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contents

TO PLEAD WITH G-D 4 D’var Malchus | Sichos In English

LIVING WITH MOSHIACH: FOR 6 HEAVEN’S SAKE Thought | Rabbi Zvi Homnick

THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT 10 Feature | Shneur Zalman Berger

HOW GOOD ARE YOU, REALLY? 20 Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD

MUSIC IN THE MIKDASH 22 Insight | Interview by Mendel Tzfasman USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 PUBLICITY WITHOUT P’SHETLACH [email protected] 26 Moshiach & Geula | R’ Avrohom Mendel Wechter www.beismoshiach.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: CAMP-SCHOOL TEACHES THAT RAIN IS Boruch Merkur HEBREW EDITOR: 28 LIQUID SUNSHINE Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan Perspective | Aliza Karp [email protected]

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d’var malchus

between them. For the Sifri sees the concept of prayer and that of requesting a free TO PLEAD gift as two different interpretations, while the Midrash fuses the two concepts into a single understanding. To focus on this distinction more closely: WITH G-D G-d is “merciful to all His works,” [9] giving each his sustenance as required. Moreover, when a person’s deeds Sichos In English are worthy, he is assured: [10] “If you follow My laws... I will provide you with rain at the appropriate WHAT IS PRAYER? TWO INTERPRETATIONS time.” [11] Therefore, a person The Rambam describes prayer as OF MOSHE’S PLEA might have grounds to believe that he follows: [1] These concepts are reflected in deserves G-d’s assistance. The obligation [this] the name of this week’s Torah Nevertheless, even in such a commandment entails is to offer reading VaEschanan. situation, prayer is necessary as supplication and prayer every day; to VaEschanan means “and he reflected by the verse: [12] “Kindness praise the Holy One, blessed be He, pleaded,” and refers to Moshe’s is Yours, for You render to every man and afterwards to petition for all petition to G-d to enter Eretz Yisroel. according to his deeds.” one’s needs with requests and [5] Although a person’s conduct may supplications, and then to give praise Our Sages’ interpretation of this be worthy of Divine blessing, since and thanks to G-d for the goodness term provides each of us with G-d transcends the material realm that He has bestowed. guidance with regard to the way we entirely, for G-d’s beneficence to be In particular, the fundamental should approach G-d in prayer. enclothed in a material form requires dimension of prayer is to ask G-d for The Sifri states: [6] a unique measure of kindness. And our needs. [Moshe] could have depended... this kindness is evoked by prayer. The praise and thanksgiving on his good deeds. Instead, [he] Therefore, there is no way a which precedes and follows these asked G-d for a gift.... How much person can demand favor from G-d. requests is merely a supplementary more so, [lesser men] should make At all times, he must make requests of element of the mitzvah. [2] requests [of G-d in this manner]. Him as one asks for a present. A person must realize that G-d is Alternatively, [va’es’chanan] is This enables us to understand the the true source for every aspect of one of the ten terms used for prayer. interpretation of the Midrash sustenance and blessing he receives, The Midrash communicates mentioned previously. and he must approach G-d sincerely, similar concepts, stating: [7] VaEschanan teaches us the with heartfelt requests. [3] [This] is one of the ten terms used manner in which we should make Often, however, we do not for prayer. Of them all, Moshe petitions of G-d. content ourselves with asking G-d for adopted [this approach], one of When asking for His goodness, our needs. We desire a measure of supplication. one should plead with humility, bounty that goes beyond our needs, From this, we can learn that no rather than demand; even when and indeed, is far more than what we created being can make demands deserving, a person should not rely deserve. from its Creator, for even Moshe on his merits, but should ask G-d for We request a boon that reflects [approached G-d] in a tone of generosity and kindness. G-d’s boundless generosity. supplication, [asking] for a free gift. For every Jew is as a dear to G-d NOT ONLY A HUMBLE as a only son born to parents in their EVERYTHING vintage years. [4] And because of that TONE, A HUMBLE HEART inner closeness, He grants us favor IS KINDNESS The first interpretation cited in that surpasses our needs and our Although there is a similarity the Sifri asks for a deeper worth. between the statements of the Sifri commitment. and the Midrash, in particular, the Not only should humility commentaries [8] note a distinction characterize the manner in which one

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approaches G-d, it should permeate gift. [18] the Redemption a reality. one’s being. Parshas VaEschanan is always A person should genuinely feel REACHING ABOVE read on Shabbos Nachamu, “the that he is asking for favor which he OUR GRASP Shabbos of comfort.” does not deserve. For regardless of The true comfort for the the virtue of his deeds, there is always Chassidic thought explains destruction of the Beis HaMikdash a higher standard which could be Moshe’s request for “a free gift” as and the exile is the realization that demanded of him. Therefore, his follows: these are only phases guiding us to request is for “a free gift,” unearned Had Moshe been permitted to the ultimate Redemption. kindness. [13] lead the Jewish people into Eretz Leading us on a course above This approach was personified by Yisroel, he would have been able to mortal understanding, G-d enables Moshe, whom the Torah describes draw forth a level of G-dly revelation man to become His partner in [14] as “more humble than any man which our ordinary Divine service creation, [19] and make the world a on the face of the earth.” cannot reach. dwelling which they will share. Moshe realized his own positive For there are limits to the spiritual Adapted from: Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXII, pgs. virtues, but he also understood that peaks man can reach through his 115-117; Vol. XXIV, p. 28ff these virtues were granted to him by efforts; the highest levels are NOTES: G-d, and felt that had they been dependent solely on G-d’s initiative. 1. Mishneh Torah, Hilchos T’filla 1:2. granted to another individual, that These levels cannot be reached by 2. This is reflected in the wording used by the Rambam, and the interpretation of his position by the Seifer HaChinuch person might have accomplished the standard approach to prayer. For (mitzvah 233). Note, however, the wording of the Shulchan prayer centers on man’s efforts to Aruch HaRav 185:2 which refers to “the recitation of G-d’s more. [15] praise as the fundamental element of prayer.” refine himself and his environment, 3. In this vein, we can understand the connection to the and therefore Moshe asked for “a free Rambam’s opening statement in Hilchos T’filla 1:1 that WHEN CAN A HEAVENLY prayer is “the service of the heart,” i.e., shaping one’s gift.” feelings. For what affects most people most are their material DECREE BE CHANGED needs, and appreciating and asking G-d for these matters requires a re-definition of one’s inner feelings. There is a deeper dimension to DOING MORE 4. Keser Shem Tov, Hosafos, sec. 133. the difference in interpretation THAN WE CAN 5. Deuteronomy 3:23. between the Midrash and the Sifri. 6. Commenting on the above verse, quoted (with slight Moshe was praying to enter Eretz G-d did not grant Moshe’s changes) in Rashi’s commentary to the verse. Yisroel. request, because even the highest 7. D’varim Rabba 2:1; Midrash Tanchuma, VaEschanan, sec. 3. Although G-d had previously levels of revelation are not given as 8. Chizkuni on Deuteronomy 3:23; Levush on Rashi’s decreed that he would not enter the “free gifts,” but instead must be commentary to that verse. Holy Land, after the conquests of the realized by man through his Divine 9. Psalms 85:1. Note K’subos 67b, Bava Metzia 85a. land of Sichon and Og, Moshe service. 10. In particular, a unique measure of Divine beneficence is The service required to draw assured the Jewish people as reflected by our Sages’ thought that perhaps G-d would statement (Bava Metzia 83a): Since they are the descendants relent and therefore, turned to Him in down these levels, however, is not one of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, even the feasts of King Shlomo at the height of his opulence are not sufficient heartfelt prayer. [16] that man can conceive or plot out on recompense for them. There is a difference of opinion his own. It was beyond even Moshe’s 11. Leviticus 26:3. In an expanded sense, rain includes all our material needs. Geshem, Hebrew for “rain,” shares the among our Sages [17] whether conception. Instead, it is G-d who same root as Gashmius, “material substance.” prayer can have an effect after a charts this pattern of service and with 12. Psalms 62:13. negative decree has been issued from this intent He has led the Jewish 13. In this context, the Sifri’s statement that Moshe could people on their odyssey through have depended on his good deeds must be interpreted to Above or only beforehand. mean that, according to the mankind’s prevailing The Midrash follows the view that history. understanding, Moshe could have depended on the virtue of his deeds. Moshe himself, however, had deeper knowledge, prayer can avert a harsh decree even For this reason, Moshe’s prayer and therefore, greater humility, and made his requests as a after the decree has been issued. was not accepted, and it was petition for a present (Maharik). Therefore, Moshe was able to Yehoshua and not Moshe who led the 14. Numbers 12:3. Jews into Eretz Yisroel. 15. See Maamarei Admur HaZakein 5562, p. 51, and the approach G-d through one of the explanation of this concept in the essay in this series entitled accepted forms of prayer. Although this brought about the “Pride that Runs Deeper Than Self.” The first opinion in the Sifri, by possibility of the Jews being driven 16. Rashi, commenting on Deuteronomy 3:23. contrast, follows the view that into exile, this is part of the Divine 17. Rosh HaShana 17b. plan to enable mankind to carry out 18. See also Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVI, p. 277, which ordinarily, prayer can only help explains that when individuals who possess merit appeal to before a decree has been issued, but the service necessary to bring about G-d’s kindness without depending on their virtues, they evoke a measure of Divine favor which surpasses the natural not afterwards. Therefore, Moshe the Redemption. For it is the Divine order. had to go beyond the commonplace service of ordinary men, confronting 19. Cf. Shabbos 10a. approach to prayer and ask for a free everyday experience which will make

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thought LIVING WITH MOSHIACH: FOR HEAVENS SAKE

By Rabbi Zvi Homnick

having adopted a more measured The Rebbe speaks to us in terms of the approach in terms of his opposition highest levels of selflessness, acting only to Chassidus than his mentor, the Vilna Gaon, was the only respected for the sake of bringing about the divine leader of his time that attempted to codify the theological basis for the revelation of G-d Himself and fulfilling Misnagdic point of view in his Nefesh HaChayim, beyond the tired His desire for a dwelling place in this arguments against change or the libelous accusations fabricated from world, to the extent that one feels that whole cloth. In that work, he adopts his entire existence from the moment he the position that since most people are incapable of achieving the fullest awakens to his last waking moment of degree of selflessness in the service of G-d, it is actually preferable to the day is only “to bring to the days serve G-d for the sake of reward than to focus one’s energies on [i.e., revelation] of Moshiach.” trying to “cleave to G-d” so as to transcend any personal ulterior IN HEAVEN’S NAME groups did or did not claim purity of motives outside of love for G-d. I can vividly recall sitting in my motive with any kind of regularity. According to R’ Chaim, the study sometime in the early nineties In fact, I had long puzzled over closest one can likely get to the idea and going through the talks of the this phenomenon well before reading of lishma in Torah study is to make Rebbe Rashab recorded in Toras what the Rebbe Rashab had to say the focus on the desire to know and Sholom, when I encountered the on the topic. That is because the properly understand what one is talk where the Rebbe Rashab says, need for purity of motive in the learning one’s primary conscious “Only a Misnaged would say that he study of Torah and the performance intention. The inability to reach is acting purely l’sheim Shamayim of Mitzvos was a central issue of beyond that for the overwhelming (lit. for Heaven’s name).” Having debate in the early years of the majority of people is such a foregone grown up in a Misnagdic Chassidic movement, with the conclusion that to take precious time environment, I could readily attest to Misnagdim taking the more lenient away from learning in order to work the veracity of that statement except approach and legitimating the on one’s inner motives and for the “only” part, as I had no real service of G-d based on motives of intentions would fall under the way of knowing whether other reward and punishment. category of bittul Torah (wasting Reb Chaim of Volozhin, although time from Torah study). This

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position was hardly anything new, HEAVENLY PURCHASE and in the broadest sense of the and in fact almost mirrors that of the The Mishna at the end of term is a lifelong labor-intensive RaMChaL in his classic work Tractate Taanis (4:8, Talmud Bavli process. However, on its most Mesilas Yesharim, where he actively 26b) says, “...that there were no simple level, Chassidim have always discourages most people from even celebratory holidays for the Jewish understood this to mean training the attempting to reach the level of people like the fifteenth day of Av mind to think about loftier, G-dly “Chassid,” one who serves G-d for and Yom Kippur when the daughters ideas, and not about me and my His sake, warning that it is not only of Jerusalem would go out and thoughts, feelings and desires, etc. unattainable for the majority of dance in circles in the vineyards...” For the lofty souls of the Tzaddikim, people but can also be dangerous The Mishna cites what the girls simply focusing their thoughts and since it is very easy to fool oneself would say so that the young single feelings towards G-d, especially as and stray into the arena of self- men would choose them, but the He is revealed in Chassidus, is delusion. Gemara (31a) goes into more detail, enough for them to become Stop! Okay, although I could go “The beautiful amongst them, what enraptured by the transcendent on for many pages, since this is not would they say? Set your eyes on beauty and “glory of the King,” and meant to be a scholarly treatise, let it beauty, because [as the Sages say] a completely lose themselves in just suffice to say that the Chassidic woman is only for beauty. Those of “cleaving to G-d.” view is, as the Rebbe Rayatz puts it good lineage amongst them, what However, for those who are more in Kuntres Toras HaChassidus, “Our would they say? Set your eyes upon earthbound by their less refined teacher, the Baal Shem Tov, opened family, because [as the Sages say] a physicality, the first step in this the pipeline of ability in the service woman is only for children. The direction is alluded to in the first of Hashem, with instruction and homely amongst them, what would Mitzva in the Torah, to be fruitful guidance that each and every Jew they say? Acquire your purchase for and multiply through reproduction can serve G-d with love and fear.” the sake of Heaven, as long as you of the species, as the early Thus, the position of the Chassidic crown me with golden jewelry.” Chassidim would say, “The first movement was based not only on the Obviously, there is much that Mitzva is to make another Jew.” By views of almost every one of the needs explaining regarding this investing my time and energy into Rishonim (early Talmudic account of the twice yearly courtship putting another person’s material commentaries and legal codifiers) expo that took place back in the needs and spiritual growth and and the overwhelming body of Temple era, but listing all the development before my own, I am Kabbalistic writings (see Yesod questions that come to mind able to transcend my own self- HaAvoda, Slonim), but also on the (although essential for training the centered orientation and connect to fact that the “diminishing of the mind in analytical thinking) might G-d and G-dliness. generations” argument had no induce tedium in those that only Then there are those whose standing in the face of the new signed on for a brief article. So let’s inability to “see G-dliness” is not revelation of Chassidus and the take a look at what the Mishna there only due to the concealment of this “opening of the pipeline” by the Baal cites as the Biblical allusion to this world and of the animal soul and Shem Tov. practice. body, but is also due to the fact that In light of all of the above, I The verse is from Shir HaShirim “your sins are separating between found it more than passing strange (3:11) and begins with the words, you and your G-d.” For such an the frequency with which I heard “Tze’ena U’re’ena,” “go out and individual (as most of us are), it is declarations of acting purely for the see.” The Chassidic interpretation of not enough to study Chassidus and sake of Heaven from self-identifying this expression, quoted in different meditate on G-d and G-dliness, nor Misnagdim, great and small. versions in the name of the Alter to channel his energies and thoughts Although this question had bothered Rebbe, is that in order for a soul that into doing for others and putting me on and off over the years, and has been sent down to inhabit a them before himself, there has to be even more so after I became more human body (in the verse; B’nos t’shuva – repentance. True penitence knowledgeable on the subject, when Yerushalayim) to “see G-dliness,” it can only come through the I encountered the same observation must first “go out” of “self” along realization accompanied by deep from the Rebbe Rashab, I felt that I with the constraints of the body and regret that the source of all my had to get to the bottom of the animal soul. iniquities is the focus on self. matter. “Going out” of one’s self can be Nobody ever committed a sin understood on many different levels, without first thinking, “I want,” “I need,” I think,” “I feel,” and so on.

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Misnaged would say that he is acting For Chassidim the first step in spiritual purely l’sheim Shamayim.” growth and development in the service And yet, in our generation, the Rebbe speaks to us in terms of the of G-d has always been “stop thinking highest levels of selflessness, acting only for the sake of bringing about about ‘me.’” the divine revelation of G-d Himself and fulfilling His desire for a Through repentance, that same that which was destroyed. dwelling place in this world, to the person who was so steeped in self- extent that one feels that his entire existence from the moment he interest and self-gratification that he HEAVEN IS CALLING could actually defy, wittingly or awakens to his last waking moment Theoretical theological disputes unwittingly, a direct commandment of the day is only “to bring to the have practical real life implications. from G-d Himself, becomes so days [day = revelation] of The Chassid knows that every disgusted with and distrustful of his Moshiach.” How do we reconcile thought that he has that begins with own thoughts and desires that all he that with a two-hundred-plus-year- “I” is suspect and should either be wants is to “go out” of himself, and old tradition that has trained us to rejected out of hand or at the very this actually enables him to do so in be suspect of our personal motives least avoided to the extent possible. ways that his spiritual betters and to focus on “go out and see?” A Chassid who “works on himself” cannot. The answer is that starting with (as opposed to one in name or For Chassidim the first step in the Baal Shem Tov, Chassidus has affiliation only) will be deeply spiritual growth and development in not been simply about a different ashamed and broken by such the service of G-d has always been tactical approach, but the idea that thoughts, feelings and desires, and “stop thinking about ‘me.’” In the Rebbe of each generation gives will work tirelessly to focus his Judaism, and especially in Chassidic the people of his generation the thoughts “Heavenward.” The notion teachings, a big part of the spiritual ability to “go out” of the constraints of claiming for himself absolute significance of marriage is that it and challenges of that time and “to purity of motive, even as he totally empowers and enables one to grow see” and acquire the spiritual believes that of his Rebbe, is so beyond and transcend the pettiness revelations and powers that he/we completely beyond the pale that he is and self-absorption of the child who drew down through the very shocked in disbelief or overcome has all his material and emotional “pipeline” opened by the Baal Shem with hilarity upon discovering that needs (hopefully) provided for by his Tov. And starting with the Baal there actually are people who make parents, to start thinking about Shem Tov, it has always been about such claims regarding themselves, let others and their needs and to stop tapping into the divine energies alone people who don’t learn and thinking about “me.” shining forth from the impending even oppose the teachings of And the aforementioned account Redemption and using them to make Chassidus. in the Mishna and Gemara lays out the final Redemption a reality. The Misnaged, on the other the spiritual steps that each type of It is exactly in the Chassidic hand, has no option but to continue person needs to take to “go out and tradition of suspecting one’s own thinking about himself, as he has see” G-d on “the day of His motives in the face of G-dly truth been told that according to Torah he marriage [Yom Kippur – the day of that compels us to stop trying to is doomed to do so. The best he can the giving of the Second Tablets] analyze our own motives and those hope for is to immerse himself in his and the day of His rejoicing [the of others, and focus on fulfilling the learning to the extent that he is so rebuilding of the Temple in the Rebbe’s “instruction and guidance” caught up in the subject matter that future time, represented by the 15th in how to “go out” and what we he forgets himself for a brief of Av, the day of the full moon need “to see.” This must be done moment, but even then he will following the destruction].” And it with the complete confidence and quickly come back to “I say,” “I also emphasizes that the ultimate belief that we have been given the think,” “I hold.” When a person has celebration of “going out and strengths and abilities and that no means to step outside of himself seeing” is associated with the Hashem Himself is waiting and get any kind of objective sense approach of the Baal T’shuva – the impatiently for us to bring about the of who he is and where he is holding penitent – as these celebration take rebuilding of the Holy Temple with from a higher perspective, it is place on days associated with the coming of Moshiach, almost inevitable that he will delude forgiveness of sins and rebuilding immediately, NOW! himself, and that is why, “Only a

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feature THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT

By Shneur Zalman Berger Translated By Michoel Leib Dobry We recently commemorated eighty years since the Rebbe Rayatz’s visit to America. The trip concluded with a White House meeting with the President of the United States.

United States. THE REBBE AND President Hoover also dealt with The connection with the THE PRESIDENT Russian Jewry, and while the President of the United States Throughout his months-long content of this part of the was extremely important because visit to the United States eighty meeting was not made public, the of the numerous opportunities years ago, the Rebbe Rayatz courteous and diplomatic available to the President for stayed in numerous locations, met discussions regarding the nation pressuring the U.S.S.R. to with hundred of dignitaries, and of Latvia were disclosed in great improve the conditions for the had direct contact with thousands detail. The President told his Jews living within her borders. At of American Jews, who despite honored guest that just as he had the very beginning of the Rebbe’s the coldness of America, wanted been a friend of Latvia up until visit, Rabbi Mordechai Dubin – to see and get an up-close now, he would continue this member of the Latvian Parliament impression of the Rebbe, who had friendship in the future. For his and an outstanding Lubavitcher come from faraway Europe. part, as a member of the Latvian chassid – arrived in the United The Rebbe’s visit to the United Parliament, Rabbi Dubin thanked States for meetings with States was reaching its President Hoover for the government officials, foremost conclusion, but there was still one tremendous assistance that the among them President Herbert very important stop left – United States provided to Latvia. Clark Hoover, in a meeting that Washington, D.C. The Rebbe Rabbi Dubin’s meeting with received considerable coverage Rayatz left New York en route to the American President was throughout the print media in the White House for a meeting scheduled for the start of the those days. with the President of the United Rebbe’s visit to the United States, Rabbi Dubin worked in States to thank him for his while the Rebbe himself came to Washington for the benefit of tremendous help and assistance the nation’s capital towards the Russian Jews. His primary to the Jews of the Soviet Union. end of the visit. achievement was that he arranged The Rebbe came to Washington The Rebbe boarded a train en that Soviet Jews should be able to accompanied by his son-in-law, route to Washington on the night obtain US visas in Latvia on their the Rashag, and several of the 14th of Tammuz, after way to America. His meeting with prominent Chabad askanim in the midnight. He was accompanied

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The Rebbe Rayatz in Washington. From left to right: Attorney Asher Rabinowitz, R’ Chaim Elchanan Fogelman, R’ Chaim Zalman Kramer, the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rashag

The papers announcing the Rebbe’s visit to the President: “The Lubavitcher Rebbe on a visit to the White House with the President”

The Rashag describes the visit The Hon. Herbert Clark Hoover, 31st President of the United States, in Der Morgen Journal sitting in the Oval Office of the White House in 1930 (5690)

by his son-in-law, Rabbi afternoon, the Rebbe Rayatz the Government of the United Shmaryahu Gurary, Agudas came to the White House. States for the need to improve Chassidei Chabad chairman Rabbi President Herbert Hoover greeted conditions of Jews in Russia and Chaim Zalman Kramer, and him with great honor and respect. other countries throughout the Attorney Asher Rabinowitz. The Rebbe thanked the President world. The Rebbe arrived in for the freedoms that America The visit received much Washington at seven in the gives to its Jewish citizens and for publicity in the American morning, and later that Thursday the genuine concern expressed by newspapers and aroused

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widespread attention. Rebbe’s departure from America friends and supporters were After concluding his visit to and his return to Europe. seated near him. Washington, the Rebbe returned Chassidim from New York and The Rebbe soon began to to New York. the surrounding area had been speak in a quiet voice, as arriving in the hotel lobby for everyone listened attentively to CHAG HA’GEULA some time prior to the scheduled his holy words. For most of those IN NEW YORK start of the farbrengen, and many present, this would be their last had already taken their seats in opportunity to hear the Rebbe At the start of his visit, the the large hall where the before he departed from the Rebbe Rayatz stayed in New York farbrengen would be held. country. for a relatively lengthy period of In the meantime, the Rebbe time, and only afterwards did he was waiting in his room with set out on his journey to BETWEEN THE “OLD several mekuravim. Chassidim HOME” AND THE “NEW strengthen Yiddishkait in other crowded near the door to have cities throughout the country. the privilege of seeing the Rebbe. HOME” Towards the end of the visit, he Before going down to the The Rebbe began by stayed in New York again for a farbrengen, Rabbi Avraham apologizing because he had few weeks, save for his brief trip Schechter, the chief rabbi of originally thought that there was to Washington, until his Houston, Texas, who was in New a difference between “der alter nd departure on the 22 of York at the time, entered the heim” (the old home – referring Tammuz. During this time, he room accompanied by the author to the life of Torah and mitzvos in lodged at the Hotel Newton in Alter Yosef Margoshes and several Europe), and “der neier heim” Manhattan. chassidim. The meeting was (the new home – meaning the The highlight of this stay came mainly devoted to a conversation United States). However, the during the Holiday of between the Rebbe and Mr. Rebbe explained, during the Redemption, Yud-Beis and Yud- Margoshes on ancient s’farim and months he spent in America, he Gimmel Tammuz. The story of chassidic writings. reached the conclusion that the the Rebbe’s imprisonment was At nine in the evening, one of old home and the new home are still fresh in everyone’s mind, as the gabbaim came in and one and the same. The only it had only been three years since informed the Rebbe that the problem is one of attitude. The it had all happened. Together with crowd had already davened trouble is not with the new home the material preparations in Maariv and everyone was waiting itself, but rather its strength and organizing this great farbrengen, impatiently for the Rebbe. The stability in our minds. “We have there were spiritual preparations guests left the Rebbe’s room and gotten used to arranging as well: The Rebbe printed a proceeded to take their places for ‘permission’ for a variety of special kuntres of maamarim in the farbrengen. matters, and the situation gets honor of the Chag HaGeula. More than four hundred Jews worse every day,” the Rebbe said. The kuntres was called crowded into the large hall on the One must know,” the Rebbe “Drushim For Public Study on the hotel’s first floor. Everyone continued, “that subjugation of Days of Chag HaGeula, Yud-Beis wanted to see the Rebbe, and the mind to Yiddishkait is not and Yud-Gimmel Tammuz,” and some even stood on chairs – a enough, there must be contained three maamarim from most unconventional mode of subjugation of the heart that the Rebbe Rayatz: “Kol conduct for modern-day America leads to actual mitzvah HaMaarich B’Echad,” “Karov of the thirties. The feeling of fulfillment. Studying is not Hashem L’Chol Korav,” and emotion and anticipation engulfed enough, and it’s impossible to “Rabba Chazyei L’Rav the entire hall in preparation for settle just for putting on t’fillin. Hamnuna.” the Rebbe’s entrance. As word Mincha, Maariv, and Krias Shma The Yud-Beis Tammuz came that the Rebbe had arrived, bring greater closeness between farbrengen was celebrated with an expectant silence reigned. He the entire Jewish People and G-d great pomp and splendor, as the was escorted into the hall by his Alm-ghty.” Rebbe presided over a large son-in-law, Rabbi Shmaryahu After sichos of strengthening assemblage at the Hotel Newton. Gurary, and approached the dais, and encouragement, the Rebbe In practical terms, this farbrengen which had been placed on an said the maamer beginning with also constituted a “Tzeischem elevated platform. His closest the words “Kol Hashanah L’Shalom” gathering prior to the

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Halachos.” The Jewish newspaper Der Tag publicized observations from the farbrengen, and the description began as follows: “Chassidim and other Jews sang chassidic melodies, and prepared a festive meal with one of the most important rebbes of our generation. The Lubavitcher Rebbe gave over words of Torah, the assembled crowd listened attentively, and the chassidim devoured every word, as those assembled rejoiced with the Rebbe on the day marking his release from imprisonment in Russia.” The next day, Yud-Gimmel Tammuz, the Rebbe Rayatz wrote a special tzetl for the Lubavitcher chassidim in the United States, which read as follows: “I feel the deep heartfelt wishes of each and every one, and I hear his blessing which is very dear to me, and I wish to send my blessing to each and every one in particular that the Benevolent G-d should bestow upon you and your family an abundance of life and much bracha with children, long life, and ample sustenance, and may G-d Alm-ghty give them the merit to be seen with fullness of davening, they all gathered the 18th of Tammuz, the Rebbe joy.” together, made Kiddush on wine, visited the Tzemach Tzedek As mentioned above, the and then waited for an Synagogue, where he delivered Rebbe traveled on Motzaei Yud- announcement of an impending the maamer “Gefen M ‘Mitzrayim Gimmel Tammuz to Washington, farbrengen with the Rebbe. Tasia” before a large D.C., where he remained for only However, the Rebbe davened congregation. one day. He returned to New Shacharis until five in the th York on Friday, the 15 of afternoon, and Mincha followed THE MATERIAL Tammuz. Lubavitcher chassidim, immediately afterwards. The IS ALREADY THERE who knew that the coming farbrengen began only after Shabbos would be the Rebbe’s Mincha, lasting for about an hour On the eve of his departure last before departing the United and a half, during which the from the United States, th States, arrived early at the Hotel Rebbe spoke words of rebuke. Wednesday, the 20 of Tammuz, Newton where the Rebbe was In the days that followed, the 5690, the Yiddish-language staying and arranged Rebbe visited the various Jewish newspaper Der Morgen Journal accommodations there as well. communities throughout New published a special interview with Chassidim davened the York City to give them support the Rebbe Rayatz, by the Shabbos t’fillos with the Rebbe, and encouragement. On Monday, journalist Ben Shlomo. During and at the conclusion of the interview, the Rebbe Rayatz

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to the port to greet him. A GREAT REVOLUTION On Thursday, the 21st of Even towards the end of the visit, the Rebbe did not fail to use Tammuz, 5690, a large crowd every possible moment to strengthen the Jews of America and save filled the square at the port to bid the Jews of Russia. farewell to the Rebbe and his If you browse through the correspondence the Rebbe sent just entourage. Special delegations prior to his departure, you can see a wide range of letters. One was from various American cities and dedicated to saving Rabbi Menachem Mendel Yanovsky of many communities throughout Kremenchug, and others to strengthen Jewish women throughout the New York City arrived to give the United States, and so on. Rebbe a final send-off. The Rebbe The following is an excerpt of letter from the 10th of Tammuz, spoke before those assembled, 5690, to a Rabbi Berzan [apparently Rabbi Dov Arye Berzan, who blessing them with warm words then served as the rav of the Ahavas Yisroel Synagogue in Flatbush]: of encouragement. “When I arrived here in New York, I found that the articles I At the conclusion of his had sent about two weeks earlier to various places and parties, address, the Rebbe boarded the among them even the Reform who are far from religious feeling, German ship SS Bremen, setting have made a great revolution, and I hope that the Jewish women sail for Berlin. will read them and that they will have an effect upon them and Upon his arrival in Berlin, he their pure hearts and emotions, so that they will want to establish was greeted by his younger son- their homes on the foundation of Judaism, according to the law of in-law, the RaMaSH, and his Moses and Israel. wife, the Rebbetzin Chaya “When he speaks to Jewish women, he should please give over Mushka, the Rebbe’s daughter. my words that I turn to them to fulfill their obligation to our * * * faith, our Torah, and our People, and in this merit, G-d Alm-ghty The visit was over, but by no will grant them success with healthy children and domestic means was its impact. harmony.” During the visit, there was talk about the possibility of the Rebbe settling in the United States. expressed his opinion on the great Jewish structure in the Even after the visit had been status of Judaism in the United United States are already there, completed, the plan remained States and his lengthy visit there. and now they have to erect it. viable and it periodically came to The headline for the interview “Those who so desire can make the forefront of discussion. was: “‘There Is Great Potential their new home in America, as After the Rebbe left the Soviet For Yiddishkait in America,’ Says was their old home overseas.” Union in Tishrei, 5688, he settled The Lubavitcher Rebbe Before The reporter noted that the in Riga, Latvia. However, this His Journey To Europe.” Rebbe is not only asking for the was not on a permanent basis, In the interview, the Rebbe support of Torah institutions, he and the Rebbe was still a emphasized the importance of also believes that they will build wanderer, his official place of activities with young people, and new yeshivos and Jewish centers residence not yet determined. On how Orthodox Jews must be more in America. In response to the his letters from this period of organized and work with greater reporter’s question, the Rebbe time, there appear the words energy. The reporter, Ben Shlomo stated that the Yiddish language “Riga-Temporary.” During the ten was very excited by the Rebbe’s is the language that unites and months he spent in the United strong faith in American Jewry. strengthens the Jewish People in States, the possibility of settling The newspaper reported that the Diaspora, and therefore, it is in America was explored in depth, during the Rebbe’s stay, he most important to speak Yiddish. and at a certain point, it appeared visited cities throughout the U.S., to be a most practical option. strengthening not only adults but DEPARTURE The discussions apparently young people as well, and The visit was over. Ten months began during the Rebbe’s visit to working in a variety of ways to had passed since the 12th of Elul, Chicago, where he stayed from awaken youth organizations. 5689, when the Rebbe Shevat to Nissan, 5690. The stop During the course of the disembarked from the SS France in Chicago was particularly long, interview, the Rebbe added that before the thousands who come and being so close to the Rebbe the materials for building the

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for such a lengthy period of time brought the chassidim to a state of great spiritual awakening. Everyone felt that if the Rebbe would be close to the chassidim in America, this feeling would merely intensify, and the wellsprings of chassidus would spread to all cities throughout the country. The chassidim in Chicago also understood that it would be difficult for the Rebbe to settle in the United States as long as there was no Lubavitcher yeshiva there, not to mention a large Chabad community in the spirit of “der alter heim”. Despite these problems, the chassidim in Chicago wanted the Rebbe to stay in America and not return to Europe. Proposals were made to the Rebbe towards the end of his visit to the city. On Motzaei Shabbos, the night of the 29th of Nissan, there was a Tzeischem L’Shalom gathering in the Chabad Shaarei T’filla B’nei Reuven Synagogue. The rav of the shul, Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Rubenstein, who also served as a member of the Agudas Chassidei Chabad administration in the United States, spoke on behalf of a large committee that suggested to the Rebbe that he The Hotel Newton on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, remain in America or at least where the Rebbe Rayatz stayed during his visit in 5690. return to the States in the very and the Rebbe must go back to Chicago Kroier correspondent near future: Europe, his journey should be a M. Indritz wrote about the offer “Providence has made it temporary one, and afterwards of the chassidim, the Rebbe’s necessary for the Rebbe to visit the Rebbe should come back to response, the subsequent steps, America, which has such a large America.” and the overall mood in the 1st of ingathering of Jews, kein ayin In reply to the request, the Iyar, 5690, edition of his paper: ha’ra, and perhaps this is a sign Rebbe Rayatz said that he would “This response now leaves the for the Rebbe’s influence to flow consider the matter. However, he whole question of the Rebbe directly to us, without the seas to immediately explained that he coming to America in the hands divide us. We have come to ask could not even begin to think of Chabad chassidim. If they the Rebbe to stay in America. We about it, unless it was understood know how to rise to the moment, are not saying where the Rebbe that his coming also meant the stand united, and work with great should establish his residence; founding of an American branch vigor to realize their aspiration, this we will leave to the Rebbe of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim, then it is by no means unrealistic himself. Our desire is that the for without a Chabad yeshiva, he for America to have the privilege Rebbe should not return overseas. would not come. for its distinguished guest to But if this does not prove possible

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They were also joined by If they know how to rise to the moment, representatives of the stand united, and work with great vigor misnagdishe groups, who also expressed enthusiastic interest… to realize their aspiration, then it is by Their idea of my coming to America indicates their great no means unrealistic for America to excitement, and this from people who would not be expected to have the privilege for its distinguished react in this fashion. They literally spoke with great guest to become a permanent resident. emotion.” The Rebbe’s answer to the become a permanent resident. But America. delegation was short and non- this movement cannot remain a “However, as we have committal, and they left without local one; it must take on a mentioned, the matter depends knowing what the future held in national character. upon the activities that Chabad relation to his eventual settling in “Local Chabad chassidim must chassidim will implement from the United States. immediately be in contact with now on. The selected body, The plans for the Rebbe’s other Chabad chassidim in known as Agudas Anshei Chabad, transfer to the U.S. had their ups America. There are about two has already taken a step forward and downs. Various letters and hundred and fifty Chabad shuls in in this direction. Officials have announcements were passed the country, with very prominent been chosen and members have among Chabad chassidim in the members. When all these shuls already been registered. If they United States. At a certain stage, unite and work together, it will be continue their work to include all a special committee was chosen quite easy to establish a Yeshivas Chabad chassidim here as to accept responsibility for Tomchei T’mimim in this country, members and bring the movement dealing with the matter. Heading and maintain it just as easily – to other cities, wherever there are the committee were Rabbi let’s say through a certain Chabad chassidim, and if they Menachem Lokshin and Rabbi contribution from each work with vigor, their efforts will Chaim Zalman Kramer, members synagogue, according to its size be successful and great spiritual of the Agudas Chassidei Chabad and ability. As for the location of strength will enrich American leadership. They held meetings, the yeshiva – that’s already a Jewry, strength that will sent letters to chassidim, and question for a later stage. contribute much, very much, to even began to collect money to “It’s conceivable that it the development and bring the plan to fruition. doesn’t necessarily have to be in a strengthening of Orthodoxy in About a month before the end large city such as New York or American Jewish life.” of the visit, there was talk that Chicago, rather in a small town, The journalist was present in the Rebbe would go back to Riga far from the noise and life of the the synagogue, sand put his and then return to the United city, in a central location between observations in writing. States shortly thereafter for the the East and the Middle West. At the end of the shul event, at purpose of settling there “As mentioned, Chabad half past ten in the evening, the permanently. This is based on a chassidim are in a state of Rebbe Rayatz returned to his letter from the mashpia, Rabbi yearning. They can’t live with the place of lodging. Half an hour Shlomo Zalman Havlin, who was idea that the Rebbe will remain in later, a delegation of twenty staying in New York at the time, Europe, and they want him closer chassidim arrived at the location and wrote to his son that the to them. This movement also with some surprising news. The Rebbe Rayatz will return to his exists in Milwaukee and other Rebbe wrote about this in a letter home in Riga within a month. cities along the way where to his wife, the Rebbetzin: “G-d willing, it is his intention to Chabad chassidim are found. It’s “They told me openly that the establish his residence in the not impossible that even those chassidim of Chicago and the United States, and he will come other cities where the Rebbe surrounding area had become back from there with the visited and has yet to visit will organized, and they asked that I members of his family.” join the movement, and the Rebbe give my consent to establish In the end, the Rebbe will become a resident of permanent residence in America. announced that the plans were

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canceled, and on the 21st of Tammuz, he sailed from America back to Europe. Some time later, it turned out the plans had not been canceled completely, and there were various attempts to bring about the actual transfer of the court of Lubavitch to the United States. Evidence of this can be found in a letter written by the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Yechezkel Feigin, about a month after the Rebbe’s departure. In this letter, he inquires to Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson from the United States on the subject of the “move”: “Please inform me if something The SS Bremen, the ship upon which the Rebbe sailed from the United States to Europe. This picture was taken several months after the Rebbe’s journey. has been done in relation to the move.” Discussions and proposals “I cannot consider the notion began to go into high gear again, that this is the Will of G-d, and and during the month of it is the holy thinking of my MarCheshvan, 5691, the saintly and revered father, committee began to hold teacher, and Rebbe, of holy and meetings on the issue. However, righteous memory for a blessing at this same time, it received a of life in the World to Come, his letter from the Rebbe soul rests in the hidden categorically rejecting the plan: treasures of Heaven, may his “In reply to their suggestion merit protect us, that ch”v of settling in their country… material necessity will influence according to the present the process of soul-related situation, nothing basic and matters that must be determined organized has been done yet to only from a spiritual viewpoint enable a spiritual and material and outlook.” (ibid., Letter foundation for this purpose… #497). As of today, I cannot tell you my Yet, even after the decision on the matter of your explanations, the precise motives caring and kind proposal to for the emigration plan and its settle permanently in your cancellation remained shrouded Kuntres Drushim, published for Yud- country.” (Igros Kodesh, Vol. 2, and uncertain to the chassidim. Beis Tammuz, 5690, for those who visited the Rebbe. Letter #495). One aspect to this matter was At the same time, the Rebbe revealed only twelve years later, sent personal letters to chassidic two years after the Rebbe arrived staying in America back in 5690? leaders in the United States, in the United States with the The Rebbe specifies this in the clarifying in greater detail the outbreak of the Second World following sentences: reasons for canceling the plans. War. During those days, he wrote “As I have seen in the In a detailed correspondence to that it was clear to him that had customs of the country that even Rabbi Eliyahu Yachil Simpson, he he remained in America for those innocent people perceive some explained that the spiritual ten years, he wouldn’t have necessity to being drawn after considerations are stronger than suffered, but he couldn’t emigrate the assertions of the world”, and the material ones, and therefore, to the U.S. until the time came as a result, everyone is drawn he had decided to remain in when it was absolutely necessary. after the conduct of the world: Europe: And why did he refrain from “What influence can a rav and

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shochet exert without a beard and peios upon his its Jewish population. However, due to a variety of flock – men, women, and children?” (Igros reasons, including the harsh economic effects of the Kodesh Admur HaRayatz, Vol. 6, Letter #1616). Great Depression, the contributions did not come through as anticipated, and large sums of money THE RESULTS OF THE VISIT were not raised. While there were some nice donations, they were not as the Rebbe had hoped. In the articles connected with the Rebbe Rayatz’s At the conclusion of the visit, the Rebbe took an historic ten-month visit to America, there were assortment of steps to maintain the spirit of re- descriptions of festive greetings with thousands of awakening that started to develop in American participants, throngs of people going in for cities. Letters were sent to yechidus, farbrengens, chassidim and rabbinical enlisting assistance on figures with whom the behalf of American Jewry, Rebbe met during his stay. and meetings with high Not settling just for that, government officials, the Rebbe sent his foremost among them, the personal emissaries to the President of the United United States in order to States. continue the activities that The visit centered on began with the visit. The attaining three primary emissaries chosen were objectives: among the Rebbe’s Meeting with and greatest and most strengthening prominent chassidim: Lubavitcher chassidim in Rabbi Yitzchak Horowitz, the United States – This may G-d avenge his blood objective was achieved in (R’ Itche der Masmid), the best possible way. Rabbi Mordechai Chefetz, Strengthening may G-d avenge his blood, American Jewry – The and Rabbi Shmuel Levitin, Rebbe succeeded in of blessed memory. They causing American Jews, were sent to take action in their rabbinical leaders, a wide range of areas, and Jewish public officials including the to start taking action in strengthening of Lubavitch various areas for the institutions, and raising strengthening of Judaism, money for the Rebbe’s besides the direct activities in Europe. The enthusiasm caused by the three emissaries toiled Rebbe’s appearance before The Rebbe Rayatz’s letter to Rabbi Eliyahu Yachil with great success and tens of thousands of Jews Simpson, explaining the cancellation of plans to settle in the United States: “I don’t yet see the possibility…to with much encouragement in the United States. This make this great step.” from the Rebbe Rayatz. objective was also attained Sources: Igros Admur with great success. HaRayatz, Seifer HaSichos 5689-5690, Toldos Raising money for the Jews of the Soviet Chabad B’Artzos HaBris, Zichron L’Bnei Yisroel, Union – This objective was achieved in part, but Chassid Ne’eman, HaMashpia (Havlin), Morgen only in small measure. The hope was to raise large Journal, Forward, Chicago Kroier, Beis Moshiach, sums of money that the Rebbe could use to help White House website, Hotel Newton website. provide those downcast Jews living behind the Iron “Drushim L’Yud Beis Tammuz” provided by the Curtain with matzos and various holy items, and to archives of Rabbi Bentzion Grossman. arouse world Jewry and various influential people to pressure the U.S.S.R. to improve the conditions of

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moshiach & science

on it, millions of dollars have poured into developing it, and because of it, Candes himself has HOW GOOD won the $500,000 Waterman Prize, the National Science Foundation’s highest honor. The practical implications are immense. For instance, medical ARE YOU, imaging can be done with just 10% of the radiation, saving 90% of the time, cost and most importantly health risks. Now, instead of creating huge audio or REALLY? video files and then compressing and storing those, you can record a very low-definition file, apply the CS algorithm, and voila. By Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD So what is the trick? How does the algorithm work? The simple answer is… simplicity. Even when a person’s conduct we know, Some One we don’t, or To explain, let’s say you have does not seem worthy of even ourselves. But where there is two pictures of a scene - one is favorable judgment, one should forgiveness, there can be a new sharp with a million pixels and endeavor to find redeeming beginning. The magic of the other is grainy with just virtue within him. forgiveness lies in positive 100,000. There are nearly an --The Rebbe, Shabbos perception, focusing on the infinite number of ways to fill in B’Haalos’cha, 5741 hidden good, but how does that the latter to become a million- Who doesn’t mess up? work practically? pixel image, nearly all of them Obviously we all do. And when Love is blind. If I love myself I wrong. The right way to we do, the thought of someone will cover my faults. If I love you, reconstruct the rich realm of (or Someone) constantly I will overlook yours. But what reality from a motley muddle of watching and keeping score can about the Omniscient One? maybes turns out to be the be very intimidating. Think about Surely He is not blind. How does simplest. the kid who covers his eyes and infinite awareness square up with The heart of the CS algorithm says “You can’t see me!” Our forgive and forget? Does He pull is what the mathematicians call inner child wants to wish away out an err-brush to cover up our sparsity. It assumes that the most those critical eyes, too. faults? In a way, yes. accurate guesses are also the But then there are new To understand this a little simplest. First the program beginnings. It may not be easy better, let’s explore a recent inserts the biggest blocks of color but we can all get there. The advance in image-enhancement that fit between similar pixels. process is, basically, deal with it: (and after all, whose image does When the program is done with Reflect, regret, restore, and not need enhancing?). It’s called big blocks, it then moves on to poof… we are good to go with a Compressed Sampling (CS) and fill in with progressively smaller nice clean slate. Then we retry, it’s an algorithm (mathematical blocks. The final solution, and but oops. Error! And the cycle process) that excels at the one that most accurately starts again. Refail, reflect. transforming very incomplete and mirrors reality every time, is the Regret, restore. Renew, retry. messy data sets into crisp and one with the smallest number of Then oops – Error! R-r-r-r-r-r… accurate representations of blocks. Billions of alternatives will Error! R-r-r-r-r-r… Error! It can reality. always be wrong, but the simplest get pretty discouraging but CS was first stumbled upon in one wins every time. fortunately there is another 2004 by CalTech Professor Now we can return to our ingredient – Forgiveness. Emmanuel Candes and in the original question. How can True there are watchful eyes, short time since, over one Justice and Forgiveness coexist? whether they belong to someone thousand papers have expanded To resolve the paradox maybe we

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can apply some lessons from the CS algorithm. Let’s picture, for a moment, the One Above gazing down at one of his hapless humans and determines that 90% of his deeds are folly and 10% are purposeful. The overall picture is a mess. It seems that Justice wants to condemn while Forgiveness wants to exonerate. How can we get the two working together to yield an accurate yet positive picture? Let’s make one simple assumption – that the bloke means well, that between his good deeds, deep down, the fellow really is good and wants to do good. All that other nonsense he does is just static, error, glitches. They don’t form a coherent picture – it’s only the good deeds that do. But since he has so few of them, there’s just a trace of that. Like CS, we follow our simplicity assumption and start with the biggest consistent area The effect of Compressed Sampling on an image. Below is the “before” image. that’s good, and fill that in with the biggest block of goodness that fits. Once the biggest goodness blocks are mapped, we move on to slightly smaller stretches of goodness and fit goodness blocks in there wherever we can. By the time we work our way down to the splotches, most of the space is already filled with good. A nice picture indeed. But, you may ask, why doesn’t the ugly side sometimes form an even more consistent picture? Because rottenness tends to randomness. There is an infinity of angles at which one falls, but only one at which one stands. All the mess-ups are noisy and scattered, but all the goodness is consistent and harmonious. Things aren’t always the way they seem. Our sages teach that no matter how messy things may appear, the true picture of man in the world is a positive one. It may sound simplistic, but then again, sometimes the best solutions are indeed the simplest. Think good and it will be good. Moshiach NOW!

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insight

numerous jobs, as it says, “the Kohanim in their avoda, the Leviyim on their duchan (the platform they stood on to sing) MUSIC IN THE and Yisroel in their maamud (representatives of the nation to stand over the daily offerings).” The joint goal of the Kohanim and Leviyim was the raising up of MIKDASH the sacrifice so that it be pleasing to Hashem. While the Kohanim were in charge of the process of sacrificing the korban, which Interview by Mendel Tzfasman Many people are unaware of the extent that music played a role in the avoda in the Mikdash. What instruments were used? How many years of preparation were needed before a Levi could play and sing in the Mikdash? Who was the first Levi to sing? What niggunim did they sing? Is there truth to the claim that we have some niggunim that were sung in the Mikdash? * For answers to these and other questions we spoke with Rabbi Lev Liebman, editor of “Negina L’Ohr HaChassidus.”

Most lectures on the Mikdash information with you. included many steps including are about its structure (as having the proper intentions, the explained in the tractate Middos) LEVIYIM WHO SANG AND Leviyim were responsible for the and the avoda that was performed PLAYED INSTRUMENTS spiritual “raising up” of the korban there (as explained in the tractate through their singing and music. Tamid etc.). The music and The Beis HaMikdash, that When did the Leviyim sing? singing in the Mikdash is a subject magnificent G-dly structure. They sang and played while an that is not often addressed. Whoever entered its portals found obligatory communal korban ola Sources about it are scattered in himself in a place wholly devoted was brought, though not for the various places, which is why most to the service of Hashem and the korbanos of individuals. Therefore, remain in the dark on the subject. revelation of G-dliness. The main at least twice a day a full choir In speaking with Rabbi Lev avoda in the Mikdash was the and orchestra sang and played in Liebman we became more avoda of the animal sacrifices the Beis HaMikdash when the informed and we now share this brought on the altar in the Azara. Korban Tamid was brought in the This avoda was comprised of morning and in the evening.

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The Levite choir stood at the participate. However, even those long as his voice was pleasant. ready for the conclusion of the who were not Leviyim could play Before a Levi could join the bringing of the korban and the instruments because it’s not the choir and sing on the duchan he moment the Kohen started pouring main part of the mitzva but an had to undergo a five year wine on the altar it burst into song adjunct to it which beautifies the program in which he studied and music. singing of the Leviyim. music. Since singing is an inseparable The Rebbe brings from the The first Levi to sing was part of the bringing of the korban Rogatchover Gaon that in the Moshe Rabbeinu (Rashi) and he and it is a biblical obligation, it future, not only the Leviyim but all was also the first teacher of music, sets aside the prohibition of using the Jewish people will be fit to as it says in Midrash Raba, “How instruments on Shabbos and Yom sing Shira. much Ben Amram (=Moshe) Tov. The Leviyim played exerted himself until he taught the instruments an extra time on those Leviyim to sing.” Where did the Leviyim sing? The duchan that the Leviyim stood on when they sang was located between the Ezras Yisroel and the Ezras Kohanim, in front of the altar where they brought the sacrifices. There were three steps to the duchan and those who sang and those who played instruments stood on it. It was only at the Simchas Beis HaShoeiva that the musicians stood on the fifteen steps in the Ezras Nashim, for that is where the dancing was done on the nights of Sukkos. The Leviyim, including those who held heavy instruments, played while standing because “there is no sitting in the Azara except for kings of the house of Dovid.” What kind of instruments did they use? The instruments were constructed according to G-dly wisdom, just as all the other days when the Korban Musaf was vessels of the Mikdash were brought, for that is also a ENTRANCE constructed, as Dovid HaMelech communal korban. REQUIREMENTS testifies, “All this is put in writing Could someone who was not a When the Mishkan moved by the hand of Hashem who Levi sing on the duchan? about in the desert for forty years, instructed me, all the works of this The Gemara learns from the choir of Leviyim was limited to pattern” (Divrei HaYamim I various verses that the singing is a those between the ages of 20-50 28:19). biblical obligation for the because they also had the job of In the Beis HaMikdash were a Leviyim. The Sages disagree, carrying the Mishkan from place to number of instruments preserved however, whether the main Torah place, work which demanded from the days of Moshe and there obligation is to sing or to play an physical prowess and manual were even instruments made by instrument. dexterity. In the Beis HaMikdash a Moshe himself! According to the The Rambam paskens that the Levi could begin to serve from the opinion that ikar shira b’kli (the main thing is singing and only age of 13 and continue to sing as main service of song is with an genealogically pure Leviyim could instrument), the instruments were

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CHASSIDIC PEARLS -The bringing up of the korban was accompanied by the singing of the Leviyim because every aliya (elevation) is through song. The atonement of the korban is also through the song of the Leviyim. Their song reached the heavens and sweetened judgments that hovered over the Jewish people. (Mitteler Rebbe) -The Leviyim are described in Chumash as the “carriers of the Mishkan.” That is seemingly a temporary designation, just for the forty years in the desert. However, according to Chassidus, this designation is eternal. The Leviyim “carry,” in the sense of elevation, the Mishkan and Mikdash with their song. (Likkutei Torah) -Today our t’fillos are instead of korbanos. In the davening “Kohanim in their avoda” refers to our recitation of Korbanos; the “Leviyim on their duchan” refers to the P’sukei D’Zimra; and Yisroel in their “maamud” refers to Krias Shma. (Rebbe Maharash) Rabbi Lev Liebman’s book

main instruments used in the Fifteen steps led from the Ezras Mikdash are mentioned: Flute, Nashim to the Ezras Yisroel. Each Harp, Kinor (translated as both step was half a cubit high, about violin and harp) and others. The 24 centimeters. In the seven and a commentators struggle in half cubit space beneath the Ezras identifying them since the Yisroel, there were special rooms instruments changed over the that were used to store the generations. For example, the flute instruments and the entrance to we know of today is very different them was from the Ezras Nashim. than the flute used in the time of Some say that all the “song books” the Alter Rebbe, all the more so is and music textbooks (text-scrolls?) it different than the flute of the were stored there too. Mishna. What songs did the Leviyim You mentioned that each sing? There are Chassidishe instrument had deep significance. groups that say they have Indeed. Any instrument niggunim that were sung in the mentioned in the Torah, whether time of the Mikdash. Is that the Written or Oral Torah, true? contains a lesson for us in our We know from the “Shir shel avodas Hashem. For example, it is Yom” in davening that the Leviyim brought in Chassidus that the word sang from T’hillim on the duchan. Kinor is comprised of the letters What tune did they use? They “kaf-vav ner,” meaning a candle of used the trup for T’hillim which G-d. The Kinor was able to arouse are different than those used for and ignite soul. The trumpet called other books of the Tanach. They Chatzotzra is comprised of the were particularly complicated and in the category of klei shareis just words “chatzaei tzura” (halves of difficult to sing. like the other implements that the one form). The sound of the The Alter Rebbe had a tradition Kohanim used in the avoda. Chatzotzra broke a person so that of what the trup for T’hillim is as The Meiri maintains that in the he felt like “half” of what he was the Leviyim sang it in the Beis HaMikdash they played on an so he would acknowledge that he Mikdash! He taught it to his sons, “endless” number of instruments, can never reach shleimus without grandsons, and even to his oldest another indication of the heavenly another Jew and without Hashem. great-grandson, the Tzemach nature of those instruments. Where were the instruments Tzedek’s oldest son, R’ Boruch In the Mishna and Gemara the kept? Sholom (the grandfather of the

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Mesivta of West New York

Registration Open

For the upcoming yeshiva year in the Mesivta Of West New York, NJ Rabbi Lev Liebman playing in front of 770 • Great quiet location Rebbe’s grandfather). R’ Boruch Sholom taught it to • Short distance from Crown Heights his younger brother, the Rebbe Maharash. The • Beautifully renovated dormitory and zal Rebbe Maharash was musically talented and had • Chinuch infused with Chasdishkeit and Hiskashrus powerful lungs (as is known from his shofar blowing, • Extra emphasis on Inyonei Moshiach when he would sometimes blow 72 notes for the • Staff with extensive experience in education trua). Nevertheless, when he read half a pasuk in T’hillim with the trup, his heart pounded rapidly. As far as we know, the last one to have been taught this Mashpia: Rabbi Yisroel Greenberg Renowned for his warm and loving Chassidic approach trup was Raza, the Rebbe Rashab’s older brother. The Rebbe Rayatz told about the established liturgical tunes accepted throughout Klal Yisroel Menahel: Rabbi Menachem M. Scharf (called skarbava) which were arranged by the Experienced and beloved mentor of young Tmimim Maharal of Prague. They came to him during a period of harsh decrees against the Jews after he Catering for ages 13 -15 prayed for a revelation of holy niggunim to arouse heavenly mercy. The Tzemach Tzedek said that the niggunim arranged by the Maharal are from the For registration songs of the Leviyim in the Mikdash and therefore they were particular that the chazanim not add and additional information: anything of their own. The Alter Rebbe also taught his great-grandson R’ 917-803-1707 Boruch Sholom the nuschaos (liturgical tunes) of t’filla. R’ Boruch Sholom was aggravated all his life [email protected] that he forgot one small nuance of the t’fillos which the Alter Rebbe had taught him, a part that had been Rabbi Menachem M. Scharf sung by the Leviyim in the Beis HaMikdash.

MUSIC IN THE THIRD MIKDASH “The glory of this last house will be greater than that of the first.” All the details of the third Mikdash will be more magnificent than the first and second Battei Mikdash. So too, the music of the Leviyim in the third Beis HaMikdash will undoubtedly be loftier than in the first and second, says R’ Leib Liebman.

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moshiach & geula PUBLICITY WITHOUT PSHETLACH

R’ Avrohom Mendel Wechter Rosh Kollel in Nachalat Har Chabad R’ Wechter

At the beginning of Tammuz, people, these concealments have Even though this is obvious 5753/1993, R’ Wechter wrote a caused them to hold completely in all the sichos, nevertheless, long letter to the Rebbe in which opposite viewpoints. due to the great concealment he asked for permission to Even those who were which is lasting so long, people’s publicize the Besuras HaGeula previously inspired need chizuk patience has weakened and some according to the plain meaning now. The signs that said, have given way to despair. As a of the Rebbe’s sichos, without “Hichonu L’Bias HaMoshiach” result they have arrived at odd “p’shetlach,” including that the (Prepare for Moshiach’s explanations in the inyan of divine inspiration of the Rebbe is Coming) that filled Eretz Yisroel “Moshiach now.” actual prophecy as in the p’sak at first caused amazing things to Therefore, in order to din of the Rambam . The letter happen, but now people have strengthen the emuna and the speaks for itself. gotten used to them and their simple understanding of the The text of the letter reads: effect has waned. sichos of the Rebbe MH”M that K”K Admur Melech The sicha of Shabbos Parshas “hinei zeh ba” is a clear HaMoshiach sh’yichyeh l’olam Shoftim, 5751, where it said prophecy, in this physical world va’ed! that the announcement of “hinei below ten handbreadths; and For over two years, and zeh ba” is a “clear prophecy,” that in this generation, the especially after the wondrous was a sicha which breathed the seventh generation, Melech sichos in inyanei Geula and breath of life into everyone. Now HaMoshiach Nasi Ha’dor will Moshiach began, I have been that two years have passed and come and be revealed. And that among those who are involved in to our great sorrow we still did this generation will merit the spreading the B’sura of the not merit the full hisgalus of true and complete Geula with imminent Geula, and we saw Moshiach, it has caused some the Rebbe leading us, and that how the inyan was accepted by people to start learning in this this does not depend on all segments of the people and sicha (and in other Geula anything and it is not they were greatly inspired as is sichos) all sorts of p’shetlach conditional, as the Rambam well known and peculiar explanations whose states in Hilchos Yesodei However, unfortunately, due common denominator is to cool Ha’Torah that “any good thing to the terrible concealments we off the simple truth that that G-d decrees, even find ourselves in lately, the Moshiach is about to be revealed conditionally, is not retracted,” inspiration has greatly weakened now, in this physical world, and that the only thing to the point that for many literally. dependent on us is that through

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this emuna and disseminating it, will cause a renewed chayus in When this was read to the we can hasten it and cause it to all activities associated with the Rebbe he nodded his head in a happen with kindness and mercy coming of Moshiach and halachically valid affirmation – through this we will soon merit and so too gave his holy Obviously, publicizing this the complete hisgalus. blessing. with the Rebbe MH”M’s blessing *** LIVE SHIURIM 0NLINE cwwv Anywhere, Anytime ! CHITAS j,ww, INYONEI GEULA unahj dtukv gbhbh & MOSHIACH rncwwo RAMBAM ckeuyh ahgurho SHIURIM IN LIKUTEI eusa ahju, SICHOS KODESH

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BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 750 27 750_Beis Moshiach 19/07/2010 2:13 AM Page 28

perspective CAMP-SCHOOL TEACHES THAT RAIN IS LIQUID SUNSHINE

By Aliza Karp

Even the best camp counselors Lubavitcher Rebbe stressed the contact with campers - which can be better if they are trained. importance of sending children to includes just about everyone in Although there may not be such a a Jewish camp. Out of the city, a camp. thing as a Masters Degree in child is not only closer to nature, *It was unusual for a group of Camp Counseling, training he is further from the distractions Rabbis to be attending the counselors is beneficial to the of urban life. The physical program and the boys were campers, the parents and the activities, the camaraderie and the impressed by the effort that was counselors themselves. programs can refresh a student made to make them feel Teenagers can achieve a deeper and generate spirit and energy that comfortable. Everyone in the feeling of satisfaction about their will be infused in his studies in the program was to be accepted for summer activities if camp is not coming year, and perhaps beyond. who they were. There was never just a great way to be paid to leave At overnight camp, in any justification for leaving the city and hang out with friends, particular, campers are in an someone on the outside. but a chance to make a positive environment saturated with Torah *The days were filled with impact on the lives of their values twenty-four/seven. classes and programs. Each class campers. Individuals who do not excel in a began with a song. Each A group of Lubavitcher head classroom situation may be able to participant in the program was counselors went to such a training excel on campgrounds. asked at least once to lead a song program called Camp School in There are many facets of the of their choice. Pennsylvania in June. They camp that make a major difference *Despite the packed days, the returned home to Crown Heights, to kids. The individual bunk flow of activities was very orderly. Brooklyn, where they put together counselors would be at the top of No screaming, no threatening to their own program which they the list. No beautiful lakefront can get people to be on time and in called Staffweek (ironically, a one make up for a lousy place. Every moment was used. day program) and passed on their camper/counselor relationship. There was no boredom. And if it newly acquired knowledge and When they arrived back from rained, there was a backup plan… enthusiasm to a wide group of Camp School the group of head because rain is liquid sunshine, camp counselors going to camps counselors were full of enthusiasm and no reason to get disoriented. around the world. The program and optimism. They discussed *Most of the classes were was under the auspices of Tzivos some of the things that made an interactive, a method that helps Hashem Craft Workshops and impression on them and could help generate a deeper interest in the Jewishchildren.com. others who are going to be material presented. When classes To utilize the summer months counselors, head counselors or any were split into groups to practice when school is not in session, the position that would put them in what they learned, there was a

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counting system that scrambled the about respect for even the activity to demonstrate the participants so that you were youngest camper. Every child is difference between acting alone or always working with new people. important and how a counselor acting as a team with a coach. *The program taught and treats a child leaves a lasting Eight participants were asked to exemplified being goal oriented impression. If he is treated with form a circle holding hands. Then (i.e., to bring Moshiach). respect, a child will realize his own they were told that without letting Discipline should also be goal self worth and be able to live up to go, they were to make their circle oriented. It is not to punish but expectations. If a camper makes a face outward. Immediately each rather to bring the camper closer staff member angry, the staff is to participant tried to turn around. It to the desired (Moshiachdike) get over their anger, and only was very funny to watch and, behavior. Discipline begins with approach the camper when they needless to say, not very reminding the camper of the are calm. Go outside and take a successful. After sorting expected behavior. Sometimes that deep breath if you have to. themselves out again, they were is all it takes. Screaming at a camper makes him given instructions. Working as a *Classes were taught at a round think that you hate him. team, the circle was transformed table. At the beginning of the There is often one child who with ease. session, everyone around the table will not fit in. It is easy to ignore The key words in the Teamwork would say their name, their goals him. But if the counselor ignores workshop were: communication, for coming to the program, their him, so will the other campers. bonding, common goals, clear life’s fears and their greatest The counselor may want to regard expectations, chain of command, hopes. The simple ritual brought this lonely soul as a special and empowerment of individuals strangers together. challenge. No child should be through communication and The Staffweek program made fun of. It should be made delegation. featured guest speakers and known that a punishment, such as The Counseling workshop workshops. The workshops were being grounded, will be applied if ended with the participants composed and presented by the anyone makes fun of someone else. forming groups of three, in which boys who were at Camp School. Being a counselor or head one played the role of the camper, The opening speaker was Rabbi counselor takes a lot of energy. one played the counselor and the Sholom Baras, Principal of Rabbi Baras spoke about the third was an observer to evaluate Lubavitch Yeshiva Ocean Parkway, importance of getting enough the response of the counselor. who is also the Learning Director sleep. But before they did this exercise of Camp Gan Israel, Parksville, There was a workshop on they were given goals and NY, in the summer. He spoke Teamwork. It ended with an guidelines. The participants listed

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the campers. The counselor should be together with his bunk, not at the front. The staff should be talking with G-d only. No cell phones, no texting. If there is a need for communication, it should be done without words, if possible. Sign language and monosyllables can often get the point across and it gives the message that the counselor is serious about davening. A living example makes more of an impression than Even in an activity such as sports, discipline or lectures. It may seem obvious that there’s a lesson to be learned. A camper davening should be infused with who is not a good player is not to sit on Torah values, but the workshop dealt with less obvious parts of the the bench. He is to be part of the game camp daily schedule as well. Even in an activity such as sports, because the goal is to win in Ahavas there’s a lesson to be learned. A camper who is not a good player is Yisroel, not in baseball. not to sit on the bench. He is to be part of the game because the goal goals that included: giving the camper sees himself handling is to win in Ahavas Yisroel, not in reassurance, making the camper the situation. If necessary, the baseball. feel better and steering the camper counselor can suggest alternate At Camp School in in the right direction. possibilities. Pennsylvania, one of the Bachurim, The guidelines started with first *Do what you can to make the Mendy, was asked to lead the song recognizing when a camper wants camper feel better. at the beginning of a session. to or needs to talk. The Goals and Methods Mendy was shy. He had never *Sometimes the need is obvious workshop discussed universal goals stood in front of an audience and other times it takes an being applied to specific methods. before, especially to sing. Yikes! awareness of other people to sense There was a lot of interaction His two brothers, who were also a need for counseling. If the between the presenter and his attending the program, came up camper does not want to talk, then audience and yet the audience and stood by him. Mendy chose to just offer to do what you can. Use respected the presenter as the sing Hinei Ma Tov. The crowd words like, “I would like to help leader. The workshop focused on loved it and it was repeated you if you decide you want my the importance of team work. enough times that everyone joined assistance.” To open the workshop, the in. When it was finished they asked *The next step is to find a place participants listed goals including: for a translation. That sealed it. that is private but not secluded, instilling a commitment to His first time on stage and Mendy somewhere the camper will feel Yiddishkait in a fun way, was a star! Camp can do that. relaxed and confident. An office is generating enjoyment for Torah Camp has the potential to bring not recommended. One of the study, and coaching children who out the best in campers and beauties of being in camp is the do not do well in school to do well counselors. It takes some thought, availability of such places. in camp. Then the leader of the organization, training and a good *Body language is important. workshop went through a daily night’s sleep. Reading one article Try to be on the same eye level. camp schedule and showed how cannot prepare camp staff… but it The camper should not have to each activity could be done in a can inspire them to explore and look up to you. Leaning forward way that leads towards proceed, so that by the end of the shows interest. accomplishing the goals. For summer, the Team Work will be *Ask questions so you know instance, during davening the staff the Method to bring us to the Goal what is going on and then ask how should be physically present with of greeting Moshiach Now!

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feature WHO SHOULD BE A RAV? SOMEONE WHO IS NOT AFRAID?!

By R’ Yosef Yitzchok Naimark Written for the occasion of the marriage of his son, the great-grandson o f R’ Zalman Pevsner, R’ Shlomo Zalman to Chana Galperin

That is what the Rebbe Rashab told the Rabbi Yaakov Shneur Zalman Pevsner was born on 20 Cheshvan, Chassid, R’ Zalman Pevsner (“Buber”) 5652/1892, in Buber, White Russia. Before he was bar mitzva before sending him to serve in the he went to yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Lubavitch, where he rabbinate. * A brief biography of a learned for more than a decade. In Chassidic rav in Soviet Russia. yeshiva and afterwards, he was known as R’ Zalman Buber for his hometown. R’ Mordechai Kozliner told about a special kiruv R’ Zalman received from the Rebbe Rashab: When R’ Zalman became of draft age he had yechidus with the Rebbe to ask for advice and a bracha. The Rebbe advised him to try and be released from army service with the claim that he suffered from eye problems. The Rebbe motioned to him to come closer, stood him between his knees and gazed upon him. R’ Zalman began to tremble. The Rebbe said to him: What is there to be afraid about when you share my birthday (20 Cheshvan). In 5677/1917, he was given smicha from the rav of Lubavitch, Rabbi Dovid Jacobson. On the Rebbe Rashab’s instruction, he The Chassid Zalman Pevsner at the time of the kiddushin. assumed a position in Georgia. Sitting to his right is Rabbi Yisroel Frankel They say that at first R’ Zalman

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told the Rebbe he was afraid to the underground activities aside take the responsibility but the from the fact that they had come Rebbe told him: “Who should be a to daven, he was sentenced to rav? Someone who is not afraid?” eight years in a labor camp. In 5678/1918, R’ Zalman served as rav and melamed in TASHKENT Gzatsk and when a beis midrash After the war in 1946, R’ for rabbanim was opened in Nevel Zalman was released and he began he was sent there in order to be a looking for his family. A year later, mashgiach. after many travails, he finally met After the passing of the Rebbe his two daughters, Zlata and Rashab, he served as rav in a Esther Sheine, in Samarkand. His number of towns throughout wife Odela had died of starvation Russia: Hor, Drebin, Klimovitz, in a small poor settlement called Mezayesk - all on shlichus for the Algebs in Kazakhstan and was Rebbe Rayatz. In these towns the buried there. Jewish communities were very In Samarkand the family poor and they could not support planned to make aliya via Poland him and his family. In one instance The letter from the Rebbe Rayatz as many had done successfully. the family had to live in another to R’ Zalman Pevsner in which the They gave a large sum of money to town altogether, and R’ Zalman Rebbe said, “Wealth is not derived someone who was supposed to buy wrote to the Rebbe Rayatz and from the craft etc. but you should do train tickets for them but he asked permission to join his family. and pray to the One to whom wealth disappeared with the money. Their But the Rebbe did not allow him to belongs, that He give him [R’ Zalman] ample parnasa. further attempts led them to leave (see letter in sidebar). Tashkent, where they learned that the authorities had caught on to ARREST prove that the accused received aid from abroad, from the Rebbe the smuggling scheme and had On 4 Tishrei, 5698/1937, R’ Rayatz who was living in Riga, arrested all the passengers of the Zalman was arrested together with Latvia. For this purpose they train they were supposed to have another seven men who davened in forced R’ Zalman to write to the been on. a minyan in the home of Rabbi Rebbe and tell him about the So the Pevsners remained in Tzeitlin. They were accused of difficult financial situation and to Tashkent, a large city with Torah organizing a secret shul where, ask him to send money. scholars and Chassidim. R’ Zalman under the guise of praying, they R’ Zalman did his work was known for his proficiency in could hold meetings to discuss the “faithfully” to the satisfaction of all four parts of Shulchan Aruch hard life in Russia, aliya to Eretz the interrogators but he addressed but he was especially well known Yisroel, the prohibition to send the Rebbe with various titles (“the for his knowledge of the “fifth children to school on Shabbos and famous gaon” etc.) which a Shulchan Aruch.” Yom Tov and teaching them Chassid wouldn’t use when writing R’ Yisroel Brod quoted his Judaism. to the Rebbe. The Rebbe father, R’ Chaim Binyamin, as After the collapse of the Soviet understood that the letter was saying: Union and the NKVD, R’ Zalman’s written under duress and therefore “I once went to him on Erev criminal file was found. It he responded: “I am very sorry Shabbos with a chicken and a describes the harsh interrogations about your plight but a receiver halachic question about it. As he that lasted all night, which R’ cannot be a giver.” examined it I could tell, by the Zalman faced with fortitude and Seeing this, the interrogators movement of his head, that it was wisdom. He told the interrogators dropped the matter. not kosher. He suddenly asked me: only what he was certain they When he was asked by the ‘Whose chicken is this?’ I said the already knew and denied all the interrogators who organized the name of a neighbor who was a G-d activities and connections with minyan, R’ Zalman named Rabbi fearing person but was known to which they could incriminate him Chaim Kevess, who was no longer be poor. R’ Zalman immediately and others. alive. paskened: ‘Tell him it’s kosher.’ The interrogators wanted to Although R’ Zalman denied all “I looked at him in surprise.

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The halacha is the same for all – what difference does it make whose chicken it is? R’ Zalman took out a Shulchan Aruch and showed me that in such a situation, some paskened it was treif and some paskened it was kosher, so the halacha is that under difficult circumstances like Erev Shabbos and when the person is poor, it should be declared kosher l’chat’chilla.” R’ Elimelech Lebenhartz told about R’ Zalman’s concern for the Jewish community in Tashkent: “There was a time when the economic circumstances were very difficult. R’ Zalman once complained to me about the R’ Zalman with his grandchildren decrease in halachic queries about chickens. I said perhaps people I went before the draft board in were eating more meat and he Russia and had the initial medical sighed and said: ‘Halevai that was exams. All my efforts to be so, but I am afraid that they have assigned a lower rating failed and moved on to potatoes.’” they gave me a high rating. The R’ Elimelech also related: letter that my grandfather wrote to “I once asked R’ Zalman his the Rebbe said: “My grandson opinion about aliya. At that time needs to undergo dangerous the borders of Russia were still surgery which involves damim in sealed but they had started talking both meanings of the word (blood about giving visas. His answer was and money).” that every effort ought to be made The Rebbe’s encouraging to make aliya. I asked whether he, response was soon to follow. too, would be leaving and he said: Confident in the Rebbe’s bracha, I ‘As long as there is one Jew left in appeared before the doctors in Tashkent, I cannot leave.’” officers’ uniforms. We all fasted On 12 Nissan he had difficulty that day: my grandfather, my breathing. An ambulance was parents, and myself. I won’t tell HISKASHRUS called but the doctors couldn’t do you all the details of the miracle much for him. In the midst of this, TO THE REBBE MH”M now, but the end of the story was two people came with shailos Even once it was easier to keep that I was given an exemption about chickens. His daughter Zlata Torah and mitzvos, corresponding from serving in the army. did not want him to exert himself with the Rebbe still entailed great but he insisted: “They need the danger. When they needed a HIS PASSING chickens for Yom Tov!” bracha for a marriage or the like, The night of 13 Nissan, the day The last week before Pesach, Anash in Russia would write to of the passing of the Tzemach 5731/1971, was particularly busy. families in Eretz Yisroel or other Tzedek and the Beis Yosef, R’ People didn’t stop coming to R’ countries and would ask for a Zalman’s pure neshama went to Zalman’s house to sell their bracha from “Grandpa.” R’ the Heavenly Yeshiva to study chametz and to ask shailos. R’ Zalman’s correspondence with the Torah and to speak favorably on Zalman was a rav not only for the Rebbe was done through his behalf of his family and Klal Jews of Tashkent but for all the cousin, R’ Sholom Posner of Yisroel until those in the dust will surrounding cities and towns like Pittsburgh. arise and sing. Samarkand, Margilan etc. A story that happened to me:

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moshiach & geula

campaign as it says in the Torah amongst the Jewish people here of his city – and he leading the way to add in Torah and mitzvos in PUBLICIZING THE actuality and thank you for when you let me know how much was actually added. I will mention it at the gravesite.” With the help of my friend R’ IDENTITY OF Menachem Gerlitzky, I started a massive project to this effect. We printed forms for Anash and outsiders to fill in their good resolutions. These forms were MOSHIACH ON A printed in many languages - in Hebrew, English, French, Russian, Persian, etc. When people came for “dollars” we suggested that they fill out these forms and every week GLOBAL SCALE we would send hundreds of these forms to the Rebbe, as he had requested. We received dozens of responses from the Rebbe like “I R’ Yitzchok Springer will mention at the gravesite and Mashpia, yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch – 770 the time is auspicious for good news” (4 Iyar, 5751), “they were Moshiach’s identity. He ran large taken to the gravesite” (14 ads in The New York Times and Cheshvan 5752) and the like. other newspapers informing These were accumulated into a readers that the Lubavitch Rebbe is large file. Moshiach and that in order to Since the Rebbe had written, welcome him they needed to do “the Jewish people here, of his more good deeds. city” – I thought that the work R’ Springer tells us what among Anash and mekuravim at happened and about the Rebbe’s “dollars” and mivtzaim wasn’t approval of his project. enough. I decided to reach much How did you, a mashpia, further by placing ads in come to place advertisements in newspapers. Since then I have had the newspapers? an open line to the media… The story begins much earlier, Let’s go back to the ads where during the Gulf War. Following the you advertised that the Rebbe is Rebbe’s words of encouragement Moshiach. What made you decide to the residents of Eretz Yisroel to do that? R’ Springer that were said as a guarantee, and During the months that his greatly discouraging leaving the In the winter of 5753/1993, a preceded the ad, from the country, I thought it would be a beginning of 5753, nearly every series of ads was published in the good idea to arrange a charter newspapers announcing that the day the Rebbe encouraged the flight with dozens of Chabad singing of Yechi and it was clear to Lubavitcher Rebbe is Moshiach and Chassidim to fly to Eretz Yisroel people should prepare for his all that this was a new era, the during the war in order to show “kabbalas ha’malchus” of Melech coming. that Eretz Yisroel is the safest In Teves, 5753/1993, Rabbi HaMoshiach. More and more place in the world. people asked the Rebbe for Yitzchok Springer started a global I wrote to the Rebbe and publicity campaign about permission to publicize that the received this response: “to Rebbe is Moshiach and to have

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people sign that they accept would be the greatest proof his malchus, and the Rebbe that he wants there to be approved this and even global publicity about his encouraged Chassidim who being Moshiach. It would worked along these lines. also prove that the Rebbe In light of these facts, I does not think that these ads spoke with some of the will turn people off from people most active in Lubavitch.” publicizing inyanei Moshiach And what was the and we decided that we have Rebbe’s response? to start doing global We prepared the ads in activities. We thought of three languages: Hebrew, putting an ad in The New English and Yiddish, and I York Times and other asked the secretary to show newspapers. them to the Rebbe and ask What did other people whether I could place them in think? The New York Times and Whoever had been other major newspapers. involved earlier in publicizing The secretary showed inyanei Geula and Moshiach each ad separately to the agreed that the time had Rebbe and even read the come to publicize Moshiach’s headings, while noting that identity as well but there were the address to send the good other askanim who resolutions is 770 Eastern vehemently maintained that Parkway. The Rebbe looked this kind of publicity could at all the ads and then gave harm our image to the point his approval to publicize R’ Leibel Groner’s letter to R’ S.Z. Gurary that people could be turned them. In order to certify this about the Rebbe’s approval of R’ Springer’s ads off from Lubavitch. These for the public, R’ Shneur askanim also said that since Zalman Gurary of the Vaad we were talking about global Rabbanei Lubavitch HaKlali publicity, this campaign could asked R’ Leibel Groner to put not be launched without the this in writing, and he wrote Rebbe’s explicit permission. a detailed description of the “The Rebbe’s answers Rebbe’s consent to about other, local projects publicizing the ad. cannot be thought of as So the Rebbe approved granting permission for this advertising his identity as project, which will bring the Moshiach “without message to tens of millions of limitations?” people,” they maintained. Yes, of course. Another point they raised was Furthermore, we see that to that this kind of publicity the Rebbe, putting ads in the extended beyond our own paper is “b’ofen ha’miskabel” personal domain and entered and there is no reason to fear the domains of dozens of that this will turn people off shluchim whose mekuravim from Lubavitch. would see the ad and I hope that this interview approach them with is not just to reminisce about questions. the past but to do something We decided to ask the now, until we see the Rebbe directly. “If the Rebbe complete hisgalus of the would approve the ad,” we Rebbe MH”M immediately! The ad in Yisroel Shelanu told these askanim, “that that had the Rebbe’s approval

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story

house for several weeks. I tried waiting another two or three days, hoping he would feel better before the bris, but they told me that the WHY DIDNT rav was not attending any events at all. I almost gave up. One day I met someone close to Rabbi Eliyahu and I told him the story. I didn’t tell him about YOU TELL ME? the answer in the Igros Kodesh but I said that I greatly desired to have Rabbi Eliyahu as the sandek. He advised me as follows: “There is By Rabbi Chaim Sasson one event that the rav said he must attend, even for a few minutes because he owes it to Baba Sali z”l because of the special connection between them. This is the hilula of Baba Sali that will be this Motzaei Shabbos, 4 Shevat. Go to the hilula and wait for him at the elevator and speak to him directly.” That’s exactly what I did. At that time I had a radio program on Kol HaNeshama on Motzaei Shabbos called Kol Mevaser. This time I had to cut it short. I raced over to the hall and waited for the rav. As soon as he exited the elevator I went over to him and told him I had a newborn son. He Rabbi Eliyahu looked at me in wonder smiled and shook my hand and blessed me. I told him that I and he asked, “How did you know when wanted to honor him with being the sandek at the bris. He smiled I myself do not understand what I am gently and, glancing around at his aides, he said, “Ask them … I doing here and how I agreed to leave haven’t left the house for a few the house in my condition?” weeks. It’s just for the hilula of Baba Sali which is close by and I came for only a few minutes. I On 29 Teves, 5759, my wife I wrote to the Rebbe about it in don’t feel well.” gave birth to our son Menachem the Igros Kodesh, mentioning the I told him, “I am making the Mendel. Since I had been closely name of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. bris in Givat Shaul, two minutes connected to the Rishon L’Tziyon When I opened the volume, the from your house, and I will do it at Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu z”l at the words “Mordechai HaTzaddik” whatever time is convenient for beginning of my t’shuva process stood out on the right side, and on you, just be the sandek!” (at Machon Meir near yeshivas the left it said: “one of the When I saw that he was Merkaz HaRav) 29 years before, I distinguished rabbanim.” I saw hesitating because it wasn’t always wanted him to be the this as a clear hint from the Rebbe. pleasant for him to turn me down, sandek, but it had never worked I went to Rabbi Eliyahu’s I continued to plead, “It did not out. I hoped that this time it office, only to be told that he did work out for my three older sons would. not feel well and hadn’t left his and this child is our eleventh.

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Doesn’t a mother of eleven children deserve to be made happy with your sandakaus for her son?” This last plea won him over and the rav “gave in” and said, “You are right. She deserves it. Although it’s hard for me, I’ll come.” I was ecstatic. I thanked him profusely and ran home to tell my family that the Rishon L’Tziyon Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu would be the sandek. I made all the necessary arrangements with the rav’s aides and the bris took place in the afternoon on the lap of the Rishon L’Tziyon, friend of the Rebbe and of Chabad. “Here, in the Igros Kodesh,” I Rabbi Eliyahu smiled and said, When the rav got up to leave, I said, and I showed him my letter “What difference does it make? If thanked him for participating and and the Rebbe’s answer: I knew ahead of time I would have making us so happy and then I Mordechai HaTzaddik … one of come earlier in honor of the said, “I have a nice surprise for the distinguished rabbanim. Rebbe!” you. I knew in advance that you Rabbi Eliyahu read the question Some years went by and I would be the sandek at this bris!” and the answer carefully and said, arranged with the Rav’s personal Rabbi Eliyahu looked at me in “I’m a tzaddik?” and he waved his assistants for a t’filla gathering for wonder and he asked, “How did hand dismissively. Then he looked the Geula at the Kosel. While you know when I myself do not at the Igros again and said, talking to them, one of the understand what I am doing here “Amazing. It’s just amazing. Now I rabbanim who sat next Rabbi and how I agreed to leave the understand what I am doing here. Eliyahu told me that he was once house in my condition?” The Lubavitcher Rebbe called upon present when Rabbi Eliyahu I took out the volume of Igros me to be the sandek for this baby enthusiastically related to a group Kodesh with the letter I had who is named for him. Why didn’t of talmidei chachamim about how written to the Rebbe and said, you tell me to begin with that the he had been a sandek at a bris “From the answer I opened to, I Rebbe wanted me to be sandek?” because of an answer in the understood that you would be the “I didn’t know what your Rebbe’s Igros Kodesh. sandek.” reaction would be,” I said. “And When he finished telling me Rabbi Eliyahu was nonplussed what difference does it make when about the bris I replied that I was and said, “What do you mean? the main thing is that you were the father of the baby in that story! Where did you see this?” sandek as the Rebbe wanted?”

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memoirs

Bentzion, a distinguished Chassid in Karalevitz in the Ukraine. With the outbreak of the Bolshevik Revolution the government closed MAISHKE the three shuls in Karalevitz and ruined the mikva. Bentzion and his wife Sarah organized a minyan in their house and built a mikva in By Shneur Zalman Berger their courtyard which served the Jewish community of 300 families. Moshe accepted the blame knowing he His father hired a melamed for Moshe and his two brothers, could be sent to Siberia for years but his Avrohom Hy”d and Dovber. The Robinson home had a special love superseded everything and by being Chassidishe atmosphere and when the girls came of age they married the scapegoat all the others would be top T’mimim of the time: R’ released and could go back to learning Mendel Futerfas a”h, R’ Mordechai Hirsch Charitonov Hy”d and R’ * Learning and teaching in Shia Korf a”h. In 1927, when he was 13, underground yeshivos behind the Iron Moshe went to Ramen to learn in the branch of Tomchei T’mimim in Curtain was the life of R’ Moshe that city. R’ Berel, his younger brother, of Robinson (Karalevitzer) a”h Lud, relates: “Moshe learned in Ramen and I “Under the present periods of time to some unknown learned at home. But the circumstances we must get used to destination. persecution intensified and the fact that the bachurim themselves This difficult decision, to send pressure to send children to school will be maggidei shiur and teach bachurim to teach, was made after forced my parents to send me away the younger boys. It is hard, at a wave of arrests among Anash. In from home, too. Moshe came home present, to appoint family men to every city dozens were arrested and for Tishrei, 5688, and then we these positions, when they will people were terrified. The directors went together to learn in Ramen. leave their wives as ‘living widows.’ of the yeshiva, R’ Yona Cohen “I was only 8 and a half and I So you have the holy obligation to Hy”d and R’ Mordechai Eliezer left home … and it wasn’t easy. My disperse among the branches of the Lapatovsky were very happy when melamed was a ben Torah and a yeshiva and teach Torah with they saw that despite the danger, big Chassid, R’ Yechezkel mesirus nefesh.” the bachurim agreed to their Greenfuss. The rosh yeshiva by This was said with great suggestion. whom Moshe learned was R’ emotion by the directors of the The very next day, one of the Yaakov (Yani) Gurary. Moshe and I Tomchei T’mimim network of bachurim who had been at the and the other boys slept in two yeshivos in the Soviet Union at a farbrengen, Moshe Robinson, went apartments of good Jews who secret farbrengen that took place in to Berditchev to teach in the agreed to host us and we ate teg by Moscow in the home of R’ Moshe Chabad yeshiva there. He bravely people in the community. I had to Katzman a”h. disregarded the knowledge that eat teg from a young age and it was At this farbrengen, which took sooner or later, the police would very hard. place in 5697/1937, the older catch up with him. “After Pesach of that year I went T’mimim were told the harsh with my brother to Vitebsk, where I reality of the time, that during MIKVA IN attended yeshiva, and he went on these dark days many of Anash THE COURTYARD from there to Polotsk. Moving from were arrested by the Soviet secret yeshiva to yeshiva was what we did police and were sentenced to R’ Moshe Robinson was born in 5674/1914. His father was R’ to keep the GPU off our trail. imprisonment or exiled for long Yeshivos were founded and closed

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and talmidim moved to other cities. Yosef Goldberg, arrived at shul in they were traveling, attracted From a young age we became used the morning. When the gabbai saw attention in more temperate to a life of fear and wandering. We them he recoiled in fright. He Georgia. The heavy suitcase they kept in touch with home but we feared that having young bachurim carried, filled with s’farim so they wrote brief letters with few details with beards and peios in his shul would have what to learn from in for fear of prying eyes. Our parents would lead to government Kutais, turned the unwanted constantly worried. It was hard for investigation and the closing of the attention into outright suspicion. them to have their children in shul. The gabbai reneged and the They were arrested and held for a distant places, in great danger. I bachurim had to learn outside in few days, suspected of smuggling didn’t see Moshe for a long time. the courtyard of the shul. The various items and foreign currency. He learned in Polotsk by R’ members of the Jewish community When their innocence was Shlomo Chaim Kesselman a”h and had pity on them and gave them established, they were finally then moved on to learn in Vitebsk. bread and some salted fish so they released. I had already moved somewhere wouldn’t die of hunger. They then traveled together with else so we did not meet.” They slept outdoors. People other bachurim to Kutais, where R’ Michel Rappaport tells about were afraid to host them but they started a branch of yeshivas the branch of the yeshiva in Vitebsk Moshe and his friends did not Tomchei T’mimim. Rabbi Avrohom in those days: Levi Slavin was a big help to them “The learning began each day at in providing them with their 4:30 in the morning. At the material needs. appointed time all the talmidim In the winter of 5692, R’ were present and nothing stopped Shneur Zalman Levitin a”h arrived us, not the fierce cold or the snow. in Kutais. He taught the bachurim We learned in the women’s section Chassidus and ran the yeshiva. R’ of the Chabad shul. We would Dovber Robinson relates: close the doors and windows so “From the time my brother nobody would realize we were Moshe brought me to Vitebsk, I there. There was no electricity and wandered from one branch of the we learned by the weak light of yeshiva to another throughout the kerosene lamps. We learned until Soviet Union: in Bobruisk, 7:00 and then went downstairs so Moghilev, Chernigov, and Poltava. people wouldn’t realize that we had From Poltava I arrived in Kutais, been in the Ezras Nashim and it where I was reunited with Moshe, would look as though we had just who had been appointed mashgiach arrived. A few of us slept at the of the yeshiva. homes of balabatim, while others “In Kutais, most of the slept on benches in the shul.” bachurim were older and they despair and constantly tried to learned on their own without SUSPECTED OF come up with a plan of where to go shiurim. I, who was only 13, and SMUGGLING FOREIGN next. They decided to go to my friend Shmuel Gurevitz were Georgia, to Kutais, where they the youngest boys there, so we CURRENCY knew R’ Avrohom Levi Slavin had were helped in our learning by my After Purim, 1931, the been sent by the Rebbe Rashab. brother Moshe. He was happy to government closed the yeshiva in Obtaining tickets to Georgia was help us but as mashgiach, he could Vitebsk. Instructions were given nearly impossible. One of the not take my being his brother into from the hanhala to Moshe and bachurim waited in line for an account. If I showed up late he some of his friends to travel to entire day until he got tickets for would fine me just as he did the Baku in Azerbaijan, where they the train. others. thought they could learn in peace. On the way to Kutais, Moshe “After a year of learning I The directors of the yeshiva and his friend, Avrohom Kwash returned home to Karalevitz while arranged with the gabbaim of the stopped in Gurzy. The warm Moshe went to learn in shul in Baku to allow the bachurim clothes they were wearing, which Novozavkov. After a year the to learn there. Moshe and his were appropriate in the colder talmidim in that yeshiva went to my friends, R’ Michoel Lipsker and R’ regions near Baku, from where hometown of Karalevitz, where

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could reside there legally. TRIAL BECAUSE OF SHABBOS OBSERVANCE “Despite my young age, I was R’ Dovber Robinson relates: fully aware that this was real A short time before the outbreak of World War II, Lubavitch mesirus nefesh on the part of my families in our town of Karalevitz began leaving the city – the parents to agree to host so many Dubrawsky, Shapiro and Karasik families and more. The yeshiva bearded bachurim, but my father which had been in the city had closed a few years earlier. The wanted them to be able to learn loneliness was tremendous and I also considered moving away. I without material concerns and did was 20 and I wanted to be among Chassidim. all he could to this end. I somehow managed to send a letter to the Rebbe Rayatz, who “In those days I was working was in Riga at the time. The answer said: Don’t be quick to leave already, but I devoted Thursday your work or your city. So I waited. nights to copying maamarei A few years earlier I had studied bookkeeping with my father, R’ Chassidus. The bachurim gave me Bentzion and I began working in this field. I did not go to work on a copy of the maamer and after a Shabbos. My employer knew I kept Shabbos and he looked away. night of work I had made several One day, they told me that government inspectors would be coming copies for them so they could all on Shabbos since at that time they were very particular about learn ‘inside.’” absences from work. My employer asked me to show up even if I did not work, but I refused to do anything that even looked as DEVOTED TO HIS WORK though I was desecrating the Shabbos. They told me that the R’ Nachum Volosov, a member punishment could be very severe. of the hanhala of the network of The inspectors arrived and decided to put me on trial. I was yeshivos in Russia, related: sentenced to an option of six months imprisonment or to forego a “When I received instructions quarter of my salary. I chose the latter option. However, the from R’ Mordechai Eliezer problem was what to do on subsequent Shabbasos. A few days (Lapatovsky) to start new branches before the first Shabbos I was on a business trip to another city and of yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim, I I deliberately stayed there over Shabbos. The second Shabbos I was first went to Karalevitz, where I sick. By the third Shabbos, I was just about out of options when I found the excellent bachur who remembered that the Rebbe, in his answer, had told me to leave the was pleasing to G-d and man, city at some point, although not to be in a hurry to do so at that Moshe Robinson. He was learning time. Tur with Rabbi Menachem Mendel I boarded a train that was heading for Moscow, leaving my Dubrawski (who was a maggid parents, brother, sister-in-law and their children behind. I did not shiur in yeshiva in Lubavitch). It know that I was saving my life thereby and would never see my wasn’t easy to convince ‘Maishke’ family again. They were murdered by the Nazis Hy”d. I knew it was to come to Berditchev with me.” hard to get to Moscow. The inspections that the police made as the After Moshe agreed to go, he train approached it prevented me from getting to the capitol city. I was called, together with other considered getting off a few stops earlier but the inspection began older bachurim, to Moscow in before I had a chance to get off. I gave a nice sum of money to the Tishrei of 5697. There, at a secret conductor and whispered to him that I did not have documents. He farbrengen, it was decided that the hid me in the washroom. running of Tomchei T’mimim When the inspectors came on, they demanded that the conductor would be handed over to the open the washroom where I was hidden. The door opened and I hid bachurim and not long afterwards, behind it, my heart pounding. The door closed and I breathed a sigh Moshe arrived in Berditchev. of relief. It was an open miracle. R’ Nachum tells us about I got off the train and went to Yegorevsk (about 100 kilometers Moshe’s work there: from Moscow), where I met my sister Leah and her husband R’ “He was completely devoted to Mendel Futerfas, who helped me settle in. his work and excelled in his terrific shiurim and in his fatherly love for each student. As a result, a large they were fed hot meals by my before davening in the mikva in the number of talmidim (relatively parents and helped in every way. courtyard of our house. My father speaking, considering the situation) They immersed in the morning got them work permits so they gathered around him – no fewer

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than 12!” His student R’ Heschel Tzeitlin relates: “The shiurim started in the morning at five. One of the talmidim would close the shutters from the outside and go off. During the day, the learning took place in different shuls and they only gathered together for shiur.” After Pesach, 1937, the older bachurim were called to Moscow once again. The menahelim bolstered their spirits and they reaffirmed their decision – “the existence of the yeshivos under the circumstances is possible only through the older bachurim.” These were terrible times in which Chassidim were arrested on the “He continued asking me all sorts of street and sent to Siberia for many years. general questions and then suddenly R’ Yona Cohen, menahel of the yeshivos, concluded the “meeting asked, ‘Do you put on t’fillin?’ ‘Yes,’ I of older bachurim” (that is how it was referred to) with these replied, and immediately realized my ominous words, “When we meet again – that is, if they don’t take us error. The interrogator banged the desk to jail in the interim – we will with his fist and shouted, ‘You liar! speak further.” How dare you tell me that you’re only UNWANTED VISITORS eleven when you passed your bar I was 24 Teves, 5698, the Yom Hilula of the Alter Rebbe. R’ mitzva?’” Moshe sat and farbrenged with about ten of his talmidim in the spiritual level, sinned and fell since The sight that met the tailor’s shul, one of eighteen shuls reason was important to him. They policemen’s eyes was an innocent that were active at that time in also urged the boys to be very as could be. A group of boys were Berditchev. The talmidim sat particular about keeping to the sitting around drinking mashke. around a large table on which light learning schedule and valuing every They saw the young boys and the refreshments were placed: bread, minute. shul and were about to leave when herring, boiled potatoes and of The talmidim eagerly swallowed one of them said, “No, we must course, mashke. Moshe and Berel every word Moshe said. They sang first make a thorough search.” Gurevitz, who was the oldest of the niggunim and the atmosphere was They discovered the two men bachurim, told stories and wonderful and happy. hiding and asked, “What are you delivered inspired words. Suddenly, after midnight, there doing here?” They focused on the need to was a mighty pounding at the door. “We were just walking past and serve Hashem with kabbalas ol, Instantly, Moshe and Berel leaped saw light in the shul and when we without asking why. You do what up and over to a small side room entered and found this group of needs to be done because that is where logs were piled for firewood. boys drinking, we decided to join what Hashem wants. Moshe The door of the shul burst open them.” explained at length the sin of King and in rushed two policemen The policemen did not buy this Shaul who, despite his high brandishing revolvers. excuse. It turned out later that they

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interrogators that you learned with ‘Chatzkel, you can admit it; I accepted me. You can tell them the truth and all the blame. I told the interrogators end this situation.’ “I wasn’t impressed. I assumed that you learned with me. You can tell the interrogators had forced him to say this in order to get me to them the truth and end this situation.’ admit. I looked at him as if he was a stranger and said, ‘You liar. I knew in advance about the yeshiva mitzva?’ never learned with you and I don’t and had only waited for an “I recovered quickly and calmly know you.’ I found out afterwards opportunity to catch all the said, ‘You can also put on t’fillin that they got the same reaction talmidim while they learned. They from the age of eleven.’ from another talmid who they tried ordered them to form a straight “‘Liar!’ he screamed. to convince to confess through line and to walk with them to the He was literally insane with Moshe. police station. They had the rage. ‘I will show you!’ “However the interrogators shamash of the shul join them. One “He pressed a button and asked wanted to conclude the matter and of the policemen walked at the for Moshe Robinson to come in. so they placed Moshe in our cell so head of the line and one walked at When he came in, the interrogator he could talk to us without fear. the end. asked him, ‘Rabbi, from what age What he said broke our spirits. Moshe and the talmidim spent do you put on t’fillin?’ It looked as ‘You can confess. I took it all upon the night at the police station. In though Moshe immediately grasped myself. Don’t tell them who the morning they were led by police what was going on and I was brought you here and who supplied van to the GPU office, a terrifying thrilled with his answer. you with food. You have to say you place, and they realized this was “‘The halacha is you put them don’t know the details but you can serious business. Their tzitzis were on from the age of thirteen but the tell them that you learned with me.’ cut off and their t’fillin were rabbis say you can put them on At this point there was no longer confiscated. from the age of eleven.’” any reason to continue the charade, and we confessed and signed to One of the talmidim, R’ *** our admission. The matter was Yechezkel Brod, related: The boys and Moshe were “After this welcome we were over – for us, at least. interrogated for hours and all of “Moshe, who took responsibility taken in, one by one, for them repeated the same story; they interrogation. Each of us was taken for running the yeshiva, suffered were sitting and drinking mashke greatly. The GPU tried to pile on separately and asked his name, age, to warm up. They said they had and what he did. When it was my additional accusations such as his run away from home and did not having illegal ties with people turn and I was asked how old I learn in yeshiva. was, I said eleven. abroad and being a participant in Towards evening they brought counter-revolutionary organizing. “‘You’re lying!’ he accused me. I them all into the jail. They put the was fourteen and I didn’t look like He was taken to Kiev, where they younger ones into one cell: Refael planned on holding a show trial in an eleven year old, nevertheless I Wilschansky, Velvel Oerbach, responded, ‘Why do you call me a order to scare people.” Sholom Ber Pevsner, Heschel Berel Gurevitz and the two liar? I’m eleven!’ Tzeitlin, Yechezkel Brod, and “The interrogator said, ‘What a older bachurim were sentenced to a Refael Brook. The three older year in jail and suffered greatly. nerve! He lies brazenly!’ bachurim - Berel Gurevitz, Elozor “He continued asking me all The younger boys, after spending Mogilovsky and Shmuel Itkin - and four weeks in jail, during which sorts of general questions and then Moshe were put into another cell. suddenly asked, ‘Do you put on they were tortured and suffered During the next days and weeks hunger, were taken to a t’fillin?’ they were interrogated and “‘Yes,’ I replied, and government orphanage. When tortured. R’ Brod related: Anash heard where they were, they immediately realized my error. The “One evening they called me in interrogator banged the desk with decided to smuggle them out. R’ for questioning, but this time they Michoel Teitelbaum did so with his fist and shouted, ‘You liar! How brought Moshe in too, and Moshe dare you tell me that you’re only mesirus nefesh. said, ‘Chatzkel, you can admit it; I [Continued next issue be”H] eleven when you passed your bar accepted all the blame. I told the

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