Dear Readers,
Without my high-prescription progressive glasses, the words on the sign down the road become a blur, while the letters on the magazine in my hand conspire to dance off the page, mocking my attempts to read them. Yes, the words and images exist, but they remain shrouded in an enigmatic haze, eluding my grasp.
When people discuss the Rebbe’s remarkable contribution to our world, the vast global network of shluchim is often mentioned. They embody the Rebbe’s teachings on Ahavat Yisrael, the profound love that propels individuals to dedicate their lives to others.
Yet this is just one facet of the Rebbe’s impact.
“Soul glasses.” Those are the words that came to mind when I was asked recently how the Rebbe impacted my life. The Rebbe taught us to don a set of soul glasses, granting us the ability to perceive the world from an inner and deeper perspective. Through this lens, we can behold the essence of people, situations and even our relationship with the Divine.
Without our soul glasses, we often see a person consumed by their struggles and flaws, marred by unattractive qualities. The Rebbe taught us to look beyond these superficialities and to delve into the core of each person, unearthing a pure, untarnished radiance—an actual fragment of the Divine.
This perspective extends to situations as well. How often do you find yourself entangled in circumstances where everything seems to be going awry? Our outlook at these times can seem bleak, even black.
Yet just as at the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai, there were no echoes because the voice of G‑d permeated all of reality, so, too, every corner of our world bears the imprint of the Divine presence. There is no place devoid of G‑d. There is no happenstance.
So even when every fiber of my being screams that this feels wretched and unbearable, since G‑d is all good, these are merely illusions—distortions of my perception, actually for my benefit.
Surprisingly, the Rebbe encouraged us to wear these soul glasses even in our relationship with G‑d. Outwardly, G‑d assumes the role of Creator, our master and “king,” issuing commands—a portrayal aptly reflected in the term mitzvah, commandment. Yet on a deeper level, G‑d reveals Himself as our Father and Groom, fostering an intimate connection that He, too, yearns for. He invites us to bond with Him (a deeper meaning of the word mitzvah) and to partner with Him in creating a home that needs each of us.
From a tender age, the Rebbe had a fervent dream of actualizing Moshiach. Redemption is when the soul of our world becomes revealed. There, beyond the veils of concealment, we will embrace the underlying truth.
Throughout our lives, there are moments of triumph where we succeed to perceive individuals and circumstances through the lens of our soul glasses. Of course, there are also instances where the veils of concealment are overpowering, and our vision falters. However, even in those moments, our knowledge of this perspective inspires us to aspire towards a future where this will become our reality.
And the Rebbe taught us about these glasses.
Chana Weisberg
Editor, TJW
