Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
"Why do I love the Lubavitcher Rebbe?" is the title of a short essay published by *Nir Menosi*. The Rebbe passed away today, the 3rd of Tammuz, 29 years ago. Here are a number of thoughts from Nir on various topics, based on the philosophy and actions of the Rebbe, that can serve as an inspiration for us all:
1. Revival after the Holocaust. The most notorious leader of the previous century was Hitler. And then, in contrast to that barbaric figure, the Rebbe arrived. Hitler wanted to reach every Jew no matter how far away he might be, and kill him. The Rebbe also wanted to reach every Jew, even the most distant, in order to revive him, to see him reborn as a committed Jew.
2. The Rebbe did not take one day of vacation in his life. He led institutions with global reach, answered thousands of letters and requests, yet always had a smile and showed a pleasant demeanor without any sign of fatigue. The Rebbe called this *"zeal in moderation"* -- work done quickly and with enthusiasm, yet infused with internal tranquility. If only we could emulate this mode of action in our own lives.
3. All of us are emissaries. The Rebbe led the famous army of Chabad emissaries but emphasized that they were not the only emissaries, that every one of us was an emissary too. If all you know is the letter aleph, then you can teach someone who does not even know aleph. If you have something to give, the world is waiting for you to give it, to fulfill your mission.
4. The Rebbe claimed that the rise in the status of women was of spiritually cosmic significance. Women needed to learn and to teach. A woman was not just the wife of an emissary, but an emissary in her own right. But the true status of the woman, he reminded us, is associated with her holy privilege of pregnancy, giving birth, raising and educating children.
5. Everyone in our generation is trying to find out who they are, but the Rebbe encouraged people to put their egos aside; in so doing, they would discover their true selves. If you put the other person in the center of things and not yourself, you will focus more on what you have to contribute. In this way you will find true fulfillment and the entire world will be blessed because of you."
In his memory.