OUTREACH

Bo – Yud Shevat 

70 Years That Changed The World

This Shabbos, the 10th of Shevat, we will commemorate and celebrate the 70th anniversary of our Rebbe’s accepting the mantle of leadership of the Chabad movement and consequently world Jewry.

His mission, as stated in his opening state of the world address in 1951, was to make our physical, material, flawed world a place where G-d would be present and revealed in a manner that it would be His home - His essential personal dwelling place.

Based on the previous Rebbe’s last treatise published and distributed on his Yahrtzeit that set the tone for our Rebbe’s clear and unadulterated mission driven objective, he identified the Jewish people as “Tzivos Hashem“ - The Army of G-d.

Reeling from the incomparable tragedy of the Holocaust and sitting on the debris of shattered dreams and families, the Rebbe infused the post-Holocaust generation with a sense of purpose and meaning permeated with power, resilience, alacrity and a Jewish chutzpah that would overcome all boundaries and obstacles.

Framing his mission as the war between good and evil, light and darkness, holiness and profaneness, with the objective for good, light and holiness to prevail in the entire world preparing it for the messianic era, the Rebbe developed, trained and inspired a venerable army of men, women and children that became the force to implement this seeming impossible mission.

He did accomplish this. Now, anywhere in the world where you travel, there is a presence of G-dliness and holiness emanating from a spiritual lighthouse manned by one of the Rebbe’s Shluchim/ambassadors to every country, major city and habitation. From the pinnacles of monarchial palaces to the simple hamlet of a lone farmer at the outskirts of a forgotten landscape, the Rebbe’s influence is palpable and effective.

In this week’s Torah portion Bo, Hashem said to Moses, “come to Pharaoh”.  He did not say “go to Pharoh,” which would have been more appropriate. This indicated that G-d went together with Moses.

In every generation there is the Moses that relates to that generation. The Rebbe is our Moses and Hashem was constantly with him, providing super human powers and capacity that clearly evidenced Hashem’s direct intervention and complicity in all that he said and did.

The Rebbe’s immense scholarship, prophetic vision, selfless commitment and deep love for every Jew and caring attention for every one of G-d’s creations is an incredible gift to our generation. By realizing the potential of that gift and utilizing the Rebbe’s directives for our lives, we can cross that hairline border between exile and redemption.

 We can actually achieve and merit the advent of Moshiach when our world will be a Garden of Eden with no more wars, illness, pandemics, strife, jealousy, hatred or empty competitiveness.

The success of the Rebbe’s strategy and its consistent upward trajectory is proof positive that with a little more effort we can “get it done” “over the top”.

Have a meaningful Shabbos and a wonderful week.

Rabbi Sholom D. Lipskar

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