A Soulful Journey

A baraita in Hullin (24b) suggests in the name of Rebbi that one should not be appointed as shaliah tzibbur or perform the priestly blessing unless he is twenty. Being the leader of congregational worship is an important task, one that is not handed onto anyone less than worthy.

A rebbe stopped a hasid who was hurrying through the street at breakneck speed.  "Where are you rushing?" he asked the hasid.   "The hasid replied, "I am running after my life."   "How do you know you have not passed it by?" replied the rebbe. - Rabbi Gilbert Rosenthal We are busy, plagued by incessant demands and needs.  And we run.  We run just to keep pace.  It is time to stop, look around and see where we stand.

A story is told about the 19th century Chassidic Master, the Rebbe Rashab, who was visited by a friend he had not seen for 37 years. The re-union was strange—the two once-close friends had seemingly nothing to say to each other after all that time—and then the Rebbe began to sing.  It was a song from another time, and he closed his eyes as he sang, transported to another place. In a trance-like state, he sang for a long while, and when he finished, he turned to his friend and asked, "Do you remember?" And the friend answered, "Yes, I remember." That's all they said to each other, and a week later the friend died. Later the Rebbe explained to his students who had witnessed that moment: "Thirty-seven years ago, when we parted ways, this was the song that we sang.  The song was, in a way, a time capsule that held for us all the years that passed. When my friend said that he remembered, I knew that we didn't need to reunite bec...

It seems that many years ago a little seven year old boy and his family were about to leave their native Poland.  The day before their departure, the father took the little boy to the town where the Rebbe lived so he could receive the Rebbe’s blessing.  They remained overnight in the home of the Rebbe, and the little boy slept in the Rebbe’s study. Staring at all the holy books, the little boy could not sleep.  In the middle of the night he saw the Rebbe enter the room, and he pretended to sleep.    The Rebbe whispered “Such a sweet child!” Thinking the child might be cold, the Rebbe took off his coat and placed it lovingly on the sleeping child. Many years later, when the little boy became an old man of eighty years, when asked what the source of his kindness and comfort was, he said that seventy three years ago the Rebbe showed him love and comfort, and placed his coat on him to keep him warm.  “I am still warm from that coat,” said the eighty y...

A Jew made a wager that the Rebbe could not tell the difference between a Jew and a non-Jew.  To prove the point the hasid dressed up a bearded non-Jew in the streimle and kapota and sat him at the Rebbe's table for the third meal on Shabbat. After the meal, everyone said Birkat HaMazon, Grace.  The non-Jew followed his instructions to look in his prayer book and pretend to follow.  Later, the Rebbe asked who invited the non-Jew. "How did you know?" "By the fact that he did not move when he said his prayers.  A Jew can always be distinguished by the fact that he is physically moved by his words.  A Jew is not a stone."

A Hassidic Rebbe was once speaking about the Torah and the upcoming parasha, b’haalotkha .  He asked his disciples, “Why is there an enlarged “khet” in the title word, b’haalotkha ? "It stands for God’s name,” he answered. “But rebbe,” one retorted, “There is no big “khet” in b’haalotkha .” “That’s your answer,” replied the rebbe .  –Louis Jacobs Is this a joke?  Or is how life really is?  Is life how we see it?

 "Some people shake your hand; other people shake your soul." - Rebbe Nachman

“We may be expert in assessing the value of gold and silver and gems – but to appreciate the true worth of a Jew is way, way beyond us.”   - Rebbe of Gostonin What a beautiful revelation!   Each of us has a shining an irreplaceable gift or series of gifts to give to the world.   Priceless.