כ״ה מרחשון ה׳תשפ״ו | November 16, 2025
A Shliach Is Not a ‘Chabad Rabbi’
“In recent years, we’ve grown used to hearing the phrase ‘Chabad rabbi’ used to identify shluchim. The world uses it, but for those who know what shlichus is about, that phrase doesn’t sit quite right.”
By Mendel Goldstien
In recent years, we’ve grown used to hearing the phrase “Chabad rabbi” used to identify shluchim. It rolls off the tongue easily, and it’s how the world identifies the familiar figure leading a Chabad House, arranging a menorah lighting, or teaching Torah downtown. Yet, for those who know what shlichus is about, that phrase doesn’t sit quite right.
A shliach is not a “Chabad rabbi.” He’s not even a “Chabad emissary.” “Chabad” may describe the work that the shliach does, but they miss the nekuda of who the shliach is.
Shlichus has never been about creating talented or charismatic “kiruv professionals.” A shliach is not an eloquent rabbi who decided to dedicate his life to outreach. A shliach is the personal messenger of the Meshaleiach, sent to carry out the Rebbe’s mission.
This may sound to you like semantics. After all, whether you call him a “Chabad rabbi” or a “shliach,” isn’t he doing the same thing – teaching Torah and inspiring Yidden?
But it’s a world of difference. When a person acts as an independent entity, even with the best of intentions, he naturally begins to decide what he thinks is good, what will “work,” what fits his style or understanding. His choices come from himself.
A shliach, on the other hand, doesn’t do that. His metzius is that he was sent. He doesn’t represent his own vision but the Rebbe’s. His question is always, “What does the Rebbe want?” His success is measured not by creativity or innovation, but by bittul, alignment with the will of the Rebbe who sent him.
In various sichos, the Rebbe highlights how the role of a shliach to be mevatel himself to the ratzon hameshaleiach. In the sicha of Chayei Sarah 5749, the Rebbe explains that for a shliach to be truly kemoso, akin to the Meshaleiach, he must put himself entirely aside – setting aside his own ego, comfort, and opinions – and submit completely to the ratzon of the Rebbe.
Even more, the Rebbe said, a shliach’s work is not only to live this way himself, but to awaken this very quality within every Jew. Every Yid has an inner spark of mesiras nefesh, a readiness to go beyond self. The shliach’s task is to uncover it – to inspire others to live by this as well.
When a shliach lives with this awareness – that he is a messenger, not a self-made representative – it changes everything. His work is not about personal achievement but about carrying out a mission exactly.
And that makes all the difference.
COMMENTS
According to Chabad.org’s “Proper Spelling and Suggested Language” guide: Shluchim can be referred as “Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries,” “Chabad emissaries” or “Lubavitch emissaries.” (Chabad.org/2346205).
That page is clearly directed to secular media. For ourselves, we need to know the truth.
For secular media we can tell lies or have lower standards!?
Do we tell them the Rebbe was a visionary leader of 20th century, and now it’s just a global movement of “Chabad”?
Do we loosen our Tzniyus standards at events with others to be socially acceptable?
The translation of shliach. It just has Chabad/Lubavitch before it
Very important article. Could it be that there’s nuance that’s missing here about the role of a shliach?
I don’t know for sure but I feel like I remember learning something about the shliach + yud = eser kochos + shliach
And the idea is: as a shliach we are supposed to use our eser kochos ie. Our personal unique creativity, talents, personality, passions to do the shlichus of the rebbe in a way that we are completely batul to the rebbes ratzon but that doesn’t mean that we are completely disregarding ourselves. We are disregarding our selfish ego – yes – that needs to be disregarded , but we are not meant to be completely negating our entire selves, but on the contrary, we should be using every part of ourselves including our talents, creativity, passions etc in fulfilling our shlichus in a way that is completely batul to the ratzon of the rebbe and the shlichus the rebbe wants,
Yes, I remember learning that in sichos. For example, I remember there are sichos about the meraglim where the Rebbe speaks about how we need to use our own gifts and abilities in our shlichus. We just have to make sure we are using them to carry out the shlichus that we are given by Moshe/The Rebbe and not using them to question or change the shlichus itself (that was the mistake of the meraglim).
as a shaliach, i have many hats I am called. Some I am the chaplain-rabbi, to others spiritual leader. Others call me a mentor. Fellow shlichuim call me shlepper. No difference what people call you, Just do the Rebbe Will.
you are a legend!!!
I’ve noticed a similar switch from Chabad houses to Chabad centers.
We need to correct it
It doesn’t start with a decision to “change the shlichus.” It starts with a feeling that he is a successful shliach-rabbi and he understands the best way to “apply it” to his community. Slowly, his talks become less about the Rebbe’s message and more universalist and new-agey.
The problem is everywhere.
And of course “success” in buildings and attendance doesn’t say anything about the content. Other unkosher venues may have nicer buildings and bigger numbers. Our job is to be the Rebbe’s representative and teach pure Torah and Chassidus.
There was a shliach that I know who never told his community about the Rebbe until he had a speech prepared for gimmel Tammuz. It starts with small things until the shliach no longer identifies with the reason he lives in a random place
The Rebbe (-the Meshaleach) used the term (to people in dollars -in Hebrew at least) שליח של חב״ד
[see for example: https://link.jem.tv/B1XRbC%5D