By COLlive reporter
On Yud Shvat 5741 (January 15, 1981), the Rebbe delivered an address to more than 5,000 Chassidim who had gathered at 770 Eastern Parkway to celebrate 30 years since accepting the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch.
The words the Rebbe spoke were later written up in an essay, personally edited by the Rebbe, and printed at his behest in the Congressional Record of the U.S. Senate.
The defeat of an incumbent President in an election is viewed by many as an opportunity for rejoicing in his downfall. In the talk, the Rebbe explained that the Torah bids one to gratefully acknowledge the good which was achieved.
But while Presidents may change, the office of the Presidency does not; and it is the duty of the incoming President to strengthen the foundation of our country, stated on every form of currency — “In G‑d We Trust,” the Rebbe explained.
To ensure that such trust is instilled within every citizen, the proper education of children is mandatory, the Rebbe stressed. To this end, it is imperative that a simple non-denominational prayer be said by children at the beginning of each day.
The following is the Rebbe’s full talk and essay courtesy of Sichos in English:
In a democracy such as the U.S.A., an orderly transference of government is effected through the electoral process. The choice made by the people in the polling booths decides who will occupy the highest office in the land — the Presidency; thereby ensuring a smooth and peaceful transition from one administration to the next.
Yet a disturbing trend has been evident in past elections. When the previous incumbent in the Oval Office is the defeated candidate, his defeat has triggered a less than noble response; it is seized upon by some as an opportunity to rejoice in his discomfiture. Stripped as he now is of power, such critics fear no retaliation on his part; nor can they now expect to gain any favors. And so they indulge in the ignoble pastime of rubbing salt into the wound.
But such is not the way of Torah. Notwithstanding any past mistakes, Torah bids us to be grateful, to acknowledge those good things which were done. In the eyes of Torah, to be an ingrate is a despicable thing, unworthy of any decent human being. And in the past administration, the outstanding achievement was the prevention of war. There were instances in the past four years, which, but for the endeavors of the President, could easily have led to war. Not only did he thus save millions of Americans from the horrors of such a consequence, but in all probability the rest of the world. And for this he deserves our thanks and gratitude.
Possibly, political considerations would dictate greater caution in expressing gratitude, from fear of offending the new holder of the office. But the new President will undoubtedly tender recognition for the good accomplished; especially when the good was of such paramount importance as the prevention of war.
A short note of caution is in order here. The above acknowledgment is in no way to be construed as a retraction from my previous stand concerning the Camp David accords. I reiterate as strongly as possible that it was, and remains, a disaster and peril for Jews and the rest of the world. The President’s part in the accords was, no doubt, motivated by the hope that it would bring peace — and for this he is to be commended. But the fact remains that all that has been achieved is that one side has made numerous concessions, including giving up land and essential oil supplies, for no substantive return whatsoever. Such concessions merely prompt demands for further concessions, creating an even greater danger to peace.
To return to our main point: notwithstanding any errors made, we are enjoined by Torah to express gratitude where credit is due. This is a man who safeguarded the well-being of millions of Americans, and to him, we duly express our gratitude.
While Presidents can and do change, the office of the Presidency remains constant. The beginning of a new term of office will certainly elicit even more vigorous efforts on the part of the new President in the discharge of this office. The first and foremost duty is to strengthen the basis of our very existence. That basis is the foundation upon which this country was born and is stated on every dollar bill printed in the U.S.A. — “In G‑d We Trust.”
There are various words that roughly express the same meaning as “trust” — for example, belief, faith. Trust, however, has a meaning which is more profound than mere belief. Belief in a Deity does not always mean unquestioning confidence in that Deity’s willingness to help a person in every facet of life. One can believe in G‑d — but not to the extent that one puts his trust in G‑d. As in the business world, where assets are given to another to be held in trust, so too, our faith in G‑d must be to the extent that we “trust” in Him. We believe that G‑d is not some remote Being, removed and aloof from His creations, but that every detail of our lives can be safely entrusted to G‑d.
And this is one of the main areas in which we hope the new President will invest special efforts, working to instill such trust in G‑d within each and every citizen, ensuring that their conduct is proper and becoming to He in — Whom we place our trust. The only way to assure that such conduct will become second nature is through the proper education of our children. In the U.S., the state is responsible for the education of its citizens. It is thus the responsibility, and indeed a privilege, of the public school system to instill in its charges the knowledge that G‑d is not only the Creator of the world, but a Being in Whom we trust. It is this knowledge which is the foundation for a life of productivity and decency.
Of course, there will be those who object to this with the argument of separation of religion and state. They however, base their argument on a faulty premise. Separation between religion and state is not, nor ever was, meant to imply antagonism to, or even indifference to religion. Historically, the founding fathers were refugees from religious persecution, and hence, when founding this country, sought to ensure that there would be no interference by the state in the religious beliefs and practices of its citizens.
But there is no question that their intention was to safeguard against any form of religious intolerance or persecution. Today, however, separation of religion and state has been taken to extreme, if not absurd lengths. Any attempt to help parents defray the costs of educating their children in the way they feel proper is met with outbursts of protest and condemnation. But actually, the reverse is true: Such financial aid is not incorrect; it is not illegal; it is perfectly within the boundaries of the Constitution. Indeed, to withhold finances from religious schools is tantamount to religious persecution! For it is the inalienable right of every parent to choose their child’s education; and since in public schools one — cannot receive a religious education (not even that stated on our money — “In G‑d We Trust”) parents are forced to build their own schools. Yet they are still required to pay, through their taxes, for the public schools! And surely all excuses are invalid when it comes to the question of helping religious schools pay for the cost of non-religious components of schooling — e.g. travel, health, secular subjects, etc. Refusal to help defray the cost of religious schools, or at least to grant tax rebates to those parents whose children attend the religious schools, is thus a subtle form of financial persecution.
But even financial help such as that described above is not enough. Every child, including those attending public school, must be inculcated with the belief “In G‑d We Trust.” This should be the very foundation of education, with each day beginning with a non-denominational prayer affirming our trust in G‑d. Obviously, this is not in any way meant to give license to the state to differentiate between one religion and another. We refer to that which is common to all religions — a simple declaration of trust in G‑d. This does not negate the concept of separation of religion and state, for in no way is this religious intolerance, which was the sole concern of the founders of this country when instituting this concept.
All of the above may be verified by actual experience. The best, if not only way to train a child to be a moral and decent citizen is to instill in him the knowledge, at least through a simple recitation every day, that we trust in G‑d. Such knowledge helps to check temptations to do wrong, and ensures that a child’s conduct is fitting and proper. And those who automatically raise the objection of separation of religion and state do so without reckoning with the devastating consequences of a generation reared without any knowledge of G‑d. The results are obvious: many adults of today feel no responsibility to train or influence their children, resulting in the frightening state of our society.
It is, we firmly believe, imperative to instill in children the knowledge that the basis of our society, and indeed of each individual, must be the awareness and trust in He Who is the true Existence — G‑d. And, as noted earlier, this is as a beginning carried out through a simple declaration by children at the beginning of each day those four words which so succinctly sum up what we have been saying “In G‑d We Trust.”
The importance of the above demands an urgency that must transcend the normal length of time taken to implement legislative action. Besides being perfectly within the framework of the Constitution and law, it is the foundation of the existence of our country, and as such cannot, must not, be tied up in the usual legislative red tape. No committees are necessary, no-cost/benefit studies are needed, but instead direct action.
American money not only bears the inscription “In G‑d We Trust,” but also “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many — one).1 This motto sums up the American democratic process. A government is installed when the “Pluribus,” the many, participate in free and true elections. The entire purpose of any election is the unity that will be its consequence; for once the majority has expressed its choice, even the dissenting minority must unite behind that decision. In the case of Presidential elections, those who cast their ballot for a different candidate, representing different policies, will now, after the elections, also accept the victorious candidate as their President. And the reverse is also true: The victorious candidate is not only the president or the majority that elected him, but also of the minority which opposed him. He will fulfill his Presidential duties with complete integrity, not differentiating between those who previously voted for or against him. He is the President of the United States of America — of all Americans.
May it be G‑d’s will that this country conducts itself in all its matters with justice, kindness and peace. May all the above suggestions be speedily implemented, making it truly fit for G‑d’s presence, by everyone and all of us becoming a shining example in everyday life of “In G‑d We Trust.”
פלאות אראנו Trump 2020
Only the Rebbe could have written such a beautiful essay!
May we be united with our Rebbe with the coming of the
Geula!
Beautiful however legally Donald Trump is a President that actually supports everything the Rebbe MHM mentions In the letter. he has not lost the election and primary the election must be Just and actually reflect the will of the people. At this point we must support the President and not accept the results and will of fraud and dishonesty. and then after the REAL vote is counted and if chas Vishalom Trump is really not the will of the people then we can deal with trying to convince the side of evil to do the right thing. In the meantime,… Read more »
Exactly. Thank you.
This sicha was about President Carter.
The definitive word and instruction for us all!
So timely, and so refreshing to hear the words of our Nosi!
No state has certified.
The electoral college hasnt met and certified
The house and senate hasnt certified
The earliest this can all happen is jan 6
With aĺl the lawsuits over fraud we have no idea yet who or when the winner will be declared the winner
However, in this case
Only one candidate can even claim to have legally won!
So there shouldn’t be talk of a new president!
My opinion is that by publishing this
And anything similar, you are buying into
Democrat lies, and ignoring this stolen election
Wow, this essay is absolutely moving and resonates even more so today.
…AFTER an incumbent President is defeated?
the mainstream media doesn’t get to elect Joe Biden America does and that is still to be decided..
Rebbe presupposes a menschlichkeit about Jimmy Carter that is simply nonexistent in the current incumbent. Unlike the Rebbe’s words about Carter, millions of americans are currently NOT safe due to his abdication of leadership and truth.
Yhi ratzon that his malchus horish’a be dismantled peaceably and reflective of the will of the people.
Thank you for sharing!
Right, just like “not my president” for 4 years straight. Seriously, get a life.
Whatever accusations you can make against Trump, that is NOT one of them. (Those who do accuse him of antisemitism automatically rule themselves out of all consideration. After such a blatant lie nothing they say should be listened to.)
“ Ted Cruz didn’t win Iowa, he stole it. That is why all of the polls were so wrong and why he got far more votes than anticipated. Bad!”
“ Based on the fraud committed by Senator Ted Cruz during the Iowa Caucus, either a new election should take place or Cruz results nullified.”
– Donald Trump (2/3/16)
Sound familiar?
One day, some of you will look back and wonder how it is that you became so enamored with the Shabsai Tzvi of our time.
Popular vote:
Biden: 76,400,784
Trump: 71,489, 924
Electoral College (current)
Biden: 290
Trump: 240
“A government is installed when the “Pluribus,” the many, participate in free and true elections.” Free and true elections, not fraud. I fully expect the Biden followers to soon accept the reelected incumbent. The media has no place in declaring a winner. No winner has been declared, and the evidence of fraud is overwhelming. “The choice made by the people in the polling booths decides who will occupy the highest office in the land…” … not the media and certainly not fraudulent fake votes. Soon, the Biden supporters will be rioting again when the courts expose the massive voter fraud… Read more »
If one looks back at Carter’s presidency, there were many negative aspects, including the energy crisis, recession, and the Camp David accords. Despite all of this, the Rebbe said that the Torah tells us to see the good that he did. That is a lesson that all of us can learn from – whether it is the role of president or of others.Moshiach now!
This is a letter to savor and treasure each word. So deep, meaningful and powerful especially in our time.
I was no fan of president Trump and rejoiced in his defeat but the Rebbe reminds us to show hakaras hatov for whatever he did accomplish and to let him step down with dignity.
I look forward to the inauguration of a new administration resoundingly chosen by the people.
Thank you for the story. There is one major faux paux here which can lead to misunderstanding the Rebbe’s words and intention. You state “To ensure that such trust is instilled within every citizen, the proper education of children is mandatory, the Rebbe stressed. To this end, it is imperative that a simple non-denominational prayer be said by children at the beginning of each day.” The last sentence is not the words of the Rebbe. It is what Sen Jesse Helms said in introducing the Rebbe’s words. The Rebbe clearly made the point that a moment of silence is not a… Read more »
The thrust of the Rebbe’s powerful essay is apolitical. Why is it being turned into a political issue by commenters on both sides of the divide? In this essay the Rebbe is stressing two Torah concepts: 1) In order to keep America a country of decency and morality it must be educated to be a G-d – cognizant country with trust in the Creator. The same, by extension, applies to all of mankind. The Rebbe then goes on to lay out logically how doing so does not contradict the constitutional principle of separation of religion from government. Indeed it is… Read more »