A Soulful Journey

  The late Pinchas Peli told a story about two Lubavitch Hasidim discussing the Jewish community and its future.     One said to the other, “The whole world is divided between ‘them’ and ‘us.’     No point in talking about ‘them.’     Let’s talk about us.     Among us, the Jewish world is divided between Ashkenazim and Sephardim.     No point in talking about the Sephardim.     Among the Ashkenazim, there are Misnagdim and Hasidim.     No point in talking about the Misnagdim.     Amon the Hasidim, there are Lubavitch and Satmer.     No point in talking about the Satmer.     Among the Lubavitch, there are Farbrengung and Maskilim.     No pint in talking about the Farbregung Lubavitch.     Among the Maskilim, there are only you and me, and you know how little   you  know.” Myopia is not an admirable quality. It is better to be open to everyone.

The Sadiguerer Rebbe, Reb Abraham Jacob, married off a daughter.  On the way to the wedding his hat, which had cost him three hundred rubles, was stolen.  The rabbi sent for the King of the Thieves, and asked him to guess where his hat could be. “Find my hat for me,” the rabbi pleaded, “and I will give you whatever you ask for.  I am ashamed for my in-laws to find out.” “Rabbi,” the King of the Thieves, replied, “If one of my Hasidim stole your hat, I still have hopes of finding it.  But if one of your Hasidim stole it, then the hat is lost forever.”   Honor, honesty and dignity are the hallmarks of a good person….even if their vocation is not one we would choose.   Even  religiosity does  not necessary mean integrity.  

The Bobover Rebbi was a great Chassidic leader who was able to escape the Holocaust. He was an older person and only part of his family survived. Upon coming to America, he worked very hard to rebuild schools for children and centers for Bobover Chassidim. Seeing how old he was, and how hard he was working, some people told him to relax and take it easy. He told these people, ‘Hashem did not save my life so I should take a vacation!’ Neither should we!

Both the Hasidim and the Mitnagdim (those opposed to Hasidim) are in error: The Hasidim in imagining that they have a Rebbe. The Mitnagdim in imagining that they do not need a Rebbe.”  - Rabbi Israel Salanter quoted by Rabbi Louis Jacobs Thinking, examining and re-examing what we believe is critical to living a life that matters.

Mitchell Wohlberg shared: Once, the plight of the Jewish people in a certain small village in Eastern Europe was so great that they cried to God to send the Messiah.  God heard their prayer.  But when the Messiah arrived, he had a problem.  Where should he announce his arrival?  If he announced his presence in the Chasidic shteibel, the MItnagdim would be offended.  If he announced his presence in the Mitnagdic synagogue, the Chasidim would be offended. What should he do? He thought it over and decided that he wouldn’t come so as not to offend either group.”- Robert Orkand W hen will he arrive?  When we are deserving of him.

Rabbi Mikhail of Zlotchov told:   Once when we were on a journey with our teacher, the Baal Shem Tov, he went into the woods to say the afternoon prayer.   Suddenly we saw him strike his head against a tree and cry out loud.   Later we asked him about it.   He said, “While I plunged into the holy spirit I saw that, in the generations which precede the coming of the Messiah, the rabbis of the Hasidim will multiply like locusts, and it will be they who delay redemption, for they will bring about the separation of hearts and groundless hatred.” –Martin Buber Even good intentions can bring about disaster.  We must always be vigilant and ask if we are doing the correct thing.

A young boy wrote to his father in New York.   “Can I go to Simhat Torah celebration with Satmar Rebbe?” Came back the reply, “As long as you only look.”   - Rabbi Louis Jacobs We ant our children to follow our path. We hope they we will from our actions and words.   Yet, they will be tempted and move toward their own destiny.   Letting someone you love go is hard but may be critical for their growth.

A story tells of a conductor making his way down the train collecting tickets.  He came to  a couple of Hasidim.  They looked up and asked, "Why don't you ask the people in the engine cab for their tickets?" "They are driving the train," answered the surprised conductor. "So are we," said the Hasidim .  -Herbert Weiner When "God is with me, I will not fear."