A point from the weekly D’var Malchus with a relevant message.
Menachem and Yisroel are partners who are as close as brothers. They do everything together and always consult one another. Their shared dream has always been to open a junk-metal recycling plant.
The dream became reality. Menachem and Yisroel run the plant like a well-oiled machine. The specialized factory wasn’t built overnight. They planned all the details and made sure nothing was omitted. And of course, they did it together because Yisroel doesn’t do anything without Menachem and Menachem doesn’t do anything without Yisroel.
One problem arose for which they did not find a solution. A successful business is one where the boss is involved in the workers’ lives. Otherwise, he doesn’t know what’s really going on and can’t run things as well as he might.
“You understand? In order to make an impact from within, you must be there,” explained Menachem to Yisroel.
A solution was finally found. Yisroel would dress up as an employee. This way, he would be able to experience what the employees experienced, thought and felt.
Menachem continued going to the office while Yisroel showed up in workmen’s clothes. The first morning, when Menachem made the rounds, he went over to Yisroel and asked him, “Did you remember to punch your card today?” He winked as he asked and they both chuckled. At the end of the day, they met in the office and exchanged impressions.
“It’s something else entirely. When you see things on the ground, you notice many details that you would never see from the boss’ perspective.”
The days passed and Yisroel slowly forgot his position and began working like a regular employee. At the end of the month, Menachem was astonished to see Yisroel his partner standing patiently on line and waiting for his paycheck.
“On second thought, that’s just the way it ought to be,” said Menachem to himself.
Many months went by until that fateful morning. Menachem was carefully arranging the papers on his desk when Yisroel suddenly walked into the office. He did not arrange an appointment and did not ring the bell. He just walked in and sat down. The dust and grease on his dirty overalls did not belong in the office atmosphere.
“I think we got a little off track,” began Yisroel. “I almost forgot that we are partners and I run the business just like you. Am I supposed to get a salary from you? The factory is mine! Do I need to listen to your orders when I can give orders to the employees just like you? We built this factory together. We are partners!
“My acting like an employee was useful but we can’t forget the truth; I am the boss just like you are and without me this factory wouldn’t exist.”
Menachem nodded and said, “Of course you’re the boss just like me but in order for the factory to produce results, we need to continue with this arrangement. If you won’t be the ‘perfect employee’ with all that implies, we won’t get ‘into the head’ of the employees. When you stand on line, only then do you truly feel how an ordinary employee feels.”
“I understand,” said Yisroel. “There is an inherent paradox here. On the one hand, I am really a worker but inside I will always remain a partner. It’s all a matter of perspective. When I stand on line to get my paycheck and the employees grumble about the low amount, I immediately recall that I’m the boss. How reassuring that is!”
***
Am Yisroel, listen to what the Menachem-Consoler has to say, “Anochi anochi hu menachemchem” (I, I am your consoler). Don’t forget that we are partners with G-d in the creation of the world. Who did Hashem consult? Us! That’s the way He wants it to work so that we can refine the lower world. Because only when the boss dresses up as an employee can he enter the workers’ world.
At the same time, we can’t allow ourselves to be swayed. We must always remember that really “I am a partner and the entire sifting the sparks operation is my personal initiative!” “When you go out to war upon your enemies,” Rashi explains to mean that “the verse speaks of a voluntary war” – because to the partner it’s optional. But once he dresses in the dusty workman’s clothes, the work is obligatory and he will stand on line to receive his pay.
When we go out to do battle against the concealments of the world with this battle hymn, we will surely sense the victory and the “Ki Savo” (when you will arrive) already with the “Ki Seitzei” (when you will go out). The “Ki Savo” is an explanation of the “Ki Seitzei.”
To fully appreciate the lessons we can each derive from this, we ought to learn the D’var Malchus inside. And when we conduct ourselves as true partners we will surely succeed in bringing about the True and Complete Redemption, when we will be reunited with the ultimate Partner, who will be revealed in all His kingly glory.