In honor of Yud Shevat, a large crowd gathered at Congregation Levi Yitzchak of Los Angeles, California, for a farbrengen featuring guest speaker R’ Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin, alongside community rov Rabbi Yisroel Noach Raichik.

R’ Sholom Mordechai shared powerful insights on purpose, a Yid’s emunah and bitachon in Hashem, and Jewish resilience. He spoke about the unparalleled significance of helping others: “This could be the favor for which your neshama came down to this world.”

Speaking about the mission of the generation of the Geulah, he stressed that every Jew has a unique role in revealing Hashem in the world, echoing the Rebbe’s words in the inaugural maamar of Basi Legani: “Every one of us has now the avodah of bringing the shechina down to this world, and that’s why we’re here.”

At the farbrengen, R’ Sholom Mordechai reflected on the challenges that tested his faith during his time in prison, sharing how emunah and bitachon became his greatest sources of strength. Drawing from his own experiences, he explained that Hashem never gives a nisayon without also giving the koach to overcome it, saying, “Hashem will never give you a test, Hashem will never give you a job… unless He gives you the ability to do the mitzvah.”

That understanding changed how he viewed every hardship, allowing him to see each moment as an opportunity to reveal Hashem’s presence.

He described how, when ordered to remove his yarmulka and tzitzis, he felt an energy surge through his veins as he refused to let the prison environment redefine who he was. R’ Sholom Mordechai explained that the world tries to convince a person, “You can’t be a Yid in this matzav,” but emunah gives the strength to push back.

“People say that this generation is different. But they said the same thing when we were younger… Every generation has its nisyonos. The Rebbe Rayatz said ‘America iz nisht andersh.’ Are we going to say today that ‘America iz andersh‘?!”

Even during degrading inmate counts, he reframed the experience, telling his children that Hashem counts Yidden too. What was meant to dehumanize became a reminder of the closeness of Hashem. “There is no place in the world where the Ribono Shel Olam is not present,” he said, explaining how this belief carried him through every moment and gave him the emotional strength to remain proud, connected, and unbroken.

The farbrengen continued for many long hours, leaving participants energized and deeply connected to the Rebbe’s Torah and directives.

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