Spiritual Solace and Vodka

Chabad Club Sponsors Chassidic Gathering

On Monday December seventh, most of the YU community busied themselves going through the motions associated with their observance of Monday December seventh. However, for a tiny, bearded contingent living in a different world, far, far away (behind the tight glass doors of Deli Kasbah) Monday December seventh was Yud Tes Kislev.

The Chabad Club, the YU wing of this secret society, arrived on campus armed with flyers and masking tape. By morning's end, most of the University's walls were adorned with flyers shattering the serene Monday morning silence with the Chassidic rallying cry, "Farbreingen!!" This event, commemorating the release of the first Chabad Grand Rabbi, the Alter Rebbe, from Czarist imprisonment, is dubbed the "Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus." The festivities were called for 9:30 p.m. on their own mysterious foreign soil, Kasbah.

Upon arrival, with an open mind and an empty stomach, I found a place in the corner and waited to see what was in store. Without warning, my corner seat was pushed into the middle as the swelling crowd reached from wall to wall. Within minutes, the promise of "plenty of food and refreshments" came to an unexpected fruition. The tables were well endowed with junk food, platters of hot French fries, hot dogs, and grilled strips of chicken and salami. They emerged from the kitchen faster then one could say, "We Want Moshiach Now."

An easy speculation, one that I myself was guilty of, would be to attribute the impressive turnout simply to the fact that the participants where eager to seize the opportunity to give their caf cards the night off. However, a quick glance indicated that there were no starving Jews at this particular function, and unlike YCSC events, the food was not fought over or devoured at a ludicrous pace. In fact, the provisions, including the liquid simcha-enhancers, greeted those arriving at all hours and held up until the last notes of the final niggun soared into the crisp night air at 1:30 AM.

The speaker, Rabbi Velvel Kanikov (Cantor of Ahavat Torah, Englewood NJ), also proved to be a worthy investment. He immediately touched on a sore point hidden in the hearts of many YU students. He didn't attempt to center his platform on the popular mantra that "YU never made anybody religious," but related a message that we all needed to hear. In his unlabored, honest oration, Rabbi Kanikov spoke about a religion different from that which we have grown all too accustomed to. He spoke about a religion of hope, forgiveness, and happiness. He spoke about the common conception of the pious Jew interested only in the gemorah in front of him, wearing his constantly frustrated expression and negative outlook. He spoke of the unconquerable spirit, simcha, and pride of the Jewish people that sustained them through Polish winters, German ovens, and the assimilation of American exile. He ended on the point, that if a Lubavitcher chassid may be guilty of the crime of perhaps being a little happier then his contemporaries it is simply because he allows himself to accept the mercy and kindness of God, and through his understanding sees Judaism as vibrance, joy, and insurance that the sun will come out, tomorrow.

There is a parable which states that if a person is only concerned about acquiring as many points of knowledge of Torah Judaism as possible without paying attention to feeding his soul with the spiritual side, every fact he learns becomes a beautiful leaf on a tree whose roots, spirituality, have been denied. In the event of a strong wind that tree falls, and the beautiful leaves, proudly displayed for all to see, catch the most wind and instead of shielding the tree, propel it into the Earth. However, aware of my JSS label, I know that I am not qualified to relay any such interpretations.