While on a ship in the middle of the Atlantic, two bochurim were brought a Radiogram from the Rebbe. And not a moment too soon, because over the next few days, there were very strong storms at sea and the travelers were scared. The boys gathered the Yidden as the Rebbe had instructed and the results were powerful.
By Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier – The Beis Medrash
When Reb Avraham Shemtov, now the Chabad shliach to Philadelphia, was 16 years old, he was walking on the streets of Manchester, England, where he studied in yeshiva, and was approached by a certain family friend who said that he wanted to give him a present He asked him what he would want for a gift.
Without much thought, the young bachur said that he would love nothing more than to travel to the Lubavitcher Rebbe in Brooklyn, NY. To his surprise, the man immediately agreed to pay for his trip!
Rabbi Shemtov’s parents arranged for his cousin, Reb Berel Futerfas, to travel with him, and off they went on a two-week journey by ship.
One day, shortly before Yom Kippur, a crew member came to their cabin to deliver a Radiogram. At first, they thought it was a mistake. After all, who would send a Radiogram to a couple of teenagers? But as they read the message, lashon hakodesh words transliterated into English, it became clear that the message was indeed sent to them. The Radiogram read (free translation):
“Chasimah and gmar chasimah tovah to you and all your fellow travelers. You should explain to them that it’s b’hashgachah pratis that you are traveling together and that this is for the benefit of everyone—in order to make an effort to return to Hashem, by regret of the past and resolve for the future. And Hashem should grant success to all of you. Signed, Menachem Schneerson.”
The Lubavitcher Rebbe sent a Radiogram to two teenagers traveling in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!
And not a moment too soon, because over the next few days there were very strong storms at sea and the travelers were scared.
The boys gathered the Yidden as the Rebbe had instructed and the results were powerful. One person got up and shared how touched he was that a Rebbe so far away was thinking about them and their welfare.
***
Noach was the first person to ride in a boat during a turbulent storm, and the lessons of his trip guide us until today.
The word used to describe his vessel is teivah. The Baal Shem Tov explains that this refers to the teivos, i.e., the words of Torahand tefillah. As a Yid journeys through the turbulent waves of this world, he must remember that the only source of true comfort, strength and hope is in his connection to Hashem, through words of Torahand tefillah.
Today, there are endless storms raging around us. On a macro level, entire countries—and Eretz Yisroel in particular—are in upheaval. On a micro level, we’re inundated with pressures in parnassah, health and nachas. And there are streams of information from the internet that threaten to drown us.
No matter the nature of the storm, the message is the same: Get into the teivah. Daven to Hashem and learn His Torah.
And like the Rebbe reminded those two young bachurim: You are not alone. And make sure your fellow Yid knows that he is not alone either. Help him get into a teivah so he can be safeas well.
Together, with Hashem’s help, we will weather these storms and witness the calming change that Moshiach will make in our world.
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