Bochurim in over 40 Yeshivos worldwide will join tonight for a special seder of learning in the merit of a refuah shelaima for Rabbi Akiva Wagner, Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Toronto.
The name Michoel has been added in the merit of a complete recovery. Please continue to recite Tehillim and adding in davening for the recovery of Michoel Akiva Gershon ben Rochel Basya.
Participating Yeshivos:
Arizona Mesivta-Baltimore Mesivta-Baltimore Zal-Beit Shemesh-Brunoy Mesivta-CBD Poconos-Chicago Mesivta-Chovevei zal-Cincinnati Mesivta-Coral Springs Mesivta-Cote S. Luc-Detroit -Kiryat Gat-LA Mesivta-LA Zal-Machon Ahron Kingston -Mayanot-Miami Mesivta-Miami Zal-Monsey Mesivta-Montreal Zal-Morristown-New Haven Mesivta-New Haven Zal-Oholei Torah Mesivta- Oholei Torah Zal-Or Temimim Toronto-Oteg-Panama-Pittsburgh Mesivta- Poconos-Postville Mesivta-Postville Zal-Queens -Toronto Mesivta-Toronto Zal- Tomchei Temimim Tzfas-South Africa-Westchester-Wilkes Barre-YG.
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In an email to his alumni, Rabbi Wagner wrote about adding a new name the following.
Firstly, let me introduce myself: My name is now “Michoel Akiva Gershon, ben Refoel Menachem Nochum, and ben Rochel Batya. Yesterday, On Shabbos shoftim, we added the extra name, in accordance with what we learn in many seforim and in the Rambam that this is one of the means to increase and enhance health.
We’ve been learning recently in chitas, in Tanya, about the malach Michoel who is “sar shel chesed” and “sar shel mayim”, who oversees the drawing down of positive hashpo’ois into the world. The Alter Rebbe taught us how the Eibishter is עושה שלום במרומיו, – he creates harmony between the different contradictor angels above, enabling their influence in the world to be viable and effective.
So, what’s in a name?
Chassidus teaches us that the name is the source of giluy hachayus, i.e., our name keeps us tuned in to our neshomo, and its continuously connecting us with being chelek Eloka mimaal mamosh!
You see, we live a paradox. For our lives we inhabit this physical world, the quintessential “helem vehester on Elokus”, – the place that’s geared to feel and sense that אני ואפסי עוד, – that every person and everything is a separate, independent entity, detached from their source of “Hashem Echod”. Here, it’s easy to get caught up with the pursuit of gratification, of pleasure and worldly successes. It becomes easy to overlook who we are and what we’re really all about.
Our antidote to that is our name, that connects us with the life-sustenance of our a neshomo and enables to remain focussed on our unique shlichus; – to exist within the world as an extension of Hashem echod, – transforming it into a dira lo yisborach.
So, together with the brochos for the new name, I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of us to always be in touch with ourselves and with our name, and be focussed on our ultimate goal of preparing the world for the geulah!
