In Chabad, we never say that we are “bringing close those who are distant.”
It is forbidden to harm a person with words, and these words are an insult to those you wish to reach.
And it is also simply untrue. There are no Jews who are distant.
When you know the truth and live in a world of truth, you see that every Jew is close.
In the upper world of Truth, G_d created the vessel of our soul. A vessel which He filled with His light.
Then he shattered this vessel so that we can rebuild it ourselves. We are in a state in this world called "Divinity in the Dust". This is our work. We must close the egoistic gap from the breakage, between us. We must become as one heart and one mind living in mutual love between us.
All our prayers must be aimed at this result. With our hearts joined by this powerful intent we attract His light to bind us together again. Then we merit His "shechina", His light to be revealed between us in a fixed vessel as it was in the World of Truth. No harm can come to us in this state.
Our mission is to initiate this process so that ultimately all humanity will join this network of closeness between us.
Let's raise "Divinty from the dust".
We stand at the threshold of entering the doors to the World of Truth. All humanity is at this turning point.
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yes, we are one. jew, gentile. rich, poor. black, white. male, female. old, young. all one in our creator, in whose image and likeness we all are. Reply
Woooowww! Awesome, Rav!
May we all strive to live in the truth.
Thanks.
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Unfortunately I don’t see it this way. I and my family have been discriminated a few times and considered non Jewish because I was Sephardi.
For me anyhow, every human being is the same regardless of their differences. As a Jew I am no better or worse than my fellow human kind, with my flaws and merits.
I have a strong faith in the entity, but I am disillusioned with some of my fellows Jews.
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I too am Sephardi, and I also have experienced discrimination and overt rejection from fellow Jews. I know how painful it is being alone on Shabbat, having no one to share with on the High Holidays and other solemnities and festivities, if you don't have a welcoming community. At least you have a family, BH. Some of us are not so lucky, some of us are old, childless, and single. We feel... forlorn.
So, let "them" see "different" Jews as distant. You, see things as Rabbi says. Strive to live in a world of truth. As our father Salomon ha melech said, seek wisdom and walk in its footsteps.
May Hashem bless you and your family abundantly.
Shabbat shalom!
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Thank you. Particularly helpful and kind. Reply
I loved the intent of this piece, having me literally bring the last few words of a Jew close. Clever. Reply
As Jews we have the same destiny in and out of Eretz Israel. Division occurred due to the war with the Romans and dispersion. YES! we are Ashkenazi Sephardi and Mizrachi, and all live together in Eretz Israel. Those in the Diaspora, encounter more bias from the gentiles that are disposed to hate Jews, this in itself pushes dissension between the Jewish groups that exist in a specific place. In one specific occasion, I was asked by by an older Ashkenazi Jew if I would let my sister marry a Sephardi? My response: First she would not ask me! Second: why not ? Yellow ,green or brown A LONG AS HE IS A JEW! He was astounded. I feel that way we are one group, we are one people, and observance by others is their own concern, not mine. Yet, that is still long far from being true because the first question I was asked by Jews themselves was: What type of Jew are you? Excuse me! Just a Jew and the rest is between H' and I.