lamed vav'nicks | Imamother

HindaRochel

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 1:50 pm

Which is probably not how to spell it and my question is rather weirdish but here it goes.

If you could choose for your child (or yourself---though according to some we did choose our lives in shemayaim) to be a l'v nick, would you? How important is it to you that something you did that is good be acknowledged somehow...even if all that you received was a smile?

Could you life doing good and never having anyone know about it? Or even thinking you were a fool or whatever?

Isramom8

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 4:50 pm

Oy, as much as I try to let people know how much good I do, I can never fully describe it, so by default only Hashem fully understands my amazing deeds. How I would not like to be a lamed vavnik but alas, I'm doomed. Wink

PinkFridge

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 7:57 pm

HindaRochel wrote:

So is the question, what do you choose, your child to be the next gadol hador or a lamed vovnik?

Grandmama

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 9:06 pm

I can only think of two people who I would give that title, and one is no longer living.
Would only think of someone very elderly to deserve a title like this, someone who has lived his life very honestly and simply and when you look at him, you can see and feel the shechina.
Does anyone out there know what I mean?

HindaRochel

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 11:58 pm

GR wrote:

And I was thinking you had an idea for a new private forum.

Yeah, depending on how you answer is whether or not you get in LOL

More seriously, I am thinking about how I do something good at times and want people to notice, and I try to subliminate that, because to me that is a fault, and I wish I were more like the ל״ו tzaddikim, but still the desire for the pat on the back is there. Recognition.

Please don't misunderstand, I don't think I COULD be one of them, as I'm asking the question... embarrassed

BUT I want to learn from their demeanor. (and I agree with Hadassa about the true Tzaddik not caring about recognition...I can learn from them as well!)

But to be so in tune with the will of Hashem, that nothing else matters...In a way that seems to me what the Tanya was speaking about (yesterday) All emotions turned towards Hashem.

HindaRochel

Sun, Dec 19 2010, 11:59 pm

Grandmama wrote:

Definitely yes. Kind of my feeling about "the Holy Woman".

Marion

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 1:51 am

Grandmama wrote:

I can also think of two, but neither is living.

Bliss

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 2:16 am

My question on this topic is if the lamed vuv tzaddikim today are informed in some heavenly way that they are it, or it's just some people who live totally in ruchnius but don't know their title.

smilethere

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 5:24 am

I don't know about my child, but I definitely wouldn't want to marry somebody on such a level. I wouldn't want to sacrifice my life even for the spiritual greatness.

louche

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 8:23 am

PinkFridge wrote:

So is the question, what do you choose, your child to be the next gadol hador or a lamed vovnik?

Truthfully? Neither. I want my children to be good, and good and happy. Greatness carries with it tremendous responsibility. It is hard to be truly happy when you bear the responsibility for the welfare, spiritual or physical, of an entire nation. "Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown." Better my kids should be good and obscure.

PinkFridge

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 9:13 am

louche wrote:

PinkFridge wrote:

So is the question, what do you choose, your child to be the next gadol hador or a lamed vovnik?

How about, 37th?

aidelmaidel

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 12:45 pm

I dunno. There are the lamed vovniks, and there are the hidden tzaddikim (some of which I think aren't so "hidden").

My husband and I really think that Charlie Buttons is a hidden tzaddik. How else can he know about every simcha?

Would I want that for my child? On an emotional level yes, on an intellectual level no.

gryp

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 1:35 pm

Charlie is a funny old guy in overalls, with pins stuck through them. He wishes people sayings like:"Merry Passover." He seems to be at every simcha. He brought balloons to my wedding.

I don't remember how to post a picture but here's a link where you can see him: http://www.crownheights.info/I.....30079

louche

Mon, Dec 20 2010, 1:41 pm

My word, I googled and saw pix--I think he used to sometimes hang out in my old neighborhood 30 or so years ago. Don't recall his attending any simchas, though. Can there be two guys who go round in denim overalls and a Bukharian kippah? (I don't remember the buttons but it was a long time ago.)