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Weekly Chasidic Story #901 (s5775-24 / 10 Adar 5775) An Even More Difficult Question As they journeyed together to the Rebbe, Reb Shmuel Munkes revealed to the great scholar his own difficulties in understanding the Kabbalah. Connection: A recipe for PURIM
An Difficult Question in KabbalaMore than two hundred years ago, in the days of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the "Alter Rebbe" of Chabad, there lived a man who considered himself a great scholar of Kabbalah. One day, some difficult questions arose during his studies of the Jewish mystical texts. He decided to travel to the Alter Rebbe to see for himself if he was as knowledgeable as people said. On the way to Liozna he happened to meet Reb Shmuel Munkes, a chasid of the Alter Rebbe. The two conversed, and when they discovered they were heading in the same direction, they agreed to travel together. After the kabbalist revealed the reason for his trip, Reb Shmuel exclaimed, "How fortunate that we have met each other! I, too, am going to the Alter Rebbe on a spiritual quest!' As they journeyed together, Reb Shmuel, who had little tolerance for arrogance, said he would like to confide a difficulty of his own in understanding the Kabbalah. "Perhaps your honor can solve it for me. It is written in one of the books of mysticism: In the beginning, it was scattered and dispersed. Then it was attached together in circular form. Then the circle stretched into lines, in different directions, until it assumed a triangular shape, with a point in the center. Finally, through combining the elements of fire and water, it was completed and very good." The scholar had to admit he was baffled. "I would like very much to understand what this means," Reb Shmuel sighed, then continued. "You know what? Being that your knowledge in these matters is so much greater than mine," he said deferentially, "I would appreciate it very much if you asked this question for me when you are in the presence of the Rebbe. You may enter his room before me." The man agreed, promising to include the matter among his own inquiries to be posed to the Alter Rebbe. Indeed, he was so impressed with the complexity of the question that he decided to ask it even before his own set. When the Alter Rebbe heard what the problem was, he laughed. "You are describing Kreplach!" he declared definitively. "What? I don't understand," said the confused visitor. The Alter Rebbe explained. In the beginning there is flour, all over [the pan]. You knead it together until a nice, firm dough is formed. Then roll the dough out and cut it into squares, fold each square over so it has three corners, and fill it with meat in the center. Cook it in water that had been heated over fire. You will end up with a very tasty dish." The previously arrogant scholar silently withdrew from the room, greatly embarrassed. When Reb Shmuel, next in line for an audience with the Rebbe, entered the room, the Alter Rebbe looked at him and said, "This was your doing, was it not?" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Biographic notes: Rabbi Shnuer Zalman [of blessed memory: 18 Elul 5505 - 24 Tevet 5573 (1745 - Dec. 1812 C.E.)], one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic movement. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings. Editor's note: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.