The
Mask Of Moshe Rabbeinu
By Rabbi Levi
Yitzchok Ginsberg
The
mashpia Reb Mendel Futerfas once related:
In
the times of the Alter Rebbe there was a great international
scare. Luckily, the danger never materialized. What happened was
that all the leading astronomers predicted that on a certain date,
an asteroid would collide with earth. They checked and rechecked
their calculations of the celestial bodies’ orbits, but a
collision seemed inevitable. The whole world was thrown into panic
when the scientists’ findings were publicized. People from all
walks of life dreaded the impending disaster, as the catastrophe
would be of unprecedented dimensions.
Now,
in addition to his other accomplishments, the Alter Rebbe was a
leading expert in astronomy who was often consulted by non-Jewish
scientists. Whenever a problem was beyond their capacity to solve,
they would come to the Alter Rebbe for an answer.
And
so, in light of the threatened collision, a delegation of
scientists came to the Alter Rebbe and presented him with their
findings. After studying their diagrams and calculations, the
Rebbe agreed that they were correct. The asteroid was indeed
headed directly toward earth. However, he explained, G-d
“arranges the stars in their positions in the sky according to
His will.” There is nothing to worry about, he reassured them.
When the asteroid reaches a certain distance from earth, the
Master of the Heavenly bodies will simply deflect its orbit.
It
cannot be said that the astronomers simply nodded their heads and
accepted the Alter Rebbe’s words at face value. Nonetheless,
there was really nothing they could do, as there were no
preventive measures. In any event, there wasn’t much time to
think about it, since the predicted date wasn’t far off.
Then
the day came, and lo and behold, at the last minute the asteroid
suddenly altered its course, veering away from earth. The world
emitted a collective sigh of relief as the disaster was averted,
and G-d’s ongoing and direct intervention in the workings of the
universe was publicly demonstrated.
* * *
Sometimes
even the most obvious matters need to be repeated over and over
until they penetrate our consciousness. Not only does G-d arrange
the Heavenly bodies, but He arranges every other detail of our
lives. Even when it seems to us that something or other is on a
faulty course, no such thing has happened in reality. Everything
occurs according to Divine plan. And if the plan is sometimes
difficult to discern, the answer can be found by opening our holy sfarim.
Shabbos
Parshas P’kudei 5752 was the first Shabbos after Zach
(27) Adar I, when everything started to appear off course to our
physical eyes. It was the first Shabbos in years without a farbrengen
with the Rebbe shlita.
Knowing
that der Rebbe hot altz bavorent (the Rebbe forewarned
everything), we started to search for answers in the Rebbe’s
most recent sichos kodesh. As the Rebbe stated in 5710,
“I am seeking the answers to all the questions that are being
asked in the words of these maamarim.”
In
5752, Zach Adar Rishon fell out in the week of Parshas P’kudei.
In 5754, the terrible events of the day occurred with the same kviyus.
(It should be noted that the unfortunate signing of the Camp David
Accord also occurred on Zach Adar 5738.) This in itself
demonstrates the Divine providence in what happened, and the fact
that it was all part of G-d’s plan.
Like
everything else in the world, the connection between Zach Adar and
Parshas P’kudei is not arbitrary. The Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach
told us time and again that we must live with the times, with the
Torah portion of the week. As Chassidim of the Rebbe, this means
studying the Rebbe’s sichos kodesh on the parasha,
as well as the Chassidishe Sidra in Torah Ohr and Likkutei
Torah, about which the Rebbe said (Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sara
5752) that the very resolution to learn the Chassidishe Parasha
hastens the complete revelation of the final Redemption.
As
even a superficial analysis reveals, almost all of the Rebbe’s
teachings on Parshas P’kudei share a common theme, as do the
sections on the parasha in Likkutei Torah. These
teachings contain numerous allusions to our present situation,
some of which are shockingly obvious.
The
following examples have been adapted from the seifer Moshiach Achshav and are offered in the spirit of “give
instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser”:
First
and foremost is the famous notation to the sicha of Shabbos
Parshas VaYakhel-P’kudei of 5750, which gives us a basic insight
into the significance of Zach Adar:
Zach,
the numerical equivalent of 27, comes from the word meaning
refinement (zichuch). The state of refinement is related to
the Messianic era, which is described in the Book of Daniel
(12:10) as the time when “many shall purify themselves, and
become cleansed, and refined.” The process of purification will
be completed when the inner reason for G-d’s tzimtzum
(contraction) and concealment (the Divine name of Elokim)
is revealed. Furthermore, the Rebbe notes that the 27th day of the
month follows the 26th, whose numerical equivalent is Havaya.
This is precisely the order of Divine service: First comes the
revelation of the Divine name Havaya (tzimtzum for
the purpose of revelation), after which the inner intention of the
concealment of Elokim becomes revealed.
In
Volume 1 of Likkutei Sichos, the Rebbe speaks about the Mishkan
that was erected by the Jewish people in the parshiyos of VaYakhel
and P’kudei, and contrasts it with the one that G-d
commanded Moshe to build in Truma and Tetzaveh. The Mishkan
described in VaYakhel and P’kudei possessed a much
lesser degree of sanctity. Nonetheless, the Divine presence rested
precisely on the Mishkan that the Jewish people erected by
themselves, in accordance with G-d’s desire for a dwelling place
in the lower realms. G-d helps us discern His true intention, the
Rebbe explains, if we are sufficiently sincere in our desire to
fulfill it.
The
Rebbe writes (free translation, beginning on page 202):
The
end of Parshas P’kudei mentions the cloud that rested on
the Mishkan. The cloud was a concealment that prevented
Moshe from entering the Ohel Moed. However, right after it
descended, “G-d called to Moshe,” a call that signifies
revelation, the revelation that comes after concealment… This,
in fact, is the purpose of a call that follows concealment: it
does not merely push away or remove the concealment, but causes
“the night to be as illuminated as the day.” It is precisely
by means of concealment that the highest level of revelation is
attained.
As
this pertains to later generations, a question is asked: In the
past, there were many finer generations than our own, who were
nonetheless further away chronologically from the Redemption. How
then can it be that our own generation is the one in which the
Redemption will occur?
The
answer is as explained above: Sleep is deepest right before the
dawn. We must be very careful to avoid falling back asleep, G-d
forbid, and make sure that we arise with the morning. In this way
we will merit “the night will illuminate as the day.”
In
other words, the Rebbe is teaching us not to fear the darkness of
our present situation. HaKadosh Boruch Hu will surely give
us the strength and wisdom we need to determine the correct path,
even if the directives don’t seem that explicit. All we have to
do is be sincere in our desire to fulfill Hashem’s will.
This
is also the theme of the last maamer the Rebbe edited
before Zach Adar, “V’yikchu Eilecha.” The words “v’yikchu
eilecha” (“and you shall take to yourselves”) follow “V’ata
tetzaveh” (“And you shall command”). When the Jewish
people fulfill their Divine service under their own power, it
gives an increase in strength to Moshe Rabbeinu. Furthermore, they
really aren’t acting under their own power, but with the
strength of Moshe Rabbeinu behind them.
On
Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sara 5752, the Rebbe said that Moshiach is
already present in the world (“the only Moshiach of our
generation, my father-in-law, the Rebbe”). We must actually
greet him so he can carry out his mission and take the Jewish
people out of exile. (It is axiomatic that we need to know his
identity before we can greet him and accept his sovereignty.)
On
Beis Nissan 5748 the Rebbe spoke about the “tumult connected
with the era of the ‘heels of Moshiach’ and the need to say
‘ad masai.’” What is necessary, he explained, is to
make the declaration of “Yechi HaMelech,” which will
actualize the sovereignty of Melech HaMoshiach by giving
life to the king. Furthermore, the expression “there is no king
without a people” relates primarily to Melech HaMoshiach.
Referring
to the cloud that rested on the Mishkan, the Rebbe
explained that the darkness of our present times should not be
interpreted as a yerida l’tzorech aliya, a necessary but
unfortunate descent for the purpose of a later ascent. On the
contrary, the “cloud” is an integral part of the revelation of
G-d’s presence, and is thus an inherently positive phenomenon.
The
reason it has to come about in such a manner, he continued, is
that the world wasn’t initially a proper vessel to contain such
a tremendous revelation of G-dliness. To our physical eyes it
appears as darkness and concealment, but in truth the “cloud”
is a manifestation of the highest level of Divine revelation.
The
theme of ‘the cloud
being synonymous with revelation rather than a preparation for
it’ is further elucidated in the sicha of Shabbos Parshas
Ki Sisa 5752, the last sicha that was completely edited by
the Rebbe.
Another
point the Rebbe made in this sicha concerns the
significance of the veil with which Moshe Rabbeinu covered his
face (analogous to our current situation wherein the Rebbe is
concealed from us on the physical plane). The concealment is not a
descent or preparation for the later revelation, but an actual
component of the Redemption. Our current situation of concealment
is comparable to Moshe Rabbeinu’s veil, which became a necessity
because of the rays of glory that emanated from Moshe’s face,
whom the Rebbe identifies with the Rebbe Rayatz. All this is a
preparatory stage for the fulfillment of “And I will restore
your judges as in days of old, and your counselors as in the
beginning,” with Melech HaMoshiach at their head. The
“veil” is necessary, the Rebbe explained, so that the world
will be able to accept the intensity of Moshiach’s revelation.
Interestingly,
the “veil” only relates to the world at large. Though, as far
as Jews are concerned, it doesn’t hide anything at all. The
Jew’s task consists of revealing Moshe’s “rays of glory”
throughout the world, until “the stone in the wall will cry
out.” This service will be perfected in the Messianic era, but
the way to reach that goal is through our present actions and
deeds.
There
is a maamer in Likkutei Torah on Parshas
P’kudei that discusses the necessity of the negative
preceding the positive. Indeed, the prohibitions are on a higher
spiritual level than the positive mitzvos.
This
concept is particularly applicable to our current situation, when
our physical eyes see negation, void. Yet we know that it is
precisely from this state that will lead to the ultimate
revelation.
The
more we study the Rebbe’s words, the more we see how the Rebbe
forewarned everything. The key to getting through the present
darkness is to rededicate ourselves to studying the Rebbe’s
teachings in depth. By living with the Dvar Malchus each
week, we will not only know what to do, but have the strength and
fortitude to do it.
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