Visiting the Ohel
In the latest Neshei Chabad Newsletter, there is an article (pp.12-16) entitled, "The Ohel of a Tzaddik: A Gate to Heaven."
As the title promises, the article discusses why davening at kevarim is an important, time honored tradition. It doesn't stop there, however, but goes on to explain that "we need the tzadik to intercede for us, because the illumination directly from Hashem is too great for us to endure...Hashem's presence is found within the tzaddik...a tzaddik in whom Hashem dwells, is compared to the Beis Hamikdash... this means that the tzadik of the generation possesses the same power to convey our prayers to Hashem as did the Beis Hamikdash."
Okay, so if you are okay with the whole idea of intermediaries, the article is not bad. It compares the tzaddik, whether before or after his passing, to the Beis Hamikdash and then explicitely emphasizes that "you are not speaking to the dead; you're not speaking to the body inside the ground. You're speaking to the tzaddik's neshamah and to Hashem through your presence at that location. Just like when we stand by the Wall in Jerusalem, we're not speaking to the stones; we're speaking to G-d."
But as with all ideologies, the proof is in the behaviors, not the lofty explanations. On page 54 of the same issue, Neshei Chabad printed a story of the Chabad community of Daytona Beach and how they got a new building for their shul in 1998. Apparently, at a critical farbrengen (after the petirah), one man banged on the table and demanded silence. He began to talk very slowly with tears rolling down his cheeks. He cried out: "Rebbe... we know you are here and you are listening... as the nosi hador who feels the pain of every Jew and you do not leave your flock, please, we need your brochos now more than ever. For our future Chabad Center, we need a miracle now that we should not lose the property. Help us to realize our dream for a new building!" Needless to say, the shul got the new building.
I just wanted to know if anyone here has ever addressed the Kosel in that way, asking the Kosel directly for a bracha or a miracle. Or maybe if anyone knows whether in the times of the Beis Hamikdash people addressed their requests directly to the building itself. Because it would seem that if you are addressing a dead person directly in your prayers, it kind of weakness your argument that you are actually trying to speak to Hashem.
As the title promises, the article discusses why davening at kevarim is an important, time honored tradition. It doesn't stop there, however, but goes on to explain that "we need the tzadik to intercede for us, because the illumination directly from Hashem is too great for us to endure...Hashem's presence is found within the tzaddik...a tzaddik in whom Hashem dwells, is compared to the Beis Hamikdash... this means that the tzadik of the generation possesses the same power to convey our prayers to Hashem as did the Beis Hamikdash."
Okay, so if you are okay with the whole idea of intermediaries, the article is not bad. It compares the tzaddik, whether before or after his passing, to the Beis Hamikdash and then explicitely emphasizes that "you are not speaking to the dead; you're not speaking to the body inside the ground. You're speaking to the tzaddik's neshamah and to Hashem through your presence at that location. Just like when we stand by the Wall in Jerusalem, we're not speaking to the stones; we're speaking to G-d."
But as with all ideologies, the proof is in the behaviors, not the lofty explanations. On page 54 of the same issue, Neshei Chabad printed a story of the Chabad community of Daytona Beach and how they got a new building for their shul in 1998. Apparently, at a critical farbrengen (after the petirah), one man banged on the table and demanded silence. He began to talk very slowly with tears rolling down his cheeks. He cried out: "Rebbe... we know you are here and you are listening... as the nosi hador who feels the pain of every Jew and you do not leave your flock, please, we need your brochos now more than ever. For our future Chabad Center, we need a miracle now that we should not lose the property. Help us to realize our dream for a new building!" Needless to say, the shul got the new building.
I just wanted to know if anyone here has ever addressed the Kosel in that way, asking the Kosel directly for a bracha or a miracle. Or maybe if anyone knows whether in the times of the Beis Hamikdash people addressed their requests directly to the building itself. Because it would seem that if you are addressing a dead person directly in your prayers, it kind of weakness your argument that you are actually trying to speak to Hashem.