From the Archives
On this weekend each year, the Lubavitcher Rebbe's emissaries convene at World Lubavitch Headquarters. While the first International Shluchim Convention in 1984 was attended by 65 emissaries, today housands of emissaries attend, and the number continues to grow each year as more and more young couples join the Lubavitcher Rebbe's army.
The convention in 1990 was opened by the Rebbe at a Shabbat gathering of the emissaries and thousands of other Chasidim. The Rebbe explained the characteristics of an emissary and his mission:
"First and foremost, each emissary should feel strengthened and reinforced by this meeting. He should realize that no matter how far away he has been sent, the one who appointed him is with him. Indeed, 'a person's emissary is considered as he, himself.':
The deeds of the emissary are considered as having been performed by the one who appointed him; the shliach, and his powers, however, are considered as separated entities.
The emissary's power to act is considered as given over to the one who appointed him; his other powers, his thoughts and his feelings, are his own. All of the shliach's powers, his thoughts, his feelings, his will, and his pleasure, are given over to the one who appointed him.
The Rebbe then went on to explain the mission of each emissary, near or far, which is to spread Judaism and the teachings of Chasidism outward. The Rebbe continued: "These activities will lead to the realization in deed and action of the concept that the Hebrew word 'shliach' [emissary] together with the number ten (signifying the ten powers of the soul), is numerically equivalent to 'Moshiach.'
"Every single Jew has a spark of Moshiach within his soul which can be revealed through the service described above. The revelation of the spark of Moshiach on an individual level will lead to the revelation of Moshiach for the entire world and the coming of the ultimate Redemption. May it be in the immediate future."