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. USA $180.00. All other places for $195.00 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 2015 by Beis Moshiach, Inc. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content and Kashruth of the advertisements. CONTENTS 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 [email protected]www.beismoshiach.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: M.M. Hendel HEBREW EDITOR: Rabbi S.Y. Chazan [email protected]ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur [email protected]FEATURED ARTICLES 5 UNWAVERING FAITH HROUGH THE YEARS Menachem Ziegelboim 10 SECRET WORK BEHIND ENEMY LINES R’ Yosef Yitzchok Kaminetzky 21 THE MIVTZAIM FLOP THAT SAVED A JEWISH SOUL Nosson Avraham 24 TEARING DOWN SPIRITUAL PRISON WALLS Menachem Ziegelboim WEEKLY COLUMNS 3 D’var Malchus 16 Parsha Thought 31 Crossroads 34 Tzivos Hashem 22 7 28
Transcript
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. USA $180.00. All other places for $195.00 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 2015 by Beis Moshiach, Inc.
Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content and Kashruth of the advertisements.
TRAGEDY TRANSFORMED INTO LAUGHTERIn place of all this tragedy and suffering “our
mouths will be filled with laugher and our
tongues will sing.” * From Chapter Seven
of Rabbi Shloma Majeski’s Likkutei Mekoros
(Underlined text is the compiler’s emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
18. May it be G-d’s will that adding and increasing in joy breaks through all the barriers, beginning with the final remaining barriers of exile. May these obstacles be transformed into goodness and holiness.
The main thing is to break through the barriers of the final moment of exile so that it finally becomes the first moment of redemption. The catalyst for this monumental change is our deeds and our Divine service in general, and in particular when done with joy, and especially through the avoda of the righteous Jewish women, in whose merit comes the redemption (as it is was in the exodus from Egypt – Sota 11b).
In particular this applies to the righteous women who have died al kiddush Hashem, martyred – may none of us suffer such a tragedy – not the desired fate of any Jew… May it be G-d’s will that this be the last time such a thing takes place, and may it be the end of the entire concept of death. From now on may there only be long life and good
fortune for each Jew and for all the Jewish people – men, women, and children alike – amidst health. Since it is the month of Adar, it is an auspicious time for good fortune – “its mazal is robust and healthy” – referring to both bodily health and spiritual health.
May our health increase until we attain, without any interruption at all, eternal life, in the true and complete redemption.
The merit of this martyred woman stands for every single Jew, and certainly for her personally, beginning with the advent of “those who reside in the dust shall get up and sing,” and the righteous men and women shall arise [from the dead] immediately.
In place of all this [tragedy and suffering] “our mouths will be filled with laugher and our tongues will sing.” This transformation is especially on account of our having prepared and made the vessel through joy during the time of exile, a foretaste of “our mouths will be
filled with laughter” (through fulfilling Mitzvos in general, and in particular through the Mitzva of T’fillin, which brings about “badach tuva – [being] extremely cheerful,” in anticipation of “our mouths will be filled with laughter”). Also, the present era is particularly suited for joy and laughter as it is the generation of my revered father in-law, the Rebbe, leader of the generation, whose name, Yosef Yitzchok, alludes to an increase in (“Yitzchok” meaning) laughter, rejoicing, and joy.
And all Jews, with our youths and our elders, our sons and our daughters, together with “their silver and their gold with them,” together with all the shuls and yeshivos in the Diaspora, shall go to the Holy Land, Yerushalayim the Holy City, to the Temple Mount, to the third and threefold Beis HaMikdash, absolutely immediately, in the literal sense.
(From the addresses of the nights of Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Truma
5752; Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 392-3)
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UNWAVERING FAITH THROUGH THE YEARSOver twenty years have passed since Chaf-Zayin Adar 5754, the
day of the second stroke, which shook up Chabad worldwide a
second time. * We spoke with Rabbi Shlomo Halpern, rav of the
Chabad community in Tel Aviv, who was in 770 on K’vutza at the
time. He discussed the emuna back then versus the emuna today
and concluded with a practical suggestion for the Chassidim who
saw the Rebbe.
By Menachem Ziegelboim
It was a gray day, toward evening. The first stores were starting to close. Two and three story houses in eclectic styles continue to reflect the unique flavor of Tel
Aviv in the 20’s and 30’s.I hurried into the inner yard of number 27.
A small sign on an old wooden door said “Beis Knesset Chabad Tel Aviv.” I had arrived at the legendary Chabad shul of Tel Aviv, the place that hosted the ziknei ha’chassidim, Chassidic personalities from earlier generations, of eighty years ago and beyond. Here, in this place, is where Chabad of Eretz Yisroel was founded, here is where important meetings of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in Eretz Yisroel were held, even before Kfar Chabad was founded. If only the walls could talk …
It wasn’t a burst of nostalgia that brought me here, although in my youth I had davened here often, but a meeting with R’ Shlomo
Halpern, rav of the Chabad community in Tel Aviv. I arrived between Mincha and Maariv and R’ Halpern was in the middle of a Halacha shiur about kashering marble countertops and sinks. Thirty days before the holiday is when you need to start preparing and the halachos are more relevant than ever. He reads, explains. When there are questions he expands, and at the end of the shiur he promises that the next day they will continue with the halachos about kashering sinks.
After Maariv there is a short Chassidus shiur while R’ Halpern and I go to the women’s section to talk about Chaf-Zayin Adar 5754.
R’ Halpern was a talmid on K’vutza that year in 770 and he remembers what happened. He not only tells of the events of that time but also offers up a proper perspective on those days and this time, with one common thread from that period until now, the fact that we
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don’t see the Rebbe and cannot receive more horaos.
“HE REMEMBERED HIS KINDNESS AND FAITH TO THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL”It is with these words of the
verse that R’ Halpern chose to view the time the Rebbe was in Beth Israel Hospital in Manhattan. Although the situation was serious and nothing seemed right from a medical standpoint, the Chassidim remained strong in their faith that the light of the Geula was on the ascendancy and if necessary, Moshiach would arise and redeem the Jewish people from here, from the financial center of the world. Some said this is the “crowds of Rome,” and why shouldn’t the great light burst forth from here to the entire world?
“I was on K’vutza. Like all the talmidim on K’vutza we had arrived before Tishrei. During that month we were able to see the Rebbe come out a number of times and encourage the singing of Yechi. Then the talmidim of K’vutza 5753 returned to Eretz Yisroel and we remained with the great hope that the Rebbe would continue to daven with us, to see and be seen, the way it was in 5753.
“Unfortunately, in Cheshvan already, the Rebbe stopped coming out to the public, although there was no official announcement that this was the last time. Every day we waited eagerly to see the Rebbe. Maybe he would come out today, maybe there would be Mincha with the Rebbe, maybe it’s not worthwhile leaving because the Rebbe will come out for Maariv, and so on. We were in a state of constant tension – would the Rebbe come out or not? There wasn’t a moment that we said, ‘Oy, the Rebbe stopped
coming out.’ Obviously, as time went on and there was another day and yet another day that the Rebbe did not come out, another week and another month, the atmosphere became gloomier. And yet, to all of us bachurim it was clear that if the Rebbe did not come out today he would surely come out tomorrow.”
In Adar the Rebbe went to the hospital for eye surgery. “The operation was couched in terms of the Rebbe being able to see the public better when he comes out.”
This trip ended disastrously though, when terrorists followed the Rebbe’s entourage and opened fire, killing 15 year old Ari Halberstam, Hy”d and critically wounding 18 year old Nachum Sasonkin. The fact that the Rebbe returned to 770 generated great joy among Anash, especially among the bachurim, but there was simultaneously the tremendous sorrow over the tragedy.
LIVE UPDATESR’ Halpern, as a talmid
in yeshiva, was involved in everything that was going on. He regularly received reports about the Rebbe’s health.
“Back then, the Internet was in its infancy and it was possible to send updates to those who signed up for Lubanet. It wasn’t exactly email but something in between email and a fax,” laughed R’ Halpern. “In order to receive updates you had to be a subscriber to Sprint. I set up a kind of electronic journal with constant updates about the Rebbe.
“We lived with the Rebbe every day, every hour, literally. Was there an improvement or the opposite, G-d forbid. Every announcement from the doctors or from the secretaries was quickly conveyed through
this service as well as over the Moshiach beepers, to thousands of subscribers, and through them to tens of thousands of Chabad Chassidim all over the world who followed the situation and anticipated good news. Throughout this period there was no despair for even a moment. We constantly waited for the Rebbe to come out for Mincha or Maariv.”
The way you describe it, there was constant anticipation of the Rebbe’s appearance. If only nowadays we lived with that anticipation.
Every generation has its type of anticipation. Today too we need to live with emuna and anticipation, to really live with the feeling that any minute now the Rebbe will come out to us. But back then it was a different kind of anticipation. (Thoughtful): It was a feeling like being in a movie, “we were like dreamers,” and we knew that we were in a dream-like situation from which we could wake at any moment. This situation became even more extreme on Chaf-Zayin Adar 5754.
Do you remember what happened that day?
On Chaf-Zayin Adar I woke up to some unclear news that something had happened. It wasn’t clear what had happened until the secretaries said it was another stroke. I remember being surprised and saying: Why are the secretaries repeating what happened two years ago? The words “Chaf-Zayin Adar” and “stroke” were so familiar that I was sure it was a mistake and had to do with the old news of two years before.
As time passed we heard the terrible news that it had happened again on the same date. It was hard to accept and believe. It was clear to us bachurim that it was
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temporary, just a preparation for something. That was the feeling.
Two days earlier the Rebbe had been brought to the hospital for being in a poor neurological state but when the second stroke occurred, the Rebbe was transferred to Beth Israel. At that point, a new era began in the lives of the Chassidim in general and the bachurim in particular. Many went to Manhattan in order to be with the Rebbe in the hospital [The Rebbe was on the 7th floor and the Chassidim stayed in two rooms designated for them on the first floor – MZ]. Some remained there all the time and some went there often.
As a talmid in yeshiva I could not stay there all the time, but I went to Manhattan twice and even three times a day to be with the Rebbe, to feel close. Sometimes I would go early in the morning until Shacharis. I would also go during the afternoon break and sometimes at night too.
What did you do there?We would sit and learn in the
hospital’s shul on the ground floor. There were also t’fillos there for the Rebbe’s recovery and occasionally Kinusei T’filla which were attended by hundreds of people from Crown Heights.
On Shabbos I would eat and sleep at the hospital. We didn’t budge from there. We were waiting for something to happen and if it happened on Shabbos, we wanted to be there.
What do you mean – what did you think would happen?
To us it was clear that if something would happen, it could only be positive. I can’t point at something specific. Some said the Rebbe’s condition was so bad that there could only be the hisgalus of the Rebbe as Moshiach, but those were generalities. Nobody could pinpoint it. Some believed
We were exiled from somewhere – we were
exiled from the Rebbe's court, from 770, from
yeshiva. And yet, of all Anash in the world, we were the
closest to the Rebbe. There was a feeling that that night,
a night of Geula, we would merit the great redemption
and we, a small group, were at the epicenter of the world.
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there would be a miracle and the Rebbe would return to 770 and everything would go back to normal. Nobody could say precisely what we were anticipating, but this I remember well, that we only expected something positive.
Were you informed of the Rebbe’s condition?
We knew the significance of a stroke but your mindset is different when you’re talking about a Rebbe who is a spiritual entity and not simply a physical being. This wasn’t my grandfather or father but the Rebbe, and with the Rebbe everything is measured differently. For this reason we did not know what or how. As Reuven Dunin would say, “What exactly did you understand before that now you do not understand?”
Once, in one of the sichos, the Rebbe complained that they were looking at a person of flesh and blood (meaning himself) during
the davening instead of looking into the siddur. R’ Mendel Futerfas farbrenged afterward about this and explained it in depth, the crux of his words being that if we view the Rebbe as a human being, that is a big problem …
So we never looked at the Rebbe as someone to whom something could happen. When we spoke about the health situation as being this way or that, to us it was an abstract description. On the one hand you felt bad and you prayed for improvement in the situation. On the other hand, you didn’t relate to this as an ordinary physical issue; you knew that the Rebbe is the Rebbe and not a person like us. There was definitely a huge difference in what you thought and what a rational person was going to think in such a critical medical situation, and yet, there was not even the slightest consideration for those thoughts. Not because of stupidity or
naïveté or denial, but because it was obvious to us that the Rebbe is not an ordinary human and things work differently for him.
What moment or event stands out in your mind from that time?
(Thinking and answering carefully): I think Pesach night 5754, in the auditorium of a nearby school. We were a relatively small crowd. Many bachurim chose to hold the Seder in the dining room of 1414 and then they walked to Beth Israel. Anash, of course, were at home with their families. We were a handful of bachurim. We had to thoroughly clean the auditorium and kasher the place. We got the food from the truck that delivered food for the Seder that took place in the Chabad House in Manhattan. Pesach that year began on Motzaei Shabbos and Shabbos morning we still ate chametz.
I can still feel the mixed feelings we had then. On the one hand, it was a seder that was as remote as could be from a seder with the Rebbe. On the other hand, it was the closest to the Rebbe. It had a certain dimension of galus.
Was it the feeling of children exiled from their father’s table?
We were exiled from somewhere – we were exiled from the Rebbe’s court, from 770, from yeshiva. And yet, of all Anash in the world, we were the closest to the Rebbe. There was a feeling that that night, a night of Geula, we would merit the great redemption and we, a small group, were at the epicenter of the world. It was definitely a very special feeling.
TO BELIEVE TODAYR’ Halpern did an exceptional
job in describing the feeling of
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excitement and anticipation that he and his fellow T’mimim felt throughout this long period, that at any moment they would get word that the Rebbe was coming out to the public.
Have you had that feeling since then?
No, not at all. We were living with the Rebbe constantly, literally at every moment. To us, another day of this concealment was out of the question.
I remember that some of us bachurim were talking and one said that some had gotten used to living without the Rebbe and were simply going about their lives. To us this was horrifying because we lived with the Rebbe constantly. We could not understand how one could live as usual. This feeling was one we had from Cheshvan 5754 and it became stronger after Chaf-Zayin Adar.
In some ways, the situation then, in 5754, was like the situation today, over twenty years later, in which we cannot see the Rebbe. Can we learn from the emuna of that time?
As I said earlier, Chassidim never regarded the Rebbe as an ordinary human being, not before 5752 and not after the stroke in 5754, and not after Gimmel Tammuz. And this is the essence of emuna. We have a Rebbe since 5710 and this reality that we have a Rebbe exists till today. It was correct in 5710, in 5752, and now.
You really think that there is no difference between 5710-11 and now?
From the aspect of the Rebbe’s essence, there is no difference. From the aspect of giluyim and what our eyes can see, of course there is a difference.
I’d like to go back to what I asked you earlier. Back then,
there was a daily, constant anticipation. We were not complacent. Today, sad to say, we have lost that feeling. What can we do to strengthen the anticipation as it was then?
There is no such thing as “like it was then.” Every generation is different and every day stands alone. There is no day like yesterday and there is no day that is like tomorrow. You cannot live and believe today “as we once did.” We need to believe today the way we need to believe today.
As to your question, of course we need to strengthen the concept of “Rebbe,” and then the anticipation will be that much more intense and tangible. The more we strengthen our consciousness and that of the younger generation towards the Rebbe, the more our anticipation for the hisgalus with be strengthened. We do this by living with the Rebbe and talking about him in the present tense.
The children of our generation never saw the Rebbe, so he is abstract to them. We need to bring the Rebbe into their world and awareness as much as we can. Unlike earlier generations, we have plenty of pictures and videos of the Rebbe. More than that, we can write to the Rebbe and open to answers in the Igros Kodesh. We have all the means not only to live with the Rebbe but also to turn it into something alive and tangible, and this ups the anticipation.
As for the bachurim nowadays, as well as the baalei t’shuva who have joined Lubavitch in the past twenty plus years, unfortunately, Chaf-Zayin Adar 5754 and the founding of Chassidus Chabad in 5533 are both dates in our history, nothing more.
As Chabad Chassidim who were by the Rebbe, who lived, experienced, saw, and breathed
Rebbe, we have a big responsibility to tell and breathe life into the events and feelings of those times. So yes, we are still too young to feel like one of the elder Chassidim who reminisces about generations past, but still, if we were there, we need to transmit this to our children, to people who want to hear and know.
There are diaries and written descriptions of those years but there is no substitute for a Chassid who was by the Rebbe for Tishrei or any other time of the year, who tells what he saw and experienced by the Rebbe. We need to feel that the Rebbe is our Rebbe and we have the job and responsibility of conveying the messages and experiences.
Here and there, I hear bachurim discussing among themselves things that the Rebbe said and did (People often ask how to instill emuna within the young bachurim nowadays and I think that boruch Hashem they are sufficiently infused with hiskashrus to the Rebbe. I think we have a lot to learn from them!), but they need to hear about the events of those days in a way that makes the Rebbe a living, current reality.
***I went back out to the Tel
Avivian street. The stores were all closed and only restaurants were open and busy. Night had descended on Tel Aviv.
A moment before turning off the street I gave another glance at the Chabad shul where the meeting was held and the decision made that Chabad Chassidim in Eretz Yisroel would accept the Rebbe’s nesius, and I realized that it all continues as before. What we need to do is to live it and breathe life into it until the full and complete revelation.
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SECRET WORK BEHIND ENEMY LINESMr. Nechemia Levanon worked for the Israeli
government in various secret roles which few
knew about. Under the guise of an agricultural
attaché at the Israeli embassy, he made contact
with Jews in the Soviet Union, including many
Lubavitcher Chassidim. He helped them by
transferring Jewish religious items and the
Rebbe’s divrei Torah. This work stopped after
he was caught red-handed and was expelled
from the Soviet Union as an undesirable. *
Stories from behind the scenes and about his
special yechidus with the Rebbe – based on his
testimony in the book “HaRebbe V’ha’Mossad”
by R’ Yosef Yitzchok Kaminetzky. * Part 2 of 2.
The fear was great. Time and again the diplomats would ask themselves whether these Jews who
always said nobody was following them, were mistaken. It was possible that among the Jews with whom they had regular contact, there could be one or a few who willingly or not were reporting to the KGB about their forbidden relationships.
“This made me lose sleep on many a night,” recalled Levanon. “However, over time we became less cautious. In the end, the KGB showed up. Shock. To us, this was unexpected, sudden, and very painful.
“It was at the beginning of July 1955 and I was supposed to meet with one of the local activists by the name of Guberman, in the home of the Levin family, in the
Malachovka quarter of Moscow. The meeting was arranged for ten at night. When I left my house I did not notice anyone following me. Guberman was already in Levin’s house when I walked in.
“The three of us spoke for about half an hour. I brought them Jewish reading material. On the table were envelopes which contained letters I was to send to Israel. At 11:15 there was a knock at the door.
“Guberman covered the material I had brought while I took the letters and put them in my coat pocket which was hanging on the chair.
“Don’t be frightened, it’s surely my daughter. I am waiting for her,” said Levin reassuringly. He went to the door.
“The door was locked with a heavy bolt. There was the squeaking of the bolt and then Levin cried out. Some hefty men burst into the room. The first one grabbed Guberman and pulled him away from the table. He placed his other hand on the newspaper which covered the material I had brought.
“The next guy jumped at me. I swiftly removed my diplomatic ID
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from my pants’ back pocket. He was probably frightened by my hand motion and he grabbed me. When he saw my diplomatic ID, he released my hand, opened the ID and apologized.
“A third guy took my coat and took out the envelopes. ‘Don’t touch my coat. You have no permission to search me,’ I shouted. He replaced the coat but held onto the letters. ‘Put those envelopes back! I suspect you also pushed something into my pocket!’ I said forcefully. ‘Fine,’ said the man, ‘until we verify your identity, I won’t touch your coat, but I’m not returning the envelopes.’
“One of the goons dealt with Levin and another one with Guberman. From Levin they only wanted ID while they ordered Guberman to empty his pockets and place everything on the table. After searching Guberman one of the men said, ‘This is the criminal Guberman,’ and he held out an arrest warrant.
“The officer in charge called the office and reported: ‘We managed to arrest the man. During the arrest the owner of the apartment was present as well as another man by the name of
Nechemia Levanon who claims he is a foreign diplomat. Pass this on to my commander.’
“After a while, the commander showed up. When he entered, they were all silent. He turned to me and said, ‘Mr. Levanon, do you have any complaints or requests?’
“I said, ‘I have a request - that you release me immediately! And I want my coat back.’ He gave me my coat and went over to the phone. I heard him ask
that the representative of the Foreign Office come quickly. The strongmen made a list of all the material I had brought and at the end of the report they wrote that the material was written in the ‘Israeli language.’
“About an hour after midnight the officer from the Foreign Office came. I knew him as a worker in the Protocols Division. The commander asked him to identify me. ‘What need is there for identification? That’s Mr.
The diplomatic ID document that Nechemia Levanon was given by the Soviets
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Levanon,’ he said.“The man from the Foreign
Office said I should return home with an Israeli embassy car. In the meantime, a photographer showed up and took pictures of all the documents scattered on the table. At two o’clock the embassy car came and took me home.
“The next day I reported to the ambassador about what had happened and we decided on what immediate steps to take. We put all our efforts into trying to find out what had happened to the Jews with whom we had been in regular contact and to warn those that the KGB had yet to discover.”
Nechemia Levanon and his two colleagues, emissaries of the Mossad in Moscow, Moshe Kehat and Moshe Sela, were soon expelled from the Soviet Union. The official excuse was behavior not befitting a diplomat: anti-Soviet activity, disseminating anti-Soviet material, smuggling forbidden literature, etc.
The authorities in Moscow preferred that the expulsion be kept quiet and “suggested” that Israel also not announce the expulsion. Israel agreed. Levanon was upset and demanded of his bosses in Israel that they take the opportunity to protest in the west against the Soviet Union, but they refused and decided not to react.
The expulsion of three Israeli “diplomats” who were involved in spreading Judaism throughout the Soviet Union for two years
was never officially publicized.Even after Levanon and
his friends were expelled from the Soviet Union, the Mossad continued its work among Russian Jews. New emissaries were sent to the Soviet Union under the guise of Israeli embassy workers in Moscow. The secret work among the Jews of the Soviet Union continued until the Six Day War when the Soviet Union broke off diplomatic ties with Israel.
Since the emissaries’ activities were under the constant surveillance of the KGB, many of them were “burned” and the Mossad had to replace them quite often.
In the 60’s, mass demonstrations began to be organized in the US on behalf of Soviet Jewry. At the time, world Jewry thought that local Jews were behind the demonstrations. Now it can be said that the Israeli Mossad was behind the demonstrations. They organized them all. The Mossad sent its representatives to Washington and New York and they were the ones who encouraged and organized the demonstrations. The senior representative of the Mossad in the US was Nechemia Levanon. He was the spirit behind all the demonstrations that took place throughout the US on behalf of Russian Jewry.
The Rebbe spoke sharply against the demonstrations and often said they were harmful to the Jews in Russia. The Rebbe
often spoke painfully against those demonstrations at farbrengens. Those who heard him thought the Rebbe was fighting American Jewish organizations that were behind the demonstrations, but now we know that the Rebbe was opposing the Israeli Mossad.
Levanon says about this:“By the middle of 5728, the
Rebbe had expressed his doubts about the efficacy of the public battle on behalf of Soviet Jews. He told this to Yoram Dickstein, a Mossad representative in New York, when he accompanied a member of the consular mission on his visit to the Rebbe. Yoram tried to convince the Rebbe that without public political pressure Moscow would not change its attitude toward the Jewish minority.
“Half a year later, at the beginning of 5729, the Rebbe’s representative in Israel gave a message to Shaul Avigur. The Rebbe wanted to let Shaul know that he had gotten word from a reliable source that if Jews in the west stopped their public demonstrations and protests, the Soviet government would allow many Jews to leave. Avigur said he would authorize the Mossad’s representative in Washington to talk to the Rebbe. At Avigur’s request, I called the Rebbe’s office and without delay, his secretary made me an appointment with the Rebbe. According to those in the know, I was given a very respectable time, midnight.
“I decided to have Yoram Dickstein join me. In conversations like this, which are completely off the record, I considered it important to have someone else present to listen and draw his own impressions. On the night of our appointment there was a snowstorm and the flights from Washington to NY were
“The next guy jumped at me. I swiftly removed
my diplomatic ID from my pants’ back pocket.
He was probably frightened by my hand motion and he
grabbed me. When he saw my diplomatic ID, he released
my hand, opened the ID and apologized.”
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canceled. I set out by train but the heavy snow caused many delays and the train arrived very late.
“In the snowy city, close to midnight, there was no taxi to take me to Brooklyn. I called Yoram and the Rebbe’s secretary, and the meeting was postponed for another week. This time we were ‘punished’ and the meeting was scheduled for two in the morning.
“On our way to Brooklyn, Yoram told me details about his first visit to the Rebbe. From what Yoram told me and from other stories I formed my expectations of the encounter.
“This time we were early. In the waiting room I had the feeling that I had entered a special world which I had never encountered before. It was a world that was a sort of unreal combination of the mists of Jewish history in Eastern European towns and American efficiency and dynamism, which included media and public relations that are part and parcel of the modern corporate culture.
“We weren’t bored. The place - the secretaries’ office, also served as the waiting room. The crowd of visitors that came in and out did not leave the secretary with a free moment. And what a crowd it was. From the exchange of words that I caught an astonishing picture emerged. One person came from Tunisia and wanted to report to the Rebbe about the Talmud Torah that he said had begun to operate. Another fellow told about a yeshiva in Istanbul while a third brought news of a school in Belgrade. There was also a shliach of the Rebbe who reported from Kabul in Afghanistan, I think it was about a mikva that was built. One visitor, wearing a nice suit, was a well-known businessman from Cincinnati who was happy to hear from the secretary that the Rebbe would see him soon.
“From chance conversations that we heard and conversations we had with visitors waiting their turn, we formed the impression that we were in the operations hub of a giant, global organization. In the bookcases we could count Chabad publications in ten different languages.”
This is what Levanon wrote of his meeting with the Rebbe:
“We spent over an hour and a half in the Rebbe’s room. At first I
spoke cautiously and with a great deal of respect, but as time went on and the debate grew sharper I had to change my tone. I reported to the Rebbe on developments and repeated what Shaul Avigur said about the negative reactions to the Rebbe’s suggestions that the protests and demonstrations stop for a while. The Rebbe did not accept our arguments which did not surprise us, for the Rebbe had made it clear that he was opposed
A Chassidic farbrengen in the Soviet Union in the 1960’s
Demonstrations on behalf of Russian Jews
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on principle to all demonstrations and thought they were ineffective and even harmful. The Rebbe maintained that a great change had taken place in Moscow regarding aliya.
“The Rebbe repeated that he knew for a certainty that if nothing untoward would happen on the political front, thousands upon thousands of Jews would be allowed to leave the Soviet Union for Israel, including young people and many children. The Rebbe averred that about 5000 people would go and it would be soon, maybe still that year. For this reason he opined that it was forbidden to do anything that could thwart this.
“The Rebbe said that even if he was wrong about demonstrations not helping, he asked us to use some restraint for a brief period lest we were mistaken. In every respect, said the Rebbe, their leaving is so important that if his approach had even a modicum of correctness, then common sense dictated that they accede to his request. He, the Rebbe, knew of the great work of Shaul Avigur in helping free Jews and therefore he was convinced that Shaul would agree with him, but the government was pressuring him because of Israeli political interests - the desire to keep tensions high between Moscow and President Nixon and in general, to criticize the Soviet Union.
“The Rebbe went on to say that he understood this desire of
the Israeli government and was willing to support it, but for the sake of this great matter of aliya he asked that they stop, even for a bit of time, whether for half a year or at least until after Pesach. He heard of the plans to send matzos and Hagados to Soviet Jewry but he asked that no demonstrations be made and they should not print ads in the papers. If they acceded to his request, the damage would not be as great and it would be possible to renew demonstrations by Shavuos.
“I told the Rebbe that I had been working on behalf of the Israeli government for years and was very familiar with the Soviet regime. This was not the first time the Soviets were trying to mislead us. The Israeli government thought that the cessation of pressure from the west would be interpreted as abandoning the lot of Russian Jewry to an anti-Semitic government that sought to assimilate the Jewish minority.
“The Rebbe’s tone and my tone were sometimes quite sharp, but we ended the conversation quietly with my promising to convey the Rebbe’s position to Avigur. The Rebbe expressed his sorrow over not being able to convince us so that it would be easier to convince Avigur.
“When the Rebbe spoke about the change that began in the Kremlin’s policies, he connected the matter of aliya to the invitation that many rabbis received to visit Moscow to celebrate the birthday
of Rabbi Levin, rabbi of Moscow. He noted that two of the rabbis, Teitz and Hollander, received an invitation from R’ Levin himself which noted that the travel permits were assured.
“The Rebbe spoke decisively about the arrival of 5000 olim or as he put it, many, many thousands. He even mentioned that Chabad had to prepare to absorb 400 families.
“I politely rejected the Rebbe’s request. I thought it was quite possible that the powers that be in the Soviet Union had conveyed a message through the Rebbe’s ‘agents’ in the Soviet Union that thousands would come if the demonstrations stopped and that this is why the Rebbe did not want to anger the Kremlin. However, we rejected the Rebbe’s request and the demonstrations continued in full force.
“When we parted the Rebbe inquired as to Avigur’s health and asked us to send his regards.
“Erev Pesach, a package of shmura matza came with my name on it to the Israeli embassy, with the Rebbe’s blessings.”
***Two years went by. At the
Yud Shevat farbrengen of 5731 the Rebbe spoke about the Jews in Russia. The sicha went on for over two hours!
The Rebbe repeated all the details of his conversation with Levanon without mentioning his name. One by one, the Rebbe negated all of Levanon’s claims. The Rebbe mainly spoke sadly about the serious results of Levanon’s refusal to accede to his request.
When the Rebbe spoke about “the man who sat with me and refused to accede to my request,” everyone thought the Rebbe was talking about one of the askanim
“The Rebbe was convinced that Shaul would
agree with him, but the government was
pressuring him because of Israeli political interests -
the desire to keep tensions high between Moscow and
President Nixon and in general, to criticize the Soviet
Union.”
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or the rabbanim who organized the demonstrations, but now we know that the sicha was about that yechidus with the man from the Mossad, Nechemia Levanon.
The Rebbe said, “… So too, regarding demonstrations for Jews who live in a certain country [the Soviet Union]. When I began creating a stir that demonstrations not only were ineffective but were even harmful, they came to me with the claim (which is seemingly justified): Why was I making a loud commotion and with such publicity? I should have acted behind the scenes from the outset, maybe that would help. And only if secret activity did not help, then we would see further.
“Here we see the absurdity of this claim. The person who came to me with these claims should have seemingly used the same approach. Why do you go and print things against me when you could have asked me quietly and if it would not be effective, then you could have seen what to do further …
“The truth is that the claim is justified. Before taking public action, you need to do things quietly and I did so! For three years, nonstop, I have stormed and begged and pleaded in every possible way to stop harming Russian Jews! You want to wage a cold war with the Soviet Union, do what you want, even though I think it causes serious damage, but why must you endanger all Jews? For three years I tried to work behind the scenes and perhaps, if I had gone out with a great tumult we would not have reached the situation in which we are in today.
“There are those who ask, who says my approach is right? So now I have no choice and I must speak derogatorily about Jews. I will tell a story, something
that occurred during my earliest efforts, secretly, to stop demonstrations.
“Less than three years ago, I received certain knowledge from over there that they are about to enable hundreds of families to leave Russia. This knowledge came not with ruach ha’kodesh (prophetic spirit) but came from very authoritative sources. Furthermore, those who organized the demonstrations received the same information!
“When I received the news, I knew that it also was received by the organizers of the demonstrations (and they may have received it before me, for whoever was involved in the subject heard the same information and was updated, it’s just that the newspapers did not report it). So when I had the opportunity to speak with representatives of the organizers of the demonstrations, I asked them:
“It’s a few months before Pesach and since you are about to organize a big demonstration for Russian Jews on Erev Pesach, I request that you postpone it until Erev Shavuos. You don’t
have to accept my approach to demonstrations. I only ask that you postpone it at least two months.
“The reason I asked for the postponement of the demonstration was since clear information was received that hundreds of families were about to receive permission to leave there, if the authorities learned that they were about to make a large demonstration, they were likely to take those exit visas from those Jews and these hundreds of families would remain behind the Iron Curtain!
“I told those representatives, even if you don’t believe me, I am not asking you to stop demonstrations altogether. Make a bigger demonstration on Erev Shavuos than you are planning on making on Erev Pesach. What do you have to lose by postponing the demonstration for a few weeks? I maintain that the demonstration Erev Pesach can harm hundreds of families!
“They discussed my request and after a few days they informed me that they rejected it because they thought my information was incorrect and they stood by their decision to organize a demonstration for Erev Pesach.
“What were the results of that demonstration? Those hundreds of families who had exit visas are still in the Soviet Union! Their situation became much, much worse. Because until that Pesach they were able to live their lives peacefully, while now they are suspected of having a connection with that demonstration.”
That is the story about the connection Nechemia Levanon had with Chabad Chassidim in Russia. It’s a pity he did not listen to the Rebbe who knew better than all of them about the welfare of the Jews of Russia.
Newspaper reports showing that the Rebbe was right, that because of demonstrations the number of
olim diminished
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THE STATE OF OUR UNION IS STRONG!By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
UPWARD MOBILITYOne of the principles of Jewish
law is: “we ascend in matters of holiness and not descend.”
This principle conveys a dual message: First we must always look for ways to enhance our spiritual lives and commitment to Torah and Mitzvos, and, at the very least we should not decline in matters of holiness.
The most popular example of this principle comes from our celebration of Chanukah. We follow the School of Hillel’s opinion that we should light the Chanukah candles in ascending order, adding another light each night. This is in opposition to the view of the School of Shammai, who say we should start with eight candles and kindle descending numbers on successive nights.
Another example of the lesson of ascending is the law that we should first adorn ourselves with the Tallis and then ascend higher by putting on the T’fillin, which possess a greater measure of holiness.
The Biblical source for the
second part of the principle, that we may not descend, is derived from this week’s parsha:
“Moses set up the Tabernacle, positioned its sockets, put up its beams, put in its bolts, and set up its pillars.”
Rashi, in his commentary to the Talmud (Menachos 99b), explains that this verse makes it clear that Moses set up the entire Tabernacle by himself. He did not delegate any of these activities to the Kohanim, because that would have resulted in a decline in stature of the one who erected the Tabernacle. No one could compare to Moses, and once Moses was engaged in its construction he could not allow anyone of an inferior rank to participate.
THE ANOMALY OF THE JEWISH MONTH
The principle of always ascending and not descending in matters of holiness raises a fundamental question about the very structure of the Jewish calendar and its metaphorical
application to the Jewish people.The Jewish calendar follows
the lunar cycle, during which the moon waxes and wanes. The beginning point of a Hebrew month is known as Rosh Chodesh. That is when the moon is born and barely visible. The moon’s visibility increases night by night, waxing until the fifteenth of the month, when it begins to wane.
The question this poses is twofold:
First, how, in light (no pun intended) of the Jewish value of increasing light and not diminishing it, can we have a system which highlights (sorry: again no pun intended) the diminution of light?
The question concerns not only the moon but also the Jewish people who follow the lunar calendar because, as the Midrash states, we are like the moon with our ups and downs. How are we to understand the lesson of a continually waning moon when we ought to be internalizing a message of constant growth and ascendance instead?
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Second, why do we count all the days of the month in their ascending order? Shouldn’t the days after the full moon, i.e., day 16 and beyond, be referred to again as days 14, 13 etc., which would reflect their true status as diminished days?
The Rebbe’s answer to these two questions (Likkutei Sichos Volume 34 p. 48-50 and Seifer HaSichos 5752 Volume 1, p. 155) conveys an important message to us, specifically for these times of, arguably, spiritual decline.
DECREASED LIGHT WITH ENHANCED HUMILITYThe Rebbe based his answer
on the Talmudic account of G-d’s “dialogue” with the moon (Chullin 60b). Initially, G-d made the moon and sun equal. The moon complained that it was untenable to have two equal luminaries. G-d responded by telling the moon to diminish itself.
This, the Rebbe explains, is the message of the waning moon. Contrary to the understanding that the second half of the month, with its diminishing moon, is a sign of diminished spirituality; it is actually a time of increased humility and self-abnegation. The waning of the moon does not mean that we decrease in all of the other positive areas of growth. It suggests that, precisely when we reach our peak of perfection and become a “full moon,” we are in need of the second half of the month with its message of humility.
LESS LIGHT; MORE ESSENCE
The Rebbe takes this a step further:
The difference between the growth in the first half of the
month and growth in the second half is that as the moon waxes, it casts an incremental increase of light. Our personalities shine. In the second half of the month, as the moon wanes, we draw closer to the source of the light.
In the astronomical sense, while the moon is waxing, it is farther away from the sun, whose light it reflects. In the second half of the month, however, the reason for the diminished light is that the moon is actually moving closer to the light’s source, the sun. In the first half of the cycle we have more sunlight; in the second half we have more sun!
The analogue here is that in the first half of the month we, who are compared to the moon, grow in terms of reflecting G-dly light. As the Psalmist teaches us, G-d is “likened,” as it were, to the sun (Psalm 84:12). In the second half of the month, because of our enhanced humility and submission to G-d, we become closer to the Luminary itself.
THE HEELS OF MOSHIACHThe above analysis reflects the
history of the Jewish people itself. When we look at the state of the Jewish nation today, it may appear that we are spiraling downward. Spiritually speaking, we appear to be in the second half of the lunar month with its diminishing light.
Indeed, this perception seems to be supported by our Sages, who refer to the period prior to the coming of Moshiach as the “Heels of Moshiach.” One meaning of this phrase is that all of history can be compared to the human body. If Moses and his generation are regarded as the “heads” of Jewish history, closest to the heavens, then we are regarded as its heels, closest to the earth.
However, while that assessment is valid, it is only true in regard to the amount of spiritual light. In terms of our closeness to the Divine Source of the light, the reverse is true. The diminished light we experience is a direct consequence of our approaching the final stretch of Galus and our ultimate union with G-d. We are at the point where our closeness to G-d is more pronounced than ever. To borrow a traditional statement made by presidents in their State of the Union addresses: “The state of our union is strong.”
Despite appearances to the contrary, we are drawing near the New Moon, with its message of total unity with G-d, even as we experience diminished light. We stand now on the threshold of the Messianic Age. It will be ushered in by Moshiach, at which time the moon’s light will be restored to its original glory. In spiritual terms, it means that even as we get close to the Source and become one with G-d, the light will not be diminished. We will have our union and our light, too.
REMEMBERING THROUGH CONCEALMENT
The very name of this week’s parsha, P’kudei, alludes to the above. The root of the word P’kudei connotes both absence and remembrance; Galus and Geula, exile and redemption. In the Biblical book of Shmuel, we find the double expression: “You will be remembered (v’nifkad’ta) because your place will be missing (yipaked).” How can one word convey contradictory meanings?
The above analysis of the waning stage of the lunar cycle can explain the idea of remembrance caused by absence or concealment. As stated, the waning of the moon is not a
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negative sign but one that actually suggests greater closeness. Indeed, the root of the word P’kudei is also used by the Talmud to describe intimacy. The same term was used by the Torah to describe the Exodus from Egypt. This period of concealment is actually a prelude to the most intimate relationship we will have with G-d in the Messianic Age.
27TH OF ADAR: CONCEALMENT AND
CLOSENESSThe above message is
particularly poignant at this time of the year. We read the parsha P’kudei every year around the 27th of Adar, when the Rebbe’s
physical condition denied us, temporarily, of our ability to hear and see him and bask in his light. To us, this period of concealment is extremely painful. However, the Rebbe’s teaching concerning the second half of the lunar cycle provides us with a far more optimistic perspective. While the Rebbe’s light appears to have diminished, we are actually closer to his essence, which will lead us imminently to the time of Redemption, when we will be reunited.
One may find a hint to all of the above in a peculiar omission in many editions of the Torah. Most standard editions of the Torah list the number of verses at the end of each parsha, as well
as a word or phrase that contains the same numerical value as the number of verses as a mnemonic. There is one notable exception. In all of these editions no number or mnemonic is mentioned for this week’s parsha—P’kudei!
The Rebbe, in a letter, suggested that originally it may have stated: “92 verses, bli kol siman.” Translated literally it could read, “92 verses without any mnemonic.” A printer may have misconstrued this to mean that he should omit the number of verses because there was no mnemonic for it, when in actuality, the words “without any” are themselves the mnemonic.
Perhaps, there is a deeper significance to this mnemonic, bli kol. The word kol can mean “everything.” That is a term Rashi uses to describe a leader: “HaNasi hu ha’kol-the leader is everything.” This suggests that all of the Jewish people are represented by and contained within the soul an authentic Jewish leader.
Hence, the mnemonic “92 verses; bli kol is the mnemonic” can now be understood to suggest that when it appears that the leader’s light has diminished at the age of 92, that itself is the reminder (P’kudei) and provides us with the sign that he is here and we are even closer to him.
We read the parsha P’kudei every year around
the 27th of Adar, when the Rebbe’s physical
condition denied us, temporarily, of our ability to hear
and see him and bask in his light. To us, this period of
concealment is extremely painful. However, the Rebbe’s
teaching concerning the second half of the lunar cycle
provides us with a far more optimistic perspective.
While the Rebbe’s light appears to have diminished,
we are actually closer to his essence, which will lead us
imminently to the time of Redemption, when we will be
reunited.
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B"H Shushan Purim 5775
MO’OS CHITTIMTo all Anash and Temimim Sheyichyu
It is known that all the years the Rebbe would extend monetary assistance to MANY families of Anash, especially in Crown Heights, who were in need of assistance for Pesach.
The Rebbe was always personally involved in all details, including reviewing the names of recipients, and on his own would add, names to the list.
This was very dear to the Rebbe, to the extent that the Rebbe would request, and not leave to the Ohel on Erev Roish Choidesh Nissan, till he saw all the signed checks with the envelopes.
B"H Kupas Rabbeinu continues this tradition and every year sends out large amounts of funds to the families in need, and as always in the most discreet and respectful manner, in order that the Rebbe’s wish be fulfilled, and that ALL have a Chag Kosher VeSome’ach with peace of mind.
Unfortunately, in recent years the number of families in need has grown substantially.In order for Kupas Rabbeinu to continue with this task we need your help.We are therefore asking for your most generous assistance to Keren Mo’os Chitim of
Kupas Rabbeinu. This will enable us to continue helping families to have the menucha & Simchas Yom Tov they need and deserve. The more funds we receive, the more families we can help.
As the Rebbe said at the Farbrengen, Vayakhel-Pekudei 5750 - "for one who has been blessed should increase his gifts according to the blessing he has been given. And who ever increases will be given additional reward. Indeed, there is no limit to this additional reward"
With blessing for a Chag HaPesach Kosher VeSome’ach
In the name of Vaad Kupas RabbeinuRabbi Sholom Mendel Simpson Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner
P.S. 1) The traditional "Magvis Yud Shevat, Purim" can also be sent at this time, as well as all other Magvios.
2) All funds should be sent to the following address only; Donations are tax deductible
In Eretz haKodesh: KEREN KUPAS ADMU"R, P.O. Box 1247, KIRYAT MALACHI – ISRAEL
eup, rchbu,j, bahtu, f"e tsnu"r nkl vnahj
Kupas RabbeinuLubavitch
(718) 467–2500 P.O.B. 288 Brooklyn, New York 11225 (718) 756–3337
965_bm_eng2.indd 19 2015-03-10 7:41:07 AM
“Quite often we make a tremendous effort, invest all our time and
energy, yet things don’t always work out as planned. And we are occasionally fortunate enough to later see how ‘the steps of man are directed by G-d,’ and this lost opportunity that made us downcast was nothing more than ‘the finger of G-d’ and an amazing case of Divine Providence created for our benefit.”
In these words, Rabbi Meir Traiger, mashgiach and mashpia at Yeshivas Chassidei Chabad-Lubavitch, began his story. It took place on Purim 5761, when he was a rabbinical student on ‘k’vutza’. Fourteen years have passed since then, yet Rabbi Traiger tells the story every year at the Purim farbrengen, in accordance with
the words of the Megilla - “And these days shall be remembered and celebrated.”
“Just two months after we started our ‘k’vutza’ year, one of my fellow T’mimim, Shneur Akiva, introduced me to the wide-ranging activities for Hebrew speakers throughout New York City by the Chabad Israeli Center in Crown Heights, administered by Rabbi Gavriel Avichezer.”
“Shneur was Rabbi Avichezer’s right-hand man in running the numerous Torah classes the center gave over the telephone. Each day many T’mimim come into the center and present Torah classes via telephone for Israelis who have requested this service.”
SIXTY PURIM PARTIES “That year we decided to go
l’chat’chilla aribber. We enlisted all the T’mimim who had given over Torah classes, and prepared special holiday sets with all the accessories - menorahs and candles, informational brochures explaining the meaning of the holiday, and of course, jelly donuts and mashke. The objective was to make as many house visits as possible during the Chanukah holiday. The T’mimim got to work and we made sixty Chanukah parties for our Israeli contacts.
“Two and a half months later, when Purim came, we were determined to meet with equal success. The idea behind this huge production was clear: When you come to someone in his own home and meet with him there, the friendship becomes more personal and it has a much greater influence. We again built
THE MIVTZAIM FLOP THA T SAVED A JEWISH SOUL
The T’mimim had prepared many parties for Purim
night, but despite the meticulous preparations
and arrangements, the forces of spiritual evil were
determined to leave them empty-handed. Two
rabbinical students, invited to a party with sixty guests,
arrived only after most of the disappointed participants
had already left. What eventually happened? An
amazing story of success on Mivtza Purim.
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
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MIRACLE STORY
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a ‘house parties’ model: The host of the party would cover the expenses, and we pledged to send two T’mimim with food and refreshments according to the amount of money the host invested in the event.
“Unfortunately, we forgot to take one simple fact into account: On Chanukah, there were sixty parties spread over a period of eight days. Since there were about eight parties held each day at various hours, we could arrange each event in the best possible manner. However, since Purim is only a one-day holiday, we would have to make sixty parties on the same night. As a result, we had to get about a hundred T’mimim who would agree to go out to various neighborhoods in New York City, coordinate their activities with orders of cooked
food or various delicacies, a kosher Megilla, a bottle of mashke, and organized transportation to take the bachurim to their appointed destination. This was a complex series of preparations that had to be managed with the utmost precision.
“We reached agreements with various stores and caterers, transportation companies, and we naturally coordinated the necessary arrangements between the yeshiva bachurim and the Israelis who would be hosting the events. Two days before Purim, we finished making all the orders and set the dates and times for each event with its respective host; we were certain that we had the situation under control.
“But when the day of Purim arrived, the problems began to pop up. The caterers in charge of
preparing the food failed to meet the schedule we had set for them. There were bachurim who arrived late at the office, resulting in a considerable delay in reaching the home of their hosts. The center was swamped with calls from every direction, and there were moments when we began to ‘lose our heads’ - confusion regarding who goes where and with what supplies. In fact, while most of the events began on time and quite successfully, a few of them met with serious logistical difficulties. This was a source of much discouragement for me. I felt that the whole project we had worked so hard to develop was a flop.
“A myriad of thoughts were running through my mind - ‘the honor of Lubavitch,’ ‘the honor of the Rebbe,’ etc. I was
THE MIVTZAIM FLOP THA T SAVED A JEWISH SOUL
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certain that these people would not agree to cooperate with our programs next year. The feeling of disappointment and failure ran very deep, and it was very hard to see the glass half full. These are the Rebbe’s mitzvah campaigns, and on the most basic and personal level, there were people who were counting on you. You promised something, yet you didn’t deliver...”
A SEEMINGLY WASTED OPPORTUNITY
“In one of these places, two T’mimim, students on ‘k’vutza’ in 770, organized a party at the home of a supporter whom they knew through their weekly ‘mivtzaim’ activities. They had come to us and asked for our help. Naturally, we agreed and they gave us the money they had received from this individual, relying upon us to make certain that everything would be done appropriately. But when Purim came around everything seemed to go wrong. The bachurim waited and waited for the fleishig meal they had ordered, but it never arrived. In the end, they went to their destination equipped with a modicum of light refreshments. They had arranged for a minivan to transport them and their supplies to the event, but it too was delayed unexpectedly. They ended up taking another vehicle, which brought them to the party nearly two hours late. The host personally called every few minutes, telling us that he had invited no less than sixty friends
and acquaintances to celebrate the holiday with him - and now he felt totally humiliated.
“When the T’mimim finally arrived, there were only about twenty people left. While they had expected a sumptuous meal, they were forced to settle for candies and sweet drinks. It felt as if everything was working against us to undermine this event.
“As they came into the house following their long delay, they apologized to the host and the remaining guests. The host accepted their apology, but his wife did not. She proceeded to unleash an attack of unrestrained fury and anger upon the bachurim. The host tried to calm her down, but she continued to hurl curses and verbal abuse. At a certain point, the bachurim felt extremely uncomfortable about remaining any longer than necessary. After reading the Megilla and saying a few words of Torah, they headed straight back to Crown Heights.
“The bachurim told me about the unpleasant experience they had endured. This merely intensified the sense of failure and disappointment. ‘What a terrible chillul Hashem I caused,’ I thought to myself. For several days after Purim I walked around with this feeling of despair. There were some bachurim that I was too embarrassed to look at.
“On Friday afternoon, about an hour before Shabbos, one of these two bachurim who had been the target of that wave of maltreatment on Purim ran up to
me. ‘Meir,’ he said, ‘you’ve got to hear the rest of the story.’
“Apparently, this bachur and his mivtzaim partner had gone out on mivtzaim as they did every Friday. They had prepared a lengthy apology to their Purim host over what had transpired on Purim day. Their hope was that the incident wouldn’t harm the good relationship they had managed to develop with him until then. When they came to his store they noticed that the man had a rather sullen expression on his face. This was already an indication of something peculiar, as this Jew usually greeted us with a friendly smile. He agreed to put on t’fillin as he did every week and the bachurim prepared to give their apology as soon as he finished.
“However, as the man started to remove the t’fillin, he told the young chassidim that a minute after they had left his house, he broke up with his wife for good. ‘After I heard how she spoke to you, I decided that I could no longer live with such a woman,’ he said. The bachurim had not been prepared for this. In their worst nightmares, they never would have believed that a failed Purim event would lead to the breakup of a Jewish family. They prepared to defend his wife, who apparently had not been in a particularly good mood that day.
“Yet, as he continued to speak, he said something that shocked them. ‘I reached the conclusion,’ he added, ‘that this shiksa actually hates Jews and is a real anti-Semite.’
“They were shocked. He proceeded to tell them that there had been other instances where they had arranged events that didn’t work out as planned. Yet, in those cases, the people had been Gentiles, and she showed
“In their worst nightmares, they never would
have believed that a failed Purim event would
lead to the breakup of a Jewish family. They prepared
to defend his wife, who apparently had not been in a
particularly good mood that day.”
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MIRACLE STORY
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far greater understanding and forgiveness with them...
“The two T’mimim stood there speechless. Instead of apologizing, they embraced him warmly and gave him support in the step he had taken.”
* * *Rabbi Traiger concluded his
story with much emotion. Despite the fact that he has told this story on numerous occasions, it still affects him deeply. “I was able to relax for the first time in days as a huge weight had been lifted from my chest.
“Every time I tell this story to the yeshiva bachurim I emphasize that it is most important to focus
on what you’re doing, for the outcome, all you can do is hope for the best. In my case, I was privileged that G-d, in His Divine Kindness, showed me the end of the story. While we aren’t always fortunate to see the results, we must believe that this world is conducted by the amazing force of Divine Providence.”
hjh tsubhbu nurbu urcbu nkl vnahj kguko ugs
C H I T A SINYONEI GEULA
& MOSHIACHRAMBAM
SHIURIM IN LIKUTEISICHOS KODESH
j,ww,gbhbh dtukv unahj
rncwwoahgurho ckeuyh
ahju, eusa
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TEARING DOWN SPIRITUAL PRISON WALLSFor decades, R’ Fishel Jacobs, a Chabad Chassid
from Kfar Chabad, served as a prison chaplain.
We met for a fascinating conversation about his
work and about the effect Tanya has had on his
life and the lives of those behind bars.
By Menachem Ziegelboim
The steel door of Nitzan Prison slammed behind R’ Fishel Jacobs, a Lubavitcher Chassid and
resident of Kfar Chabad. This was the last time that he was hearing that sound and he knew that an era in his life had ended.
He still remembers the clang of the slamming of this same door when he heard it the first time.
“The second the thick, iron door slammed behind me, I knew I was in prison. No other door in the world sounds like that.”
It was the first time he had gone behind prison bars.
“The doors, more than any other detail in the complicated prison complex, embody the prison experience. The doors set the tone and express the inner
experience of life in jail. The doors of a prison are unlike doors anywhere else. Prison doors have no soul. It’s not the sound of the thud that is cold like ice, of iron against iron; not just a thick bolt shooting into its place. It cannot be measured in decibels or any other measurement of sound. They reverberate throughout the building nonstop throughout the
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day, so their sound has no soul. Their empty echo circulates with blood-chilling coldness. It proclaims, ‘you are trapped like an animal and cannot get out.’”
But this was the last time the door slammed behind him after thirteen years in which Prison Chaplain Fishel Jacobs served as the rav of a number of prisons. For the past ten years, he served as rabbi in Nitzan Prison which contains about 700 inmates out of which about 500 are criminals and about 200 are security prisoners. He also served as the national classification officer for all religious prisoners who requested transfers to the sections for shomrei mitzvos.
A RICH LIFER’ Jacobs is definitely a colorful
personality. He’s a Brooklyn boy. His grandparents on both sides were emigrants from Russia, Romania and Poland. They mostly spoke Yiddish. His father moved his family to the New England area for business reasons. That is where he grew up in a picturesque village of 1500 people called Royalton, in Vermont.
His youth centered mainly on skiing, riding snow mobiles, flying planes (at 18 he got his pilot’s license) and raising and riding horses. Under the tutelage of Grand Master Dr. Tae Yun Kim he won some karate championships including the YMCA’s Mid-
Atlantic championship for black belts in the heavyweight category in 5736 (“This later helped with my work in prisons.”).
He was niskarev by R’ Shmuel Hecht a”h when he was attending the University of Vermont. In 5739 he finished his degree. It was then that he yearned to research his roots and went to Eretz Yisroel. He studied in yeshiva and kollel in Kfar Chabad for 14 years. With the Rebbe’s guidance he received smicha from both chief rabbis, completed his studies as a rabbinic advocate and has published seven halachic works thus far.
Between 5748 and 5765 he served as rav on campus under Chabad auspices at Tel Aviv University. There, with his family, he ran the shul in the Einstein hall. From the summer of 5755 until Elul 5765, he worked in the Prison Service. Every morning, Prison Chaplain Fishel Jacobs would put on his uniform and enter one of the highest security prisons in the world for 9 and a half hours, five days a week.
R’ Jacobs is married and has seven children and ten grandchildren, so far.
I met with R’ Jacobs to discuss his interesting life.
Please describe what the role of a Prison Chaplain is.
It’s an all-encompassing responsibility starting with the kashrus of the kitchen (the kitchen
under my supervision produced about 3000 meals, three times a day), running the shul (each wing has to have an active shul with all that’s needed including a Torah), and arranging for mitzva fulfillment on all holidays for everyone, including staff.
I assume that with all that, your main job was with the inmates themselves.
Definitely. That was the main work. Unlike rabbis or volunteers at other prisons around the world, where they visit now and then for a few hours, in Eretz Yisroel, the rabbi is constantly involved with the inmates and staff from 7:30 in the morning until five, six o’clock week after week, throughout the year.
You naturally become close with the people you are responsible for. You sit with them in their cell or in the small shul that is in every wing. It might sound a bit strange, but in terms of hours, you are with them more than you are with your own family. There’s no question that over time you become close with people, even with inmates and with the staff too.
In Nitzan Prison, there were two yeshivos in which rabbis taught for pay. About 60-70 inmates learned there every day. Additionally, every day the rabbi mingles with everyone, talks to everyone, and tries to improve things for everyone in one way or another.
A PRISON IS A TRAUMATIC PLACE
I assume a prison is not an easy place for anyone to spend time in deep conversations or even light, friendly conversations.
True. A prison is a traumatic place to be, though there are
His youth centered mainly on skiing, riding
snow mobiles, flying planes (at 18 he got his
pilot’s license) and raising and riding horses. Under
the tutelage of Grand Master Dr. Tae Yun Kim he won
some karate championships including the YMCA’s Mid-
Atlantic championship for black belts in the heavyweight
category in 5736.
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sparks of light there too. I’ll give you an example. There was an inmate in his 50’s, nice looking, educated, cultured, who seemed to have money. He had never encountered Torah and mitzvos, for his life revolved around his big factories and successful businesses. He was sentenced for crimes having to do with irregularities in his accounting practices and he was sentenced to five years (out of which he could expect to sit for about three plus years after deducting a third for good behavior).
Although he was distant from a life of Torah and mitzvos, he was impressed by our study program and began listening to Divrei Torah and attending shiurim. I enjoyed his company very much. He was just a nice, smart guy. I’m talking about a period of a year and a half.
When I would meet people in situations like these, I would start learning Tanya with them. I always felt that the learning of
Chassidus, even a little bit, is like penicillin for the soul. I learned Tanya with him, not in the order of the chapters but by topic. The truth is that it was an experience to talk with him, to clarify topics and to learn Chassidus with him. He was also very influenced by a group of Chassidim from Kfar Chabad who visit the prison every Friday to learn D’var Malchus with the inmates.
One night, toward the end of his prison stay, I stayed late to work because of an overload of work before Shavuos. I went to his cell and saw him sitting on his bed on the top bunk. He was sitting with a Tanya and crying. It wasn’t tears of sadness but tears of pleasure. I was astounded. He was alone in the cell because his cell mates were at supper.
“What’s happening?” I asked.“All’s well, rabbi,” he said.“How do you feel?” I asked. He knew I saw him with tears
in his eyes and he felt the need to explain.
“I’ll tell you honestly,” he said. “I am thanking G-d.”
I found that interesting. I was sure he was referring to his leaving prison in another few weeks.
“You know,” he went on, “I spent my entire life living the good life. I always had money, restaurants, cars, and a good family.”
I wondered where he was going with this. Then he lowered his voice and said, “But until I came here,” and he looked at the cell around him, “I had no life. And until I began learning this” – and he picked up the Tanya – “I had no life.”
Were you able to learn Tanya or Chassidus with every prisoner?
An inmate is like anyone on the outside. On the outside you have friends with whom you can learn and those who aren’t ready yet; it all depends on their situation.
There were also plenty of them who were influenced more by the makif.
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By the makif?Yes. In prison it is very
important to raise the morale. For me personally, the atmosphere was very important. For example, I always made sure that in every shul, every Shabbos, there would be vegetables and other supplies so they could sit together, a minyan or more of people, and sing Shabbos z’miros together, eat together, be together in the spirit of “one man helping another.” I very much believed in this power.
It was also very important to make parties with music as many times a year as possible, on Chanuka, Purim, etc. I remember that after one of these parties in which there was a keyboard and a singer and about thirty men, one of them came over to me.
“I want to tell you something,” he whispered.
“I’m listening.”“Thanks,” he said.I stood there quietly and a bit
stunned because his tone was way too serious for an ordinary “thank you” for a standard party.
“You saved my life,” he went on to say.
This line is never easy to hear and my jaw dropped.
“About half a year ago, I was sick of my life and was already thinking …”
I understood.Then he went on. “But back
then, at that difficult time, you guys came to the wing and danced and sang. You didn’t care about anything and this unconditional joy took me completely out of my depression and it saved my life.”
AS LONG AS THE CANDLE BURNS
You mentioned before that you would learn certain parts of Tanya with them. Were there topics that you liked in particular?
Everything having to do with the soul spoke to them.
I should mention that some of the inmates weren’t just “sitting” but had perpetrated criminal acts in a way that went beyond (or below) seichel; knowing how to deal with that is part of the job. A person who can break into a safe in a factory does so not with a calm, settled mind, so there were
topics that I talked to them about that I thought spoke to them.
I remember a conversation I had with some inmates in the shul late one night. We were learning Chapter 19 of Tanya where it says, “The candle of Hashem is man’s soul.” At the beginning of the chapter it describes the nature of a flame which “constantly moves upward by nature since the light of the flame naturally seeks to separate from the wick and cleave to its source above.” Then it goes on to say, “And even though by doing so, it will be extinguished and won’t illuminate at all below, and also above in its source its light will be nullified in the existence of its source, nevertheless, this is what it wants by its nature.”
“Okay,” said the inmates, “but what’s the nimshal?”
(He chuckles): I sang to them (the Hebrew ditty), “Patience, patience, you can’t buy in any store ... The Alter Rebbe won’t leave us with a question.” And we continued to read. “So too with man’s soul … it yearns and longs by its nature …” and we explained that this nature is “above reason.”
Somehow, in the conversation, we got to the point that there are definitely behaviors that are above reason and come from the G-dly soul and that you can attain this through prayer, Torah and mitzvos.
As I said, it was late at night, a heart to heart discussion with thinking people who naturally also thought about themselves and their situation. The conversation somehow got onto relating these ideas to our personal lives. We got to talking about the fact that there is also an animal soul and it also has desires and it too can want things that are outside the bounds of reason.
These kinds of conversations,
“I went to work on the Tanya and this was my
karate for more than four years. Along with the
s’darim in yeshiva in Gemara, Halacha, and Chassidus, I
was using every free moment to learn Tanya by heart.
It was a slow, hard, exhausting process for me. But I did
it, persistently, with the same power of concentration,
with the same consistency and nonstop drills that I had
become accustomed to from when I took karate. I would
get up early in the morning and review another letter,
another word, dozens and hundreds of times, on my way
from the yeshiva hall to the dining room, to the mikva,
and every night under the blanket until I fell asleep.”
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at least to my sense of things, made a great impact on the inmates and motivated quite a few of them to make good hachlatos for drastic changes in their lives. I think that deep conversations like these, with someone who spent several decades of his life in the world of crime, going in and out of courthouses and jails, in many instances gave such people the opportunity for major changes.
KARATE IN THE LANGUAGE OF TANYA
The Tanya helped shaped R’ Jacobs’ spiritual character as he was taking his first steps in learning about Judaism. It was after half a year of learning in Hadar HaTorah that he went to Eretz Yisroel to Tomchei T’mimim in Kfar Chabad. He had made a long journey from the world of karate to the world of Judaism and Chassidus. He quickly learned that all the difficulties and challenges that he had to deal with in the past paled in comparison to the difficulties he experienced in Eretz Yisroel.
“My first period there was difficult and painful for me. Not only the way of dress was different, and the mentality and the incomprehensible language. A student who comes from the academic world has it easier, to some extent, exchanging mathematics or psychology for the study of Gemara. But for someone who spent his life on physical training and karate drills it was hard to suddenly drop down into the world of Torah, a world that is entirely cerebral.
“My main difficulty was looking at an entire day of thought, of in-depth study. My body, which had gotten used to never ending sports matches cried out for help and begged to break out. Being accustomed to
physical activity gave me no rest. I was torn between my desire to learn and progress in Torah and Chassidus, and the very different habits that had become second nature to my body. I was sad, very sad. What kept me going was only the tenaciousness I was accustomed to, to take something till the end and achieve the goal.
“The turning point occurred after over a year of learning in yeshiva, when the mashpia and mashgiach, R’ Moshe Naparstek, suddenly discovered me. I don’t know how things came about but all of a sudden, I felt that R’ Moshe had discovered my secret and was aware of my inner crisis.
“The solution he gave me to deal with the problem was at first glance quite surprising. Later on, it became clear to me that this is what changed my entire life and being. ‘Learn Tanya by heart,’ he
said. That’s all.“I went to work on the Tanya
and this was my karate for more than four years. Along with the s’darim in yeshiva in Gemara, Halacha, and Chassidus, I was using every free moment to learn Tanya by heart. It was a slow, hard, exhausting process for me. At first I had to drill into my mind each letter, its shape and sound, thousands of times until it was absorbed. But I did it, persistently, with the same power of concentration, with the same consistency and nonstop drills that I had become accustomed to from when I took karate. I would get up early in the morning and review another letter, another word, dozens and hundreds of times, on my way from the yeshiva hall to the dining room, to the mikva, and every night under the blanket until I fell asleep.
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“My friends looked at me askance as an introverted type. I simply didn’t have the time to talk because it was Tanya by heart all the time. My spiritual life revolved around Tanya 24 hours a day. I don’t have to tell you what this gives a person …
“I finished memorizing the first chapter after two and a half months. It was a Yom Tov for me. I spent four years on reviewing Tanya, three to four hours a day. Since then, until today, I devote an hour to an hour and a half a day to reviewing Tanya by heart.”
TANYA WITHIN PRISON WALLS
The central themes of Tanya are what R’ Jacobs took with him to work and are what helped him see the G-dly soul in every inmate, including those who were incarcerated for terrible crimes. Tanya is what enabled him to feel empathy toward every inmate, “especially considering Chapter 30 of Tanya,” he says.
He explains, “The Alef-Beis that they teach us in yeshiva is that each of us has two souls, a G-dly soul and an animal soul. Each soul pulls us in a different direction, one toward Torah and mitzvos and the other toward materialism and sins.
“If you study Tanya and Chassidus, even a bit, you understand our condition. We are actually in the same situation as the inmates. They have two souls and we have two souls. The difference is that my sins are not in the ‘criminal’ category. Most of our faults or sins are between us and G-d and even between us and others, but they don’t go into the category of criminal. In contrast, the inmates crossed the red line and they ended up where they ended up.
“In Chapter 30 of Tanya, the Alter Rebbe tells us to employ a spiritual accounting that is even more severe than this. The Alter Rebbe tells the beinoni to make a spiritual accounting with himself and to compare himself to people in the marketplace who conquer their evil inclination with iskafia every day. As he puts it, ‘In truth, however, if he is a scholar and upholds Gd’s Torah, and wishes to be close to Gd, his sin is unbearably great and his guilt is increased manifold for his not waging war and not overcoming his impulse in a manner commensurate with the quality and nature of the war mentioned above that the kal sh’b’kalim must face. His guilt is far greater than the guilt of the kal sh’b’kalim, the most worthless of the street-corner squatters, who are remote from Gd and His Torah. Their guilt for not summoning up the fear of Gd Who knows and sees all their actions, in order to restrain their impulse which burns like a fiery flame, is not as heinous as the guilt of one who draws ever nearer to Gd, His Torah and His service.’
“I regarded my work and my role with holy trepidation. I was there to serve the people. I often set aside the officer in me and discovered the Jew within me, my humanity. For example, with the robber from the south who became religious in jail and he got to the point where he became the rabbi’s assistant, I never spoke about what happened. He spent entire nights talking to me about Torah and mitzvos
but not a word about what he did which he denied. He was a delightful person. He later escaped and is still wanted. I had a good relationship with him. Each one did something. There are those who did things which you cannot even think about, but I was careful to set each crime aside. I was careful about not looking at files, not seeing what the inmate did. This is what the Rebbe taught us, not to deal with evil but to strengthen the good. It was necessary not to relate to the crime because that would interfere with his recovery.”
Many inmates become baalei t’shuva in jail. Isn’t that pathetic that a person who hurt others, who murdered, does t’shuva and starts to believe? Where was G-d in his life until now?
R’ Jacobs is familiar with this line. He says, “In prison you can work or study or become religious. It’s true that some go the religious route because the conditions are good, but I’ve seen many for whom the process is genuine. Why? Because the Tanya teaches us that there are two souls. When in jail, the pleasures of the animal soul are restricted. There is no entertainment, no fun, and the body is more subdued and attentive to the G-dly soul.”
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THE 5755 ELECTION:
WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?As Chabad Chassidim, we don’t just run a campaign once every two years; we do so every hour of every day. Ours is a campaign of love, a campaign connecting Jews to their time-honored traditions, a campaign to spread the wellsprings and illuminate the Jewish soul. We have a mission to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu in actual deed and we must do this with the entire Jewish People.
By Sholom Ber Crombie
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
1.Why will there be an election
in Eretz Yisroel on the 26th of Adar? Political commentators have been trying to figure out what will eventually motivate people to get out of their homes, go to the polls, and decide which ballot slip to put into the envelope. In the last election, supporters of a party that received nineteen Knesset seats came out to vote against the high cost of living. Nine years ago, there was the “Pensioners’ Party” that got
nearly two hundred thousand people to come out and vote for them. The election outcome was once due to the cost of dairy products, on another occasion, it was simply because there was no one for whom to vote. What’s this election all about?
As Election Day approaches, it seems that, more than the military conscription law or the disrespect for Torah scholars, what hangs in the balance is an unprecedented battle over the future character of Judaism in the Jewish homeland. During the short parliamentary
term of the past two years, several legislative initiatives were passed that no one dared to propose for over sixty years, commonly called a violation of the “status quo.” This wave of spiritual destruction was only stopped when the government fell and the need for new elections arose. If the next coalition government will primarily include the same parties as its predecessor, it stands to reason that Eretz Yisroel will again be led by an anti-religious alignment that will continue the prevailing civil war against the ultra-Orthodox community. As a result, what happened over the past two years will be merely a portent of things to come.
It might appear that the last election was over the cost of chocolate pudding, but in truth, it turns out that the main issue was compulsory military service for chareidim, its accompanying criminal sanctions, and the changes to the status quo in matters of religion and state. The day after the election we discovered that the people were not with us. One million G-d fearing Jews went out into the streets and cried out against the new legislation on “the equal
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sharing of the national burden,” yet no one was really moved by this exhibition.
In the upcoming election, a sizable portion of the population will not go out to vote for anything. However, they will vote against: Against the high cost of living, not for economic security; against a “Palestinian” state, not for a Jewish state; against Torah scholars - and not for anything else of value. Apparently, this is the state of affairs in a society that includes such polarizing extremes. However, the problem is that there are those who can easily provide the necessary excuses for someone looking for a reason to vote “against.”
How did we come to a situation where a major segment of the Israeli public goes to vote against Torah study, against Torah scholars, and against all that is holy in Israel? How is it possible that those who gave a party nineteen seats in the last Knesset election because they wanted a better standard of living saw their votes used as a lethal weapon against the Torah? The fact is that they not only expected the chairman of this party to lower dairy prices, he would also take child allowances away from ultra-Orthodox families. The campaign slogan meant to be the most “positive” turned into a tool of the most “negative” forces against the chareidi world. Where did we go wrong? How did we allow a campaign of such
hatred to penetrate Israeli society, striking at the very roots of our people?
The political reality produced in the atmosphere of the last two years took form long before the covenant forged between the government’s two main coalition partners determined to wage open hostilities against the Torah world. The legislation passed by this government was merely the fruits grown from the seeds planted and developed over a period of many years, when many Jews simply didn’t feel part of their own people.
To whom does the Torah belong? Yeshiva and kollel students? The Torah is the inheritance of the entire Jewish People! However, if that’s the case, why doesn’t a simple Jew from Givatayim feel that it’s important for him to learn Torah and keep its traditions? Why has the battle over maintaining Torah observance been transformed into a tool for greater division between various forces within Israeli society?
The current election season is a good time to sum up the agonizing consequences we have endured over the last two years. More has taken place here than just the damage in the relationship between the religious Zionist and ultra-Orthodox forces. This has been yet another stage in the difficult and bitter competition between various
sectors of the Jewish People. This rivalry has been going on for nearly seven decades, and the last parliamentary term was characteristic of this fact.
The time has come to put an end to this.
2.The previous election was
divided into two fronts. The general public went out to vote primarily over the cost of living. The ultra-Orthodox sector voted over the issue of military conscription. We still don’t know what will bring the public out to the polls this time. The question is: What will bring us out on Election Day? As Chabad Chassidim we have our path and our shlichus. The Rebbe placed a clear objective before us - to bring the announcement of the Redemption to every Jew of this generation and bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu in actual deed down here into this physical world - through unity, love, and a connection to the eternal values of the Jewish People. This is not just an election slogan lasting for the duration of a political campaign; this is a true and everlasting message of shlichus meant to last until our objective is successfully achieved.
The plan of action for defeating the forces of hatred was written by the leader of our generation and divided into ten general orders - the Ten Mitzvah Campaigns. It really makes no difference what happens on the day we go to the polls; the main thing is what happens the day after. Anyone who has a mission to illuminate the world and spread the wellsprings of Torah doesn’t become a mouthpiece for one political party or another. He must understand that there is a shlichus here, to save, connect, and unite
In the upcoming election, a sizable portion of the
population will not go out to vote for anything.
However, they will vote against: Against the high cost of
living, not for economic security; against a "Palestinian"
state, not for a Jewish state; against Torah scholars - and
not for anything else of value.
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the Jewish People. The election will soon be over, the campaign excitement will dissipate, yet we will continue our work to create greater spiritual light.
Chabad Chassidim are the only community in Eretz HaKodesh that asks nothing for itself during the tumult of a national election campaign. Anyone who is involved with election matters within the Chabad community knows that we can’t be bought with government funding, campaign promises, or candidates for public office. On the contrary – Chabad is the only sector that if a party promises them a Knesset Member from the ranks of its own community, they’ll think twice before voting for that party. We have one shlichus that cannot be changed by any political reality. Our shlichus is to illuminate the Jewish soul with the light of Torah and mitzvos, gathering and uniting the various factions, and working on behalf of the entire Jewish People to the degree that no Jew living in Eretz Yisroel would ever think of voting against the world of Torah. This is not just to prevent budget reductions for Torah institutions, as voting against Torah values is not the problem – merely a symptom. We don’t want any Jew to vote against the Torah because above all, we care about the Jew himself, who is “truly a part of G-d Above.”
While the serious damage
caused to Torah institutions is most distressing, there’s something far more painful: the impression left when Jews vote against the cause of Torah. What does this say about us? We have been negligent in our duties, as there are still many Jews who feel that the Torah ch”v is not theirs. When a Jew votes against the Torah, this is our responsibility. If we have reached a state where the Torah can be attacked so harshly, it would appear that we haven’t been persistent enough in our shlichus. If we would have worked hard enough to connect this Jew to his true roots, he never would have voted against Torah scholars and surely not for a party professing hatred for anything with a smell of holiness – the holiness of the People of Israel.
3.During the last two years, we
have dealt only with the problem, but we haven’t even touched its root source. We had here the destructive military conscription law, the harm caused to the marriage certification system, the dangerous conversion law, recognition of the Reform movement, and more. While these are most perilous breaches in the protective wall of traditional Judaism that will require several years to repair, they are not the problem. They are the result.
The real problem is that for many years the Jewish People have been neglected. The Torah belonged only to a small handful of scholars, while large cross-sections of Am Yisroel don’t feel that they have any part in it. In the spirit of these days of campaigns and messages, the time has come for a campaign declaring that the Torah doesn’t belong just to the ultra-Orthodox. It belongs to every Jew - including Yossi from Ramat Gan and Michal from Kiryat Gat.
As Chabad Chassidim, we don’t just run a campaign once every two years; we do so every hour of every day. Ours is a campaign of love, a campaign connecting Jews to their time-honored traditions, a campaign to spread the wellsprings and illuminate the Jewish soul. We have a mission to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu in actual deed and we must do this with the entire Jewish People, “because none is rejected by Him.” Therefore, first and foremost, as a means of beginning the process of correcting the injustices of the last two years, we must place the campaign of Ahavas Yisroel at the forefront - a true connection of all sectors of the Jewish People around our Holy Torah. When every Jew feels a part of the Torah, he will automatically desist from taking action against those learn Torah.
This is most definitely the reason for this election.
www.MoshiachForKids.comCheck it out!! Educational and Fun!!
Issue 965 • � 33
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FOLLOWING THE
REBBE’S INSTRUCTIONS BROUGHT HER BACK
By Nechama Bar
It was late at night and the house was silent. Only in 17 year old Adi’s room was something going on. Adi took a small bag and began packing it with basic necessities: a few items of clothing, a small album of family pictures as a memento, a beloved piece of jewelry. She scanned the closet again. Was there anything else that was important? That was all.
She left her room quietly so as not to wake anyone up and was swallowed by the darkness of night as she walked by the light of a weak moon.
Now I can do as I please and nobody will dictate to me whom I should marry. If they want me back, they will have to work very hard, she thought, as she ignored the storm of emotion within her.
Adi’s mother discovered her empty bed in the morning and was terribly worried. Where was Adi? She hoped that Adi had spent the night with friends and would return during the day, but the hours passed and she did not turn up. Yael had almost called the police when
she discovered a note written in a familiar handwriting.
“Don’t look for me. I went to a place where I can live as I please. I chose to cut off ties, as difficult as this is, in order to marry the one I want, the one I love. Adi.”
Yael was stunned. She had not imagined that Adi would take such a drastic step. Now what?
It all began when Adi announced that she wanted to marry a non-Jew. Yael was not religious, but this was a red line for her. There was no way her daughter could marry a non-Jew. She would do all she could to prevent that from happening.
Yael tried talking her out of it, she screamed, she threatened, but nothing helped. It even backfired. Adi was angry and the nice relationship they used to have disappeared.
“At least see a psychologist. Maybe he can help you,” pleaded her mother.
Adi wasn’t interested, but having no choice, she went. The psychologist heard her out and
said, “This girl is in distress and needs to go to a place for girls in distress, a place with a dormitory where they will treat her and help her.”
Adi left in a fury. “I’m a normal girl and have no problems and I’m not going to a place like that!”
When she saw that nobody was listening to her, she decided to run away from home so she could do as she wanted.
Yael was frustrated and she called her sister Smadar. Maybe she could help.
Smadar ran a sports and cultural club. She had an idea. “I will call a Chabad Chassid, R’ Michoel Gotzel, and ask him for help. He has worked with us in the past when new immigrants came to our club. Maybe he will be able to refer me to someone who deals with situations like this.”
She called R’ Michoel that same day. He listened to what she had to say and then began telling her about the Rebbe. He told her that today too, the Rebbe is with us and doing miracles through the Igros Kodesh. He went on to tell her
TZIVOS HASHEM
34 � • 22 Adar 5775
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some recent miracle stories.
Smadar felt she was in good hands.
“I will write to the Rebbe,” said R’ Michoel. “In the meantime, try and find where the girl is so we can do whatever the Rebbe tells us to do.”
R’ Michoel wrote to the Rebbe and then opened the Igros Kodesh, at random, to volume 22, pages 226-227. There were two letters. In the first one, the Rebbe spoke about peace:
“... Yehi ratzon that the explanation of our Sages be fulfilled on the verse, ‘how good and how pleasant it is when brothers sit together...’ In addition to the simple meaning, the feeling of closeness in a way of sitting, from the root meaning settled, together, to the point of absolute unity.”
The answer was clear. They had to speak to Adi pleasantly and peacefully and not with threats and shouting as her parents had done until then.
In the second letter, the Rebbe wrote about mental health, to check that the psychologist they went to was not leading her on a dangerous path. The Rebbe added that there are psychologists who announced that belief in G-d is one of the most effective approaches to healing.
The Rebbe also wrote, “Indirect influence has a much higher chance for success than direct influence.” He concludes, “With blessings for good news in all the above.”
R’ Michoel told Smadar what the Rebbe wrote. “Tell your sister to welcome her daughter graciously and treat her lovingly and not with threats and shouting. Also, ask them not to mention the subject of the wedding at all. The Rebbe says she needs to be influenced indirectly, not directly.”
“It’s hard for me to believe that they will accept this,” said Smadar, but R’ Michoel responded, “Tell them that this is what the Rebbe said to do and they will surely go along with it.”
A few days later, the phone rang in R’ Michoel’s house. “You won’t believe it,” said an excited voice. “My sister agreed to do what the Rebbe said and just one day later, Adi came back on her own, without the police and without having to search for her. Her parents welcomed her as the Rebbe said to do. It’s a double miracle! Now we await the next miracle that she will drop this non-Jewish guy.”
A few days went by and n o t h i n g happened.
Adi still wanted to marry the non-Jew and Smadar called R’ Michoel again for help.
“The Rebbe said to do things indirectly and to strengthen belief in Hashem. So I will invite Adi to spend Shabbos with us. If she agrees to come, that will certainly help.”
Smadar agreed and conveyed the message to her sister. Adi spent the next Shabbos with R’ Michoel’s family. It was a beautiful Shabbos. R’ Michoel and his wife spoke about many things, but not about the burning issue, as the Rebbe said. And it really wasn’t necessary. She loved the stories about the Rebbe and one could see it was having a tremendous influence on her.
A few weeks went by and there was good news. Adi had dropped the non-Jewish boyfriend and life was pleasant at home with her family. As the Rebbe had written, “with blessings for good news in all the above.”
