Do We Have the Real Thing?
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
We have now entered the month of Elul. In the Hayom Yom it says that Elul is a time for taking inventory of all that we have and have not accomplished throughout the past year. With this we take new resolutions as we prepare to receive a good and sweet new year when we hear the sounding of the shofar and accept Hashem as the sovereign King of the world on Rosh Hashana.
Last week was Shabbos Mevarchim parshas Re’eh and this week is parshas Shoftim. The connection is explained in a sicha. The Rebbe explains that when we see, -Re’eh, with clarity that “Anochi Hashem- that I am Hashem” permeates everything, then we realize that the laws in parshas Shoftim are correct and necessary laws for us to follow. Soon, when Moshiach is revealed we won’t need to be pushed to accept these laws. Instead, in the future we will turn to advisors for guidance. The shotrim, the police will be out of a job.
There are times when we can clearly see what the world stands for. We realize how blessed we are to have and keep our laws. We also get a jolt when we see that the opposite comes when we don’t. This relates to the theme of parshas Shoftim.
The Rebbe spoke many times about instituting a moment of silence in schools and the importance of mankind keeping the seven mitzvos of Bnei Noach. The Rebbe spoke of the great benefit of these things bring to society at large and how the world is a jungle without them.
In his many sichos about Moshiach the Rebbe proclaimed the coming of Moshiach. He said that we have completed the clarification of the divine sparks and that now we stand ready to greet Moshiach. How can we see that clarification today? To clarify something means to separate between good and bad. Clarity means that we can see the difference between what is good and bad, a Torah life, 7 Mitzvos, emunah etc. and their opposite.
When we take a look around, we don’t have to look very far to see this clearly. In America today, what are the grave concerns that today’s lawmakers are preoccupied with? Eliminating traditional marriage, providing medicinal marijuana, giving free birth control to college kids and allowing abortion. Even a 13 year old isn’t required to tell her parents about an abortion but cannot take an aspirin in school without a note from home! Partial birth abortions are not a problem to many.
What are other front burner issues and major concerns? Regulating oil in french fry’s and banning large sugary drinks from restaurants. Also considered most important is not use to our vast oil resources and become energy independent even though we have ways of doing it without destroying the environment. It has been decided that we cannot touch the oil because we do not want to disturb even one Caribou in the wild. Many think that we need to save the world from global warming. Do we ever hear a call to pray for rain as well?
Today a Jew that stands up and says that the only proper definition for marriage is between a man and a woman is viewed as intolerant! Those who fallen away from observance say that the Torah is for peace. They turned over the law about marriage for peace, its ok. People used to think that they could send their children to university, that they would get an education and it would be ok; things have been clarified. We now know better.
A radical muslim shoots up an army base in Fort Hood Texas and do we call it terrorism? Not at all, we call it a criminal act committed by an unstable individual. In Israel if Jew wants to build a home in the ancient City of our Patriarchs there is an international outcry, the press storms Chevron and there are potential sanctions in the UN. At the same time a Palestinian can get up and brazenly lie in the Knesset saying with audacity that they were here before us and Chas’v Shalom afterward. At the same place a Jew will proudly say that Eretz Yisroel is ours and be heckled off the podium.
As we prepare in the month of Elul we need to take a look at how we act. We need to look ahead and ask ourselves; what direction am I going? How careful am I with Torah and mitzvos? When it comes to tznius or whether or not to wear a sheitel instead of a tichel we need to take a look. Is it bringing good results in the end? Some have fallen into using the eruv even though our custom is not to use an eruv in a big city. We need to take an honest look and ask ourselves if it has actually increased the keeping of the Shabbos and brought families together. So too with regard to cholov Yisroel, there is no such thing as stam cholov, its either cholov Yisroel or not. Being Lubavitch isn’t just a hat and kapote it’s a life.
The Coca Cola Company has advanced since the introduction of its flagship product the original Coca Cola. Now they offer Coke Light, Coke Zero and Diet Coke to name a few. In Chabad and in Torah and mitzvos there is no such thing as a diversified portfolio. What we have is definitive. There is no such thing as Chabad light, it’s not a new category.
As we go through the month of Elul in preparation for Rosh Hashana we need to take a good look at what we are doing. We need to make a proper judgment, to decide where we are heading.
If we choose to follow and increase in the ways of Torah and mitzvos we are guaranteed success not just for ourselves but also for our children, the community and the world at large. May we merit the complete revelation of Moshiach even before 5774.
A good Shabbos