Throughout the early 20th century, Jews suffered brutal religious persecution at the hands of the evil Soviet regime. Religious life was forced underground, where a clandestine network of Jewish life persisted, fueled by great self-sacrifice. The incredible efforts of Rebbe Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the Frierdiker (or previous) Lubavitcher Rebbe, energized the core of Jewish life in Russia, and motivated underground efforts to operate mikvaos, shuls and yeshivos, provide religious services, and strengthen Torah observance throughout the USSR.
A constant target of the Yevsektsiya, the treacherous Jewish section of the Soviet Communist Party, the previous rebbe was under constant surveillance. He was accused of counter-revolutionary activities, subjected to brutal torture and imprisonment, and ultimately sentenced to death for treason.
One morning, when the Frierdiker Rebbe was observing his father’s yahrzeit, three members of the Yevsektzia burst into the beis midrash with weapons drawn and arrested him. Throughout interrogations and imprisonment, the rebbe remained steadfast, asserting that regardless of the threats and intimidation, he would not give up any of his efforts to teach Torah and spread Yiddishkeit, no matter the cost: “I have already made it clear that I will not budge from my principles. There is yet to be born, and never will there be born, a man or a demon who will move me in the slightest degree from my principles.”
One of the agents pointed his loaded revolver at the rebbe: “This toy does away with ‘principles,’ and has made many a man change his mind.” The rebbe stared at the officer, and calmly responded: “This toy impresses he who believes in ein velt un asach getter, one world and multiple gods. But for one who has one God and multiple worlds, your toy makes no impression whatsoever.”
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“Hashem said to Moshe, בא אל פרעה, ‘Come to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants in order that I may place these signs of Mine in his midst, and in order that you tell into the ears of your son and your son’s son how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and that you tell of My signs that I placed in them—in order that you will know that I am Hashem.’”(10:1-2)
As preparation for redemption from Egypt, Hashem instructs Moshe Rabbeinu, Bo, “Come to Pharaoh.” Numerous commentaries have pointed out the Torah’s choice of words: It seems the instructions to confront Pharaoh would be more appropriately framed with the imperative to “go to,” lech el Pharaoh. Isn’t Hashem sending Moshe on a mission, representing the Jewish nation, before the evil ruler? “Go” is an encouraging word; Go with success, go present your message with confidence and faith… Yet, this is not the word Hashem uses. The Ribbono Shel Olam is instead inviting Moshe to “come with Him” to meet Pharoah.
Pharaoh is the quintessential rasha, an evil and brutal tormentor whose reign of darkness was the template for all subsequent exiles and sufferings. He represents kefirah, denial of faith, and rebellion against the Creator. Rebbe Nachman of Breslov explains Hashem’s instructions in light of the great heresy and darkness represented by Pharoah (Likutei Moharan, 64): “Through emunah, faith, believing that God is מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין וְסוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין, filling all worlds and encircling all worlds—and in truth His Godliness is in every place—accordingly, the Jewish people (represented by Moshe) will prevail over all (dark) philosophies, ideologies, doubts and heresies….”
Hand-in-hand with HaKadosh Baruch Hu, Moshe is empowered to meet Pharaoh head on, directly confronting his evil. Moshe is modeling a pathway of emunah that embraces the unanswerable questions and challenges, the existential tension and painful not-knowing inherent in a life of faith. The One God tells Moshe, “Come with Me to Pharaoh; you are not alone. We will face these cruel demons together!”
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Throughout this lengthy exile, in every generation, we are forced to confront “Pharaohs” of all types. There has been no lack of dangerous enemies who have threatened our physical safety, no lack of “revolvers” pointed our way. Many forces also threaten our spiritual well being, seeking to interfere with our way of life and avodas Hashem. These include peer pressure, low self-esteem and unchecked cravings for money, power, fleeting pleasures and kavod, respect. Within all of us there is a “Pharaoh” voice, belittling us, attempting to make us appear small in our own eyes, encouraging us to remain enslaved to our desires, sufferings and negativities. In the face of all of them, let us remember Hashem’s encouragement and invitation, “Bo, Come with Me. You are not alone in this.”
This Shabbos marks Yud Shvat, the yahrzeit of the Friediker Rebbe. It also marks the blessed day of the formal acceptance of nesiyus, leadership, by his great son-in-law and successor, the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson, one year later. Together, the Rebbe and his holy father-in-law blazed a trail for us, inviting us to live with faith, confidence and fearlessness. Resonating with their legacy, we come to recognize, and eventually attain a constant awareness, that while there are multiple distractions and impediments to Divine service, there is only One God. Therefore, we can stare darkness and evil in the face, and refuse to budge from our deepest principles.
Following his escape from Nazi occupied Poland, Rebbe Yosef Yitzchok arrived in the United States and issued an urgent call to world Jewry, crying out from the depths of his soul his message of emunah, his direct confrontation with exile: L’alter l’tshuvah, l’alter l’geula, “Immediately to repentance, immediately to redemption!”
So may it be … immediately, in our days!
Rav Judah Mischel is executive director of Camp HASC, the Hebrew Academy for Special Children. He is the mashpiah of OU-NCSY, founder of Tzama Nafshi and the author of “Baderech: Along the Path of Teshuva.” Rav Judah lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh with his wife Ora and their family.
