ב"ה Routes to Roots History and Insights Trip to Ukraine Nyezhin, Haditsch, Fastiv, Zhitomer, Anipoli, Mezibuz, Berditchev, Kiev Dnieper, Kharkov, Irgen ו'-י"ד תמוז ה'תשע"ט July 9-17 2019 2 - Routes to Roots Map of Ukraine Table of Contents - 3 Map of Ukraine ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Forward ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 The Rebbe Rashab’s Journey to Ukraine in 1898 ...................................................................................... 7 Letter from Frierdiker Rebbe to the Rebbe .............................................................................................. 9 The Rebbe’s Response ............................................................................................................................ 24 The Mitteler’s Rebbe’s Dream ................................................................................................................ 25 Nizhyn ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 The Mitteler Rebbe ................................................................................................................................. 28 Selections from Hayom Yom – The Mitteler Rebbe ................................................................................ 32 Reb Yisroel Noach of Nizhyn ................................................................................................................... 33 Reb Menachem Nochum ........................................................................................................................ 34 Rebbitzen Rivka Rasya Schneersohn ....................................................................................................... 34 Reb Mendel Chein ................................................................................................................................... 35 Hadyach ...................................................................................................................................................... 37 The Alter Rebbe ...................................................................................................................................... 38 Selections from Hayom Yom – The Alter Rebbe ..................................................................................... 47 Rebbetzin Freida ..................................................................................................................................... 63 Fastiv .......................................................................................................................................................... 66 Reb Avraham HaMalach ......................................................................................................................... 67 Reb Yisroel Polotzker .............................................................................................................................. 68 Zhitomir ....................................................................................................................................................... 69 Zhitomir – First Printing of Likutei Torah - 5608-1848 ............................................................................ 70 Reb Zev Volf of Zhitomir ......................................................................................................................... 71 Reb Yehoshua Eizik Baruch ..................................................................................................................... 71 Hannopil ...................................................................................................................................................... 73 The Magid ............................................................................................................................................... 74 Selections from Hayom Yom – The Magid .............................................................................................. 77 Reb Zusha of Anipoli ............................................................................................................................... 78 The Soul of a Man Teaches Him .............................................................................................................. 80 Sincere Regret – The Story of Reb Eliezer Lipa ....................................................................................... 81 Selections from Hayom Yom – Reb Zushe .............................................................................................. 83 Reb Yehuda Leib Hakohen ...................................................................................................................... 83 Medzhybizh ................................................................................................................................................. 85 The Baal Shem Tov .................................................................................................................................. 86 Selections from Hayom Yom – Baal Shem Tov ....................................................................................... 89 4 - Routes to Roots Reb Volf Kitzes ........................................................................................................................................ 91 Reb Boruch Mezhibuzher ........................................................................................................................ 92 The Apter Rav .......................................................................................................................................... 93 The BACH ................................................................................................................................................ 93 Berditchev ................................................................................................................................................... 95 Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev ........................................................................................................... 96 Rebbitzen Sarah .................................................................................................................................... 100 Kiev ............................................................................................................................................................ 101 Babi Yar ................................................................................................................................................. 102 Why Did G-d Allow the Holocaust? – Rebbe’s Letter ........................................................................... 102 The Beilis Blood Libel ............................................................................................................................ 105 Kharkov ..................................................................................................................................................... 106 Kharkov Overview ................................................................................................................................. 107 Reb Yechiel Halperin ............................................................................................................................. 107 Reb Baruch Friedman ............................................................................................................................ 108 What is a Chassid? ................................................................................................................................ 109 The Journey to Kharkov ........................................................................................................................ 109 Our Parting in Kharkov .......................................................................................................................... 111 Dnepropetrovsk ........................................................................................................................................ 113 Yekaterinoslav Overview ....................................................................................................................... 114 A Refugee's Memories .......................................................................................................................... 116 Rebbitzen Chana’s Diary ....................................................................................................................... 119 The Rabbinate of Yekatrinoslav ........................................................................................................ 119 Employment interview with Ussishkin’s father-in-law ..................................................................... 120 Fallei leaves the party ....................................................................................................................... 121 Community divided into two camps ................................................................................................. 121 Triumph in battling for traditional Judaism ...................................................................................... 122 The False Witness ............................................................................................................................