Harav Eliezer Shlomo Shick – Mohorosh

The Jewish People have lost the beacon of brotherly love and Jewish outreach. Mohorosh’s whole life was dedicated to Hashem, dedicated to the Jewish People, and dedicated to Jewish outreach, which he did nonstop for 51 years. His love of every Jew knew no bounds. He spent entire nights to personally answer the letters of everyone who wrote him.

We are suffering dark times. Many tzaddikim are sick – they’re suffering for the rampant dissension, bickering and intramural hate of this generation. We almost lost Rabbi David Chaim Stern, may Hashem grant him good health. He collapsed and was so sick that his soul had ascended to the Heavenly Court. Up there, they were very angry about the gross trampling of the mitzvot between man and fellow man in this world. Rav Stern was given an extension of life just to come back here and warn everyone just how terrible the hate, the contention and the lack of unity in this generation are.

Rav Yehuda Zev Leibowitz osb”m hated when one person harmed another. He especially couldn’t stand seeing one Jew push another. Over and over, he would say, “Have compassion! Help your neighbor! Give in to others! Never raise your voice at other people!”

One of the manifestations of intramural hate is loshon hara, evil speech. Anyone who speaks loshon hara has no idea what he or she is doing in this world. Who has time to talk about anyone else? One who does have such time  certainly does not seek proximity to Hashem. Loshon hara is for empty people. People who aren’t empty use their speech for prayer, especially personal prayer, and Torah learning. When they talk to others, they talk about emuna and getting close to Hashem…

In his will, Mohorosh told us to love each other. His entire final request boils down to two things:

1. Love every Jew as you love yourself
2. Outreach – spread emuna and bring others close to Hashem.

No purgatory or torture can atone for hurting one’s fellow human. A person who transgresses against a fellow human will have to come back to this world in a reincarnation to correct what he ruined. This is no simple matter. Who wants another gilgul (reincarnation)? Be careful that not a single person on earth should suffer because of you.

All of the Jewish People, either directly or indirectly, are beholden to Mohorosh. He brought thousands of people closer to Hashem. His writings reached millions of people. If he didn’t help you personally, his holy work mitigated stern judgments in a manner that benefited us all. He was dedicated to fulfilling every letter of Rebbe Nachman’s advice. Throughout the years, he avoided medicines. He left this world in total self-composure like one of the great tzaddikim, which he was.

I can’t express how Mohorosh’s passing saddens me. He worked day and night for the Jewish People. When it came to ahavat Yisrael, he was second to none.

Rebbe Nachman in Likutei Moharan I:1 says that we must look for the Divine wisdom in every creation or event, for by way of that Divine wisdom, we get closer to Hashem. Hashem wants us to wake up fast – He is shouting at us. We must learn from Mohorosh’s passing and do three things, immediately:

1. Every Jew should put in writing that he forgives every other Jew;
2. Every Jew should devote 10 minutes a day to praying for the Jewish People;
3. Every Jew should do his utmost to spread emuna.

Hashem wants Jews to love one another!

Rebbe Natan teaches that one who honors a fellow Jew honors Hashem. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true. It’s easy to understand why the root of exile and diaspora is the intolerable hate and dissension among our people.

Stay away from arguments and feuds at all costs! They kill! All the murders and violent deaths of our people come from this. This is also the root cause of our two beloved soldiers who were killed on the Lebanese border last week.

In the loving memory of Eliezer Shlomo ben Malka, let us increase our love for each other and put an end to dissension. May we call in unison, Hear O Israel, the Lord our G-d, the Lord is One!