Chassidus: It’s Not History, It’s Not Theory, It’s Life!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week is Shabbos Mevarchim Chodesh Kislev. Kislev is a month filled with important days, beginning with Rosh Chodesh, the day the Rebbe went home after having suffered a heart attack on Simchas Torah 5738-1977. It is followed by the 9th and10th of Kislev, the birthday and geula of the Mittler Rebbe. The 14th is the anniversary of Rebbe and Rebbetzin. This is followed by Yud Tes Kislev, and then by Channuka.
Needless to say that there will be many fabrengens and we will be uplifted and inspired by many stories and words of the Torah. What is it that we will we take away with us and internalize from these gatherings, aside from perhaps a couple of pounds from the kugel?
The Rebbe once spoke about a Jew whose head was in his business. When it came time for the fabrengen he left his business and when it was over he went back to his business. The Rebbe mentioned that even while he was at the fabrengen he couldn’t actually be there, he was still at his business. He came to show honor and respect, but he was not prepared to internalize the fabrengen. His thoughts were somewhere else. This is true for many Jews in a place like America with all the luxuries and distractions
Every Jew was at Matan Torah and has the power and ability to pull away from the gashmius and reach higher. He can say to himself that at this moment he is a chosid and can be 100% focused. We need to leave everything behind when we come to the fabrengen. We have to turn off the cell phone before we enter!Once, a chosid came to the Rebbe Maharash without his kapote. He had been putting it on only when he came to the Rebbe and felt dishonest. The Rebbe told him that he knew that he didn’t wear his kapote outside Lubavitch. He thought however that the truth was that his heart was in Lubavitch and he was fooling the world, now he sees that it’s the opposite.
Still some might ask how to do it. Anyone can easily understand how it is done. Take for example someone who is trying to pass the bar exam to become a lawyer; or trying to become a doctor or a dentist. He clearly knows with that if he doesn’t put everything aside, go to the library, shut off his cell phone and fully focus he doesn’t stand a chance. He cannot allow himself to be distracted by his emails, his bills or his business. So too with being a chosid we need to focus. We must ask ourselves, would we really be thinking what we are thinking in davening if we were in a high stakes business meeting or with an important person that had demanded our full attention? Once the Rebbe commented at the end of Tishrei that there are people that have been here the whole time but haven’t yet arrived.
On Chof Marcheshvan 5741-1980, the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab, the Rebbe said that when we come to a fabrengen we need to put everything aside and we have to remember that we are chassidim of the Previous Rebbe (Chabad Chassidim). For these few hours we are fully here. This is who we are. From time to time we have to close ourselves in a room and put ourselves into a maamar; for that time we need to be fully involved and absorbed. We should think of our forefathers who did not have these disturbances and how much they were able accomplish as a chassidim. Then when we go back into our routines we don’t loose ourselves, we stay the course.
Just like being a doctor requires constant updating of his knowledge to stay on top of his field, so too a chosid requires continuous education. So too with chassidishe Yomin Tovim; they are alive; they help keep us growing, updated and refreshed. It’s not history, its not theory, it’s life!