A Rebbe Story: Ayeka - Where are you?

A Rebbe Story: Ayeka - Where are you? 

Sorry for not posting on Parshas Bereishis.  I know Bereishis is such an important thing - the beginning of the Torah.  So, B'Ezras Hashem Yisbarech, I would like to share with you an inspiring, incredible Rebbe Story I saw that is sort of on Parshas Bereishis: 

Once, when the Alter Rebbe (the first Lubavitcher Rebbe - Rebbe Shneur Zalman of Liadi zt"l) was imprisoned, one of the influential Russian ministers who was well-versed in Scriptures came to his cell, asking if he could present to him a question on the Torah that had been bothering him for a while. 

His question was:  The Torah relates that when Adam and Chavah ate from the Eitz HaDaas Tov VaRaa (Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad), they hid, and Hashem called out to Adam and said "Ayeka - Where are you?" 

How could it be, asked the minister, that Hashem, Who created the entire world and knows everything, asked where Adam was?  Didn't He know?

Reb Shneur Zalman zt"l told the minister that before answering the question, he had to tell him that he believed with all his heart that the Torah is not a storybook, and that each and every word in it has an eternal message that applies to all people in all generations.  And the minister replied and said that he did. 

Answered Der Alter Rebbe zt"l:  Hashem created each person with a purpose.  Every person has a mission in life to fulfill.  And, as the years go by, Hashem calls to him/her and asks "Ayeka - Where are you?  What are you doing to fulfill your special mission?"  And the Tzaddik continued:  You are so many years old, with so many months and days (and he actually told him to the day how old he was).  Hashem is asking you "Ayeka - Where are you?  What have you done with your life?" 




The minister was very moved by Reb Shneur Zalman zt"l's explanation, and he promised that he would do whatever he could to free him from prison. 




Adds the Nikolsburger Rebbe (Rebbe Yosef Yechiel Michel Lebovits shlita):  Hashem asks this to all of us - everyone.  We are supposed to be serving Him and coming closer to Him, but a lot of times, we are not!  So Hashem, in His Kindness, calls out to us asking "Where are you?"[1] He sends us different signs in our lives for us to see or hear, and take to heart, B'Ezras Hashem. 




If only we would recognize the different signs that He sends us and think about where we are for even a little.  Are we moving forward and upward, or, Chas V'Shalom, the opposite?  Let us all try to think about this for a while, and also the great kindness of Hashem, by calling out to us actually and trying to help us to understand what we are doing.  We need to think about where we are and no matter if we are young or old - no matter if only a little of our life has passed or a lot of our life has passed. 


May HaKadosh Baruch Hu help everyone to think about and contemplate what we are doing in life, and if we do, indeed, with His help, do this, we will all, B'Ezras Hashem, become much better Ovdei Hashem.  And in that merit Hashem Yisbarech will send us Mashiach Tzidkeinu bi'mi'heirah mi'od bi'yameinu, Amein.  May we be zocheh to this, Amein vi'Amein. 


Have a wonderful, and meaningful day and week everyone!


Refoel Berel



[1] Nikolsburg.org©.  Parshas Devorim, Shabbos Chazon - Where are we?