Memory · Essay
A Celebration of Continued Life
For Rabbi Shmuly Altein, OBM — niftar on Gimmel Tammuz 5786
Friday afternoon, a few hundred feet from where the Rebbe is buried at Old Montefiore Cemetery, we buried my cousin Shmuly Altein. He was 43. He had married into our family, and for as long as anyone knew him he was the one with the smile — warm, constant, and completely genuine.
There is a custom I keep at that cemetery. After leaving the Rebbe's Ohel, I walk straight into the visitors' house next door and watch whatever clip of the Rebbe happens to be playing on the screen. The clip isn't chosen. You look up and take whatever is there.
Minutes after the burial, the screen showed the Rebbe mid-sentence:
"When a person passes on the soul does not, Heaven forbid, lose its existence, the soul is eternal."
The screen also showed when the talk was given: Yud Shevat 5743 — 1983. The year Shmuly was born. A farbrengen the Rebbe held to mark a yahrtzeit, playing on the day we buried Shmuly, who died on the Rebbe's own yahrtzeit, Gimmel Tammuz. Too much, all of it, to file under coincidence.
Read in full, the sicha does more than affirm that the soul is eternal. It reads like a description of the life Shmuly lived — line after line.
The Rebbe opened by saying that a living person "cannot be complacent. We are expected to go from strength to strength, to 'ascend in holiness,' always adding." That was Shmuly's entire trajectory. He left Winnipeg at 13 for yeshiva in Detroit, then Crown Heights, then was sent to Australia — teaching, running children's programs, traveling, as the report at the time put it, "to distant outposts of that island continent in search of Jewish residents." Then back. Always adding. Never standing still.
The Rebbe said that "even a single, seemingly isolated person, through even one single deed" — even "an apparently insignificant, remote action" — "can tip the balance and affect the whole world." If you want to know what a remote action looks like, picture a young rabbi flying to the far edges of Australia, or planting himself in Winnipeg, Manitoba, to find Jews most people forgot were there. Shmuly believed every one of them tipped the balance. He acted like it.
Then the Rebbe spent a long stretch on education — and this is where it stops reading like a talk and starts reading like a biography. "No exertion or effort is too great when it comes to education," the Rebbe said, because the work is the teacher's but the benefit belongs to the student, and through the student "his family, his entire surroundings and all future generations." The Rebbe quoted "Educate the child according to his way," and compared a young person to a young tree, where "every detail when it is young affects its later development." In 2010 Shmuly opened the Lubavitch Jewish Learning Centre in Winnipeg's South End — 500 people walked in the door, the first new institution that city had built in over a decade. His line about it: "The key to Jewish continuity is quality Torah education for people of all ages, regardless of background, affiliation, or level of observance. Chabad has no membership and embraces every Jew equally." That is the Rebbe's paragraph, lived out in a building.
And then there is the part everyone who knew Shmuly will recognize instantly. The Rebbe said that when a person "works joyfully and gladly he has greater success," that we are commanded to "serve God with joy," and that "joy breaks through boundaries" — it breaks through "all of one's imagined limitations, and even through one's true limitations." Read the comments people left this week. "Always B'simcha." "His upbeat attitude could put a smile on anyone's face." "It took me a while to warm up to him because he always had a big smile, and I wasn't sure what it was." He kept that smile through years of a brutal illness. His joy broke through limitations that should have ended it long before they did.
The Rebbe was direct about how this feels. "A person's passing seems to be the very opposite of life," the Rebbe said, "certainly the opposite of life in its fullest sense, with all the vitality and energy which a person has. A person's passing seems also to be the opposite of joy, which is why we observe various customs which express mourning." The Rebbe did not minimize the darkness. The Rebbe named it — and then turned it: "This, too, is for the good," and "a greater light comes from darkness." The instruction, the Rebbe said, is "to take something which seems to be darkness, and use it to create light. And not only that, but 'from the darkness' to take 'a greater light,' a stronger light." Then the line: "When we consider that God directs everything, certainly the Rebbe's passing was also from God." Shmuly's, too. The years of illness were the darkness. The smile, the shul in Wesley Hills, the people he kept lifting — that was him refusing to let the darkness be anything but raw material for a stronger light.
The Rebbe even addressed the geography. The Rebbe's whole second talk circled one phrase the Rebbe's father-in-law declared on arriving in America: "America is not different." Wherever a Jew is sent, the mission doesn't change — only the circumstances do. Shmuly proved it in reverse. Australia, Winnipeg, and finally a small shul in Wesley Hills, New York, where, even after the diagnosis, even with his body failing, he served as assistant rabbi and kept influencing people. No different. Same man, same mission, to his last breath.
There is one more idea in the sicha, and for Shmuly it lands with particular force. The Rebbe said that a passing only "seems to be the opposite of life," but "when one contemplates the fact that the essence of a person is his soul, and the body is secondary, then one realizes that the soul gains even greater energy when it is freed of bodily constraints, even 'more than during his lifetime.'" For years Shmuly's body was the constraint. The illness took things from him, one at a time. The Rebbe's point is that the essence — the real Shmuly — does not lose energy in that. It gains energy, freed of exactly what had been holding it back.
And then, near the end, the Rebbe explained why a yahrtzeit is not the opposite of life at all. "A Tzaddik who passes away is present in all worlds even more than during his lifetime." And about a person's children: "Since his children are alive, he, too, is alive." Shmuly is survived by Adina and five children — Mussie, JJ, Sroly, Goldie, and Yossi. As long as they are alive and living the way he taught them, the Rebbe is saying, he is alive.
No one chose that clip. No one queued up a talk from the year Shmuly was born to play in the minutes after his burial. The Rebbe was simply speaking — about the eternity of the soul, on the anniversary of a passing, in a sicha titled, as I only learned afterward, "A Celebration of Continued Life."
Tracht gut. Think good, and it will be good. Shmuly lived that with a stubbornness that outlasted his health. The screen at the Ohel said he was right.
יהי זכרו ברוך
Watch the Farbrengen
Full Transcript
10 Shevat Farbrengen with the Rebbe — "A Celebration of Continued Life" · 10 Shevat 5743 / January 24, 1983 · English translation transcribed from the video's on-screen subtitles (Jewish Educational Media, videos.jem.tv, clip 4298).
I. A Celebration of Continued Life
This is a gathering which takes place every year. Nevertheless, each time we search for a new insight in addition to the common theme of these annual Farbrengens. So in addition to the new ideas which we will discuss, we must begin with the introduction which is alike from year to year, since, first and foremost, the reason for our gathering each year on the tenth of Shevat remains unchanged. Certainly, this theme must be addressed, as well, and, more importantly, it must inspire action -- deeds, which may be the same as in past years. But every living thing, especially a living person, and certainly a Jew, who lives in accordance with the Torah of Life given by the God of Life, cannot be complacent. We are expected to go from strength to strength, to "ascend in holiness," always adding, even one who is already involved in "holiness" -- in activities of goodness, holiness, charity and kindness; one may not be satisfied with his achievements of yesterday, or of a previous Farbrengen, no matter how good and proper they may have been. When God gives a person another year and another year, or an additional day, he must grow, as well, in those areas which God expects of each of His creations, and particularly of an intelligent being, man. God instilled man with the intellect to contemplate the world around him, beginning with his own existence, and to recognize the fundamental truth -- the purpose of Creation. It is certain that when he was created and given strength, energy, and various capabilities and talents, they were intended to be used in the fullest measure. And since he was created as part of the whole universe, it is also clear that God, Who is the ultimate unity, desires that this person's efforts too, will benefit all of creation. A person may wonder: "I am just one single person surrounded by a vast world which was created by the all-powerful God; how then can I, with my limited abilities, accomplish something which will benefit all of creation?" Torah, therefore, tells him, "He gives you the power to achieve." God, the Creator and Director of the world, tells every person and every Jew, that He gives him the ability to achieve all good things, in the fullest measure which can be expected of him. And, obviously, when it is God Who grants the strength, any worries about limitations have no place. Even a single, seemingly isolated person, through even one single deed -- God created the world such, that even an apparently insignificant, remote action can tip the balance and affect the whole world. He must only stand connected to God, Who is the source of his "strength to succeed," and he must carry out his God-given mission. God made him His emissary to fulfill it in the entire world around him. Then all constraints fall away. The limitations which one has as an individual, disappear; because he is connected with God, Who is limitless. God is the Creator of the world, and thus, He knows just how the world can, and should, operate, and at the same time He assigned this mission and gave the ability for one single person through one single action, to have a global impact. Certainly God has sufficient strength to bring about, through one single individual and one single action, a change which can affect the entire world with goodness and kindness, making the world even better, nicer and holier than it was the moment before the person performed the deed. As mentioned, when he is connected with the "powerhouse," as it is called in English, with the Source of all power, of all potential, and all capabilities -- which is the meaning of the Divine Name 'Elokim' -- then he fulfills his mission, and with great success. And since God created the world with its nature, clearly, nature's characteristics are appropriate and vital to carrying out God's mission. We see openly that when a person wants to achieve something, whatever it may be, if he works joyfully and gladly he has greater success and he reaches his objective much more easily and sooner. And, obviously, the more enthusiastic he is, and the more energy he invests in fulfilling his mission, to the point that, as the verse says, "All my limbs will praise You," then, whatever the mission may be, even if it seems to involve only one single limb -- whether it is giving charity which involves the hand, or running to give charity, which involves the feet -- a person has the potential that when he carries out a mission with a single limb he can concentrate the strength of "all my limbs," of his entire being, and then he has greater success and, eventually, complete success. Moreover, although each person as an individual has a personal mission to accomplish in this world, at the same time, Maimonides, the "Guide to the Perplexed" of his time, and the "Guide to the Perplexed" for all generations writes: "Man is a social being." A person is created with the instinct to be part of society, to affect his society, and even his entire country. We see, as mentioned many times and as Torah explains, that when we connect with others -- when we wish to achieve something, and we do it together with another person or with several other people -- then we achieve greater success, as the Talmud states: When two people lift a load together, they can lift more than double what one could lift on his own, because in addition to one's own strength he receives help from his friend, just as he assists his friend. So too, regarding man's need to interact with others: Although God created each person as an individual, He furnished him with the awareness that he is part of the world, that he must work and conduct his own life in a way which impacts the entire world. At the same time, God gave the person the ability to be even more successful by joining with others, and a Jew, with other Jews, uniting together with a common purpose and goal "to make this world a dwelling place for God" -- to make the world a place where God can happily say, that it has become His dwelling. The Talmud says, "A pleasant dwelling broadens one's mind;" it affects one's mood, behavior, health and success. Why is this so for a person here on earth? Because man is created "in God's image and likeness" -- with the same attributes, so-to-speak, as God. To make "a dwelling place for God" means to influence a particular location or country or the entire world, to conduct itself in a manner which is pleasing to God -- by acting in accordance with the directives of the Seven Noahide Laws for all people; and for Jews in particular, according to the precepts of Torah, which is called the 'Torah of Life,' an instruction in life. When this occurs, then, so-to-speak, God feels His Will and Pleasure fulfilled, and, being a "pleasant home," it "broadens His mind," and He states that it is a "dwelling" for Himself. The discourse which my father-in-law, the Rebbe issued to be studied on the tenth of Shevat, begins with the verse, "I have come to My garden." He then cites the Midrash that "My garden" refers to this world -- originally, "God's Essential Divine Presence was in the lower worlds." God created the world hoping that each person will do all that depends on him or her to make the world like a garden -- not just an ordinary dwelling, but a place of pleasure and delight. When one strolls through his orchard of fruit trees he has both aspects: a personal dwelling, as the Midrash explains, and also a "garden" -- a place of pleasure and delightful fruits, more than just simple grain. As mentioned, this is achieved when a person is 'alive' -- when he is full-of-life, joyful and goodhearted -- and he joins together with other people around him -- and a Jew, with other Jews, to fulfill the entire Torah -- with the goal of making the world a dwelling place and a garden for God. And then we have God's promise of assistance, since "He gives you the strength to succeed;" we achieve this with great success. In light of the above, the following question arises: We have gathered to commemorate the anniversary of the Rebbe's passing. A person's passing seems to be the very opposite of life, certainly the opposite of life in its fullest sense, with all the vitality and energy which a person has. A person's passing seems also to be the opposite of joy, which is why we observe various customs which express mourning. Yet, we gather to commemorate the Rebbe's passing, with the expectation that this gathering will bring increased energy, enthusiasm, and joy to the fulfillment of our mission in life...? The answer to this was provided by the Rebbe himself, based on numerous statements in Talmud and Midrash, as well as verses in the Written Torah: In the Mishna's language: "All that God created in His world, He created for His honor." In the Talmud's words: "This, too, is for the good." And in the language of the verse: "A greater light comes from darkness." These statements instruct us to take something which seems to be darkness, and use it to create light. And not only that, but "from the darkness" to take "a greater light," a stronger light. When we consider that God directs everything, certainly the Rebbe's passing was also from God. At the same time, however, equally strong and relevant at all times, is God's directive that we "serve Him with joy." And one must always be serving God since, "I was created only to serve my Master;" Every moment that a person lives must be a reminder -- and since he is intelligent, he is, in fact, reminded -- that, "I was created to serve my Master," and God declares in His Torah that our service of Him must be "with joy." So, obviously, this seemingly negative event cannot be in conflict with our joy. And after some thought, we can also appreciate the reasoning: When a person passes on the soul does not, Heaven forbid, lose its existence, the soul is eternal. It follows logically then, that especially for a Jewish leader, his leadership is also everlasting, and it continues to affect the world, as the Talmud says: "Just as Moses served his people until now, so does he continue to stand and serve." A Jewish leader, even after his passing -- since his mission in this world was to lead, to fulfill, and to help others to fulfill, their mission in this world, to turn it into a dwelling place, a "garden" for God -- when his soul ascends On High, it does not mean that it has departed and left this physical world behind; on the contrary, as the Alter Rebbe, in his Iggeret HaKodesh, quotes the Zohar: "A Tzaddik who passes away is present in all worlds even more than during his lifetime." With the passing of a Tzaddik, and especially of a Rebbe, he is even more present in the place where he functioned as the leader, and even more so than during his lifetime while his soul was in a body, for he is no longer limited by the body's restrictions. For instance, previously he could not have been in several places simultaneously. Now, however, after his passing -- tonight, for example, when we gather to commemorate his passing -- the soul of the Rebbe is present at every place where people have gathered to examine his Torah teachings, and, most importantly, since "action is the main thing," to derive instruction from his teachings on how to actualize his directives to increase goodness, light, joy and holiness, throughout the entire world, beginning with ourselves and our immediate environment. This answers the above paradox: A person's passing seems to be the opposite of life, but when one contemplates the fact that the essence of a person is his soul, and the body is secondary, then one realizes that the soul gains even greater energy when it is freed of bodily constraints, even "more than during his lifetime" to fulfill its mission. We need only to remain connected by following in his footsteps, and living our lives, day-by-day, as he instructed. And then, despite the seeming contradiction, the anniversary of a passing can also be a "celebration;" it can cause joy, "Greater light, which comes from darkness," an even greater joy than usual, and this joy should be utilized to "serve God with joy." So too, when we join together in a Farbrengen of many people, many Jews -- "in a great assembly the King's glory is seen." God created each person with "a different outlook and a different appearance" -- each person has his unique personality and intellect, and this is also apparent in their different outward appearances. This is also expressed in the different abilities which God grants each person in order to affect the world. There are those who can achieve on a very grand scale, on a national level, through his position or his circumstances, which enable him to influence a large group of people or even to help govern the entire country. There are others who are able to influence only a segment of the country, or only a part of their own city, or their own families, or themselves alone. However, the common element among them is that although their appearances differ and their viewpoints differ, this needn't bring about a split, God forbid, the opposite of closeness, togetherness and unity; rather, as Torah explains in numerous places, and as mentioned earlier: "Man is a social being," enabling everyone to come together with the same purpose. Then just as we see in the physical body that there are fundamental differences between the intellect located in the head and the emotions of the heart and the various activities that can and should be performed by the various limbs, which differ greatly from one-another, and they even seem to oppose one-another. For instance, the heart feels warmth, heat and excitement, whereas intellect is measured, calculated and logical -- they are apparently opposites. So too, running with one's feet and the cold calculation of the intellect also seem to be opposites. The foot can take small calculated steps. But when is it truly and fully alive? When it is "running to perform a Mitzvah," when it races with full force and excitement. But we see that when the whole body is directed in a healthy way by the brain, with "the mind ruling over the heart" -- for instance, the heart does its unique job, pumping blood, warmth and vitality to each and every limb individually, but it does so upon the orders of the brain giving each limb according to its individual needs -- then, with the harmony, the unity of all 248 limbs and all 365 sinews, they all stand with the same goal to fulfill their mission -- to be a complete person who accomplishes his mission completely. And this must involve "all of my limbs" -- one needs a healthy head and a healthy heart, healthy limbs, sinews, bones, flesh and skin. And they must all unite -- each limb carries out its own individual mission, but all with a common goal, and by interrelating and uniting with the other limbs. So too, when many people, and many Jews, come together each with a different disposition, the intention is that specifically through assembling many diverse people with wide-ranging differences, each will complement the other and assist the other, and then, "more than the giver helps the recipient," -- even more than each individual helps the other -- "he, himself, is helped" to carry out his own mission even more completely. We do this with the awareness that since the Rebbe's passing came from God, who is the source of good and wholeness, then certainly "this, too, is for the good" and the person and the Jew were given the ability, through the instruction of the Torah of Life, to derive the appropriate lesson in "Serving God with joy," with increased joy and increased vitality. In the words of Maimonides in the Laws of Mourning: A mourner's focus must be on Teshuva, return to God. The deeper meaning of Teshuva is, as the Alter Rebbe explains, from the verse, "And the soul shall return to God, Who gave it." The soul, while alive in a body, must connect with God, "Who gave it" -- who placed it into a body, and gives it generous strength. Torah teaches: "The living must take to heart;" we must take inspiration even from this occurrence, in how to increase one's involvement and enthusiasm in carrying out his God-given mission to make the entire world a "dwelling" and "garden" for Him. And to do this, as mentioned, fully and completely, with "all of my limbs," joyously and goodheartedly. Then, "Joy breaks through boundaries" -- this breaks through all of one's imagined limitations, and even through one's true limitations, because he dedicates himself to fulfilling God's mission, and God has no limitations. Then one has the ability to use his influence in government circles, much more than he imagined, for he acts as an emissary of God, the Creator of the world. And if one has influence or works in the field of education, and particularly, in the education of youth, each of whom will soon build a family-life, his influence on a young person multiplies many times over. We see, by example, in the development of a young tree, every detail when it is young affects its later development. "Educate the child according to his way..." If, while he was still young, he was mentored, a little at a time, then "even when he is old," when he grows up and builds a family and a home, the effect is recognizable -- and much more so than it seemed earlier -- in himself, in his home, in how he educates his children, and in how they will educate his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. From this it is obvious that no exertion or effort is too great when it comes to education, because the hard work, the exertion, is on the part of the educator, but the benefit is for the student whom he raises and teaches, and through the student it reaches his family, his entire surroundings and all future generations. So of what consequence are the educator's exertions as an individual, compared with the benefit of many individuals, and not only while he is the student's teacher, but with the everlasting effect continuing for generations to come? And so it is in every area of human endeavor: When a person conducts himself properly, "reflecting his Creator," then, just as God, "Supernal Man," is good, and it is the nature of good to do goodness, so too, in his own life he spreads goodness, light and holiness around himself, and, for a Jew, he also spreads the directives of our Torah, the Torah of Life, and influences people to do actual deeds, to fulfill Mitzvos. Of what importance then, are the hardships he endures, when he realizes he is fulfilling God's mission, and accomplishing a task which will affect his entire family, his entire neighborhood and his entire country and -- if he has the merit and works appropriately -- even the entire world? His personal exertions are totally inconsequential compared with the benefit he brings others, and, most importantly, with the fact that he is fulfilling God's mission. Then, as we recite in Kaddish, the main prayer associated with a person's passing, "May His Great Name be exalted and sanctified;" the glory and exaltedness of God is increased -- His "Great Name," in a grand, all-encompassing way. And the prayer continues: "May He sprout forth His Redemption and hasten the coming of His Moshiach" -- this brings the redemption for the entire world which at present, Heaven protect us, is in profound darkness. Looking around at the world one can see that in many places there are wars, in other places there is conflict, strife, etc. The world needs to be redeemed, and each of us has the mission to become involved to bring the Redemption, and to hasten the Redemption of the entire world. And we use the opportunity to proclaim: "His Great Name will be exalted and sanctified." This is related to the Sages' statement: "When is God 'great?' When He is in the city of our God." When can we say that God is "exalted and sanctified?" To be a king, He must have a nation -- when we see that all nations, all peoples, and all of creation conduct themselves according to God's will. This brings and hastens, "the sprouting" of the Redemption of the entire world, with every additional action we take. Even more so, we "Hasten the arrival of His Moshiach," or, according to another version, we "Hasten the appointed time of His Moshiach." Although, in any event, "all the appointed deadlines have already past" -- the time for exile is already over and our righteous Moshiach must already come, nevertheless, through one's efforts, one "hastens Moshiach's arrival," bringing the redemption even closer and sooner until it actually occurs. The Mishna states, "The actual deed is essential" -- we will merit, through each individual fulfilling his mission, the "sprouting" of Redemption, Moshiach's imminent arrival literally and manifest in this world, the true and complete Redemption through our righteous Moshiach. "Those who lie in the dust will rise and sing," with my father-in-law, the Rebbe, among them. Then we will go together, joyfully and goodheartedly, to greet our righteous Moshiach. May it be speedily in our days.
II. "America Is No Different"
It is well known, in regard to my father-in law, the Rebbe, that immediately upon arriving here, to the United States, one of the first things he proclaimed was that he was coming here to make known, to emphasize, inspire and encourage others that "America is not different." Therefore, he continued, he would carry on all his activities which he had started back in Europe. Some people wonder: The Rebbe's coming to the United States was a result of his being forced, by Divine Providence, to flee from the other side of the ocean, from the Nazi government, etc. The details of how he managed to escape are well known, the miracles, and how he left with the last ship, etc. In other words, why did he come here? Because America IS different, and here one can be safe naturally without miracles. God desires that our safety also be through natural means, therefore he came here. Yet his first statement was that he did not come here merely to save himself, but rather to bring with him the idea that America is not different, and to ensure that this idea be translated into practical action. This seems to be self contradictory...? But this can be resolved by refining our perspective. When one considers an idea superficially, or considers only the consequences, the final results, then one does not see the true "picture," the proper understanding of the whole idea; in fact, one's conclusions could be thoroughly incorrect, and the exact opposite of truth. For example, as mentioned earlier regarding a Tzaddik's passing being a "celebration," that they seem not only to be two different notions but complete opposites. When one looks, however, beyond their external appearances, at their source and root, and more importantly, when one sees the reaction of a person who is told about the Rebbe's passing, and is also told about the Yahrzeit celebration, he sees that they are really "no different" from the standpoint of his true existence. A person's true existence -- the purpose for which he was created -- is, as mentioned above, to effect a change in the world through his actions; he should help the world become a worthy dwelling place for God. Even more so, it should become a "garden" for God. The Midrash interprets "I have come to my 'garden,'" that "my garden" means -- "my dwelling place," but it is still a garden -- a place of pleasure and enjoyment, more than a regular dwelling. When one can see from this standpoint -- with this fundamental "Foundation of foundations and pillar of all Wisdom" -- he can perceive the common denominator between a Tzaddik's passing and the celebration of the Tzaddik's Yahrzeit. And when he truly perceives their common denominator, they no longer remain two separate concepts to him, rather they become one and the same idea -- "A Tzaddik who passes-on is found in this world even more so than during his lifetime." Then he serves God joyously with even more enthusiasm, because he "takes to heart" the lessons of a Tzaddik's passing, as discussed earlier. Here too: If we view the Rebbe's coming to the United States as an isolated event, then, on its surface, it appears that he arrived to be saved through natural means -- because the United States is different from the countries he was coming from. But when we look at the core purpose, his mission as he saw it -- to sow, spread, and strengthen Judaism, and this was the purpose for which he was created and the purpose of his sojourn in this world, then, obviously, no matter where he was as a soul in a body, it was impossible for there to be any real difference for he was always involved in the main purpose of his existence. This was exactly the same purpose for which he lived overseas before he came here; this was his main mission, the area of his labor throughout his entire life, "all the toil in which he toiled," in the words of the Alter Rebbe in his famous letter. So when we look at this essential point, indeed, America is no different, it is exactly the same; but in Europe, he coordinated his efforts in ways which were fitting to the circumstances there. Therefore, even there he was involved in spreading Judaism but according to the situation of the Jews there and according to their level and their needs. And when he arrived here he immediately proclaimed his main intent, which permeated even his most simple actions, for his every action was infused with this intent; his main intent was to spread Judaism, true Judaism, and to bring close and to unite all Jews as one. Although here in the United States, there is an attitude that every person is "a complete world" for himself, and therefore he must be independent and work with his fullest energy since it is a free country, and each person must take care of himself. People forget, at least temporarily, that every person must see himself as one who must complete and help another, and as one who -- in order to reach his own full potential -- is dependent on another person's assistance. This, too, requires perceiving and focusing on one's primary purpose. The main purpose is that which unites all of humanity and all of creation. Although, "they have different outlooks," they all share one common denominator: Every one of them was created by God, and therefore, they also share a common purpose: "I was created to serve my Master." They must utilize all of their abilities -- each one his unique abilities, his personal talents and potential -- to make this world a dwelling place for God, either by fulfilling the Seven Noahide Laws and all their derivative laws which apply to all of mankind, and, for Jews, by fulfilling the 613 Mitzvos with all their derivative laws, and the seven Rabbinic decrees, etc. And then the emphasis will be the opposite -- as it is engraved on the currency of this country -- that all should know that the true purpose is "E Pluribus Unum" -- "Out of many, one." This is also the unique mission of a Jew: When one Jew meets another Jew, and he sees that "their appearances are not alike" and "their outlooks are not alike," this should not cause divisiveness, Heaven forbid; rather, his approach should be that each of them will complement and complete the other. And then, not only is there a "closeness of heart" and love amongst Jews, but Jewish unity, because he realizes that he is only "a half shekel," and in order for him to become complete, he must unite with another Jew; only then is he "a complete shekel," as explained at length in books of Jewish ethics, and especially books of Chassidus, regarding the commandment of the half shekel which they begin to announce on the Rosh Chodesh which follows today. "America is not different" is also expressed in the life of every individual. Just as the entire sun is reflected in a single drop of water exactly as it is reflected in the huge ocean, similarly, "Torah's principles are expressed in both general and specific ways." And since "God looked into the Torah in order to create the world," Torah is applied within creation also in a general and specific way; so this lesson must also be expressed in one's personal life. When a person evaluates his daily life, one of the greatest concerns is to ensure that he not "drown," or get "lost," in the details of his daily existence. This has been discussed many times, and it was also mentioned earlier: A person is created by God to consist of a multitude of limbs, sinews, bones and flesh. In the same way, his daily life, as shaped by God, must be split up into a multitude of acts, words and thoughts: eating, drinking, sleeping, walking about, learning, doing things, etc. For each action to fulfill its purpose it must be done in the most complete way. For instance, the Talmud states: "When is eating most beneficial? When one sees what he is eating"-- therefore a person should see the food he eats. In addition, he must recite a blessing before and after eating, so he must know which blessing to recite, and in order to figure out which blessing to recite he must know what type of food and drink it is. The same is true of all the actions he must take -- whether in order to support himself and his family, or in order to be able to give charity, or his actions to spread Judaism and Chassidism. But there is a danger in this: Since he is an honest person, he fulfills everything scrupulously; but, for example, when he recites the blessing to drink water, his attitude may be: "I want to drink so I'll make a blessing," but the reason he is drinking is simply to quench his thirst -- all he thinks about is his thirst. The danger in this is, that one might forget that there is something beyond the ritualistic details, a higher purpose, beyond his physical needs: the intellect, the soul itself, beyond its connection to the body, and its most essential purpose -- "I was created to serve my Maker." Everything that one does must be permeated with the knowledge that "with this, I fulfill my main purpose -- to serve my Creator, and fulfill His mission." Then, clearly, one must have a healthy body with which to serve God, to learn Torah and fulfill Mitzvos in a healthy way, and his other actions are infused by this mission, as well. But, when a person focuses on, and gets lost in, the details he might forget the message of "America is not different" -- that whether in those countries on the other side of the ocean, or in this country on this side of the ocean he must know that he carries the same exact mission; In the same way, no matter what he is doing, he must see to it that he doesn't get lost and caught up in the details, to the degree that his essence becomes covered over. One's essence must be manifest like "water covers the sea," as the Talmud states: "For everything which exists on dry land there is something similar in the sea" -- the sea is immense, and is filled with vast and diverse sea-life, yet, when one looks at the sea, what does one see? Only the "water which covers the sea!" But it is possible for the opposite to be true. If one focuses on a minor detail and forgets about the main purpose, which is also the main purpose of this detail, it can lead to behavior which is the complete opposite of God's intent. This is also a basic premise in the Mitzvah to love one's fellow Jew: When we are instructed to "love your fellow as yourself," we are being asked to do two opposites. How should the love for "your fellow" be expressed? In a way appropriate to "your fellow": not more than he can handle, not something that will harm him, but something that will help him. It is possible that your needs are the opposite of your fellow's needs. You may be thirsty for water, while your friend is not thirsty at all, he is hungry for bread. If, as a result of "love your fellow as yourself," you, who are thirsty, take away all the bread, and give him a barrel full of water, it is the opposite of "love your fellow as yourself." It may be "as yourself," since you are thirsty and you gave him water; but to "love your fellow" you must pay attention to the main point: what "your fellow" is lacking! And that may be just the opposite of what you need. In a certain situation you may feel cold and you need to warm up, so you need something to warm you, but your friend is too warm so he needs something to cool him, and that is how you express "love your fellow as yourself." The same is true when the scholarly "leaders of your tribes" encounter "your woodchoppers and water carriers;" first and foremost, supply them with their needs -- supply the woodchopper with wood to chop so he can support himself, and supply the water-carrier with water to carry. When one encounters a person who requests of him simple bread and water, and he responds, "I'd like to teach you Torah instead since I am a 'leader of your tribes' and 'Torah study is the most important of all;'" that is the opposite of charity, it is the opposite of the commandment in the very Torah which you want to teach him! How does a person determine what is true goodness? When he knows that the primary purpose is to love in a manner which unifies one Jew with another. Through this, he and his friend become one, which enables them to become one with God, Who is the ultimate Oneness; Although He chose to create diverse worlds -- "'Alamot without limit,' do not read 'Alamot' but rather 'Olamot -- Worlds'" -- all of these countless worlds are permeated by a shared essence, which unifies them all. This awareness must also have an impact on one's personal, individual life. It is demanded of him to be a complete Jew, as Maimonides writes, "A wise man is recognized in the way he eats, the way he drinks, the way he walks, the way he conducts business," and he lists ten characteristics. They are ten distinct traits, but they all express the same quality -- that the one eating, and drinking, etc., is a "wise person." This unifies all the ten distinctions so that not only do they not contradict one another, but they even complement each other, because they all share the same intent and purpose. And this too is the meaning and the lesson of "America is not different" for people like us, in our service of God in day-to-day life: One may argue: "When I sit down to eat, I can't be bothered by the fact that I have an essential mission to make the world into a dwelling place for God." "I need to dine in peace, and I can't be interrupted with anything else. It may be very important, but now is not the time for it." The same may be argued when one is drinking, or when one is involved in business or even when he's busy with another Mitzvah, etc. The response, however, is, "America is not different": When you sit down to eat, it is no different than when you stand before God in prayer, "like a servant before his Master." The only distinction is that during prayer, it is obvious to all that you are serving God, for you are praying. When eating and drinking it may be less obvious, but if you eat and drink in a refined way, as befits a member of "the wise and astute people," then you are serving God through your eating. The proof is that you made a blessing before eating, and after eating, too -- if you ate enough to be obligated -- you recite the after-blessing. Why do you recite a blessing before eating or drinking? Because, as the Talmud explains, you recognize, that although "the Heaven is God's, and the earth He gave to the children of man," but still, the earth was given to man, one must recognize and feel that it was given to him by another, by God. The person feels this so much that he is stirred to recite a blessing and thank God, Who gave him the world and all that is in it and his food and drink. Then his eating and drinking is wholesome, he is not "stealing" from his Father in Heaven. And then, the entire day is "not different," it is permeated with one intention. So although through the day Torah tells you to perform diverse activities, they differ only externally, but they all share the same intent, the same soul. There is the illustration of this concept: The soul gives life to the foot so that it may walk and run to do a Mitzvah, it gives life to the hand so that it can give charity, and it gives life to the head so that it may study Torah. If one asks: Is the soul divided into 248 limbs and 365 sinews? The answer is: No. It is the same soul. The soul itself cannot be divided, as discussed at length in Tanya. However, since God created the soul to give life to that in which it is enclothed, the soul vitalizes each limb according to its form, its size and its quality. This life-force is such that the soul is primary and the body secondary, and they became one single entity -- a person. Although a person is made up of many different limbs, and many diverse sinews, bones, flesh and skin, they are all just various details, which are superseded by their primary importance -- that together they form "man." And, as the Shelah interprets 'Adam -- Man,' to mean, 'Adamah -- similar' to God above, Man was granted the ability to emulate God -- "just as God is compassionate, you too be compassionate, just as God is gracious, you too be gracious" -- and man can do so in a complete way reflecting God above. The same is true when Jews gather for a common purpose, to commemorate and celebrate the Rebbe's Yahrzeit, and to reiterate, most importantly, that now, too, the Rebbe "stands and serves." And therefore we must continue to follow "the lessons and ways in which he instructed us, and to follow in his paths." When we do this, then "his children are alive," and then, as the Talmud says, "Since his children are alive, he, too, is alive;" And this increases even more "his presence in this world even more than during his lifetime," as a result of his children being more alive, by following "in his ways and paths." And then God, the "Giver of Life," grants His blessing that all our efforts should have great success. Then, "the glory of God will be revealed, and all will see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken" -- we will see God's creative power; "the word of God which creates the Heavens" we will see in the "heavens" the actual "word of God" which brings it, every single moment, from nothingness into existence. And this will bring the actual Resurrection of the Dead, the bodies, too, will become alive, "Those who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice." The Zohar says that although some must wait until the final resurrection, but the righteous and the leaders of each generation, and, first and foremost, Moses and Aaron -- with the true and complete Redemption, and with the rebuilding of "the Temple in its place" -- already then, "Moses and Aaron will be among them." So too, with the leaders of each generation, "the extension of Moses in each generation," including the leader of our generation, the Rebbe. May we literally, actually and immediately merit that which it states at the conclusion of the portion of Chumash for the 9th of Shevat -- the day from which we proceed into the 10th of Shevat -- "The Jewish people left Egypt with an uplifted hand," "with renowned strength," as Rashi quotes from the Mechilta. We will go out -- "with an uplifted hand" -- from our inner exile, and then we will go out -- "with an uplifted hand" -- from the literal exile. And we will go, "With our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters," to greet our righteous Moshiach as a complete nation; to our Holy Land -- the complete land, when also "God will broaden your borders," to "a good and vast Land," as God promised Abraham. And Torah and Mitzvos will also be complete, thus forming an unbreakable "triple thread" -- all three levels of completeness together, and we will gather in the Third Holy Temple, "in the Sanctuary, God, which Your hands have established." May it be speedily in our days. L'chaim.
III. Concluding Remarks — Chitas and the Mitzvah Campaigns
It is appropriate to mention -- although everyone surely remembers -- to study the daily lessons of Chitas: In Chumash, the portion of the week -- on Sunday, the first section, on Monday, the second section, etc.; In Tehillim -- as it is divided according to the days of the month. Today, on the tenth day of the month we read, in the very first chapter, the verse, "He redeemed my soul in peace from battles against me because of the many who were with me." Our Sages explain: This applies to one "Who is engrossed in Torah, good deeds and prays with the congregation; God considers it "as if he redeemed Me and My children from amongst the nations." Similarly, we study Tanya as it is divided for the days of the year, as has been discussed many times. We should also mention the Mitzvah campaigns, beginning with the campaign of "Love and unity of the Jewish People," which is also connected with the campaign for Jewish education -- both of which we discussed earlier -- one's own education, as well as the education of others, beginning with one's students. As ruled in the Laws of Torah Study, every person is obligated to teach Torah, if he is capable of doing so, not only to his own children and grandchildren, but to every single Jew. This is also expressed in the other Mitzvah Campaigns which are all really inspired by Jewish unity: The campaigns for Torah study, Tefillin -- and "all of Torah is compared to Tefillin" -- Mezuzah, charity, a home filled with Jewish books, Kosher food and drink, lighting Shabbos and Festival candles, and observance of the Family Purity Laws; this includes another project related to Jewish unity, to join in the writing of a Torah scroll. All Jews should be "inscribed in the book;" to own a letter in a communal Torah scroll. Even if one has his own personal Torah, or he owns one together with several other Jews, he should also have a letter in a communal Torah scroll. All Torah scrolls express unity, just as it was with Moses: He wrote twelve Torah scrolls, one for each tribe, but all were checked according to the text of the Torah scroll which was kept in the Temple Courtyard, Moses' thirteenth scroll. This will also bring about for "all of the people who are inscribed in the book," that "Angel Michael will defend them against all undesirable things;" there will be "only good for the Jews" open and revealed good, beginning from "open my eyes, so I may see the wonders of Your Torah" -- a revelation and illumination in Torah study, in both the revealed and the hidden parts of Torah, and we will perceive that it is "Your Torah." This will prepare us to study the Torah of Moshiach, which, as Rashi explains, will be "the mysteries and hidden treasures of the Torah" -- Torah's secrets. And with all this together the Jewish people will emerge proud and victorious, as the verse says, "the Jewish people left Egypt with an uplifted hand;" We will go with all the Torah scrolls, with a joyous Simchas Torah song and in "eternal joy," to greet our righteous Moshiach. Furthermore, "Pharaoh sent out the nation;" all nations of the world will help the Jewish People leave exile, just as "Pharaoh helped us leave Egypt even with his own treasures. "Their kings and ministers will serve you," and the Jews will be brought -- as one brings "a gift offering in a pure vessel" -- upon heavenly clouds to the third Holy Temple, "the Sanctuary, which Your hands have established." And all this will be with joy and goodheartedness, and speedily in our days the prophecy will be fulfilled: "Behold they are like doves, flying back to their nests," upon the heavenly clouds. L'chaim.