Polishing the Buttons

Polishing the Buttons (or in Yiddish - putzn di kneplech) is a metaphor that the Frierdiker Rebbe (Rebbe Rayatz) used to define our avodah in our generation, which is close to the time of Geulah. The work of refining the world is compared to a button, just as a button connects two parts of a garment, so too a person's avodah is to connect the world with Elokus. However, despite this, the button connects two things that are essentially separate; polishing it (in avodas Hashem) means nullifying the world to Elokus in an absolute way, to the extent that it was never a separate existence to begin with.

The Rebbe often quoted this metaphor in relation to the avodah of our generation, but in his later years he added that even the time for polishing is limited, and in our time we have completed even this avodah, and today's avodah is to live Moshiach.

Its Origin

During a farbrengen on Simchas Torah 5689 (1928), the Frierdiker Rebbe spoke about the avodas Hashem required in our generation. Among other things, he expressed that while we have not yet completed the avodah, the Jews of Russia are completing the avodah and are already worthy to receive the light of Moshiach. He compared their avodah to polishing military uniforms and polishing the buttons of the garments ("They are already polishing the uniform to go toward Moshiach, they are polishing the buttons of the garments to go toward Moshiach"). He concluded that when we also make ourselves vessels for Elokus as they do, we will merit the light of Moshiach. The Rebbe quoted this sicha many times in relation to the avodah in our generation to complete the work and bring Moshiach. In many sichos, he also connected this to the expression "Stand ready, all of you" that was said by the Frierdiker Rebbe in defining the avodah of our generation, which is about preparing for the coming of Moshiach.

Meaning of the Metaphor

A person's avodah in tikkun olam and transforming it into a holy reality is alluded to in the metaphor of buttons because the purpose of a button is to connect the two parts of the garment, the right and left sides. The connection of the garment is made by sewing the button on the left side and making holes on the right side, thus connecting the two sides with the right side over the left side (and the connection of both sides together (including the left side) makes up the completeness of the garment, because through the revelation of light (right), there is the advantage of light coming from darkness (left). This is also the avodah of the Jewish people to connect matters of the world expressed in the 'left' side to the right side - the side of kedushah. The emphasis that we're talking about military uniforms is because all of Israel are soldiers, "everyone who goes out to the army in Israel," and together they all go out in the Geulah to greet "Hashem Elokei HaTzvaos" with polished military uniforms.

Polishing the button is done to remove the dust (sitra achra) on it, and the hint to this by way of tzachus (wordplay) is that the translation of dust to English is "dust" - an acronym for Da Stra Achra (translation: This is sitra achra).

For further explanation in avodas ha'adam, the Rebbe explained: According to what is known, there are generally two approaches in avodas ha'adam: 1. The world is significant and has existence, but the person recognizes and knows there is a Master to the world and he must serve Him (alluded to in the Mishnah: "I was created to serve my Creator" in the common wording). 2. In his perception, the world has no significance at all; from the outset he recognizes and feels that "there is nothing besides Him." Consequently, his entire existence from the beginning is only to serve Hashem (alluded to in the wording: "I was not created... except to serve my Creator...!!") This is the meaning of the avodah of polishing the button. The button comes to connect two parts that are not inherently connected and only become connected through an action, and this is a metaphor for the first approach. However, the main avodah in our generation is to "polish" the button, meaning to "elevate" in this avodah, until one feels in their perception that there is truly nothing besides Him, and from the outset there is no possibility of separation between the world and Hashem.

Siyum Ha'avodah (Completion of the Work)

The emphasis in the words of the Rebbe Rayatz is: that only the "polishing" of the buttons remains, because even the attachment of the buttons - the secondary part of the garment - already exists. The only thing left to do is to shine and polish the buttons. The analogy is: the work of refining and purifying the world to prepare it for the Redemption has already been performed and is almost complete, and all that remains for completion is just a very small action.

When the Rebbe spoke about our closeness to the time of Redemption, he expressed that since only the polishing remains, and we can see tangibly that when a button is polished too much, it loses its perfection - certainly, certainly the Holy One, Blessed be He, is bringing the Redemption closer.

In later years, the Rebbe expressed several times that the work of refining the world and its rectification has been completed, and even the work of "polishing the buttons" has already been done. What remains is "Stand ready, all of you, to receive Moshiach" and to live the Redemption even in exile, and thus bring the Redemption in actuality.

See Also

• Avodas HaGalus (The Work of Exile)
• Besoras HaGeulah (The Announcement of Redemption)
• Lihyos Geulah (Living Redemption)