English translation — וירא א

1.

One has already several times¹

told the story of the Rebbe

(the Rebbe Rashab)

of blessed memory,

which happened when he was a child of four or five years,

on Shabbat Parashat Vayeira:

The Rebbe of blessed memory entered to his grandfather, His Holiness the Admor the Tzemach Tzedek

(to receive the blessing in connection with his birthday²)

and he cried bitterly,

saying: Why did the Almighty reveal Himself to Abraham our father and to us

(to him)

does He not reveal Himself?

the Tzemach Tzedek answered him: that a Jew

(a tzaddik³),

to ninety-nine years,

decides that he needs to circumcise himself,

he is worthy that the Almighty should reveal Himself to him.

B.

Stories of our Nesi'im in general,

and in particular those which they themselves revealed to us in order to publicize them,

are certainly precise in all their details.

Even the stories which happened in their childhood - from this itself that our Rabbis, our leaders, told the stories

(And particularly according to the saying of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed<sup>4</sup>

that "pods, pods are known from their picking"),

it is understandable,

that they are not only a matter from which one can take a lesson in the service of G-d

(just as one must take from <b>every </b>thing that one sees or one hears<sup>5</sup>),

rather they contain a unique content,

which one must learn and understand.

So in the aforementioned story it is not understandable: "And G-d appeared to Avram" is stated already earlier and two times

(in the portion Lech Lecha<sup>6</sup>).

Why was there the weeping of the Rebbe, may his soul be in Eden, about this that the Almighty revealed Himself to Avraham our father and to us

(to him)

He does not reveal Himself - in connection with the verse in the portion Vayeira,

and not from the portion Lech Lecha?

About the second time "And Hashem appeared to Avram"

(from Parsha Lech Lecha)

- one can say,

that the Rebbe of blessed memory perhaps had not yet then learned that verse,

since the verse is almost at the <b>end </b>of the sedra

(as is customary in several places the order of study with children,

that one teaches them each week only a part of the weekly portion<sup>7</sup>)

But regarding the first time "And Hashem appeared to Avram",

which is at the <b>beginning </b>of the sedra,

he had certainly then studied it - so why did his crying not come in connection with that verse?

3.

Simply, one can explain the reason: When he entered to the Tzemach Tzedek

(to receive the blessing in connection with the birthday),

it was in Parshat Vayeira,

he therefore asked also about the matter that he had learned <b>then</b>,

on "And Hashem appeared to him" that is stated in Parshat Vayeira

(but in the week of Parshat Lech Lecha there was no reason to also enter to the Tzemach Tzedek⁸)

However, the question remains: Why did the <b>Tzemach Tzedek</b> answer him only about "And Hashem appeared to him" from Parshat Vayeira,

and did not arouse that "And Hashem appeared to Avram" had already been earlier

(in Parshat Lech Lecha)

and - two times?

The question is even greater: the answer of the Tzemach Tzedek

(that the Almighty revealed Himself to Avraham Avinu because he had decided that he needed to circumcise himself)

answers <b>only </b>the verse "And the Lord appeared to him" from our parshah,

which came after the decision to circumcise himself — but the question remains

(and the complaint)

regarding "And the Lord appeared to Avram" from Parshas Lech Lecha, which were <b>before </b>he had circumcised himself⁹.

D.

At first glance, one can say the explanation in this:

The two times "Vayeira" in Parshas Lech were a <b>introduction and preparation</b> for a <b>statement</b>

("And Hashem appeared etc. and said etc."),

and consequently had

no place for the "Vayeira" to one — to which there is no statement;

But not in our parshah was there any saying

(or the like)

In continuation to the "Vayera"¹⁰,

The "Vayera" was a matter by itself; and therefore the Rebbe n"y separated himself specifically in connection with this "Vayera".

But this did not hold up,

because

where it says "Vayomer Hashem el etc." &lt;b&gt;without &lt;/b&gt;the preface "Vayera Hashem etc."; from this it is implied that also here the "Vayera" is a matter in itself

(not only because of the saying),

and the difficulty returns to its place - is also added to this]

Also the "Vayera" of our parshah had a cause,

a specific purpose

(as &lt;b&gt;Rashi &lt;/b&gt; - the plain meaning of Scripture - says&lt;sup&gt;12&lt;/sup&gt;)

- "to visit the sick" - and by the Rebbe n"e - was there &lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;the cause?

ה.

In the Baal HaTurim¹³

it stands,

that "And Hashem appeared to him"

(in our parshah)

was "because of the circumcision" — in the merit that Avraham Avinu had fulfilled the mitzvah of circumcision.

Based on this, one could seemingly answer,

that in this consisted the claim

(and complaint)

of the Rebbe, of blessed memory: since also by him there is

the merit of circumcision¹⁴,

therefore also comes to him the reward of "and appeared to him Hashem";

and on this the Tzemach Tzedek answered him,

that one cannot compare oneself to Abraham,

whose mitzvah of circumcision had a special quality - he circumcised himself "at ninety-nine years" - and therefore he

(specifically)

merited the "and appeared".

But this is a great difficulty,

because:

a)

<b>Rashi</b> explains,

as above,

that the "And Hashem appeared to him" was not merely a reward "for the circumcision",

but "to visit the sick"¹⁵

- and Rashi on the Torah is indeed

(also)

for a "five-year-old for Scripture" - it is understandable,

that the question of the Rebbe, of blessed memory, being a <b>child of four or five years</b> was held according to <b>Rashi's commentary</b> on the verse.

b)

Even according to the interpretation of the Baal HaTurim — since it speaks about the Rebbe, of blessed memory,

who, being a child, there was evident in him a trace of his later virtues

(as above, "Butzin butzin miktafiah yedia"⁴),

he certainly knew about the greatness of the virtue of the service of Avraham Avinu in general,

and all the more so that he understood the most simple and obvious virtue in the phrase "Avraham Avinu" regarding the mitzvah of milah

(in general),

which was at the age of ninety-nine years;

therefore there is no place that the Rebbe, of blessed memory,

(even as a child)

should compare himself to Avraham Avinu,

to the extent of having a <b>claim</b>,

why the Almighty revealed Himself to Avraham Avinu

(in the merit of the milah)

and to him He does not reveal Himself.

6.

And one can say the explanation in this,

Then on the contrary: the aforementioned claim of the Rebbe of blessed memory came indeed from the fact that he wanted what Rashi says that "And the Lord appeared to him" was "to visit the sick":

Were it not for Rashi's commentary, he would not have had any claim why the Supreme One does not reveal Himself to him as to Abraham our father - for how is it then possible that he should compare himself to Abraham our father;

However, since "And Hashem appeared to him" was "to visit the sick",

a matter of gemilus chasadim¹⁶,

d.

h.

The "vayera" was

(not so from the aspect of the <b>level of</b> Avraham Avinu¹⁷,

but)

from the aspect of the attribute of His kindness of the Holy One, blessed be He — he therefore argued: Since it bothers him that the Supreme One does not reveal Himself to him

(as was later seen that this brought him to weeping)

— therefore the Supreme One must do kindness also with him,

and reveal Himself also to him.

And according to this, it is simply answered why he did not ask about the two times "And Hashem appeared to Avram^"

in parshas Lech Lecha — because there the "vayera" was connected with <b>his level</b> of Avraham Avinu¹⁸,

and one cannot compare oneself to Avraham Avinu].

On this the Tzemach Tzedek answered him "that a Jew etc. decides that he needs to circumcise himself, then he becomes that the Almighty should reveal Himself to him": although the "And appeared to him Hashem" was

(not,

from the aspect of the virtue of the level of Abraham our father,

but)

from the aspect of acts of kindness

(of &lt;b&gt;the Holy One Blessed be He&lt;/b&gt;),

one must however &lt;b&gt;become &lt;/b&gt;worthy of this kindness,

be a "vessel" for this revelation&lt;sup&gt;19&lt;/sup&gt;

And the vessel for this is - the decision,

that in whatever situation he may be,

even when he is on a level of "a righteous person at ninety-nine years" he needs to circumcise himself&lt;sup&gt;20&lt;/sup&gt;.

7.

Also on the above explanation one can seemingly ask:

In short, the matter of visiting the sick is not merely a matter of acts of kindness,

but it

(has a special content,

it)

is connected specifically with a <b>sick person</b> - through the visit one alleviates the sufferings of the sick person and this itself helps for his healing ²¹

(and especially as it stands in the Gemara²²

that it takes away "one sixtieth" of the illness)

- which is even by a visit of a human being; and certainly that the <b>Almighty's</b> visiting the sick²³

surely effects the healing of the sick person²⁴.

Thus the question arises: how did the Rebbe N"E learn from "And Hashem appeared to him - to visit the &lt;b&gt;sick&lt;/b&gt;",

that the Supreme One &lt;b&gt;shows &lt;/b&gt;Himself also for another matter of acts of kindness,

which is &lt;b&gt;not &lt;/b&gt;connected with a sick person who needs to have a healing

(and the visitor "takes away etc. from his illness")?

This will be understood with the introduction that the Gemara&lt;sup&gt;25&lt;/sup&gt;

learns from "And Hashem appeared to him",

that just as "The Holy One, blessed be He, visited the sick ..

so too you visit the sick" - which also in this is not understandable

(in the manner of the aforementioned difficulty)

The Gemara²⁶

says that specifically by a "ben gilo" of the patient, through his bikkur cholim it is accomplished that "he takes etc. from his illness."

Now how can one learn from this what "Hashem visited the sick"

(whose bikkur cholim is certainly even more than "ben gilo"²⁷),

that by <b>every Jew</b>

(most of whom are not his ben gilo)

must be "bikkur cholim"²⁸?

And one must say,

that Rashi hints to this explanation in his commentary on the Torah,

by what he says "to visit the sick said Rabbi Chama bar Chanina²⁹

it was the third day after his circumcision and Hashem came and inquired about his welfare."

At first glance, the lengthiness in Rashi's language is not understood³⁰

: He already says "to visit the sick",

So why does he add "And the Holy One, blessed be He, came and inquired after his welfare"?

But with this Rashi warns: That which the Most High came to Avraham "to visit the sick",

it was <b>not</b> in order to remove from him his illness,

but

(<b>only</b>)

to inquire after his welfare³¹,

as follows.

ח.

After "And the Lord appeared to him" it stands³²

that Abraham saw "three men standing before him."

Says <b>Rashi</b> that one of them came "to heal Abraham."

And since whether

(also without "And the Lord appeared to him")

Abraham was healed <b>completely</b> through the angel Raphael³³

— there is no place to say,

that a little while earlier the Most High should come in order to remove from him

(only)

"one sixtieth of his illness"³⁵.

Therefore Rashi is precise,

"And the Holy One, blessed be He, came and inquired after his welfare" - that the purpose of this visiting the sick of the Holy One, blessed be He, was

(not - to heal,

at least one sixtieth,

but)

only a matter of bestowing kindness.

And therefore one learns from this the obligation of "visiting the sick" for every Jew.

And since the Almighty came "to visit the sick",

but bestowing kindness

(and not to remove his illness),

therefore the Rebbe, of blessed memory, had the claim,

that from the perspective of bestowing kindness,

the Almighty must also reveal Himself to him,

as above.

9.

as discussed at length previously³⁶,

is one of the directives that must be derived from this story:

since the aforementioned event with the Rebbe of blessed memory occurred when he was a child of four or five years old,

"younger than six years" — from this there is a directive,

that even a child who is four or five years old,

one can arouse in him

(through an education as appropriate)

a desire for spirituality and G‑dliness,

even to a wondrous desire that brings forth weeping.

And it is not a contradiction to this from the ruling of the Rambam³⁷

regarding the manner of teaching with a minor,

that one must encourage him "with matters that are beloved to him in the smallness of his years ..

Read and I will give you nuts etc." - because the aforementioned event

(and especially after my master, father-in-law, the Rebbe had publicized it),

revealed the path in education.

And it can be said further - <b>renewed</b> the path in education,

(and in the language of Chassidus)

He opened a new channel,

that one should be <b>able</b> to educate a child,

until G‑dliness should become "matters that are beloved to him",

a part also of his "<b>smallness of his years</b>".

In the manner that one finds regarding several matters

(also <b>in halacha</b>³⁸)

that "the natural [order] has changed".

Yud.

One must however have an explanation: Why indeed did the matter arise specifically in the later generations,

and through

(an event that occurred with)

the Rebbe n"e?

One will understand this by prefacing the explanation that the revelation of the inner dimension of the Torah came specifically in the later generations

(through the Arizal³⁹,

and afterwards through the Baal Shem Tov,

until in a manner of comprehension and understanding⁴⁰

through the Torah of Chassidus Chabad)

-at first glance,

now that the generation is worthy?

It is known one of the explanations about this &lt;sup&gt;41&lt;/sup&gt;,

that on the contrary: from the aspect that in the later generations the darkness is greater,

one must have an increase in the light of holiness.

And likewise is also in our subject: from the aspect of the strengthening of the darkness in the later generations,

one specifically now gave the power to educate children "from younger than six years",

that spirituality and G‑dliness should become a part of their life,

as above.

And this is also the reason that this matter was initiated through

(an event that happened with)

the Rebbe, may his soul be in Eden:

From the special matters of the Rebbe, may his memory be for a blessing, was - that he founded the Tomchei Temimim yeshiva,

where one should study the revealed part of the Torah together with the inner dimension of the Torah,

as one Torah<b>42</b>.

So as an introduction to this, one needed to open a new channel and a new path in the matter of education,

that even when the child is only four or five years old,

one can arouse in him a wondrous desire,

that he should yearn that the Most High should reveal Himself to him.

And the conduct mentioned that is called "Moshiach-like"⁴³

- becomes the preparation close to the coming and revelation of Moshiach,

when it will be <b>and God appeared</b>⁴⁴,

"And the glory of God shall be revealed, and all flesh together shall see that the mouth of God has spoken"⁴⁵

below ten handbreadths,

very soon,

when "the Master has come" - King Moshiach.

(From sichos of Shabbos Parshas Vayeira

(20 Marcheshvan)

and Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Chayei Sarah 5740)