עפר יעקב

Rav Kook said that the Sfas Emes is his Rebbe and always had a copy of the sefer on his table. He once explained which passage made him a chossid. In Parshas Balak [תרמ"ח] on the pasuk מי מנה עפר יעקב -Who counts the dust of Yaacov קxplains the Sfas Emes that every Jew has a grain of dust that reflects a his soul. One Jew has his grain in Tzfat, another Jew in Rishon Li-tzion and another in Chevron. Every Jew has his own personal  עפר ארץ ישראל.

One time Rav Kook was walking down the street with someone else and he saw a sign that said "Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook עפרא לפומיה" - Dust in his mouth. That is a "lomdishe way" of saying "yemach shemo". Nice compliment... Rav Kook saw the sign and remarked that it doesn't bother him at all. To what type of עפר is the sign referring? Probably the עפר of ארץ ישראל. It doesn't bother me at all to have עפר ארץ ישראל in my mouth. Each one is another Jewish neshama!!:-)

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

זכות הצדיקים יעזור ויגן ויושיע:-)

[Heard from the Rebbe Shlita this Motzei Shabbos at the weekly melave malka. I wasn't there but the magic of email brought it to me right here on 72nd street and I continue to listen as I type. Fortunately I will see all of those neshamos once again tomorrow אי"ה!!!]