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contents

IN THE ERA OF THE HEELS OF 4 MOSHIACH D’var Malchus | Sichos in English

REB LEVI YITZCHOK’S VICTORY 6 Shlichus | Chani Nussbaum

THE ’S WAR FOR CROWN 10 HEIGHTS Feature | Avrohom Ber

THE ART OF STORYTELLING 18 Inisght | Ofra Bedosa

RABBI YITZCHOK ISAAC HERZOG Z”L USA 24 Feature | Gershon Nof 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 [email protected] SOUL CONNECTION WITH RABBI LEVI www.beismoshiach.org 30 YITZCHOK Z”L EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: 20 Av | Nosson Avrohom M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur CHASSIDIC ADVENTURES IN SOVIET [email protected] 34 RUSSIA HEBREW EDITOR: Memoirs of R’ Hillel Zaltzman | Avrohom Rainitz Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan [email protected]

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dvar malchus IN THE ERA OF THE HEELS OF MOSHIACH

Sichos In English (Adapted from , Vol. IX, p. 71ff, Sefer HaSichos 5749, p. 641ff)

NOTHING COMES however, prompted to the question: When G-dliness shines overtly, UNEARNED Why is it our Divine service that is the revelation draws a person to going to bring Mashiach? Divine service, and causes him to feel One of the fundamental principles In previous generations, mankind satisfaction in this endeavor. When, postulated by Chassidic thought is was on a higher spiritual level and by contrast, G-dliness is not overtly that all revelations of G-dliness are seemingly displayed a greater revealed, a commitment to the Torah dependent on man’s Divine service. commitment to Divine service. and its mitzvos requires more self- Even revelations which transcend How can our efforts accomplish a sacrifice. our mortal conceptual grasp must be purpose that theirs did not achieve? drawn down through our own efforts. [3] The above also applies to the A POINT IN SOUL These questions can be resolved revelations of the Era of the ABOVE “I” by contrasting our Divine service Redemption. during the era of exile with that Which commitment is greater? In that era, it will be revealed that carried out by the at the time of When focusing on the extent of the our world is G-d’s dwelling. the Beis HaMikdash. commitment, how much of a And just as a person reveals his In our prayers, [4] we say “we are person’s character is given over to true self at home, so too, at that time, unable to go up, and to appear and Divine service, there is no question G-d’s true self, [k’viyachol] - as it bow down before You.” that the people who lived during the were - the essential aspects of His When a person came to the Beis time of the Beis HaMikdash Being, will be revealed in this material HaMikdash and appeared before possessed an advantage. world. G-d, he had a direct appreciation of G-dliness permeated every aspect These revelations will not, G-dliness. [5] of their being. however, come about merely as an And as a spontaneous reaction, he Nevertheless, the very fact that expression of Divine favor. Instead, prostrated himself. this commitment absorbed their they will have been ushered in by This was not merely a superficial minds and their feelings indicates “our deeds and our Divine service act. that it left room for a sense of self. during the era of exile.” [1] On the contrary, experiencing Their Divine service had an “I”, And more particularly, it is the G-dliness directly spurred a albeit an “I” of holiness, but an “I” response to the challenges that arise complete commitment of homage, nonetheless. during the era of Ikvesa diMeshicha, motivating him to willingly forgo all In the time of exile, by contrast, a the age when Mashiach’s personal concerns and subordinate person’s Divine service occupies less approaching footsteps can be heard, every aspect of his being to G-d. of his conscious thought. which will precipitate Mashiach’s During the era of exile, by Thus making - and carrying out - coming. [2] contrast, G-dliness is not apparent, a commitment to Divine service and our commitment is not prompted reflects the workings of an inner RESPONDING TO by external factors. potential that transcends the person’s THE EXPERIENCE A person feels his own self, and conscious self. OF G-DLINESS his Divine service is not evoked The person goes beyond all naturally from above. Instead, it must concepts of his personal “I”. An intellectually honest person is, come as a result of his own initiative. His true self, the aspect of his

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being which is totally identified with expression of our souls, and of all the these blessings upon you..., so that G-dliness, motivates his conduct. limbs in the body, it is the heel which you will be free to gain wisdom from This reflects a deeper dimension displays the most active obedience to the Torah and occupy yourself in it.” of soul - and a deeper commitment to this potential. These benefits observance brings, G-d - than was revealed during the Our minds and our hearts are however, are not ends in themselves, time of the Beis HaMikdash. mediums for the expression of our but merely mediums to enable man to conscious potentials. And our heels reach his ultimate goal: the service of A CHANNEL FOR are mediums for the expression of G-d. THE SOUL’S POWER our inner will which transcends our The ultimate benefits mankind conscious thought. will receive will be in the Era of the These concepts are related to this Similarly, in the analogue, it is the Redemption, when: week’s Torah reading, Parshas Ekev. souls which can be compared to “There will be neither famine nor Ekev literally means “heel,” and “heels,” the people living in ikvesa war, nor envy nor competition, for refers to ikvesa diMeshicha, [6] the diMishicha, whose commitment good things will flow in abundance time when Mashiach’s approaching expresses the inner power of the soul and all the delights will be freely footsteps can be heard. and manifests the infinite potential of available as dust.” [14] Moreover, the connection the G-dly spark that exists within And yet, man should not strive for between this era and the analogy of each of us. this period in order to partake of heels runs deeper. these blessings. The human body is used as a JUST RECOMPENSE “The Sages and the prophets did metaphor [7] to describe the not yearn for the Era of Mashiach in Other interpretations [10] explain collective of the Jewish people as it order to rule over the entire world, that the word ekev refers to “the end has existed over the ages. nor in order to eat, drink, and of days,” the era when the ultimate In that context, our present celebrate. Rather their aspiration was reward for our observance of the generation can be compared to the to be free [to involve themselves] in Torah and its mitzvos will blossom. heels, for we lack the intellectual and the Torah and its wisdom, without Indeed, the initial portion of the emotional sophistication of our anyone to oppress or disturb them. Torah reading focuses on the reward forebears. [15] which we will receive for our Divine The heel is the least sensitive limb It is the observance of the Torah service. in the body. and the connection to G-d which this This prompts a question: Since Indeed, our Sages [8] refer to it engenders which should lie at the the mitzvos are G-dly, what reward as “the Angel of Death within man.” focus of endeavors. Nevertheless, we find that the heel can possibly be appropriate? possesses an advantage over the How can any material benefits other limbs. possibly serve as fair recompense for REALIZATION It is most sensitive to the person’s acts that are G-dly in nature? OF THE MISSION will. The resolution of this question The two interpretations of the For example, it is far easier to put has its source in our Sages’ word ekev are interrelated. one’s heel into a hot or a cold body of statement: [11] “The reward for a For it is the intense commitment water than to immerse any other is the mitzvah.” that characterizes our Divine service limb. The fundamental reward for the during ikvesa diMeshicha which will One might say that this advantage observance of a mitzvah is the bring the dawning of the era which is a direct result of the heel’s lack of connection to G-d the mitzvah will allow us to express that sensitivity. Because the heel is further establishes. [12] commitment without external removed from the influence of the The rewards of health, success, challenge. heart and the mind, it offers less and material wellbeing mentioned by The heartfelt dedication to the resistance to orders which run the Torah are merely catalysts making Torah at present will bear fruit, contrary to one’s thoughts and possible our observance. leading to an age in which the inner feelings. For when a person commits spark of G-dliness which inspires our Chassidus [9] explains, however, himself to observe the Torah and its observance will permeate every that there is a deeper dimension to mitzvos, G-d shapes his environment aspect of existence. “For the world the heel’s responsiveness. to encourage that observance. will be filled with t he knowledge of The heel is uniquely structured to As the Rambam states: [13] “If G-d as the waters cover the ocean express the power of the will. you will serve G-d with happiness bed.” [16] Our wills are channels for the and observe His way, He will bestow [Continued on pg. 42]

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shlichus

in . I assume there are many more Jews but unfortunately, they don’t even know they are Jewish. REB LEVI What brought you on shlichus to Alma Ata? Leah: My brother-in-law, R’ Lifpsitz, was here with my husband, as a bachur, on shlichus. At that YITZCHOKS time, they ran a shul which was very old. We arrived a few years later, after we married, in time for the Chanukas HaBayis of the new shul. We came on shlichus to deal with VICTORY the tremendous ignorance. I’ll give you an example. At the davening on Shabbos, when the people bought an aliya in exchange for a donation to By Chani Nussbaum the shul, they wanted to pay on the spot, on Shabbos. But since then, Mrs. Leah Cohen and Mrs. Sarah there have been enormous changes for the good. Lifpsitz work as shluchos in Alma Ata, We are sure this is thanks to R’ Levik. We are located fifteen minutes Kazakhstan, the place where Rabbi away, on foot, from his . We bring panim to the Ohel that are Levi Yitzchok was sent into exile. Their sent from all over the world. Tell the readers about your amazing accomplishments in Alma Ata work. demonstrate the victory of light over Leah: Not long ago, we started a weekly class for women. The class is darkness. held in the home of a different lady each week. We started it in memory of a very special woman who passed Here is a story that testifies to say, his father should remain in away. the Jewish revival in Alma Ata Alma Ata. Sarah: I knew her and I (Almaty), as told to me by Rabbi “‘It seems,’ said the emcee, ‘that remember how she walked to shul Yeshaya Cohen, the shliach and the Rebbe envisioned the revival that every Shabbos despite her advanced Chief Rabbi of Kazakhstan, told me: would take place here and this is age. She was a woman with mesirus “Eight years ago, there was a why he agreed to leave his father’s nefesh. Leah and I decided to start Hachnasas Seifer Torah near the grave in exile.’” shiurim in her memory and people Ohel of the mekubal, Rabbi Levi *** have been very inspired as a result. Yitzchok , father of the In honor of Chaf Av, the The ladies don’t want the shiur to Rebbe. At that event, the emcee said yahrtzait of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok, I end. They ask questions and want to that years ago, the Rebbe wanted a spoke with the shluchos to Alma Ata, know more and more. certain shomer Shabbos Jew to fix Mrs. Leah Cohen (12 years), wife of They make good resolutions. For up his father’s grave. When the work shliach, Rabbi Elchanan, Mrs. Sarah instance, one of the women decided was completed, he was happy to Lifpsitz (7 years), wife of shliach, to say the Birkas HaMazon and to inform the Rebbe. The Rebbe asked Rabbi Bezalel. The two are sisters- say certain portions of the davening him, ‘Should the grave be moved to in-law – Sarah is Elchanan’s sister. every day which we say together. Eretz Yisroel or America?’ How many Jews live in Alma Leah: We also opened a club for “Out of respect for the Rebbe, Ata today? women which Sarah runs. It started the man did not answer. The Rebbe Leah: About 1000 Jewish with a small shiur which grew until motioned with his hand as though to families, all of whom are interested it became an active club of fifty

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CHABAD IN KAZAKHSTAN Alma Ata (Almaty), the capitol of Kazakhstan, was where thousands ladies. Sarah teaches , inyanei of people were sent into exile by the communists. One of these people Moshiach and Geula, and parsha. was Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneersohn, father of the Rebbe, who was The women daven together, listen to exiled for his work in strengthening Judaism. He died in exile after stories about the Rebbe, and do much suffering and is buried there. various crafts. Sometimes, they For many years, Kazakhstan was a spiritual desert with no shuls or themselves prepare material and religious institutions. Throughout the vast region not even one official teach it. Special activities take place mikva was built. Up until a few years ago, the Jews of Alma Ata prayed before holidays. in a wooden shack and that was only for Shacharis on Shabbos. We started a Shifra Puah In 5754, with the arrival of shliach Rabbi Yeshaya Elozor Cohen and organization here where each new his family, things began to change. R’ Cohen changed the Jewish map mother receives a gift of her choice with Chabad mosdos providing every Jew with his spiritual and material worth $100. We give out the Shir needs. There is a network of shuls throughout the country and beautiful LaMaalos, make house calls and mikvaos were built. Brissin are performed and kosher meat is available. take care of things like preparing for Among the chesed organizations sponsored by the are: A a bris. soup kitchen, a bikkur cholim, help with medications, chevra kadisha, We started a course for kallos Shifra and Puah, and even medical advice. which is very successful and is in Sunday schools were opened as well as youth clubs, summer camps, addition to the work Sarah does in libraries etc. Seniors’ needs are addressed too, for it is never too late, running the mikva. and there are clubs for women, a club for men and a kollel Tiferes Levi Sarah: We started a B’nos Yitzchok. Chabad. All single girls can join the

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he got up and danced even with the There was an Israeli couple who came pain and his weakness. He said he to Kazakhstan to adopt a child. They felt as though he was holding a Torah scroll. In general, the way he adopted a girl. We told them to daven at acted, he exemplified the Chazal which says, “Who is honored? He the Ohel and they did, and they gives honor to people,” because he gave respect to all. promised to be particular about the He died some time later and it’s interesting that following his laws of Family Purity. They had a child passing, his wife began taking an of their own, a son! interest in Torah and mitzvos. When I asked her why she insisted on saying the Shma every day in organization which is divided into while and had a daily shiur with my Lashon HaKodesh and not in two divisions, older and younger husband. Russian, she said: I feel closer to girls. Every so often we have special He asked my husband for help in Hashem this way. I was impressed gatherings and during the summer finding a job. My husband suggested by this response. we run a camp. We start and end that since many Jews asked him for The shluchos have miracle camp at the Ohel of R’ Levik. We information regarding locating stories to relate about the gravesite see the fulfillment of the verse, “and relatives’ graves, he should take of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok. returning the hearts of the fathers photographs at the local cemetery Leah: A man who was married through the children” with this camp and support himself that way. (My for years without children decided to as the children influence their husband cannot respond to the go to R’ Levik’s grave. He prayed parents. queries that come in since he is a there and said, “If I have a son, I Tell us some good stories. Kohen). The fellow took him up on will name him Levi Yitzchok. If it’s a Leah: This happened two and a this idea and did well. With the girl, I will name her Chana.” A year half years ago. My husband got a money he earned he bought a pair of later he had a son and he kept his phone call from a member of a local t’fillin and began putting them on promise and named him Levi church who said: We have two every day. Yitzchok. A year after that, he had a Israeli guys here; we are sending After a while he went to China daughter and he named her Chana. them to your shul. and we eventually lost contact. One A distinguished person came here The two guys showed up and day, we got a letter from him in and davened at the Ohel for his were shocked to see a shul in this which he wrote that not only does he daughter who was married for forsaken place. They stayed with us remember to put on t’fillin but seventeen years without having for a while and we took care of all wherever he goes, when he meets a children. Shortly after his visit here their needs. They often sat with my Jew, he puts t’fillin on with him. we were told that his daughter husband for long talks into the When you ask me for special conceived and gave birth to a girl. night. stories, I think about our daily There was an Israeli couple who After a while, one of them left to activities, about the special came to Kazakhstan to adopt a continue his trip and the other one atmosphere in which we feel unified child. They adopted a girl. We told stayed with us. The one who stayed at our joint meals on Shabbos and them to daven at the Ohel and they said he wanted to write to the Rebbe Yom Tov. I think about Jews who did, and they promised to be through the Igros Kodesh at the until recently knew nothing about particular about the laws of Family Ohel of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok. In his their Judaism and suddenly they are Purity. They had a child of their letter he asked the Rebbe three sitting down after Maariv on Yom own, a son! questions and he received three Kippur and completing the T’hillim *** precise answers. He only told us one with the utmost sincerity and Sarah related a miracle that of the questions – whether to stay or kabbalas ol. I feel that it’s in the happened to her after davening at R’ not, and if he should stay then he z’chus of R’ Levik who is here. Levik’s grave: asked for a bracha to extend his visa. Sarah: I remember a 65 year old When we got here I was The Rebbe’s answer was something senior who decided, despite his age pregnant with our first child. In my like – if you began here, then and health, to have a bris mila. I’ll eighth month I felt I was going into continue. He stayed for another never forget how right after the bris

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The Lifpsitz children The Cohen children

labor. This was very stressful since flights from Alma Ata to Tel Aviv birth to my seventh child there. I medical care here is quite primitive twice a week. discovered that my children’s level of and I had not planned on giving We see how everything here is knowledge is no less than that of birth in Alma Ata. It would be like miraculous. R’ Levik is the channel Israeli children and is many ways giving birth in the desert. They for success and for the spiritual even greater. My daughter came haven’t even heard of disposable revival here (which may also be from day camp and complained, diapers here. responsible for the mass aliya to “Ima, I can’t daven with them We went to the Ohel of Rabbi Eretz Yisroel of the Jews of because it takes me more time – I Levi Yitzchok and my husband, who Kazakhstan). daven more than they do.” Ashreinu! was going to start a club for How do you manage with In the merit of R’ Levi Yitzchok, businessmen, asked for a bracha for kosher food and chinuch for your we and the children experience the this project and of course, for a children? true meaning of shlichus. It’s bracha for an easy birth at the right Leah: It’s easier to get kosher moving to see the children as full time. food now. Like many shluchim, we partners in our shlichus. We see this That evening, at the meeting with import many things. There is a especially on special days like Erev businessmen, there was a man who representative of the OU here and Pesach and Yom Kippur. Before introduced himself as an experienced through him we import many kosher Pesach, for example, we have a fair gynecologist. “I have stopped products which are sold here even in and sell kosher products and new accepting patients and I am the big chain stores. utensils and the children, our little becoming proficient in Western For milk, we go ourselves to shluchim, inspire people. On Erev medicine. I would be happy to help supervise the milking. But as for Yom Kippur they help with Kaparos you in any way possible.” cheese and other dairy products, we for those who are afraid to hold a My husband immediately asked have learned to live without them. chicken. him to examine me and he was able My husband shechts animals so we *** to solve the problem and I gave birth have a steady supply for ourselves Leah: On Chaf Av there is a big to a healthy, full term baby. and for the community. gathering near the Ohel which is This doctor, who became our We manage with the chinuch of open to everyone. Thousands of doctor, became very famous and his our little children. We teach them. panim are read at the Ohel and clinic is visited by people who need The big girls learn with the Online people listen to the life story of complicated treatment. He has a lot Shluchim School which is a big help. Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and are very of experience, just like any doctor in What do the children think inspired. the Western world. about being on shlichus? “The communists did not We also saw miracles with my Leah: We have never heard them vanquish Rabbi Levi Yitzchok,” says husband’s first request, about the say it’s hard for them because we Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen. The spiritual club for businessmen. Direct flights make sure to convey that it’s fun to revival in Kazakhstan testifies to this. from Kazakhstan to Tel Aviv were be on shlichus and a big z’chus. resumed and so we have direct I returned from Israel after giving

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 706 9 706:Beis Moshiach 03/08/2009 9:43 AM Page 10 feature THE REBBES WAR FOR CROWN HEIGHTS

By Avrohom Ber

The corner of Kingston and Eastern Parkway, where the Kehos store is now

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specifically connecting it with the In the 1960’s, Crown Heights holy day. On Shabbos Parshas underwent a major demographic Shmini 1975 as well, the Rebbe said that he thought of speaking about change, from a flourishing Jewish this on Acharon shel Pesach but he had received some notes saying that community to a derelict district of it would diminish the joy of the holiday and so he postponed it to crime and poverty. As literally hundreds the following Shabbos). of thousands of Jews fled, one voice THE LARGEST JEWISH could be heard pleading for them to NEIGHBORHOOD IN stay. * Beis Moshiach reviews the NEW YORK The mass exodus of Yidden, history of one of the lesser known which the Rebbe so vocally deplored, actually began several years earlier. battles of the Rebbe, the battle to The largest Jewish neighborhood in New York changed within just a few strengthen the neighborhood. Part 1. years. It became a neighborhood of crime and violence which prompted many Jews to leave their homes and move to other Jewish WAR OF MOSHIACH Crown Heights (this portion of the neighborhoods. The of Acharon shel sicha was edited by the Rebbe and is For those who don’t remember Pesach 1969 was particularly printed in Likkutei Sichos, vol. 6, p. Crown Heights of those days, it will memorable, as those who were there 350). be hard to understand what this was will attest. The Rebbe farbrenged for With these words, the Rebbe about. Those who began going to hours, delivering sicha after sicha started his great battle to strengthen the Rebbe only in later years with explanations in Nigleh and the community, yet another war of certainly cannot picture the drastic Chassidus, all of them connected to Melech HaMoshiach. This was a change that the community the topic of Moshiach. war for the community of the Nasi underwent, from a flourishing Towards the end of the HaDor, as the Rebbe said on Jewish neighborhood in the years farbrengen, in the ninth sicha, the another occasion, “every action in following World War II until it Rebbe said, “It is customary to this neighborhood has an influence became the capital of Lubavitch. speak on an inyan in Nigleh. We will and effect on the entire world.” To In its heyday, Jews were the speak about an inyan in Nigleh and what extent it affects the world we majority of the white population of connect it to a timely matter.” The can see from what the Rebbe said in Crown Heights. In nearby Rebbe added, by way of the sicha, that if Jews stand strong communities such as Brownsville introduction, that just like Moshiach and don’t give up in Crown Heights, and East New York there lived tens – whose coming is from Above but land would not be given away in of thousands of Jews. The Jews in is elicited through man’s avoda – so Eretz Yisroel! At that time, in 1969, Crown Heights were modern and too with the inyan of “in the future, the Camp David Accords weren’t in many of them were not religious. Eretz Yisroel will spread out to all the plans yet. Even three years later, That is the reason that the first lands,” that we need to make on Acharon shel Pesach 1972, the Chassidim who came to America preparations for this through our Rebbe said that “sitting securely in settled in Brownsville, since Crown avoda now. your land” is accomplished by a Heights was, as R’ The Rebbe said that it is tough stance in Crown Heights! put it, “a place where the wealthy, forbidden to increase the power of (Interestingly, it was specifically the Hellenizers, the modern Jews, the nations. A long explanation on Acharon shel Pesach, when the lived.” In 1950 there wasn’t a single followed in which the Rebbe gave light of Moshiach is shining, that the Jewish store on Kingston Avenue ten reasons, according to Nigleh, Rebbe chose to speak sharply about that was closed on Shabbos. why it was forbidden to abandon this subject, on at least three The block where 770 is located occasions – 1969, 1970, and 1972,

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was populated by doctors, lawyers and other wealthy people. On The first Chassidim who came to Shabbos afternoon, Eastern Parkway America settled in Brownsville, since was full of thousands of strolling Jews. In Brownsville alone, in 1930, Crown Heights was, as R’ Yisroel the year the Rebbe Rayatz visited America, there were ten Ari Jacobson put it, “a place where the shuls. It was at the beginning of the wealthy, the Hellenizers, the modern Rebbe’s nesius that Lubavitcher Chassidim began to move into Jews, lived.” In 1950 there wasn’t a Crown Heights itself to live near the single Jewish store on Kingston Avenue Rebbe and the Rebbe encouraged this. We see this from what Rabbi that was closed on Shabbos. Mordechai Shusterman wrote in his book, “I wanted to rent an all kinds of Jews such as Menuchas bought homes in Crown Heights and apartment in Crown Heights and I Asher, Bnei Yaakov, Chevra Shas the neighborhood prospered. On asked the Rebbe and he said, ‘Yes, and Adas Yeshurun. And not only Sukkos there wasn’t a house without good idea, but why rent? Buy!’ I told Ashkenazim lived in Crown Heights. a sukka next to it. the Rebbe that I didn’t have the There was a large Sefardic shul and I drove around to find a house. money to buy and the Rebbe said, Ahavas Achim-Anshei Sfard. There The house I found (and which I ‘Those smaller than you bought.’ I were at least 35 active shuls in ultimately bought) was on President began to seriously think about Crown Heights at the time and there Street, next to the shul and mikva buying a house.” were also, l’havdil, some Reform and (of R’ Bentzion Frankel a”h). At the The gabbai of 770, Rabbi Yaakov Conservative congregations. end of the street was a municipal Lipsker, also got the Rebbe’s In that sicha of Acharon shel park where Jews could stroll after approval to move from New Jersey Pesach the Rebbe said that about their Shabbos chulent. Utica Avenue to Crown Heights and this was after 250,000 Jews lived in Crown nearby was full of kosher stores. years in which the Rebbe did not Heights! Transportation was excellent – it was agree to the idea since he was in Rabbi Yehuda Frankel, a Sanzer near the subway station as well as New Jersey on the Rebbe Rayatz’s Chassid, described in his book Imrei various bus lines. The bus that goes shlichus. Shefer, “I had the z’chus of being to my printing place is direct, door Dozens of shuls and mikvaos close to our Rebbe [the previous to door... I asked the Rebbe and he were built. Crown Heights acquired Sanzer Rebbe] and being his right gave his consent for me to buy. With a reputation as a good hand for many years. He trusted me Hashem’s help, l’mazal tov, on Erev neighborhood, quiet and neat. When as one of his closest people. Within Purim 1955, we moved into our the Rebbe Rayatz came to America a short time we bought a number of house.” and started building after-school buildings in Crown Heights, among Who would have believed that Talmud Torahs called Torah Temima, them the Beth Moshe hospital, and a ten years later, Utica and that park Crown Heights and Brownsville Talmud Torah opened there with would be places Jews would be wary hosted four of these programs. 1000 talmidim, as well as a Kollel, a to go to? Torah began to permeate the senior citizen home, and a nursing community and gain momentum. home for seniors who lived in the Chadarim and Jewish schools were WHITE FLIGHT area.” opened all over. Many Admurim At the end of the 50’s, whites In his book, Rabbi Shusterman chose this beautiful neighborhood as began to leave the big Brooklyn describes Crown Heights the year he their headquarters, from where they neighborhoods. People who had a lot moved there – 1955: led their followers. Among the of money moved away to places with “Crown Heights was settled famous Admurim were those from a better quality of life. When people (almost) exclusively by Jews, most of Bobov, Lizensk, Skulen, Tenke, saw their friends leaving and knew them religious. The Rebbelech Lantzhut, Novominsk, Spinka, and that the quality of life where they turned their homes into shuls and Kerestir. were living would deteriorate and Chassidim from various courts, There were all sorts of shuls for would cause them financial losses as wanting to be near their Rebbe,

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their houses went down in value, they sold their homes. This made prices fall even further. Black people moved into the cheap houses. In 1965, President Johnson signed new immigration laws which enabled thousands of Caribbean blacks to emigrate to the United States. They settled in Brooklyn neighborhoods, including Crown Heights. Many of these new immigrants, most of whom had no money and no profession turned to crime. Armed robberies or attacks took place daily in Crown Heights which caused tens of thousands more Jews to leave. The more religious Jews moved Near 770, 1959 to Boro Park or Flatbush, and others moved to Long Island or Queens. In 1955…“Crown Heights was settled Those who didn’t want to move too far away from where they had lived (almost) exclusively by Jews, most of moved to East Flatbush. In later years, religious Jews also moved to them religious. The Rebbelech turned areas north of New York City. their homes into shuls and Chassidim Jews wanted to sell their homes as fast as possible, while still able to from various courts, wanting to be near get a good price. If someone expressed his desire to remain in the their Rebbe, bought homes in Crown community where he had lived for years, friends laughed and said, Heights and the neighborhood “You’re going to live in a crime infested neighborhood and soon you prospered. On Sukkos there wasn’t a will be afraid to go out in the street.” house without a sukka next to it.” And they were right. But if they had united and not run away, the price suffered from a loss of parnasa. The to live near him. Other than personal of homes would not have gone down Rebbe mentions in a sicha the responses that were given to further and the blacks would not owners of groceries and tailors who individuals, the Rebbe’s view was have moved in. They could have lost customers who needed kosher not known to the public. stopped the takeover of Jewish food and Jewish tailoring. People R’ Bentzion Shemtov asked the neighborhoods. kept leaving and those who led the Rebbe about renting a new place for Safety became a primary flight were Admurim and rabbanim. the Vaad L’Hafotzas Sichos from a concern. Five crimes a night was an Entire k’hillos fled and it was hard to store whose Jewish owners planned ordinary night for the Crown ask those who remained without the on leaving. The Rebbe said it was Heights police. The demand for shul they were used to davening in unthinkable that Mosdos Lubavitch more police drew opposition from to continue living in the community would buy these places, thus Mayor Robert Wagner who was which was becoming more and more encouraging other Jews to leave. afraid that every neighborhood black. The difficult situation led even would demand a greater police Lubavitchers also considered Lubavitchers to say that the day presence. moving but the Rebbe opposed this. would come when they would have Life wasn’t easy for those who Most of the Chassidim did not leave to move. It’s hard to think badly of remained. Aside from the increasing because the Rebbe himself remained them, especially after some danger in the streets, many also in Crown Heights and they wanted Chassidim’s homes were broken into

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by blacks. The Rebbe ended the edited part had known beforehand, they would Things changed at the Acharon by saying that even if there would be not have left. When this sicha was shel Pesach 1969 farbrengen. someone who wanted to act contrary said, white flight was at a peak and to the Rebbe’s conclusion: it was very hard to turn the clock ACHARON Before taking such a step, back. In a number of sichos the SHEL PESACH 1969 please picture that he and his sons Rebbe made a direct connection and daughters “were in their between the lack of action on the Before the Rebbe began his friend’s place” – i.e. those who are part of the askanim and the desire to explanation in Nigleh at that in the situation of tens of flee to the fact that incorrect farbrengen, he said that actually this thousands of Jews who live in information was relayed in his name. wasn’t a matter that pertained to these neighborhoods, and he finds him but to the rabbanim, but out that his neighbor wants to sell because there were rumors about his TZADDIKIM his house to a non-Jew and think IN FUR COATS view, and this was something that about it – justly and not falsely – pertained to tens of thousands of would this sale be beloved to him The Rebbe’s line of reasoning people, he had to openly state his or hated? After making his was simple and logical and in view. calculation he should act according hindsight it’s hard to understand It seems the Rebbe did not want to our Torah, Toras Emes and why askanim did not take action to speak about this at all, and all the : that which is hateful along these lines but opted to run, sichos were said out of necessity. to you, don’t do to your friend. even though this entailed losing a lot The Rebbe said a number of times After completing the explanation of money and leaving behind shuls that this wasn’t his job but the job of in Nigleh, the Rebbe spoke about the that became, l’havdil, churches. rabbanim and askanim, e.g., issue in practical terms. The Rebbe They say there’s nothing that “Everybody has to think about this – spoke in a very pained manner and can be done and this isn’t true. For I don’t have a copyright.” The Rebbe used sharp expressions that we don’t there is a simple logic which I said: find even regarding his other battles spoke to non-Jews about and they Practically speaking, it is not for shleimus ha’Aretz and Mihu accepted it. Jews don’t want to for me to speak about these Yehudi. hear it but non-Jews accept it. [The matters but other than me, nobody At the end of the edited sicha the Rebbe was addressing the argument is doing anything about it; there Rebbe says, “It was intentional that that the political climate of the time are two organizations and they did no sharp expressions were included was focused on helping blacks move nothing. They say I changed my (in the aforementioned sicha that up in the world – Ed.] mind; I hereby announce that I was said for publication) which The claim as to why others are didn’t change my mind and I won’t suit the seriousness of the matter brought into the neighborhood is change my mind and even if I and the action of moving and in order to help them. True, you wanted to change my mind, the selling a house to a non-Jew etc.” ought to help others as far as a Torah of Truth does not change. As In a letter the Rebbe wrote on 3 place to live and a livelihood, etc. for what I’m referring to, learn Iyar of that year to R’ Shmuel Tuvia as we see with Avrohom Avinu that Choshen Mishpat and see the din. Stern to which the Rebbe appended he did chesed with everyone, but On Shabbos Parshas VaYeishev a copy of the sicha, he said: “For why do you need to do it on 5730 the Rebbe said: obvious reasons there were not someone else’s account, to take a I spoke about this on Acharon included in this account home and a job away from shel Pesach and hoped to “fulfill expressions that are apropos of the someone who was right in front of my obligation” with that. I bizarre, painful and shocking you? That means you are building explicitly said at that time why I behavior of selling homes in these on someone else’s churban! was speaking about it, since there neighborhoods in order to move to That this group needs housing was a rumor that I had changed other neighborhoods.” From this we and jobs is correct, but not at the my mind. I have no regret and I can deduce how severe the expense of the group that preceded have no choice in this – it’s a din expressions were that were not them. Something new can be built in Shulchan Aruch Choshen included. for them and it won’t cost more Mishpat, and I don’t want to The Rebbe’s sicha made waves in money; on the contrary, it would change it and I cannot change it. the Jewish world. Many of those cost less. By building on the All the kings of the East and the who had already left said that if they churban of someone else you don’t West cannot change it. solve anything since first of all,

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you make an enemy of the person who had a churban. And regarding the one on the receiving end, since if someone has one hundred he wants two hundred, afterwards he will want even more from the one who gave him and in the end he will also become an enemy, it’s just that it will take another week. From the outset you can build in a way that suits them and not at the expense, on the churban of others. When you speak about this to the non-Jew, it’s accepted but a Jew claims – how can you force someone into where to live... The Rebbe compared those who fled the neighborhood to a “tzaddik The building where is now, as it looked then in a fur coat,” based on the analogy chozrim to prepare the explanation did not leave the Lower East Side given by the Baal Shem Tov about in Nigleh for editing. As is known, even after most Jews abandoned it. someone who is only concerned in general the Rebbe did not get The Rebbe asked that the about his own Judaism and doesn’t involved in choosing sichos for community not be associated lift a finger for others. The Rebbe editing except for rare occasions like specifically with Lubavitch. When expressed his pain over the fact that this one. The sicha was also askanim began taking action and those who were well-to-do ran and published in HaPardes which was a they asked for help from the left behind the poor people who Torah journal that served as the International Jewish Federation, the could not afford the luxury of buying mouthpiece of Agudas HaRabbanim federation said that in this instance it an expensive home after the value of in America. agreed to help Lubavitch. When they their home in Crown Heights In Sivan of that year the same wrote to the Rebbe about this, he dropped drastically. journal published a letter from the said that the two things should not They don’t first think about posek, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein z”l be combined. One should represent whether it will be good for others which said that he saw what the Lubavitch and one (R’ Yisroel but they act first and afterwards Rebbe had to say “and everything Rosenfeld a”h) should represent the look to see whether it is in the gaon and tzaddik, the Admur of community. accordance with Shulchan Aruch. Lubavitch wrote was correct in all The director of Kehos in Eretz After the fact, they say that his words and there is nothing to Yisroel, Rabbi Menachem Mendel admitting a mistake is done only by add or detract and I agree with it...” Wolf, who returned to Eretz Yisroel lofty individuals. In the Rebbe’s letter to R’ Stern after spending Pesach by the Rebbe, … Ay, it harms someone else? to which he appended the sicha, the related that on the day of his return He answers that Hashem will help Rebbe called upon rabbanim and flight, Rabbi Chadakov called him in him. Why is it that when it comes leaders of k’hillos to lead the battle: and spoke to him about a number of to your parnasa, you have to go to I strongly hope that American matters that had to be addressed in this person, but in his time of rabbis and halachic rulers who Eretz Yisroel. He wasn’t able to trouble you don’t want any should be standing in the breach in concentrate on what R’ Chadakov connection to him and you say all matters concerning the Jewish was saying as he felt unsettled as he Hashem will help him, and you people, all the more so in parted from the Rebbe and in claim that he will save himself too, something this important, will call anticipation of the upcoming flight. but he is poor and can’t do that. out loudly in accordance with the It was only later on, on his way to importance of this matter and with the airport, that he realized that the PUBLICIZING THE SICHA great publicity, based on what it instructions he had been given had The Rebbe considered the sicha says, “do not fear anyone,” and the probably come from the Rebbe. and its publicity of great importance. merit of the many helps them. He found a phone and called R’ Right after Yom Tov he told the Rabbi Moshe Feinstein himself Chadakov. In the middle of their

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conversation there was silence and But why do you have to say that I that live there. In other words, just then he heard the Rebbe’s voice. The hold that way? my four cubits or five or six cubits, Rebbe said a few things including … that the Conservative rabbi but I didn’t mean all of Crown that he should repeat the content of transgressed the Shulchan Aruch, Heights. the sicha that was said on Acharon he transgressed; that the Poilisher How dare they say about a Jew shel Pesach and to say that this also transgressed on Shulchan Aruch, that he only cares about his own affected the position of Jews in Eretz he transgressed, but why must you four cubits and abandons all of Yisroel. go around and announce that I Crown Heights? How can they say regret what I said and that I also that something spoken about I HAVE NO REGRETS! hold as they do? publicly, which was printed, and The Rebbe spoke similarly on connected with a din in Shulchan Some of those who left Crown Shabbos Parshas Mikeitz, Shabbos Aruch, was just about my four Heights because of the social Chanuka 5731: cubits? Even if a Jew is suspect, pressure of their k’hillos, asked the Others claim that I myself you don’t need to go around and Rebbe’s pardon for having to leave. regretted what I said … but I said shout about it in public and speak Others, some of them Lubavitchers, explicitly that addressing the lashon ha’ra! Especially when I said that the Rebbe had “weakened” matter is not my personal issue but explicitly said that I mean all of in his position and was now also is based on an explicit din in Crown Heights and all the Jews in inclined to let people leave like the Shulchan Aruch, Choshen all of Crown Heights. How do they other Admurim who moved their Mishpat, and it’s printed, and what say such a thing? k’hillos to other neighborhoods. isn’t printed was copied. And since The Rebbe referred to these latter it’s not my personal issue but an people on Shabbos Parshas I CALLED BUT explicit din in Shulchan Aruch VaYeishev 5730: NOBODY ANSWERED Choshen Mishpat, also regarding There are those who, in the dinim regarding shuls, as was In the sicha of Shabbos Parshas addition to doing nothing about spoken about at length a year and VaYeishev 5730 the Rebbe spoke this, proclaim that I have a half ago on Acharon shel Pesach very sharply about the lack of action weakened in this matter. As I have 1969, it makes no difference taken even by those who were noted several times, why are you whether I changed my mind – and mekushar to him and despite what mixing me into this? If you don’t I can’t change my mind, especially he said and his warnings: want to take action, don’t, but why when I said explicitly that I did not After speaking about it, what do you have to go around and change my view. did they do? They had a meeting announce that I have weakened in All those who said that I and when I asked what was this? changed or those who say that happening they said – what do you … As was said several times, what I’m saying is only for mean what’s happening? We why do you have to corrupt what I Shabbos Chanuka but after already organized a committee. said? If you want to twist things – Shabbos Chanuka I will change, I What has the committee done? do it for yourself. But why do you hereby announce that this is a lie They decided to make another have to go out to the street and say and I did not change previously meeting. That is how it remained it? If you want to say something and I have no regrets now and and nothing else was done. crooked say it to yourself, but don’t tomorrow too I will not change, It’s only since Mem Shin [the go out and publicize it and nor two days hence, and so, if you Rebbe’s initials – referring to himself certainly don’t go and publicize it don’t want to take action regarding – Ed.] is very involved in this that in my name and specifically in the this, don’t, but don’t say in my they need to do some token Polisher shtibel – why must you name that I changed my mind! gesture, so they went around and use me for this? … Then there was another told people that if anyone wants If you want to leave, if you want thing – they say that the their suggestion they are ready to to give in to your yetzer ha’ra - commotion about Crown Heights offer suggestions. Have you ever albeit in a way that the yetzer ha’ra is because I want to preserve the heard of such a thing? Who asked compels you but you want it to shul and beis midrash where I you for your suggestions? I’m only compel you – why are you using farbreng, I just want to preserve asking that something be done! me for what your yetzer ha’ra 770 which is the gematria of Then he writes me a note that wants? You want to copy the “paratzta” – and the other matters he must speak to me face to face. Poilisher who left? You can leave. KINGSTON HOTEL He has something important to say KINGSTON HOTEL

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to me and he wants to talk to me about it in person. What do you have to say to me? It’s a din in Choshen Mishpat. Sit down and learn Choshen Mishpat. It’s an explicit din and you have nothing to say to me about it. The din is printed there with an explanation and there are sources, and the only thing lacking is nekudos so what do you have to say to me? And he also says that he will give his life for me and he is ready, 24 hours, with mesirus nefesh, to jump into the fire. No mesirus nefesh is being demanded of you; nobody is demanding that you jump into the fire; what’s being Jewish newspaper vendor in Brownsville demanded is only that you take action. And he also says that he will give his life The Rebbe was pained by the situation and also pained that for me and he is ready, 24 hours, with instead of taking action there were Chassidim who were busy trying to mesirus nefesh, to jump into the fire. No figure out who the Rebbe was mesirus nefesh is being demanded of talking about in the farbrengen who had not taken action: you; nobody is demanding that you … Nevertheless, they don’t take action and nobody cares, and as jump into the fire; what’s being was said a number of times, how is it possible to speak sharply at a demanded is only that you take action. farbrengen – it’s because in any case, each one thinks I don’t mean Since I don’t mean him, this isn’t a the Rebbe mentioned that a year had him. When speaking to one person matter of “embarrassing one’s already passed since he began alone, he has no choice – I’m fellow” which is a very serious speaking about strengthening the speaking to him, but when I speak thing – he has no share in the neighborhood and nothing was at a farbrengen with a number of World to Come (it’s too terrible to done. people present, there are some talk about) but it doesn’t pertain fools who say to themselves that I The next chapter will describe, be”H, the here because every person thinks I don’t mean them, and all is fine work that was done to save the don’t mean him. and well and it’s a din in Shulchan neighborhood and what the Rebbe said On Acharon shel Pesach 1970 about it. Aruch, but I don’t mean him.

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BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 706 17 706:Beis Moshiach 03/08/2009 9:43 AM Page 18

insight

On Pesach we have the mitzva of relating the story of the Exodus from Egypt to our children. The THE ART OF Rebbe Rayatz said, “I collected bundles and bundles of stories over fifteen years, from the time I began analyzing in depth the inner meaning of Chassidic stories – how STORYTELLING each story is like a window through which penetrates the light of avoda given off by the sun of Chassidus; a light that that illuminates all the By Ofra Bedosa corners of human frailty.” A Chassidishe story has impact. The importance of telling Chassidishe It is one of the most powerful chinuch tools we have inherited stories – interviews with a writer, a from our ancestors. It is strong, it purifies, it strengthens, and makes preschool teacher, a drama teacher, and one think. There are big secrets contained within a Chassidishe a shlucha. story, layers of wisdom that await our discovery. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If so, then a Chassidishe story is worth at least infinity... There’s the story about two Chassidim who waited on line for the Rebbe to get his approbation for the books they wrote. The first one wrote a deep commentary that he put much work and thought into. The second one brought an anthology of stories. The first author couldn’t believe it when the Rebbe’s door opened and the other man was called in. When it was his turn he asked why the other man had been invited in first. The Rebbe answered that there is something special about stories that penetrates the hearts of the readers and changes them.

WHEN THE REBBE EDITED A BOOK OF STORIES We spoke with Rabbi Shimon Weitzhandler, a Chassidishe author, a in yeshivas Rishon L’Tziyon and shliach in B’nei Brak. What is the power of a Drawing by Zalman Kleiman

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Chassidishe story? How is it better concept of “I will take the king” tremendous effect on our p’nimius. than a direct educational message? about how to be battul to the king, This is the reason that the Rebbe The difference between a story you tell him about someone like him, Rayatz put so much work into and direct educational instruction is not a Rebbe, about R’ Mendel and sharing Chassidishe stories with us. that a story actually happened and how he was beaten and did not eat He did most of the writing and because this is so, it feels closer to for a week in order to observe all the research while he was in the United us. When you tell a Chassidishe hiddurim kept in Chabad on Pesach, States and not in good health. The story it becomes real. As true as ten minutes of stories will have a far Chassidishe story is the power of Torah is, it still remains abstract to greater effect than learning the laws Chassidus. us and the natural question that of Pesach. The effect is more What is the difference between a arises is – where am I in the powerful. This convinces the child Misnaged and a Chassid? A Chassid picture? (and us) and enables him to be puts into action what the Misnaged The Chassid, R’ Abba Pliskin, strong and when he wants to eat learns about. He takes a statement went to the Rebbe and asked him something on Pesach that we don’t of Chazal and turns it into real life. what to farbreng about. The Rebbe eat, he will remember these stories. What role does the Chassidic told him to tell stories about The child sees that what he learned story play in the talks of the Rebbe Chassidim. This is interesting, and about actually existed in real life; Rayatz? the reason is because even stories about the Rebbeim are relatively distant from us. After all, the Rebbe When you [tell] a child… about R’ is a neshama of Atzilus, a yechida klalis; that’s far from us. A Mendel and how he was beaten and did Chassidishe story is something practical and tangible. Relative to a not eat for a week in order to observe story about Chassidim, a story about all the hiddurim kept in Chabad on the Rebbeim is considered like words of Torah. Pesach, ten minutes of stories will have There’s someone in by the name of Sholom Feldman. He a far greater effect than learning [all] is a very intellectual Chassid. At the same time he is a great admirer of R’ the laws of Pesach. Mendel Futerfas to a degree that is really astonishing. You can sometimes hear him say the there is a role model to learn from. Chassidishe stories are following, “Everything that is going Do you have another example synonymous with the Rebbe on in Chabad today is because they to illustrate why a story is so Rayatz’s Seifer HaSichos and don’t know R’ Mendel.” At a influential? Likkutei Dibburim. They contain farbrengen he once said something At the farbrengen of 5742 the Musar and explanations of in connection with R’ Mendel, and Rebbe spoke about l’chat’chilla Chassidishe concepts but the core is R’ Mutti Gal said he doesn’t aribber and he used the shliach R’ the stories. The Rebbe Rayatz understand what connection he has as an example. R’ bequeathed to our generation the with R’ Mendel when he is the Cunin went into millions of dollars core essence of Chabad. He put into opposite of him! of debt in order to open a Chabad writing an entire Torah of Chassidic Sholom Feldman responded, house. In order to illustrate a stories. He was the sixth in the “Whatever I learn in Chassidus, I concept in Chassidus there is chain, the s’fira of Yesod which saw him implement.” Then he began nothing more powerful than giving channels and conveys all the s’firos to tell how R’ Mendel lived in an example of a person who acted to Malchus. Siberia and he concluded with, “R’ that way. It’s like a mashal but even When the Rebbe was asked about Mendel is walking Chassidus. more so because a mashal is still certain Chassidishe stories, he would Whatever we talk about, he did.” something only used as an often say that he hadn’t heard that That is the power of a educational tool while R’ Cunin is a story from his shver (his father-in- Chassidishe story. When you take a real person. law, the Rebbe Rayatz), but it’s a child and instead of teaching him the A Chassidishe story has a Chassidishe story.

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He would travel to visit different bring people to and to Chassidishe stories to the Rebbe for Chassidim and question them and be mekarev and save people. We the Rebbe to look over. At the Yud even wrote out questionnaires for have to warm people’s hearts but it’s Shevat farbrengen 1965, the Rebbe them to fill out and he encouraged always connected with saving our said that R’ Perlov had sent him the descendants of Chassidim to generation. stories and he would tell one of write their memoirs. The Rebbe says How should we use Chassidishe them. that the Chassidishe stories that the stories, to make it alive for The story was about a melamed Rebbe Rayatz revealed in America children? who worked in the house of a was a “squandering of the It’s a big advantage to know how villager and in the evening he treasures.” He cried at a farbrengen to tell a story. One of the worked as his secretary, reading the and explained that it was called descriptions they used to give a telegrams that came from the squandering because it is not Chassid was “baal mesaper” – government and sending responses appreciated, but we need to know storyteller. Chassidim and Anshei as necessary. that it’s a preserved treasure. A Maaseh, Chassidim who know how One day, the villager was not treasure is something lofty, to tell stories. But that has a double around and the letters arrived. The something hidden that we cannot meaning; men of action and men melamed opened them and saw that touch, because it expresses and who can tell stories; the stories have one of the telegrams announced the brings down all the lofty ideas. As to lead to action. death of the villager’s father. He Dovid HaMelech said, “I was like The Rebbe Rayatz describes at waited until the villager returned and read the telegram to him. The moment the man heard the news, he Sometimes the message of the story is fainted. After they treated him and he nice but it doesn’t often happen that I was revived, the man’s wife asked the melamed, “Why is it that you are encounter someone who tells a story the one who knows how to read and with real chayus. When a story is told nevertheless, when you read the news it did not affect you while my with chayus it enters the heart of the husband immediately fainted?” The melamed answered, listener and has an effect on his life. “Because it’s his father and not my father.” The Rebbe spoke about this story living proof to the many.” The length how his first melamed, R’ throughout the farbrengen. The Chassidic story is the living example Yekusiel, told stories, the chayus and melamed was more knowledgeable of Chassidic ideas. holy fervor that he had. He said, than the villager but he was the one What about stories from the “The seed that R’ Yekusiel the who fainted because it pertained to Rebbe? melamed planted in my heart in my and affected him! By the Rebbe it was a bit childhood was very successful, different. In our era it’s pikuach boruch Hashem, and every one of BRINGING MOSHIACH nefesh. The Rebbe shifted the focus the Chassidishe stories had a special INTO THE STORY to the importance in mobilizing importance to me. With my strong ourselves. Stop telling yourself power of imagination, each story I spoke with some women who stories; there’s a burning battlefield aroused in me a living picture of the use Chassidishe stories in their work out there. That’s the “story” of the scene as though I could see the faces with young children. Rebbe and of our generation, the of the heroes of the stories.” Chaya Maidovnik is a preschool seventh generation. The Rebbe is Do you have a Chassidishe teacher in Tzfas. She said: Through the one who brings everything down story that will illustrate what we Chassidishe stories I convey those to the realm of action; everything is spoke about? values to the children that I want G-dliness, so go to India and open a There was someone by the name them to acquire. When I tell the girls Chabad house. of Rabbi Perlov who the Rebbe a Chassidishe story, my goal is for Obviously, at the same time we encouraged very much to write. He them to live it, that it shouldn’t need to use Chassidishe stories to brought a copy of his book of remain just a story but should come to life for them. In order to do this, I

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myself have to live the story so I pick a story I relate to. I often hear people tell stories in different ways. Sometimes the message of the story is nice but it doesn’t often happen that I encounter someone who tells a story with real chayus. When a story is told with chayus it enters the heart of the listener and has an effect on his life. Do you use any special teaching aids in your storytelling? Yes, I have puppets that help me a lot in concretizing the ideas I want to convey to the girls. They are active participants in the show, describing feelings and repeating The Rebbe Rayatz lines so the ideas are better *** tone I use. Often people emphasize absorbed. The puppets enable me to the negative parts of stories in a review ideas in different ways. This Chaya has numerous examples. dramatic way but we can be is very important because it gets Before Yom Kippur she told the girls dramatic without doing that. The absorbed better. At the same time a story about R’ Levi Yitzchok of girls are riveted by the story and though, it’s important not to portray Berditchev who came to the defense don’t lose out; on the contrary. ideas in an exaggerated way so that of the Jewish people. Here is what the ideas are absorbed naturally. The Chaya told me: *** fact that a Chassidishe story is In the days that followed I One of the ideas that Chaya powerful doesn’t mean you need to repeated the idea of defense in many particularly emphasizes is that the put less into how you tell it. I do ways. Some time later I heard one of Rebbe is Moshiach and a prophet whatever I can so that the story the girls speaking badly about who must be listened to: doesn’t get swallowed up among the another girl. Suddenly, the girls I tell them miracle stories about hundreds of stories we have around her piped up and said: Come the Rebbe and stories that took place nowadays in books and tapes. It’s on, let’s talk nicely like Rabbi … in 770. When we talk about very important to me that these what was his name? Rabbi Levi. And yechidus or about “dollars,” I show stories stand out for the children. then Hashem will speak well of us them puppets standing on line. I Tell us about reactions from the and do only good for us.” want them to feel it with all their children that tell you that they The story became a way of life senses, how Chassidim felt. absorbed the stories. for them and when this is the case, How do you connect the stories In Kislev I spoke to the girls a lot it’s easier to correct them. The you tell to Moshiach? about light in connection with 19 Chassidishe story is sometimes more Stories of Chassidim were told Kislev. We spoke about the light of a powerful than what I tell them as a throughout the generations. In our tzaddik, the light of k’dusha that teacher. generation we need to connect each emanates from him and that every *** story to Moshiach. When I tell them Jew is a candle who illuminates and Chaya doesn’t dwell on the about the Baal Shem Tov who, when that each of us has a holy light that negative aspects of a story: he was a child went to the forest and is derived from the mitzvos and I told the girls about a Chassid the animals were afraid of him good deeds that we do. One of the who had to go through a forest. He because of the light that emanated girls, who is not observant, came to took his menorah along because the from him, I add that soon Moshiach me a few days later and excitedly Rebbe Rashab told him to, and will come and the animals will be told me that she went shopping with during his trip he encountered a afraid of us because they will see the her mother and that she was an robber. I don’t emphasize the light in each of us. I look for the “illuminating candle” since she robber, neither with the accessories I connection to Moshiach and tell it to dressed modestly and spoke nicely. use with the puppet, nor with the them.

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GETTING THE GOY one side and the scaffold on the negative characters? OFF THE STAGE other side. On the stage will be I don’t let children, especially Chana and her seven sons. When little ones, see negative characters. Ilana Noi teaches art, drama and one of the sons goes to the king or There is an explicit directive from theater at a Chabad school for girls the soldier takes the child to be the Rebbe that children should not in Nes Tziyona. killed, the audience will continue to play the role of Haman. How could Is it possible to dramatize see what Chana says to her a Jewish child identify with an evil Chassidic stories without remaining children. That is the real person who stands on stage and says compromising the message? drama - to see how Chana and her bad things about Jews? I want very In my experience, it often children behave as the tragedy much for the dramatic elements to happens that when you turn a story unfolds. reach deep inside the children. into a play it loses something. There What interests me is to see Back to the story of Chana, if I are stories that are better left in whether Chana had to direct her put the wicked king in the middle of books than put on the stage. You children how to behave before they the stage on his throne with a can actually see how they are more crown, scepter, and royal clothes, it’s only natural that children will The story arouses interest… They follow identify with his power and dream of being like him. He stands for wealth you, with their power of imagination, and power. So we have to pay attention to which elements we and get into the subject in a gentle way. emphasize and which we de- If I start the topic directly with a emphasize. question, I force the listener to listen STORIES AS and then her immune system begins to ICEBREAKERS Chaya Bracha Leiter of Ascent in work. A Chassidishe story puts the Tzfas, talks about stories from the perspective of a shlucha. immune system to sleep and gets the You meet people of all ages and backgrounds. How do you use message across through their hearts. Chassidishe stories to reach them? When I tell a story I put in a lot The message is absorbed better. of details, painting a word picture for my audience. I use stories mainly went to Antiyochus or whether they as an introduction to the topics I powerful when read. did it on their own. That is the real want to discuss. If, for example, I What is the reason for that? drama for the audience to see first want to talk about the special quality I think it’s because reading gives one child, then the second, the third, of women in Judaism, as opposed to a person the freedom to use his the fourth taken to be killed and in the feminist ideology which perverts imagination. That’s taken from us identifying with the story wanting to her position, I will begin with a story when we see images on the stage. call out to Chana, “Stop, it’s enough which brings out the respect In a show you can control the that you will go down in history between a rabbi and his wife or a details of the story, which ones you because of your three sons; leave Chassidishe couple who went to the leave out and which ones you four!” Rebbe. include. How do you make sure the The point of a performance is to The story arouses interest on the message gets across to the viewers? get the viewer to identify completely part of the listeners. They follow I’ll give you an example from a with the characters. In this way we you, with their power of powerful story, the story of Chana can better understand who Chana imagination, and get into the subject and her seven sons. The first was and how heroic she was to go in a gentle way. A Chassidishe story question I will ask myself is how to through what she went through in develops the listener’s interest in the get the goy off the stage. Antiyochus that way. subject in a natural way. If I start will not be the center of the drama. I What is your policy about the topic directly with a question, I will put him behind the curtains on force the listener to listen and then

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her immune system begins to work. A Chassidishe story puts the immune system to sleep and gets the message across through their hearts. The message is absorbed better. Do you speak differently to an older crowd than to a younger crowd? I lead many groups of soldiers, male and female. I include them in the construction of the story so that they feel part of it. I stop in the middle and let them think about how the story is developing. That usually generates discussion. The story becomes a teaching tool. Whatever I want to convey to them gets through with a minimum of my involvement. open a supermarket near your house the other hated evil. Doesn’t it seem It’s a big advantage because this way that is open on Shabbos, that you like they were very similar in their they internalize it far better. will continue to treat me with views?” A person is a combination of respect?” “Yes,” said the man in the intellect and emotion. It’s very The lecturer said he would not audience. important that the mind be healthy accept his approach but he would The lecturer smiled and said, and strong but until a person’s respect him as a person. The man “No, they were completely different. emotions are inspired by what he is continued to shout, “And if I turn on The rabbi who hates evil will find learning, he won’t be budged. A my stereo and play music all every evil thing, as small as it might Chassidishe story is what arouses Shabbos to entertain my customers, be in you, and hate it with all his that emotion. will you still respect me?” And he heart. But the rabbi who loves good Do you have an example to continued in this vein. will find the smallest good thing in show how a story helped bring At a certain point the lecturer you and love it with all his heart.” about a big change in someone? took a deep breath and realized he The tension level went down At one of our seminars we had a wouldn’t be able to convince him in significantly and the man smiled and class on “Loving Your Fellow as the usual way. He looked at him and said, “I get it.” Yourself.” The one giving the class said, “I can tell you a story.” The You could have tried explaining it told about the students of Rabbi man seemed a little confused but to him for a year and he would Akiva who did not act respectfully said, “Okay.” continue to be irate and argue but towards one another, and a The lecturer began, “Once there one little story circumvented all his discussion ensued. One of the were two rabbis who were very opposition and reached the right participants got heated and shouted, close. One of them loved good and place in his heart. “Do you mean to tell me that if I

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Jews both inside and outside of Israel. He used his position, which was respected by the British mandate which then ruled Israel, to RABBI help Jews. During World War II, he worked mightily to save his fellow Jews. In 1941 he made a trip to England, South Africa, and the United States YITZCHOK for rescue work. He even tried to urge the leaders of the Allies to save Jews and demanded that they bomb the camps. When he wanted to return to Eretz Yisroel, the British ISAAC warned him that the Nazi net was widening to include Palestine, but he told them that our prophets prophesied about two destructions and not a third and he returned to HERZOG ZL Israel. After the Holocaust he traveled throughout Europe in order to By Gershon Nof convince survivors to make aliya. During this trip he met with various He was a gaon who excelled in Torah politicians and with Pope Pius XII. He asked the Pope to return the and the sciences, a man of mind and Jewish children who had been hidden with the church in order to heart, who became chief rabbi of the save their lives, but was given the cold shoulder. So, lacking their State of Israel. He was privileged to cooperation, he went from church to church in order to remove the Jewish correspond and visited with three children himself. Chabad Rebbes. It is fifty years since his R’ Herzog incorporated within his personality greatness of thought, passing on 19 Tamuz, 1959. spiritual and moral leadership, genius in Torah and halacha and proficiency in secular wisdom. His MULTIFACETED R’ Herzog was born in Lomza, accomplishments were many but in PERSONALITY Poland, and in 5657/1897 he moved this article I will focus primarily on to England, where his father was Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Herzog his relationships with the leaders of appointed to serve as rabbi in the was a multifaceted personality. He Chabad, from the Rebbe Rashab to city of Leeds. In 5668/1908 he excelled in his knowledge of Torah, the Rebbe. received rabbinic ordination. During yiras Shamayim, and had fine It is not known whether R’ the years 1915-1936 he served as character traits. He was also Herzog studied in any yeshiva or rabbi in Ireland, first in Belfast and knowledgeable in the sciences and whether he only learned with his then, from 1925, as chief rabbi of studied at the Sorbonne and the father, R’ Yoel Leib, who served as Ireland. University of London, where he rabbi in Leeds and later in Paris. He Rabbi Avrohom Yitzchok Kook received his doctorate for his work considered himself a talmid of the persuaded him to make aliya and on the subject of t’cheiles, after he Ridbaz who was rabbi in Slutzk, after R’ Kook’s passing he was discovered eighteen types of kosher then Chicago, and then in Tzfas and elected Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of chilazon that are used for making wrote a commentary on the Israel on 17 Kislev, 1937. In this t’cheiles. Yerushalmi. He was tested by the prestigious position he helped many

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Ridbaz and received smicha Chacham (clean Torah from him. scholar). When I spoke to him Mr. Chaim Herzog, the son I saw that aside from his of the rav, a general in the IDF greatness in Torah, he is also and President of Israel, relates: proficient in [secular] wisdom “On the Erev Rosh and languages, and the HaShana before World War I maamer “Ein Divrei Torah broke out, my father was mekablin tuma” occurred to staying with my grandfather, R’ me and this is what I call a Yoel Herzog, in Paris. Around “clean talmid Chacham.’” My midnight, my father began father was profuse in his shouting in his sleep. My praise. grandfather ran to him and my “Then my father said, father woke up in a fright. He ‘secular wisdom goes counter said that the Ridbaz had to Torah and attempts to appeared in his dream wearing contaminate it, but for white and wrapped in a tallis someone whose fear of sin and said, ‘Tzaros on the Jewish precedes his wisdom, his divrei people.’” Torah turn aside the tuma. After Rosh HaShana, they Even more so, he brings merit received the Yiddish paper with to the many with the wisdom the news item framed in black he has in addition to his Torah announcing the death of the knowledge, like Rasag, Ridbaz at midnight on the first Rambam, and Ramban in their night of Rosh HaShana. That generations.’” year, on the 9th of Av, World War I He asked the Pope *** began. The gaon and Chassid, Rabbi R’ Herzog served as Chief Rabbi to return the Yisroel Friedman, told of another of Israel during a fateful time for the incident involving the Rebbe Rashab Jewish people, during and following Jewish children and R’ Herzog, as he heard it from the Holocaust. He was R’ Herzog himself. It happened recommended for the position by the who had been during one of the Rebbe Rashab’s gaon, Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer hidden with the visits to Vienna at which time Jewish z”l, rosh yeshiva in Slutzk and later students would visit him (apparently, of Eitz Chaim in Yerushalayim, and church in order to R’ Herzog was among them) and author of the Evven HaEzel. would speak with him in learning. save their lives, It once happened that when they A POSITIVE IMPRESSION came to him, the Rebbe said, “This ON THE REBBE RASHAB but was given the time I will not be able to talk with you since my head hurts.” One of R’ Herzog’s ties with the leaders cold shoulder. So, the students piped up and said, “But of Chabad began with the Rebbe Chazal say, ‘Ha’chash b’rosho’ Rashab. The Rebbe Rayatz wrote the lacking their (usually translated as, if your head following to R’ Herzog on 24 Adar, hurts), he should preoccupy himself 1941 (Igros Kodesh, vol. 5): cooperation, he with Torah.” “On one of my father’s trips to The Rebbe answered, “When you Menton, he stayed in Paris. When he went from church have a headache, you should go to returned home he told me about the to church in order sleep. When Chazal said “chash great friendship shown to him by b’rosho” they meant, “der vos s’iz your father and how your mother to remove the gechapt oifen kup” (one who has made sure to bake bread for him. wrong ideas) should preoccupy “My father said, ‘I enjoyed Jewish children himself with Torah.” becoming acquainted with the young R’ Herzog and he is a reiner talmid himself.

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CONNECTIONS WITH Around midnight, my father began THE REBBE RAYATZ There was an even stronger shouting in his sleep. My grandfather connection between the Rebbe Rayatz and R’ Herzog. In a letter ran to him and my father woke up in a that the Rebbe sent to Rabbi Shlomo fright. He said that the Ridbaz had Yehuda Leib Eliezerov, dated 25 Shevat, 1938, he wrote about R’ appeared in his dream wearing white Herzog, “I correspond with him about communal matters.” and wrapped in a tallis and said, It is not known when this connection between them began, but “Tzaros on the Jewish people...” in his Igros Kodesh there appears a letter of consolation that was sent to stunning animals before sh’chita rabbi of England), Abramsky and the family after the passing of the (this was a suggestion proposed at myself. Please telegram your grandfather, R’ Yoel Leib, at the that time by those concerned with consent and then I will write to beginning of 1938: the suffering of animals). The Rebbe you in detail. I was shocked to hear of the Rayatz asks R’ Herzog to convince In a telegram dated 21 Adar, terrible tragedy that happened to the enlightened rabbis to oppose 1944, the Rebbe asked R’ Herzog to you with the passing of your stunning before slaughter. check the veracity of the news that husband, father and father-in-law In another letter, the Rebbe appeared in the paper that the who was known for praise amongst Rayatz urges him to write an article Russian government officially the gaonim of Yaakov, Reb Yoel promoting family purity, to open recognized the Jewish community in Leib. May Hashem console you people’s eyes and inspire them to Moscow and allowed it to open a among the mourners of Tziyon and keep this mitzva as Hashem seminary for rabbis. On 4 Iyar, the Yerushalayim. commanded it. In response, R’ Rebbe sent him another letter on the My relatives, knowing how Herzog sent the Rebbe a Hebrew same subject. upsetting this sad news would be translation of an article that he wrote Regarding the Jews of Russia, for me, hid it from me and I only in Britain. there are also some letters dealing found out about it today. I would On 9 Teives, 1949, the Rebbe with R’ Mordechai Dubin, who was like to know how the members of sent him greetings on his sixtieth a member of the Sejm (Congress) in the household are faring, especially birthday. Latvia and devoted his life to helping their son, R’ Yitzchok Isaac. others. Among those who were When he was elected Chief Rabbi HELPING THE JEWS helped by him was the Rebbe of Israel, the Rebbe Rayatz wrote OF RUSSIA himself, after R’ Dubin used his him a letter from Paris on 5 Shevat, position to get the Rebbe out of 1937, wishing him mazal tov on his The state of Russian Jewry Russia. After the Russians took appointment and blessing him that it greatly preoccupied the Rebbe control of Latvia they arrested R’ be in a good and successful time and Rayatz and he turned to every Dubin several times and tortured that he succeed in strengthening all possible person who could help, him. areas of religion – kashrus, Shabbos among them R’ Herzog. On 27 Av, On 23 Elul, 1948, the Rebbe observance, the laws of purity, Torah 1941, the Rebbe sent telegrams to a wrote to R’ Herzog: study, etc. number of rabbanim, including R’ I turn to you about our The Rebbe wrote to him often. Herzog: outstanding friend, the energetic Sometimes this entailed many letters The state of our brethren in askan who has mesirus nefesh and back and forth on topics such as the Russia demands that worldwide elevated middos, especially Ahavas state of Jewry in Russia, trying to Orthodoxy send a special Yisroel, R’ Mordechai Dubin of obtain the release from the USSR of delegation to visit them and to Riga, former member of the R’ Mordechai Dubin, requesting establish a large project to aid Congress in Latvia, who was certificates for entry into Israel, and them, materially and spiritually. I sentenced to ten years by the the Yaldei Teheran. suggest that a committee be Soviets and is sitting in jail in Among the topics covered in the founded with the participation of Russia. May Hashem redeem him “one-time” letters is the practice of yourself and R’ Hertz (the chief and take him out to the light.

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I think it is unnecessary to emphasize R’ Mordechai’s great personality. He was one of the leaders of the Jewish people in Europe and tens of thousands of people received help from him, with the help of Hashem, in body and finances. It is an obligation and mitzva to make efforts on his behalf to get him out of jail at the earliest opportunity. The Rebbe followed this up with other letters in which he asked that people work to get Mordechai Dubin out of prison and out of Russia to Eretz Yisroel and requested updates. Unfortunately, all the efforts were fruitless and R’ Dubin died in the city of Kubishev after much wandering. He is buried in Malchovka, a suburb of Moscow. Another topic which generated many letters between the Rebbe Rayatz and R’ Herzog concerned certificates. The British, who ruled Palestine at the time, severely limited the number of Jews allowed into Eretz Yisroel and gave the Jewish Agency a small quantity of certificates. The Jewish Agency gave most of these certificates to veteran Zionists. Religious Jewry received very few certificates and it was extremely difficult to obtain one. In one letter, the Rebbe wrote how upset he was Chief Rabbi Yitzchok Isaac Herzog (left) about four talmidim of yeshivas with Sefardic Chief Rabbi Bentzion Meir Uziel Tomchei T’mimim and requested On Isru Chag Pesach. 1940, less declare a fast day on the first day of that R’ Herzog obtain permission for than two months after the Rebbe Slichos, 22 Elul, 1941. In Iyar of them to make aliya. R’ Alter arrived in New York, he asked again 1942 he asked that a “Worldwide Simchovitz, the menahel of yeshivas about certificates for talmidim of Chevra T’hillim be founded of ziknei Toras Emes in Yerushalayim, was the yeshivos in Poland. talmidei chachamim, no matter their contact person. He met with R’ In a telegram to Rabbi Eliezerov, nusach and including no fewer than Herzog and then reported to the in the winter of 1943, he said that ten people who would recite the Rebbe about the difficulties, which he asked R’ Herzog for certificates entire book of T’hillim every day at prompted another letter from the for R’ Mordechai Dubin, Avrohom dawn, for the merit of Klal Yisroel.” Rebbe to R’ Herzog. Yaakov Levitin, his mechutan – R’ In the winter of 1940, the Rebbe Levi Yitzchok Schneersohn and the wrote from Riga, asking for a THE YALDEI TEHERAN latter’s wife Chana and son Berel. certificate for R’ Hillel Tzeitlin (may One of the ugliest stories that The Rebbe’s concern was not Hashem avenge his blood) whose took place in Israel during the limited to those for whom he asked material and spiritual situations were Holocaust years involved the Yaldei certificates but he also asked some precarious. Teheran. Over 700 child survivors rabbanim, including R’ Herzog, to

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May Hashem grant us the merit to remove this black stain and sinful crime that the Jewish Agency brought on the Jewish camp and on Am Yisroel by removing Jewish children from their religion. May Hashem fortify the strength of the mighty gaon, R’ Yitzchok Isaac Herzog and along with him, the venerable Admurim and rabbanim ha’geonim. May Hashem be with those who work devotedly to rescue the refugee children from apostasy and to put them into proper schools.

YECHIDUS WITH THE REBBE RAYATZ R’ Herzog went to the United Rabbi J.J. Hecht and Dr. presenting R’ Herzog with a cake which States before Shavuos 1949. On the said (in Hebrew) “Goodbye – from the students of Shaloh in New York” first day of Shavuos, which he celebrated in Brooklyn, he visited arrived in Teheran in 1942 and the Eretz Yisroel. which handed over 770 and had yechidus with the Polish government in exile set up a these refugee children to various Rebbe Rayatz. The newspaper Der large camp for them. Then the absorption places where they were Tug reported that during the children were transferred to the being forcefully torn away from their yechidus key topics that pertained to authority of the Jewish Agency. The religion. R’ Herzog said in the last the Jewish world at the time were Jewish Agency representative telegram that he was fighting against discussed. The Rebbe spoke about responsible for the camp was an the Jewish Agency and asked the the Jews of the United States and assimilated Jew who gave a member Agudas HaRabbanim and religious said that since he had come to of HaShomer HaTzair the authority Jews in America to muster their America he had met with Jews of to educate the children. The remaining strength to help in this various groups and all were dear counselors were all irreligious and holy war.” Jews. Even those who were not they did all they could to make the In HaMashkif, 22 Iyar, it said: “A religious expressed regret from the children drop their religious demand that the chief rabbi of Israel depths of their heart with a genuine observance both when they were in must be a Zionist was voiced by inner sigh. Teheran and after they made aliya. Rabbi Fishman at a session of R’ Herzog responded with a This aroused a furor in the Mizrachi’s head committee which quote from the Rambam that “the Jewish world and many protests convened yesterday. R’ Fishman Torah promises that ultimately the appeared in Eretz Yisroel and accused R’ Herzog of being at fault Jewish people will repent at the end throughout the world, against the concerning the uproar surrounding of galus and immediately be plot. R’ Herzog went to war against the Yaldei Teheran by supporting the redeemed,” and said that day was the Jewish Agency. This is what was Aguda. R’ Fishman’s words created a apparently very close. written in Davar: furor and the speaker insisted that A week later, R’ Herzog met with “In HaPardes, the monthly the Chief Rabbi publicize his view the Rebbe Rayatz’s son-in-law, the rabbinic journal published in regarding Zionism and the entire Rebbe. The conversation concerned Chicago, there was an article which Yaldei Teheran scandal or resign.” the work of Merkos L’Inyonei said: Last Chol HaMoed Pesach a The Rebbe Rayatz wrote at least Chinuch and R’ Herzog wrote a telegram was received from R’ 34 letters about this, a number of message and words of blessing to Herzog by R’ Meir Berlin, who was them to R’ Herzog. the students of Shaloh. in New York at the time. In the At a meeting of Admurim and Rabbi Yehuda Leib Posner, who telegram, R’ Herzog complained rabbanim which took place on 4 was a talmid in 770 at the time, bitterly against the Jewish Agency in Elul, 1943, the Rebbe said: related:

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“On the second day of Yom Tov, which was on Shabbos, it was hard for R’ Herzog to walk to the place where he davened then, ‘Crown Heights Yeshiva’ (in the building of Beis Rivka today on Crown Street), and he asked that a minyan be made for him for Mincha in the beis midrash of yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim on Bedford and Dean, closer to where he was staying. “We talmidim did not want that because that day the Rebbe Rayatz would be farbrenging in 770. Then an order was received from Ramash [the Rebbe] that he would not allow any talmid into the farbrengen until they finished Mincha in the yeshiva. “Naturally, we followed orders and went to yeshiva. After Mincha, R’ Herzog spoke on the parsha (since he was from Eretz Yisroel and it wasn’t Yom Tov for him but a Der Tug reporting about the yechidus that R’ Herzog had with the Rebbe Rayatz regular Shabbos), and then I accompanied him, together with CORRESPONDENCE for doing this and at the end of the Tzvi Hirsh Chitrik, to where he was WITH THE REBBE letter, the Rebbe wrote a letter about staying. When we all arrived at 770, the “seeming scientific The connection between the the Rebbe himself opened the door contradictions,” which appears in Admurei Chabad and R’ Herzog for us to the Rebbe Rayatz’s Igros Kodesh, volume 13. In that continued with the Rebbe. When the farbrengen. After the farbrengen, same volume there are other letters Rebbe accepted the role of Nasi, R’ when I went downstairs, the Rebbe to R’ Herzog in which the Rebbe Herzog sent him a telegram with his stopped me as he stood at the expresses his view that it is not blessings. They exchanged letters as threshold of his room and asked me permissible for Israeli ships to sail well. In one of them, R’ Herzog to tell him everything that took place on Shabbos and it is forbidden to asked the Rebbe’s opinion “about at the yeshiva and what the rav had travel on them. said, including our conversation as I the seeming scientific walked him home.” contradictions.” The Chassid R’ Moshe Geisinsky On 8 Iyar, 1956, the Rebbe sent MAN OF PURITY told of the deep impression the R’ Herzog a telegram in which he To conclude with a story that yechidus had on R’ Herzog. On his asked him not to send his testifies to R’ Herzog’s yiras way back from New York he went to approbation to institutions in Shamayim: Paris and farbrenged with Anash. He America whose very names showed As mentioned earlier in this told about his yechidus with the that they prided themselves on being article, at the conclusion of the Rebbe Rayatz and said in the standard bearers of Judaism, Holocaust R’ Herzog met with the astonishment, “You surely want to which were comprised of Pope, a meeting that he hoped hear regards from your Rebbe. He is Conservative and Reform would result in the Pope telling those extremely weak so that they even representatives, like the “New York under his command to release the have to put his t’fillin on for him. Board of Rabbis” and the Jewish children who had been But I was amazed by the quickness “ Council of America.” harbored by the church during the of his mind. What brilliant R’ Herzog, who had already sent war. What was not mentioned there government minister for example, his approbation and blessings, is that after this meeting, he went to can accomplish in three weeks – he acceded to the Rebbe’s request and the mikva in order to immerse and [the Rebbe] does in a day.” rescinded his letter. On 4 Sivan the purify himself. Rebbe sent him a letter thanking him

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20 av SOUL CONNECTION WITH RABBI LEVI YITZCHOK ZL

By Nosson Avrohom R’ Tzachi Kadmi feels a deep connection with the Rebbe’s father. * In an interview with Beis Moshiach for Chaf Av, Tzachi told me some interesting connections he has had with R’ Levik and about his preparations for the upcoming Chaf Av farbrengen.

Tzachi Kadmi is a Lubavitcher sons were born on the birthdays of Gamzu which is located near Chassid living in Moshav Gamzu on two of R’ Levik’s sons, the Rebbe Modiin. The moshav was founded the edge of the Ben Shemen forest. and R’ Yisroel Aryeh Leib. Tzachi’s many years ago and was settled by He is a successful insurance feeling for R’ Levik is what propelled Satmar and Nadvorna Chassidim salesman and an active Lubavitcher him to name the mikva he built after along with a group of new at his moshav. Only one thing is on the venerable Rav and mekubal. immigrants from Morocco. The his mind these days – how to While visiting the graves of the mixture worked fine and there are organize a Chaf Av farbrengen that Rebbeim in the CIS he had a special still Moroccans on the moshav who will attract the largest number of feeling at the gravesite of R’ Levik in speak Yiddish, and Chassidim who people from the moshav, which Alma Ata and he himself doesn’t speak Ladino and Moroccan. speakers/mashpiim to bring, and know why. Over the years the moshav when the best time to have it is. *** experienced an economic crisis and soaring unemployment and in the After talking to Tzachi for two Tzachi grew up and lived in mid-70s’ they decided to form an hours, I understood where his Cholon until ten years ago when he agricultural cooperative through “koch” about anything having to do moved with his family to Moshav with R’ Levik comes from. His two Poalei Agudas Yisroel. Rabbi

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Yekusiel Yehuda Rosenberg z”l was the rav of the moshav and was THE PICTURE OF RABBI LEVI YITZCHOK known for his genius and great yiras Tzachi Kadmi relates: Shamayim. At moshav Gamzu there is a young man who is a bit “stuck” in Three decades ago R’ Rosenberg, shidduchim. We know each other well. One day I met him and invited who had served as rav in Salutza him to my house to write to the Rebbe through the Igros Kodesh. I told and Kloiz in Romania, decided to him to make a good resolution and take it all seriously and I was sure leave the moshav since many he would get a bracha. Chassidim left for Chassidishe He did, in fact, take it seriously, and came over to write the letter. communities that began to spring up He chose not to show me the answer he opened to. in Yerushalayim and other places. On his way out of my house he noticed a picture of Rabbi Levi ^ They were replaced with members of Yitzchok. He asked me about the man in the picture. It seemed he had ^^^ Poalei Agudas Yisroel and religious seen the picture previously and just wanted to be reminded of who it ^^^ Zionists as well as immigrants from was. I told him the name and he immediately said, “He is a great ^^^ North African countries. tzaddik and if you have time, I will tell you a story that I heard from ^^^ At Moshav Gamzu, named for someone I work with who is not religious.” p. 9 the eternal optimist Nachum Ish This fellow has traveled a lot in his line of work which is Gamzu, many archaeological finds communications. On one of his trips he went to Kazakhstan. One day, have been made in recent years with as he left his hotel, he was surprised to hear Chassidic music blaring the most notable one being a mikva from a car with some Chassidim dancing nearby. Since he had finished dating from the second Temple his business in the city and he had to wait a few days for his flight back period. According to all the experts to Israel, he was happy to meet religious Jews, a sight he had not and historians, the place serviced expected to see in Alma Ata. those people who were going to the He went over to the Chassidim and they invited him to join them. Beis HaMikdash for Yom Tov who He described his visit with shliach Rabbi Yeshaya Cohen and his family stopped here, immersed, and then as “unforgettable.” They sat and farbrenged into the night with moving continued on to Yerushalayim. niggunim and delightful conversation, no barriers, and unlimited joy. “It really bothered me that there Before he went to the airport, R’ Cohen asked him to do him a favor was no mikva for men here,” said and take some videos back with him to Israel. He was happy to do so, Tzachi. “There had been a mikva in thus paying him back in a small way for his wonderful hospitality. the past but after Rabbi Rosenberg After R’ Cohen gave him the things he wanted brought to Israel, he died, over twenty years ago, the gave him a small picture of a tzaddik and said, “He will surely protect residents felt there was no need for you wherever you go.” He didn’t ask who the tzaddik was and he got it and the old building was into the taxi that was waiting to take him to the airport. destroyed. Officials at the airport decided to focus their attention on him, for “One day I decided to take no apparent reason, and when they noticed the equipment he had with matters into my own hands and him for his work in communications, this aroused their suspicion and build a mikva. When I presented the they decided to check it carefully. They took him to a side room and a idea to the current rav of the high level official came in to conduct the search. They opened all his moshav, Rabbi Meir Eliav, he was bags and belongings and put all the contents on the table. When they enthusiastic about it. He is an expert finished, they took all his documents and checked each one individually. on the laws of mikvaos and a friend In the meantime, time was moving on. He was sure he would miss of Chabad and the Rebbe. his flight. All attempts to explain to the Kazakh police that they were in “After he gave his consent, the error and he wasn’t a criminal were in vain. They were sure they had moshav’s Vaad met and decided to caught a big fish and maybe even a dangerous spy. That is, until the allocate a piece of land for it. What I senior officer saw the picture of R’ Levi Yitzchok that he had been had to do was raise the money. In given by the shliach. The officer looked at it and told his men to give my daily life I’m an independent him back all his things. He apologized and announced that he was free businessman and am, boruch to leave. Hashem, a giver. Now I found It was only when he arrived back in Israel and he inquired as to who myself fundraising. All the members the tzaddik in the picture was that he found out that it was the Rebbe’s of the moshav gave a token donation father. Since then, he always takes the picture with him on his trips. in order to be partners in the

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“At the farbrengen on the moshav ten days earlier, with Rabbi Shlomo Ta’izi, we spoke about having to make a farbrengen for the yahrtzait. The big question was when to have it. The residents of the moshav know that in order to have a Kiddush- farbrengen on Shabbos, there needs to be a reason like a birth or a seudas mitzva for a chassan and kalla. The rule was you didn’t make a Kiddush just like that. Unfortunately, a yahrtzait was not considered a valid reason for a Kiddush. “When I went home, I decided to write to the Rebbe and ask for his bracha. I added a personal request too. I asked when to make the farbrengen, whether on a weekday before that Shabbos or on one of the days following it. By specific divine Tzachi Kadmi in his home in moshav Gamzu providence, the letter I randomly opened to had the date on which my endeavor but I still had to raise the R’ Levik without being able to letter was written, and there was an majority of the money. I contacted explain why.” answer to my personal question and some people whom I thought would Tzachi returned home to Gamzu about the farbrengen, as follows: ‘I help out but nothing moved.” with big hopes but was disappointed was happy that you sat with Tzachi heard about an organized when the few promises that had Chassidim on Shabbos to farbreng.’ trip to the gravesites of the Rebbeim been to him about money for the “I was thrilled. I said to myself, if that was arranged by Rabbi Sholom mikva did not pan out. “I had to the Rebbe writes that the farbrengen Dovber Wolpo of Kiryat Gat. He raise all the money to finish the will be on Shabbos, all I had to do decided that since he had the z’chus construction.” was convince the gabbai. When I left to undertake the mikva, he ought to When the construction was a check for the Kiddush at his daven at the gravesites of the completed, it was clear to him that house, he called to ask me what it Rebbeim and ask for success. the mikva would be named for R’ was for. I told him it was a surprise. “We visited all five gravesites of Levi Yitzchok. This idea came to He got annoyed and said that wasn’t the Chabad leaders as well as that of him while he was praying at R’ acceptable. the Baal Shem Tov, R’ Zushe of Levik’s gravesite. “I knew that he used the mikva Anipoli and even the Maharsha. I The completion of the mikva and and was grateful to me for that and I had the most moving experience on its opening was exciting for the said it was a farbrengen in honor of the yahrtzait of the Rebbe’s father, members of the moshav. Although at the Baal HaMikva. He thought I was when I was in Alma Ata. I have no first they weren’t too interested in referring to a big donor and that I idea why I felt that way there and something that would be used by wanted to honor him for his not in Lubavitch or Mezhibuzh, etc. only a few people, today dozens of donation and he agreed to that. but that’s the way it was. men immerse every morning. Not “The next day, during the “We stayed at R’ Levi Yitzchok’s only residents of Gamzu use it but farbrengen, when the gabbai saw gravesite for five hours where I read also many people from the area use that no wealthy man had showed up, the entire T’hillim with great feeling. the mikva, especially on Erev he dressed me down in public and Then we took part in the big Shabbos and Erev Yom Tov. said that now everybody had to farbrengen organized by the Three years later, when Chaf Av know what the surprise was that got shluchim with hundreds of people in fell out on Shabbos, Tzachi thought the k’hilla to make an exception and attendance. The mayor also took about what he could do in honor of have a Kiddush. While wondering part. I felt a deep, soul connection to the baal ha’hilula.

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REB LEVIK’S KIDDUSH CUP with the man. Tzachi has an amazing hashgacha pratis story to “Since the barbershop was empty, he went out and tell. He said that on Friday, the day before Chaf Av came back a few minutes later with the neighbor who when he made the farbrengen in shul, he went for a had the cup with him, wrapped in red silk. The man haircut to a friend who is located near his parents’ claimed it belonged to the Rebbe’s father. When I house in Cholon. He told the barber, a religious asked him how he knew this, he told me that in 1967 Sefardic Jew, that the next day was the yahrtzait of he spent time in the United States as a young man Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and he suggested that the man and he tried his luck in business. Around Chanuka light a candle, give tz’daka, and read some chapters of time of that year, one of his friends invited him to join T’hillim. him at an event. He didn’t remember where the “At first the barber thought I event took place but he remembered that it was referring to Rabbi Levi was in honor of Chanuka and there was Yitzchok of Berditchev but I a public auction. told him that I was talking “A Jewish woman from South about the Lubavitcher Africa bought a candlestick Rebbe’s father and I told which they said had belonged some stories about him. to one of the Chabad leaders He listened and then and then they announced the we went on to talk auction of a cup that about other things.” belonged to the Rebbe’s Towards the end of father which came from the haircut the barber some Polish artisan.” suddenly exclaimed, Tzachi continued, “I “Who were you talking didn’t know what to say. about before?” When I asked if he had a Tzachi wondered certificate that testified to the about the question and original owner of the cup, he said when he repeated the Rebbe’s he had had a voucher to that effect father’s name the barber closed but had lost it. I decided to buy the his eyes as he tried to remember cup since I felt a special connection to something. Then he said it was the second Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and I told the man how time that week that he was hearing about Rabbi Levi amazing it was that I had met him since I felt this way Yitzchok, the Rebbe’s father. about R’ Levik and it was the eve of his hilula! My “Now I remember that a neighbor came in for a excitement was contagious and the man decided to haircut and he told me that he has a cup that belonged make a donation towards the mikva which was in the to the father of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. He has it for middle of construction. several decades and was interested in selling it.” “I am not sure of the origins of this cup but this “At first I was stunned into silence,” said Tzachi. hashgacha pratis made a deep impression on me and “I couldn’t understand how the Rebbe’s father’s cup this is the story that I told the next day, at the had ended up with that man. I was skeptical of the farbrengen I arranged in the shul on Shabbos in story and decided to verify it. I said I wanted to meet honor of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok’s yahrtzait.”

how to say it I got an idea. I decided as two of R’ Levik’s sons, the on many of the residents. to tell them an interesting story that farbrengen I organized in honor of “Since then, other farbrengens happened to me just the day before the yahrtzait, and throughout all this have taken place at the shul, with the (see sidebar). not knowing why I felt such a strong help of the gabbai, on other “I began recounting my saga, connection to R’ Levi Yitzchok. Chassidic dates. Many take part in from the day I came to the moshav, “The farbrengen happened, these farbrengens. The breakthrough to my decision to build a mikva, my despite the tough rules. It was a was Chaf Av and the farbrengen in feeling when at R’ Levik’s grave, my farbrengen in memory of Rabbi Levi honor of R’ Levi Yitzchok.” two sons having the same birthdays Yitzchok which had quite an effect

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memoirs CHASSIDIC ADVENTURES IN SOVIET RUSSIA

Prepared for publication by Avrohom Rainitz R’ Hillel Zaltzman’s secret meanderings on chassidic missions often landed him unexpected opportunities to mourn, to learn, to

laugh, to make chassidim, and even to The interior of the make shidduchim. great shul in Petersburg

husband and only son, who were When I traveled to meet with R’ new electronic machine at the buried next to each other. I was Mendel Futerfas in Chernovitz (as I factory, his Ukrainian anti-Semitic taken aback to see how, after she wrote about in a separate chapter ‘colleagues’ connected it to the cleaned the grass from the graves, about R’ Mendel), I decided to electricity, killing him. she stood there silently without detour to Lvov, which isn’t far from My aunt was a very strong crying. She only sighed deeply now Chernovitz. My aunt Sarah Pewzner woman who kept her pain deep in and then. lived in Lvov and she had lost her her heart and did not display it. During my visit, my aunt husband, R’ Dovid, and her son R’ Even under these tragic suggested that we visit the Botanic Moshe, within a short time. circumstances, when her son died in Gardens in Starisky Park. I did so The story of the death of my his prime shortly after the death of and was happy to see that despite cousin Moshe is tragic. He was a her husband, she did not publicly her losses she retained a joy in life young man in his twenties, nice shed a tear. She sufficed with deep and she enjoyed showing her looking and strong, who worked as sighs. She pushed all her suffering nephew (me) the sights. It was a an electrician in a factory. One day, deep into her heart. This is why I place with a myriad of flowers, on Chol HaMoed Pesach, he left the felt obligated to visit her and lift her shrubs and trees. When I entered, I house in perfect health and two spirits. felt as though I had been connected hours later was brought back dead. I went with her to the cemetery to an oxygen tank. The air was crisp While he had been working on a and we visited the graves of her

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tourists, saw the “American tourist” enter his house. But his longing to hear something of the Rebbe overcame his fear and he began asking me questions. I managed to play my part and told him the little that I knew about the Rebbe. R’ Mulle and R’ Elimelech stood in a corner and couldn’t refrain from laughing. R’ Dovid, who thought they were laughing at his apprehension, began shouting at them, “Why are you laughing? They might be following him and then we are all in trouble! He’s an American and so he doesn’t understand anything, but you know what goes on here; why are you laughing?” I couldn’t contain myself any longer. I burst out laughing and told R’ Dovid it was just a joke. I introduced myself, saying I was Hillel Zaltzman from Samarkand, and two days ago I had seen R’ Mendel in Chernovitz. R’ Dovid joined in the laughter and it was a joyous atmosphere. From there we all continued to the mikva and to davening. Our farbrengen after the davening was hartzig because in those years it was very rare to meet with fellow Chassidim and farbreng together.

with the scent of pines and I Our meeting was warm and the ENCOUNTER breathed deeply. Songbirds added to three of us walked together to the WITH THE POLICE the magnificent atmosphere. It was mikva before davening. On the way My plan was to use this trip as like a taste of Gan Eden on earth. we passed near R’ Dovid’s house. an opportunity to visit the grave of Living in Lvov at the time were His wife had just given birth to their the Rebbe Rashab in Rostov. From two brothers, the Chassidim R’ oldest son, Chaim. Feeling Lvov I continued to Rostov via Kiev. Shmuel (Mulle) and R’ Dovid mischievous, the two of them asked I arrived at the train station towards (Davidke) Gurewitz, along with R’ me to pretend to be a tourist from evening and stood in the passenger Elimelech Lebenhartz. In those days, New York. area with my aunt, who had escorted when throughout the Soviet Union We entered R’ Dovid’s house and me. A cleaning lady passed by, there were few Lubavitchers the two of them whispered to him washing the floor, and a bored scattered here and there, each one and introduced me as an American policeman went before her asking yearned to get to know the others tourist who came that week from the people to get out of her way so she and farbreng together. Rebbe. At first, R’ Dovid was thrilled could do her work. Shabbos morning I went to R’ to meet someone from Anash who The policeman approached me Elimelech Lebenhartz (whom I knew saw the Rebbe that week, but then and I felt my suitcase scalding my from the time he lived in Stalinbad) he turned pale, fearing that the KGB hand... The suitcase was full of anti- and we walked together to R’ Mulle. secret agents who always followed communist material and I

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Rashag and the Chabad movement. I EXILE WITHIN AN EXILE became tremendously frightened. On one of my winter trips, in an attempt to locate Chassidic What if he found all this manuscripts (as related in an earlier chapter), I arrived in Charkov, incriminating material? Although I where I was supposed to meet R’ Nissan Skoblo. He lived in a had arranged my suitcase so that a communal courtyard with goyim and I crossed the entire courtyard towel, sweater and clothing were on with my suitcases as the gentiles who lived there watched me. top, he could easily find all this When I knocked at his door and walked in, he was frightened and contraband. discomfited. I was used to people feeling tense when they met a In those tense moments I stranger but I noticed that he was more frightened than the norm. remembered how R’ Moshe Meizels, After we spoke for a few minutes and he realized that I was one of the Chassid of the Alter Rebbe, had Anash, he told me his secret: in half an hour a number of men and avoided death thanks to the Alef- women would be coming to bake matzos in his home. He happily Beis of Chassidus – “the mind rules showed me the electric oven he had made himself for the baking of the the heart.” I mustered my inner matzos. He also showed me a tool with which the dough was rolled powers and with a relaxed smile I out. That was the first time I saw that dough could be rolled this way. quickly opened the suitcase. I felt I felt it was an exile within an exile: in Samarkand, Anash lived in the policeman eyeing me and I separate courtyards and were able to bake the most mehudar matzos, continued to smile. After I opened while here, I saw the baking of matzos in such a difficult way. In other the lock, I began lifting the cover as places, they had a matza bakery in the shul but in Charkov of those he continued to watch me and I days R’ Nissan had to bake matzos in his house in the evening, after continued to smile. Then he work hours, so that the few people in the city who did not eat chametz responded with a smile and said, on Pesach would have matza. The families that got matza sent “Fine, close the suitcase and please representatives to help R’ Nissan with the baking. move.” These few brief moments seemed like days to me. There was no time desperately wanted to avoid any to think because the train came and encounter with the law. I stepped I rushed inside. I arranged my aside before he would ask me to do belongings and the train set out. so. Unfortunately, this unusual move Only afterwards, when I had calmed aroused his suspicion. He stopped down a bit, did I think of what could near me and asked to see my have happened and where I would identity papers. “Where are you be if he had found the material in from and where are you going?” he the suitcase. It was an open miracle! questioned me. My heart raced. I handed him my A YOUNG, YIDDISH- papers and an uncomfortable feeling SPEAKING BACHUR came over me. The policeman saw After I davened Maariv, I began that I came from distant Samarkand, to think about my plans for the trip. a distance of 4000 kilometers from The train was supposed to arrive in Lvov, and he asked, “What are you Kiev at ten in the morning and I had doing here?” enough time to daven in Kiev since I explained that I had vacation the train to Rostov did not leave from work and I had come to visit until the evening. Before I left my old aunt (which was true!). He Samarkand, I was told about a looked at me suspiciously and widow whose husband had been G-d demanded, “Please open your fearing, and after his death she lived suitcase, comrade.” with her two daughters in Kiev, far At first I trembled. In my suitcase from a Jewish environment. One of were some volumes of Tanya, my missions was to visit them and T’hillas Hashem Siddurim, and the encourage them to leave Kiev and Panim el Panim weekly of Agudath move to Samarkand where there was Israel which had a long article about R’ Hillel Zaltzman a Jewish community, and then to

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also ensure the girls would only consider shidduchim with G-d fearing boys. I figured I would be able to daven Shacharis in their house. When I arrived in Kiev, I was unable to find the widow’s address. After searching for a long time I began to get nervous: Where would I daven? I had already said the morning Shma but had waited to daven Shacharis with Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam t’fillin (I wasn’t married yet and I didn’t have a tallis) in their house with peace of mind. I nearly gave up and decided to daven in the street, come what may, R’ Hillel Zaltzman (right) with his friend, R’ Moshiach Chudaitov on a recent flight to Russia but then I had an idea. I would go and look where Jews lived and ask “Who are you? Where are you and learning Gemara. I greeted him someone to let me daven in his from?” asked one old man. and asked, “Is the shul still open? house. That was no simple matter “From Kostanai in Kazakhstan,” Can I daven there?” He nearly fell but preferable to davening in the I answered. off his chair. A young man who street! “What is your name?” spoke Yiddish and wanted to Having learned from experience, “My family name is Braitbain,” I daven?! He smiled and showed me I didn’t take my suitcases with me. I said. the door to the shul. left them in a locker at the train “Unbelievable,” said the man to “Is there a mikva here too?” I station. I just took a bag with my his wife, “in the Soviet Union there inquired. He nodded, surprised by t’fillin and a little food I had brought are young men like him who speak the question, and showed me the from home. I walked around the Yiddish and know how to daven.” mikva. I went into the mikva and a streets of Kiev and noticed a public (As I wrote previously, one of my few minutes later noticed that the courtyard with private houses side goals in my travels was to show old man had come in, apparently around it. I entered the yard and the Jews I met that there were still because he wanted to see what a met a woman who looked Jewish. young people who learned Torah young person like me was doing in a When I asked her whether I could and did mitzvos and spoke Yiddish. mikva. daven in her house, she looked at This information greatly encouraged When he saw my tzitzis made of me in terror and whispered, the Jews whom I met and inspired wool (even though it was the “Daven? Daven? Go to the city park them. However, I was afraid to summer), he asked, “You’re one of where you will find old Jews and you reveal my real name and origin and I the Chassidim?” can ask them.” always made up a name and chose a In those days, it very dangerous I did as she suggested and found city I had never visited.) to associate with Chabad Chassidim a small park nearby where old After they calmed down from the and so I made believe I did not Jewish men and women sat and pleasant surprise, one of the old men understand his question. “What? talked in Yiddish. This unusual sight said, “Go to Kreshyatik – a main Sidim? What’s sidim?” was wonderful to see. When I went street in Kiev – take the streetcar, He asked me again and I over to them and asked them, in and get off at the Podol stop, where continued to play dumb. When he Yiddish, whether I could daven in you will find a shul.” saw that I did not understand what their house, they could not believe They assured me that the shul he was saying or he realized that I their eyes: a young man speaking was still open even though it was did not want to continue the Yiddish who wanted to daven! They two in the afternoon. I followed their conversation, he left. were sure there were no longer instructions and was so happy to After immersing in the mikva I religious youth in Russia and my find the shul. When I walked into went into the shul and davened. presence astonished them. the yard, I saw an old man sitting During the davening I noticed that

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he came in several times, I guess to In the next door compartment check to see whether I was really there were three Jewish women. I davening. When I put on Rabbeinu talked to them and asked them to let Tam t’fillin, I did it in a showy me daven in their compartment the manner, certain that he would tell next morning. They looked at me his friends about the unusual scene suspiciously and refused, saying, “If and this would inspire them. you don’t daven one time, big When he saw that I was a man of deal...” few words, he did not try to ask me I told them that I could not miss any further questions like what was davening and if they did not allow my name or what was I doing in me to daven in their compartment, I Kiev. In general, in the Soviet Union would have to daven in my everybody was used to avoiding compartment with gentile unnecessary questions, especially passengers. They were not when he saw that I was impressed and they entered their closemouthed. compartment and locked the door. When I finished davening, the In order to minimize any old man invited me to his house to damage, I decided to get up at dawn eat something. I politely declined and daven while the others were still and said I had brought kosher food The Rebbe Rashab sleeping. I could hardly sleep with me from home. He seemed very because every few minutes I would went on vacation, I wasn’t always moved by this, marveling at this wake up and look out the window to able to get a flight and had to travel sight before him. In Russia of those see if I could put on t’fillin already. by train. In these instances, I would days a frum young man who put on In my compartment there were at least try to buy a ticket for a car Rabbeinu Tam t’fillin and ate kosher two bunk beds. On the bottom beds with separate compartments. On was not even a dream. The man were Ukrainian men and one gentile these long trips you don’t sit on probably thought Hashem had sent woman slept on the upper bunk benches, of course, but sleep on long him an angel from heaven... opposite me. I was sorry to see that shelves like narrow bunk beds in one of the goyim got up early and separate compartments. In every car went out to the corridor. He enjoyed DAVENING IN A there were usually close to ten the fresh air from the forest that COMPARTMENT WITH compartments with four passengers came in through the window. He in each, and only one compartment THREE GENTILES kept the door to our compartment for two passengers. When I I went to the train station in the open. managed to get a compartment for evening. The trip to Rostov was My thoughts raced. What should two, I would convince the man in long. I got on the train in Kiev on I do now? I decided it was better to charge, with a bribe, not to let Wednesday night and was supposed daven now than later when they another person in. However, when to arrive in Rostov on Friday were all awake. I got off the top this two-man compartment was morning. I had no choice but to bunk and said to the goy who went taken, and I was given a place in a daven on the train on Thursday. back and forth from the room to the compartment for four, I couldn’t As I related in an earlier chapter, corridor, “I am religious and want to prevent three people from entering. I always tried to fly and not travel by pray. I would appreciate it if you Unfortunately, on the long trip train so as not to get stuck in a come into the compartment or stay from Kiev to Rostov, the train was situation where I had to daven in a in the corridor because I want to full. I was given a place in a four- train compartment. Perhaps I could close the door.” He was very person compartment and the have been lenient and only said respectful and said he would remain compartment was full. I looked Shma in t’fillin and then taken them outside so as not to disturb me. around the car, hoping I would find off and davened the rest without I closed the door, put on my a Jewish family with whom I could t’fillin, but I was particular about t’fillin, and began davening. My talk and get them to allow me to davening the entire t’filla with t’fillin, head was the height of the upper daven in their compartment. It and this was difficult to impossible bunk where the lady slept. When I wasn’t comfortable but better than in a crowded train. put on Rabbeinu Tam t’fillin she davening in a compartment with In the summer, when everybody woke up. I tried not to look in her goyim.

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direction but I could feel that she was lying there in fear, opening an A VISIT TO THE GREAT SHUL OF LENINGRAD eye and then closing it. She had no While in Leningrad, I visited the main shul where I met a tall man idea what I was doing, having never by the name of R’ Avrohom Abba. He worked as a shamash in the shul seen anything like it before. and he was also a sofer. Since in Samarkand there was a shortage of Boruch Hashem, all went well t’fillin, I bought t’fillin from him. I always tried to get t’fillin on my and afterwards the goyim treated me trips, without success. The only person from whom I could get kosher, with great respect for the rest of the mehudar t’fillin was this R’ Avrohom Abba. trip. After we got acquainted, he offered to show me the big shul where they generally davened only on holidays. On weekdays, they held AT THE OHEL OF services in the small shul on the second floor, to the left of the big shul. THE REBBE RASHAB During the war and following it, Anash davened there, and that is also where the yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim was located where Rabbi Lipa I arrived in Rostov on Friday, at Shapiro was a Maggid Shiur. eleven o’clock. Before I had left R’ Avrohom Abba Samarkand, I heard that R’ Lazer said that this shul was Nanes was planning on going to the most beautiful in all Rostov in the summer. I was very of Europe. Indeed, when happy at the rare opportunity to visit we walked in, I was the Ohel with him and we arranged amazed by its beauty. As to meet in Rostov. I began to walk towards In those days, people didn’t talk the Aron Kodesh, I heard about visits to Lubavitch, Haditch or someone walking behind Niezen. This was because visiting a me... I looked carefully little town would arouse attention behind me and to the and suspicions and also because the sides and did not see Rebbe Rashab was closest to our anyone. Then I realized generation and we had heard about that the shul had unusual him from our fathers. My father, for acoustics so that even example, learned in Lubavitch and something whispered we heard stories firsthand about the could be heard Rebbe Rashab from many throughout the building. Chassidim. As magnificent as it was, R’ Lazer’s sister-in-law lived in you can’t compare the Rostov. I got her address and beauty of the shul back directions from him and easily found then to the beauty of the her house. Her husband was a shul today after the simple man but she had absorbed shliach there, R’ M.M. the “Chassidishe flavor” and had The Great shul in Petersburg Pewzner, renovated it. seen Chassidim of stature from the In the courtyard of previous generation. the shul I met a Jewish woman about forty years of age. At first she When she saw a young bachur thought that a youngster like me did not understand Yiddish, and she who spoke Yiddish and came to began speaking in Russian and asked what I, a young man, was doing Rostov to daven at the Ohel, she saw there in a shul. Once I answered her in Yiddish, she switched to a rich I was one of Anash and gave me Yiddish and expressed her amazement at my grasp of the language. much respect. She did not stop As I wrote, when I would meet with Jews by chance on the street, I talking about Jews she knew from tried not to get into long conversations in fear of the KGB but in the the previous generation and telling short time that we spoke, I would ask who they were and what they did Chassidishe stories that she and mainly, if they had been able to raise their children in the ways of remembered. She mainly spent time the Torah. I will never forget what that woman answered me, after I telling about Chassidim who learned asked whether her son went in her ways. In tears she quoted the verse, in Tomchei T’mimim. “Children have I raised and exalted and they rebelled against me.” To her, the highest form of praise was to say, “He was a Tamim,” but

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pasul and it would be saying a A MOVING VISIT TO bracha in vain. It was only after R’ THE PETROPAVLOVSKAYA FORTRESS Lazer told me that the Torah was kosher that I agreed to accept an When I was in Leningrad, I took the opportunity to see the aliya. Petropavlovskaya Krepost (fortress) where the Alter Rebbe was held. On Sunday we went to the Ohel. Back then, the fortress had ceased serving as a jail and had turned into The Ohel was separate from the a tourist spot. I walked around the fortress as a tourist and was allowed cemetery and with the efforts of to enter the cells of Anash the yard was closed with a prisoners from the time lock. Aside from R’ Lazer and a few of the Alter Rebbe. The others, the shamash did not allow government preserved anyone to enter. the fortress and left When I entered the yard I saw everything as it was - the five spots with piles of dirt, as narrow iron beds and the though people were buried there. R’ small window near the Lazer explained that this was done ceiling for a bit of air so that other people wouldn’t be and light. buried there. R’ Lazer pointed at one I trembled at the of the five graves and informed me thought that perhaps the this was the gravesite of the Rebbe Alter Rebbe had been in Rashab. We davened quickly lest we that very cell. Who The Petropavlovskaya fortress be seen, and we left. knows? Maybe I was walking precisely where the Alter Rebbe had walked. I reviewed some lines of Tanya in my mind and thought: Quite SPIRITUAL RESCUE possibly, since the arrest of the Alter Rebbe, no Jew had walked here. A few years after World War II, What a z’chus I had that I was here now and reviewing lines of Tanya, around 1948, a young man from the “Written Torah” of Chabad Chassidus. Leningrad came to Samarkand. His When I left the fortress I looked out to the Nieve river that passed father had been a Lubavitcher nearby and thought: Perhaps this is where the Alter Rebbe was brought shochet who died in the siege of the on the boat that stopped for Kiddush Levana when he said the words, city. The orphan came in order to be “Terror and fear shall befall them.” with Jews and in the hopes that he Those were especially moving moments and each time I think of would be able to be exempt from the them, I relive the experience. army. He wasn’t that bright and people thought that when he went to the draft office they would instead of saying “Tamim” she said not walk together. R’ Lazer walked immediately throw him out, so they “tamei,” and each time she wanted in front of me. We didn’t want didn’t make efforts on his behalf. He to sing the praises about someone, people to realize we were associated. was drafted anyway, and by the time she would say with great admiration, Before Krias Ha’Torah the gabbai people realized their mistake, it was “He was a tamei.” I had a hard time asked me whether I knew how to say too late. holding back my laughter. the bracha on the Torah. I was taken When he finished his service, we R’ Lazer came and we had a aback by the question and after heard that he returned to Leningrad Chassidishe Shabbos with telling him that I could, I said, “You and from that point on we were not Chassidishe niggunim and stories. see that I know how to daven!” in touch. On one of my trips in the He spoke a lot about his He retorted, “The fact that you summer of 1959 or 1960 I decided imprisonment. He said that one of are holding a doesn’t mean to pass through Leningrad in order the things that kept him going was you know how to daven.” to meet with him and see what he his custom of singing all the Chabad He gave me a paper which said was up to. niggunim he knew on Motzaei “chamishi” on it and said I would be When I would travel to a distant Shabbos. given the fifth aliya. I usually did not city that was unfamiliar to me, I On Shabbos I went with him to accept an aliya on my travels always tried to take a couple of the shul where the Rebbe Rashab because, since nobody checked the addresses of Anash who lived there davened. For security reasons we did sifrei Torah, many of them were with me, so if one wasn’t home, I

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could visit another Chassid. On my just then and we met. After I returned to Samarkand trip to Leningrad I had the address R’ Michel shechted chickens and and told about my visit to Leningrad of that man and I also had the secretly enabled many people to eat and what happened there, I had an address of R’ Michel Rappaport. kosher. When he heard that I was a idea – maybe I should try and marry When I arrived in Leningrad, I maven in sh’chita knives, he gave me off the girls. I spoke to one of the went to R’ Michel’s house. He lived his knife to check. I was shocked to bachurim and suggested that he go in a communal setting. If you hadn’t see that the knife wasn’t good and there and meet them; maybe one of seen it, you would not believe that in despite our difference in age, I told them suited him. They were Jewish the second half of the 20th century, him the truth. girls who had been born in tahara people in Europe lived this way. He smiled a little and gave me and were the daughters of a Tamim. Several families lived together in one another knife to check. This knife He took me up on the idea and apartment with each family in one was better but still not mehudar. He went to Leningrad. I was thrilled bedroom. The bathroom facilities gave me a third knife and this time when I heard that he met with one were shared, there was one dining not only was it perfectly smooth, it of them and they liked one another room, and in the hall was a kitchen was also very geshmak. When I told and decided to marry. The wedding with a sink. Each family had a him my observations, he was very took place a few months later in specific time for the bathroom and a happy and he said, “You are a Samarkand. turn to cook in the kitchen. genuine maven in knives. When you Later on, the second daughter You can imagine how difficult life said you were a maven, I decided to arrived, followed by their younger was for a Jewish-religious family that test you and I purposely gave you brother who had finished his army had to live in an apartment like this the knife with flaws.” duty. After years of estrangement with goyim or, l’havdil but no less I left my belongings with R’ from Jewish company he barely challenging, with irreligious, Michel and hurried to the city before knew anything. I took on the job of communist Jews. Each time you had it got dark to find the address of the being mekarev him and brought him to put a metal plate on the treif gas man I had come to Leningrad to to work in my workshop. Boruch range before cooking and try to do find. I found the address but was Hashem, over the years he became so inconspicuously. told he had gotten married (to a more involved until he became a R’ Michel, who had to live in an Jew, boruch Hashem) and had left Chassid. apartment like this, rented a summer the area. I did not get to see him but I remember that after he had home outside the city. Although the I met his two sisters and his mother, become acquainted with the customs summer home was more like a shed who were very happy to meet a of Chassidim and already wore than a home, for R’ Michel it was a young Jew who had heard about woolen tzitzis, it happened that we palace because he lived there their late father. walked together on Shabbos and I himself, with no gentile neighbors From my conversation with them suddenly noticed that he was and with a separate kitchen. What I learned that they had grown up in carrying something in his pocket. I luxury! a Chassidishe home befitting a asked him in surprise what he was When I came, R’ Michel was on Chassid who learned in Tomchei carrying and he innocently said that his way out to his summer home. He T’mimim in Lubavitch, but after he heard that after the Tanya was was very happy to see me, not only their father died, they remained printed, R’ Zushe of Anipoli took a because I was a Lubavitcher bachur, alone, without Jewish-Chassidic Tanya with him wherever he went to but mainly because his only son, R’ guidance. They said they also had a the point that he did not even move Yitzchok (who lives in Toronto now) younger brother who was in the from room to room without it. was after his bar mitzva and R’ army. We spoke for a few hours and “I don’t have a Tanya,” he said, Michel wanted to show him that you I left the house without seeing the “but I don’t leave the house without could be a religious bachur. It wasn’t man I had come to see. a T’hillas Hashem Siddur in my only old people who could be As we know, everything is pocket.” religious. He asked me to farbreng b’hashgacha pratis. Who knew why I Baruch Hashem, over the years with his son and to have an had gone to Leningrad, whether to he and the sisters established influence on him. see him or for other more serious Chassidishe families and have He was amazed by our meeting and important reasons. I often saw Chassidishe children and because he was living at the summer this in my travels. I was thinking grandchildren. place already and had just come that along certain lines and hashgacha day to visit for a few hours. I arrived led me in another direction.

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[Continued from pg. 5] addition to - and is enhanced by - the 8. Avos deRabbi Nosson, the Notes: concept that the Divine service of the conclusion of ch. 31. previous generations is still an active 1. Tanya, ch. 37. 9. Torah Or 1b. force within our world, for good is 2. See Sefer HaMamaarim 5710, p. eternal (see Tanya, ch. 25). 10. Devarim Rabbah 3:1,3, Ibn Ezra 237, which interprets the verse and Ramban to Deuteronomy 7:12. Using this reservoir of good as a (Numbers 12:3) “And Moshe was resource, we are like “dwarfs on a 11. Avos 4:2. more humble than all the men on the giant’s shoulders” (Foreword to face of the earth” as meaning that G-d 12. The word mitzvah shares the Shibolei haLeket). Our own showed Moshe all the future same root as the Aramaic word tzavsa contributions are amplified by the generations of mankind. Moshe saw which means “connection.” The hard-earned merit of our forebears. the dedication of the Jews in the fundamental aspect of the mitzvos is generation directly preceding 4. The Mussaf prayers, Siddur the connection to G-d they establish. Mashiach’s coming and their , p. 258. 13. Mishneh Torah, Hilchos unswerving adherence to the Torah 5. See Chagigah 2a, “Just as a person Teshuvah 9:1. and its mitzvos despite their lack of would come to see [G-dliness], so 14. Loc. cit., Hilchos Melachim 12:5. conceptual development. He too he would come to present himself 15. Loc. cit.:4, see also Hilchos appreciated that the advantage their [before G-d].” Divine service possessed, and this Teshuvah 9:2. 6. Or HaTorah, the beginning of moved him to humility. 16. Isaiah 11:9, quoted by the Parshas Ekev. 3. The explanation to follow comes in Rambam, loc. cit.:5 7. See Tanya, ch. 2.

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