Preparing for Rosh Hashana:
Receiving a Boost to Live, Grow and Accomplish, Today!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
When we look into the Sichos of the Rebbe we learn that Chai Elul is a day that brings life into the avodah of Elul. Chai Elul is the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov (5458-1698, “Shnas Nachas”) and is the day 36 years later that he began revealing the teachings of Chassidus. Chai Elul is also the birthday of the Alter Rebbe (5505-1745 “Shnas Kehos”). The Rabbeim have taught us that each day of the last 12 days of Elul beginning with Chai Elul correspond to an entire month. We rectify an entire month of the past year through our avodah that day and all of this begins with Chai Elul, a day which gives us special life and energy, which comes through our connection to the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe who were born on this day, the day that Chassidus began to be revealed.
When we look at our lives we ask ourselves; do we really feel different? We can read through a diary detailing the month of Tishrei by the Rebbe and feel like it’s a story from the past. There are those who say that the past was fine but we live in the present. The pre WWII Jew could live like a Jew in his shtetl but for Chosid in America today everything has changed. Chai Elul is the day that gives to us an important message that refutes this very notion. First we need to remind ourselves that Hashem, the Torah and Klal Yisroel are the same, only the environment changed. Yes it used to be more conducive. It’s no different today, we just have to dig deeper. Just like this drought we are experiencing, the water is still there under the surface, it depends on our determination and how deep we dig the well, then surely we will bring the water to the surface.
The Rebbe knew and knows us, with our faults. We may not be one of the Alter Rebbe’s Chassidim, and true we may not have the mesirus nefesh like the Chassidim of the Previous Rebbe that fought communism and went through Siberian labor camps. These great Chassidim followed the Previous Rebbe to America proclaiming with him with iron determination that America is no different. Nevertheless our struggle today in America is no less important and the Rebbe encouraged us to act. And whenever we did (do) the Rebbe thanked (thanks) us and encouraged (encourages) us to do more because living things always grow.
Once a bachor who learned in a Litvishe Yeshiva wrote to the Rebbe for advice. He was feeling dejected about his learning situation. He put great effort into his learning, studying day and night, but did not see the success that he had hoped for in his efforts. He went to many for advice. They told him that if he strives he too would become a Rebbe Akiva Eiger and a Pnei Yehoshua along with the other Gedolei Yisroel who toiled and saw success in their endeavors. Why was he not also able to achieve greatness in his learning? All his years of work felt like as if they were lost because he did not reach his goals. He didn’t see that it was realistic for him. The Rebbe wrote him that every neshama has a shlichus, a purpose that is unique for him and his particular situation. The Rebbe then told him; “You have to do your part, not someone else’s, that’s what you have been given kochos, your energy and abilities for, and you should use those abilities to their utmost.” He was inspired with the Rebbe’s answer to his question that no one else has been able to give.
This is how the Rebbe looked upon each one of us, as well as the times and the situation that we are in today. Each one of us can use our abilities and talents that Hashem has provided to their utmost. There’s a lot of room for us to live, grow and accomplish. We are not necessarily supposed to be exactly like the great Chassidim of the past. We are supposed to be who we are in the situation we find ourselves doing all that we can.
This week was the anniversary of the founding of the Yeshiva of Tomchei T’mimim on the 15th of Elul 5657-1897 by the Rebbe Rashab. The first day of learning was on Chai Elul that year. Anyone who merited learning in Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim has tremendous powers. An important lesson from the Yeshiva is that avodah may be difficult but it’s doable. By realizing what we have the power and the ability to do our part makes it easier to act. It doesn’t feel as hard when we are getting the life, the power and the direction we need to succeed.
In summary, we don’t have the job of the past; we have the job of today. Our job today is to be proud Lubavitchers, to act and live as our Rabbeim have guided us. Either by having gone to Tomchei T’mimim or by reading about Tomchei T’mimim we learned what went into it’s founding and how we were picked to be a part of the Yeshiva and of Lubavitch. If we don’t feel that we can accomplish it’s because we have not yet utilized the opportunity that has been given.
This week is Shabbos Slichos, the Shabbos before Rosh Hashana. We can prepare by writing a pidyon nefesh (the custom is to write a pidyon nefesh before Rosh Hashana) learning something, giving some extra tzedaka and asking Hashem for help. By doing our utmost, each one according to his or her ability, as we approach this year of Hakel with increased ahavas Yisroel, may we all merit a Ksiva v’Chasima Tovah, l’Shana Tovah u’Mesuka with revealed good in all areas, children, life and parnasah, with the complete revelation of Moshiach with all of us united as one.
A Good Shabbos