Forward-Looking Leadership

 This weekend marks three events in the life of one our greatest leaders.  Rabbi Dovber, known as “the Mitteler Rebbe,” was the second leader of the Chabad movement, the son of its founder Rabbi Schneur Zalman.  He was born, and passed away, on the ninth of Kislev, which falls on this Shabbat.  The tenth of Kislev, Sunday, is the day we celebrate his release from Czarist prison where he was detained by the authorities based on false accusations lodged against him by opponents of his leadership and the movement.  You can read all about it here.  

The Mitteler Rebbe assumed leadership of the Chabad movement at a very precarious and dangerous time, toward the end of Napoleon’s war with Russia. The Rebbe’s father, known as the “Alter Rebbe,” saw through Napoleon’s claims of bringing freedom to the Jewish people.  The Alter Rebbe recognized that Napoleon wanted to destroy Jewish life and our adherence to Torah, and he actively supported the Czar.  He was forced to flee Napoleon’s advancing army, and passed away in exile far from his home.  

The Mitteler Rebbe had to pick up the pieces of a movement that had been scattered and exiled from its home, and the aftermath of a war which led to the destruction of many Jewish communities -  their homes, businesses, and synagogues and study halls.  He had to survive an extremely difficult financial situation, decide on a place to live, and rebuild his community.  As the leader of Jewry, he took upon himself to offer material and spiritual assistance to a devastated generation of Jews.

A remarkable aspect of the Mitteler Rebbe’s work is that he published two of his father Rabbi Schenur Zalman’s major Torah projects immediately after he assumed the leadership.  One was the Code of Jewish Law, a remarkable work known as the “Rav’s Shulchan Aruch.”  The other was a siddur (prayer book) with deep mystical explanations.  It is hard to imagine how the Rebbe managed to prioritize this work in the face of such overwhelming challenges.  

In a talk in 1978, our Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson taught a powerful lesson from this story.   Torah is the foundation of Judaism and what preserves our people.  Regardless of the circumstances, through darkness and pain, Torah is our top priority.  Rabbi Dovber ensured the continuation of the Jewish people.

We should never feel that we are not ready to share Torah.  We may think that we first have to get our lives in order, to make sure our houses are built and all our material needs taken care of, and then we can get to the work of Torah.  But we learn from the remarkable leadership of the Mitteler Rebbe that Torah is our first priority and must be observed and taught at all times, regardless of how ready we may feel.

I am also struck by the thought that this is how we have survived throughout our history.  In the face of persecution, antisemitism, destruction and mayhem, we focus on keeping our heritage alive.  To think about publishing a Torah book while life is in disarray is remarkable, and this is in fact the attitude that has kept us going, and will bring us to the redemption through Moshiach.