BH. 7 Shvat 5777 27 January 2017 Number 1055 Price: $6.

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The international weekly heralding the coming of Moshiach

LONG LIVE THE REBBE MELECH HAMOSHIACH FOREVER AND EVER!

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 CONTENTS

9
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
8 SAVE ME!
SAVE ME! 5 Parsha Thought
Avrohom Rainitz
17 Moshiach & Hayom Yom
20 AN EXISTENTIAL
DANGER:
22 Halacha 2 Go
ANTI-RELIGIOUS 36 Story
EDUCATION 42 Tzivos Hashem
24 SIMPLY TO LOVE
THE REBBE
17 Rabbi Sholom Dovber Shapiro

33 DINUSH IS HOME
AND EATING!
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 DVAR MALCHUS

BASI LGANI 5717

Beis Moshiach presents Section 7 of the maamer the Rebbe
MHM delivered on Yud Shvat 5717, 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 seventh section of the profound and foundational
Chassidic discourse.

Translated by Boruch Merkur

ONE WHO IS SMALL IS GREAT to the realm of holiness, for [as discussed above
regarding the bittul of the letter Yud] it made
AND ONE WHO IS GREAT IS SMALL
itself small. Thus, it is written, How will Yaakov
7. The maamer continues, contrasting the stand, for he is small (Amos 7:2,5). But since he
perspectives of Yaakov and Eisav regarding their is small, he is great, for bittul allows a person
personal wealth. When the twin brothers meet, to receive all influence from above, including the
Yaakov proclaims his prosperity with the words, revelation of Olam HaBa was created with the
yesh li kol I have everything, and Eisav speaks letter Yud, which is the aspect of to behold the
of his abundant wealth, saying, yesh li rav I have splendor of G-d (noam Havaya) (as above,
plenty. Here Yaakovs perspective characterizes Section 3).
holiness, as it invokes and embraces the aspect The realm of unholiness, on the other hand,
of kol, which establishes a bond, a genuine which is described as one who is great, for it
connection dachid bshmaya vara (that unifies embraces grandiosity, megalomania (hisravravus,
the heavens with the earth). Eisav, on the other the opposite of bittul), receives Divine influence only
hand, who embodies the world of klipa (a shell from chitzonius dchitzonius, the most superficial
or husk that conceals G-dliness), fails to mention aspect. Thus, it is small, it only receives a minute
kol, a testimony to his inability to connect. Eisav quantity. That is, the plenty of one who has only
instead has rav-plenty, signifying ribbui and material possessions is considered as minute and in
hischalkus (fragmented hordes of possessions), the small measure. In fact, physicality, even when it is
opposite of unity (dachid), which is characteristic plentiful, yesh li rav, has unto itself no existence
of holiness. The Midrash captures this difference in whatsoever; it is small.
a different context: Regarding Eisavs household,
the Torah speaks of sheish nefashos six people,
nefashos written in the plural (similar to yesh li A DANGEROUS QUEST
rav), as it is written, Eisav took nefashos beiso, FOR HIDDEN TREASURE
the people of his household. Yaakov, on the other Moreover, as well shall see, material plenty
hand, had seventy offspring, but they are referred to (yesh li rav) itself causes the person to become
in the singular, nefesh echad, as it is written, kol small and insignificant. The negative impact of
nefesh yotzei yerech Yaakov, etc. (all the offspring materialism is explained at length by the Rebbe
sired by Yaakov, etc.). Maharash in his interpretation of the verse, A
The Rebbe goes on to reconcile Eisavs claim mans folly distorts his way, but his heart is incensed
Yesh li rav I have everything with larash ein with Havaya (Mishlei 19:3):
kol the poor have nothing by citing the enigmatic We see in nature that the necessities of life are
statement of Rav Mesivta in Zohar: One who is more commonly available and more accessible. For
small is great and one who is great is small (Zohar example, air is a constant need and it is everywhere
I 122b, Zohar III 168a). One who is small alludes

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 Dvar Malchus

to be found and effortlessly acquired. Food and they are narrow-minded (as in the verse, A
drink, which are needed on a less regular basis mans folly). These fools fail to understand that
than air, are not as readily available. Regarding by pursuing luxuries they stand to lose even their
consumables themselves, drink is more necessary necessities.
than food, and it is more accessible and less The Rebbe points out that on a subtler,
expensive. Clothing is not as urgently required more spiritual level, the lesson of they are
(for one may still live without clothes) but more narrow-minded vdaatam ktzara pertains to
expensive than food and drink. Ones most valued delving deeply (haamakas hadaas) into Divine
worldly asset is likely his house, which is not at contemplation, applying ones mind to this worthy
all an immediate necessity. A house is extremely pursuit, in a manner of hiskashrus, unwavering,
expensive and difficult to acquire. How much more focused meditation. (See Tanya Chapter 3, end;
so regarding truly ostentatious possessions, pure Chapter 42 (59b), etc. This concept is discussed
luxuries. The fact is though that there are people above in Section 5 of this maamer regarding yesod
who, for the sake of acquiring luxuries, pursue is the end part of the body, that the body and the
them to the point of engendering themselves, acting bris are considered as one.) When one applies his
in way that defies logic. mind in contemplating G-dliness, to know that G-
It is with regard to the latter category, the d, your L-rd gives you strength to make wealth
pursuit of ostentatious goods, that the verse applies, (Eikev 8:18), he does not devise plots to wander
A mans folly distorts his way. For this conduct, and journey to the corners of the earth [to amass
this folly and stupidity to attain luxury items, wealth]. This person believes and knows what
distorts his way; not only does he not achieve is written, G-d your L-rd shall bless you in all
his goal, he actually suffers a loss, for he becomes that you do (and his knowledge is genuine, with
unsettled, lacking peace of mind. Thus, he comes to hiskashrus, permeating all powers of his soul).
lose out on even material things he requires. Indeed, G-d can bless the person in all that he
The above insight illuminates the saying, One does in his locale; there is no need for him to have
who is small is great and one who is great is small, travel to a place of danger, nor is there any need for
for it teaches that material abundance itself brings plots and schemes.
about ones diminishment. Thus, the needs of your nation are great
because they are narrow-minded (vdaatam
BY PURSUING LUXURIES THEY LOSE EVEN ktzara): Here narrow-minded refers to the
lack of daas and hiskashrus to the concept of G-d
THEIR NECESSITIES your L-rd shall bless you in all that you do. This
The Rebbe continues in the maamer, citing the neglect result in A mans folly distorts his way, the
saying (recited on Erev Rosh HaShana and the tendency towards plotting and scheming, etc. As a
prayer of Nila on Yom Kippur) the needs of Your result, the hashpaa also comes about in a circuitous
nation are great but they (the people) are narrow- fashion, exchanging rav-great (plentiful material
minded (vdaatam ktzara). The entire reason wealth) for zeer-small, as above.
why the needs of your nation are great with (To be continued beH)
the compulsion to attain luxury items is because

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 PARSHA THOUGHT

TEN PLAGUE
THERAPY
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

TEN PLAGUES DIVIDED manifestation of the Animal THREE PLAGUES: DAAS,

Souls emotional state. This is
The Ten Plagues are divided particularly true of their desire BINA AND CHOCHMA
in the Torah over two segments. to enslave and persecute the The last of the three
Seven of them were described in children of Israel. That desire intellectual levelsand the one
last weeks parsha and the final was born out of their hatred closest to the emotionsis Daas,
three are in this weeks parsha. for the children of Israel. As the ability to attach oneself to an
The question has been asked, the Torah stated in an earlier idea. Without Daas one cannot
why this division? Parsha: They became disgusted generate feelings even if one fully
One approach to answering with the children of Israel. understands the idea. Daas is
this question is based on the Once their negative emotions the bridge between the intellect
notion that the Ten Plagues peaked, they used their superior and emotions. Hence it was the
were directed not just against intellectual prowess to find ways first target of the three plagues
the bodies and property of to suppress the Jewish people. recorded in this weeks parsha,
the Egyptian people, but also The Torah illustrates the use of which aimed to undo the power
against their psyches. A human their intellect with the words of the Egyptians to harness their
being consists of Ten Faculties of Pharaoh, Let us outsmart evil ideas to their emotions.
(corresponding to and derived [them]. Egypt harnessed the The first of the final triad
from the Ten Divine Attributes) power of its collective depraved of plagues was locusts, which
divided into two categories; three mind to satisfy its decadent and devoured the grain of Egypt.
are intellectual faculties with cruel emotional priorities. Chassidic literature connects
seven emotional ones. To counter the emotional evil knowledge with grain, based on
The Alter Rebbe, in his of the Egyptians, G-d sent seven the statement of our Sages that:
classic work the Tanya, traces plagues, each directed at one of A child does not know how
the difference between the Ten the seven character traits. to call his father until he eats
Faculties of our G-dly Souls However, it would have grain. Along with the physical
and how they differ from the been impossible to completely destruction of the grain supply,
parallel Ten Attributes of our eradicate the Egyptian evil the plague was a concomitant
Animal Souls. The G-dly Soul without also directly attacking assault on the Egyptians power
is governed by its intellect, its vicious mindset. That was the of Daas.
which controls the emotions. target of the last three plagues, The next plague was darkness
In stark contrast, the Animal recounted in this weeks parsha. which, in spiritual terms, can
Soul is primarily governed by its Oriented by this introduction, mean the absence of Bina, the
emotions, and uses its intellect we can proceed to explain the faculty responsible for shedding
as a means to serve its emotional significance of the last three light on a subject. Absent a full
end. plagues: Locusts, Darkness and blown examination of a subject
Egypt and the Egyptian exile the Plague of the Firstborn. one is left in the dark. Hence
symbolize and embody the lowest the plague of darkness was

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 PARSHA THOUGHT

One of the symptoms of exile is forgetfulness. Himself in our shoes, so to speak,
and pleads with us to do our part
We forget things that are not essential to us. We in bringing Moshiach and release
forget things that are separate entities from ourselves. Him from self-imposed exile.
Sometimes, the emotional
We dont forget things that are part and parcel of who we
stimuli for wanting to get out of
are. Rabbi Yehudah intended to place these reminders exile can come from the opposite,
positive direction; incredible
into them, the Jewish people of all times, so that we
positive changes have been seen
can never forget that we need to be firing on all our in the world. These changes,
the Rebbe revealed to us, are
cylinders to complete our journey to Geula!
due to the efforts of Moshiach.
They are a taste of, and prelude
directed against the Egyptian teach us about the challenges we to, the real thingthe true
Bina-mindset. After this plague face today. We easily recognize and complete Redemption. All
struck, the Egyptians were no our need to physically get out of of these positive developments,
longer capable of developing a exile and have Moshiach lead us ranging from the collapse of
sophisticated intellectual model to the construction of the Beis the Soviet Union, last bastion
for evil. HaMikdash, but it is equally of anti-Jewish and anti-Torah
The final plague, the death important that we strategize how tyranny, to many incredible
of the firstborns, alludes to to get out of our internal exile. medical advances, should whet
Chochma, which is the first To that end we must divide our our appetite for the full gourmet
born intellectual power; the attack and fight our battle on banquet that will follow,
power to conceive of an idea, two fronts: the emotional and the imminently.
on the basis of which one may intellectual.
However, we can only succeed
develop a full understanding. The The assault on our emotional in completely eradicating every
literal death of the first-borns was attachment to exile can be trace of exile resistance when
paralleled by the destruction of mounted based on all of the we also attack the intellectual
the Egyptian mindset responsible negatives we still experience. impediments to Geula.
for conceiving of the persecution When we witness the threats
This is where the Rebbes
of the Jewish people. from those who would destroy
directive to learn the subjects
Only after Divine demolition the Jewish people or the Land of
of Moshiach and Geula in the
of the Egyptian mindset, which Israel, G-d forbid, it weakens our
Torah enters the picture. To
had crept by osmosis into the love affair with exile; we cry out
counter the negative intellectual
Jewish nations consciousness, Ad Masai-How much longer?!
underpinnings, the mindset
were the children of Israel truly When we read of the tragic
of exile, we must reorient our
able to escape the Egyptian passing of people afflicted with
minds to see things through the
exile. Their physical bondage terrible diseases or who suffer
liberating prism of Torah.
only ended because they had incredible pain, our hearts go out
also defeated the Egyptian way to them and we cry out to G-d:
of life; until then the emotional We cant handle the ravages of TEN PLAGUE MNEMONIC
and intellectual foundation of the exile any longer! We can now understand
exile would have held its power to The more we feel the biting more deeply a section of the
control them. pain of exile, the more intolerable Hagada we recite Passover night
exile becomes, the more we at the Seder. After listing the Ten
A TWO-PRONGED ATTACK can start struggling free of our Plagues, the Hagada states:
internal exile. Rabbi Yehudah would use
It is well known that the
As we become more spiritually a mnemonic: Dtzach, Adash
Rebbe emphasized the study
refined, we begin to understand Bachav [the initials of the Ten
of the subject of Moshiach and
that in exile G-d also suffers. Plagues].
Redemption in our own day and
G-d revealed Himself to Moses Now why did Rabbi Yehudah
age, as we stand on the threshold
via a burning bush, our Sages find it necessary to provide a
of the final Redemption. The
tell us, to indicate that I am with mnemonic for the Ten Plagues?
lesson of the Plagues has much to
them in distress. G-d now puts And why does the author of the

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 Hagada find it necessary to tell and internalizing even one of the out of exile by internalizing each
us that Rabbi Yehudah used his plagues, lest it keep us in our and every Plague. Our efforts to
mnemonic for the Plagues? own personal Galus. banish the Galus mindset cannot
Rabbi Yehudah was acutely That is why Rabbi Yehudah be a superficial exercise; it must
aware that the purpose of the provided us with a mnemonic. become an integral part of our
Seder goes beyond thanking It is a powerful memory aid to personality.
G-d for liberating us. That is keep us from forgetting how to One of the symptoms of
admirable, but it is not enough. combat exile. exile is forgetfulness. We forget
Today the primary purpose of We can now better things that are not essential to
remembering the plagues is to understand the words of the us. We forget things that are
help us understand our role in Hagada, the literal translation of separate entities from ourselves.
breaking this final exile. We too which is: Rabbi Yehudah would We dont forget things that are
must use a Ten Plague therapy to give them a mnemonic. Who is part and parcel of who we are.
rid ourselves of any attachment the them? The simple meaning Rabbi Yehudah intended to place
to, allegiance with or affinity with is that it refers to the plagues; he these reminders into them, the
exile. We need to reflect on the supplied a mnemonic to help us Jewish people of all times, so that
Ten Plagues to help us assault recall each of the Ten Plagues. we can never forget that we need
our own exile; both its emotional But, isnt that obvious? Why not to be firing on all our cylinders to
and its intellectual components. just state: Rabbi Yehudah gave a complete our journey to Geula!
Missing even one of the mnemonic.
Ten Plagues would amount to
leaving us with one, albeit small, FIRING ON ALL OUR
vestige or seed of exile mentality
or feeling. As a result, we would
CYLINDERS!
fail to liberate ourselves from We may suggest that
internal exile. Unless eradicated, Rabbi Yehudah, the man who
even a seed of exile can blossom symbolizes Moshiach and
into a full-fledged exile mentality. Redemption, instructed the
Rabbi Yehudah, whose name Jewish people with his mnemonic
symbolizes Messianic leadership to instill within them the memory
(Jacobs son Yehudah was the of all the Ten Plagues. He wanted
ancestor of Moshiach), could not to ensure that we dont forget to
afford to let us miss mentioning use Ten Plague therapy for getting

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 FARBRENGEN

SAVE ME!
SAVE ME!
A few minutes before his passing, the Rebbe
Rayatz lifted himself a bit from the bed and
screamed these words. He then lay back down,
and a scant few minutes later his holy soul
soared heavenward. * In honor of Yud & Yud-
Aleph Shvat, the day of the passing of the Rebbe
Rayatz and the day the Rebbe formally accepted
the Nesius, the Rebbes secretary, Reb Yehuda
Leib Groner, shared with Beis Moshiach his
memories of yechidus experiences, the tfillos,
the farbrengens, the work of preparing the
maamarim for print, the Rebbes daily yechidus
with the Rebbe Rayatz, and the belief in the
Rebbe Rayatz as Moshiach. Until the hearing of
the bitter news, that long Shabbos in the shadow
of painful grief, the drama that unfolded at
the burial and the powerful statement that the
Rebbe said to him the day after the funeral.

Interview by Avrohom Rainitz

W
hen I approached the from those early days. It turns out after 10 Shvat 5710, there remain
Rebbes secretary, R that despite the amazing work only a few elder Chassidim that
Yehuda Leib Groner, done in compiling the work Yemei remember and can recount the
and asked him to tell BReishis, which incorporated events of those days. One of the
about the period of the passing of the diaries from that period and outstanding ones is R Groner,
the Rebbe Rayatz and the year that personal testimony from Chassidim who merited to be very close to
followed before the Rebbe formally who were present at the time, there the events, due to his position as
accepted the Nesius on 11 Shvat still remains much that is not an assistant to the Ramash,
5711, I did not imagine how many known. later to become the Rebbe.
details had yet to be recounted Today, over sixty-five years The Groner family was very

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 close to the Beis HaRav. It is told remained silent, the Rebbe is presented in first person as
that in Iyar 5704, the Ramash responded, There is nothing to recounted by Rabbi Groner]:
attended the bar mitzvah of R be ashamed of; many of those
Groner and even spoke at length, standing on the side did not PRIVATE AUDIENCES
for about an hour and twenty understand either.
minutes. At the end of his talk,
WITH THE REBBE RAYATZ
[For editorial purposes,
the Rebbe turned to the young R henceforth we will use only the I HAD SOME NACHAS
Groner and asked him, Leibel, terms Rebbe Rayatz to refer to FROM YOU
did you understand what was him, and Rebbe to refer to the The first time that I merited
discussed? When R Groner Rebbe MHM. The following to enter for yechidus with the

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 Farbrengen

Yisroel, Hashem has two zun (zun in Yiddish Aside from those two
yechiduyos, I had another two
means both sun and son), one zun here and one yechiduyos.
zun there, and the zun here directs the zun there. In Tishrei 5710, R Shmuel
Levitin, the mashpia roshi in
Tomchei Tmimim 770, called
me and another two bachurim
Rebbe Rayatz was in the month he asked, he was told to accept us and said that the Rebbe Rayatz
of Tishrei 5706. The Rebbe for yechidus the following day at had recently said that he wanted
Rayatz wished to open a yeshiva two in the afternoon. to discontinue yechidus, since
Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch in When we entered, the Rebbe yechidus was established by the
Chicago, and to this end he chose Rayatz asked: When are you Alter Rebbe primarily for spiritual
five young bachurim age 15, and going? We said, today. The matters and only sometimes was
I merited being one of them. As Rebbe Rayatz said: Your trip to it also used for material matters.
such, we were the first student Chicago has a two-fold purpose. However, lately, most of the
shluchim in America. You are going for yourselves, to people coming for yechidus
The Rebbe Rayatz instructed be examples of what a talmid in were asking only about material
that we travel to Chicago on Tomchei Tmimim is. A talmid matters. In light of this, R Levitin
the day after Yom Kippur. He in Tomchei Tmimim needs to instructed us in a schedule of
appointed R Yosef Wineberg as behave according to Chassidus, avoda for the following months
the mashpia of the yeshiva and R not only according to Torah; and said that after that he would
Avrohom Mordechai Hershberg a talmid of Tomchei Tmimim arrange yechidus for us and
as the Rosh Yeshiva. When we needs to behave also according guide us as to what to ask in
asked R Wineberg when the to Chassidus. I had a little nachas matters of avodas Hashem.
learning would begin, he said from you, but more is needed. I
after Simchas Torah. We asked heard that you publicly review
YOM KIPPUR 5710
R Yochil Simpson, the Rebbe maamarim. I had nachas ruach
Rayatzs gabbai, to ask whether from that. Reviewing in public is THE REBBE RASHAB VISITS
we could spend Tishrei in Beis something you must do, but that THE REBBE RAYATZ
Chayeinu. The Rebbe Rayatzs is not enough. You need to put Every Shabbos and Yom Tov,
answer was unequivocal with an it into practice. If you review a and also on the Yomim Noraim,
eternal message, When ordered, maamer that deals with matters they would daven in Rebbetzin
one must obey. of avoda, you need to put it Shterna Sarahs room, which
The day after Yom Kippur, into practice with avoda. You adjoined the Rebbe Rayatzs
at seven in the evening, we had need to learn and be devoted to room. The Rebbe Rayatz would
yechidus with the Rebbe Rayatz. learning and put the learning into leave his room for the minyan
Since the Rebbe Rayatz did not practice. Im not talking about only for the Torah reading, the
sleep in his room on Yom Kippur, other times; during rest time, you tkios on Rosh HaShana and for
they would bring his bed to the need to rest, but you need to be Maftir on Yom Kippur.
yechidus room and it was still actually involved in learning. You
(When the Rebbe Rayatz set
there when we walked in. The need to want to learn and be able
up residence in 770, he arranged
Rebbe Rayatz blessed us for the to learn.
for his mother to be in the room
upcoming shlichus. The Rebbe Rayatz added: next to the yechidus room, saying
Before Pesach, the Rebbe You are not going with your own he needed to be near her. When
Rayatz allowed us to return kochos; you are given kochos. she passed away on 13 Shvat
to spend Yom Tov with our In conclusion, the Rebbe 5702, the Rebbe Rayatz was
families. After Pesach, I asked R Rayatz said: I want to focus in Chicago. When he returned,
Simpson whether we could have your attention and bless you, he said to R Shmuel Levitin: I
yechidus again before returning the talmidim of your yeshiva should not have traveled. I should
to shlichus. R Simpson said no, and the young boys of Chicago. not have left my mother alone. If
since we had had yechidus just a Be successful in your shlichus. I had been here, all would have
few months before. I asked him Travel in peace and be healthy, continued ...)
to ask the Rebbe Rayatz and after physically and spiritually. On Yom Kippur 5710, I

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 The Rebbe Rayatz in his yechidus room

attended this special minyan his room. My grandfather said Rayatz said to convey that he
along with the elder Chassidim who the ten men are: My father wasnt pleased: Why were they
like R Shmuel Levitin, R Yisroel (Rashag), my uncle (Ramash), rushing? They should daven
Jacobson, R Yochanan Gordon, me, the Torah reader, a Kohen, leisurely. Afterward at Nila, R
R Berel Rivkin, and R Berel a Levi, the baal Musaf, the baal Shmuel Zalmanov went over
Chaskind. The Rebbe Rayatz was Nila, and one more, and other to the amud and since it was so
always particular about davening than them nobody else should late and the Rebbe did not want
Mincha before sunset but that enter. to extend the fast for the Rebbe
year sunset came and passed The Rebbe Rayatz allowed Rayatz, he told R Shmuel: My
and the Rebbe Rayatz had yet to the door to remain open so the father-in-law said that regarding
come out of his room. R Yisroel Chassidim who stayed in the Mincha, not Nila. Hurry.
Jacobson tensely said: The sun is Rebbetzins room would be able A short while later the Rebbe
about to set. R Yochanan Gordon to hear and participate in the Rayatz sent a message once
said to him: Yisroel, Hashem has minyan. I stood the closest to the again: I said not to rush
two zun (zun in Yiddish means yechidus room in the small alcove Before they sang Napoleons
both sun and son), one zun here between the two rooms and I March, the Rebbe Rayatz asked
and one zun there, and the zun was able to see the Rebbe Rayatz everyone to sing as loudly as
here directs the zun there. throughout the davening. they are able to and as slowly as
The Rebbe Rayatzs grandson The chazan at Mincha was possible. Everything was slow
came out very late and said: My R Avrohom Ziskind who was and they davened Maariv an
grandfather said that this time he an oveid and usually davened entire hour after the fast was
will not be leaving his room. The very slowly. Since it was late, over.
Torah reading and Maftir will the Rebbe told him: R Avrohom, On Motzaei Yom Kippur, at
take place in his room and only speed up the davening. He began the meal, the Rebbe Rayatz said
ten people will be allowed into rushing and then the Rebbe that his father, the Rebbe Rashab,

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 Farbrengen

once spoke on Motzaei

Yom Kippur about the
talent for mental imagery,
and he went on to say on
that occasion, This Yom
Kippur I felt this palpably.
When they asked him what
he meant by this he said:
Seeing the face of the Rav.
The Rebbe Rayatz
added: Meaning, that Yom
Kippur my father saw
something that others did
not see. And when you
stand in such four cubits
you need to be altogether
different.
After the conclusion of
the farbrengen, we went
down the wooden staircase
with the Rebbe. The Rebbe
suddenly turned to R
Shmuel Levitin and said:
Now all is understood
about why the Rebbe
Rayatz delayed the time
for Mincha. The Rebbe
Rashab was with the Rebbe
today and that is why he
could not start Mincha as
long as his father was in R Groner standing near the Rebbe during siddur kiddushin
the room. And since the
Rebbe Rashab was revealed the work I did for the Rebbe who me: It will be hard to get you in
here, he did not want to leave this was known as Ramash at that again, so dont go downstairs.
room, nor did he want everyone time. Stay here and I will be motzi you
to enter the room, just a limited On Simchas Torah 5710, with Kiddush and I will give you
number. Now, all is understood. when I arrived in the morning something for the Yom Tov meal.
at 770, the Rebbe told me to The farbrengen that took
IT IS HARD TO LEAVE wait near his room and he would place towards the end of the day
A CHASSIDISHE get me into the Rebbe Rayatzs was special. That year, during
apartment. When we went up the Chol HaMoed, the Rebbe Rayatz
FARBRENGEN wooden staircase (that is what did not feel well and they brought
Since we lived near 770 in the inside stairs were called and Dr. Wilder, the doctor who took
Brownsville, just half an hours were used by people living there, care of the Rebbe Rayatz since
walk away, we would go to as opposed to the public staircase he arrived in New York, whose
770 every time there was a that was called the iron/metal grandfather was the doctor of the
farbrengen. Over the years, the stairs) many Chassidim were Rebbe Maharash. After the doctor
crowd grew and since the Rebbe waiting and hoping to get in. examined the Rebbe Rayatz, he
Rayatz held the farbrengens in The Rebbe stood near the door said he knows it is hard to ask,
his house on the second floor of and while blocking the entrance but he was still asking that the
770, the place was crowded and he said: Nobody can enter aside Rebbe Rayatz not farbreng on
not everyone was able to get in. from one. And he let me in. After Simchas Torah. When he realized
But I was often inside thanks to the davening the Rebbe said to that this was impossible, he said,

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 The Rebbe Rayatz farbrenging with Chassidim

okay, but no more than four Niggun and the Niggun Dalet were just heard.
hours. That would have been Bavos of the Alter Rebbe. After After they finished writing the
anomalous because the Simchas they began singing he instructed hanachos we gave a copy to the
Torah farbrengens lasted at least that every person sing as loudly Rebbe Rayatz who edited it.
five to six hours and one time, I as possible and slowly. In my work alongside the
remember it ended at five in the Usually, during a farbrengen, Rebbe, I merited to prepare
morning! the Rebbe Rayatz leaned back in the transcribed notes of the
The farbrengen began at his chair, but when they began to Rebbe Rayatz for publication.
five in the evening and when it sing he leaned forward and cried, The Rebbe gave me the Rebbe
was nine oclock, and the Rebbe like a wellspring of tears pouring Rayatzs notes on the hanachos.
Rayatz continued to farbreng, from his eyes, throughout the It is interesting to note that
his oldest daughter went in niggun. sometimes the Rebbe Rayatz
and had a watch given to her made an X on an entire page
father to remind him to end the THE MISSING YUD and on the other side he wrote
farbrengen. When the watch something new that was not
reached the Rebbe Rayatz, he
IN SHLITA
said at the farbrengen. So there
put it in his pocket and ignored The regular chozrim at the were things that were said at
the hint. She stood near the Rebbe Rayatzs farbrengens were farbrengens that were never
Rebbe Rayatz and at first he did R Shmuel Zalmanov (who wrote published, and in the published
not realize it. It was only after a the notes known as hanachos) sichos there were parts that were
while that he turned to her and and R Mordechai Mentlick. R not said at farbrengens.
said: Chanale, what can I do Mendel Tenenbaum also helped
for you? She said: You said you with chazara.
The kuntres of maamarim
would finish after four hours The chazara took place in
Basi LGani for 10-13 Shvat
The Rebbe Rayatz said: It is hard the small zal right after the
was printed on the Erev Shabbos
to leave a Chassidishe farbrengen farbrengens. Each time, when the
before the histalkus and the
but nevertheless I will try to be farbrengen was over, the Rebbe
Rebbe brought it to the Rebbe
brief. went down to the small zal and
Rayatz before Shabbos. Some
After she left, the Rebbe told those present: My father-in-
people noticed a printing error in
Rayatz said another sicha and law asked that a written account
the introduction to the maamer in
then said to sing the Hachana be prepared of the sichos that
which the word shlita following

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 Farbrengen

Rebbe is here and how can one

speak in the Rebbes presence?
But since the Rebbe wants us to
farbreng, we farbreng. There is
an advantage in this: Since the
Rebbe Rayatz is davening now,
our talking will be elevated by the
Rebbe Rayatz. What he thinks is
good, he will raise up above, and
what he thinks is not good, he
will cast away.
At that farbrengen, the Rebbe
spoke heatedly about the Rebbe
Rayatz being Moshiach. He said:
I have proof from R Avrohom
Pariz. He told how the Rebbe
Rayatz had recently called for R
Avrohom and told him to return
the Rebbe Rayatzs name was talk during the Torah reading in to Eretz Yisroel. R Avrohom
missing the letter yud. your beis midrash?! called the Rebbe and asked for
a parting blessing. The Rebbe
told him he could come into the
DAILY YECHIDUS WITH THE REBBE-MOSHIACH, office but R Avrohom insisted on
REBBE RAYATZ MOSHIACH-REBBE ITS an official meeting in the Rebbes
Every day, the Rebbe would THE SAME THING home. At the end of the meeting,
go to his father-in-law, the Rebbe R Avrohom Pariz wished the
Before the nesius, the Rebbe: That we meet with the
Rayatz, and this is something he Rebbe would farbreng with
never forwent. Even when his Rebbe (i.e. the Rebbe Rayatz) in
the Chassidim every Shabbos the Holy Land.
wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, Mevarchim, at the Simchas Beis
went to Far Rockaway in the HaShoeiva and on special days in I asked him, why dont you
summer, and the Rebbe went to the calendar. On a Shabbos of an wish that we meet with Moshiach
visit her, he was particular about aufruf, the Rebbe would explain in the Holy Land? Do you want
returning every evening to 770 the meaning of the chassans to know what R Avrohom Pariz
so as not to miss the opportunity name and then the kallas name said? He said, Rebbe-Moshiach,
of going in to the Rebbe Rayatz. and connect the two, and then Moshiach-Rebbe, its one thing!
In those days, the Rebbe wore a explain the connection between When you say Rebbe, you mean
short jacket, but on special days the chassans fathers name and Moshiach and when you say
he would bring along a sirtuk and the kallas fathers name, all with Moshiach, you mean Rebbe,
leave it on the second floor, and extraordinary brilliance and while and it is not necessary to say
put it on before having yechidus citing quotations from all over both. Thus, I have proof that it
with the Rebbe Rayatz. Torah regarding these names. is possible to say that the shver is
Sometimes, after yechidus After the passing of the Rebbe Moshiach.
with the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rebbe stopped doing (In order to appreciate who R
would go down to the small zal this. Avrohom Pariz was, the following
and repeat things he heard from On the last 12 Tammuz story should be told. On Erev
his father-in-law. For example, which fell out on Shabbos, the Shavuos 5704, the Rebbe Rayatz
I remember that one time, the Rebbe Rayatzs farbrengen took had him type a maamer for
Rebbe came in and banged on place on Sunday, 13 Tammuz. Shavuos. As was common by
the table for quiet and said: I just On Shabbos after the davening, the Rebbe Rayatz, sometimes
came out now from the Rebbe the Rebbe sat and began to he said to copy a paragraph
Rayatz and he said his father was farbreng. At the beginning of the from a previous maamer, stating
just by him and his father asked farbrengen he said: It is really from where until where should
him, how is it possible that they forbidden to speak now since the be copied. R Avrohom did the

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 typing very quickly and instead
of copying the paragraph he was
told to copy, he typed the Rebbe
Rayatzs instructions and that is
how the maamer was printed. At
the farbrengen, the Rebbe Rayatz
said that since there was an error
in the maamer, although since
5701 he did not say maamarim,
now he would say a maamer.
Concluded the Rebbe Rayatz: An
error made by R Avrohom Pariz
also requires study.)

SAVE ME!
On Shabbos, 10 Shvat 5710,
there were only a few Chassidim
in 770. What happened during
that time I heard afterward from
the nurse who was in the Rebbe

Rayatzs apartment, and from R
Shmuel Levitin who was there as He said, Rebbe-Moshiach, Moshiach-Rebbe,
well. its one thing! When you say Rebbe, you mean
The nurse said that when
she went to the yechidus room Moshiach and when you say Moshiach, you mean Rebbe,
in the morning, she saw the and it is not necessary to say both.
Rebbes head on the desk. She
tried to rouse him and when she
was unsuccessful she rushed
Shmuel Levitin), and a Yisroel to be taken care of, I would be
to the third floor to call the
(Dr. Seligson) were present. able to do so immediately.
oldest daughter who, seeing the
situation, rushed to send the R Shmuel Levitin sent At about two, the Rebbe told
bachur Sholom Ber Eichorn (who someone to call for the Rebbe me to call Dr. Seligson. I went
stayed in the Rebbes house) to at his house and when the downstairs and he wasnt there.
urgently call Dr. Seligson who Rebbe arrived, he said that the I called Dr. Ness who was there
lived nearby. people living nearby should be and told him: Ramash wants to
told. When the news reached see you. When he entered the
When Dr. Seligson arrived, at
us in Brownsville, R Mentlick Rebbe Rayatzs bedroom, the
7:45, he said the Rebbe Rayatz
refused to believe it. He said: Rebbe told me to leave the room
should be taken to his bed in the
It is not possible. Surely there and for a few minutes, they were
bedroom, and he tried to stabilize
is a mistake. He asked that my alone.
his condition.
father not be told since he was so After he left the room he told
A few minutes before his connected to the Rebbe Rayatz me that the Rebbe saw some
passing, the Rebbe Rayatz lifted and he feared for his health. movement in the Rebbe Rayatzs
himself up a bit from the bed and
Shocked and shaken we body and he told the doctor that
exclaimed, Ratevet mir, ratevet
walked to 770, refusing to believe it looked like the soul was still
mir! (Save me, save me!) Then
the terrible news. When we present, and perhaps saying he
he lay back down and a scant few
arrived and saw the faces of the had passed away was a mistake.
minutes later he passed away.
Chassidim, we knew it was true. I examined the heart again,
The Rebbe emphasized Since I was already working for said Dr. Ness, and said he had
afterward that when the Rebbe the Rebbe, the Rebbe told me definitely passed away and the
Rayatz passed away, a Kohen to stand next to him so that if it movement was a result of air that
(Sholom Ber Eichorn), a Levi (R would be necessary for something remains in the body for a few

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 Farbrengen

and the family stood around

WHEN RAMASH SAID TO ANNOUNCE it and the elder Chassidim
THE REBBE MELECH HAMOSHIACH SHLITA entered through the door from
the hallway and left through the
R Groner relates:
other door. The emotions felt at
On Rosh HaShana 5702, after we returned from saying Tashlich at the that difficult time are impossible
Botanical Gardens, we stood opposite 770 and the Rebbe asked R J. J. to describe.
Hecht, who was a young bachur with a loud voice, to stand on a bench on
The funeral began at 12:30.
the Parkway and make a few announcements as the Rebbe would instruct
When they took the aron out
him, and everybody should repeat after him word for word. The Rebbe
of 770, the Rebbe was on the
told him to say, Avinu Malkeinu ein lanu Melech ela Ata, Avinu Malkeinu
second floor near the window in
Avinu Ata, and other Avinu Malkeinus, and then he told him to say:
Rebbetzin Shterna Sarahs room.
Avinu Malkeinu, shlach refua shleima lichvod kdushas Adoneinu When the aron was close to
Moreinu VRabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach shlita! Brooklyn Avenue, the Rebbe went
At first, R Hecht hesitated and he told the Rebbe he couldnt say it. The down and of course they cleared
Rebbe said, then get down from the bench and I will get up and announce a path for him until he reached
it. the aron. At first, Rashag wanted
Since he saw the Rebbe was adamant about saying it, R Hecht said he them to walk with the aron until
would say it, and he made the loud announcement with the crowd repeating the yeshiva building on Bedford
it after him, word by word. Avenue, but due to the crowding
(At the rally that took place on 21 Elul 5744, R Hecht said this story and pushing, the police said this
in front of the Rebbe, without repeating the complete version of the Avinu was not possible. They asked the
Malkeinu, and he asked the children to stand and announce, Avinu Rebbe and he said they should go
Malkeinu, shlach lanu Goaleinu Tzidkeinu bimheira byameinu. At that by car to the yeshiva.
farbrengen, R Hecht said that when he made the announcement back then, The Rebbe Rayatzs Shabbos
the Rebbe Rayatz was looking out the window of his room at the Chassidim silken sirtuk was on the aron.
gathered opposite 770.) When they placed the aron in
the grave, the silken garment
hours after the passing. Ramash loudly, with heartrending tears. disappeared. The Rebbe asked
refused to believe that his father- out loud: Where is the shvers
Then he asked that we call
in-law had passed away. garment? I will not allow them
the secretary, R Moshe Leib
to cover the aron and complete
About two hours later, the Rodstein, and told him to tell
the burial until the garment is
Rebbe called for his brother-in- Anash around the world the bitter
returned. Suddenly, the garment
law, Rashag, and began walking news. He asked that the chevra
reappeared from somewhere and
with him in the corridor on the kadisha say when the funeral
was placed on the aron.
second floor. Although nobody would be and to inform Anash in
was near them, they did not outlying areas who would want to After the burial, the Rebbe
speak but just paced back and attend the funeral. and Rashag said Kaddish. The
forth for about half an hour. Rebbe tore kria and when we
The Rebbe said that only
Throughout this time, the Rebbe returned to 770 he said that
Anash should dig the grave and
grasped his brother-in-laws arm. everyone should tear kria and sit
not the gentile workers. Likewise,
for an hour. The next day, the
During the davening, the he asked that the casket be made
Rebbe said that whoever did kria
Rebbe remained upstairs and out of the Rebbe Rayatzs lectern.
should sew up the tear, as it is
he asked me to call him when At night, Rebbetzin Nechama not necessary to walk around like
the minyan downstairs reached Dina wanted the Rebbe Rayatz that, but the Rebbe went about
the Kaddish Yasom, so he could moved from the bedroom to the with the tear until the Shiva was
recite it. yechidus room where the elder over.
During Shabbos we did not Chassidim did the tahara. After
The day after the funeral, the
see the Rebbe cry. On Motzaei the tahara, the Rebbe said they
Rebbe told me: From now on,
Shabbos, after the final Kaddish, should allow everyone present
you will have completely different
he left the small zal for the to pass by the aron and ask
work.
elevator and then he stood near forgiveness. The Rebbe Rayatzs
the elevator and began to sob aron was placed on two benches I understood that quite well.

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 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM

THE HAYOM
YOMS BLUEPRINT
FOR OUR
GENERATION
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

Dear Reader shyichyeh, passed away on Yud Shvat, 5674 it is printed in Likkutei Torah!
This Shabbos (Bo) is the (1914)]. My father told this The basis of the connection is
Shabbos before Yud Shvat. teaching of the Tzemach Tzedek the fact that Bhashgacha Pratis,
All Chassidim are preparing to someone at yechidus, adding: it was printed on that page; 3)
themselves to be Mekabel the And this must be done with joy. As chassidim always say: If we
Nesius and Malchus of the The simple and most apparent can learn a positive lesson from
Rebbe. In this article we will reason that this HaYom Yom something, it is always good.]
farbreng based on the HaYom was placed on Yud Shvat As a whole, the matzav
Yom that the Rebbe personally is because Yud Shvat is the of Chassidim in general and
chose for Yud Shvat. Yahrtzait of Rebbetzin Rivka. Yiddishkait in particular when the
The Rebbe writes: When my How appropriate it is to tell us a Rebbe took the Nesius was ill.
grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka, story about her on her Yahrtzait. Many chassidim and Yidden were
was eighteen (in 5611, 1851) she Yet, we have been trained by the lost in the Holocaust or stuck
fell ill and the physician ordered Rebbe to view things on a deeper behind the Iron Curtain. Those
her to eat immediately upon level. If the Rebbe chose this that were fortunate enough
awakening. She, however, did HaYom Yom to be the HaYom to be in America were broken
not wish to eat before davening; Yom of Yud Shvat, it must be physically, emotionally and
so she davened very early, then connected to the whole Avoda were facing a serious spiritual
ate breakfast. When her father- of the Dor HaShvii seventh dilemma, namely, America.
in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek, generation. Assimilation was rampant and
learned of this he said to her: A [There are those who may the younger generation was being
Jew must be healthy and strong. argue that this is a stretch, to lost. The future did not seem very
The Torah says about mitzvos, which I counter with three promising.
Live in them, meaning bring observations: 1) The Maamer At that point, many took the
vitality into the mitzvos. To Basi LGani of 5710 was attitude of She, however, did
be able to infuse mitzvos with prepared in advance to be given not wish to eat before davening;
vitality, one must be strong and out to Chassidim on Yud Shvat so she davened very early,
joyful. to be learned in honor of the then ate breakfast. This was
Then he concluded: You Yahrtzait of Rebbetzin Rivka. Yet, the attitude of acknowledging
should not be without food. the Rebbe teaches us that this that the world (eating) is a
Better to eat for the sake of maamer is the basis for the avoda necessity and cannot be used
davening rather than to daven of our generation; 2) There is a to help strengthen our Avodas
for the sake of eating; he then Maamer (Ani LDodi Meluket Hashem, and therefore I will
blessed her with long life. [She Aleph) where the Rebbe connects try to daven before (i.e. either
was born in 5593 (1833) and the Alter Rebbes Maamer of Ani develop and move to a sheltered
LDodi to the page number that

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 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM

But such a perspective is misguided. From cherished. It was for this reason
that it was Moshe who was
the very beginning of the Nesius, the Rebbe privileged to have the Torah given
ingrained in us the opposite weltanschauung. through him... This, then, is
why the seventh is so cherished:
it is he who draws down the
Shchina, in fact the essence of
community or try to maintain my Davening, have the world serve the Shchina; moreover, he draws
own Avodas Hashem) and then us and our Avodas Hashem. it down into this lowly world.
have to begrudgingly deal with This paradigm shift is It is this that is demanded
the terrible spiritual realities of reflected in the very first words of each and every one of us of
America. of the very first Maamer of our the seventh generation and
The same is true with the Rebbe: Basi LGani I have all those that are seventh are
general perspective of our returned to my garden. The cherished: Although the fact that
generation: We read stories Rebbe reveals to us that not only we are in the seventh generation
about the Chassidim of previous is the world not a jungle, it is not is not the result of our own
generations and we really feel even just a dwelling place, it is choosing and our own service,
that in comparison, we are ill. the luscious garden of Hashem. and indeed in certain ways
We dont see the same type of This world is where the hidden perhaps contrary to our will,
personalities and aspirations essence of Hashem can be nevertheless all those who are
today. It is very easy to feel that revealed. seventh are cherished. We are
we cannot add or accomplish Then the Rebbe adds another now very near the approaching
something that they did not. vital point at the end of the footsteps of Moshiach, indeed,
Therefore, the attitude of some HaYom Yom: And this must be we are at the conclusion of this
has tragically been that we done with joy. Not only should period, and our spiritual task
just need to keep the culture we not feel ill or handicapped, is to complete the process of
of Chabad going, without we have to be very joyful about drawing down the Shchina
expecting major growth or our status. We have to realize that moreover, the essence of the
accomplishments from this our generation was charged Shchina within specifically our
generation. and therefore given the ability lowly world.
But such a perspective to accomplisha very special ***
is misguided. From the very mission. Weyes, wethe
This knowledge should fill
beginning of the Nesius, the seemingly ill and handicapped
us with the ultimate joy. We are
Rebbe ingrained in us the generation, will bring the world
a special generation, chosen
opposite weltanschauung. to its perfection and original
with a special purpose and given
Not only is the world not a purpose, we will bring the world
extraordinary abilities. While,
contradiction for G-dliness, it is to Moshiach.
if by judging the Chassidim,
the only place where the ultimate In the words of the Rebbe it may seem that we are much
revelation of G-dliness can be (Basi LGani 5711 the very less-capable than the previous
revealed. We must learn to see first Maamer): The fact that our generations, we have been
the world at its essence, the Sages say that all those who are blessed with what the other
ultimate place of the revelation seventh are cherished rather generations have not been: The
of the essence of Hashem. We than all those who are cherished Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.
must remember You should are seventh, indicates that the
not be without food. Better to The Rebbe has given us
sevenths primary quality lies in
eat for the sake of davening through his Dvar Malchus,
his being seventh. In other words,
rather than to daven for the Sichos, Igros, Maamarim, and
he is cherished not on account
sake of eating, i.e., we are not following the horaos, tremendous
of his choice, desire, or spiritual
demanding the old-time mesiras strength and revelations that have
service, but because he is seventh
Nefesh (being without food), not been revealed heretofore. The
and this is something that he is
we are demanding that you go Rebbe has literally shared with
born into.
out and use the world to reveal us the light of the Geula and
Yet, the fact remains that the Torah Chadasha and when
the essence of Hashem. Realize all those who are seventh are
that we must eat for the sake of we allow ourselves to enter the

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 Rebbes world and take these bring the Geula. abundance and all the delights
lights of empowerment, we will By serving Hashem in this will be freely available as dust.
see that we can accomplish the unique way of A Jew must be The occupation of the entire
goal of our generation. healthy and strong. The Torah world will be solely to know
This in itself should instill says about mitzvos, Live in God. Therefore, the Jews will be
joy in us, as we say in the 12th them, meaning bring vitality great sages and know the hidden
of the psukim that the Rebbe into the mitzvos. To be able matters, grasping the knowledge
chose for all of us to internalize: to infuse mitzvos with vitality, of their Creator according to the
The Jews should rejoice in their one must be strong and joyful full extent of human potential, as
Maker. Every Jew should share and You should not be without the Navi Yeshaya (11:9) states:
in Gds joy, Who rejoices and food. Better to eat for the sake The world will be filled with
is happy in His dwelling place of davening rather than to daven the knowledge of God as the
in this world. (Tanya, Chapter for the sake of eating, i.e., when waters cover the ocean bed.
33). It is with this joy that we the world is part of the process Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh
will be able to be successful in of serving Hashem, we will merit Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch
our special mission, because joy the era of Moshiach when, in the Cincinnati and a well sought after
breaks all boundaries. It bears words of the Rambam (Hilchos speaker and lecturer. Recordings
noting that the Baal HaTurim Melachim 12:5): of his in-depth shiurim on
points out that the word Yismach In that era, there will be Inyanei Geula uMoshiach can
has the same letters as the word neither famine nor war, envy or be accessed at http://www.
Moshiach. Through joy, we will competition for good will flow in ylcrecording.com

Continued from page 21 agreed that this is their only the North African children
recourse and I know they are emigrating to the Holy Land,
making every effort to see doing their utmost to achieve has deeply gratified me. I was
to it that children who come the necessary results. further pleased to hear that
from religious homes shall be I wish it were possible for this is the general policy of the
housed in suitable religious me to be able to say some- JDC in its refugee and reha-
environments and that they thing of a more positive na- bilitation program.
shall not be turned from their ture on this subject, but I am I appreciate your position,
traditional manner of living. sure you will understand that but in view of the seriousness
When the children reach Isra- because of the setup we have of the situation I wish to un-
el, however, our responsibility it is impossible for us to take derscore that while officially
must cease since it is the Jew- any further action in the mat- you may not be able to en-
ish Agency that has complete ter. croach upon a situation that
and sole responsibility for the lies outside the JDC sphere,
With kind regards and
resettlement of immigrants in I do believe that informally
best wishes,
Israel. and unofficially you may be in
I have discussed this mat- a position to exercise a great
ter with Rabbi Herzog, with DO SOMETHING deal of influence in the ap-
the late Rabbi Meir Berlin INFORMALLY AND propriate quarters where de-
and with a number of other UNOFFICIALLY cisions concerning this prob-
religious personalities both lem are made. While I have
Pirsum Rishon: The Frierdik-
in and out of Israel and I approached them direct, I feel
er Rebbe received the letter and
have indicated to them that that you could give effective
responded a few days later, on
the only way to deal with the stimulus to the matter along
Tamuz 8 5709 [July 5 1949], in
problem is to apply pressure these lines. I sincerely hope
the following letter, published here
on the Jewish Agency in Is- that you will do all you can in
for the first time:
rael and to press for larger al- the matter,
location of funds to religious Your letter of July 1st, re-
flecting your very personal With all good wishes and
organizations for the estab- blessings,
lishment of necessary homes approach to the problem of
for these children. They have the religious upbringing of

Issue 1055 19

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 FEATURE

AN EXISTENTIAL DANGER:
ANTI-RELIGIOUS
EDUCATION
via expanding the Chabad educa-
The Frierdiker Rebbe: prevent the destruction, tional institutions and by estab-
G-d forbid, of the religious life of tens of lishing a board to spearhead the
efforts in Israel.
thousands of Jewish children * must stir his
In this installment we present
conscience and peace of mind until he has the communication of the Frier-
exhausted every means at his disposal to prevent diker Rebbe with the American
Joint Distribution Committee
this terrible outrage * The JDC: the only way with regards to this issue.
to deal with the problem is to apply pressure on These fascinating documents
are part of the JDC Archives
the Jewish Agency in Israel * informally and (which were digitized and up-
unofficially you may be in a position to exercise a loaded online, thanks to a grant
from Dr. Georgette Bennett and
great deal of influence * Saving Jewish Children Dr. Leonard Polonsky CBE).

In the summer of 1949, a dous spiritual damage that was THE DANGER FACING
few months after the Israels In- being inflicted on their children.
dependence War concluded, the
THE JEWISH CHILDREN
In Elul 5709 the Israeli gov-
Israeli government expanded the ernment dispatched Mr. Moshe On Sivan 18 5709 [June 15
Youth Aliyah project, aiming to Kol, the director of the Youth 1949] the Frierdiker Rebbe
bring to Israel tens of thousands Aliyah to Morocco to convince wrote a letter to the heads of the
of Jewish children mainly from the parents to send their children JDC, Mr. Edward Warburg
Arab countries, and integrate to Israel. (Chairman) and Dr. Joseph
them into the secular Israeli so- Schwartz (Head of European
The Frierdiker Rebbe some-
ciety. Division), with each receiving a
how got wind of this plan months
Upon arriving in Israel the personal copy of the letter in Yid-
earlier, and worked tirelessly to
children were placed in secular dish and an English translation
prevent the children from suf-
schools where their Jewish iden- (a similar letter in Yiddish was
fering in the hands of the anti-
tity was stripped away, with the printed in Igros Kodesh Vol. 10 p
religious educational system in
parents unaware of the tremen- 202ff):
Israel, in various channels, both
I have been deeply shaken

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 by recent reports from reliable of Jewish children, a matter May the Almighty help you
sources concerning the fate of which would certainly have and grant you success in your
tens of thousands of Jewish serious repercussions also work.
children from North Africa, upon the physical and moral Blessing you materially
about to emigrate to the Holy welfare of the Yishuv. and spiritually,
Land. These children, whose An innermost consider-
parents are deeply religious, ation of this problem by any
and who have been brought
JDC: WE HAVE BEEN
honest and right thinking per-
up and bred in a strictly reli- son must stir his conscience
CONCERNED ABOUT
gious environment, now face and peace of mind until he THIS PROBLEM
the danger of being placed has exhausted every means On July 1 1949 [Tamuz 4
in the care of anti-religious at his disposal to prevent this 5709] Mr. Joseph Schwartz re-
educational groups, with the terrible outrage. sponded to the Frierdiker Rebbe:
excuse that religious organi- My experience and obser- This is to acknowledge re-
zations lack accommodation. vations over a period of many ceipt of your letter of the 18th
I trust that the organiza- years concerning your public of Sivan, 5709, in which you
tion which you head is aware work give me the best hopes write about the children from
of this situation, and that it that you will once again dem- North Africa emigrating to
will therefore surely and im- onstrate the profound con- the Holy Land.
mediately seek, and with G- sideration with which such a We have been concerned
ds help find, the necessary problem must be dealt, and about this problem for some
steps to eliminate the threat to that will take immediate steps time. The fact of the matter is
these children without delay. to save these children from that our responsibility is lim-
Needless to say, that what- the danger of being compul- ited to the North African and
ever the formalities involved sorily and violently torn from European scene and at the
or decisions made by the all that is dear and sacred to present time we have no way
persons responsible for this them, as well as to their par- of injecting ourselves into the
threatened injustice, same ents and ancestors, so dear situation in Israel.
must and can be overruled in and sacred, in fact, as to call
On the European scene
order to prevent the destruc- for actual self-sacrifice.
and in North Africa we are
tion, G-d forbid, of the reli- I remain awaiting your
gious life of tens of thousands early and gratifying reply. Continued on page 19

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 HALACHA 2 GO

GOING SHOELESS
Selected Halachos from the
One Minute Halacha project
By HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Shlita,
Mara Dasra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights

IS IT A BUBBE MEISEH? practices of mourning, this idea Jewish wine, according to most
is not mentioned in Gemara, and poskim, would entail a ratio of
Our elders often caution us indeed has no clear source in battel bshesh (nullified by six
not to walk around the house Jewish tradition. [times other ingredients relative
without shoes. Is this just a bubbe to wine]). (In most kashrus
Yet, those who are cautious
meiseh (grandmothers tale), or applications the ratio is one to
regarding bubbeh meisehs
does it have a source in halacha? sixty; stam yainam, as a purely
as per the famous tshuva
The importance of wearing (responsum) of the Rashba who Rabbinic prohibition, is less
shoes is found in Gemara: One advises that we should not take stringent.) The small amount
should sell all his possessions what our grandmothers say of brandy in the prepared (and
even the roof over his headand lightlymay act accordingly diluted) mixture of BFRs easily
wear shoes. However, this refers when contemplating going conforms to this formula. (Even
specifically to walking outdoors, shoeless in the house. if one opts to be more stringent
not indoors. with brandy than with regular
We are also cautioned against wine, and even if using the
walking barefoot, and the reasons
THE HALACHA OF BACH maximum recommended number
mentioned in poskim are due to FLOWER REMEDIES of drops, the brandy will still
the chill factor or for issues of As the popularity of total less than one sixtieth, and is
modesty. By wearing socks both homeopathic and alternative therefore battel.)
these issues are resolved: its not supplements grows, consumers But there are many other
as cold, and its not immodest. concern for the kashrus of Bach factors to consider. There is the
Kabbala sfarim cite another Flower Remedies (BFRs) has halachic principle of chanan
reason for not going barefoot: become a common halachic (chatichah naases neveilaha
when traversing the ground, shaila (query). The stock piece [of non-kosher substance
the tuma (impurity) therein can products of BFRs contain brandy is absorbed in the whole and]
cling to the feet. This, too, does as a significant minor ingredient, creates [complete] non-kosher
not apply when wearing socks which is an issue of stam yainam status), and it causes the entire
in the house. Floors indoors are (wine that has been prepared product to be assur, so that we
all covered nowadays; someone by non-Jews). However, when would need sixty times added
going barefoot at home does not prepared in the conventional liquid to dilute the amount of
come in contact with the ground. manner as a consumable remedy stock product used. This is
From a halachic perspective, by mixing only a few drops of possible with a few drops of the
therefore, there is no issue various products with water or product in the prepared mixture,
with walking around the house other liquids,* does the minute but not with the maximum
sock-footed. Though some amount of brandy in the mixture recommended amount.
may argue that walking around still pose a halachic issue? There is also a halachic
in socks is reminiscent of the Bittul (nullification) of non- concept of ein mevatlin issur

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 lchatchilla (we cannot nullify the remedy, it can introduce even are usually stringent in this regard,
something forbidden in the first greater halachic issues: Even if we lchatchilla (initially), to avoid
place). The act of taking the stock wouldnt consider applying the chopping a davar charif on a milchig
BFR products and mixing them with drops to the tongue consumption cutting board if it is to be used with
water to dilute them can well fall in the normal manner of eating and fleishig or vice versa. Likewise if the
into this category of exemption to drinking, merely absorbing them sharp food was cut on either type of
halachic bittul. In addition, there are into the body can still be assur board, we should not lchatchilla
numerous exceptions to nullifying (called sichah kshtiya). In addition, mix it with food of a different status.
non-kosher ingredients, even in stam yainam is assur bhanaah However, a typical chopping
minute amounts: a davar hamaamid (deriving any benefit [from the block or board is usually not capable
(ingredient used to substantiate [a forbidden substance] is prohibited) of actually turning a particular
product]) never becomes nullified according to many poskim. Although sharp food milchig or fleishig.
due to its significance within the these concerns are mitigated where a Used primarily for vegetables and
mixture. Another exception is if persons health is concerned, there is cold foods, it would be difficult to
the prohibited substance is present less reason to apply these leniencies imagine the existence of a milchig,
because derech asiyaso bkach (it is a when alternative administration fleishig or treif chopping block
regular ingredient in the recipe)as through dilutionis available (and unless it was used for hot food. A
indeed is the case here. also therapeutically recommended). board used for cutting sharp food
There are, however, various with a milchig or fleishig knife in a
halachic counter-arguments that THE CASE FOR A PAREVE particular manner may theoretically
may allow us to rely on leniencies CUTTING BOARD be considered milchig or fleishig
and permit BFRs. Most significantly, but even then, only according to the
there is a heter (dispensation) for a There is hardly a more caustic stricter opinions mentioned here,
choleh (a person who is ill) to use combination in a Kosher kitchen as well as other stringent criteria.
tasteless non-kosher medication than duchka dsakina (the pressure Practically speakingand certainly
that is swallowed. However, for this of a [sharp] knife) on a davar charif bdieved, in a case where the sharp
heter to apply it must be ascertained (a pungent food, e.g. onions, garlic, food was prepared and then used
that the remedy is considered a pickled foods, etc.). While most across the dividewe are lenient
refua bedukah (well-researched hairy cross-contamination incidents with cutting boards used in all cold
medicine). In addition to resolving can be mollified by a component that food preparations.
whether alternative supplements is clean and eino ben yomo (was not
* A clean kli (vessel) usually
are considered medicine in this used in twenty-four hours),* no such
transmits its status to food only in
context (and specifically in the case heter (leniency) exists in the case of
situations where it can conceivably
of BFRs, which have failed many a knife cutting into sharp food. A
enhance itand not after it has
clinical studies), there is the question davar charif draws out even stale
turned stale (taamo lifgam). In
whether these particular remedies properties from the knifewhether
other words, a treif kli does not
which are marketed to promote it is treif (non-kosher), fleishig
render kosher food treif if it was not
general physical and emotional (meat) or milchig (milk)which
used within the past twenty-four
wellnesswould be included in the will convert what is chopped or
hours; the same applies to milchig
heter designed for a choleh. sliced to the status of knife.
in a fleishig kli that was not recently
There may still be some Some poskim suggest that this used (and vice versa)and also
leniencies to be found for allowing rule is extended to the cutting board when considering whether a pareve
the consumption of these and on which the davar charif is cut, (neutral) food becomes milchig
similar remedies. A knowledgeable so that if the cutting board is treif, or fleishig when cooked in the
rov should be consulted regarding fleishig or milchig, this status is designated pot.
individual cases and products. transmitted via the cutting action
to extract the taste into the sharp
* Since BFRs are considered One Minute Halacha is a succinct
food sitting on it. Other halachic
harmless even in larger quantities, daily presentation on practical Halacha in
authorities differentiate between
some consumers use the stock video, audio, and text formats, and can be
the various intensities of the knifes
product by directly applying it to accessed by phone at 718.989.9599, by email,
contact with the food and board
the tongue. Aside from the fact [email protected], or by WhatsApp
limiting it to food that is being
that most proponents of BFRs 347.456.5665.
crushed or zealously chopped or,
consider this a less effective use of
alternatively, cut with due haste. We

Issue 1055 23

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 THOUGHT

SIMPLY
TO LOVE
THE REBBE
The Rebbe turned to him and said, I love every
Jew with a tremendous love and I hope that due
to my love for them, they reciprocate that love in
kind. * It is incumbent on a Chassid to connect
and cleave to the Rebbe, the true source of true
life, and to be constantly preoccupied with this
love, the love of his life.

By Rabbi Sholom Dovber Shapiro

Shliach and Rosh Kollel Torah Center, Manhattan

O
n an ordinary weekday, he began to come closer to Judaism Despite being greatly impressed
there was a man whose and would visit the bachurim from and inspired by all that he
car broke down on a time to time, spending more and experienced over Tishrei, he had
street in France. By more time with them so that when a hard time digesting what to him
divine providence, this was near Tishrei came around he joined was the obsessive involvement
the yeshiva in Brunoy, and the them on their trip to the Rebbe. of Chassidim with the Rebbe.
driver asked the students to give During his stay in 770, he The bachurim suggested that
him a hand which they did gladly. continued to spend a lot of time he ask the Rebbe directly about
After a brief conversation, they with the boys, and that is how this when he would have the
discovered that he was a Jew, he got to spend the wee hours opportunity for a private audience
and as to be expected in such an of the night attending Chassidic at the end of the month. And so,
encounter, they put tfillin on with farbrengens, where he discovered when he stood before the Rebbe
him and invited him to visit the the tremendous hiskashrus in his holy room, he did just that.
yeshiva. From that point onward, of Chassidim to the Rebbe. The Rebbes response was: I

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 love every Jew with a tremendous each other, that binds Rebbe demonstrates my love for the
love and I hope that due to my to Chassidim and Chassidim Rebbe? How much is love for the
love for them, they reciprocate to Rebbe. This is both in a Rebbe felt in my everyday life?
that love in kind. The end of the direct way and a responsive The most basic instinct that
story is pretty much as expected. way, without any barriers, and governs all of a persons behaviors
The Jew became a full-fledged it transcends the limitations of is his love of life. This love is not
Chabad Chassid and today his space and time. the result of any occurrence or
children serve as shluchim of the The tremendous love that event which brought him to the
Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. exists between the Rebbe realization that it would be a
We all know the saying cited and Chassidim is a two-way good idea to love life; rather it is
in HaYom Yom of 26 Shvat: phenomenon. Therefore, anyone his very existence that causes him
Love is the spirit of life in the who has the least bit of Chassidic to be permeated with a boundless
avoda of Chassidus. It is the sensitivity ponders and thinks love for life. In other words, life
thread that binds Chassidim to to himself: What about me is not some added component of

Issue 1055 25

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 THOUGHT

the person. As long as his soul except in the Rebbes minyan, of their neck, which is to say
beats within him, in everything he the man exclaimed forcefully, but that it is possible to be standing
does he is alive. Like the analogy he was barred entry. right next to a precious treasure
brought in Tanya of a person who I guess if I cant get in, there and turn ones back to it. The
craves the life of his soul, and will be no name, he thought to Rebbe is being mashpia! It is up
when he is weak and debilitated himself, but on the other hand to us to receive that in a manner
he craves and hungers for his there is the instruction of the of face.
soul to return to him. Rebbe to give a name at the first
So too regarding the opportunity. It was already the A MATTER AFFECTING THE
love between the Rebbe and second day of Rosh Chodesh ESSENCE OF THE SOUL
Chassidim. The Rebbe is the Nasi Cheshvan, and the young man
of the generation, the Moshe was circling around in the yard On 27 Adar 5752, Anash and
Rabbeinu of the generation of 770 near the first floor, the Tmimim were waiting for the
through whom all of the divine which was closed off during that Rebbe to return from the Ohel,
hashpaos and energy flow passes difficult period. Suddenly, he and as was the custom did not
to every member of the Jewish noticed that one of the windows daven Mincha until the Rebbes
people, and as such he is the was left open, and without return. To a certain degree, it can
heart and mind of the entire thinking twice he jumped and be said that we are still waiting for
nation. wiggled through the window, the Rebbe to return and then we
walked inside until he got close will daven Mincha and Maariv,
We merited to be chosen
to the Rebbes room where the and afterward perhaps there will
as the Seventh Generation,
Torah reading was taking place be a sicha or even a distribution
and we are overflowing with a
at that time, and standing there of dollars or a kuntres. Certainly,
tremendous bounty of sichos
he passed along the name for his we have merited many great
and maamarim, but sometimes
daughter for the saying of the revelations since then, and
it is possible to lose the feelings.
hoped for Mi ShBeirach. especially the encouragement
We need to constantly review
of the proclamation Yechi
and remember that Hashem From this episode we can see
Adoneinu before the eyes of the
wants the heart. We need to be what it means to be a Chassid
entire world. However, as long as
authentic, to feel the tremendous whose very life is the Rebbe to
we have not merited the complete
love that the Rebbe showers upon such a degree that there can be
revelation of the Rebbe, our life is
each and every one of us. This is no other way!
not a life.
something that affects our very It is essential to know that
existence. It is explained in Chassidus
the Rebbe is showering unlimited
that when a person experiences
*** bounty and blessings on every
something that affects the very
At a farbrengen on 27 Adar, Jew out of his tremendous love,
essence of his soul, this reveals
I heard from a man living in the only question is, do I feel it
within him essential and lofty
Crown Heights, that he had a and what am I giving in return.
soul powers. That is exactly how
daughter on 28 Tishrei 5738, less In Tanya, the Alter Rebbe
our intense love for the Rebbe
than a week after the heart event explains that The nourishment
and our desire to see our king
on Shmini Atzeres, and as is the and life force of the nefesh-
must awaken within us a state
custom, he wanted to give her ruach-neshama of the ordinary
wherein we will do whatever is
a name at the Torah reading in people is from the nefesh-ruach-
in our power and even beyond
the Rebbes minyan. These were neshama of the Tzaddikim
our power to bring about the
weeks when the Torah reading and Chachomim, the leaders
complete revelation. And this
took place in the Rebbes room of the Jewish people in their
should find expression in each
with an exact quorum. The new generations. He goes on to
Chassid wherever he may be at;
father approached R Leibel explain that there are those who
in his travels, his thoughts, his
Groner and tried to use all of his dont receive that nourishment
speech and actions, that he work
skills in persuasion, but to no in a face-to-face manner, but
tirelessly with all of his powers
avail. R Groner would not even rather in a backhanded fashion.
and live with the Rebbe at every
hear of the possibility of the man In the Rebbes sichos, he makes
step.
entering the Rebbes room. I mention of a situation described
as they turned to Me the back As the Rebbe writes in a
will not give my daughter a name,
letter: They should contemplate

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 that this is detaining the Geula,
Tchiyas HaMeisim and meeting
up with the Rebbe, my father-in-
law, and his father etc., etc., can
it be that you are not pining?
And is there any effort that
would be considered difficult
in their eyes just to attain that?
And these are things as they are
in a literal sense, and not in a
way of clever allegory.
How does one get in touch
with this feeling, especially in
the difficult moments before the
Geula? The Rebbe writes in the
HaYom Yom of 14 Shvat: By
our holy forebears, in addition

to arousing divine mercies
for their mekusharim, there The Rebbe told the venerable shliach, R
was an avoda, when alone, of
bringing their mekusharim to Yitzchok Dovid Groner ah, that when a Chassid
mind and pondering their love wakes up in the morning, before the morning blessings or
and hiskashrus in a manner of
as water reflects a face (i.e. after the morning blessings, he should picture to himself
reciprocation), which arouses the the image of the Rebbe.
inner faculties of the one being
thought about...

THE REBBE SHOWS that is going on in our lives, secretaries ordered him not to
down to the smallest details, mention it. To which the Rebbe
US SUCH LOVE something which we are witness responded, They have to, but at
And as water reflects a to in thousands of stories where least I remember!
face, the Rebbe Rayatz tells the Rebbe showed how much The awareness that the Rebbe
us in a letter: The Chassidim- he cares about the life of each is an integral part of the life of a
Mekusharim had the practice Chassid. Chassid should awaken within
of establishing a special set During the period when us a doubled and redoubled love
time to arouse feelings of love the custom of going in for from the depths of the heart in
for their Rebbe. Simply, to love yechidus on ones birthday a manner of as waters reflect a
the Rebbe, with a love that is was discontinued, there was an face much like the love one
felt tangibly in the heart, like a occasion when R Mordechai has for his very life, which causes
fleshly love towards a wife and Shusterman had the opportunity him to crave to connect and
children. During that time, they to go in for yechidus in cleave to the Rebbe, and to be
would picture to themselves a connection with a family simcha constantly preoccupied with this
yechidus with the Rebbe, the close to the time of his birthday. love, the love of his life.
hearing of a Chassidic discourse As he waited his turn, he asked The Rebbe told the shliach,
or a farbrengen with the Rebbe. one of the secretaries if it was R Yitzchok Dovid Groner, that
In simple words, each one okay for him to mention his when a Chassid wakes up in the
of us needs to contemplate in a birthday, and he was answered morning, before the morning
deeply personal fashion how the in the negative. When he went blessings or after the morning
Rebbe shows each one of us such in for the yechidus and handed blessings, he should picture to
great and powerful love, lifts us the Rebbe his pidyon nefesh, the himself the image of the Rebbe.
up and brings us close to him in Rebbe asked him why he doesnt That is a Chassid and that is
a very real way. How the Rebbe mention anything about his his very existence!
cares about us and everything birthday. He answered that the

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 STORY

THE
INTERNATIONAL
MYSTERY AND
THE REBBES
FARBRENGEN
By Menachem Ziegelboim

PART I two months earlier. They had will be the opposite of what he
hoped they would never hear that wants. All of this comes from the
770, New York. Shabbos, pained tone again. side of the double and redoubled
Parshas VaYakhel-Pkudei, 5747. darkness, and we are being
There are those who want to
Thousands of Chassidim appeal and take the sfarim and shown this not only through
packed into the Rebbes beis divide them up and distribute hints but openly, for there was
midrash and listened closely to them around. They should know a woman who received as an
what the Rebbe had to say. It was this will never happen! The shver inheritance from her husband a
seemingly a routine farbrengen on will be victorious and no negative very large amount of sfarim, and
Shabbos Mevarchim. The Rebbe impression will remain. she decided to send them here
began with timely remarks about to the library of the Rebbe, my
This matter pertains to
the special quality of Shabbos father-in-law.
the shluchim, for it has left my
Mevarchim Nissan which is the Nobody urged her to do this.
hands and even originally did not
head of the months. Between She was at the Kosel and saw a
pertain to me but to the Rebbe,
sichos, the Chassidim lifted their Lubavitcher putting tfillin on
my father-in-law, and therefore,
cups and the Rebbe responded to with a Jew. This is the fruit of the
it pertains to his shluchim, for
the lchaims of each of them. Rebbe, my father-in-law, and she
they will decide with a great
In the third sicha, the Rebbe multitude is the glory of the king was inspired ...
brought up the topic of the what to do. None of the astonished
sfarim. His voice rose and once Chassidim knew who the woman
At this point, the Rebbe told a
again, the Chassidim heard that was, about which books the
story (large portions of which do
pained tone that they heard so Rebbe was talking about, nor
not appear in the sichos of those
many times before the big Didan about anything occurring at the
days). It never was and never
Natzach that occurred only Kosel.

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 PART II The hippie was annoyed and there. This is where Jews go
asked, How old are you? Then to pour out their hearts by the
Los Angeles.
he continued without waiting for remnant of our Beis HaMikdash.
He stood on the corner an answer. I think I am older Near the entrance to where the
near a tfillin stand and stopped than you by some years. How men pray is a tfillin stand where
passersby with the question, Are dare you ask me about my origins hundreds of thousands have put
you Jewish? The street was and tell me what to do? Do you on tfillin over the years. It is
busy, everyone rushing, trying to think I owe you anything? Where an inseparable part of the Kosel
catch the next bus. Most of them do you get your nerve? And he scene.
ignored him or briefly said no, walked on. Near the stand is a man who
but some Jews said yes and were
I just asked ... mumbled offers tfillin to passersby. There
willing to put on tfillin.
the Lubavitcher, but the young is usually no need to ask, Are
On the other side of the man had already walked off you Jewish? since most people
street walked a young hippie. while loudly complaining about who visit the Kosel are Jews.
His colorful, unkempt look did rude kids who bothered him with Those who did not yet put on
not stand out on the streets of peculiar questions. tfillin are usually happy to do so.
Los Angeles at that time. When
Those who see the man with
he got into range, the young
PART III the gentle bearded face would
Lubavitcher asked him, Are you
never guess that he was once a
Jewish? Yerushalayim.
hippie, that same one from the
Yes, he said. The Kosel plaza was filled street corner in Los Angeles.
So how about putting on with men, women, and children. Please meet Gutman Locks.
tfillin? Jews of all backgrounds were Many changes took place over

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 Story

the previous year and it was all Once again, it was a decision thanked him and went on her
thanks to the tfillin stand in Los made on the spot. I will stay way.
Angeles. here near this tfillin stand so I
The change began as soon as too can help Jews do the mitzva PART IV
he left the stand fuming. After he of tfillin.
New York. Adar 5747.
calmed down he began to think. Gutman established his
Why did I get so upset? What residence in Yerushalayim and Two young men, R Nechemia
did he want from me already, every day he went to the Kosel, Kessler and the Tamim Meir
that I should do a mitzva? He stood near the tfillin stand and Yechiel Hershkowitz, set out
felt regret and guilt. Have I did his work. He did Mivtza from Crown Heights heading to
deteriorated so much that the Tfillin for months and put tfillin Flatbush. Finding the address
mere mention of a mitzva gets on with over 10,000 Jews. He they were given, they approached
me so angry? No! And Gutman found this enormously satisfying. a ranch style home where they
decided, I must change. were supposed to meet the widow
One wintry day at the end of
living there. The woman invited
In order to make sure his Adar, Gutman went to the stand
them into her home. Entering,
decision would be acted upon, he as usual and offered tfillin to
they were astounded to see a
decided to commit to putting on passersby. As he helped someone
house packed with sfarim. Every
tfillin every weekday from then with tfillin, he noticed an older
room in the house was crowded
on. woman standing on the side and
with bookshelves overflowing
Days and then weeks passed watching him. At first he paid her
with sfarim.
and as our Sages say, One no mind. He was used to tourists
staring and figured she was a I wish to donate these
mitzva draws another mitzva,
to the Lubavitch library, the
woman informed them. R

Kessler, who was the director
The memory struck him like a thunderbolt. The of the Levi Yitzchok library on
sight of the stand reminded him of the street Kingston Avenue, went through
the collection and saw that some
corner in Los Angeles where he began his journey toward of them he already had copies
Judaism. of in his library and some were
not suitable for a public lending
library.
As the two of them were
and Gutman continued to grow curious tourist. browsing the books, they
spiritually. Within a few months When time passed and the continued their conversation
he was religiously observant. woman was still standing there with the widow. Why do you
At that point, he felt he wanted and watching him, he wondered want to donate the sfarim to us
to move to Eretz Yisroel and about it. He did not understand specifically, asked R Nechemia
imbibe of its holiness. Like every why she was so interested. When with some surprise in his voice.
American, he began his visit at the foot traffic was less he went How did you hear about us?
the Kosel. over to her. She asked, What I will tell you, said the
He observed the crowds and movement do you belong to? woman. It has been some time
then something familiar caught Gutman was taken aback. since I was widowed from my
his eye. The tfillin stand. It was He never thought he belonged late husband, who was a learned
piled with pairs of tfillin and to any movement but the woman man and a dedicated bibliophile.
nearby were some Jews putting had asked and was waiting for an Throughout his life he collected
them on. answer. many sfarim, as you can see.
To tell the truth, after he passed
The memory struck him like To Chabad, he finally said.
away I had no idea what to do
a thunderbolt. The sight of the He figured that if he was standing
with all these sfarim for which I
stand reminded him of the street there and putting tfillin on with
have no use.
corner in Los Angeles where people, then he was acting like a
he began his journey toward Lubavitcher. Not long ago, I visited Eretz
Judaism. Yisroel. While there, I paid a visit
The woman nodded and

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 to the Kosel Maaravi, where I to Crown Heights and rushed free for a moment, the bachur
couldnt help notice the tfillin to tell his brother-in-law, the approached him and handed
stand. I saw them doing amazing chief librarian of the Rebbes him a dollar bill saying, This
work, with young men inviting library, Rabbi Berel Levin, who dollar is for blessing and success,
the visitors to put on tfillin. I in turn informed the Rebbe. from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He
asked one of the men there where Unfortunately, the joy was sends you his blessings of yasher
he is from, and he answered me somewhat muted during that koach (an expression of thanks
that he is a Lubavitcher Chassid. period, since the other side had in the form of a blessing to have
Since I was so impressed by the filed an appeal against the courts the strength to continue to do
work that you do, I decided on ruling in favor of the chassidim. good and proper things).
the spot to donate the sfarim This news pleased the Rebbe very Gutman was shocked, This
to Lubavitch. And so, when I much, and he sent out a response is from the Lubavitcher Rebbe?
returned to the US, I did some on the same day, So should For me? He did not understand
research and came across your he deliver good news about the what he might have done to merit
library. receiving of additional sfarim, the dollar from the Rebbe and a
R Nechemia Kessler could also and especially the receipt of personal thank you. The bachur
not contain his amazement at the all the sfarim and manuscripts didnt know exactly what to tell
tremendous divine providence, etc. him, I dont know a thing, he
and he explained to her that On Thursday, 25 Adar 5747, shrugged. Yesterday, I was on
the Levi Yitzchok library was R Levin received a delivery of the famous line for dollars by
limited and not every volume was thousands of volumes to add to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. When I
appropriate for them. However, the Rebbes library. The following told him that I was traveling to
what he could recommend is that Shabbos, the Rebbe chose to Yerushalayim, the Rebbe gave me
she donate the entire collection share a bit of this moving story an additional dollar and asked me
to a far more suitable library, the with those who attended the to give it to the young man that
library of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. farbrengen. runs the tfillin stand at the Kosel.
The woman was thrilled That is all I know, concluded
with the suggestion and PART V the yeshiva boy.
immediately agreed to have the Still bewildered and
Yerushalayim. Monday, 29
entire collection transferred to befuddled, Gutman could not
Adar 5747.
the Rebbes library. By a stroke for the life of him think what
of amazing divine providence, Gutman stood, as was his connection he had with the
this story occurred a very short practice, near the tfillin stand, Rebbe, or what the Rebbe might
time after the court victory and asking the passersby if they had be thanking him for. The puzzle
celebrations of didan natzach, already put tfillin on that day. He was solved not long after, when
at the very time that the Rebbe was quite busy. somebody gave him a copy of the
was asking the Chassidim to A young yeshiva student summary of what the Rebbe had
send books and manuscripts to stood off to the side patiently, spoken about that Shabbos, and
the library of Agudas Chassidei seemingly waiting for a break in he read the story that the Rebbe
Chabad. the action so as to say something told to the Chassidim gathered
R Nechemia Kessler returned to Gutman. When Gutman was there.

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Issue 1055 31

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 NEWS

D
inush experienced a Chanuka miracle.
People from all over the world and
differing backgrounds eagerly followed
developments. When I called Chaya
Rivkin, Dinushs mother, to hear the story of the
miracle firsthand, she said:
Youre not the first to call for an interview.
Ive been getting endless requests for interviews
from all kinds of newspapers and sites. I cannot
respond to all of them but I cant say no to
a Chabad magazine of the Rebbe. I owe the
Rebbe tremendous gratitude for the miracle we
experienced recently.
Dinush is only four and a half but has gone
through so much already. And yet, she is still a
sweet, happy little girl. She was born with a rare,
congenital birth defect called esophageal atresia.
That means, her esophagus was (its weird for
me to speak in the past tense) connected to her
lungs instead of to her stomach. As soon as she
was born she was operated on to disconnect
her esophagus from her lungs but something
went wrong and she was in the ICU in critical
condition.
Dinush, who
How did you handle the news?
For a very long time, Dinush could not eat garnered
anything and vomited whatever entered her worldwide
mouth. I could not go anywhere with her and
take pride in my firstborn because I didnt know attention with
when she would suddenly vomit. The doctors
then decided she would get her nutrition through
the campaign to
DIN
U SH
an esophageal tube which in Hebrew is called raise funds for
a zonda, which brings liquid food directly to her operation, has
the stomach for digestion and prevents it from
getting into the lungs. Since then, up until returned home.
this recent operation, the zonda was constantly * Exclusive: Her
attached to her.
That meant, that as everyone around her was mother, Chaya
eating, Dinush could just watch, smell the food, Rivkin, shares the
and want some too. In our kitchen there was a
special box in which we put all the things Dinush hard times, the
wanted to taste. Were saving it for you, we miracles, and the
told her, because we are sure that one day, a
miracle will happen and youll be able to eat gratitude.
normally, like everyone else. At first the doctors
said things would straighten out when she would By Blumie Landau
be a year old, then they said at age two. Then
they promised a change at age three. Recently,
her condition grew more serious because the
esophagus began bleeding into the lungs and we
were told to do surgery immediately at Boston
Childrens Hospital, one of the best in the world,
at a cost of 1.5 million shekels.

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 G !
U SH IS D E A TI N
HOME AN

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 News

What did you think about that moment, until our return supporting us at every stage.
the operation? home, the Huminer family did The date for the operation
I knew we had reached the not leave us. They arranged was approaching and we
end of our rope and we could for every Chabad family in the prepared Dinush. We told
not allow Dinush to be in danger, community to make meals for her, The doctors will remove
but where would we get that kind us. Every day we were given full the zonda and you will be able
of money from? We started a course meals and even desserts. to eat normally. Dinush
special campaign for this purpose We were amazed by all the love asked, Whatever I want?
but I said to myself, In Chabad and devotion the community Everything! we said.
there are so many campaigns and showered upon us. The fateful operation that
fundraisers, mosdos and Chabad One Shabbos, a shliach would change Dinushs life was
Houses, why would someone came to visit us in the hospital. set for 7:30 in the morning and
donate to us? Who has money He climbed ten flights just we went along with her with
in Chabad anyway? But then, to say, Good Shabbos. We many prayers and tears. After
when the full amount was raised were stunned and moved. A twelve hours that seemed to never
in just 48 hours and everyone shlucha came regularly and sat end, the chief surgeon came out

and announced, All is well! The
While everyone sang to thank and to praise,
operation was a success and she
and for Your miracles and Your wonders, I wont need another operation!
couldnt stop crying. I looked at Dinush at the childrens How did you feel with that
great news?
rally, eating a doughnut and licking her fingers and I I felt that all I wanted to do
pinched myself, not believing this was a reality. was say thank you to the Rebbe
and to all those who helped us
reach this miraculous moment.
We decided that when we would
asked us, How? that is when I at Dinushs bedside for hours
be released and return to Eretz
felt the warm hug and that all of and told her Chassidishe stories
Yisroel, we would stop at 770 to
Chabad was surrounding us with so we had a break. One time,
thank and praise.
love and warmth. Even people when the meal came, the shlucha
we didnt know donated, took an said, I saw that someone else The doctors said that the
interest, and followed the story! contributed twice and I still operation was very complicated
havent prepared anything. Im and it might take Dinush five
We flew to Boston and
sorry! I dont want to miss out. days to wake up, but by the next
landed in freezing weather,
morning she opened her eyes
wiped out and nervous, and not In the meantime, Dinush
and said, Ima, water. The next
really knowing English. My underwent many tests, some of
day they lowered the dosages
husband got a phone call from them under general anesthesia,
of the medication and everyone
an organization that takes care and the doctors discovered
was amazed by how fast she was
of apartments for families of additional problems that
recovering. The doctors said it
patients. We had arranged ahead made the operation even more
would take her two weeks to get
of time with them about when we complicated. Through the
out of intensive care but after
would arrive, and they said the interpreters they explained to us
three days there was no reason
apartment would be ready, but that one operation wouldnt be
to be there. At first they said we
they apologized and said it would enough and she needed two or
would have to remain in Boston
only be ready the following day. three operations. I was very sad
for at least three months, but we
They said there were two options, to hear this. How much could
were on our way home after five
either to take a room in a hotel or one child go through? We asked
weeks.
be hosted by a family. for the Rebbes bracha and made
a good hachlata and then the What was it like to go to 770
I was very uncomfortable
doctor came in and said, We after all that?
about staying with strangers
but when we arrived we were need to do just one operation. I always dreamed of being at
very surprised to be greeted This kind of miracle happened the menorah lighting in 770 and
by a Lubavitcher family. From time and again. We felt that due to these circumstances that
the Rebbe was with us and dream came true for me. We

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 arrived for the lighting and the husband staying with Dinush normal routine?
singing of HaNeiros Halalu. while I would go home. Dinush Every morning I just cant
For us, these were electrifying is the oldest and we left our two believe it when I hear myself
moments. I said to the Rebbe, littler ones in Eretz Yisroel with asking, Dinush, what should
I dont want anything, just to my amazing parents who took I put in your sandwich? Yes,
say thank you. While everyone care of them all that time. At Dinush is like any other little girl!
sang to thank and to praise, their advanced age they went Then I cook lunch and I suddenly
and for Your miracles and back to changing diapers. realize how much I need to be
Your wonders, I couldnt stop At the airport we were thankful for, things we take for
crying. I looked at Dinush welcomed with a moving, granted. I am cooking in my own
at the childrens rally, eating heartwarming reception. Twenty kitchen after a long period when
a doughnut and licking her costumed characters put Dinush I could not do so, and soon the
fingers and I pinched myself, not on their shoulders and danced family will be sitting together and
believing this had happened. with her. There were Welcome everyone will eat together. Even
Dinush asked me for a paper Dinush signs, balloon Dinush will sit with us, close to
and then asked sweetly, Ima, decorations and photographers the table and say, Ima, this is
draw a big heart for me. I want everywhere. The entire family good, I want more. And more
to bring it to the Rebbe and tell came with presents for Dinush. and more. Because thats the
him thank you that I dont have Everyone wanted to see the way it is when at age four and
the zonda and I can eat whatever walking miracle. Only I did not a half you are tasting mommys
I want. see all this. I looked for my little food for the first time.
What was it like going home ones whom I hadnt seen in so Now that we have had our
and back to routine? long. I was heartbroken, missing personal Geula with Dini, I am
At first they said that the them so much! waiting impatiently for us all to
hospitalization would take much What is most moving for you be able to taste from the shor
longer and we planned on my now, after Dinush has, boruch habor and the livyasan.
Hashem, gotten back into a

Continued from page 37 Haroush suffered greatly from of all places. We knew there
a problem with his pinkie which had to be special significance to
treatments but nothing helped.
began eight years ago. He had a this. I called Mrs. Haroush and
They then bought two pages in
growth on it and he underwent asked her why she thought they
the Torah scroll. After a while,
many treatments and surgery won. She said that over the past
I heard from his mother that he
until they nearly amputated year there were many people in
was functioning again and he is
it. His hand was also nearly Kfar Truman who were sick with
now running one of the stores in
paralyzed. He spent entire nights cancer; some of whom had died.
the family chain.
in a fog of painkillers and was in Maybe the Torah needed to be
Another story happened great pain. He heard about us brought there because there were
through R Ziv Katzbi, shliach in when we made a dinner to get many people who needed a refua.
Ramat HaSharon and a known donors for the Torah scroll. He Its unbelievable. We keep
lecturer. At the dinner we made bought Parshas haman, which hearing more stories about
last year in Holon, he said he is known for its segulos, and medical salvation and other saves.
had a tumor in his throat and he another parsha. Then he went More people are interested in
also took part in the Torah. His to a top doctor who performed taking part in the second Torah.
problem also disappeared in a a simple operation and the Buying a portion in this Torah
completely miraculous way. problem disappeared. It was scroll is a means for refua and
Another medical miracle extraordinary! He also won the yeshua. Anash and mekuravim
that must be told happened with raffle to bring the first Torah to from a number of countries have
Rabbi Haroush of Kfar Truman, Kfar Truman. taken part and I am sure that
who had the privilege of the When his name was chosen, more yeshuos are taking place
Torah scroll leaving from his we wondered why the Torah and that there is much rejoicing
house and being brought to the would be brought to Kfar Truman in heaven.
shul in his Kfar. R Binyamin

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 STORY

THE WONDER
TORAH SCROLLS
The following story began in Mezhibuzh
and continues until this very day; it still isnt
over. * R Yosef Yitzchok Lieder, one of the
prominent shluchim in Rishon LTziyon,
along with his wife Chava, tell of miracles
that people experienced after buying pages
in the wonder Torah scroll.
By Yaron Tzvi

T
his story is truly a his weekly farbrengens which he Chabad among the immigrants
Baalshemske maaseh of leads in 770 in Kfar Chabad on settling our holy land, may it be
our times. As I write, the Thursday nights. built and established speedily
miracles are still taking In the past two years, he in our days. It was dated, the
place and it is still possible to take has become known for his day after Shabbos HaGadol, 11
part in this healing campaign involvement in the writing of a Nissan 5728. The Rebbe wrote,
that began two years ago in Adar. wondrous Torah scroll, as he surely the two Sifrei Torah that
R YY Lieder, who started relates: were sent from here already
the second Chabad House in Two years ago, my nephew, arrived and were received, and
Holon in 5739, is now a shliach then fourteen, became sick the Rebbe included the contents
in Rishon LTziyon in the with cancer. The doctors forgot of a letter from the Rebbe Rayatz
area of Kiryat Kaliv. He gives that Hashem only gave them when he sent a Torah to new
numerous shiurim, holds a large permission to heal, and not to settlers in Kfar Chabad in 5709.
weekly kabbalas Shabbos for cause people to despair. They When I read this, I got an
mekuravim, works with kids at did not sound optimistic about idea. That week, I held my weekly
risk and conducts numerous his condition. The family was in farbrengen in the small zal in 770
other activities. His wife Chavi shock and I began to think about in Kfar Chabad. I invited R MM
is also very active and gives what I could do. As a chassid of Roth from Beitar to farbreng.
Tanya classes, lectures, and the Rebbe, I immediately wrote to In incredible divine providence,
leads workshops. She worked as the Rebbe and asked for a bracha. and without his knowing about
a teacher and mechaneches in The letter I opened to in the my personal matter, he repeated
Holon for over thirty years and Igros Kodesh was addressed to a story connected with a Torah
is now active with mekuravim. R our brothers, the Jewish people scroll written upon the Baal
Lieder is also known by many for who are settling in Nachalat Har Shem Tovs advice in order to

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 bring about salvation in a certain
health matter. This story gave
the push for the initiative that
was taken in Beitar Ilit to write a
Torah when a number of people
had become sick.
After all the events of that day,
the Rebbes letter, and then the
moving story, I decided to write
two Sifrei Torah as the Rebbe
had mentioned in the letter, and
to dedicate them to the healing of
my nephew and for all those who
needed yeshuos and would take
part in the expenses. I got up and
announced this at the farbrengen.
From the way things unfolded,
I very soon realized that we had
begun an astonishing G-dly
process of miraculous salvation.
I thought of how we could
move forward as fast as possible,
for my nephew needed salvation
urgently. It occurred to me that
since the Rebbe mentioned two
Sifrei Torah, we would offer the
possibility of buying two columns
in the Seifer Torah. I also decided
to make a raffle for a dollar from
the Rebbe to whoever bought one
full page and another raffle to
win the right to choose where the
Torah scroll should be lodged for
whoever bought two pages.
In order to speed things up, keitz (end, numerically equivalent whose wife was sick with cancer
I decided to look for a Torah to 190) of evil decrees for those and was in critical condition.
that was already in the middle who took part. He also noted The doctors had lost hope. He
of being written. I came across that he had gotten up to Parshas heard about us and about a year
an ad in the local newsletter of Pinchas to the page where it ago he participated, and then he
Kfar Chabad about a Torah like tells about the plague that was called to tell me that his wife was
this. I made inquiries and found stopped in the merit of incense. healed!
out that the scribe was a G-d The first medical miracle Mrs. Lieder, who takes care
fearing person from Anash of happened Pesach time, right after of the logistics and contacts with
Tzfas, experienced in writing we closed the deal with the scribe. donors, also has stories to tell:
Sifrei Torah for Chabad Houses. My nephew was completely The son of one of our
He had begun writing a Torah healed of a disease the doctors mekuravim suffered from
upon the advice of his mashpia called fatal. It was an incredible emotional problems and wasnt
even before he had a buyer. He miracle that was publicized and functioning. He dressed strangely
did it with faith that a customer many people began buying letters and slowly stopped leaving the
would come. And I had come! I and pages in the Torah scroll. house and having anything to
explained my reason and he said More miracles began to do with others. They tried many
that he was up to page 190 and occur. There was a Lubavitcher
that would seem to symbolize the from the center of the country Continued on page 35

Issue 1055 37

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 SHLEIMUS HAARETZ

M
K Bezalel Smotrich shot onto the
political scene of Eretz Yisroel like
a meteor. He was elected to the
Knesset for the first time in the
most recent election cycle, as a member of the
Bayit Yehudi party, but has quickly demonstrated
impressive political abilities. He has already
found and made the right connections that will
help him promote the ideas that he brought with
him to the Knesset.
Even his political opponents (and he
has many in the political establishment)
acknowledge that he is possessed of a sharp
mind. His diligence is extraordinary and he is
straightforward about his views, telling it like it
is.
He is active on many fronts. He is the
driving force behind the attempts to legislatively
legitimize the settlements and promote increased
construction in the settlements, namely the
Settlements Regulation bill, which includes
provisions such as the Settlements Normalization
law and the Settlements Bloc law which grants
authority to the bloc. His party succeeded in
getting this past a first reading, which places it
on the legislative agenda of the Knesset, despite
opposition from the Attorney General.
He is also behind the efforts to affect changes
in the Israeli Justice System by way of defining
the limits of power in the hands of the courts
and by dividing the powers currently held by
the Attorney General. He is also responsible for
the attempts to reign in and limit the powers of
the Shin-Bet, or in his words, to place it under
increased supervision. This is all in addition
to his work in the economic and social arenas,
where he is also highly active and has succeeded
in marshaling resources to the tune of millions of
shekels for the settlements in Yehuda-Shomron.
A fellow Knesset member said about him, He
has the entire Bayit Yehudi, the government
and the Knesset around his finger. He sits in
committees and intimidates the whole world.
How do you see the recent murderous
attack in Yerushalayim?

CHAMPION OF THE
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 First and foremost, I would like to extend
condolences to the bereaved families; their pain
Knesset member, Betzalel is unbearable. I would also like to extend well
wishes for a speedy recovery to those who were
Smotrich is young injured in the terrible ramming attack.
but his achievements As I have said many times and I will say
again, the most recent terrible attack proves
surpass many veteran the argument that I have made repeatedly, that
Knesset members. He whoever wants to wipe out terror must cut off
the hope that motivates it. This is the only way
recently succeeded in and there is no other. When a person wakes
having the Settlements up in the morning and takes a truck with the
intent to murder innocent people, there is no
Regulation bill, which real military response that could prevent him
includes a provision for from doing just that, no advance intelligence or
any other means. In order for such an attack to
resettling Amona, put occur, all you need is a person to wake up one
up for ratification. He morning, get into a truck, and go on a killing
spree.
advances the issues of So we should just give up and say that
the residents of Yehuda- there is nothing to do to stop it?
Shomron, and is shaking Certainly not, we need to cut off this
motivation at the root so that such people will
up the establishment. * have zero motivation to carry out such attacks.
In an interview with him, The biggest lie of the left in recent decades
is that terror is a result of hopelessness. It is a
we spoke about how to lie that has become entrenched in the national
prevent an attack like we and international psyche. Terror does not
spring from hopelessness; quite to the contrary,
recently had (in which it stems from hope. Their hope is to establish
a truck plowed into IDF a country of their own in the heart of Eretz
Yisroel and to establish an independent political
soldiers, killing four and entity of their own. When a person carries out
injuring many), about the an act of terror, he is trying to advance a cause
that he believes in. That would no longer be the
reactions of IDF soldiers, case if we completely uprooted this hope, such
and what is happening that they will understand that terror will not
help them in the least and will not advance their
today in Amona. cause, rather the opposite will occur.
The path taken by the Israeli government in
By Shneur Zalman Levin recent decades is actually directly encouraging
terror by the hopes that it gives these butchers.
But what can really be done about a
resident of Jabel Mukaber, which is a part of
the Jerusalem municipality, who pays taxes

THE SETTLEMENTS
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 Shleimus HaAretz

When it comes to belief, I only believe in With that in mind, let it be
said that I am firmly opposed to
HaKadosh Boruch Hu, but we are on the scene the ruling of the military court in
and tracking the developments. We are under no the case of Elor Azaria, a ruling
based on the moral code of the
illusions and we are operating as one must whenever IDF which, in my view, is entirely
dealing with the political system. unsound. I have a big problem
with these values, whose goal is
to be humanitarian to killers, and
costs of Jewish lives. Saving Jewish
and receives Social Security like the sister of the attacker, who lives, in my view, is a higher value
every other citizen, who one exhibited great joy to the media than all of their distorted moral
morning wakes up and decides over her brothers action, would values.
to murder people. This is no be expelled immediately; if the
A soldier must know, first and
terrorist infiltrator. Is it possible home of the terrorist would be
foremost, that a terrorist who
to really stop such a terrorist? demolished the same day, and his
comes to kill has the legal status
That is exactly my point. wife and children expelled from
of a dead man. It is absolutely
There is no real way to contend the country, the next terrorist will
criminal for there to be any
with such situations, except by think many times before he sets
situation in which a soldier kills
extinguishing their hopes and out to execute such an attack.
a terrorist and is found guilty of
delusions about building their anything. The entire doctrine of
own country. In this case as in THE IDF PURITY OF purity of arms, when applied
many similar cases there was ARMS DOCTRINE IS to the benefit of terrorists and
no known terror infrastructure of enemies, is a perversion of justice.
cells and organizations, and also FALLACIOUS
This has a tremendous hindering
no attempt to acquire weapons, Public opinion was up in effect on the IDFs ability to
which would allow for the arms over the clip of soldiers achieve victory. Look what
possibility of intercepting such fleeing the bloody scene. Many happened in the most recent Gaza
attackers. We are talking about people see a correlation in the campaign, when the purity of
a person who woke up in the avoidance of confronting the arms doctrine did not allow the
morning with a desire to commit killer as being due to the legal IDF in Gaza to do what it knows
murder with a truck bearing Israeli decision of the Elor Azaria best, and for over fifty days we
license plates, a simple but deadly case. Others argue that there were mired in the Gazan quagmire
weapon. In the real world, you is no connection. What is your without the IDF ever showing
cannot strip tens of thousands of opinion? what it is truly capable of doing.
residents of eastern Jerusalem of I truly believe there is Despite all of my criticisms
their citizenship nor can you place no connection, and I do not of the verdict in the Elor Azaria
them behind roadblocks. You must appreciate the attempts to draw a case, a verdict that was derived
address the basis of their attitude link from the court decision to the from a distorted value system
and deal with the issue from there. reaction of the soldiers. that endangers the soldiers of
In my view, the key issue It is important to remember the IDF and the citizens of Eretz
is that as long as they have the that it takes a few moments before Yisroel, I would take extreme
desire and the hope to acquire the realization sets in that this is care in not bringing up all of the
territory, they will be motivated to not an accident but an attack, as problems that we need to correct
attack. The greater the price that well as that some of the soldiers at and dumping them on the soldiers
we extract from them in terms of the scene were not combat soldiers that were at the scene of the recent
establishing new settlements and and were unarmed. Additionally, I attack in Yerushalayim.
expanding existing ones, as well am not so sure that it would be a
as in terms of our direct response good idea for all of those present
in expelling the family of the to fall into a firing stance, because
AMONA WILL YET
terrorist, and not just the terrorist that would create a grave danger BLOSSOM
but anyone who expresses support to the bystanders at the scene. On MK Betzalel Smotrich was
for his act, will immediately this matter, I am careful about the trailblazer who led the charge
decrease the motivation. If drawing any conclusions. with dedication and determination

40 7 Shvat 5777

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for the Settlement Regulation bill. The biggest lie of the left in recent decades is
This proposed legislation seeks
to formalize the status of the that terror is a result of hopelessness. It is a lie that
thousands of settlement homes has become entrenched in the national and international
that were built on lands that
were originally owned by Arabs. psyche. Terror does not spring from hopelessness; quite
According to the version that to the contrary, it stems from hope.
passed the Legislative Committee,
the land on which these homes
were built will remain in the
possession of the original owners, final passage a few days after the champion foot-draggers.
but the government would swearing in of the new American Do you believe that they
revoke their usage rights and President, and then it will become will keep their word and allow
transfer them to the Custodian of law. Amona to move to a nearby
Government Lands in the Yehuda- It is painful to me that Amona location or do you suspect that
Shomron region. In return, the itself will not be included in they will pull a rabbit out of the
owners would be compensated this regulatory scheme, due to hat at the last moment?
with an amount equaling 125% of pressures from all sides. However, When it comes to belief, I
the land value, or they can receive the settlement will continue to only believe in HaKadosh Boruch
a different parcel in exchange if remain on the mountain. Let me Hu, but we are on the scene and
they so wish. According to current say this unequivocally, there will tracking the developments. We
estimates, this proposal would be no situation under which this are under no illusions and we are
apply to about four thousand settlement will be destroyed. operating as one must whenever
homes in Yehuda and the The implementation of the dealing with the political system.
Shomron. policy agreement that was reached If we see that things are getting
MK Smotrich, together with between the Prime Minister stuck beyond the agreed upon
the leadership of Bayit Yehudi, and the residents of Amona is timetable, we will immediately
did not rest or desist until he progressing, boruch Hashem. raise a red flag.
succeeded in getting the Prime Yet, we are constantly pushing What exactly is a red flag?
Minister and the entire governing that it progress even faster. We Would your party defect from the
coalition to ratify the bill and put are talking about a legal process coalition?
it on the agenda for a second that requires an advance public We are not at that point. In the
and third reading, despite the announcement of the intentions current stage, the administrative
opposition of the Attorney General of the government regarding a process is proceeding apace and
and the entire legal system that given property, then another few there is someone whose job it is
was up in arms. As a result, days must be allowed for anyone to keep things moving forward.
together with a clear agreement to proffer a legal challenge. We There is a timetable as far as what
between the office of the Prime agreed to follow these protocols, needs to be accomplished each
Minister and the residents of on the advice of the District day. If it appears that something is
Amona, it was decided to move Attorney, so that no problems being held up in an unreasonable
the entire settlement to a nearby crop up later in trying to defend it manner, and it would become clear
location and to allow its continued before the Supreme Court. to us that the Prime Minister or
existence. If everything goes smoothly, the Defense Ministry is purposely
What is happening these days with Hashems help, I hope that holding up the implementation
in Amona? in the coming days we will be of the agreement, we will know
First, we succeeded in able to bring the bulldozers and exactly what we need to do.
developing a strategic solution start laying the groundwork Do you believe the statements
not only for Amona. Today, there for the new Amona. This is the of the Defense Minister?
are over four thousand homes goal and this is our aspiration.
No! I cannot believe the word
throughout Yehuda-Shomron Sadly, we are not in charge of the
of someone who says one thing
that need to be resolved legally. operation, as it is in the hands of
on one day, and then says the
The Settlement Regulation bill the Ministry of Defense and the
opposite the next day. His word is
will finally be brought up for Civil Administration, and from
not a word.
experience we know that they are

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 TZIVOS HASHEM

THE
REBBES
CHAIR
The Rebbe closed his eyes and shamash, who was not pleased
Rabbi Rabinowitz, a rabbi
after thinking a bit said, The with me. It seems that during
in the Bronx, would sit in a
shul is a shul and it is suitable, the period of time until I was
corner of his shul and learn.
but I do not like the shamash. appointed as the rabbi, he
Strangely enough, he did not
I was taken aback. I had taken on the job of rabbi,
sit at the head of the table.
a sort of unofficial rav. He
He sat on the right side. That had asked the Rebbe about
felt I was imposing myself on
is where R Michel Vishedsky a rabbinic position. Why did
him. He started complaining.
found him. R Michel was I need to know about the
At first he did this quietly
even more surprised when he shamash? The Rebbe could
but then he began to openly
wanted to sit in the empty see what I was thinking, but
campaign against me and the
seat at the front of the shul repeated what he said, A shul
situation became intolerable.
and the rav stopped him, is a shul and it is suitable, but
politely but firmly. Nobody I do not like the shamash. When I couldnt take
sits there, he said. Before I left, the Rebbe said I it anymore, I went to the
should come back on Sunday Rebbe Rayatzs successor, the
When you hear what I will
in two weeks. I returned home Rebbe shlita. When I entered
tell you, you will understand,
and accepted the position. his office, even before I said
said the rav. After the
Two weeks later I went to anything, the Rebbe said, My
Holocaust, I met Chabad
father-in-law told you that
Chassidim in Russia who helped the Rebbe as he told me to do.
a shul is a shul and its only
me a lot. I arrived in the United When I arrived, I found a large
the shamash whom he doesnt
States in the summer of 1949, crowd standing outside 770. I
like. You need to continue in
and in the beginning of 1950 discovered that the Rebbe had
that position in the Bronx. As
I had a private audience with passed away and realized that
for the shamash, make sure
the Rebbe Rayatz. he had asked me to come and
he doesnt have his position
Since you are a ben attend his funeral.
anymore.
Torah, said the Rebbe, you Months passed and the
I was amazed by what the
should find a rabbinic position. people in my shul were satisfied
Rebbe said because when the
When they offered me a with me and I was pleased
Rebbe Rayatz had spoken to
position as rabbi in this shul, with them. But one thing
me, the Rebbe had not been
I went to the Rebbe again to bothered me, and that was the
in the room, and I had not
ask whether I should accept it.

42 7 Shvat 5777

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 "! " , ,
,
.
" ."
: ""

- "
,
: .
"
.
. " . "
,
." " " "

"
ly
, told you explicit
Rayatz
shul shul, and
that a is a
ing
accord tohalach a you
."



canmake a." butche r shop
into a shul but cannot
you

make
a , shul into a butcher
shop. Go in peace and

Hashem will help.
, before
The night we
. ed to be
.suppos
were
" evicted ,I dream ed that I
was enterin g the shul and
:
in the chair at the front
of the shul, the " very same
,chair that I ,dont
allow
"! people
to sit in, the
Rebbe
Rayatz was . Next
"!sitting
:

to him was the Rebbe
told the Rebbe about . I
this. ,the
Behind shul was a and .he said to me, Stop
asked the Rebbe for guidan
ce r shop
butche with a wall ? worryi ng. Hashem will see to it


separating between them. The that everyt out
: . turn
- in , to
how solve the proble m. hing will
, "


shama
The had
sh .had job
this owner of the butcher shop well.
success ful "!and his store
,
.for many

- years and how could
was The Rebbe pointed at his
al? becam e too small He
for him.
father- in-law . and said, The
? trate
I orches ,his remov

it to us and we
offered . to sell Rebbe told you a shul
.
is a shul,
Rebbe,


the
I am sure, said
! there were very happy to do the deal so worryi ng
that are facts or actions e the why
.r ofpeople
, numbe worry? Stop

! , becaus will see to it that
that could lead to his being had
shul
our
in ,grown . The .770-Hashem
and
fired if you catch
' him in the everything will turn out well.
board of the shul relied on the .
I woke up from the dream.
act. May Hashem grant you
did not
-
and

success . The Rebbe s words butchers integri
, ty It,was late and I ran to shul.
gave me and
hope I went
sign a contract of purchase as From the distanc e I could see

they have.
should .

nt that en
policem
, back to , my job
confide


a big crowd and
,
Years
passed and the .
, everyt hing would
. work out. overseeing the
, eviction. I
butche rs busines s grew and
One night I couldnt sleep. cried. But then something
shul he needed a wareh ouse for his extraordinary happened. In
I got up early and went to z"xa,wv yca wz | ~ | 98
stock. He remembered that the large meat store nearby,
earlier than usual. On my way
we had not signed a contract a large light fixture in the
I met the gabbai who pointed
when he sold us his store. ceiling fell onto the head of
out that the shul lights were
That meant that legally, he the butcher! 1/21/2007 collaps
He 1:06:26 ed.
already on. We decided to
PM

still owned it. He deman ded s treated him and when

investigate what was going Doctor
of the gabbaim that they give he regained consciousness he
on. We quietly entered and
him back his store! He went admitted to the police sergeant
what did we see? The shamash
to court and the court sent a that he had been paid for the
standing near the bima and
letter saying we had a certain store. The eviction stopped
emptying the pushkas into his
amount of time to get out and immediately.
pockets! That same day he was
if we didnt, then the police And now you understand
fired.
would evict us. why I dont let anyone sit in
***
I told the Rebbe what was the chair at the front of the
Rabbi Rabinowitz then told
going on. The Rebbe said, I shul. That is because I have
R Vishedsky a story that was
dont know what you want. the image in my mind of the
even more amazing than the
My father-in-law, the Rebbe Rebbe Rayatz sitting there.
previous one:

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