Just a few days before Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Gedalya Shemtov, director of the Shluchim Office shared two very special answers he merited to receive from the Rebbe, 32 years ago, in Elul 5749 (1989).
34 years ago at a Farbrengen during the Kinus Hashluchim 5747, the Rebbe requested the establishment of The Shluchim Office. The purpose, the Rebbe said, was to be a central office to advise and serve the Shluchim in fulfilling their Shlichus. The opening of this office took some time and in 5749, Rabbi Chadokov and the Vaad Hashluchim asked Rabbi Shemtov to run the Shluchim Office under Rabbi Chadokov’s direct supervision.
At that time, the Shluchim Office launched several major activities, such as: ‘Shluchim Placement’ - matching Shluchim and Yungeleit, as well as placing chazzanim for Yomim Noraim and bochurim for yomim toivim throughout the year; ‘Project Talmud’ - arranging learning retreats and preparing classes for Shluchim; ‘General Duch’ - making it easy for Shluchim to report their activities to the Rebbe; ‘How-To Guides’ - offering step-by-step guidance for organizing events, camps and many other peulos; beautiful Yomtov guides and flyers, and much more.
One of the very first activities was a campaign to encourage Shluchim around the world to place an ad in their local newspapers in preparation for Rosh Hashanah. The ad featured a message of the Rebbe on Rosh Hashanah alongside a beautiful picture of the Rebbe, and an invitation to reach out to their local Chabad House.
In short, the message explained that Adam Harishon (the first man) was created alone to demonstrate how one person equals a whole world. So too, each Jew has the capacity and duty to bring fulfilment to himself and the entire world.
1. On 15 Elul 5749, Rabbi Shemtov sent in a copy of the ad to the Rebbe, and wrote that the ad had been sent to Shluchim around the world to publish in their local newspapers.
He was zoiche to receive the following response from the Rebbe:
ויהא בהצלחה רבה
והזמ"ג [והזמן גרמא]
וכוח"ט [וכתיבה וחתימה טובה]
אזכיר עה"צ [על הציון]
A free translation:
And it should be with much success
And the time is now appropriate
And may you be written and sealed for a good year
I will mention it at the tziyun [of my father in law, the Rebbe]
2. The following week, in the Days of Selichos, The Shluchim Office placed the same ad in the New York Times, together with a list of Chabad Houses around the world. (A scanned copy of the full ad is below.)
Rabbi Shemtov gave in a copy of the ad together with a letter asking for a brocho in everything.
ומבקשים את ברכת כ"ק אדמו"ר שליט"א להצלחה בכל.
The Rebbe answered:
ורבה כפשוט והזמ"ג [והזמן גרמא]
וכתיבה וחתימה טובה
וכן בכל המצורף בזה
ודלעתיד
אעה"צ [אזכיר על הציון]
A free translation (the bold words are the Rebbe’s):
“We ask for the Rebbe’s blessing for success in everything.”
The Rebbe continued: “in abundance, of course
and the time is now appropriate.
And may you be written and sealed for a good year
And [the above also applies] to all that's enclosed in [your] letter as well as to future [activities]
I will mention it at the tziyun [of my father in law, the Rebbe].”
The Rebbe’s answers show the importance of sharing the Rebbe’s message of Rosh Hashana with everyone, Jews and non-Jews.
Rabbi Shemtov and the Shluchim Office would like to wish Shluchim all over the world much hatzlocho in their shlichus and Tishrei peulos, and that we should all give much nachas ruach to the Rebbe now, and in the “future”.
