Lighting Up the World Once Our Own Candle is lit
By Rabbi Raichik
In this week’s parsha Hashem tells Aharon to kindle the menorah. It is well known from Chassidus that this corresponds to Aharon’s kindling of every neshama as the pasuk says; “Ner Hashem Nishmas Adam, that the soul of man is Hashem’s candle”.
As Chassidim our job is to be lamplighters, to inspire and bring the warmth and light of the Torah, mitzvos and Chassidus to others and the world at large. But who lights our neshama? Moshe and Aharon. The Baal Shem Tov said that it’s not enough just to learn Chassidus we also need to go to a Rebbe. We see this clearly when Hashem told Moshe Rabbenu to write down the parsha of Amalek and then to place it into the ears of Yehoshua. It’s not enough to just write it down in a book that Yehoshua will read but Yehoshua needed to hear it directly from Moshe Rabbenu. On the other hand it’s never been enough just to go see the Rebbe either we also need to learn his Torah as well.
Today, through our ongoing and ever increasing connection to the Rebbe, the Rebbe lights up our neshama. We do this by learning the Rebbe’s Torah and yes, going to the Ohel and 770 and participating in fabrengens, and by following and fulfilling the Rebbe’s guidance and directives. From this we get the warmth. We prepare for Gimmel Tammuz by increasing our connection to the Rebbe in all of these areas.
This connection is especially relevant in our turbulent times in a world where the leaders leave G-d and morality out of public discourse. It’s a G-dless Galus where the world’s top priorities have become skewed. Take for example the view that the greatest problem facing the world is global warming. The notion is, is that man is the only one who can save the world from the onslaught of floods and storms that are all caused by global warming. With this we return to thinking of the generation following the flood (the Dor Haflaga) where the leaders wanted to build pillars to support the heavens so that they don’t fall and cause a flood!
The world is in free fall because we, as a society have removed it’s true foundations; G-d and the 10 commandments from our schools and public places. We have removed the menorah, the symbol of the life, warmth and illumination of Hashem’s presence in this world and the freedom to express it from our public squares.
There is no money or fame that can replace or even ‘fill in’ for having a purpose. When mankind lacks it’s true purpose, which is belief in G-d and to serve Him (for the Jewish people the 613 commandments and the nations of the world to practice the 7 Noahide commandments together with acts of goodness and kindness) then we and the surrounding world inevitably devolve into confusion and skewed priorities. One-day men wake up thinking that maybe they want to be women and women men. They think the unthinkable because in their mind they don’t see or accept having been created by Hashem. Therefore they are lost and without purpose. Soon enough it is these very people behind the latest legislation to remove G-d from public discourse, redefine marriage, and opt to focus on global warming and turn a blind eye to the scourge of terrorism inflaming entire regions of the world! A Galus that is G-dless here in the west, and therefore unable to stand up to the perverted concept of G-d promoted by the terrorists.
So where exactly is our freedom of choice today? Can we speak in public about Hashem? No. Can we light a public menorah? No. Can I buy a 20 oz. coke? No! So where is the free choice? We are free to make abortions. We can kill fetuses if they are unwanted or get in the way of our careers.
Because of all of this, our activity, our involvement and our connection to the Rabbeim and fulfilling our general and individual purpose are top priority. The importance of each and every one of us to do all that we can, each in his or her way has never been so vital or so imperative.
The Rebbe wrote in a telegram in preparation for the Shavuos after the 6-Day War that we should receive the Torah internally and with simcha and immediately receive the reward that no nation or languages have control over us. Also, in an answer to an individual who wrote that he always thinks that tomorrow he will have the strength to stop giving in to his yetzer hara and that tomorrow he will be able to overcome (in Hebrew: “l’hisgaber) it, the Rebbe answered: You don’t need extra strength to overcome (in Hebrew: “gevurah) your yetzer hara, you only need to negate your incredible weakness in response to it (his yetzer hara).
We received the Torah, and with it the fire and the power not to be effected by change in the world. We are also given the ability to bring out the good and the blessing; to reveal that the world is a garden. This is the strength the Rabbeim give us to accomplish and continue to spread the wellsprings of Chassidus outward with warmth enthusiasm and fire of the Torah that penetrates into the heart of each and every Jew and to the entire world.
A Good Shabbos