A Chassidisher Derher
In the early years of Lubavitch in America, in the 5700s and 5710s, choosing to grow a beard was a tough test, to the degree that is nearly impossible to imagine today.
No one—no one—in America was bearded; it was so rare that there were actual newspaper articles describing individuals who were found with beards. Those who kept them were looked down upon as vagrants; employers were skittish to hire them, and families were reluctant to make shidduchim with them.
In the video of the Frierdiker Rebbe arriving in America, one sees quite a few Chassidim who are clean-shaven. In his autobiography, Rabbi Avraham Hecht writes about his older brother’s decision to grow his beard in honor of his wedding in 5698, shortly before the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived.
“A sight that had been so common in most of the European communities was considered peculiar in the new, modernized world of America,” Hecht wrote. “Passersby would sadly shake their heads, murmuring with marked sympathy that the ‘Hecht’s son had obviously gone out of his mind.'”
The Rebbe worked tirelessly to reverse this perception.
In his letters and sichos encouraging people to overcome the ridicule, the Rebbe’s focus isn’t so much on the halachic aspect as it is on the tremendous spiritual effect it has on a person.
In Zohar and sifrei Kabbalah, the beard is referred to as the tikkunei dikna, and it has “extremely lofty holiness.” Furthermore, by the very act of wearing an untouched beard, one has the ability to draw down levels of kedusha and divine mercy that are utterly beyond this world.
Parnasa
Being that it is a channel for Hashem’s great mercies, the Rebbe would sometimes advise people to begin growing a beard in order for them to begin having parnasa. After assuring someone that ample parnasa would eventually come his way, the Rebbe writes that, “If you would have listened to me about the thirteen tikkunei dikna…and your spouse about a sheitel…you would have already seen a tangible change in your parnasa, evident even to the physical eyes, but what else can I do in these two areas other than speaking about it?”
When people wrote to the Rebbe that they were hesitant to have a beard out of fear for their livelihood, the Rebbe pointed out that basic emunah in Hashem as the sole provider of sustenance forces the conclusion that fulfilling what Hashem wants can only assist in parnasa. When someone reported to the Rebbe that he had lost a job opportunity primarily due to his beard, the Rebbe replied that it was impossible that he truly lost out due to his beard.
“Hashem is the Master of the world in the literal sense of the word, and this also includes America. In his holy Torah, which is an eternal Torah and living Torah, Hashem revealed that the beard is the thirteen tikkunei dikna…and it is impossible that a bracha should cause a lack of parnasa. It is only that we don’t have this type of knowledge, why this job was not good for him or his family, but the truth is that this makes no difference—since Hashem, Who watches over you personally, arranged that you should not work there, it was certainly not good for you at all.”
Rabbi Asher Zeilingold of Minnesota related:
“I was learning with a particular individual who did not consider himself a Lubavitcher Chossid, but who followed many minhagei Lubavitch. He was the regional manager for a department store chain, a very prestigious position. Recently, he had let his beard grow, in accordance with halacha, but his employer told him that he had to cut it off. He was obviously very disturbed by that directive, and he asked for my advice.
“I said, “In a few days I will be going to New York, where I am going to visit the Rebbe, and I will ask the Rebbe what you should do. However, I must caution you that I doubt the Rebbe will tell you to cut off your beard. In fact, I believe that he will surely say that you must keep it.” He agreed to do whatever the Rebbe advised.
“I explained his situation in a letter. The answer was surprisingly quick. The Rebbe said that this man should tell his employer that the mayor of S. Paul has a beard. The mayor, George Latimer, was not Jewish; indeed, he was a Catholic of Lebanese descent.
“How did the Rebbe know this? A few months earlier, we’d had a celebration in our shul, and the mayor of S. Paul was invited to participate. He came, and we took several group pictures, which were published in the American Jewish World… That’s how the Rebbe knew about the mayor’s beard. He had carefully reviewed the newspapers, bulletins, and newspaper clippings—even the photo captions!—that I had sent him.
“The manager brought this point up to his employer, and he was allowed to keep his beard!”
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Not because of parnasa?
I look forward to getting the Derher every month. They somehow always find something interesting to speak about and bring out the points in such a beautiful way. Thank You!
Unfortunately, it’s become a big test for some people in the 21st century.
For other reasons.
Derher doesn’t stop delivering the content and inspiration that we need! It always adds so much more meaning into what we do when we can understand the significance behind it.
Great article