Changing the Channel

A Chandelier broke.

It seemed like a simple accident that caused the mishap. Yet, its owner decided to report the incident to the Rebbe in a letter. The reply? You should increase your learning of the luminary of Torah, Toras HaChassidus..

Let's be honest. At first glance, it's hard to believe. Does learning Chassidus really affect the longevity of the light fixture in my living room?

The city needed a Mikvah desperately. The long construction work was almost done, and all that was now needed was water for the Bor. But the country was experiencing its worst drought in years and no rain was expected for months. Yet the Rav still announced the grand opening of the Mikvah for later that week. The Gabbai was shocked .

"But you know that there is no rain in the forecast for several weeks? "
"That's what the meteorologist say. But I'm not worrying."
"You're not worrying? And why is that?"
"The Torah tells us we need a Mikvah. So we're gonna get that water."

Sure enough, by the end of the week the Mikvah was full of rain water.

Had you offered someone on the street the chance to bet you that it wouldn't rain that week, you'd have a lot of customers. After all, weather.com has a pretty good track record...
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Of course, these stories don't have every day. Sadly, we know of many times that people did the right thing and had the wrong results. But whether we always see it or not, the facts still remain:

Torah is the blueprint for the World. By extension, it is Torah that dictates reality.

This message comes out very strongly in the Maamarim of Nissan.
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Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem Rosh Chodoshim

What do we need another head of the year? Doesn't Tishrei do the job?

The world operates on two different channels. And we can choose to watch and experience life on either channel.

The Nature Channel: There are set rules in life. Things make sense. Parnasa comes from business. Balls break chandeliers. Weather.com knows the forecast.

This is the world rotating on the Tishrei axis.
This is the world that was actually created in the six days of creation.
This is the channel that was seen since the beginning of time.
This is the channel that the average person watches.

The Super-Natural Channel: There are no set rules in life. Torah dictates reality. The Pure Emunah of a Jew changes the facts.

This is the world rotating on the Nissan axis.
This is the world that was envisioned before the six days of creation.
This is the channel seen by the Yiddin during Nissan (1o plagues, splitting of sea, etc)
This is the channel that a Yid can watch.
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The first Rashi in the entire Torah asks a pretty simple question. Why start the Torah with stories about creation? The Torah should begin with HaChodesh HaZeh, the first Mitzva commanded to the Jewish Nation? Rashi answers that the we must learn the story of creation in order to know the power of Hashem. For when the Goyim will ask us what gives us the right to Eretz Yisroel, we can respond that the whole world belongs to Hashem. He might have first gave it to you but then gave it to us...

Rashi sound simple enough? Try reading Rashi this way:

We already know there is a created, limited world. Everyone has watched the nature channel. Tishrei is obvious! We don't need Torah for this!

Torah should immediately begin with the super-natural channel. Mitzvos...Miracles...Yiddin. Let Torah begin with Nissan! Let Torah Begin with "Hachodesh Hazeh Lachem!"

Rashi answers something profound: Hashem didn't just want a world with only the super-natural channel. For that, he has higher, spiritual worlds. Rather, Hashem wanted a world that looks like it operates in a limited way. A world that often has obstacles getting in our way. A world that can be watched on the nature channel. A World that was created in Tishrei.

And yet, the job of the Yid is to look past all of that and realize that this is only a veneer. In truth it is Nissan, miracles, and Torah that run the world.

Eretz Knaan was first given to Goyim. Why? In order for us to take it back and transform it into a holy Eretz Yisroel.
A finite world was created. Why? In order for us to infuse it with the infinite energy of Torah and Mitzvos.
Life can be viewed from the Nature Channel. Why? In order for us to transcend this view and notice the miriacles within the mundane.
(HaChodesh HaZeh 5733)