A Letter from On High

When my father-in-law, the Rebbe, was compelled to leave Russia, he enjoined his Chassidim not to lose heart, for he would remain as close to them as aways. And so it was: the Rebbe accomplished from abroad what must normally be done by someone who is physically present.

So, too, with the journey that the Mishna describes, when “the soul is compelled to leave the body.” It cannot be viewed from a physical perspective, that the connection has somehow been severed. Rather, just as the Rebbe tended to his flock before, so does he now.

The Talmud teaches: “Jacob our father did not die.” The Talmud itself immediately asks: “But the verse states that he was embalmed and eulogized?!” The Talmud does not retract its original statement, rather it replies, “As long as his children are alive, he too is alive.”

The Alter Rebbe writes that a Tzaddik’s life is not defined by his body, but by his love, awe, and faith in G-d which remain even after his physical passing. Therefore, it can truly be said, “Jacob our father did not die.” But it all depends on the children. How can we know that someone led a spiritual life, where his physicality was secondary? Only if his children are alive.