Tonight marks a special date on the Chabad calendar. In 1987 a Federal Court ruled in favor of the Chabad movement, in a case of the theft of hundreds of volumes of precious and rare Torah books that had been taken from the central Chabad library in Brooklyn, NY.
The library was collected by the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Y. Schneersohn. And it was a relative of his that secretly spirited away the books. The ensuing court case focused on who owned the library; was it the Chabad community or personal family members of the Chabad leadership? The result of this case would have a major impact on Chabad in particular and also on libraries of all Jewish or religious groups. The Court ruled that the community and not the personal family are entrusted with these holy books. They are a communal treasure, not private property.
The ruling was based on the idea that a Rebbe is not a private individual but a communal figure synonymous with the body of Chassidim.
It might seem like a trivial matter, a civil dispute that was resolved by the courts. True, the books were valuable; but why is this any different than a family feud over an inheritance?
***
When things go right, it’s easy to see the meaning within them. When things go wrong we tend to struggle with the grand question of why. It takes tremendous faith to believe that even happenings that don’t seem beneficial are really for the good. The fundamental Jewish principle of Divine Providence teaches that G-d is with us and in charge of our lives for major and minor occurrences. The Talmud states that we should bless G-d for the bad just as we bless Him for the good.
Sometimes, there are events that seem negative but turn out to be positive.
A famous example is in this week’s parsha Vayigash. Yosef (Joseph) reveals himself to his brothers and displays an amazing degree of kindness. Instead of being angry with them for selling him as a slave to Egypt, he says, “But now do not be sad, and let it not trouble you that you sold me here, for it was to preserve life that G-d sent me before you… And now, you did not send me here, but G-d, and He made me a father to Pharaoh, a lord over all his household, and a ruler over the entire land of Egypt.”
Yosef saw the hand of Hashem in every aspect of his life. He recognized that it was all part of G-d’s plan. Now, it was evident that G-d wanted Yosef to be sold into slavery in order to eventually become viceroy of Egypt.
However, the greatness of Yosef is more than merely realizing post facto that it all turned out well. If that were the case, he would still be angry with his brothers, saying something like: ‘You all were rotten to the core to sell me as a slave. But, G-d is great. In spite of your terrible behavior, G-d made me viceroy of Egypt. So, let’s make up.’
Instead, Yosef says that even the selling of their brother into slavery (which is objectively still a horrible deed and led to true suffering) was destined by G-d. Yosef found value not only in the eventual turnaround, but in the suffering itself. He recognized that exile itself has value; that his journey would be incomplete without the challenges that he had to endure.
And, that’s how he could truly forgive his brothers from the bottom of his heart. He really meant it, because he really believed it.
Yosef’s greatness wasn’t simply that he saw G-d in his salvation (don’t we all?), but that he saw G-d in his misery and suffering.
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In remarks after the books were returned to Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters, the Rebbe reflected on the entire ordeal.
We should not suffice, the Rebbe argued, with the fact that the books have been restored to the public trust. It’s not enough to say, ‘All’s well that ends well.’
Rather, we should look at the episode as a lesson of what our attitude should be to the holy books. All steps of the journey were divine and lend a lesson to us, the “People of the Book.’
We must increase our study of these holy books and rededicate ourselves to the values they represent.
With this attitude, everything in life, even its low points, contain deep meaning and purpose.
Now, that’s reason to celebrate!