Humps, Toes and Eyelashes

The little camel looked up to her mother inquisitively, “Mom, why do we have such big humps?”
“My child, they are there to help us store water for our long treks across the desert, so we can go without drinking for long periods of time.”
“Okay. And why do we have three-toed feet?”
“When we trek along desert sand, our toes will help us stay above the sand!”
“Hmm… Mom, why do we have such long eyelashes?”
“My child you’re brilliant today. They are to keep sand out of our eyes during our trips in the desert.”
“So let me get this straight, we have huge feet to stop us from sinking, long eyelashes to keep the sand out of our eyes, and these humps to store water.”
“Yes dear,” said the mother.
“So why are we in the Bronx zoo?”

Sometimes I feel like the baby camel. In truth, I wish I felt that way all the time. This week is one of those sometimes.
What happened this week? It was 17 years ago, at the Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn – 770, that the Lubavitcher Rebbe, gave a monumental speech, in which he told his followers, that he has done all he can to usher in the redemption, and that he now gives over the responsibly to every one of us.
Think about it: He tells me, he tells you, that we’ve got the power to make big changes. “No, he says, don’t think so low of yourself, yes you can, and must, make big revolutions. I give it over to you because I know you have all it takes – the humps, the eyelashes and the toes, plus so much more.
“There is a war waiting to be waged, there is a mission waiting to be accomplished, and there is a world waiting to be transformed; [so the Rebbe cries:] Friends: If we have all it takes to win the battle, then why are we still rotting away in the zoo? Why aren’t we going out and taking the world by storm?”
Not to take away from all that has, and is, being done; but nevertheless as long as we haven’t reached the redemption, the Rebbe’s words must ring in our ears: do all you can!
Friends, we can do it!
Just believe in yourself as much as the Rebbe believes in you.
And when we take this to heart, and make a revolution-of-goodness, then we will G-d willing be able to say goodbye to this zoo…
…Forever