Word Prompt – ALIYAH – Shlomo Litvin

Life is all about aliyah. A neshama is on high, and only comes down into this lowly world in order to make an aliyah. The Tanya refers to tzaddikim as Bnei Aliyah, those who ascend. Starting from the aliyah that marks the bar mitzvah, life is marked by aliyot. And as soon as we reach one height, we begin scaling the next. The Rebbe would often respond to people informing him of achievement with the bracha and challenge to continually be Maalim BaKodesh, to ascend in all areas of holiness. Just as the Gemara teaches that someone who has 100 wants 200, we should never be satisfied with where we are in our quest for spirituality and connection to Hashem. We should always seek to ascend higher and higher.

As we approach the summer months, many are anticipating going on vacation. The Rebbe reminds us that this isn't a time for resting in areas of holiness, chas veshalom, but rather using this time to double down on our efforts to climb higher and higher and all of our spiritual pursuits and specially in our connection to Hashem.