Rabbi Judah ben Bezalel Lowe, known as the Maharal of Prague was famous among Jews and non-Jews alike. He was a mystic who was revered for his holiness and Torah scholarship, as well as his proficiency in mathematics, astronomy, and other sciences. Eventually, word of his greatness reached the ears of Emperor Rudolph II.
The Emperor invited the Maharal to his castle on February 23, 1592. There they conversed for one and a half hours, and developed a mutual respect for each other.
Rabbi Judah Lowe made use of his excellent connections with the Emperor, often intervening on behalf of his community when it was threatened by anti-Semitic attacks or oppression.
The month before Rosh Hashanah, taught Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, is a precious month. For thirty days, you can find the Ultimate King awaiting you outside the city, on a rustic path that winds through an empty meadow.
What’s the advantage of meeting the King in a meadow?
Because when you meet the King in His palace of the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, much stands between you and Him—the carpet, the throne, the royal robes, the protocol, the language you must use, the awe and magnificence of the palace…
But in the field, the King wears blue jeans. And so do you. He even greets you with a smile, and expresses His delight that you came out to see Him.
Now it’s just you with the King.