Day 23 of the Omer

אַ שָׁלִיחַ אִיז דָאך אֵיין זאַך מִיט דעֶם מְשַׁלֵּחַ, — עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַמְבוֹאָר בְּעִנְיָן שֶׁהַמַּלְאָךְ נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם ה' מַמָּשׁ כְּשֶׁהוּא שָׁלִיחַ מִלְמַעְלָה, וּמִכָּל שֶׁכֵּן נְשָׁמוֹת, וּמְבוֹאָר שֶׁבִּנְשָׁמוֹת הוּא עוֹד בְּמַעֲלָה יְתֵרָה. וְהִנֵּה חֲסִידִים זַיינעֶן שְׁלוּחִים פוּן רֶבִּי'ן, פוּן אַלטעֶן רֶבִּי'ן, אִיז אַז מְ'טוּט, אִיז מעֶן מְקוּשָּׁר, אִיז דאַמאָלט אִיז עֶר אִין אַלץ מְקוּשָּׁר: עֶס געֶהט אַ חָסִיד, עֶסט אַ חָסִיד, שׁלאָפט אַ חָסִיד.

[Halachically,] a shaliach (agent) is as one with the person who empowers him.1 In this vein, the Sages observe2 that [in the Torah] an angel is actually called by G‑d’s Name when he serves as His agent. How much more does this apply to souls, for [when fulfilling G‑d’s will] they attain this [identification] to an even higher degree.

Chassidim are the agents of the Rebbe — the Alter Rebbe. When we act, we are bound [to him]. Then, every dimension of one’s being is bound [to the Rebbe]: one walks like a chassid, eats like a chassid, and sleeps like a chassid.3

Living as a Chassid

Once a shaliach was planning an event to attract college students to the Chabad House on his campus. The small group of students working with him decided that the best publicity would be for someone to walk around the campus in a bearskin giving out fliers. But who would put it on?

It slowly became clear that none of the students was willing to do it, and if the shaliach wanted the program to happen, he would have to be the one to wear the costume himself. He did so, and afterwards told a friend: “Never in all my years of working for the Rebbe did I feel closer to him. Identifying with his mission in this way was a humbling experience for sure — but it left me with a deeper sense of purpose. The effect it had on my learning and davenen lasted for weeks.”4