Torah – A Tzaddik in a Fur Coat

Chassidic master Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk once referred to a certain rabbi as ah tzaddik in peltz — “a righteous person in a fur coat.”

The Kotzker explained: When it is winter and it’s freezing cold, there are two things one can do. One can build a fire, or one can wrap oneself in a fur coat. In both cases, the person is warm. But when one builds a fire, all who gather round will also be warmed. With the fur coat, the only one who is warmed is the one who wears the coat.

It’s the same for spiritual warmth — one can be a tzaddik in a fur coat….

Noah is described in the Torah as “a righteous man, perfect in his generations; Noah walked with God.” Yet, as Rabbi Jonathan Sacks claims, Noah was not a leader. He was, as the Kotzker Rebbe taught, a tzaddik in peltz; he himself may have been righteous, but he didn’t have the ability, or maybe the will, to inspire people to seek out haShem. Instead of building a fire to allow all to get warm, he kept the warmth to himself.

In our own lives, in our families, in our businesses, are we creating power structures where we warm only ourselves, or are we inspiring others to be and bring their full selves?

Source: Chabad

Tefillah- A Deeper Faith

Tov l’hodot ladonai, ul’zamer l’simcha elyon. L’hagid baboker chasdecha, v’emunatcha baleilot. (Psalm 92)

It’s great to give praise to the Master, and to joyfully praise the Most High. To sing of Your love in the morning, and Your faith in the night. The Holy Rebbe of Aleksander (1879-1943) would say, ‘L’hagid baboker chasdecha’, “to sing of your love in the morning,” refers to times when things are bright and shining. It’s very easy to praise God in those times. But what do I do at night, in moments when everything is darkness? When my world is dark, I need to turn inside, to something deeper: Not just how much I believe in God, but how much God believes in me. “V’emunatcha baleilot,” God’s faith in the night.
When was the last time you understood that someone believed in you? That they had faith in you, wholly and unconditionally? We often think of our faith, or lack of faith, in a higher power. But do we ever think of haShem’s faith in us to do the work that we are put on earth to do? Especially when the night is dark, the floods have come, and you lose your way, know that haShem has faith that you can return to the essence of who you are, to be steadfast in your mission. And remember to tell those you love that you believe in them, as that Emunah is also invaluable and Divine.