An excerpt from Chapter 11 of Od Avinu Chai, a comprehensive (but concisely written) work on Rebbe-Chasid relationship, based entirely on the Rebbe’s own words in Sichos and Igros Kodesh. Compiled and written by Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin, Head Shliach of Wisconsin. The second in a series on COLlive.com in connection with Gimmel Tammuz.
Click here to download Chapter 11 Excerpt
Readers are strongly encouraged to read this chapter (and the entire booklet) in its entirety by clicking here: Od Avinu Chai.
You can obtain a printed copy by clicking here: https://www.Chabadwi.org/OAC or from Kehot by clicking here.
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Gabe Gross a sweet Jewish boy from Hartford, CT was ten years old at the time. The local minor league baseball team had a player by the same name and Gabe’s father called the team’s Jewish owner to arrange for the boy to meet the ballplayer at the stadium. On game day, they spent ten minutes together, and the baseball player promised to stay in touch, which he did. Eventually, the baseball player Gabe Gross was sent to the major leagues to play for the Milwaukee Brewers, and all the while wrote letters to the young Gabe Gross in Hartford.
On May 19th 2008, the Milwaukee Brewers were slated to play the Boston Red Sox, which is unusual. The Brewers belong to the National League and the Red Sox to the American League; rarely do teams meet for interleague play.
Hartford is close to Boston where the game would take place. So, when the Brewers – and therefore, Gabe Gross – played against the Red Sox in Boston, Rick Gross wanted to take his son to the game, so he could meet Gabe Gross the player. There was one problem. Tickets were sold out. Rick said to me, “When you need anything you call Chabad. I know you have connections. Can you arrange it for me?”
I said, “Yes. Of course. No problem,” and I began calling my contacts. However, everyone I called told me, “Not that game.” After almost three weeks, I found a fellow who had tickets in the bleachers, which were too far up in the stands to meet Gabe Gross.
I visited someone I know at ESPN, a sports media network center near me. The person assured me that he will find tickets. A week later, the fellow at ESPN excitedly told me, “Rabbi, not only did I find tickets, they’re right behind home plate; except, there’s one little problem, it’s for May 4th.”
“You don’t understand, the whole purpose of the tickets is to meet Gabe Gross,” I said. Still, I figured that I’d offer the tickets to Rick in case he wanted to go to “the wrong game.” Although disappointed, the father figured, “When is he ever going to get to sit behind home plate? He’ll meet Gabe Gross another time,” and he agreed to take the tickets.
As a Shliach, I say to Rick, “You know, G-d is not limited, and G-d can make it possible that you’ll meet Gabe Gross at the May 4th game.” “Rabbi, I like your enthusiasm,” he tells me, “but it’s simply impossible. The Milwaukee Brewers on May 4th are playing a different team. Gabe Gross is going to be in another part of the country.” “I want you to remember, G-d is not limited,” I tell him. “Rabbi Samuels,” said Rick, “I promise you, if my son on May 4th meets Gabe Gross, I’ll start putting on tefillin daily.”
To a Chabad Shliach—now that’s an incentive! So, I right away wrote a letter to the Rebbe at the Ohel. I tell the Rebbe, I know this is really trivial, but I have a guy who is ready to put on tefillin daily. I need your help, Rebbe. I need Gabe Gross in Boston on May 4th. I’m a Shliach; I know it’s small, but I don’t ask for much; actually, I do ask for a lot, but this is something seemingly impossible.”
On April 22, 2008 just a while prior to May 4th, Gabe Gross was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, who would play the Red Sox on May 4th – the tickets for which Rick and his son had seats behind home plate! It is very rare that a player was traded mid-season.
I called the baseball player Gabe Gross and arranged for a pair of tefillin to be at the stadium, so that the not-Jewish baseball player, Gabe Gross, would give the pair of tefillin to Rick. Right there, in the stadium – on the jumbo screen – with everyone looking, Rick Gross puts on tefillin. Both big Gabe Gross and little Gabe Gross beamed.
Today Rick Gross puts on tefillin and G-d willing, at the end of the year, his son Gabe Gross promises to put on tefillin. I have a letter from the ballplayer Gabe Gross, who was yet traded again. The letter reads, “Rabbi Samuels, please keep in touch. I want to sponsor the tefillin of little Gabe Gross.”
As told by Rabbi Mendel Samuels
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Although one is able to communicate and connect with the Rebbe anywhere, after the Histalkus as well, since he is not confined and limited to a body; nevertheless, as mentioned earlier, the neshomo of the Tzaddik retains a special connection to his body.
The Tzaddik’s body has an essential kedushoh of its own (in the words of the Zohar, גופא דילהון קדישא, similar to the kedushoh of Tefillin or a Sefer Torah), both from birth and, as well, by virtue of the intense avodah of his neshomo within his body during his worldly lifetime (as is known that the גוף טהור of various Tzaddikim were found intact many years after their histalkus). Moreover, the neshomo of the Tzaddik also remains connected to his body even after his histalkus.
To this the Rebbe adds, emphasizing that it is specifically the yechidah, the very essence of the neshomo, which remains connected to the Tzaddik’s גוף.
This, in essence, is the kedushoh of the Ohel, as it is the resting place of the Rebbe’s holy guf, and the place to which the Rebbe’s neshomo is most connected.
And since this is where the Rebbe is (in the Rebbe words, אז דא איז ער), going to the Ohel, the place where the Rebbe is most present, is a natural expression of the Chossid’s yearning to be near the Rebbe. This then is not specifically to seek a ברכה or a סגולה, or a place we go to plead for ישועות; rather, it comes out of a pure desire to be with the Rebbe.
When a Chossid goes to the Ohel he conducts himself as he would prior to yechidus. Each one prepares himself in his own way, according to his level, undertaking positive resolutions; and when entering the Ohel, he experiences standing before the Rebbe.
Indeed, thousands of Jews of all backgrounds are constantly streaming to the holy tzion, pouring their hearts out and asking for a brocho before returning home – like the way they had flocked to the Rebbe to receive his blessing and a dollar to give to tzedakah as the Rebbe’s emissary, or on Erev Yom Kippur, and on Hoshanah Rabbah to receive lekach. They have come to the Rebbe!
Many, out of their powerful desire to be near the Rebbe, visit the holy tzion regularly. There are even some whose spirit impels them to be there at all times; just as during his lifetime, there were individuals who would never miss a single davening (prayer) with the Rebbe.
Whether one visits the holy tzion, or writes a letter to the Rebbe, or turns to him from anywhere in the world, כמים הפנים לפנים the Rebbe reciprocates by listening and connecting to the person turning to him, with equal intensity: rejoicing in their celebration, feeling their pain, blessing them, and beseeching G-d for mercy on their behalf.
Attesting to this are the hundreds, even thousands, of accounts of miraculous episodes since Gimmel Tammuz – of people whose requests and desires were fulfilled after visiting the Ohel, or after writing to the Rebbe, or turning to him in their thoughts from far away.
* * *
“… our strength is bolstered through השתטחות [visiting and praying at the resting place of a Tzaddik] –the term taken from our Sages’ statement about Kaleiv נשתטח על קברי אבות:
The idea of השתטחות is to visit his resting place with the consciousness that ‘here is where he is;’ visualizing his image … thereby empowering and strengthening our connection to him and the mission he gave us, to proceed unwaveringly, and without mixing in our own calculations.
Having received at one time a command or instruction directly from Moshe – the Moshe of our generation – the passage of time can diminish our resolve, and our ardor can wane; they get diluted by our personal reckonings and the like (as with the sin of the מרגלים). Therefore, the remedy is to fortify (our) התקשרות through השתטחות.”
שיחת ש”פ שלח תש”י – תו”מ עמ’ 108
“I am surprised at his question, and at the fact that he does not seek cause to be at the tzion of the Rebbe … and since the bar mitzvah of his son is during the days close to the Hilulah Yud Shevat, it would seem to be an indication that he should grab the opportunity to be at the Tziyon, and refresh what he merited to be for sometime in the bright days….”
Letter, 26 Kislev 5713
“Though I don’t know the character of those you have influenced in your city, nevertheless you should explain to them the idea of the resting place of the Tzadik Hador… and, therefore, they too should empower you to give you their own letters and the like, being that they are unable to visit the Tziyon in person … and I am sure you will find the correct words with which to convey this to them…”
Letter 9th Tammuz 5713
“When even one family member travels, then the presence of even one individual at the tzion of the Rebbe … and the prayers for what is needed, is on behalf of the entire family, and particularly on behalf of the wife and children; in other words, this is to their benefit, both materially and spiritually.”
Letter, 12 Menachem Av 5720
“And another point should be added – that those who, for whatever reason, their פ”ן was delayed and arrived only after the going to the “Ohel;” or that it was sent just now; or has not yet been written and will only be sent tomorrow, including “tomorrow — after some time” – certainly נשיא דורנו has already given them all the blessings … And so it is in our case – those whose פ”ן have not yet arrived – נשיא דורנו gives them all the blessings, and definitely knows what they will write; even before he ascended on high, he knew of such matters – how much more so after he has ascended on high. ”
5 Tishrei 5749
To read the booklet in PDF format click here: Od Avinu Chai,
You can obtain a printed copy by clicking here: https://www.Chabadwi.org/OAC or from Kehot by clicking here: https://store.kehotonline.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ERE-ODAV
