made you think Seeing The BeauTy in a Crazy world

Yoseph Janowski

We all live within a series of paradoxes and conflicts. For believers, we don't see G-d, yet we know He is everywhere, conducting everything. In science, quantum physics tells us that particles behave differently depending on whether (or how) they are observed. As humans striving to grow, we are constantly juggling personal needs, business, family, and other people – a seemingly endless stream of obligations within a limited supply of time and energy. Even within our own consciousness, we struggle to balance the cool intellect with passionate emotions, and there are so many subtle levels, conscious and subconscious, in our complex psyche.

No wonder life is so challenging and full of tension!

And we ask ourselves, why are we here? Why do we exist, for what purpose? And we try to explore ideas, and to find the answers, all while juggling and negotiating our feelings, needs, and relationships. Add to that historical injustices, geopolitical complexities and an overall feeling of uncertainty, and you get the sense that we live in an overwhelmingly complicated world that is becoming impossible to make sense of – and that’s even without cultural manipulation, moral relativism and AI making it even harder to discern what is real, or what is really going on.

And then along comes the Rebbe, radiating calm, inspiring passion. He showed us, with his teachings, but even more so by his example, how to live with a sense of meaning and purpose within this crazy world.

Herbert Weiner, a celebrated author credited with introducing Jewish mysticism to the masses through his book Nine and a Half Mystics, interviewed the Rebbe twice during the early years of his leadership. At one point he asked the Rebbe, why is it that the Chassidim seem to have a very calm look in their eyes. Were they detached? Was it naivety? The Rebbe replied that it wasn't naivety. It was the lack of fragmentation in their hearts and minds.

When our worlds are fractured, contradictorily compartmentalized, where ideas and attitudes clash, then we lack peace of mind. But when we are able to look the contradictions in the eye, and know that we can resolve them, so that they form a synergy, working together to achieve an important goal, then we not only resolve the contradictions, we also make them work, together, in harmony.

The Rebbe shows us how. And his Chassidim take his teachings to heart, and show the world how.

How did he do it? In general, his teachings elucidate and clarify the deeper aspects of Torah and existence through the lens of Chassidus, bringing them into our reality –which allows today’s Jews to connect with their ancient heritage and to empowers them to proudly embrace their role as a light to the nations. And, in particular, the Rebbe does so by relating to each individual’s unique personality, situation and needs.

Central to this approach is a deep knowledge of the tenets of Divine providence, and a profound faith that picks up where the knowledge ends, that results in a constant awareness of G-d’s presence in our day to day lives. All of this is based on the Baal Shem Tov’s innovative teaching that describes how G-d constantly creates the world at every single moment – logically necessary since everything was created from nothing, and so that same force that brought it into existence must constantly be applied to keep it in existence. What follows is that since that infinite creative force transcends any limitations, it is able to contain contradictions and do what we consider to be impossible. Since we, too, contain a soul that is a spark of that infinite, transcendent G-d, we too can contain contradictions and do the impossible.

The fact that we and our reality embody all these conflicts and contradictions is not a fluke – it is by design. It enables us to develop and grow in ways that we otherwise would not, as the conflicting energies feed off each other and propel us into new realms of consciousness and discovery. For example, our intellect and emotions are two very different worlds; the mind is by nature cool and calm, while the heart is naturally fiery and passionate. And yet, with the proper practice and training, one can learn to harness and unify their disparate energies to the point that the mind can control and influence the heart toward purpose, while the heart can infuse the mind with passion and the ability to see the unseen. The same is true when it comes to differences between people, communities, nations and ideas –when we appreciate the differences and what their uniqueness can contribute to one another, not only do the conflicts not hinder growth, but they result in a much deeper growth and a powerful and constructive field that propels toward a collective goal.

Ultimately, this approach can only materialize where there is a recognition of a higher power, a force that not only transcends the differences and unifies them, but is also their source. This is what gives the journey meaning, and a sense that there is a beautiful and purposeful destination within all the chaos.

Perhaps this is why the Rebbe felt comfortable stepping into a role beyond his community and his people, which he did so naturally – meeting and corresponding with world leaders and weighing in on societal issues that, on the surface, had nothing to do with Judaism. He took an interest in the affairs of communities and nations far from his own, he spoke about the Seven Noahide Laws as the backbone of morality for all civilizations, and he advocated for a daily moment of silence in US public schools. In recognition of his efforts, the Rebbe’s birthday is officially recognized as Education and Sharing Day, as established by the US Congress and observed each year since 1978.

And at the same time, he helped so many individuals on a personal level with his wisdom, perceptiveness and kindness. "He could melt a blizzard," is the title of an essay that written by the social critic and author Harvey Swados after meeting the Rebbe. "How would you describe him in one word?" asked the Yeshiva students after he left the Rebbe's study. Harvey answered, "kindly."

The Rebbe patiently counseled every person how to deal with life and how to overcome unique challenges, and the thousands of recorded testimonies attest to how the Rebbe was attuned to each individual, and how his advice helped so many. Moses was chosen by G-d to lead the Jewish people, because when he was a shepherd for his father-in-law's sheep, he treated each one with immense patience and kindness, according to each sheep's individual need. We are taught that the spirit of Moses rests in every leader of the Jewish people in each generation, and also within every Jew. The Rebbe not only treated each individual with love and respect, but also saw the potential shepherd, the potential leader, within each person – their purpose in this world, and the incredible influence they can have upon it.

As the Rebbe himself writes in a letter addressed to the second president of Israel, Yitzchak Ben-Zvi: “From the time that I was a child attending cheder, and even earlier than that, there began to take form in my mind a vision of the future redemption – the redemption of Israel from its last exile, redemption such as would explicate the suffering, the decrees, and the massacres of exile.”

The world, and each and every one of us, is intrinsically good, since G-d, who is good, created it. The Rebbe publicized and explained these and many other concepts so clearly, in a way that made it very relevant and real. This is the light the Rebbe and his teachings shine into the world, into our hearts, into our minds: That we are all one, that the potential for unity and goodness on the individual and global level lies just beneath the surface. We just need to reveal it, to let it shine EM