When gossipers fanned the flames of machlokes, the Rebbe was extremely hurt, yet he did not expel them from the community.
A Moment with the Rebbe
“Lately, the fire of machlokes has spread,” the Rebbe lamented on Shabbos Parshas Korach 5747 (1987). “There are quarrelers who enjoy turning one Yid on another, one chossid on another, through spreading rechilus (gossip).
“It has come to the point that I say to myself, why do I need this? Why should I farbreng with the community, and be forced to look these people in the face, and then perhaps say mussar… I could lock myself in my room; I’ll learn, I’ll daven, I’ll say Tehillim…
“But when I said the kapitel of Tehillim beginning with ‘Tefilla l’Dovid,’ I came to another realization: The Midrash relates that Dovid Hamelech’s soldiers fell because there were gossipers in the army. And yet, we see that Dovid didn’t dismiss them.
“They are Chayolei Beis Dovid, they have a connection to my father-in-law the Rebbe, but they are gossipers. Indeed, with fatal results. In fact, their deeds are a direct battle against Dovid Hamelech. Still, the Rebbe doesn’t expel them.
“Dovid Hamelech knows everything. No one fools Dovid Hamelech. Still, Dovid Hamelech doesn’t interfere, and continues to say Tehillim…”
(Achdus Fun Chassidim, page 53)