We definitely live in turbulent times. Every period in world history has its own particular characteristics: the age of the patriarchs, the age of Moses, the Judges, the Kings, the Greek Empire, the Romans, the Spanish, Portuguese, English, and French conquerors, the world wars... although we are not in an era as marked as those mentioned, we certainly live in a turbulent time.
This can be seen in different contexts, all of which are valid, but there is one issue that particularly generates disturbance and confusion up close.
A short time ago, an email began circulating online containing an aggressive message against the Chabad movement. The details are beyond the scope of this editorial. Quickly (given the chaotic and anarchic nature of the internet, which gives rise to this type of effect), the message spread and reached the desktops and computers of all kinds of people. To avoid further damage, Chabad issued an official statement explaining its position (which was disseminated in the same way).
However, the turbulent and confusing thing about all this is that, after the official statement from Chabad, official statements from other institutions, with no connection to the matter in question, began to circulate, stating their positions on the matter.
What's confusing about all this is that these other institutions came out to defame Chabad's name, using all kinds of invalid and false arguments.
As I mentioned before, it is beyond the scope of this editorial to address or refute every argument. I will only focus on two points that are directly related to the fact that this Wednesday is the 24th of Tevet, the anniversary of the death of the founder of the Chabad Movement.
The first point is that they call the Hasidic movement (in general and Chabad in particular) sectarian. It's interesting to consider that, since its founding by Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, Hasidism has faced these same accusations daily. The accusations became so vicious that several Chabad Rebbeim, in Tsarist Russia and later in Communist Russia, were imprisoned under the death penalty.
Now, let's examine how sectarian Hasidism is: one of the most criticized aspects of the Baal Shem Tov was his unusual dedication and attention to ordinary Jews, those unfamiliar with Jewish sources and, in many cases, uneducated at all. From a Judaism that at that time referred to an elite of great scholars, the Baal Shem Tov, by placing great emphasis on the mitzvah of loving one's neighbor, brought the light of the Torah to all Jews.
And what does the light of the Torah mean? In other words, spreading Hasidism to all sectors of the population would remove it from being a closed, elitist movement, but it could still be sectarian! (God forbid).
Let's look at what Hasidim around the world do: they pray three times a day, fulfill the commandments they can, such as wearing Tefillin every day, giving Tzedakah, having Mezuzot on all their doorposts, respecting and honoring Shabbat and the Festivals, studying Torah... it sounds like living a life based on the Shulchan Aruch—the code of Jewish law. Can this be called sectarian? Well, if so, I would be proud to be part of the sect of Judaism, along with so many other Jews who for thousands of years have sought ways and made every effort to live as God commands... (and this has nothing to do with Chabad, but rather with a way of life based on the idea that God gave a Written Torah and its explanation in the Oral Torah, which was transmitted from generation to generation through great sages with a very high spiritual level, higher than ours—a principle upheld by all Orthodox Jews on earth...).
Now we need to understand the other point. They say that Chabad discriminates against certain Jews for not living a religious life as the Shulchan Aruch—the code of Jewish law—prescribes. Who better to represent what Chabad stands for than the Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of blessed memory?
It is well known that from 1986 to 1992, the Rebbe spent every Sunday receiving all kinds of people. He would stand for up to eight hours without a break, and people (men and women) would file past him in lines, presenting their problems and asking for blessings on all sorts of matters. And it wasn't just Jews who came to him; non-Jews did as well. Being such an important rabbi, why would he waste his time attending to these mostly non-observant Jews who passed by him (or attending to non-Jews)?
The Rebbe was once asked if he didn't get tired of standing for so many hours watching thousands of people pass by every Sunday. The Rebbe answered with a question: "If you were counting diamonds, would you get tired? Every person who passes in front of me is a diamond. How could I get tired of counting diamonds?!"
Is this discriminating against Jews (or non-Jews)? No one asked any questions of the thousands of people who stood in line for the Rebbe every Sunday. They weren't even asked if they were Jewish...
We, the Rebbe's messengers throughout the world, learn from him not to discriminate, not to judge (as the Ethics of Our Forefathers states, do not judge your fellow man until you have walked in his shoes). I believe there is nothing less discriminatory and exclusionary than this, and it is likely that comments expressing the opposite are based on a complete ignorance of our sources (such as the aforementioned Pirkei Avot), of the Rebbe's work, and of his messengers in every corner of the world where Jews live.
What remains for us to do? The Tanya, written by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, who passed away on the 24th of Tevet, explains that a little light automatically dispels much darkness. This means two things: 1) I believe that Argentine and world Jewry would be much better off if every institution dedicated itself to creating light through genuine good deeds for the benefit of the community it serves, instead of criticizing, defaming, insulting, etc., the work of others. 2) Light signifies Torah and Mitzvot, as it is written, "For the Mitzvot are a lamp, and the Torah is light.".