About shluchim and their yearning for their home base, the place of the meshaleiach, 770. * Although in most cases the Rebbe discouraged the Shluchim from leaving their flocks during the High Holiday season, a time when other Chassidim, young and old, converge on 770 from all parts of the world, their minds and hearts are with the Rebbe in 770.
In a sicha the Rebbe said on Shabbos Parshas VaYeitzei 5748, he emphasizes that when Yaakov left for Charan, Hashem promised him, “and I will bring you back to this land,” in response to Yaakov’s request, “and I return safely to my father’s house.”
Although at first glance, says the Rebbe, this seems strange, because why should he be thinking of returning as he is setting out, but upon further reflection, this is the way it should be. At the start of a shlichus, you need to know that the point is not to remain in Charan, G-d forbid, but to complete the mission and return home, to Yitzchok and Rivka. This is true for all shlichus in galus; the point is to complete the avoda and have the Geula.
In this column, we’ll hear stories from a slightly different perspective than usual. It will be less about the shluchim’s work and more about their ties and yearning for home, the place of the meshaleiach.
A GENERAL-SPECIFIC BRACHA ON MOTZAEI ROSH HASHANA
At a family event I met an old friend, a shliach in Kiryat Tivon, R’ Gidi Sharon. R’ Sharon reminded me of something moving and special that occurred on Motzaei Rosh Hashana 5747. That year, both he and I wanted to spend Rosh Hashana with the Rebbe. Both of us, each for his own reasons, had to return home immediately afterward, he to Kiryat Tivon and me to Beit Shaan.
We spent Rosh Hashana with the Rebbe and heard Maftir from the Rebbe, the t’kios, the farbrengens, and of course, we received kos shel bracha on Motzaei Rosh Hashana. Even after we received our kos shel bracha, we lingered, crowded among the Chassidim, watching the scene and unable to take our eyes off of it.
Then, with the conclusion of kos shel bracha, the Rebbe loudly announced, “and Yaakov went on his way to carry out the shlichus with success until the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.”
Anyone familiar with the protocol knows that the Rebbe says something like this only on Motzaei Simchas Torah and on Motzaei Shabbos B’Reishis (sometimes also on Motzaei Yom Kippur) but Motzaei Rosh Hashana? This is the time when more and more people head to 770 – who is thinking of leaving? Just us two, R’ Gidi Sharon and me. We felt then, as we do now, that the Rebbe was giving us a personal bracha as we went back to our shlichus on Motzaei Rosh Hashana.
KOS SHEL BRACHA ON MOTZAEI SHABBOS B’REISHIS
Another story, different but similar, is told by the shliach in Dimona, R’ Yisroel Gliss. R’ Gliss begins his story in Tishrei 5742 and “takes us with his story” throughout all the “Tishreis” until the surprising end of the story in Tishrei 5750.
“The first time I went to the Rebbe was for Tishrei 5742. Many years of anticipation and preparation and years of effort for this trip came to a climax when I finally went to the Rebbe. For the first time in my life I saw, understood and fell in love with all the events that take place in Tishrei by the Rebbe.
“For Tishrei 5743, I wanted to go back to the Rebbe but it was very hard. The army told me that I could go abroad only once in three years and I had gone the year before. Only after much effort, including the intervention by R’ Shlomke Maidanchek and his direct plea to the Defense Minister at the time, Ariel Sharon, did I get permission to leave the country. That fantastic Tishrei justified all the efforts that I made.
“In 5744 there were new difficulties. I was on K’vutza when the army suddenly informed me that I did not have permission for an entire year, just three months. Once again, efforts were made, and there was intervention and tension until finally, with the help of R’ Yaakov Landau and his speaking to Justice Minister, Moshe Nissim, we got permission for me to be by the Rebbe for the entire year. That is how I was able to spend Tishrei 5745 with the Rebbe because that was the end of the year on K’vutza.
“After K’vutza and a year on shlichus in the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, Hashem helped and I went to the Rebbe for Tishrei 5746. Then I stayed on for a few more wonderful months in 770, I became engaged, I married, and I went on shlichus to Dimona in Av 5746. Now I realized that I would not be able to be by the Rebbe (at all) for the entire Tishrei because there was a lot to do on shlichus during this month. But my Chassidic conscience cried out, ‘at least be by the Rebbe for Rosh Hashana.’ So I went to the Rebbe for Rosh Hashana 5747.
“In 5748 and 5749 I also went to the Rebbe for Rosh Hashana, each time with good reasons. On all the other holidays like Sukkos, Pesach or Shavuos, there is a lot of work to be done but on Rosh Hashana there is nothing special. There is no hospital or senior citizens home where the shofar needs to be blown, the people are, for the most part, traditional and nearly all of them go to shul to hear the shofar. That is my time to be with the Rebbe.
“I could not go for Rosh Hashana 5750 because our daughter was born and we know the story of the Alter Rebbe who went in the middle of the davening on Yom Kippur to help a woman who had just given birth. So I stayed in Eretz Yisroel in order to help someone who had just given birth. However, my longing for the Rebbe did not take that into account and I still badly wanted to go. Of course, I did not go for Sukkos but I began to dream about getting there for Motzaei Simchas Torah, at least getting kos shel bracha from the Rebbe. I began to dream of leaving the country when Yom Tov was over for us (a day before the Diaspora) and arriving at 770 just when the Rebbe was giving out kos shel bracha.
“After a brief consultation with a rav, along with inquiries about flight schedules, I saw that this dream would not materialize. But the fire of Chassidus as well as the eight consecutive years that I had gone for Tishrei, or at least part of it, gave me no rest. I remembered from earlier years that there were shluchim in the US who were unable to leave their communities for Sukkos and Simchas Torah and who went to the Rebbe for Shabbos B’Reishis. So I ordered a ticket and went to the Rebbe for Shabbos B’Reishis.
“Then a most amazing thing happened which occurred maybe twice throughout the Rebbe’s nesius. While I celebrated being at the Rebbe, on the one hand I was sorry that I had been unable to come for any of the holidays, but on the other hand I consoled myself that at least I was there for Shabbos B’Reishis which was still considered within the days of the month of Tishrei. Just one thing bothered me, that I had not been at the distribution of kos shel bracha.
“To the surprise of all, the farbrengen with the Rebbe began at 1:30 in the afternoon and in the middle of the farbrengen, the Rebbe announced – would you believe – that that evening, before sunset, there would be another farbrengen at the end of which the Rebbe would give out kos shel bracha.
“As I said, this happened maybe once in the 50’s (when Shabbos B’Reishis did not immediately follow Simchas Torah and nevertheless there was the distribution of kos shel bracha) and once in 5750. I was absolutely thrilled. I thought, the Rebbe is aware of my longings for him and the Rebbe did this special kindness for me, kos shel bracha on Motzaei Shabbos B’Reishis for one little shliach in Dimona who could not come earlier.”
EVERY SHLIACH HAS A SHARE
About thirty years ago, when I was learning in yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, the hanhala of the yeshiva sent a letter to the Rebbe which said that during the upcoming Elul z’man the yeshiva would start learning Bava Metzia.
The Rebbe sent a telegram in response, I don’t remember the exact wording, but there was a bracha for success in the learning and the Rebbe added, “and it is known the explanation in Kabbala and Chassidus about the Mishna, ‘Shnayim ochazin.’”
The hanhala of the yeshiva photocopied the Rebbe’s answer and hung it up on the main pillar in the zal of the yeshiva. A special farbrengen was also arranged and the mashpiim explained the Chassidic explanation of “Shnayim ochazin.” As far I remember, it was explained that just like two people who grasp a tallis, in the literal sense – a tallis made of physical wool, so too in Gan Eden there are two souls who, in a joint effort, caused a third neshama to become closer to Hashem etc. and now, the two souls grasp the mitzva and each one claims, “It’s all mine.”
When the Shluchim all travel back home to the Rebbe for the Kinus HaShluchim this occurs over and over and I will just bring a few examples:
The shliach from Maaleh Efraim meets the shliach from Beit Shaan.
“Nu, how is the Raskin family we sent you?”
“Don’t ask,” says the shliach from Beit Shaan. “The husband is already growing a full beard, the wife bought a wig, they attend all the shiurim, t’fillos and farbrengens.”
The family had met Chabad in Maaleh Efraim, had deepened the connection when they moved to Beit Shaan, and by the time the family moved to Kfar Saba the wife was working as a preschool teacher in the Chabad school, the children attended the Chabad schools, and the continuation of the story will be told among the shluchim at future Kinusim.
“And how is Mishel Gelbstein?” asks the shliach from Beit Shemesh of the shliach in Beit Shaan.
“I want you to know,” adds the shliach from Beit Shemesh, “that Mishel is a very serious bachur. By us he learned Samech-Vav. You should know who you’re dealing with.”
And when the shliach from Beit Shaan meets the shliach in Rosh Pina, he taps him on the shoulder and says, “What a serious bachur Ofer is! How did you manage to instill in him such a deep feeling for Chabad customs?”
And when he meets the shliach from India, they have a lot to discuss.
“What’s with Tzivia? By us in India she did not miss a shiur. You must get her to Machon Alte.”
Dozens if not hundreds of these conversations take place among shluchim with each one continuing the work on the “tallis” that his colleague started to weave and we have “two grasping the tallis” multiplied by thousands and tens of thousands of tallisos that are woven by the shluchim around the world. Together, they all grasp the tallisos with just one little change. It’s not “all mine” but all belong to the Rebbe.
What’s mine and yours is the Rebbe’s.