During a private audience with a journalist for a large Jewish newspaper in Texas, the Rebbe once asked, “Does your paper’s reach extend to remote regions as well?”
The journalist replied, “Indeed, it does. In fact, we deliver papers to two Jewish families in outlying areas of Texas.”
The Rebbe asked, “Do you realize your responsibility to these two families? In addition to providing the news, your paper is the only link and lifeline these two families have to Jewish life and community!”1
Much like talent and opportunity, your sphere of influence is a gift from G‑d that must be fully utilized. By specific Divine Providence, those souls whom G‑d has placed in the concentric circles of your life are an integral part of your Divine mission and responsibility.2
Indeed, just as there are sparks of G‑dliness embedded in the universe, and each one of us was given our own personal portion of the world to cultivate and elevate, so, too, each of us was entrusted with certain precious souls to nurture and uplift.
Along with other indicators of our Divine purpose, such as location and the circumstances into which we are born, we can further assess the scope of our mission by identifying the ways and means with which we have been empowered to shape the lives of others in our orbit.
Seize the Moment
A powerful Biblical example of this, referenced by the Rebbe on many occasions, is the story of Queen Esther, who unexpectedly rose to power and became the queen of Persia through a series of seemingly random events orchestrated by Divine Providence.
Initially, when Mordechai encourages Esther to reveal her Jewish identity and use her position to influence the king to rescind his genocidal decree against the Jewish people, she demurs, as she would be putting her own life in danger.
Mordechai then said the following immortal words to Esther:
Do not imagine to yourself that you will escape in the king’s house any more than all the Jews. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and rescue will arise for the Jews from elsewhere, and you and your father’s household will perish. And who knows if you have attained royalty for a time such as this.
In a talk given on Purim 5744 (1984), the Rebbe elaborated on the ways in which Mordechai’s galvanizing message can inform us all as we seek to use our influence to its utmost.
“When a Jew finds himself in exile and then suddenly finds himself sitting at the gate of the king, he must know that this is happening due to particular Divine Providence, so that he will fulfill his true purpose—to affect those in the royal household and the king himself, and through this…every good matter in that entire country.
“…One must remember that this is a great personal privilege, for with respect to the essential action that must be affected in the king’s household, relief and rescue will come to the Jews from somewhere else, but in that case, you and your father’s house will be lost—meaning that you would lose the merit associated with this matter.
“Similarly, for a Jew whose is able to affect a certain portion of the country, or a city, or a neighborhood, all the way to a Jew who is able to affect only his family group or even just his own inner world and microcosm—even in such a situation, it is within his ability to take such actions as would tip the balance of the scales of his own life and of the entire world for the good, bringing ‘[world] salvation and rescue,’ to quote Maimonides’ legal ruling.”3 4
The Provenance of Prominence
From statesmen to students, the Rebbe taught that whatever your ambitions or magnitude of influence, you have a Divinely imparted responsibility to put it to use for the greater good. The Rebbe saw every individual, not just those inhabiting grand roles, as leaders of their own kingdom, no matter the size or scale.
For example, Dena Horn [nee Mendelowitz] did not expect to receive much attention from the Rebbe when she accompanied her mother for yechidut when she was eighteen years old. She was humbled and deeply touched, however, when the Rebbe took the time to ask about her studies and activities at New York University, where she served as vice president of the Jewish Culture Foundation. Some weeks after returning to school, she was surprised when a letter arrived from the Rebbe addressed specifically to her rather than to her mother. The letter, which would change the course of her life, read:
“Your visit some time ago gave me the pleasant opportunity of touching upon an important topic, which deserved more time than I had at my disposal….
“Any thinking person must frequently ask himself, ‘What is my life’s purpose?’
“…The Torah…gives us a true definition of our life’s purpose, and it shows us the ways and means of attaining this goal.
“…The extent of one’s duty [as outlined in the Torah] is in direct proportion to one’s station in life. It is all the greater in the case of an individual who occupies a position of some prominence, which gives him, or her, an opportunity to exercise influence over others, especially over youths. Such persons must fully appreciate the privilege and responsibility which Divine Providence vested in them to spread the light of the Torah and to fight darkness wherever and in whatever form it may rear its head.”
Emphasizing the power that even a single person carries to affect great change, the Rebbe added:
“…Discouragement or a spirit of defeatism [should not] be permitted to creep into one’s mind, such as, ‘What can I do? I am alone in the field,’ etc. Our father Abraham has taught us what one individual can achieve. For one was Abraham, yet he inherited all the earth (Ezekiel 33:24). Our age, which some people prefer to call the Atomic Age, has further demonstrated that in the minutest quantity of matter tremendous stores of energy may be found. All that is necessary is to discover them and then harness these stores of energy for constructive purposes, and not, G‑d forbid, otherwise.”5 6
Great Expectations
In keeping with the aphorism attributed to Voltaire, “With great power comes great responsibility,” the Rebbe consistently taught that the more influence vested in the person by Divine Providence, the greater their responsibility to use it for the betterment of humankind.
The Rebbe elaborated on this principle during a talk given on his birthday, 11 Nissan 5744 (1984), saying:
“A person who has reached an elite [position of influence] in society—say, in government, whether [at the national, state, city or neighborhood levels]...
“Such a person cannot be content being merely involved with things that are good, just, and upright, just like every [other upstanding member of society], because he has [a greater ability to influence others] in all these matters than those around him.
“He is not able to argue: Why should there be a commotion if I do not use some of my potential and opportunities?
“For those potentials and opportunities are not things of his own making; rather, they were given to him by the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and it is certain that they were given for a purpose and goal—to spread justice and uprightness throughout the whole world.
“There is no doubt at all that your…talents are not there because My own strength and the might of my hand made this success for me7 ; rather, it is because the L‑rd, your G‑d, is the one Who gives you the power to succeed.8 It is the Creator and Director of man Who gave you this advantage. From G‑d are man’s footsteps established9 —what has brought you to this place, both ‘place’ in its simple sense and ‘place’ of importance and elevation and power to influence, is only in order [for you] to carry out the mission of the Holy One, Blessed Be He.
“…Therefore, this matter of using one’s potential fully is dependent on your choice. For I have placed before you life and the good,10 and the opposite, G‑d forbid. But the Holy One, Blessed Be He, commands you and implores you, Choose life!11 Here, this means utilizing fully and completely the powers that have been given to you by the Holy One, Blessed Be He.”12
Heavenly Beckonings
Even when not directly related to one’s primary role or vocation, the Rebbe taught that if by Divine Providence you discover a way to use your influence for the good and benefit of others, it is likely a sign that you should follow those heavenly beckonings.
For example, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin met with the Rebbe several times.
At the end of one of these audiences, the Rebbe turned to Begin and asked if he would do him a personal favor. Begin replied that he would.
The Rebbe then told him that he had received a letter from a French girl’s parents who wrote in great pain about their daughter, who was planning to marry outside of the faith. The parents had tried every thinkable way to intervene, but with no success.
Feeling hopeless, they turned to the Rebbe for help and advice.
“I am sure,” the Rebbe told Begin, “that if a prominent individual such as yourself, especially as you speak French, will speak to her about her choice in marriage, she will respect your words, and it will influence her in the right direction.”
Begin accepted the mission, and the Rebbe gave him the name, address, and phone number of the girl, and insisted on paying all the travel expenses.
Begin traveled to France and spoke to the young girl. His words entered her heart, and she decided to move to Israel, where she eventually built a beautiful Jewish family.13
A Surprising Request
In his own life, the Rebbe embodied this principle again and again. Whenever he became aware of a cause or a need, no matter how small, and saw a way he could use his influence to advance the greater good, he took it up, even when the greater good had nothing to do with advancing the goals of his own movement.
A beautiful example of this can be seen in the Rebbe’s encounter with a state senator from New York who sought the Rebbe’s counsel concerning certain issues involving the Jewish community. After offering advice with regard to these matters, the Rebbe asked if he could request a favor.
“‘Here it comes,’ I thought to myself,” the senator later recounted. “‘Just like all the others, he’s looking for the payoff.’
“But what did the Rebbe ask of me?
“He said, ‘There is a growing community in Chinatown. These people are quiet, reserved, hard-working, and law-abiding; the type of citizens most countries would treasure. But because Americans are so outgoing and the Chinese are, by nature, so reserved, they are often overlooked by government programs. As a state senator from New York, I suggest that you concern yourself with their needs.’
“I was overwhelmed. The Rebbe has a community of thousands in New York, and institutions all over the state that could benefit from government support. I was in a position to help secure funding for them, but the Rebbe didn’t ask about that. He was concerned with Chinatown. I don’t think he has ever been there, and I’m certain that most people there don’t know who he is, but he cares about them. Now that’s a true leader!”14
In this case, and in countless others, the Rebbe was guided by the deep-seated belief that any opportunity to use influence for the benefit of others is G‑d’s way of saying, “This is part of your purpose. These are your sparks. Don’t conserve or hold back! Use the gift of influence I have given you.”
Friends in High Places
We see the same in the following story of the Rebbe’s encounter with a budding community leader from Tel Aviv.
In 1972, R. Avraham Chaputa was appointed as the leader of Yeshivat HaRambam U’Beit Yosef, a Sephardic yeshivah in Tel Aviv, when he was just twenty years old. Under his leadership, what had been a modest yeshivah grew so much that the rabbi began to look for opportunities to expand. Toward this end, he traveled to the United States to raise money to cover building costs, and he was subsequently invited by some of his donors to join them in meeting with the Rebbe while in New York.
Arriving with his well-heeled and important companions, the young rabbi remained silent during the entire meeting, not uttering a word.
He was surprised when the Rebbe addressed his companions, saying, “The rabbi who is with you should stay,” at which point he stood and addressed the quiet rabbi directly. “Are you R. Avraham Chaputa?”
Thus began a long, impromptu yechidut in which the Rebbe asked about the rabbi’s students, the yeshivah, and the plans for its expansion. After their meeting, R. Chaputa returned to Tel Aviv, and shortly thereafter, he was surprised to receive notice that city officials had offered a plot of land on which to build his new building. The grateful rabbi attributed the surprising donation of land to his work on the Tel Aviv Religious Council.
It was only thanks to a chance encounter some thirty-four years later that R. Chaputa learned of the true source of his boon. Having been invited by Chabad to participate in an evening of study, he was taken aside at one point and shown a letter from the Rebbe written shortly after their impromptu yechidut many years prior. It was addressed to Yehoshua Rabinovitz, then mayor of Tel Aviv. Noting some of the red tape that had troubled the expansion of the yeshivah, the Rebbe had written to ask the mayor to help clear the way for their expansion!
“I was astounded,” R. Chaputa recalled later in an interview. “The Rebbe was requesting that the mayor give us a plot for our yeshivah! In that meeting, he had heard me say that I needed a plot of land so that we could expand and admit more students. But I had not asked him to help me, nor did I expect him to. Yet he took it upon himself to do what he could to secure this plot for us. His eyes were open and watching over so many places—he was not just a Rebbe to his Chasidim; he cared about the entire Jewish world.”15
Divine Promotions
In the following, we find examples of the Rebbe’s insistence that promotions, advancement, and other avenues of increased influence bring additional responsibility to serve the One Who helped you rise.
When William Horowitz was elected to the Board of Trustees at Yale University, the Rebbe sent a letter reminding him that, along with bringing honor and accolades, his new position was a Divine invitation to put his expanded influence to use:
“I was gratified to learn of the distinct honor which has been bestowed upon you in your election as a trustee of Yale University. I know from the report that the event made history inasmuch as it broke with ‘tradition,’ you being the first Jew elected to this body.
“...Needless to say, every event in one’s life is meaningful in other ways than personal, especially an extraordinary event. I trust therefore you will see in this appointment not only a well-deserved personal tribute, but also an added obligation to utilize your new opportunities for the good of many.
“I understand that there are many Jewish students at Yale, that they have special problems, such as relates to Sabbath and Yom Tov observance, and the like. It is to be hoped that they will find in you a sympathetic and understanding friend, and that you will take a personal interest in their academic problems.
“No doubt a distinction of this kind goes with a feeling of humility and gratitude to G‑d, to which you will surely wish to give full expression.16 17 18
Similar encouragement was provided by the Rebbe throughout the career of noted scientist and professor Dr. Velvel Green. When Dr. Green was promoted to a professorship at the University of Minnesota, the Rebbe wrote to him and his wife a letter of congratulations with the following important reminder:
“This is undoubtedly a true promotion, both professionally as well as in the opening up of new horizons in your work for the spiritual benefit of the many, and when the two are coupled, it is indeed a true and complete promotion.
“May G‑d grant that this be the forerunner of further advancement in the same direction which is indeed a natural aspiration, as our Sages declared, ‘He who possesses one hundred desires to possess two hundred, and he who possesses two hundred desires four hundred.’ This indicates that the ambition grows with success, and having advanced, one is not satisfied with the previous increment. The same, at least, should be true in the spiritual sense.”19 20
Naturally, upon receiving a promotion, one might be content to merely meet the demands of one’s newer, greater workload. The Rebbe taught otherwise, insisting that as we grow and achieve, so does our strength. When we are blessed with additional influence, we also receive the commensurate responsibility and increased abilities to use that added influence to spread goodness and kindness.21
A Question of Impact
Even our choices about which opportunities to follow should be guided by their potential for providing the greatest degree of influence. For example, a congregational rabbi who was at a crossroads in his career once visited the Rebbe for guidance. He had been offered a teaching job and was passionate about Jewish education, but he had reservations about leaving the rabbinate. “Should I stay on as a rabbi or should I become a teacher?” he asked. The Rebbe replied, “The question you need to ask yourself is this: ‘Where will I be able to have the greatest impact on the largest group of people?’”
“In the classroom, you will have twenty or thirty students per year, whereas through your work with the community, your sphere of influence extends to many more. If G‑d has given you the ability to lead a community, this is the correct choice for you.”22
Here the Rebbe couches an individual’s duty to exert influence in quantitative terms—if you can reach thousands, it is a clear indicator that this is the place for you to focus your efforts. But, as the following story illustrates, influence also has a qualitative dimension, which we must seek to maximize for the benefit of others.
When pioneering psychiatric researcher and author Dr. Ruth Benjamin was working on her master’s thesis in psychology, she wrestled with the question of whether to continue her graduate studies and pursue a PhD. The Rebbe offered his encouragement, saying that her doctorate was important for the sake of “prestige.”
“After reading so many Chasidic teachings that stress humility, wouldn’t ‘prestige’ be the wrong motivation?” Dr. Benjamin asked.
The Rebbe replied, “What I mean is that if an individual came to ask for your advice, he or she would be more likely to listen because you had a doctorate. That’s why I say it is important to have a PhD. for prestige.”23
A Model Citizen
In the end, the ultimate way to maximize and manifest our influence is by modeling lives of faith, commitment, and purpose ourselves, which in turn activates the same in others.
For example, while vacationing on his private yacht, American Jewish businessman and philanthropist David Chase would put on tefillin gifted to him by the Rebbe.
At sea, Chase would regularly ask his captain, Dick Winters, what direction the boat was facing so that he could face eastward toward Jerusalem while praying, as is customary.
After a few days, Winters was perplexed by Chase’s repeated questions and asked if his employer had been learning the principles of marine navigation.
“Oh, no,” Chase replied, explaining that he needed to know the information for religious purposes.
The following Sunday, when the yacht docked at Block Island in the Atlantic Ocean, Winters made an unusual request to leave his post for an hour, together with his wife.
“Of course,” Chase replied, inquiring why Winters wished to leave his duties.
“When I discovered that you recite daily prayers,” Winters explained, “you made me feel guilty that I don’t follow my own faith. So I would like to leave for one hour to attend church with my wife.”24
Chase later shared the incident with the Rebbe. At a subsequent public talk, the Rebbe told the story to the thousands of Chasidim present, using it as a living lesson of how a Jew who is committed and comfortable in his observance can positively influence those around him—Jews and non-Jews alike.25 Together, all of these examples provide a clear illustration of a powerful truth the Rebbe repeated often: “A person’s purpose in life is only truly attained when they make full use of the influence they have to impact those around them for the good.”
Meaningful acts of auspicious influence can take on a viral nature, impacting myriad lives in a perpetually unfolding chain of positivity and growth. As we activate and direct our influence consciously and constructively, its ripples continue to spread, setting in motion a chain reaction of goodness and blessings.
Quiz Yourself
Do the Thought Exercise
Think about the different roles you play in your life and the lives of those with whom you regularly interact. Identify which role gives you the greatest influence over others, which enables you to influence the most people, and which puts you in a position of influence that you are uniquely qualified for?
Take the Challenge
Choose one sphere of influence from those you identified above. What is one concrete way you can use your influence for the betterment of others?
Start a Discussion