R. Aharon (Arche) Levin of Liozna

 R. Aharon (Arche) Levin of Liozna (c. 5570-5661) was a prominent chossid of the Tzemach Tzedek, and later of the Rebbes of Kopust. He was a Rosh Yeshivah in Dubravna and Vitebsk, before serving as the Rov of Liozna for many years. An exceedingly humble elder Chassid, he relayed traditions going back to the Alter Rebbe.

 

R. Aharon once attended a chasunah in Vitebsk, where his father R. Baruch lived. The hall was a large room, filled with people, and R. Aharon was seated at the head of the table. On the opposite wall there was a mirror, and when R. Aharon looked at the mirror he suddenly asked, “Who is that distinguished looking Jew sitting at the end of the table?” His entire life he had never looked in a mirror and didn’t know what he looked like.

(ניצוצי אור – וויינגארטן)

modesty

 מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל: (במדבר כד:ה)

[Balaam said,] “How good are your tents, O Jacob, your encampments, O Israel.” Numbers 24:5

The lesson for us here is that we must never think that it is important to be concerned only about the “larger” issues of modesty and intimacy, but that we can be lax about the “smaller,” “innocent” details. Even the smaller details are important – important enough to be able to transform a curse into a blessing (or an accursed situation into a blessed one).

Lest we think that this alertness to the details of modesty is only required in our day-to-day behavior but not in temporary situations (such as when we are on vacation), we see here that the tremendous power of even the minor details of modest conduct was demonstrated when our forefathers lived in tents, their temporary homes in the desert.1

Likutei Sichot, vol. 13, p. 84. 

What Rav Miller actually said:

 

What Rav Miller actually said:

 

Now to eat in Rebbe’s house, actually not such a bad thing. [He is referring to Yehuda HaNasi] Cause if you would enslave your mind to Rebbe. Not so bad. If it were up to me, I would eat gladly in Rebbe’s house. Because I’d be a slave to Rebbe. So what’s better than that? What’s the purpose of having freedom of mind? In order to get the right mind. So if you take your freedom of mind, in order to make yourself a slave to a great mind, a true and holy mind, it’s the best thing. So, for us, it’s no question. It depends. Let’s say the Lubavitcher Rebbe invites you. He says, Shabbos come into me. Eat at my table. So forget about what you heard tonight [about the danger of eating at the table of certain people]. Say, gladly. Because you’ll be enslaved. You’ll sit at his table. Whatever he says, you’ll say yes. It’s good. You can be sure it’s good. If the Satmar Rav will invite you to his table for Shabbos. Accept. Accept.

Rav Avigdor Miller, “At Someone’s Table,” Tape #212, 36:27

 

 

What Toras Avigdor presented:

 

Now, we won’t say that you can never eat at someone else’s table. If it’s up to me, there are many tzadikim who I would gladly eat in their homes because I’d become slaves to them. What’s better than that?  What’s the purpose of having freedom of mind?  In order to get the right type of mind.  So if you take your freedom of mind and use your bechira to enslave it to a greater mind, a holy Torah mind, that’s the best thing. So for us, it’s no question. Let’s say, Rav Aaron Kotler invites you to his house. He says, “On Shabbos come eat at my table.”  So forget about what you heard tonight and say, “Gladly!” because you’ll become enslaved to the best. You’ll sit at his table and whatever he says, you’ll say, “Yes, it’s good.”  You could be sure it’s good and you’ll be swallowing down all of the best attitudes of the mind.  (Parshas Korach based on 212)

 

 Now, TA has mentioned the Rebbe on other occasions. Nevertheless, here they made an error.