The Wagon Trip - Part 7: Components

00:01 The hemshech in continuation to the earlier installments regarding the car and trips, we continue now with installment number seven, citing from the Rebbe's insights on a parable about a horseback-driven wagon, the coach driver, and the passengers. This parable appears originally in the previous Rebbe's Sichah in the name of his father, the Rebbe Rashab. It was delivered on Shabbos Parshas Kisisa, Tafresh Peches 1928. It is being here translated into English. The previous Rebbe relates that his father once responded to an intellectual Yid from France who has concluded his studies in Paris and he inquired, asked of the Rebbe Rashab many questions in spiritual matters as the shir of the malachim, the singing of the malachim, the hasogas haneshomes, the understanding of neshomes, and additional topics which he did not comprehend and therefore he did not believe in them. Rebbe Rashab responded with this parable. There is a balagola who is a coach driver and he is driving two intellectual people who are having a conversation about a deep matter in philosophy and the conversation is in French. So the Rebbe Rashab sums it up that there are three factors here, three different perspectives, thoughts. The horse thinks about hay. When will he get to the destination he'll be able to eat? The balagola, the coach driver, is thinking about bramfon. When will he be able to get his drink? And the maskilim, the intellectual people in the wagon, are occupied with a very important matter. Rebbe Rashab concludes, I'll first say it in Yiddish and then

02:19 translate it in English. Is it that because the horse does not understand French, that means that the people who are sitting there from France are not considered French? And the nimshol, which means the lesson of this parable, is understood on its own. The Rebbe referred to this parable numerous times over the years and its lessons in Avodes Hashem. Literally a booklet, or even more than that, can be compiled of the numerous occasions during which the Rebbe elaborated on this topic with new insights. One occasion was Shabbos Parsis Vayakel Pkudei Tovshin Lametes. It's winter 1979. The Rebbe says the following, as it is translated here into English by Sichas in English. We might protest that we cannot sense Hashem sitting and studying opposite us. Our sages tell us that when a person sits and learns HaKadosh Baruch Hu Keileh VeSheineh Kenegdei, that the Almighty sits and studies opposite of us and repeats what we're learning. And the Rebbe continues that there are those who protest it. Nevertheless, our lack of sensation does not detract from Hashem's presence. This concept can be understood better through a parable that once two Yidden were traveling on a journey because of a necessary Torah mission from Hashem. And the Rebbe continues that in the past they would not travel by car, automobiles, but with a wagon who was connected with the horse. While they were riding in a wagon, they were studying Torah. The wagoner, the driver, the coach driver was driving and the horse was pulling the wagon. Each

04:48 of the three had different reasons why they wanted to get to the end of the journey. The horse wanted to be fed hay. The driver wanted to be paid. And the passengers wanted to fulfill their mission. So the Rebbe concludes by summing it up. Does the horse's thought of food detract from the traveler's Torah mission? The Torah mission still remains in its fullest strength. And the Rebbe continues, on the contrary, when the truth will be revealed, even the horse will know why he was running. And surely those who were sitting in the wagon. That this is because Hashem designates the steps of a person and his destination, his route. And what the behema, which is the nefesh habames, the animal soul, thinks about hay. And what the coach driver is thinking that he's going there in order to gain more kopkes, if it's rubles or zlotys or dollars, in order to be able to feed, support his family members. The main objective, the nikkude hapnimius, the inner objective is that they are going there in order they should be able to fulfill the shlichos of the Eibishter. And the Rebbe continues, and we're going to greet Pnei Moshe. And therefore, a person runs in a very hasty way because it is a waste every moment that is wasted. It's a shame every moment that is wasted. We will, mitzvot Hashem, continue in the next installment.