Vayishlach: Kidnapped Jewish Children

December 6, 2024

A historic Chassidic discourse addressed the kidnapping of Jewish children and their forced draft into the Russian army for 25 years of service. The Rebbe explores the contemporary lesson from this tragic episode.

Sicha, 15 Adar 5714

A. The Struggle With the Angel
Jacob leaves Charan for Canaan, intending to reunite with his brother Esau. En-route, he encounters Esau’s angel and wrestles all night with him, ultimately prevailing, but injuring his leg (Source 1). Commentaries explain that this episode foreshadows the Jewish-Gentile relationship in the future: the nations will hurt the Jews and persecute them, like the angel who struck Jacob’s leg, but will not prevail over them, and ultimately they will be saved, just as Jacob was. (Sources 2-4)

B. The Cantonist Decree
The Rebbe cites a discourse from the Mitteler Rebbe where the latter asks what G-d expects from these Cantonist children kidnapped and drafted into the Russian army to be converted to Christianity. How could they ever observe mitzvot? What is their purpose in life? The explanation is that although they cannot perform many mitzvot, in G-d’s eyes, those that they can perform are as valuable and cherished as all the mitzvot.
The Rebbe questions whether this principle can be applied to the case of a child kidnapped into a non-Jewish society, or modern applications thereof. How did their soul benefit from being born?
At some point, they will have the opportunity to do a mitzvah, and despite the challenges, they will do so with self-sacrifice. That is incredibly precious to G-d, and it was worth their soul being born for that one mitzvah alone.
The application of this for every Jew is that when we sin, we are considered like a “captive child ” and it can be difficult to mend our ways. The message is: This sacrifice to return to G-d is exceedingly valuable to Him!

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