Chabad rabbis bond at annual kinus in North West province

The best way to get to Rustenburg from Johannesburg is the long way. This means heading towards Pretoria on the N1 North, going around the city on the Eastern Bypass, and catching the N4 West Platinum Highway at Doornpoort. It is some 50km longer, but it takes only an extra 10 minutes or so. Navigation apps won’t send you that way, as they are programmed to choose the quickest and shortest route, in this case, the somewhat dangerous, poorly maintained, pothole-riddled roads that meander through the Magaliesberg. 

I took the two-hour drive last week to meet some five dozen friends and colleagues, fellow Chabad rabbis from across South Africa, Shluchim (emissaries) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It was a long way to go, but towards a most meaningful destination: our annual get-together for a national kinus, a meeting of minds, hearts, and souls. For 48 hours, the world did not exist as we sat in the conference rooms of Hunters Rest. We strategised and debated, brainstormed and shared ideas, planned and discussed approaches. Most importantly, we studied Torah together, ate together, shmoozed together, and bonded. 

It’s one of the highlights of my year. Busy as we all are with our respective communities, isolation can easily set in. Each of us knows our common mission statement. Our Rebbe charged us with the assignment of changing the world through mitzvot and acts of kindness, bringing it to its ultimate goal: Moshiach. We all have different ways of doing this, depending on our personal circumstances and our individual talents and personalities. Sometimes it feels like we are flying at 120km/h on a beautifully maintained dual carriageway toll road. Quite frequently, however, the job is more like navigating a treacherous, winding, crater-filled pathway. The end destination, however, is the same. 

The kinus connects us, reinvigorates us, and reinforces our sense of shared mission. 

The Talmud relates that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Hananya was walking and stopped at a crossroads to ask a youngster for directions to the city. “This path is short and long, and that path is long and short,” said the youngster. The rabbi chose the former road, only to find it blocked by gardens and orchards, rendering it impassable. Eventually, he was forced to retrace his steps and take the longer but easier road. The story is no mere fable, but rather a metaphor for life. 

The drive back home two days later felt neither long nor tedious. It was still a two-hour journey, but I felt as though I was flying, filled with inspiration, motivation, and drive. May G-d grant that the road to the ultimate destination, Moshiach, is equally smooth and trouble-free. 

• Rabbi Yossi Chaikin is the rabbi at Oxford Shul and the chairperson of the South African Rabbinical Association.