From the Heart One Hundred Percent;
Breaking through the Final Barriers
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
In this week’s parsha of Parah we see the Kohen leave the sanctity of the Beis Hamikdash to purify Jews who became impure through contact with the impurity of death. Even though the Kohen himself would not only have to leave the holiness of the Beis Hamikdash he would also be required to become impure through the process. What motivated the Kohen to selflessly sacrifice his personal sanctity and lofty spiritual level was his interest and concern for others, even those that had sunk to the level of total impurity.
Last week on Purim we heard the Megillah discuss the moment when Mordecai revealed to Esther the decree that had been planned against the Jews. Esther heard that Mordecai was found in the street dressed like a mourner. When she sent a messenger to inquire about his welfare unaware of the decree, the Megillah describes why he was mourning by saying that he was mourning for “all that happened to him“, describing the decree that was planned to befall the Jewish people.
The Rebbe asked why it says “all that happened to him”, it should’ve said “all that happened to them” since it was referring to the Jewish people in general?
The Rebbe explained how Mordechai was a minister and probably had connections to personally get around the decree. Nevertheless because it was something that affected the Jewish people he treated it as if it was his own problem, and not someone else’s. This is why he took such a strong stand, ripping his clothes and mourning. He didn’t stand on the side; he got involved; he owned the problem.
The lesson to each one of us is clear. When we see someone in need it’s up to us to act decisively. When Rabbi Groner was in town he told a story about a young couple who had a Chassuna in front of 770 without music. The Rebbe, recognizing that there was no music asked why. Rabbi Groner explained it’s because the young couple can’t afford the musician. The Rebbe then directed the secretaries to contact a musician to come immediately and he will pay because a Chassuna needs music.
Other occasion a woman noticed that her neighbors didn’t have enough food. She reported the incident to the Rebbe’s office. The Rebbe made sure that a few hundred dollars was slipped under the door of that family.
In both of these situations the Rebbe didn’t wait for someone else to act. The Rebbe got personally involved because their pain was the Rebbe’s pain. It was taken personally.
I remember how my father, the Rebbe’s chosid cared for others like his own family. Even though he wasn’t able to pay their bills for them the fact that he cared for them comforted them as they would pour out their hearts knowing that they were not alone. Often this feeling of not being alone is what is really needed in times of difficulty. This is a lesson we learn from Mordechai, to care for others and to make it their problems our problems.
This is also the lesson of the selfless sacrifice of the Kohen in parshas Parah. The Kohen selflessly sacrificed his personal sanctity and lofty spiritual level because of his feeling of pain and caring for others who had sunk to the level of total impurity. He lifted them up giving them the opportunity to reascend into the kedusha and the service of the Bais Hamikdash, treating them just as if he himself was in that same situation.
Through breaking through the all barriers in our ahavas Yisroel, caring for the physical needs of our fellow Jew just as Mordecai did as well as the spiritual needs as the Kohen did even to the point of personal sacrifice both physically and spiritually, we will merit to see the breaking of the barriers of galus and greet the Moshiach with the geula emitis v’hasheima.
A Good Shabbos, A Good Chodesh