Chai Elul in Depth

Chai Elul, the eighteenth day of Elul, is the birthday of two great luminaries: The Baal Shem Tov - 1698 [5458]; and the Alter Rebbe - 1745 [5505].

The Baal Shem Tov founded the Chassidic movement in general; and the Alter Rebbe, specifically Chabad Chassidism.

It is also the day, 36 years later, in 1734, on his 36th birthday: on which the Baal Shem Tov began, to publicly disseminate his teachings.
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Every so often, the plates of society shift so fiercely, that a volcanic transformation takes place. Take, for example, the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. The changes to agriculture and manufacturing were so profound, that eventually, every aspect of life was influenced in some way.

Around the same time, another great revolution was unfolding: the 18th century "Chassidic Revolution." The very fabric of Jewish society was forever altered, by its powerful impression.

Every hundred years or so, a person comes along and changes the way we look at ourselves and our world. He or she will say something, that is so revolutionary, so new and unexpected; that it changes totally, our previous conceptions.

But there is something else, that is rarer still. Something that happens perhaps once in five hundred years, perhaps once in a thousand. What Albert Einstein was to physics, and Beethoven was to music,--and much, much more,--was the Baal Shem Tov, to the human soul and Judaism.

Just over 300 years ago, on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Elul of the year 5458 From Creation (1698 CE), the soul of such an individual, was born into our world. His name was Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov; and in the course of his 62 years of earthly life, he revolutionized the way we see ourselves, our world, and our place in it.

He was the teacher of many great scholars: such as Rabbis: Yaakov Yoseph of Polnoye, Dov Ber of Mezritch, Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, and others--could have been any less a scholar, himself.
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And these are the things he taught:

1. The Kabbalah of the Ari, has as much to do, with the saintly ascetic, as it has with the simple innkeeper or potato farmer, who serves G-d with all his heart.

2. Everything we do is meaningful. Our every deed, every word we speak, even a single thought we think, has an effect, that reverberates throughout all the worlds, and through the whole of history.

3. Everything that happens in G-d's world; from the toppling of an empire, to a leaf's turning in the wind in a distant forest; is for a purpose. Specifically guided and directed by the Almighty, to contribute to the overall purpose of creation.

4. Our simple faith, our simple commitment to do good, is more precious in G-d's eyes, than all the genius of the scholar, and all the spirituality of the mystic.

5. G-d is everywhere and in every thing; meaning that in essence, there is only goodness. Evil, suffering and despair, are but veils, behind which He hides, to prompt us to rip them away, in our quest for Him.

6. Life is joyous; and we can live it joyously in every situation, under all and any circumstances.

7. G-d loves us, each and every one of us, as if he or she were His only child.

8. The truest way to love G-d, is to love each and every one of His children.
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Kabbalah is as central to Judaism, as the sun is to the solar system; as a heart, is to the body.

Judaism begins, with the most mystical of experiences at Mount Sinai, where we "saw the sounds and heard the sights"; and ends with mystical union, of all of Creation with its Creator. Everything in between, is driven by the drive to absorb the first mystical revelation, in order to achieve the final one.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were mystics (they spoke with angels). They practiced meditation in isolation, in the pastures; and received divine revelations thereby. Moses was a mystic; the Prophets, and the sages of the Talmud, (as is clear, from the many of the stories told in the Talmud).

Since the time of the Nachmanides, almost every classic Jewish scholar, has openly espoused the teachings of the Kabbalah.
Every work that explains Judaism in depth, has incorporated mystical terms. Every such work, over the last 600 or so years, has used the language of Kabbalah.

Amongst Sephardic and Oriental Jewry, the Zohar is at least as utilzed, as the Psalms. Chassidism, is entirely an outgrowth of the Kabbalah of the Ari (Rabbi Isaac Luria). Even the leaders (like the Vilna Goan) of the Lithuanian mitnagdim ("opposers" of Chassidism), were masters of Kabbalah.

Even the romantic/rational orthodoxy of Samson Raphael Hirsch, relies heavily upon the mysticism of Rabbi Chaim Atar (the "Ohr HaChayim"), and others.

The great masters of Halachah (Torah law), particularly Rav Yosef Karo who wrote the Shulchan Aruch, and Rav Moshe Isserles who adapted it for Ashkenazim; also wrote books of Kabbalah.

It was the Vilna Gaon who wrote, "A Rabbi who attempts to make a Halachic decision, without an understanding of the Kabbalah, will come to err."

As Adin Steinsaltz recently put it, Kabbalah is the official theology of Judaism. Furthermore, any attempts to explain Judaism in any other terms, are bound to fall flat on their face. Halachah is the body, Kabbalah is the soul.

Just as you cannot explain the body without taking into account the inner psyche that fills it, so you cannot begin to explain the meaning and purpose of Halachah, without a knowledge of Kabbalah.
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The soul of the Baal Shem Tov, as disclosed by Rabbi Adam Baal Shem, was the gilgul - transmigration -of the holy soul of a simple Jew who lived in Safed, in the year 5333. This guileless man, knew only how to pray, and was a humble and modest man.

One night, as he had just completed praying the Tikun Chatzos –(midnight prayers, mourning for the destroyed Holy Temple), he heard a knock on the door. "Who's there?" "It is Eliyahu Hanovi." He quickly opened the door, and Eliyahu entered his room. The room was suddenly filled with light and joy.

"I have come to divulge to you, the secret of the coming of Moshiach. But first you must reveal to me, what worthy act you did on the day of your Bar Mitzvah. Which moved the Heavenly Court to rule, that you are worthy of hearing the revelation, of the most esoteric secrets."

The man answered simply:

"What I did, I did only for the glory of G-d, and I will not reveal it to others.

If this means, that you too will not divulge to me the secret of the redemption, then I forego that knowledge. It is a basic rule of mine, that a man's deeds should be solely, for the glory of G-d."

Eliyahu disappeared, and returned to Heaven, where great excitement had been caused, by the man's loyalty to G-d; which had made him refuse an oppurtunity, to learn the most important secrets of Heaven. It was decided, that Eliyahu should nevertheless return, and teach him Torah, and reveal its secrets.

This simple man was unique in his generation; but as he had wished, no one knew of his greatness. His deeds were solely, for the glory of G-d.
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When the time came for him to pass away, his pure soul was brought before the Heavenly Court. It was ruled, that his reward would descend again to earth, and be reborn.

This time, he would be revealed to the world. And through him, a new way of life would be taught. He would purify the world, with his spirit. Thus would he glorify the Holy Name; fill the earth with wisdom, and thereby hasten the ultimate redemption.

It was this same spirit of the simple Jew of Safed, that was reborn in Reb Yisroel Baal Shem Tov.

The 18th of Elul is an illustrious day, of immense proportion. The number eighteen spells "chai" or "life" in Hebrew. On this day, two unprecedented and illuminating lives began, that brought a new light and life to the world.

Reb Yisrael Bal Shem Tov, the founder of Chassidism, was born on the 18th of Elul 5458 (1698). On the 18th of Elul 5484 (1724), the prophet Achiya Hashiloni, began teaching the Baal Shem Tov. And on the same date in the year 5494 (1732), the Baal Shem Tov revealed himself and his teachings, to the world.

He spoke of the immense love that G-d has for every Jew, of the cosmic significance of every mitzvah a Jew performs, of the divine meaningfulness that resides in every blade of grass, in every event, and in every thought in the universe.

He spoke to the downtrodden masses and to the aloof scholars. He gave meaning to their existence, and thus joy, and thus life. ______________

The Alter Rebbe Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, founder of Chassidus Chabadm was born on the 18th of Elul 5505 (1745). The Baal Shem Tov proclaimed: "A new soul has come down to the world, which will illuminate it (the world), with the light of the revealed parts of Torah, and the light of Chassidus.

This soul will suffer for the revelation of Chassidus; and its accomplishments, will usher in the era of Moshiach.

Rabbi Schneur Zalman, was the disciple of the Baal Shem Tov's disciple, Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch. And thus regarded himself, as the Baal Shem Tov's spiritual grandson. He was born exactly 47 years, after his "grandfather," on Elul 18, 5505 (1745), ________________________
Chai Elul" adds a "Chayus", vitality, to "Elul."

Life is not a tan­gible ingredient, that can be added to an entity’s mass: it is an expression of the being’s soul; a spiritual dimension, that can­not be calculated in material terms. This spiritual quality, however, transforms the nature of the organism in which it is enclothed.

A living body is so identified with its soul, that it takes on the soul’s qualities. Every aspect of the body becomes infused, with the vitality of the soul.

When we speak about feeling more alive, for example, we mean, that a greater dimension of the soul, is manifest in the body. And since the soul is “truly a part of G‑d,” its life-force is infinite. There is thus, an unbounded potential for an indi­vidual, to increase the intensity of his life experience.
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The infinite potential of the soul, is mirrored by the in­fi­nite nature of faith. Although our souls find expression in our thoughts and feelings, this revelation is bounded by the limi­tations of both intellect and emotion. The power of intellect is limited by one’s range of ideas; and the power of emotion, by one’s range of feelings.

Faith, by contrast, is undefinable and infinite, just as the soul is. It therefore has the power, to give unlimited expression to the potential of the soul, thereby in­fusing our lives with an immeasurable vitality.

The Hebrew word for faith, emunah, is semanti­cally related to the Hebrew word imun, meaning “developing a skill.” I.e., faith requires practice, in training one’s thinking habits; until it reveals the unlimited divine po­tential, at the core of every man’s being.
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The Baal Shem Tov imparted the vitality of emunah (“faith”) to every dimension of our lives, by revealing every in­dividual’s potential for an ongoing dynamic bond with G‑d. He taught a way of life, that enables us to express the infinite spiritual power of our beings, in our observance of the Torah, and in every aspect of our experience.

His teachings gave tangible expression to the verse, “A righteous man shall live by his faith,” because these teachings make faith a vibrant force, which encompasses every dimension of our conduct; infusing it with the vitality, that stems from the soul’s essential power.
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The unique quality of faith is that, it permits a connection with G‑d, which transcends the bounds of intellect. This ad­vantage is, however, potentially problematic, because the spiritual plane on which a person operates through faith, is far higher, than his level of personal awareness.

Since faith taps into a dimension of soul which transcends the limits of the individual’s identity, a gap is created, between the infinite po­tential made possible by faith, and one’s finite mind and heart.

The teachings of the Alter Rebbe, enable us to bridge this gap; because the Alter Rebbe explained, how to bring our spiritual potentials that transcend intellect, into the realm of understanding and feeling.
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When a person develops a conscious relationship with G‑d, he gains mastery of his spiritual experience. As long as his divine service is centered on faith alone, it is dependent upon inspiration, a state in which the soul is aroused.

If in­spiration is lacking, the fervor of commitment is reduced. However, because we have control over our thought proc­esses, and can use our minds as we desire; when faith is internalized and drawn into the realm of intellect, a person can take the initiative in his spiritual growth.
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Man rather than G‑d, takes the initiative in heightening the love relation­ship we share with Him. The vitality which Chai Elul imparts to our divine service, increases the blessings we will receive, in the coming New Year.
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Emphasize the Essential Bond From Chai Elul onward, a person should increase in all aspects of his service of Eul, to the extent that, it is as if a new service has begun! This is achieved through drawing the "life-force" of Elul, into all aspects of a person's service, in a recognizable manner.

So that its essential life-force, namely, the core connection that joins the Jewish people to Hashem, is imbued in every aspect of the service. Bonding Through Prayer Since Chai Elul reflects on the bond of the Jewish people with Hashem, from Chai Elul onward, a person should specifically increase his service of prayer, whose theme likewise, to bond the Jewish person with Hashem.

Therefore, in addition to the general increase in prayer during the month of Elul, there should now be a fundamental emphasis on, not only the request for pardon, but the essential bond, that connect the Jewish people with Hashem. ____________

Here is the inside story, as passed down from Rebbe to Rebbe, until it was told to us by Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch (The Previous Rebbe, Sefer Hasichot 5703, pp. 167-168):

As he told it, in the Baal Shem Tov's words:

Before I was sixteen, I had gained a significant knowledge of the teaching of Kabbalah; and would occasionally pray with the mystical meditations of the Ari Zal, taught to me by the holy and awesome hidden Tzaddik, Reb Chaim.

On my sixteenth birthday, the eighteenth of Elul 5474 [1714], I was in a small village. The innkeeper was a Jew, of quintessential simplicity. He knew his prayers, only with difficulty, for he had no idea what the words meant. But he had a great awe of heaven.

Everything that would happened to him, he would comment, "Blessed be He, and may He be blessed, for ever and ever." The innkeeper's wife had a different saying: "Blessed be His Holy Name".

On that day, I went to meditate in solitude in the pasture; as had been taught by the sages before us, that on one's birthday, one should meditate alone for a period of time.

In my meditations, I recited Psalms, and concentrated on the Yichudim of the divine names.
["Yichudim" are a form of Kabbalistic meditation, based on different permutations and combinations, of the divine names and attributes, of G-d].

As I was so immersed in this, that I had lost awareness of my surroundings. Suddenly, I beheld Elijah the Prophet—he was smiling. I was very amazed, that I should merit a revelation of Elijah the Prophet, while alone.

When I was with the Tzaddik Rabbi Meir, and also with others of the hidden Tzadikim, I had the fortune to see Elijah the Prophet. But to be privileged to this while alone--this was the very first time, and I was very amazed. Understandably, I was unable to understand the smile on Elijah's face.

This is what he said to me:
"Behold, you are struggling with great effort, to focus your mind upon the divine names, that extend from the verses of Psalms that David, King of Israel, composed.

But Aaron Shlomo the innkeeper, and Zlota his wife, are so ignorant of the Yichudim of divine names, - yet these Yichudim make a storm, throughout all the upper worlds, far beyond the Yichudim of Divine Names, that the great Tzadikim can create."
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Then, Elijah the Prophet told me, about the pleasure G-d takes, so to speak, from the praise and thanksgiving of the men, women and children, who praise Him.

Especially when the praise and thanks, comes from simple people. Specifically, when it is ongoing, continual praise--for then, they are continuously bonded with G-d, blessed be He, with pure faith, and sincerity of heart.
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From that time on, I took upon myself a path in the service of G-d, to bring men, women and children, to say words of praise to G-d.

I would always ask them about their health, the health of their children, about their material welfare;--and they would answer me, with different words of praise for the Holy One, blessed be He--each one in, his or her own way.

For several years I did this myself; and at one of the gatherings of the hidden Tzadikim, they all accepted this path.
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The following is translated by Yaacov-David Shulman from Kovetz Eliyahu, p. 14:

1. The entire Torah, and the entire world, contain nothing but the light of the Infinite One (blessed be He), concealed within them. All the verses that speak of this, are to be taken literally, such as "there is no other than He," and "I fill the heavens and the earth"

There is no act, word or thought, in which the essence of divinity, is not constricted and hiding.

And so, when you look and see with your mind's eye, you will see the inner, life-force aspect of everything; not just its outer, superficial layer. You will see nothing but the divine power, inside all things, that is giving them life, being, and existence at every moment.

And when you listen carefully, to the inner voice within any physical sound that you hear, you will hear only the voice of G-d. As at that moment, it is literally giving life and existence, to the sound that you are hearing.
2. The "exile of G-d's Presence," refers to the life-force and divine power, that gives a person life and existence, even at the moment that he is transgressing G-d's will.
3. The evil inclination and lust, are agents of G-d. They carry out G-d's will, to mislead a person, in order that he will overcome them.

From them, you can learn to be as mighty as they are. Just as they never slacken in their work, but are trying to destroy you day and night (because a person always desires what his eyes see and what his ears hear); just as they are happy and delighted, to carry out G-d's will; it should be as clear to you, that G-d wants you to overcome them, until you will conquer yourself, and all your desires will be under your control – and you transform them to good

This idea is alluded to in the verse, "We will take from it [from the flock], to serve G-d" (Ex. 10:26), meaning, that we will take a lesson from the evil inclination, to act just as it acts, to fulfill G-d's will. A word to the wise, is sufficient.

4. Having no [divine] source, evil does not come down from heaven. Nevertheless, evil that exists, has an inner power, giving it life. And this [inner power], is total goodness. If you look at the inner aspect of evil, you will only see the good in it.

5. A person has to cling to the words, that he speaks. Because each word contains a soul and divinity; when you cling to them, you are connected to divinity.

6. Everything that happens in the world, no matter how insignificant, comes from G-d. And so, do not concern yourself with, whether or not what has occurred, is in accordance with your will.

7. Neither thinking about the day of one's death, nor the fear of punishment in hell, will arouse a person's heart to serve G-d. But yearning to cling to the source of life and goodness, will do so. And neither fasting nor afflicting oneself will be of any help. But forgetting oneself, out of the depth of one's yearning, will do so.

8. Every person in his own right, is [essentially] a complete spiritual Torah. If he goes in G-d's path, that [Torah] is absorbed into his being, according to his level.

9. When a person prays for something that he needs, he should pray for the divine life-force, hiding within that thing, and giving it life; which is now suffering because of whatever it is lacking. And so one should ask G-d, to have pity on His life force, that is hidden in that thing.

10. G-d's Providence, extends to all created beings, even to inanimate objects and plants. There is nothing that is not viewed from above, in every detail. Everything was made with a specific purpose.

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Thirty Six Aphorisms of the Baal Shem Tov

1. Everything is by Divine Providence. If a leaf is turned over by a breeze, it is only because this has been specifically ordained by G-d to serve a particular function within the purpose of creation.

Every single thing that a person sees or hears, is an instruction to him in his conduct in the service of G-d.

"Love your fellow as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18) is an interpretation of and commentary on "Love the L-rd, your G-d" (Deuteronomy 6:5). He who loves a fellow Jew loves G-d, because the Jew has within himself a "part of G-d Above" (Job 31:2; see Tanya ch.

2). When one loves a fellow Jew, he loves the Jew's inner essence, and thereby loves G-d.

To love a fellow Jew is to love G-d. For it is written, "You are children of G-d" (Deuteronomy 14:1); when one loves the father, one loves his children.

G-d's love of each and every Jew is infinitely greater than the love of elderly parents to their only child born to them in their later years.

A sigh emitted because of a fellow's pain, breaks all the impenetrable barriers of the heavenly "accusers". And when a person rejoices in the joy of his fellow and blesses him, it is as dear to G-d and accepted by Him as the prayers of Rabbi Yishmael the High Priest in the Holy of Holies.

The love G-d has for every Jew extends not only to the Jew's soul but also to his body. G-d loves all Jews without distinction; the greatest Torah genius and scholar and the most simple Jew are loved equally by G-d.

One must have total self-sacrifice and dedication for love of one's fellow, even towards a Jew whom one has never seen.

"Torah that is unaccompanied by labor will ultimately cease" (Ethics of the Fathers 2:2). The "labor" of which the Mishnah speaks is the labor of loving one's fellow Jew.

The three loves - the love of G-d, love of Torah, and the love of one's fellow - are indeed truly one.

The Baal Shem Tov was orphaned from his father, the hidden tzaddik Rabbi Eliezer, at the age of five. The last words spoken to him by his holy father before his passing were: "Yisrolik, fear nothing but G-d alone. Love every single Jew, without exception, with the full depth of your heart and with the fire of your soul, no matter who he is or how he behaves."

The Baal Shem Tov's love of a fellow Jew was beyond imagination. His successor, the Maggid of Mezeritch, said: If only we could kiss a Torah-scroll with the same love that my Master kissed the children when he took them to school as a teacher's assistant.

A soul may descend to this world and live seventy or eighty years just in order to do a Jew a material favor, and certainly a spiritual one.
It is written, "For you (the people of Israel) shall be a desirable land, says G-d" (Malachi 3:12).

Just as the greatest explorers will never uncover the limits of the great and valuable resources which the Almighty has placed within the earth, neither will anyone ever discover the limits of the great treasures which lie buried within a Jew - G-d's "desirable land."

Your fellow is your mirror. If your own face is clean, so will be the image you perceive. But should you look upon your fellow and see a blemish, it is your own imperfection that you are encountering - you are being shown what it is that you must correct within yourself.

Our Sages have said that "Slander kills all three" - the subject of the slander, the one who relates it, and the listener. This is all in spiritual terms, which is more severe than physical murder.

The wholesome simplicity of the simple Jew touches on the utterly simple essence of G-d.

Cleaving to G-d is the master-key that opens all locks. Every Jew, including the most simple, possesses the ability to cleave to the words of Torah and prayer, thereby achieving the highest degrees of unity with G-d.

The simple true faith of a Jewish man or woman that finds expression in their recitation of Psalms is the highest level of attachment to G-d. It arouses G-d's Divine mercies and provides succor to the one who recites these holy words in a spirit of oneness with G-d.

"An angel of G-d appeared to [Moses] in a flame of fire amidst the thorn-bush; and he saw that, behold, and the bush burned with fire, but was not consumed" (Exodus 3:2).

It is in the simple folk - the "lowly" thorn-bush - that this insatiable Divine flame is found, for theirs is an unquenchable thirst for G-dliness, Torah and its commandments.

"And Moses said: Let me move from here..." (ibid. 3:3). Even a completely righteous individual such as Moses is not to be content with his spiritual achievements; he, too, must constantly ascend from "here" to "there."

There are two levels in the study of Torah, Torah of the mind and Torah of the heart. The mind cogitates, comprehends and understands; the heart feels. I have come to reveal Torah as it extends to the heart as well.

G-d commanded Noah to "Enter into the teivah" (literally "ark", but also "word"). One should enter into and cleave to the letters and words of Torah and prayer. This will protect the person and his entire extended family, enabling them to receive from G-d all their necessities.

The Baal Shem Tov was very fond of light, and said, "Or (light) is the numerical equivalent of raz ('secret'). Whoever knows the 'secret' in every thing can bring illumination."

"Conceal shall I conceal My face on that day" (Deuteronomy 31:18). Galut (the Exile) is a twofold concealment, wherein the concealment itself is concealed. So great is this concealment, that one is not even aware of the concealment; one may even come to think of the darkness as light.
"Shall a man conceal himself in hidden places and I will not to see him?" (Jeremiah 23:24). The Baal Shem Tov interpreted this verse thus: Should "a man conceal himself in hidden places and I" - i.e., he retains his ego, his "I" - then, says G-d, "I will not see him."

"G-d is your shadow" (Psalms 121:5) - Just as a person's shadow entirely mimics his actions, so does G-d, as it were, entirely reciprocate our deeds.

"Who alone performs great wonders" (Psalms 136:4) - All that G-d does is "great wonders." Most wondrous of all these wonders are those of which He alone is cognizant.

It is written: "When you will see the donkey of your enemy collapsing under its burden, and you are inclined to refrain from aiding him, you shall nevertheless aid him" (Exodus 23:5).

The Baal Shem Tov applied this instruction to the body and the material self (chamor, "donkey", also means "materiality"). Initially - the Torah is saying - you may see your body as your enemy, resisting your soul's objectives, collapsing under the "burden" of the mitzvot.

You may therefore be inclined to fight the body by denying its needs and mortifying it. Says the Torah: You must aid your soul's "enemy". Purify the body, refine it, do not break it.

"Seek peace and pursue it" (Psalms 34:15) - One must seek and pursue means of making peace and establishing harmony between the material world and the G-dly life-force that vitalizes it.

"The earth shall rest a sabbath to G-d" (Leviticus 25:2) - Give earthiness a rest; permeate it with the sabbath of spirituality and holiness.

"Your beginning shall be small, and your end shall flourish exceedingly" (Job 8:7) - Small and inauspicious beginnings are often crucial for the person to flourish exceedingly in the end.

The Torah (Numbers 33) enumerates the 42 encampments in "the journeys of the Children of Israel who came out of Egypt." Each and every one of us goes through our own personal forty-two journeys in life, beginning with our "exodus," our birth, passing through the many way-stations in our lives, and concluding upon reaching the promised celestial "Land of Life."

Tishrei, the month of the new year, is blessed by G-d Himself, on the Shabbat of Blessing, the last Shabbat in the previous month of Elul. With this power, the people of Israel bless the other months eleven times a year.

It is written, "You stand upright this day before the L-rd your G-d" (Deuteronomy 29:9). "This day" refers to Rosh Hashanah which is the day of judgment. Yet you remain standing firmly upright, meaning you will be vindicated in judgment.

I asked the Moshiach, "When will you come?" and he said to me: "When your wellsprings shall spread to the outside."