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By Yisroel Blau, Beis Moshiach Magazine

 “It’s a mitzva to publicize those who do a mitzva” – If we’d ask a Chassid the source for this, he would probably say it’s a Lubavitcher saying taken from the Rebbe’s sichos. The truth is that this familiar line is taken from one of the Rishonim, the Rashba, who paskens in response to a question that it’s a proper practice to write the names of donors to a shul on the wall of the building. This psak, brought in sifrei halacha, became a way of life and a new standard of conduct in the seventh generation by the direct guidance of the Rebbe.

While in earlier generations a Chassid who did his Rebbe’s shlichus had to be satisfied with the privilege of doing so, and he wouldn’t consider boasting of his accomplishment, the Rebbe said, “If in all places and all times it says it’s a mitzva to publicize those who do a mitzva… all the more so in our pathetic, orphaned generation we must adopt all means to strengthen and spread Yiddishkeit in the spirit of Yisrael Sava.”

This was the policy that the Rebbe laid out; all Jewish/Chassidic activities need to be publicized on a large scale so that a large audience hear about it and learn and copy it. All forms of public communications are enlisted for this purpose; newspapers, television, radio and all similar media. All should be used to provide a platform for Chabad activities to prepare the world for the Geula.

We see an interesting perspective in what the Rebbe said to the Admor, the Pnei Menachem of Ger (then the rosh yeshiva of Sefas Emes) who had yechidus in 5744. The conversation was about siyumim for Talmud Yerushalmi, the daily study of which was instituted by his late brother, the Lev Simcha of Ger. The Rebbe said it would be proper to make large siyumim since the entire idea would then be publicized. The Rebbe said, “Lately, in general, the world loves publicity… especially in the US, and so, when publicity is lacking it creates the impression that the thing itself is lacking.”

Space is far too limited to cover the entirety of how the Rebbe related to publicity in the media and the papers, as expressed in numerous pieces of advice and guidance, encouraging answers, etc. In this article, we will try to address a few events in which we clearly see the Rebbe’s approach and fondness for “it’s a mitzva to publicize those who do a mitzva.”

LUBAVITCH IS ACTIVE

One of the outstanding examples of this unique approach of “publicizing those who do a mitzva” happened on Chanuka 5746: A few days prior, the proceedings began in court about the famous case concerning the sefarim. The opposing side maintained that “Lubavitch isn’t active” which is why the Rebbe Rayatz’s estate should be divided among the heirs. The Rebbe referred to this in a farbrengen that was held the night of Zos Chanuka 5746 and issued a surprising call:

Since such an outlandish claim was made that Lubavitch is not active, said the Rebbe, we need to increase in all activities in far greater measure than was done before so as to completely negate the claim and to show the world that Lubavitch is active!

The Rebbe focused on three areas: opening Chabad Houses, outreach to children through Tzivos Hashem, outreach to seniors.

Rabbi Moshe Berdugo submitting an album publicizing the Besuras HaGeula in Migdal HaEmek.

An awakening in itself wasn’t enough and the Rebbe demanded publicity, “to publicize those who do a mitzva,” and so that the intensiveness of Chabad activity will be publicized everywhere, everyone should send in a detailed report along with pictures of their work. The pictures would be collected in an album that would demonstrate in the most tangible way that Lubavitch is active.

Numerous pictures were sent to the Rebbe from all over the world and for Yud Shevat 5746, Let There Be Light: Thirty Days in the Lives of the Chabad-Lubavitch Lamplighters was published. The album merited a unique level of involvement on the part of the Rebbe, who throughout the process wanted updates about the arrival of new photos and the progress being made. When the first copy of the album was received, the Rebbe’s response was, “It caused much nachas ruach.”

LUBAVITCH NEEDS TO COPY THE WORLD?!

From the events of Kislev to the month of Teves with the yahrtzeit of the Rambam; after the great commotion the Rebbe made about making siyumei Rambam everywhere, we had a surprising instruction. It was in Shevat 5749. The worldwide siyum had been made on 16 Shevat that year and as the Rebbe had instructed the year before, Rabbi Shmuel Butman, a member of the worldwide siyum committee submitted a detailed report. On the morning of Tuesday, 18 Shevat, R’ Butman received a phone call from the office: The Rebbe wants you to come in after Maariv.

At that time, the year after the passing of the Rebbetzin a’h, the Rebbe spent weekdays at his home on President Street and that is where R’ Butman went. He wore Shabbos clothes, ready for yechidus. After Maariv, he waited a few minutes for the crowd to disperse and then went up to the second floor.

The yechidus was held in a large room and lasted half an hour, in the course of which R’ Butman received instructions about a number of things. The main part of the yechidus included the instruction to prepare a book about siyumei ha’Rambam. The purpose of the book/album was to publicize the siyumim that had taken place around the world.

The following is what the Rebbe said in this yechidus about publishing the book:

“The report that you sent me about the siyum ha’Rambam made a strong impression. Now you need to publish a book of siyumei ha’Rambam that took place around the world, the siyumim here and Eretz Yisrael. Look to see how a book like this is made out in the world. That doesn’t mean that Lubavitch needs to copy the world but to know how it’s done, this is necessary. Use experts for everything and don’t factor in any financial considerations.”

The Rebbe gave instructions as to how the book should look. As far as when it should be published he said, “The right time to publish this book is erev Pesach, the Rambam’s birthday, but why wait so long? In the meantime a Jew could be looking at the book. Purim is an appropriate time. If that is also too late, why wait two months, the book should be ready by the first Purim, i.e. Purim Katan. The Rebbe concluded with a smile, “I’d be pleased to receive a report from you about this.”

Albums of publicity that gave the Rebbe nachas

Despite the short amount of time, with great effort R’ Butman was able to publish the book and give it to the Rebbe on Sunday, Purim Katan 5749. The Rebbe happily took the book and asked: It’s ready already? When will it be available for the entire world?

R’ Butman said today and the Rebbe said: Yes! So there will be those who can already look into it, may it be with outstanding success, a big yashar koach for the book and the speed.

GLORIFYING THE SHLUCHIM AND LUBAVITCH

Another album which was prepared as ‘an arousal from below’ to give the Rebbe nachas was received with a unique, amazing response. On Rosh Chodesh Shevat 5748, Tzeirei Agudas Chabad held a huge Hakhel gathering for thousands of children from all the religious schools in Eretz Yisrael in conjunction with a Chidon on the Rambam’s Sefer HaMitzvos. Three weeks later, upon the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka a’h, they decided to quickly publish an album of the Hakhel gathering in order to give the Rebbe nachas. In addition, they began working on another album about Tzach and the conference of shluchim in Eretz Yisrael.

On 11 Adar, about three weeks after her passing, they were able to print the album of the children’s gathering and send it to the Rebbe. In the accompanying letter the hanhala of Tzach wrote that the album of the children was already published and they were in the finishing stages of the album about Tzach and the conference of shluchim in Eretz Yisrael. “We greatly hope that this album will glorify the members of Tzach, the shluchim, Lubavitch, and give the Rebbe shlita much nachas ruach. We put much effort into it and with Hashem’s help may the result be simply glorious.”

The Rebbe used the words written in the letter about the album about Tzach in the future tense (since that album wasn’t ready yet) and turned them into the present tense in response to the album he received of the children’s gathering. The Rebbe crossed out the words, “We greatly hope that” and left the words that followed, “This album glorifies the members of Tzach, the shluchim, Lubavitch, and gave much nachas ruach… the result is simply glorious.”

PUBLICIZING TO THE WORLD!

“Those who prepared mashke should now come up and publicize all their work since ‘it’s a mitzva to publicize those who do a mitzva,” and this publicity causes publicity in the entire world all the way to the entire Seder Hishtalshelus.” That’s what the Rebbe said about the mashke distribution in the sicha of Shabbos, parshas Tazria-Metzora 5751.

The Rebbe’s fondness for “publicizing those who do a mitzva” was especially apparent when he gave out mashke at the Shabbos farbrengens. Toward the end of the farbrengen, shluchim, public figures or any Chassid who worked on the Rebbe’s inyanim, went up and an announcement was made about the activity that would be done during the week. Sometimes it was a farbrengen, a chanukas ha’bayis of a new building or any sort of activity, and they received a bottle of mashke from the Rebbe as his participation and that of the congregation in 770.

Here too, we see the attention the Rebbe gave to small details: to make the announcement loudly, to say clearly where the farbrengen or activity would be held. A few times, the Rebbe told the announcer to make the announcement in the language of the country he was going to in order to carry out the said activity.

THE REBBE REVIEWED EVERY PAGE OF THE ALBUM!

If with every subject it’s a mitzva to publicize those who do a mitzva, all the more so when publicizing the most crucial message that we were assigned to date, the Besuras HaGeula. With this subject too, we see how the Rebbe regarded the albums that documented the publicizing of the Besuras HaGeula and the identity of the Goel.

Rabbi Moshe Berdugo of Migdal HaEmek related:

At the end of 5751, as I drove in Tel Aviv, I saw a big sign, “Hichonu l’Bi’as HaMoshiach” (Prepare for the Coming of Moshiach) over the main highway. At that time, all the publicity in Eretz Yisrael about inyanei Geula was comprised of a few billboards. I saw this sign and was literally fired up. I realized there was enormous potential for publicity from the tops of the houses in the city where I live, Migdal HaEmek!

When I returned home, I began making big signs with my wife that said, “Hichonu l’Bi’as HaMoshiach” and hung them all over town. We hung 28 signs and I thought that is “koach,” Chof-Ches Nissan (at that time we hadn’t yet thought of “Yechi” being numerically equivalent to 28). We took pictures of all the signs and made an album to give to the Rebbe.

When I flew to the Rebbe for Yud Shevat 5752, I showed the album on the plane to R’ Yaakov Lebenharz who worked in Kfar Chabad. He was impressed by the pictures and said he wanted to accompany me when I gave it to the Rebbe. It turned out that it wasn’t for naught that I had shown the album to him.

When I passed by the Rebbe for dollars, I handed him the album. On the binding it said in Hebrew, “Migdal HaEmek is waiting for the hisgalus of Moshiach,” and I said the same to the Rebbe. The Rebbe gazed at the album and then said, “Amen, besuros tovos” and gave me three dollars.

A few days later, I met R’ Yaakov Lebenharz who told me the following astonishing story. When the Rebbe went to the Ohel after giving out dollars that day, they had all the people in there come out before the Rebbe went in. R’ Yaakov was able to stay there along with another ten people and he watched as the Rebbe read the panim and letters. When the Rebbe took the album he looked at every page and examined every picture. Then he wrapped a rubber band around it and brought it back to 770!

The story doesn’t end there. After the extraordinary encouragement of the singing of Yechi at the beginning of 5753, R’ Moshe felt it was time to publicize the identity of the Goel.

“I made huge signs which said, ‘Yechi…’ on them and had the Rebbe’s picture in the center and I began hanging them up around town. When the number of signs reached 28, the number of ‘Yechi,’ I took pictures of them and arranged them in a nicer album than the first one. I flew to the Rebbe for Yud Shevat 5753 and brought the album with me. I submitted it through the secretary, Rabbi Binyamin Klein, and the Rebbe went through every page and nodded. According to R’ Klein, it gave the Rebbe much nachas and the Rebbe even had a bottle of mashke sent out for me, a rarity for that time period. Naturally, this gave a big push for everything having to do with spreading the identity of Moshiach.

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