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A New Book About the Rebbe’s Teachings Will Light Up and Inspire Your Life
Menachem Mendel Schneerson — the Lubavitcher Rebbe — at the Lag BaOmer parade in Brooklyn, New York, May 17, 1987. Photo: Mordecai Baron via Wikicommons.
Mendel Kalmenson’s newly published book, On Purpose (Ezra Press), was inspired by the wisdom and teachings of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, otherwise affectionately known throughout the world as the Rebbe.
The opening pages at once grab the reader’s attention, with the Rebbe’s answer to that age-old question, “why am I here?”
His answer is both life-changing and life-confirming; he said your existence is G-d’s way of saying that you matter. The fact that you matter is a perfect segue into another question, “if I matter, why am I here, in other words, what is my purpose in life?” According to the Rebbe, the short answer is, we are here to elevate the Divine sparks hidden within the material world. What that means and how we do that is the focus of this book.
Judaism considers humility a virtue, and according to our sages, the humblest person to have ever existed was Moses. How do we know? The Torah tells us so. “Now, this man Moses was exceedingly humble, more so than any person on earth.” (Bamidbar 12:3). Although it would be a monumental challenge to be as humble as Moses, nevertheless we can aspire to be more modest and unassuming in our own lives, despite what appears to be a contradictory Kabbalist statement that “G-d crafted the cosmos to make your existence possible.”
Kalmenson illuminates three principles the Rebbe embraced — the importance of life, the value of the individual, and their responsibility to the self and the entire world. The Rebbe, ever the optimist, had unabated faith in mankind. So much so, he taught that even evil allows us to find a positive outcome in a circumspect way. He explained that history bears witness to the fact that an individual can do much harm, but similarly a person can do much good. The Rebbe believed that in G-d’s creation, good outweighs evil and that the smallest act of kindness can have a profound positive Butterfly Effect on the world.
So, how do we know what G-d expects from us; what is our mission? Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks summed up the wisdom he received from the Rebbe, “Where what you do meets what needs to be done, that is where G-d wants you to be.” But because life places obstacles and diversions along each person’s path, it is difficult to find the right way to fulfill one’s purpose. But that is no reason to despair, because G-d equips us with the wherewithal to overcome the difficulties we will inevitably meet.
Although the Rebbe had no children, he stressed the importance of family. His view of family is characterized by the aphorism, “Charity begins at home” or more pointedly he said, “If you have the choice between supporting those who are poor in your family or the poor in your city, the poor in your family takes precedence.”
Sometimes the Rebbe surprised those who had the privilege to learn some of his personal views. For example, who would think the Rebbe considered a birthday the most important day of your life? After all, in traditional Jewish practice, the birthday’s importance pales compared to the day of your death, by the fact we commemorate a person’s yahrzeit, by giving tzedakah, reciting kaddish, special prayers, and lighting a yahrzeit candle. But the Rebbe viewed the importance of those two days differently than one would expect. To find out his reasoning about that matter, as well as gaining insight to a host of other fascinating ideas about his theological beliefs and practices, I strongly recommend reading Kalmenson’s well-written and hard to put down book; you will not be disappointed.
Steve is a freelance writer focusing on topics relating to Israel and Judaism.
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Iran Says It Has Replaced Air Defenses Damaged in Israel War
The S-300 missile system is seen during the National Army Day parade ceremony in Tehran, Iran, April 17, 2024. Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS
Iran has replaced air defenses damaged during last month’s conflict with Israel, Iran’s Defah Press news agency reported on Sunday quoting Mahmoud Mousavi, the regular army’s deputy for operations.
During the conflict in June, Israel’s air force dominated Iran’s airspace and dealt a heavy blow to the country’s air defenses while Iranian armed forces launched successive barrages of missiles and drones on Israeli territory.
“Some of our air defenses were damaged, this is not something we can hide, but our colleagues have used domestic resources and replaced them with pre-arranged systems that were stored in suitable locations in order to keep the airspace secure,” Mousavi said.
Prior to the war, Iran had its own domestically-made long-range air defense system Bavar-373 in addition to the Russian-made S-300 system. The report by Defah Press did not mention any import of foreign-made air defense systems to Iran in past weeks.
Following limited Israeli strikes against Iranian missile factories last October, Iran later displayed Russian-made air defenses in a military exercise to show it recovered from the attack.
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Calm Reported in Syria’s Sweida, Damascus Says Truce Holding
Members of Internal Security Forces stand guard at an Internal Security Forces’ checkpoint working to prevent Bedouin fighters from advancing towards Sweida, following renewed fighting between Bedouin fighters and Druze gunmen, despite an announced truce, in Walgha, Sweida province, Syria, July 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Karam al-Masri
Residents reported calm in Syria’s Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a US envoy signaled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.
With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze. Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, “paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate.”
Reuters images showed interior ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The Interior Ministry said late on Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city.
US envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had “navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities”. “The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he wrote on X.
Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city’s residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.
Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. “Houses are destroyed … The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital,” he said in a voice message to Reuters from Sweida.
The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organized by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi’ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.
Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.
Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people.”
He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups.”
While Sharaa has won US backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups.
COASTAL VIOLENCE
After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defense ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarization of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.
He also said Israel would protect the Druze.
The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days.
A Syrian security source told Reuters that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered.
On Sunday, Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria’s coastal region in March, where Reuters reported in June that Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority following attacks on security forces.
The presidency said it would review the inquiry’s conclusions and ensure steps to “bring about justice” and prevent the recurrence of “such violations.” It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings – if appropriate – as soon as possible.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.
Reuters could not independently verify the tolls.
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Pope Leo Calls for End to ‘Barbarity of War’ After Strike on Gaza Church
Pope Leo XIV leads the Angelus prayer in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, July 20, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yara Nardi TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Pope Leo called for an end to the “barbarity of war” on Sunday as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in Gaza.
Three people died and several were injured, including the parish priest, in the strike on the Holy Family Church compound in Gaza City on Thursday. Photos show its roof has been hit close to the main cross, scorching the stone facade, and shattering windows.
Speaking after his Angelus prayer, Leo read out the names of those killed in the incident.
“I appeal to the international community to observe humanitarian law and respect the obligation to protect civilians as well as the prohibition of collective punishment, of indiscriminate use of force and forced displacement of the population,” he said.
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