By Yerachmiel Tilles
 | Rabbi Pinchas raised his eyes. There stood the first of the Ushpizin--the honored guest for the first night of the festival--outside the door of his sukkah...
9 Comments Posted
Extremes in anything is not a good thing, a balance must always be struck, but only once.
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Would it have been better if he had said or asked for G-d to do his will? Or did G-d allow this happen to teach something?
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Dear Shawn,
Surely the second explanation you offered is true. But the true are not contradictory. Thank you for writing.
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To me this story teaches us 2 things: One is that there must be balance in our mortal lives. The second is that... our lives depend on chesed [acts of loving-kindness] more than anything...
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The Lubavitcher Rebbe, of blessed memory, the greatest Tzaddik (holy man) of the last century, could have spent the years of his life in solitude, praying to the Creator and studying sacred writings at the highest possible level. Instead, the Rebbe zatzal gave himself totally to the entire Jewish people: holding meetings with individuals throughout the night until daybreak; answering thousands of letters; speaking at Fabrengen and other public events for hours on end; issuing proclamations; giving haskamos (approbations) to good works when needed. There were some saintly rabbis who stayed hidden from the world, afraid that contact with lesser people would interfere with their personal path. This story tells us, as the Rebbe's life tells us, that this is not the way most Jews should choose. Instead, the Rebbe showed that a Jew cares foremost about the well-being of others, and adherents of Chabad chasidus follow this road today.
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As I have tried to prioritize in my life, I have thought this:
If in Heaven and on Earth we can pray and study Torah, however only on Earth can we do mitzvot, then should it not be our priority to do mitzvot here, when we can?
Does this seem like correct thinking?
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that our destiny is after all in our own hands and that we must be thoughtful about it; we must bear the consequences of wrong taken paths, correcting them. It can take sometimes a whole life, and sometimes can't even be accomplished in one's actual only one life, needing sometimes more time in other lives (so I believe).The opportunity is here however. The more we rush to get the chances, the best. The more we distract in not true (tv,void of meaning readings,gossipings,etc...) matters, the worst.
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Torah, Avodah, and Gemilath Chesed (Torah, service, and acts of kindness) said our sages. We need all three, and SKOIAck (kudos) to Judy Resnick for her phenomenal comment that I think was even more powerful than the story! Chag Sameach! Shabbat Shalom! May we all be sealed for the best year yet! Moshiach now!
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For a tzaddik like Rebbe Pinchas, it must certainly have been true that the world needed him. But for the likes of me, surely I could be excused if I might ask for a little peace and quiet in which to focus my thoughts, humble as they are? No! We must activly seek out guests for our sukkah - preferably poor guests - it is a very great mitzvah. The Zohar has very harsh words for the one who keeps his sukkah mitzvah all to himself! Oy, Rabbono shel Olam (Master of the World)! Please let me be happy about these guests I am going to have tonight in my sukkah and the mitzvah they give me! Conquer my selfishness that wants for a beautiful and contemplative experience .....
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