As we remember the Rebbe and commemorate his twenty-fifth yartzeit, we must reflect on the fact that there is a marked difference in how this special day is viewed and experienced.
There is a generation of people who merited to see the Rebbe firsthand, experience Shabbos with the Rebbe, and have private intimate meetings with the Rebbe. It can be said that on Gimmel Tammuz, these people celebrate “what was” and talk about “what will be.”
However, there is a whole other generation of Lubavitchers who never had the chance to “be by the Rebbe.” In fact, for us, the right now is all we know. We cannot speak of “what was.” Rather, we speak of “what is” and, with high hopes, discuss “what will be.”
When we are asked to define you, to describe you, to explain who you are and what you mean to us and to the world, what do we say? What do we say when we proclaim that you are our leader, the leader?
I will not tell stories of what you contributed to the world at large, how much you accomplished, and the miraculous blessings that you gave. Instead, I will speak lively of the mirrored reflection you provide for us and the empowerment you give, not gave, for us to be who we are. For me to be who I am.
That is how you can best be celebrated and honored.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will overcome my fear of asking strangers to put on tefillin because I know that the opportunity for another to connect to G-d is greater than my own fear of rejection or awkwardness.
I will reach into my pocket to give money to someone I have never met before because if they are hungry, then I am hungry.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I live life with the weight of the world on my shoulders, with a furrowed brow, and a tired expression because I know that bringing Moshiach is as much my job as anyone else.
I will eat in the sukkah while the rain pours down and my knaidel becomes soggy and the chummas flows over the bowl because I am more comfortable being surrounded by Hashem’s embrace than worrying about my socks getting wet.
I focus on being spiritually comfortable rather than being physically comfortable.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will drive long distances to buy cholov yisrael milk or switch to soy because your recommendation is my standard.
I will find the time that I don’t have in the day to say Tehillim, learn Chumash, and study Tanya.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will talk about your teachings with others with unbridled passion, without even mentioning your name, because you have taught me that spreading yiddishkeit is more important than honor.
I will take on more when I’m barely able to achieve what I originally had planned because I know that there is always more that I can contribute.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will get up early and go to bed late struggling to use my talents as a positive outlet to spread Judaism.
I will carry a picture of you in my wallet because when I look at you I see a mother, a father, a coach, a teacher, a mentor, a psychologist, a fan, a grandparent, a best friend.
I will look at my relationship with G-d as one of ‘ze kali v’anaveihu.’ This is my G-d, my personal G-d, and you were the shadchan.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will take the mehudar path in all mitzvahs because I know true satisfaction comes from overcoming “I can’t” and turning it into “I did.”
Much of who I am and who I strive to become is because of who you are and what you push me to achieve.
I am a reflection of you.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will continue to anxiously await being with you again with the coming of Moshiach, regardless of who it is.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I am your chossid.
And you, Rebbe, have made all the difference.
- By Rabbi Nuta Yisrael Shurack
There is a generation of people who merited to see the Rebbe firsthand, experience Shabbos with the Rebbe, and have private intimate meetings with the Rebbe. It can be said that on Gimmel Tammuz, these people celebrate “what was” and talk about “what will be.”
However, there is a whole other generation of Lubavitchers who never had the chance to “be by the Rebbe.” In fact, for us, the right now is all we know. We cannot speak of “what was.” Rather, we speak of “what is” and, with high hopes, discuss “what will be.”
When we are asked to define you, to describe you, to explain who you are and what you mean to us and to the world, what do we say? What do we say when we proclaim that you are our leader, the leader?
I will not tell stories of what you contributed to the world at large, how much you accomplished, and the miraculous blessings that you gave. Instead, I will speak lively of the mirrored reflection you provide for us and the empowerment you give, not gave, for us to be who we are. For me to be who I am.
That is how you can best be celebrated and honored.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will overcome my fear of asking strangers to put on tefillin because I know that the opportunity for another to connect to G-d is greater than my own fear of rejection or awkwardness.
I will reach into my pocket to give money to someone I have never met before because if they are hungry, then I am hungry.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I live life with the weight of the world on my shoulders, with a furrowed brow, and a tired expression because I know that bringing Moshiach is as much my job as anyone else.
I will eat in the sukkah while the rain pours down and my knaidel becomes soggy and the chummas flows over the bowl because I am more comfortable being surrounded by Hashem’s embrace than worrying about my socks getting wet.
I focus on being spiritually comfortable rather than being physically comfortable.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will drive long distances to buy cholov yisrael milk or switch to soy because your recommendation is my standard.
I will find the time that I don’t have in the day to say Tehillim, learn Chumash, and study Tanya.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will talk about your teachings with others with unbridled passion, without even mentioning your name, because you have taught me that spreading yiddishkeit is more important than honor.
I will take on more when I’m barely able to achieve what I originally had planned because I know that there is always more that I can contribute.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will get up early and go to bed late struggling to use my talents as a positive outlet to spread Judaism.
I will carry a picture of you in my wallet because when I look at you I see a mother, a father, a coach, a teacher, a mentor, a psychologist, a fan, a grandparent, a best friend.
I will look at my relationship with G-d as one of ‘ze kali v’anaveihu.’ This is my G-d, my personal G-d, and you were the shadchan.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will take the mehudar path in all mitzvahs because I know true satisfaction comes from overcoming “I can’t” and turning it into “I did.”
Much of who I am and who I strive to become is because of who you are and what you push me to achieve.
I am a reflection of you.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I will continue to anxiously await being with you again with the coming of Moshiach, regardless of who it is.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
Who am I? I am a chossid.
I am your chossid.
And you, Rebbe, have made all the difference.
- By Rabbi Nuta Yisrael Shurack
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