How to see the Baal Shem Tov after his passing

From a Sicha of the Night of Simchas Torah before hakafos, 5727

In a farbrengen on the night of Shmini Atzeres 5705 (in the Sukkah) the Previous Rebbe told that about 100 years prior, in the year 5627, the Rebbe Rashab told his children that today is exactly 100 years since the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal Shem Tov while he was awake (in the year 5527, after the Baal Shem Tov had already passed away).

According to the way things were done, that the children of the Rebbeim participated in "parting from the Sukkah", so too the Rebbe Maharash went with his children -- the Rebbe Rashab along with his brothers and sisters -- and "parted from the Sukkah" with a cup of tea and some cake, and at this time he spoke about the matter mentioned above and told the following story:

On Sukkos 5527, when the Alter Rebbe was serving as the shammes for the Maggid, the Maggid sat in the Sukkah and the Alter Rebbe entered after him. The Maggid said to him: lock the door so that no one can enter, and don't become excited but rather internalize this and let it sink in -- the Rebbe is coming!

--Then they saw the Baal Shem Tov while they were awake, seven years after his passing!

From this we see the great level of a shammes, that davka through this the Alter Rebbe merited to see the Baal Shem Tov while he was awake seven years after his passing.

Seemingly, it is not understood: the nesius of the Maggid continued for 13 years until the year 5533, and the Alter Rebbe was by him during this time for less than 3 years -- 32 months, which is a small portion of the years of the nesius of the Maggid (and certainly not the majority of the years). So how is it possible to say that the Alter Rebbe served as a shammes by the Maggid in a way of "he never departed"?

The explanation is: even though the Alter Rebbe wasn't by the Maggid all the time, but rather he travelled to Liozna, nonetheless he went there in order to fulfill the shlichus of the Maggid -- to spread Chassidus there, and since he travelled on his shlichus to fulfill his will, thus the Maggid was with him the entire time.

As has been said numerous times, everything can be spotted in the revealed aspect Torah, for there is "one Torah for everyone", so there is a basis to inquire on the matter of "shlucho shel Adam k'moso" the shliach of a person is like the person himself (Brochos 34b, in the mishna). There are three ways to learn this:

1) that the shliach performs the action, but he is given the power by the sender to do it in place of him.
2) that the power of action of the shliach is the power of action of the sender.
3) that the body of the shliach becomes exactly like the sender, his existence is the existence of the sender.

All of this is said if indeed the shliach becomes like the sender, but regarding the sender himself we don't find that he becomes like the shliach; but even so, even as regards teh sender we could learn these three ways, even the third way -- that the sender transforms to be the existence of the shliach.

So, too, it is in the ruchniyus of the matter: when the Alter Rebbe went to fulfill the shlichus of the Maggid, the existence of the sender (the Maggid) transformed to be the existence of the shliach (the Alter Rebbe).

Now, as well, when we fulfill the shlichus of the Rebbe then the Rebbe is found together with us and the Rebbe is the one who carries out the matter.*

After the Alter Rebbe was in the role of shammes, this caused him to see the Baal Shem Tov after his passing, while he was awake. --In addition to the level of the Baal Shem Tov himself, there is the additional maalah that the Baal Shem Tov had already gone through the stage of "you are dust and you will return to the dust" (not like Eliyahu Hanovi who ascended to heaven in a storm), and the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal Shem Tov while awake, not in a dream, and a time when one is obligated in Torah and Mitzvos. And like Moshe's superiority over all the other prophets -- that all the prophets had to remove themselves from physicality in order to be able to receive the prophecy, unlike Moshe who would remain standing in his place -- similarly here was this level (by the Alter Rebbe), that he saw the Baal Shem Tov while awake.

Regarding actual action:

There are those who served as shammes by the [Previous] Rebbe in his life in this world, someone in this capacity, someone in another capacity, and they also want now to serve as shammes by the [Previous] Rebbe.

So there is guidance (hora'a') that when fulfililng the shlichus of the Rebbe he becomes a shammes of the Rebbe and the Rebbe is together with him wherever he is found, even in a distant country, since he is fulfilling the shlichus of the Rebbe.

And "it is not in the heavens" and "it is not wonderous", but rather "the thing is very close to you to do it" in actuality, it is relevant to every single person that the Rebbe is found together with him and he is able to see the Rebbe and while he is awake,** and through this he sees all the Rebbeim.

* See Sefer Hasichos p.55 "I gave my nefesh, ruach, neshoma to the Rebbe, and so therefore 'I' don't know".

** To note, from Sichos Kodesh 5713 (new printing) p. 228: The [Previous] Rebbe told that once the Rebbe Rashab said "Come now, let us debate" (Yeshaya 1:18). There were some chassidim of the Rebbe Maharash there, and he brought about then that they saw the Rebbe Maharash...(text missing). If one desires, it is possible to see also today, except that the yetzer hara is clever and sly, a "kluginker" in the words of the [Previous] Rebbe, and he blinds the intellect.

(worked over free-translation (by Yechi Hamelech, Bereishis 5768))

Yaakov Avinu (and the Rebbe) didn't die

…the situation [after the passing of the Previous Rebbe] is not what it appears to eyes of flesh (physical, and much more so material), that there has occurred, G-d forbid, an interruption [in the life of the Previous Rebbe], etc. – rather, here and now he “stands and serves”.

Immediately a question is raised: now, an incident occurred a certain number of years ago, and we ourselves were there and we did certain things, in accordance with Shulchan Aruch, which are connected with an interruption [of life]!

Now, as has been said several times, everything has its source in the Torah – not only the inner dimension of Torah, but also the revealed dimension of Torah.

This is what the gemara states (Taanis 5b): “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die.” Immediately the gemara questions this: “but they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him?”

Nonetheless, even after this question the gemara does not recant and explain it in a different way, rather the gemara remains with this statement that “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”, despite that they “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”, and despite that these activities were really performed, because after all they are told to us in the Torah!

So the gemara explains: “just as his progeny are alive, so too he is alive”. As long as “his progeny are alive”, then even if “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him” – something that really happened and in accordance with Shulchan Aruch – with all this “so too he is alive”.

And this is not to be understood according to the explanations of those who want to “cool off” the subject, who want to explain that through the fact that his progeny are alive then it is as if he himself is also alive.

Firstly, according to an explanation like this it would come out that the gemara recanted what it said that “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”, for it is only as if he didn’t die – that by his progeny being alive he derives benefit from this exactly as if he was alive.

Secondly, this is the opposite of the language of the gemara: the gemara doesn’t say that through this that his progeny are alive it is as if he is alive, rather the gemara equates the two things – “just as his progeny are live” – in exactly the same way – “so too he is alive”. And this is brought by the gemara as an answer to the question “but they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”.
[…]

The physical aspect [of a true and complete tzaddik]…is nothing more than a secondary thing and merely an external garment.

From this it is understood, that when this secondary thing is removed from him and the main thing remains, this cannot be called by the name “death”, since this is only relevant to say about one whose life was connected with the physical thing in the body and the physicality of the world. But by the tzaddik, even though when he was a neshoma in a body the body was something that had to be taken into account, except that for him the body was not the main thing, rather the spirituality in it; only the external garment was a physical garment. Therefore, when he removed one garment and donned another garment, there is nothing lacking and consequently “Yaakov Avinu didn’t die”.

And when there is a question: but “they eulogized him, embalmed him, and buried him”? – the response is: all of these activities were done on the physical aspect of his body. By any other person, even a Jew, when he’s down in this world, this is the main aspect of his life…which is not the case by him [this complete tzaddik], that even his life in this world was a spiritual life.

[…]the gemara knows that “they eulogized him”, this is a verse in the Torah, and connected with halacha, etc., but this is no contradiction, because all of this was done with his physical garment, and this garment was exchanged, in order that he could now have a different garment.

Sicha of the Rebbe on the Hillula of the Previous Rebbe, Yud Shevat 5726 (1966)

A Rebbe passes: Not what the eyes of flesh see

On the last time, during his life in this world, that the Rebbe [Rayatz] celebrated his Festival of Liberation [from Russian prison on 12-13 Tammuz], the Rebbe felt it necessary to make the point that matters of holiness are eternal. Moreover (so that no one should misunderstand) he went on to speak specifically of long life, true life that is uninterrupted -- so that we should not think according to what is seen, G-d forbid, by fleshly eyes (for such a situation does not at all apply in the realm of holiness); rather, that we should know that even after the histalkus [passing] there is life without interruption, eternal life, in the case of the Leader of the generation, and through him eternal life is drawn forth for the entire generation....

There is "an extension of Moshe in each and every generation," up to and including the Moshe in our generation, namely, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe [Rayatz]: Now, too, as before, he is present and diffuses light (like the sun, which at night, too, is present and radiates light).

If we were proceeding together with him we would see that he is now radiating light with all the intensity as previously (and, indeed, in an even higher way). However, since he has ascended, elevation beyond elevation, whereas we did not accompany him but have remained where we were, he is not visible to our fleshly eyes (just as we do not see the sun at night). Nevertheless, in this situation, too, his light extends to all the Children of Israel...

We, admittedly, do not perceive the diffusion of his light. However, as in the above-quoted maxim of the Rebbe Rashab, "If the horse is a horse and the wagon-driver is a wagon-driver, does that mean that the angels aren't angels?!" 

From a talk of the Rebbe following the histalkus (passing) of the Previous Rebbe (Rebbe Rayatz) in 5710 (1950)

http://www.sichosinenglish.org/books/proceeding-together-2/05.htm#t116

Gemara: Tzaddikim Do Not Die

There were grave diggers who dug in the earth belonging to R. Nachman and were rebuked by R. Achai bar Yashai (who's grave they disturbed). They came and said to Rabbi Nachman, "We were rebuked by a man." Rabbi Nachman went there and asked him "Who are you, master?" 

He responded "I am Achai b. Yashai".

"Has not Rav Mari said that, 'In the future, the bodies of the righteous will return to dust?" said Rabbi Nachman

"Who is Mari? I know him not." said the dead one.

"But", again said Rabbi Nachman "this is the passage, 'When the dust will return to the earth as it was'".

The dead responded "He who learned with you Kohelet (Ecclatisies) didn't learn with you Mishlei (Proverbs), where it is written 'But jealousy is the rottenness of the bones', which means that (only) he who has jealousy in his heart, his bones shall rot after death".

Thereupon Rabbi Nachman tried to feel [Rav Achai's body] and he found it to be a real substance.

Rabbi Nachman then said to him, "Let the master arise and go to his home.".

The dead responded, saying "You show you haven't even read the Nevi'im (Prophets), for it is written (Yechezkel 33), 'And you shall know that I am the L-rd, when I open your graves, and when I cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people'".

"But", said Rabbi Nachman, "it is written (Berashis, Genesis, 3-19) 'For dust you are, and to dust shall you return'."

Whereupon the dead explained to him, saying, "This is meant for one hour before the arrival of the final resurrection of the dead [that all dead will return to dust]."

Talmud Shabbos 152b

A Rebbe after his passing: He Is Alive

"[Regarding my father-in-law, the Previous Rebbe] he is alive. [...] Just as his children are alive, so too he is alive. Not "as if he is alive", and not "alive" with explanations [pshetlach], but exactly as his children are alive -- just as these Jews are alive and able to bring about the 'conquest' of the world -- in the same way he, too, is alive even now."

Sicha of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Yud Shvat, 5726 (Hillula of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe)