Adapted from the sefer חמין במוצאי שבת a collection of maamarim on
תנא דבי אליהו given by the Tolner Rebbe shlita at Melave Malka
Melave Malka Parshas Bereishis 5762
The Rebbes of Chabad, recount that when the Baal Hatanya was
imprisoned, he was interrogated by the assistant of a government
minister. This assistant had studied Judaism extensively, and was well
versed in both Tanach and Jewish practice. He asked the Rebbe about
the pasuk in Bereishis. ויקרא ה' אלוקים אל האדם, ויאמר לו איכה (Hashem
Elokim called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?). “How could it
be”, asked the interrogator, “that Hakadosh Baruch Hu, didn’t know the
whereabouts of Adam HaRishon?”
When the Baal Hatanya provided Rashi’s explanation, (Hashem knew
where Adam was, but wanted to begin the conversation gradually), the
interrogator replied that he was familiar with Rashi’s peirush, but he
wanted to hear the Rebbe’s own peirush.
The Baal Hatanya told him that when a man reaches a certain age, for
example...(the Rebbe specified the officer’s exact age!), Hashem asks
him, Ayeka? Where are you? Have you fulfilled the purpose for which you were created? The officer was amazed both by the Ruach Hakodesh of the Baal Hatanya, and by the depth of his peirush.
No one should remain unmoved by this story. Hakadosh Baruch Hu calls
out to each of us asking Ayeka? Where are you? What have you done to
fulfill your tafkid in your world? Often, a person doesn’t realize that he
hasn’t actually been living the life he was meant to live. It’s as if he
walks along the banks of the river that is his life, but never dives in
because he is so preoccupied with himself, and his own comfort.
Let me illustrate this with one, small example. Grocery stores in our
communities sell only products with the best hechsheirim, because their
customers maintain very high standards of kashrus. It is shocking that
those same stores often print notices begging people to return the many
shopping carts that have been taken, and never returned to the store.
Even though they repeatedly publicize these requests no one responds!
This is terrible! These customers never intend to steal, chas v’shalom.
They are simply so self-centered that they don’t even notice that they
are actually thieves, gazlanim, Rachmana Li’tzlan.
Each of us has to wake up and ask himself Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s question, Ayeka? Where am I? We need to pause and take a few minutes to introspect and realize that we are often concerned only with ourselves, our issues, and our comfort. Even our teshuvah on Yamim Noraim, pounding our chest as we say Al Cheit, apologizing, davening, are all driven by our own self - interest Rachmana Li’tzlan.
Once someone came to Harav Hakadosh R. Shimon of Zelichov zt”l hy”d, the Mashgiach of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, and said איך וויל תשובה טוהן (I want to do teshuvah). R. Shimon answered sharply, לייג אוועק דיין איך, און
טוה תשובה!, (Set aside your Ich, your ego, and do teshuvah!)
We need to transition from a life of constant self-involvement, to a life
focused on answering the call of Ayeka. That will enable us to focus on
what aspects of our mission have been accomplished, and what needs to
be done next. If we learn to live that way, we will fulfill the tafkid we
were created for, and serve Hashem willingly and energetically,
אמן כן יהי רצון.
