1. A Personal Dilemma and Its Resolution
I faced a dilemma earlier today. After Mincha, I noticed heavy traffic on Main Street due to roadwork. I knew Shimon was waiting for me down by Hickson Farm, expecting a ride. If I sat in the traffic, I would miss most of the minyan, but I also had no way to reach him—he doesn’t carry a cell phone yet. I was torn: should I let him wait, possibly for 20 or 30 minutes, or even longer? That didn’t seem right either.2. Inspiration from the Baal Shem Tov’s Approach
I remembered what we studied this morning—a piece from the Hayom Yom—the daily entry compiled by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Today’s entry discussed how the Baal Shem Tov, when he began to teach and reveal the ways of Chassidus, would actually travel to people to inspire them. He lived during a very difficult period in Jewish history—financially, physically, and emotionally challenging for many Jews. There were large segments of the Jewish population who were unlearned and felt disenfranchised; they didn’t feel they belonged anywhere because they weren’t accepted among scholars or even within their own communities.3. The Baal Shem Tov’s Mission: Reaching Out to Every Jew
Because of these hardships, many Jews sought other options and drifted away from Judaism. The Baal Shem Tov responded by traveling from place to place, bringing messages of hope and trust in Hashem. He told stories from the Talmud and spoke directly to the hearts of simple people. Many were moved by his outreach and reconsidered leaving Yiddishkeit, choosing instead to persevere and even become learned themselves.4. The Shift with the Maggid of Mezritch
After the Baal Shem Tov, his successor—the Maggid of Mezritch—no longer traveled; instead, people came to him. This change occurred because by then Chassidus was already known and its influence had spread—the groundwork had been laid so that people now sought out inspiration on their own.5. Applying These Lessons: Taking Initiative
Reflecting on this, I realized that Shimon wouldn’t come here on his own; it was up to me to reach out and bring him here—just as the Baal Shem Tov went out to inspire others rather than waiting for them to come. That’s why I decided it was important for me to go pick him up despite the inconvenience.6. Insights from Parshas Vayeitzei: Rachel’s Prayer
This idea connects with this week’s parsha as well. In today’s Chumash, Yosef is born and Rachel names him Yosef because she prayed: Yosef Hashem li ben acher—“May Hashem add for me another son.” At that point, her sister already had six sons and a daughter; each of the pilagshim—concubine wives—had two sons each as well. They knew Yaakov would have twelve sons, so Rachel prayed that her next son would be hers.7. The Deeper Meaning of “Ben Acher”
Rachel’s wording is intriguing: Yosef Hashem li ben acher. On a simple level it means “add another son,” but there is an inner interpretation: “to take an acher—a stranger or someone distant—and turn him into a ben, a son.” Rachel was asking for the merit—the zechus—to be able to bring someone who is far away closer, transforming an outsider into family.8. The Reward for Reaching Out
This is a tremendous merit—to help someone move from being an acher, an outsider, into being a ben, part of our people. We see that Rachel displayed great self-sacrifice—mesirus nefesh. Hashem promises her: “There is reward for your work,” and ultimately “your children will return to their boundaries”—meaning those who are lost will come back home through such efforts at outreach and care.