A Lifestyle Fit For A Shliach
Chabadinfo in collaboration with Beis Moshiach Magazine presents: The Rebbe’s Opinion On, a series featuring the Rebbe’s opinion and directive on various subjects • The Rebbe’s response to shliach who directed the Chabad institutions in his state, who asked about how he is to continue his work in light of various developments • Full Article
The Rebbe’s response to shliach who directed the Chabad institutions in his state, who asked about how he is to continue his work in light of various developments:
The shliach proposed several options:
(a) To change his mode of operation and focus on personal relationships, which would naturally diminish the success and expansion that characterized his work until now.
The Rebbe responded:
לשאלותיו (ע’ 7) עכ”פ [= על כל פנים] בקיצור לסעיף
א) לא כדאי לעשות שינוים גדולים איזו שיהיו – כי יתעוררו חשדים וכו
As to your questions (on page 7 of your letter): I’ll respond, albeit briefly, to each clause:
(a) It is not advisable to make big changes of any kind – because it will arouse suspicions etc.
Another option was:
(b) To continue working as before, i.e., to demand that the shluchim under me focus on their work and guide them on how to deal with the needs of the mekuravim etc.
Or, (c) To continue my mode of operation almost as before, besides for stepping down from my position as the rabbi of the Chassidishe community and handing over the responsibility for the spiritual growth of the community to someone else, while I continue to oversee this matter and the work of the shluchim in…
The Rebbe underlined the words “almost as before” and circled the words “stepping down” and wrote:
ג) [almost as before] (לא [stepping down] כ”א [= כי אם] לקחת “סגן” בשטח זה).
(c) “Almost as before” – i.e., (not stepping down but hiring an “assistant” to help in this matter).
The shliach wrote further:
(d) To accept that the disgruntlement and/or problems coming from the shluchim working under him are inevitable, and perhaps more pronounced due to the rapid growth of Chabad institutions here, and therefore not to make changes (or only small changes), and to wait until the matters calm down.
The Rebbe circled the words “accept” and words “the disgruntlement and/or problems” and responded:
ד) לא לקבלם כי מובן שצריך לתרץ את the disgruntlement and/or problems, וע”י [= ועל ידי] שלילת העלאת של הלייפסטייל [= רמת החיים] (מכאן ולהבא עכ”פ), וכן – לא להקטין האוטאנאמיע שניתנה לשאר השלוחים שי׳.
(d) Do not accept them, because obviously “the disgruntlement and/or problems” need to be addressed, and this is to be done by negating a raise in lifestyle (at least going forward), and also – by not diminishing the autonomy given to the rest of the shluchim etc.
The shliach ended by writing:
(e) Or any other suggestion that the Rebbe will propose that I take upon Myself.
The Rebbe responded:
ה) קשה להיות כ”כלה דבית אבטינס” (יומא לח, א) ממש, אבל כיון שזהו סיפור בתושבע”פ [= בתורה שבעל פה] – להשתדל להתנהג עד”ז [= על דרך זה] ומעין זה. ובאם ע”ע [עד עתה] הצליחו וכו’ – עאכו”כ [= על אחת כמה וכמה] כשיוסיפו ביר”ש [= ביראת שמים] והנהגה כיאות לתמימים וכו’ ואפילו בצ”ג אמחז”ל [= בצדיק גמור אמרו חכמינו זכרונם לברכה] שהוא הולך מחיל א”ח [= אל חיל] ומוסיף כו׳.
(e) It is difficult to be exactly like “the brides of the house of Avtinas” (Yoma 38a)*, but since this is a story cited in the Torah She’baal Peh we should try to behave similarly, and in likeness of this manner.
If until now they succeeded in their work etc. without being vigilant on this matter – how much more successful would they be if they increased their Yiras Shamayim and proper conduct for tmimim etc. Even regarding a tzaddik gamur our Sages teach that he proceeds from strength to strength, and increases etc.
*The Rebbe is implying here that shluchim who are funded by public funds must live a lifestyle that won’t cause people to question their integrity by citing the story of the Gemara in Yoma 38a:
“For this matter [were the House of Avtinas, the family who held the secret formula of preparing the Ketores for the Beis HaMikdash] mentioned favorably: Never did a perfumed bride emerge from their homes. And when they marry a woman from a different place, they stipulate with her that she will not perfume herself, so that cynics would not say that it is with the work of the incense that they perfume themselves, to fulfill that which is stated: “And you shall be clear before the L-rd and before Israel” (Bamidbar 32:22).”
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