Hashem Alone Will Be Exalted

The Rav of Zavanshtick related that he was once serving Rav Yaakov Shimon, the son of Rav Pinchos of Koritz, when the Apta Rav came to visit and stayed with them. As they sat together, the Apta Rav's face shone like a fiery flame.

He asked, "My good friend, beloved of Hashem, Rav Yaakov Shimon, do you know why in earlier times there were many tzaddikim in every generation, while now Hashem has taken them from us and left only a few specks and grains?" Rav Yaakov Shimon said nothing. The Apta Rav repeated the question several times, and still there was only silence.

Finally he said, "If Your Honor will not answer, I will." He quoted the pasuk in Yeshayah (3:1), "The Master, Hashem of Legions, is removing from Yerushalayim and from Yehudah support of men and support of women." He noted that Loshon Hakodesh has ten expressions for the word mishon, support, and then, as the spirit rested upon him, he explained all ten ways to translate it.

Then he continued, quoting the pasuk (Yeshayah 2:11), "And Hashem alone will be exalted on that day." He explained that the generation of Rav Shimon bar Yochai should have been redeemed in his merit, but everyone relied on him, and so the redemption did not come. The same was true of the generation of the holy Arizal, and of the generation of the Baal Shem Tov. In every generation there were great individuals whose souls were so elevated that Klal Yisroel trusted they would be the redeemers, and so the redemption did not arrive.

Before Moshiach comes, he said, Hashem will remove all the support from Yehudah and Yerushalayim. All the lofty souls that Klal Yisroel leaned upon will be taken away, and Klal Yisroel will have no one to rely on except Hashem. Then the redemption will come, and this is why the pasuk says that on that day Hashem alone will be exalted.

The Rav of Zavanshtick concluded that when the Apta Rav said the words "Venisgav Hashem levado bayom hahu," he called them out so loudly that the walls shook.