לקוטי שיחות חלק ד׳ - י״ב וי"ג תמוז

The lesson from the story of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, is that when one resolves to fulfill the will of Hashem with complete self-sacrifice (mesirus nefesh), one should not be intimidated by any obstacles or delays.

During his imprisonment, the Previous Rebbe decided that he would not be intimidated by the GPU (the Soviet secret police). When they came to inform him that he had been sentenced to three years of exile, he refused to stand in order to hear the announcement. They struck him three times, and during one of those encounters they addressed him as “Rebbe.”

Later, when they informed him that he would be sent into exile, he declared that he would not travel on Shabbos. As a result, they allowed him to remain in prison until Sunday rather than force him to travel on Shabbos.

The lesson from this story is that when a person is determined to fulfill Hashem’s will with mesirus nefesh, he should not be discouraged by any obstacle or hindrance. On the contrary, this can bring about the fulfillment of the verse, “I will say to the north, ‘Give forth!’” The “north,” which is associated with the verse “From the north the evil shall break forth,” not only ceases to obstruct redemption but actually becomes a force that assists it. The very powers that once opposed holiness can be transformed into instruments for its success.

This was also seen when the Previous Rebbe was finally permitted to leave Russia. He insisted that he would not depart without his books and manuscripts. The authorities contacted Moscow, and permission was ultimately granted for the books to be taken out as well. Thus, even the system that sought to restrict him was compelled to assist in carrying out his mission.