In his introduction to “The Letter and the Spirit,” a collection of letters of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory, Dr. Nissan Mindel, who served as one of the Rebbe”s secretaries, shares the following anecdote.
“I once boldly suggested that there may be a way to save the Rebbe some time with regards to outgoing mail. I referred to so-called standard letters such as Rosh Hashanah greetings, responses to requests for the Rebbe”s blessing on happy family events, such as Bar Mitzvah, marriage, birthdays, and others, all of which together, though not part of my job, could number several thousand in the course of a year.
Now, if the Rebbe would permit to have such letters “signed” by a rubber stamp, a universally accepted practice, it would certainly save the Rebbe considerable precious time.
With due acknowledgment of his secretary”s thoughtfulness, the Rebbe politely rejected the idea out of hand.
The explanation the Rebbe gave me was simple: “How can I send prayerful wishes to a person in such an artificial manner, and how would anyone feel receiving good wishes in a letter that is signed with a rubber stamp?” So that was the end of that.”
Moving to note is that even after the Rebbe suffered a serious stroke at the age of 90 which left him partially paralyzed and unable to speak, he communicated his desire to be shown the letters of greetings and congratulations that were sent to individuals before they were signed by a secretary on his behalf.
What motivated the Rebbe in such poor health to burden himself so, we cannot know for certain. However, the Rebbe”s argument upon rejecting the use of an artificial signature gives us a pretty good idea.
This story is not an isolated snapshot of a great leader.
I would venture to say that it captures the essence of the Rebbe”s charisma and his successful effort to change the landscape of world Jewry.
This story about the Rebbe”s signature, then, is signature Rebbe.
The Rebbe believed to his core in the value of the individual. He never lost sight of each tree in the majestic Jewish Forest and would often quote the Talmudic teaching, “He who saves an individual is as if he saved an entire world.”
To this end, and at the seemingly unwarranted expense of his time, the Rebbe would open every one of the nearly 400 letters he received a day by hand.
When asked by his well-intentioned secretaries if he might agree to use an electronic letter-opener they bought in order to save him the time spent opening every letter himself, he said: “Can an electronic machine possibly detect the pain and tears that went into the writing and signing of these heartfelt letters?”
In distinction to the philosophy of many world leaders, heads of state and creators of movements, the Rebbe believed that while building a movement or advancing the overall good of the state was important, it was not more important than the people it was created for.
In a pre-Passover pastoral letter written by the Rebbe in 1964, he elaborates on this theme:
“This message is of particular importance to leaders of groups and movements, and especially to those who occupy the position of spiritual leaders of their communities. All too often they are involved in “world problems,” in “tremendous issues,” while only occasionally, or even quite rarely, do we find a leader who stoops to engage in “small, ordinary” problems besetting the daily life, problems which directly concern his congregants.
The more prominent the leader, the more acutely is he “compelled” to address himself to all humanity. If he is particularly imaginative, he sees himself called upon to speak also to posterity. Should he be blessed with oratorical powers, he considers it his duty to arouse the “world conscience” with all the powers of his eloquence, which make headlines, so that he comes to be regarded as a leader of leaders and the voice of spokesmen, who envy his public image and seek to emulate him and even outdo him.
Responding to the leader, the follower is often carried away, and he joins the leader in offering wise counsel to various governments on matters of policy, and to all mankind&mdashon matters of good conduct, so as to ensure the happiness of all future generations. After engaging in such lofty resolutions, it would hardly be “fitting” to sound the alarm on ordinary problems in daily life.”
The Rebbe didn”t just preach these words he spent a lifetime living and modelling them.
I believe that it was the Rebbe”s trademark personal approach to every person he interacted with, and, by extension and example, the individualistic approach of his emissaries worldwide&mdash”responding to the leader, the follower is often carried away”&mdashthat best explains his continued impact on the world nearly three decades after his passing.
As we mark the Rebbe”s 29th yahrzeit this coming Thursday (3 Tamuz), it pays well for community leaders and educators to reflect on the Rebbe”s example of extraordinary attention and devotion to each and every individual, embodying Judaism”s vision for world change, which doesn”t consist of million-man marches and sweeping revolutions but consists of bettering the life of one person at a time.