Break The Wall With Your Forehead!

I wanted to share with you, just to open the conversation, an interesting anecdote about Rabbi Yisrael Rubin, Rabbi's emissary to Albany.

Rabbi Rubin said that he didn't write to the Rabbi often, he didn't get answers from the Rabbi often, I'm sorry, he didn't say he didn't write.

He said, I didn't often get letters from the Rebbe.

I don't know if he writes often or not.

He said, I didn't often get letters from the Rebbe.

But when he made a dinner in 1980 in Tav Shemem, he got a letter from the Rebbe in English.

The dinner was on Sunday of Parshas Vayishlach.

And in this letter, the Rebbe notes the differences between Parshas Vayetze and Parshas Vayishlach.

Although the letter was addressed to all those participating in the dinner, Rabbi Rubin said, I felt this letter was a personal letter, a letter for me.

I was very broken at that time.

I didn't feel that anything here was going to move, anything here was going to change.

Financially, Rabbi Rubin said, I was in the lowest situation.

And also, in regards to my activity to spread Judaism, because Albany, New York, is a place where the Reform and the Conservative movements were in their full strength, he felt that there's no movement in his achievements for the Jewish people.

He won't be able to make any dent.

That's how he felt then.

So, this letter that the Rebbe sent, where there makes a contrast between Parshas V'Yetz and Parshas V'Yetz, he felt this letter was addressed to him, telling him how he should really look at the situation.

In Parshas V'Yetz, the Rebbe says, the Torah tells us that Yaakov left alone from his parents' house, one man by himself, and he comes to the city of Charon.

He comes from Be'er Sheva, and from Be'er Sheva he travels to Charon.

He goes to a new place without knowing how it's going to work out.

He's sent, surrounded by people that don't like him.

His brother Esav tries to war against him.

Lavan, his uncle, tries to swindle him.

And every step is connected with great difficulty.

Every movement is fraught with incredible angst and frustrations.

And despite all of his previous worries, when God came to Yaakov, and God promised him that he will be with him, Yaakov leaves God's presence, the Torah says, Yaakov's heart lifted his feet.