Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
Born: Nikolayev, southern Ukraine 1902
Died: New York, 1994
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the leader -"the Rebbe"- of the Lubavitch movement of Chassidic Judaism for forty four years, was a paradoxical man.While he barely set foot outside his neighborhood (Crown Heights - New York) during his entire leadership, his influence was felt worldwide. While he was considered one of the worlds foremost religious scholars, he was also recognized as a brilliant scholar in mathematics and science. While he appeared to be an Old World leader whose community was somewhat cloistered, he was thoroughly knowledgeable about the modern world and reached out enthusiastically to society at large, to Jew and non-Jew alike, encouraging the pursuit of virtuousness education, and unity.Menachem Mendel Schneerson was born on the eleventh day of Nissan. His father, Rabbi Levi Yitzchock Schneerson, was a renowned scholar, his mother, Rebbitzen Chana Schneerson, was an aristocratic women from a prestigious rabbinic family. He had two younger brothers, Dovber and Yisroel Aryeh Leib.. When Menachem Mendel was five years old, the family moved to Yakaterinoslav, now Dnepropetrovsk, where his father was appointed chief rabbi.
From early childhood, Menachem Mendel displayed prodigious mental acuity,leaving school for private tutoring. By the time he reached bar mitzva, hewas considered a Torah prodigy, and during his teenage years, he immersedhimself in the intricacies of Torah study. In 1923, he met Rabbi YosefYitzchock Schneerson - then the Lubavitcher Rebbe- who drew him into hisinner circle giving him various responsibilities; five years later, inWarsaw, he married the Rebbe's second eldest daughter, Chaya Mushka(1901-1988).
A short while later, the couple moved to Berlin, where Rabbi Menachem Mendelhad already begun studying mathematics and science at the University ofBerlin, Because of the Nazi rise, the young Rabbi and his wife left Berlin in1933 for Paris, and he continued his studies at the Sorbonne. Primarily,however, he immersed himself in prayer and religious study, and was referredto by his father-in-law on various matters, including the preparation ofLubavitch publications. He also served as his father-in-law's privatesecretary and traveled on his behalf to visit various Jewish leaders inEurope.
When the Nazis occupied Paris, the couple was forced to escape the city. OnJune 23, 1941 they arrived in New York, where Rabbi Yosef YitzchockSchneerson appointed his son-in-law head of Lubavitch's educational arm, aswell as the movements social-service organization and its publishing house.
In 1950, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchock passed away. Although Rabbi Menachem Mendelwas the obvious successor, he was initially reluctant to accept the mantle ofleadership. A year later he formally assumed the title of Rebbe, explainingto members of the movement that while he would be devoted to his work asleader, each man and women was ultimately responsible for his or her ownactions, and for his or her pursuit of G-dliness.
The ensuing forty-four years of the Rebbe's leadership saw Lubavitch growfrom a small movement nearly devastated by the Holocaust to a worldwidecommunity of 200,000 members. The Rebbe, recognizing the unique needs of thecurrent generation and anticipating the societal needs of the coming decades,began to establish education and outreach centers, offering social-serviceprograms and humanitarian aid to all people, regardless of religiousaffiliation or background. He established a corps of Lubavitch emissaries(shluchim) and sent them out to build Chabad - Lubavitch centers worldwide,to serve the spiritual and material needs of the local communities. Todaythere are more than fourteen hundred Chabad-Lubavitch institutions inthirty-five countries on six continents.
By blending his intense religious and secular training with deep compassionand insight, the Rebbe quietly became a leader to whom other leaders - thosein politics, business, and religion - turned for advice. Beginning in 1986,he would personally greet thousands of visitors each Sunday, distributingdollar bills that were meant to encourage the giving of charity; many peoplesaved the dollar bills as a memento of their visit with the Rebbe, atestament to being moved by his presence.
With the fall of communism and the miracles during the gulf war, the Rebbestated that these are heralding a time of peace and tranquillity for allmankind, the time of Mashiach (messiah). To this end the Rebbe placed muchemphasis on the traditional Jewish teachings regarding the time of Mashiach,placing great emphasis in the studying of these concepts. The Rebbe also oftrepeated the statement of our sages that through doing just one good deed wecan usher in the era of Mashiach. May it be speedily in our days.
In 1992, at the age of ninety, the Rebbe suffered a stroke; he passed awaytwo years later, on June 12, 1994. Shortly thereafter, a bill was introducedin the US house of representatives to bestow on the Rebbe, the CongressionalGold Medal. The bill passed both houses by unanimous consent, honoring theRebbe for his "outstanding and lasting contributions toward improvements inworld education, morality, and acts of charity".
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson
A d d r e s s i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g T o p i c s:
JEWISH UNITY
One of the comprehensive mitzvot of the Torah is the mitzvah of ahavatyisrael, the love for a fellow Jew, which is said to be a great principle ofTorah, and the bases of the entire Torah. Essentially, the mitzvah points tothe unity of all Jews, as if they constitute a single entity. As such, anyaction by a Jew, whether negative or positive is consequential to the entireJewish people. Certainly the fulfillment of mitzvot by any individual Jewaffords the Jewish people tremendous strength. Every Jew - wherever he or shemay find themselves, even a solitary Jew in the most remote corner of theearth must remember that they are part of the whole Jewish people andrepresentatives of the entire Jewish people - the one people ever since theTorah was given at Mt. Sinai, until the end of time. The division of Judaisminto “Orthodox, Conservative, Reform,” etc. is artificial, for all Jews haveone and the same Torah, given by the one and same G-d, though there are moreobservant Jews and less observant Jews. To tag on a label does not, ofcourse, change the reality of Jewish essence If you find a Jew who has loveof G-d, but lacks love of Torah and the Jewish people, tell him that his loveshall not endure. If you find a Jew who has love of the Jewish people butno love for G-d or the Torah, work with him to fan that love, for he willcome to an enduring love of G-d, Torah and the Jewish people.
CHILDREN
Contrary to the conventional perspective which regards children as potentialhuman beings who do not reach their full worth until maturity, Jewishtradition perceives children as worthy and deserving of our greatestresources of time and energy to create an environment that is both physicallyand spiritually nurturing for it is the children who embody the purity ofintent, sincerity, faith and enthusiasm for life. In America, most parents,however well intentioned, have been more concerned about their children'smaterial, rather than spiritual, well being. Having themselves faced economichardships as immigrants or the children of immigrants, and having found thatreligious conviction and principles not infrequently proved “restrictive” ina materialistic society, they decided to do their utmost to shelter theirchildren from the economic hardships which they had experienced They werethus primarily interested in providing their children with careers andprofessions and other means of economic security, leaving it to theirchildren to find their own way eventually, in regard to such things asreligion and a world outlook. However well meaning the parents may have been,the result is the same. It fostered a way of life where principles havebeen sacrificed to expediency, and time honored traditions have beenrelinquished for material gains, actual or imaginary….The bankruptcy of ideasand ideologies have left many young people terribly disillusioned, morallyand spiritually. A void has been created in their hearts and minds whichthey do not know how to fill.
FREE CHOICE
One of the main distinguishing features, which set man apart from all othercreatures, is the free choice of action, which the Creator bestowed upon him.Man can use this Divine gift either for self-destruction and the destructionof everything around him; or he can choose the right way of life, which wouldelevate him and his environment to the highest possible perfection.
TIME
Time belongs to those things over which man has no control or influence. Timejust stretches on and we can neither slow its march, nor speed it, nor can wechange its quantity and make an hour last more or less than sixty minutes.But this is only superficially true. Actually, time holds out for uspossibilities not existing in other things. For Time is like a vessel whichis highly elastic, with an infinite unlimited. For Time is like a vesselwhich is highly elastic, with an infinite absorptive capacity. It has thepower of expanding or contracting, depending upon how much or little we putinto it. We can fill our time with unlimited content, or waste it away, andthe very same unit of time may mean infinity to one, or shrink to nothingnessto another. Its true measure varies in direct proportion to what is achievedin it.
BODY AND SOUL
The human being is a composite of body and soul. Consequently, all hisaffairs and activities likewise contain elements of both body and soul- thematerial and the spiritual. One’s mundane and routine activities aregenerally motivated by material and physical gain. Yet the “soul” withinall these mundane affairs calls out for recognition- for the infusion ofthese ordinary affairs with an awareness of greater objectives and a higherpurpose. The giving of charity, and the support of Torah education forJewish children-these are the spiritual incentives that ought to motivate onein his daily activities.Each one of us is a microcosm of all Creation. Theachievement of harmony between one's soul and one's material life, is theachievement of harmony between the heaven and earth.
FAITH IN G-D
The intellect must service to uncover the inner absolute intuition and faithin things which lie beyond the realm of the intellect: the faith andintuition which are the heritage of every Jew, therewith to illuminate hisentire being and to guide him in his daily living to a life inspired by Torahand mitzvoth. Faith in G-d, is deeply engraved in the Jewish heart and soul;all that is necessary is to bring it forth to the surface so that itpermeates the daily life in all its aspects. This means that one oughtalways to feel reassured and convinced that G-d will help overcome alldifficulties in life, both material and spiritual, since “G-d is my light andmy salvation”. One must feel especially certain that they are able to carryout their intended purpose in life, and to do so with joy, with the assuranceof G-d’s light, help and fortitude to carry out this mission.
ISRAEL
G-d enabled the Jewish people to live as sovereigns in the Holy Land, theplace of our forefathers - the land promised to the Jews by G-d. This realityplaces a special burden and privilege upon Israel's citizens and itsgovernment, to preserve the Jewish integrity of the country. Its educationalsystem must be founded and inspired by Jewish values and the Jewish traditionso that its citizens grow to be proud keepers of their Jewish heritage. Inits relations with other nations, those responsible for representing itsgovernment in foreign affairs, must proudly assert its Jewish pride andtraditions, which is certain to enhance the esteem with which Israel will beregarded.Jewish law sets for the criteria necessary for Israel's peace and safety:these can only be achieved from a position of military strength and secureborders. Any signs of strategic vulnerability are sure to encourageterrorism in Israel and abroad.
EDUCATION
Education that is merely concerned with the transmission of information isdoomed to failure. It must serve the greater and more noble purpose ofcultivating the student's moral character. The development of a student'smathematical skills, knowledge of history, science, etc., cannot be divorcedfrom his growth as a well-functioning and productive member of society.It behooves us to acknowledge that children reared with a strongconsciousness of a G-d who watches over them and bids them to conduct theirlives with sensitivity, honesty, respect and compassion for others, have farless difficulty checking their behavior against those criteria.It is this consciousness - sorely lacking today among our youth that must benurtured a priori, within each child, so that he knows even before he learnsto read and write, that there is “an eye that sees, and an ear that hears”,observing all of our actions. Certainly before a student maps out his or hercareer path and financial future - she/he must have a strong awareness ofhis/her responsibility to those around them, and of those precepts upon whichany functioning human society depends, as mandated by G-d, such as that “Imay not take what does not belong to me,” and that “I may not cover whatbelongs to my friend.” Our reality, however, is sadly remote from thisideal. Eighty-four percent of America's children are educated in its publicschools. Since the 1962 Supreme Court decision that formal recognitionwithin the public schools of a Supreme Being is unconstitutional, G-d haseffectively been eliminated from the cognitive experience of million ofchildren attending public schools. Growing up to believe in G-dless world,these children are deprived the opportunity to explore and fulfill theirinnate potential to aspire to a higher kind of existence than is the normtoday.
MARRIAGE
Love alone is not enough to sustain an eternal bond between husband andwife. It is their commitment to G-d and the dedication of their lives to theeternal values that gives their union an eternal foundation upon which tothrive. By inviting G-d into their relationship, the union between man andwoman achieves a sacredness which is carried through to every aspect of theirlives.
HARMONY
The home should be perceived as a microcosm of the universe: The harmony thatpermeates the home and the family extends beyond, fostering harmony betweenfamilies, communities and ultimately, the nations of the world. In theabsence of harmony between one’s own family, we can hardly expect to findharmony between strangers.
THE ELDERLY
Ours is a society in which one's value is too often measured in terms ofphysical strength. This has engendered feelings of uselessness among manyelderly, which in turn, contributes to depression. The Torah perspective,which prefers wisdom to physical strength as a measure of value, holds theelderly in high esteem. For it is with age and the experience of life thatone gains wisdom. Whereas the physical strength of an aging person isgenerally diminished, the faculties of the mind are enhanced. It is for thisreason that the elderly must occupy and utilize their mental faculties, andaspire to greater spiritual growth. I advocate the establishment of learninginstitutions for the elderly for this express purpose.
THE PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED
If an individual is handicapped, he or she is challenged by Divine Providenceto uncover hidden abilities and energies to overcome his/her handicap, and toattain higher levels of achievement than others who are not similarlyhandicapped. I strongly recommend a change in the term “handicapped ”- andprefer the term “outstanding” or “excellent ones,” for it is theirexcellence that enables them to transcend whatever physical limitations theymay have.
CHARITY
The giving of charity, which brings sustenance to a needy individual, is alife sustaining act one that effectively allows us to imitate G-d, “theanimator of the living,” and provides each person with the noblest directionin life - to “walk in His ways.” The Hebrew word tzedaka, commonlytranslated as “charity,” literally means “justice” or “righteousness.” ‘Charity” connotes a generosity of spirit giving of the rich to the poor. Tzedaka, on the other hand, implies that one is fulfilling his/herobligation, and giving not of one's own, but that which has been entrusted byG-d to that individual, to give to others.
PRISON REFORM
The Torah enumerates and defines many forms of punishment for sinners andconvicted offenders, from simple fines to flogging and even capitalpunishment. Yet nowhere does it suggest incarceration as a form ofpunishment. This is simply because the purpose of existence is to establisha G-dly abode in this world, which is accomplished by utilizing ourindividual, Divinely endowed strengths and talents in the service of G-d. With all other forms of punishment, the individual suffers the penalty, iscleansed of his sin, and is then restored to freedom where he is expected toresume a productive life in the making of a more G-dly world.As a prisoner, however, one is denied the freedom to fulfill his Divinelyordained mission, and hence, his reason for living. This is the consequenceof the death penalty, a punishment which, if warranted by Torah, is the onlyatonement the offender can obtain. However, to allow one to live, and yet todeprive him of living, is inhumane.
SELF FULFILLMENT
If you see what needs to be repaired and now how to repair it, then you havefound a piece of the world that G-d has left for you to perfect. But if youonly see what is wrong and what is ugly, then it is you yourself that needsrepair. There are ethereal beings who bask in the Divine light of spiritualworlds. But it is human beings, who struggle with the darkness of a materialworld who shall ultimately arrive at the Essence.
THE POWER OF THE INDIVIDUAL
Let no one think: “Who am I and what am I to have such tremendous powers ofbuilding and destruction."” For we have seen, to our sorrow, what even asmall quantity of matter can do in the way of destruction through the releaseof atomic energy. If such power is concealed in a small quantity of matter -for destructiveness, in denial of the design and purpose of Creation, howmuch greater is the creative power entrusted to every individual to work inharmony with the Divine purpose. For in this case one is also given specialabilities and opportunities by Divine Providence to attain the goal for whichwe have been created: the realization of a world of goodness and holiness.People often perceive themselves in terms of their constraints as mortalbeings. Yet there are times that call for transcendent actions. One must attimes do more than they can possibly do. For each mortal is endowed with a G-dly soul - and G-d transcends mortal constraints.
REDEMPTION
All good actions unite to make the world as a whole progressively better. Even when a moral relapse seems very much in evidence, with many yet tobecome wiser and more faithful, the world as a whole is essentially becomingmore purified with every passing year, everyday and every minute, for noinstant passes without many good deeds. The final redemption is no longer adream of the distant future, but an imminent reality. This generation is thefinal generation of exile and the first generation of redemption.
May the merit of the tzaddik Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson protect us all,Amen!
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