The Rebbe: An Appreciation

What’s behind these Lubavitcher Chasidim, and what motivates them?

During 44 years of leadership, he did not take a single vacation, nor a personal or sick day. This is neither exaggeration nor legend. It is a matter of record.

In his love for all Jews, the Rebbe did not distinguish between Chasidim and non-Chasidim, observant or non-observant. There were no labels. A Jew is a Jew, period. A “piece” of G‑d, placed in a body and planted in this world.

The Rebbe sought to connect every Jew in the world through the boldest spiritual initiative ever undertaken. For the Rebbe, Jewish unity was not a slogan – it was reality.

Not only is Torah a guide to life, the Rebbe saw the Torah as affecting physical and material existence, empowering or altering the course of even the most mundane matters.

The Rebbe viewed the world’s diverse components as part of a single whole – a whole that is vastly greater than the sum of its parts. There is no fragmentation. The function of every element affects the entirety.

There is no difference between what appears to be a more prestigious role in the service of G‑d and a menial, seemingly lesser, function – they both bring about the fulfillment of G‑d’s desire.

From his deportment one could intuit little about his inner joy, pain or agony. However, the Rebbe’s consummate modesty was matched by his sensitivity.

From the very beginning of his leadership, the Rebbe called for deeds. Thoughts and intentions are good and important, he explained, but if they do not yield concrete results then the essence is missing

Decades before the Jewish community realized the need to do so the Rebbe called upon rabbis, Jewish leaders, teachers and individuals of all stripes, to reach out to the youth and the unaffiliated. By the time the Jewish community came to grips with the true dangers of our times, the Rebbe had long since set the agenda and had innovated the methodology for conducting broad-based outreach.

The pain of every individual was his pain, and the joys of every individual were his joy. No one was dispensable. Everyone belonged and everyone counted.

From the very start, the Rebbe steered the world Jewish consciousness to the orientation of redemption – true tikkun olam and awareness of Moshiach – undertaking the most daring mission of all: to bring the world toward the era of Moshiach and redemption for humankind.

One outstanding characteristic of the Rebbe was his hiskashrus - his deep bond and utter dedication - to his own Rebbe, his sainted father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn of righteous memory, the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe.