“You can change the whole world,” can lead us to think that our focus in life should be global initiatives. “Don’t concern yourselves with the entire world!” the Rebbe once screamed. A Yid’s responsibility is to follow what Hashem says, and that’s the way to make a true global difference.
By Rabbi Mordechai Lipskier – The Beis Medrash
This week marks 30 years since Gimmel Tammuz 5754 (1994). Many people ask, “Did the Rebbe leave his chassidim with instruction for how to carry on after GimmelTammuz?”
In this week’s sedra it says על יאמרו המושלים באו חשבון. The Gemara explains this to mean that those who are מושלים, who dominate over their yetzer hara, say to themselves, באו ונחשוב חשבונו של עולם, let us make a calculation of the happenings of this world. Meaning, let’s calculate the benefits and losses of doing mitzvos and make the right choices for this world and the next.
The term באו ונחשוב חשבונו של עולם has since been borrowed in other contexts, including to prepare for the time when a person passes on from this world.
Immediately after the passing of the Rebbe’s Rebbetzin, Chaya Mushka, the Rebbe gave a talk that shocked and frightened all of his chassidim. “Let us make a calculation of what should be done after 120,” the Rebbe said. And the Rebbe went on to lay out the proper conduct for his chassidim, who had always come to the Rebbe for guidance on all matters. In short, the Rebbe said that chassidim should seek out and follow the advice and guidance of their local Lubavitcher Rabbanim.
It’s not by chance that we read this passuk the week of Gimmel Tammuz. And perhaps we can find even more meaning by exploring this very passuk.
The Yitav Panim of Siget gives the following interpretation to this passuk.
A person may have the attitude of: “I’m doing my obligations to Hashem and it’s not my responsibility to be concerned with what another Yid is or isn’t doing. I don’t have to worry about the whole world!”
To this, Hashem says: Don’t calculate just your own personal calculation. Rather, make a calculation of the world! Chazal say that everyone must view the entire world as though it’s on a perfect balance, and one mitzvah can tip the scale and bring salvation to the whole world. If you have ability to get another Yid to do a mitzvah or refrain from doing an aveirah, you owe it to the world to help this Yid!
Anyone familiar with the Rebbe’s teachings knows that the Rebbe thundered this idea countless times.
However, “You can change the whole world,” can leave us crippled with paralysis from the overwhelming task. Or, it can lead us to think that our focus in life should be “global initiatives” and public accomplishments.
The Rebbe addressed this idea, too, many times. Here’s one example:
In the winter of 5732 (1972), while talking about the importance of having large families, the Rebbe said that there are those who make “calculation of the world,” that perhaps the world doesn’t have ample resources to provide for more people. To this the Rebbe said, your job is to calculate what you need to do, and don’t be concerned with the whole world.
During that same talk, the Rebbe addressed the horrific gzeirah of mihu Yehudi and said that one of the “arguments” for allowing non-Jews to be considered “Yidden” is so that we can fill the world with more “Yidden,” being that we lost so many Yidden in the Holocaust, R”l.
“Don’t concern yourselves with the entire world!” the Rebbe screamed. A Yid’s responsibility is to follow what Hashem says, and that’s the only way to make a true global difference.
Focusing on the whole world won’t change the world. It will just delude us into thinking that we’re making a big difference. The way to change the world is by viewing every individual act and every “small” decision as one of global importance.
And finally, one more angle on this passuk.
Approaching someone at work or a stranger in the airport and offering to put on tefillin may be very uncomfortable for us. That’s when it’s time to remember: Don’t make calculations of the world, including thoughts like, “What will they think of me?!” Instead, make a calculation of, “What does the world need from me?!”
Likewise, concerning the safety and security of Yidden in Eretz Hakodesh, the calculation should never be, “What will the world say?” but rather, “Is this what Hashem wants? Will this action bring salvation closer?”
May all our efforts in following the Rebbe’s teachings bring about the culmination of the avodah of all Yidden throughout history and finally bring “yeshuah v’hatzalah” to the entire world!
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