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Most Politicians are Not Antisemites

In a postscript of a letter dated 5744, the Rebbe clarifies his position on how he views politicians today.


An excerpt from the letter:

“…politicians are generally motivated more by expediency than by conviction. In other words, their public pronouncements on various issues do not stem from categorical principles or religious imperatives. Hence, most of them, if not all, are subject to change in their positions, depending on time, place, and other factors.”

The Rebbe, therefore, took the stance that one should not go around branding individuals as antisemites but instead work on good public relations even with those who may have sometimes spoken openly about their negative feelings towards Jews and Jewish causes.


Two Countries at War

Gain perspective on conflicts between two countries, as illuminated by Torah and the Rebbe's Hadracha.

 

We do not venture to say that we know what Torah or the Rebbe’s position is on this event or on any other event or subject. We are merely presenting various ideas that may have some bearing on what is taking place today.

 

Topics Included

  • Why Doesn't Hashem Make Peace?

  • What to Do When There is a War At Home

  • Yidden, Especially Shluchim, Can Affect the World

  • When Nations Are At War, Think About Moshiach

  • You Can Change the Political Scene!

  • The Solution is Saying הריני מקבל and אך צדיקים

  • There Are Yidden There!

  • Emunah and Bitachon

  • Hardships Should Be Abolished!

  • Quiet Diplomacy When Dealing With Russia

  • Humanitarian Aid

  • שר של מעלה

  • איסור שפיכות דמים One of the Sheva Mitzvos is

  • Country Defending Itself

  • Land Conquered by Non-Jews Through War

  • Should We Get Involved?

  • Fighting For Your Land While Not in Eretz Yisroel

  • The Leader Goes to War

You Can Change the Political Scene!

We must bring stability by changing our seder and displaying extra Simchah earlier than usual.


Tensions between the US and Russia:

Tishrei time of תשד”מ (starting from כ”ג אלול) saw strong tensions between America and the USSR. During Chol Hamoed Sukkos, Russia was notified by its Early-Warning-Radar that America had launched five nuclear ballistic missiles towards Russia. Baruch Hashem, Russia realized in time that this was a malfunction and a false alarm.


No one knew about this story until ten years later.


However, that Simchas Torah, at the farbrengen before hakafos, the Rebbe clearly addressed the friction between world powers and what we can do to help. 


The Rebbe discussed the fact that he had displayed an extra measure of simchah on Shemini Atzeres that year, although such great simchah is usually reserved for Simchas Torah. To explain this, the Rebbe related how the Alter Rebbe changed the seder on Rosh Hashanah of 5573. He blew the shofar before davening, in order to bring about Napoleon’s downfall. Similarly, we are in a time when countries are fighting with each other. We must bring stability by changing the seder and displaying extra simchah earlier than usual.
But what about us, regular people who are not on the level of the Alter Rebbe? Even we can have an effect. When we find out that there are countries at war, our yearning for Moshiach is heightened and we add in Torah and mitzvos. These actions have a real influence on world powers.

The Rebbe concluded that one way of initiating this global impact is by giving berachos to each other, especially with the nusach of Birchas Kohanim. The Rebbe then proceeded to do so himself, reciting aloud the pessukim of Yevarechecha etc. until Veyasem lecha shalom.


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