Weekly Letter: Jewish History and Our Miraculous Survival

As we learn in our parshios about the beginning of the history of the Jewish people in exile – we share a letter of the Rebbe in which he briefly explains the uniqueness of Jewish history and our miraculous survival throughout. This letter is from volume 5 of The Letter and The Spirit.

By the Grace of G-d
Lag B’Omer, 5735
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Miss
Downsview, Ont. M3H 3S1
Canada

Blessing and Greeting:

This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter, with the enclosures. I appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending me the magazine.

Seeing that you are a member of Hillel and Jewish Student Federation, as well as a member of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, I am confident that your membership in these organizations expresses itself in the true spirit of the essential aspect of a Jewish organization, namely that it is not merely an organization of Jews, but truly Jewish.

As to what is truly Jewish – even a cursory reflection on Jewish history, which extends to almost 4,000 years, will bring it out quite forcefully. We have to examine what factors were constant and what were only passing phases, in order to ascertain the real factors which have preserved Jews and Jewish life throughout our long history. Obviously, movements that are only 100 or 200 or even 300 years old cannot be credited with having preserved our Jewish people. Nor can such factors as political independence, statehood, territory, or language and similar factors, be regarded as those which have preserved our people, since all these were not permanent or constant, and changed radically from time to time and place to place. The only thing that has not changed is the observance of the mitzvos in the daily life, from the day the Torah and mitzvos were given to us at Mt. Sinai to the present day, such as the observance of Shabbos, kashrus, tefillin, mezuzah, etc.

In light of the above, true identity with the Jewish people is therefore one that expresses itself in identifying above all with the fulfillment of the mitzvos in the daily life. This is a point that should constantly be stressed when trying to help young people to find their identity, for there can be no full and true Jewish identity without commitment to living Judaism in accordance with the Torah and mitzvos. One may sometimes come across skeptics, or even scoffers, but it is well to remember that such an attitude comes only from ignorance. At any rate, the very first paragraph of the first part of the Shulchan Aruch, which is obligatory on all Jews, begins with an admonition not to be discouraged by scoffers.
May G-d grant that you should continue your good work in the above spirit, in a growing measure, with joy and gladness of heart.

With blessing,

P.S. Receipt is enclosed for your tzedoko, and may it additionally stand you in good stead.