Rabbi Shmelke & Pinchos Halevi Horowitz, two brothers,
established a very successful Yeshivah – a school of higher Jewish studies in
Poland. Not brought up in the tradition of the Chassidim, they were inspired
circa. 1764, to visit the Maggid-preacher of Mezritch, the successor of the
Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, to see for themselves what Chassidim were
all about.
Rabbi Pinchos, who was already greatly recognized for his brilliance
& genius knowledge, approached the Maggid-preacher and requested to discuss
some of the intricacies of law and the Talmud. The Maggid said, he didn’t have
time at the moment, and if he would like to, he could have a conversation with
his student Rabbi Zushe.
Rabbi Pinchos somewhat offended, decided since he already
made the effort to be there, he would follow through and find this Rabbi Zushe.
Rabbi Zushe was sitting at the far end of the study hall, minding his own
business, reading from a book with a candle at his side, when Rabbi Pinchos
comes up to him.
“Your teacher the Maggid advised me to come and speak with
you words of law and Talmud” said Rabbi Pinchos. Rabbi Zushe seemed somewhat
surprised, but hearing the request from his teacher he said.” I am not sure
what you would like to discourse with me, but I can share with you what I am
studying right now.”
“The Talmud discusses what may be considered if there are
only 9 men over the age of 13 years old, and one more is needed to make a quorum,
for the sake of saying holy matters in the synagogue. One opinion suggests,
perhaps nine souls and the Holy Ark can complete the need for ten souls.
However the Talmud rebuts this with a question, ‘is the Holy Ark a person?’”
Now, says Rabbi Zushe. “What did the opinion who suggested
including the Holy Ark think? Didn’t he also consider the fact that it is ten
humans that are needed, and the Holy Ark shouldn’t qualify?
However, he wasn’t thinking of the simple wood that encases
the Holy words of G-d, written on the parchments of the Torah. He was
suggesting, that the soul inside a person, which is “the candle of G-d”, is so
Holy, that the holiest object we have here on this earth – the Torah inside the
Ark, would perhaps equal the energy generated by the one more soul that was
needed.
This was however refuted by the question. The Holy Ark which
encases these Torahs is but a mere piece of wood. Wood that although has in it
the Torah's has essentially not changed from what it was before and what it
will remain afterwards. While a person, his actual blood and flesh, with the
soul of G-d inside of him becomes in his totality an essentially different
being from any other existence on the face of this earth.” Rabbi Zushe
continued. “Until the wood is permeated in its blood and flesh with the
knowledge of the Torah, it is but a mere log of wood.”
Rabbi Pinchos was extremely familiar with this simple
discussion in the Talmud, but had never thought of the discussion on a personal
soul level as was just proposed to him.
The rest is history. Rabbi Pinchos became an ardent follower
of the Maggid of Mezritch.
Yes it is true each one of us has within ourselves, encased
within our bodies, a most powerful potential, a G-dly power, an infinite
source.
Our job in our lifetime, is to break through the filter and
veil that is in the way, the body, so we receive, absorb and transform our
physical existence to a spiritual awareness and experience. This is
accomplished every time we perform with our physical bodies another Mitzvah -
G-dly act.
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