By Sholom Ber Lipskar
I am sharing a thought because there are so many of our extraordinary soldiers and representatives of HaShem and the Rebbe who are doing something, and it’s good. However, we are losing sight of a historical opportunity that we have. We know that we do not have the kind of clarity that is necessary to see the way forward during times of such magnitude and with such irrational and chilling perspectives. We all know clearly that the clarity and aperture of how to look at our world in our generation is only through the Rebbe’s eyes, mouth, and directives.
A fire has been lit in the bowels of every single Jew in the world. Most Jews are shaken and filled with trepidation, fear, and doubt, but they are alive, and they know that they are being targeted. We know that because every single Jewish institution has improved its security environment.
The Rebbe created us as a force to be front-line partners in achieving total victory, eradicating the world of evil, and preparing the world for Moshiach.
First, we have to get out of our comfort zones and become serious soldiers every single day. We’re not asked to go to the front lines; nobody needs you to go to Israel right now. We have enough people there, and our mission is right where we are in America, awakening and keeping the ember that has been reignited in every Jew alive. We have to deal with the world Jewry in America and everywhere else. We have a job to do now and every day. We know there’s no more talk of colonizers, users, oppressors, apartheid, or other garbage lies.
We know that they hate us not because we’re wealthy, powerful, or have a country.
History testifies that they hate with a visceral evil just because we are Jews and they are Amalek. The only thing that is necessary now is to live more Jewishly. Most Jews in America don’t know why they’re Jewish. A mother called me crying as her little daughter, a beautiful little girl, came to her and says Mommy, so many people in the world don’t like us. Why don’t we just quit being Jewish? She calls me crying. What should I tell her? Most Jewish kids today don’t know why they’re Jewish. They identify and relate to being Jewish via antisemitism in the most negative way. And so many are bringing up the holocaust is an answer to this matter. That’s just another reason for the child not to want to be Jewish. We are in Hashem’s and the Rebbe’s Army that’s asleep, wasting our time sharing another news story with another commentator, feeling bad for our victimization that does nothing to give us the necessary courage, strength, resilience, power, and pride in this cataclysmic battle for the endgame getting rid of the worlds evil. It’s a type of commitment that forces us to get up in the morning like a soldier and not to go to sleep at night until you’ve done your job. Every single day each one of us and anyone that we can have any influence over gets 10 people to become more Jewish: put a Mezuzah on their door, put on Tefillin, wear your yarmulke in public, eat kosher, light candles Friday night, keep the sabbath live like the Chosen people should live. Live like a Jew publicly. Get off the news programs; it doesn’t help anybody.
You know yourself. It’s about time we took the Rebbe seriously and got out of our comfort zone. We know that if we got together with the expertise and inspiration of the leadership of this chat, that would put people together and inspire them to commit this week to serve as soldiers from the time we get up in the morning until we go to sleep at night full-time work. We’re not sitting down for one minute opening up CNN or ABC or whatever we listen to all day; we’re going to do. We’ll knock on doors, make phone calls to our acquaintances, friends, neighbors, or any Jew, and encourage him to live more as a Jew. Let’s take it seriously. Let’s not lose the opportunity.
The Jewish World is on fire. It could be a fire that gets extinguished or destroys things around us, or it can be a fire that becomes the fire that “is a light to the nations,” like the soldiers of Israel are on fire with one focus in mind: “victory.”
All the money raised is great, our singing is fantastic but pales compared to what they need.
We need to join the struggle in our own spaces, not look for something that makes us feel better and takes away our guilt that we did something. The Rebbe cried and cried and screamed, saying to us why am I screaming and crying because when it hurts, that’s what you do. It’s enough publicizing, great speakers, and great orators in the secular world. It’s very nice that they support us, but we don’t need to see more pictures of Holocaust images of Jews being slaughtered and mutilated and three-dimensional color on TikTok. We don’t need to see more photos of Jews being victimized. We are proud Jews. We are the Chosen people. We have a mission to light up the world. We’re not helpless victims. Let’s get it done. I can feel it. We have a critical moment here, and if we don’t take advantage of it, we blow a significant ability to bring Moshiach for real. The world is watching every single Jew is watching. Let’s not show our weakness and our victimization. Let’s show our metaphysical, Godly power. Our strength, our resilience, our contribution to civilization, our reason for being is that we are Jews Chosen people by G-d. Let’s live that way.
Rabbi, your words are so powerful.
Seize the Opportunity!
The Time is NOW!!
Each person can find where they can shine their light to their families (Chessed begins at home), community, and unto the nations (make a kiddush Hashem). And I think its important to remember that people need to start being understanding and forgiving, the same way that Hashem has compassion on us and forgives every Yom Kippur.
Family members, please make every effort to put aside differences and seek peace. If there is willingness on both sides there is certainly a wayq.
Well said
To hasten the coming of Moshiach My very good friends are living in isolation feeling abandoned and forgotten in Small Town USA. I think there’s a silent neglect of an essential section of the Shluchim world. The wonderful, selfless, devoted parents who sacrificed their own needs, who encouraged, educated and inspired their children to go to the other end of the world to carry out the wishes and holy work of the Rebbe. Many of these parents are left alone in their home towns, isolated from their children and grandchildren and r”l come low on their children’s list of priorities.… Read more »
This is pervasive. Very hard to endure the new reality of being side-lined. Thanks for the article.
Many adult children, even married ones, are neglecting this Mitzva. Mostly, I believe this is because the secular world in America has little regard for their parents and this mentality has sadly seeped into our community.
Kids, Adult kids, WAKE UP!
Bring your parents on shlichus with you (if they want) so that they may be a Bubby to your children and be a part of their lives. ❤️
That headline is the opposite of what the Rebbe himself did, especially in 1955 when he sent a group of 10 as his representatives to Israel to comfort them after the tragedy there.
There already is a delegation of shluchim that went to EY.
But the point is that each of us has to look around our own surroundings and ask, how can I make a difference in the here and now by reaching out to the Jews in my own daled Amos. Not looking afar and thinking we need to be in Israel now
Did the Rebbe do the same thing after other attacks?
Maybe, just maybe, the elder Shliach knows about that one time event, and still has enough information to know that it was a unique occasion.
There are clear answers from the Rebbe that support Rabbi Lipskar’s position. One such answer, to Rabbi Yitzchok Springer, is currently making the rounds on WhatsApp.
(I rarely post here, but I find it bizarre that people think a senior Shliach would publicise a post like this, without due diligence and attention to what the Rebbe’s views are).
the rebbe sent 10 Bochurim not 10 shluchim who had their own communites
“We don’t need YOU to go to Israel now.”
Yes, the Rebbe sent *10* Shluchim. Today too, dozens of individuals, shluchim and organizations are going to Israel with specific missions. Everyone else is needed right here to rally American Jews to win through spiritual warfare.
Very brave letter. This line says it all: We need to join the struggle in our own spaces, not look for something that makes us feel better and takes away our guilt that we did something.
Especially the Shluchim who have communities to tend to!!
Thank you Rabbi Lipskar!! I didn’t know what to do before but now that you told me what I should be doing its so clear to me!! I was going to check what the Rebbe said to do in similar situations but you repeated it for me! Kol Hakavod for such original brave thoughts!
Thank you Rabbi Lipskier for your wise insight.
I started waking up earlier every day to feel more like a soldier and be more productive.
prevent the war from coming to our country
ask the politicians and people in power to make antisemitism illegal. speech actions posters online posts and all that. make it illegal and a punishable crime. stop the news from posting propalestinian crap. make propalestinian protests illegal. make sure no one allows gazans into this country.
As always Rabbi Lipskar speaks with wisdom and clarity . May the creator give him good health and long life so he can continue to inspire us all .
Sooooo beautifully said, Rabbi!!!!
Now let’s all get out there and act!!!!!!!!!
אמן!
to teach the Rebbe’s directives for Shleimus HaAretz – ensuring the territorial integrity of the Land of Israel – building Jewish communities, towns and cities throughout the entire Land, dafka in the liberated lands of the Six Day War and Pikuach Nefesh – protecting and saving Jewish lives as mandated in Halacha
AND, CONVEYING THIS TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND ITS POLITICIANS
Tamar Adelstein, Coordinator
Crown Hts Women for the Safety & Integrity of Israel
Just wrote a letter to the editor in response to your article. Sorry to say I disagree with you strongly. We need every Jew who can come to come Lech Lecha…is G-d’s commandment. There were 3000 young people at a peace party on simchas Torah, down south! Trust me plenty to do here too. And just being here is already doing! There is strength in numbers.
I understand, life is good in America?
But America is nisht andesh.
Truly with all due respect.
Thank you Rabbi….your words will be shared and acted upon, and may Hashem give you and Klal Yisroel the strength to erase this evil!
You are so very Inspiring…grateful to say I know you!
Freda Greenbaum
From a standpoint of strengthening the Jewish people, I think the shluchim are needed in the US, as it is here that the faith of the Jewish people needs strengthening. The people of Israel need to be spiritually supported and in every other way, but they are fighting. It is in Israel that the lives of Jews are at risk, but in the US that the Jewish people are at risk of being disconnected from the faith of our forefathers. Having said thar, the ultimate goal must be to promote kibbutz galuyot in the long run. The destiny of the… Read more »