by Rabbi E. Tauger

Tammuz

The Month Identified With the Rebbe

For anyone whose life was touched by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, the month of Tammuz and in particular, the date Gimmel Tammuz, the Rebbe's yahrzeit, is a time of mixed feelings. The very fact that it is the Rebbe's yahrzeit forces us to confront an unpleasant reality. The Rebbe is not with us in the same way as he was eight years ago. We can't see him, hear his insights, receive his blessings and guidance, or benefit directly from his leadership in the same way as before.
That said, there is no Lubavitcher who thinks of the Rebbe in the past tense. Even now, he is his Rebbe. And he looks to him for all the material and spiritual influence he would receive in the past.

Now More Than Ever

These thoughts are particularly relevant at the present time. Our brethren in Eretz Yisrael have been threatened by brutal terrorism for almost two years running. Sept. 11th and all it signifies is still a strong factor in American life. Anti-Semitism is on the rise in all quarters of the world and the virtuous cycle of positive economic and social growth that lasted almost a decade has begun to fade from our memories.
No one likes to sound negative, but it would be less than honest not to admit that all the above are felt in our lives.
What does this have to do with the Rebbe? For a chassid who saw the Rebbe, the answer is obvious. There was never any negativity in the Rebbe's eyes and despair was a term foreign to his entire makeup. He radiated positive energy. Looking at him gives a person the strength to pull himself together, focus on his mission, and set himself out to accomplish it. He was empowering, making us feel that we are more than ourselves, that our lives have a meaning, purpose, and depth that surpasses our own understanding. Armed with these resources, we are able to confront even the harshest of realities. There was no darkness or cold that could not be melted by his smile and the energy and power in his eyes. As we look to him, we derive the strength to overcome the negative forces mentioned above.

Not Past History

Grammatically, the last paragraph would be problematic, because there is a mixture of past and present tenses. But that is precisely the reality with which everyone whose life was touched by the Rebbe lives. Unquestionably, Gimmel Tammuz is a historical fact and we cannot relate to the Rebbe in exactly the same manner as before. Simultaneously, the motif of Shlichus is still operating. Chassidim are going out to distant communities and drawing on the Rebbe's power. Without shirking their own responsibilities, they are opening themselves up to a greater force that enables them to achieve far more than they could have ever dreamed of on their own.
And this is not happening only with individuals who knew the Rebbe and maintained a relationship with him in his lifetime. On the contrary, many individuals who never met the Rebbe are now at work spreading his teachings and inspiring others to emulate their example.

Ultimate Purpose, Immediate Reality

One of the explanations for this phenomenon is the Rebbe's unique ability to keep a person focused on his ultimate purpose. There is nothing more empowering than attaching oneself to an all-encompassing goal. The Rebbe accomplished that from the very beginning of his life. In one of his letters, he writes that when he was a school-child, he was already inspired by images of the ultimate Redemption. And when he accepted leadership of the Lubavitch community in 1950, he explicitly stated that this was the goal he sought to achieve. In his later years, this mission became increasingly pressing as he reiterated the importance of transforming Mashiach's coming from a dream into concrete reality.
People at large often ask: "Do you really believe Mashiach will come?" For a person whose life is touched by the Rebbe, the question is the opposite: "Why hasn't Mashiach come already?" Moreover, he does not merely ask a question, he does what he can to provide an answer, acting to make the world a more suitable setting for Mashiach to enter.

Not a Fairy Tale

Many of us feel a conflict between realism and idealism. We have an image of the world as we would like it to be and then there is the world as it actually exists. As mentioned above, in the recent months, looking at the situation positively has become much harder as negative factors appear to be continually increasing. It is precisely in such an environment that the message of Mashiach can enable each individual to make the most out of his individual potential.
Making Mashiach a goal means looking at yourself and the world around you as they are from G-d's perspective, seeing the real good which you, another person, and indeed, all existence possesses and committing yourself to bringing that potential to the surface. G-d created the world and every individual in order to reveal His qualities. Every entity plays a role in this ultimate design. In a time of difficulty, instead of looking at the problems, you look towards this intent. You focus on the genuine reservoir of good that exists and do your best to tap into it and make it accessible to others.
It is not an escape from an unpleasant reality; it is accessing a deeper and truer reality, one which each one of us possesses and can bring to the surface.

To Be a Catalyst for Redemption

If we all possess this reservoir of good, why don't we reveal it? Most obviously, because our attention is focused elsewhere. We get sidetracked with the details of our day-to-day existence, the tensions, some real and some imagined, that exist, and the simple routine that prevails. The Rebbe challenges such a mindset and asks us to dig deeper, stand prouder, and be willing to be more of ourselves, indeed, to step beyond ourselves.
He taught this by example and through his teachings, he made it possible to understand and identify with this motif. Most importantly, he gave us the potential to share it with others. As mentioned above, coming in contact with the Rebbe lifted a person out of his doldrums, brought him in contact with his inner positive potential, and spurred him to reach toward his purpose. When we identify with the Rebbe, we can inspire other people in the same way. It's very simple: goodness is catchy. If you can manifest it genuinely yourself, it will enter the hearts of others and they will respond. As they manifest it, the motif will spread. When more and more of us live with Redemption in this manner, we will initiate a positive spiral of change, for the microcosm affects the macrocosm. The ripples will be felt in ever-widening circles and the setting will be created for Mashiach's coming to become actual reality.

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Telling Tales

This month, we are sharing two short stories: one focusing on the Rebbe's efforts to bring Mashiach and the other on how identification with these efforts can awaken sparks within others.

Once a noted Rabbi came to the Rebbe and asked that the Rebbe explain the purpose of the Mashiach campaign. The Rebbe did not reply and shifted the conversation to other issues, among them a free-loan fund which the other Rabbi managed.
"Do you know so-and-so?" the Rebbe asked. "Would you give him a loan?"
"Of course," the other Rabbi answered. "I didn't know that he was in financial difficulty. I'd be happy to help him."
"Would you extend the loan until Mashiach comes?"
The other Rabbi hesitated.
"My goal in the Mashiach campaign," the Rebbe continued, "is to eliminate this hesitation."

One year, the Lubavitch day camp in California decided to take its campers to a baseball game. As the campers moved to their seats, they heard a child calling out: "Rabbi Engel, Rabbi Engel! Look here!"
Rabbi Engel looked up and saw a little boy who had attended the camp the previous year waving from the top of the stands. The boy then picked up his t-shirt, and yelled: "Rabbi Engel, look!"
Underneath his t-shirt, in the sweltering California heat, in view of 42,000 people, the child was showing that he was still wearing the tzitzis that he had learned about the previous year in camp.

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Torah readings of the month

Parshas Chukas

This Torah reading describes the first stages in the Jews' war to conquer Eretz Yisrael: their victories over the powerful kings: Sichon and Og. Before waging war against these nations, the Jews sent messengers asking them whether they could peacefully pass through their territory. When they refused, the Jews waged war.
Rashi, the foremost Torah commentary, notes that in one source, it is said that the messengers were sent by the Jewish people as a whole, and in another, that they were sent by Moses. He explains that the two verses support each other. A Jewish leader must be identified with his people and they must be identified with him.

Parshas Balak

This Torah reading includes the blessings conveyed upon the Jewish people by the gentile prophet Balaam, among them, the prophecy: "A star shall shoot forth from Jacob, and a staff will arise with Israel" which our commentaries interpret as the most explicit reference to Mashiach in the Torah.
The question arises: Why is Mashiach's coming associated with Balaam's prophecy? Balaam was an immoral man who sought to harm the Jewish people. Seemingly, it would be much more appropriate for the message of Mashiach to have been conveyed by Moses or another Jewish leader.
This message is, however, associated with Balaam to show how encompassing the concept of Redemption will be. The redemption will not be only for a few select righteous men, or a spiritual elite. Nor will its effects be confined to the Jewish people alone. Instead, "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed." All existence will be permeated with the awareness of G-dliness.
To allude to these concepts, the prophecies of Mashiach were conveyed by Balaam. This demonstrates that even a non-Jew whose character is not refined will share a connection to the revelations of Mashiach, for his coming will affect all humanity.

Parshas Pinchas

This Torah reading contains a passage that sheds unique insight on the nature of Moses' leadership qualities. G-d tells Moses that the time has come for him to pass away. Moses responds and does not ask anything for himself or for his children. Instead, he asks G-d: "G-d, L-rd of spirits, appoint a man over the assembly." At the moment of truth, he shows no self concern. His attention is focused solely on the welfare of his people.
This is the fundamental quality that distinguishes a Jewish leader. In general, leadership involves identifying with ideals and principles that transcend one's own self. What will inspire a person to willingly accept the authority of another? A purpose which a person feels to be greater than his self. When the leader espouses and identifies with an ideal that gives his life greater meaning and direction, he will be able to share this ideal with people at large. For every person is ultimately looking for something more in life than the fulfillment of his personal desires.
A Jewish leader, a Moses, subsumes himself to a greater degree. He is not concerned with his own personal objectives. He is concerned with G-d's purpose, not man's. He wants to make the world a dwelling for Him, not merely an abode for mankind. Certainly, when G-d's dwelling is completed, it will also be very comfortable for man to live in, but that is not his purpose. He is concerned with G-d's objective and the identification with that goal takes him beyond his personal self entirely and makes him the ultimate paradigm of leadership.

Parshas Mattos - Maasei

This week's Torah reading combines two Parshiyot. The first, Mattos, focuses on the mitzvah of taking vows; a person forbids him- or herself from partaking of certain foods or partaking in certain activities. Now, why would a person take a vow? Because he or she saw that he was becoming too involved in worldly entities, that his life was becoming too materially oriented. Therefore he seeks a safeguard. This path of conduct is motivated by a positive intent, but it has drawbacks. Our Sages teach: "Why add more prohibitions? Is that which the Torah forbids not enough?" For G-d did not create material existence to be ignored, but instead, to be used for a G-dly purpose and intent.
Judaism teaches a person to live in the world, but to know that it is G-d's world, to be happy and know how to appreciate the good things in life, but not to indulge in a selfish desire for satisfaction. We partake of material things as an act of appreciation to G-d for creating a world that contains a variety of good.
Among the concepts taught in the second reading, Maasei, is the commandment to set aside cities for the Levites. All of the other tribes were given a specific portion of land for them to populate. The Levites, by contrast, were given 42 cities that were dispersed throughout the entire Holy Land, several in the ancestral heritage of each of the other tribes.
Why this distinction? Because the Levites were given the mission to serve as teachers and spiritual leaders. Such a person must realize that he cannot fulfill his mission by remaining secluded in an ivory tower. Instead, he must become integrated together with the people as a whole.
Among the implications of this concept: A teacher should not wait for a student to come to him. He must be willing to go out to the student and attract his interest. Moreover, his "going out" should not be an occasional visit after which he retreats to his own spiritually secure community. Instead he should be willing to make the investment to live permanently among his students and become involved with them in an ongoing manner.

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