Angels Created Every Step Of The Way
A compilation from the Rebbe’s sichos about the privilege and obligation to participate in tahalucha * presented for Shavuos by the Vaad Hakhalas Kehillos of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad
(Free translations)

TAHALUCHA: LIKE TRAVELING FROM HAR SINAI
When a Jew leaves his shul in order to make Jews in other shuls rejoice, this is like the trip from Har Sinai. Indeed, since his shul is likened to Har Sinai, his trip is comparable to traveling from Har Sinai. As he walks he cannot say the Tikkun, and he cannot be properly involved in Torah study as it says, “Al tirgizu ba’derech, al tis’asku b’dvar halacha.” This is especially the case when walking among non-Jews and one needs protection, which is why all have to walk together (and in such a situation it is not possible) that throughout the walk you should not have to interrupt Torah learning for even an instant!

[I myself did not go on Tahalucha, but I can imagine the way it is, with some people speaking words of Torah, nigleh and Chassidus, and at the same time there are probably others who look at the police cars or at how so and so is walking, is he swaying while he walks, does he try to slip away and go to a closer shul, and the like. In any case, it is not possible to avoid interrupting Torah learning for even an instant.]

Even so, they don’t take this into consideration, and they go far distances in order to make other Jews rejoice with the joy of Yom Tov, and the reason for this is, according to the directive of the Rebbe my father-in-law, nasi doreinu, Hashem’s emissary, “Hashem revealed his secret to His servants the prophets.” Furthermore, “a wise man is preferable to a prophet.” On the Yomim Tovim, when there is a need to include others in the joy, “he, his children, and his wife and his grandchildren and all those who accompany him,” including “the convert, the orphan, and the widow, etc.” one must go and make other Jews rejoice with the joy of Yom Tov; Jews whom he does not know and whom he never saw before, but since he heard that in a certain place there is a shul in which Jews gather, he drags his feet to that place without considering how far away it is, in order to increase the joy of Yom Tov for these Jews.

We see how great is the joy of these Jews when they realize that a Jew put himself out on their behalf, with no benefit to himself, to the point that he did not avoid the bother of going far away in order to make them rejoice. This itself increases their joy.

One cannot take his wife and household on Tahalucha for then one would not be able to go... So he goes alone, and takes only those children who reached the age of chinuch. He brings even the smallest children to shul to hear the Ten Commandments, but not on Tahalucha, for there is no purpose in materen a Yid (wearying a Jew) just like that. However, when one goes to make another Jew happy, then, on the contrary, not only does the physical discomfort not deter him, ch’v, from doing a Jew a favor, but this is a true benefit for the body!

This is the idea of Tahalucha — that despite the fact that during the walk there will be a period of time in which he will not delve into Torah, in any case he is going from Har Sinai to fulfill the mission of nasi doreinu, as mentioned earlier about the travels of the Jewish people from Har Sinai, which is the content of the portion of Chumash of “the time of the Giving of our Torah,” as it comes out this year.

(Sicha second day Shavuos 5744; unedited) 

THE OBLIGATION OF TAHALUCHA: EVERY DAY
Another point that must be clarified is that there are those who think that although it is true that you must walk, and not just four cubits, but, they maintain, by going on Tahalucha twice a year they have fulfilled their obligation!

The response to this is that one must leave Mitzrayim every single day, and all 365 days of the year, as it says in s’farim that the word “mish’chu” is numerically equivalent to 365 with the word itself, and one of the conditions of yetzias Mitzrayim was “with your blood you will live.”

Therefore, one cannot be satisfied by exhibiting mesirus nefesh one time and going on Tahalucha, thus fulfilling the obligation to leave Mitzrayim, but one must do so every day, and on each day — 24 hours a day, leaving behind the restraints and limitations.

Those who can go on Tahalucha more often, must go. Those who can leave the city a few times a year — must go. Those who can go to another city regularly, cannot fulfill their obligation by going infrequently. Those who can leave the country, must travel abroad. Those who can travel to a distant country, cannot fulfill their obligation by going to a closer country.

I am not talking about hiddurim and the like. This is the mitzva of the Torah, a person must see himself as going out of all his restrictions and limitations. It’s not in the heavens! Since the Torah obligated us, it is like all the mitzvos — the mitzva itself also confers the ability to fulfill it.

As mentioned earlier, this is not a time-bound mitzva but “in order that you remember…all the days of your life,” so that by doing so we achieve the end of the statement, “to bring the days of Moshiach,” as in the explanation brought in s’farim, “to bring” — that this brings to” the days of Moshiach.”

(Sicha Acharon shel Pesach 5721; unedited)

WOE TO SUCH CLEVERNESS
There are those who seek ways of getting out of excessive exertion by going to nearby locations. Is it possible, they wonder, that my friend should go to a closer shul and return home early and be able to eat the Yom Tov meal, fish and meat and all the delicacies, while I drag my feet! Let him drag his feet, while I, being a “smart boy,” will find a closer place so that I can get home sooner.

Woe to such cleverness! Instead of using this cleverness (being that we are a “wise and understanding nation”) for matters of holiness — for example, to understand the Rambam in the daily shiur, or at least to study the shiur in Rambam and the like — it is used to get out of  properly fulfilling the shlichus of nasi doreinu, by going to a nearby place.

Those who consider themselves “old and it is beneath their dignity” to participate in the Tahalucha, his origin being from a family of elder Chassidim from a certain town, and so it is beneath him to mingle with “plain people” going on Tahalucha,- what does he have to do with that town? He himself was born outside that town and was never there! The only connection he has with that town is that his relatives were born and raised there, which makes him a meyuchas (pedigreed), and therefore he doesn’t want to go on Tahalucha! ... Furthermore, he is the one scrutinizing all the Chassidim, seeing who is going and who isn’t, etc.

(Sicha of second day Shavuos 5744; unedited)

not to appoint another in one’s place
When one approaches someone learning nigleh and Chassidus and tells him: Listen, the Rebbe [Rayatz] said we should go and make Jews rejoice, he answers: I have to figure this out — how much time will it take to get there, being there, and returning home. Since it takes so much time, he cannot afford the time and so he appoints someone in his place while he sits and learns. Tell him that this isn’t the point at all. He himself must go and make Jews rejoice.

(Sicha Bereishis 5734; unedited)

SPECIFICALLY TO A DISTANT PLACE
There is a special advantage and privilege for those going specifically to distant locations, for he could have been a “smart boy” and gone to a closer place (as some did), for then he would have the advantage of having participated in the Tahalucha while not having to trouble himself to walk a long way! Yet he did not make these calculations, but decided that it was preferable to be the opposite of a “smart boy,” in order to fulfill the commandment of “run to do a mitzva,” and therefore, fortunate is his lot and great is his merit, which is incomparable to the merit of the “smart boy,” who went to a closer location of only four cubits, for obviously there is no comparing the “reward for going” only four cubits to the “reward for going” many cubits many times over!

This trait the “smart boy” has is a good one, as the Rebbe my father-in-law says, “a Chassid iz a kluger” (a Chassid is clever, which is why he doesn’t postpone, etc.) — but he would be better off using the quality of “cleverness” for other things , to profit in business and the like, while in these matters he would better off conducting himself in the manner of “tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha” (be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d).

(Sicha second day Shavuos 5743; unedited)
 

EVERY STEP CREATES AN ANGEL
Regarding the good custom of going on Tahalucha to make Jews rejoice with the joy of a mitzva and with the joy of Yom Tov, don’t think the main thing is the place you left and the place you are going to, while the trip itself is only a necessary stage you need to traverse in order to get from place to place.

You should know that each step you take creates an angel, and refines birurim on the road. It is possible that this place has been waiting since the Six Days of Creation for a Jew to pass by for a dvar mitzva and to do the will of Hashem.

(Sicha second day Shavuos 5728; unedited)

EXPLAINING THAT “MOSHE DID NOT DIE”
With this ability one can go to shuls and explain to Jews he meets there that Moshe really did not die, and there is no change.

If they accept what is said — wonderful, and if they have questions, then just as when a child asks his teacher a question and the teacher doesn’t know the answer, he slaps him on the cheek and says, “When you grow older you will understand,” so too, you can say the same thing to the Jew who asks questions. This is the reality even if you don’t understand!

You can give a relevant example by saying we hold the Torah while it is covered in such a way that we cannot see what is written in it, and even so we rejoice and dance with it.

The main thing is, as I said, the kav ha’yamin (“the right side”) should be revealed already, which will obviate the need to answer these complaints, etc.

One Erev Shabbos, the Tzemach Tzedek said Moshiach should come. Somebody asked him: In the Gemara it says that Moshiach will not come on arvei Shabbasos. Replied the Tzemach Tzedek: When Moshiach comes and answer all questions, he will answer this question, too!

(Leil Simchas Torah 5711; unedited)

WE HAVE A GREAT REBBE AND WE COME ON HIS SHLICHUS
Regarding going to shuls, in earlier times when people were asked where they were from, they used to answer: From Dokschitz and the like, because they were afraid to say they came from Lubavitch, lest they be chased away. But today we live in a time when we don’t have to be deterred, but can openly say: We had and we have a great Rebbe, the Rebbe my father-in-law, and we are here on his shlichus!

The truth is one cannot hide the fact that he is a Lubavitcher. Even if he were to go all out in comporting himself as others do (ensuring that the socks and tie match, smoking a cigar, speaking fluent English, and the like) they would recognize and identify him as a Lubavitcher, and so it’s better to say the truth from the start.

The Rebbe Maharash was once speaking to a maskil who bothered him, to the point that the Rebbe responded quite sharply. The maskil asked how the Rebbe knew he was a maskil, to which the Rebbe said: When you circumcise a Jewish boy and remove the foreskin, there are some who have it stuck on their nose, and that’s how I recognized you — by your nose! All the more so in the positive, that as much as one will try to hide his identity, they will recognize him as a Lubavitcher.

The truth is they would not chase him away for being a Lubavitcher, for “whoever has fear of Heaven, his words are heeded.” However, when his chitzoniyus doesn’t match the pnimiyus that was put into him, similarly they give a false reason and say they chased him away for being a Lubavitcher.

Speak the truth, that you come as an emissary of the Rebbe my father-in-law. Speak with confidence and don’t fear anyone, as in the example brought in Chassidus of a great wise man, to whom those who are not wise are not recognized by him as even existing... However you must be careful not to hurt anyone, and “the words of the wise are heard when calm,” but at the same time go with self-confidence, and don’t be afraid of anyone.

(Sicha Nitzavim 27 Elul 5710; unedited)

CONTINUING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
The main joy of Yom Tov was in the Beis HaMikdash, as it says, “and you shall rejoice before Hashem your G-d.” Once the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, the shuls and battei midrash are the small sanctuaries. Therefore, you ought to rejoice in the shuls with a special joy on Yom Tov, like the joy experienced in the Beis HaMikdash.

This is why a number of congregations arrange a special simcha in shul on Yom Tov, in addition to the simchas Yom Tov, which is celebrated at home. For this reason, in recent years men and boys go to shuls for the Hakafos of Simchas Torah, in order to increase (by being new faces) the joy in the shuls.

Those boys who went to distant shuls and just came now, and missed a great deal of the farbrengen, etc., in addition to their weary bodies, they also sacrificed something that affects their souls. Thus, for the portion of the farbrengen for which they will be present, they will receive as much as if they were here the entire time, and even more. For according to the pain is the reward, and from the constrictions one reaches the expanse of the essence. And the expanse of the essence which they just received shall continue for them throughout the year, in all their matters, in Torah study, in the fulfillment of mitzvos punctiliously, and in the avoda of tefilla, which is the spinal cord of everything. (Likkutei Torah, Parshas Balak)

Since it is Simchas Torah, everything must be connected to Torah, so they will connect the expanse they received to Torah and this will be the vessel to continue the expanse the entire year materially and spiritually.

(Sicha leil Simchas Torah 5718; printed in Likkutei Sichos vol. 19 p. 578)

FROM GOING ON TAHALUCHA TO GOING TO THE GEULA
We see that something that is understood and grasped provides pleasure, unlike doing something with kabbalas ol which provides no benefit other than fulfilling Hashem’s will, as in the well-known Likkutei Torah: if we were commanded to hew wood, we would do that too.

Among the mitzvos associated with kabbalas ol, especially those associated with the feet, is walking to distant parts, or a place that is far for you and which involves some bother. All those who participated shall say l’chaim together, and may it be fulfilled in them, “If you go in My statutes.” Here the Torah of light emphasizes that the real toil in Torah is when “you go” — the idea of going, when you change your nature then Hashem changes the nature of the world, and even fruitless trees bear fruit, until you achieve “I will lead them upright” with the true and complete Redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu very soon.

(Sicha second day Shavuos 5730; unedited)

THEY WILL ALL MERIT TO RUN TOGETHER TOWARDS MOSHIACH
There is no reason to go on at length about this, for it is not worth causing Jews pain and disturbing their simchas Yom Tov, especially the second day of Yom Tov of Galus, which has a special quality to it, as is brought in a number of places. Thus, it is better to speak in praise of the Jewish people, for certainly they meant it l’sheim Shamayim [for the sake of Heaven, as in the saying of our Sages in Pesachim 53b, “Whether they said to light or whether they said not to light, they both had the same intention,” i.e., l’sheim Shamayim]. Certainly they will all merit to run together to greet Moshiach Tzidkeinu very soon.

As for those who dragged their feet to walk long distances (including far distances in the spiritual sense) in order to bring the joy of Yom Tov to other Jews, to them it should be said: “May you do so again next year,” for next year when we will be in our holy land, you will walk even further. For “in the Future to Come, Yerushalayim will extend itself over Eretz Yisroel.” Thus, in Yerushalayim itself you will have to walk far, 400 parsa!

After speaking about this, may we soon merit the time when Yerushalayim spreads out over Eretz Yisroel, and Eretz Yisroel spreads out over all the lands, and then we will merit to go up to Yerushalayim the Holy City, to the Har ha’Bayis, and to the third Beis HaMikdash, “The Mikdash Hashem which Your hands established,” with joy and gladness of heart.”

(Sicha second day Shavuos 5744; unedited)