REALITY CHECK

When I was in front of the Rebbe, someone said “This is the lady who had the dream.” The Rebbe immediately responded, “It wasn’t a dream, it was reality!”

The following story was told to me by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg. A woman in Australia, to whom this story happened, shared it herself with Rabbi Greenberg when he was there a few years ago. I am writing it here in first person, in the words of this woman to whom it happened:

I hadn’t been feeling well for some time (began the woman in her narrative), and when I finally underwent comprehensive tests, I was presented with the worst possible news: The doctor informed me that I was suffering from a rare and potentially fatal blood disease. His prognosis was that I had at best a few days left to live. I lay in the hospital, miserable and depressed, and prepared for the end. My only brother, with whom I was very close, hadn’t visited me, as he felt unable to face neither me nor my situation.

One night, I had a dream. In my dream, I saw myself standing at the beginning of a long dark tunnel (this is in fact a very common dream or vision for those experiencing a near-death experience). At the other end of the tunnel, I saw my grandmother who had already departed from this world, and she was beckoning to me. I felt as if there was a powerful force drawing me towards her. Although I understood the significance of joining her, I was also agreeable to do so, eager to leave my misery and suffering behind.

Suddenly, I saw a man with a white beard standing behind me on my side of the tunnel (I subsequently identified him as the Rebbe). “Don’t go,” he called to me with great urgency, “hold on tight!”

I began to hold on tight, although it is not clear to what I was holding on, and then I awoke. I was visibly excited about what I had seen, to such a degree that a nurse who came into my room at that moment questioned me about the cause of my excitement. I was, however, too uncomfortable to share my experience with her, and I remained silent. But shortly afterwards, when my mother entered the room to visit me, I shared the whole story with her.

My mother listened, without interruption, and then said to me: “Wait, I’m going to call in your brother.” My brother was in the waiting room, having forced himself to come to take advantage of what he believed to be his last opportunity to see me alive. As soon as my mother returned to the room with my brother, she instructed my brother: “Tell her what you dreamt last night.”

My brother immediately began to relate: “Last night, I dreamt that I saw you at the beginning of a long dark tunnel. Suddenly, I saw grandmother at the opposite end, beckoning to you. I was filled with fear, when suddenly I saw the Lubavitcher Rebbe standing behind you, telling you to stay put and hold on tight. Then I awoke.”

We marveled at the fact that we had the identical dream, and I was filled with new hope and optimism.

Needless to say, I recovered. A few months later, when the worst was already behind me, I decided that I should pay a visit to the Rebbe and express my appreciation.

Accompanied by Rebbetzin Groner (wife of Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Groner), we took the trip from Australia to New York and came to the Rebbe.

When I was in front of the Rebbe, someone said “This is the lady who had the dream.” The Rebbe immediately responded, “It wasn’t a dream, it was reality!”

• • •

This Shabbos is Shabbos Nachamu, the beginning of the seven weeks when the focus is on being comforted after the mourning of Tisha B’Av. And we are all well aware of the exact requirement necessary for us to be comforted. There is only one way to achieve that: through the immediate, complete and ultimate redemption with Moshiach Tzidkeinu.

Here and NOW.

We speak about Moshiach, and we learn about Moshiach. But the era of redemption that he will usher in is for us still a dream. “Nachamu,” our comfort and consolation, will be only through that dream being no longer a dream but reality; when galus, instead, will turn out to have been a dream, a too-long-lasting nightmare, and will finally came to an abrupt end.

It follows that the preparation for this event should be to incorporate this mindset into our present life. Of course, we speak about Geula and about how G-dliness will permeate the entire Universe. But for many of us this remains a dream. The stock market and the latest sports news – these are our present reality. Chassidus, nigleh, and our general relationship with Hashem are more of a dream, something abstract and removed from our real lives.

But the Rebbe says to each and every one of us: “It’s not a dream; it’s reality!” Torah and Mitzvos are your reality, Chassidus is your reality, and Moshiach is your reality! All worldly and mundane matters are no more than a fleeting dream (or sometimes a nightmare) – “kachaloim ya’uf.”

So, stop living your life in a dream. Wake up and smell the coffee! No. Not the coffee, that’s part of the ‘dream.’ WAKE UP AND SMELL THE CHASSIDUS!

In 5751, I was in Manchester with a few other bachurim for a short visit, for the chasuna of a friend. This was during the Gulf War, and the Rebbe’s view on the current events was the topic of many conversations. Thus it happened that while we were riding somewhere on a bus, we were approached by a few Poylishe Chassidim who were questioning us about the Rebbe’s position.

“Is it true that the Rebbe said that Eretz Yisroel is the safest place?” I was asked. I responded: “The Rebbe always points out that this is a clear Pasuk, that Eretz Yisroel is the land where ‘Einei Hashem Elokecha Ba MeiReishis HaShana VeAd Achris Shana.’”

“I also know what it says in the Pasuk,” was his rejoinder, “but I’m speaking practically now.”

Indeed, the Rebbe constantly taught us that that which is written in Torah is the only reality. G-d is the only truth, the only reality – “Emes Havaya L’olam.” Anything that connects to Him and to the fulfillment of His directives is reality. All else is nothing more than a dream.

In this week’s Parsha we are told: “And you shall know this day and consider it in your heart that the Hashem He is G-d in heaven above, and upon the earth below; there is none else.” The Alter Rebbe, in Tanya, questions this: “This requires explanation. For would it occur to you that there is a G-d dwelling in the waters beneath the earth, so that it is necessary to caution so strongly [and negate this thought by stating that one should] ‘take it unto your heart,’ and come to the realization that this is indeed not so?”

The basic answer is along the lines of the above: The Torah is telling us to “take heart” and realize that even on the earth below and in the ocean, where there appears to exist a different reality (other than G-dliness, ch”v), there too remains the ultimate and only truth: “Havaya Hu Elokim, Ein Od Milvado!” This realization is what requires great effort from us, so that even when we deal with the apparent reality around us, we don’t lose focus of the real reality.

Even while we’re taking our vacations or going on camp trips, while we’re visiting Disneyland or Universal Studios, or while we’re going parasailing or white-water rafting, we must never forget even for a moment that these pursuits are not real, and not at all what our lives are all about. And, in general, the state of galus is not at all what’s real to us.

The message and directive is clear: Wake up Yidden from the dream of galus. Get ready to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu!

And then, the whole word will see and recognize that “It’s not a dream; it’s reality!”

L’chaim! May we all live lives that revolve around and focus on the fact that Hashem is the only reality (So, forget about Coca Cola. Drink Chassidus, it’s the real thing), and may Hashem immediately transform our dream into actual and tangible reality, through the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu Teikef U’miyad Mamash!!!

From a written farbrengen 
directed towards Alumni of 
Yeshivas Lubavitch Toronto