For those who doubt the tremendous degree of respect that the Chassidic path (in addition to that of earlier rabbinic sources) holds for womenfolk, please read this:My father-in-law, the [Previous] Rebbe, related the following episode:[1]Comment: This story has to be the most powerful statement concerning the positive impact that a wife can have on her husband that I’ve seen.
It once happened that as the Alter Rebbe was leaving his room, he heard his wife, the Rebbetzin, talking with several women, and saying about him, “mine says.”[2]
It is written in the holy books that a woman should not refer to her husband by name, out of respect.[3] This would hold true all the more concerning the Alter Rebbe, who was a Nasi [leader] of the Jewish people. Therefore his wife did not refer to him by name, but said “mine.”
The Alter Rebbe said—in a melody, as was his custom—“If I am yours with one Mitzvah, with how many Mitzvos am I Hashem’s?” He leaned on the doorway, and entered a state of deep, trancelike concentration.
When he emerged from his meditative state, he declared:
[It is written], “Go out and see, O daughters of Tzion, king Shlomo.”[4] Through the daughters of Tzion [i.e., Jewish women], one is able to “go out” of the limitation of one’s vessel, and “see” G–dliness (which is represented by “king Shlomo,” which alludes to “the King who possesses peace [i.e., Hashem]”[5]).
We can explain this by connecting it with the statement of my father-in-law, the [Previous] Rebbe, concerning his father, the Rebbe Rashab, that when the Rebbe Rashab witnessed a particular event, although others had witnessed it as well, he would explain its lesson in the service of Hashem.
The reason for this is that Chassidus teaches us to extract the inner aspect of everything, even something simple, and derive a lesson from it in one’s service of Hashem.
Thus, it is not surprising that one word that the Alter Rebbe heard from his wife, the Rebbetzin, led to the addition of new concepts in Chassidic philosophy, in Chassidic melodies, and in the service of Hashem.
[1] HaYom Yom 23 Shevat.
[2] A Yiddish idiom by which to refer to one’s family member.
[3] Cf. Darkei Chaim VeShalom, sec. 1063.
[4] Shir HaShirim 3:11.
[5] Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:1.
The Talmud says (Yevamos 62b) that one’s wife brings her husband joy, blessing, goodness, Torah, protection from sin, and peace. These are all tremendously valuable things, of course.
However, the Alter Rebbe says in Tanya here that the core of all one’s divine service is to come to “see” G–dliness. I.e., this is at the core of everything else, necessary as all those other elements may be. And according to the above story, the ability to attain this is granted by one’s wife.
___________________________________
Like what you read? The articles I write take a lot of time and effort. Please contact me to sponsor an article for (at least) $36 in honor of the birthday, wedding anniversary, or yarhtzeit of a loved one, or for a refuah shleimah or the like. Also, see here concerning the tremendous merit of supporting the dissemination of Chassidus, and the blessings that one receives for doing so.
Read it again. This is not a lesson that I derived, but a lesson that the Alter Rebbe derived, when he declared:
ReplyDelete"Through the daughters of Tzion [i.e., Jewish women], one is able to “go out” of the limitation of one’s vessel, and “see” G–dliness ... "
Concerning your words concerning deriving lessons, I would comment that although everyone should derive lessons from their personal experience, obviously a lesson that the Alter Rebbe derived, and one that was told, explained, and publicised in print by the later Rebbeim, is far more significant than a lesson derived by a regular person. (Not that those lessons aren't also significant, of course.)
I would think that the story of R' Akiva is more powerful...
ReplyDeleteBut regardless, the whole concept is kind of freaky.