Something is only work when you don't want to do it for its sake. The day a baseball player only steps onto the field because he wants his paycheck, not for the love of the game, he's working, not playing. There's nothing wrong with work; in point of fact, it's quite the wonderful thing. Forget the financial aspects-there's something very satisfying about doing something you're not particularly interested in doing and doing it well. But at the same time, it's only a means, not an end. G-d created a world, and everything in it, but he didn't create it all equally. He wanted to create non-Jews, but not because he wanted a world filled with goyim; he made them because he wanted them in his world. Jews, on the other hand, were not created for another purpose. They're just there because He wants them.
Speaking of work, today is Beis Iyar, the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash, Lechatchila Ariber, as the Rebbe would often refer to him. Of course, if you're Shlomo Cunin then you put on your Sefer Torah (at Running Springs) "Lechatchila Ariber unAriber" (ooh, chasssiiddisshh), but that's neither here nor there. As the Tzemach Tzedek remarked when his son was complimented, "What do you expect of Tiferes sheb'Tiferes?"
The Rebbe Maharash has always been a little mysterious. We don't have a picture of him. (Actually, I have heard tell of a likeness possessed by some family in Crown Heights displayed under a glass counter top, but that could just be over-active Bochur imagination). He was first married at the age of fourteen to his niece Rebbitzen Shterna, after a whole round of sibling squabbling. She became ill soon after the wedding, and after a prolonged illness she passed away. When he was fifteen he was married again, to Rebbitzen Rivkah, no relation. (For a complete biography, see here)
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Meanwhile, in other news, the latest Haveil Havalim, ably hosted by the Rebbitzen's Husband, is up here.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
For no other purpose
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8 comments:
The Rebbe wrote a biography for him - something he didn't do for the other rebbiem.
There is a picture in the chabad archives, the Rebbe didn't want it released because the ailing Rebbe maharash did not look b'kovodik.
Ya I also heard there is a picture of the Rebbe Maharash but the Rebbe never published it because he was not in good health when the picture was taken.
It's also the 4th birthday of a Reuven Shimon Fox.
Mottel: see the link. Also, I'll believe that there's a picture when I see it.
le7: happy birthday a Reuven shimon fox.
There is a story with the Rebbe Rayatz meeting someone on a train, and that person thought that the Rebbe Rayatz was the Rebbe Maharash (I don't remember all the details). From that story we can surmise that the Rebbe Maharash looked very similar to the Rebbe Rayatz.
Who was the other one for whom there is no picture?
le7: Happy Birthday Reuven Shimon Fox
The mitteler Rebbe.
Rebbetzin Rivkah actually was also a cousin of the Rebbe Maharash. Her mother and the Tzemach Tzedek's rebbetzin were sisters, daughters of the Mittler Rebbe.
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