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By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

Dear Reader: I know that you may be thinking that there is a mistake in the title of this article. Surely on this Shabbas, we would be writing about the sicha of 28 Nissan (5751) and not a letter. I want you to be reassured that we will be discussing this most important Sicha but it will be through the lens of a letter of the Rebbe that is also dated on 28 Nissan.

In 5718, a young couple had a private audience with the Rebbe. During that private audience, the Rebbe offered the young couple the merit of being his personal representatives to a certain city. The couple told the Rebbe that they are happy to accept the Shlichus. When the couple left the private audience, they started discussing the special offer with their parents and wanted to hear their opinion. The parents of the young man then wrote a letter to the Rebbe in which they expressed their displeasure with the idea of their newly married son moving far away from the Chabad community.

On 28 Nissan 5718 (Igros volume 17 page 52 #6199) the Rebbe responded to the parents (translated from the original Yiddish): “With great shock, I have received your letter in which you write about my idea that your son should travel on my Shlichus in (a certain city).. And in your letter you write that you are strongly against the idea.

“My shock is from the fact that I figured that you (as parents) would want what is best for your children. Yet, from your letter, it seems that you are only concerned for what is best for you! My shock is even more from the fact that when your son and his wife were by me and we spoke about this idea, I thought he was my soldier and I could give him this special shlichus. Yet it is evidently clear that before he can actually agree to my offer, he has to listen to what his mother and family has to say. This is obviously not the job of a soldier to start questioning the time limit of the mission, to start setting conditions and to ask family members their opinion of the shlichus they were given.

“Therefore, I am rescinding my offer, and therefore you have no reason to get all worked up…”

This is a very important and powerful letter in its own right. It is clear that when the Rebbe gives a Chassid a mission, he is expecting the Chassid to be holding on the level, and respond with the attitude of a soldier. What is that level and attitude? The Rebbe writes clearly in the Hayom om (12 Nissan): “Soldiers are servants who serve with great toil and labor and with self sacrifice, in wars of defense or attack. The soldiers stand at their posts with the highest degree of stalwart determination, undeterred by the opposing enemy; their service is not one of comprehension, for they act according to the orders of their commander.”

This letter is so much more relevant when we connect it to the famous Sicha that the Rebbe spoke on that very day – 33 years later – in 5751. On that day, the Rebbe gave each of us the ultimate mission: “do everything in your ability – things that are in the nature of lights of Tohu, but, in vessels of Tikun – to actually bring our righteous Moshiach immediately, instantly, in reality.”

B”H times have changed, and the attitude of parents have changed drastically when they think of their children going on Shlichus. While in 5718, it was looked at in a very negative light, today they understand and feel that it is their greatest merit to have their children move on the Rebbe’s shlichus. At a recent family simcha, I heard Rabbi Yochanan Gurary (Shliach and Chief Rabbi of Cholon) stand up and say that his greatest merit is that all his children are shluchim of the Rebbe!

Yet, when it comes to this most important – and only remaining! – shlichus, we still find a certain hesitancy in getting fully involved. There are many who are trying to look around to see if it is really “Ofen Hamiskabel” by their family and friends, while others wonder if, over 30 years later, the mission is still active and as important as 5751 and 5752. If any of these thoughts enter your mind (or you hear these thoughts expressed by others), please remind yourself of the words of the Rebbe “This is obviously not the job of a soldier to start questioning the time limit of the mission, to start setting conditions and to ask family members their opinion of the shlichus they were given.”

We must remain completely focused on our mission and IYH we will merit “complete victory” with the Hisgalus of the Rebbe – Now!

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Rabbi Gershon Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well-sought-after speaker and lecturer. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the above by sending me a R’ Avtzon email: [email protected].

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