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By Yosef Solomon, Beis Moshiach Magazine

Only a short time has passed since Javier Milei won the election and became president of Argentina. His winning the election was a massive political upset, as he earned 56% of the votes. Milei is on the right and he promised to make drastic changes in the economy in order to deal with Argentina’s massive inflation.

Milei is an economist and former radio host with not much political experience. After 95% of the votes were counted, with the leftist-centrist candidate Sergio Massa winning only 44% of the votes, Milei was the clear winner. It is the first government of the right after decades in which Argentina was under a left-wing government.

The new president, who also serves as chief executive of the government, stands out for (among other things) his very high regard for the Jewish people in general and Judaism in particular. During his swearing in, the president delivered a speech seen by millions in which he said, “It is not by chance that this assumption takes place on the holiday of Hanukkah, the festival of light, which celebrates the true essence of freedom. The war of the Maccabees is the symbol of the victory of the weak over the powerful, of the few over the many, of the light over darkness and overall of the truth over untruth. You know that I prefer to tell you the uncomfortable truth than to lie in comfort.”

He thus ignited a flame of hope in the forty-five million citizens of Argentina.

His fondness for Israel is such that he pledged to move the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem, saying that Jerusalem is the capital of the Jewish people and moving the embassy to the holy city “represents, for me, our recognition of this. I hope and believe that many other countries will do the same.” He said this despite threats he received from Arab nations.

GOING TO THANK THE REBBE

One of the surprises for Lubavitchers in Argentina, and not just them, was a picture in the Argentinian media of the president sitting in the conference room in his home where there is a picture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the wall, next to a menorah on one of the mantelpieces.

In interviews with the media in his country, he speaks admiringly about the Rebbe. After receiving Toward a Meaningful Life by Rabbi Simon Jacobson, he told an interviewer that the book is based on talks of the Rebbe. He explained to millions of viewers how chazara of the Rebbe’s sichos which were said on Shabbos was conducted.

“The Rebbe speaks on the Sabbath and on the Sabbath it is forbidden to write. So how did they write it down? Listen to something interesting. Five Chassidim with excellent memories wrote it all down from memory after the Sabbath. Then, the Rebbe edited it. I had the privilege of meeting with one of those rabbis (Rabbi Simon Jacobson) and he gave me this book.”

In light of the huge political shifts, we were curious to speak with shluchim of the Rebbe in Argentina to hear about Milei’s warm relationship with Judaism and the Rebbe.

What is the relationship between Javier Milei and the Jewish community?

Rabbi Yossi Ludman, shliach to Morón and the western section of the Buenos Aires province, said:

President Javier Milei is an economist by profession. Many years ago, he taught economics in university. Among his students was a smart, Jewish student who asked him clever questions. Milei marveled at his questions and asked the young man, “Where do you get such great ideas from? How do you know to ask me such smart questions?” The young man said, “Perhaps it’s because I study the Talmud every morning. Gemara develops the mind.”

Milei was so impressed that he decided that he also wanted to study Gemara and learn about Judaism. He began studying with that young man and he’s become very interested in Judaism.

He also took an interest in Chassidus Chabad and became particularly connected to the Rebbe and asked for his blessing. It didn’t look as though he would win the elections, certainly not as easily as he won, when he’s been involved in politics for only two years. That Javier Milei won was a major surprise when he succeeded in toppling the previous government and the president who served under the socialist party.

Right after the election results were announced, Milei went to New York and prayed at the Ohel. In the Argentinian media, at first they had no idea what Milei was saying about the Lubavitcher Rebbe but over time, they began to understand that this is a great tzaddik, which made a great kiddush Hashem here in Argentina. Suddenly, all the Argentinian media began to talk about the Rebbe.

President Javier Milei with shliach, Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt

Rabbi Tuvia Serber, shliach in La Plata and now in Buenos Aires, relates:

I also heard the story about the president’s student at university. At some point, the father of the student who was learning with Milei, called his rabbi, Rabbi Shimon Wahnish, who began learning Torah with him. This has been going on for several years. I also heard that one of the rabbis who helped Milei learn Torah is expected to be appointed ambassador to Israel.

The new president doesn’t have any specific connection with the Jewish community here; his connection is primarily with Judaism and its ideas, a very warm, personal connection.

Rabbi Shlomo Levy, shliach to Palermo, adds some details about the president’s connection with Chabad in Argentina:

A few years ago, Milei visited us twice at our Chabad House as a lecturer on economics. He was, and is still considered, one of the experts on economics here. We invited him to speak for leading donors who donate to the Chabad House. Since then, we have remained acquaintances.

During his election campaign, he began to speak publicly about how he doesn’t have a priest but a Jewish rabbi. He doesn’t look at the Christian bible. He studies Tanach and sees the truth in Torah and believes in G-d. In the television interview that he gave, he said he believes in one G-d. When the television newscasters didn’t understand what ‘Hashem’ is, he explained it to them.

The high point was during his inauguration, which was seen by millions. During the ceremony, his rabbi spoke while Milei stood there with tears in his eyes, displaying his deep feelings for Judaism.

We have a friend here who met Milei at the beginning of the year, when the polls showed he was very unlikely to win the election. He was in sixth or seventh place among the candidates. He asked the Rebbe for a bracha and since he returned to Argentina, he has said all over, including television interviews, that he asked the Rebbe for a bracha and how much he thanks the Rebbe for the blessings he received. He said that he sees in the Rebbe the personification of a true leader and man of Torah. When I met him, he told me how moved he is by the whole idea of ‘Rebbe’ and it’s a big thing.

When he spoke to the national media he said, “The persona of the Rebbe influences me very much.”

Two months passed and he miraculously starting climbing in the polls. There were only two candidates left who had better chances than him to win the presidency. At some point, he spent two Shabbosos at the home of wealthy Lubavitchers in Miami and he loved the Shabbos atmosphere with the meals and niggunim.

After he was elected, he attended the central menorah lighting on the sixth night of Chanuka at the Chabad House run by the shliach, Rabbi Tzvi Grunblatt. Milei surprised everyone when he arrived at the event holding a book with a picture of the Rebbe.

During the event, which was broadcast on all the channels in the country, the new president said it wasn’t happenstance that he became president during Chanuka because this was by divine providence. Just as then, the impure submitted to the pure, so too today, the impure submit to the pure. These words created enormous, positive vibes.

Do the many shluchim in Argentina expect to benefit from the president’s help?

R’ Ludman: He has just become president. I believe and hope that he will help the Jewish mosdos in general and especially, the Chabad Houses. There’s no question that he’s a true friend of ours. The fact that he comes to Chabad’s events, accompanied by shluchim of the Rebbe, is a big kiddush Hashem.

Milei’s swearing in took place the third night of Chanuka. Ukrainian president,  Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in attendance. Milei, the goy, gave Zelenskyy, the Jew, a menorah. I thought, Milei has done “Chanuka mivtzaim!” On that occasion, he said that the secret to victory is not dependent on the number of soldiers but on the strength one receives from heaven. So, he’s definitely a big believer and has a very warm relationship with Judaism.

Do his Jewish declarations have an impact on the citizens?

Listen to this story. A day after he was sworn in as president, I was walking down the street when a goy came over to me with a question: “Who is the Rebbe of Lubavitch?” You have to understand that my area is an area that knows nothing about Judaism, certainly not what a Rebbe is, but because of what Milei said, more and more goyim are starting to take an interest in Judaism and who this person is who is called “the Rebbe of Lubavitch.”

I explained to him who the Rebbe is and what he gives to the world. When I was done, he asked me “But he’s not the messiah, right?” I explained why the Rebbe is Moshiach who will come and make the world better, more stable and all around nicer. When I was done he said, “Wow, then it can be that he really is the messiah.”

R’ Serber: “We see that Milei is a smart man who understands the advantage in being a friend of a positive entity like Israel and the United States. I’m not sure that we are expecting something to change here for the Jewish community in particular, but there’s no question that there’s going to be a warm, very friendly relationship between the new government in Argentina and the government in Israel, and that is good for us.

That the future Argentinian ambassador to Israel is a rabbi, already shows how the president feels about the local Jewish community. No previous Argentinian president spoke about G-d at his inauguration, about Chanuka and the Maccabim. He definitely understands the idea; he speaks about light and darkness, good and evil. He conveys a very powerful message to the citizens of Argentina that Judaism is light, not like the anti-Semites try to paint Judaism. When they see in a country like ours how we, the Jews, are seeking light and not darkness, that definitely helps the Jewish community.

I believe that he will carry out his promises, including moving the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem, thus recognizing Jerusalem as the eternal capital of the Jewish people.

R’ Levy: Unlike his predecessors, I believe that he will keep his promises. As we see now, it looks like he’s not afraid of the threats from Arab countries if he dares support Israel. Obviously, we don’t pin our hopes on him but on Hashem, but we can see a great spiritual awakening even among irreligious Jews. How proud they are to be Jews when their friends ask them, “What is Torah?” and “What is Hashem?” Jews like these are now going to learn what Torah is so they will be able to answer their gentile friends.

DEEP BOND WITH THE REBBE

How come the new president is connected with Chabad Chassidus and the Rebbe?

R’ Ludman: I think it’s the influence of Chabad rabbis whom he’s close with.

R’ Serber: I think there are two main reasons. First, for spiritual reasons. Who knows better than we do that the Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach and the Nasi HaDor. When a person starts to study Judaism without preconceptions, he will come to the conclusion that the Rebbe is Moshiach and is the Rosh Bnei Yisrael. It can take time until he internalizes this, but this is the conclusion he will reach.

All indications show that Milei understands this, after he came from a ‘pure’ place of genuine desire to know and study Judaism and Chassidus.

The second reason is more technical. The shluchim here made it a point to create a relationship with him and bring him to Chabad Chassidus.

Participating at the central menorah lighting on the third night of Chanuka.

Do you think that the election of Milei as president represents a deep change in Argentina, when millions of people voted for a candidate on the right after years of a left-wing government?

R’ Ludman: Yes! We were here for many years under left-wing governments which swindled and robbed the people. They brought the country down to its lowest point. People began realizing what was going on and despised them and chose Milei as president. His speeches and the messages he conveys come from the heart and touched the hearts of voters. One can see that he hasn’t come to swindle the voters like previous politicians but to really make changes.

At the same time, we are not completely sure how much of what he planned he will be able to do, but I hope that in the merit of the brachos he got from the Rebbe, he will be able to do what he seeks to do for the welfare of the country and to improve this terrible economic situation.

R’ Serber: It says, “the heart of kings [and ministers] is in the hands of Hashem.” Whichever path leaders choose is in the hands of Hashem. How it will play out, I don’t know. The new president is coming from the right side of the map, something we’re not used to here, in politics, and we are trying to open people’s eyes so they see which is the correct side.

It should be noted that many citizens voted for Milei not because of their love for him but because of their hatred for the previous regime under the socialist party. People realized they hadn’t come to help the nation but to rob the nation. As an act of protest, they chose Milei as the new president.

***

When speaking to these three shluchim in Argentina, we took the opportunity to get a glimpse of the Chabad presence which is all over this large South American country.

R’ Serber: From any angle you choose to look at the situation, you will see that things are really tough here, whether economically or spiritually. Still, Chabad Houses in Argentina continue to flourish. Recently, in Buenos Aires, a new school building was built. It shows how much Chabad in Argentina worked to improve the spiritual state in this country. The shluchim are fully invested in doing this work, both within the Chabad community and Jewish Argentina at large.

There is also programming for non-Jews to whom we bring a message of the Seven Noahide Laws.

R’ Levy: Over 120 shluchim are operating in Argentina. There is enormous success here. Our Chabad House has a youth center. There is Chabad on campus and a mitzva tank that drives around many towns all over Argentina. There is also tremendous help for the needy.

The president’s meeting room with the Rebbe’s picture on the wall.

How do you spread Geula and Moshiach in Argentina?

R’ Ludman: All the shluchim here work for the most important goal there is, bringing Moshiach. Of course, each one works on this in his own way.

About learning inyanei Moshiach and Geula, today there are more than ten sefarim in Spanish on the subject which were translated and published by Rabbi Moshe Blumenfeld. We all try to spread the message of Geula to all Jews in Argentina.

R’ Serber: I think that this topic is not as strong as it is in Eretz Yisrael or the United States but we try to raise the topic and to talk about it and its importance.

What message do you personally take from the rise of Javier Milei to the presidency of Argentina?

R’ Ludman: Again and again we see how the Rebbe was right when he said that the avodas ha’birurim is over and now, all that remains is to greet Moshiach. The Rebbe spoke about France, how it is ready for the Geula and I think we can now see how Argentina is more ready for the Geula. A president was elected here that doesn’t just love Chabad but is a Chassid of the Rebbe! He writes to the Rebbe and a picture of the Rebbe proudly hangs in his office.

R’ Serber: From my perspective, a great light managed to overcome the darkness. As part of my role as shliach, I work with goyim and try to convince them to accept the Seven Noahide Laws in order to hasten the Geula.

When the new president, who is not Jewish, proudly talks about justice and righteousness, and how it’s important to make certain that the light overcomes the darkness, and emphasizes how much light Judaism brings to the world, that’s a real serious push to convey the redemptive message to the world and to bring us that much closer to the complete Geula.

R’ Levy: I hope that this will increase the light of Chabad to the goyim as well as to the Jews. It’s definitely a special opportunity for us to strengthen mivtzaim in order to prepare all of Argentina to welcome the Rebbe, immediately now. ■

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