ב"ה למען ישמעו • חג הסוכות תשע"ט • 481 EDITOR - RABBI SHIMON HELLINGER SIMCHAS TORAH PRECIOUS HOURS PASSIONATE DANCING brother marries off his daughter, should I not participate in his rejoicing…?" The Frierdiker Rebbe related, in the name of During hakafos, the Mitteler Rebbe was in such The Rebbe explains that in fact Simchas Torah his father, the Rebbe Rashab: "The 48 hours of a state of dveikus that he was unable to hold the is not "a brother's chassunah," the celebration Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah must be sefer Torah alone. He would take a few steps and of some other Yid, but rather every individual's held very precious, for at every moment one can then someone would have to go behind him and personal rejoicing. The joy on Simchas Torah draw pails full and barrels full of treasures, both hold onto it. is about the essence of the Torah, which is b'gashmius and b'ruchnius. This is accomplished accessible to every Yid, for when he studies even )סה"ש תרצ"ז ע' 163( through dancing." the smallest segment of Torah, through it he is .connected to the entire Torah )ספר המאמרים תשי"א ע' 79( )תו"מ חל"ב ע' 92, שיחו"ק תשל"א ח"א ע' A certain chossid, distraught, once made a CONSIDER )86 long trek to visit one of our Rebbeim. (When The Frierdiker Rebbe once expressed himself: "It the Frierdiker Rebbe narrated this incident, he What is the joy of Simchas is not enough that on Simchas Torah we rejoice added: "And I'm not going to tell you who was the Torah about? How does it apply with the Torah; the Torah must also be happy chossid and who was the Rebbe.") That chossid with us." had come to report that his mentor had come to everyone? )ספר השיחות תש"ב ע' to him in a dream with fearful news: It had been )3 decreed in Heaven that one of his children would One year after davening on Simchas Torah pass away. The Rebbe heard his words, sighed, morning, the Tzemach Tzedek sat down to farbreng. and did not answer. One Simchas Torah, the Tzemach Tzedek danced During that time he drank a large quantity of energetically at hakafos without tiring. Robust Since it was before Succos, the chossid remained mashke, taught a lot of Chassidus, and spoke a young men could not keep up with him. A few near his Rebbe until after Yom-Tov, and before great deal about his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe. even collapsed from exhaustion. While dancing, returning home, he asked him for a beracha. The Whenever he mentioned his zeide's holy name he encouraged them, "Dance, Yidden! Dance! Rebbe said, "It will be good; the child will live." his face was aflame, and his eyes filled with tears Rejoice on Simchas Torah and be blessed with that streamed down his cheeks like two springs The chossid asked the Rebbe for a promise that children, life, and an abundant livelihood!" of water. The farbrengen extended throughout this would be so. The Rebbe promised, and then The wife of the Tzemach Tzedek complained the day and continued until the early hours of asked him, "What did you do on Simchas Torah?" to her father, the Mitteler Rebbe, that her the morning. The chossid replied, "When everyone was husband was wearing out the chassidim with After everyone left and the Tzemach Tzedek dancing at hakafos I stood by the oven and cried. his dancing. The Rebbe replied, "A revelation of returned to his room, some chassidim peeked But then I reminded myself that it was Simchas the light of Simchas Torah is now shining for through the cracks to see what he was doing. Torah, so I washed my face and went to dance him as it shone in the Beis HaMikdosh. Through They saw him sitting with a Gemara, learning with with the Torah." his rejoicing he is meriting a revelation of the delight and enthusiasm. essence of the neshama, as it is in the world of The Rebbe replied, "You should know that by )סיפורי חסידים מועדים זוין ע' Atzilus, and even higher." )239 doing so, you reversed your situation." )ספר השיחות תש"ג ע' 11( Early in the morning, after a night of hakafos on )ספר המאמרים תרפ"ז ע' 241( Simchas Torah, the Rebbe would return to his Once, while dancing during hakafos, the Frierdiker REJOICING WITH THE TORAH study. One year, a young boy was curious to know Rebbe (before he was Rebbe) told a certain what the Rebbe was doing at such an hour, so he Reb Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev once observed chossid: "Granted that we are not up to the avoda climbed up, peeked through the window, and saw a simple person dancing with gusto on Simchas of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. But the avoda the Rebbe sitting and learning from a big Gemara Torah. Recognizing that he was utterly of Simchas Torah – dancing – that we can do. So or Shulchan Aruch. unlearned, the tzaddik asked him what he was dance! Raise yourself up!" )מפי בעל המעשה( rejoicing about. The Yid answered, "When my )מפי השמועה, וכעי"ז בסה"ש תש"ג ע' 8( In merit of this publication's founder Wellspring PRESS ר' אהרן בן חנה TWENTY TWO May the zechus of the thousands WRITING - EDITING - TRANSLATING COMING SOON of readers bring him a total and www.SELLMILESNOW.com CHASSIDICDIGEST.COM immediate recovery [email protected] 732-987-7765 RABBI CHAIM HILLEL RASKIN ROV - KFAR CHABAD BEIS R. SHMUEL LEVITIN PREPARING FOR THE NEXT DAY The chossid and mashpia R. Shmuel The Rebbe noted how great the effect Levitin was born in the city of Pahar of the Rabbeim is on those connected Can a non-Jewish cleaning lady prepare the simchas during the shloshim for the Rebbe to them. What was left in the memory torah kiddush on shemini atzeres? Maharash, and was the first to be of a Jew about his time in Siberia years It is rabbinically prohibited to prepare on yom tov or Shabbos named after him. Soon after arriving later? Not the lack of minimal human for the next day, whether it is a weekday, Shabbos or the second in Tomchei Temimim, R. Shmuel was needs, rather the fact that he could day of yom tov.1 This includes even tasks that don’t involve any tested in Chassidus by the mashpia R. not remember how to make a certain melacha and would otherwise be permitted to be done for the day Groinem who was very impressed with bracha properly. (תורת מנחם – מנחם ציון עמ' itself; if they entail effort, one may not do them in preparation for him. After his marriage, R. Shmuel was )417 the next day. For this reason, one may not wash dishes on the first appointed rov in the city of Rakshik in day of yom tov for the evening meal, roll the sefer Torah for the Lithuania, with the encouragement of the Rebbe Rashab. He later next day’s kriah, or bring wine from the basement for kiddush or Before the Frierdiker Rebbe arrived 2 filled various appointments by the havdala the following night. in the United States R. Shmuel would Frierdiker Rebbe throughout Russia, farbreng a lot about hiskashrus to the If, however, one actually benefits from this activity on the same eventually being arrested and sent Rebbe, and about not losing the bond. day, it is permitted even if the same action also prepares for to Siberia for 3 years. In 5688 (1928) At that time, there was a certain the next day. Thus, a Baal Korei may prepare the leining on Yom he became a shadar for the Frierdiker 3 Chabad chossid who started acting like Tov for the next day (the Torah study is an immediate benefit). Rebbe in the United States. When the a Rebbe in the US, wearing special Likewise, one may do simple things which bring benefit the same Frierdiker Rebbe arrived in the US garments and giving brachos to people. day, e.g. return food to the fridge so it doesn’t get ruined today and founded Tomchei Temimim in 4 (even though that way it will stay fresh for the next day). America, R. Shmuel was appointed R. Shmuel articulated the deficiency If there is an eruv, one may bring his tallis and siddur back home Mashpia of the Yeshiva, a role he of such conduct with the following as long as he doesn’t say he is preparing it for tomorrow, for it is filled until his passing on 11 Elul 5734 metaphor: (1974). The Rebbe accompanied the considered completing its usage today and not a preparation for The uniqueness of glass is that even the next day. Where there is no eruv, one may not carry on yom tov levaya until the cemetery, an honor accorded to a rare few. if it is thick, one can see through it. A unless it is for yom tov itself, thus one must wear the tallis home true chossid is not one who shows his 5 and use the siddur when he gets home. individuality as a great person. The feat of a chossid is that others should If the task itself entails a melacha that is permitted on yom tov (e.g. R. Shmuel Levitin told the Rebbe see the Rebbe shining through him food related), there is a prohibition min haTorah to do it for the next about his time in the gulags of Siberia, despite his own state.