A Booklet’s Long-Shot Effect

By Rabbi Chaim Mentz, Director of Chabad of Bel Air, California

Last week, I fielded a call from a woman who asked to have a Mezuzah be affixed on the home of her son.

I went to the house with Mezuzos in hand, and we were chatting. While there, a non Jewish girl walks in, wearing a three-and-a-half carat diamond ring on her finger. She tells me: “This boy is my fiancé.”

Oh no, I thought to myself. What this Jewish guy is doing with his future…

I sat down and started talking to him about the upcoming High Holidays, the days of repentance, new beginnings, and all that. I asked of him to come to my Shul and join us for this special time.

As a preparation to that, I also invited him to my house for this Friday night Shabbos meal. She entered the conversation and told him: “You should go. I will go with you to the Rabbi’s home for Shabbat dinner.”

But what next? I was debating whether to have “the conversation” about the danger and impossibility of intermarriage. I was wondering whether I should reel him in slowly, or should I get right to it, or should set up a second meeting alone.

“Hold on,” the guy interrupted my thoughts. “You mentioned you grew up in Crown Heights… I was once there.”

He went on to relate that his parents were visiting a buyer of material and ended up going into “this big synagogue on Eastern Parkway.”

“I received something from the holy Rabbi,” he went on to say to my surprise. “Let me show you,” he said and left to the other room.

He returned with a booklet. “That’s the book I am never allowed to touch,” his fiancé shared.

It is needless to describe my shock. This man came face-to-face with the Rebbe, and he understands how special that time was… Still holding the booklet, he said, “this is the only thing I brought from my parents home. I take this with me wherever I go.”

The “kuntres,” the soft-cover books of Chassidism the Rebbe would personally hand-out on rare occasions, was in a plastic envelope. It was placed on the envelope backwards, so I couldn’t tell which one it was. There were 2 dollar bills from the Rebbe in between the back pages. And then I turned it to see the name of the booklet…

It was Drushay Chasunah, discussing the meaning of Jewish marriage according to Kabbalah. The Rebbe distributed it to this fellow during the general distribution on Sunday, 17 Kislev 5752, less than a week after it was reprinted.

The debate in my mind when to have “the conversation” was over.

“Are you kidding me? Is this what you received and have cherished even since from the Rebbe?” I asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I heard he was like Moses.”

And here was my chance to save a soul. “The Rebbe gave you a book about how to prepare for a Jewish marriage. The Rebbe gave YOU a mission and a demand – you must marry a Jew!”

He turned white. Staring at her, you can see she felt there was a wall built up between them. I sure wasn’t gonna help heal the pain…

I went on to discuss the idea of a Pintele Yid, that every Jew has a spark of G-d within him or her and it’s a matter of time or an effort until its revealed. I mentioned being part of a chain connecting to Avraham and Sarah and how it ends when marrying a non Jew.

He hugged me as I left and asked for my business card. He has since already spoken to me twice over the phone.

I came away with two lessons from this episode:

1. Even a single moment with the Rebbe has an effect. Those long lines, for a short couple of seconds interaction with the Rebbe could have the power to save generations to come.

2. I am not sure who the booklet of the Drushay Chasunah was for – me or the guy?! It was as if the Rebbe was telling me, ‘stop wasting your time. Talk in a nice manner but say what is needed.’ Never underestimate how the Rebbe continues to watch us to help guide our thoughts and action to in the right manner.

This is, indeed, “like Moses.” A true shepherd of every single Jewish person, and world leader. A person that, even after all these years of absence, continues to be with us and lead us.

May we all continue to bring Nachas to our Rebbe. And may we have that one more positive action that brings an end to the darkness, and the Rebbe’s leadership, “like Moses,” will be returned to us in the physical with Moshiach.