There is a new way of commanding respect.
I am not referring to the ‘old-fashioned’ way of studying hard and earning respect for your scholarship.
Nor am I referring to the classic way to be a mover and shaker by amassing lots of money.
There is a ‘new kid on the block’ in terms of societal power that has all the others wrapped around his little finger.
The INFLUENCER.
Yes, if you have someone with a million followers or more, they are a force to be reckoned with.
They can create waves of public sentiment and opinion. They can foment and stoke divisiveness. Even great leaders tremble in fear before the formidable powers of the INFLUENCER.
I am learning about this incredible power in a very real way now.
There is a saga going on around Israeli tourism in Pai. As I shared last week. Pai is a small rural village that has become overrun by tourists of all nationalities in a non-sustainable way. The largest group of tourists are from the UK. Following them comes Israeli’s. Most of the tourists behave respectfully. Unconscionable behavior by a couple of Israeli tourists (who were deported by the authorities) created an avenue to scapegoating all of the Israeli tourists as being wild and untamed. From there it was not a long journey to contorted and convoluted claims regarding the Chabad House using conspiratorial antisemitic tropes.
The matter is calming down as the Royal Government of Thailand issued reassuring messages that besides for a few isolated violations by unruly tourists, the rest of the tourist population are generally well behaved. The Prime Minister of Thailand has issued a statement that the Chabad House has been visited by senior police and all is in order. It is a house of worship – a Synagogue with a holy, positive and moral mission.
Yet, the media craze doesn’t quite abate.
Why?
Influencers.
There are a few people who don’t want this story to go the way of usual stories. They would like to keep the negativity going strong.
I don’t want to dwell on the negativity of it.
Obviously, influencers who are good and have moral clarity can and do create powerful movements of goodness and holiness.
Everything in life is there to teach us a lesson. A positive lesson.
It dawns on me that this new pivotal role of ‘influencer’ in the social media world is a most vivid explanation to the meaning of life that exists even after one has passed away.
In the portion of the Torah when Sara passes away, the parsha is named ‘the life of Sarah’. The commentaries ask, why is it called the ‘life of Sarah’ when it talks about the passing of Sarah?
The answer is, the portion speaks about Yitschak getting married and setting up a family. The real life of Sarah continues through her offspring.
Through the children we have, the legacy we leave behind we continue to influence the world as if we were alive.
Today I want to talk about a very special woman who is an influencer of epic proportions.
The Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, wife of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. She and her husband were not blessed with physical children.
Tens of thousands of girls, from newborns to mothers of large families, bear her name.
Those Chaya Mushka’s, Chaya’s, Mushki’s, Chayaleh’s, Mussies, and all other variations of her name, are rocking the world with goodness and kindness.
Throughout the Jewish world the legacy of the Rebbetzin is alive and well.
Yesterday, the 22nd of Shevat marked the 37th anniversary of the passing of this special tzadeket.
Thousands have gathered in NY to visit her grave in prayer and commitment to continue her legacy of holiness, modesty, goodness and kindness.
Today her spirit is alive and vibrant through the influence that she has in this world.
Influencers are the real power in this world today.
The real influencers of the world are gathered this weekend for a special conference. The Shluchot conference. Several thousand of the rebbetzen’s of the Chabad branches from around the world are joining in unity to recommit to their mission of making this world a holier better and more peaceful place.
Join the movement of light. Do another mitzvah. Light Shabbat candles. Tefilin. Torah. Ahavat Yisrael - love of your fellow. Tzedaka. Kosher and believe in a better future that is imminent. The coming of Mashiach.
There is something else that comes to mind regarding our local Thailand issue of negative media hype around the Jewish and Israeli presence in Pai and elsewhere in the country.
Perhaps this is all nothing but a steppingstone and preparation for Mashiach.
You see, Judaism is not so well known in Thailand. When Mashiach comes, there may be many who have no idea what that means. They have never heard of Jews and Israel. By increasing and the heightening the awareness about Judaism and Israel among the Thai population through all this media attention, there will be more ‘name recognition’ when Mashiach comes as the redeemer of the Jewish people and takes us all back to Israel.
May this narrative become the reality with the coming of Mashiach and world peace, the resurrection of the dead and the utopia we all await eagerly and expectantly.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Yosef Kantor