A Rabbi from Uganda, Alabama, and China sit down to have a drink together. It sounds like the setup to a joke, but it actually happened last night on stage—with a moderator from Utah.

Right now, in New York, surrounded by 6,200 Chabad rabbis from 111 countries—the largest Shluchim Convention ever. The energy is electric: singing, sharing stories, inspiring one another.

To many, Chabad’s success makes no sense. More than 30 years after the Rebbe’s passing, without a new leader, the army of shluchim hasn’t just survived—it has grown tenfold. From 65 rabbis in 1983 to a sold-out 6,500–seat banquet this year. New Chabad centers keep popping up in places no one imagined. How is this possible?

The answer lies in this week’s Torah portion, Chayei Sarah—“the Life of Sarah.” Strangely, the portion begins with her passing. Why describe her life by recounting her death?

Because only after someone is gone can you see if what they built lasts forever. When Sarah passed away, all the miracles of her tent returned when Rivkah entered it. Her light, warmth, and holiness continued into the next generation. Sarah had built something eternal.

Her secret? Abraham preached, but Sarah made it real. He welcomed guests; she fed them. He spoke about G-d; she showed what a Jewish home looks like. Together they created a tent overflowing with kindness, love, and holiness.

This is the model the Rebbe gave us. He never sent a rabbi alone—he sent couples. Because Judaism isn’t transmitted only through speeches; it’s lived at the Shabbat table, through warmth, food, light, and love.

When the Rebbe passed away in 1994, many predicted Chabad would fade. Instead, the number of shluchim families has quintupled. Why? Because the Rebbe taught that Judaism must be an experience—words and deeds, intellect and heart.

That’s why when you walk into a Chabad House, you’re not entering an institution—you’re walking into Abraham and Sarah’s tent. A place where you can feel what living for G-d does for a home and for a soul.

And how fitting that the Kinus takes place the Shabbat we read about Sarah’s lasting impact. Just as her candles miraculously burned all week, the Rebbe’s light shines brighter every year through the Shabbat candles and Shabbat tables of thousands of shluchim worldwide.

So this week, in honor of Sarah, let’s make our Judaism a lived experience. Add warmth to your home. Share a meal. Invite someone into your tent. Be a beacon of light.

Good Shabbos!
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