Firstly please allow me to remind you - no, to nudge you - about our upcoming African Purim Barbeque to be held on Sunday March 28th (see flier below). As the Rebbetzen and I are returning to Australia especially to be with our community for Purim, we would love to see you there!

We are currently in New York visiting our new grandchild and first granddaughter, Chaya Mushka, whose birth we will be celebrating with a Kiddush this Shabbos. And what a beautiful baby she is!

Each time I go overseas I make stops at the Jewish bookstores with an eye on finding material that can be incorporated into my talks or classes. 

At this time of year there are, understandably, many newly published sefarim (Torah books) on Purim. Being the bibliophile I am, I purchased three. (I could have purchased a whole lot more, but even bibliophiles have budgets!)

Now of course I don't have time to read all three, so I did what people often do when attending elaborate buffets or cocktail parties - I sampled a little at the beginning, a little in the middle, and a little at the end.

Allow me share with you a thought that I found at the end of the newly published work, She'arim Metzuyanim,  by a Rabbi Mordechai Benedikt of Jerusalem.

At the very end of the Megillah it is written:

Mordechai the Jew was the viceroy of Achashverosh, great among the Jews and loved by the majority of his brothers, he sought the welfare of his people, and spoke peace to all his people.

On this Rashi comments: by the majority of his brothers - but not by all his brothers. Some of the members of the Sanhedrin disassociated themselves from him because he spent so much time on communal work that could have, in their opinion, been better dedicated to learning Torah.

Rabbi Benedikt makes an important observation:

It is impossible for a leader to be loved by everyone. There will always be those who either actively or passively oppose his approach - something that even Moses experienced. Nevertheless a true leader is someone who in spite of this opposition, seeks the welfare of his people and who speaks peace to ALL his people, supporters and detractors equally.

Staying here in New York, I couldn't help thinking how apt this commentary was. This coming Tuesday, 9th of Adar, will mark 70 years since the city became headquarters of Lubavitch. The Lubavitcher Rebbe was no stranger to opposition. Although widely acknowledged for the breadth of his scholarship and depth of his Torah insights even among his detractors, he was criticised by them for encouraging his followers to reach out to their fellow Jews instead of solely promoting excellence in Torah learning. Although he in fact did both - they felt that any time devoted to outreach would inevitably affect the quality of their Torah scholarship.

In so doing he attracted massive opposition from certain other Torah leaders.

How beautiful therefore, that we find that in spite of this opposition, the Rebbe continued to not only "seek the welfare of his people" by reaching out to even the most disaffiliated amongst them, but also continuously stretched out his hand in peace to his opponents, those who accepted it and those who didn't.

Of course the "proof of the pudding is in the eating" and just as in the case of Mordechai, history has vindicated the Rebbe's approach. As mentioned above, there is nary a Jewish group today that does not practise outreach in one form or another.

In a similar vein, may G-d A-lmighty bless each and every one of us to constantly push forward, in spite of apparent opposition, while extending our hand in friendship to one and all without exception.

Best wishes for a good and innspiring Shabbos, and an especially warm Mazal Tov to Ricky Shapiro and to Nicole Schwartz  and their families whose bar and bat mitzvah we will unfortunately be missing. We are sure that you will both be absolutely fantastic.

On behalf of the Rebbetzen and our family in New York,

Rabbi Benzion Milecki OAM