Reb Yisroel Duchman
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1 CROWN HEIGHTS ~May 9, 2008 כאן צוה ה’ את הברכה CommunityNewspaper פרשת אמור | ד' אייר, תשס”ח | בס”ד WEEKLY VOL. I | NO 26 MAY 9, 2008 | IYAR 4, 5768 THE COHEN AND Reb Yisroel THE PRIEST Duchman Rabbi Moshe Yehuda HaKo- A True Chassid with an Open Heart hen Blau got access to the “When the Rebbe is with Chassidim, I can not leave him.” Vatican Library though a for- tuitous meeting with a Catho- JOIN A DAY OF LEARNING lic priest in a Jewish Library • May 11, at Oholei Menachem 667 Eastern Parkway ~ 11:00 AM Complete story on pages 4-5 Page 6 !WE HAVE COMICS TOOֱ Beis Din of Crown Heights 390A Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY Tel- 718~604~8000 Fax: 718~771~6000 Rabbi A. Osdoba: ❖ Monday to Thursday 10:30AM - 11:30AM at 390A Kingston Ave. ☎Tel. 718-604-8000 ext.37 or 718-604-0770 Sunday-Thursday 9:30 PM-11:00PM ~Friday 2:30PM-4:30 PM ☎Tel. (718) - 771-8737 Rabbi Y. 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By Rabbi Shlomo Segal mitzva of Sefira is only when one knows But the Rebbe in a letter (Igros vol. cussed in the Talmud?! clearly the precise number of the day. 17 pg. 265) to Rabbi Zevin writes, Member of Crown Otherwise, is it not Sefira at all. “Regarding the matter of which day in The Rebbe concludes (see Shaarei Heights Bais Din Sefira one finds himself, which is also halacha Uminhag pg. 151. 160) that one In the Sefer Hamoadim B’halacha of mentioned in your sefer Hamoadim needs to count the two Sefiros without Question: Rabbi S. Zevin (pg. 354), the above- B’halacha in the chapter of Sefiras a Brocho, and between the counting the mentioned is also cited as he quotes the Ho’omer, where the tshuvos of the Dvar two Sefiros, one should make a hefsek, A person is on an teshuvos Dvar Avrohom. He adds that Avrohom are quoted that one should an intermission, and do something else, airplane and has a based on this, we can answer the words not make a blessing when in doubt in order that it should not seem that he doubt about which of the Magen Avrohom (Shulchan of the Sefira day, since the counting is contradicting himself. When he will day of Sefira it is. Aruch Orach Chaim chapt. 489) that itself needs a clear knowledge of the return home and verify the definite For example, is it if one does not understand Loshon day number and therefore one should Sefira day, he can then continue count- the fifth or sixth Hakodesh (Hebrew) and he counted not make a blessing: Although this ing the following days with a Brocho. day of Sefira, and he has no one to the Sefira in Loshon Hakodesh, he is halacha is logical, the objection to ask—can he count two days because not yotzei. The Acharonim ask, “Why this thought is definite. Because even if of doubt? is this halacha different from all other we should reason that Tefilos, Hallel, andK iddush, where one this is the Halacha, Answer: is yotzei even if he didn’t understand it would seem that in the words?” many places where Many poskim write (see Tshuvos Avnei the Bais Din messen- Nezer Yoreh Deah chapt. 248) that one The explanation is as follows. In the case gers did not arrive to who cannot verify the correct Sefira of Tefila and the recital of Hallel, the notify about the new day and is confused with two days, he Mitzva is the reading only; therefore, moon – the people in is not to make the blessing and count, when reading the Tefila and the Hallel, these cities also did not although one of them is the correct he fulfills the obligation. With Sefira, fulfill Sefiras Haomer day. The reason is that as long as the counting, he needs to know clearly what forever. How is this the day’s number is not clear to him, it he is counting. possible that such a is not considered as Sefira, because the matter was not dis- Shloshim L’Koach).” Reb Yisroel’s joy when the Rebbe Rabbi Yisroel Duchman recovered of a health situation was To write about Reb Yisroel is difficult. observed on the first Shabbos after By Moshe Rubashkin Satmar Rebbe passed away, why didn’t He had many positive images--his the Rebbe went home for the first time they take the Satmar Rebbe through all hiskashrus to the Rebbe, his pride as a I am dedicat- after the heart attack on ShminiA tzeres the streets of Williamsburg during the descendent of Chassidim, his Ahavas ing my article in late 1977. Not all of the Chassidim levaya?” We know that when a Tzadik Yisroel which knew no bounds, and his this week to my knew how to express their joy. Reb passes on, they carry the aron to all communal work in general, and for the uncle Reb Yis- Yisroel did. the mosdos which the Tzadik built Russian Jewry, who he loved so much, roel Duchman. in his lifetime. They were all speech- in particular. In their open and warm On Shabbos, immediately after dav- As a young teen- less because the Satmar Rebbe was house, Reb Yisroel and his wife built up ening, he took out many bottles of ager, he inspired taken directly to Monroe. Reb Yisroel sort of a tent for the guests that came mashkeh and Mezonos and began me with his Duchman told them why: “The Satmar and went, who always found a warm a spontaneous Farbrengen, which Tzedaka. He Rebbe said that places where they hit meal with a chassidishe story, a nice attracted many Chassidim old and would always Luvbavitcher Chassidim—don’t take vort, and a happy face. young. Hours after that, he stood on walk around with a paper and pen and me through these streets.” the bima and began dancing. put together a list for the money he Reb Yisroel was not known as a great is raising, either for a chasuna, a bar My uncle’s whole life was to be with Maskil, philosopher in Chassidus, but From then, a new nigun was added to mitzvah, an apartment. He all the time Chassidim, to farbreng with Chas- this did not limit him of being a great the Shabbos table songs, “Der Rebbe iz cared for the welfare of Chassidim. He sidim. My uncle had special kiruv Chossid and mekushar to the Rebbe. gezunt”, (the Rebbe is well). once told a story that came to good use from the Rebbe. Rabbi Groner saw He was a blend of a Chossid from a Reb Yisroel merited many kiruvim to defend the Rebbe and his Chassidim. that firsthand when he went to get the past generation, a Chossid in Russia, from the Rebbe. Every Erev Pesach He was sitting in a restaurant in Wil- matzah for Chaim Grada. My uncle together with a present day Chossid, he would be the Rebbe’s emissary, to liamsburg in the 70’s, in the good old once came Simchas Torah very “dry”, an American Chossid. He would always deliver Matzo to the Yiddish writer, “hot” days, and he was listening how and the Rebbe asked him something say that the older Chassidim had a Mr. Chaim Grada. In reward for this they were making fun of the Rebbe to the effect of “Vos Azoi Truchen?” problem that they can not acclimate mission, the Rebbe would give Reb and the Chassidim. He turned around (dry). So my uncle answered, “I went themselves to the Chabad in America. Yisroel a Matzo after Maariv on the to them and asked them, “When the the doctor, the yukel, and he told me Reb Yisroel was able to do this. On the first night of Pesach. In those moments, I’m not allowed to drink.” The Rebbe other hand, he argued that it is painful he would mention a few words to the asked him, “Who went to who, and that the young generation did not see Rebbe in Russian and this would bring Newspaper who paid who, so who’s the yukel?” Chabad of the old generation of Russia Community a wide, joyous smile to the Rebbe’s face, There are many such stories. Below is and Poland. 392 Kingston Avenue something that was very cherished by a small biography based on an article Brooklyn, NY 11225 His relationship and feeling to the Reb Yisroel. Even after Mr. Chaim that was published in Kfar Chabad for Published & edited weekly by the Vaad Hakohol Rebbe was on the level of son and father. Grada was nifter, he would receive the Shloshim: of Crown Heights.