בִּדְבַר הַתַּעֲמוּלָה בְּעִנְיַן טַהֲרַת הַמִּשְׁפָּחָה בְּמוֹשָׁבוֹ, יִתְבּוֹנֵן בָּזֶה: אִילּוּ יְצוּיָּר, אֲשֶׁר ה' אִנָּה לְיָדוֹ לְהַצִּיל מוֹשַׁב יְהוּדִים מִכִּלָּיוֹן, רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלַן, הִנֵּה בֶּטַח הָיָה מוֹסֵר נַפְשׁוֹ עַל זֶה, וְהָיָה מְהַלֵּל וּמְשַׁבֵּחַ אֶת הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרֵךְ, עַל גּוֹדֶל הַחֶסֶד לְזַכּוֹתוֹ בִּזְכוּת גָּדוֹל כָּזֶה. כֵּן וְיוֹתֵר מִכֵּן הִיא תַּעֲמוּלָה זוֹ, שֶׁהִיא הַצָּלַת נְפָשׁוֹת מַמָּשׁ.

Regarding efforts [to increase the observance of] taharas hamishpachah in your locale, contemplate on this: If G‑d enabled you to save an entire Jewish community from destruction, you would certainly be willing to sacrifice your life to do so. Moreover, you would praise and laud Him for His kindness in granting you this great merit. Now, such a merit, and even greater than that, is accrued by popularizing the laws of family purity. This actually saves lives.1

Living in This World

In 5735 (1975), when the Rebbe added the mitzvah of taharas hamishpachah to the mitzvah campaign, some Lubavitcher chassidim were hesitant to promote it. Needless to say, they wanted to carry out the Rebbe’s request, but they were somewhat embarrassed about speaking to not-yet-observant people about such a personal issue.2

In response, the Rebbe pointed out that in secular society there is a great deal of openness, particularly in these areas. People are willing to talk about these issues and accept guidance. This point was borne out by the experience of the chassidim who acted on the Rebbe’s suggestion: they were surprised with the degree of interest that people showed. Indeed, there was often a greater willingness to accept taharas hamishpachah than certain other mitzvos.