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contents

THEIR DUTY TO RECEIVE THE REBBE 4 WITH APPROPRIATE HONOR The Rebbe Rayatz’s Letter

MIVTZA MOSHIACH: OLD HAT OR 6 FRESH AIR? Moshiach & Geula

TOMCHEI T’MIMIM IN BLOCK 17 12 Memoirs | Rabbi Shneur Zalman Chanin

BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER 18 Story| Nosson Avrohom

THEY ARE READY, THAT’S FOR SURE USA 21 Shlichus | Rabbi Yaakov Shmuelevitz 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 [email protected] THE WHOLE LAND: WHAT SHLUCHIM www.beismoshiach.org 24 CAN DO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Shlichus | Raanan S. Isseroff M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: REB ZALMAN SKOBLO Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd 28 Chassid | Menachem ben Eliezer HEBREW EDITOR: Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan [email protected] “BEIS MOSHIACH” 36 Shlichus | Mendel Tzfasman Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082- 0272 is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $160.00 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and in all other places for $180.00 per year (45 issues), by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. Postmaster: send address changes to Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Copyright 2009 by Beis Moshiach, Inc. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. 702:Beis Moshiach 05/07/2009 10:55 PM Page 5

the rebbe’s letter THEIR DUTY TO RECEIVE THE REBBE WITH APPROPRIATE HONOR

The following letter was written by the Frierdike Rebbe Excerpt from Rabbi Shimon Glitzenstein’s diary of the about his impending visit to Eretz Yisroel and was visit: received on the 17th of Tammuz 5689 (1929): The Rebbe’s intended visit has aroused a special Yeshivas Toras Emes, interest. It is well known that all the Chabad Rabbis Headed by the Rabbis and Chassidim, had a strong desire to go to Eretz Yisroel and were the Menahalim and Principals of the Yeshivos, G-d prevented by extraordinary obstacles, such as those Bless them, in the Holy City of Jerusalem, may it be which caused the Alter Rebbe to cancel his journey speedily rebuilt. while he was already en route. Greetings and Blessings, The work for the Holy Land initiated and executed by the holy chain of Chabad Rabbis and especially the In the country of my birth I was accustomed to visit great work of the Rebbe for Orthodox Jewry is well from time to time the holy resting places of my holy known. Since the Rebbe transcends parties and forebears, our Rebbes of blessed memory, to pray there movements, all sections of Jewry in Eretz Yisroel have and to awaken great mercy for ourselves, our talmidim commenced preparations to receive him. His reputation and Anash, together with all our brethren, may they — his efforts for the continuation of Judaism, elevating live long. I am at present precluded from travelling to Torah and mitzvos through great self-sacrifice — is the country of my birth and I have decided, with the such that everyone realizes that it is their duty to receive help of G-d, to make the journey to our Holy Land, this exceptional person with appropriate honor… may it be speedily rebuilt, to visit the holy places there. NOTE: The Rebbe’s visit in Tammuz preceded by three I had been unable to finalize my travel plans until I had weeks the Chevron massacres of 1929. Special permits ascertained what documents and permits were required for three people to accompany the Rebbe and his party by law. I have today received information together with were obtained for the occasion. The general all the necessary permits and documents and I am now arrangements for the Rebbe’s visit to Eretz Yisroel had able to advise you that, with G-d’s help, I will start the been made by Rabbi Eliezer Dan Slonim, who also took journey together with my son-in-law, Rabbi Shmaryahu responsibility for the Rebbe’s visit to the Cave of Gurary, on Tuesday 22nd of Tammuz through Brindisi, Machpela and the other holy places. Entry to the mosque on the boat which leaves on Sunday for Alexandria. over the Cave of Machpela was normally forbidden to I think that the duration of our stay in the Holy Land Jews and (non-Jews), but on this occasion Rabbi Slonim will be two weeks. During that time I want, with G-d’s succeeded in obtaining special permits to enter. help, to visit different places. I will plan my itinerary on From Challenge: AnEncounter With Lubavitch-Chabad in Israel arrival. (1973 -- Lubavitch Foundation of Great Britain) With blessings [signed]

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moshiach & geula

LIVING WITH MOSHIACH MIVTZA MOSHIACH: ALL THE TIME – IS IT POSSIBLE? R’ Friedman: Each of us wants to live with Moshiach and Geula with a chayus and simcha as the OLD HAT OR Rebbe wants, but our lives are full of ups and downs and changes that make it hard for us to stay on track for the long term. How can we take advantage of the good times, when FRESH AIR? we are inspired, and apply that inspiration and chayus to the “down” times that we experience? R’ Notik: We all have ups and downs. All living things experience The desire to “live” with Moshiach constant change. The only thing that dissipates sometimes when experiencing doesn’t change is the picture on the wall. If the face in the picture is personal difficulties and this causes smiling, it will smile all the time. In the Rebbe’s sichos and letters great frustration. How can we constantly there is an answer for everything, and the answer is simple: kabbalas “live” with Moshiach and Geula? How ol. What do I mean? When you feel inspired and you make a hachlata can we transmit the message of Geula to that you will give a shiur in D’var people who have heard it from us for Malchus once a week, or every day after davening you will make sure years already? As important as it is to that in the place you daven or work you will say a brief thought on learn the sichos of 5751-5752, what Moshiach and Geula, then this is sacred. For this is the only shlichus about the rest of the Rebbe’s teachings? * that remains – kabbalas p’nei Moshiach Tzidkeinu. These questions were asked of three If you have kabbalas ol, it makes mashpiim in a forum held by the “Matteh no difference whether you’re in a good mood or not, or if you’re living Moshiach” in Eretz Yisroel. with Moshiach today or not; you do what you have to do. Thanks to kabbalas ol, when you set aside your personal feeling and do what has to PARTICIPANTS be done, you will feel the chayus in a R’ Chaim Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg greater way. R’ CLY Ginsberg: The answer is Mashpia, yeshivas Chabad Rishon L’Tziyon and in Kfar Chabad simple but it needs to be repeated R’ Chaim Yosef Ginsburg again and again. Everybody, men, Shliach, rosh yeshiva and rav in Ramat Aviv women, and children, should R’ Zalman Notik commit to something they can do. The thing that gives chayus is Mashpia, Toras Emes Yerushalayim learning the weekly D’var Malchus. Moderator: R’ Menachem Mendel Friedman Not a week should go by without Shliach in Ohr Yehuda learning it. Learn it again and again, with a chavrusa, in a shiur, before

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davening or afterwards, learning maggidei shiur doing this on buses.” revelation in the world [since 5751 with a k’vius b’nefesh. It was hashgacha pratis that I when the Rebbe announced that With Hashem’s help we will have saw what can be done. The Rebbe Moshiach proclaims that the time of sichos from 5769, but as long as we says that the world is a keili, what your redemption has arrived]. haven’t heard sichos yet this Hakhel about us? Someone asked me today – What year, the sichos of the D’var R’ Notik: There are some do we do? 18 years have passed Malchus are our main source of bachurim in Chabad yeshivos who, already! chayus. when they go on buses, ask the I asked him: The Rebbe says we I traveled today to Yerushalayim driver’s permission and say have the “air of Moshiach.” Does from B’nei Brak on the 402 bus line. something about Moshiach to all the the air of Moshiach grow rancid? I got on the bus and someone came passengers. This has been going on What are you afraid of? over to me and asked whether I’d since 5755. Maybe we should start Obviously, we want to have not like a cup of tea or cold water. Then giving out D’var Malchus and have a just the air of Moshiach but the light he announced, “Who wants to learn shiur with the text. That would be and gilui etc. but we must remember Gemara? We’re starting a shiur in great, with each one equipped with a that if we are connected to the Daf Yomi now.” Nearly everybody microphone. Rebbe, then the Rebbe is the source was willing. The driver said that if R’ Yossi Ginsburg: In the sicha of our lives and gives us chayus. the passengers agreed, he would of 2 Nissan, 5748, the Rebbe said Another point – one of the provide the microphone. We traveled that the king is the heart of all Israel, sharpest things we heard the Rebbe for an hour and learned the Daf so when the Rebbe is in the forefront say in the sicha of 28 Nissan was along with stories and parables. I felt of our minds, this gives us constant that everything was l’hevel v’la’rik – it was a type of Hakhel. I felt chayus. in vain. This wasn’t said merely to ashamed … look what he’s doing, There are two ways of looking at shake us up; it’s an instruction. In a and what about me? things: You can think that 15 years very real sense, if we don’t achieve When he finished the shiur he have already passed [since Gimmel our goal, we haven’t achieved said, “This is not my idea. It’s a Tamuz] and walk around with a anything. project of the Kaliver Rebbe. He said Tisha B’Av face, or you can dance We can become weak and start to that whoever wants to do this on the and rejoice that we are already in the “live” with other things, and that’s buses will get microphones and year of “Chai,” for it is 18 years natural, because every living thing Gemaras. Today we have thirty already that we have this lofty moves and changes. It may even be

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the case that those who accomplish got there, he realized that if he great things have a harder test, for I got on the bus and didn’t spend half a day on oftentimes success can lead to someone came over diamonds, he would be considered a distraction. Cognizant of this, the nonentity. You’re not a mentch if Rebbe says we need to be stubborn. to me and asked you don’t work in diamonds there. A stubborn person is someone who The same here: You have to cannot be enticed by material or whether I’d like a know your audience and how to spiritual things. This is what the publicize inyanei Moshiach and Rebbe is saying, that at every stage, cup of tea or cold Geula to them in the best possible even when you feel “on a high” with water. Then he way. Every place is different. If you unexpected success, that’s just vanity daven in a shul of scholarly people, until and unless we see the Rebbe announced, “Who you have to review a sicha in Nigleh again. Until that point, we can’t stop with a pilpul on points in Shas and being stubborn. wants to learn not a Chumash-Rashi sicha. Then, Gemara? We’re when people are impressed, you use SICHOS OF THE PAST the final minutes for inyanei AND THE SICHOS OF starting a shiur in Moshiach and Geula. In the first ten minutes you turned the person into THE D’VAR MALCHUS Daf Yomi now.” a keili and in the final minutes you R’ Friedman: A Chassid once filled the keili with light. told me that while he knows that Nearly everybody R’ CLY Ginsberg: In every sicha there is an inyan to reviewing the of 5751-2 there are many details sichos of 5751-2 and inyanim of was willing. The and angles that can be reviewed over Geula, he nonetheless prefers driver said that if several years. Of course you are not reviewing a different sicha for supposed to close the Likkutei which he’ll get greater feedback the passengers Sichos and all the sichos and and which the crowd might enjoy maamarim need to be learned, but more. What’s the right thing to do? agreed, he would the main emphasis needs to be on R’ Notik: Sometimes, in order to this. get people to listen more to the provide the We have to be stubborn about sichos of 5751-5752, you need to microphone. We 5751-2. Whatever form we present arouse their interest. If you review it in, we need to learn and teach it. the same sicha every year, they traveled for an hour The best way is for a person to learn won’t listen to the sicha of 5751-2. the entire sicha a few times and live In my opinion, it’s fine to review a and learned the Daf with it and try to get others to live different sicha every time from with it to whatever extent possible, Likkutei Sichos, but in the last four along with stories “lights of Tohu in vessels of or five minutes say something of and parables. I felt Tikkun.” inyanei Moshiach and Geula from R’ Yossi Ginsburg: We have a 5751-2. it was a type of shiur on D’var Malchus every week The same applies for the for several years now yet I find that Shabbos meals. You have to review Hakhel. I felt I’m learning something new every different sichos. Nobody thinks that year. After all, we have been learning you have to close all the Likkutei ashamed … look Tanya not only for 18 years but 200 Sichos and not learn them anymore. what he’s doing, years and each of us feels and knows All the sichos from all the years need that each time we learn Tanya, it’s to be repeated in an interesting way and what about fresh and we notice new things. The and through this interest you will get same is true for the D’var Malchus. people to enjoy listening to the final me? The words the Rebbe used in the five minutes on Moshiach too. sicha of 28 Nissan are, “lights of When Rabbi Shabtai Slavaticki Rebbe told him to work half a day in Tohu in vessels of Tikkun.” You can went on shlichus to Belgium, he diamonds. This seemed very strange learn the sicha of the D’var Malchus asked the Rebbe for guidance. The to him, to go on shlichus and work and be so immersed in the “vessels” half a day in diamonds? When he

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of the sicha that the light isn’t there. every year, we can see how this has Sometimes you can listen to If you daven in a intensified over the previous year.” someone and the “hottest” lines in shul of scholarly I told him, “Look, the month of the sicha are said in such a factual Nissan came and suddenly we hear and dry manner that the “fire” of the people, you have to that Egypt is the biggest fighter sicha is lost. against Hamas and so in a When reviewing sichos from review a sicha in roundabout way, they are defending earlier volumes, if the fire of inyanei Jews. True, they have their own Moshiach burns within you, then Nigleh with a interests; so did the firstborns in you will find the Geula angle in it, pilpul on points in Mitzrayim, and yet the Rebbe points and either say it at the end or work at this as ‘the firstborns it into the sicha as you say it. Shas and not a [themselves] killing the Egyptians.’” In Chassidus it’s explained that I live in Yerushalayim among there are two kinds of teacher and Chumash-Rashi ultra-Orthodox Jews. When they ask student: the teacher who teaches this question (i.e., where is material and the student knows a lot sicha. Then, when Moshiach), I say, “Tell me, did you of information, and the teacher who people are believe that there would be a teaches the method and ability to situation like this that in dozens of learn, and then the student knows impressed, you use Chassidishe yeshivos, non-Chabad how to learn, which is considered yeshivos, and lately even in Litvishe the better way. The Rebbe doesn’t the final minutes yeshivos, they learn Chassidus every just teach us material but a way of week, Tanya, sichos of the Rebbe, learning. In the sichos of the D’var for inyanei maamarim of the Rebbe? Malchus there is an array of topics Moshiach and “Would you have believed that in Torah, Nigleh and Chassidus, in there would be a shiur in the D’var p’shat, remez, drush, and sod and Geula. In the first Malchus every week with 25 the Rebbe merely shows us how in participants in the home of the rosh every inyan and from every possible ten minutes you yeshiva of Itri, Rabbi Elifant? Would angle, you can put in the chayus of you believe that there are occasional Moshiach. When you learn this way turned the person farbrengens and the singing of Yechi of thinking from the Rebbe, it will be into a keili and in there?” expressed in how you learn Tanya, So when you talk to someone how you learn Likkutei Sichos, the final minutes about this, you could say, “Listen, maamarim, and even Chumash and we are waiting for the big Event, for Rashi. you filled the keili the Beis HaMikdash to descend with light. from heaven and the Rebbe to lead PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR the Jewish people on clouds etc, but SOMETHING NEW at the same time the Rebbe is demanding of us that we be part of R’ Friedman: For years now we to come, but the true and complete the Geula process.” have been promising our Geula is actually here. We all know about the Rebbe’s mekuravim that “hinei hinei It’s important to point out things cry in the sicha of 28 Nissan, when Moshiach ba,” and they say, “You in people’s lives, in the world around two days earlier, in the sicha of 26 told me that years ago.” They’re us, and to show how we can see that Nissan at the “general yechidus,” the making a good point. Where’s the Moshiach is continually having a Rebbe said not to be ashamed but to fulfillment of the Rebbe’s greater and greater effect on the go out and dance and see the prophecy? How come the Beis world. I met someone who said, miracles and wonders that Hashem HaMikdash is not built and we “Nu, Moshiach, what’s happening? is doing for us now, and that if don’t see the Rebbe? Where is he?” someone says that he doesn’t see it, R’ Notik: In the sicha of 28 I said, “In the last ‘general letter’ then you need to explain to him that Sivan, the Rebbe says that Hashem, that the Rebbe wrote, for Nissan Hashem is doing miracles and as it were, needs the Jewish people 5752, he said that we see how wonders now. to proclaim that not only is Moshiach is operating in the world. So there are two simultaneous Moshiach about to come and needs Since that letter, every Nissan of

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approaches and this makes it easier he will bring the Geula.” to arouse the longing for Moshiach. We are waiting for The Arizal writes explicitly about For when you show that Moshiach is the big Event, for our situation today and stresses that already in the world, this strengthens it’s not a matter of the soul leaving the cry of “ad masai,” because if we the Beis the body but the neshama and body are already experiencing these going up together in order to receive giluyim, we want the ultimate HaMikdash to G-dly abilities to bring the Geula. hisgalus. There is a maamer of the Alter R’ CLY Ginsberg: There is a descend from Rebbe (N’viim p. 60) that explains point that I constantly repeat. Moshe heaven and the that the statement “Dovid, King of Rabbeinu told the Jewish people in Israel is chai v’kayam” is for our Egypt, “thus says Hashem, Rebbe to lead the time when Moshiach will be hidden remember have I remembered,” and away. Even when it seems as though he did signs and wonders “and the Jewish people on it is not the case, we need the nation believed.” But right after the emuna that he is chai v’kayam and Geula process began they took a big clouds etc, but at in the merit of emuna, we will be step backward, to the point that the the same time the redeemed. Jewish people complained, “you have These points can be made to soured our spirits in the eyes of Rebbe is people, and in my experience, it Pharaoh and the eyes of his servants, really inspires them to know that to give a sword in their hand to kill demanding of us now it is emuna that will bring the us.” Geula. It was then, after Moshe that we be part of R’ Yossi Ginsburg: It’s Rabbeinu’s news of Geula, that the Geula process. explained that the distance between things went downhill and Moshe left 99% and 100% [i.e. the attainment the scene for Midyan (there are of absolute perfection] is greater several opinions in the Midrash if he than the distance between 0 % and got our ancestors out of Egypt. was there for three months, six 99%. So too here, when a person In the writings of the Arizal months, or a year and a half). People believes or trusts in something 99%, (Seifer HaGilgulim, chapter 13), the asked, what’s going on? Where is as time goes by and the thing Arizal compares Moshiach to Moshe he? doesn’t happen, his belief wanes. A and describes him thus: “Moshe will The Rebbe repeats one line: In person who was confident that he be a tzaddik, born of a man and the merit of faith, our ancestors would make a lot of money reaches woman, and his righteousness will were redeemed from Egypt. When the age of 40, 50, 60 and it didn’t be great and many shall go before do you need faith? When you don’t happen, and he is no longer so sure him. At first he will not know that he see and don’t understand and still, that it ever will. is Moshiach, like Moshe Rabbeinu “and they believed in Hashem and However, if a person is 100% did not know that he had to be the Moshe His servant.” sure, then this doesn’t weaken. On redeemer, until Hashem tells him. The same is true for our the contrary, the longer it takes, the So too, Hashem will be revealed to generation. The Rebbe began stronger his belief gets. The nimshal Moshiach and send him to redeem announcing the Besuras Ha’Geula, is obvious. If we are convinced that the Jewish people. Then he will “the time for your redemption has what the Rebbe said is true, that know that he is Moshiach and some arrived,” etc. and raised our Moshe is true and his Torah is true, people will recognize him as such, consciousnesses to the highest then as time passes, even a difficult but not all. Just as Moshe went up awareness of Geula. Then period of time, the belief gets the mountain and stayed there for suddenly…collapse, and along stronger. The surprising thing is not forty days and forty nights, so too comes an Intifada, an expulsion the emuna but the amount of time with Moshiach, he will have an aliya from Gush Katif, economic woes, that is passing without Moshiach of his body and soul like that of etc. The natural question is where is coming. But we know that the Moshe on the mountain, when he Moshe? Where is the Rebbe who amount of time left is shrinking and will receive the G-dly abilities to announced the Besuras Ha’Geula? we will immediately see the Rebbe. bring the Geula. Then he will return This is precisely the time that we and descend the mountain and need emuna which is the merit that everyone will acknowledge him and

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memoirs TOMCHEI TMIMIM IN BLOCK 17

By Rabbi Shneur Zalman Chanin need to flee for their lives. Though Ironically, my relatives, along with this wasn’t their final destination, with their arrival in Poking my thousands of Jewish refugees, found parents knew their frequent wanderings were at an end. They respite in a DP camp on the blood- still lived out of suitcases but they were able to take a breather and soaked ground of Germany. In no time, plan their future. they established a Chassidic community Like the rest of the refugees, they also began rebuilding their family and even a yeshiva. * The next chapter lives. My father, who was a communal worker by nature, got to in the memoirs of R’ Chaikel Chanin work establishing a Chassidic community in this temporary location. The community gradually My parents stayed in the Hof that year, it was already populated disintegrated as the members got camp, which I wrote about in the by about 7000 people. According to instructions from the Rebbe where last installment, for only a few days. the records of the refugee to settle on a permanent basis. From there the Bricha agents took command, in October of that year Bit by bit, on various occasions, them in an American-owned truck the camp contained precisely 7645 my mother told me about the camp to the DP camp in Poking. My Jews. and with time, I put together a parents and their group stayed there The camp in Poking was not a detailed picture of life in Poking. for about two months. transit camp but an absorption “The camp consisted of rows of Germany had been divided after camp. It absorbed the thousands of long, one storey barracks – ‘blocks.’ the war between Russia, America, Holocaust survivors who had no Each block had two doors, one at England, and France. Poking, or the place to go. In the first months of each end of the barrack, and a long Valdshtat (forest city), as the locals the camp’s existence, the American corridor between them, with rooms called it, was in the American zone army supplied their food. Later on, on either side of the hall. All the in the Bamberg district, not far from the UNRRA and the Joint supplied barracks were identical and in order Munich. The camp served as a base what was lacking and provided aid to differentiate between them, each for the American Air Force before to those living in the camp. block was given a number. being turned into a refugee camp. Ironically, my parents and “We were given the largest room This DP camp, opened in January relatives, as well as thousands of in Block 18. The room was for us 1946, was the second largest Jewish other Jewish refugees, found respite alone. They gave us four folding camp in Europe. When my parents here, on the blood-soaked ground of beds and within a few days we also arrived there, at the end of Av of Germany. They no longer had a got a table and chairs.

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“There were altogether a few hundred Chassidim in Poking, with our group of 46 arriving first. They gave us six blocks adjacent to each other at the edge of the camp. Block 17 was designated right from the beginning as the yeshiva and another block was designated as the shul and beis midrash.” My mother immediately swept, scrubbed, polished and organized their room until it turned into a palace. Erev Shabbos, she took out a white tablecloth that she had brought all the way from Tashkent, and spread it out on the table. “We were given about 2000 calories a day. The food included bread, flour, milk, eggs, oil and sugar. We often got cans of fish and meat and when special delegations from the Joint came on occasion we even got extras like coffee, chocolate, and cigarettes. The camp had a kitchen and a dining room but we Lubavitchers did not eat there because of kashrus reasons.”

WHO WAS THE WOMAN THAT RESOLVED THE HALACHIC DEBATE? My brother-in-law, the Gaon and Chassid R’ Isaac Schwei, rosh The Schwei brothers: R’ Isaac, R’ Aharon Yaakov, and R’ Boruch Sholom yeshiva of Tomchei T’mimim in Montreal and rav on the rabbinical and then my younger brother and according to halacha, considering board of the Montreal, related: mother joined us. the poor physical state of the “My father, R’ Mordechai “My mother, older brother children, the women, and even the Eliyahu, received smicha from the Boruch Sholom and younger men, we could eat the American Rogatchover Gaon and served as rav brother Yankel (today mara d’asra in canned food we were given. in Finland. In 1936, by order of the Crown Heights) and I left Russia “I was a young man and I saw Rebbe Rayatz, we traveled to with most of Anash. We arrived in the hesitation on the faces of Estonia, where my father was rav Poking with a group of Chassidim Chassidim I respected as authorities. and shochet. When the Nazis who had come from Bucharia via Suddenly an aristocratic woman entered Estonia, we fled back to Lvov by forging documents and entered the room. The rabbanim Soviet Russia. After many smuggling across borders. stood up for her and cleared a place adventures we arrived in Vophkend, Fortunately, my mother knew Polish for her and looked at her with where my father became sick and and she became our spokesperson. respect. She politely said she wanted died. Somehow we managed to join When we arrived in Poking we to say a few words and she asked the Chassidim in Bucharia; my received a quantity and variety of the rabbis’ pardon and permission. mother sent my older brother and food that we were not used to. The There was utter silence in the room. me to Samarkand to learn in the Chassidim and rabbanim in the “‘I heard,’ she said, ‘that the yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim there group began to discuss whether rabbis are discussing the food we

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were given and don’t know what to shlita. tell people to do. I hereby state that Suddenly an For now we have to live lives of you can eat it without any question. privation both in our dwellings, If you are wondering how I can be aristocratic which are not completely restful, and so certain, I will tell you that I in our limited sustenance, especially received packages from my son in woman entered the when we cannot benefit from a America and among the things he number of the things that they give sent were items like these. My son room. The us from the various organizations only sends me food that is rabbanim stood up because we are unsure of their unquestionably kosher.’ kashrus. We are asked but do not “After the woman left the room I for her and cleared know how to respond about certain heard Rabbi Avrohom Elya Plotkin things because we do not know how and Rabbi Avrohom Maiyor (Drizin) a place for her and they are made, which is why we turn tell their families they could eat it. to you. Please investigate all the “I didn’t know what to do and looked at her with things that are sent here from your whether it was still worth being country. We get a kind of small fish stringent and not to eat it. I asked respect. She in boxes called “conserves” (i.e. my friend, R’ Shneur Zalman politely said she cans) and we need to know that it is Morosov to ask his father (R’ Dovid not mixed with impure fish and that Leib Morosov, oldest son of R’ wanted to say a there is no question regarding the oil Elchonon Morosov, Hy”d) what I in it and no question about it being should do. I also wanted to know few words and she cooked by goyim. There is also who the authoritative woman was powdered egg and we don’t know whom the Chassidim so respected. asked the rabbis’ whether it might be from forbidden “I was told it was Rebbetzin birds, etc. Chana Schneersohn, wife of Rabbi pardon and for So too the cheese, whether it is Levi Yitzchok who served as rav in permission. There cheese of goyim which Chazal Dnepropetrovsk until he was forbade in all circumstances even if arrested and died in exile after much was utter silence cured in a vegetarian manner… And suffering. They told me that the also the powdered milk, whether it is Rebbetzin was the mechutenes of in the room… I gentile milk that a Jew did not see the Rebbe and her son, R’ being milked. Menachem Mendel, was his son-in- was told it was Since our souls are parched and law. Obviously, she could be relied it is necessary for us to be able to upon 100%.” Rebbetzin Chana benefit from these foods and there Schneerson.” are old people and children, please IS IT KOSHER? find out together with others of our brethren, the rabbanim and The kashrus problem Shmaryahu Batumer), for example, T’mimim, and write a detailed letter preoccupied the Lubavitcher stayed in the Vienna-Austria DP about the hashgacha and reasons for refugees not only in Poking. While camp with their families and another ruling it as kosher. It is a matter upstanding rabbis who led the group of Anash. The camp worthy of expending effort, whether Jewish refugees in the DP camps conditions were difficult but physically, because many are weak were lenient regarding kashrus on apparently what made life especially and need it, or spiritually because grounds of pikuach nefesh, because hard was not knowing whether to there are some who are not able to of the poor physical, medical, and eat the food the Joint gave them or contain themselves and are being emotional state of most of the not. They wrote a letter to their lenient with reasons that have no refugees, the Lubavitchers did not friend, R’ Yisroel Jacobson who was basis. rely on these leniencies. As in the United States: As well as the powders with Chassidim who went beyond the We are here in this country and which they cook soup or kasha. letter of the law, they were stringent. its outlying areas, several hundred of Please take care of this with the R’ Shneur Zalman Garelik (the our brethren, T’mimim and their rabbanim as soon as possible and first rav in Kfar Chabad) and R’ families, until Hashem sends us His send the response to one of the Shmaryahu Sossonkin (known as R’ aid and we are able to see the Rebbe

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camps you know as a residence of Anash and T’mimim, and write to THE REBBE RAYATZ’S CONCERN them to forward the answer to us. FOR THE REFUGEES We await your response, your The Rebbe Rayatz already concerned himself with kosher food for friends, war survivors many months before the escape from Soviet Russia. He Shneur Zalman Harelik known led a great campaign so that the Joint and UNRRA would supply as Shneur Berezner kosher food to the refugees in Europe. This is what he wrote on 6 Nachum Shmaryahu ben Nissan, 1946: Avrohom Z”l Sossonkin I received a telegram from Rome in the name of 7000 Jews in camps and another 5000 Jews scattered throughout Italy who plead for kosher CANS RECYCLED food for Pesach and kosher soup kitchens after Pesach. As of now, only a AS POTS few of them receive these basic requirements. Representatives in the My father bought plates and camps said there is a danger of a hunger strike because no kosher food cutlery to my mother’s satisfaction. for religious Jews is like no food at all … On another occasion my mother As mentioned, the urgent request in the telegram made by our related: brethren scattered in Italy, especially those still in camps, is not only “At first, we recycled the large about Pesach, but also the kashrus situation in general. It is a holy cans of preserves and turned them obligation for the Joint to extend aid to our needy brethren, to properly into pots. We put these ‘pots’ on pay attention to the religious sensibilities of our rescued brethren. Kosher two bricks that we placed outside on food can satisfy the hunger of all hungry people while non-kosher food the ground with a space between helps only irreligious Jews but for religious Jews is no food at all. We them and underneath we made a fire need to remember that most of our rescued brethren are undoubtedly out of twigs. At a later point your religious at heart. father constructed a Russian stove I think it is unnecessary to go on at length about the importance of that heated the room and was also this matter. I hope with all my heart that the Joint will take the used for cooking and baking. I necessary measures to fix the situation in Italy. I would appreciate it if wasn’t the only balabusta who made you let me know what is happening …” use of this luxury. I was happy to Then, on 5 Iyar, 1946, the Rebbe wrote again: share it with neighbors who were … Thank G-d, our efforts with the Joint, the State Department, eager to come cook in our kitchen. UNRRA, the Agriculture Department in Washington, etc. bore fruit and That is how our small ‘palace’ nearly all of our brethren in Italy received kosher provisions for Pesach. I became the most popular room in thank my friend for his joining me in this. the blocks. Washington’s attitude in general, according to their official response, “After a few weeks, Jewish Polish was encouraging because they all expressed their interest in the fate of women discovered the remains of a the Jewish refugees and promised to help to the best of their ability.” plane not far from the camp. They Apparently, the Rebbe’s efforts bore fruit, for when Anash arrived at suggested that we go there, as they the camp in Poking many of the products they received from the Joint had done, to take pieces of were already kosher. aluminum and make pots out of them. I purchased pots like these from one of the women who made excellent substitute for shampoo and force in the lives of the DP’s. The them herself and they served us conditioner.” camp was run by a committee that throughout the months that we were was organized by the refugees. in Poking. THE “EDUCATION Schools, yeshivos, Talmudei Torah, “Outhouses were in the yard and MINISTER” AND THE and youth movements were founded, as well as shuls and a there were no showers or places to “TREASURER” bathe at all. There was no soap. We mikva. washed in barrels that we filled with ANNOUNCE THE The Joint and ORT ran water and we washed our heads OPENING OF A YESHIVA vocational training programs to help with rainwater. We collected The camp in Poking grew to the people qualify for work. The rainwater in containers and found size of a city. Most people were not supplies department administered that rainwater left our hair soft, easy religious and the Zionist parties set the food supplies and its to comb, and shiny and was an the tone and were the dominant distribution. A civilian police force

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time when there is no grasp and no contact with the world of reality and the present for they have no share and lot etc. and they remain suspended between heaven and earth. They all gathered together and came to the same conclusion, to review their learning and remember that which was forgotten, preparing themselves in the corridor and learning Nigleh as well as Chassidus all day, with an order and with supervision, until late at night. Many of them are learning the crafts of sh’chita and b’dika and a few are studying for smicha. That is the spiritual picture. In The barracks in Poking short a beautiful picture that was established among the Jewish yeshiva, teachers and mashpiim, and gladdens the heart. populace in the camp which served gave each of them a job and the age The material situation is not one in most matters instead of the of the talmidim he would teach. to complain about because relatively establishment American military As for my father, whom the speaking, our conditions have police. There was also a medical NKVD called the “Treasurer,” even improved over what they were. clinic and a Jewish newspaper. before becoming familiar with the Though there are still deficiencies, in As for the Chabad Chassidim, conditions of the camp or knowing general the positive outweighs the they had barely gotten a roof over how he would provide for himself, negative. their heads and they had already that very night he announced that he At the same time, R’ Nissan also started learning and teaching would continue supporting the wrote a report from the yeshiva to Chassidus. Even before arriving in yeshiva. the Rebbe Rayatz: Poking, R’ Nissan Nemenov was A month and a half later, at the “A picture of the Tomchei told by the Rebbe Rayatz that as beginning of Cheshvan, 5717, R’ T’mimim here, at least from a soon as he arrived in the American Avrohom Elya Plotkin, a member of bottom-up perspective: there are 48 zone he should found a yeshiva. the hanhala of Yeshivas Tomchei talmidim, out of whom 20 learn This is what R’ Jacobson wrote to T’mimim, wrote to the Rebbe Gemara, Rashi, Tosafos and the Rebbe on 27 Tamuz, 1946: Rayatz: commentaries with good and deep I went to meet with R’ Nissan “I would like to give another understanding. Even in earlier times Nemenov’s group on the border [in report and accounting of the this class would be considered one of Czechoslovakia] and to arrange their situation here. Thank G-d our holy the greater classes and they are trip to the American zone … I spoke yeshiva is set up here in all its learning well. They are young and with R’ Nissan about starting a divisions. The number of all the boruch Hashem they have a good yeshiva as soon as he arrived in talmidim is about 120, may they understanding in their learning. Munich, and to try to attract many increase, and over them are teachers There are twenty younger than them, talmidim.” and supervisors. To the joy of us all one class learns Gemara with some On 15 Elul, 1946, as soon as they are learning with great diligence Tosafos and one class learns Gemara they arrived in Poking, R’ Nissan, and within a short time they have without Tosafos, and eight are the “Education Minister” as the grown … beginning to learn Gemara. They are NKVD called him, held a meeting of also boruch Hashem good boys and “Another new thing was founded they learn very well, and they all Anash and announced the founding here, a beis midrash for rabbanim of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim behave well, daven in a special and shochtim. It’s a new mosad that minyan with supervision and the within the Poking DP camp. A was created between the walls … committee was chosen to run the like. In all details, they comport here on the road, between themselves in a manner befitting yeshiva. R’ Nissan appointed a rosh constrictions and boundaries, at a

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talmidim of Tomchei T’mimim. “Another twelve little ones learn with the proper preparation to also eventually enter the four cubits of Tomchei T’mimim and surely the Rebbe will have much nachas and pleasure from them, may Hashem help and we see this soon. For even in the glory days this would be considered a good picture, boruch Hashem, especially according to our situation in the past, and this is truly a wonder from G-d. “The older talmidim number close to 50 and most of them learn according to the schedule of the big Zal (i.e. in Lubavitch) four hours of Refugee children learning in Poking Chassidus. The study of Chassidus is Tanya and the maamarim of the is good and from day to day the and parnasa were big problems for Rebbe that we have here, for we necessity of seeing the Rebbe the refugees. The parnasa problem? sorely lack any writings. They learn becomes felt even more, may Nu, the Lubavitchers had that those individual maamarim that we Hashem help us in this soon.” problem too (and how!) but being have copies of here, and in one class occupied? How could being I teach the maamer Reb Berechya occupied be a problem for from 5643. SPECIAL LEARNING Chassidim? Those who “worked” in “But some of the older ones are PROGRAM the yeshiva were busy over their in such a state that they learn only The ones who fell between the heads. Those who were not involved two hours of Chassidus a day like the cracks were the boys who were in teaching were occupied with the schedule in Shtzedrin, and they learn nineteen – twenty who had spent the avoda of t’filla and the avoda of Nigleh the rest of the time, for difficult years in Russia without middos. For them, their stay in the although they are older, because of being able to learn. Some of them camp was a wonderful time in which the situation in our previous country had a scanty knowledge of limudei they toiled in Torah and avoda like they were distant from learning for a kodesh while others barely the good old days in Lubavitch. long time. Some of them are actual recognized a Jewish letter. As far as The menahel, R’ Nissan, baalei t’shuva and one can hope that their age they belonged in yeshiva, instituted that all the men, like the in them will be fulfilled the verse but in their knowledge they were not talmidim in yeshiva, have a about extracting the precious from even equal to little schoolboys. schedule. They began early in the the profane, etc. Therefore, due to R’ Shneur Zalman Teibel saw morning, when they said the daily their standing in learning Nigleh they what could happen if these boys T’hillim as it is divided over a week, need someone to learn with them so were permitted to wander around then davening, and then learning for now, they can only learn two without a suitable framework. With Nigleh and Chassidus, with breaks, hours of Chassidus a day, which the sensitivity he excelled in, he was until Maariv. Some men studied the consists of Tanya inside and able to gather them one by one and laws of sh’chita and how to sharpen reviewing by heart. he learned with each one himself, the knives. “Of the older ones there are those one-on-one or in small groups, at As for the girls’ school and more who are capable of a good first reading and writing and then on life in Poking, that will be knowledge of Nigleh and Chumash and Rashi. When they discussed in the next installment, G- understanding of Chassidus and who were capable, he went on to d willing. also think in Chassidus before Mishnayos and Gemara until most of them turned out to be talmidei In memory of my mother, Leah bas R’ davening and spend some time on Shmuel. Her yahrtzait is 27 Sivan 5757. t’filla. They are generally suitable chachamim. receptacles to receive the light which In general, having what to do

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story BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER

By Nosson Avrohom Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

With great pride, Rabbi and Mrs. “Nineteen years ago, we were aircraft’s movements created a sonic Hillel Rinus are counted among the blessed with another son. We were boom powerful enough to make a primary founders of Yitzhar, an simply overjoyed and very excited. A person’s heart stop. There wasn’t a idealistic settlement located in the new child had come into the world, person on the yishuv who didn’t Judean Mountains. They arrived a new soul with new talents. At his jump at the sound. there shortly after their wedding, a bris, all of the families that founded “Everyone was very startled, with little more than twenty-five years this young and vibrant yishuv took one notable exception: The baby lay ago. Instilled with the ideology of part. The joy that filled our hearts in his crib, calm and tranquil, as if love for the Land and the Torah of knew no bounds. nothing had happened. He seemed Israel, they came with the goal of “The baby left the hospital so still and unresponsive that it set making the area blossom and completely healthy in body and off a warning light in our minds. We participate in the settlement of the spirit, and as any good set of were gripped by fear – not because Promised Land. “I am happy to parents, we started putting together of the jet plane, but due to the report that our settlement today is a plan for our child’s future. Yet, to baby’s reaction or the lack thereof. filled to capacity. The demand here our great pain and sorrow, this At first, we tried to convince is great, and we are fighting the marvelous feeling had been replaced ourselves that this was just a government to allow us to continue within a few months by one of deep temporary condition – after all, he’s building.” sadness. still just an infant and his hearing Anyone familiar with Rabbi Rinus “One bright afternoon, literally as simply hasn’t been properly knows that he is the image of a if out of a storybook, an Israel Air developed. Yet, when we would learned Torah scholar, pleasant and Force Phantom jet flew low over the periodically try to make some noise hospitable. While our conversation homes on the yishuv at an unusually around him, he didn’t even notice naturally turned to the situation in high rate of speed, shaking their us. We tried to draw his attention to Eretz Yisroel today, the subject that foundations and even shattering bells ringing and other sounds, but actually brought us together for an many windows. Once in a while, air there was no response. interview was an amazing “miracle” force pilots would engage in training “A few days later, we got on a that he had experienced with one of as part of photographic exercises in bus and traveled to Tel Aviv. In those his children, due to a bracha from the mountain ranges. We would days, transportation conditions were the Rebbe exactly nineteen years watch them on maneuvers during not as they are today. Not every ago. their military operations, but they family had a car, and the journey was most circuitous. After getting *** had never made a fly-by at such a low altitude before. The effect of the proper direction from more regular

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travelers, we found our way to feeling was that our world had been ‘Machon Micha’, an Israeli institute In dry medical destroyed. It is impossible to that diagnoses and treats the deaf describe the feeling of utter and mute population. The center is terms, he was hopelessness that engulfed us. located in the northern Tel Aviv ‘deaf’... I “The doctor made an neighborhood of Ramat Aviv. We appointment for us, when we would arrived there extremely worried, exchanged looks begin to deal with this situation and offering silent prayers in our hearts learn together about the world of the that our fears would turn out to be with the doctor deaf and hearing impaired, including baseless. the use of sign language. “We anxiously waited and and with my wife, “It took us a while to recover worried. Would we hear the worst? from the shock of this medical How difficult would it be for us as and the overall diagnosis. We returned home broken parents to deal with this situation? feeling was that and confused, but we quickly pulled Realizing we must thank Hashem ourselves together and decided that for whatever life brings, our mouths our world had we would not allow such feelings of nonetheless did not relent from despair to control our lives. saying T’hillim. been destroyed. It Although we started going to “The dreaded moment arrived. ‘Machon Micha’ regularly to learn After a lengthy and comprehensive is impossible to sign language and for more testing series of tests and probes, the by the experts, we were also specialist called us in to give us his describe the determined not to accept the finality diagnosis. feeling of utter of this situation, as gloomy as it “He was brief and to the point, appeared. The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s without trying to hide or smooth hopelessness that reputation as a miracle worker had anything over. Clearly and simply, made waves throughout Eretz he explained to us that our beloved engulfed us. Yisroel, and we had heard stories of son was diagnosed as severely wondrous personal salvations that hearing impaired. In dry medical hearing devices, he might be able to had come as a result of the Rebbe’s terms, he was ‘deaf’. He added that have a modicum of hearing restored. bracha. We decided that the time there was a slight chance that with I exchanged looks with the doctor had come to write to the Rebbe and the help of recently developed and with my wife, and the overall ask for his blessing.

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“I turned to the first Chabad bewildered. I even pinched myself to ‘My dear Rabbi and Mrs. Rinus, we chassid that I met and asked him if be certain that I wasn’t dreaming or have no scientific explanation for the he could give me the fax number for imagining things. Never in my life change that took place in your the Rebbe’s office in Brooklyn. was I so overjoyed to hear a baby child’s hearing condition! This is a Along with the tremendous efforts cry… This was a child who had just medical miracle of the highest order we were investing for our son’s been diagnosed as functionally deaf – one that we have never welfare, we also decided to write to by the biggest medical professionals encountered before. The reality of the Rebbe and ask for his bracha. around. How did this happen? the situation is clear: The first time We intensified our prayers and made “The very next day we made our you came here, your child was deaf, good resolutions in Torah and way to ‘Machon Micha,’ and now his hearing is perfectly mitzvah observance. That night, we understandably full of excitement. normal! You have nothing to do here composed a lengthy correspondence “After a most thorough and – Be well and we hope to never see on our son’s condition, and asked nerve-wracking examination, the you again under such the Rebbe to nullify this decree – no examining physicians conceded that circumstances…” less. they were completely taken aback by *** “I remember all this as if it this sudden apparent recovery. Still, It’s quite apparent that despite happened only yesterday. We didn’t they remained skeptical, and they the many years that have passed ask for an improvement or for ways asked us to come next week for since then, Rabbi Hillel Rinus has to deal the situation more another examination, when they difficulty hiding his emotions, which successfully – we asked that our son would make comparisons. became more and more visible as he begin hearing. “We went back home with the reached the end of his story: “What happened just a few days child, and in the meantime, we did “The very same low-flying later can only be described as a our own tests to determine whether Phantom jet that revealed the miracle. A few months after this his hearing had actually returned. problem was the one that showed us whole story began, at around the He began to react to noises and that the problem was solved. I have same time of day and under the stimulations around him. We found not the slightest doubt that the exact same circumstances, another it hard to believe that this was really Rebbe read our letter, saw our low-flying Phantom jet swooped happening. It was a hard to erase in misery, and removed the Heavenly down over the yishuv, making an one moment, the misery of decree in the same way it had come ear-shattering noise that shook all yesterday’s reality. forth. Everyone had predicted that the windows. “A week later, we came to the our son would have no end of “The baby again lay in his crib in center again, and the tests trouble in school at every level. They the living room, but this time his continued. expected serious learning disabilities, reaction was totally different. His “At the fourth meeting, an and even claimed that he would be entire body shook from the frightful unbelievable thing happened. As unable to function as a normal child. noise, and he looked quite startled. soon as we passed through the gate, However, all this proved false. He He began to cry, and had difficulty one of the center’s directors invited has grown up to be a gifted youth calming down. I looked at him for us into her office for a private with a sharp mind and a talent for several minutes, incredulous and meeting. I remember her words well: education. Thanks to the Rebbe.”

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shlichus

had woken up and I had to go out to him. Those were the last sichos that I heard from the Rebbe, Chayei Sarah and Toldos 5752 on the THEY ARE following Shabbos.

MOSHIACH ON DIZENGOFF AND IN A READY, THATS MONASTERY IN INDIA Rabbi Chaim Nevo, who operates a Chabad tank, maintains that the topic of Moshiach has already trickled down to all segments of the FOR SURE population. Not long ago he visited Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv, one of the longest and busiest Tel Aviv By Rabbi Yaakov Shmuelevitz streets, and one of its main cultural, Shliach, Beit Shaan entertainment and shopping centers. It’s not what you would call a Chassidishe place. I’ll never forget the excitement when R’ Nevo noticed a young man the Rebbe announced, “The avoda of running towards the tank. With all his earrings and odd get-up it was shlichus is over… the only remaining hard to tell whether it was a man or woman. He shouted something but avoda is to be actually ready to welcome it was only as he got closer to the tank that R’ Nevo could make out Moshiach” * Now, 17 years later, it’s what he was saying: “Rak Moshiach, I am just waiting for Moshiach.” the Jews on the street who are excited. They got into a conversation and R’ Nevo explained how to prepare for I WAS THERE Mevarchim Kislev, Parshas Chayei Moshiach’s coming. Sarah, 5752. According to the The tank is decorated with I remember that sicha of pictures of the Rebbe, Moshiach Thursday, Rosh Chodesh Kislev. I schedule, the Kinus officially began at 1:30 with the Rebbe’s farbrengen. flags, and Yechi signs. Whoever stood there facing the Rebbe. My enters the tank or even passes near it son Sholom Ber, who was four years We shluchim were focused on this sicha when the Rebbe would tell us immediately sees that it’s advertising old at the time, was with me. I held Moshiach. One of the shluchim once on to him as he stood on the table the updated horaos for the coming year. jokingly said to R’ Nevo, “You don’t opposite the Rebbe. I wanted him to have to travel to the Rebbe – you’re hear the Rebbe. Every so often I I had one little problem. What was I supposed to do with my son with the Rebbe all day in your tank.” glanced at him to see whether he R’ Nevo has his routes. Every was listening and understanding. during the farbrengen? I had a spot to stand in but you couldn’t get even Sunday is devoted to soldiers. The The Rebbe quoted the Mishna in route includes Afula, the Golani Brachos, “all the days of your life – a pin in there and surely not a little boy who might suddenly talk or cry. junction (where today there is a to bring to Yemos HaMoshiach.” Chabad house run by R’ Shmuel The Rebbe gave an explanation (in I didn’t have many options. I brought him to 770 and put him Rosenberg), Chatzor, Machanayim, addition to the simple meaning) that and Kiryat Shmoneh. Thousands of all our actions and involvements down on a bench, where he fell asleep. I miraculously reached my soldiers convene in all these places during the days of our lives need to as they make their way to their bases be permeated by one goal, to bring usual spot and heard the first sicha of the farbrengen, but immediately in the north. R’ Nevo puts on t’fillin and hasten the Yemos HaMoshiach. with them and gives out material, The Kinus began on Shabbos afterwards I was told that my son

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hastening the Geula. of whom were willing to put on explained to them that sitting in a “One day,” said R’ Nevo, “I went t’fillin, but then a young, dignified- sukka strengthens our anticipation over to a group of soldiers and looking Yemenite came over and for the future sukka, the sukka made suggested that they put on t’fillin. happily put on the t’fillin. He told out of the skin of the Leviasan which Some of them said ‘Go over to that the shliach that he was willing to do we will sit in, near the Beis Yemenite guy. He is the son of a rav so only thanks to R’ Chaim from the HaMikdash. and he’ll put on t’fillin.’ Indeed, that tank. “The soldiers expressed their joy refined looking young man who “I hope that by now he has left by composing a song in my honor, a looked like a tzaddik (except without the monastery, puts t’fillin on military song. They got up and sang: a yarmulke) put on t’fillin and his himself and his friends, and reads Chaimtche, Chaimtche, tche, tche. colleagues all followed suit. Beis Moshiach …” “If you’ve been in the army, you “I met him again the following know this expressed great week, and later on too. He was MOSHIACH’S SUKKA admiration.” slowly making his way up in the “Last Sukkos,” continued R’ ranks and each time I met him he Nevo, “I had a sukka on wheels and MOSHIACH IN was somewhere else. He was an whenever I showed up at an army THE COURT officer, he fought in Gaza and camp I played “Moshiach, Genin, he lost some of his good R’ Yaakov Reinetz, veteran Moshiach, Moshiach” on the friends, but he was always happy to Chassid in Lud, relates: loudspeaker. The soldiers came into meet me. He rolled up his sleeve, “Every Shabbos a certain the sukka, said l’chaim, sang, and put on t’fillin, and the others were individual comes to our shul from a prepared for the Geula. inspired to do likewise. distant neighborhood. He walks for “One day of Sukkos I went to a “One day, he told me that we over an hour in order to daven in a big camp in the Golan Heights. As wouldn’t be meeting again since he Chabad shul. He is a lawyer and soon as the soldiers heard the music, was finished with the army and works as a public defender in the they came en masse to the sukka would be traveling. A few months court system. He told me an and began dancing. I had to calm later, I received warm regards from interesting story. them down so the sukka wouldn’t him from the ends of the world … I “At the court there was a collapse. met one of the shluchim in India competency hearing for a man who “After the dancing they sat down who told me that in a monastery in chased after someone with a knife. in the sukka and we began to talk. I India, he had met five Israelis, none He was accused of attempted

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murder. In the testimony that who hung up the Moshiach sign. appeared in the prosecution file it At the court there She said, ‘Every time I pass the sign, said that during the chase he was a competency it gives me a good feeling.’ We wrote screamed, ‘I am G-d, I am down her address and kept it, just in Moshiach!’ hearing for a man case we would need it. “The judge said the man should “Two years later, it was a Hakhel be hospitalized in a closed who chased after year (5755) and we called her. We psychiatric ward since it is the had her entire family around the Lubavitcher Rebbe who is actually someone with a table and we made a “Hakhel.” We Moshiach. explained that in a year of Hakhel “The lawyer emphasized that it knife. He was there is a mitzva to gather and speak wasn’t the fact that the man accused of words of Torah and yiras Shamayim. proclaimed he was G-d that “The continuation of the story is motivated the judge to hospitalize attempted murder. that one of the sons registered for a him. It was his claim of being Chabad elementary school and from Moshiach which made no sense to In the testimony there he went to Chabad yeshivos, him.” where he is still learning. that appeared in “All because of a sign.” ALL BECAUSE OF A SIGN the prosecution file The mashpia R’ Zalman Notik of STARTING THE WEEK Yerushalayim relates: it said that during WITH MOSHIACH “I gave a shiur in a neighborhood One of the Chassidim in of Yerushalayim. I debated whether the chase he Yerushalayim has an unofficial to speak about Moshiach directly or screamed, “I am G- custom in his home that when they in general terms. I decided to first make Havdala and the father says, speak in general about the Rebbe d, I am Moshiach!” “Hinei,” everybody choruses, “Hinei and Chassidus and only at the end Moshiach Ba,” three times and only to speak about Moshiach. When I The judge said the then does he go on to recite began talking about Moshiach I Havdala,. heard a sigh of relief from one of the man should be One time they had a guest, a people. ‘Finally, I was waiting for mekureves, and she heard how they that the entire shiur.’” hospitalized in a did Havdala. She liked it and when R’ Notik uses every opportunity closed psychiatric she eventually got married to her to publicize the Besuras Ha’Geula husband, who was a Lubavitcher but and he has many stories to tell: ward since it is the not enthused about inyanei “Years ago, we hung up a sign on Moshiach, she let him know that she the house that said, ‘Hichonu L’Vias Lubavitcher Rebbe wanted to continue this “Hinei HaMoshiach‘ (get ready for the Moshiach ba” in Havdala. He agreed coming of Moshiach). One day, a who is actually and that is how they say Havdala till young woman knocked at our door this day. and asked whether we were the ones Moshiach.

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shleimus ha’aretz

vacuum in leadership and whatever there is, is not aligned with Moshe Rabbeinu or “his G- d”! The situation is absolutely unsustainable. THE WHOLE This landmark conference, hosted by “Crown Heights Women for Shleimus HaAretz”, “The Crown Heights Committee for Shleimus HaAretz” and the LAND: WHAT “Shleimus HaAretz Talk Show” was the brainchild of Mrs. Tamar Adelstein and Raanan Isseroff. Shluchim met to suggest ideas of how each shliach can start SHLUCHIM advertising the Rebbe’s message of Eretz Yisroel Shleima. First to speak was Rabbi Yehoshua Hecht – President of the Rabbinical Council of CAN DO Connecticut and Director of Chabad of Norwalk. Rabbi Hecht spoke of the problems inherent By Raanan S. Isseroff with Israel’s continuing to pursue the Oslo Peace plan and the current land giveaway agreement A Report on the Shleimus HaAretz being proposed by PM Netanyahu’s government. Mr. Conference for Shluchim in Crown Netanyahu recently agreed in principle with President Obama to Heights held Dalet Tammuz, June 26, give away the West Bank area and 2009 most of Jerusalem. Rabbi Hecht described how tragic, foolish and suicidal it is to Shluchim gathered on Friday, missing the point. Their purpose promote such an evil plan calling Dalet Tammuz, in Yeshiva was specifically to go into Eretz for the forced evacuation of some Chovavei Torah in Crown Yisroel and get involved with 480,000 people, most of whom Heights, Brooklyn to discuss practical mitzvos, a divine service stand to lose their jobs as well as strategies for Shluchim to convey of much greater value to the their homes. the Rebbe’s message of Shleimus Creator than a spiritual life in the Rabbi Hecht discussed the HaAretz to their communities. desert. problem of the American Jewish The timing of the meeting Korach’s problem was simply community’s indifference towards capitalized on the Torah context, with Moshe Rabbeinu, accepting Eretz Yisroel and the need for as the previous week’s parsha was the authority of Toras Moshe Shluchim to approach this head Shlach, the story of the spies, and without question. on by having their congregations the following Shabbos was the These same two issues plague begin lobbying to educate the parsha of Korach. our people today and are at the American public to influence Shlach discusses how the Jews heart of the woeful situation in Israel to cancel this terrible plan. were not willing to settle the land Israel: The secular state of Israel Each Shliach has local federations of Israel. Rather, they wished to has given up on our divine and Rabbanim who can be continue living in the Midbar with mandate to settle the land and approached and taught about the the clouds of glory surrounding consequently millions of Israel’s Lubavitcher Rebbe’s perspective them and the Mann falling from Jews are in danger for their lives. on stopping Israel’s continued heaven every day. But they were Secondly, there is a serious

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insistence on talks for the creation The Israeli government has spent of a terrorist state in the name of The Rebbe said, years bending over backward to “peace”. be kind to Arab terrorists so that Next to speak was Rabbi “We must utilize today, it ends up being cruel to Sholom Ber Wolpo. Rav Wolpo, a the special bracha the Jews of Israel who are veteran activist for many years suffering mercilessly from the who has received many brachos of Eretz Yisroel by kindness of Israel’s government. from the Lubavitcher Rebbe for For advertising this already his work on Shleimus HaAretz, is making it our very public fact, Rabbi Wolpo has a great-grandson of Rebbetzin been the victim of countless police Menucha Rochel Slonim, the business to be investigations. daughter of the 2nd Rebbe of Tznius… There Rav Wolpo called on Shluchim Chabad, the Mitteler Rebbe. to establish an American office for Rav Wolpo discussed how the should not be seen Shleimus HaAretz. Rav Wolpo police have opened three criminal brought his new color English files on him for his patriotic in the Jewish language magazine “Israel efforts to advertise the plight of Shelanu” to show off to the the Jews of Eretz Yisroel who are people any “ervas Shluchim. This is the English being victimized by a government version of the already popular gone mad. While discussing the davar” – immodest Hebrew: “Yisroel Shelanu” that three “tikim” (criminal files) Rav dress or behavior. Rav Wolpo’s organization: “Vaad Wolpo received a standing LeHatzalat HaAm V’HaAretz” ovation. After all, not everyone By doing this, we puts out on a weekly basis at no can boast of such mesiras nefesh charge. To order, email Rav from the constant harassment of cause the divine Wolpo at [email protected]. police and civil authorities who The next speaker, Rabbi are unhappy with Rav Wolpo’s presence to Kalmanson, discussed the selfless work to stop them from necessity for shluchim to get suicide! automatically join involved and not to minimize and Wasn’t it only a short time ago with us to effect dismiss what is going on in Eretz that Israel advertised its ambitious Yisroel as “politics”. plans to develop the outlying the second part of Rabbi Zalman Liberow of areas? Weren’t the chalutznikim Chabad of Flatbush lauded the lauded as “heroes” and “heroic the pasuk: beauty and timing of Rabbi settlers of the land?” Wasn’t Wolpo’s “Israel Shelanu” “Chalutz!” the battle cry of the “l’hatzilcha l’latet magazine. It is the only English generation after the Holocaust? weekly magazine on the subject Over 75% of Olim who end up oyvecha lifanecha” that Chabad offers for outreach. staying are religious. As such, the – to save us and Rabbi Liberow suggested that an Aliya office recruits heavily from email version be mailed to the the religious community. cause our enemies’ Shluchim. This would provide Today, “Chalutz”, “Settler” valuable information on the and “Mitnachalim” are dirty downfall - Seifer situation in Eretz Yisroel that a words. The once lauded “Settler” shliach could pass on to his is derided in the Israeli media and HaSichos 1970, mekuravim. (It was later worse, he is called a “criminal”, suggested to mail a paper version “thief” and worse by a vol.2, pp.195-196. to the Shluchim as well). government intent on running the Rabbi Yehuda Friedman, Jews off the land of the Bible, the goals of the Arab enemy. As the Director of Chabad House of land of Avraham, Yitzchok and saying goes about Shaul Mill-Basin and Chabad House of Yaakov. A government claiming to HaMelech, who attempted to be Georgetown (Brooklyn), spoke be for the Jewish citizens of Israel kind to the king of the Amalekim: next at length about the necessity while working to accomplish the “Those who are kind to the cruel, of simply getting the Rebbe’s end up being cruel to the kind”.

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words “without p’shetlach” out to Rapp discussed the importance of the public. This itself would Flood the American Shluchim advertising the plight of impress people. congressional Eretz Yisroel and the terrible fate Rabbi Shmuel Grumach, that awaits them if the Peace plan director of Chabad of Beit Dagan committees that is pushed through. in Eretz Yisroel, told of the trials Rabbi Rapp reminded the and tribulations that an Israeli oversee US Middle crowd that in 1970 the Rebbe shliach is faced with in the normal brought out “Mivtza Tznius” as a course of his work in relation to East Policy with direct means of protecting Jews in Shleimus HaAretz. He described Eretz Yisroel: “Tznius for Eretz his visit to the town of Sa-Nur hundreds of HaKodesh”. before it was destroyed and given personally written The Rebbe said, “We must away to the Arabs. utilize the special bracha of Eretz The residents there made a letters, faxes and Yisroel by making it our business demonstration to protest the to be Tznius… There should not unfair treatment they were getting emails which be seen in the Jewish people any from the Israeli government, “ervas davar” – immodest dress which had enticed most of the protest the US or behavior. By doing this, we residents as new Olim to settle the cause the divine presence to hinterlands of Israel. The military’s training automatically join with us to residents of Sa-Nur invested their of Fatah terrorists effect the second part of the dollars into making the desert pasuk: “l’hatzilcha l’latet oyvecha bloom at the behest of Israel’s and that decry the lifanecha” – to save us and cause government, which sent shluchim our enemies’ downfall” - Seifer to America, Britain, South Africa, United States’ HaSichos 1970, vol.2, pp.195- France and other countries to lure 196. Jews into making “Aliya”. Little demands that Rabbi Rapp pointed out that did the Olim know the sinister the situation with tznius can plans the government had in store Israel stop building affect the situation in Eretz for them and their possessions. in Jerusalem, Judea Yisroel for the better. If they had, they most probably A campaign should be started never would have come. and Samaria. by shluchim to improve the Sa-Nur’s beleaguered residents problems with Tznius. The Rebbe are forgotten by the rest of Israel plan is getting. Instead of is telling us that this can have a and abandoned by its own revealing the outlandish fact that direct effect on the situation! government, essentially thrown to most of Jerusalem is slated to be We had a surprise speaker: the wolves by the media by being given away, the media only Israeli Journalist David Bedein, characterized as “parasites” and reports that it is the West Bank the Bureau Chief for the Israel worse. The residents have now that is going. Resource News Agency and the decided that even at this late The reality is that around President for the Center For Near stage, a protest demonstration is 480,000 Jews live in the areas East Policy Research (www. in order. slated to be given away, the large BehindTheNews.com) called in Rabbi Grumach and his family, majority of them religious. The minutes before Shabbos from who participated in the question that came to everyone’s Eretz Yisroel to discuss with us demonstration, never dreamed mind was: Why isn’t the his suggestions. He advises us to they would be victimized by such government giving away Ramat flood the American congressional unrestrained violence as the Aviv or Haifa? Why is it that all committees that oversee US soldiers used against them. They the places being given away are Middle East Policy with hundreds even beat his wife and assaulted where religious Jews live? of personally written letters, faxes his daughter. Then Rabbi Yekutiel Rapp, and emails which protest the US What was pointed out at the Mashpia in 770, spoke words of military’s training of Fatah conference is the media encouragement and thanks for the terrorists and that decry the whitewash that Mr. Netanyahu’s Shluchim who attended. Rabbi United States’ demands that

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Israel stop building in Jerusalem, different idea of what “peace” Judea and Samaria. Those Today, the players means than we do. After all, what committees are the Near East peaceful brotherly nation needs Subcommittee and its parent, the have not changed. its armies right on its neighborly US Senate Foreign Relations They have simply peaceful border…? Committee, chaired by Senator We too can learn from this. Robert Casey and Representative gotten deeper into Today, the players have not Gary Ackerman, respectively. changed. They have simply gotten The conclusion was that the a quagmire that deeper into a quagmire that the Israeli government needs to hear Rebbe tells us is not irreversible: voices of protest, both from Israel the Rebbe tells us All we need to do is stop all talks and from the US and abroad. It and take back all land. Then was pointed out that there is a is not irreversible: terror will stop within 48 hours, great confusion amongst Jews All we need to do is because this is the true source of over who is the responsible party the terror. When Israel chooses for stopping the terrible stop all talks and to stop, so will the terror. catastrophe of Oslo. Does one Israel’s government can at any petition the President of the take back all land. time cry: “Foul play!” All the United States to “lay off of agreements have been violated Netanyahu?” Does one reprimand Then terror will and broken. Not one cease-fire the government of Israel for has been kept. Terror continues putting its Jewish citizens in stop within 48 non-stop. The world does not danger? Who do we put our hours, because this expect - and in fact is shocked - energies into convincing to help that Israel keeps to any of the stop the destruction of Israel? is the true source Oslo accords. Why should it? The Rebbe historically always Nobody in his or her right mind pushed Israel’s government not to of the terror. When would. Yet millions of shekels give in to the demands of continue to flow from Israel to America. We don’t find that the Israel chooses to the PA. Hundreds of convicted Rebbe felt he must talk to the terrorist murderers are set free to Americans because they were the stop, so will the murder again. Who set them problem! terror. free? Not the United States. Not In discussion with MK Katzav President Obama. when he came to visit, the Rebbe It is a test from above. If, as told him to tell Shamir not to give truth in the Rebbe’s prophetic the Rebbe says, we are the in. Over and over again we find vision. Right after Sinai was given generation of the Midbar, it that the Rebbe spoke with Israel’s away and “Peace” was made with makes sense that our biggest diplomats to encourage them to Egypt, our now “peaceful” mesiras nefesh is supposed to be stand strong in the face of neighbor proceeded to move its specifically for Eretz Yisroel. We obviously difficult American armies and weaponry up to must stand up for the land and demands. It was only with Camp Israel’s border. Obviously, the declare: HaAretz Hi Tov M’od! David that we began to see the Rebbe points out, they have a Raskin's Consistently “if it grows we have it” Superior Fruit and Produce Emporium WHOLESALE & RETAIL Michal & Aaron Raskin We Deliver 335 Kingston Ave. Brooklyn NY 11213 * Tel: (718) 756-3888 756-2221 * Fax: 756-2440

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chassid

HE PREFERRED THE BEIS MIDRASH TO HIS HOUSE The Chassid, Rabbi Zalman REB ZALMAN Skoblo was born on 3 Sivan 5652/1892 to Rabbi Yitzchok and Mrs. Gittel Leah Skoblo, a distinguished Lubavitcher family. In his early childhood years he SKOBLO loved to sit and learn. He related that as a child in the town of Horodishatz he thought, “Shas is so Prepared for publication by Menachem ben Eliezer large and there is so much to learn. There is no time to spend at home!” At a young age he sat in the beis midrash where he learned and also slept on one of the benches. His sister would bring him food from home. In 5663 (or 5664), when he was only eleven years old, he joined the Tomchei T’mimim branch in Horodishatz. This yeshiva was founded in 5661 and existed until 5671. When he became bar mitzva, R’ Zalman transferred to Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Lubavitch itself. There, R’ Zalman became one of the outstanding talmidim. Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson, who also learned in Lubavitch, called him, “ha’tamim ha’metzuyan” (the outstanding Tamim). At this time, R’ Zalman had long peios which were his distinguishing feature. That’s how his fellow T’mimim remembered him years later. He cut them only when he was drafted in the Russian army and he did so for the purpose of saving his beard. He later related that after he was drafted, the officers ordered that he take off his beard, to which he cleverly told them, “They will say that in the Russian army they behave like the Germans.” The officers stopped bothering him. In Tomchei T’mimim there was a “Kupas Bachurim,” which was founded at the initiative of the Rebbe Rayatz. From the memoirs of elder T’mimim it seems that the fund

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played an important role in their personal relationship. did not speak much. A word from lives. The goal of the fund was to R’ Zalman later related to his him was an entire sentence. It was help cover the living expenses of new grandson that when the Rebbe only afterwards that he told me that applicants. Until they were tested Rashab farbrenged or said a he agreed to farbreng because that and accepted, the fund helped those maamer, it was extremely crowded. day (3 Sivan) was his birthday. who were without means. It also It was very hard to squeeze in and “He told us about his first helped those talmidim who, for find a good spot where you could yechidus. He didn’t want to tell us various reasons, could not eat in the hear the Rebbe, but I – said R’ about the content of the yechidus yeshiva kitchen. Zalman – was helped by my friend, but we pressured him and he The fund was run by a gabbai R’ Shmuel Katzman (later his relented. He said it was accepted who was picked from the bachurim brother-in-law) who was very practice for Chassidim not to relate and for a period of time, R’ Zalman their yechidus but he told us one was responsible for the fund. This thing, that when he was about to testifies to his standing among the leave, the Rebbe taught him a lesson bachurim and the trust they had in in avodas Hashem, ‘If you are him. denigrated or praised, it should be One year, on Erev Yom absolutely the same to you.’ Kippur, R’ Zalman visited the “R’ Zalman said this in office of the Rebbe Rayatz, who amazement about the Rebbe, to was the “acting dean” of the explain his greatness. The yeshiva, in order to make an Rebbe said this to a very accounting of the money in young bachur, a child really, the fund. The Rebbe seemed and treated him with such wound up and very tense seriousness. He was amazed and his face looked by the Rebbe and went on to terrifying. R’ Zalman dared extol this. Yet when I heard to ask, “What happened that this, I was more amazed by you are so tense and wound R’ Zalman, because the up?” Rebbe did not say this to Instead of replying, the everyone!” Rebbe Rayatz opened a R’ Zalman related that he drawer in his desk. The drawer was fourteen when he had was divided into compartments yechidus with the Rebbe Rashab and in each compartment there and he said about himself that was money. “You see?” said the after that yechidus, the issue of Rebbe. “All this is tz’daka money caring about what people had to say and an accounting must be made.” about him was gone - and it never R’ Zalman related this incident to came back! R’ Eliyahu Landau and concluded, R’ Landau added, “When I asked R’ Zalman Skoblo in his youth “At that moment I realized that I him about a certain spiritual matter could not just relate to him in a he said to me in surprise, ‘After the collegial manner as I had done strong. I would always go with him first yechidus!?’ (Meaning- could before. The Rayatz is completely and thanks to him I would get close such a problem come up after the different … [i.e. in a different to the Rebbe Rashab. first yechidus?!) It wasn’t possible!” league].” R’ Eliyahu Landau related, “After R’ Zalman moved to Eretz Yisroel, MIRACLES AT THE SHAME AND PRAISE he would go every day to the zal of RUSSIAN DRAFT OFFICE ARE THE SAME TO YOU yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Lud, where he would learn and daven. When it came time to be drafted, While learning in yeshiva, the One day, I asked him to farbreng he was sent a draft notice. The Rebbe Rashab and Rebbe Rayatz with us. It was at the start of the danger in serving in the Russian became fond of him and he was one Yemei Hagbala before Shavuos. He army was obvious and R’ Zalman of the mekuravim of “Beis HaRav” agreed to farbreng. In general, he went to the Rebbe Rashab to ask for and one of those who merited a his bracha to be exempt from army

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service. He snuck into the Rebbe’s home, knocked on the door, and “YOUR SON WILL RETURN” entered the Rebbe’s room where the R’ Avrohom Skoblo, R’ Zalman’s son, related: Rebbe sat with an open Gemara. When I came of draft age, my father told me to lift heavy things in The Rebbe spoke to him at length. order to cause a hernia. I was not drafted but a short while later the R’ Zalman related that the Rebbe war broke out and everybody was drafted into that terrible war. It mentioned many statements of looked as though the Soviet Union would be defeated. Chazal and cited the source with the My father accompanied me to the train. We had to go forty page number. Sometimes, with kilometers and on the way he said to me: Tonight, my mother a”h came certain quotes he told R’ Zalman to to me in a dream and asked me what is happening in the world. I said look them up. When he quoted that a world war had begun. She asked: What connection does it have something in Tanya, he said, “It’s an with you? I said: My son Avrohom is drafted. She said: You should explicit Tanya.” know that he will be wounded but he will come back alive. R’ Zalman did not say what took And that is what happened. When I was on the outskirts of Berlin, I place at that encounter but before he was wounded by a bullet in my hand but I returned home in good went to the draft office he went to health. the Rebbe again for a bracha. The Rebbe did not bless him. At that time, if you were called injustice had been done. He knew before the draft board, you could go When I told him that the money the bachurim had to any draft office you chose, even that the Likkutei collected to save him was urgently one not in your place of residence. needed by them. This caused him to At the first interview you underwent Dibburim of the raise his voice to that askan and he medical exams, registration, etc. It even forcefully banged on the table seems the Rebbe sent him to a draft Rebbe Rayatz had and the table broke. Seeing this, the office in some city and that is where askan decided to refund the money he went. A Chassid lived there who been published and and the money was returned to his knew an askan. The two of them it said that Chai friends. met with the askan who suggested that they pay a lot of money and Elul is the birthday bribe a woman who knew the doctor HE CRIED FORTY at the draft office who would rule of the Alter Rebbe YEARS LATER out R’ Zalman for the army. R’ Zalman worked on publishing The amount he asked for was and the Baal Shem the Rebbe Rashab’s maamarim, enormous. Having no choice, R’ Tov, he was including the famous Hemshech Zalman’s friends collected the 5672. He was also the one in money and paid the askan in full. overcome with charge, in Lubavitch, of printing and However, on the appointed day, R’ giving out these “k’savim.” In order Zalman realized that the askan emotion and he to enable him to do this job, the hadn’t done anything and salvation said, “We never Rebbe brought a mimeograph would not come about through him. machine from abroad and R’ Zalman His beard had started to grow heard about this in arranged and directed all the and he looked healthy. When he printing of the maamarim. went to the draft office, he went for Lubavitch.” It once happened that a the medical exams and the nurse in policeman passed by and noticed the room said to the doctor, “Such a large sum of money belonged to his this work. Perhaps at that time you nice looking boy – exempt him from friends and could be used to needed a government permit to print the army.” And he was exempted. purchase food and basic necessities. things and they didn’t have one. The To R’ Zalman it was clear that his The askan refused to return the policeman began questioning him release had nothing to do with the money and R’ Zalman went to his about how he was allowed to print efforts of that askan and he asked house to discuss it with him. R’ and R’ Zalman answered firmly that for his money back. Those were Zalman was a quiet person by nature this was Torah that the Rebbe said to days of hunger and privation and the and never got angry and raised his the students of the yeshiva and they voice but here he felt that a terrible

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R’ Zalman’s letter code for Mishnayos R’ Zalman saying a bracha at his granddaughter’s wedding

had to have copies of the Rebbe’s Suddenly I remembered that it was 2 bris (years later, when Avrohom had maamarim in order to be able to Nissan (the day of the histalkus of yechidus, he said to the Rebbe, “The study them. Surprisingly, the the Rebbe Rashab). As soon as I Rebbe attended my bris.” The Rebbe policeman left him alone. mentioned it R’ Zalman said, “And said, “Yes, I traveled with my When the Rebbe Rashab gave the since then we remain orphans,” and brother to Rostov).” maamarim of 5672 for printing, he the two of them began to cry with Until 1926 R’ Zalman lived with told him that he wanted the talmidim copious tears. his family in Charkov where many to learn and be involved in these “It was about fifty years after the Chassidim lived at that time and maamarim. This was when he was histalkus, such a long time, and after there was even a yeshiva there. still in the middle of the series and the many upheavals that transpired In 1926 R’ Zalman and his hadn’t finished the hemshech yet. R’ in the interim and much suffering. family moved to Horodishatz where Zalman said, “It’s still in the The normal course of nature would his parents lived. He continued to middle.” The Rebbe smiled and said, be for those feelings to dim, and yet, travel among different cities and “With Hashem’s help, I hope to two elderly people cried bitterly for spread Torah under the auspices of finish it.” the Rebbe, decades later! That was Tiferes Bachurim. R’ Zalman continued to print the their hiskashrus to the Rebbe.” In 1929-30 he manufactured maamarim afterwards too, and talleisim for Anash for a living. He between the years 1921 and 1929 he BUILDING HIS HOME learned the craft of refining the wool would print maamarim while as well as spinning and how to After the yeshiva in Lubavitch wandering through the country, weave material, which he used for was closed in 5677/1917, R’ Zalman traveling from place to place in the k’dusha, to make talleisim. As he went with R’ Shmuel Katzman to the underground work of spreading made them and would tie on the Charson district where they Torah in the framework of Tiferes tzitzis, he reviewed Mishnayos by remained on and off for two or three Bachurim. heart. years. In 5680 (or 5681), R’ Zalman His hiskashrus to the Rebbe There was a time that R’ Zalman married the righteous Tzivya Freida Rashab was strong and soulful. R’ was unable to obtain the color black a”h. The wedding took place in Landau related that when R’ Zalman in order to dye the stripes of the Charkov. was in Eretz Yisroel, he stayed with tallis. Instead, he took the wool of In Cheshvan 1922 their son his father, R’ Yaakov Landau (who brown goats, and after processing Avrohom was born. The man later to was his friend from Lubavitch). the wool, he made special threads th After the davening, they spoke “and become the 7 Nasi of Chabad, the which he made into stripes. I sat on the side and listened. Rebbe MH”M, was present at the “R’ Zalman told me that he took

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great pleasure in this work,” said R’ Rebbe said, ‘The sh’chita of Landau. “As he spun the threads on Before I left for chickens won’t hurt.’ I did not end the machine, he would learn Eretz Yisroel I up studying sh’chita and during the Mishnayos by heart and review it years of famine, I noticed chickens until he knew it well and only then deliberated over walking around. If I had known move on to the next Mishna. sh’chita, it would have been very “Among his remaining personal whether to travel to useful to me.” effects there was a notebook that he the gravesite of the kept where he wrote down all of the HE IS ONE OF US Mishnayos. It enabled him to Rebbe Rashab in After the war, the Skoblo family remember the Mishnayos even if he reunited and returned to Charkov. did not have the s’farim because he Rostov. On the one At that time, there were several marked down all the first words of active minyanim, shochtim, etc. so the Mishnayos using a letter code. hand, I yearned to that Judaism hadn’t died out there When he saw the first word, he although everything was done immediately remembered the entire go so greatly… On secretly. Some time later, a Torah Mishna. That’s how R’ Zalman the other hand… I scholar who was not a Lubavitcher learned the entire six orders of the Chassid, Rabbi Eliezer Felzenstein Mishna by heart, word by word!” finally decided that came and became R’ Zalman’s The Skoblo family moved to the chavrusa. Every day, until R’ nearby Jewish town of Rudnia. At it would be Zalman moved to Eretz Yisroel, R’ that time, there was a famine which Eliezer went to his house and they was perpetrated by the government tremendously learned Gemara, halacha, and and millions died of starvation. His embarrassing to Chassidus together. son Avrohom relates that during this R’ Dovid Abba Gurewitz relates: time, he and his father dug a well in show my face to the In Tamuz 1968, R’ Mottel the yard in order to have what to Kozliner and I decided to locate the drink. With a little bit of money and Rebbe and I did not holy gravesites in Lubavitch that had goods that was sent to them by the been neglected for fifty years, to brother-uncle Yona Skoblo, they go… It’s a pity I clean them up, and mark them with managed to survive. didn’t go. When you a gate, both out of respect and so that every Chassid would know THE REBBE CAME IN A go to your father, where the graves were. When I DREAM HOLDING A KNIFE you don’t take into planned the dangerous trip I R’ Zalman was weak for many thought of including one of the years. The reason for his weakness consideration elder Chassidim who had learned in was the difficult period he Tomchei T’mimim in Lubavitch. I experienced during World War II. whether you will be had R’ Zalman Skoblo in mind. Although he wasn’t drafted into the ashamed… You just I went to Charkov and went to army per se, like other citizens he the house of R’ Eliezer Felzenstein was drafted into backbreaking go! whom I knew from his visits to defense work against the Nazi Tashkent. After the Shabbos meal enemy. He was sent to work on it). There were days that he did not we went to R’ Zalman. The elderly fortifications and jobs like paving eat at all and some days he only ate Chassid was sitting at the table and roads around Moscow. The potatoes and sugar. This resulted in learning. R’ Eliezer quickly told him, weakness of his body which resulted malnutrition which lasted several “He is one of ours,” as he pointed at affected him the rest of his life. years. me, so that R’ Zalman wouldn’t be Throughout this time, R’ Zalman R’ Zalman related that some time uncomfortable about a stranger in did not eat any cooked food. He before he was enlisted in this defense his house. refused to put anything treif into his work, he saw the Rebbe Rashab in a I knew that I had a difficult task. mouth and he sufficed with a bit of dream handing him a sh’chita knife. R’ Skoblo was old and long- bread, sugar and water when he “I asked the Rebbe whether this suffering. After I introduced myself, found it (and he didn’t always find meant I should study sh’chita. The a conversation ensued about friends

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in common from Tashkent and Zalman had to retrace his steps. He Samarkand. With great feeling he related: began recalling events from the glory Before I left for Eretz Yisroel I days in Lubavitch. He told deliberated over whether to travel to wonderful stories about the mashpia, the gravesite of the Rebbe Rashab in R’ Gronem. When I told him that Rostov. On the one hand, I yearned the Likkutei Dibburim of the Rebbe to go so greatly that I cannot put it Rayatz had been published and it into words. On the other hand, the said that Chai Elul is the birthday of great shame in showing my face was the Alter Rebbe and the Baal Shem enormous. How could I show my Tov, he was overcome with emotion face to the Rebbe, looking as I did and he said, “We never heard about … I finally decided that it would be this in Lubavitch. A lot of the history tremendously embarrassing to show of the Rebbeim is only being my face to the Rebbe and I did not revealed lately and only a little bit go.” has reached us, as well as maamarim When he related this, he cried from the Rebbe, the Siddur T’hillas and said, “It’s a pity I didn’t go. Hashem, and the Tanya.” When you go to your father you When he said this, he showed us don’t take into consideration a different Tanya that had been whether you will be ashamed to printed in Vilna and had the show your face or not. You just go autograph of the Rebbe Rashab on to your father!” it. We were gripped by awe as we After moving to Eretz Yisroel, he held this Tanya. lived in the Chabad neighborhood in It came time to talk about the R’ Zalman in Rudnia Lud. He felt quite at home, readily trip though from his state of health I mingling with the many Chassidim, could see there was nothing to talk The officer said, “You can learn with the cream of the crop, living there. about. However, I saw his yearning the old people but woe if you teach He felt a great chayus living near for Lubavitch and his strong desire the young.” yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim. In a to accompany me on the trip, to Nevertheless, he did not stop letter that his wife wrote at that time return to the place where he had teaching the young. His to her son Avrohom who remained basked in the light of the Rebbe grandchildren and other boys who in Russia, she described R’ Zalman Rashab together with his fellow lived in Charkov visited his home in as a fish in water. T’mimim. order to hear divrei Torah and R’ Zalman was recognized as one You can readily imagine how Chassidus. He sat and learned of the ziknei Anash, a Torah scholar, pained he was when I told him the constantly, especially after he a tremendous baal avoda, and a man reason for my coming to him. He stopped working. of glowing countenance and deep looked extremely sad as he said, emotion. “You can see that just walking to MOVED TO SEE He couldn’t help but cry when he shul on Shabbos which is two blocks CHILDREN ANSWERING saw schoolchildren answering “amen from here, is a big problem for me. AMEN yehei shmei rabba” enthusiastically. How could I go to Lubavitch which It was a sight he could not behold in is so far away?” And he began to R’ Zalman moved to Eretz communist Russia and it moved him cry. Yisroel in 5729/1969 after much tremendously. He would cry when suffering and not before going he heard children say amen. THE OFFICER ROSE through a difficult test. Two years R’ Landau relates that R’ Zalman earlier, in 5727, the communist IN HIS HONOR asked to be able to attend shiur and government approved his leaving for listen along with the talmidim. R’ Zalman was once called to the Israel. R’ Zalman, who was an old “For a time we learned Yoreh police station. When he returned man already, sold his house and Dei’a together. I was amazed how afterwards, he said what happened. belongings and packed, and then fluent he was in it as though he had When he was taken in to see the traveled on the train for days. just learned it.” police chief, the man stood up in his But then the Six Day War began He wasn’t completely at peace in honor and treated him very well. and the Soviets canceled his visa. R’

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Eretz Yisroel since his son Avrohom was to him: the KGB, when he didn’t tell the and his family remained behind the … I have a request of the truth, he still tried not to lie but Iron Curtain. R’ Zalman knew that Rebbe. This is my portion of all my cleverly worded his answers to get most Jews ended up absorbing the toil, and the only thing I want, that around it. coldness and communist heresy and my descendents be educated and R’ Meir Gruzman, one of the moving away from a life of Torah, directed according to the way of roshei yeshivos in Tomchei T’mimim not to mention the assimilation. Torah and Judaism in our spirit, in Kfar Chabad, related: For religious people, like and this was my entire goal in my “Now and then I would visit R’ Avrohom and his family, life was many efforts to leave Russia and Zalman in his house. He did not extremely difficult. R’ Zalman move to Eretz Yisroel, to save them speak much but one of the things worried about his descendents if from the darkness there and bring that really got to me was that he they were forced to remain in them here, knowing that if they always sat on the edge of his chair. Russia. In nearly every copy of the remained there, what their end You constantly saw kabbalas ol on notes he would send to the Rebbe, would be. Boruch Hashem, I him. I paid attention and never did I he mentioned this: merited to see a good beginning in see him sit back comfortably in a Pidyon nefesh to the Rebbe my efforts in that I merited to chair! I consider this a big thing!” shlita, please arouse great mercy move to Eretz Yisroel and to bring R’ Landau relates: for me, Shneur Zalman Moshe ben them here too despite the many “When R’ Zalman moved to Gittel Leah that Hashem help that difficulties this entailed. My hope Eretz Yisroel and lived in Lud, he I be inspired to true t’shuva and and prayer to Hashem is that He would come to the yeshiva and sit in that Hashem strengthen my health strengthen me in the future too, to on my class. He spent most of his materially and spiritually and that continue in my work in their day in yeshiva. He would sometimes I merit to see my son and his entire chinuch for good. farbreng with the younger talmidim. family very soon and get much Needless to say how much this He once spoke about the avoda of nachas from them, materially and affects my soul, what their future t’filla that while davening, you spiritually. will be and how their behavior will should not think about anything aside from the words. He spoke Having had bitter experience be. The only way, it seems to me, to strongly about the need to daven with visas and their cancellation, R’ attain my desire is to educate and with kavana and when davening Zalman asked the Rebbe in another guide them only if they are near me ‘nothing should exist except for letter that the requests submitted by … Therefore I present my request t’filla, and one should be focused his son to obtain visas work out well: from the depths of my heart before the Rebbe, that an exception be only on the Siddur and on nothing My son Avrohom ben Tzivya else going on around.’ who is in Charkov submitted a made and you tell them to give them an apartment in Shikun “The talmidim listened but it was request for permission to move hard for them to believe that there with his family to Eretz Yisroel Chabad in Lud … Likewise I request the bracha of the Rebbe are people who while davening feel about a month ago and he waits that whatever is going on around for an answer soon, with Hashem’s that I merit to see nachas in my efforts and that I derive much them does not exist, and they help, and I request the Rebbe’s concentrate fully on the words. bracha that he get permission nachas from all my descendents, Yiddishe and Chassidishe nachas. Some bachurim decided to test him, without obstacles and that it all to see whether R’ Zalman did what Shortly thereafter, the Rebbe sent work out successfully. he demanded of them. instructions to make an exception Indeed, that year, Avrohom and “Afterwards, they told me what and allot an apartment to Avrohom his family moved to Eretz Yisroel happened. R’ Zalman’s regular seat and his family. after a difficult journey. for davening was at a shtender near At that time, by order of the a large window. They took their Rebbe, no more apartments were THE CHARACTER places at the window and as he designated for Anash in Lud. R’ OF A TAMIM davened Mincha they took pictures Zalman, who wanted his son and of him. They thought he might yell R’ Zalman once said that he grandchildren to live nearby, wrote a at them or pick up his head but he never told a lie. As for something heartfelt plea to the Rebbe from did not notice what was going on that wasn’t true and wasn’t a lie – he which we see how important a and did not even look up. He was hadn’t refrained from that entirely. Chassidishe education for his family completely immersed in his davening Even when he was interrogated by

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and they were very impressed. “I also learned from the following incident. I once asked R’ Zalman something in ruchnius and he gave me an answer that seemed very lofty, not on my level at all. I went to the mashpia R’ Shlomo Chaim Kesselman who was very sick at the time and in bed. He could barely move. I went to his room and told him that I was coming from R’ Zalman Skoblo and I had asked him such-and-such and what he answered me. R’ Shlomo Chaim kind of jumped in bed and said in wonder: “That R’ Zalman was a Chassidishe bachur, we all knew that; but to this extent? I didn’t R’ Avrohom Skoblo receiving a dollar from the Rebbe realize.” preparations for the next world were a powerful lesson. WITH A LUCID MIND “In the latter period of his life, R’ Landau relates: after the passing of the mashpia, R’ “One time, R’ Zalman asked me Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, he asked to arrange a minyan for a mesiras that his grave be near R’ Shlomo modaa (making a legally binding Chaim. I did as he asked and spoke announcement). The kabbalists write about it to R’ Lazer Nannes who that when a person dies, the Satan was in charge of the plots belonging stands near him and tells him to to Kollel Chabad and he said he deny G-d, and the neshama refuses would fulfill his request. but we are afraid lest due to the “I went to R’ Zalman and told confusion of the moment the him that his request was accepted. neshama will agree. Therefore, while (From the way R’ Nannes treated the still of sound mind one should pray request, I saw how much he to Hashem in advance. esteemed R’ Zalman. I didn’t have to “R’ Zalman was healthy at the say more than that R’ Zalman made time and I tried to dissuade him so the request and he said: If that is R’ he wouldn’t be thinking about death. Zalman’s request, then we will surely I told him he would live long etc. It do that). was awkward but since he insisted, I “One day R’ Zalman said to me: did as he asked. He told me that he I have the feeling that my spot is R’ Zalman reciting the Birkas HaMazon would prepare a list for me of the being taken away. When I asked him people he wanted to come and what he meant, he did not specify, R’ Zalman passed away on 8 participate in the minyan. but this was his feeling. Sivan 5734/1974 at the age of 82. “When the minyan gathered at “The night before he passed He was buried at the head of R’ the appointed time, there was a very away, there was a terrible car Shlomo Chaim. His heart’s desire somber atmosphere. It was a accident in which four Lubavitchers that all his descendents go in the frightening scene. R’ Zalman said were killed on their way back from a way of Torah and mitzvos was the nusach with great kavana and wedding. Among those killed was realized. All of them are Chabad then said Shma Yisroel with Rabbi Shneur Zalman Garelik, the Chassidim, mekusharim to the tremendous feeling that is rav of Kfar Chabad. R’ Garelik was Rebbe MH”M. indescribable. Then I offered cups of buried in the spot next to R’ Shlomo The article is based on the book “A Lubavitcher Tamim” which was edited by Rabbi Menachem schnapps and we said l’chaim and Chaim.” Mendel Bronfman. wished him long life. But his

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shlichus BEIS MOSHIACH

By Mendel Tzfasman In the center of Kiryat Malachi, at the junction of Jerusalem and Ben Gurion streets, over a row of restaurants and a popular shopping center, is a Chabad center called “Beis Moshiach.” It attracts dozens of Anash and T’mimim as well as pre-observant youth. All activities that take place there are done to prepare for the hisgalus of the Rebbe MH”M.

The setting was the school of As time passed, this response person shouldn’t be modest and do the religious kibbutz, Ein became a principle that shaped his his work quietly but has to HaNetziv, in the Beit Shaan valley character. Today, R’ Sholom Fash publicize what he does. during the summer of 1979: is known in Kiryat Malachi as the Sholom’s parents, Isser and The bell rang and the students director of “Beis Moshiach.” Ziva Fash, are baalei t’shuva who ran out to play. One student, became Lubavitch through their Sholom Fash, was asked by his MILITARY PREP SCHOOL, friends, Lubavitchers in Chevel teacher to remain behind. ARMY SERVICE, AND Taanachim. Sholom remembers the “I want to talk to you,” she Shabbos and Yom Tov meals, the said. When the eight year old went THEN K’VUTZA Melaveh Malka or Chol HaMoed over to his teacher’s desk, he I had planned on speaking to R’ Pesach meals when his parents sent wasn’t surprised by her question Sholom about his work for an him to the Sossonkin, Dunin and which she asked in all sincerity, article but he isn’t one for Klatchi families so they would be “Why do you need to be different? publicity. This is not a cliché but sure he ate kosher food l’mehadrin Your chareidi behavior the truth. Our “argument” was and was in a Chassidic automatically makes you a clinched by a sicha that a Chassid environment. laughingstock.” in his shul reviewed one Shabbos, At the kibbutz, despite it being a The child’s answer, as she later in which the Rebbe explains that religious kibbutz, Sholom and his related to his mother, amazed her. just as the avoda of the High Priest family had to contend with the He said, “Look at me. You see, had to be done in a garment daily stares of people who kept a nothing happened to me because decorated with tinkling bells, so close watch on them. For example, they laughed? So let them continue that “the sound of his entering the on Independence Day, when all the laughing.” Holy will be heard,” so too, a members said Hallel with festive

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fervor, the children of the Fash tank. He used his position to instill his father to the family read Pirkei Avos in order not Jewish values in his men and Rebbe on other occasions, before to stand out. Even the switch from colleagues. He spent his military his K’vutza year): a knitted kippa to a black yarmulke vacations at the Chabad yeshiva in “Before the flight I bought a hat was done gradually. At first he Tzfas. He describes his leaving the and suit which I put in my suitcase. ordered a dark blue yarmulke, “So army for K’vutza as “going out of When I got to Crown Heights I they wouldn’t notice and quiz me.” galus to Geula.” went to the mikva first and only His father’s decision to let his While serving in the army, he then ‘put on the uniform’ and beard grow wasn’t easy. It was only received firsthand reports about walked into 770 as a Tamim. when his wife and children joined what was going on in Chabad from forces and “stole” the afikoman guys who read and listened to OBSESSED WITH and refused to return it that he newspapers and radio respectively. SHLICHUS committed to growing a beard. So he remembers the sicha of 28 After he got married to his wife Sholom was on K’vutza in Nissan in which the Rebbe Avishag, the daughter of R’ 5752, a year of upheavals as well announced, “I have done my part; Shmaryahu Hillel, the young as unusual giluyim, but unlike his from here-on-in do what you can couple lived in Lud. While learning fellow talmidim, he didn’t go on to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu.” The in Kollel he began to work with K’vutza after learning for six years guys told him that in the paper it Eliyahu Gabbai, running a Chabad in Chabad yeshivos (he did that said that the Lubavitcher Rebbe house in Ramle. Even when they after he got married when he had despaired of Moshiach! moved to Nachalat Har Chabad in learned in Kollel for over six years) He describes his arrival at 770 Kiryat Malachi, after three years of but instead went into the army. In for the first time as a Chabadnik, outreach work and learning he the army, Sholom commanded a dressed the part (he had gone with

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When the eight year old went over to his teacher’s desk, he wasn’t surprised by her question, “Why do you need to be different? Your chareidi behavior automatically makes you a Sholom before K’vutza laughingstock.” The child’s answer, as she later related to his mother, amazed her. He said, “Look at me. You see, nothing happened to me because they laughed? So let them continue

Sholom Fash teaching soldiers. Once a tankist, always a tankist. laughing.”

continued to yearn for shlichus. work as a sofer, he opened an included shiurim for women and “As soon as we arrived at our evening Kollel in his building’s girls, Mrs. Esther Kreisman, today apartment which was in a building miklat (bomb shelter). the principal of the seminar populated by pre-observant Jews, He and his wife developed “HaYahalom Sh’b’Keter” (the we noticed that their children were personal relationships with the Diamond in the Crown) said, “The wandering around outside with neighbors in order to be mekarev miklat is galus and we have to get nothing to do. We got the children them. One neighbor began to dress out to a place of Geula!” Together together for a Tzivos Hashem club modestly and to cover her hair. As with Mrs. Fash, she walked the that we held twice a week.” a result, her entire family became streets one winter day in 5764 until Along with the work with the more involved in Jewish life. There they came to the most central area children, Sholom got involved with were many other cases like that. of the city and announced, “The a series of shiurim given in shuls in Beis Moshiach will be located here.” town that were organized by R’ FROM THE GALUS The place overlooks the main Elimelech Hertzl and R’ Moshe SHELTER TO THE GEULA square of the city and is located at Hillel, and he began to give shiurim the junction of Jerusalem and Ben on Geula and Moshiach at two BUILDING Gurion streets, above a row of shuls. Later on, when he began to When the program expanded and restaurants and a popular shopping

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center, which attracts young people day and night. It turned out to be an excellent location. Sholom got in touch with the owner of the building who was willing to rent it to him. R’ Shabtai Weintraub, a friend of Sholom’s from K’vutza days, announced at a farbrengen that they needed to have an “Oneg Shabbos” every Friday night and bring kids up to Beis Moshiach. For five years now, the two of them run a program for youth on Friday nights where the kids hear Kiddush, sing Shabbos z’miros, hear about the weekly parsha from a Geula perspective and miracle stories Yoni Fein in a pre-Shavuos program about the Rebbe. Over the years, hundreds of kids have attended the Oneg Shabbos. They made hachlatos, their spiritual personality was shaped, and all without exception became strongly connected to the Rebbe. Sholom tells us about one of them: “Kfir, a graduate of Oneg Shabbos and now in the Air Force, decided one Shabbos to keep Shabbos properly. Even after he went to the army where keeping Shabbos is difficult, he remained faithful to his commitment. One Shabbos, when he was given the assignment of guard duty in a distant place, he went Erev Shabbos Young people from Kiryat Malachi at Beis Moshiach with a driver to his nighttime guard Many girls have made good that are sometimes caused by being post and sent the driver off. hachlatos and every week there is a mekarev just one family member. “It poured that Shabbos. His rotation amongst the girls, whose Until recently, Beis Moshiach friends suggested that when his numbers continue to grow, and ran a Kollel. The men heard guard duty was over he should they take turns telling of iskafia excellent shiurim and received return by car to where they slept so they did that week. personal direction from the Rosh he wouldn’t get soaked but he said, Beis Moshiach doesn’t only Kollel, R’ Shmaryah Hillel and his ‘I promised the Lubavitcher Rebbe invest in the future generation. son, Moshe. They were tested for that I would keep Shabbos. He will Every day, seniors attend the Kollel smicha by Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu make sure it doesn’t rain.’ When Tiferes Z’keinim which is directed and Rabbi Yitzchok Yehuda Kfir walked the two kilometers back by R’ Shneur Zalman Maatuf, Yaroslavsky, secretary of the Vaad to where he was sleeping, not a where they learn Mishna and Rabbanei Chabad. drop of rain fell!” Halacha, Midrash and Geula. On Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5768, *** Beis Moshiach’s outreach to the Kollel format changed and it At Mrs. Kreisman’s seminary everyone, including parents, boys became a yeshiva for baalei t’shuva there is a program of lectures and and girls, brings entire families to with full room and board. farbrengens for women and girls. the Rebbe without the “side effects”

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of the farbrengen it is fleshed out, up to and including delegating the various jobs and working out how every last penny will be covered. A good idea for every Chabad house to copy is the first minyan. Every Shabbos, while Anash are busy learning Chassidus in the other room, there is a minyan for mekuravim which begins at 7:30 a.m. After they are finished, they sit down to a short farbrengen with Sholom. If you think that a short farbrengen doesn’t make an impact, the reality here proves otherwise. During these brief farbrengens important hachlatos are made like children learning Mishnayos and Tanya by heart the group that flew to the Rebbe with Sholom. THE CHAYUS OF 770 This short trip made a When the Oneg Shabbos He has given out tremendous impression on them. activities expanded, a Chabad shul One of them began to grow a beard opened at Beis Moshiach. This was raffles, valuable and looks like a born-and-bred on 15 Tamuz 2004. At first there prizes like a dollar chareidi. Another one decorated his was a minyan only on Shabbos, but car with stickers that urge people to when Anash returned from 770 at from the Rebbe, a prepare for Geula by adding in the end of Tishrei 5765, they mitzvos and good deeds. Another decided to have minyanim there on laptop, a digital one arranged times to learn weekdays too. p’nimius ha’Torah and inyanei I visited Beis Moshiach for the camera, mountain Geula. They enthusiastically told t’fillos and farbrengens on Shabbos. their friends, the people who daven It’s hard to put the atmosphere into bikes, stylish shoes, in the first minyan, “you feel that writing but I can definitely etc. The students the Rebbe is here and looking at recommend that if you end up in you.” The natural envy of those who Kiryat Malachi for Shabbos, don’t learn lines of Tanya did not go on the trip makes them miss the farbrengen at Beis resolve to form another group that Moshiach, a farbrengen which and Mishnayos by will go to the Rebbe. begins by learning together from kuntres Heichaltzu or kuntres heart. It’s LIGHTING UP THE KIRYA Ahavas Yisroel. Beis Moshiach has something heartwarming to As loyal Chassidim, the people unique that distinguishes it from who work at Beis Moshiach prepare other shuls. You can always hear one see T’mimim sitting the people of their town to greet of the many miracle stories which Moshiach and don’t just talk about abound, or firsthand accounts from in public parks this to those who take the initiative Jews who have come to the rational together with kids to come to them. The ways they conclusion that the world is ready interact with people are varied. for Geula, or just experience an being tested on lines Their crowning achievement has “ordinary” farbrengen where people to be their work with youth. Every really open up. You will see bearded of Tanya, Pirkei day, a group goes from Beis elderly Chassidim dancing on chairs Moshiach, led by Shneur Zalman arm in arm with young Chassidim or Avos, or Mishnayos Maatuf, to the Amal school in Kiryat T’mimim. You may be present when Malachi and the elementary school an idea is presented and by the end by heart. of the neighboring moshav, Be’er

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Tuvia, in order to put on t’fillin with the students. There are some interesting stories connected with this outreach that began with enormous opposition from the parent committee who protested what they called religious coercion. However, by now, they are welcomed with open arms. Before every Chassidishe date, like 19 Kislev, 10 Shevat, 11 Nissan, or 3 Tammuz, Sholom thinks of ways to get the kids to a farbrengen at Beis Moshiach. He has given out raffles, valuable prizes like a dollar from the Rebbe, a laptop, a digital camera, mountain bikes, stylish shoes, etc. The students learn lines Members of the Kollel of Tanya and Mishnayos by heart. It’s heartwarming to see T’mimim sitting in public parks together with kids being tested on lines of Tanya, Pirkei Avos, or Mishnayos by heart. Before Yud Shevat, Beis Moshiach had a contest in which whoever signed up others on the Kabbalas HaMalchus form was entered into a raffle for a dollar from the Rebbe. Another dollar, not raffled off, was given to the person who signed up the most people. The number of people who participate in the contests continually amazes even Sholom. Erev Yud-Alef Nissan, a group of bachurim and Sholom set up a table Mekuravim at a farbrengen in Beis Moshiach and a big video screen in the business district on which they showed videos of the Rebbe. They invited passersby to join the THE SEUDAS HODAA THAT MADE A MIRACLE farbrengen. Five years ago, Yosef Yitzchok Fash, Sholom’s brother, was critically Sholom is always coming up with wounded. He was serving as staff Sergeant of a reconnaissance unit of creative ideas. Before Shavuos he the Golani Brigade near the Philadelphi Corridor in southern Rafiach held an evening of preparation for and was hit in the head by an Arab sniper’s bullet that went through his Mattan Torah in which the kids sat helmet. The doctors were skeptical about his survival but the prayers around a bonfire and enjoyed a and the emuna in the Rebbe’s brachos that were received via the Igros barbecue with Yoni Fein who Kodesh, triumphed. accompanied himself on the guitar On Shabbos, two days after the injury, Sholom held a farbrengen at and told them about the Rebbe and Beis Moshiach which he called a “Seudas Hodaa for the miracle.” how he became a mekurav of the Immediately after Shabbos, his mother said that she didn’t move from Rebbe. her son’s bedside and that Yossi had regained full consciousness and For Lag B’Omer, the Beis had started speaking and was now designated “lightly wounded – a Moshiach staff builds a magnificent walking miracle.”

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float with a Moshiach theme and the truck leads the parade in Kiryat Malachi and invites all viewers and participants in the parade to take an active role in bringing the Geula by doing mitzvos and good deeds. Every year, their float is a hit. The truck is donated by someone in memory of his son who used to be a student at Beis Moshiach and was killed in a car accident.

MIRACULOUS LIVING When I asked Sholom to tell me miracle stories, he had a hard time because he has almost gotten used to his unusual way of life. With Kollel Tiferes Z’keinim some pressure from me, I managed to extract a few stories though not before he said this, “Whenever we have to pay for something or another and we don’t have the money, we get in our car and go, with absolute confidence that by the time we reach our destination, we will get the money. “For example, we had to make a certain payment one evening and we had no idea where the money would come from. Yet we knew that if we needed to, we’d pay it! I left that The mayor of Kiryat Malachi and his The Geula Tank afternoon for a nearby moshav for deputy at the menorah lighting. mivtza t’fillin as we do every day. thereafter that they were starting the Kiryat Malachi in order to publicize When we finished with mivtzaim, we year 5768 whose acronym is tihei the Rebbe’s message. turned around to leave when a boy shnas Savanna chadasha (may this Beis Moshiach conveys this one on a bicycle said, ‘Excuse me, do be the year of a new Savanna [van]). message: every action, every mitzva, you collect tz’daka?’ He added, ‘Can The friend who got a good laugh everything you learn needs to be you bless my family?’ out of that had no idea that he done for the purpose of welcoming “When I answered yes to both would be the messenger for Divine the Rebbe MH”M. When I asked questions, I said I would write to the Providence. Right after Rosh Sholom whether this message is for Rebbe for a bracha for them. He HaShana, a friend of his called from everyone, he said, “The Rebbe says took out a bag of coins and gave it abroad and asked him to pass along the world is ready for Geula and this to me with the names of his family a nice donation to a tz’daka that was is the reality. We sometimes stop in members. When I got home, I close to his heart, on his behalf. He fear of what people will say but opened the bag and to my surprise it lost no time but went with Sholom experience has shown that when was the amount of money we to buy a new, you guessed it, you’re straight-talking, people accept needed.” Savanna. it. One year, Sholom arrived home The van is decorated with the “To the people who come to Beis on Erev Rosh HaShana, and when Rebbe’s picture, with Yechi, with Moshiach it is clear that the Rebbe is he got out of his car he heard a loud Moshiach flags and a quality coming imminently to redeem us. noise which let him know that his loudspeaker. It is known as the Sometimes they even wish one car had breathed its last. He jokingly Geula Tank and Sholom drives it in another, ‘Yechi HaMelech’ instead of told a friend that he spoke to shortly the standard Israeli greeting.”

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