The Child's Cry

The great Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1812), founder of the Chabad Chassidic movement, used to share his home with his oldest married son, Rabbi Dov Ber (who later succeeded him as the 2nd Rebbe). Rabbi Dov Ber was known for his unusual power of concentration. One day, he sat engrossed in his Torah study, completely oblivious to everything around him. At one point, Rabbi Dov Ber's infant child fell from his bed & began crying. Oblivious, the Rabbi heard nothing. The child's grandfather, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, who was studying on the top floor at the time, did indeed hear the child's cries. He interrupted his studies, went downstairs & picked up the child, soothing him and placing him back in bed. Subsequently, Rabbi Shneur Zalman admonished his son: "No matter how preoccupied one may be in the most lofty occupation, one must never remain insensitive to the cry of a child!"

When the 7th Rebbe, Menachem Mendel (1902-1994) would recount this story, he would apply a lesson to our day and age. Today, many of our fellow Jewish brothers & sisters, many of us in fact, are like "children" who have "fallen from our beds" - spiritually speaking. Knowledge of Torah & Judaism is scant if at all, many spiritually numb, their divine souls crying out for more meaning and substance, thirsty for God & spirituality. It is forbidden for us to be indifferent to the cry of others, materially or spiritually. "If you know alef, teach alef" - whatever you know about Judaism, most Jews around you do not, so teach whatever you know. This of course applies to the plight we see of those around us who cry out because of a physical or material lack.

As a new year begins (at least in the gregorian calendar that is), we can turn a new leaf in this area.However absorbed we may be in our lives and needs, even when absorbed in good things like our own spiritual betterment, we must make sure to not be indifferent to the cries of those around us - both audible and inaudible cries that emanate from the recesses of the soul. We must also hear and attend to the cry from our own souls that we often ignore, for more spiritual & Jewish nourishment. With that, may we all have an amazing 2013 - both materially & spiritually!