SHLICHUS
 
   

The Final Task
1,500 shluchim got up in unison and sang
"Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed." *Report from Kfar Chabad magazine describing the Kinus HaShluchim 5753

STORM THE WORLDS

Rabbi Yitzchok Goldberg from Migdal HaEmek emotionally said: "For the sake of the Rebbe shlita’s health, we have to ‘storm all the worlds.’ The question is: how do we create a tumult in the heavens when we are on earth? The answer is simple: By fulfilling the Rebbe’s horaos! We are not alone in this war! We just have to "zich arainvarfen" (throw ourselves) into the shlichus of preparing the world to greet Moshiach."

He added, "We have to use all our kochos, mi’toch pnimiyus ha’nefesh. We have to instill the news of the impending Geula in the world, and the feeling of Yechi as we feel it here. This is a holy obligation for us all, and it affects us to the deepest dimension of the soul."

IN SYDNEY THEY’RE PREPARING FOR MOSHIACH

Rabbi Pinchas Feldman delivered the main address at the banquet of the Kinus HaShluchim: I want to tell you what’s happening in our city, Sydney, Australia. At first we felt that in stage one of publicizing the message we had to create an awareness of the subject through the general media by using the secular newspapers in order to get people interested and involved. This is in agreement with the principle explained in chassidus about a dira ba’tachtonim for Hashem – it’s not that ruchnius overcomes the lower worlds and nullifies them, but that the lower world itself recognizes Hashem.

In the next stage, in order to get things moving, we organized a debate. We invited all sorts of people and had on the panel of debaters a Holocaust survivor ("Where was Moshiach during the Holocaust?"), a feminist ("Can Moshiach be a woman?"), a student, a representative of the Modern Orthodox community, a representative of secular opinion, and a gentile journalist ("What does Moshiach have to do with gentiles?").

The event was not under the name of Lubavitch, but sponsored by an nonreligious Jewish club. It turned out to be a great success. A huge number of people came to discuss a Jewish topic – nearly a thousand people. People stood in the aisles and sat on the floor, and because of the large crowd we had to start a half-hour late.

Rabbi Emanuel Shochat represented us; we were certain of victory in the debate. Rabbi Shochat did indeed make a terrific impression, both by his personality and by his articulate and informative manner. The discussion ended with Rabbi Shochat teaching basic information to the crowd about Moshiach. The participants asked questions and felt good 1) that they were able to express themselves and 2) that we included them and considered their concerns important.

This was our goal throughout the year: to achieve maximum awareness of the topic and to get people involved. The topic of Moshiach has become for us not one that belongs to Chabad, but one that all Jews are involved in. The same is true for the Rebbe being identified as Moshiach. We did not raise the question. Before Pesach, for example, an ad in the local Jewish paper from the beis din of Melbourne presented the psak din that the Rebbe is b’chezkas Moshiach. It wasn’t Lubavitch who initiated this, but the local beis din, most of whose members are not Chabad. When these rabbanim faced criticism because of the psak din, they withstood the pressure and did not recant.

An ad in the local Jewish paper from the beis din of Melbourne presented the psak din that the Rebbe is b’chezkas Moshiach. It wasn’t Lubavitch who initiated this, but the local beis din, most of whose members are not Chabad.

 

LIVING WITH MOSHIACH

"Days of Yemos HaMoshiach," is how one of the shluchim described the four days of the Kinus HaShluchim. Four days and nights in which hundreds of shluchim gathered in each hall, listening, thinking and discussing how to prepare to greet Moshiach. The line "living with Moshiach" is not merely a nice slogan; it quite precisely defines what happened here during the four days of the kinus.

Even the other topics in the program were Moshiach-related through and through, l’havi l’Yemos ha’Moshiach. The many rooms of the Jewish Center/Oholei Torah in Crown Heights were full of shluchim. All participated in discussions and workshops: "How to Present the Topic of Moshiach to the World," "Geula and Moshiach in Chinuch," "Know How To Respond," etc. The shluchim lived with the topic; plus, they had written the program. The topic of Geula-Moshiach was not put aside for a minute. We noticed a shliach standing and reading through the program, wondering which workshop to attend. "Come to Moshiach," his friend enthusiastically remarked.

A BIG HISORERUS EXPRESSED WITH "YECHI"

Much was discussed throughout the kinus about the enormous task the Rebbe shlita placed on the shluchim. Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, who ran the kinus for Merkas L’Inyanei Chinuch, reviewed the nekuda again and again in his opening remarks at all sessions and workshops: "To prepare himself and the entire world to greet Moshiach."

Everything was in this spirit. At the festive Melaveh Malka, the gaon and chassid R’ Yoel Kahan spoke heatedly about the obligation to publicize with the greatest shturm the Rebbe’s prophecy of "hinei zeh ba." He explained the great hisorerus that is expressed in the holy proclamation that fills the heart and soul of every chassid these days: "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed."

THOSE WHO MOCK, JOIN!

One of the main points of discussion at the kinus was fulfilling the Rebbe’s directive of publicizing the besuras Moshiach "b’ofen ha’miskabel." It was amazing to see how the shluchim were excitedly discussing how to fulfill the Rebbe’s directive the most effective way. Each raised suggestions mostly from their own experience, and those present listened, responded, and contributed.

As Rabbi Yitzchok Wolff, shliach in Chicago, said, "Years ago, when Lubavitch just began to go out to be mekarev Jews to Yiddishkeit with mivtzaim such as mitzva tanks in the street, many people mocked us and distanced themselves from us. We completely ignored those who mocked us and forged ahead, until everybody saw the correctness of our approach and the spiritual revolution these activities brought about. What happened in the end? A revolution! People see the "tank," stop on their own, and ask to put on t’fillin.

"With Moshiach, too, there’s no question it will be the same way."

THE ETERNAL SONG

The shluchim farbrenged together for hours, creating an elevated atmosphere deserving of the phrase "sheves achim gam yachad." The love and achdus expressed throughout the kinus can serve as a lesson to many, in the sessions and discussions, and during the special festivities. It was especially moving to see, again and again, the Rebbe’s shluchim singing non-stop, each time with renewed enthusiasm, a true pnimiyusdike song: "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed."

During the banquet, after the recitation of chapter 91 of T’hillim, verse by verse, standing, there was a certain moment that was both moving and surprising. Holding a long list, the emcee read the names of the many countries represented by the shluchim present. Six continents around the world were represented here, including nearly all fifty of the United States, Europe, Africa, the C.I.S., Australia, and cities all over Eretz Yisroel. As each country was announced, its representative rose and was applauded by his fellow shluchim.

But the most moving moment of all was at the end of the long list, when the emcee surprisingly announced, "And now, representatives from all over the world!" 1,500 shluchim got up, and the singing of "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed" burst forth from all hearts.

THE BOISTEROUS SINGING BURST FORTH SPONTANEOUSLY: "YECHI"

After a rousing speech by Rabbi Herbert Bomzer, the shluchim had an enormous surprise. Suddenly, the Rebbe shlita came to join in the festivities, with his holy face shining and radiating malchus! Spirited singing spontaneously burst forth from the world representatives in a heartrending roar: "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu, Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed!" No pen in the world can describe the incredibly uplifting atmosphere that continued long after the Rebbe left, with further powerful singing and circles of dancers.

(From Kfar habad, issue 549, p. 32)

***

We will conclude with the lines Kfar Chabad chose to end the description of the Kinus HaShluchim (p. 39): The kinus was extremely beneficial both practically as well as from the standpoint of hisorerus. Spirits were uplifted for days to come. [The kinus] ended with the feeling that indeed, the special moment in which the primary mission is concluded is very close, and with Hashem’s help we will merit the true and complete Redemption through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, the Rebbe shlita.

All we can say is, amen v’amen!

   

YECHI ADONEINU MOREINU V'RABBEINU MELECH HA'MOSHIACH L'OLAM VA'ED!

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