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by Rabbi E. Tauger The Month When the Siege of Jerusalem Began The first time the Bible mentions the month of Teves is in connection with the beginning of the siege against Jerusalem. On the Tenth of Teves, Nebuchadnezzar's armies surrounded the city and ultimately, destroyed it and the Temple. Because of the cycle of calamities that began on that date, it is commemorated as a public fast each year. Why are Jerusalem and the Temple so important to us? G-d is not confined to any specific place. On the contrary, "the entire earth is full of His glory." Nor can or should our service to Him be restricted to any one location, as it is written: "Wherever you mention My name, I will come and bless you." So why do we place such an emphasis on Jerusalem and the Temple? A Centralized Place for Worship One of the reasons for Jerusalem's importance is reflected in the Biblical narrative that commands us to bring our sacrificial offerings to the Temple. That passage relates that before the Jews entered Eretz Yisrael, the pagans would worship their idols "on the high mountains, on the hills, and under every leafy trees." We, by contrast, were commanded to "seek out His presence and come there," bringing our sacrifices only to the place where G-d manifests Himself. When everyone can worship in his or her backyard, the connection with G-d becomes very individually oriented. While there is nothing essentially wrong with that, it possesses a drawback. For the possibility exists that one will be worshipping G-d the way one wants, and not the way He wants. One of the fundamental principles of Judaism is that it is not a do-as-you-want, let's-try-this religion. Instead, it is a set of G-dly laws. The mitzvos are G-d's way of reaching out to us and giving us a chance to connect to Him. Without the mitzvos, man would not be able to relate to G-d as He is for Himself. Simply put, our minds and hearts, no matter how refined and well-meaning they are, are mortal. G-d in His infinity is above them. Certainly, Judaism puts an emphasis on each person's individual relation to G-d and the original insights that he develops. Nevertheless, fundamentally, at the core lies the Torah which is universal and unchanging. Man's creativity lies in internalizing the Torah and making it relevant, understanding the meaning and depth which G-d's laws can contribute to his life. By bringing the people together in one location, the Torah places the emphasis on commonality, showing that Judaism is bigger than any one individual. This insures that observance remains constant, without individuals introducing their own inflections into the fabric of Jewish practice. Wherever a person performs a mitzvah, it is valuable. Nevertheless, as a safeguard that the people continue to perform the mitzvos as G-d commanded them, the Torah desires that they repeatedly congregate in Jerusalem and in the Temple. There they would see that Torah observance is not only a personal matter, but an initiative shared by the entire people. To See and To Be Seen There is a more compelling reason for the importance of the Temple and Jerusalem. The Torah tells us: "Three times a year all your males shall appear before G-d your Lord." And our Sages state: "Just as they would come to appear before G-d, they would come to see Him." In the Temple, every person would experience a revelation of G-dliness. He or she would see that Judaism is not just a religion of laws and practices, rather the point of all those laws and practices is to bring a person into a live connection with G-d. There were ten miracles constantly visible in the Temple, but aside from the miracles there was the over-powering awareness of G-d's presence. This redefines a person's appreciation of Judaism. He performs mitzvos, not only because he realizes that this will bring him benefit, materially or spiritually, or even because he understands their truth, but because they bring him into a connection with G-d. A Turning Point In Spiritual History This is why the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem is so vital to Judaism. The destruction of the Temple makes our religion place an emphasis on faith and belief. While the Temple was standing, there was no question whether G-d existed, nor any debate over what He wanted us to do. There was a choice whether to observe or not, and at times, people opted not to observe. But that choice was made consciously in open awareness of G-d's presence. Today, by contrast, the entire foundation is questioned. No one sees G-dliness. Instead, we have to make a commitment that contradicts the message of our senses; we must believe. What we see and what we feel is that there is no truth other than what meets the eye, that our desires and pleasures are paramount, and that spirituality is an otherworldly phenomenon. Our minds - and sometimes, even our hearts - tell us otherwise. For we can intellectually appreciate spiritual truth and sometimes, feel inspired by it, but the reality that confronts us is material. This is what makes our hearts beat faster when we desire something, and this is what makes us retract in fear. Anticipating the Redemption The above enables us to understand why Maimonides includes the coming of Mashiach as one of the Thirteen Attributes of Faith. Mashiach's coming and the gestalt which he will usher in will not merely serve as a reward for all the good deeds performed by our people. Instead, and most fundamentally, Mashiach will rebuild the Temple and restore the awareness of G-d that existed previously; indeed, increase that awareness beyond its previous level. When Mashiach comes, "the glory of G-d will be revealed and all flesh will see together." There will no longer be any need to argue and debate whether G-d exists. Instead, all our energy will be able to be devoted into establishing a connection to Him through knowledge and deed. There is no need to wait for the Future. On the contrary, the way to make the future present is by conducting our lives in that manner as present. It is true that at present, we do not see and must believe. Our belief can, however, be strong enough to motivate the adoption of the same approach that will characterize the era of the Redemption. At present, as well, we can accept G-dliness as the reality and devote our energies primarily into establishing a connection with Him. As this mindset continues to spread, it will no longer be left as merely a matter of belief. On the contrary, as it is adopted by more people, it will become reality, openly apparent to all.
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In honor of the Alter Rebbe's yahrzeit on Teves 24, we would like to share the following story. When Napoleon invaded Russia, the Alter Rebbe sided with the Russian Czar. "If Napoleon is victorious, the material fortunes of the Jewish people will improve, but their spiritual fortunes will decline. If the Czar prevails, by contrast, the Jews might not prosper materially, but they would continue to prosper spiritually," he explained. For this reason, he took an active role supporting the Russian armies. Therefore as Napoleon's armies advanced through White Russia, he had to flee. In the midst of the Russian winter, he found himself in that country's heartland, far from any Jewish community. The cold took its toll on his health. He fell ill and had to cease his flight in a village called Piena. There were no Jews in that village. Nevertheless, one of the gentiles was impressed by the aura of holiness that surrounded the Alter Rebbe and provided him with a cottage. The Alter Rebbe's illness continued and on Saturday night, Teves 24, he passed away. Before he passed away, the gentile owner of the cottage entered to receive his blessing. At that time, the Alter Rebbe told him: "When Jews pass through this village and do not adhere to their heritage, you'll know what to do." After the Alter Rebbe's death, the gentile set aside the cottage and did not use it for his own purposes. On the rare occasions, when a Jew passed through the village, he allowed him to lodge there. Ten years after the Alter Rebbe's passing, two Jews came to this inn. "Do you have food? We're hungry," they demanded. "I do not have any kosher food," the gentile told them. "What difference does it make? Kosher or non-kosher; we will eat whatever you serve." The gentile went out as if to prepare food for them, but returned with an ax in hand. "I know what to do with guests like you," he told them. Motioning them towards the Alter Rebbe's cottage, he continued: "You have only a few moments to live. I will leave you alone to say your final prayers." The spiritual influence of the Alter Rebbe and the fear of death had its effect. The men began to confess their sins. Slowly, they were overcome with feelings of remorse. They were genuinely sorry for having forsaken Jewish practice. Unseen, the gentile watched from the window. When he saw that the Jews sincerely sought to change, he released them and brought them food. He told them about the Alter Rebbe and how he had foreseen their coming. "Go to his grave and pray," he concluded. "Show that your repentance is genuine." And the two merchants did exactly that, making their way to Haditch to pray at the Alter Rebbe's grave and ask G-d for direction in the future
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Parshas Miketz Can you imagine how Joseph felt? He had been jailed for 13 long years. Two years previously, when Pharaoh's butler had been imprisoned, he had nurtured a glimmer of hope, but nothing had materialized. And then suddenly, things changed. Pharaoh called for him. He was washed, given fine garments, and ushered into the throne room. And moments later, he was viceroy of Egypt. Yes, situations can change . This is an important lesson for us today when there are those who question how the Redemption will ever become a reality. With the world so involved in its material concerns, how is it possible for it to become attuned to Mashiach's message, to seek the spiritual and establish it as a priority? Joseph's story provides an answer: The present need not prevail forever. When G-d wants, everything can be overturned. Parshas VaYigash This week's Torah reading relates that when Jacob's sons told him that Joseph was still alive and that he was the ruler of Egypt, his heart became faint. Afterwards, however, he saw the wagons, and his spirit was revived. Why? Rashi explains that wagons, agolois in Hebrew, served an allusion to Eglah Arufah the calf brought to atone for a murder. This was the last subject Joseph had studied with Jacob before being sold into slavery. What revived Jacob's spirits? Not the news that his son was the ruler of Egypt, but the awareness that despite having been separated from a Jewish setting, his connection to the Torah was still vibrant.
Parshas VaYechi Our Sages explain that before Joseph passed away, he told his brothers and their household: "G-d will surely visit His providence upon you and bring you up out of this land." As the one who had brought the Jews into Egypt, Joseph was the one also chosen to communicate the prophecy of redemption. The Jews would still live in Egypt for over 100 years, but they would know that this is not their land. It would be a temporary resting place. There they would carry out a Divine mission, fulfilling the prophecy given to Abraham. But Egypt was not their home. This message applies beyond its original circumstances. We must realize that our presence in other lands is not accidental. It is guided by G-d's destiny with a specific purpose and mission in mind. But that mission is not eternal and when it is completed, the exile will come to an end. As in Joseph's age, the prophecy of redemption has been communicated. We must be sensitive to the signs that it will blossom into revelation. Parshas Shemos This Torah reading recounts the hardships of the Egyptian exile, the slavery imposed on the Jewish people, the slaughter of our children, and Pharaoh's obstinate cruelty. In such a setting, the Jews' spiritual potential was worn away. With a taskmaster's whip at his back, could a man be expected to think about G-dliness? When a woman sees her sons being drowned, will it be easy for her to meditate on spiritual concepts? And yet, in precisely such a situation, the essence of the Jews' connection to G-d comes to the surface. Without gentleness or mercy, exile tears away the shell covering our G-dly core. Then that G-dly spark calls out to our Father in heaven as an only son calls to his father. The cycle of exile and redemption was structured by G-d to compel us to express this inner spiritual potential. And He gave each of us the ability to overcome the challenges involved. The saga of exile and redemption continues today; we are in exile now and await - indeed, we can see glimmerings of - the dawning of Redemption. Understanding the motif governing exile can help us fulfill its purpose, and thus hasten its end.
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Teves 5 - Didan Netzach- the date of the historic ruling ordering the return of the library of Agudas Chasidei Chabad to its rightful owners Teves 10 - Asarah BeTeves-the fast commemorating the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem Teves 20- the yahrzeit of Maimonides, the Rambam Teves 24- - the yahrzeit of the Alter Rebbe, R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chabad Chassidism.
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