Friday, July 24, 2009

SHABBOS CHAZON

Sichos Nissan-Elul 5739
FREE TRANSLATION
OF
SICHA OF THE LUBAVITCHER REBBE SHLITA
SHABBOS KODESH PARSHAS DEVORIM
SHABBOS CHAZON
 
As is well known, R. Hillel of Paritch2 would quote R. Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev3 who explains that the name
Chazon has the implication "vision." On this Shabbos, every Jew is shown a vision of the Future Beis HaMikdash from a
distance.

R. Levi Yitzchak explains this concept with a parable of a father who had a valuable garment prepared for his son.
The son, however, [was not careful and caused] the garment to be torn into several pieces. The father had a
second garment made for his son, but the son also [caused] this garment to be torn.
The father then had a third garment prepared. He did not, however, give it to his son to wear. Instead, he would show it to his son "rarely, at certain preordained occasions,"
telling him that if he would conduct himself in an upright manner, he would give him the garment to wear.
 
3. The teaching is also quoted in the Tzemach Tzedek's notes to Eichah, Nach, Vol.
II, p. 1097, in the footnotes.
 
In this manner, the father would train his son to conduct himself in an upright manner to the extent that it
would become second nature for the child. When [the son's character would become refined], the father would give the
garment to the son to wear.

II. Among the concepts that we can learn from this parable is the following: On Shabbos Chazon, every person is shown
a vision of the Future Beis HaMikdash. [This includes not only the righteous, but also, and indeed,] primarily those
individuals who must be trained to conduct themselves in an upright manner so that they will not cause — through
their deeds — the precious garment to be torn.

Not only is Shabbos Chazon a time of the revelation of the Future Beis HaMikdash {— on this Shabbos, we see the
Beis HaMikdash, as R. Hillel would say: "the Beis HaMikdash is shown" —} but, this revelation is granted to "everyone,"
even those individuals who are described as being "filled with mitzvos as a pomegranate [is with seeds]."4 {This
parallels the holiness of the Shabbos and the festivals which shines "even within the soul of an uncultivated person and
a totally unlearned individual ... in the same manner as it shines within (the holiness of) the soul of a righteous
man."5}

On the contrary, since the intent of showing the vision of the Future Beis HaMikdash is to train [the Jews] to
conduct themselves in an upright manner, it follows that the revelation is directed primarily at those who need such
instruction, individuals who, were they not granted such a vision, might not conduct themselves in an upright manner.
III. There is another concept that can be derived from this parable. The intent of showing the garment to the child
"rarely, at certain preordained occasions" is to evoke a yearning for the garment within the child. Indeed, the
yearning must be so great to motivate the child to conduct himself in an upright manner and to do so until this
becomes "second nature."

From this, we can appreciate that the revelation of the Future Beis HaMikdash to every individual on Shabbos Chazon
[produces a change in behavior]. Although the revelation is "from a distance," and thus there are some individuals who
are unaware of it, it has an internal effect on every Jew. The vision of the Future Beis HaMikdash which a Jew's soul is
granted has an effect on his body and his animal soul and motivates them to conduct themselves in an upright
manner.

{In order for this revelation to be internalized, however, in these last generations, when we are approaching
Mashiach's coming, this concept has been publicized to everyone. [This enables everyone] to contemplate and think
deeply about the concept, causing the vision to have deeper impact.}
Crown Jewels Vol 2
 
Kol Tuv,
R' Tal Moshe Zwecker
Director Machon Be'er Mayim Chaim
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