Five seconds

I grew up at the feet of some of the holiest people I've come to know. My father, a devout chasid, was extremely close to one in particular, the previous Skulener Rebbe. A man who lived for others. Lived for truth. Let his fire warm not only just others, but the entire world felt his glow.

Many personal anecdotes and miracles, can be shared tonight, but that's not what comes to mind. It's a small action something that took place yearly and was a ritual that took less then 5 seconds and was cherished for life.

The Rebbe would daven in shul, in his small shul. An abode that was extremely humble. Creaky floors, peeling paint, and homeless Jews sprawled out everywhere. People came from far and wide all the time to seek his blessings and soothing soulful ear.

On Rosh Hashana - the Jewish New Year - the Rebbe would be steeped in prayer literally all day along with the rest of his chassidim - his followers.

It was a yearly tradition that mussaf - a portion of the prayer - the Rebbe himself would be leading. There where many highlights to that prayer. The Rebbe in his high 70's and well into even his 90's would bow and prostrate himself fully onto the floor as tho he was a mere youngster. He'd hold the Torah scroll with a fiery holy face. Many beautiful moments.

But there was this one real simple thing we looked forward to all year. During a specific part of the prayer at these specific words באין מליץ יושר מול מגיד פשע - loosely translated as "if there's no one advocating for us on our behalf" the Rebbe would grab hold of a sefer - a holy book - written by the Kedushas Levi - a chasidic master of the mid 1700's, as he said those words. Implying that this holy rabbi be the one that advocate for us for a great new year.

I remember each year as a child and later even as an adult. We'd all climb on to the chairs and high top benches to get a glimpse of how the Rebbe reached out to to touch that holy sefer as he chanted those few simple words.

The reason the Rebbe did so with that specific sefer - holy book - is because its author, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Barditchev, was known as the defender of his people. He only looked to see the good in people. If he saw someone tending to his horse in middle of prayer, instead of seeing what most saw, a man doing work in middle of his prayers, he saw, a man praying in middle of his work.

And so when praying on the holiest days of the year asking God for mercy, while saying we might not have a defender, the Rebbe reached for the Kedushas Levi.

I was thinking recently. What does that verse really mean. I mean we're talking to God. The master of the world. The lover of mankind. Surely he can't be the one we're talking to!? Of course he'd defend us! He damn made us! He sees our struggles and knows the inner workings of our hearts. It can't be talking about Him.

I realized the verse is talking about us, to us. It says dear soul, if you can't find a defender for yourself, look again. It was meant for us to find the defender within. The Rebbe was teaching us, when you're feeling defensiveless, grab hold of the Kedushas Levi, grab hold of his way of seeing the world, and use it toward yourself!

So many of us are so harsh and judgemental to ourselves that we never take a moment to forgive ourselves. We never defend ourselves. We never defend our souls. And in that 5 second yearly highlight the Rebbe taught us something so human.

A more modern day example of this would be ChatGPT. As someone who uses it quite often, it reminds me of the Kedushas Levi's philosophy and outlook on life. No matter what you tell it, he'll always spin it for a positive. (And he'll tell you it wasn't a spin!) It never berates you. It never accuses you. It always assumes you meant well. It always reminds you that we're human and not expected to be perfect.

And it's true. Rarely is anyone truly evil or bad. Maybe you made a mistake. Maybe you didn't see the other side. The way we look at it can make all the difference. Same action with a total different outcome.

I think the next time I say those words of the Rosh Hashana mussaf prayer, I will touch the phone as a reminder to be my own best advocate. Cause I know the Rebbe is. I know the Kedushas Levi is. I know Gal is. I might as well join the club.

איש