This June 21-22 (3 Tammuz on the Jewish calendar) marks ten years since the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
Certainly, this milestone will evoke much reflection within the
Chabad-Lubavitch community. We can also expect assessments by journalists and
academics, both on a global and local scale, on how the movement has fared in
the last ten years, what it has acheived, where it is headed, and so on.
But perhaps this milestone anniversary is not really about the story of Lubavitch. Of course, Lubavitch comprises an important piece of the Rebbe's life. But it may still not be "the" story.
I think that the Rebbe's 10th yahrtzeit beckons us to look beyond Lubavitch and to take a deeper and broader look at who the Rebbe himself was, what he stood for, how he acted upon his beliefs, and what in Jewish life today is attributable to his vision.
The lion's share of the Rebbe's time and energies was consumed not by Lubavitch per se, but by klal yisrael, the totality of the Jewish people.
Over the years, many thousands sat in the Rebbe's office at 770 Eastern Parkway
for personal audiences with the Rebbe, and were inspired by him to become ambassadors for Torah
and Judaism to whatever organization or stream of Judaism they affiliated with,
and whatever strata of society they had the potential to impact.
The urgency and optimism he exuded, the breathtaking beauty of his elucidations
of lofty Torah concepts, the conviction and certainty with which he presented
his positions, the deep-felt belief he had in the power G-d vested inside each
human being -- these were but some of the attributes that attracted people to buy
into the Rebbe's vision.
There were some who disagreed with him. But many of those very same people are implementing today what he started teaching half a century ago. Throughout the
Jewish world today, people are following the course painstakingly set by the
Rebbe.
In fact, it is quite possible that, in the Rebbe's view, every single Jew alive
today can be considered his successor.
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