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BH. 25 Tevet 5775 16 January 2015 Number 957 Price: $6.00 Part 2 of 2

EN SIMCH

k
AS

KEREN SIMCHAS CHOSSON V'KALLAH

14th Annual Auction

The international weekly heralding the coming of Moshiach

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father in-law, the Rebbe Rayatz, leader of
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observe each and every chassid and adherent,
examining his [spiritual] state and standing,
etc., awakens and stirs the chassid to complete
and perfect all of our deeds and service.
(Shabbos Parshas VaEira 5752)

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BASI LGANI 5715

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THE ATTACK
IN 770
INTERVIEW WITH
LEVI YITZCHOK
ROSENBLATT

SEVENTH
GENERATION
SENSITIVITY
PARSHA THOUGHT

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BH. 25 Tevet 5775
16 January 2015 Number 957
Price: $6.00 Part 2 of 2

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LONG LIVE THE REBBE MELECH HAMOSHIACH FOREVER AND EVER!

13/01/2015 15:08:12

CONTENTS

6
FEATURED ARTICLES

WEEKLY COLUMNS

3 Dvar Malchus
5 Moshiach & Geula
19 Shlichus
28 Parsha Thought
34 Tzivos Hashem

EVERY DELAY IS FOR

THE BEST
Avrohom Rainitz

CROWN OF
12 THE
TOMCHEI TMIMIM

20

ALL ODDS
20 AGAINST
Yaron Tzvi
UNITED TECHNICAL
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Michoel Leib Dobry

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Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272

is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only
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2015-01-13 7:35:56 AM

DVAR MALCHUS

BASI LGANI
5715
Having G-d before me constantly uplifts the
person, to the point where he totally transcends
worldly affairs, viewing all that befalls him with
equal indifference. But how can there be total
indifference to everything, including all spiritual
dimensions and achievements? * Beis Moshiach presents the maamer
the Rebbe MHM delivered on Yud Shvat 5715, in accordance with the
custom established by the Rebbe to review each year a section of the
Rebbe Rayatzs maamer Basi LGani of 5710. This year we focus on
the fifth section of the profound and foundational chassidic discourse.
Part 4
Translated by Boruch Merkur

ALL OF EQUAL CONSEQUENCE

4. Consider the Baal Shem Tovs teaching on
the verse, Shivisi, I have placed, G-d before me
constantly. Here shivisi relates to the word
hishtavus equalizing, meaning that a person
must view all matters [the entire spectrum of good
or bad fortune that could befall him] as being of
equal consequence. The inspiration for this elevated
state is the recognition that G-d [is] before me
constantly.
Now, this principle can readily be understood to
apply to material matters: having G-d before me
constantly uplifts the person, to the point where
he totally transcends worldly affairs, viewing all that
befalls him with equal indifference. But how can
there be total indifference to everything, including
all spiritual dimensions and achievements? How
can a person regard all matters that exist in Creation
and within Seider Hishtalshlus as being equal?
Also, how can it be demanded of a mortal being to
maintain this profound indifference in a constant,
unwavering state?
The explanation is that this state of indifference
is only unattainable when considering a mortal as
he [and his avoda] exists within the framework
of Seider Hishtalshlus. But since the avoda is to
establish in the lower realms a dwelling place for

G-d meaning for His very essence, Which is

entirely beyond the realm of reason and beyond
variation and change the vessel [the framework]
to contain G-ds essence must likewise be utterly
transcendent. It is the unique avoda associated with
having G-d before me constantly that cultivates
this kind of radical impartiality to literally all affairs,
and in a constant way, without any compromise.
In light of the above we can also understand
the story told by the Alter Rebbe, who heard from
the Mezritcher Maggid, about the Baal Shem
Tov, whose approach to reaching out to Jews was
to journey from town to town and from village to
village, and ask the Jews he encountered about their
health and welfare, about their livelihood, their
families, and the like. (My revered father in-law,
the Rebbe, would add when telling this story that
the Baal Shem Tov would enquire of the welfare of
both men and women, the elderly and the young, as
well as scholarly and uneducated Jews.) His intent
was to arouse in them the concept of thillos Yisroel,
the thanksgiving of Jews to their Creator (as in the
verse, And You, O holy One, are enthroned upon
the praises of the Jewish people). The Baal Shem
Tov would enquire of Jews in this way simply to
elicit in them the response of baruch Hashem
thank G-d, and the like, in praise of the Alm-ghty.
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Dvar Malchus
The significance of the Baal Shem Tovs
approach is understood in light of the concept of
the name of Heaven is on everyones lips. Praising
G-d in this manner [the name of Heaven] does
not pertain to G-dly illuminations and revelations,
for being relative to the level of the individual,
only those of very lofty spiritual stature are privy
to G-dly revelations. Rather, the verse refers to
the very essence of G-d, which is [ironically]
accessible to everyone [on everyones lips]. It
is only in virtue of Atzmus HaMaor G-ds very
essence, Hashavei umashvei katan vgadol He
is immutable and treats small and great alike that
the name of Heaven is on everyones lips.
Indeed, the whole purpose of the Baal Shem Tov
was to introduce to the world the concept of And
You, O holy One, are enthroned upon the praises
of the Jewish people: In response to the prayers
of the Jewish people that all Jews, erudite and
uneducated alike, laud and praise G-d G-dliness
is manifest below, in the physical world. (Thus,
thillos prayers is linked to the word bhilo,

prophesied. (Radak comments: this is because

they become devoid of their senses and faculties
(bittul hahargashos, etc.) During prophecy, the
prophet attains bittul, negation of self, a state that
transcends reason, which is why it is called shtus.
The concept of prophecy itself, however,
remains to be understood: Although there needs to
be the nullification of the senses and soul-powers
of intellect and emotions, to the point that, in the
literal sense, the prophet removes his clothing,
nevertheless, prophecy employs speech [a faculty
which is, therefore, not utterly transcended].
Prophecy is the revelation of a material voice and
speech below, in the physical world, as it is said,
the spirit of G-d spoke within me and His word
was upon my tongue.
A possible answer emerges from the Mezritcher
Maggids interpretation of the saying of our Sages,
If the righteous wanted [to be free of all sin
Rashi], they could be creators of a world, for was
it not with the word of G-d that the heavens were
made? And it is written, He blew into his nostrils
a living spirit, nishmas chayim.
It is within the power and capacity of G-ds The Targum translates this a
essence alone to create ex nihilo. And it is this ruach memalela a speaking
soul. Now, regarding G-d, there
G-dly power that is drawn down and revealed through the is no concept of portions[of
faculty of speech, the pure and holy speech of tzaddikim. Him], for He is infinite. And
regarding the Infinite, one
cannot say that the aspect of
speech alone was blown into
as in the expression bhilo neiro when He lit His the nose of man. Rather, within the gift of speech
candle [over my head] (Iyov 29:3), which entails everything was included. Thus, If the righteous
drawing down to the world G-dly light.) And this wanted, they could be creators of a world, for the
G-dly manifestation is not only at the level of speech of the righteous is pure and clean, without
keilim, illuminations, and revelations; it reaches the any interference (for only your sins have caused
very essence, which is totally beyond the realm of separation, etc.). The speech of the righteous
intellectual grasp.
cleaves to and is bound to its Divine source, and
it is literally like the speech of G-d Himself, from
which the heavens were made, etc.
THE PROPHET: STRIPPED OF REASON
The speech of a tzaddik can be bound to its root
5. Continuing on the theme of transcending
and
source to the extent that it results in creating
reason, the maamer discusses why a prophet is
a
world.
The power to achieve this is none other
called meshuga mad, as in the verse, Why did
than
the
very
essence of G-d, as discussed in Igeres
this madman (meshuga) come to you? (Melachim
HaKodesh:
The
existence of the Maatzil, blessed be
II 9:11). During prophetic revelation, the prophet
He,
comes
from
His
essence; it is not brought about
transcends physicality (as discussed in Zohar,
as
an
effect
of
some
antecedent cause. Indeed, it
prophecy resides upon one who has surpassed the
is
within
the
power
and
capacity of G-ds essence
corporeal dimension of reality), divesting himself
alone
to
create
ex
nihilo.
And it is this G-dly power
of [even] the intellect and emotions. Embodying
that
is
drawn
down
and
revealed
through the faculty
the attainment of this spiritual height, the prophet
of
speech
[the
pure
and
holy
speech
of tzaddikim].
removes his clothing during prophecy, as stated

regarding Shaul, He too removed his clothing and

[To be continued beH]

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MOSHIACH & GEULA

CHINUCH AND

MOSHIACH
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

Dear Reader shyichyeh,

Our previous article concluded
with the promise of a discussion
regarding the role of a Jewish king
through the eyes of the Torah.
In Parshas Shoftim (17:15), the
Torah tells us: Som Tasim Olecha
Melech you should appoint a
king upon yourselves. It is one of
thethree mitzvos that the Jewish
nation is obligated to fulfill upon
entering Eretz Yisroel; the other two
are to destroy Amalek and to build
the Beis HaMikdash.
As we approach Yud Shvat,
the beginning of the Nesius of the
Rebbe, I will share a vort that I heard
from Rabbi Levi Garelik: If you look
at the first Maamarim of the last
three Rebbeim of Chabad, you will
see that they correlate with the three
above-mentioned Mitzvos.
The Rebbe Rashabs first
Maamer was Kesser Yitnu Lecha
A crown they will give you. This
refers to the appointment of a king.
The Frierdike Rebbes first Maamer
was Reishis Goyim Amalek, about
the obligation to wipe out Amalek.

The Rebbes first Maamer is Basi

LGani I have returned to My
garden. This pasuk refers to the
building of the Beis HaMikdash.
We
find
something
very
fascinating regarding this mitzva
to appoint a king. When the Jewish
people actually ask for a king
(Shmuel 8:5), we find the following
response: And the thing was
displeasing in the eyes of Shmuel,
when they said, Give us a king to
judge us, and Shmuel prayed to
And Hashem said to
Hashem....
Shmuel, Listen to the voice of the
people, according to all that they will
say to you, for they have not rejected
you, but they have rejected Me from
reigning over them.
This seems very hard to
understand. Why would such a
request seem less than acceptable?
The Torah explicitly states that
the appointment of a king is an
obligation incumbent on the Jewish
nation!
The Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos Vol.
24 page 104) explains:
There are two types of kings:




1) A King whose main function

is to maintain peace and order in the
kingdom. He is the highest authority
of power in the land. This is the role
of a non-Jewish king.
2) A King is spiritually higher
than the rest of the generation, and
he connects the people to Hashem
and leads them in that direction.
That is his primary role. This is the
role of the Jewish king.
When the Jewish people asked
for a king, the said the following
(Ibid): Behold, you have grown old,
and your sons do not walk in your
ways. Now, set up for us a king to
judge us like all the nations. In
other words, they were looking for
the non-Jewish type of a king. This is
what upset Shmuel and Hashem. A
true king is the second kind of king,
as explained above.
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva
of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati
and a well sought after speaker
and lecturer. Recordings of his indepth shiurim on Inyanei Geula
uMoshiach can be accessed at
http://www.ylcrecording.com.

Express service
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331 Kingston Ave.
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INTERVIEW

EVERY DELAY IS

FOR THE BEST

The stab wound was 3.5 centimeters deep and it caused internal bleeding
in his skull, placing increasing pressure on his brain. * Less than a month
after the attack took place in 770, Levi Yitzchok ben Raizel Rosenblatt
is well and granted an exclusive interview to Beis Moshiach. He and his
mother recount the moments of terror, the doctors grave concerns, his
mothers tense flight to the US, and encouraging answers from the Rebbe.
Interview by Avrohom Rainitz

evi Yitzchok ben

Raizel
would
prefer to remain an
anonymous bachur,
one of hundreds of Tmimim. He
wanted to spend Kislev learning
Chassidus in 770 and participating
in farbrengens.
But Divine
Providence willed otherwise, and
overnight, his name and picture
were spread around the world.
News outlets everywhere
reported about the dramatic
incident
that
took
place
late at night in 770, when a
black man stabbed a yeshiva
student in the head (this took
place not long after terrorists
attacked worshipers in a shul
in Yerushalayim).
It was of
particular interest in the US since
the attacker was subsequently
shot and killed by a policeman
(as this took place not long after
several black men were shot and
killed by policemen, generating
numerous protests).

Levi Yitzchok Rosenblatt,

a young man from Beitar Ilit,
as well as his mother, stay well
away from the media. When he
was released from the hospital
and returned to Crown Heights,
his friends arranged dancing in
770 to thank Hashem for the
miracles. Levi and his mother
wanted to be there but when they
heard that the media was waiting
there for them, they avoided the
scene.
The only reason they agreed to
be interviewed by Beis Moshiach,
after consulting with a mashpia,
was to fulfill the Rebbes horaa
in the sicha of Parshas VaYeishev
5752, to publicize miracles that
Hashem does in our days, and
this pertains to actually bringing
the true and complete Geula.
During the interview, which
took place in the Beis Moshiach
offices, Levi described the terrible
moments he lived through. It
was really hard to believe that just

two weeks earlier he had been

stabbed in the head and brought
from one hospital to another with
bleeding in his skull. The doctors
too could not believe how quickly
he was released and all consider
him a walking miracle.
His
father,
R
Shaul
Rosenblatt, rav of the khilla that
is based in the shul attached to
the Chassidus Library in Beitar
Ilit, remained in Eretz Yisroel
with the rest of the family. He
says that whoever was involved
in the medical process realizes
the magnitude of the miracle. He
says they all see how the Rebbe
protected him.

I BEGAN TO SCREAM,
HELP! HE STABBED ME!
I was sitting in 770 and
learning Tanya with a friend. We
were sitting on a bench next to
the Rebbes farbrengen platform
when I suddenly noticed a black
guy coming toward us. I looked

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at him and when he stood next to

me he opened his jacket and took
out a knife.
I was very scared and began
to scream, Help! Hes stabbing
me! while I tried to get away
from him. But since he was
standing next to me and I was
sitting, I wasnt able to get away
and he stabbed me forcefully in
the temple. I later heard that the
knife entered above my ear, 3.5
centimeters. In those moments
I thought about one thing only:
how do I get out of here so he
doesnt stab me again.
In the meantime, some
bachurim who were in 770 heard
my screams and rushed over.
The guy turned around and I
took the opportunity to escape.
I got up on the table and from
there I jumped to the farbrengen
platform and kept going to the
back of 770. I did not notice
the blood dripping from me and
creating a red path. Afterward,

they told me that the drops of

blood also dripped on the Rebbes
farbrengen tablecloth.
As I was walking quickly
on the farbrengen platform he
noticed that I had escaped and
began shouting at me, Come
here! Of course, I walked even
faster and quickly reached the
back exit from 770. Outside, I
walked toward the main entrance
of 770 so I would be seen and I
shouted, Help, he stabbed me!
At this point, I began to
feel weak, in pain and dizzy and
I sat on the pavement. Some
bachurim were walking with me
and one of them sat down next
to me and let me lean on him.
Another bachur stood next to me
and began asking me questions
like whats my name and other
details so I would remain
conscious.
I saw that one of the
policemen from the police
mobile command post stationed

nearby was walking slowly near

the entrance to 770. I yelled in
Hebrew and other bachurim told
him in English that someone was
walking around with a knife and
he had already stabbed someone.
The policeman reported this on
his radio and many police cars
began appearing.
The
bachurim
called
Hatzalah,
and
the
first
responders
came
quickly.
Within minutes more and more
volunteers showed up despite the
late hour. One of the bachurim
thought I had been stabbed in the
stomach, and after saying this
to a volunteer they cut open my
clothes to quickly reach the site
of the wound. I began to shiver
from the cold.
In
the
meantime,
R
Avrohom (Yingy) Bistritzky, one
of the heads of Hatzalah, came
and took charge.
From that
point on, for more than 17 hours,
he was completely devoted to me

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Interview
it was amazing like a parent.
When they put me into the
ambulance, I asked my friend
Mendy Notik to get on with me
so I wouldnt be alone. I was
lying on the stretcher and Yingy
began driving quickly. I asked
Mendy to take my cell phone
so he could answer those who
called. Since I did not know how
serious my condition was, and I
certainly did not imagine what a
great interest the media would
take in the story, I told him it was
better that my mother not know
what happened.
Within a few minutes we
had arrived at Kings County
Hospital at the edge of Crown
Heights. The medical team took
us in quickly and brought me
immediately for a series of tests.
I did not know what they were
checking. One of the Hatzalah
people spoke to me the entire
time so I would remain alert.
At some point, my mother
called and although I felt very
dizzy, I insisted on speaking to
her so that I could reassure her.
I said that there was some blood,
but I felt okay and just had a
headache.

I finally fell asleep in

exhaustion and when I woke up
I was in a different hospital, in
Bellevue in Manhattan.

THE OPERATION THAT

WAS POSTPONED AND
POSTPONED
Mrs. Rosenblatt:
Although Levi tried to
reassure me in the phone
conversation we had, we were
very afraid that it wasnt so
simple. R Avrohom Bistritzky,
who is a close friend of the
family from way back, was in
constant touch with us and gave
us detailed updates about Levis
condition.
With him as the
intermediary, we also spoke to
the doctors at the hospital.
After the doctors took CT
scans and MRIs, they concluded
that the bleeding was dangerous
and could increase the pressure
on the brain and cause serious
damage. They decided to operate
immediately to insert a drain that
would drain the blood and fluids
that had collected around the
brain.
R Bistritzky had left the

The media reporting from the scene of the crime

hospital for a break, and when he

heard that the doctors wanted to
operate he went right back in to
ensure that Levi would be taken
care of by the best doctors.
One of the doctors, Dr.
Rosengarten, said that an
operation like this should be done
at Bellevue where the biggest
experts in New York did brain
surgery. She insisted in face of
the opposition from the other
doctors who wanted to do the
operation in Kings County, and
she contacted the doctors at
Bellevue. She was very devoted
to Levis care. She even gave us
her cell phone number and said
we could call her at any time if
any additional help was needed.
R Bistritzky, who has good
connections with doctors at
Bellevue, made the necessary
arrangements. Within a few
minutes, Levi was taken by
ambulance to Bellevue.
Three top brain surgeons
were there to see Levi and after
checking the test results two of
them said an immediate operation
was needed, while one of them
said they should first check the
fluid and pressure in the head by
a cerebral angiogram. A small
plastic catheter is inserted into a
vein in the foot and threaded all
the way up to the brain; then a
tiny camera is threaded through
the tube which shows the doctors
a precise picture of the brain.
Through this catheter the doctors
can also insert other optics tools
that enable them to carry out
certain procedures in the brain
as well as drain small amounts of
blood and fluids.
After a quick discussion, the
doctors decided to first perform
the angiogram. Boruch Hashem,
with the catheter the doctors
were able to locate two veins that
were torn by the stabbing. With
special tools they cauterized the

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blood vessels and stopped the

bleeding.
They also drained
some of the fluids and the intercranial pressure went down
significantly.
The very precise tests
that were done during the
catheterization showed that the
fluid level in his head was no
worse than at first, i.e. he was
stable. So they determined that
there was no need, at that time,
for an operation.

THE REBBES ANSWER:

THE OPERATION WAS
POSTPONED AND EVERY
DELAY IS FOR THE BEST
Mrs. Rosenblatt continued:
As I said, we were constantly
updated. From the start, we
wrote to the Rebbe and asked for
his bracha, but the rest of the day
we did not report to the Rebbe
about the latest developments.
At night, without our knowledge,
my oldest son Meir opened a
volume of Igros Kodesh and in
his mind he asked the Rebbe for
a bracha.
The Rebbes answer, in
volume 21, p. 234, stunned us
and thrilled Levi. It said: It is
surprising that from the day you
asked about your sons health and
the doctors opinion, in a phone
call with R Chaim Mordechai
Isaac Hodakov, nothing further
was heard from you. Surely, this
is a good sign and still, surely you
will let us know explicitly. Surely
you took advantage of the special
day of Yud Kislev and will take
advantage of the Chag HaGeula,
Yud-Tes Kislev in the right way

At the end of this letter

appears the following astonishing
line: My letter was delayed, and
in the meantime, R Hodakov
told me that your sons operation
was postponed for now, and every

Police detectives examining the scene of the crime inside 770

delay is for the best.

Because of the Rebbes
letter which said the parents
should explicitly tell the Rebbe
about their sons condition, and
not to suffice with information
the Rebbe received indirectly, I
immediately sat down to write
the Rebbe an update about the
good news. I also opened to a
special letter with the same date,
17 Kislev. It said that surely the
special day of Yud-Tes Kislev
would be utilized properly, as
well as the days of Chanuka, to
influence the students, boys and
girls, which is my job.

POLICE ESCORT
FROM THE PLANE
The attack occurred on
Tuesday morning, by Israeli
time. Within a short time we had
decided that I would go to be with
Levi, and my brother Shmuel
who speaks fluent English would
join me to help me. The problem
was that I did not have an up-todate passport and neither of us
had a visa to enter the US.
Boruch Hashem, I managed

to get a passport that day at a

branch of the Interior Ministry
which was opened especially
because of what happened. And
we arranged to get a visa on
Wednesday morning. We ordered
plane tickets for Wednesday
morning. When the embassy
opened, I arrived there with my
brother. At first they said that
the visas would only be ready that
evening, but after some askanim
got involved, they told us that we
could pick up the passports and
visas within ten minutes.
From the embassy we
rushed to Ben Gurion airport
and managed to get on the
morning flight leaving for New
York. Of course, throughout the
flight I thought about Levi and
I davened to Hashem. Since an
operation had been postponed
twice already, I hoped that the
statement of Chazal since it was
pushed off, let it stay pushed off
would apply. I also wondered
what awaited us in New York
and did not know how we would
manage there.
We landed at Newark airport
and to our great surprise, at the

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Interview
entrance to the plane we were
greeted by two policemen along
with the askan, Yanky Meyer. We
later learned that Yingy Bistritzky
was involved in this too. The
policemen got us through
customs quickly and within
minutes we had left the airport in
an unmarked police car. There
was a police escort, with a police
car in front of us and behind us.
During
the
trip,
the
policemen said that the fact that
the incident was on video was a
tremendous help, because there
were recently protests by blacks
against the police who claimed

and said that Boruch Hashem

I was feeling a lot better. I said
although I wasnt happy about
the situation, I could not help but
be grateful that she had been able
to come to the Rebbe.
Once my brother and parents
wrote to the Rebbe, the miracles
took place one after the other.
Beyond the miracle of having
been transferred to Bellevue
where there are top doctors with
the most advanced equipment
to treat the brain, afterward we
were told that it was by Divine
Providence that I had arrived
at Bellevue on a Tuesday. This

The department administrators came to say

goodbye and Eli said, You have no idea what
a Kiddush Hashem you caused here!

the police used unreasonable

force against them.
In this
case, the policemen said with
satisfaction, everyone could see
that they werent quick on the
trigger and it was only when
there was no choice and they felt
threatened by the attacker that
they shot him.

MORE MIRACLES
When
Mrs.
Rosenblatt
arrived at the hospital, Levi was
already awake after having been
anesthetized for the angiogram.
Levi:
When I heard that my
mother was coming, I said I
wanted to get out of bed and
sit on a chair so she wouldnt
be frightened to see me lying in
bed with all the equipment. She
walked into the room slowly,
apprehensive about the sight she
would see. How surprised she
was to see me sitting in a chair,
weak though alert.
I smiled

is the day that the experts on

cerebral angiography are present.
We found out about this when
they told us that the next cerebral
angiogram would take place only
the following Tuesday, since
Tuesdays are when the cerebral
angiography team operates.
My recovery from the
stabbing was very quick and the
doctors found it hard to believe
that I was able to get back to
myself so soon after the trauma
the body had undergone. They
put me through various function
tests, both physical and cognitive.
For days I had to be attached to
lots of machinery that measured
all kinds of things and supplied
the doctors with a precise picture
of my condition.
During those days, we
reported to the Rebbe about
all the progress. In one of the
Rebbes answers, the Rebbe said
to check tfillin and mezuzos.
My friends took the tfillin and

mezuzos to Merkaz Stam and

R Yitzchok Mishulovin checked
them for free. After finding some
letters that needed fixing, he took
care of it.

KIDDUSH HASHEM AT THE

HOSPITAL
During the interview, Levi
and his mother spoke about the
Kiddush Hashem at the hospital.
The fact that Levis friends were
with him in shifts throughout
the day until his mother and
uncle arrived, and then during
all the nights afterward, wowed
the staff. In the ICU where Levi
was all those days, it is usually
quiet and there are few visitors.
Levis room was lively with
family and friends who were with
him and rabbanim and police
representatives
coming
and
going.
When the doctors decided
there was no need for further
testing and they let Levi eat
normally, he said a loud bracha
and to the amazement of the
nurses who did not know what he
was saying, he explained that the
world and all it contains belongs
to G-d. When we want to enjoy
something in G-ds world, we
need to ask permission by saying
a blessing first, and then we
thank Him afterward. The staff
was impressed and respectful of
this basic concept.
The head of the hospitals IT
department, a religious Jew by
the name of Eli Turlow would
come now and then and ask if
any help was needed, and he
helped a lot with translations.
On the day of Levis release
there was excitement throughout
the department. The department
administrators came to say
goodbye and Eli said, You have
no idea what a Kiddush Hashem
you caused here! There were

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nurses who could not get over the

sight of Levi, who had come into
the hospital with a serious head
injury and was now leaving, hale
and hearty. They kept saying,
What a special family, referring
also to the extended family
the terrific bachurim who were
always at his side.

PRINTING THE
TANYA IN LEVIS ROOM
Levi was released from the
hospital on the first day of
Chanuka, a week and a day after
the attack. On the day prior to
his release, his friends went to
the hospital with a printer and
arranged a printing of the Tanya.
They did most of the printing in
the waiting room but brought the
machine into Levis room for the
final pages and had him press the
button. Afterward, Levi learned
Chapter 32 with the bachurim, as
is customary.
Speaking of Tanya, besides
the numerous chapters of
Thillim the bachurim said for
him (as did thousands of others),
they decided to divide the Tanya
among them and completed it all
several times.
Levi and his mother want to
single out Yingy Bistritzky for
his enormous help, as well as the

constant help of the bachurim

organized by Kupas Bachurim,
who even after he was released
continued to stand by Levi and
help him in every way, and R
Avrohom Lieder for the nutritious
meals. For Shabbos, his mother
and uncle ate at the shliach in the
area of the hospital, R Chezky
Wolf. At night, they slept with a
family friend, R Betzalel Rotter,
and after Levis release they
enjoyed the wonderful hospitality
of the Popper family in Crown
Heights.
How symbolic it was that the
series of miracles culminated on
the first night of Chanuka, when

the entire nation thanks Hashem

for the miracles and wonders of
those days. It was at this time
that Levi Rosenblatt was released
from the hospital.
He then
thanked Hashem for the miracles
and wonders he personally
experienced.
On the seventh night of
Chanuka, Levi went to the
71st Precinct police station in
Crown Heights and attended a
menorah lighting with askanim
of the community. How moved
they all were when Levi loudly
said, Who did miracles for our
ancestors in those days and at
this time.

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PROFILE

THE CROWN OF
TOMCHEI TMIMIM
R Michoel of Nevel would walk to the Tzemach Tzedek. He was taught
by the Chassid, R Peretz Chein. For a while he worked making ovens
and while he worked he would talk Chassidus. In his older years he was
a mashpia in Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Lubavitch. He excelled in
Ahavas Yisroel and was an oveid. He passed away on Motzaei Shabbos 28
Cheshvan 5672/1911. The Rebbe Rashab participated in his funeral. * This
is how the Rebbe described the mashpia whom the Rebbe Rayatz called,
the crown of Tomchei Tmimim.
HE WALKED TO THE
TZEMACH TZEDEK
The date of R Michoel
Bliners birth is unknown. He
himself refused to talk about
it (some say in fear of an ayin
hara), but we can conclude from
what he said at a farbrengen that
he was born in the lifetime of the
Mitteler Rebbe (1773-1827).
On that occasion he said that
when he walked to the Tzemach
Tzedek in Lubavitch he was still
blonde, i.e. in his youth.
On one of those occasions
he witnessed an awesome scene.
It was when R Hillel of Paritch
was sick. The Tzemach Tzedek
called upon ten men, including R
Michoel, poured lchaim, said the
name of R Hillel and his mother,
and added, at a feast with wine
there is what is your request and
it will be given to you ...
He was taught in Nevel by
R Peretz Chein, the father of
the celebrated Chein dynasty.

We have no details about this

period in his life or the years that
followed. Still, his hiskashrus
to the Chabad Rebbeim was a
byword. As mentioned, he would
walk from Nevel to Lubavitch
and this wasnt due to lack of
transportation but to fulfill the
mitzva of aliya lregel. After the
passing of the Tzemach Tzedek,
he became mekushar to the
Rebbe Maharash and then the
Rebbe Rashab.
At a farbrengen on the eve of
20 Kislev 5693, the Rebbe Rayatz
told the famous story about the
wagon which stopped by divine
imperative on Friday when the
Alter Rebbe wanted to stop. He
added, R Michoel the elder
from Nevel knew Chassidim of
the Alter Rebbe who pointed at
the spot where the Alter Rebbe
spent Shabbos. When he spoke
about this he had excitement and
an arousal of fear of heaven and
feelings of lofty character, far
beyond the degree of inspiration

in our times from learning

inyanei avoda.
He would say that he could
not finish os beis in the maamer
Ani LDodi, the first in Likkutei
Torah, since he dissolved in tears.
He would say that it was obvious
to him that if he did not learn
Likkutei Torah one day, he would
die. There were times that due to
being preoccupied with earning a
livelihood he did not learn (every
day) but that is how he felt about
it.
R Shmuel Pruss related:
I heard from Chassidim who
were witnesses that at the edge
of Nevel there was a pond with a
lot of fish. Every Thursday night,
R Michoel would go there as the
fishermen did their work and he
would choose the biggest, best
fish, pay them whatever they
asked, and carry the fish on his
shoulders quite a distance until
the train station. There he would
find a Jew traveling to Lubavitch

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and he would give him the fish

to bring to the Rebbes house in
honor of Shabbos. He did not
stop this practice even in his
older years.
His friends once said to him:
Michoel, why do you put in so
much effort? You are not young
and the fish are heavy. Why dont
you hire a wagon driver so the
fish reach the station faster and
without exertion?
R Michoel replied: What?! A
horse should drag the fish for the
Rebbe and not me?!
Things that he heard from the
Rebbeim in yechidus were etched
into his memory and guided him
all his life. In a sicha said on
Shavuos 1934, the Rebbe Rayatz
spoke about the advantage of
someone who has the ability
to imagine and can picture in
his mind things of the past and
he brought R Michoel as an
example:
When he was a young man,
one of his children was very sick.
The doctors gave up and said
nothing more could be done.
R Michoel went to a group of
Chassidim and told them the
tragic situation. The Chassidim
encouraged him, in order to
lift his spirits, and said surely
Hashem would have mercy
and he should go to Lubavitch
immediately.
R Michoel burst into tears
and said he greatly desired going
to the Rebbe but the doctors said
it was a matter of hours, so why
should he go?
One of the elder Chassidim
yelled at him and said: The
Gemara says, a person should not
withhold himself from [arousing]
mercy and certainly the heavenly
defending angels would do their
work by Hashem and wait until
he got to the Rebbe.
One of the Chassidim, a
tailor and a friend of R Michoel,

joined R Michoel on his trip to

Lubavitch. On the way, they had
several opportunities for cheap
rides so they would not have to
walk. Upon arriving in Lubavitch,
R Michoel was able to see the
Rebbe immediately.
When I walked in, said R
Michoel, and gave the pidyon
nefesh for the boy, I wondered if
he was even alive, as the doctors
had said it was a matter of hours,
and I burst into tears.
The Rebbe read the note
and said to me: Dont cry,
think positively and it will be
good. Dont cry out, you will
yet attend the bar mitzvas of the
grandchildren.
In every difficult time, said
R Michoel (and in his household
they suffered from tzaar gidul
banim), I would picture the
Rebbes holy face and what he
said, ess iz mir gevoren goot oifen
hartzen (lit. and it became for me
good on the heart).

was hard for them to part from

their beloved mashpia whose
guidance and impact on the
town was immense and whose
love for each of them, elder
Chassidim down to young boys,
was famous. Spontaneously,
they all signed a request to the
Rebbe that he agree to leave them
their mashpia who has such a
profound influence on them.
The family added their own
request to this letter: R Michoel
has problems with his feet,

MASHPIA IN
TOMCHEI TMIMIM
When the yeshiva was first
founded by the Rebbe Rashab,
he mentally assigned R Michoel
the job of mashpia and waited
for the opportunity to offer it to
him. When R Michoel arrived
in Lubavitch in one of the first
years since the yeshiva was
founded, the Rebbe made him
the offer. (In another version, the
Rebbe offered it to him when the
number of talmidim grew.)
At that time, R Michoel was
mashpia in Nevel and leaving the
townspeople was hard both for
him and for them. The mashpia
R Avrohom Drizin related:
When they heard in Nevel
that the Rebbe wanted to take
R Michoel and make him the
mashpia in the yeshiva, the
townspeople were crestfallen. It

especially in the cold and rainy

season, and his family in Nevel
can treat him, which they would
not be able to do if he is in pain
in Lubavitch. The letter was
given to a family member who
immediately left for Lubavitch
and presented the letter to the
Rebbe.
The Rebbe read the letter,
thought about it and then said:
Michoel needs the yeshiva more
than any other place. As for his
health, he will be well here.

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Profile
Obviously,
after
hearing
that, they had nothing else to
say and R Michoel moved to
Lubavitch. He had been widowed
a while before and he moved to
Lubavitch with one of his sons,
Shmuel, who opened an inn
for the bachurim and guests. It
was one of the eighteen inns in
Lubavitch and it was called, the
inn of Shmuel Michoels.
The Rebbe Rashab, as is
known, wanted to know about
the particular state of every
talmid and he asked that a
detailed report be written often
to him. He gave this task to his
son, later to be the Rebbe Rayatz,
since he was the acting dean
of the yeshiva. In the winter
of 5661, the yeshivas debts
ballooned and the Rebbe Rayatz
was busy working on improving
the yeshivas financial state. The
job of writing reports was given
to the mashpiim, R Gronem
and R Michoel. The Rebbe
Rashab was in the health spa in
Wershofen. In one letter from
Shvat 5661, the Rebbe wrote to
his son, I received a letter from
our friend, R Michoel, with great
pleasure and delight. Thanks to
Hashem that He has given them
a heart to serve Him and to be
involved in His holy Torah.
When he gave shiurim, he did
not look at the students faces to
see whether they were listening
and this had a good effect on
the talmidim as the Rebbe
Rayatz testified, not in terms of
comprehension or avoda, but like
[the impact of] essence.

HE EXCELLED IN AHAVAS
YISROEL
R Michoels Ahavas Yisroel
was a byword. He took an
interest in others and their pain
was his, especially when it came
to the bachurim. The people in
Nevel said about him that during

the cold season he did not rest at

night until he managed to get logs
for the fireplace, carried them
on his shoulder, and brought
them to homes of the poor who
shivered in the cold, especially
those who had small children.
Where there was nobody to light
a fire, he would do so.
R Mordechai Perlov, in his
book Likkutei Sippurim, relates:
On Isru Chag Sukkos 5671,
I had to report for the draft
and I was very nervous. That
day I davened early so I would
have enough time to go to the
holy ohalim in Lubavitch (of
the Tzemach Tzedek and the
Rebbe Maharash) and to get to
where the wagon was collecting
passengers at ten oclock for
a ride to the train station in
Krasnaya.
I remember that I cried a
lot. Then I went to R Michoel
for his bracha and I cried again.
I said goodbye and left. After
I presented myself and boruch
Hashem was exempted, I
returned to my parents home.
When I returned to Lubavitch,
one of my friends (who was
present when I met with R
Michoel) said that at one point R
Michoel said, Motke Charsoner
(Perlov) took away a piece of my
health, going to such a place!
And when R Michoel said this,
said my friend, he cried a lot and
then continued to bless me. His
love and devotion to every one of
the bachurim was incredible.
In his memoir, R Shmaryahu
Sasonkin also mentions R
Michoels Ahavas Yisroel:
then we went to learn by
the mashpia, R Michoel Bliner.
The talmidim loved this mashpia
with a tremendous, powerful
love. It was a soulful delight to
look at his face which was always
shining with his cleverness and
Chassidishkait

He loved all the talmidim

and not just his own class. He
was a compassionate father to all
the talmidim, a compassionate
mother, and he made sure they
did not lack for anything. It
was amazing that he was so
connected to the talmidim that
he felt their lack even before they
did so themselves.
His personal relationship with
the talmidim was apparent in his
shiurim too. R Sasonkin:
When he explained the
Likkutei Torah to us, it was
pleasant to listen to. On
numerous occasions it happened
that he came to an inspirational
passage about service of the heart
and tears would stream from his
eyes.
His influence had a great
effect on his audience, the
talmidim, because what he said
was very impassioned and came
from a pure heart. And Chazal
decreed that words that come
from the heart enter the heart.
He, the mashpia R Michoel,
introduced us to many complex
subjects and explained them to us
well.
So too for farbrengens: R
Michoels
farbrengens
were
mainly words of inspiration.
He would urge the talmidim to
learn and daven, for the study of
Chassidus not to be superficial
but a desire to know what is being
learned, not like one reading the
newspapers where everything
that you read yesterday is not
relevant today, because this kind
of learning does not accomplish
anything and never lead
to putting into action what is
required in avodas HaChassidus
avoda of the heart which is
tfilla.
R Michoel was a very
impassioned person and what
he said came from a pure heart.
As we would put it, he walked

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The town of Lubavitch

the talk and what he said

always entered the hearts of the
talmidim and made a powerful
impression on them even though
it sometimes required exposing
the talmidims flaws, but since he
exposed them with great care and
deep love, they all felt that he was
revealing their flaws out of love
and therefore they accepted it in
that spirit.
When he revealed our flaws
and character defects we never
heard him speak in loud tones,
in anger, and in words that
made you cringe. His way of
speaking was always calm and
with sweetness and his words
were never in vain. The talmidim
sat crowded at his farbrengens,
with love and in friendship, and
listened closely to what he had to
say.

ONE OF THE OVDIM

R Michoel was an oveid and
what he demanded of others
he first did himself. He himself
davened at length and therefore
he would extol avodas hatfilla to
his students.
R Yisroel Jacobson said that

one time he stood behind him as

he put on his tallis in his usual
place in the south-west corner
and he heard how R Michoel
slowly and sweetly said, ma
yakar, ma yakar chasdecha (how
precious, how precious is Your
kindness the beginning of the
first verse said upon donning
the tallis) and it made a great
impression on him.
At the 19 Kislev farbrengen of
5665, the Rebbe Rashab spoke
strongly about the necessity of
avodas hatfilla because the
study of Chassidus without tfilla
at length can lead to undesirable
results. R Gronem, the mashpia,
asked the Rebbe, In Igeres
Hakodesh it is brought that the
Alter Rebbe commanded those
supported by their fathers not
to spend less than an hour and a
half on their davening, and this
[an hour and a half of davening]
is not particularly lengthy ...
The Rebbe replied, By the
Alter Rebbe everything had its
established time. From boruch
shomar until after Shmoneh
Esrei he would spend one hour
and this is certainly true since I
heard it from my father.

R Michoel suddenly yelled

to the bachurim, Listen! This
is meant for you, and not for R
Gronem!
The Rebbe said, I meant the
bachurim, Rashag (R Shmuel
Gronem) too and myself but
the point is that learning alone is
not enough and we need to daven
at length.
When the Rebbe continued to
demand involvement in avodas
halev with a person going out of
his innate limitations, R Michoel
pointed out that perhaps the
absence of davening at length
on the part of the talmidim
came from the limited time
at their disposal because they
began davening at about ten
and at twelve they had to start
learning. The Rebbe responded:
All limitations are not imposed
on anyone that we see has any
aptness, even somewhat, to being
a tziyur of a pnimi, and it seems
to me that this is already known
to all.
The
Rebbe
once
said
that when you postpone the
contemplation from the Psukei
DZimra to Shma, that made it
possible to postpone meditation
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Profile
there too. R Michoel stood
and heard the sicha with tears
streaming from his eyes.
The famous sicha of the
Rebbe Rashab about being a
pnimi was in response to R
Michoel explaining to the Rebbe
that the bachurim were rushing
the niggun, because to them it
was only an introduction and
they wanted something else
entirely. When he stood to listen
to the sichos about chitzon and
pnimi, said the Rebbe Rayatz, it
looked as though boiling water
was pouring on him.
When he would see that one
of the bachurim was suited to
daven at length, and he davened
with everyone else, he would
say, He already became a yerei
Shamayim (i.e. he is particular
to daven with a minyan), and
would be very annoyed about
this.

REDEEMING CAPTIVES
When the problem of the draft
arose, the Rebbe Rashab started
a fund for pidyon shvuyim
(and even set aside money for it
from his own pocket). The Rebbe
Rashab put R Michoel in charge
of the fund and not for naught.
R Michoel did not stop working
on this with the utmost devotion.
We know this from many stories
from the ziknei hachassidim.
R Refael Kahn said:
When they once took a
certain bachur to the army and
sent him far away, R Michoel
went to his base and spoke to the
commander and cried to him:
See, I am an old man and I have
no one in the world to help me
except for this young man, my
nephew, who supported me until
he was drafted.
In the end, the commander
was moved and the bachur
returned home.

On another occasion, the

Rebbe Rashab showed R
Michoel a letter from one of the
Tmimim who was sent by the
army to a distant place. In that
place, wrote the bachur, he found
a few Jews from a number of
villages and they told him that
on Shabbos they gathered in one
village and prayed together, but
they had no Torah. The bachur
asked the Rebbe to try and send
them a Torah.
The Rebbe exclaimed to R
Michoel, See what a Tamim is!
Even when he is in the army, he
is concerned about obtaining a
Torah for Jews.
R Michoel said, But we need
to think about how to get him
released, and he immediately
asked the Rebbe for the bachurs
address, made efforts on his
behalf, and finally managed to
get him released.
Another story on this topic
was told by the mashpia, R
Avrohom Drizin:
R Michoel once went with
two bachurim who were about
to be drafted to a certain doctor
who would give exemptions
in exchange for a bribe. When
the three arrived, he refused to
receive them and slammed the
door in their faces. R Michoel
looked into the matter and found
out that the doctor had been
informed upon to the government
for issuing exemptions in
exchange for bribes and now he
was afraid to continue doing so.
R Michoel did not despair.
He went through the back door
and met the doctors wife. He
pleaded with her to convince
her husband to give the two
bachurim exemptions. She asked
him, What is the connection
between you and them? Are they
your sons?
R Michoel replied, The two
are my students.

The woman was amazed by

his devotion to his students and
convinced her husband to issue
the exemptions. The doctor asked
for a very large sum and gave the
exemptions. When R Michoel
returned to Lubavitch, he sighed:
I gave more than enough to klipa.
This is what R Shaul Ber
Zislin had to say:
They once saw R Michoel in
his tallis and tfillin and holding
his tzitzis in the middle of reciting
Shma when he suddenly removed
his tfillin and tallis, and left.
When time passed and he did not
return, they went to look for him
but could not find him.
After a while he came back
and put his tallis and tfillin back
on and continued davening. After
he finished davening, they asked
him where he had disappeared
during Shma. R Michoel said
that a few days earlier a wealthy
man came to the Rebbe and
when I asked him to donate to
the pidyon shvuyim fund he told
me to come to him before he left
and he would give me a nice sum.
I remembered that he was
leaving this afternoon and so I
rushed to his inn and he actually
gave me a generous amount.
When they asked him how
he could leave in the middle
of Shma during yichuda ilaa
(higher unification) he said, Do
you know what yichuda ilaa is?
Obtaining money for pidyon
shvuyim, that is yichuda ilaa!

IN HIS OLD AGE

In 5671, R Michoel became
weak and found it difficult to
function normally. At first there
were still talmidim who went to
him to hear him teach Tanya and
Chassidus. Then he taught just
one student, Avrohom Aharon
Sosnitzer, and in the end he did
not teach Chassidus at all and

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was satisfied just to be in the zal.

At that time, his salary was five
rubles a week (some say 15 rubles
a month). R Eliezer Kaplan (the
yeshivas financial administrator)
suggested to the Rebbe Rashab
that they stop sending him this
weekly (or monthly) salary since
the yeshivas coffers were empty
and R Michoel was no longer
teaching. The Rebbe rejected
this suggestion and said, He is
worth the money if only because
the Tmimim will look at him. He
is a tziyur of an elder Chassid.
In the summer of that year he
became even weaker. He could
not even walk to shul and had to
daven at home. At this point, his
talmidim helped him and some of
them went to his house regularly
to serve him. One of them, R
Mordechai Perlov, told about
those days in his book:
One day in the summer
of 5671, I went to his house to
serve him. It was about two in
the afternoon and I found him
lying on the sofa. When he saw
me he said, Its good you came.
I thought he wanted me to help
him. When I went over to him
he said, I want you to bring me
a minyan of men. At first I did
not understand what he wanted,
but then I realized he wanted to
say Vidui.
I said to him, What for?
Hashem will yet give you long
life. He stopped me and said,
Surely with His help that is
how it will be, but you do what
you are told. Then he listed the
names: R Gronem, R Avrohom
Dovid (of Klimowitz) if he
already finished davening, and
he listed all ten. And of course,
he said, you are included. Then
he added, If you dont find them,
bring others instead of them, but
there should be a minyan and not
more.
I immediately called all those

R MICHOELS WAY OF TEACHING

In Av 5664, the Rebbe Rashab published the booklet Eitz HaChayim for
the Tmimim at the end of which he explained the purpose of the founding
of the yeshiva and the methods and times for learning. He wrote, Those
listening to the mashpiim Rashbatz and R M (Bliner) should listen from
within the text and listen well to what they teach and afterward review what
they heard and two together should review it, not less, and they should
review what they heard well and what they do not remember or did not
understand they should ask the mashpia.
R Michoels method of teaching was simple without expansive
explanations; just each line and its translation. However, in a letter that
the Rebbe Rashab sent his son in Petersburg in the winter of 5665 we find
the following: Regarding the complaint of Mordechai (Chafetz) of Disna,
its news to me that R M (Bliner) explains things, for until now we heard
from the listeners that he does not explain anything but just says what is
written in Likkutei Torah. That the explanation precedes knowing the simple
meaning itself is certainly a minus, because when you have the main thing
then you can add to it, but with R M you could speak and tell him about
the deficiency and that it needs rectification because he accepts the truth
without any inner annoyance and will try to correct the matter IyH.
One time, when the Rebbe Rayatz went to give a report to his father,
they got to talking about R Michoels way of teaching. Aside from what the
Rebbe Rayatz wrote, he added verbally:
The mashpia R Michoel is drawn to the truth. His conception and way
of explaining are not that earth-shattering but his yearning and his draw to
the truth make a powerful impression on his students.
The Rebbe responded, The truth is drawn to him since truth is drawn
only to one who is a vessel for truth as we know from keilim dTikkun that
they dont only contain the light but also draw down the light. When R
Michoel was a young man who made ovens, he already had a sense of the
truth.
he wanted and when we had all
gathered he took a Siddur and
said the deathbed Vidui. We all
cried. As for R Michoel, when
he finished saying Vidui, he
said, Nu, now we need to bring
mashke.
When they brought a bottle
of mashke he told them all to say
lchaim and then said, All Jews
believe in the resurrection of the
dead, but I already experienced it.
Its been a long time since I feel
total shutdown. My head is empty
and I do nothing. Suddenly,
some time ago, I began thinking
about topics (in Chassidus) with
the liveliness of my youth. My

eyes and heart opened. The same

thing happened the next day and
the day after that. At the time,
the Rebbe was at his summer
place and I immediately wanted
to travel to him and tell him, but
due to some reason I did not go.
I hoped that this situation would
continue and would remain
constant but after some days it
all dissipated. Please tell me, isnt
that literal resurrection of the
dead?
His health worsened at the
end of 5671 and he could not
walk. Erev Yom Kippur he asked
that he be brought to the large
hall of the yeshiva where I want

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Profile

WHAT ARE YOU IMMERSED IN?!

The Rebbe, my father-in-law, related that in Petersburg lived a wealthy
man by the name of Shmuel Michel Treinin. He did business with the royal
family and was orderly by nature. In addition he was of morose disposition,
and as such, was particular that his clothing be buttoned, each button in its
proper buttonhole.
One time, R Michoel Bliner (Michoel der alter) went to him on behalf
of a bachur who had to be freed from the army so he could learn Torah.
Treinin needed to go with him to one of the nobles who could do something
about the matter.
Upon going there, they had to traverse the main street of PetersburgLeningrad. R Michoel would walk in Petersburg the same way he walked in
Lubavitch Apparently he hadnt davened yet and had just finished what
it says in Shulchan Aruch about preparing for davening and therefore, his
buttons were not fastened properly.
Treinin said to him carefully, since he was afraid that R Michoel would
come down on him: Since we are walking on the main street, which was
called Nevsky Prospekt, perhaps you should fasten your buttons.
R Michoel gave him a look and said: Gevald R Shmuel Michel, what are
you immersed in!
(sicha of 13 Tammuz 5715)

to be on the holy day.

They placed his bed on the
southern edge of the hall, near
the second room (a room off
the main sanctuary for those who
davened at length) and he spent
the day there. When the Rebbe
Rashab finished davening Maariv
on Yom Kippur night, he went
over to R Michoel and asked
how he was. They discussed the
amounts a sick person is allowed
to eat and drink on Yom Kippur.
R Michoel finished the
fast without having to resort to
any medication or any eating or
drinking.

THE REBBE ATTENDED THE

FUNERAL
On 27 Cheshvan, Shabbos
Parshas Chayei Sarah, R Michoel
felt that his end was near and he
said to those near him, I must
see the Rebbe.
They said, It is Shabbos.
He said, So what? I must see

the Rebbe.
They began telling him that
the Rebbe was still davening (the
Rebbe Rashab would daven at
length) and he asked, How do
you know? They said that it had
been checked and the Rebbe was
still davening.
R Michoel relaxed and rested
for half an hour and then woke
up and said again and again, I
must see the Rebbe. When he
saw that they were ignoring him,
he raised himself up in bed and
despite his tremendous weakness
and poor health put on his outer
garment and announced, I am
going to the Rebbe. It was to
that extent that he yearned to see
the Rebbe before he passed away
from this world.
People could not believe their
eyes and before they recovered he
had begun walking to the door,
but his strength failed him and
he fell. They immediately raised
him up and laid him back on his
bed. His disappointment over not

being able to see the Rebbe was

great and this was apparent on
his face. That Motzaei Shabbos
he passed away.
When they informed the
Rebbe, he said to delay the
funeral until his two sons came
to Lubavitch, one from Nevel
and the other from Vitebsk.
When they reported to the Rebbe
that the sons could only arrive
Sunday night, he said to make all
the preparations and the funeral
would take place at night.
They asked: But it is the
height of winter and it is rainy
and there is so much mud and it
will be very hard to walk at night.
The Rebbe said it was out of
the question to leave the body
overnight.
So, they asked, perhaps the
funeral should take place by day
without the sons.
The Rebbe said: The first
Kaddish that the sons say after
they close the grave is a very
lofty matter for the soul of the
departed.
It was a harsh winter night
and the mud in the streets was
deep and the people had a
difficult time extricating their
feet from the mud with every
step they took. Nevertheless, the
Rebbe Rashab went out to escort
R Michoel and all the residents
left their houses with lanterns in
their hands to light the way. Of
course, all the talmidim of the
yeshiva with their teachers and
mashpiim followed the bier. The
Rebbe walked halfway where
a vehicle awaited him to bring
him back, while his son, Rayatz,
was one of the pall bearers and
he walked all the way to the
cemetery. On the way, he said a
lot about R Michoel and praised
him highly. He said, The crown
of Tomchei Tmimim was taken
away.

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SHLICHUS

ANASH-SHLICHUS
Name: Eli Levy
Age: 27
Married, two children
Lives: Tzfas
Profession:
Music teacher and maintenance
manager at the Technical
Institute of Tzfas
By Zalman Tzorfati

If youve been in the Chabad

community of Tzfas on a Friday lately,
you could not help but notice a higher
level of inspiration and the sense of a
greater support system among the men
going on mivtza tfillin. This is thanks
to the Matteh Mivtza Tfillin that was
recently started in the community by
Eli Levy, a dynamic young man.
The Matteh has a list of the names
of those wanting to go on mivtzaim
and gives out locations, routes and
hours, coordinates with the local ATaH
bachurim organization to prevent
overlap, and sends the men on their
way.
Eli grew up in a religiousnationalist family. In his teens he
became interested in Chabad and
went to the yeshiva in Tzfas. After two
years of learning in Tzfas he went on
Kvutza, learned in 770, went on a year
of shlichus to Mongolia and returned
home. He married and settled in the
Chabad community of Tzfas.
Matteh Mivtza Tfillin, a kind of
ATaH organization for married men,
is a fantastic idea that is needed in
all Chabad communities. Its the
kind of thing you hear about and you
say, How come this wasnt done
sooner? How did you get the idea?
We were sitting at a Sheva Brachos
meal and I told a terrific Hashgacha

Pratis story. The moral of the story

was that you never know what effect
a small action will have. People were
inspired to do something and I had
long felt we were losing out on the
amazing strength of the young married
men in the community. I took the
opportunity and offered to start an
organized system of mivtza tfillin for
the men of the community. We passed
around a paper and everyone signed
that they committed to going on
mivtzaim once a week.
We put the page with the
signatures into a volume of Igros
Kodesh and opened to a letter where
the Rebbe writes about a group
that got together for the purpose of
spreading the wellsprings. The Rebbe
warmly encourages this. At the end
of the letter, the Rebbe writes that
since the people were present at a
Sheva Brachos meal and making good
resolutions, this would stand by the
couple for a blessing for an everlasting
edifice.
We were in shock. We certainly
hadnt expected such a precise answer.
That week, we got started. We found
out which hours and locations did not
have bachurim and that is where we
sent pairs of men to do mivtzaim.
Did it catch on?
Boruch Hashem, its been very

successful. We started with a few pairs

and now we have over twenty pairs of
men who go on mivtzaim every week
in Tzfas and the immediate area.
Every week our objective is to
surpass what we did the week before
with the number of people who put on
tfillin. Last week, for example, we put
tfillin on with 200 people, which is a
huge amount.
What motivates you?
The truth is I started this mainly
for myself. After living in Tzfas for
a few years I suddenly got it. I said,
Wait a minute, the Rebbe chose you
to be a Chabadnik and you came to a
Chassidic community, wonderful. But
is that all the Rebbe wants of you?
What is the significance of being a
Chabad Chassid if not to spread the
wellsprings?
I spent three years in the army
where I did mivtzaim left and right,
but here I was in a community and I
thought, What do I want my children
to think of me? That Im just a fellow
living in the community? So yes,
the plan is to find a place of shlichus,
but for now as long as I live in the
community I have to do something for
the Chabad neshama, for the chinuch
of my children.

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MIRACLE STORY

R Efraim dancing at the Seifer Torah

dedication in his honor. Rachamim Dabush:
Six months earlier, my father was barely alive
and it seemed highly unlikely that he would
ever dance again. The doctors who cut out
80% of his right brain lobe said with absolute
certainty that he wouldnt be able to speak
or understand, and he would be completely
paralyzed on his left side. However, the
miracle occurred. We made a Seifer Torah
dedication three months ago and my father
danced with the Seifer Torah himself!

AGAINST

ALL ODDS
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R Chaim Efraim Dabush, a fifty-five year old

Jew from Mazkeret Batya, received the gift of
life through a revealed miracle from the Rebbe,
Melech HaMoshiach. He was critically injured
when he fell from a height of five floors in a
building in Phoenix, Arizona. The doctors didnt
give much hope for his survival, declaring that at
best he would live as a vegetable rl. Yet, exactly
fifty-three days after his accident, on Yud-Tes
Kislev, he was released from the hospital. The
open miracles accompanying this amazing
incident and subsequent rehabilitation caused
dozens of Jews to make good resolutions and
embrace a life of Torah and mitzvos. A real Baal
Shemske story in honor of the Alter Rebbes
yahrzeit, Chaf-Dalet Teves.
By Yaron Tzvi
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

heard the following story

during a Shabbos evening
meal with Raz Chen, a
Chabad Chassid living in
Crown Heights. Raz is one of many
Jews who did tshuva or became
significantly stronger in their Torah
observance over the past year due
to the amazing incident that we
retell here. When I heard the first
fragmentary details to this story, I
realized that this was truly a most
unique event. Later, I spoke with
R Rachamim Dabush of Phoenix,
Arizona, the eldest son of Efraim
Dabush, the Baal HaMaaseh.

As he gave me the whole story

in great detail, it became clear
that this was something totally
unimaginable. There are moments
and experiences in life when we
simply feel G-ds presence in
a most revealed manner. This
incident was an example of one of
those experiences through which
we can again learn to appreciate
every moment of our shlichus in
this world.
Since R Efraim Dabush was
unconscious during most of the
developments of this miraculous
event, we spoke primarily with

his son, Rachamim, and other

individuals involved in the story.

FALLING THROUGH
THE ROOF IN PHOENIX
R
Rachamim
Dabush,
member of a traditional Jewish
family from Mazkeret Batya,
is a partner in a business that
manufactures
and
markets
Dead Sea products. While the
manufacturing process is carried
out in Eretz Yisroel, marketing is
done all over the world through a
warehouse which they maintain
in a five-story building located
in Phoenix, Arizona, where
Rachamim lived. A year and a
half ago, Rachamims father, R
Chaim Efraim, arrived to spend
some time with his son. During
this visit, they detected some
water leakage in the warehouse
building, and his father, who
worked in the field of building
and construction, decided to go
up on the roof and take a look at
the problem up close.
My father went up there
together with two Mexican
workers to find the source of the
leakage. The roof had skylights,
and at a certain point, as these
two workers checked something
elsewhere on the roof, he rl fell
through the skylight for some
reason unknown to this day. This
was a fall of about sixty feet that
left no chance for survival of any
kind, Rachamim recalled.
The first miracle was that
under each of these skylights,
there was usually a hard cement

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MIRACLE STORY

The sunroof through which R Efraim fell

With a fracture of this type, he absolutely will

not walk again. If you want, keep praying; if your
prayers are answered, it will only make my job easier.
floor. The one exception was the
skylight through which my father
fell. Under that skylight stood
a wooden table, and it turned
out later that this significantly
lessened the intensity of the
impact. Naturally, the table was
smashed to pieces, despite the
fact that it was made out of very
strong wood.
At that moment, I was on
my way to the office when they
informed me of what happened.
I quickly arrived at the site of
the accident, and I found my
father crumpled and bleeding
on the floor, critically injured.
The paramedics arrived within
two minutes, and they said that
although the hospital is only three
minutes away, there was no hope
of getting him there alive.

ARRIVING AT
THE HOSPITAL
Miraculously, my father was
still alive when he arrived at the

Maricopa Medical Center in

Phoenix, a first-class hospital.
He was immediately brought
in for an MRI examination of
his entire body to determine
the extent of his injuries before
admitting him to the operating
room. The surgeon came out and
said that my father was in critical
condition. He cautioned that the
surgical staff couldnt make any
promises: the procedure could
take hours, and chances were
that he wouldnt make it chv.
Two hours later, the surgeon
came out again and said that
there was some cranial bleeding
in several places, and my father
had also sustained a fracture in
his back between the shoulders.
We arent touching the
back, because we first need
to stabilize his condition, the
doctor said as he summed up
the situation that first anxious
day. We have completed the first
operation, and now were moving
him into the intensive care unit.

Well see what happens.

We started davening and
saying Thillim. A minyan was
organized in the hospital, and
our Chabad friends in Eretz
HaKodesh also recited Thillim
on his behalf, said Rachamim
with much emotion. Within
a couple of days, about twenty
people had gathered in our
home. My mother, sisters, and
uncles had arrived from Eretz
HaKodesh. It was an amazing
atmosphere of family unity, faith
and hope, despite the tremendous
anxiety. We were also joined by
members of my wifes family, the
Ben-Shabbats, and I owe them
my deep thanks and appreciation
for their support during those
difficult times.
From a religious standpoint,
I had already become involved
with Chabad four years earlier
through my brother-in-law, R
Yaakov Ben-Shabbat from Tzfas.
This close involvement also grew
with the influence of Igros Kodesh
after I saw numerous miracles. It
started with simple advice that
the Rebbe gave me. He even
informed us in advance about
my wifes expected pregnancy,
adding that we should name
the child after the leader of the
generation, and this is exactly
what we did.
Rabbi Dovid Vaknin, family
friend and rav of the Galilee
settlement of Menachamia, also
played an important role in my
growing connection to Torah
and mitzvos. At the start of my
journey along the path of tshuva,
I was only wearing tzitzis and
I told him that I had stopped
smoking and watching soccer
matches on Shabbos. Take the
plunge, Rabbi Vaknin said. If
the waters cold for you, do what
you feel you can. However, if
its warm and pleasant, stay in
the water. Ive been keeping

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Shabbos ever since.

During the entire process
with my father, he stood by our
side. However, four years ago, I
was still in the process of taking
those small steps towards full
observance, and as a result of
what happened to my father, I
became even more committed.
Not long after the accident, I
resolved to begin growing a
beard, while my wife decided to
cover her hair.

OPERATIONS
AND PRAYERS
At this stage, after the first
operation, my father remained
in intensive care for about six
or seven hours. Suddenly, the
surgeon arrived and said that
the test results showed serious
pressure on his brain, and there
was a need to operate again to
drain the blood. He explained
that the chances were eighty
percent that he wouldnt survive
the procedure, expected to last
five hours. It would undoubtedly
harm the central nervous
systems control over the power
of speech, comprehension, and
memory, etc. Therefore, he was
certain that even if my father
lived through the surgery, he
would remain in a vegetative
state rl. While the prognosis
seemed extremely grim, it also
occurred to me that G-d had
made a miracle. This doctor,
who had been on duty when my
father arrived at the hospital,
specialized in back and brain
surgery [the two areas where my
father had been injured], and
was considered one of the five
best surgeons in the world. He
was a native of Iran, an atheist
who didnt believe in anything
spiritual. I knew that only a
miracle could save my father,
and this expert physician was
merely the tool to bring it about

I just want to see my father open

his eyes. The first words Ill say will
be, Give thanks to G-d because
He is good, for His kindness is
eternal.

Shortly before the Seifer Torah

dedication

in accordance with the ways of

nature.
Two days had passed since
the second operation, yet my
fathers
condition
remained
unstable. The doctors were
even talking about a possible
third brain operation. After
they managed to stop the
internal bleeding in the first two
operations, they made some
additional MRI and CT exams.
These tests revealed that there
was a large quantity of dead
brain tissue present as a result
of the blow he received. The
doctors reached the conclusion
that they had to remove eighty

percent of his rear right brain

lobe, controlling his ability to
speak and understand, move his
left side, and more.
The doctor explained that
this time, our father would
have to undergo intensive brain
surgery. Therefore, we had to
make a critical decision. If they
would operate, there was a slim
chance for his survival; if he did
survive, the operation would
surely hamper his ability to
function. However, if they didnt
operate, he would have little
hope and might die chv before
they had a chance to reschedule
surgery. I prayed to G-d that He
should help me make the right
decision. As the eldest son, and
with the consent of my mother
and sisters, I decided in favor of
operating.
Two days before the surgery,
my brother-in-law, R Mordechai
Ben-Shabbat, wrote to the
Rebbe about the situation. In
an amazing and unforgettable
reply, the Rebbe related directly
to the medical situation, writing
that we must be strong in our
faith in G-d, start making good
resolutions, and also influence
others in order that things will
get better.
We did numerous spiritual
activities to hasten our fathers
recovery.
Beyond
those
resolutions my wife and I made,
many friends and other family
members made their own
personal commitments in their
mitzvah observance, such as
keeping Shabbos, putting on
tfillin each weekday, separating
challah dough, reciting Thillim,
refraining from drinking nonkosher wine, and more. The
main thing was for my father
to be well. For example, my
business partner, Elad Gottlieb,
decided to observe Shabbos,
and he has become stronger in

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MIRACLE STORY

Raz Chen, the nephew who became a

baal tshuva as a result of the miracle

this observance ever since. My

cousin Raz became a full-fledged
Chabad Chassid, and there are
many more examples.
The operation was a success,
taking only an hour and half, as
opposed to the three hours they
expected at the outset. After
the operation, he was returned
to the intensive care unit. This
was already beyond nature,
something far more than I could
possibly handle. If it wasnt for
my wife, Oshrat, who gave me
her constant support in dealing
with our three children at home,
I dont think I could have coped
with the pressure of those critical
hours and days.
After writing to the Rebbe,
my fathers condition continued
to
improve.
Although
he
remained
unconscious
and
hooked up to a respirator, he was
alive and growing more stable
each day. The cranial bleeding
had stopped, and there was no
need for any additional surgery,
although we still didnt know the
extent of the damage caused in
the process.

R Efraim Dabush
with his son Rachamim

THE REBBE PROMISED:

GEULA ON YUD-TES KISLEV
Three weeks before Yud-Tes
Kislev, after two or three weeks
of anxiety, agony, and prayer,
his condition was classified as
stable. While my father was still
comatose, his condition had
stabilized and his life was no
longer in danger. At this stage,
the doctors declared that the time
had come to perform surgery on
his back. This would be a most
complex operation that could
take as much as eight hours.
Their plan was to take a bone
from someone elses body to
replace my fathers broken one,
setting it in place with special
screws. The Iranian doctor
brought me a picture of my
fathers broken back. It showed a
literal gap between two portions
of the broken bone, and this is
what they had to repair.
The doctors scheduled the
operation to take place in another
three days. We again wrote to
the Rebbe MHM, and again the
response contained numerous
brachos, including one about a
farbrengen on Yud-Tes Kislev.
I no longer knew what to think:

The second Seifer Torah

dedicated in 770 in his honor

Yud-Tes Kislev was in another

three weeks, and my father was
still in a coma with a broken
back

UNCOMPROMISING TRUST
AND A REVEALED MIRACLE
In my conversation with
Rachamim, he relived those
fretful events; his eyes suddenly
welled with tears as he recalled
the intensity of this miracle. After
I paused to allow him to compose
himself, I asked him to continue
his story.
Three days later, the doctor
decided to take some final
updated x-rays of my fathers
back before bringing him in for
surgery. I dont know how to
explain it, but I was suddenly
imbued with a feeling of absolute
trust in G-d, and with the Rebbe
MHMs bracha, I knew that
everything would work out. My
Rebbe gave a bracha that my
father would return to his old
self and be completely healed,
I told the doctor. You may be a
great surgeon, but youre only
an emissary! The self-assured
doctor replied: Ive been in this
profession for twenty-five years,

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Letters of encouragement received from the Rebbe via Igros Kodesh

and there is no chance that your

father will have a full recovery.
With a fracture of this type, he
absolutely will not walk again. If
you want, keep praying; if your
prayers are answered, it will only
make my job easier.
With
even
greater
determination, I told him,
My father will walk again, the
Rebbe promised! Just know that
since you showed me the x-ray
pictures, I have been praying
that the next time you take an
x-ray, you will be stunned to see
how the bone has healed. The
doctors reply was short and to
the point: Your father is in a
coma, motionless. Theres no
chance that it will heal.
During his Shacharis prayers
on the morning of the operation,
Rachamim
davened
with
tremendous fervor, pleading with
G-d that He should prove to this
non-believing doctor that He,
only He, is the Healer of all flesh.
His faith in his fathers recovery
and the fulfillment of the Rebbes
brachos by the time which the
Rebbe himself had promised
grew more intense.
The doctor arrived that
afternoon as planned to prepare
for surgery, and took another

x-ray of R Chaim Efraims

back. Suddenly, he went up to
Rachamim, totally stunned, and
said: I dont know what you
did, but Ive been a surgeon for
twenty-five years, and Ive never
seen such a change within three
days in someone who hasnt
moved from his bed. The bone
has slipped back in place!!
Rachamim elatedly looked at the
new x-ray pictures and thanked
G-d as he raised his hands
heavenward.
The
astonished
doctor
saw Rachamims reaction and
added, I dont know if youre
a sorcerer...but Ive never seen
anything like this. Incredibly,
the operation lasted only three
hours, less than half the expected
time, as the bone had healed on
its own. The operations over
and I believe has been most
successful, the doctor said at the
end of surgery.
However, my father was still
comatose, and Yud-Tes Kislev
was rapidly approaching.

HE WOKE UP!
Rachamim and other family
members were still very anxious
about what was about to happen.
A few days passed and Rachamim

told his wife Oshrat: I just want

to see my father open his eyes.
The first words Ill say will be,
Give thanks to G-d because
He is good, for His kindness is
eternal.
A few days later, Rachamim
was sitting in the hallway near
his fathers room, waiting with
great anticipation for the moment
when he might open his eyes.
There were always two attendants
on duty in the intensive care
room, along with three doctors
on each shift. The attendant who
usually sat right next to R Chaim
Efraim already felt like a member
of the family.
At a certain point, this
attendant came up to Rachamim
and said, Maybe try and speak
with your father in your native
language. I talk to him in English,
but he doesnt understand.
Are you kidding me? I told
him. My fathers in a coma.
What are you talking
about? he replied. He opened
his eyes!
I went inside and saw his
eyes wide open. The wonderful
moment that I had long been
preparing for had finally arrived!
With great emotion, I said, Give
thanks to G-d because He is

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MIRACLE STORY
good, for His kindness is eternal,
Rachamim said as he recalled
that deeply stirring moment.
We wrote a third letter
to the Rebbe with a report on
the improving situation. In the
Rebbes reply, he mentioned
making a meal of thanksgiving
for the medical miracles that G-d
had done.
While the situation had
improved, it still appeared far
from good. Yet, the Rebbe was
writing to us about making a
meal of thanksgiving! I felt that
the Rebbe meant a seuda on the
day of Yud-Tes Kislev itself.

RELEASE FROM THE

HOSPITAL ON YUD-TES
KISLEV
The representatives of the
Harel insurance company, which
issued the overseas medical
insurance policy to R Chaim
Efraim before his journey,
were constantly waiting for the
doctors consent to fly him to
Tel HaShomer Hospital for
treatment in Eretz Yisroel. YudTes Kislev was getting closer, and
there was only a week and a half
remaining before the auspicious
day.
My father opened his eyes,
but he still didnt respond.
Then he moved a finger and
another finger, and everyone
was very excited. At this
point, I had already decided
to start organizing a meal of
thanksgiving on Yud-Tes Kislev,
both in Arizona and in Eretz
Yisroel. I called my cousin,
Ayala Chadad, who had resolved
to light Shabbos candles and
separate challah dough to hasten
my fathers recovery. I asked
her to make a farbrengen at our
grandparents home in Moshav
Yatzitz. I told her to order
catering and a tent, a sufficient

quantity of tables and chairs,

and I even offered to send her
money. She began to organize
the event, and some time later,
she called me in a state of total
amazement. She said that all
those she approached to provide
services either did not want to
take a fee or would charge only
cost price once they learned the
purpose of the event. In the end,
she paid for the event herself out
of maaser money that she had
decided to start giving in honor
of my fathers recovery. The
Rebbes shliach at nearby Moshav
Ganei Yochanan, Rabbi Avraham
Yitzchak Prodnashetsky, became
actively involved in helping to
organize this event. It was a great
success.
In
the
meantime,
the
insurance company obtained
the consent of the doctors in the
United States to transport Efraim
to Eretz Yisroel. This would be
a special medical flight costing
seven hundred thousand dollars!
The company told Rachamim
that there were two dates to
schedule this flight. The cheaper
option [and naturally preferred
by the insurance company]
was a few days before Yud-Tes
Kislev, while the more expensive
option was on the day of YudTes Kislev itself! Rachamim, who
was confident that the Rebbes
miracle would be fulfilled,
informed them that they could
do as they saw fit, but his father
would travel only on Yud-Tes
Kislev, because thats what the
Rebbe decided!
Due to certain technical
reasons, the cheaper date for the
flight didnt work out logistically
for the insurance company,
and Efraim was flown to Eretz
HaKodesh
for
rehabilitative
treatment at Tel HaShomer
Hospital when he was conscious
and his life was no longer in
danger, on the auspicious day of

Yud-Tes Kislev 5774.

Needless to say, a seuda
of thanksgiving was held both
in Arizona and on Moshav
Yatzitz...

SIFREI TORAH IN HIS MERIT

After the miracle that we
were privileged to see with the
back operation, we resolved
to dedicate a Seifer Torah in
honor of our father, Rachamim
recalled. This Seifer Torah is
the fourth one we had resolved
to dedicate, and we decided that
this scroll would be written as
an expression of thanks for the
miracles that had happened to
our father. Rabbi Shlomo Besso,
the rav of Moshav Yatzitz, had
written the three previous Torah
scrolls and we wanted him to
write this one as well. He said
that by Divine Providence, he was
already working on a Torah scroll
that no one had ordered yet. If
we wished, he would designate
this one for us. He said that he
could complete the Seifer Torah
within two or three months.
At Tel HaShomer Hospital,
an amazingly dedicated medical
staff treated my father and
accompanied
him
through
the process of rehabilitation.
My mother, Rachel Dabush,
remained constantly by his
bedside, as did many beloved
members of her family who
came to her assistance whenever
needed. My younger sister helped
at home, and my older sister
living in the north came to the
hospital twice a week. We still
didnt know what to expect. Even
the doctor at Tel HaShomer said
that our father would probably
not speak or understand anything
again.
Slowly but surely, I began to
realize the extent of the miracles
we had experienced. Then
suddenly, it hit me: My father had

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been hospitalized for exactly fiftythree days, similar to the number

of days of the Alter Rebbes
imprisonment, which ended on
Yud-Tes Kislev! The Rebbe knew
everything in advance, and this
realization filled me with absolute
faith that my father would be
completely healed!
When the Seifer Torah was
ready, the scribe, Rabbi Shlomo
Besso called to say that we
needed to make a dedication
ceremony. Rachamim replied
that he would do so only if his
father could participate in the
event. I asked Rabbi Vaknin,
and he said that we shouldnt
delay the dedication ceremony. I
didnt know what to do. I decided
to seek the advice of Rabbi David
Abuchatzera from Nahariya.
Dont dedicate the Seifer Torah
until your father can dance with
the scroll! he instructed.
Six months earlier, my father
was barely alive and it seemed
highly unlikely that he would ever
dance again. The doctors who
cut out 80% of his right brain
lobe said with absolute certainty
that he wouldnt be able to speak
or understand, and he would
be completely paralyzed on his
left side. However, the miracle

occurred. We made a Seifer

Torah dedication three months
ago and my father danced
with the Seifer Torah himself!
Rachamim summed up happily.
About two weeks ago, my
brother-in-law, R Mordechai
Ben-Shabbat, dedicated another
Seifer Torah in my fathers
honor, this time to 770. This was
a special Seifer Torah, rescued
from the Holocaust and restored
by an expert Torah scribe.

AN ACTUAL INFLUENCE
UPON DOZENS OF JEWS
This story brought many
people closer to G-d and the
Rebbe, people who had never
even thought about saying a
chapter of Psalms. Friends and
family members resolved to
keep Shabbos, put on tfillin,
recite Thillim, and more. People
who were never inclined to
embrace matters of religion and
Yiddishkait became complete
baalei tshuva. To this day, we
continue to hear about new cases
of spiritual fortitude. Even I, who
was then in the midst of a similar
process, became a full-fledged
Chassid of the Rebbe.
The Rebbe has a way to
reach every Jew, a fulfillment

of the eternal destiny, And you

shall be gathered, one by one,
children of Israel. My fathers
life hung by a thread rl, and
today, thank G-d, he functions,
speaks, and understands as he
completes the final stages of a
most unnatural rehabilitation
with the blessing of the Rebbe,
Melech HaMoshiach, against all
the doctors predictions.
I feel that the Rebbe is
looking upon all of us and
saying as it were, Wake up
already! Do tshuva and accept
my sovereignty, because Im
coming...
I dont know why this all
happened, but I do know that
many Jews were aroused to
greater observance of Torah and
mitzvos as a result.
My cousin, Raz Chen, who
was then living in California,
decided to start keeping Shabbos
and grow a beard. Today, just
one year later, he is a Chabad
Chassid in every respect and has
moved to Crown Heights, where
he learns Chassidus on a regular
basis. This is one example among
many...
We must arouse ourselves
with joy and not wait, G-d forbid,
for something bad to arouse us!

www.MoshiachForKids.com
Check it out!! Educational and Fun!!
ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS

TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

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PARSHA THOUGHT

SEVENTH
GENERATION
SENSITIVITY
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

TEN PLAGUE THERAPY

The Ten Plagues have
traditionally been understood
as G-ds way of punishing
Pharaoh and the Egyptians for
their enslavement of the Jews.
However, if that was the only
objective, then why did G-d
have to stretch it out, plague
after plague, until there were Ten
Plagues in all? Why didnt He
just bring one devastating and
convincing plague to punish the
Egyptians and compel them to
liberate the Jewish people?
The truth is that the
experience of the Ten Plagues had
at least two other interconnected
functions:
First, it was designed to
educate the Egyptians (and
the Jewish people) about G-ds
existence and His involvement
in and power over this world;
these major principles of Judaism
were previously unknown to the
Egyptians.
Education, by definition,
cannot happen instantaneously.
The process of education is like
the process of growing a plant.
One must first plow, sow, water
and remove the weeds, etc. There
is no shortcut to genuine growth
and development.
On
the
spiritual
level,

education is what allows ideals

and beliefs that are above and
beyond a person to enter into
that persons entire intellectual
and emotional structure. And
since our souls are comprised of
Ten Faculties (three intellectual
and
seven
emotional,
as
discussed in Kabbala and
Chassidic literature), the Ten
Plague educational program was
an effective ten step program to
infiltrate and alter the totality of
the people affected.

SENSITIVITY TRAINING
The second function of the
Ten Plagues, as a corollary of the
first, was to refine the Egyptian
people and sensitize them to the
suffering and pain of the Jews
whom they had enslaved and
persecuted for so many years.
Knowledge
gained
through
education shapes and molds our
sensitivity to G-d and to others.
If the Ten Plagues fell short
of completely transforming the
Egyptians, they are still able to
convey eternal messages to us
today and prepare us for the Final
Redemption. The prophet Micah
illustrates their close connection
when he compares the Final
Redemption to the Exodus from
Egypt.

PRAYER AND IDOLATRY

With this introduction in
mind, we can examine Rashis
comment concerning Moses
mode of prayer after the seventh
plague, hail. Pharaoh summoned
Moses and Aaron and said to
them,
I have sinned this time. G-d
is the righteous One. I and my
people are the wicked ones. Plead
with G-d... I will send you away,
and you shall not continue to
remain.
Moses response to Pharaoh
was:
When I leave the city, I will
spread my hands to G-d. The
thunder will cease in order that
you should know that the land
belongs to G-d
Rashi, citing the Midrash,
notes the words When I leave
the city, I will raise my hands to
G-d and addresses why Moses
had to leave the city to pray: He
did not pray in the city because it
was filled with idols.
Commentators are puzzled
why, in some of the earlier
plagues, Moses did not leave
the city to pray to G-d. Why,
specifically, was it during the
plague of hail that Moses found it
necessary to avoid praying in the
presence of idols?

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Some commentators suggest

that the difference lies in the
manner of prayer Moses engaged
in. When he prayed for the
removal of the frogs and the
mixture of the wild animals he
cried out to G-d or implored
G-d. However, with respect to
the removal of the plague of hail,
the Torah says that he spread his
hands to G-d. This more intense
form of prayer could not be
performed in the vicinity of idols.
However, this explanation
itself needs to be clarified. Why
did Moses change his manner of
prayer with regard to this plague
in particular?

FLAILING BUT NOT FAILING

Bearing
in
mind
our
introductory comments about the
Ten Plague educational program,
we can shed some light on the
above.
If the purpose of the Ten
Plagues was to educate and
sensitize Pharaoh and his people
about G-ds role and the pain
they inflicted on the Jewish
people, the question arises, what
grade did Pharaoh receive? Did
he fail the course?
When we survey Pharaohs
responses to the six prior
plagues, we find that he remained
essentially the same stiff-necked
disbeliever. The point at which
the educational program began to
make a dent and affect Pharaoh
was with the plague of hail. His
response to this plague was: I
have sinned this time. G-d is the
righteous One. I and my people
are the wicked ones
Not only was Pharaoh willing
to relent and let the Jews go, he
admitted to being the guilty party
and that G-d was righteous. This
sounds very much like a repentant
sinner. True, Moses concludes
with the words I know that you
and your servants still do not

Education, by definition, cannot happen

instantaneously. There is no shortcut to genuine
growth and development.

fear G-d. But Pharaoh deserved

some credit. Indeed, Moses was
saying, in effect, You havent
failed, for some progress has
been made, but you still have not
gotten the grades G-d desires of
you.
In other words, the plagues
were
finally
beginning
to
show their intended effect.
The Egyptians were becoming
somewhat sensitized to G-ds
existence, His role and the pain
they had inflicted. The world was
a more G-dly receptive place.

CLEANER AIR
Now we can begin to
understand why, after the seventh
plague of hail, it was difficult for
Moses to remain in a city filled
with idols to pray.
Why hadnt these idols been
an impediment to his prayers
with the preceding six plagues?
Previously,
the
atmosphere
of Egypt was inhospitable for
anything G-dly. Whether or not
there was an idol nearby made
little difference. The entire Land
of Egypt was saturated with
impure energy. And it made no
difference where Moses stood to
pray. The entire country was one
idolatrous cesspool!
When, however, Pharaoh
started a process of Tshuvarepentance and acknowledged
G-d and his own sin, the air
subtly became more refined.
Now, Moses was able to sense
the idolatrous atmosphere of
the city, which was antithetical
to G-ds presence, and sought
to connect to G-d in prayer in a
more sanitized area.
On a deeper level, the more

we have been refined, the

more sensitive and allergic
we become to evil. As Egypt
became more refined, it created
a greater sensitivity and reaction
to the idols. Previously, their
presence did not seem to pose
a problem. However, when the
degree of impurity was lessened
and the environment became
more receptive to G-d, idolatry
concomitantly became more of
an impediment. The more one
is sensitized to G-dly truth, the
more one will be disturbed by
untoward and impure influences.

MOSES ELEVATED
A question still remains. Why
was Moses, the worlds most
spiritual person, able to pray in
the presence of idols up until the
seventh plague? And why did
his mode of prayer change and
intensify, as manifested by his
stretched hands, in step with the
gradual elevation of Pharaoh and
Egypt?
Our Sages state, A leader
is for the generation. If the
generation is corrupt, it creates
a cloud around their leader and
makes it harder for him to reveal
his full measure of spiritual
energy. If the generation is
meritorious, its leaders radiance
will shine.
A primary example of this
mutual dynamic is G-ds telling
Moses to descend from the
mountain when the people
worshipped the Golden Calf.
This, Rashi stated, was G-ds
way of saying to Moses that you
too have been diminished by
virtue of the degradation of your
flock.

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Parsha Thought

Our problem today is not a dearth of inner

spirituality; it is the incredible proliferation of
idols that permeate our society and impinge on our
ability to express our profound and unprecedented
spiritual energy.
By G-d telling Moses that he
was diminished, His intention
was not to berate Moses, G-d
forbid. Instead G-ds rebuke of
Moses meant that he would have
to work harder and generate even
deeper soul powers. Until then,
he could not help rehabilitate the
fallen stature of the Jewish nation
and upgrade the dynamic of a
people who had become more
resistant to G-d.
We can apply the above
analysis to the seventh plague.
As the Egyptians became more
receptive to G-d, so too did
Moses spiritual stature increase.
Even the greatest of Jews could
discover new vistas and enjoy
greater sensitivity and awareness
from the progress made by the
people his mission was to inspire.
At this point, Moses can sense
the all-so-subtle change in the
prevailing atmosphere. He can
now allow himself to pray on a
higher, more sophisticated level,
symbolized by his outstretched
hands.

history to welcome Moshiach.

Our problem today is not a
dearth of inner spirituality; it is the
incredible proliferation of idols
that permeate our society and
impinge on our ability to express
our profound and unprecedented
spiritual energy. When we are able
to leave the city and distance
ourselves from these idols, we can
discover how spiritual and G-dly
we really are.
In the past, the world was
much less refined. It had not yet
accumulated the energy we have
today and the idols permeated
all of society. Our potential and
our prayers then were much
more limited. But today we have
reached the positive milestone
of the seventh plague, i.e., the
seventh degree of education and

sensitivity.
It may be suggested that this
seventh degree of education
parallels the seventh generation of
leadership from the Alter Rebbe,
who set into motion the teachings
of Chassidus, through our Rebbe.
As the Midrash tells us: All
sevens are beloved. Moses was
in the seventh generation from
Abraham and he liberated us
from Egyptian exile. So too, our
generation will be the generation
of the Final Redemption. Sevens
possess an uncanny ability to
sanctify and liberate. With our
enhanced status, we can now
stretch out our hands to G-d
and successfully demand of Him
to bring the Final Redemption
through Moshiach.
One of the ways Moshiach is
identified by the Talmud is that
he suffers from tzaraas, a skin
disorder. In the case of Moshiach,
tzaraas is an allergic reaction
to Galus and its evil. This is
emblematic of our generation,
the most spiritually sensitive of
all, which is more than ready to
enter into the Final Redemption.

SEVENTH GENERATION
SENSITIVITY
We are living in the most
refined generation of history!
This statement may appear
to be counterintuitive. It is based
on the premise that thousands
of years of collective observance
of the Mitzvos and Torah study
practiced with incredible selfsacrifice have rendered the
spiritual air far more pure and
holy. By this reckoning, we are
the most suitable generation in

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CROSSROADS

ELECTIONS IN ERETZ YISROEL

A UNITED
TECHNICAL
RELIGIOUS
FRONT
NOW!
As the deadline approaches for the
respective political parties in Eretz Yisroel
to submit their list of candidates to the
Central Elections Committee for the
20th Knesset, Beis Moshiach presents an
op-ed on the urgent need for all parties
dedicated to the values of Torah and
the cause of Eretz Yisroel HaShleima to
join forces on one united slate, thereby
maximizing their collective electoral clout
and prevent the unnecessary wasting
of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands
of votes that can indirectly lead to
the creation of a leftist government,
firmly committed to greater territorial
compromises even more than those
devised in the Oslo Accords.
By Michoel Leib Dobry

he citizens of Eretz Yisroel

are gearing up for the
countrys second national
election in a little more
than two years, the shortest span
between election cycles in the
Jewish state for more than half a
century. Regardless of how people
may have voted in their last trip to
the polls, they largely agree that the
resulting coalition government was
one of the most unpredictable and
inconsistent on issues pertaining
to national security, defense, and
foreign affairs, particularly on
the conduct during Operation
Protective Edge and the failure
to annihilate the Hamas enemy
in Gaza. But above all, this
government stands out for the
antagonistic and belligerent stance
it took towards the ultra-Orthodox
community regarding compulsory
military service, severe cuts to the
Torah education budget for Jewish
children, the endless government
controlled
media
incitement,
and the housing crisis that needs
immediate solutions.
As a result, it is imperative
that we first remember the
Rebbes clear directive on voting
in Knesset elections: The holy
obligation and privilege of each
and every chareidi and those
who fear the word of G-d is
to participate personally in the
elections and to influence others
to vote for the most chareidi
list, so that not one vote goes to
waste. (Igros Kodesh, Vol. 4,
Letter #1064, p. 345)
The citizens of Eretz Yisroel
are confronted during this
election campaign with a variety
of critical issues that will bear
heavily on the future of the
Jewish homeland. We are not just
speaking from the point of view
of its very existence and security
against the scourge of Arab
terrorism, but also regarding its
sustained viability as a Jewish
state, not some Hebrew-speaking
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CROSSROADS

THE REBBE ON A UNITED TECHNICAL FRONT

The Rebbe spent close to three decades fighting for a united technical
religious front as an effective means of maximizing the electoral power of
the Orthodox community in Eretz Yisroel on a variety of issues affecting the
People, the Land, and the Torah of Israel. Here are a few letters from the
Rebbe on the subject:
I was shocked from his telegram [to learn of] the abrogation of the
religious frontSurely if the parties would concede on partisan benefits,
the fronts establishment will be possible. This is imperative not only in
a general sense, but for each of the parties. It is my fervent hope that at
such a critical hour, each party will recognize its overall responsibility
and advance the fronts establishment. In accordance with our
conversation here, I am certain that he will strive in the aforementioned,
and thank you in advance for the good news you will convey to me in this
matter. With blessing in anticipation of Divine Mercy.
(Telegram reply to Interior Minister Moshe Shapira, 9 Sivan 5711)
Each party must concede partisan benefits in favor of the public
good. It goes without saying that this applies regarding a chareidi for
whom ultra-Orthodox Judaism takes precedence over considerations for
material profit, even guaranteed profit, and needless to say if the matter
seems in doubt. Especially if the perceived profit can also develop into a
loss.
I assert that a united front within religious Judaism in Eretz
HaKodesh is imperative not just for the public good, but also for each
of the parties. I turn to you as to a chareidi who will try with all his
strength and influence to create a united religious front, even if the
matter requires partisan concessions. I am certain that you will give
priority to the matter of ultra-Orthodox Judaism in general and influence
in this direction wherever your authority reaches.
(Letter to Dr. Yosef Burg, 9 Sivan 5711)
I hope that elections in Eretz HaKodesh will not take place now or at
least be postponed for a period of time, as this is not the right time for a
variety of reasons. At the very least, there should be unity within ultraOrthodox Judaism in order to establish a united front for the elections.
(Letter to the Poalei Agudat Yisroel Federation, 13 Sivan 5711)
This opportunity compels me to express my amazement that nothing
has been heard on the matter of a united front, as you know my view
that during the last elections, there was a critical need for a united
religious front. Furthermore, just as my position is abundantly clear
against a permanent front, so too my position is clear that a united
technical religious front is a necessity for the elections, and with even
greater force in the present situation where the leftists have increased
[in power], unlike the religious. And since we have seen the difficulty
with organizing the front in the past, which demands lengthy and welltimed preparation, there is surely a need to act swiftly in this matter, and
particularly to pay close attention to the overall situation and be wary
about leftist surprises in overcoming public opinion. Therefore, the lack
of timely action can bring immeasurable damage.
(Letter to Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Shragay, 23 Adar Sheni 5719)

carbon copy of Los Angeles or

Singapore. Eretz Yisroel faces the
threat of Irans nuclear weapons
development and the continued
pressure to strive for the
establishment of an independent
Palestinian state in the heart of
the Holy Land.

THE DANGER OF
WASTING VOTES
During the coalition crisis
of 5750, the Rebbe spoke
with Voice of Israel radio
correspondent Oded Ben-Ami
about the need for a complete
(and uncompromised) Nation, a
complete (and uncompromised)
Land, a completeness in all of the
Land, together with a complete
(and uncompromised) Torah
all of which are interdependent.
Therefore, while we place our
trust and our fate upon our
strength as believers in Almghty G-d, and we know well
that we have only to rely upon
our Father in Heaven, Chabad
chassidim must also exercise
sound judgment in choosing
which political party can achieve
the greatest good on behalf of
Shleimus
HaAm,
Shleimus
HaTorah,
and
Shleimus
Haaretz. In connection with
the Rebbes overall instructions
on participating in the elections
in Eretz Yisroel, I wrote the
following
two
years
ago:
Naturally, the question of which
party running for the Knesset
best represents the most chareidi
list [of candidates] is subject
to legitimate debate... The best
option would be for all religious
and right-wing parties to join
forces as a united bloc on one
list, as the Rebbe requested on
numerous occasions. This will
maximize their electoral strength
while maintaining their status
as independent parliamentary
factions, and ensure that not one

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vote goes to waste, if they should

splinter off into separate lists.
Since the last election, the
Knesset passed legislation raising
the electoral threshold to 3.25%
of all valid ballots cast, i.e.,
approximately 125,000 votes.
In many ways, this legislation
compels rival parties within the
same ideological camp to put
their petty differences aside and
unite for their common cause,
and with good reason. In four of
the last seven Knesset elections,
Chabad chassidim voted in
large
numbers,
sometimes
overwhelmingly, for a party that
didnt receive enough electoral
support to win parliamentary
seats. In 5752, while the rightwing bloc received more votes
than the left-wing, the failure of
three ultra-nationalist parties
to pass the electoral threshold
(Mizrachi, Levinger, Tehiya)
resulted in Yitzchak Rabin and
Shimon Peres coming to power
and bringing upon us the cursed
Oslo Accords. Thus, when the
Rebbe wrote so that not one vote
goes to waste, it would seem
to indicate that this threshold
should not be disregarded out of
hand.
Of course, the first person to
speak out in favor of a united
technical religious front was the
Rebbe MHM. His holy vision
enabled him to see the need for
joining forces as to run for the
Knesset as one list of candidates
which can garner considerable
electoral support to win a sizable
number of parliamentary seats.
The Rebbe wrote dozens of
letters on the subject to anyone
he believed might have some
influence on national religious
politics in Eretz Yisroel. The
Rebbe proposed the concept
of a technical religious front,
i.e. a single united Knesset list
with a certain number of seats

guaranteed to each party. Thus,

after the elections, each party
serving as a member of this united
front can operate independently.
The idea of running a technical
joint Knesset list is designed to
serve the interest of an election
campaign,
and
afterwards
ensure the independence of each
political party that participates in
this effort. The Rebbe explained
in numerous correspondences
that such a joint list can bring in
many votes from a wide range of
sectors of the population in Eretz
HaKodesh.

PLACE ALL PREVIOUS

DISPUTES ON THE SIDE
Today, decades after the
Rebbe conducted a determined
struggle on the issue of forging
a technical united religious
front, this method has been
transformed into a recognized
political reality, as politicians
with a keen eye know how to use
it for their own purposes.
According to the current
political reality, the Rebbes
demand for a technical religious
front is an absolute must. It is
inconceivable that the left-ofcenter parties can join forces
and the Arab parties can create
a united list of candidates in
spite of the deep and polarizing
political differences between
them, whereas the right-wing
parties fail to grasp that their
failure to unite will lead to the
loss of tens, if not hundreds, of
thousands of votes, the equivalent
of several Knesset seats. This will
virtually give the next government
of Israel to the most extreme leftwing parties on a silver platter.
History proves that if we really
want it, its possible to join forces
and unite and present a true
alternative. In all the struggles
when the ultra-Orthodox and
other religious communities

worked together, we saw Didan

Natzach.
We must leave all past disputes
on the side, including personal
and political considerations. The
Rebbe wrote numerous letters
about how the religious front has
not been created due to personal
considerations of those with a
vested political interest. It would
seem that just as the situation
made it appropriate then, it
makes it appropriate now. Now,
however, with the spiritual and
security situation in the country
hanging in the balance, theres no
time for personal intrigue.
This demand must come
from the people, from the voting
populace, who must make it clear
to its elected representatives
that they will not receive its
votes unless there is a technical
religious front, which can present
a leadership alternative to the
decaying regime in power today.
The struggle for the religious
front is not a political matter; it
is part of the struggles of Melech
HaMoshiach and all Chabad
chassidim, and therefore, we
have a tremendous obligation to
advance this cause. If we wisely
raise the level of awareness of the
great potential benefit concealed
within this process and if we also
apply pressure upon concerned
parties, informing them that
their positions of authority are
in immediate jeopardy without
a united list, we will then surely
achieve much success on behalf
of the People of Israel.
With G-ds help, we will
do and we will succeed, and in
the merit of our efforts, we will
hasten the day when as the Rebbe
said, I hope that very soon the
prime minister there will be
Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
YECHI ADONEINU MOREINU
VRABBEINU MELECH
HAMOSHIACH LOLAM VAED!!

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TZIVOS HASHEM

A SMALL
BUT LARGE
REQUEST
By Nechama Bar
security, politics, or the military,
the Rebbe was more of an
expert than the greatest expert
in the world! He had not seen
such genius anywhere before.
At the end of their meeting,
Begin was so amazed by the
Rebbe that he was willing to do
anything the Rebbe would ask of
him, even to establish another
Kfar Chabad.
What did the Rebbe choose to
ask of the prime minister? Can
you guess? It wasnt something
for the Rebbe, nor was it for the
Chassidim. It was a small request
that shows us what a faithful
shepherd of the Jewish people is.
face.
On your way back, are you
The Rebbe welcomed the going via France? asked the
delegation warmly. He first Rebbe.
spoke to all the members of the
Begin said yes.
delegation and then Begin had a
There is a Jew in France, a
private audience with the Rebbe. manager of a bank, who is about
Begin began by asking the to marry a non-Jew. My request
Rebbe many questions and the is that when you are there, you
Rebbe answered all of them should convince him to leave the
with tremendous knowledge and non-Jew and not marry her.
wisdom. Begin was extremely
astounded.
was
Begin
impressed. No matter what he
asked, whether it was about I am willing to do much bigger

delegation
large
A
approached 770. Journalists,
security, the Israeli ambassador
to the US, and other important
figures accompanied the Israeli
Prime Minister, Mr. Menachem
Begin, on his visit to the Rebbe.
after
shortly
was
This
ted
appoin
was
Begin
hem
Menac
had
he
When
r.
ministe
prime
as
to fly to New York, he wanted
to include a visit to the Rebbe
on his itinerary. Begin knew the
Rebbe. He had written many
letters to the Rebbe and had
received responses. Now he had
a golden opportunity to see the
Rebbe and talk to him face to

things for the Rebbe and this is

what the Rebbe asks for, such a
small request?
It is not a small request at
all, said the Rebbe. It is a very
important matter!
The meeting ended and
Begin left the Rebbe in great
excitement. The impression of
that private audience on him
lasted a long time.
On their way back to Eretz
Yisroel, when they were in
France, the prime minister was
interviewed by Frances main
television stations. He gave fiery
speeches and everyone listened
closely to what he had to say
since he was a gifted orator.
From there he returned to
his hotel where he decided to go
and do what the Rebbe asked of
him. He had the personal details
of the Jew he was supposed to
speak to and so he called him up
and invited him to come and see
him.
***
The bank manager was
sitting in his leather chair in
his office. He took another

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sip from the steaming black

coffee. He was preoccupied with
a number of important bank
matters. The ringing of the
phone interrupted his train of
thought.
Hello? he said in his official
sounding voice.
Hello, this is Menachem
Begin, Israeli prime minister.
The bank manager remained
silent, trying to figure out
which of his friends was kidding
around with him.
The Israeli prime minister?
Why would the Israeli prime
minister be calling a simple
person like me? he asked
hesitantly.
Begin understood that the
man had trouble believing him
and he said, If you dont believe
me, I will hang up the phone
and you can call the hotel and
ask who is on this floor and in
this room.
The bank managers hands
began to tremble. He was
starting to believe that this was
for real.
I would like to meet with
you, at the hotel, tomorrow
morning, said Begin, and of
course the man agreed.
All that night, he could
not sleep a wink. He could not
stop wondering why the prime
minister wanted to speak to
him. He came up with many
possibilities, but rejected them

I heard you get a mazal

tov, smiled the prime minister.
The bank manager turned
pale. How did the prime
minister know this? Was he
being followed? He nodded.
Who is the lucky woman?
asked Begin.
Her name is Maria, he said.
Maria? asked Begin in
great surprise. That is a
Christian name!
Yes, she is Christian, but a
wonderful woman.
How could you do this?
Begin shouted. You are helping
Hitler, may his name be erased!
Hitler sought to exterminate
the Jewish people and you, by
marrying a Christian, will have
gentile children and you too will
be helping destroy the Jewish
people!
The prime minister continued
explaining and convincing, which
he knew how to do so well, until
the bank manager gave in.
Okay, I promise you that
I will not marry a non-Jew.
As soon as I get home, I will
cancel the big wedding and I will
marry a Jew.
The bank manager left the

meeting shaking. It was no

easy matter to decide to cancel
his wedding plans, but he had
promised. He did what he said
he would do. He canceled the
wedding and another Jewish
and
saved
was
neshama
remained connected to the
Jewish people, thanks to the
Rebbe.
***
How do we know this story?
When Begin returned to
were
there
Yisroel,
Eretz
meetings and sessions of the
Knesset and the government.
On one of the days shortly
after his return, a member of
the Knesset entered the prime
ministers office. He wanted
to ask for a large amount of
money for matters that seemed
important to him.
Begin smiled at him and
before permitting him to speak,
he told him the story which we
just told and added, The Rebbe
of Lubavitch, such a great man,
made such a small request,
even though I was willing to
do anything for him. And
you, youre such a small man,
and youve come to ask for so
much?

all.

In the morning, the man put

on the suit he had bought the
day before for this special visit.
He combed his hair and set out.
He arrived at the appointed
time and felt quite nervous.
Begin began speaking to him
in a friendly manner. He asked
about his work and his family
until he reached the important
point.

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