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.
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!