The Timely Task

Translated from Rabbi Arush’s feature article in the weekly Chut shel Chessed newsletter. The articles focus on his main message: “Loving others as yourself” and emuna. 

Much More Than a Drink 

One of the avreichim (married students) went out to support our dear soldiers on the border of Gaza. He saw a soldier, approached him, and gave him a can of soft drink. The soldier didn’t just smile and thank him, but rather seemed overwhelmed. Obviously, this little act was much more than just a can of something to drink. Our avreich offered the soldier the opportunity to put on Tefillin, and the young man became even more emotional. After he drank and put on Tefillin, he began to explain why he was so overwhelmed. 

“Listen, my brother,” he said. “I was called up to go into Gaza. I am not a religious person. But all the way here I was praying and pleading with the Creator of the World that He give me a sign that He is with me, that He is protecting me. The minute I got off the bus, I felt a sudden great thirst that I’ve never felt in my life – and at that precise moment you showed up with the can, like a heavenly angel, and gave me the opportunity to put on Tefillin. Do you understand my feelings? I felt Hashem answering my prayers. You gave me the message from the Creator that will accompany me and give me strength during the difficult days of battle that await me…” 

This is definitely not the only story. Our avreichim go down south every day and come back very impressed. The Jewish people are being revealed in their full glory. What is special about this story is the symbolism. The young man was thirsty. And this thirst was not only for water – it was a thirst to feel Hashem, as the soldier himself described it. And this demonstrates to us the prophecy that is being fulfilled in front of us: “Yes, days are coming – Hashem Elokim has spoken – I will cast hunger over the land; not hunger for bread nor thirst for water, but hunger to hear the words of Hashem.” 

Taking Responsibility 

Rabbis, avreichim, every Jew who understands the meaning of the immense merit to be a Jew and live as one: The Jewish people need us! The Jewish people are thirsty! We may not turn aside from them. We may not say, “I’m okay, I don’t care about the others.” We are responsible for all our brethren. “All of Yisrael are responsible for one another” is not just a slogan.  

Please forgive me for my blunt language, but it is coming from my heart: We should all reach out to our fellow Jews! 

The Creator of the World is pouring a tremendous spirit on the Jewish People, and all we must do is go and collect those dear Jewish souls who are just waiting to get to know something about Judaism. How can one continue to sleep?! What will we say to the Creator when He asks us what we have done with our lives and with the lives of our brethren? 

Chazal tell us that “He who causes someone to sin is worse than he who kills him.” We should learn from this the so obvious a fortiori claim: “He who enlivens someone spiritually is greater than he who saves him physically.” And true, to save someone’s life is one of the greatest things, and it is “as if he has maintained a whole world.” We are not belittling it, chalila. But to save someone’s spirituality is so much greater! And this is even more so, when the spiritual salvation includes the physical one, because when we save Jews spiritually, it certainly saves them physically as well. 

A Sage is Preferable to a Prophet 

There are great rabbis who say that we should not attempt to explain why the terrible Holocaust happened, because we do not have prophets, and the ways of Hashem are hidden from us. We do not think we can go into this issue at all, but we will quote here the holy words of one of the greatest rabbis and pillars of hashkafa (Jewish thought), who has been accepted by all Jews – Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler zt”l, author of Michtav Me’Eliyahu (in English, Strive for Truth). What he says has the aspect of “A sage is preferable to a prophet”; the following words were written immediately after the Holocaust, and they are amazing and speak for themselves:  

“The main point and tikkun (rectification) for our generation, the generation of Ikveta deMeshicha (right before the Mashiach), is teshuva. Our forefathers did indeed do their best when it came to the mitzvot of the individual, but mostly, each one of them dealt with his own matters and did not involve himself in the rectification of the nation, and that is why the terrible destruction happened. And now, after what happened to us in this enormous destruction, all we should do is to aspire to rectify the nation as a whole. Now that Hashem yitbarach has had mercy on us and has brought us to Eretz Yisrael and has left us here, a group of remnants, how could we not think about the tikkun of the nation?! How could we not take upon ourselves to devote ourselves to the teshuva of the nation and to the building of the spirituality of all levels of Hashem’s nation?! We will never be at peace with the situation in which a significant part of our nation has left the way of Torah, rather we will make every effort to return the hearts of the sons to the fathers…” 

This is shocking! Rabbi Dessler says that the Holocaust happened because most of the Jews involved themselves in their own personal spiritual life and didn’t involve themselves in bringing back the entire nation to a Jewish way of life! 

Rabbi Dessler’s conclusion from this is that now we should all invest effort in bringing Jews closer to teshuva and Torah, particularly since Hashem brought us all here together, to Eretz Yisrael.  

His words are even more relevant now. We too experienced a great disaster and destruction here in Israel. And who knows, perhaps we could have prevented it if we would have engaged more in kiruv (bringing close) and dissemination of Judaism. 

All of us, as bnei Torah, must do cheshbon nefesh (take account of our deeds).  

Rabbi Dessler’s clear words compel us to examine whether we are fulfilling this generation’s task. Certainly, after what has happened, Rav Dessler’s words are clear and teach us that our conclusion by now should be to “take upon ourselves to devote ourselves to the teshuva of the nation and to the building of the spirituality of all levels of Hashem’s nation.” 

And if Rav Dessler said this in his generation, a generation in which non-belief reigned and no one was willing to listen to the idea of teshuva at all, how much more do we, who see the amazing process of teshuva in our generation and the tremendous awakening of our brothers and sisters, have no excuse to avoid this timely directive. 

The Stubborn Succeed 

I will repeat this again and again: The holy work of dissemination of Judaism is relevant to everyone. There is a Jew waiting just for you. Don’t say “I’m not suited for it…” There is no such thing! Don’t try to calculate your chances of succeeding; just do your part. You will not be blamed in Heaven for not causing someone to do teshuva, but you will be blamed for not trying, not reaching out to the people, not speaking… 

We will continue to quote the rest of Rabbi Dessler’s essay, in which he goes from exhortation to strengthening words: 

“Of course, nature indicates that this hope is very far-fetched, and there is almost no chance of succeeding in this daring task [comment: this was true in his time; nowadays, it is very close to us and we see the results right in front of us.], but the victory of a spiritual aim is never dependent on nature; rather, it is above nature. The Vilna Gaon used to say that there is a rule in spiritual matters: ‘the stubborn succeed.’”

Rabbi Dessler goes on to say in the name of Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin that the chink that breaks through the walls of nature is mesirut nefesh (total devotion)! With true mesirut nefesh one can overcome all of nature’s calculations. 

From this we see that we are not to look at success rates or chances, but rather do our all and make every effort on our part. Because when we will want and do what is within our power to do, we will bring on ourselves and on the entire generation siyata diShmaya (Heavenly assistance), above nature! 
 

Now More Than Ever 

In this week’s parasha, it says “And I will dwell among bnei Yisrael and be a G-d to them.” That is G-d’s will, to dwell within us, not only in a Mishkan (Tabernacle) or Temple. This desire of Hashem exists and is valid even now, when the Beit Mikdash has not yet been built due to the sins. And when the Jewish people are connected to Hashem, Hashem dwells within us. Our actions to bring the Jewish people closer to Hashem bring Hashem to dwell among us! The dissemination is building the Mishkan in the hearts of the Jewish people. 

I have many strong sources for this, but after the words of Rabbi Dessler, nothing more need be added.  

And the words of the Lubavitcher Rebbe zy”a are known: “Propaganda never fails.” There is no spiritual action that a person does, going out among the people, that doesn’t produce fruit. Our avreichim who are out there see this every day. And the Jewish people are waiting only for you, that you too will get up and reach out, and meet, and smile, and sanctify Hashem’s Name, and bring souls closer, and promote the Name of the Creator in the world!