In a drawer in my house, I have a an old letter that was written to my parents some thirty-five years ago that I preserve and cherish. The letter is written on an old blue airmail letter and over time has begun to crumble ever so slightly on its edges. For me, this letter is a reminder about life and its purpose, and about the work that we need to accomplish in this world.
You see, this letter preceded my birth and was a response to a letter my parents had written to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, in Brooklyn, NY to inform the Rebbe that they were soon going to have their third child. The Rebbe wrote back a typed letter with a blessing for a healthy delivery and then the Rebbe added a PS note to my father in which he requested of my father to make sure he increases his involvement in teaching Judaism and its Mitzvot to others.
My father was and is a businessperson, and despite that the Rebbe wanted my father to dedicate more of his personal time and talent to volunteer and help out in the wider Jewish community to those who wished to learn and connect on a deeper level with their Judaism. Interestingly, after I was born and my parents informed the Rebbe of the healthy birth and baby boy, the Rebbe made sure to remind my father of this request in a subsequent letter.
Years later, I noticed the date of the letter and realized that it was dated on the 11th of Nissan, which happens to be the Rebbe’s birthday. For me the significance of the date was quite striking, as birthdays which are often times of celebration and introspection are also considered mini personal Rosh Hashanah’s as we contemplate our past and plan for the future, and yet here the Rebbe had taken some time on his birthday to write to a Jewish couple across the Atlantic who had perhaps met the Rebbe only once before.
If my parent’s letter were the only letter it would not necessarily strike me as being a big deal, yet the Rebbe used to respond to hundreds of such letters each day from people across the globe who sought his advice, counsel or blessing. In fact, I myself received two letters from the Rebbe as a young child and before my Bar Mitzvah.
The Rebbe pushed himself beyond a normal workload and would respond to letters for hours, in addition to preparing many deep lectures, and seeing thousands of people in private audiences each week. Thus when the Rebbe in turn asked others to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, and try to grow and improve who they were as an individual and push themselves to better the world around them, it was words that were a reflection of the values that the Rebbe himself embodied.
The Rebbe would always see the beautiful potential in others and always sought to bring out the leadership qualities in others. At the same time the Rebbe’s call to action was always done in a positive and uplifting manner.
This coming Tuesday, will mark the 19th Yahrziet of the Rebbe, and for me and for many thousands of others, this is a day of meaning, reflection, and inspiration as I think about the message that the Rebbe always requested and lived by. I am reminded of the need to constantly push myself to grow, improve, help others more, and help make the world a better and more spiritual place, while doing all the above in a positive and joyful manner.
This Tuesday, please take a moment to do an extra Mitzvah, whether it is by studying some extra Torah, giving some extra Charity, donning the Tefillin or whatever other Mitzvah you wish to do, as together we mark the Rebbe’s Yahrtzeit by continuing his work of changing the world one action and one person at a time.
This Tuesday I will be visiting the resting place of the Rebbe and saying some prayers. If anyone would like to share their Hebrew name and their parents Hebrew name, I would be glad to include their names and their families in the prayers.
Next Thursday evening, June 13th at 7:30pm we will be hosting a special evening called a “Farbrengen”, in which we will join together and enjoy a special evening that will pay tribute to the work and teachings of the Rebbe. The evening will also include a special rendition of Chassidic Melodies and Music by some local voices and musicians, and will include a special Guest Speaker who will share some personal reflections and message.
With best wishes for a Good Shabbos
Yisroel
PS Please check out this beautiful video to see more about the Rebbe’s relentless call for action.
PPS The Picture above is of myself with the Rebbe when I visited the Rebbe before my Bar Mitzvah.
janice wrote...
And what reverence