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The privilege of a difficult mission

משפחת הניג בסין

Translation by Yehoshua Siskin

I participated yesterday evening in a zoom conference for women emissaries (shluchot) of Chabad, where I shared the following story: It came out of a virtual conference for Chabad emissary daughters that was held this week as well:

The host for the daughters' conference had spoken emotionally and complimented the girls who live in remote areas and must cope with challenging hardships and situations. Rabbi Dov Hoenig, Chabad emissary in China, was at home when his daughters connected to the conference. Suddenly 9-year-old Chani and 7-year-old Musia turned to their father from their computer and said: "Daddy, they are telling us that there are emissary daughters in the world who are having a truly hard time, who are living with real self-sacrifice under very difficult conditions... they are real tzadikot."

Rabbi Hoenig was amazed. His daughters are living in Chengdu in the Sezchuan province of western China, without any Jewish children their age, learning solely through an Internet school. If it's not difficult enough living there as is, they are now also living under China's severe corona restrictions. Anyone returning to the country must enter government supervised isolation for three weeks and, therefore, they have not been with their extended family for two years.

Despite all this, when speaking of girls who are having a hard time, his daughters had no idea that they might be included in this group. They did not understand that they were being complimented for their resilience. They are doing well and having fun, living with a sense of meaning, on a mission that fills them with joy. Their parents do not communicate a sense of despair, but one of privilege.

Ever since I heard this beautiful story, I have been contemplating its message and how to apply it to every aspect of our lives.

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