No Compromise

In honor of Yud Beis Tammuz – the Frierdiker Rebbe’s birthday and day of liberation from Soviet prison. 

When the Russian government systematically shut down the Jewish infrastructure in Russia, the Frierdiker Rebbe sent his students to reopen the Mikvaos, schools, etc. Without regard to personal suffering or hardship, these holy students carried out this mission, oftentimes giving up their very lives in doing so. HY”D.

Undeterred by the relentless efforts to of the Russian government, the Frierdiker Rebbe forged ahead.

Disregarding the terrible danger he was putting himself in, the Rebbe single-handedly ran the operation of keeping the Jewish flame alive in Russia.
He soon became a formidable force to be reckoned with; a force that clearly and effectively undermined the efforts of the Russian government and the Yevsektzia, the faction of Jewish, government-appointed agents.

Realizing that he was unstoppable, the Yevsektzia reached out to the Frierdiker Rebbe for a “truce”. In exchange for his cooperating with the government, they offered to lift all restrictions on Mikvaos, Shechita, Mila, Shuls, etc. everything, except for the Chadorim – children’s schools. The Yevsektzia was willing to allow every other aspect of Jewish life and Torah and Mitzvos to continue undisturbed, if only the crucial aspect of the children’s education was under their control.

The Yevsektzia understood as well as the Rebbe did, that the key to Jewish survival depended on the continuity of Jewish education. Needless to say the Frierdiker Rebbe categorically refused their truce.

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The Rebbe’s strong opposition to the Yevsektzia’s efforts eventually resulted in his arrest on 27 Sivan. In prison, the Rebbe endured much pain and personal hardship for his staunch and unyielding commitment to Jewish education.

A death sentence R”L, and then a sentence for years of forced labor were eventually commuted. On Yud Beis Tammuz, the Rebbe was freed.

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Boruch Hashem, we live in a time that does not require such a sacrifice or superhuman effort to provide a Torah-true education for our children. Yet, like the Yevsektzia, the Yetzer Hara expends every effort to derail our commitment and he tries to convince us that the “sacrifices” needed to make it happen are beyond our capabilities. He creates “insurmountable” challenges and excuses any laxity or compromise.

Let us recommit ourselves to the Chinuch of our children, and may we harness the power of Yud Beis Tammuz to do so with increased energy, blessing and success.

Heard at a Farbrengen, Yud Beis Tammuz, this year.