Orphan Souls

Contemplating the untimely passing of Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, I thought how frustrating it must have been to preach to the diverse crowd of people many of whom were coming to Chabad mainly to socialize and eat the sumptuous Kiddush, unburdened by synagogue membership fees or obligations to keep mitzvoth. Of course Rabbi Moscowitz was on a different level and would not hold the grudge, but even Moses was frustrated at times with the "stiff-necked people". And then I thought ...that the greatest mesiras nefesh-level Mitzvah of Rabbi Moscowitz and people like him is caring of the orphans. Because when a Jewish soul, a holy neshama, is born into this world, into a secular family, a society of atheists and skeptics, she is like an orphan. A orphan soul may be placed in a pampered body with well engaged mind, but the soul - the soul yearns for something bigger, seeks higher purpose, starving for mitzvoth, thirsty for the word of Torah - and the mind is either unaware of this condition or is greatly confused.

The mitzvah of taking care of the orphans is unqualified by any conditions. Torah does not say to care about orphans only if they are nice, if they keep Shabbat, learn Torah, pray every day - it says to take care of the orphans and widows and welcome a stranger - unconditionally, because we were slaves and strangers in a strange land.