Hey Rabbi!
It's Harlan. I don't know if my father told you, but this weekend I went with the Chabad of OSU to Crown Heights for the weekend. It was because there was this big conference of Chabads from colleges all around the country. Rabbi Zalman and Sarah asked me, and I basically said yes without hesitation.
While in Crown Heights, I noticed something. Because it was my first time in there, I didn't really know what to expect, although I did imagine a lot of Jews doing nothing but being Jewish and talking about nothing else. I don't know, but it did seem as if the weekend would be like a trip to any museum; seeing boring exhibits of 'old school' Judaism.
Op-Ed: A Letter from a Student to His Rabbi
The following is a letter a student sent his Rabbi back at home after spending a weekend in Crown Heights as part of the Chabad on Campus ‘Jewish Weekend’ which he participated along with Rabbi Zalman and his wife Sarah Deitsch, program directors of the Schottenstein Chabad House at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
Hey Rabbi!
It’s Harlan. I don’t know if my father told you, but this weekend I went with the Chabad of OSU to Crown Heights for the weekend. It was because there was this big conference of Chabads from colleges all around the country. Rabbi Zalman and Sarah asked me, and I basically said yes without hesitation.
While in Crown Heights, I noticed something. Because it was my first time in there, I didn’t really know what to expect, although I did imagine a lot of Jews doing nothing but being Jewish and talking about nothing else. I don’t know, but it did seem as if the weekend would be like a trip to any museum; seeing boring exhibits of ‘old school’ Judaism.
I mean, you know what I’m talking about, right? I guess I just had the whole popular conception of today that Reform and Conservative Judaism are the more rational and modern interpretations that just make more sense. Well, either way, even though I signed up pretty quick, I still felt that I would be going to someplace that was geriatric and just depressing. Well, the thing that I noticed was pretty simple; I was so wrong.
The first speaker of that weekend started his speech off by saying that once the Rebbe was told by a conservative Jew that “I see our synagogues and they are so artistic and nice looking, and yours look like every other building, even your houses,” The speaker said that the Rebbe responded by saying, “Our Shuls look like our homes because that’s what they are. We live in our Shuls just like we live in our homes.” The speaker then went on to say that Crown Heights is the boiler room of the Jewish world. The boiler room is probably the least decorative room of the house, yet it is what heats up the whole house. Thus, Crown Heights heats up the Jewish world.
I’ve been to Jerusalem, and I’ve been to the Kotel. Those were nice places, but they represent the Judaism of the past. Jerusalem is a spiritual and holy place, no questions, but it’s also depressing because it’s not truly what it should be, being that it’s basically all an archeological dig just waiting to happen. But Crown Heights is all about the Judaism of the modern era; putting Jewish observances first and then reconciling modern things and not the other way around. But the thing that really got me was that this was done by the efforts of one man: the Rebbe.
It’s an amazing thing, to hear about someone for years, and not really believe or understand what was truly going on. I went there with my preconceived notions of how those who talked about him so much were just ‘hero worshiping’ him. However, when you actually go there and see the HQ of his work, it just gives you a whole new understanding of what he really did, and what Chabad, through him, continues to do.
What does one say when they hear he spent every Shabbos pouring wine for thousands of people for hours and hours, never sitting down, never going to the bathroom, and giving each passerby a blessing? How do we relate to such a true situation of mind completely over matter? How can we relate to something so strange and bizarre as a person being truly selfless that for forty years he never takes a single day off?
And then of course, there is the issue of his humility. The man was the leader, the king of his people. He was the jefe, the boss, and whatever he said people would follow. That kind of power is SUPPOSED to do things to people. But it didn’t corrupt him. For forty years he never went farther then a couple of hours from his father-in-law’s grave, in case he had a spiritual issue. But wait, why would he, the Rebbe, need the help of anyone? That’s just it, he was so humble that he sought help. How many other religious leaders seek the same help. Who does the Pope ask when he has a ruminative disenchantment with existence?
I saw all of this, heard all of this, and it just hits me where it counts. I really started to think about this. The sheer costs this man went through in order to accomplish his master plan of brining HaMoshiach. It boggles the mind and shakes the soul. Even when everyone screamed at him and told he was wrong to think that we need men on the street to get Jews to put on Tefillin and other such initiatives, he still kept to his mission. And now, years after the fact, we know he was right because the nay-sayers who fought him so hard on this are in fact trying to do the same things he succeeded at.
This was the weekend that I think I got it, or, I got it more than I did before. Before, Judaism was a religion, something to celebrate on the holidays and special occasions. This, of course isn’t true. Judaism isn’t really a religion. It’s just life. That’s the only way to describe it. Religions are something we can pick and choose for ourselves. Billions of Muslims and Christians all over the world CHOOSE to believe in their respective religions. We, however, live as Jews with no alternative offered nor desired. The Rebbe taught that, a jew who doesn’t believe is still Jewish, no matter what he believes
So in the very beginning of “Chaia Sarah”, we’re told that Sarah died in Kiryat Arba, and thus the most asked question about this portion is “Why call it ‘Life of Sarah’ if she dies in the very first part of it?” It is, however about her life, firstly, because it is about the continuation of the next generation of the Jewish people through Isaac, but it is also about her life because her voice carried on. Because the Jews continued onwards, so to did their mission to elevate the mundane, something that Sarah was the epitome of.
At the Ohel, I saw the Rebbe buried next to his Father-in-Law. But how can he be buried when his mission, the Jewish Mission, lives on so strongly? Is he truly dead if he inspired all of us, even me, to not only observe, but nurture, love, and celebrate Judaism? The Torah told us Sarah died, but at the same time it says something quite different.
Therefore, I submit to you, the main theme of my trip to Crown Heights: For centuries, sailors have used lighthouses to guide them safely through treacherous parts. Every lighthouse had an operator, who knew what they were doing because the previous operator taught them how. That’s Judaism. The world is the treacherous ocean, the safe shore is the World to Come, the Torah is our lighthouse, and the operator was the Rebbe. But in this case, the lighthouse is still shining, maybe even brighter than before. And as each seafaring Jew follows the light back to his home, the light gets even brighter. Eventually, not even the darkest corners of the diaspora will be able to hide from the light.
Oh, and Chassidim also know how to party…but that’s neither here nor there.
This Op-Ed reflects the views of its author, it does not necessarily reflect the views of CrownHeights.info nor of its Editors.
A reader that wishes to make his or her voice heard on any topic of their desire is welcome to submit his or her Op-Ed to News@CrownHeights.info.
warm
beautiful, really touching letter
Yossi
Love it. Right on dude.
Inspired
Harlan, your letter is an inspiration to all of the Rebbe’s Shluchim!
alive in crown heights
Thanks for such a beautiful and inspiring article.
After last weeks op-ed about the umbrella, and people not being nice, etc, it’s refreshing to see that we (Crown Heightsers) didnt ALL leave such a negative impression. I, for one, did not give any of these kids dirty looks or comments; on the contrary, I smiled politely and hopefully seemed welcoming to everyone. I am sure I am in the majority, and the thoughtless people who make comments are in the minority.
It was very enlightening to see the perspective of this young student, and I am truly inspired. If he can call it so cerrectly, we surely must.
tzivia w
a truely, heartwarming piece. You’ve made me, a chabadnik from birth, re-appreciate what i have.
thank you and hatzlacha
Menachem
This is beautiful!! We want many more op-eds like this!!
inspired crown heightser
amazing, truely amazing,
Fantastic
Wow, truly unbelivable – so beutifully described and yet so realistic
Proud to be a Luby!!!
Wow. Seeing things like this help renew my pride in where I come from. What makes this article more amazing than it looks at first glance is that this was written by a college student, where religion usually takes a back seat to parties and fun. Kol hakavod to all the shluchim and to the organizers of the conference!
A proud Tomim
Very inspirational!!
sometimes you need someone on the outside to tell you what have on the inside.
masha
niice! I lived in CH for 20 years and barely got inspired like by reading this letter!
I think a lot of educaters take things for granted.. we need to put these simple inspirations into our kids!
well done
What a beautiful piece and what an inspiring writer. He tells it like it is and gets the rest of us to smile and cheer him on.
Don’t forget – it’s not enough to be inspired! It has to be brought down to deed and commitment so it will last for many years to come.
Lchaim – to life!
Down Under
Beautiful letter. this could so make it to the "I was touched" section of the nshei chabad newsletter. i cant get over it i can only describe it as beautiful
bby
amazing !what a kidush hashem and kidush lubavitch
thankful
beutiful! i hadtears in my eyes when i finished
after the last article about the umbrella i thought like we killed basicaly the weekend but to such great changes it warms my heart
thank you so much harlen
EM
Wonderful op-ed! Go Deitsches!
miryam swerdlov
i will read it today t the bais rivka girls that are going to the bais yaakov convention in cleveland, ohio.
thanks.
this will definitely make them sit up and be proud of who we r and WHAT WE STILL HAVE
bernstein
I agree, go Deitsches!
Chabd on Campus
Just to assure the rest of CH’sers, we at the office have B"H received many such incredible responses and much positive feedback; many many students have literally stated ‘the Shabbaton changed my life’.
That umbrella op-ed was important but that wasn’t the sum total of the Shabbaton.
B"H it had an incredible impact in many different ways on the students and we are definitely proud of CH!
batya
BS"D
yeah thank G-d for our lighhouses….
yasher koach to you, powerful words….
b
boruch ben tzvi(A H) hakohaine hoffinger
B"H
This wonderful letter brought tears to my eyes!
Rebbe! Rebbe! We love you! We need you! We are weak and sinful!
We need Moshiach to live!
The world desperately needs you,
N O W !
David
it’s amazing how a positive article like this gets so few comments, but when other op-ed’s are put up they get 500 comments, each bashing the other…
mendel ch-to
thank yo very much!
to evreyone chabadnik out there; take it as a pat on the pack… but dont think about it for to long, there is still much work to be done!!!!
very touched
wonderfull letter,it brought tears to my eyes!!!!
yachekoach to the organizers of this shabbaton!!!!
HODI
I LOVE CHABAD
Yashar koach
Thank you for this priceless letter. What an inspiration!
impressed
AH-MAZING!!!
Another Lubavitcher
Wow! That was a really honest and inspiring letter. Kol Hakavod to all those involved!!!
MoshiachNOW!!!!!!
not bad
to whoever is complaining that only negative letters get response, u gotta admit this doesn’t have too bad of a hit list. it got almost 30 comments!
and that’s considering the fact that there’s no particularly "compelling" reason to write any comments at all to "prove someone wrong" or "say it like it is"