They Thought Chabad Will Vanish

Avi Rot, an academic lecture and author that heads the Shai Institute at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, penned the following article in the Shabbaton publication. It was titled “L’Chaim, Chabadnikim” and translated by COLlive.com:

The forthcoming Yud Tes Kislev is the Celebration of Redemption (of the Alter Rebbe) and the Rosh Hashana of Chassidus. It is a good opportunity to salute Chabad and drink a L’chaim with our dear and beloved Chabadnik brethren.

Ideologies and interpretations, opinionating and philosophizing, quibbling and word-play aren’t really relevant at this point. Let each person look at themselves, their community and group’s kyphosis and try to fix it, and not search defects by another friend and community.

In the end of the day, when you are stuck in the corner of the world, when you need love and a hug, when you need someone to help you, cheer you, dance with you, smile at you and drink a L’chaim with you – in good times and in bad – the Chabadnikim will be there with you, without calculation, without conditions, with a large heart and self-dedication to every person.

With the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, over 20 years ago, many thought that with this the movement has ended its journey.

And here, 2 decades later, not only have the Chabadnikim not disappeared and not tired, but exactly the opposite has happened. Chabad turned into an empire of Shlichus and a lighthouse for self-sacrifice.

I have visited in many Chabad Houses around the world in the past dozen of years in large cities and out of the way places. The places can be different and strange, but the Ahavas Yisroel and self-sacrifice are the same.

I have seen young and devoted Shlichim with their small children, far from home and family, in the freezing Ukrainian cold, walking hours by foot each Shabbos in a minus 20 weather just to make Kiddush for the another Jew. I’ve seen them on the hot beach in Brazil standing guard to save another Jew from assimilation. I see them in nursing homes and prisons, in small neighborhood and city squares – not giving up on a single Jew. An elite commando unit of Shluchim serving with a smile, joy, faith and love.

The cynics will continue mocking and the Chabadnikim will continue doing, being happy, spreading Ahavas Yisroel, accepting on themselves Shlichus for life and dedicating themselves to every Jew. It’s been like this for 250 years.

There is depth in Chabad and there is breadth in Chabad. There is the depth of Torah and Chassidus, scholarship and learning, wisdom, knowledge and understanding. A depth that begins with the Baal Hatanya and Shulchan Aruch Harav and that continues through all of Chabad’s vast literature throughout the ages, its impressive breadth and depth, until the last Rebbe.

And there is a breadth of its heart and a geographical breadth that encompasses the entire earth, every community, and every Jew.

The day of celebration of the Chabadnikim is a day of gratitude of each and every one of us personally and of Klal Yisroel to the Chabadnikim. Appreciation for the revolution that did and are doing, to the souls they saved and are saving, to the joy they bring to the nation, and to the Ahavas Yisroel that they spread with sweetness, charm, and pleasantness.

L’chaim to our dear and beloved Chabadnikim brothers. L’chaim to the ultimate redemption and to the love of Torah and Yisroel.