By Rabbi Elchanan Poupko – Arutz Sheva
Leading a High Holiday service in New York City is one of the highlights of my year. Being able to pray with, inspire and be inspired, along with three hundred of my fellow Jews is something I look forward to the whole year. It also entails a lot of work. Right after Passover I start thinking of ideas for speeches, inspiring stories, and ideas worth sharing. I am not the only one working. Leading with me is my dear friend, Cantor Laivi, a Lubavitcher who does a magnificent job leading the service with his powerful and beautiful voice. It is when working with him that I realized: Chabad put us all to shame.
We both give the service our fullest, both work hard, and both put our heart and soul into what we are doing. The difference? Cantor Laivi wakes up long before the service. At 7 AM he can already be seen walking the streets of Manhattan speaking to Jews who will not be attending any service on Rosh Hashanah asking them if they want to hear the Shofar on their way to work. He blows the Shofar at the bus stops, street corners, shops, or anywhere else. Once he has done that he comes fully energized to lead the service with me.
But the difference does not end there. Once we have given it our all, I go to eat the Rosh Hashanah meal and get some rest after an exhausting few hours. The Cantor? You can find him on the hospital floors at Memorial Sloan Kettering, Cornell, Lenox Hill, and other New York Hospitals. Blowing the Shofar, giving a taste of a Rosh Hashana medley, or just being kind to a person that needs a visit now more than ever.
Yom Kippur is not much different. At night after Kol Nidreh, early in the morning, or during the break he is busy doing Mitzvahs. While my friend is a remarkable human being, anyone familiar with the work of Chabad around the globe knows this is not an anomaly. When my wife was doing a medical rotation, focusing on international health, in Nepal, you can be sure that she found warm and extensive Shabbat meals at Chabad of Katmandu.
People who work for no material reward, day and night, often for people who will never see them again and who will not necessarily return a favor in any way. They do it because it is a Mitzvah.
This got me thinking.
Was there anything I learned in my education that was different that what my friends at Chabad have learned? Is there anything that any reform, conservative, orthodox, or ultra-orthodox rabbi has learned in their own education that precludes the kind of dedication we see coming from those educated in Chabad schools? Clearly not.
We have all learned about the concept of Arevut— that Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Lazeh—means that all Jews are responsible for one another. Many Israeli Yeshivot teach their students it is a religious obligation to advocate for the secession of public transportation in Tel Aviv even when that transportation does not go through any religious areas because of the concept of Arevut—we are all responsible for each other—and therefore it is my business to make sure that another Jews does not travel on Shabbat.
Where are all the followers of that doctrine on Rosh Hashana morning when they have the opportunity to help their fellow Jews fulfill the mitzvah of Shofar? Who is sitting at their table on Friday night when the time comes for Kiddush? Do Jews from all walks of life feel welcome at their Shabbat dinners?
We all learned about the incredible value of Ahavat Yisrael—the love we are to have to all our fellow Jews—and how that must follow with caring for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of our fellow Jews. Are we all standing on the paths of college campuses making sure Jewish students know they have a place at our dinner table and that we are there for them?
And yet, for some reason, it is a resounding yes for Chabadniks around the world. Whether it is professional shluchim like Rabbi Chezki and Chana Lifshitz, Chabad’s Shluchim to Kathmandu, Nepal who host thousands of Jews, my wife included, so graciously, or people like my friend Cantor Laivi who is a businessman busy supporting his family. They all find time for Am Yisrael. On college campuses, in small towns, big cities, airports, hospitals, military bases—you name it, Chabad are there.
Why is it that whenever we cannot find a meal for someone who needs to be hosted last minute we say: “if they don’t find anything they can go to Chabad”? why is it more of a responsibility of Chabad than for any other Jew?
Over the past decade or two Chabad has become an integral part of structured Jewish life around the world, recognized by every denomination for reliability, sincerity, kindness, and dedication. Clergy from Hebrew Union College to graduates of Lithuanian Yeshivot like myself all recognize this role. When the Israeli foreign ministry went on strike in 2013 and was not able to offer any support to Israelis abroad, Israel’s FM put out an official notice telling Israelis they can turn to the local Chabad.
Although not a Chabad follower myself, I and millions of other Jews look to Chabad with admiration mixed with envy. If just we can all have that same dedication and sincerity, kindness and hospitality…Yes, hopefully one day we will also make sure every Jew feels welcome at our Shabbat table, knows we have their back, and can turn to us in their time of need. Until then, Chabad puts us all to shame.
Giving credit where credit is due.
A nice donation to shluchim is always the right thing to do.
If one takes advantage of a shaliach while traveling, always call before and ask if there’s something you can bring
Everyone does it their way and the best that they can
Don’t wait for the Jew in need to come to you, reach out to them or even just for one Jew and make a difference.
Thanks very beautiful written article just pls don’t feel any shame, even one cat of kindness melt the whole iceberg
You say we all had the same education. I’m not sure that’s right. Ask many in the Yeshiva world and they will tel you that they are taught to earn olam haba by learning torah and doing mitzvos, helping someone else to hear shofar isn’t on the list. Sorry.
I made this exact comment to the author and his response was “chabad leaders around the world agree with me.” I don’t know what a Chabad leaders is.
As beautiful as this article is, it doesn’t even cover 5 percent of all that Chabad does to for Jews around the world. B”H
Chabad is the best. Pure and simple. This is all thanks to the Rebbe. Moses of the generation. The most influential rabbi in modern history. Who took a small group of Chassidic Jews in Brooklyn, and literally transformed the entire world! B”H
It was a known fact years ago already.
THEY just starting having the courage to admit to the old known facts
I believe the simple reason is because we Were taught not to judge as soon as someone goes out there and Judges another human being (Thinking that you are better)the problems start.when you understand we are all in the same boat and if God for bids a storm hits we all get it and God willing when Moshiac come (Hopefully today) it will be for all of us That creates the love for one another and changes the whole outlook to life. Thank you Rebbe. Either way a nice post
It’s not really a mystery – this is the Rebbe’s chinuch at work . There was a time when some in the Jewish world were confused by his total love of every Jew – no matter what their level of halachic practice . Thank you Rabbi Poupko for this beautiful “Yasher Koach” praising the fruits of the Rebbe’s mesiras nefesh . All of us, whether Shluchim in Nepal or living a comfortable life here in Crown Heights, have been taught that a Neshoma comes to this world to help another Yid. Please join us !! I must mention that the… Read more »
The reason why it’s like this is because when we, Chabad goes out to the world we stay strong and dont get affected (hopefully). But anyone who doesnt have Chassidus or The Rebbe guiding their life will not be able to withstand the outside world.
Your statement is sadly miopic. The frum Jewish world is much more than Lubavitch and that’s a good thing.
Every derech and community has their strength. It’s great that a non Lubavitcher recognizes it.
My take from the article: I’m Lubavitcher yet as a community memberand mother I don’t do most of what is described in this article. Maybe I need to look into that more deeply
It is a very beautiful article. However, what I don’t think he understands is that everything is 100% credit to the Rebbe. We were indoctrinated differently than others, and that all comes from the Rebbes sichos and teachings
It goes without saying that a Chosid/Shliach is an extension of the Rebbe/Mishaliach.
But rather was inspired by the Rebbe’s total self sacrifice for others. Everyone is free to go on shlichus or go into business, total free choice. Once we all learned the acquired taste of helping a fellow Jew, the incredible nachas we get is addictive!!!
with all the chesed that they do. everyone has their chelek for klal yisroel. whether its kiruv, learning, davening, etc.
its not the rebbe’s way to be misgaeh over other parts of jews. we should look at the kollel yungerman in bnei brak who learns all day for am israel. we should also look at the chassidishe rebbe that spends hours crying and davening for jews. we can learn from them too. it takes all kinds to make the world go round.
Has Kollel Yungerleit in several parts of the world, and if you merited to learn some sichos aswell as kuntres hishtatchus, you may realize the Rebbe davens and cries for am yisroel still today.
1) we all need to learn from the shluchim. How many of us are reaching out to all the jewish hipsters in our OWN neighborhood the same way the shluchim reach out to college students on campus?
2) we don’t often see what non chabad people are doing because they won’t be on internet sites or instagram. For example, when my mother needed to visit the hospital over Shabbos, she was able to eat and have a place to stay because of the Satamar Bikur cholim.
Lavi, we don’t know even a tiny bit of the good work you do. Keep it up! May we all learn from you.
No need for shame, be inspired to do something more, and with joy! Everyone has something to offer in big and little ways, in actions, by partnering with shluchim with donations, and by being helpful when the opportunity comes to you. And the inspiration goes the other way too. We can look at other individuals and communities and be inspired in many ways! It´s not true or productive for any community to go around saying they are superior, rather ashreinu, I am fortunate, and daven to Hashem for health, energy, and joy to be able to serve Hashem, and help… Read more »
The Rebbe i believe ,spoke about this and said that there will come a time and others will follow our lead. The Rebbe wants that!- the main thing is that every yid looks for the opportunity to influence another yid, (even if it’s not exactly the same way we do it!!)-
And this brings the Geula close!!
Is, singlehandedly, the Rebbe.
Thats where our education has, indeed, differed.
We don’t just give inspirational speeches to students and hope they took good notes. We have them go on mivtzoyim, they go on tahalucha…they learn early on that they need to work hard and get out of their comfort zone in order to be there for other people.
And i have the same respect for the shluchim and shluchos and everybody else who lives their life with the focus not on what they need but On what they are needed for
Dear Rabbi, I do not think that the point is for one group to look better than another. Each derech has its own strong points. Baruch hashem there are many that are not chabad that do amazing chessed, chachnassas orchim and beautiful middos. Each is important and each derech plays an important role in bringing out the beauty of serving hashem in different and unique ways. The point is to do what one can and strive to do better. May you take in the good points that you mentioned and feel free to inculcate those actions that you admire but… Read more »
Being attached to the Rebbe, the Rebbe’s shliach and messenger. More than doing it just because it’s a mitzvah, is because the Rebbe cared so deeply and worried that every Jew should experience a mitzvah regardless of who and where they are in life. Just because of complete whole all encompassing love for a Jew. This is the message that needs to be extended.
Do we sit back, pat ourselves on the back and bask in the glow of self smug congratulations or do we say why aren’t we all like this guy Leivy and work harder? Clearly the answer is we all want to be like him and we all need to work harder… wonderful article