Before heading out to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, R’ Yisroel Shmotkin entered yechidus with the Rebbe. Asking for a shlichus directive, the Rebbe told him to do something that didn’t sound like “shlichus.”
Reb Yisroel Shmotkin relates:
After I got married in 5728 (1968), I wrote to the Rebbe that I wish to go out on shlichus. Over the next few months, I spoke with Harav Chodakov, checked out the various options, and finally settled on Wisconsin. The Rebbe blessed the move, not before making certain that it has the full consent of my wife.
The night before our departure, Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan 5729, we merited a yechidus. In our note, amongst our various requests, I also asked for a general directive regarding shlichus. The Rebbe addressed the questions with these words:
“Generally speaking, the inyan of a tomim is limud haTorah. Therefore, you should set up study sessions in nigleh and in Chassidus, preferably with a chavrusa, but if that isn’t possible then on your own.”
Then the Rebbe added, “Since you are going to do communal work, I don’t mean that you should dedicate all your time to Torah learning. But you must have a kvius itim.”
(Techayeinu Issue 8)
From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash
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