A TIME FOR LEECH TREATMENT
Elul
On Simchas Torah 5703, the Frierdike related the following story;
When the Mitteler Rebbe was a young child of 5 years old, he was tutored by his Melamed Reb Ber. Reb Ber lived next to the home of Reb Avrohom the doctor of Liozna.
One day in Cheder during the month of Elul, the Mitteler Rebbe overhead Reb Avrohom the doctor lamenting “it is already deep into Elul and I have still not prepared the leeches”.
[In those days, leeches were used in medical treatments to remove ‘bad blood’ and to calm the boiling blood. (Leeching is still used in a number of medical situations today). Leeches could only be caught during the summer months and Elul was already the end of the season].
When he came home, the Mitteler Rebbe saw a group of Chassidim sitting together, schmoozing and laughing.
The Mittler Rebbe called out to them “it is already deep in Elul and you haven’t prepared the leeches! Is that why you are laughing?” - repeating the words that he had overheard from the doctor.
The Chassidim, surprised by this bizarre rebuke from such a young child, thought that the Mitteler Rebbe must have heard this statement from his father, the Alter Rebbe.
Immediately they began to discuss this teaching, seeking to understand its meaning.
When the Alter Rebbe heard of this incident, it was clarified that the Mitteler Rebbe had not heard these words from his father. Rather, he had overheard them from the doctor, Reb Avrohom.
The Alter Rebbe said to the Chaasidim “the Baal Shem Tov taught us that from everything that we see or hear, even in the physical world, we must use in the service of Hashem. We (the elder Chassidim) have had to work and toil for years to absorb this lesson. But our children already have it in their nature.”
The Alter Rebbe concluded with a Brachah “whoever will go in the way of the Baal Shem Tov, using everything they see in the physical world in their service of Hashem, he promises that their Avodah will plant a spark of inspiration that will assist them and their future generations in the service of Hashem”.
Chassidim related that on Rosh Hashanah of that year, the floor was soaked with the tears from the aphorism of the Mitteler Rebbe. And when they dance on Simchas Torah, their shoes became worn out as they danced with the Simcha of the Alter Rebbe’s promise.
Blood represents vitality. Warm blood represents a person’s passions, desires and enthusiasm.
Our ‘good blood’ is the passion of the G-dly soul and our excitement in holy matters; prayer, Torah study and observance of Mitzvos. This ‘blood’ is healthy.
‘Bad blood’ is the passionate desires of our animalistic soul. These desires could be for forbidden things but could also be for things which are not inherently forbidden, but are nonetheless selfish indulgence.
These desires create a barrier that prevent us from being spiritually sensitive and receptive to holiness. During Elul we need to work on removing this ‘bad blood’.
Fiery passion—boiling blood– is spiritually unhealthy and must be calmed, even in our ‘good blood’.
We have to be excited and passionate about our Yiddishkeit. But we have to be careful that we don’t get carried away with a our spiritual passions which can end up expressing themselves in negative or unhealthy ways.
For example, getting caught up in the excitement and energy of a Mitzvah could lead to overlooking the details of the Halachos of the Mitzvah or relegating their importance.
In this instance, we need to temper our excitement with focus.
Whilst we are not doctors and have no need for leeches, but the lesson of a 5 year old future Rebbe should stir in our hearts; “it’s deep in Elul” how are we going in our spiritual leech-therapy?
When the Mitteler Rebbe was a young child of 5 years old, he was tutored by his Melamed Reb Ber. Reb Ber lived next to the home of Reb Avrohom the doctor of Liozna.
One day in Cheder during the month of Elul, the Mitteler Rebbe overhead Reb Avrohom the doctor lamenting “it is already deep into Elul and I have still not prepared the leeches”.
[In those days, leeches were used in medical treatments to remove ‘bad blood’ and to calm the boiling blood. (Leeching is still used in a number of medical situations today). Leeches could only be caught during the summer months and Elul was already the end of the season].
When he came home, the Mitteler Rebbe saw a group of Chassidim sitting together, schmoozing and laughing.
The Mittler Rebbe called out to them “it is already deep in Elul and you haven’t prepared the leeches! Is that why you are laughing?” - repeating the words that he had overheard from the doctor.
The Chassidim, surprised by this bizarre rebuke from such a young child, thought that the Mitteler Rebbe must have heard this statement from his father, the Alter Rebbe.
Immediately they began to discuss this teaching, seeking to understand its meaning.
When the Alter Rebbe heard of this incident, it was clarified that the Mitteler Rebbe had not heard these words from his father. Rather, he had overheard them from the doctor, Reb Avrohom.
The Alter Rebbe said to the Chaasidim “the Baal Shem Tov taught us that from everything that we see or hear, even in the physical world, we must use in the service of Hashem. We (the elder Chassidim) have had to work and toil for years to absorb this lesson. But our children already have it in their nature.”
The Alter Rebbe concluded with a Brachah “whoever will go in the way of the Baal Shem Tov, using everything they see in the physical world in their service of Hashem, he promises that their Avodah will plant a spark of inspiration that will assist them and their future generations in the service of Hashem”.
Chassidim related that on Rosh Hashanah of that year, the floor was soaked with the tears from the aphorism of the Mitteler Rebbe. And when they dance on Simchas Torah, their shoes became worn out as they danced with the Simcha of the Alter Rebbe’s promise.
Blood represents vitality. Warm blood represents a person’s passions, desires and enthusiasm.
Our ‘good blood’ is the passion of the G-dly soul and our excitement in holy matters; prayer, Torah study and observance of Mitzvos. This ‘blood’ is healthy.
‘Bad blood’ is the passionate desires of our animalistic soul. These desires could be for forbidden things but could also be for things which are not inherently forbidden, but are nonetheless selfish indulgence.
These desires create a barrier that prevent us from being spiritually sensitive and receptive to holiness. During Elul we need to work on removing this ‘bad blood’.
Fiery passion—boiling blood– is spiritually unhealthy and must be calmed, even in our ‘good blood’.
We have to be excited and passionate about our Yiddishkeit. But we have to be careful that we don’t get carried away with a our spiritual passions which can end up expressing themselves in negative or unhealthy ways.
For example, getting caught up in the excitement and energy of a Mitzvah could lead to overlooking the details of the Halachos of the Mitzvah or relegating their importance.
In this instance, we need to temper our excitement with focus.
Whilst we are not doctors and have no need for leeches, but the lesson of a 5 year old future Rebbe should stir in our hearts; “it’s deep in Elul” how are we going in our spiritual leech-therapy?