by Hatomim Avremel Horowitz
As we approach the 25th anniversary of Gimmel Tammuz, we are all taking time to focus on how to become closer and more connected to the Rebbe. Some take time to learn yet another maamar or sicha of the Rebbe, and others sit down to contemplate on what it means that the Rebbe is with us more then ever before… – ”לא עזב ולא יעזוב הרועה את צאן מרעיתו.”
It is vital to know and feel in our day to day life that even in this bitter galus, the Rebbe is with us wherever we may be.
There is something that the Rebbe worked tirelessly to instill in us, something which must not be overlooked chas veshalom. It is something which the Rebbe lived and breathed with every fiber of his being.
For 44 years the Rebbe tried to ignite a sense of urgency within us. A sense of how urgent it is that we bring Moshiach; there is no time to waste. A sense of urgency that ”Shechintah Begalusa”, we must not feel comfortable in galus. A sense of the urgent necessity of reaching every Yid.
It is with this urgency that the Rebbe told us on that fateful night some 28 years ago, ”טוט אלץ וואס איר קענט און זען אראפבריינגן משיח דא למטה- Do all that you can to bring Mashiach down here.”
It is with this urgency that the Rebbe told us (Purim 5723 – Listen here):
דער אויבערשטער קאן שוין ניט פארטראגן דעם ליל הגלות און קלאפט ביי יעדער אידן אויפן טיר און בעט זעך מערניט אז ”פתחי לי” .. מ’דארף ניט ווארפן ווענט און האקן טירן ס’איז גענוג ”פתחי לי כחודו של מחט”. און דעמאלט זאגט דער אויבערשטער ”כי קרובה ישועתי לבוא
It is with this urgency that the Rebbe conducted his day to day life, expecting us to follow suit.
Now, almost 25 years later we must ask ourselves “Where is that sense of urgency?’’
Where is the sense of urgency that things are not as they should be, that this is a crazy time and something drastic must be done? Where is the urgency to bring the Rebbe back, to work and work and without resting, to realize that we have an achrayus to bring Moshiach and that no else will do it for us?
Is this day just another time to be inspired by the Rebbe’s love for us, to talk about the fact that ”Hu Bachayim,” and shed a tear? Or is this the time to wake up and realize that it’s already 25 years and we still didn’t bring Moshiach?!
Perhaps this is a time when we are allowed to feel a little uncomfortable. It is time to realize that until we get our act together, the Rebbe remains with us in galus, hoping that we will stop sleeping and realize the great responsibility we have. (19 Kislev 5716 – listen here)
Perhaps, for the next few days until Gimmel Tammuz (at least!) we can enable ourselves to live with this mindset. We can remind ourselves that we must be the Rebbe’s Chassidim not only in our hearts, but also in our day to day actions.
Perhaps when we become aware of the awesome responsibility that lays on our shoulders and make this our personal business, we will stop getting so caught up with our own challenges, because we will realize that there is something much greater with which we must concern ourselves.
In order to bring this down to Maase Bepoel, we must look to the sicha where the Rebbe says (Purim 5747 – watch here):
יעדער איד זאל וויסן אז דורך זיין איין און איינציקער מעשה ..דיבור און ..מחשבה.. איז דא דער פסק דין אז ”מביא ישועה והצלה לעולם”..איז א דבר ברור אז די איין און איינציקע זאך וואס מ’דארף משלים זיין אז יעדער איד זאל וויסן אז דאס איז זיין ענין הפרטי
”Every Jew must know, that by his single deed, and by his single word, or by his single thought…his every action can truly bring redemption to the entire world!”
In an effort to channel the hisorerus that many of us will feel over Gimmel Tammuz, I invite you to fill out this form with a hachlatah you can take upon yourself. The forms will be brought to the Rebbe before Gimmel Tammuz, to show that we are not comfortable in this present situation. Obviously, everything will remain anonymous.
Surely, if we commit to this and open a “פתח כחודו של מחט- opening like the eye of a needle,”, then we are promised that ”קרובה ישועתי לבוא- Hashem’s salvation is quick to come,” and even before Gimmel Tammuz we will be able to tell the Rebbe openly ”עשינו שליחותך- we have fulfilled your shlichus!” This will be the day that we will merit to hear the Rebbe say “ראו גידולים שגדלתי- see the offspring that I’ve raised!”