Rather than Allowing Ourselves to Stand still as victims
we can inspire each other to Move Forward!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
Parshas Shemos begins to describe the suffering and servitude of our forefathers in Mitzrayim. From the Torah’s description the amount of slavery suffering stagnation and hopelessness they endured seems endless. We cannot imagine how trapped they felt by these circumstances and how small unimportant and powerless they may have felt against the giant machine of ancient Egypt. In today’s terms many would say that they were victims, and therefore they had every right to throw their hands in the air, surrender and blame others for all of their troubles. But we see that they did not do that. Instead they cried out to Hashem, Ad Mosai! We learn that because of this Hashem heard their cries and sent Moshe Rabbenu to redeem them. This story and its essential message to us throughout time is why we celebrate Pesach and something that we remember and repeat twice a day every day. Remembering the Exodus reminds us today that we can call out to Hashem notwithstanding the suffering pain and stagnation that we may feel. He gives us the power to get out, to move on and get to a better place permanently.
This lesson is very applicable today. There are some who say that because they are victims of circumstances they have a right to give up and blame others. They claim that they cannot be responsible to either change direction or make progress in the future. They may say that their ancestors were slaves so it’s not their fault even though they were given their civil rights decades ago and are freer today than ever before! They may say they are not responsible for killing because their Prophet was insulted or they justify terrorism by blaming Israel for their rage.
My parents OB”M were victims of WWII. My father was the sole survivor out of a family of ten. My mother lost hundreds of her immediate plus extended family. As a child she would see her grandfather go to Shul on Yom Kippur surrounded by 60 of his grandchildren, many whom were Kohanim, who perished in the war. My mother lived in fear for her life as the SS would search the barn where she stayed with her mother and sisters. They were real victims but they never used it as an excuse for inaction. Instead they joined the generation after the Holocaust to rebuild Jewish life in America. They did this, just as many of the Russian Chassidim who escaped the tyranny and the Soviet prisons to go on to built Kfar Chabad in Israel, as well as many others. They didn’t have the time to blame others or make excuses. We have a lot to learn from their strength, forbearance and their outlook. They didn’t allow past sufferings to blur their vision for a bright and renewed future. They did not view themselves as victims nor did anyone see them that way. Quite the opposite, they were seen for what they truly were: indispensible pillars in their respective communities and true Chassidim of the Rebbe. It is critical that we learn from them so that we too go on to fulfill our shlichus today. We need to let go of any feeling of victimhood and instead focus on what we can get done today in our personal lives as well as our communities and the world at large.
When we meet a Jew without any Jewish education who may not even know that he is Jewish we do not just look at him as a victim of galus. If we look at him as a victim we will just feel sorry and not do anything for him and blame the galus. Instead we rekindle their neshama with the confidence that they can break out of their Mitzrayim and live the life of Torah and mitzvos. In all circumstance the Rebbe has taught us that instead of looking backward to constantly go forward toward the future with a vision of the redemption.
Rabbi Edelman the Head Shliach in Springfield Massachusetts just passed away while in his 90’s. Once, when he was a 19-year-old bachor in 770 he stayed up late on a Thursday night. The next morning after going to the mikva he went to the 770 Bais Midrash. While sitting there the Previous Rebbe’s secretary approached and asked him if he had gone to the mikva. When he answered in the affirmative he told him that the Rebbe wanted to see him upstairs. The Rebbe told him that he wanted him to go to Bridgeport Connecticut to start a yeshiva. It was 11:30 AM on a summer day. Rabbi Edelman asked the Rebbe if he should go before Shabbos. The Rebbe answered that he should. As soon as he arrived in Bridgeport, on that Shabbos, he started a Mesibos Shabbos program and from there he continued his shlichus in other cities (as was a common practice of the Previous Rebbe for bachurim at that time) until he finally settled in Springfield where he remained. Just like that, without any fanfare and without any investigations at the age of 19 he just went out and did his shlichus.
The lesson from this story is clear. We do not reckon with problems and limitations when we know that we have a shlichus. We don’t say that we are too young too unlearned too quiet too loud or too anything. We don’t say that it’s not the right time because the time is now and this is our opportunity. Lets make the most of what we have today and with a clear vision of the geula do all that we can to fulfill this greatest and final shlichus by fulfilling the Rebbe’s directives in all aspects each one of us according to our abilities. May we all cry out to Hashem in unison and in truth Ad Mosai?!, and then witness the immediate revelation of Moshiach Now.
We want Moshiach Now!
A Good Shabbos