The obvious questions that rise now are: how does one approach non- religious Jews to become involved and more observant? Even while allowing for individual gains to be made, what realistic hopes are there for the success of such an offensive for Torah-Yiddishkeit? At times it would seem that for every one won over, the Chassid probably meets up with perhaps two disappointments as well. How, then, does one retain the courage and enthusiasm to carry on if the odds are so heavily weighted against?

The Rebbe states that it is a well-known empirical fact that where matters of Torah and mitzvot are concerned every Jew, no matter how estranged, is generally found responsive. (See Maimonides, Hilchot Gerushin 2:20, where this maxim is stated in Halachic context. Hence the oft-cited principle in Chabad-Chassidism that "it is innate to every Jew that he does not want nor is he able to separate himself from Divinity;" see Maamar Bati Legani 5713, ch. 2, 4 and 5.)

To be sure, one Jew may more readily respond to one particular mitzvah or idea, while a second one will respond to another. It is all a matter of experience and approach. But where the approach is right, no Jew is wholly unresponsive! For no Jew is absolutely stripped of every vestige of Jewishness.

It would serve no purpose to approach the non-observant with demands for immediate, full ascent to a perfect Torah-way of life. But through a pleasant, understanding and helpful approach, a good many of these straying souls can be brought back partially, and gradually even completely. However, this is possible only if we take the initiative and if we do not fall into the trap of overlooking the trees because of the forest.

As quoted in H. Weiner, "The Lubavitcher Movement," Commentary, April 1957, p. 327, the most important thing is "no compromise"! Compromise is dangerous because it sickens both the body and the soul. A compromiser who tries to mediate religion and environment is unable to go in either direction and unable to distinguish the truth.

A fault yet more serious is to sanctify the compromise, to still the conscience, and to leave no possibility for teshuvah (return). The Rebbe states that:

It is important to know that one must do everything, but at the same time we welcome the doing of even a part. If all we can accomplish is to save one limb, we save that. Then we worry about saving another.

This strict adherence and allegiance to the principles and precepts of the Torah in the perspective of the historical tradition of orthodoxy, by no means implies that orthodoxy in general, and Chassidism in particular, are to be seen as `fossilized conservatism':

As quoted in the in New York Times, March 27, 1972, p. 39.

"I do not believe that other movements are liberal and that orthodox means conservative. The meaning of `conservatism' is someone who is so petrified he cannot accept something new. But true Judaism, Halachah or Torah, encompasses all the universe, and it encompasses every new invention, every new theory, every new piece of knowledge or thought or action. Everything that happens in 1972 has a place in the Torah, and it must be interpreted, it must be explained, it must be evaluated from the point of view of Torah, even if it happened for the first time in March 1972."

The distant future, or special measures to guarantee success, and even temporary setbacks, do not seem to be the immediate concern of the Chassidim. As the Rebbe puts it:

We can see only what is going on right now, in the present, and on the surface. The patterns of Divine Providence are not unveiled to us till later. Our task, and in particular that of Jewish youth, is to do and to want to do. The rest is not up to us. But, to cite the late Lubavitcher Rebbe (R. Joseph Isaac), of sainted memory, we have two basic assurances. The first is that one action is worth more than a thousand sighs. And secondly, no action for a good purpose has ever been done in vain. In the long run it will succeed and pay its dividends. These must be our guiding principles.

We ourselves do not count. It is our task, our sacred mission, that matters. And if we but want to carry it on, our goal will not remain unachieved.

If all the mitzvot of the Torah must be carried out with vigor, then -a fortiori- the mitzvah of ahavat Yisrael, the very foundation of the Torah. One must speak with fellow-Jews about Torah and mitzvot, and, if unsuccessful, speak again. Even if someone should react antagonistically, do not be discouraged. On the contrary: his antagonism only proves that he is affected. Thus one must speak to him again and again until he accedes.

(For as long as some reaction is evoked, this is an indication that the person is affected and impressible. It is difficult to reach the indifferent, impassable person. See R. Sholom Ber, Torat Shalom, p. 10.

"Whence do we know that if one sees something unseemly in another one is obliged to reprove him? Because it is said, `You shall surely rebuke.' (Levit. 19:17). If he rebuked him but he did not accept it, whence do we know that he must rebuke him again? The text states `hoche'ach tochi'ach rebuke, you shall rebuke' anyhow," (Arachin 16b) even a hundred times (Baba Metzia 31a). One is not permitted, though to do so harshly and to put him to shame, as the Scriptural verse concludes "do not suffer sin because of him;" (Arachin 16b;Sifra on this verse; Tanchuma, Mishpatim:7).)

One must go about this vigorously. To be sure, in order to be heard and acceptable one must speak gently and in a pleasant manner, but also with conviction and vigor. With this combination of pleasantness and vigor one will succeed.

When not successful at first, one must realize that the fault lies not with the other but within yourself. The other is receptive, but because your own words "do not come from the heart" that is why "they do not enter the heart."

In the perspective of this goal and sense of responsibility, odds just do not count and may not count.