contents

TRUE STRENGTH 4 D’var Malchus | Sichos In English

MOSHIACH: BEYOND BROTHERLY 6 LOVE Thought | Rabbi Zvi Homnick

WHAT FEIGLIN DOES QUIETLY, WE 9 MUST DO AT FULL VOLUME Shleimus HaAretz | Sholom Ber Crombie

A NEW BRAIN FOR THE SUMMER 12 Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD

STRAIGHT TALK ON B’SURAS HA’GEULA 14 Moshiach & Geula | Interview by Menachem Ziegelboim USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 B’SURAS HA’GEULA IN MEVO CHORON [email protected] 24 Shlichus | Nosson Avrohom www.beismoshiach.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: YECHIDUS ALL NIGHT LONG Boruch Merkur Feature | Shneur Zalman Berger HEBREW EDITOR: 30 Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan [email protected]

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Sichos In English

AN APPROACH- the tribes of the Jewish people, within our material world that a AVOIDANCE CONFLICT because the leader of each of the person’s strength of resolve is tribes was distinguished by his staff of revealed. The character traits of strength leadership. [2] For to observe the Torah and its and firmness evoke mixed responses. For similar reasons, the word mitzvos despite the challenges of our On one hand, everyone admires shevet, literally, meaning “rod,” is surrounding environment requires personal fortitude, and respects an also used as a synonym for “tribe.” steadfast resolution that stems from individual who has the power to What is the difference between an inner awareness of the truth of persevere in his convictions despite these two terms? one’s mission. challenges. A rod is supple, able to be bent, Moreover, when a person makes And yet, a strong person can also while a staff is firm and unyielding. such a commitment, he is granted be identified with the undesirable For a rod is freshly cut - or still strength that surpasses his personal traits of rigidity and insensitivity, connected to the tree from which it resources; the power of the essence sticking to his own views without grew - and the life-giving nurture it of the soul expresses itself within his bending in consideration of others. received makes it pliant. efforts. Counseling against this tendency, A staff, by contrast, has been This reflects a deeper spiritual our Sages commented, [1] “A person detached from its tree long ago, and source than the level of the soul should always be pliant like a reed, over time has become dry, hard, and which is revealed in the spiritual and not hard like a cedar.” firm. worlds. For in the spiritual realms, Although the image of personal Both terms serve as analogies for the soul’s powers of perception are of strength projected by popular society different levels in the expression of primary importance. The essence, the sometimes muddles the distinctions our souls’ potential. [3] very core of the soul, however, between these two types of firmness, The term “rod” refers to the soul transcends all perception, for it is an a discerning person should not as it exists in the spiritual realms actual part of G-d, [4] a spiritual become confused. where its connection to G-dliness is potential that cannot be contained The hardness of insensitivity palpably appreciated. within any limitations, even the more reflects a lack of life, an inability to It shares an active bond with the subtle restraints of spiritual existence. respond to the cues one receives. life-giving, G-dly nurture it receives. It is this essential potential which Positive inner strength, by “Staff,” by contrast, refers to the endows powerful resources of contrast, involves making an active soul as it exists in our material world, strength to the soul as it is enclothed response to those cues, but having enclothed in a physical body. in the body, enabling it to persevere that response determined, not by the On a conscious level, it has been in its Divine service. [5] demands of one’s surrounding severed from its spiritual source and This reflects the uniqueness of environment, but by the depth of its connection to G-dliness is no our world, “the garden” [6] which one’s own convictions. longer felt. grows the trees from which these In this setting, there is the staffs are cut. SUPPLE FLEXIBILITY VS. possibility for both positive and Although the material setting UNFAILING FIRMNESS negative types of strength and causes the soul to feel separate from These concepts are reflected in hardness. its spiritual source, this challenge the name of this week’s Torah There is a tendency for spiritual evokes the expression of our deepest reading: Matos. insensitivity, a brittle lack of spiritual potentials. The singular form, matteh, responsiveness to the G-dliness This, in turn, endows a person literally means “staff.” invested within creation. with the strength of a ruler, the ability This term is also used to refer to On the other hand, it is also to master his environment and shape

4 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH it according to the Torah’s desires. by the name Massei. our people will reap the fruit of their For it is through the descent into determined resolution to carry out EXPRESSING POWER this material realm that the soul G-d’s will despite the challenges of acquires the potential for an exile; and The concept of strength is also unparalleled upward impetus. B) it is in the Era of the reflected in the content of the Torah For the connection to the essence Redemption, that G-d’s essence, the reading which begins with the laws of the soul - and the essence of G-d - ultimate source of strength, will regarding vows. achieved in this world lifts the soul to become manifest in our world, His Here we see the power possessed a far higher rung than that on which dwelling. by every Jew. it existed previously. Adapted from: Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XVIII, p. Each member of our people, even Moreover, when Parshas Matos is 378ff; Vol. XXIII, p. 206ff; Seifer HaSichos 5748, p. a youth who has not yet reached the 554ff; Seifer HaSichos 5751, p. 709ff; Sichos read together with Parshas Massei, Shabbos Matos-Massei, 5742 age of Bar Mitzvah has the potential the Shabbos is called Shabbos to invest holiness into the entities of NOTES: Chazak, “the Shabbos of our material world, endowing them 1. Taanis 20a. reinforcement,” because of the with the sanctity of the sacrifices 2. See Likkutei Torah, BaMidbar 83b. custom [8] of declaring, Chazak, offered in the Beis HaMikdash. 3. See Seifer Maamarei Admur HaZakein Chazak, V’Nis’chazeik (“Be strong, And these laws apply not only in 5562, p. 237ff. be strong, and may you be the era of the Beis HaMikdash, but 4. Tanya, ch. 2. strengthened”) at the conclusion of even during our exile at present. 5. See the maamer V’Ata Tetzaveh, 5752, the Torah reading, in The Torah reading continues, (Seifer HaMaamarim Meluket, Vol. VI, acknowledgment of the completion English translation, Anticipating the describing the war against Midyan, of the Book of Numbers. Redemption, SIE, N.Y., 1994), which which as explained in Chassidic This couples the strength of explains that the power endowed by the thought, serves as an analogy for our essence of the essence of the soul far Parshas Matos with the strength efforts to nullify the forces of strife surpasses the power endowed by the soul’s achieved by the Jewish people perception in the spiritual realms. and discord. through their completion of one of 6. For explanation of the simile, see Basi By spreading unbounded love, we the books of the Chumash. L’Gani, 5750 (English translation, Kehot, have the power to wipe out these N.Y., 1990). traits totally, [7] as the war against 7. Herein, we see a connection to the period Midyan caused the utter annihilation STRENGTH IN EXILE of Bein HaMeitzarim, the Three Weeks of that nation. Parshas Matos is always read between the Seventeenth of Tammuz and during Bein HaMeitzarim, the three Tisha B’Av, for our Sages (Yoma 9b, Gittin 55b) teach that the Beis HaMikdash was A TWOFOLD MESSAGE weeks between the fasts of the destroyed because of unwarranted hatred. Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha Nullifying the reason for the exile by Parshas Matos is often read B’Av (the Ninth of Av), which are spreading love will cause the exile itself to together with Parshas Massei. cease to exist. associated with the destruction of Massei means “journeys.” Moreover, at present, we have been granted Jerusalem and the Beis HaMikdash. This Torah reading describes the the potential to anticipate the Redemption This recalls the negative journeys of the Jewish people through and experience a foretaste of the love and dimension of a staff’s firmness, the peace that will characterize that age. the desert, which serve as an analogy severed connection to the source for See the essay entitled, “Living with the for the journey of the soul from the vitality. [9] Redemption” (Sound the Great Shofar, spiritual realm to our material world. On the other hand, this period of Kehot, N.Y., 1992, p. 65ff). More particularly, the two time is also connected with our 8. See Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim in the dimensions of the descent that the conclusion of Chapter 139. See also Likkutei people’s aspirations for redemption. hardness of a matteh reflects are also Sichos, Vol. 25, p. 474. [10] emphasized in Parshas Massei. 9. Note also Yirmiyahu’s vision of an almond Indeed, Tisha B’Av, the The negative dimension - the staff (1:11-12) which G-d will use as a anniversary of the destruction of the medium of retribution. Our Rabbis (Tur, lack of a revealed connection to Beis HaMikdash is described as “the Orach Chayim, ch. 580) associate this vision one’s G-dly core - is implied by the with the Three Weeks. birthday of Moshiach,” [11] a day name “journeys,” for the descent of 10. Hence, during this period, it is customary which generates a new impetus for the soul to this material world is to study the laws of the design and structure the coming of the Redemption. indeed drastic. of the Beis HaMikdash (Seek Out the Welfare Herein lies a connection to the of Jerusalem, SIE, p. 1ff). The positive dimension, the positive dimension of firmness, 11. Jerusalem Talmud, Brachos 2:4, Eicha manifestation of the power of the because: Rabba 1:51. See the essay of this title in essence of the soul, is also alluded to Sound the Great Shofar, p. 73ff. A) in the Era of the Redemption,

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 5 thought MOSHIACH: BEYOND BROTHERLY LOVE

By Rabbi Zvi Homnick

drop off a Satmar Chassid or to These represent the rectification of the Crown Heights to drop off a two key aspects that are supposed to Lubavitcher Chassid, as well as extending a helping hand to all sorts derive from a healthy father-son of down on their luck Jews from all walks of life, so the idea that Jews relationship. It is specifically because of care for and look out for each other was axiomatic. (The above are just a the unique closeness between Hashem few examples. I can’t hope to begin to enumerate every single form of and the Jewish people that these kindness and show of concern and tragedies/corrective lessons had to take even unbridled affection for his fellow Jews that I witnessed from my place. * Part 1 father while growing up). Somehow, the paradox of vehemently opposing the religious or MY BROTHER’S KEEPER To me, sobbing and pouring anti-religious views of most Jews Growing up in a religious Jewish copious tears over a Holocaust while still feeling a tremendous environment, the idea of love and account, especially one that depicted kinship and empathy towards them concern for one’s fellow Jews is (or the spiritual heroism of the martyred was never troublesome to me. What at least should be) as much a natural was very much a normal reaction. It did freak me out was when I part of life as breathing. In my was only in my late teens when I encountered other religious Jews father’s home, it was taken for returned the brand new pristine copy who due to religious differences granted that we rejoiced when we of “Those Who Never Yielded” by hardened their hearts to their fellow heard news that was good for the Moshe Prager to the person I Jews, or those who due to a lack of Jews anywhere in the world, whether borrowed it from in the form of a religious belief and sensitivity close to home or as far away as waterlogged mess and explained that betrayed their own people. Whereas Eretz Yisroel, Russia and elsewhere, I hadn’t spilled any water on it, I could and would rant and rail and we commiserated and/or which was received with a look against Jews of other denominations mourned when the news was of a normally reserved for visitors from a (religious or otherwise) while still tragic nature. The same applied to distant planet, that I began to feeling that it was only a reading accounts from the past, suspect that not everybody reacts the disagreement amongst brothers who whether about Jewish successes and same way. (To his credit, the fellow ultimately love one another. (Maybe victories over enemies or challenges, in question absolutely refused to let there is something to the theory that or whether about painful and tragic me pay for or replace the book). I was born with a Chassidic soul?) events; whether about individuals, Similarly, I grew up with my Despite all that, when it came to communities or the nation as a father going out of his way to give clearly defining for myself what the whole. strangers rides in his car, even going Jewish ideal of Ahavas Yisroel really out of his way to Williamsburg to is and what it entails, I felt like I was

6 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH adrift. I was well aware of the Ramban in his One area that stands out in my mind was coming to commentary on the Torah, who writes that the command the realization that according to Chassidus one could to “Love your fellow like yourself” is phrased in a way actually achieve loving his fellow Jew like himself. I had that is intentionally hyperbolic, since it is beyond the studied chapter 32 in Tanya where he explains that by reach of human capacity to truly love someone else as perceiving the soul as primary and the body as “repulsive much as a person loves him-or-her-self. The reason is and abominable” one could relate to other Jews on the that this is such a great and lofty ideal, which Hillel and soul level. And since when it comes to the soul “who Rebbi Akiva categorized as the entire Torah or a “great knows their greatness and loftiness in their root and general rule” of the Torah, so that a person has to source within the living G-d,” and additionally, “they are continually strive for the ultimate even if he knows that all compatible and there is one father to all of them, and he will never attain it. therefore all Jews are called actual brothers,” “this is the The purely subjective nature of such a quest without direct and easy path to come to the fulfillment of the any concrete guideposts with which to measure progress commandment of ‘you shall love your fellow like seemed to relegate the entire matter to the ethereal mists yourself’ towards every Jewish soul from great to small.” of the metaphysical, which we were subtly or not so I had also learned the section of Derech Mitzvosecha on subtly taught to avoid getting too caught up with. The the commandment of Ahavas Yisroel, where he explains emphasis of our education was to just learn Torah and in greater detail how all Jewish souls are part of the all- do good stuff, including acts of goodness and kindness inclusive soul of Adam HaRishon, and as such are (to your frum friends essentially limbs and and neighbors) and organs of one larger behave yourself in spiritual organism. general. I don’t recall the exact time when it LOVE THY clicked for me that the BROTHER implication of all of the above was that One of the basic Chassidus was providing tenets of Chabad not only a spiritual Chassidus is that the guide-map and blueprint revelations of Chassidus but was in fact making it are not limited to the possible to achieve what realm of ideas and the Ramban had earlier insights, but they also deemed intrinsically include the spiritual beyond the realm of empowerment to attain possibility, but I do spiritual levels that were remember very clearly a previously unattainable prior to those revelations. For subsequent related episode. It was during the year 1992, someone such as myself whose personal search was and I was sitting in the deserted basement of a shul in conducted almost exclusively through studying the Boro Park, where I would do my learning in relative written word, that premise seemed a bit farfetched and privacy. I was reading the B’Tzeil HaChochma, which is utterly subjective. If indeed it was true, how would I a collection of conversations between the Rebbe and know that I suddenly had new previously unimaginable various great rabbis and scholars who had visited the spiritual capacities? Would I just wake up one day and Rebbe over the years. know? I don’t recall who the Rebbe was speaking to (I don’t As much as it all seemed very out there, I also own a copy and it is out of print), but I saw where the recognized the fact that if I was taking my quest Rebbe makes this very point that Chassidus made a seriously I had to be open to the possibility of not just tremendous innovative breakthrough in the area of rethinking my worldview but also of experiencing myself Ahavas Yisroel so that it was now possible to truly love and the world around me in an entirely different way. another like oneself and even more so; unlike as it was Looking back, it is hard to identify exact times for in the times of the Ramban when it was in fact specific shifts in my thinking and even harder to identify impossible to do so. Far beyond the normal excitement specific turning points when my spiritual hard-wiring that comes with the sense of “boruch shekivanti” (thank became altered to the point that I had difficulty relating G-d that I came to a similar conclusion as someone far to the way I used to think and experience reality. greater than me), I was completely overcome and began

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 7 to sing and dance around this little live up to the values and ideals and own life even in situations where room holding the book as one would expectations of their father, and also Torah law makes no such demand, hold a Torah scroll on Simchas if all the children love each other for “like a son who serves his father and Torah with tears of joy streaming the very fact that they are brothers mother as he loves them more than down my face. Yes, that is as from the same father. his body and soul... and gives subjective as it gets, but to me it was On the 9th day of Av, the two himself up to death in order to another powerful experiential Temples in Jerusalem were redeem them...” Additionally, signpost along my journey, even as I destroyed, almost five hundred years Chassidus enables and demands that knew that actualizing that potential apart. The reason for the first a Jew love his fellow Jew as actual love for my soul-brothers was and is destruction is that the people of that spiritual brothers from the same the labor-intensive work of a generation indulged in the three father, to the point of unconditional lifetime. major sins, representing a complete love and even putting the other rejection of G-d and everything He person’s physical needs before my BROTHERS FROM stands for, or in the words of the spiritual needs. THE SAME FATHER Mishna (Sukka 5:1) “our forefathers When you have that kind of that were in this place [stood with] relationship with your Father, then As we enter into the month of their backs to the sanctum and their the call of the hour, especially in the Av, we are told (Taanis, 29b) to faces to the East, and they bowed darkest times of exile when it is easy “decrease in joy” and to avoid eastward towards the sun.” to lose sight of the fact that our litigating matters with a gentile, However, during the period of the Father in Heaven is closer to us than because the “mazal” of the month is Second Temple, when they moved usual, is “to decrease all negative weak. Although when it comes to away from this behavior and things through joy.” (In our legal conflicts as well as the various proclaimed (ibid) “but we, our eyes generation, the Rebbe has mourning customs of the first nine are to G-d,” the reason for the empowered us as part of the days of the month, Chassidim are destruction was “baseless hatred” Messianic process to aim for and quite particular, when it comes to and the lack of unity that resulted achieve an even higher degree of the instruction to decrease in joy, therefrom. Each of these represent unity with our Father and brothers the Chassidic interpretation which the rectification of the two key as will be discussed in the next says that “one should decrease all aspects that are supposed to derive installment, G-d willing.) And that is negative things through joy” seems from a healthy father-son one of the Chassidic explanations to be the exact opposite of the literal relationship. It is specifically because given for why the yahrtzait of the meaning. of the unique closeness between Arizal is on the 5th of Av, the exact The very name of the month, the Hashem and the Jewish people that midpoint of the nine days, because Hebrew word for father, is clearly an these tragedies/corrective lessons the Arizal (whose name was allusion to the relationship between had to take place. Yitzchok- he “will” laugh) only G-d and the Jews as Father and When a father is upset with his brought us to the midpoint by son/sons. And yet, although the son and is in the process of trying to bringing down the mystical ideas father-son relationship represents teach him an important lesson, he which served as the precursor to the the classic model for calling upon expects to be taken seriously and is revelations of Chassidus. These in divine compassion “as a father has in no mood for humor or frivolity. turn, made those ideas reality and mercy on children,” it also However, the one thing that can translated them into actual modes of represents a standard of defuse the tension is if the son is so serving Hashem, thus bringing about accountability that is far beyond the overcome with joy over being in the full rectification of the sins and expectations built into any other close proximity to his father that he flaws represented by the destruction relationship “as a father reprimands can’t help himself and he happily and mourning of the 9th of Av. May his son, Hashem your G-d hugs and kisses his father despite we finally witness how our efforts reprimands you.” That is because a the acrimonious atmosphere. have succeeded to “transform these father’s compassion dictates that he Chassidus enables and empowers us days to joy and happiness,” with the put his son’s long term benefit to experience the fact of G-d as our complete revelation of Moshiach, before his desire to be liked and Father, not just as a concept or as a “his name is Menachem (the appreciated by his son in the short source of spiritual inspiration, but as consoler),” in the month of term. The two yardsticks by which actual reality. This is expressed in Menachem Av (as it is called to measure the health of that the fact that Chassidus enables and according to Jewish custom), relationship are if the child/children demands that one put G-d before his immediately, NOW!

8 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH shleimus ha’aretz WHAT FEIGLIN DOES QUIETLY, WE MUST DO AT FULL VOLUME

By Sholom Ber Crombie Translated By Michoel Leib Dobry

throngs of people together with him. The only one today who stands up and Today, it all looks different. He has screams that the “Emperor” Bibi is called upon Israeli citizens to join the Likud in large numbers in the wearing no clothes is Moshe Feiglin, the hope that the Likud is an all- powerful political megaphone that man who stirred up the entire Land of will always be the voice of the people. All that has to be done is to Israel with the big “Zo Artzeinu” give it a religious-settler leadership, and everything will be fine in the demonstrations and has since Jewish state – so he reasoned. withdrawn into political activities However, a decade later, the rosy picture has become a bit fuzzy due within the Likud Party, which have to repeated losses and failures, proving how slim the chances were proven to be unrealistic and ineffective. in the struggle to take control of the Likud Party. Feiglin and his people have to direct all It would seem that Feiglin’s plans sounded too logical. Let’s take their strength to exposing where Bibi’s control of the Likud, he says, and path is liable to lead us and to shock we’ll have our own ruling party. But anyone who understands the Likud’s the nation into action, but first and internal politics, the quarreling, the shady deals, and those who “truly” foremost, the obligation falls upon us – run the show there – knows that the Likud will never allow a settler the Rebbe’s chassidim. wearing a kippa to take over the party. The Likud has far more It’s not easy to agree with Moshe appears more than ever before that important interests than pure Feiglin these days. After a constant Feiglin’s dream has gone up in ideology, and if you need any further array of aggravating failures by the flames. About fifteen years ago, proof, there is the example of Likud Party’s “Manhigut Yehudit” Feiglin was riding a wave of success Feiglin’s demotion to an unrealistic (Jewish Leadership) faction in the with the “Zo Artzeinu” civil spot on the party’s list of candidates battle for internal party control, it disobedience campaign, sweeping for last year’s Knesset elections,

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 9 When the Rebbe warned Shamir – and Yehuda and Shomron, and the people believed him, faithfully and told him explicitly in his holy name that blindly following him, as if he was the most honest person in the world he would bring him down – the whose word was his bond. Even after Bibi proclaimed the alternatives were Rabin and Peres. But establishment of a (demilitarized) the Rebbe has only one truth, the truth “Palestinian” state, the people still sat in disbelief. of Torah. In practical terms, since the elections, Bibi virtually never speaks about his diplomatic proposals. after dues-paying Likud members one making an outcry is Moshe Experts claim that he is planning to had elected him to the twentieth slot. Feiglin. carry out an expulsion from the Then, the Likud Central Committee Anyone who doesn’t believe what Jordan Valley, as we are being told conducted an internal vote last we’ve said so far can take a look at by his Palestinian partners, such as month approving the postponement the prime minister’s recent speech in Abu Mazen (may his name be of the election of new committee Yeshivat “Merkaz HaRav” at the erased). Without uttering a word, members for another few years, main ceremony commemorating his actions prove his intentions. He thereby making certain that Feiglin Yom Yerushalayim. A very sharp and is the first prime minister to freeze will be unable to put any of his perceptive journalist made a construction throughout all of people on the Central Committee. In comparison between Bibi’s speech Yehuda and Shomron. He is the first short, a political party that has from last year’s event and the one prime minister to send bulldozers on neither values nor democracy will this year. “Yerushalayim will not be a daily basis to destroy Jewish always find ways to push such a divided”, declared Netanyahu the homes in Eretz HaKodesh, and all person out with the utmost grace hero last year. This year, however, as part of a “temporary” freeze. And and aplomb. he settled for the short blessing of he is the first prime minister to “The city that has been joined paralyze the entire nationalist camp together”. Even the man’s bombastic THE EMPEROR – for such a lengthy period of time. expressions from years past have BIBI – HAS NO CLOTHES Everyone is silent and there isn’t been lacking recently. Anything that anyone to cry out. No one would Despite all this, Feiglin is right. was good as an election slogan – for dare to stand up and announce He’s right because he’s the only the purpose of drawing votes from publicly that the emperor has no person out there today standing and the nationalist camp – has clothes, and thus we must stop crying out, “The emperor has no disappeared from Bibi’s lips since he listening to what everyone is saying clothes!” He’s the only one calling entered the Prime Minister’s Office. – namely that King Bibi is dressed in for the need to topple the It’s as if we’ve forgotten that this is beautiful and elegant garments and government of Binyamin Netanyahu the same Bibi who handed over he protects all of Eretz Yisroel, from – and right away – because our Hevron, who warmly shook the hand the Jordan to the Euphrates. The prime minister is planning to make a of the murderous Arafat (may his truth is that King Bibi has no clothes “disengagement” in Yerushalayim. name be erased), who proposed to and is devoid of all ideology and While all the right-wing Knesset former Syrian President Hafez el- faith in our Holy Land, and he Members think about how to Assad a withdrawal from the Golan proceeds to destroy Eretz Yisroel “strengthen Bibi on the right”, Heights, and who actually carried practically every day. Feiglin is the only one calling the out the Oslo Accords – despite the Even in the case of Sharon, we child by his name: What Bibi wants fact that he had been first elected to got the message a lot quicker. to accomplish is another transfer the premiership fourteen years ago Sharon simply got up, approached and expulsion, not in Gush Katif this following the assassination of the rostrum at the Herzliya time, but in Yerushalayim and the Yitzchak Rabin in order to reverse Conference and proclaimed that by Jordan Valley. Bibi is preparing the these hasty agreements. 2006, there would be no Jews living foundation for the uprooting of But the general public has a poor in Gush Katif. But Bibi remains dozens of settlements, placing memory. It remembers Bibi standing quiet. He doesn’t speak, he just millions of Jews under the threat of right before the elections and does, and thus the entire nationalist terror organizations, and the only proclaiming that he would protect camp stands with deafening silence.

10 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH WHEN WILL WE the terrorists about dividing Eretz government and carried out the CRY OUT, IF NOT NOW? HaKodesh, the Rebbe himself expulsion. promises to fight against him, even What Feiglin does quietly, at the cost of bringing down his Chabad chassidim must do at full THE SECURITY OF government. volume. We have the clearest UNSTABLE REGIMES If not now, when? When will we “Shulchan Aruch” – the teachings come to save Eretz HaKodesh? If There are enough “logical” and direction of the Rebbe, Melech when the bulldozers have already explanations in order to understand HaMoshiach. The Rebbe taught us reached Yitzhar and Maale Efraim, the Rebbe’s clear and unambiguous that when a prime minister starts and we finally wake up and cry out stance in relation to Israeli talking about giving up strips of with a loud voice that Bibi is governments that speak with Eretz HaKodesh to terrorists, we dangerous to Israel and must be terrorists: If a government speaks must protest against the course he removed from power – what good about territorial compromise, we has taken and fight him with all our will all the outcry do then? We must must fight against it and its policies strength, even at the price of utilize the time available to us now, by any and all legitimate means, toppling his government. while things have not yet been even at the cost of its political The Rebbe did not limit his war agreed upon between Bibi, the existence. on shleimus ha’Aretz to checking terrorists, and the Americans, and One of these explanations has the available alternatives to the initiate a national campaign to recently started to peck away at the incumbent prime minister. arouse the entire right-wing camp conscience of the nationalist camp, We must remember that when with a call and demand to the which understands that until a the Rebbe warned Shamir – and Knesset Members to pressure the normal government is formed in told him explicitly in his holy name government and the prime minister Eretz Yisroel – in accordance with that he would bring him down – the to put a halt to any discussions of Torah or at least a leadership based alternatives were Rabin and Peres. further withdrawals and on rational intellect – apparently But the Rebbe has only one truth, concessions. only unstable regimes will be able to the truth of Torah, and therefore, If we won’t wake up now, the maintain the security of Eretz the Rebbe doesn’t look at the fact dangerous scenario of Gush Katif HaKodesh. that from a logical standpoint, all is liable to return and with even For example, this is what other candidates would undoubtedly greater fortitude. Bibi is likely to happened with Olmert. He entered be far worse. When a Jew causes make the same type of maneuver as the premiership in a state of sheer harm to the security and wholeness Sharon did – using the religious madness, promising to divide up the of the People of Israel and the Land parties to close deals with Abu entire country. However, his of Israel, it is forbidden to allow Mazen and Hussein Obama behind government was unstable and under him to remain in power for even the people’s backs. Then, after the constant threat, thus he was unable one more day. expulsion plan has been placed on to achieve any of his destructive In addition, it is forbidden to the government table, he’ll throw proposals. Even the peace forget that the left-wing prime them out and bring in the Kadima conference in Madrid, for example, ministers failed to destroy a single Party, which will gladly agree to collapsed because of the instability settlement in Eretz HaKodesh. Even become partners in the expulsion of the Shamir government. the wretched Oslo Accords that government, telling everyone that it Thus, there’s no reason to worry Rabin and Peres brought upon us had joined the government solely about the big question: “What will only came after the Likud for the purpose of assisting Bibi to happen if we bring down Bibi, and government’s breakthrough at the pass his expulsion plan quietly. then [Kadima Party head] Tzippi Madrid Conference – after the This is exactly what Sharon did. Livni takes over?” This is because Likud prime minister went and met He used Ichud HaLeumi (the apparently the way to preserve the with the terrorists and agreed to National Union), led by Benny wholeness of the Land of Israel and give them autonomy. Elon, and the National Religious its people is to hold elections here Therefore, the battle against Party, led by Effie Eitam, in order every two years. As a result, no Netanyahu’s dangerous course must to plan out the details for throwing government will be able to last long be led first and foremost by us – the Jews out of Gush Katif, and when enough to carry out any devious Chabad chassidim, those most he no longer needed them, he plans to uproot Jews from their faithful to the Rebbe’s holy words: brought the Labor Party and the homes. Any prime minister who speaks with ultra-Orthodox factions into his

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 11 moshiach & science

has a “u” in it, “How many years has that spelling mistake been there?” It only took a moment till I A NEW BRAIN caught on for as the bus moved ahead I saw the rest of the inscription, “IN MENS CORPUS.” My Latin was never that good but it didn’t take much shvitz to FOR THE surmise that this was the athletic building and the message was, “A sound mind in a sound body.” For some, mental and physical health would be rewarding SUMMER enough for a kid’s summer camp experience, but not for the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Looking ahead to the coming academic By Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd year, he compared camp to a long jump. If you stand and jump, there’s only so far you can leap, The Rebbe’s “green pastures” maamer but if you take a few steps back at Camp Gan Israel provides food for and get a run at it, you can jump a great deal farther. thought and creases for the brain. The A Jew needs to be involved in study all the time, and at first claim of chassidus that deep study glance the summer break is a distraction from that mission. changes the brain seemed outlandish at The Rebbe points out to us that the child learns more extensively the time, but science is finally catching and more energetically in the up… once again. coming year because of those few steps back in the summer. And that extra umph is worth it as we “Since the body and soul are go to a Chabad camp where will shortly see. bound together, integrated into learning is a fun yet integral part On one of his visits to Camp one composite entity, it is of the experience. Gan Israel in upstate New York, obvious that every event The integration of spirit, mind the Rebbe said a chassidic occurring to the soul will set off and body is a popular theme in discourse[1] on Psalm 23 that a similar occurrence in the wellness circles these days. My speaks directly to spirit-mind- body.” first exposure to the concept was body integration. In that 1956 --The Rebbe, Mind Over on a school trip to Eastern talk, thirty years before anyone in Matter, p.362. Canada. I was gazing out the bus academia started taking these window while passing through the things seriously, and fifty years Ahh. Summer. campus of Mt. Allison University before the concept became No more pencils, no more when an odd inscription caught popular,[2] he spoke about books… The kids are free! …but my eye on a very big building neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability not too free. They need with classic looking pillars. to change physically as a result of structured activities to keep them Engraved in stone above the mental exercise. safe, happy and well, so the entrance were the words “MENS Citing the Zohar[3], the prevalent custom is to send them SANA” which immediately Rebbe explains that “the material to camp. They make new friends, prompted two thoughts. The first of the brain is relative to the learn skills, have fun, and go on was, “Wow, that’s a big building intellect, and moreover, the trips. They may even do some just for a “shvitz,” and the second material of the brain becomes book learning, especially if they was, realizing that the word sauna

12 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH purified[4] by extensive rodents, monkeys and even the Temple mount is resonating intellectual study, and even more humans. We have seen how a and ready for the time of all times so through intense intellectual stimulating environment increases when not just the kids, but we all, concentration because it is a the weight, health, blood flow and will be as free as a camper on a vessel for, and unites with the oxygenation of the brain.[10] We summer’s day. intellect that dwells within it.” In have seen mentally retarded Dr. Aryeh (Arnie) Gotfryd, PhD is a another talk,[5] he explains the people train their brains to chassid, environmental scientist, author two-way impact of soul–body professional performance.[11] We and educator living near Toronto, interactions, going into detail have discovered how to cure Canada. To contact, read more or to book him for a talk, visit about “physical creases in the dyslexia and learning disabilities www.arniegotfryd.com or call 416-858- brain” that form when by using specific exercises to 9868. comprehension is achieved by build and reinforce new neural virtue of intensive and extensive networks.[12] We can use NOTES: intellectual effort.[6] imagination to cure illness[13] [1] Talk of 16 Tamuz 5716 (1956) The Rebbe elsewhere[7] and computerized brain exercises [2] as explained at length in the 2007 expands on the subject, to eliminate ADHD[14] and slow NY Times bestseller, The Brain That explaining that superficial study down aging.[15] Brain training Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge does not register physical change software didn’t even exist a (Penguin). whereas much deep study will decade ago and now it’s a 300 [3] Zohar III p.140a, and p.262a actually change, not only the million dollar industry.[16] [4] similar to discoveries of Michael structure but even the dynamics Returning to the “green Merzenich who found that neurons of the brain. Moreover the pastures” discourse[1], the Rebbe that fire together wire together, furrows thereby created increase drew an analogy, comparing that enabling them to fire in a synchrony the surface area and hence the infinitely miraculous, dynamic that increases their signal/noise ratio, mental capacity of the brain. place between our temples to the thus “purifying” both the medium and An additional pedagogical Temple in Jerusalem. The meat of the message. trick he cites (forbidden in any the matter is that just as the [5] 23 Tevet 5720 (1960) library – shh, they’re reading – physical brain is organically [6] Seifer HaMaamarim 5687 (1927), but mandated in any yeshiva engineered to be the nexus of p.254 study hall) is to gesture, sway and spirit, mind and body within man, [7] Seifer HaSichos, 13 Menachem-Av speak aloud while learning since so too is the site of the Temple 5750 (1990), p.120 the more physically involved we physically predisposed and are in the learning experience, the sensitively primed to serve its [8] Talmud Bavli, Eruvin p.54a better the lessons are specific function of unifying G-d, [9] http://erickandel.blogspot.com remembered.[8] mankind and the physical world /2007/09/1-kandels-big- Of course this all makes a lot at large. discovery.html of sense now, but it’s only in There’s an expression, “What [10] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ recent years that secular science happens at camp stays at camp,” Mark_Rosenzweig and society have started to but in this case it is not so. The [11] http://www.cbc.ca/ acknowledge any of this. For Rebbe’s green pastures discourse documentaries/thelens/2008/fixingmyb centuries the brain was is itself a “Mind Over Matter” rain/ considered a fixed organ and phenomenon, exemplifying the [12] www.learningbreakthrough intellect was either a physical newfound synergy of Torah and program.com result of it or some kind of a science, a modern fulfillment of [13] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ghost in the machinery. Either an ancient prophecy about the Placebo way, the structure and dynamics times of Moshiach.[17] [14] http://www.playattention.com of the brain were believed to be Poetically, it was Gan Israel /ABOUT-US/PAbrochure.pdf as hard wired as your campers who came up with the motherboard. song, “We want Moshiach [15] http://www.positscience.com/ science No longer. NOW!” It’s been repeated so We have watched as sea snails often, so intensely, and so [16] http://www.sharpbrains.com/ double their neural connections vocally, with clapping and market-report/ in the lab through learning.[9] dancing, joy and anticipation that [17] Likkutei Sichos, Vol.15, p.42ff. We have seen the same in I’m sure the very foundation of

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 13 moshiach & geula STRAIGHT TALK ON BSURAS HAGEULA

charismatic figures that they On the subject of B’suras HaGeula and never met whom they admire and bringing people close to Chabad, Rabbi whose ways they adopt. Yet you say this is an inyan atzmi … Shimi Goldstein, shliach to Pushkar, Yes, Hashem created the world with balances of k’dusha and the India is worth listening to. He has “other side.” Eastern religions speak about subtle issues of the changed the lives of countless young spirit that are mamash the “other side” of k’dusha. people and brought them to Toras I had an example of this as HaChassidus. Many have since soon as I went to India for the first time. It was a few months after the established Chassidishe homes. * We successful promotion of the project Lirot et Malkeinu, showing videos spoke to R’ Goldstein about the issues of the Rebbe MH”M on Motzaei Shabbos in Chabad communities. I facing Chabad, even the tough ones. * arrived in Poona where there is a very famous avoda zara center and Special Interview by Menachem I found out that every Saturday Ziegelboim. night all the admirers of the guru gather together, wrapped in white, Those who visit old-time that we know from farbrengens of and watch a video of his lectures. Chabad communities will Tomchei T’mimim. He died a number of years ago. discover new faces – dozens and When a Chassid makes a I’m not talking about even hundreds of Chassidim. cheshbon ha’nefesh (spiritual admiration for the Rebbe’s What is bringing people to accounting) about the devotion of teachings or his powerful Chassidus and hiskashrus to the geborenors (those born and bred leadership or his prophetic vision; Rebbe now, after Gimmel Chassidim) to the Rebbe and nor about the tremendous Tammuz? where the gevorenors (those who inspiration that he gives forth or The facts speak for themselves. came to Chassidus later in life) even the miracles that he does. I’m Today, 16 years after Gimmel are, sometimes the comparison is talking mainly about the bittul and Tammuz 5754, people from all painful to contemplate. hiskashrus to the Rebbe himself, sorts of backgrounds, who were It’s a phenomenon without an ahava atzmis for the Rebbe from not educated in this way and explanation except for the simple people who never saw him and certainly didn’t see the Rebbe face fact that the Rebbe is an inyan suddenly they are living with the to face, are becoming mekushar to atzmi without changes and he is Rebbe with such a love and the Rebbe himself and are literally chai v’kayam. hiskashrus that at the center of becoming Chassidim with Out in the world, especially in their lives is the desire to do what uncompromising devotion and the arts and spirituality circles, the Rebbe wants in thought, bittul, with all the subtle hergeshim people are attracted to speech, and action in daily life,

14 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH lights in vessels. You don’t have this in the “other side.” Over there, the admiration is based on intense development of one’s sense of self even at the expense of disengaging from the material world, eschewing luxuries and even through self- flagellation. The admiration is for “giluyim” that will help in their personal advancement. The way it works is that a Jew connects to the Rebbe by means of giluyim, but surely the people who came to the Rebbe after Gimmel Tammuz are missing all the giluyim that we had in the past? You need giluyim when you are working with kochos ha’gluyim (revealed faculties of the soul) but for hiskashrus “atzmis” to the Rebbe, it’s not necessary. People from all walks of life are becoming Chassidim in a way that can be described as “atzmi,” with the “essence” gradually affecting the conscious and revealed layers of the person as “the essence expresses itself in the faculties.” Furthermore, the Rebbe doesn’t remain a baal chov (a debtor) and many of those who are becoming Chassidim also receive astonishing giluyim from the Rebbe that perhaps even old-time Chassidim did not have and sometimes find hard to believe. We had a girl here from a religious background who became close to the Rebbe and after some months of learning she flew to the Rebbe for Tishrei. As soon as she walked into 770 she opened a volume of Igros Kodesh to a letter that the Rebbe wrote to a Chassid in which he said he was happy to meet him face to face and he hoped that it was “only the beginning of our encounter.” At a farbrengen there, she said she wished she could have a dollar from the Rebbe. One of the women from Crown Heights who heard

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 15 this surprised her by sending her a dollar Nobody knows him by the name Shimshon. To the world, from the Rebbe to Eretz Yisroel after “Shimi” is his name. Among his chevra from India, he’s Tishrei. What was the date on the dollar? known as “Shimi HaMachzir,” for the many people who 18 Elul, the day she went to the Rebbe. return to their Father in heaven through him. Or another gilui, which was really a When you meet him, as I did, it’s hard to see the Balshemske story: A religious couple who charisma. He’s thin, tall but a bit stooped. He speaks were married for a few years without quietly, almost in a whisper. He left for Pushkar ten years children wrote to the Rebbe and asked for ago where he opened a Chabad house and where he spends a bracha. In the letter they opened to, the most of the year. Even now, so many years later, he still lives Rebbe wrote that a Jew needs to have under uncomfortable conditions, but that’s what there is in complete trust in Hashem that He will distant India and especially in Pushkar which is even more fulfill their requests, while doing what remote. needs to be done in the natural way of Pushkar is a filthy city which contains within it all the things. After a few months we got an dirt of the world, both material and spiritual. The main email from them in which the wife attraction in Pushkar is Pushkar Lake, which is considered described the dream she’d had that night. sacred and is visited by hundreds of thousands of western In her dream, she and her husband were tourists. On the shores of the lake are numerous temples in the house of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin where the Indians have their ceremonies. There are idols (though they had never seen the Rebbetzin everywhere. Pushkar attracts thousands of people who are or the house). The wife begged her “searching for themselves,” including numerous Jews who husband to approach the Rebbe and the are looking to satisfy their souls in the wrong places. This is Rebbe received them with a broad smile, why Shimi and his wife Zelda and their children live there. blessed them with a daughter and He has acquired a reputation for his excellent shiurim in showered them with brachos. The Rebbe Chassidus. He speaks deeply but directly to the neshama. He even gave some horaos. has shiurim morning, noon and evening. Some have few The miracle occurred; nine months attendees and some have many; there are also many later their daughter was born. chavrusos, the focus of his work. When learning one-on-one Today too, boruch Hashem, many it’s hard to withstand his personal charm that comes from people are zoche to giluyim through the the depths of his neshama, and mainly from the truth that he Igros Kodesh or other ways that the Rebbe presents and represents. chooses. He spends eight months a year in Pushkar. In the four Is there truth to the claim that it’s hot summer months, when Israelis leave the burning city, he much easier to be mekarev people to the goes back to Israel, where he maintains contact with people Rebbe in the Far East or South America? he met in India and helps strengthen the commitments to That’s an illusion. People imagine that Jewish life that people made there. Some of them are already there are long lines of young people at in yeshivos or various Jewish schools. Several dozen have Chabad houses in India just waiting to get already gotten married and set up Chassidic homes. involved in Jewish life. Unfortunately, that When R’ Goldstein talks about tourists in Pushkar he is still not the reality. What is correct is says, “They are different than other tourists to the Far East. that the psychological state of the tourist In Pushkar they are seeking deeper layers of the soul. A is more free and open. He has left behind Chabad house right there provides them with what they his family, the biased media, and could not find in Eretz Yisroel. responsibilities. Traveling among non-Jews “When I wonder about why Israelis visit Pushkar, I don’t often wakes up dormant feelings about find any logical reasons except for the fact that this is a birur Jewish identity. of a place that needs it. The most amazing thing is that at The main chiddush is that in India it’s the center of impurity, hundreds of Jews return to their much easier for the shluchim to fully Father in heaven and connect with the Rebbe Melech devote themselves from morning till night HaMoshiach.” solely to personal encounters. There is no Shimi is also the founder of Lirot et Malkeinu. The Jewish k’hilla, no donors, no relationships custom today is to show a video of the Rebbe in shul on to make with the municipality, no Motzaei Shabbos. Shimi was the first to institute this communal figures to court, and no rallies practice, and many others have followed his lead. to organize. You don’t even have to get the kids ready for school in the morning. All

16 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH there is to do is talk to Jews about Judaism. Shimi is also the founder of Lirot et Back in Eretz Yisroel (or other Malkeinu. The custom today is to show locations) too, when shluchim are personally involved in speaking to a video of the Rebbe in shul on Motzaei people one-on-one they are very successful and on the flipside, even Shabbos. Shimi was the first to institute in the Far East, if you are not involved in being mekarev people, this practice, and many others have it just doesn’t happen. followed his lead.

CIRCUMVENTING THE no choice and you have to talk to is only once he begins to QUESTIONING STAGE him about specific topics that understand a little bit of what Let’s talk about kiruv in bother him, but you respond just Chassidus is, what ruchnius is, general. There must be plenty of because you have to. The minute what t’filla is about, what a Rebbe debates with people who have you can, you need to treat the root is etc. that he can understand that questions such as: Why don’t you problem; it’s a pity to waste time real t’filla is davka after learning go to the army, how G-d allowed on other things. Chassidus at length and not a Holocaust to happen and why You can see this approach in necessarily at neitz (sunrise). The do we need a Rebbe when we can many answers of the Rebbe. The same is true with every issue; the go directly to G-d. What do you Rebbe answers briefly just to more you delve into the root of the answer? assuage the questioner while matter, the fewer questions there The Rebbe writes that we stressing before and after that you will be. should not debate. This is the best simply need to learn Chassidus and That is what Chassidus is course to follow even though it’s everything will work out. I’ll tell about, not providing answers to very hard not to fall into it. The you a secret – most of the effort I questions but showing the truth in truth is that I don’t see a point in put in and the debates I have with such a concrete way that the answering these specific questions. people are only to get them to questions don’t arise in the first Usually, if the person’s agree to stay at the Chabad house place, or at least they won’t bother background is far from Torah and and learn; the rest will take care of him (like the story with the Alter mitzvos, you can’t be sure you will itself. Rebbe who through a niggun lifted give him a convincing answer. Can you give us an example? the people to a place above the They are often not a “keili” for it. Someone comes to the Chabad intellect where they had no The best thing to do is house – in this case a religious Jew questions). circumvent the questioning stage – and he asks why Chabad doesn’t In your experience, what is the and focus on the basics. Get the sleep in the sukka. There is no best thing to learn with people in person to come and learn Tanya. point in starting to answer on a order to reveal the truth to them? You see people get involved and point by point basis because in From the Rebbe’s letters it after learning Tanya for a while front of a crowd which doesn’t seems that while you can’t answer and attending farbrengens, the understand the fine points in the that categorically, he does refer to questions just don’t bother them as Rambam and the explanation in certain basic s’farim like Tanya, they did in the earlier stage. When the Rebbe’s sicha there is a great kuntres U’Maayan, etc. – you get to the second stage, those likelihood, if he’s somewhat smart interesting topics that deal with who want answers are already and cynical, that he will “prove” to spirituality and man’s inner keilim to receive them. everyone that we pervert the workings, which are fundamental There are kiruv movements that halacha, G-d forbid. and easy to understand. focus on questions and answers, The same goes for why in As to the way to learn, in my but we don’t need this. We get to Chabad we daven late. Usually, humble opinion you need to learn the source. Chassidus gets them to these questions are asked in the Tanya in a way that each chapter is the point where they don’t have first stage as a result of opposition a topic. You have to prepare it these questions. True, it sometimes and general incitement against us, well, with all the commentaries, in happens that in order for a person and even if not, he is not a keili (to such a way that the one giving the to start learning Chassidus there is want) to understand the answer. It shiur can talk about the chapter in

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 17 In India, where most of the “I’m willing to look at the Rebbe but people are from a secular when the Rebbe stops talking for the background, it’s much easier to convey these points, but even singing and they show the crowd of under tougher circumstances, when dealing with people with a Chassidim on the screen, I can’t look. religious background or when in Israel, you can get these messages So many dosim (derogatory word for across, especially if you want to transform them into Lubavitchers. religious Jews) at once…” But if in the end people don’t get it? an interesting way and not just of commentary on the Torah and We don’t know who gets it and focus on the words in the perek the Rebbe is not, G-d forbid, just who doesn’t. We see how the (although of course you also need another smart rabbi who knows a Rebbe is running things and not to read the words). lot. us. We can just try and “if you toil Another important thing, from Chassidus is the p’nim, the and find, believe that.” Sometimes my experience, is learning inner dynamic of Judaism in our it seems like so many events were b’chavrusa one-on-one. Better ten generation, just as the Gemara was orchestrated from Above in order separate chavrusas (even if you not just a commentary to the for a particular neshama to reach learn the same perek with some of Mishna and you cannot your Chabad house at the time and them) than a class. When you understand the Mishna without the under the right conditions to learn one-on-one you are gearing Gemara. The Rebbe is not another absorb the point, and he has spent it towards the student and you can rabbi nor is he the biggest rabbi in a month on shiurim etc. and you speak about whatever comes up as our generation. He is the Moshe were sure that he got it and then it relates to what you’re learning. Rabbeinu of the generation who all of a sudden, for whatever In letters to people who gave transmits Torah to our generation reason, he drops it all and walks shiurim in Chassidus the Rebbe in the manner appropriate to it. away. said they should also talk arum, Chabad is not another derech; We mainly see the other type. i.e. farbreng about Chassidic life rather, it is the way to fulfill Torah The person who shows up with all and share Chassidic stories and and mitzvos wholeheartedly. the negatives that make it unlikely insights, which some people find A Litvishe fellow from B’nei for him to accept Judaism and hard to do in a general class. Brak who does business in India loaded with opposition and and is familiar with the work of defenses and you tell yourself (and HOW DO YOU DEAL Chabad houses and our outlook others tell you, too) to drop him, WITH THE QUESTION: once told me that he had come to there’s no point in investing in the conclusion that Chabad is not WHY CHABAD? him, and then all of a sudden the a provincial Chassidus but Klal Rebbe grabs him from out of One of the outstanding Yisroel. nowhere and he gets the point, successes of the Chabad houses When you present things this internalizes it and feels it. in India is that many of those way matter-of-factly, from the very I’ll give you an extreme they are mekarev become start you instill a sense of strength example to show how these things Chassidim. How do you that he won’t feel anywhere else are not up to us. A kibbutznik was transform someone into a and you forestall a lot of questions working in New York and didn’t Chassid of the Rebbe? that arise for someone getting have a place to shower every day. The main point is this - that the involved who along the way A good friend told him that in the mekabel has to feel, from the first encounters other branches of nearby neighborhood of Crown moment, from all the shiurim and Judaism. They often wonder: How Heights there’s a pool with stories and atmosphere, that the come in a Chabad house there are showers. The guy starts going to Chabad house, Chassidus and the (only) Chabad s’farim and no the mikva every day at five in the Rebbe are not things that are s’farim of other Chassidic groups? morning before work. Some weeks additional to Judaism, G-d forbid, How come our bittul to the Rebbe go by without his realizing that but they are authentic Judaism! is extreme? Or a simpler question 770 is across the street. The Chassidus is not just another book – why davka Chabad? bachurim got to work on him and

18 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH he starts going to 770. In the end, he went along with the T’mimim who went on shlichus to Pushkar and learned here with us. That is one example out of many. You cannot figure out who yes and who no, but you see an incredible process here of neshamos wandering around and then from Above they are sent to the Chabad house in order to give them the opportunity to choose life. The next stage is connecting people to the Rebbe. How do you get people to believe that the Rebbe is Moshiach? The Rebbe Rayatz once asked one of the Chassidim – how is it possible that in the shul where you work there are people without beards? The man answered that a beard was impossible, referring to the spirit in America at that time. The Rebbe said: “But the question is, how do you sleep well at night when they don’t have a beard?” In other words, if you cared, you would at least try, and you would probably ultimately find a way to get the message across and you he still wants to check out religion. thing we try to do is “draw them would be successful. After a softening up period he with thick ropes of love” and if the Before anything else, we have agreed to watch a video of the barrier is removed and we are able to have a burning desire to convey Rebbe every day. I noticed that to bring them to a state of hashpaa the message. The question is only every so often he lowered his eyes p’nimis, then they usually accept it how to convey it. and didn’t watch and then he all as a package deal. Hashem, As a general rule, regardless of would look up. Toras Emes, Moshe Rabbeinu, background, in order to make an I asked him why he was doing Moshe of the generation, etc. impact there first has to be kiruv that and he said, “I’m willing to This guy, after two weeks of b’ofen klali (general closeness) look at the Rebbe but when the kiruv chitzoni, makif, could be which is called in Chassidus Rebbe stops talking for the singing spoken to in a way of hashpaa hashpaa chitzonis b’often makif, and they show the crowd of p’nimis. At this stage, when you sit and then hashpaa p’nimis Chassidim on the screen, I can’t down to learn about Judaism it (internal influence). look. So many dosim (derogatory doesn’t make a difference what For practical purposes, we can word for religious Jews) at once...” part of Torah it is. The approach is divide people into three general To Jews with a secular outlook that the messages we convey from categories: 1) those with a there is no ideological problem the Rebbe are an integral part of secular outlook: with the Rebbe being Moshiach Judaism. There is no difference A kibbutznik once walked in and they don’t even have a between the Torah of Moshe to the here, the kind who comes from the problem, ideologically, with T’hillim of Dovid HaMelech, kibbutz which throws out religion, but they do have between the Chassidus of the Baal Lubavitchers who come on Mivtza emotional difficulties getting close Shem Tov and the Tanya of the Chanuka. He told me explicitly with religious people. The first Alter Rebbe and the D’var Malchus that he hates religious people but

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 19 of the Rebbe MH”M. started off mocking but were is that everybody, without When things are presented reached first in a makif kind of exception, understood this from truthfully, that it’s all the same way, and then in a p’nimius’dike the sichos at the time they were Judaism, then just as Judaism is way, until they themselves became said. new for them, so are the concepts “lamplighters”. Just take a look at the Kfar about Rebbe and Moshiach. If they The third category: those from Chabad magazine of that time and accept Judaism, then the emuna in a “black hat” background – They read the diaries that were written the Rebbe MH”M is also accepted aren’t touring in India. You’ll have then. In 5753 and 5754, nearly as part of the package. to ask those shluchim who interact every day, the Rebbe encouraged This creates a strong with them … but one time I met the singing of Yechi. I was a foundation so that when they reach with “black hat” Jew who was bachur in yeshiva g’dola (post high the point of analyzing the specific working in kiruv and I showed him school) at the time and the rosh details of a given issue, this will be in s’farim what the Rebbe himself yeshiva farbrenged time and again the foundation of their outlook, says about his identity as and said our t’fillos, our dollars with belief in the Rebbe as a Moshiach. He was stunned and and all our giluyim from the Rebbe legitimate part of Judaism and not asked why this isn’t publicized. Of are all one essential point: Yechi some external thing that has to be course, from here until becoming a Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu examined. Lubavitcher is a long way. By the Melech HaMoshiach L’olam Va’ed. The second category: those way, he went to 770 to check That wasn’t considered radical at from a religious background – things out and when he returned all back then. It was very simple some of them are sensitized he said that although it’s the truth, when the Rebbe said it in the against Lubavitchers and what they it doesn’t resonate with him… sichos and showed us himself that represent and here, too, of course, The way to reach them is to we are on the threshold of Geula. the first thing to do is break learn the Rebbe’s teachings with What about publicizing about barriers. We are most likely to get them, to show them sichos of the Moshiach? questions from those with a Torah Rebbe in s’farim or on video and R’ Reuven Dunin once said: background. We present it matter- mainly to show them how the What did you understand about of-factly but they will ask good Rebbe himself says he’s Moshiach the Rebbe before 3 Tammuz that questions such as: How come etc. which many of them don’t you stopped understanding after 3 many rabbanim whom I know know. Tammuz? don’t know this? Or, that’s all very It is 16 years since 3 Tammuz, My question is: What difference nice but we haven’t seen the Rebbe 5754, and we still don’t have the is there to the world between 27 for 16 years … Or they will ask Geula. How do you look at this Adar and 3 Tammuz? Why is it you that disturbing question – day? that after 27 Adar, 5752, when How come there are Lubavitchers I don’t pride myself on having according to the rules of nature who don’t believe that? opinions on the subject … The the Rebbe couldn’t get up out of These questions need to be Rebbe created a reality here and his chair, we still publicized that addressed, and there are answers. we can only look at this reality the Rebbe is Moshiach and is When we first started out on without mixing in our own ideas. about to redeem us? shlichus, we thought we didn’t The Rebbe, starting in 1951, spoke I remember that on Simchas have much of a chance to influence about our being in the seventh Torah, 5753, after the Rebbe this category of people but we have generation and how the Geula is encouraged the singing of Yechi learned that it pays to try. Some of coming in this generation. Every for the first time with strong nods the events in Eretz Yisroel in Chassid understood that the Rebbe of his head, that we came back recent years have caused them to is the one who is leading us to our from Tahalucha and distinguished ask questions about their own Land. Starting in 5750, and mainly people told us that now it was religious identity. So among those in 5751-5752, the Rebbe stated – permissible and necessary to who come to India, their place in and everyone can see this in edited publicize Yechi in the newspapers. the religious world is not fully sichos – that we need to publicize Nobody dared to say that back in developed and it’s an opportunity that there is a prophet in our 5745 the Rebbe said it pushes Jews to expose them to Chassidus and generation and there is a clear away. Everybody was convinced the Rebbe. The facts speak for prophecy that Moshiach is coming that the Rebbe was about to be themselves. There are quite a few now, and we need to prepare the revealed as Moshiach and we had from religious-Zionist homes who world for him. The biggest proof to publicize this. In fact, all the

20 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH shluchim were photographed with a Yechi sign with the greatest Nothing changed in our belief. We are publicity. Let’s be honest; to still going with what the Rebbe instilled outsiders, what difference is there between 27 Adar and 3 Tammuz? in us in 5752, 5753, 5754. We’re not For those who still differentiate, came along 27 Adar, 5754, when going back to 5730 to talk about the the Rebbe’s medical condition worsened and it was even more approaching Geula, nor to 5745 when bizarre to publicize that the Rebbe is Moshiach and yet – for all those the Rebbe said that saying he’s who remember that period – all of Moshiach pushes Jews away, but to Chabad was busy with this to the point that it said Yechi on Sichat 5753-5754 when the Rebbe publicly HaShavua. Ohr HaT’filla has selections acknowledged that he is Moshiach. from Chassidus on parts of davening and is published by the were no doubts. The same is true As someone involved in kiruv, I “official” wing of Kehot. Volume here. Everybody saw clearly what can tell you that here at the 4, which was published in Iyar, today is apparent to every Chabad house with irreligious 5754 (see introduction), is a “Meshichist.” Nothing changed in Jews, it’s all one thing, like compilation of explanations on our belief. We are still going with explaining that the Geula from Boruch Sh’Amar and on. In the what the Rebbe instilled in us in Egypt was through Moshe, so too first selection, not in the preface or 5752, 5753, 5754. We’re not our Geula will be through the introduction, and not by way of going back to 5730 to talk about tzaddik of the seventh generation. explanation, it quotes no less and the Geula that is coming, nor to Those who work with people no more than a paragraph from the 5745 when the Rebbe said that for whom it is hard to accept the sicha of Chayei Sarah, 5752, about saying he’s Moshiach pushes Jews identity of Moshiach should work kabbalas p’nei Moshiach. away, but to 5753- 5754 when the to come up with a strategy of not How did we go publicize that Rebbe publicly acknowledged that what to say but how to say it. the Rebbe is going to get up and he is Moshiach. We don’t need to Sometimes it does not pay to jump redeem us when his situation was conquer objectives that we already right in and it is worth waiting a critical? Nobody (no mashpia or conquered. few minutes, sometimes a few rav) said that under the Why is it important to hours, and sometimes a longer circumstances it would be difficult publicize the identity of period of time until people accept to explain or that it would be a Moshiach? Is it equivalent in you. On the other hand, it is chilul Hashem, etc. I don’t see a importance to publicizing the sometimes worthwhile speaking logical difference between after 27 B’suras HaGeula, or is there an about it immediately so they won’t Adar, 5754, and 3 Tammuz. order of priorities? say you are hiding the truth. It all If all of Chabad spoke with one Plenty was written on this in depends on the shliach, on the voice and said, “Rabbosai, nothing 5753 by the chozrim, mashpiim, audience, on the place and the changed in regard to the main and roshei yeshivos in Kfar timing, as the Rebbe himself said. substance of the matter. True, we Chabad and it should be The bottom line is that at the did not think it would work out photocopied and republished. They Kinus HaShluchim 5752, the like this, but it does not contradict definitely explained it better than I Rebbe told us that we have to the fundamentals of our belief; on can now. I’ll only say that after the prepare the world not only for the contrary, there are many Torah Rebbe brought us to this point in Geula but for the goel, that there is sources to support what we’re 5753-5754, and throughout someone descended from Yehuda saying.” Chabad they understood that this who deserves to be Moshiach and If we did that, we would be at is what the Rebbe wants and that according to the announcement of least as successful in conveying the is what everyone did, we cannot go the Rebbe his father-in-law, the message as we were after 27 Adar, back without betraying the Rebbe, only Moshiach of our generation 5754. As it says in Tanya, chapter ch”v. etc. (see in source cited). And at 29, when they saw the truth there

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 21 the Kinus HaShluchim 5753, the I heard directly from R’ Itzke – respective generations, to Rebbe encouraged the singing of some Chassidim wrote a seven internalize the emuna so that it is Yechi in front of the shluchim. page letter to the Rebbe about how real and goes from the etzem the hafatzas ha’maayanos in Eretz ha’nefesh to all the revealed TO STRENGTHEN THE Yisroel was not a positive thing, kochos (the maamer of “V’Ata CHASSIDISHE HERGESH r”l. The Rebbe responded with Tetzaveh” 5752). When it is that three words: v’shochavta v’arva way, a person knows with his daas There are those who say that shnosecha – you shall lie down and that this is the way it is! things are being added, your sleep will be sweet). The same is true here. Our hergeshim, and that we can’t veer You can see it with mivtza emuna in the Rebbe MH”M is not from what the Rebbe said. t’fillin when some young a hope or a wish but clear After 3 Tammuz they suddenly Chassidim thought they should do knowledge in the etzem ha’nefesh added a new rule that you can’t it in Times Square while the elder which is also understood by the add hergeshim. They always taught Chassidim said it was forbidden to mind and felt in the heart. So the us that just as the Torah teaches us put t’fillin on there and that is not more time goes on, a person who that avodas Hashem is based on what the Rebbe meant … and then believes has his faith strengthened. kabbalas ol and carrying out the skip to Chaf-Ches Sivan, which It’s like the person waiting to give goal, in the same way the Torah only popped up at the end of the birth; if in the ninth month nothing teaches us that we need to work 90’s through one person’s happens, in the tenth month they with the tools we have at our initiative, and there are many other are waiting even more eagerly disposal. As the Rebbe explains examples. because they know it is imminent. how Pesach Sheini came from the In fact, back to our topic, how If it’s a makif kind of emuna people, as did dividing the land was it that Yechi was sung in front though, the more time passes, the and the cry of “ad masai.” of the Rebbe even though the weaker it gets. When they try to play dumb Rebbe said not to publicize it? Tell me honestly – how can we after 3 Tammuz and say this to the What did they tell us? Rabbanim explain to ourselves, to others, young T’mimim, that’s pure and mashpiim explained how that so much time has elapsed demagoguery. crowning the king has to come since those amazing sichos and Chassidus emphasizes the inyan from the people and we can’t wait the Rebbe still wasn’t nisgaleh? of kabbalas ol and absolute for the Rebbe to ask us to coronate I want to tell you about obedience, but we were also taught him. They supported their point something that touched me greatly. not to be overly rigid. How many with stories etc. The little girl of someone who farbrengens did we spend on Today too, when together with became a baal t’shuva through us, stories of Chassidim who were able Chassidishe hergeshim things are died. She was not even one year to accomplish certain inyanim by done to strengthen the point, old. When I went to see him, he the Rebbeim through their own especially when the Rebbe told us told me that if his personal initiative? When talking about the “do all that you can,” then every situation somehow hastened the seventh generation there are hergesh that can add to the inyan, Geula, then he accepted this test. countless stories of Chassidim who as long as it doesn’t go against What still bothered him, did things that are not written halacha, is very welcome. though, was how it fit with all the anywhere and what they did was brachos he got from the Rebbe not always to the liking of the before she died. I asked him: “So elder Chassidim, and yet they EMUNA COMES FROM THE ESSENCE OF THE SOUL what comforted you?” accomplished great things. He said that he suddenly “got” Starting with the signing to get the 16 years have passed since 3 that this is what 3 Tammuz is Rebbe to accept the nesius, then Tammuz 5754. People outside of about, along the lines of how the the stories of Itzke Gansbourg a”h Chabad were sure that our Rebbe explained the Akeidas from the early years, when young emuna would weaken but it Yitzchok, that Avrohom’s test was Chassidim did things that were not hasn’t. How do you explain this? not just that he agreed to bind written explicitly in the sichos to “Etzem” doesn’t change, says Yitzchok but mainly that following the annoyance of the elder Chassidus. The question is how do this command did not make sense Chassidim, who even complained we process that. That’s the whole and he did it anyway. You can to the Rebbe about it (by the way, inyan of Chassidus Chabad and the understand intellectually that there one of those times in the 50’s – so revelations of the Rebbeim in their is something beyond the intellect

22 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH which defies all logic but can still be part of the process of bringing the Geula, even the concealment of 3 Tammuz 5754. For those who want to understand how it makes sense or they want to be able to explain it to others, there are books like Ata Yodaati which say there are situations like this before the Geula. That is like the explanations after the fact about how Hashem did not contradict Himself when he told Avrohom to bring Yitzchok up.

DESPITE THE DIFFERENCES – LOVE person (or his money). latched on to this and I decided to EVERYONE! All the more so amongst do it even though it was a bit crazy We all learn the same sichos ourselves; while not compromising to edit a video just for three shuls and yet there are differences of on our faith we need to love – or (the shul in Nachalat Har Chabad opinion. What’s the reason for at least get along with in our and two shuls in Kfar Chabad that? Is there a way to overcome thoughts, speech, and action – thanks to R’ Itche Levinson). the differences? every Jew we see, even if he’s a Without a plan or much thinking There were always differences Lubavitcher who thinks differently about it, the project grew. of opinion and up to a point, it is than us. It’s easy to say but At that time, putting up screens legitimate. But if someone says requires a lot of inner work. in shuls was unacceptable and that the editorial staff submitted We can’t end without some rabbanim vehemently their own radical ideas to the mentioning your project Lirot et opposed it. (By the way, I spoke to Rebbe in the sichos of 5751-5752, Malkeinu, which produces videos Itzke Gansbourg about it and he that isn’t called a difference of of the Rebbe according to the told me that in the early years of opinion. (By the way, this is parsha of the week which are the nesius he brought groups of something I heard from someone shown in Chabad communities children to mivtza matza in Kfar in Nachala and thanks to him we every Motzaei Shabbos. Chabad and showed them slides in produced video clips on Moshiach It’s another proof that the the main shul. This aroused the ire and Geula where anyone can see Rebbe is running things. The of some Chassidim, who were that the Rebbe himself said those Rebbe said regarding situations of concerned about kavod Lubavitch phrases.) concealment that the Rebbe will and wrote about it to the Rebbe. In any case, even when the find a way to reach the Chassidim. The Rebbe responded that they differences cross the line, we still I think the video on Motzaei should show him where it says in have to love every Jew. As people Shabbos is one of those ways the Shulchan Aruch that you can’t who work with the “outside” we Rebbe has of conveying messages watch slides in a shul). know good and well that when it’s to the Chassidim. When I started We often see open hashgachos convenient for us we separate it, I had no idea how it would pratiyos when segments prepared between views and people. We can develop. Nobody sat and thought months in advance have an love kibbutznikim who think the about how to convey the Rebbe’s amazing connection to events that opposite of us and put up with messages to Anash, how to took place the week they were them and not get angry with them connect with the Rebbe. shown. and do them favors. Not to I heard someone say that they May we immediately see the mention our love for wealthy should do in the shul in Nachala Rebbe and be able to all sing: people who don’t think like us, and what they do in 770, to show Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu in their case we do very well videos of the Rebbe every Motzaei V’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach separating our views from the Shabbos. For some reason I L’olam Va’ed.

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 23 shlichus BSURAS HAGEULA IN MEVO CHORON

By Nosson Avrohom

said, “Shemesh b’Givon dom, It was a long road from religious- v’yorei’ach b’Emek Ayalon.” The Zionism to Chabad. The fire of yishuv was founded by people from the Ezra youth movement in 1970 Chassidus burned in his heart yet he was as a kibbutz of the settlement movement of Poalei Agudas Yisroel. repeatedly blocked from realizing his About 200 families live on the yishuv today, most of whom are dream of learning in Tomchei T’mimim. religious-Zionists. After the Six Day War, a large * The story of Rabbi Elisha Avni. meeting was held at Givat Michoel near Nes Tziyona, and it was When Rabbi Elisha Avni began Mevo Choron is a yishuv decided that a yishuv would be his shlichus nearly forty years ago, situated on a hill north of the founded on the land liberated in the the nucleus of the residents in Ayalon Valley near the biblical war. The goal was to start a yishuv Mevo Choron were ardent Zionists Ayalon. According to some that would combine Torah and and they didn’t see eye to eye with opinions, the yishuv is on the ruins work. They selected Rabbi Yona him. The fact that he had belonged of Nov, the city of Kohanim, and Dobrat as rav of the yishuv. For a to the group of enthusiastic this is why the yishuv was called long period of time there were a followers of Rav Kook made things Beit Nova by the Arabs. The yishuv few dozen families living there. somewhat easier for him; is in the territory of Binyamin, in In the winter of 5730 the nevertheless, any Chabad lecturers the valley where Yehoshua bin Nun nucleus of families moved to Emek he brought out there to speak had Ayalon. It was only after the Yom to be approved by the yishuv’s rav Kippur War that they moved to the after careful scrutiny. present location and built Today, his work in the yishuv permanent homes. The site was consists primarily of shiurim in chosen by the settlement division of Tanya and Chassidus for men and the Poalei Agudas Yisroel party. It women and farbrengens on special is near other yishuvim of the days in the calendar with guest movement – Shalavim, Chofetz lecturers. A lot of work is done with Chaim, B’nei R’eim, and Yesodot. children through Tzivos Hashem. R’ Elisha Avni was born in one “We are big believers in reaching of the places most identified with parents through the children. The the Mizrachi movement – Kfar adults often maintain certain HaRoeh. He was raised on stereotypes that make them keep religious-Zionist ideology and his their distance and it’s the children mentor was Chief Rabbi Avrohom who will lead the way, ultimately, to Yitzchok Kook (1865-1935). the Geula.” Rabbi Elisha Avni “However, I know that Chabad

24 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH blood ran in my veins from when I was young. I was constantly drawn towards Chassidus and at an older age I found out that my family is related to Rebbetzin Menucha Rochel. When I was twelve years old, my father sent me to camp in Kfar Chabad. “Only later did my father tell me that when we were in England, he flew to New York for the express purpose of meeting the Rebbe, who spoke to him for two hours. My father didn’t share all the details with me as I was a young boy but what I heard from him was his admiration of the Rebbe, of his leadership and righteousness. I Members of the yishuv at a 19 Kislev farbrengen with Rabbi Kaploun think this is what led my father to not what people try to make it out that in cases such as these I should choose a camp in Kfar Chabad over to be – vertlech and hartzige talk write to the Rebbe and ask for his a religious-Zionist camp for me.” without depth. On the contrary, I bracha. I told the Rebbe about my R’ Avni got very involved in found that it put the entire Torah in dilemma and asked what to do. Two Chassidus when he went to yeshiva a clear light of true avodas Hashem. weeks later I got an answer. It was in Kfar HaRoeh, the flagship “When R’ Volpe told me that I a long detailed letter at the end of yeshiva of the religious-Zionist come from the Slonim family – in which it said, ‘learn in a place that movement. other words, that I am the Rebbe’s has more yiras Shamayim and the “Rabbi Neria (d. 19 Kislev, relative – I was tremendously study of Chassidus.’ Where would I 5756) was the rosh yeshiva and he excited. He suggested that I write find a place like that? Only in allowed Lubavitcher Chassidim to the Rebbe a letter and I did so. Chabad yeshivos. come and give shiurim in That was the first time that I wrote “It wasn’t easy to carry this out, Chassidus. He had a very good to the Rebbe. I told the Rebbe what though. I would have liked to have relationship with the Rebbe and he R’ Volpe told me and asked whether done it immediately but certain brought Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengens this was accurate. The Rebbe people got involved and as a result I to the high schools. My teacher returned my letter with the word stayed in Kfar HaRoeh. I was not realized I was enthralled with ‘relative’ underlined. I was only 16 happy being there but many Chassidus and he tried to make it at the time and I was overcome obstacles were put in my way and I hard for me and some other with joy.” stayed there until I graduated. Then bachurim by saying our attendance R’ Elisha Avni’s life wasn’t easy. I wrote to the Rebbe again about at these shiurim and farbrengens His father died when he was in his what to do next. Throughout those could not be at the expense of our teens and his mother was very sick. years I continued to learn Gemara learning and I had to make “I wanted to drop everything Chassidus, whether on my own or up the material in my free time, but and attend a Chabad yeshiva. with the Chabad lecturers who I stuck with it. Chassidus was my life. But the visited the yeshiva. I would also “I had a great desire to study people that my mother respected occasionally go to farbrengens and Chassidus and I was willing to give told her that it was more important Chabad events in Kfar Chabad and up most of my recess to listen to that I continue learning in Kfar the yeshiva there. Lubavitcher speakers who taught us HaRoeh and get my certificate of “The Rebbe’s answer was to and instilled the foundation of matriculation like a good Israeli consult with a teacher in the Toras HaChassidus in us. The boy. I didn’t want to hurt my yeshiva where I learned. The rabbi I lecturers were mainly Rabbi mother but I yearned to study spoke with advised me to go to the Yechezkel Sofer, Rabbi Sholom Chassidus. I asked R’ Sofer what to religious-Zionist yeshiva Mercaz Dovber Volpe and Rabbi Shlomo do. HaRav. Later on, when I had Raskin of Tzfas. I felt that what “He understood me and said already become a Chassid, I did not they said was truth. Chassidus is

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 25 can’t explain in words. It was a The Avnis have one son among a number of daughters. When deep feeling, a great desire to learn R’Avni relates the story about his birth, he gets very emotional: and grasp more of p’nimius I took one of my daughters to 770 in Kislev as a bas mitzva gift. ha’Torah as it is explained in That was the year that Chanuka Live began and my daughter and I Chabad Chassidus.” have many memories of that amazing event. Since I wanted her to He spent two and a half years in get as much spiritual strength as possible for the rest of her life, Mercaz HaRav. At the same time he every morning after mikva I sat down to learn Chassidus with her, was a regular participant in shiurim from what I learned in Tomchei T’mimim – the maamer on Chassidus given by Lubavitchers “V’Nikdashti.” in Yerushalayim. I found this maamer to be rather fundamental and it is brought “One day, probably Yud Shevat, in Likkutei Torah Parshas Emor. One day, someone distinguished I was holding a soft-cover copy of looking passed by – I later learned that his name is R’ Tuvia the Rebbe’s maamer ‘Basi L’Gani.’ I Zilberstrom. He seemed taken aback that I was learning this left the yeshiva and hitched a ride maamer with my young daughter and, apologizing for mixing in, he to yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in said he had to ask why I was learning such deep material with a girl Kfar Chabad. I arrived in B’nei so young; it would be better if I learned it with my son. I told him Brak a few hours later and from that I don’t have a son. there someone took me to Kfar “You don’t have a son? So while you’re here, ask the Rebbe for a Chabad. The mashpia Rabbi Moshe bracha!” Naparstek farbrenged and he won I thanked him for his suggestion. For some reason I had not me over. He is known for his thought to ask the Rebbe for a bracha for sons. Furthermore, in the warmth and he gave me a hearty twenty seconds I had in front of the Rebbe for dollars I had to ask welcome. for a refua for my mother and a shidduch for a good friend, so how “I so wanted to be there that I could I ask for something for myself? didn’t care that I would sleep that Anyway, I prepared well and when it was my turn I managed to night on the benches. The ask for a bracha for all three things. The Rebbe gave me another farbrengen was terrific and lasted dollar and said, “Give this to your wife, and b’karov mamash.” late into the night. I liked R’ When it was my daughter’s turn she said she was celebrating her Naparstek so much that he became bas mitzva that year and the Rebbe gave her a bracha. my mashpia. In general, that daughter had a special bond with the Rebbe from “Another shiur that I attended when she was a little girl. When she was only five she drew a picture regularly took place at the for the Rebbe with four cups and matza and the Rebbe wrote her president’s home when Shazar was back, “Surely you are lighting Shabbos candles.” She received other president. He himself was of letters from the Rebbe too. Today she is a shlucha in the yishuv Chabad stock. R’ Adin Steinsaltz Tzoren. (Even-Yisroel) gave the shiur in The Rebbe’s bracha was given on Chanuka and on 11 Kislev of Derech Mitzvosecha and I felt like I the following year my wife gave birth to a boy whom we named was flying …” Yeshaya. We see how he is the Rebbe’s son. He is learning in When he finished learning at yeshiva in Kiryat Gat now and is doing well, boruch Hashem. Mercaz HaRav he looked for a place where he could learn in peace without parnasa worries, and that is understand why I had to go my roots in Chabad.” how he ended up, while still not through all that when in my Though R’ Elisha went to married, at yishuv Mevo Choron, neshama I was a Chassid. R’ yeshivas Mercaz HaRav, the fire of which was a cooperative venture. Shlomke Maidanchik told me the Chassidus within him continued to “I knew that at a cooperative following when I gave him a ride in burn. moshav I could learn without my car. He quoted the saying, “They told me that in Chabad I worries, having set times for ‘throw a stick into the air and it will would only find Chabad Chassidus learning and working too. I was land on its root,’ namely that my and not the teachings of Rav Kook accepted and remained there until I source was Chassidus and while in Mercaz HaRav I would got married. My wife also wanted therefore, despite all the efforts by have both, but I only wanted this kind of life. Outwardly, I still many people to prevent me from Chabad. I remember days of looked like a religious-Zionist but following this route, I returned to tremendous yearning, something I inside, I was a Lubavitcher Chassid.

26 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH My home library was full of works of Chassidus, maamarim and sichos. “The change began a few years later. One of the rules of a cooperative moshav is that its members cannot travel abroad. At my place they allowed you to leave only for the purpose of studying at an advanced yeshiva for up to six months. We jumped at the chance. I would be able to learn in a Chabad yeshiva, of course. This was in 5738. I spoke to Rabbi YY Wilschansky and Rabbi Moshe Orenstein of the yeshiva in Tzfas, and they were happy to have me come and learn there. The moshav Lag B’Omer parade in Mevo Choron paid for this and so for half a year I happened. “I didn’t think about it too reveled in Chabad yeshiva life which “Half a year had gone by and I much; I knew that I was going to transformed me into a Chassid, wrote to the Rebbe and asked what forego my comfort in order to inside and out. to do next. Should I remain in spread the wellsprings as the Rebbe “I loved the k’hilla in Tzfas: R’ Mevo Choron or live in the wanted me to. On 11 Nissan, Shlomo Zalman Levkivker, R’ wonderful community of Tzfas? We 5738/1978, I went to the Rebbe for Aharon Eliezer Tzeitlin, R’ Aryeh also did not know what to do for a the first time in my life. This Leib Kaplan, R’ Levi Bistritzky. I living, though we said that we experience strengthened my learned Chassidus and sichos from believed ‘that the One who gives hiskashrus to the Rebbe and to all of them and was thrilled. I life, gives sustenance.’ Chassidus many times over. The started my day at 6:30 in the “The Rebbe’s answer surprised Chassidim in Beis Chayeinu, seeing morning with a shiur for balabatim us. We got it through Rabbi Yadgar the Rebbe and reciting the on the maamarim of the Rebbe from the yishuvei Chevel Taanach. SheHechiyanu bracha, all this Maharash and after davening I The Rebbe said: ‘Continue for now raised me a few inches off the floor continued learning in the yeshiva. in the place where you live.’ ‘For … That trip was like a dream. The shiurim I remember the best now’ we understood to mean until “I had a camera with me and I are those R’ Kaplan gave in the Moshiach comes or until the Rebbe wanted to photograph the Rebbe. kollel in Likkutei Torah for English- assigned us another shlichus. We The first time, I waited in the small speakers. I also enjoyed the halacha had mixed feelings about this zal and when the Rebbe arrived classes given by R’ Bistritzky. answer. On the one hand, we from the ‘lower Gan Eden,’ I raised “I spoke to my wife about wanted to join the wonderful the camera to take a picture. But moving to Tzfas. The love and community in Tzfas. On the other when I saw the Rebbe my hands friendship among the people in the hand, we were ecstatic because the shook and the camera fell to the young k’hilla were astounding. The Rebbe had directed us to shlichus in floor. Another time, I was in the big farbrengens, the mesirus nefesh for Mevo Choron. The Rebbe had given zal. I waited for the Rebbe to come everything the Rebbe asked – we us the task to spread the out of the elevator but then too, hadn’t been raised this way and we wellsprings of Chassidus at the when I saw the Rebbe the camera loved it. I remember that one day of yishuv. I didn’t hesitate for a slipped out of my hands. Chanuka I joined Rabbi Ofer minute. We packed as quickly as “At the end of the visit I had Maidovnik and Rabbi Tzeitlin on possible, said goodbye, and went yechidus. I asked the Rebbe for a mivtzaim in the Golan Heights. We back to the yishuv.” bracha and for the ability to spread returned at four in the morning and Before the Avnis jumped into the wellsprings and the Rebbe my wife was hysterical. There were shlichus activities at their yishuv, spoke to me for a few minutes. My no cell phones back then and she Elisha made his first trip to the knees shook and my teeth chattered had called the hospitals and police Rebbe. in my awe in the Rebbe’s presence to find out whether anything had

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 27 and I don’t remember a lot about Many people were drawn to the together. that yechidus. I do remember that teachings of Chassidus over the “Speaking of the children, many the Rebbe blessed me that I merit years. people ask me about how I raise my to increase much light in Torah, “Despite the difficulties we had children in a religious-Zionist both in Nigleh and in p’nimius to contend with – and there were atmosphere. Our children are active ha’Torah. many – we kept going with the on shlichus. From when they are “When I left the Rebbe’s room I Rebbe’s constant brachos. In born they are raised with the spirit had just one regret. I had wanted 5742/1982, we stepped up our of shlichus and we see how in every the Rebbe to bless me to have the activities and in the book the Rebbe conversation my daughters have ability to farbreng and I forgot to asked to be published after the with their friends, they are ask. The bachurim descended upon parades that year, a picture of the mashpios on them with what they me, wanting to know every detail of parade at our yishuv made the get at home or at Chabad schools.” what the Rebbe said. I felt I was cover, in addition to another picture Mrs. Ruti Avni tells of many hovering in the air. I saw that the inside. The thing that motivated us women who come to write to the Rebbe gave out bottles to the to increase our outreach was a Rebbe through the Igros Kodesh. shluchim at the farbrengen but I did second visit we made to the Rebbe “We don’t ask them what they not get one since I wasn’t yet on Sukkos of that year. It was a wrote and they don’t always see a official. At the end of the Tishrei full of giluyim, farbrengens connection between the answer and farbrengen I sent in a letter to the and t’fillos. their question, but the Rebbe sees Rebbe through Rabbi Klein and “When I received lekach from what we don’t see. We have asked for a bottle of mashke. the Rebbe on Hoshana Raba, I experienced this on a number of “Before I returned to Eretz wrapped it well to preserve the occasions.” Yisroel, Rabbi Groner asked me to freshness and when I got back to The following story happened in come to the office, where he gave the yishuv I went to the preschools Shevat, 5743, with her third me a bottle of mashke on behalf of and gave the cake to the teachers. daughter: the Rebbe. I was thrilled. One of the teachers took the cake “24 hours after being born a “I returned to Eretz Yisroel full and put it into a big cake she made. hole opened between the two halves of energy and an uplifted feeling. When she told me this I was very of her heart. The doctors told us The first thing we did was start a moved. They allowed me to address about this worrisome development. Tanya shiur and bring mashpiim to the children and I told them where They explained that this hole could farbreng in the yishuv. Rabbi Tuvia the cake came from. I remember close on its own but if it didn’t, she Blau helped us a lot in those early that I gave out a small portion of would need surgery. days. He came often to farbreng the cake – which amounted to just “My husband sent a fax to the and to give shiurim. Later on, a few crumbs – to each of the Rebbe’s office and asked for a Rabbi Meir Mark, who was on children. Until then we had focused bracha. Just a few hours went by shlichus at a yishuv not far away, only on the adults, but from then and after a routine exam they said would come. on we included the little children in the hole had closed. They, too, “The beginning wasn’t easy. It our outreach. were surprised by how fast this was hard to deal with the rav of the “What got us to invest more happened.” yishuv, who was a Torah scholar time in the children was the big *** but afraid of the influence of deal the Rebbe made about it and I asked the Avnis about “the Chabad. We finally agreed that the founding of Tzivos Hashem. I final shlichus” as the Rebbe called every speaker had to be approved remember the hakafa that the it, publicizing the B’suras HaGeula. by him first. There were times I Rebbe did with the children; all of At the Lag B’Omer parades that thought it would be easier for me to 770 was in shock. They sent take place every year – and this is a do my shlichus on a Shomer children over people’s heads so they highlight of the year for the HaTzair kibbutz (which is virulently could get to the Rebbe. Everybody children of the yishuv – they send anti-religious). The problem is we wanted his child on the Rebbe’s balloons up with messages asking talk about the Rebbe and they bima. From then on the Rebbe Hashem to send the Geula. believe that Zionism is the is’chalta didn’t stop talking about Tzivos “It’s very simple. The adults are d’Geula and the two approaches are Hashem. We started a branch at tough nuts to crack so we work at odds with one another. In the our yishuv which is active till today. with the children and they influence beginning there were activities and I made a flag and emblems and their parents. That is why a shiurim that we had to do secretly.” every Shabbos 60-70 children get

28 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH A farbrengen at the yishuv with Rabbi Tuvia Blau Children of Tzivos Hashem from the yishuv on the way to 770 in Kfar Chabad significant part of our work focuses truth. You can’t fool him. On Lag on children. B’Omer, for example, there is a big came to one of the parades and his “I myself heard the ‘recipe’ from parade which many adults attend fervor was unforgettable. He the Rebbe ‘and return the hearts of too. broadcasted truth and nobody the fathers through the children’ – “When it comes to messages could resist him. When people see and that’s how it works at our about Moshiach a lot depends on that we believe in this, it is yishuv. A child understands the how you say it. R’ Zushe Partisan accepted.” LIVE SHIURIM 0NLINE cwwv Anywhere, Anytime ! CHITAS j,ww, INYONEI GEULA unahj dtukv gbhbh & MOSHIACH rncwwo RAMBAM ckeuyh ahgurho SHIURIM IN LIKUTEI eusa ahju, SICHOS KODESH

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BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 29 feature

and other s’farim and sacred items throughout the Soviet Union. He did this at the risk of great YECHIDUS personal danger, for the communist government forbade religious activity and punished it severely. In the summer of 1959, he and ALL NIGHT his family visited Bobroisk, where he went to the graves of his relatives, descendants of Rabbi Boruch Mordechai. During this visit he helped the local Jews and LONG even gave a pair of t’fillin to someone there.

YECHIDUS By Shneur Zalman Berger THROUGHOUT RUSSIA After he returned to Israel he Mr. Luba Eliav, a former IDF colonel anonymously published a book called “Between the Hammer and and Israel’s envoy to the Soviet Union the Sickle” in which he described his secret work in Russia. in the 50’s, recently passed away. He About five years after he returned from Moscow, during a worked on behalf of Soviet Jewry and visit to New York, he had yechidus especially for Chabad Chassidim, with the Rebbe which lasted seven hours. During this yechidus he despite the danger involved. In the told the Rebbe about the state of Judaism in the Soviet Union which course of a seven hour yechidus, he he had personally seen. He entered the Rebbe’s room at eleven at night reported to the Rebbe about his work and left at six in the morning! He told about this and connections. extraordinary yechidus a number of times, while expressing his great Aryeh Luba Eliav (Lifshitz), a was elected Knesset member for admiration for the Rebbe and his leader of the Labor movement and Mapai and later served as Knesset work behind the Iron Curtain. In party in the past, passed away at member for a number of terms for his book, he described the the age of 89. He was born in the Mapai and Labor parties. For a experience: Moscow in 1921 and made aliya at while he served as a deputy “I discovered that the Rebbe the age of three. By the age of minister. knew far more about me and my fifteen he had already started Mr. Eliav, despite belonging to work than I thought. He knew serving in the Haganah. In the the Left, helped Jews in the Soviet about all my meetings at the years to come he was involved with Union, particularly Chabad embassy with Chabad Chassidim. smuggling Jews into the country Chassidim. From 1958-1960 he In connection with this I must say and he served as an officer in the served as First Secretary of the that the embassy in Moscow was navy. Israeli embassy in Moscow, during different than other embassies. It He later became famous thanks which time he set up a secret wasn’t a place for cocktail parties to his great help in settling the network that operated from within but a place where intensive work land. He was instrumental in the embassy and worked hand in was done. In addition to the building the city of Arad and other hand with Chabad Chassidim to expected workload, there were yishuvim in the Negev. In 1965 he distribute Siddurim, Chumashim, secret meetings with Jews, secret

30 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH meetings to ascertain their situation and to help them with anything they needed. “Chabad Chassidim ‘used’ us often to send letters and messages via diplomatic mail which was less dangerous. The fear in those days was so enormous and powerful – it’s impossible to imagine – that only people of mesirus nefesh like Lubavitchers worked and accomplished in all matters pertaining to Judaism. We members of the embassy were the only ones who could help them because we had more freedom due to our diplomatic passports. “Much was said about this collaboration between the embassy and Chabad at the yechidus but I cannot say more about it. What I can say is that the Rebbe asked me about the shuls and the activities taking place in them. I had circulated in many of the shuls and through them we managed to deliver those items that were sent through. We spoke at length about that and about the great amount of s’farim and material on Judaism that we brought one way or another from Israel. “I was First Secretary at the embassy and I was responsible for the issue of Judaism in the Soviet Union. The Rebbe inquired, in his I told the Rebbe about meetings with special way, as to how we went Jews, mainly about the meetings that about this job. It was important to him to know every detail about our took place in shuls. These were not cooperation and help to the work of Chabad. The Rebbe ‘led’ me in simple encounters. Even there you the conversation and the moment I spoke of a certain town or city and couldn’t just approach someone and mentioned the gabbai, baal korei or shamash, he wanted to know talk to him because the KGB was precisely what ties we had with dogging your footsteps the entire time. I him, how frequently we met, and so on. wasn’t afraid for myself, since I had “During the lengthy yechidus the Rebbe spread out a map of diplomatic immunity, but the Jew who Russia. Not that he put a map out on his desk, but orally, he spread spoke to me could be arrested by KGB out a map and even I, who knew about the Rebbe’s tremendous agents at any moment.

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 31 names associated with them. Not “The Rebbe’s responses were succinct, once, throughout the many hours as he sufficed with a comment here and of yechidus, did he mention names of people nor did he ask me there. Mostly, he only wanted to hear personally whether I met with someone by the name of x in city more and more until he arrived, in his y. He began with a question in Yiddish – our entire conversation special way, to the details that truly was in Yiddish – and he directed me as to what he really wanted to interested him.” know. He was careful not to say, involvement and activity, was our immunity protected us from for example, that in Tashkent there amazed by his vast knowledge the punishments for which that are two shuls and so-and-so is about every single place where government was notorious, though over there; otherwise, he might Jewish activity took place in there were times that some of our reveal to me information I didn’t Russia. people were expelled from the know. “I saw that the Rebbe was very Soviet Union because of this work. “After I answered all the interested in hearing about these “I immediately saw that I questions he led me to speak about meetings. The stories flowed and wasn’t revealing any secrets to the the baal korei of the place he was the Rebbe said little but asked Rebbe. He knew it all and his main inquiring about and led me to tell many questions, wanting to know interest was in the details. He him how he was, how he looked, as much as possible. I knew, and wanted to know precisely to which and whether perhaps he had a at this meeting I could see, that places we had gone. I spoke about special message etc. In another the Rebbe knows a lot. the devotion of his Chassidim and location he led me to the shamash, “Chabad’s net was spread over the great danger they were in a third place to the Jewish the entire Soviet Union, a network constantly in and I told the Rebbe shoemaker who had a stand in the that was moser nefesh for Judaism that we knew at the embassy that market in a certain city, and thus and did holy work, but the Rebbe they weren’t working as partisans in every location. wanted to know what was going without direction. We knew good “And this went on for hours. It on in Russia from the perspective and well that the Rebbe was the was like the Rebbe made an oral of someone who had just finished one who gave the orders to this journey with me throughout the his diplomatic service there. I told amazing network of Chabad in Soviet Union, the length and the Rebbe about the holy work of Russia. breadth, and did not leave out a his Chassidim, about their mesirus “I told the Rebbe about the single place. I was literally nefesh for Judaism, and I good working relationship between captivated and amazed by the described at length how his us at the embassy and the Rebbe’s knowledge of every detail Chassidim devoted days and nights Lubavitchers, and about the related to Judaism in Russia, by his for Judaism in the Soviet Union. tremendous work that we did total mastery of every single “I told the Rebbe about the together. In my book I was very underground religious activity, and secret network we established at careful not to reveal names of the he did not hold any list in his the embassy and about our aid to Lubavitchers or others who were hand! the underground work of Chabad involved in this work so that the “For example, in one location to distribute Siddurim, government wouldn’t arrest them the Rebbe led me to a certain Chumashim and other holy books or follow them, but I told the person but he did not want to to Jews. Any help we gave to this Rebbe openly. I am sure the Rebbe describe him. ‘He’s blonde,’ I great work we considered sacred, knew about all this, but the Rebbe offered. ‘Ah,’ said the Rebbe. but we knew that to the authorities did not let on that he knew; on the ‘What does he do?’ And we it was anti-Soviet activity which contrary, he urged me to continue continued to speak. The Rebbe entailed years in prison. Just in the telling him. conducted the conversation with a time I spent there we transferred “During that moving night the view that encompassed the entire thousands of holy items such as Rebbe asked me many questions scene. Siddurim, t’fillin, mezuzos etc. about all sorts of specific activities “In general the meeting was The authorities often confiscated that even today I think it would be very impressive and it was a very the material and censured us, but better if I didn’t mention the moving experience for me, even

32 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH though the entire encounter that was sent to the Rebbe did not deal at all with after the visit which said: opinions or outlooks or “Today, Luba Eliav, Deputy anything like that. I had to Absorption Minister, visited express my tremendous Kfar Chabad and the mosdos. admiration for the Chabad Berke [R’ Berke Wolf] also Chassidim, led by the Rebbe, joined the tour with him. many times; about their Berke said that Eliav greatly immense work in Russia that I enjoyed his visit and was very was witness to, about the holy impressed by Kfar Chabad and work with mesirus nefesh, even said that he did not imagine though when it comes to that Kfar Chabad was such a politics I am very far from the big and serious enterprise. Rebbe’s view. “He promised to help in “I say this to emphasize that any way he could and offered the great admiration I have for to [R’ Shlomo] Maidenchek the Chabad Chassidim and the that he would speak to Rebbe is not a ‘blind Mordechai Gazit, who was admiration’ but a deep respect appointed as director of the that I acquired when I saw department for special projects them in their daily work and at the Absorption Ministry, on mesirus nefesh in the Soviet our behalf, because he could grew. About three years after he Union. help regarding getting jobs in was in yechidus, Chabad “When I left the yechidus the airline maintenance for Russian Chassidim in Yerushalayim located Chassidim surrounded me. Of immigrants. He visited the the ruined gravesite of his great- course I could not disclose to them vocational school, the girls’ school grandfather, Rabbi Boruch even one word of what was said, and the yeshiva, where they had Mordechai on the Mt. of Olives. but I remember that they told me, lunch. His descendants repaired the ‘To sit for so many hours with the “At the yeshiva he enjoyed grave and then held an unveiling. Rebbe is no small thing!’ I didn’t seeing bachurim from all over the Luba Eliav took part in the prayers consider it a matter of pride as world and they put t’fillin on with that were said near the new though it was due to who I was. him and his assistant.” gravestone as he mentions in his The Rebbe simply knew that I had book, “After the ceremony we all – *** traveled throughout Russia and he relatives and Chassidim – took One year ago Eliav was knew that he could learn many part in a chagigat mitzva and stricken by a stroke. His details from my testimony about danced and sang.” exemplary yet clandestine work on Jewry in general and his Chassidim A year went by and Eliav, who behalf of the Jews of the former in particular.” held Leftist views but had a warm Soviet Union, undertaken at great spot in his heart for Chabad, personal risk, is an example for us GREAT ENTERPRISE visited Kfar Chabad for the first all.

In the years that followed, time. It was in Kislev, 5729, and Sources: Tivot Shachar, Dedushka, Kfar Eliav’s connection to Chabad in Yemei T’mimim there is a duch Chabad magazine, Yemei T’mimim, the official Knesset website, the Davar newspaper

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BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 33 story

Rebbe’s answer in Volume 10 p. 333 spoke about the importance of giving a name to a baby. The name under discussion was Yosef MAZEL TOV Yitzchok and from this we understood that I would be giving birth to a boy. We hadn’t paid for a hall yet but I caught my husband starting to write a menu. ON THE GIRL A few months earlier we had spoken about possible names. We had said that if it was a boy we should name him for my husband’s grandfather but now, AND THE BRIS with a clear horaa from the Rebbe about choosing a name, especially Yosef Yitzchok, the issue came up By Tamar Shor again. Since we didn’t know what to do, we called my husband’s mashpia, R’ Chaim Ashkenazi a”h was precise. In volume 7, p. 358, MYSTERIOUS ANSWER who, as always, gave us the Rebbe said there was no place “We had a girl!” straightforward advice. “First have for innovations where Chassidus “Mazal Tov, so the bris will be the baby, and then we can talk …” had already presented me with on Thursday.” How right he was! everything ready-made, and Huh? Towards the end of the although “you seek new ways” in This was a conversation that I pregnancy my strength waned to the form of the innovation I had with my husband a little over the extent that even tying my wanted to implement, I had to three months ago, on Rosh shoes was an ordeal. The Rebbe know that “your failure will be on Chodesh Nissan 5770, shortly after received a hysterical letter from that very path.” the birth of our second daughter. me in which I didn’t ask that It was hard for me to accept “The bris will take place just as things hurry up but perhaps, this answer, especially when this the Rebbe said it would,” I mused, maybe, I could get an abridgment was the first time that the Rebbe “and I thought I understood and for good behavior … The Rebbe was telling me clearly not to do that the Rebbe was mistaken, G-d apparently knew who he was something. It was tough on my forbid, this time …” dealing with and this time I ego but I finally got a glimmer of It began a month and a half opened to a direct, reassuring understanding that maybe the before I gave birth. I had to make a answer (volume 15, p. 315) which Rebbe was enabling me to feel a decision about a certain change at said, “May Hashem complete the small measure of bittul for the the organization where I volunteer. days of the pregnancy properly Rebbe’s ratzon. I thought the idea was excellent and easily and you should give In response to my other letter, and was eager to carry it out birth to a healthy child in the right I received an answer on the without hesitation, but for some time, properly and with ease.” I previous page that begins with the reason there were all sorts of was reassured. I gave birth two words, “we find in the mitzva of obstacles that pushed off the days later. To a girl. mila,” which explains the mitzva carrying out of the “great idea” for I was surprised, considering the of circumcision at length. We did a number of weeks. I finally ended letters about a bris and the name. not know our baby’s gender but up doing what I should have done But in my short acquaintanceship with an answer like that we were from the start, write to the Rebbe with the Rebbe I had learned that if sure that we could start looking and see what he had to say. someone was in error, it was me. into halls for a bris. So I wrote a letter and added So I put aside my bewilderment After a few weeks I wrote to another page in which I reported and waited for things to be the Rebbe for a bracha for the that my pregnancy was coming clarified, which they were shortly. along nicely and we were awaiting pregnancy before an examination I a birth soon. The Rebbe’s answer was supposed to have. The

34 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH MYSTERY SOLVED A month and a half previously, my husband had received a phone call from a friend who works for Bris Yosef Yitzchok. The friend called to ask whether my husband would be a sandak and told him what this entailed. In the course of the discussion – and the numerous conversations that followed – my husband heard about cases in which people were helped by the organization and were circumcised a second time. This triggered something in his mind, and my husband began to wonder whether there might be a problem with his own bris. The friend encouraged him to check things out and he found out It was hard for me to accept this answer, that the mohel who did his bris wasn’t necessarily reliable. In those especially when this was the first time days, when he was a baby, the that the Rebbe was telling me clearly family knew nothing of Chabad and the Rebbe and religious not to do something. It was tough on my observance. My mother-in-law said she was almost sure that the mohel ego but I finally got a glimmer of was bearded. That was hardly enough to dismiss my husband’s understanding that maybe the Rebbe concerns, and he decided to go for a checkup that would confirm or was enabling me to feel a small measure dispel his suspicions about the of bittul for the Rebbe’s ratzon. halachic validity of his bris. Time went by and we were Finally, a rav was located in The checkup verified that my heading for the hospital for me to nearby Rishon L’Tziyon. My husband’s bris was no good, not give birth. My husband asked husband called and asked how I even l’kula. It’s not clear what the whether he could take advantage of was doing and whether he still had mohel did but it was certainly not a our proximity to B’nei Brak to go time. He was given permission to bris l’halacha. Two days after I there and pray for the birth and get continue his quest and set out. In gave birth I found myself in a checked. the meantime, I entered the situation similar to that of Permission was granted and my delivery room and gave birth. To a husbands: saying T’hillim while husband left. While I dealt with girl. praying for a swift and easy end for labor pains he went looking for an What seemed so clear in writing my spouse’s ordeal. The bris was expert rav to examine him. The made it to my brain with some done with local anesthesia and was friend from Bris Yosef Yitzchok had delay (I will use the birth as an painless. Afterwards, my husband told him that there was a rav like this excuse). I wondered how the Rebbe put on t’fillin for the first time as a in B’nei Brak, but when he looked could have spoken about a bris, Jew with a proper bris. It was very for him he found that he wasn’t in. how he could have been moving and exciting. The friend suggested another rav, in “mistaken?” The thoughts racing Beit Shaan, about an hour and a half through my mind centered around away, but my husband explained A BRIS MILA FOR THE the baby girl cradled in my arms, why he couldn’t possibly make such FATHER OF THE GIRL and didn’t make the connection a trip at this time. with my husband’s situation. The first one we told was Rabbi

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 35 Chaim Ashkenazi, who was moved to take me and the baby home and Chassid and the greatness of the to tears. He pointed out the we both limped out of the hospital. Rebbe. amazing hashgacha pratis that was On Shabbos we made a Kiddush in The Rebbe was with us all with us all along, as well as the shul and my husband had an aliya along. It seems that events were great z’chus my husband had in and added the name Yosef to his orchestrated in order to connect realizing a mistake had been made name because of the Rebbe’s the right people at the right time and ensuring the bris was done answer. We farbrenged in the and place, and sure enough, properly. We were so happy to be men’s section and the women’s precisely on the day of the birth is able to share this with R’ section over this story. The Rebbe the day his bris took place. Ashkenazi, who was an important did a chesed for us and it was If he tells you right is left or he part of our lives and guided our important to us to publicize the talks about a bris and a girl is born, first steps in the ways of Chassidus. story in order to show the don’t for a moment think the Erev Shabbos my husband came importance of bittul, the role of a Rebbe was mistaken.

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36 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH shlichus

around, some of them with more than one life sentence, defended the two of them and explained to the rabbi that they didn’t mean to EVERY JEW do it. The jailors had locked them in the shul of their wing and they got to talking about this and that until they discussed a certain sports move and one of them IS BIKURIM demonstrated to the other how it was done. Now they regretted it and asked how to atone. By Rabbi Yaakov Shmuelevitz The fellow continued to explain Shliach, Beit Shaan to the rabbi why he was so bothered by this. “Every morning, the moment I wake up, I say The Rebbe quoted the Zohar which says Modeh Ani. This morning I don’t know what happened to me, but a that every Jew is connected to Hashem few seconds went by and then I suddenly remembered that I still like the bikkurim that were brought by hadn’t said it. I began to think about why this happened and then the Jewish people and left in the Beis I realized it was probably because HaMikdash. The Rebbe stressed that it of what I did yesterday in the shul. That’s why I’m asking how I can makes no difference what kind of Jew atone for it.” Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of he is; all are connected with an Berditchev would take pleasure in essential bond to Hashem. * This week this … the stories are about Jews who, at first A RING AND A GOLD WATCH FOR A POOR BRIDE glance, did not seem particularly pious, Rabbi Tzemach Avrohom, but turned out to have a special shliach and rabbi of moshav Yinov HaSharon, tells about a woman connection with Hashem. who came to ask him a halachic question. Her dress was less than modest and she seemed distant ATONEMENT IN PRISON heart, like the words “oshamnu,” from any Jewish education but “gozalnu” (we are guilty, we stole) after she told him her story, he My son-in-law, R’ Sholom saw that despite her appearance Dovber Blau, began giving shiurim etc. and “Boruch Ata Hashem … Matir Asurim.” she had a sincere and in Shaata Prison which is near Beit compassionate Jewish heart. Shaan. He also arranges a minyan During the breaks the inmates ask him halachic questions. One The young woman had been with inmates in the maximum recently widowed and she was security wing and each time he is day, a guy went over to him and asked whether it was permissible trying to get married. One day she moved by their inspired prayers. was sitting in a café drinking The inmates wholeheartedly regret to play sports in a shul. He told him no. The man’s face crumpled coffee when she noticed that the the various negative things they’ve man who had been sitting next to experienced in life and they daven and he turned to his friend and said sadly, “See, now we did an her a few minutes earlier had loudly, word by word. At the forgotten a large, expensive gold appropriate places they emphasize aveira.” All the prisoners standing ring on the table. each word with a shout from the Since she was a G-d fearing

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 39 was happy to host her. Little by “Every morning, the moment I wake up, little, the neighbors learned that I say Modeh Ani. This morning I don’t religious people are not as bad as they once thought. They invited know what happened to me, but a few him to arrange a Chanukas HaBayis for the matriarch of the seconds went by and then I suddenly family who came to live near them. Their old refrains were remembered that I still hadn’t said it. I gradually replaced by lines such as, “Don’t judge us by our began to think about why this happened appearance. Every Jew has and then I realized it was probably p’nimius too. There’s a neshama. We are also Jews.” A certain because of what I did yesterday in the change had taken place in their shul...” outlook. THANKS TO THE woman, she began looking for him younger shliach, Rabbi Reuven Gol REBBE’S PICTURE in order to return the ring to him. who has been working in Teveria On one occasion, the neighbor She soon realized that there was for five years. He lives in an told R’ Gol about something that no chance of finding him. Rather irreligious neighborhood and happened to him when he was in than taking the ring for herself, works with the people in and the army. she decided to find a poor bride outside the neighborhood. “I suffered from a certain and give it to her. She went to a There is a family who lives near problem and had to be released jeweler and asked him to fix the him where both the father and the from some of the military tasks ring so it would fit the finger of a mother used to be religious. He assigned to me. I submitted my kalla. At first he tried to persuade learned in yeshiva and she went to request but they said there was her to keep the ring for herself but Beis Yaakov and yet they nothing to discuss. I appealed to a when he saw she was determined established an irreligious home. higher officer and a date was set to donate it to a poor bride, he Even when R’ Gol greets him with for a hearing together with the decided to join her in the mitzva “Shabbat Shalom,” the neighbor officer who opposed my original and donated a nice watch for the responds with, “Perhaps it is request. I knew my chances were cause. Now she was asking the Shabbos for you but for me it’s a slim but I had to try. rabbi whether she had done the regular day.” The neighbor takes “When the fateful day came, I right thing and if so, did he know every opportunity to tell R’ Gol went over to the picture of the of a poor bride who would accept that he doesn’t refrain from eating Lubavitcher Rebbe which hung in this gift. anything and he has no connection my room and prayed that in the Another thing that bothered with what he learned in yeshiva. merit of the Rebbe, the tzaddik, I her, which she wanted his opinion When R’ Gol blessed him with an would be successful. The hearing on, was since she suffered from easy fast on Erev Yom Kippur, the went in my favor and whatever I insomnia and often woke up in the neighbor said, “It’s just a fast day asked for was approved. Since middle of the night, she wanted to for you; for me, it’s a regular day.” then, I have a warm spot in my know whether she could say And this is how he raised his heart for the Rebbe and Chabad T’hillim at that time … children. Chassidim. When you came to live Lately there has been a in our building I knew that only MID-LIFE CHASSIDIC significant change in this family’s good things would result.” TRANSFORMATION lifestyle. The impetus was R’ Gol’s R’ Gol concludes the story continuous blessings and about the neighbor with another In the holy city of Teveria, a greetings. story: Chabad yeshiva opened, which One day, the neighbor’s “Last night, as I went up the increases the work of the shliach, daughter went to South America stairs, I passed the neighbor’s door R’ Yosef Kramer many times over. and R’ Gol helped find the address which was open a little bit. When This time we’ll zero in on a of the Chabad house there, which they noticed me they asked me to

40 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH come in. ‘We have a question. Grandma cooked vegetable soup THANKS TO A REBBE VIDEO with meat and our ten year old At the Geulas Yisroel shul, as in most Chabad shuls, a video of daughter ate only a potato from the Rebbe is shown on Motzaei Shabbos. Due to technical reasons, this soup. Can she eat a dairy meal the video is not shown in the shul proper but on the second floor, now or does she have to wait six next to R’ Gerlitzky’s office. hours?’ The P family members are regulars at the shul and all their “‘Wait,’ I said. ‘I have to ask a children went to the Chabad government school in Yaffo. R’ rav.’ Although the rav said that in Gerlitzky tried a few times to convince the father to switch his the event that she did not taste the children to an actual Chabad yeshiva but he said he wasn’t ready to meat she could be allowed to eat do that yet. dairy, the neighbor decided to be One Motzaei Shabbos after Maariv, R’ Gerlitzky suggested to more stringent and have the entire Mr. P that he go upstairs with everybody else and watch the video family eat a pareve supper so as of the Rebbe. Mr. P said the kids were bored and it would be better not to rely on the leniency. if they went home, but R’ Gerlitzky put a gentle hand on his In a candid moment, the shoulder and took him to see the video. neighbor told R’ Gol, “Don’t think When the video began, they saw and heard the Rebbe talk about I hate religious people or mitzvos. the importance of authentic Jewish education, about not You should know that I set aside a compromising on anything less than the best when it comes to tenth and even a fifth of my chinuch, etc. Mr. P saw this as hashgacha pratis and the next day he earnings and I often buy cases of registered his children in the Chassidishe yeshiva. chicken and meat and bring it to the nearby yeshiva so the talmidim have plenty to eat.” shliach in Vienna. One day, the R’ Gol told him that a Chabad shliach asked her to babysit their yeshiva opened in Teveria and the children. The parents left and the neighbor said that he would children were sleeping so she suggest to his married daughter looked at the bookcases that were that she also adopt this practice full of Jewish books. Out of and use her money for the benefit boredom, she began to look of the students of the new yeshiva. through them and discovered some fascinating things. THANKS TO A When the shluchim returned BABYSITTER AND A late at night, they found her HOUSE FULL OF surrounded by piles of s’farim. They invited her to come again SEFARIM and there were many visits and Another surprise awaited R’ Gol discussions and Shabbos meals when he made a house call for which ultimately led her to leave mivtza mezuzah. This is what her studies –for one year – and happened: register for the Chabad school in An older woman called R’ Gol R’ Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky Tzfas. The rest is history. and asked him to put up eight mezuzos for her. When he arrived yard, wanting to ensure that THE NEW at the address, he found the everything was perfectly kosher. CONGREGANTS woman and her daughter, who was R’ Gol finally asked the mother in her twenties and had come from how she had merited such a fine In the center of Tel Aviv, next Europe on a visit to Israel. It was daughter who was meticulous in to Shenkin garden, is a shul called the daughter who had ordered the her mitzva observance. The mother Geulas Yisroel which is run by mezuzos. With her yiras Shamayim told him that her daughter had shliach, R’ Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky. she kept asking whether a mezuzah been raised irreligious, but two Most of the congregants are older was needed in this doorway and years earlier she had gone to study people who have attended the shul that doorway and maybe in the in Europe and lived near the daily for decades. In recent years

BEIS MOSHIACH Issue 748 41 ‘why don’t we go to the shul?’ At Even when R’ Gol greets him with first the parents refused but after “Shabbat Shalom,” the neighbor much begging, the father agreed and they all went to shul for responds with, “Perhaps it is Shabbos Kabbalas Shabbos. They met me and the father mentioned that he is for you but for me it’s a regular day.” a Levi. I told him that was wonderful because a Levi was what we were missing and if he came their numbers dwindled. Many introduced himself as a student Shabbos morning he would get an died or moved to senior homes who went to university and lived aliya to the Torah, the honored and R’ Gerlitzky is constantly on the other side of the city. He second aliya. trying to find ways to be mekarev came from an irreligious home but “He showed up the next day, people, young and old, to the shul. the minute the mezuzah fell, he felt got an aliya, and he hasn’t stopped A few years ago another shliach he had to check it out. coming for his aliya every joined the Chabad center. His “I asked him to stay for Shabbos. He also became friendly name is R’ Yitzchok Beer, and he Shacharis because he was our with R’ Gerlitzky. The family went also works on increasing tenth man. He agreed and he to him for a Shabbos meal and bit membership in the shul. R’ Beer completed the minyan in the days by bit they are becoming involved related: to follow, too. He also attended in Torah and mitzvos. The children “One day we started Shacharis some shiurim and now he is one of switched to a Chabad government and then waited for a minyan. A the most advanced mekuravim at school and after a video on young man walked in looking the Chabad house.” Motzaei Shabbos (see box) the distressed. He came over to me Another story from R’ Beer: boys switched to a real Chabad and said the mezuzah fell from the “There was a family here that yeshiva in Tel Aviv.” door of his house and he wanted never visited the shul. One Friday to give it in to be checked. He the children said to their parents,

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42 27 Tammuz 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH