Keeping Judaism Alive

This Shabbat is the 12th of Tammuz, the birthday of the previous Chabad Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, R. Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and the anniversary of his release from exile in Soviet Russia in 1927.

The Rebbe Rayatz spent the last ten years of his life, from 1940 to 1950, in the U.S. However, he had visited the country once before, in 1929. At that time, one of the cities he visited was Philadelphia.

When it became known that the Rebbe would be receiving visitors and that many local people were interested in seeing him, several teenage Jewish boys were upset. They didn’t like the idea that an old Rabbi was receiving so much attention and decided to check out the situation for themselves.

They rang the bell at the house where the Rebbe was receiving visitors and were met by a dignified chassidic gentleman. They had not really thought about what they would do there, but when they saw people waiting in line to be received by the Rebbe, they also demanded to see him.

The chassid who received them asked them to write down what they desired to discuss with the Rebbe. They wrote that they wanted to know how the Rebbe expected them to keep an old-fashioned religion in a modern world.

The chassid took their note to the Rebbe, who asked that they be shown in before all the others waiting in line. When they entered his room, he got up and arranged chairs for them. Now the Rebbe was partially paralyzed from the beatings he suffered under the Communists in Russia. Watching him put the chairs in order took all the bravado out of the boys’ hearts.

“You’re probably wondering why I let you in before all those who were waiting in line. It’s because of the question you want to discuss. Most of the people waiting are asking me for blessings. This one has a sick daughter. Am I a doctor who can heal her? Out of my love for my fellow Jews, I will pray for her. In truth, however, her father could have done this himself.

“Another is a businessman and is asking for success in his investments. Do I know anything about investments? But out of my love for my fellow Jews, I will pray for him. Similarly, each of these people has a personal concern that bothers them, but none of these concerns falls within my field of interest. You, by contrast, are coming to ask me about Judaism. That’s my specialty. That’s why you were allowed in first.”

They talked for a while. As they were preparing to leave, the Rebbe told them, “You’re wondering how to be Jews in America. Learn from me.

“There are 613 mitzvos. I don’t fulfill all of them, but I do the best I can, and once I take a step forward, I don’t go back.” The Rebbe then had each of them take resolutions to fulfill mitzvos.

The Previous Rebbe made many personal life sacrifices to keep Judaism alive and well, both in Russia and in the United States. What is one small thing you can do to keep Judaism alive in your life? 

Shabbat Shalom!

Candle lighting time in NYC: Friday, 8:13 PM