I Love You


This week, a local friend sent me a WSJ article he found enlightening, entitled, “Chabad Ministers to Jews of no Religion”. I highly suggest you read it.

One of the most ironic things that the article doesn’t address, is how the least religious demographics within the Jewish people are engaging with the most “orthodox” group.

Interesting, isn’t it?

I think the reason is related to another question I have about one of the Rebbe’s 10 mitzvah campaigns.

Most of the campaigns are easily actionable mitzvahs. For men to put on tefillin, and for women to light candles on Friday night are clear-cut campaigns, and are easily measurable.

Just count how many men put on Tefilllin, and how many women lit Shabbos candles.

The campaign “To love your fellow Jew”, which is one of the 613 commandments, is important, but how do you do it? How can you measure it?

I’ve thought long and hard about this, and may have come up with the answer which might already be obvious to you.

Loving your fellow is not measurable, but it’s the engine that drives everything.

Many important things are immeasurable, like love, G-d and happiness.

The Rebbe would constantly refer to this mitzvah to love your fellow, to think about him or her, and to care.

There may not be any “actionable item,” but when you hear it enough it becomes part of your blood, and you start to think differently.

This may be why the “Jews of no religion” engage more with Chabad than any other “sect”. It’s inspiring to meet someone who really cares.

I can’t take credit for this, nor can any other Chabad rabbi. The Rebbe ingrained and continues to ingrain it in us.

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