Before becoming the Lubavitcher Rebbe himself, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson (known then as the ‘Ramash’) was once sitting with his father-in-law, Rav Yosef Yitzchak, who was then the Rebbe. When he left his audience with the Rebbe, he shared with some people outside some of the conversations they had.
At that time, the Ramash used to have a lot of people who would come to him for guidance and blessings. Some of the people who would come were not religious, and some were even anti-religious! Some of the older chassidim had criticized him for this practice, saying that by giving every type of Jew the same warm reception, he is giving off the impression that he is accepting or even validating their way of life, and such a prominent person, the son-in-law of the Rebbe, should not be giving off such an impression.
The Ramash always felt that his approach was correct, but he decided to ask his father-in-law, the Rebbe, what he thought. The Rebbe’s response was that when a parent has a child, they have so much love for the kid that it can feel like there is no room in their heart for another child, because of the intense love they have for the first one. Then they have a second child, and the heart just expands and finds room to love the second child tremendously as well. What if, G-d forbid, another child is born with some kind of limitation or disability? For such a child, the parent has even more infinite love!
The Rebbe told the Ramash, that when a Yid who, for example, does not put on tefillin, comes to meet with him, the Rebbe does not view him as a human who is acting rebelliously.Rather he sees a piece of Hashem that is unable to express itself fully! Without putting tefillin on his arm, it’s like this Yid’s hand doesn’t work properly. For such a Yid, Hashem has even more love! You should act like Hashem does, and have an even greater love towards this child of Hashem!
Take It To Go!: The Lubavichter Rebbe taught us that we should have endless love and compassion for a Jewish soul that is unable to express itself. Instead of pushing such a soul away, we should draw it closer!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 19.