In Elul 5729 (1969), less than a year after the first moon landing, the Rebbe encouraged Chassidim to focus on what’s important during this time of year and forget about worldly occurrences:
The hardest part is removing yourself from ordinary everyday life. When Shabbat Mevorchim Elul arrives, a time when you should be awakened to teshuvah, you are unable to pause your everyday life “in the big city.”
For example, you still can’t get over the fact that man landed on the moon! It is already Shabbat Mevorchim Elul. The month of Elul is almost here. It is a time that you should be focusing on the avodah (service) of Ani L’Dodi V’Dodi Li (I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me) — coming closer to Hashem with your own effort.
Why do you care about man reaching the moon; or if they are now planning to reach even further, to planet Mars (just because one non-Jew or another decided so)?
You should focus on the avodah of the month of Elul.
Shabbats Parshas Re’eh, 5729; reprinted from Derher
