What
Did The Rebbe Say About Our Being Shluchim?
EVERYONE'S
A SHALIACH
I must add that
even though the description of shaliach ... was said only
to part of the congregation here, the truth is that everyone must
know that each one of us, and all of us together, amongst all the
Jewish people, are shluchim of the leader of the
generation, my father-in-law, the Rebbe! Since he was appointed as
leader of the generation, all Jews in this generation have become
his servants and shluchim, for “ha’nasi hu ha’kol”
(the leader is everything)!
It
is understood that once a person has become the emissary of the
leader of the generation, his position is permanent, just as being
Jewish is something that lasts forever! In fact, his behavior
makes no difference with respect to this status — whether he
fulfills his shlichus or not, G-d forbid, whether he does
or does not follow orders, by accident or worse, etc. — for he
cannot change the fact that he has become the servant of the
leader of the generation. Indeed this is something that is not in
his hands to begin with and something he had no choice about, for
the leader of the generation was appointed by the One and Singular
One of the world, Hashem Himself, Who appointed the first leader,
Moshe Rabbeinu, the faithful shepherd, and thereafter, the
extension of Moshe in every generation, up to and including the
leader of our generation, the Rebbe Rayatz!
I
ask of the “shpitz Chabad” (the elite of Chabad) not to
be foolish and add explanations and allusions to what I said, that
what I meant was really such and such — dos vos ich mein zog
ich (I mean what I say)! There is no need for their assistance
in this matter. As long as they don’t do the opposite of help...
Thus
I repeat and emphasize once more: Every single person is the shaliach
of the leader of the generation, the Rebbe Rayatz, who is the shaliach
of the Leader of the world, through Moshe Rabbeinu — the first
faithful shepherd — until the faithful shepherd of this
generation, the Rebbe Rayatz!
The
only difference is, there are those who merited to “get it”
immediately, and, therefore, acted accordingly and appropriately
from the very start; and then there are those for whom it took
some time — and there are even those who are like the
“nails” (as explained in Tanya), which are also part of the
body!
May
it be G-d’s will that “a spirit from Above will inspire
them” so that they absorb what their true existence is all
about. Then they will immediately begin to act accordingly, as the
saying goes: the intelligent do not push off for tomorrow what
they can do today. Therefore, begin immediately today, so that
today is not lost!
As
the saying from the gedolei Yisroel of the Middle Ages who
bemoan the fact that “man worries about losing his money, but
not about the loss of his days”: When it’s a money matter, he
does everything, to the point that it is possible that he may do
the opposite of Torah...
As
it’s brought down in the daily lesson in Rambam, there is a
situation wherein “rodeif shalmonim v’nivhal l’hon”
(someone who pursues money) to the point that he has no choice but
to forbid it to himself with a vow, an issur from the
Torah, and perhaps then he can correct himself...
However,
when speaking about losing days, he is not concerned, even though
it should be just the opposite, for he can get his money back but
his days do not return!
Therefore,
it would be better if one hour earlier he comprehends the fact
that he has a connection with the leader of the generation, even
in a manner of “nails” ... and then even the “nails” will
fulfill their task in the proper way. (Sicha
of Av 21, 5744)
the
strength of the Torah itself
When one works on
fulfilling the shlichus of the Rebbe Rayatz, the leader of
the generation, regarding spreading Judaism and spreading the
wellsprings [of Chassidus] outward, to every single place — even
though this falls into the category of a rabbinical injunction,
the words of the scribes — you must know it has all the
significance and strength of the Torah itself [similar to the
reading of the maftir of the parasha, which has all
the significance and strength of the seventh aliya], for
these injunctions are in the name of the earlier Rebbe’im,
including the Alter Rebbe and the Baal Shem Tov, and so too, those
who came after, in a way of receiving authority one man from the
other, back to Moshe Rabbeinu!
In
other words, it is understood and obvious that even were this not
the case, nevertheless, one must fulfil all the injunctions and
instructions of the leader of the generation with alacrity and
strength, etc., for “we are not dealing with fools”...but we
are speaking about an increase of vitality and a special strength
with greater measure and greater force (“one only urges those
who are already hurrying”) knowing that these matters have all
the significance and force of the Torah itself.
[It
is unnecessary to stress that fulfilling these directives must
simply be because they are the directives of the leader of the
generation, and not because they make sense to him [similar to the
difference we find in doing something that the beis din
says although they erred in their directive. If the person
followed their directive because they told him to, he fulfills his
obligation to bring a sacrifice through the sacrifice offered by
the beis din. But if he did it because it made sense to
him, he does not fulfill his obligation through the sacrifice of
the beis din. Accordingly, only when one fulfills the
directives because of the command of the leader of the generation,
can we rely and count on their fulfillment being in the proper
manner].
Now
since these directives are highly detailed, we cannot know in
which ones the leader of the generation invested his inner being
and essence, etc. We must, therefore, act in a way of
“being more stringent when in doubt”!
Practically
speaking: One must add with greater strength and might in all the
work of spreading Judaism and spreading the wellsprings [of
Chassidus] outward, beginning with the Mivtzo’im (the
Rebbe’s various campaigns), for it makes sense to say,
and it’s practically certain, that these are the most essential
matters. As we said, these things come as a continuation of and
have all the force of the Torah itself, for the idea of the
“middle line” is that it goes through and through from one end
to the other evenly, from the aspect of heel until the aspect of
head, until the aspect of the skull which is above the head, until
the aspect of the crown which is above the skull, etc.
By
being involved in spreading Judaism and spreading the wellsprings
[of Chassidus] outward, we hasten and speed up the future
Redemption, the coming of King Moshiach.
From
this we understand that when we are involved in these matters with
vitality and alacrity, we merit the true and complete Redemption,
in a way of “I will hasten it” (achishena), “he comes
with the clouds of the sky,” in one moment and in one instant. (Sicha
of Parshas Eikev, Av 20, 5743)
FORCED
TO FULFILL THE DIRECTIVES OF THE LEADER OF THE GENERATION
Everyone knows
that he has a connection with my father-in-law, the Rebbe, the
leader of the generation. The main thing is, the leader of the
generation put himself in a position so that everyone could have a
connection with him, and, therefore, this connection is eternal
(whether he wants it or not), and as a result he is compelled to
act according to the directives of the leader of the generation
regarding spreading Judaism and spreading the wellsprings [of
Chassidus] outward, etc.
As
we said, since he has a connection with the leader of the
generation, this compels him to act accordingly, and he has no
choice to act in any other way.
If
someone were to maintain that he has a choice, etc., and he
presents the following argument: If he has a choice regarding a
command from Hashem, and Hashem’s knowledge does
not compel his choice, etc., then certainly this is so regarding a
command of the leader of the generation! — Chassidus says, this
is not so!
The
knowledge and command from Above does not force his choice because
“the heart does not reveal to the mouth,” that is, this was
not revealed and brought down into the world of speech, etc..
Whereas the command of the leader of the generation was drawn down
into speech, and even into action, to the point that he had
self-sacrifice for it. Therefore, this compels his choice; indeed,
he has no other choice. He is forced to fulfill the directives of
the leader of the generation!
Of
courses, should a person claim that he will get to it later, for
there is the concept of Supernal patience, etc., he must
understand that when we speak about a command and directive of the
leader of the generation, he himself proclaimed and stressed that
he means action! Therefore, there is no possibility for
postponement!
The
only choice he has is to fight against the leader of the
generation ch’v. But by doing so he fights against his
own existence, which is compelled to act according to the
directives of the leader of the generation!
Since
he knows he has no choice but to fulfill the directives of the
leader of the generation, and in the end he will be forced to act
accordingly, it would be better if he did so from the start,
immediately, in a way of kindness and compassion (for there will
be no need to force him, etc.), as the Rebbe Rayatz said in the
beginning of his leadership, he wants the conduct to be in
a way of kindness and compassion, etc. There is also the
saying of the Rebbe Rayatz that “a Chassid is a kluger”
(a clever one). Therefore, knowing that in the end he won’t have
a choice and he will be compelled to fall into line, he does so
from the start. And then it’s naturally in a way of kindness and
compassion, etc.
When
his conduct is according to the directives of the leader of the
generation, and he does them with pride and with alacrity,
etc., this effects an increase and grace in channeling down
blessings, and in a manner of “without end” (ad bli dai).
(Sicha
VaYikra 5743)
THIS
APPLIES TO EVERY JEW
The following is
the practical directive to learn from our being here at the
beginning and opening of the International Convention of Shluchim:
First
of all, you must go out and proclaim and inform all the shluchim
that the work of shlichus now, as well as that of every
Jew, is expressed in greeting our righteous Moshiach. That is, all
the details of the work of shlichus — of spreading Torah
and Judaism and spreading the wellsprings [of Chassidus] outward
— must be permeated with this point: how does this lead to
receiving our righteous Moshiach?
This
is, of course, emphasized in the topic of the convention, “All
the days of your life to bring the Days of Moshiach”: Every
aspect of Diving service (in “all the days of your life” and
in each day itself; in all the aspects and hours of the day) must
be permeated with “to bring the Days of Moshiach.” Not only
“to increase” (as it’s written in a number of places) —
that he (the shaliach) stands and waits for Moshiach to
come and then he will take part and enjoy it, etc. — but “to
bring.” Namely, he does everything that depends on him in order
“to bring the Days of Moshiach.” “Days” in the plural; not
just a beginning of one day, but the days (plural). “The Days of
Moshiach” (not only when Moshiach is “presumed to be Moshiach,”
but “all the days of Moshiach,” including the stage of the
realization of the “certainty of his being Moshiach,” etc.).
The
simple meaning here is, from the Convention of Shluchim, good
resolutions must be made about how each shaliach will
prepare himself and prepare all the Jews in his place and in his
city, etc., to greet our righteous Moshiach, by explaining the
concept of Moshiach as it is explained in the Written Torah
and the Oral Torah, in a manner so that it will be received by
each person according to his intellect and understanding,
especially including — by learning about Moshiach and
Redemption, especially in a way of wisdom, understanding, and
knowledge.
As
this is the mission of the times, it is understood that this
pertains to every Jew with no exceptions.
***
May
it be G-d’s will that by every shaliach doing his job
fully, with all ten soul powers, especially when all the shluchim
unite and gather, with this they will immediately bring the
(revelation and completion of ) the main and true shaliach,
along with the revelation of his ten powers — “please send the
one who you will later send,” the shaliach of our
generation, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, the leader of the
generation, as it was in the generation prior to his, that the
Rebbe Rayatz joined with his father, as he was his only son, so
that we have the completion of all “seven branches of the menora,”
all the seven generations.
And
since the work of shlichus has been completed, the main
thing is that every shaliach comes to the real meshalei’ach,
Hashem himself, and informs Him: I did my shlichus, and now
the time has come (so to speak) for You to do Your shlichus
[for Hashem is also a shaliach (as it says, “He tells His
words to Yaakov, etc.”), and together with the ten sefiros, His
very essence is, as it were, Moshiach Tzidkeinu]: shlach
na b’yad tishlach — send us Moshiach Tzidkeinu!
And
even if there still remains a doubt whether Hashem wants to hold
the Jews in Exile for another moment for the great pleasure our
service in Exile provides Him, nevertheless, every Jew
cries out [the halacha]: “One must do everything his host
tells him except for leaving,” except for staying one more
moment, ch’v, in the state of “leaving,” that is,
being away from the table of their Father. We, therefore, ask and
demand from Hashem, so to speak, “please send the one who you
will later send,” in the year and in the beginning of the year
of “the one who you will later send” [“yad
tishlach,” which is numerically equivalent to the year
(5)752], and bring the true and complete Redemption already! (Sicha
of Chayei Sara, kinus HaShluchim, 5752)