This Shabbat marks 80 years since the passing of the Rebbe’s father. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson was the chief rabbi of Denipro, Ukraine, and the only leader of his caliber to operate in the Soviet Union throughout the 1930s. He heroically stood as a bulwark against their fiendish efforts to destroy Judaism there, paying the ultimate sacrifice as he passed away in 1944 relatively young in the remote region of Almaty, Kazakhstan after a lengthy exile.
Aside from his legendary rabbinic leadership, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok was widely known for his brilliant Torah scholarship. His unique style of Torah analysis was to illustrate the unity between all genres of Torah scholarship. A passage in the Talmud revealed layers of mystical meaning, and a biblical verse, understood in a broader context, conveyed transformative inspirational messages. Here is one of his teachings.
There is a mitzvah to recite the “Shema” in the morning and the evening and the second paragraph called “Vehaya Im Shamoa” is recorded in this week’s parsha. Whereas the first paragraph of the Shema describes our divine service in altruistic terms, the second paragraph describes the transactional element of our relationship with G-d.
“And it will be if you hearken to My commandments that I command you this day… I will give the rain of your land at its time… and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil.”
Most of us don’t pay attention to the fact that the Torah only specifies grain, wine, and oil because we understand they represent all produce necessary for nutrition and pleasure. However, Rabbi Levi Yitzchok focused on these three products to illustrate how this verse communicates a broader message than “if you obey G-d you will eat.”
Grain, wine, and oil correspond to Pesach, Purim, and Chanukah respectively, the three major holidays of our national redemption. The Israelites initially emigrated from Israel to Egypt so that Joseph could provide them with grain during a terrible famine, which ultimately led to their enslavement by Pharaoh. At the appointed time, their redemption was so swift, that they had no time to allow their dough (made from grain) to rise, and we commemorate it each year by eating Matzah (made from grain).
The Purim story formally begins with the royal feast dominated by wine drinking that led to Haman’s rise to power. Queen Esther ultimately destroyed Haman at a private wine party and we celebrate each year by drinking wine.
The Assyrian Greek empire launched its war against Judaism by intentionally defiling all the olive oil in the Holy Temple compound. When the Maccabees regained control of the Holy Temple, they were graced with the miracle of finding a one-day supply of ritually pure olive oil that miraculously burned brightly for eight days in the Menorah, commemorated each year on Chanukah through lighting candles for eight nights, preferably of oil.
Now we can read the paragraph as saying “If you hearken to My commandments… you will merit redemption.”
As the world stumbles from conflict to conflict and ricochets from crisis to crisis, we are assured that every Mitzvah we do hastens the realization of the ultimate redemption through Moshiach who will usher in an era of true peace and serenity for all.