The Rebbe the Writer and the Warden:
How any moment and any one of us is exceptional and capable of breaking the lockdown Galus and bringing the Geula Now!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
After this Shabbos we begin the final week of Sefiras HaOmer in preparation for Shavuos. We learn about the preciousness of time, how every moment is unique and every day important. During Sefirah we do our best to use and account for our time in the service of Hashem.
Matan Torah reminds us that every person is indispensable and valuable, even the most simple and unnoticed person. We see that Moshe Rabbenu was not allowed to receive the Torah until every single individual was present, even those that bowed to the graven image of micha.
Once when I was visiting the prisoners at the local jail. All of a sudden they placed the entire institution of over 1800 prisoners under complete lockdown. I was required to stay until they lifted the order. Why? Because they had a suspicion that one prisoner out of the entire facility might be missing. They had to account for each and every person before anyone could be released from lockdown. This first hand experience was a good reminder about how important everyone is to all of us. Even if there is a doubt if someone missing or left out it effects everything, maybe even bringing us all into ‘lockdown’ until we account for and help that one wandering soul. It is with this attitude and this perspective that we approach the Yom Tov of Shavuos. We go together and prepare to receive the gift of Hashem's Torah on Shavuos.
Nevertheless many of us feel so many time constraints. There's only so many hours in a day. How much can really accomplish with all the demands and responsibilities we already juggle? Where are we going to get the necessary time and energy to devote to searching for and helping those around us that may be missing? It's daunting and unending task. There is a story from the Rebbe that teaches us that it is possible for each one of us to be successful. There was a Chosid by the name of Mayer Blizinsky in Israel who was in the baking business. He had a lot of contacts and friends in nonreligious circles. He befriended man by the name of Avigdor HaMeiri, a famous novelist at that time. He had just written a fictional story about a religious person that left Judaism. Through Mayer's contact with Avigdor, Avigdor decided to send the book to the Rebbe. Eventually he also went to see the Rebbe in New York. During his yechidus the Rebbe went through the book quoting different passages in detail, showing a deep understanding of what was written. Avigdor HaMeiri was extremely impressed and touched with the Rebbe’s grasp and the fact that he had taken so much of his precious time from his very busy schedule to consider his thoughts. The Rebbe then asked him a question that got underneath his skin. The Rebbe asked: “What will the youth gain from your book?” This question in particular made him consider everything that he was doing and got him to reflect on the worth of his efforts. What indeed was the message that he was sending to the youth? In what way would their lives and lives of the next generation be improved by what he was writing? What was the purpose of his writing if the youth weren’t going to gain? Was he just enjoying the pleasure of writing and publishing or was there a real purpose behind his work? He then asked the Rebbe: “How did you find the time to read this book when you have so much to do and so many other responsibilities?”. The Rebbe answered that “time is infinite”. If we utilize time properly we have success. When we utilize time properly we can achieve on many levels.
These two stories teach a lesson about the Rebbe’s call to all of us to do all that we can to bring Moshiach. Some say: “I'm really not a candidate to be successful at doing this. Someone else is far more fitting than I. He or she will be the one who will do what is necessary to bring Moshiach”. Others may accept that they have a job to do but at any particular moment in time in a particular situation may say: “Right now is just not the time to be inserting Moshiach into the conversation or situation. Another time during a different conversation or circumstance will be more fitting. I’ll do it then.” Others may accept that they have a job to do to help bring Moshiach and that they need to bring it into every situation, but nonetheless say: “Yes its true, no doubt that I must do all that I can to bring Moshiach in the situation that confronts me but, today is just not that day, I’m too stressed out. Tomorrow will be a better day, I’ll do it then.”
The lesson from these two stories is clear. Today is a great day to do all that we can to bring Moshiach. It depends on each one of us and no one else. Each in our own way, exactly within the present situation. Time is infinite if we use it well. Do we ask ourselves and remember what the effect of what we are saying and what we are doing in this world? Standing before Shavuos let's ask ourselves just as in the story: “What will be gained, what will our children will gain from what we are doing?”
Every single one of us is important and every single one of us is necessary for the fulfilling the purpose of creation, the revelation of Moshiach now, today. May we all merit to receive together as one the Torah Chadasha of Moshiach this Shavuos.
A Good Shabbos