The Rebbe's Perspective

Mr. Yosef Lautenberg was injured in the battle for Jerusalem in 1948, and was one of the founders of the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization. In 1976, he led the Israeli delegation, made up in large part of injured IDF veterans, to the Paralympics in Toronto, and decided to bring the group to New York to visit with the Rebbe. (1976)

If someone is autistic, it doesn’t mean that they don’t relate to anyone. They might not relate well to people, but to G‑d they relate as well as everyone else, and even more. Place a charity box in his room. This will benefit him, and he’ll remind his visitors that they must give charity.

The mitzvah to “love your fellow as yourself” raises a dilemma. What should you do when your needs are different from your friend’s? If you are thirsty while your friend is hungry, it would be un-loving to offer him a drink instead of food. If you have time for Torah study while your friend is struggling to make ends meet, it is wrong to help him learn Torah but ignore his need for help earning a livelihood.

Who is to say which one is more important, which one makes a greater contribution?

In 1964 this condition was virtually unknown, still in its infancy. I was overwhelmed, and unsure of how I would cope.

An exchange between the Lubavitcher Rebbe and Rabbi Menachem Mendel Kasher, a Polish-born Israeli rabbi and author.