Courage Is Men
| Courage is … men. Another holiday in this Jewish month of Kislev celebrates the release of the Alter Rebbe from jail in Czarist Russia in 1798. He was imprisoned on false charges that his teachings and activities threatened the rulership of the Czar. When he sat in his cell, he had a vision of the holy sage, the Baal Shem Tov who told him the spiritual reason of why he was in prison – the Rebbe had been spreading the wellsprings of mystical teachings (Chassidus/kabbalah) and the decree from Above was that the world wasn’t ready to receive this divine light. The Rebbe asked the Baal Shem – “If released, should I stop?” The Baal Shem said “No, if you are set free, it is a sign from the heavenly court that the decree is absolved and you should disseminate these teachings even more.” The Rebbe was allowed to go free and continue his precious work of drawing divine light into the world. It takes tremendous courage to stick with the higher purpose of our being and share it with others. Men will endure anything to do this.
2nd day of the Jewish month of Kislev – the month of Courage |
