by Rabbi E. Tauger
IYAR : Dates To Remember
The Second of Iyar - the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash. The Rebbe Maharash is identified with the following Chassidic adage: "The world at large says: `Try to crawl under, and if you can't crawl under, climb over.' And I say: `At the outset, try to climb over.'" This thrust to active optimism characterized his own life and serves as a directive to us all.
Pesach Sheni, the 14th of Iyar - The Torah relates that "If any man be impure... or on a distant way [on the day of the Pesach offering]..., he shall sacrifice the Pesach offering to G-d, in the second month, on the fourteenth day at dusk...."
Thus anyone who did not bring a Pesach offering on Passover, whether because of impurity or even because he had willfully transgressed G-d's will, was thus given the opportunity to compensate for his shortcoming by bringing an offering one month later, on Pesach Sheni.
The Previous Rebbe explained that, "Pesach Sheni teaches us that 'Nothing is ever lost: it's never too late!'" Our conduct can always be rectified. Even someone who is impure, who was far away and even desired to be so, can still correct himself." There is no justification for despair. Every individual, no matter what his situation, always has the potential to make a leap forward (the literal translation of the Hebrew word Pesach) in his service of G-d.
Lag B'Omer, Iyar 18 - One reason we celebrate Lag B’Omer is that the plague that caused the death of 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's disciples ceased on that day.
Lag B’Omer also commemorates the passing of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, one of the foremost sages of the Talmud and the author of the Zohar, the primary text of the Kabbalah. Rabbi Shimon did not perceive of these two areas of knowledge as distinct, self-contained disciplines, but as one composite unit, the legal aspect being the body and the mystical element the soul of one integrated Torah.
This unity which Rabbi Shimon recognized within the Torah enabled him to perceive the Divine unity within our material world, and moreover, to have this unity expressed in actual fact as well as in the abstract.
On Lag Ba’mer, it is customary for young yeshivah students to leave the halls of study and go out to the fields. The intent of this custom is obviously not to mark Rabbi Shimon's yahrzeit by taking a vacation from the study of Torah, but rather, to bring the yeshivah out into the fields, showing how the Torah is united with every element of our worldly experience.
Iyar - The Month Of Brotherly Love The Month of Iyar is unique. Although it is not associated with any major holiday or fast, it possesses a certain dimension that does not apply to any other month. Every day of the month of Iyar is distinguished by a mitzvah. For on every day during Iyar, we count the Omer. Our Rabbis teach that the period of the Counting of the Omer should be characterized by customs relating to mourning. Why were these measures instituted? Because during the Counting of the Omer, 24,000 of Rabbi Akiva's students died in a plague. In sorrow over the passing of these scholars, our people observe these practices each year.
Why Did Rabbi Akiva's Students Die? Our Sages relate that the plague was caused by the failure of these students to relate to each other with respect. This is very surprising. After all, was it not Rabbi Akiva who defined the commandment to "love your neighbor as yourself" as "a fundamental principle of the Torah"? How could his disciples have departed from his teachings so drastically that their interpersonal conduct resulted in a plague? Chassidus explains that each of Rabbi Akiva's disciples had his own personal approach to divine service. Operating from within his own perspective, each of them perceived any approach different from his own as incomplete, an inadequate and inferior path. Moreover, being men of integrity, these students no doubt spoke their minds plainly and each one tried to influence his colleagues to accept his path. Since all were intensely involved in their own path of service, none of them would change. The tension between them began to escalate as the deep commitment every student felt to his own particular approach barred a proper show of respect for colleagues who followed a different path.
An End To Tunnel Vision This teaches us a fundamental lesson: No matter how deeply we are involved in our own service of G-d, we must always be broad minded enough to appreciate that someone else may have a different approach. Although from our perspective, his path may appear inadequate, our perception of his inadequacies may stem from our own limitations, and not from his. Furthermore, even if someone is indeed underdeveloped, his deficiencies need not prevent us from looking upon him in a favorable light. For every individual possesses a potential for growth. We should concentrate our efforts on helping him realize that potential, rather than merely accentuating his need to do so.
Hillel's Teaching The lesson from Rabbi Akiva and his students is augmented by a teaching from the Sage Hillel who declared that loving one's fellow man was "the entire Torah," the rest being merely commentary. Our Rabbis question that statement, for although the Torah dwells heavily on the relations between man and man, it also puts much weight on the relationship between man and G-d. What does loving one's fellow man have to do with observing the Sabbath, keeping the dietary laws, or honoring the many other ritual obligations within Judaism? Tanya, the fundamental Chassidic text written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, explains as follows: It seems impossible for a person to love a colleague as himself. We care for others only to the extent that we perceive a common denominator, but that common denominator affects only a limited part of our personalities. It will never penetrate us entirely, for each of us possesses a fundamental self-concern; there is no one with whom we identify as strongly as we identify with ourselves. Thus, as long as we retain our self-concern, there is no way we can love any other person as much as we love ourselves. It is possible, however, to redefine our sense of self. Instead of focusing on our personal "I," we can highlight the G-dly spark we possess, our true and most genuine self. And when a person's G-dly spark shines brightly, he is able to appreciate that a similar spark also burns within everyone. He can thus love another person as himself, because he and the other share a fundamental identity. How does a person reach this level of love? By looking beyond his selfish and material concerns and focusing on the spiritual core that exists within him and within every person. The entire Torah - the Sabbath, the dietary laws, and every other precept -has this same purpose. Hence, Hillel's teaching.
A Catalyst To The Redemption When asked what could be done to hasten the coming of the Redemption, the Lubavitcher Rebbe once answered that we should increase our deeds of love and kindness. Based on the above, we can appreciate the spiritual process of causation to which the Rebbe was referring. In the Era of Redemption, the G-dly spark that permeates every person - and indeed, every element of creation - will be revealed. What can we do to spur such a revelation? Conduct ourselves in a manner that demonstrates our awareness of this inner G-dliness. When we show genuine love to another person, we are highlighting the G-dly spark that both we and the other person possess and establishing a connection between the two. How more Messianic can one be?
Freudian Slips Not all of us may be inspired enough to have this spiritual motif at the forefront of our consciousness. Nevertheless, our performance of deeds of love and kindness helps advance this purpose even when such awareness is lacking. For ultimately, it is not of primary importance that we understand the spiritual effect generated by our deeds of kindness and love. What is most important is that we actually perform such deeds of kindness. And when we perform such deeds, whether or not we understand, the spiritual effects are brought about. It's like a Freudian slip, i.e., one means to say one thing, one says something else, but what one says is what one truly means. Similarly, in the instance at hand, when a person does a deed of kindness, he should have in mind the spiritual connection between the souls discussed above. He may, however, perform that deed with another intent in mind - or without any intent. Nevertheless, even when he has another purpose, the underlying intent - and the ultimate motivation for his conduct - is that spiritual connection. At the core of every good deed which we perform is our soul's desire for self-expression. Our souls seek to manifest the spiritual potential they possess and help bring out the similar potential that lies within every element of existence. And thus being kind to another person, doing them a favor, or simple showing them a little bit of genuine care and attention helps lead to the Redemption. For it encourages the mindset that will prevail at that time. And by living our lives in anticipation of the Redemption, we push it closer to become not only the inner truth, but the prevailing reality within our world. |
The Torah Portions of the Month
Tazria-Metzora - These two Torah readings deal with tzaraas, an affliction which resembles leprosy. The question arises: Why are two Torah readings devoted to such a negative subject? And why does this subject feature in the name of a Torah reading?
In Chassidus, it is explained that tzaraas stems from elevated spiritual energy that cannot be manifest because of a lack of adequate mediums of expression. For when this powerful energy is not harnessed correctly, there can be negative results.
The source, however, is positive. Moreover, through the suffering and purification process which a leper must undergo, the ultimate outcome is also positive,
In this vein, we can understand why our Sages describe Mashiach as "a leper." For since there are blotches of evil in the world that prevent the light of redemption from being manifest, the power of these lights is turned inward and is reflected in the leprous blemishes to be visited on Mashiach. Mashiach's suffering will not, however, be for all time. Instead, "the leper will be purified" and these lights will be expressed throughout existence. And then, "the spirit of impurity will be removed from the earth."
Acharei-Kedoshim - Parshas Acharei describes in detail the sacrificial worship performed by the High Priest in the Temple. Each one of us must realize that this is not merely a story of the past, but a narrative relevant to every one of us. For within the heart of every person is a spiritual counterpart to the High Priest. And in a certain way, every element of existence is part of G-d's Temple. These qualities will be revealed in the Era of Redemption, when holiness will be apparent not only in the Temple, but throughout all existence.
Parshas Kedoshim contains the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael, loving one's fellow Jew as oneself and many other fundamental elements of Torah worship. So central is it to Jewish practice that Moshe gathered together the entire Jewish people to communicate it.
Implied is that togetherness among the Jewish people and the study of the Torah reinforce each other. Torah study should bring Jews together, and Jewish unity should find expression in an intensification of Torah observance.
Emor - This Torah reading begins with a description of the holiness and purity associated with the priesthood. In a larger sense, these concepts are relevant to every Jew, for we are "a kingdom of priests." The priests' responsibility was to carry out the sacrificial service in the Temple, elevating elements of the world's material substance as sacrifices and in this manner, drawing G-dliness into the world. Similarly, every one of us is responsible to elevate our corner of the world and make it a medium for the manifestation of G-dliness, preparing the world for the age when the Priestly service will be renewed.
Behar-Bechukosai - Parshas Behar begins with the description of the observance of the Sabbatical year when all fields were left to lie fallow. Just as there is a weekly cycle of seven days and a seven year cycle in the land, we find a similar pattern in the world's spiritual history. We are in the midst - indeed, nearing the end - of the sixth millenium. The seventh millenium - like Shabbos in the weekly cycle and the Sabbatical year in the annual cycle - will be characterized by rest and comfort in a physical sense and heightened spiritual awareness.
There is the custom in many communities of welcoming the Sabbath early, ushering in its holiness even before sunset. Similarly, certain dimensions of the observance of the Sabbatical year were begun in the sixth year. At present, we have the potential to follow that pattern and anticipate the mindset that will prevail during the Era of Redemption in our lives, here and now.
Parshas Bechukosai communicates the blessings we will receive for Torah observance and the curses that will result from a lack of such observance.
Maimonides explains the prevailing motif. When a person shows that he is endeavoring to serve G-d by following His commandments, G-d grants him blessings to facilitate this observance. If, however, by contrast, he shows little interest in observance, G-d gives him hardships that will require him to struggle and seek to change the course of his fortune.