Ready for Battle

There is a new group of recruits in the army. The soon-to-be soldiers are put through rigorous training, to toughen them up physically, and to prepare them psychologically for the difficulties and dilemmas they may encounter in various aspects of war in Israel.
The training is hard enough, but the greatest test is saved for last. The soldiers can only "graduate" and earn their berets after a gruelling three-day survival hike. The group is given a mission to accomplish while covering the most difficult terrain with very few supplies and little support. You can't imagine how difficult it is unless you've done it; it's almost impossible. When you feel like you have no strength left, you have to dig deeply inside to find hidden resources to keep on going.

Now, obviously, not every soldier is the same. Some are stronger and hardier than others. Some are more resilient and perseverant. There are those, however, who just find it too hard. They begin to lag behind, and if no help is forthcoming, are unlikely to make it to the goal. Is it reasonable to assume that the hardier soldiers forge ahead with no backward glance?

Absolutely not! Each soldier knows that he is part of the whole. If even one of his friends doesn't make it to the finish line, then no one graduates - no beret for anyone. Consequently every person looks after the next. If a recruit sees someone starting to falter, he stops to help. Perhaps he only needs to give a word of encouragement, or a hand to steady him on a rocky slope. It may be necessary to carry some of the other fellow's equipment, in addition to his own 60-pound backpack. Sometimes there's no way the other guy will make it on his own two feet, so his friends just pick him up and carry him. If they are capable, then it's up to them to make sure everyone gets there, they can't just think of themselves.

As we mark Yud Shevat, entering the 60th year of the Rebbe's leadership of the Lubavitch movement and world Jewry, this training technique can help us understand an important facet of the Rebbe's approach to ensuring the fulfillment of our mission on earth.

While many focus on their community, strengthening their own movement and institutions, the Rebbe alone stands for the notion that we can only graduate if we bring everyone along.

While it would be easier to say, as some do, "We must keep our own people strong. We can not worry about the entire world,"the Rebbe teaches everyone to go out of their comfort zone; to seek out their fellow Jews wherever in the world they may be; and to give them the encouragement and support they need to be able to fulfill their potential as Jews.

The Rebbe has made it clear that after 2,000 years in exile we are nearly finished with our training course and are now in the final "survival hike."

We all need to pull our weight - and more! We must dig deeply inside to find the hidden resources to do another mitzva (commandment), to perform acts of kindness, to encourage a friend to join us at a Torah class, to invite another guest to a Shabbat meal, to put an additional coin in a charity box. And if we must, we must carry another person's burden - or the person himself - on our own shoulders together with our load. For when every Jew makes it to the finish line, by completing his own unique personal mission on earth, we will all receive our "berets"with the revelation of Moshiach and the rebuilding of our Holy Temple, may it be now.


Adapted from a talk by Tully Garalnik at Merkos Women, Melbourne, Australia