Reb Mendel Futerfas
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ON THE FRONT LINES THE FOUNDING OF TZIVOS HASHEM Reb Mendel A Heavenly Futerfas Farbrengen $4.99 A LEGEND IN HIS LIFETIME PURIM 5713 ADAR 5777 ISSUE 54 (131) DerherContents ADAR 5777 ISSUE 54 (131) No Way to Hide 04 DVAR MALCHUS Heavenly Affairs 06 YOMAN - PURIM 5713 Follow the Seder 14 KSAV YAD KODESH Our Part 15 27 ADAR Reb Mendel Futerfas 16 A LEGEND IN HIS LIFETIME Days of Meaning 28 ADAR The Atom Bomb THE WORLD REVISITED Cover Photo Credits: 30 Lag B'omer 5743, JEM 235096 28 Kislev 5743, Yossi Melamed via JEM 130334 It’s Not About Me - Bitul 34 DARKEI HACHASSIDUS DerherEditorial “Every country has an army tasked primarily with protecting A major theme often addressed by the Rebbe to the soldiers its citizens and the homeland. But from time to time the of Tzivos Hashem was the fact that even a “small” child soldiers are given a ‘special mission’ to fortify the land can affect and change the entire world for good. (See sichas and strengthen its standing, according to the needs of a Purim Katan 5741, et. al.) The one who actually carries out particular point in time. the work is of little significance; what matters most is that he comes with the infinite power of the Creator, manifest in “Hashem’s army as well is tasked with a general mission: Torah and mitzvos. studying Torah and meticulously observing mitzvos. But certain times call for focus on additional ‘special missions.’ Recent discoveries demonstrate that one need not be a nuclear scientist to affect change in the entire world, the “The ‘special mission’ of our time is, like you [the children] Rebbe explains. Merely pressing the right button can quite have just proclaimed: ‘We want Moshiach now!’ This is the literally transform the whole world. The stature of the person primary focus of our generation, especially in recent years, pressing the button is of little consequence. and more specifically this year: to bring Moshiach now, teikef umiyad!” (Sicha to Tzivos Hashem, first light of Chanukah This is just one of the many lessons the Rebbe teaches us 5741). from the development of atomic weaponry—read more about it in this month’s “World Revisited” column. This is how the Rebbe laid out the goal when founding Tzivos Hashem. And in ensuing years, the mission grew all In this issue you’ll also read the story of the Rebbe founding the more urgent. Tzivos Hashem 36 years ago, and much more. ב"ה On the Front Lines 38 THE FOUNDING OF TZIVOS HASHEM Moshiach Will Come 54 Only When... MOSHIACH U’GEULAH Who will be the Tenth? 56 A CHASSIDISHER MAISE A Snowy Feel 58 A STORY 16 Megillah Reading 60 MOMENTS 63 Derher Letters 38 A Chassidisher Derher Magazine is a publication geared toward Bochurim, published and copyrighted by Vaad Talmidei Hatmimim Haolomi. All articles in this publication are original content by the staff of A Chassidisher Derher. Wishing all our readers a freilichen Purim; may Vaad Talmidei Advisory Committee Special Thanks to we merit the fulfillment of the possuk in the Hatmimim Rabbi Mendel Alperowitz Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook Rabbi Tzvi Altein Rabbi Dovid Olidort Rabbi Mendel Gourarie —ליהודים היתה אורה ושמחה וששון ויקר Megillah Director for the Jews there was light and joy, gladness Design Rabbi Shmuel Lubecki Rabbi Yossi Kamman and prestige. Rabbi Mendy Weg Rabbi Michoel Seligson Editor in Chief Photo Credits Rabbi Elkanah Shmotkin Rabbi Mendel Jacobs As Purim falls out on a Sunday this year, the Jewish Educational Media Printed by Editors Vaad Hanochos Blahak The Print House Rebbe points out that we will quote this possuk Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov Rabbi Pinny Lew in havdalah on Purim night, with the additional Rabbi Moshe Zaklikovsky !so let it be with us—כן תהי' לנו line of Reproduction of any portion of this Magazine is not permissible without express permission from the copyright holders, unless for the use of brief quotations in reviews and similar venues. The Editors Submit your questions and comments: Call: (970) 680 3370 | Email: [email protected] עש"ק פ' יתרו, יום ההילולא כ"ב שבט, ה'תשע"ז To subscribe, order a copy, or access back issues visit us at www.Derher.org נא לשמור על קדושת הגליון. A Chassidisher Derher is honored to feature unique and historic photos from Jewish Educational Media’s Living Archive photo collection. The Living Archive is a project to preserve, and provide access to the video, audio, and photographic recordings of the Rebbe. These photos are copyright by JEM and are available at TheLivingArchive.org NO WAY TO HIDE Dramatic story during the Frierdiker Rebbe’s imprisonment even misnagdim listen!” and without teaches a lesson in anti-semitism giving them a chance to retort, he went on to tell the following tale: “My great-grandfather, the One Purim the Frierdiker Rebbe the first time that I enter a room and Tzemach Tzedek, was once asked a related that when reading the Megillah people don’t stand up for me!” question by a maskil-apikores—an he is reminded of the following story: Shocked by the ‘brazen outburst,’ ‘enlightened atheist.’ When he was arrested and taken to the interrogators shouted, “Have you “…The maskil asked the Tzemach the Shpalerka prison in the summer any idea where you are?” Tzedek, ‘Why is it that when the he made a point to The Frierdiker Rebbe replied “I Megillah tells of Mordechai’s ,(תרפ"ז) of 5687 demonstrate vigor and stamina, no certainly know where I am; I find message to Hasach to notify Esther matter the price. myself in a place that is exempt from of Haman’s nefarious decree, the Jews) is spelled with) ”ביהודיים“ The Frierdiker Rebbe was brought having a mezuzah. Much like a horse’s word to the interrogation room, where four stable which is also exempt from the two yuds, whereas in a later possuk interrogators were waiting for him: obligation of mezuzah!” of the Megillah, describing the Jews’ And—ליהודים היתה אורה“ ,Two of them were not Jewish, and the Then the interrogators asked the deliverance others were Nachmanson and Lulev, Frierdiker Rebbe for his name and for the Jews there was light,” the word ’?is spelled with one yud יהודים the same two Jews that had initially other basic information, but before come to arrest him. Although only two allowing them to continue with the “The Tzemach Tzedek replied: ‘The of the interrogators were Jewish, the list of questions, the Frierdiker Rebbe two yuds correspond to the yetzer tov Frierdiker Rebbe intentionally spoke interrupted them and said, “I would and the yetzer hara, both of whom only in Yiddish. like to tell you a story…” contain “eser kochos hanefesh”—the ten As he entered the room, without The infuriated interrogators qualities of the soul. Haman’s decree even giving the interrogators a screamed, “Just answer the questions was not directed specifically against chance to speak, the Frierdiker Rebbe we ask you, no more!” The Frierdiker those Jews who feared Hashem and declared in wonderment, “This is Rebbe replied, “When I tell a story followed their yetzer tov; he sought ADAR 5777 4 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER לזכות הרה"ת ר' שלום מרדכי הלוי בן רבקה שיחי' רובאשקין שיזכה לגאולה שלימה ולטוב הנראה והנגלה בקרוב ממש נדפס ע"י הרה"ת ר' ארי' יצחק הכהן בן חי' גולדא וזוגתו מרת ראשא רוזא בת שטערנא שרה ומשפחתם שיחיו PHOTO: JEM/THE LIVING ARCHIVE / 104489 PHOTO: also to destroy those who followed This tale serves as a refutation Jews were singled out for persecution. their yetzer hara.’ for those Jews who believe that by To the contrary, the fact that the Jew “The maskil then asked: ‘Why is it concealing their Jewish identity and attempts to hide his identity is all the that in a later possuk, “And the Jews in behaving like gentiles they will spare more cause for Esav to hate him. Shushan gathered,” we once again find themselves of anti-semitism and Why indeed do the nations have a spelling of two yuds?’ all that goes along with it. After all, baseless hatred for the Jewish people? “The Tzemach Tzedek replied: these Jews act and look just like their It is because the Jewish people are ‘This is because the Jews in Shushan, non-Jewish neighbors so why would essentially apart from the other being in the center of all the events, anyone be inclined to discriminate? nations. Hashem has made it known perceived and were profoundly The word “baYehudim” is therefore to the world that he has chosen b’nei influenced by both the danger and spelled with two yuds to teach us that Yisrael to be His people, and no one the miracle of Purim, so much so that Haman’s decree to eradicate the Jews could ever deny it. even non-observant Jews returned did not differentiate between those The nations know that the Jews are to Hashem.’ The Tzemach Tzedek Jews who practiced their Judaism different, and they therefore despise concluded: ‘The same is true of you; openly and those Jews who tried the Jews. Even when one thinks that when you will suffer greatly, then you, to assimilate and blend in with the he has left the fold of Judaism for too, will change greatly.’ non-Jewish crowd. Both the Jews who generations, it is as Torah tells us, “So it was; shortly thereafter the followed their yetzer tov (the first yud) “Even though he has sinned, he is a maskil fell ill for three months, after as well as the Jews who followed their Je w.” which he was completely transformed yetzer hara (the second yud) were This is the lesson to be learned to a new man, and he became a yarei persecuted equally.