Mivtza Ahavas Yisroel, A SMILE THAT CAN MELT A FROZEN HEART

Friday. The market was full of people who had come to shop for Shabbos. Stalls were packed with merchandise and the salespeople had a lot of work to do…

In the center of the market is a unique stall which does not fit in with the rest of the market. Next to it stands a “salesman” of another sort entirely. He is the shliach of the city, R’ Noach. He asks passersby whether they would like to put on t’fillin. “A little mitzva before Shabbos,” he smiles. You cannot remain indifferent when you see his smile. Those who did not yet put t’fillin on that day, hurry over to do so at the Lubavitcher’s stall.

But it actually isn’t as easy as the above description. A shliach has many difficulties and in each place the difficulties are different. Of course, this is not a reason to minimize the shlichus or to stop it altogether; on the contrary, when there are difficulties, it is a sign that the shliach is doing well. The sitra achra sees this and contrives all kinds of hardships. Like the kind of hardship R’ Noach had to contend with that Friday.

A shopper was heading toward his car in the nearby parking lot. As he usually did, R’ Noach stopped him and suggested that he put on t’fillin. “No!” stated the man firmly. “I don’t want to put on t’fillin,” he said grimly. “You religious people with your G-d. Let us see Him give me joy in life and then we will talk about t’fillin,” he retorted angrily.

R’ Noach was taken aback. He did not know how to react. Should he leave the man alone? Should he let him continue on his way without putting on t’fillin?

No! R’ Noach is not the type to give up on any Jew. The Rebbe sent him to stand on the front lines of shlichus and to be mekarev Jews to Torah and mitzvos through doing good deeds. The Rebbe does not give up on any Jew, no matter who he might be.

The Rebbe is a true Ohev Yisroel. He loves every Jew from the depths of his heart, no matter what his outward behavior is like. If his mother is Jewish (or he converted according to Halacha) he has a G-dly soul which is part of G-d above. That is reason enough to love him.

R’ Noach too, as a shliach, tries to conduct himself in this way and be a loyal shliach to the Rebbe. He would not give up on this fellow. Today he would put on t’fillin. And this would bring the man some joy and peace, thanks to the mitzva that he would do. He was sure of it.

R’ Noach mustered his strength, realizing that he faced an important task: getting this man to put on t’fillin and hasten the Geula. Ahavas Yisroel motivated him to continue, to be persistent, for the benefit of his fellow Jew.

He smiled even more broadly and asked the man, “How are you? How is your family, the kids?”

The man looked at him in astonishment. “I’m being serious,” said R’ Noach. He truly wanted to know and apparently, the man felt his sincerity.

R’ Noach invited him over to the stall to eat something. On the stand were bottles of cold drinks, disposable cups and boxes with some cookies and pastries. This was a steady contribution made by one of the merchants in the market and whoever put on t’fillin was offered something to eat.

He poured a cold drink and asked the man to tell his story. The man tearfully told him his distressing story while R’ Noach listened to him as though he was the only man in the world. In the meantime, other people came to the t’fillin stand and put t’fillin on by themselves. R’ Noach ignored them and focused entirely on listening to the man.

When the man finished, R’ Noach consoled him and they exchanged phone numbers. Then R’ Noach allowed himself to go back to what he was doing before. But the man did not turn to leave. He looked at R’ Noach in puzzlement. “I’m sorry to bother you again,” he said hesitantly to R’ Noach, “but why did you stand here and listen to someone you do not know? Why did you offer drinks and cookies for free and offer t’fillin? And mainly, I did not agree to put on t’fillin and yet you treated me so nicely, as though I’m okay, when …”

“You are perfectly okay,” R’ Noach said, interrupting him. “You are a Jew and I have a mission to help every Jew, whoever he might be.”

“A mission from who?” wondered the man. 

“From the Lubavitcher Rebbe,” exclaimed R’ Noach. “Since the Rebbe is Moshiach, he loves all the Jews in the world and he sent emissaries to all parts of the world to spread his Ahavas Yisroel to every Jew. This is the most effective way to bring the Geula to the world because it is a preparation for what it will be like when Moshiach comes. All the Jewish people will love one another without disputes and without unwarranted hatred. This will be a result of everyone knowing Hashem.”

The man thought and then said, “So that is why you did not give up on me …” He pondered this and then a few seconds later he walked slowly to the stand and rolled up his left sleeve. Tears came to his eyes once again as R’ Noach put the t’fillin on his arm and head.

“There’s nobody like you Chabadnikim,” he concluded.