Parshas Shemini
excerpt from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The Divrei Binah writes that in the ultimate future, we will no longer be subject to the restraints of time. We will then be able to perform the time-bound mitzvos throughout the year, and experience their holiness at all times.  As a proof for this, he cites Aharon’s ability to enter the Kodesh Kodashim throughout the year, whereas other Kohanim were allowed in only on Yom Kippur. This was because Aharon alone had reached this high spiritual level, in which he was freed from the constraints of time.

Nadav and Avihu boldly attempted to bring about a situation, in which every Jew would be allowed to enter the Kodesh Kodashim whenever he willed, to gaze upon Hashem’s awesome Presence as will be the case in the ultimate future, when the world will be freed from the fetters of physicality, and holiness will pervade all places and all times equally.

The Gemara states: The World to Come will be entirely unlike this world. In the World to Come there will be no eating, no drinking, no childbearing, no business transactions, no jealousy, anger, hatred or competition.  The righteous will then sit with their crowns upon their heads and bask in the glow of the Shechinah.

Having experienced this wonderful radiance at Har Sinai and once again at the inauguration of the Mishkan, Nadav and Avihu believed that the time had come for it to spread throughout the world, and that there was no longer any need to limit holiness to constraints of time or space.  By sacrificing their lives in the sanctification of Hashem’s Name, they hoped to spread His holiness throughout the world, and thereby bring about the ultimate rectification of Creation, such that the revelation experienced at Har Sinai could continue forever, at all times, and in all places - just as it was for the Kohen Gadol in the Kodesh Kodashim on Yom Kippur.

The Arizal writes that Nadav and Avihu were reincarnations of Adam, and therefore saw it as their task to correct Adam’s sin, and bring the world back to the state of perfection that it had enjoyed before his sin, when man was free to converse with his Creator whenever he so wished.

However, they erred in their assumption that the time had arrived for the ultimate rectification of creation.  True, the Shechinah was revealed in the Mishkan to an unprecedented degree, but this revelation was limited to certain times and places.  Only after Moshiach arrives, will every Jew be able to draw close to Hashem at all times and in all places, and constantly experience the incomparable joy of His Holy Presence.  May we so merit soon and in our days, Amen.

translated by R. Daniel Worenklein
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Parshas Vayikra, 5769
excerpt from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The expression, “He called to Moshe,” is used in this week’s parsha, rather than the usual, “Hashem spoke to Moshe,” since the purpose of the sacrifices is to draw close to Hashem with a depth of emotional bonding that cannot possibly be expressed by spoken words.

Each person can merit to feel this summons in his heart and enjoy a warm, wonderful sense of closeness to Hashem, to the degree that he makes himself into a small aleph, by humbly recognizing his faults and striving to improve them.  As we cited above from the Ramban, the sacrifices offered in the Mishkan gave their donors an opportunity to contemplate their faults and expunge them.

The sacrifices were thus like medical operations, by which dangerous growths of sin were removed from the soul and destroyed.  However, spiritual healing parallels physical healing, in that the success of any treatment depends on the attitude of the patient and his willingness to do all that is necessary for his recovery.

Parshas Vayakhel, 5769
excerpts from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The Mishnah states: “Hashem found no vessel capable of containing blessing other than peace." The Divrei Binah thus explains why Moshe had to first gather Bnei Yisrael before teaching them the laws of Shabbos, and instructing them to build the Mishkan. Only by virtue of the peace and unity among them could they receive the blessings of Shabbos, and be worthy of having the Divine Presence rest upon their handiwork.

The same is true of the blessing left behind by the Tzaddikim who have ascended to Heaven. We need to make a vessel of peace in which to receive their blessing. For this reason the yetzer hara makes such a concentrated effort to ignite controversy in our homes and communities, knowing full well that without peace, we cannot receive the material or spiritual blessings offered by the Torah leaders of our own generation and generations past.

Rebbe Shmelke of Nikolsburg zt”l commented on the verse: “If a matter of judgment is hidden from you; between blood and blood, between judgment and judgment, between plague and plague, or words of dispute in your midst…” Jewish blood is spilled, harsh judgments abound, and terrible plagues strike our nation. We are unable to understand the reason for it all. Why must we suffer so much? Therefore, the verse comes to warn us that this is all a result of the words of dispute in our midst. Without the vessels formed by peace and unity, we have no way to receive the blessing and protection that Hashem wishes to bestow upon us.

The greatest threat to peace among Jews is the terrible sin of lashon hara, whereas the greatest facilitator of peace is kind, warm words of love and friendship, of which the Kedushas Levi commented on the verse, “Tell me, O beloved of my soul,” that it is a great mitzva to express sentiments of love.

Rashi comments on the opening words of our parsha, “Moshe gathered the entire congregation of Israel,” explaining that he gathered them with words. The Chelkas Yehoshua explains that Moshe united them by teaching them how to speak kindly with one another and never to speak lashon hara, since the quality of our relationships depends primarily on how we choose to speak to one another.

Moshiach’s most daunting task will be to bring peace among Jews, for which reason the prophets referred to him as, “Mashmiah Shalom - the Herald of Peace. By helping us settle our petty differences and join together in true unity, he will make us worthy of receiving the blessings that are destined to descend upon our nation in the End of Days. May we merit to see his coming soon and in our days, Amen.

translated by R. Daniel Worenklein
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Purim, 5769
excerpts from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

We can now understand why Purim is such a special time, at which we need only stretch out our hands to beg favors of Hashem, and we are answered even if we are unworthy. The unity inspired by Purim throws open the gates of Heaven, allowing us to achieve what would otherwise be impossible. The same is true of the unparalleled level of Kabbalas HaTorah achieved on Purim and the rectification of sins that even Yom Kippur cannot correct. All this is due to the unity and friendship that Esther inspired among the Jews, and which is renewed each year on Purim. We can forget about our petty, selfish quarrels and join together in perfect oneness, which is the true essence of our nation, to be united in common interest to serve our Creator. According to the degree of our unity, we are forgiven for all our sins, even if we would not be worthy of this as individuals.

Each holiday has its own special segulah which descends each year at that time, and from then extends to the rest of the year. Pesach is a time of redemption; Shavuos is a time of wisdom; Sukkos is a time of Divine protection. The special segulah of Purim is friendship, whose power is so great that it can achieve what Yom Kippur and Kabbalas HaTorah cannot. This is the essence of Purim and the essence of the entire Torah: “Love your neighbor as yourself".

This segulah is visible each year in the joyous festivities of Purim that bring Jews  together in friendship; far more so than at any other time of the year. The Gemara teaches that, “When wine goes in, the secrets come out.” My father, the Chelkas Yehoshua zt”l, said that many people keep their love for others hidden deep in their hearts, smothered beneath their subconscious fears and inhibitions. Most people are unaware of how much love they have to share. When we drink wine on Purim, our secret love for one another bursts forth into our words and deeds.

This awakening of friendship is a great gift from Heaven. However, as with any other Heaven-sent inspiration, we must do something practical to create a vessel in which to preserve it. For this reason, Mordechai and Esther enacted the mitzvos of mishlo’ach manos and matanos l’evyonim, through which we express and strengthen the bonds of love.

May we merit to feel true friendship and love for one another on Purim, and may this friendship last throughout the year and for many years to come. May we merit the great material and spiritual blessings that are the fruits of our love; and may we soon see the day in which hatred and conceit will be swept from the world forevermore, with the coming of the Righteous Redeemer soon and in our days, Amen.

translated by R. Daniel Worenklein
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Parshas Terumah, 5769
excerpts from a discourse of the Biala Rebbe, shlita

The Baal Shem Tov  taught that each mitzvah is eternally relevant to each person in each generation. The mitzva of donating for the Mishkan is also relevant throughout time. Although we cannot offer gold, silver or other precious materials for the construction of a physical Mishkan, we can still create a dwelling place for Hashem in our hearts, our homes and our communities.

One might think that in these dark times, it is much harder to merit the Shechinah’s Presence. However, the Maggid of Mezritch zt”l taught that just the opposite is true. He explained by means of a parable. A simple peasant would never dare invite a king to leave the royal palace and visit him in his humble cottage. To merit a visit from the king, a respected nobleman would need to prepare a feast in a lavish hall and present his invitation through the complicated channels of royal protocol. Only then might the king consider his request. However, if the king is on a journey and is forced to stop for the night, he accepts any lodging that is available to him, provided that it is clean and respectable.

When the Beis HaMikdash stood, the Shechinah rested in the Holy of Holies. If a person wished to draw from there a spirit of prophecy, he needed to invest the greatest effort and preparation. Such was the case during the festivities of the Simchas Beis HaSho’eva, when they drew Divine inspiration from the Beis HaMikdash.

Now, in our bitter Golus, the Shechinah has been exiled along with us. It wanders the earth, seeking a place to rest. Upon finding a person who is simply clean from sin, the Shechinah rests upon him.

If the Maggid of Mezritch and the Noam Elimelech said this of their own times, when great Tzaddikim walked the earth, spreading holiness wherever they went, what can we say of our own times, when a cloud of perversion and heresy covers the world, obscuring the light of holiness? How much harsher is the exile of the Shechinah, and how much more willing would Hashem be to rest upon even the most simple Jew, who willingly opens his heart and soul to Him? A Jew need only purify his heart from arrogance and selfishness, to create a Mishkan in his humble heart, to which the Shechinah hastens to find sanctuary. Thereby, we fulfill the eternal mitzva, relevant in each and every generation, to build a Beis HaMikdash.

May Hashem help us cleanse our souls of arrogance and selfishness, and thus make us worthy of having the Shechinah dwell within us. May we soon merit to see the celestial Mikdash in Heaven unite with the physical Mikdash here below, with the coming of the Righteous Redeemer soon and in our days, Amen.

translated by R. Daniel Worenklein
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