I live in an area directly affected by the deaths of Chabad Emissary Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivkah. They have relatives living in nearby Monterey, CA. Plus, I know the Chabad Rabbi, Yochanan Friedman, in Santa Cruz quite well. He and I had an opportunity to discuss the tragedy on Monday after a class he was teaching. Among other things, we talked about Chabad’s response to the terrorist attack on the Chabad House in Mumbai.
Despite the fact that the terrorist attack in Mumbai last week has been likened to the attack on New York on September 11, 2002, the response by the Chabad community worldwide has been nothing like that of the United States after that horrific event. In fact, it has been just the opposite. Rather than asking the world to take revenge on the terrorists, Chabad has requested that the Jewish world in particular respond by performing “mitzvot,” or commandments. These include acts of loving kindness, giving charity, lighting Sabbath and holiday candles, saying prayers, and studying Torah (the Old Testament or Bible) among other things. Even 6,000 college students united to take part in an emergency “Mitzvot for Mumbai” campaign launched by the Chabad on Campus International Foundation.
This community is not only mourning the death of two people who have been called “tzaddikim,” righteous ones, well loved and doing much good work in Mumbai, but also is having to deal with the fact that they are a terrorist target,. Yet, they are neither striking out in anger nor cowering in fear. Rather, they are reaching out and asking people to respond with love and good deeds in a time when hate and aggression seems the preferred emotion and action to take.
When the Chabad house was attacked on November 26, Chabad Emissary Rabbi Holtzberg and his wife were murdered. The Holtzberg’s son, who celebrated his 2nd birthday on that day, was saved by his courageous nanny. Interestingly, Rivkah’s parents requested that in her memory, Jewish women should light Shabbat (Sabbath) candles each Friday. In this way, just when the world seems darkest, women, who traditionally have the role of lighting Shabbat candles each Friday night, help bring light into the world. The hope remains that if enough women light candles each Friday, and if enough Jews fill the world with Torah and mitzvot, they also can fill the world with enough light so that terror and darkness have nowhere to hide.
Yet, everyone can learn a lesson and use Chabad as an example. If enough people in general – Jews and non-Jews alike – do good deeds and say prayers, we can accomplish the same thing. We can shine enough light into the world to create change in a very different manner. We can bring about change via an outpouring of love and light and good deeds.
Now, isn’t that better than taking revenge? I think so.
(Note: For information on Shabbat candle lighting as a spiritual practice, check out my booklet, The Priestess Practice. Or read my book teaser.)
