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Mahara”m A”sh

Harav Meir Eizenshtat had a custom to sharpen his knife every Friday as a way to prepare for and honor Shabbos. One Friday, he was preoccupied with other mitzvos, and didn’t have time to sharpen his knife. With the little time he had remaining, he decided to learn Torah. He took out a Shulchan Aruch and opened it, and saw that he had opened it to the exact page where the Rama says “Some have the Minhag to sharpen the knife on erev Shabbos, because this is part of honoring Shabbos…” The Rebbe promptly closed his sefer and went to sharpen his knife.

Reb Zusha

When the Rebbe Reb Zusha of Anipoli was shown the newly published sefer Hatanya, written by R’ Shnuer Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Lubavitch, he said in wonder: “How did the author manage to fit such a giant G-d into such a small book?”

Sparks from Berditchov

The loftiest level in avodas Hashem is attained when one’s service is performed with the sole intention of providing pleasure to his Creator. When we focus not on what we gain through serving Hashem, but instead upon the pride our Father in Heaven has from our service, our souls burst with the love and splendor they attain from this close connection with the Source of all.

Ohr Hashabbos

The Bluzhiv Rebbe once said over that his zeide, author of Tzvi Latzadik, would give out potato kugel to his chassidim every Shabbos morning. No matter how hot the kugel was, he was careful to distribute the kugel with his hands. Once, his son saw this and respectfully asked him why he didn’t use a spoon or a fork, to avoid burning himself? The Rebbe responded “If you would know the (kabalistic) secret of kugel, you would know that it can only be given out using the hands!”

Ksav Sofer

The Ksav Sofer used to wake up early on Shabbos morning, at around 3am. He would recite birchos hashachar with incredible passion, with tears of joy streaming down his face. He would then sit with one of his sons and a few bochurim for a cup of coffee, followed by many hours of excited and passionate Torah study. He used to say that the pleasure of those who indulge in sin doesn’t come close to the pleasure of waking up early on Shabbos Kodesh for a few hours of davening, coffee, and learning!

Sparks from Berditchov

In order to attain an avodas Hashem which is complete, one must take care to consciously experience both the periods of ‘Running’ – the intense seeking of closeness with our Father in heaven, and ‘Returning’ – the periods of broken-hearted introspection. The greater the effort we put into the periods of ‘Returning,’ the more intense the subsequent phase of ‘Running’ will be.

Baal Hatanya

When one contemplates and focuses deeply upon the immensity of Hashem, how He “fills and surrounds all worlds” and how “all is like nothing before Him,” the trait of lofty awe will be awoken and inspired. He will fear and be embarrassed before Hashem’s infinite greatness until terror fills his heart. After this, his heart will erupt into tremendous love like shooting sparks with longing and yearning, the pining of the soul toward the enormity of the Ein Sof, Blessed is He.