulus package’ to move forward and be strong in the service of Hashem. That was the example the Alter Rebbe gave to Reb Pinchas of Koritz.
The second reason is that we are in the historical time period of “Erev Shabbos”, when we are already able to sense the aroma of Shabbos, the coming of Moshiach. As is known it’s a mitzvah to have a taste of the food for Shabbos on Erev Shabbos. In the era of Moshiach Hashem will reveal the inner secrets of the Torah. This is as the Rambam explains at the end of Mishneh Torah that the world will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem like water covers the ocean. In this time of Erev Shabbos, the Friday afternoon of the sixth millennia, it’s a mitzvah to reveal and study Penimius HaTorah to prepare us for the Torah of Moshiach.
There is basic difference between a medicine and a food. Medicine is used to give a boost, a ‘shot’ to the neshama to give it the wherewithal to overcome the forces of negativity. Food on the other hand, offers the one who partakes whatever he likes, not just a bit of this and a bit of that. The Torah of the Maggid was like a booster shot used to revive the neshama. The second level likened to food is related to Chabad Chassidus internalized like food. Therefore there was a second kitrug on the Alter Rebbe because he did not have permission to reveal so much. Therefore the Alter Rebbe’s question was if he should continue in the way of Chabad or style his teachings after the Maggid.
The Rebbe Rashab once explained that “yefutzu maaynoseicha chutza” really ‘kicked in’ after the Alter Rebbe was freed from prison after Yud Teis Kislev as a preparation to bring Moshiach.
It is not sufficient to learn bits and pieces just to keep our neshama alive like taking medicine, rather we need to internalize Chassidus like food, by integrating it into our Chabad and thereby merit the full revelation of the Torah of Moshaich, now.
(Based on Likutei Sichos v. 30)
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