Rebbe’s Leadership and Legacy Through His Letters

The Jewish world is all abuzz lately about three biographies of the Rebbe that were just released in time for Gimmel Tammuz. Yet, for Chassidim, the Rebbe’s own writings are in a totally different category, as they not only give one a glimpse of the Rebbe and his greatness, but also, and more importantly, serve as a true source of learning chassidus in its most pure and genuine form.

The Letter and the Spirit, a printed series of letters of the Rebbe written originally in English by his trusted secretary Rabbi Dr. Nissan Mindel and reviewed by the Rebbe in their original form, provides just that glimpse into the Rebbe’s teachings and worldview for a devout Chossid.

The fascinating book has a universal appeal as well, as it is the Rebbe’s wisdom and guidance in a most practical way. The book is not a one-time read; it will be read and referenced again and again.

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We provide to our readers below a brief synopsis of the introduction to The Letter and the Spirit:

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The Rebbe wore three crowns – Rebbe, Manhig Yisroel and Manhig Ha’olam: teacher to his Chasidim, nossi/leader of the Jewish people and leader of the world.

This bold statement stands at the core of Rabbi Dr. Nissan Mindel’s introduction to his book, The Letter and the Spirit, letters of the Rebbe written during the Rebbe’s forty years of leadership.

There is no better source, says Rabbi Mindel, than the Rebbe’s letters themselves through which we can glimpse into the Rebbe and his triple-crown leadership.

In his introduction to The Letter and the Spirit, the Rebbe’s personal secretary (mazkir roshi) describes in fascinating detail the process by which the Rebbe’s correspondence took place, as he was witness to and took part in their writing twice or three times a week. How was the Rebbe able to handle such an immense volume of correspondence in such a minimal amount of time? For one thing- the Rebbe was an exceptionally fast reader, able to sweep though a few pages of a letter with extraordinary speed, missing nothing on or between the lines. As he would put down one letter and start reading a second, he would simultaneously dictate his answer to the first. (The Rebbe’s unusual facility of dividing his attention between two subjects simultaneously had served him well while a student at the Sorbonne, where he took a seat at the back with a sefer in hand and studied while the professor lectured. When the professor once took him to task for his apparent inattention, the Rebbe gave him a summary of the lecture with some critical points for good measure.)

Having had the privilege to serve the Rebbe and the Frierdiker Rebbe in his capacity as their personal secretary and emissary (among his other duties) for close to six decades, in addition to a close personal relationship with them, Rabbi Mindel’s position afforded him unique insight into and understanding of the Rebbe’s world outlook and revolutionary activities. He discusses the Rebbe’s personal correspondence as it reflects the Rebbe’s leadership. The scope, uniqueness and impact of the Rebbe’s letters as well as their historic import as a mirror of contemporary Jewish life, gives us a better idea of the Rebbe’s world view in light of Chabad Chasidus.

Crown I – Rebbe

A basic feature of the Rebbe’s leadership had always been an ongoing and intimate relationship between Rebbe and Chossid, which found expression mainly in the institution of yechidus, private audience. Yechidus traces its history to the Alter Rebbe, where originally Chassidim would seek spiritual guidance, but would eventually avail themselves of the opportunity to obtain the Rebbe’s advice and blessings for worldly matters as well, such as health and livelihood. As the number of requests for yechidus grew and it became physically impossible to accommodate them all, the Rebbe found it necessary to extend yechidus, as it were, by correspondence. This “written yechidus” is treated by the Rebbe and the Chossid almost in the same way as a personal yechidus. The Rebbe displays warmth and sensitivity trough his carefully chosen written words that make the recipient feel as if he or she was at a personal audience. And by the same token, the Chossid adopts the same preparations for writing a letter to the Rebbe as he would before going in to yechidus proper with awe and contemplation (immersing in a mikvah, reciting appropriate Psalms, giving extra tzedakah and the like).

Crown II – Nossi

Another major factor in the growth of the Rebbe’s correspondence was the steady proliferation of Chabad-Lubavitch centers throughout the U.S.A. and the world, headed by the shluchim, emissaries of the Rebbe. With the spread of chasidus and the Rebbe’s inclusive groundbreaking activities, increasing numbers of people found a way of connecting with the Rebbe through the written word in a variety of languages.

The Rebbe’s letters were answered in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Russian, although the writer was encouraged to write in whichever language suited him best. The second crown the Rebbe wore as leader of all Jews becomes evident in the huge number of letters to Jews of all walks of life and affiliations.

Crown III – World Leader

All the Chabad Rebbeim faithfully discharged the responsibilities attached to their double crown. But none excelled more than the seventh – “all septima/sevenths are beloved.” The point here is not to evaluate the Rebbe’s accomplishments in the capacity of Rebbe or in the capacity of nossi – the two crowns worn by all previous six Rebbeim – but rather to introduce a “third crown.”

Rabbi Mindel goes on to describe the Rebbe’s far reaching and all inclusive concern for all mankind, earning him the third crown and deserved title of world leader – as reflected in his groundbreaking campaigns to “rectify the world and bring all people under the sovereignty of the A-mighty” in preparation for Moshiach.

One such campaign, promoting the Seven Noachide Laws, and very much evident in the Rebbe’s correspondence, the Rebbe dramatically launched on his eightieth birthday in 5743/1983 – so as to upgrade the forces of goodness and G-dliness among both Jews and Gentiles. The Rebbe emphasized that our obligation to promote the Noachide Code among the nations of the world is the same order of obligation as promoting the rest of the Torah and mitzvos among Jews.

Another campaign inaugurated at the same time and mentioned in countless letters, was that of educating all children in a holistic way, to include not only academics but also and more importantly moral and ethical behavior as mandated by the Creator. A moment of silence reflecting on a Higher Authority and aid to parochial schools are included in this campaign. In recognition of the Rebbe’s efforts in promoting education for all, the U.S. Congress and President Reagan designated the Rebbe’s birthday as a yearly Education Day.

Yet another campaign in preparing the world for the Messianic era is the public Chanukah Lights display. These lights proclaim the eternal message of the ultimate victory of the forces of light over the forces of darkness. Once a year, the universal massage sounds loud and clear: Pay heed children of mankind! There is an Eye that sees and an Ear that hears: the Supreme Being, Creator and Master of the universe, who is fully cognizant of all that passes under the sun, of the good that is eternal and of the evil that is fleeting. The time is near when all that is evil will disappear from the face of the earth and only the good and the benign will prevail. Be good and kind to each other and hasten the coming of the day when G-d “will return onto the nations a pure tongue that all shall call upon the Name of G-d to serve Him with consent.”

To study the Rebbe’s letters is to gain Torah wisdom and inspiration and to glimpse the Rebbe’s holy vision for us all to prepare the world for Moshiach and effect our speedy redemption.