The Baal HaTanya and Eretz Yisroel
Rabbi Yosef Hartman
This Motzoei Shabbos, Parshas Shmos, the eve of the 24th of Teves, we will commemorate the 197th yohrtzeit of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, better known as the Alter Rebbe, or the Baal HaTanya. Thousands will visit his holy resting place in Haditch, Ukraine.
In this short article, we will not dwell upon Rebbe′s extraordinary genius, which has no parallel in recent generations, in the esoteric and exoteric (Nistar and Nigleh) realms of the Torah. The Alter Rebbe authored the ′Shulchan Aruch HaRav, in concise and polished language, and the resulting sefer was received with admiration by all parts of the nation. There is no human language to describe and evaluate his spiritual greatness in authoring the G-dly creation Tanya Kadisha and the holy seforim- Torah Ohr and Likutei Torah on the Chumashim.
The Alter Rebbe founded Colel Chabad Rabbi Meir Baal HaNes. He appointed men of integrity throughout Russia, White Russia, Ukraine and sent them to collect money for the Jews of Israel who lived in the cities of Yerushalayim, Chevron, Tzfas and Tveria. This was the reason for his denunciation and imprisonment in the year 5559 (1798 CE). Surprisingly, it was also one of the merits that stood in his favor in his miraculous release on the nineteenth of Kislev, after 53 days in prison in Petersburg under extremely difficult conditions, as he wrote in his epistle "... This is especially the case with charity for the Land of Israel, for it is truly the charity of G‑d, since it is directed to a place where the Divine Name is revealed, [to a Land of which] it is written, “The eyes — i.e., the most quintessential efflux and attention — of the L‑rd your G‑d are constantly upon it.” [In this vein it is also written,] “And My eyes and My heart will be there at all times.” It is this [charity for the Holy Land] that has stood by us to redeem the life of our souls from the counsel of those who seek to repel our steps, i.e., those who desire to harm us. And this [charity] will stand by us forever — to set our souls in the true life of the Fountainhead of Life, so that we will be “enlightened with the light of life” which G‑d “will make His Face radiate with us, Selah.”
The love of the Holy Land burned an enthusiastic fire in his pure heart. He longed all his life to come there and walk on the holy soil. In the year 5537, he joined his righteous friends, famous students of the great Maggid, Rabbi Dov of Mezeritch - Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk and Rabbi Abraham of Kalisk, traveling to our Holy Land. But his mentor the Maggid came to him in a vision-not a dream- and urged him to stay in his country not leave his Chassidm - disciples.
His abovementioned friends also urged him to stay put to lead the masses of disciples, who would remain like sheep without a shepherd. When he was in the city Mohilov, on the banks of the river Dniester, he turned around and went back home, to continue to lead the thousands of students who thirstily drank his holy words, and quenched their thirst from the springs wisdom, intelligence and knowledge that came from multi-faceted wondrous personality.
*Rabbi Yosef Hartman is a recipient of the Yakir Chinuch Dati commendation and author of the book "Leoram Nischanech. |
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