944

DVAR MALCHUS
WITHOUT ANY
INTERUPTION
From Chapter Seven of Rabbi Shloma
Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined
text is the compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
14. [] The Shabbos

following the time of Mattan
Torah, Parshas Naso, of the year
[5751] Arenu Niflaos I will
show you wonders is the most
appropriate and auspicious time
for the revelation of A new
Torah shall emerge from Me.
Thus, it is now incumbent upon
us to prepare for (a foretaste and
preview of, as well as the means
to bring about) the fulfillment of
the promise, A new Torah shall
emerge from Me.
Simply speaking this
preparation entails renewing
and increasing Torah study,
with enthusiasm and enjoyment,
reaffirming ones commitment
to Torah study, to the point that
he discovers novel insights in
Torah. Indeed, it is known that
all Jews are capable of revealing
the depths of [the Torahs]
wisdom and innovating new
insights in Torah in Agados
and in both the revealed and
esoteric dimensions of the Torah
appropriate to the root of his
soul. In fact, he is obligated
to do so. Moreover, it is not
enough that ones rededication
to Torah study pertains to
himself; he should also inspire
others [as we are enjoined]
accumulate many students.
This especially includes a
renewal and addition in the study
and dissemination of the inner
dimension of the Torah, which
944_bm_eng.indd 3
has been illuminated by the

teachings of Chassidus. These
teachings resemble and are an
expression of the foretaste
of the teachings of Moshiach
(those who taste of it have
merited life). Indeed, learning
and spreading the teachings of
Chassidus spurs on, speeds up,
and brings about the advent of
Dovid Malka Meshicha.
It is very appropriate and
proper that each and every
person should accept upon
himself in addition to the
reading of Pirkei Avos (words
of piety) all the Shabbasos
throughout the summer in
depth study of (at least) one
Mishna [of Pirkei Avos], with the
commentaries on the Mishna,
each at his own level.
15. May it be G-ds will
that by speaking about this
and by accepting positive
resolutions in these matters,
we shall immediately behold
the revelation of A new Torah
shall emerge from Me, with the
true and complete redemption
through Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
And Moshe (who received
the Torah at Mount Sinai)
and Aharon (who will light the
Menora in the Beis HaMikdash)
will be among them [i.e., those
who return to Eretz Yisroel in
the Messianic Era]. In fact,
the Baal Shem Tov and all
the Rebbes, the Nsiim, will

be with them too, including
my revered father in-law, the
Rebbe [Rayatz]. They will all
go Eretz Yisroel along with
all the righteous Jews and the
leaders of the Jewish people, as
well as all Jews of the preceding
generations (Your nation is
entirely righteous), for those
who dwell in the dust will get up
and sing, together with all the
Jewish people of this generation,
[living people] souls in bodies,
without any interruption [of loss
of life] in between.
All Jews together shall hear
A new Torah shall emerge
from Me, in our Holy Land, in
Yerushalayim the Holy City, on
the Holy Mountain, in the Beis
HaMikdash, and in the Kodesh
HaKadoshim from upon the
Kapores, which is upon the Aron
HaEidus, from between the two
Kruvim.
Furthermore, and this is
the main thing, it shall happen
immediately MiYaD being
an acronym for Moshe, Yisroel
(the Baal Shem Tov, when you
shall spread your wellsprings
outward, Master [i.e., Moshiach]
will come), Dovid Malka
Meshicha, meant in the actual,
literal sense, tangibly, beneath
ten handbreadths, mamash,
mamash.
(From the address of Shabbos
Parshas Naso, 12 Sivan; Seifer
HaSichos 5751, pg. 597)
2014-10-02 8:24:45 AM
MEMOIRS
DURING TISHREI
THE ATMOSPHERE
WAS ELECTRIC
Before Simchas Torah 5745 I had a mild stroke
and could no longer arrange this celebration.
The doctors ordered me to rest. Some suggested
I should travel to the Rebbe, but along with
the strong desire to go there were also serious
concerns how I would manage with the crowds
and the commotion. In the end, my strong desire
won out and I went to 770.
By R Levi Hezkia
Shliach in Milan, Italy
Prepared for publication by Nosson Avraham
MY JOURNEY TO CHABAD
The Rebbe and 770 were
and remain for me my entire
world. The peak moments were
definitely in the month of Tishrei.
From a young age there began
to blossom within me a love for
the Rebbe. My parents escaped
from Russia to Afghanistan after
the communists demanded that
my father to work on Shabbos.
He asked that the assignment
he was given be postponed
until the following Shabbos
and in the interim he joined a
convoy that crossed the border.

From Afghanistan the extended
family made aliya and settled in
Yerushalayim. Like the children
of many immigrants, I was sent
to a dormitory in Yerushalayim,
called Diskins.
Two
sincere
Lubavitcher
bachurim, R Yaakov Reinitz and
R Yaakov Minsky, visited the
dormitory and spoke to us about
emuna and Torah ideas. I became
very friendly with them and was
caught up in their passion until R
Reinitz gaily said to me, Hezkia,
4 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

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The Rebbe encouraging a Niggun Simcha at a farbrengen in the 60s
you need to transfer to learn in

Chabad.
I told them I needed my
fathers permission. My father
had just opened a butcher
store and he relied on me, as
the second son, to help him in
the store and help support the
family. But these fellows were
determined, and they asked my
father to write to the Rebbe in
New York and ask him what he
suggested. Whatever he would
say, my father promised to do.
The Rebbe wrote to my father
that if I learned in yeshiva this
would increase THE parnasa
of the home, and my father
unhesitatingly allowed me to go
to Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim
in Lud. Within a short time, my
hiskashrus to the Rebbe and
Chabad grew so that you would
not have been able to tell that I
had just discovered this amazing
world. I remember that at that
time, in the beginning of the
60s, my father bought a dollar
which had been received from the
Rebbe for sixty liros. That was a
large sum in those days.
In Elul 5725/1964, a group
of us bachurim went for a year of
Kvutza. The bachurim before us
There is a saying that Mincha with the Rebbe is

also yechidus; so every time I davened Mincha, I
prayed silently that I merit going on shlichus.
were there for only three months,

while we got six months. When
Zalman Shazar was at the Rebbe
that year, he was asked to give the
bachurim an entire year, and he
worked on it. We were thus able
to be with the Rebbe for a year.
We arrived on 19 Elul. When
the taxi that brought us from
the airport stopped near 770,
we were told that the Rebbe was
about to come any minute. So
we stayed in the taxi and did not
dare get out. Within moments
the car arrived and the Rebbe got
out. He looked at our car and
smiled. After taking a few steps
in the direction of 770, he turned
around to us and smiled broadly.
That was the shalom aleichem
we got from the Rebbe.
Back then, the atmosphere
was altogether different. The
crowd was much smaller than it
was in the 90s and certainly than
today. There was a special feeling
of love and comradeship amongst
people, even those who had
never met before. The fact that

you were a Chassid made you
family; that is how we felt. Until
today, whoever was there at that
time remembers everyone, and
when we meet, all the memories
come flooding back. The bond
between Chassidim was deep and
more heartfelt. The relationship
with the Rebbe was different
too. We received long letters,
the instructions were detailed,
and it was possible to experience
the meaning of Rebbe more
personally.
THE REBBE ASKED ME TO

JOIN THE MEAL
When I finished the year of
Kvutza and returned home, I
asked the Rebbe permission to
come back and remain longer.
The Rebbe told me to ask the one
in charge. I spoke to the mashpia,
R Moshe Naparstek who got an
exemption for me from the army,
and I went back to 770 and
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Memoirs
That first Tishrei I went
around with the Chassidic
parable about the wagon driver
who sold his horse and went to
the Rebbe bouncing around in
my head. When he was asked
what about parnasa, he said that
in the Rebbes merit he had what
he had and if the Rebbe smiled at
him that would also be a profit.
I gave up everything to merit
another moment with the Rebbe,
another glance, another smile,
another movement, another sicha
or maamer. I was immensely
satisfied.
THE MAIN THING IS TO BE

WITH THE REBBE!
The Rebbe at a post Yom Kippur meal 5728 in the home of the Rebbe Rayatz
remained there until 5729.

I attended many holiday meals
with the Rebbe that took place
upstairs, together with R Meir
Harlig. I merited special kiruvim.
I often built the Rebbes
sukka together with R Chaim
Boruch Halberstam. I helped
him a lot and he would take me
into the room where the Rebbe
ate the holiday meal in the Rebbe
Rayatzs apartment. One time,
in 5729, I asked to be able to
attend the meal and he agreed.
He told me to go in through
the kitchen and arranged with
me that I would knock at the
door and he would open it for
me. I knocked and knocked but
nobody answered. Suddenly, the
door opened and there stood
Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka! She
motioned to me to enter.
At that meal I peeked at
the Rebbe. I saw that they
had all washed their hands,
but the Rebbe was looking for
something. I realized it was the
salt. I went in and gave the salt to
the Rebbe who nodded his thanks
with a big smile.

Then R Chaim Boruch came
over to me and said that the
Rebbe asked that I sit at the table.
I was very shy and ran out in
agitation. R Chaim Boruch went
outside and told me again that
the Rebbe wanted me to come in.
I refused and said I did not want
to. He went in and then came
back out a few minutes later and
said that the Rebbe said that I
should want and should come
in... So I went in and had the
privilege of eating the meal with
the Rebbe.
In my first yechidus after
Tishrei, I told the Rebbe that I
felt that despite everything, I was
not making progress in 770 as I
had expected I would. The Rebbe
dismissed this and said that it was
clear to him that I was advancing,
but I was right that maybe it was
not enough because one is never
supposed to stop progressing. I
remember how throughout that
Tishrei I would sing vigorously.
There wasnt a large crowd and
the singing wasnt that strong.
I wont forget the farbrengens

of the mashpiim and the elder
Chassidim, especially of those
who came from behind the Iron
Curtain. Their hiskashrus to
the Rebbe was so powerful that
they got everyone else caught
up in it and they added another
element to the already electric
atmosphere. I remember R
Moshe Vishedsky bringing a
Chassidic explanation of his own
to the story of Yaakovs ladder in
Parshas VaYeitzei. What did the
stones quarrel about? He asked.
After all, they are stones and
not comfortable pillows; sleeping
on stones is painful! Then he
said: We are stones, it hurts
the Rebbe to be with us, but that
already is a matter between the
Rebbe and Hashem. We need to
fight and push so that the Rebbe
will be able to keep an eye on
us and we in turn can view his
conduct.
I also remember a farbrengen
of R Zalman Jaffe of Manchester;
he was an Englishman with all the
mannerisms, but a big Chassid.
He said that the first time he
was at the Rebbe and saw all the
pushing, he was very annoyed by
it. What sort of upbringing was

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R Zalman Jaffe giving the Rebbe Tanyas during a farbrengen
this? Why did they behave this

way? But then he realized that
a Chassid cannot remain behind
when it comes to anything having
to do with the Rebbe. A Chassid
needs to push forward, to be
first and foremost in everything
connected to the Rebbe.
What can I tell you? This
inspired me very much. The
very fact that I remember it till
today affirms its importance to
me. Nor will I forget the Maftirs
that the Rebbe was called up for;
there was the feeling that you
were literally hearing the prophet
convey the prophecies.
In 5725 a bachur came from
Milan, R Sholom Almaliach, who
was also a shochet. I helped him
in a number of matters. He told
me that there is a large Persian
community in Milan and that I
had a lot of potential to be able to
work with them.
From when I became exposed
to the Rebbe and Chassidus I
longed to go on shlichus. I prayed
that I would have the privilege of
being included in the legion of
I felt that the Rebbe was compensating me for

all the years that I could not attend the hakafos
because of the work I was doing in Milan.
shluchim. There is a saying that

Mincha with the Rebbe is also
yechidus; so every time I davened
Mincha, I prayed silently that I
merit going on shlichus.
R Haddad, who was already
working in Milan, asked about
me in yechidus and was given a
positive answer, but the Rebbe
made it conditional on my being
married.
A shidduch suggestion came
up with a girl from Beis Rivka
in France. We arranged to meet
before Elul, but first we had to
write to the Rebbe and receive
his blessing. I waited a day, two
days, but there was no reply, so I
stayed in 770.
In Elul, R Haddad met me
again and said that in Milan there
was no one proficient in mila and
I should study it before I went
to Milan. I stayed in 770 for

Tishrei and then had yechidus. I
wrote to the Rebbe that I wanted
permission to first travel to
London to study mila and then
to go to France where I had a
shidduch suggestion.
The Rebbe told me to go
directly to the shidduch and
only then to study mila. This
was a clear answer and I knew
that the Rebbe was giving me
his consent to the shidduch
as well as to the study of mila.
R Chadakov suggested that I
remain in 770 until after Shabbos
Parshas Chayei Sarah, which is a
Shabbos of shidduchim as he
put it.
I spent three weeks in Paris,
enough time for us to decide to
build a home together. After we
wrote to the Rebbe and received
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Memoirs
his blessing, I went to London
to study mila and from there
to Eretz Yisroel where our
wedding took place.
For forty years I have
performed brissin all over
Europe.
to kiss it. I nearly swallowed

my tongue in excitement. This
scene repeated itself during
the seventh hakafa. I felt that
the Rebbe was compensating
me for all the years that I
could not attend the hakafos
because of the work I was
doing in Milan.
BACK AGAIN
FOR TISHREI
In Chabad, I was taught
that simcha poretz geder. I always
stuck close to the Chassidim for
whom simcha was an outstanding
characteristic. Not surprisingly
then, when I arrived in Italy on
shlichus, one of the first things
I did was arrange Simchas Beis
HaShoeiva.
When I was still a boy, R
Yaakov Reinitz would take me to
the big simcha in Yerushalayim. I
didnt think there was any reason
for Italy not to have something
similar. For many years I did
not go to the Rebbe for Tishrei;
instead, I worked to bring 770
to Milan. We experienced great
success. Hundreds of people
danced and rejoiced for hours.
Before Simchas Torah 5745
I had a mild stroke and could no
longer arrange this celebration.
The doctors ordered me to rest.
Some said I should travel to the
Rebbe but along with the strong
desire to go, there were also
serious concerns about how I
would manage in the crowds
and with the commotion in 770,
especially on Simchas Torah, and

I was so weak. In the end, my
strong desire won out and I went
to 770.
As soon as I walked in I
met my dear friend, R Dovid
Nachshon. When he saw me and
heard my situation, he suggested
that I go into a hole under the
bima so no one would push me,
and that is what I did. Near me
stood R Groners son and R
Itkins son.
At a certain point, during the
first hakafa, I heard the bachurim
yelling toward me, Jump!
I cant, I called back and
explained to them, in the midst
of the hullabaloo, about my
condition.
So give us your hands and
well pick you up, they offered.
Why are you insisting that I
go up? I asked and they said it
was the Rebbes request.
I immediately placed my
hands on their shoulders and
with great difficulty I managed
to get up. Then I saw the Rebbe
presenting the Torah to me for me
WORTH THE BUMPS

AND BRUISES
During Tishrei there were
many miracles and wonders in
770. You have to understand that
the shul was much smaller than it
is today. Hundreds of Chassidim
stood on the pyramid and not
one of them stood on it with
both legs due to the tremendous
crush. I remember that on
Rosh HaShana 5726, an entire
pyramid collapsed and everybody
standing on it fell like a deck of
cards. It was a terrifying sight. I
was sure there were casualties,
but incredibly everyone was fine
and they went up again, each one
back to his place.
The atmosphere was electric.
Nobody paid attention to
comfort. Among the bachurim
there was a joke that made the
rounds that in Tishrei you did
not take care of injuries so as not
to miss out on anything. It was
only at the end of the elevated
days of Tishrei that everyone
examined himself and discovered
how many bumps and bruises he
had, but who cared?
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944_bm_eng.indd 8
2014-10-02 8:24:46 AM
STORY
SECRET
MISSION
The eve of 13 Tishrei 5643/1882. It was approaching midnight when the
Rebbe Maharash got out of bed and sat down. His face shone with a
special light. He wore a pocket watch which he detached from its chain.
He then took a piece of paper from the table in front of him, turned the
hands of the watch to 11:51 and inserted the paper to block the hands from
moving. * Presented to mark the passing of the Rebbe Maharash.
By Menachem Ziegelboim

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PART I
One letter out of hundreds
and even thousands of letters
written by the Rebbe Rayatz
contains a terrible veiled secret,
which was known only by a
very few. This secret pertains to
the lives of two of the Chabad
leaders. This letter was sent by
the Rebbe Rayatz to his son-inlaw, later to become the Rebbe.
He wrote as follows:
It is known that the blessing
for long life of the Alter Rebbe
was for 90-100 years (that of
the Tzemach Tzedek was for
70-80 years), and the Tzemach
Tzedek passed away at the age
of 77. This is the basis of the
story I told you, which my father
the Rebbe told me, that he heard
from my grandfather the Rebbe
that the fact that the shliach
did not carry out his mission
in the winter of 5626/1866
regarding the pidyon nefesh at
the gravesite of the Baal Shem
Tov, caused 13 years to be taken
from the life of the Tzemach
Tzedek and his sons.
The Rebbe quickly sent a
letter back to his father-in-law in
which he asked for the details of
this story, but the Rebbe Rayatz

responded:
Regarding the shliach, I even
refrain from telling it verbally,
all the more so in writing. (Igros
Kodesh Rayatz vol. 2, p. 494 and
507)
Thus, the Rebbe Rayatz
concealed more than he revealed.
Not only would he not write
about it but even saying it orally
was forbidden.
Who was the Chassid who
shortened the life of the Tzemach
Tzedek, that G-dly soul, the
connecting
intermediary,
who stood between G-d and the
Jewish people and provided every
Jew with spiritual and material
good? Furthermore, how did
the same thing nearly happen
again in the life of the Rebbe
Maharash?
We will see that it was a very
painful episode in the family
of Beis HaRav and it remained
veiled in secrecy for many years.
PART II
It was one day between Yom
Kippur and Sukkos 5634/1873
when the Chassid, R Shlomo
Zalman Zlatapolsky, one of the
great Chassidim of the Rebbe

Maharash, arrived in Lubavitch.
He came to bask in the aura of
the Rebbe Maharash as he did
now and then. It was already
evening and everyone was at
home.
As he walked the roads of
Lubavitch, he met with the
Chassid, R Shmuel Betzalel
Sheftel (known by his acronym
Rashbatz),
a
distinguished
Chassid of the Tzemach Tzedek
and the Rebbe Maharash.
Shalom aleichem! Rashbatz
shook the guests hand in
a friendly greeting. It was a
joyous occasion when these two
great Chassidim met again, for
Chassidim are like brothers.
The Rebbe asked about you
several times, said Rashbatz to
the guest who had just arrived in
Lubavitch.
The Rebbe is looking for
me?! wondered R Zlatapolsky.
As they spoke, R Levi the
gabbai, known by everyone
as Levik the Milchiger, came
rushing by. Ho, R Zalman,
hurry, the Rebbe is waiting for
you!
Now it was clear to him that
Lubavitch, drawn by Chassidic artist Yechiel Ofner with computer imagery
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Story
the Rebbe was in fact urgently
looking for him. After only a
few minutes, R Shlomo Zalman
entered Gan Eden HaElyon, i.e.
the Rebbe Maharashs room. He
found the Rebbe sitting with his
second son, Sholom Dovber, a
boy almost thirteen years old.
Zalman, how long do you
think you will be staying here?
asked the Rebbe to his faithful
Chassid without any preamble.
Not long, replied the
Chassid, for I am busy with
business affairs at this time.
A look of surprise appeared
on the Rebbes face. How can
you not attend the bar mitzva?
he asked, referring to the bar
mitzva of the son sitting by his
side. If you stay, you will hear
much Chassidus from him and
from me, as though trying to
convince his Chassid to stay.
Uncharacteristically,
the
Rebbe said, My son Sholom Ber
is disappointed. He complained
to his mother that before the
bar mitzva of my oldest son,
Zalman Aharon, I learned a lot of
Chassidus with him, while I am
not as busy with him. Although
he is only a boy, I think about
him no less than I did of my son
Zalman Aharon, wanting this
message to be conveyed to his
son as well.
The Rebbe looked at his son,
Sholom Ber, review the maamer
for Zalman.
His son began to immediately
review the maamer Chassidus
clearly,
knowledgeably
and
fluently. It was apparent that
he understood every word. His
fathers face shone with joy and
nachas.
When he finished, he told his
son he could leave the room for
he did not need him any further.
When he left and closed the door,
the Rebbe smiled broadly. One
time, I told him to leave the room
and afterward I found out that

he did not go, but hid under the
table to hear Chassidus That
is how much he yearns to hear
Chassidus!
Instantly, the Rebbes face
grew serious as though changing
from one form to another. He
addressed his Chassid and said,
Zalman, I have a request to
make of you, that you come back
here at three in the morning when
I will speak to you about a very
important matter. I have no other
time for it and it is the only time
we can talk. However, I state
explicitly that this is on condition
that you go to sleep now at seven.
You need to think firmly now
that you will be getting up before
three. If that is possible, fine; if
not, do not ask them to wake you
up.
The Rebbe added a warning,
Dont think you will fool me by
not going to sleep all night and
afterward you will wash your
face in snow so I will think you
slept. You should know that I will
realize if that is what you did.
R
Zlatapolsky
accepted
the condition obediently and
nodded. He carefully walked
backward and left the Rebbe, lost
in thought. The Rebbe had never
spoken to him like that. He knew
something important was afoot
but what could it be?
PART III
Three in the morning.
Lubavitch was asleep. Nobody
was out and about in the streets
at this hour except for R Shlomo
Zalman who quickly left his
hostel and walked toward the
Rebbes house. He lifted the
collar of his jacket due to the chill
of the night air and made his way
quickly. The first signs of the
winter cold had begun to make
their sting felt.
When he entered the Rebbes

house he was taken aback by
what he saw. The door to the
house was open and many
candles were lit as though it was
early evening. He did not spend
much time contemplating for he
soon walked into the Rebbes
room and found him sitting at
his desk with two large candles
burning.
For a moment he recoiled, the
Rebbes face looked so ominous
that it was hard to gaze upon
him. Although R Zlatapolsky was
not known to be timid, even he
felt very scared. He realized that
something terrible had happened.
When the Rebbe saw him, he
immediately began:
No doubt you know the
story about my grandfather the
Alter Rebbe when he fled from
Napoleon. It was when the
grandson, R Nachum took the
reins against the will of the gentile
wagon driver and wanted to lead
the convoy. But R Nachum, who
was not experienced enough with
a horse and wagon, mistakenly
veered off the right road. The
Alter Rebbe had dozed in the
wagon due to the travails of travel
and the many hardships. When
he woke up, he looked around
in great fear and cried out, Oy,
where are we?
R Nachum had made a
mistake at one of the forks in the
road and did not reach the right
place. The great fear and the
error are what caused the passing
of the Alter Rebbe. So it turns out
that R Nachum took ten years
off of the Alter Rebbes life!
The Rebbe Maharashs face
darkened with deep sorrow and
he continued, It is impossible
to imagine what lights we would
have received from him during
those ten years. Ach, how
much the world would have
benefited and what he would

944_bm_eng.indd 12
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have accomplished had he lived

another ten years.
The
Rebbe
Maharash
paused for a few moments and
then continued with a cloud
of deep pain shrouding his
face. Something like this (see
sidebar) was done by Rashbatz to
the Tzemach Tzedek who passed
away ten years before the time
allotted to him. What happened
was this:
My father called for him one
day and sent him with a pidyon
nefesh to the Ohel in Haditch.
From there, he was supposed to
go and take care of the printing
of Likkutei Torah, but Rashbatz
first went to take care of the
printing. In the interim, the
Tzemach Tzedek passed away.
Ten years were taken off his life!
Oy, what lights we would
have received during those
years? And what would he
have accomplished for himself
and how much would he have
benefited the world during those
years ...
The Rebbe Maharash sat
absorbed in his pain. Only after
long minutes of sad silence did
he set forth his request:
I want that our holy
ancestors not lose out by their
passing and that we too not lose
out. Let the one who reads the
letter be the one to carry it out. I
would like Rashbatz to go to the
Ohel in Haditch with a pidyon
nefesh from me. However, since
he works for your father, R
Leibel, as a melamed for his sons,
tell your father that Rashbatz is
going on a mission for me on a
matter that concerns Klal Yisroel.
Indeed, this is so, because this
matter affects everyone.
R Zalman stood before the
Rebbes holy countenance in
trembling and terror. He took
in everything that was said with
great seriousness. When the
While I explained to the Rebbe what I was

doing, he began to explain to me the reason
for his illness. For an hour and longer he lectured to me
about the illness while analyzing its progression in great
detail. As he spoke, I felt as though I was sitting in medical
school and listening to a lecture from a professor, expert
in the field.
The Rebbe Rashab (right) and his brother (Raza)
Rebbe finished he asked, It

says regarding the departed that
the deceased are free [of all
commandments]. What can be
rectified at this point?
The Rebbe replied in a
somewhat annoyed tone. You
have offered me a klutz kashe
(fools question). In the Gemara
Yevamos it quotes R Yochanan
in the name of R Shimon bar
Yochai, Any Torah scholar whose
teaching is repeated in his name
in this world, his lips move in the
grave. Surely now too they are
alive. I have proof of this.
The Rebbe went on to quote
a story from the Gemara in
Brachos from where we derive
that even after a persons
passing, he has the ability to
impact on matters of this world.
From here we see that one can
do and accomplish even after

ones lifetime.
When the Rebbe finished
speaking, R Shlomo Zalman left
the room and went to look for his
friend, Rashbatz. He met him in
the beis midrash, as he was one
of the early risers. The first rays
of dawn were beginning to pierce
the darkness.
You need to prepare for a
trip on behalf of the Rebbe, he
informed him.
Rashbatz went to the Rebbe
and was given a pidyon nefesh as
well as money for the trip. That
same day he set out for Haditch
in order to read the pidyon
nefesh there.
PART IV
Nine years passed since that
Issue 944
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Story
The gravesite of the Tzemach Tzedek and the Rebbe Maharash in Lubavitch
awesome night that was shrouded

in mystery.
The Rebbe Maharash had
given many indications about
his passing to his mekuravim
in the weeks and months that
preceded it. If you were alert, you
understood these hints.
One time the Rebbe told his
attendant, I am 100 years old.
The attendant looked at the
Rebbe in wonder for the Rebbe
was still a young man. The Rebbe
saw his bewilderment and said
with a smile, I am 48 years old,
and 52 is what is written on my
ID, referring to Shmuel HaNavi
who lived for 52 years and whose
name he shared.
Before his passing, when
his illness became more severe,
the Rebbe called his youngest
daughter, Mussia, who was still
young, and said to her with a cry
from the heart:
My daughter, I really
ought to lead you to the chuppa
together with your mother but
when Hashem does not want
He said this with a sigh and did
not complete the thought. As he
spoke, he placed his hands on her
head and blessed her.
Shortly before his passing,
the Rebbe said he wanted to go

to the gravesite of his father,
the Tzemach Tzedek. He told
his wagon driver to prepare the
wagon and to harness the horses.
The wagon was waiting outside
the house and when the Rebbe
left the house and was about to
board it, he only managed to put
one leg up and not the second.
He thought briefly and then
decisively alighted and returned
to the house. Some add that
on this occasion he sadly said,
They dont even let me go to my
father.
When his condition worsened
a top doctor from Vitebsk was
called to the house. The doctor
thoroughly examined him and
then reassured the Rebbe, We
will yet travel abroad, meaning
for health reasons, but the Rebbe
did not accept this and said,
Indeed, to travel from one world
and reach the next world, that is
also a journey.
When the doctor, a tall,
impressive looking gentile, left
the Rebbes room, the Chassidim
surrounded him, eager to hear
how the Rebbe was. One of the
young Chassidim quickly offered
him a chair. The doctor looked at
the Chassidim surrounding him

with a look of satisfaction. He
enjoyed the attention.
Do you think that you know
who your Rebbe is? he asked
them. Without waiting for their
reply he said, I will tell you.
Listen.
When I entered your Rebbes
room, I was given a detailed
report about his illness from the
team of doctors who had treated
him until that point. After I read
it, I began speaking to the Rebbe
about his illness. At a certain
point, I asked him to give me
his hand and I passed my hand
over his palm. Then I asked him
permission to perform a small
operation behind his ear. A look
of discomfort crossed his face but
after thinking briefly about it, he
consented and I did it.
I diagnosed the Rebbe as
having pus in his blood and
this is what caused him to be
sick and put him in danger. I
asked for the Rebbes hand to
see whether there were signs
that validated this theory. That
is also the reason for my asking
him permission to conduct minor
surgery behind his ear in order
for me to know whether the pus

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had spread to his brain.

While I explained to
the Rebbe what I was doing,
he began to explain to me
the reason for his illness
and all about it. For an hour
and longer he lectured to
me about the illness while
analyzing its progression in
great detail. As he spoke, I
felt as though I was sitting in
medical school and listening
to a lecture from a professor,
expert in the field.
The
doctor
surveyed
the Chassidim who listened
avidly to every word he said.
Then he took a deep breath
and said, You should know
that this is a serious illness
in which the patient suffers
terribly. Usually, a patient
like this lies in bed and suffers
and when the disease reaches
his brain he loses his mind.
And yet, I see your Rebbe
sitting on a chair with a smile
on his lips. That is why I was
uncertain about his diagnosis.
But when I saw that the
disease had, in fact, reached
his brain, I was astounded to
see a Rebbe, not a doctor,
in such a serious condition
and he was sitting calmly and
giving a medical lecture to a
top doctor who came to heal
him, while the doctor himself
felt like a student before his
teacher!
PART V
13 Tishrei 5643/1882.
The hour was approaching
midnight as the Rebbe
Maharash rose from his bed
and sat in a chair. His face
shone. He wore a pocket
watch which was partially
hidden in his pocket. The
Rebbe took the watch and
detached it from the chain.
TEN YEARS THAT WERE TAKEN FROM THE LIFE OF THE TZEMACH TZEDEK
Ten years were taken from the life of my
father the Tzemach Tzedek, bemoaned the
Rebbe Maharash during the yechidus with
the Chassid, R Shlomo Zalman Zlatapolsky,
on that fateful night. Oy, what lights we
would have received during those years? And
what would he have accomplished for himself
and how much would he have benefited the
world during those years ...
In the year 5625, the Tzemach Tzedek
called for his Chassid, R Shmuel Betzalel
Sheftel. The Rebbe gave him the Torah Ohr
of his grandfather the Alter Rebbe, along
with his notes, in order to have it printed.
A year later, he gave him Likkutei Torah to
be printed too. Before he left, the Tzemach
Tzedek gave him a pidyon nefesh to read
when he arrived at the gravesite of the Baal
The Tzemach Tzedek
Shem Tov in Mezhibuzh.
Since Rashbatz earned a living selling books and
since he had no money at the time, he innocently
thought that since he had money for travel expenses
from what the Rebbe gave him, it made sense to stop in
various towns that dotted the long road to Mezhibuzh
where he could sell sfarim to learned Jews who loved
Rashbatzs stamp
Torah. Thus, he would earn some money. The trip took
longer than he expected it would and he spent many days on the road before
arriving in Mezhibuzh.
With great awe and trepidation he prepared to enter the Ohel and after
immersing himself he read the pidyon nefesh in which the Rebbe asked that
Hashem lengthen his days in peace and that he have nachas from his children
and household, and that the glory of Torah and Judaism be raised up etc.
A short while after leaving Mezhibuzh, he heard the news about the passing
of the Tzemach Tzedek. The blood rushed from his face and his paleness
testified to his state of shock. Not only because of the Rebbes passing but
because he instantly realized that it may have been prevented if he had gone
directly to the Baal Shem Tovs gravesite and read the pidyon nefesh there.
For several days he went here and there, heartbroken and not knowing what
to do with himself. He felt that there was a grievance from the Rebbes youngest
son, the Rebbe Maharash, for delaying the reading of the pidyon nefesh. That is
the reason that Rashbatz did not rush to return to Lubavitch. Instead, he went
back to Mezhibuzh where he spent about two months at the Ohel, in fasting
and tears, praying and asking forgiveness.
One day, he saw the Baal Shem Tov himself who told him that he was
forgiven and said he should return to Lubavitch. It was only for Rosh HaShana
5627, about half a year after the Rebbes passing, that he returned to Lubavitch
and to the new Nasi.
Rashbatz told this story to the then young Chassid, R Yisroel Noach
Blinitzky, when he came to learn in Tomchei Tmimim in Lubavitch, after
testing him in learning and finding him to be a great vessel filled with Torah.
Issue 944
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Story
He took a piece of paper from
the desk, moved the hands of
the watch to 11:51, and stuck
the paper in. His face glowed
with what seemed like the joy of
perfection-completion.
The Rebbe then spoke to
Pinchas Leib the attendant and
asked him to call for his three
sons. The attendant left to carry
out this instruction.
The first to enter was the
eldest, R Shneur Zalman
Aharon, who was known by the
acronym Raza. Nobody knows
what passed between the two of
them, father and son. Only the
attendant stood there humbly,
making himself invisible. When
the eldest left, the middle son,
R Sholom Dovber known as
Rashab, entered. Father and
son gazed upon one another
meaningfully. The son cried,
trying, despite his emotional
turmoil, to absorb every word his
father uttered.
Then the youngest, R
Menachem Mendel, entered, and
the Rebbe exchanged final words
with him as well.
The hands of the watch
continued
their
slow
but
inexorable move. The moments
of life remaining in this world
were running out.
When the hands moved to
11:51, the Rebbes holy soul left
his body. The fourth generation
in the chain of Chabad leaders
had passed away at the young
age of 48.
Lubavitch was in shock.
The relatively young Rebbe had
passed away rather suddenly.
True, he had been sick for years
and had suffered greatly, but who
thought the Rebbe would leave
them at such a young age? His
mechutan, R Sofer, wrote in an
elegy, Community of Lubavitch
wail bitterly the ark of the Lord
has been taken captive.
There wasnt much time for

the burial, not even time to wait
for the arrival of Chassidim from
near and far to pay their final
respects, for it was almost Yom
Tov. The Chassidim rushed to
make all the arrangements for the
funeral and burial. In later years,
his son Rashab said with great
passion, I am convinced that if
they would have taken him to the
mikva upon his passing, he would
have immersed himself, but
we did not do that out of fear,
referring to the story about the
Arizal that during his purification
his students said to him, May he
forgo his honor and immerse his
head, and so he did (a similar
story took place with the Maggid
of Mezritch).
The days of mourning were
brief, for the Rebbes passing was
a day and a half before Sukkos.
Between the burial and the start
of Yom Tov were only a few
hours.
During these days and
throughout the year of mourning,
the Rebbes sons davened in
separate minyanim with each
one davening for the amud and
reciting Kaddish. Rashab had a
minyan in the Rebbes room.
***
Nine years went by since that
mysterious night when R Shlomo
Zalman Zlatapolsky was called to
the Rebbes room at three in the
morning.
The news about the Rebbes
sudden passing quickly spread
from Lubavitch to Kremenchug.
It was the start of the tenth year
since the night that the Rebbe had
sent a pidyon nefesh to Haditch.
R Shlomo Zalman sat with
his fellow Chassidim wallowing
in his mourning and broke out
into a terrible cry. For the first
time, he recounted to the others
the entire story, from beginning
to end. That fateful night I did
not realize that the Rebbe was

referring to himself and that he
was sending a pidyon nefesh
to Haditch in order to arouse
mercy for himself and for his
life. Only now do I understand
who he was praying for then, and
what he was hinting at when he
quoted the Gemara about [the
Amora called] Avuha [father of]
dShmuel. Indeed, that pidyon
nefesh sent to Haditch helped
and the Rebbe was given another
ten years or so.
PART VI
In Chassidic works it says that
in the heavenly court sit the very
same tzaddikim, the righteous
of the generation, those who
are familiar with the suffering
and weakness of the generation
and are cognizant of the
concealments and challenges of
that generation. They judge those
souls that come to the heavenly
court when their time comes in
accordance with the limitations
of that generation, for the tests
of one generation are unlike
the tests of another generation.
However, when the time comes
for the souls of those tzaddikim
to ascend to supernal chambers,
the souls of tzaddikim who are in
this world are taken in order to
replace them.
R Shmuel Gronem the
mashpia said, in the name of the
tzaddik R Aharon of Koidanov,
that since in the heavenly court
they needed a tzaddik of that
generation to advocate on
behalf of the Jewish people, and
the tzaddikim of the previous
generation had ascended and
could no longer speak positively
for the generation, the Rebbe
Maharash was called up to the
heavenly yeshiva.

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PART VII
Greater are tzaddikim in
death than in their lifetimes.
Many stories are told about
the holiness of the Rebbe
Maharash, about his power of
influence even after his passing.
One of the stories has to
do with the Chassid, R Hillel
Chernin. He was someone who
would visit regularly amongst
Chabad Chassidim. He limped a
little. One time when he was in a
good mood he explained why he
limped:
It was when I was a
youngster, young and lively. I had
veered somewhat from the path
of Torah and mitzvos. My father,
the Chassid R Meir Mordechai
Chernin of Vitebsk, chastised me
many times, but in my youthful
foolishness I did not listen to him
and went even further away from
Judaism.
One day, my father went
to the Rebbe Maharash and
complained about me. Among
other things he said, he blurted
out in great bitterness, If only
Hashem would make him break
a leg or something like that,
perhaps that would influence him
to improve his ways.
A short while later I crashed
into a wagon and my foot was
injured. The wound spread
and pus began to ooze and I
suffered great pain. My condition
worsened from day to day. The
doctors I went to were unable to
My father, who observed my deterioration in

great distress, warned me about what he was
going to do, but this time too, a spirit of foolishness filled
my heart and his threat had no effect on me. So my father
went to the Rebbes gravesite and read from the pidyon
nefesh that he had written: My son went off the good
path again and I ask of the Rebbe that he take back his
blessing that he blessed him to recover.
cure me. My father heard about

this and rejoiced. So, did you
improve your ways? I am certain
that if you improve and I go to
the Rebbe and tell him about this,
he will give his blessing and you
will recover.
In my great pain I promised
my father to improve and I did so.
My father went to Lubavitch and
told the Rebbe what happened.
The Rebbe gave his blessing and
I recovered.
A long time passed, in the
course of which the Rebbe passed
away, and thoughts of sin began
to rise forth within me once
again. I slowly reverted to my old
ways, departing from the path of
Torah. My father, who observed
my deterioration in great distress,
warned me about what he was
going to do, but this time too,
a spirit of foolishness filled my
heart and his threat had no effect
on me.
My father went to the
Rebbes gravesite and read from

the pidyon nefesh that he had

written: My son went off the
good path again and I ask of
the Rebbe that he take back his
blessing that he blessed him to
recover.
That
is
exactly
what
happened. When my father
returned to our home in Vitebsk
I felt great pain in my leg and the
wound began to produce large
quantities of pus. When the pain
increased I knew I had no choice
and I committed to going on the
right path. Once again, my father
went to the gravesite and told the
Rebbe: My son improved. Please
Rebbe, give me back the blessing
that he recover. And I recovered.
R Hillel concluded his story,
Since then, on those days that I
am strong in my Judaism and my
faith, I am completely healthy.
When I am weak in my fulfillment
of mitzvos, then I start feeling the
pain in my leg again.
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MIRACLE STORY
THE DOLLAR
BROUGHT
THE BRACHA
There it was written: the 13th of Elul, the
wedding of the Rebbe Rayatz, 5749, Erev Shnas
Nissim. I read this sentence again and again, as
I stood there in shock. What incredible Divine
Providence! It took me several hours to calm
down.
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
he
connection
between our family
and the Lubavitcher
Rebbe goes back
many years, said Mrs. Batya
Dadon at the start of our interview
in a voice filled with emotion. The
Dadon family lives in Tzfas Ramat
Menachem Begin neighborhood,
and while they arent members of
the local Chabad community, their
hearts glow with a deep love for the
Rebbe and Chassidus. The parents
send their children to the citys
Chabad educational institutions
and they regularly participate in a
wide variety of Chabad activities in
their neighborhood and throughout
the city.
We have one son who was

born on Yud Shvat and another
born on Gimmel Tammuz. Thus,
even from the aspect of the
calendar, we walk hand-in-hand
with Chabad Chassidus, added
Mrs. Dadon.
In the distant past, about
twenty-five years ago, the family
was privileged to experience
an amazing miracle that took
place in the merit of the Rebbes
bracha. However, we asked Mrs.
Dadon to tell us about another
miracle. It actually started at last
years Lag BOmer parade and
reached its finale a few months
later on the 13th of Elul.
Our second son had been

of marriageable age for several
years. Yet, shidduchim came and
went without success. While he
had been ready for some time, to
our great regret, things seemed
to be stuck in neutral. It was as
if there was no one suitable for
him. When he first entered the
world of shidduchim, we thought
that it wouldnt take more than
a few months for him to find
his lifes partner. However, we
quickly realized that we were
wrong. Months turned into years,
and nothing seemed to help.
Naturally, this caused us much
anguish.

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At a certain point our

worrying began to gnaw away
at us. Our son was now twentynine years old and there was no
serious shidduch on the horizon.
When a Jew finds himself in such
a predicament, he starts to daven,
and thats exactly what we did. At
every opportunity we mentioned
his name for a bracha to find
the woman with whom he could
build his Jewish home. Whenever
we visited one of the gravesites of
our holy tzaddikim, we poured
out our souls to the Creator,
asking that we should soon merit
to see our son under the marriage
canopy with his bride.
The joyous day of Lag

BOmer had arrived. In our
neighborhood, there are some
very dedicated shluchim who
organize each year a grandiose
parade that attracts hundreds
and thousands of children from
Ramat Menachem Begin and
the surrounding communities.
This is a once-a-year event
that hundreds of parents and
children know they cant pass
up. There are even many people
who have moved away from the
neighborhood, yet they come
back on this day for Chabad
activities.
There are also many others,
besides myself, who are very

close to Chabad and its activities.
We have lived in Tzfas for many
years and we know how these
parades are held each year in
every local neighborhood. Yet,
while I always sent my children
to the parade, I personally never
participated, preferring to remain
home instead. This all changed
last year, when my children
learning in Chabad institutions
would not relent; they insisted
that I join them for the parade.
The production made by
the Rebbes shluchim was most
impressive. Jews from all walks
of life joined together and joyfully
Issue 944
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MIRACLE STORY
danced around the traditional
bonfire. This was followed by a
colorful parade filled with signs
bearing Jewish slogans. From the
very outset I was quite happy that
I had chosen to attend the event,
beating my chest Al Cheit for
not having done so until now.
During the parade, the
master of ceremonies and various
speakers spoke about the great
holiness of Rabbi Shimon bar
Yochai and the Lubavitcher
Rebbe, quoting the Rebbes
words that it would be most
befitting to rely upon Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai in a moment
of crisis. Meanwhile, I was
praying with all my heart that my
participation in the parade would
come to my sons aid in his
search for a shidduch. At the start
of the parade, every participant
received a raffle ticket. There was
a large selection of prizes and the
organizers took both children
and adults into account. On one
side, there was a bicycle and
childrens games, while on the
other side, there were sfarim and
even a dollar received from the
Rebbe himself.
The truth is that while I
was holding the ticket in my
hand, it never crossed my mind
for a moment that I would win
anything. Thus, I was totally
surprised when the master of
ceremonies
announced
the
number of the winning ticket for
the Rebbes dollar. A quick look
at my ticket raised the level of
excitement: Indeed, I had won
the raffle I was overcome with
joy.
As I was walking back home
with my daughters, I noticed

some handwriting on the dollar
the words Bracha Vhatzlacha
in large print. There was also
another handwritten line in
much smaller print, but I didnt
attribute much importance to it
and didnt read it.
We obviously mounted the
dollar in an honored place in
our home, and it brought the
bracha rather quickly. A few
weeks later, our son became
engaged and we were overjoyed.
When someone asked how it
all happened, we told them that
we were certain that the bracha
had come in the merit of our
participation in the Lag BOmer
parade. However, we also didnt
know how to explain it; we just
felt it deep inside.
After the engagement seuda
was over, the two sets of parents
sat with the engaged couple to
set a date for the wedding the
13th of Elul. As in any Jewish
home preparing a wedding for
one of its children, there are a lot
of things to prepare and arrange.
Procedures,
buying
clothes,
renting a hall, hiring a caterer, a
photographer, etc. Its amazing
how all the feelings of worry
and concern were replaced in an
instant with feelings of joy and
happiness.
One evening, as the chassan
came home at the end of a tiring
day of making pre-wedding
arrangements
and
running
errands, he suddenly decided to
take a look at the Rebbes dollar.
He studied it carefully, and then
he let out a shriek. Ima, you have
to come here! he cried. Now,
read whats written in the small

print on the dollar. I read it and I
couldnt believe what I saw.
There it was written: the
13th of Elul, the wedding of the
Rebbe Rayatz, 5749, Erev Shnas
Nissim. I read this sentence
again and again, as I stood
there in shock. I was positively
stunned. What incredible Divine
Providence! It took me several
hours to calm down. When I tell
people about the chain of events,
they cant believe it until they see
for themselves whats written on
the dollar.
Theres
no
logical
explanation for this. At the
moment the Rebbe gave the
dollar to that chassid back in
5749, he clearly foresaw with his
holy eyes where the dollar would
end up and the date of our sons
wedding.
Mrs. Dadon finished her

first story with another moving
story that she had finally decided
the time had come to make
public. Twenty-five years ago,
one of our sons became ill with
thalassemia a serious ailment
that could only be cured with
a bone marrow transplant. My
father was staying in New York at
the time with my two sisters. One
Sunday, he passed by the Rebbe
for dollars, and the Rebbe gave
him a bracha for success and a
refua shleima.
Over the years that have
passed, we have experienced
tremendous salvation with this
boy. Today, after enduring much
physical suffering and affliction,
he is completely healthy.
ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS
TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

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PARSHA THOUGHT
BRACHA
BREISHIS
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
BEFORE THE
EYES OF ALL ISRAEL
On Simchas Torah we read
the concluding parsha of the
Torah, which describes the
passing of Moses and the eulogy
G-d delivered for him. In the last
three verses, the Torah extols
Moses greatness thus:
Never again has there arisen
in Israel a prophet like Moses,
whom G-d had known face to
face, as evidenced by all the signs
and wonders G-d sent him to
perform in the land of Egypt,
against Pharaoh and all his
courtiers and all his land, and by
all the strong hand and awesome
power that Moses performed
before the eyes of all Israel.
On Simchas Torah we also
begin the annual cycle by reading
the Torah anew, which starts with
the familiar words:
In the beginning, G-d
created the heavens and the
earth.
The fact that we follow the
reading of the Torahs ending
immediately with the reading
of its beginning has prompted
thousands of explanations that
link the end to the beginning.
The connection between the
text at the end of the Torah and
the text at its beginning is well
established, being rooted in a
principle stated in the ancient

Kabbalistic work Seifer Yetzira:
The end is wedged in the
beginning and the beginning is
wedged in the end.
What connection is there
between the wonders that Moses
displayed to all of Israel and
the opening words of the Torah
which describe the Genesis of
Creation?
Furthermore, if we examine
the deeper meaning of what
Moses actually did in the
presence of all Israel it would
appear to contradict the very idea
of creation.
SHATTERING THE TABLETS

Rashi explains that the thing
Moses did before the eyes of
all Israel which garnered him
such effusive praise from G-d
was his shattering of the Tablets.
According to our Sages, this
act of destruction was not, G-d
forbid, a product of reckless
anger. Instead, it was an action
calculated to save the Jewish
people from destruction for their
idolatrous sin of constructing
and worshipping the Golden
Calf. Moses reasoned that
by destroying the marriage
contract before its delivery, they
could not be punished for their
infidelity.
Be that as it may, it is clear

that Moses committed an act of
destruction. How can we suggest
that Moses shattering of the
Tablets is thematically connected
to the ultimate act of Creation?
COUNSEL OF YOUTH
VERSUS OLD AGE
The answer can be found
in a statement of the Talmud
(Megilla 31b and Nedarim
40a) concerning the difference
between the elders sage advice
and the advice of the young.
Rabbi Shimon ben Elozor
stated: If the young tell you,
build and elders tell you
demolish, listen to the elders
and do not listen to the young,
because the building of the young
is demolition and the destruction
of the elders is building.
Another Talmudic source
makes this case even more
dramatically:
If the young tell you to build
the Beis HaMikdash and elders
tell you to destroy it, you should
destroy it and not build it.
(Tosefta, Avoda Zara 1:19)
This tradition is based on the
Biblical narrative of a tax revolt
in the days of Rechavam, the last
King of all the 12 Tribes, son of
and successor to King Solomon.
Issue 944
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Parsha Thought
The people complained about
their heavy tax burden and the
king consulted both his senior
and junior advisors. The senior
advisors counseled him to lower
the taxes, but the junior advisors
counseled him to raise them
even higher. He chose to follow
the junior advisors advice. As a
result, 10 of the 12 tribes broke
away and formed their own
kingdom. The youthful counsel
triggered a cascade of terrible
consequences: the division of
Israel, constant wars between the
two kingdoms, the eventual exile
of the Ten Tribes, the destruction
of the First Temple and the
subsequent exile of the entire
Jewish people.
Obviously,
the
Talmud
does not mean to suggest that
one should reject anything a
young person suggests and to
unconditionally embrace every
scintilla of advice from a senior
citizen. It merely points to the
way emotional and impulsive
counsel coming from the young
may prove disastrous while the
more considered and deliberate
counsel of a more experienced
individual will, in the long run,
prove to be beneficial.
TZIMTZUM
The notion that demolition
can be constructive is rooted in
the Kabbala with regard to the
very act of Creation.
When G-d created the world,
He had to engage in an act of
utter demolition. The great
Kabbalist, the Arizal, explains
that until Creation, G-d filled all
of space and there was no room
for any other form of existence.
G-d contracted Himself and
created a vacuum, into which He
introduced a line of light, the
channel through which all of the
spiritual and physical realms were
created.
This process, referred to

as
tzimtzum-contraction,
is
the Divine form of demolition,
without which there could have
been no world or reality as we
know it. G-d had to totally
withdraw and obscure His light
to enable the process of creation.
This process of withdrawal and
creation enables us to acquire
identities that appear independent
of G-d. In turn, that empowers
us to choose, of our own volition,
to reintroduce the Divine light
through our observance of Torah
and its Mitzvos. Had there not
been a tzimtzum, our identities
would be totally subsumed within
G-ds and we would not really
exist.
This is actually the underlying
import of the Torahs opening
words: In the beginning G-d
(Elokim) created the heavens and
the earth. The name for G-d
used here, Elokim, represents
that G-dly power of tzimtzum,
which is instrumental in creation.
Hence the entire process of
creation is demolition with the
intent to build. If G-d had not
allowed for the concealing effects
of tzimtzum there would be no
Universe, let alone a world to
inhabit.
We can now understand the
reason why the Torah concludes
with an allusion to Moses
shattering of the Tablets. Our
Sages tell us that in so doing, he
prevented the utter destruction of
the Jewish people. The destroyed
Tablets were replaced by a second
set that was ostensibly inferior to
the first set. The fundamental
difference between the two sets
of Tablets is clearly recorded in
the Torah. The first set of Tablets
were entirely G-ds handiwork;
both the creation of the tablets
and the engraving of the
Commandments on them. Moses
was told to hew the second set of
Tablets upon which G-d etched

the Ten Commandments.
However, lest one think that
the purpose of this demolitiontzimtzum is the desired end, the
Torah, in its opening words,
alludes to the ultimate purpose of
G-ds self-concealment.
Chassidic thought reinterprets
the words: In the beginning
G-d created The word for
created, bara, is given an
alternate translation: revealed
thus rendering the verse as: The
first thing is to reveal (bara) that
which is hidden (Elokim). The
ultimate purpose of the tzimtzum
is for the subsequent revelation
of G-dly light in the resulting
vacuum.
MOSES CONCEALS AND

REVEALS
The second set of Tablets,
while they did not radiate the
same Divine luminescence as the
first set, was actually intended
as a means by which the Jewish
people could ultimately absorb a
higher form of Divine light. Our
Sages, in fact, assert that Moses
was given and transmitted far
more Torah knowledge than
he would have received and
transmitted had he not shattered
the first set of Tablets. From
G-dly concealment ultimately
comes greater revelation; one
that is both superior and easily
internalized.
Perhaps, this notion of
demolition serving as a prelude
to ultimate revelation is hinted
in the words before the eyes of
all Israel. This phrase captures
the essence of what revelation
is: something that was hidden
but that all of our eyes can now
behold. This is the Torahs way
of telling us that Moses act of
destruction and concealment
was an act which contained the

944_bm_eng.indd 22
2014-10-02 8:24:54 AM
seed of our ultimate revelatory

experience.
The fact that this message of
demolition for the purpose of
building is alluded to at both the
end and beginning of the Torah
points to the centrality of the
message of concealment in our
lives.
THE PURPOSE OF EXILE

Our exile has been a period
of
profound
concealment.
Destruction
of
the
Holy
Temple and dispersion of
Jews throughout the world
caused a drastic reduction of
G-dly light, in addition to the
difficult physical constraints
of exile. However, for a better
understanding of the purpose
of our exile we must apply the
lesson of the last and first words
of the Torah. G-d never intended
this period of concealment of
The Talmud does not mean to suggest that

one should reject anything a young person
suggests and to unconditionally embrace every scintilla
of advice from a senior citizen. It merely points to the
way emotional and impulsive counsel coming from the
young may prove disastrous while the more considered
and deliberate counsel of a more experienced individual
will, in the long run, prove to be beneficial.
His presence as a punishment or foregoing analysis of concealment

as an end unto itself. The exile we must come to the conclusion
serves as the concealment that that this interim period of
precedes an even greater mode
concealment
of Moshiach is
Express
Express
service

service
of G-dly revelation transcending
intended
as
a
Fully
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Issue 944
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2014-10-02 8:24:54 AM
STORIES
BUILDING THE
HEAVENLY
SUKKA
A compilation of stories and aphorisms for Sukkos

HE PAID FOR HIS ESROG
ON CHANUKA
During one of his farbrengens
in the summer of 5745/1985, the
Rebbe said that the Rebbe Rayatz
would pay for the esrog (since it
needs to be and take for you) a
while after Sukkos (for a reason
known to him), and the seller
knew about this from the start
and bequeathed him the esrog
with an outright acquisition and
during Chanuka he would get his
money.
R Yisroel Jacobson would
bring the esrogim and some time
after Sukkos he would give the
Rebbe a report on the esrogim
and then the Rebbe would pay
him.
The Rebbe said: The first
year I came here [Tishrei 5702],
I asked the Rebbe [Rayatz] to
pay R Yisroel before Sukkos so
it would be completely yours,
and the Rebbe did not want to do
this.
SIMCHA AND BITACHON

During Sukkos be joyous
with the joy of a mitzva and with
complete trust in Almighty G-ds
kindness, who heard our prayers
amongst the prayers of His
people, Bnei Yisroel, and gave
us and all our fellow Jews and
their families a year of life and
blessing.
(From a letter of the Rebbe Rayatz,
Igros Kodesh, vol. 4, p. 416)
ESROGIM TO RUSSIA
The first night of Sukkos
5729/1968, the Rebbe revealed
to those sitting around the table
at the meal, This year is the first
time that the Soviet government
allowed esrogim to be sent.
He added, Last year, a
shipment of esrogim was also
sent to Russia, but it was done
surreptitiously as though it
was fruit. This time, this year,
official permission was granted.
Furthermore, when the esrogim
were brought to the consul, he
asked where are the rest of the
minim a goy knows that there

needs to be the rest of the minim
and they gave him the rest of the
minim too!
(HaMelech BMesibo)
PARTICIPATE IN MIVTZA
DALET MINIM
On 26 Tishrei 5717/1956,
the Rebbe wrote to one of Anash:
Even though you do not
mention about Mivtza Dalet
Minim, as the custom of Tzeirei
Agudas Chabad in recent years,
surely this year they were also
involved in this and with greater
expansion as in the psak din of
maalin bakodesh (ascending in
holiness).
ENTERING THE HOLY

A description of Erev Sukkos:
Upon his returning from the
Ohel [13 Tishrei], they would
enter the Rebbes room and
present esrogim for him and for
him to distribute. In later years
they did not bring them to his

944_bm_eng.indd 24
2014-10-02 8:24:55 AM
room but left them in Gan Eden

HaTachton. When the Rebbe
would return from the Ohel
he dealt there with selecting
esrogim.
R Yisroel Jacobson and his
son-in-law, R Mordechai Altein
(and after R YJs passing on 17
Sivan 5735, R Mordechai and
his son-in-law, R Yitzchok Meir
Gurary) brought esrogim to the
Rebbes room.
In addition R Leib
Bistritzky went in Erev Yom Tov
to the Rebbes room and brought
lulavim, hadasim and aravos.
R Binyamin Gorodetzky also
gave through the secretariat
three esrogim that he obtained in
Calabria.
(Otzar Minhagei Chabad)
NO SUKKA DECORATIONS
In Seifer HaSichos 5704, the
following exchange is recorded:
Question: Did they make
sukka decorations in Lubavitch?
The Rebbe Rayatz: In
Lubavitch they did not make
The attendant of the Rebbe Maharash once

entered the sukka while angry. The Rebbe said
to him: You need to behave with derech eretz in front of
the schach; the schach do not like anger.
sukka decorations, not under

the schach and not on the walls
of the sukka. R Zalke Persitz
of Moscow once brought an
artificial cluster of grapes to hang
in the sukka and they did not
hang it.
By my holy father, the Rebbe
[Rashab], the sukka decorations
were those who sat in the sukka.
The fear of accepting the yoke
of heaven on Rosh HaShana,
the avoda of Erev Yom Kippur
and Yom Kippur, and the joy
of Sukkos were, for my father,
experiences of the innermost
soul.
A LOT OF SCHACH
The Chabad custom is to use
a lot of schach on the sukka. The
Alter Rebbe would order them to

make it denser. In order to fulfill
the halacha that the stars should
be seen from within the sukka
they would poke a stick through
the thick schach to create a hole
through which they could be
seen.
R Shneur Zalman Butman,
who lived in Paris, heard from
a Jew living there that one year
the Rebbe celebrated Sukkos in
that city. The Rebbe, who was
submerged all day in the tent of
Torah, introverted, quiet, was
seen on the eve of the holiday
on the street dragging a lot of
schach in order to fulfill the
hiddur to cover the sukka with a
lot of schach.
Issue 944
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Stories
AFFECTING THE
SUPERNAL REALMS
When a Jew sets up the
walls of the sukka, the walls of
the supernal sukka are set up.
When he covers it with schach,
he thereby covers the supernal
sukka. When he sits in the sukka,
all the lights and revelations of
the supernal sukka are drawn
down.
(Likkutei Dibburim)
THE REBBE CAME

TO THE SUKKA
One Hoshana Raba, the
Mezritcher Maggid entered his
sukka and was followed by his
student, the Alter Rebbe. The
Maggid said to him:
Lock the door so no one
comes in; and dont become
overly excited, the master [the
Baal Shem Tov] is coming.
That was the first time that
the Alter Rebbe saw the Baal
Shem Tov while awake.
(Seifer HaSichos 5705)
SPIRITUAL PAUPER
In the holy Zohar there is
an unusual warning about the
necessity to have guests in the
sukka. One can say this means
that even someone who is poor
in the mitzva of sukka, i.e. he
lacks the wherewithal to fulfill
this mitzva, it is a mitzva to invite
a pauper like this into the
sukka and acquaint him with this
lofty mitzva.
True, in his year-round home,

when he wants to beautify it, he
hangs a nice curtain etc. and why
shouldnt he do so in the sukka
(You should sit in it like in your
residence)?
But there is a big difference
here. In his home there is no
holiness, while in the sukka
there was holiness during the
time of the Beis HaMikdash and
now too.
On
another
occasion,
the Rebbe explained that the
beautification needs to be in
the very sukka itself and not in
external things.
(Sichos Kodesh 5730; Yagdil Torah
New York)
A SPECIAL MITZVA
The mitzva of sukka is a
special mitzva for it completely
surrounds a person from head
to toe, with all his clothing
including his shoes. Furthermore,
any activity done in the sukka
(eating, sleeping etc.) is a mitzva.
To teach you: A person has
the ability to serve his Creator
not only when he learns Torah
and prays but also when he takes
care of his physical needs, and
the matter depends solely upon
him. When he truly desires it, he
will gain the awareness that not
only is this service possible but
its even an easy service, as our
Sages say regarding sukka that it
is an easy mitzva.
(Likkutei Sichos vol. 2)
PERMANENT AND
TEMPORARY
(Sicha 13 Tishrei 5736)
OUR CUSTOM IS NOT TO

USE DECORATIONS
On Simchas Torah 5730, the
Rebbe explained:
There are two contrasting

aspects of the mitzva of sukka.
On the one hand, the sukka is a
temporary structure as the Sages
say, All seven days go out of
your permanent dwelling and sit

in your temporary dwelling.
This world is like a sukka
for it is a temporary dwelling, a
corridor to the World to Come. A
Jew must feel that matters of this
world are only transitory.
However, when the matters
of this world are not important
to him and he uses them solely
for the sake of heaven, he makes
this sukka into a dwelling for
Hashem. The world and what
it contains become transformed
into a permanent dwelling for
Hashem.
(Likkutei Sichos vol. 9)
WHY THE USHPIZIN COME

The reason the Ushpizin
appear on Sukkos and not on
other holidays:
During the winter, it is harder
to serve Hashem than during the
summer. In the winter, the sun
does not shine as much and it is
explained that the sun alludes to
the name YHVH, representing
light and revelation (as it says,
for a sun and a shield are YHVH
Elokim the name YHVH is
compared to the sun and the
name Elokim to a sheath which
encompasses it). Therefore, the
Ushpizin come to us on Sukkos
in order to give us strength and
encouragement in our service of
Hashem for the duration of the
winter which is about to begin.
(Sicha of Sukkos 5712)
DERECH ERETZ
FOR THE SCHACH
The attendant of the Rebbe
Maharash once entered the
sukka while angry. The Rebbe
said to him: You need to behave
with derech eretz in front of the
schach; the schach do not like
anger.
(Seifer HaSichos 5704)

944_bm_eng.indd 26
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STORY
A LUBAVITCHER
SUKKOS
IN MODERN AMERICA
PART I
Just two years had passed
since the Rebbe Rayatz left
Russia after a long saga of
severe persecution directed at
him, his family, his mekuravim
and Chassidim. With Hashems
mercy he had reached safer
countries but even there he did
not allow himself to rest, despite
having many stormy years of
communal work behind him.
It was 1930 when the Rebbe
Rayatz made a special trip to
visit the United States in order
to strengthen the Jews there.
The Rebbe ignored his health
problems and limited strength.
He sailed the Atlantic in order to
breathe a spirit of pure faith into
American Jewry of the same type
as the European brand.
The Rebbe spent the Yomim
Noraim in Brownsville, a New
York neighborhood with about
ten Nusach Ari shuls. The
organizers chose the Anshei
R Yisroel Jacobson
Lubavitch shul on 195 Watkins

Street as the Rebbes shul. This
shul was in a large and impressive
building.
PART II
Even before the Rebbe arrived
in the US, he had ordered
Calabrian esrogim from an esrog
dealer in Italy named Mr. Crea of
Genoa. The Rebbe ordered ten

esrogim and ten lulavim, being
particular to say the bracha on a
Calabrian esrog from Italy as was
his ancestors custom.
The esrogim and lulavim
arrived on time at the address of
the chairman of Agudas Chassidei
Chabad, R Yisroel Jacobson.
They arrived along with another
thirty or so esrogim and lulavim,
which R Jacobson himself had
ordered as he supported himself
by selling them to Jews in New
York.
The Rebbe spent Sukkos
in Crown Heights, later to
become Lubavitch headquarters.
At that time, it was a modern
neighborhood and the few
religious Jews who lived there
were embarrassed to walk in the
street while holding esrogim and
lulavim because it wasnt nice.
After a careful examination,
R Jacobson saw that among the
esrogim he had received there
were a few outstanding ones. He
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Story
The Rebbe Rayatzs sukka in 770
immediately said that if he had

a nicer esrog than the one the
Rebbe received, he was willing to
give his nicer one to the Rebbe as
a gift.
In between Rosh HaShana
and Yom Kippur, R Chatshe
Feigin, the Rebbes secretary,
told R Jacobson that the Rebbe
heard he had a beautiful esrog
and wanted to see it. R Jacobson
appeared at the appointed time
and carefully placed the esrog on
the table in front of the Rebbe.
The Rebbes face lit up.
Indeed, it was a magnificent
esrog in size and appearance and
unusually unblemished. This is
not at all a galus esrog! Where
did you get this esrog from?
R Jacobson said, The dealer
Mr. Crea sent me three crates
with each one containing ten
esrogim. Besides that, he sent
another crate for the Rebbe, as
per the order.
The Rebbe rotated the esrog
in his hand and gazed at it
admiringly. My esrogim are nice
too but how do they compare to

yours ...
With a slight nod, the Rebbe
motioned to his secretary to leave
the room and then he said to his
devoted Chassid, How much
does this esrog cost?
G-d forbid! exclaimed R
Jacobson tremblingly. I only
ask that the Rebbe allow me
to say a bracha on this esrog
that I give him as a gift. Rebbe,
it is mshelachem [i.e. under
your ownership] without any
question.
The Rebbe said, But you
could sell it to your balabatim!
Said R Jacobson, I have
enough for them and I have left
over.
Said the Rebbe, You could
get a good price for it from a
balabus!
Said R Jacobson, I have nice
esrogim for the balabatim of our
community too.
The Rebbe called for his
secretary to come in and asked
him to bring him his hat and

then gave R Jacobson a heartfelt
bracha. Then the Rebbe asked
about lulavim which grow in
America, since the lulavim he had
received at the beginning of Elul
were already withered.
R Jacobson told him that
nice lulavim grew in California
and Arizona. The Rebbe asked
that a lulav be brought for him
and said which hiddurim he was
particular about, a middle one,
meaning that the spine should
be in the center and not on the
side, without locks, meaning
that some lulavim have leaves
that are not fully connected at the
point that they come out of the
spine, not a thin one, a straight
one, without any buttons
(curved tips), and on the other
side there should be moch (the
brown webbing that grows on the
back).
The Rebbe looked at the new
esrog again and again and said he
wanted to cut a little of the uketz
(stem) because it was big and
a little crooked. The secretary
asked the Chassid and shochet
R Avrohom Gordon to bring his
shchita knife to the Rebbe.
Cutting it was no simple
task, for one wrong move and
the entire stem could fall off and
invalidate the beautiful esrog.
The Rebbe spent a long time
turning the esrog from side to
side, deciding how to hold the
esrog in the best way so that
the stem would not come off as
it was trimmed. R Avrohom the
shochet took the esrog, placed
the stem on the edge of the table
and pressed down with the knife
until it cut through cleanly.
***
Nevertheless, the Rebbe paid
what he owed to R Jacobson
in the best possible way. R
Jacobsons
oldest
daughter,
Chaya Sara, was nine years old

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The Rebbe Rayatz on his visit to America in 5690
at the time. She had immigrated

with her father to the US from
Russia. Back in Russia, she was
walking down the street and
because of a fire she became very
frightened and one eye began to
cross.
After the Rebbes approval,
R Jacobson brought her to the
Rebbe to receive his bracha. It
was the first day of Chol HaMoed
Sukkos at twilight. The Rebbe
asked her in a fatherly tone,
Look into my eyes.
R Yisroel became emotional
and excitedly told his daughter to
look at the Rebbe.
The Rebbe told the excited
father, She looks straight.
From then on, her eyes
returned to normal.
Mehudar
eyes
for
a
mehudar esrog.
PART III
The Rebbes being in America
during the Yomim Tovim was a
The presence of the great chazan R Yossele

Rosenblatt contributed much to the singing with
his sweet and powerful voice.
kind of galus for him, being far

from the Lubavitcher court, far
from the authentic Chassidishe
atmosphere that he was used
to. The Rebbes location did not
add to his enjoyment either, to
say the least. They say that the
apartment we are in now [184
Brooklyn Avenue] is in an area
of Notzrim (Christian gentiles),
and therefore there will be less
people, the Rebbe noted in his
diary. He added however that
During the days between Yom
Kippur and Sukkos, there could
be seen on the streets that there is
a Jewish element present.
A few days before Yom Tov,
R Jacobson asked a few people
in his shul to help build a sukka
for the Rebbe. Three of them
the brothers R Tzvi Hirsch and
R Hillel Dworkin and Yosef

Honkim volunteered. They were
carpenters and knew what to do.
They built two sukkas, one
big one for the large crowd that
would visit the Rebbe during
Sukkos and a small sukka on the
roof of the first floor from where
there was an entrance to the
second floor.
They knew that a sukka
for the Rebbe is unlike other
sukkas and they did their work
enthusiastically,
desiring
to
please the Rebbe. Yosef Honkim
worked hard on the small details
like taking exact measurements
so that the Rebbe would not have
to lift his foot too much when he
wanted to enter the sukka from
his room.
The Chassid, R Avrohom
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Story
Plotkin also came to help
build. One of the people there
expressed surprise, saying, you
arent a carpenter, to which he
jokingly replied, So, I will be the
one to hand them things. When
he had to buy nails he ran to buy
them at his own expense and he
also bought a big bag of fruit for
the workers.
In his diary, the Rebbe
mentions the large sukka that was
built, where he said maamarei
Chassidus to the public. In the
yard is a very large sukka like the
Tmimim had in Lubavitch, he
wrote.
Farbrengens were also held in
this sukka on Yom Tov and Chol
HaMoed. Hundreds of people,
old Chassidim, famous rich men,
doctors, lawyers, bank executives,
and other guests came from New
York and other cities, some of
them distant, in order to be with
the Rebbe for the Simchas Beis
HaShoeiva. Among those present
were also fifty or so rabbanim
from various communities.
During the Simchas Beis
HaShoeiva, the Rebbe spoke
several times on the theme of
the special quality of the Jewish
people, our uniqueness and unity.
The crowd filled the sukka with
some sitting and most standing

on benches, and they eagerly
listened to every word.
The crowd was in an elevated
Chassidishe mood.
The atmosphere in the sukka
was one of unusual simcha,
the kind of simcha that one
can obtain only in the Rebbes
presence. Between sichos the
crowd burst into powerful
Chassidic song. The presence
of the great chazan R Yossele
Rosenblatt contributed much
to the singing with his sweet
and powerful voice. The Rebbe
noticed his presence and even
wrote a few words about him in
his diary, Here in America and
Canada they make a huge tumult
about him and he came to sing,
and indeed he sang to the delight
of the crowd.
PART IV
On Simchas Torah the
hakafos
took
place
with
tremendous joy until dawn
and only then did they eat the
nighttime Yom Tov meal. The
joy broke through all boundaries
of time, and Simchas Torah day
too, the Rebbe and the Chassidim
washed for the daytime meal only
minutes before sunset.
At night, many more guests

arrived who had come on trips
that took one hour, two hours or
more. Some Jewish journalists
came to cover the Lubavitcher
Simchas Torah in modern
America which was historic. They
began writing down what they
heard from the Rebbe during
the sicha even though they had a
very hard time understanding the
sichos. The Rebbes secretary, R
Chaim Lieberman, stood next to
the Rebbe and putting a paper
on the back of one of the people
he wrote down the content of
the sicha. This was preserved for
posterity in the later published
volumes of sichos.
The Rebbe concluded his
description of that Chassidic
Simchas Torah in modern
America in a letter, I bentched
at 11:30 and afterward said a
few words of blessing and with
mighty song and joy which
burst forth from the hearts, Ki
Bsimcha Seitzeiu, I left for my
room and Yom Tov ended. The
crowd sang and danced.
From letters of the Rebbe Rayatz that
were first published in Beis Moshiach and
from the memoirs of R Yisroel Jacobson,
chapter 28

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CHINUCH
DEALING WITH
CHILDRENS
FEARS
Even after the conclusion of the recent military operations in Gaza,
children in Eretz Yisroel are still experiencing a variety of traumas
stemming from the conflict. Numerous children have even gone back
to the bad habits they had previously displayed. In this article, we will
attempt to analyze the situation and provide helpful tips to parents on
dealing with relevant questions: How do we handle fears? Should we
repress them or speak to them? When is fear a natural and passing phase?
When is it something requiring clarification and treatment?
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
n the face of the complicated

events we have recently
endured, I was extremely
uncertain as to what and
how to address the matter to the
students in my class. For several
weeks, we had been praying for the
success and welfare of our soldiers,
making good resolutions and the
news was not always good. How
will the children accept this? How
do we tell them about the struggle
against the terrorists without
creating an imaginary sense of
fear?
As I entered the classroom the
feeling of doubt and indecision

suddenly vanished. I realized that
the question was not whether
to tell, but what to tell. I found
children who already knew
everything and more. The world
of their fertile imagination,
together with the knowledge
that several of the children
had gathered from the outside
environment,
was
positively
apocalyptic: numerous casualties
and countless horror stories. I
understood rather quickly that I
had to sit with my students and
tell them the truth on their level.
Several
months
earlier,
an anti-Semitic hooligan had

sprayed swastikas and other
inflammatory messages all over
the neighborhood. One of the
schoolchildren had been the
first to discover the graffiti,
and he immediately informed
the teachers, who subsequently
called the police. Within a matter
of minutes, numerous mobile
police units arrived in the street
while the schoolchildren closely
followed the officers every step.
When this saga ended and the
man was arrested, we could hear
frightful accounts with no factual
basis from the children, especially
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CHINUCH
the younger ones. One described
how the man had chased him,
another told how he was carrying
a pistol, yet another spoke of a
shootout between police officers
and the suspect, while a fourth
child even mentioned that the
suspect was his neighbor and
he had been planning a terrorist
attack.
As the childrens inner world
is bolstered by a great deal of
imagination, it is most important
to know that as adults, we cannot
ignore whats going on around
us. In these times, it remains
impossible for us to conceal
information. We must be the
ones to present this information,
naturally according to the
childrens age and character.
While we dont always have to
say the whole truth, when we
find ourselves in a situation of
unawareness, the child tends to
connect scraps of information
incorrectly, thereby reacting to
them with worry and anxiety.
Of course, theres no way we
can ignore what children in Eretz
Yisroels central and southern
regions endured in recent weeks.
They heard the rising and falling
sirens, the Code Red alerts, the
daily sounds of explosions, as
they ran with their parents to
protected areas. In many homes,
there were relatives serving in
the Israel Defense Forces, and it
wasnt too difficult to notice the
expressions of concern on the
parents faces when they learned
of the recurring terrorist attacks.
All this could easily place our
children in a state of considerable
agitation.
The war created much
uncertainty: When and where
would the next missile fall?
Would one of my loved ones be
harmed? These are only a few of
the fears that pervade the prolific
minds of our children. These
questions are the primary cause

of their fear.
Even after the conclusion of
the recent military operations in
Gaza, children in Eretz Yisroel
are still experiencing a variety
of traumas stemming from the
conflict. Numerous children have
even gone back to the bad habits
they had previously displayed,
e.g., thumb sucking, bedwetting,
etc.
In this article, we will attempt
to analyze the situation and
provide helpful tips to parents on
dealing with relevant questions:
How do we handle fears? Should
we repress them or speak to
them? When is fear a natural
and passing phase? When is it
something requiring clarification
and treatment?
VARIOUS FORMS
OF ANXIETY
Anxiety is mainly, although
not solely, built from fear. There
are four central components
characterizing
anxiety:
emotional, intellectual, physical,
and behavioral. Similarly, there
are six main types of anxiety.
General Some people tend
to worry more than usual. The
mind is occupied with repeated
concerns financial, family, etc.
These concerns take control of a
persons life, and with the passage
of time, the person establishes his
daily schedule according to the
number of worries he has and
their intensity.
Anxiety Attacks Sudden
physical signs: rapid pulse, chest
pains, feeling of suffocation,
etc. The person is certain that
something bad is about to
happen, and he often looks
for medical assistance. This is
usually accompanied by a need
to avoid crowded places, such as
shopping centers.
Compulsive
Obsession
Uncontrollable
thoughts
persistently enter the persons
mind as he constantly seeks to
settle his fixation with a certain
issue.
Social Fear of criticism
and speaking in public. The
person usually avoids meeting
new people or attending social
functions.
Specific Specific phobias,
e.g., air travel, elevators, snakes.
The fear is accompanied by
physical symptoms of anxiety
upon meeting up with a perceived
threat.
Post-Trauma Unceasing
anxiety after an occurrence
that represented an actual lifethreatening
situation.
Many
soldiers suffered from posttrauma
anxiety.
Numerous
children in Sderot and along the
Gaza Belt have been diagnosed
with this condition. In essence,
when we speak about anxiety
over war, the main concern
relates to this phenomenon.
Post-trauma can be rather acute,
a passing phase, or a chronic
ailment requiring even deeper
treatment.
As
parents,
we
must
understand that anxiety is a
very natural thing, as long as it
doesnt turn into something that
can interfere with the conduct of
a persons daily life. To prevent
this anxiety from intensifying and
becoming a post-traumatic stress
disorder where every unfamiliar
sound resembling an explosion
sends us into a panic, we must
serve as a protective wall around
our children. In accordance with
the manner in which we act and
conduct ourselves as parents, this
will have a tremendous influence
upon them whether they will be
gripped by fear over the war or
whether the initial feelings of
anxiety will slowly dissipate.

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Parents usually get confused

between the concept of shock
stemming from a traumatic
event and a childs normal
feelings of anxiety. When
a child faces a situation of
considerable emotional pressure,
he turns to his parents to receive
confirmation
or
verification
of what had happened. In the
event that the parent is excited
or upset, the child will interpret
this accordingly as something
dangerous and frightening.
The feeling of fear is normal
and healthy. The body generates
fear as a means of signaling
danger and encouraging us
to protect ourselves. If we
will realize this and transmit
the message to our children,
they can develop a friendly
relationship with fear, realizing
that its there to protect us. In
such circumstances, they will
feel freer to express their fear, in
the hope that they can eventually
manage to release the grip it has
over them.
Children
grasp
and
understand whats happening
far better than what we describe
to them. Children have a special
talent for sensing the tension and
anxiety around them. Stressful
conditions that influence adult
family members also increase the
sense of worry within children.
For want of accurate information
or the ability to understand the
prevailing situation, children
tend to use their imagination,
which can grow and develop into
frightening proportions. This
When we in our parental role succeed in

preserving inner tranquility and emotional
strength, our children will feel more relaxed. It is most
appropriate to pay close attention to your tone of voice
and the level of stress you create in your immediate
environment.
leads to a perception completely

incompatible with the actual
threat.
Symptoms of tension in
children are similar to those
displayed by adults: disquiet,
lack of concentration, extreme
anger or crying. These are quite
common in occurrence. Children
can also express their anxiety
by clinging to their parents or
through fear at night.
Fear is often something that
can be described easily and
clearly by the person who is
frightened. In contrast, however,
anxiety is usually accompanied by
a general feeling of discomfort,
which is difficult to describe
precisely.
Anxiety
is
measured
according to two parameters:
suffering and ability to function.
You can identify an anxious child
when he is unable to function
or suffers a general decline.
He cant sleep, he cant eat,
he doesnt communicate with
friends. This condition continues
for a lengthy period of time and
does not improve. The parameter
of suffering comes to the child in
the form of troubling thoughts
and endless questions. In such
a case, it would be advisable to

seek professional help.

Facts clearly show that as we
in our parental role succeed in
preserving inner tranquility and
emotional strength, our children
will feel more relaxed. It would
be most appropriate to pay close
attention to your tone of voice,
the level of stress you create in
your immediate environment,
and the length and nature of
conversations you have with
those close to you.
Make proper use of this
time and maximize discussions
on faith in the Creator, and
most important, to review and
memorize the calming words of
the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,
that Eretz Yisroel is a land that
the eyes of Hashem, your G-d,
are constantly upon it, from
the beginning of the year until
the end of the year. Finally,
with regard to the imminent
Redemption, a child who realizes
that all these afflictions are merely
the birth pangs of Moshiach in
preparation for the revelation
of the great light of Geula is a
more secure and confident child.
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FEATURE

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PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE REBBE

The following account shows how much effort
the Rebbe made in order to help one of the
shluchim raise money for Chabad institutions.
he Rebbe, being the Rosh

Bnei Yisroel and leader of
Chabad Chassidim, is the
one who stands at the top
of the pyramid when it comes to all
Lubavitch matters in particular and
the Jewish people in general. When
it was necessary, the Rebbe devoted
himself and his time to carrying out
administrative functions and even
helped raise funds for Lubavitcher
institutions.
We saw this with the
development of the Machne Israel
fund, with the Rebbe spending
time meeting with the donors and
their families who had committed
to providing financial support to
the Rebbes shluchim.
One of the fascinating stories
which sheds a bit of light on
this aspect of the Rebbes work,
i.e. raising money for Chabad
mosdos, was recently publicized
in an account written by the late
shliach in England, R Nachman
Sudak ah, who passed away in
Sivan of this year.
SPARE ME THE EFFORT

AND THE WORRY
It was 17 Shevat 5741
when one of Londons wealthy
supporters had a private audience
with the Rebbe. He was well
acquainted with the growing
network of Chabad institutions
in England that had been built
with much toil over decades by R
Sudak and a team of shluchim.
He even lived near Lubavitch
House, Chabad headquarters
in the UK. Since he was in New
York for the marriage of his
son, he sought a yechidus even
though private audiences were all
but abolished by that time.
During the yechidus, the
Rebbe spoke about a number of
issues that the man raised. The
Rebbe made him an unusual
promise: There is the promise
that four measures will belong
to you, i.e. when you give, for
example, 100 pounds to tzdaka,
Hashem afterward gives you
four times that amount, 400

pounds. And if you give a
million pounds to tzdaka, then
Hashem gives four millions
pounds.
There is an opportunity
now I dont know how big
your appetite is, but in any
case to receive four times
the amount of what you give
to tzdaka. Do so with joy and
gladness of heart.
At this point, in a seemingly
anomalous fashion, the Rebbe
asked that he give a sum to
tzdaka for the work of Lubavitch
in London: Thank you very
much if among the tzdaka that
you give you would also give
toward the institutions that are
run in the spirit of the Rebbe,
my father-in-law. For although
you can fulfill your obligation of
tzdaka by giving elsewhere, in
which case I would have to look
for someone else, you would
save me the anguish and spare
me the effort and the worry.
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Feature
R Sudak could hear an extension being picked

up and he knew that the Rebbe was also on
the line. The Rebbe was involving himself personally in
helping him obtain donations and wanted to know all the
details.
It would seem that the
Rebbe personally appealed to
him to remove the headaches
and worries having to do with
fundraising for the work of
Lubavitch.
Before he left yechidus, the
Rebbe asked him to send regards
now and then from the Chabad
institutions in London, and not
like someone on the outside but
as someone on the inside. Thus
the Rebbe encouraged him to be
a partner of Chabads work in his
city.
Half a year went by and in
Elul of 5743/1982, the Chabad
mosdos in London were in great
arrears. Whatever donations
and sources of money they had
were not enough to cover their
expenses.
R Nachman Sudak, the
Rebbes pioneer shliach in
England,
remembered
the
Rebbes request of that man
from London and wondered
whether this was what the Rebbe
meant when he asked him to
save him from anguish and to
give an amount to the tune of a
million pounds sterling. He went
to consult with the mashpia R
Mendel Futerfas who spent some
months of the year in London
and was familiar with Chabads
work in that city and the country.
They concluded that this was the
time the Rebbe referred to and
the wealthy man should be asked
to help out.
Unfortunately, their request
was turned down. In R Sudaks
ears rang the rest of what the
Rebbe said, If you dont give, I
will have to look for someone else

to be a partner. He realized that
he had to look for other wealthy
donors to be partners in the
Rebbes work.
A PARTNER
WORTH A MILLION
Mr. Seymour Gorman of
London was a well known and
respected businessman who ran
an extensive business empire with
his father and brother. He was
the one that R Sudak turned to
with an unusual offer, that he be
a partner of the Rebbe by giving a
large donation to Chabad mosdos
in London. Gorman asked how
much he had in mind. R Sudak
mentioned the amount that the
Rebbe had stated as a possibility,
a million pounds sterling.
Gorman thought about it. It
was too much for him but he did
not want to negate the suggestion
outright. He finally said, At
this point, I am unable to give
donations of that size. However,
at this time we are involved in
deals that can, in the future, earn
us profits that will enable us to
give tzdaka on a broad scale. I
would like to consult with my
father (Yaakov Chaim Jack)
and with my brother Hershel, and
then we will write to the Rebbe.
If the Rebbe agrees that we
should be partners who have the
privilege of preventing him from
having anguish, we will be happy
to take on this commitment.
R Sudak left the Gorman
house with mixed feelings. Not
many days later, Mr. Gorman
went to New York. On 15 Elul

he wrote to the Rebbe about the
business deals he was doing at
the time and he mentioned his
conversation with R Sudak.
The next day, he received the
Rebbes response: 1) [about the
general matter] it should be in
a good and auspicious time. 2)
[Regarding his business dealings]
find out when the market in
that country is right for this. 3)
[Regarding the amount of the
donation] whatever amount the
hanhala in London tells you
plus 36 pounds. 4) [Regarding
his wishes and blessings to the
Rebbe] whoever blesses [is
himself blessed]; the enclosed is
for tzdaka in London.
The following day, 17 Elul,
Gorman wrote to the Rebbe
and said he had consulted with
his father and brother and they
decided that they happily agreed
to the partnership including the
amount mentioned, a millions
pounds sterling.
That same day, the Rebbe
responded: Received and many
thanks, many thanks for the
good news. Our Sages promised
in all such matters that Hashem
helps, and may it be with joy
and gladness of heart. I will
mention it at the tziyun.
That this response went out
on Friday before candle lighting
showed how highly the Rebbe
regarded this agreement.
The next day, at the
farbrengen the Rebbe held
Shabbos afternoon, 18 Elul, he
gave a bottle of mashke to Mr.
Gorman and told him, This is
for our new initiative.
THE REBBE FOLLOWS

DEVELOPMENTS
The next morning, Gorman
flew back to Europe. Monday
evening, the first meeting took

944_bm_eng.indd 36
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place in his house with his

father, brother and R Nachman
Sudak. During the meeting,
Gorman told about the kiruvim
he received from the Rebbe, such
as the Rebbes response on Erev
Shabbos.
They began to talk business.
The Gorman family members
told R Sudak that as they had
said from the beginning, they
could not give such a large
amount of money at that time.
However, they were about to
make a serious investment in
buying a successful company
and they hoped that after this
acquisition the company would
make a profit, and out of these
profits they would be able to set
aside amounts until they reached
a million pounds sterling.
Still, in order to strengthen
their
commitment
to
the
Rebbe, they offered to make an
agreement in which they wrote
it as though they had given the
entire amount to R Sudak and
he gave it back to them as a loan
until they would be able to repay
it. This way, their commitment
would not just be a donation
but the payment of a loan,
which would obligate them all the
more.
As an advance payment they
gave him 5000 pounds. At the
end of the meeting they all drank
lchaim from the mashke that
the Rebbe had given Gorman on
Shabbos.
***
Gorman worked on finding
potential partners to buy the
company he spoke about with
the primary condition that from
the profits they would set aside
one million pounds sterling for
Lubavitcher mosdos in London.
The Rebbe inquired about
the progress of the arrangement
made between Chabad and the
Gorman family. For example,
at the end of Tishrei 5744, the

Rebbe sent a response about
something to R Sudak at the
end of which he asked what was
doing with Gorman.
A few days later, R Sudak
told the Rebbe that since they had
spoken, nothing significant had
taken place and it all depended
on the Gormans finding partners
and in buying the company.
R Chadakov called R Sudak
and asked what was meant by the
words since they had spoken,
and he added that the Rebbe
wanted to know the details of
their discussion.
R Sudak began relaying
the details of the meeting at the
Gorman home as soon as he had
returned from the Rebbe, but R
Chadakov stopped him and asked
him to wait. R Sudak could hear
an extension being picked up
and he knew that the Rebbe was
also on the line. The Rebbe was
involving himself personally in
helping him obtain donations and
wanted to know all the details.
R Sudak told of his
arrangement with the Gormans,
with R Chadakov and the Rebbe
listening. The Rebbe did not get
involved in the conversation; he
just occasionally asked, nu and
vos, etc.
A RARE GESTURE FROM

THE REBBE
Money is always a difficult
struggle for people and fundraising all the more so, and this
is why the Rebbe spoke in terms
of the anguish he would have in
looking for partners. Two and a
half years went by. Throughout
this time, the Gormans worked
hard to buy the company, to
establish it on a firm footing and
to expand it, for the purpose of
selling it afterward.
On 14 Iyar 5746/1946,
Rabbi Nachman Sudak
Pesach Sheini, R Sudak wrote

to R Chadakov that Gorman and
his partners requested strongly
to assist them in being able to
deliver the aforementioned sum
into the Rebbes hands. The
deal had been completed and
profitable and now they wanted
to give their generous donation.
In R Sudaks letter there
was an unusual request, that the
Rebbe receive Gorman and his
partners in yechidus. He said that
he knew that the Rebbe no longer
received people for yechidus,
but suggested that perhaps the
Rebbe would receive them in
Gan Eden HaTachton or near the
door to Gan Eden HaElyon. If
that wasnt possible, then during
the farbrengen, the main thing
being to give it (the donation) to
the Rebbe.
The seasoned businessmen
would not allow this precious
opportunity to slip through
their fingers, and they wanted
to personally give their donation
directly to the Rebbe, not through
his emissaries. It was a golden
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expressed surprise at his request
that they double their donation to
Chabad in England. Surely he
[R Sudak] did not say this in my
name at all, said the Rebbe.
The meeting was arranged
for Tuesday, 17 Sivan 5746 after
Mincha.
A few days later, R Sudak
wrote a report to the Rebbe as
well as a pidyon nefesh for all
of the donors. The Rebbe noted
on the top of the letter that
surely everything was prepared
and arranged for the guests
and emphasized that a program
should be planned, for before and
after the visit.
The Rebbes response
opportunity for them to meet

with the Rebbe and personally
ask for his blessings.
About ten days later, R
Chadakov called R Sudak and
told him that the Rebbe agreed
and even added that if they came
on a day that he went to the
Ohel, he was willing to delay or
postpone going. The Rebbe said
the meeting should take place
near the door in the hall. The
Rebbe also approved a list of
participants in the rare meeting:
Seymour Gorman and his
partners Chanoch Schuldenfrei,
Aryeh Leib Lipkin, Yitzchok Tzvi
Wilder, and Zalman Margolis,
together with R Sudak.
R Sudak relayed the Rebbes
response to Gorman and his
partners and explained how
unusual this was. He said it
wasnt for the amount of money
they were giving, but more in
anticipation of their continued
support of Lubavitch and its work
in England, on a large scale, and
even doubling this donation.
R Chadakov called R Sudak
and told him that the Rebbe
A POWERFUL ENCOUNTER
Nothing appears in the diaries
of the bachurim who wrote about
the goings-on at 770 at that time
about this unique meeting. It
seems that the group of partners
and donors entered Gan Eden
HaTachton unseen.
As arranged ahead of time,
after Mincha the entire group,
some with their wives, entered
Gan Eden HaTachton. Gorman
began the meeting by thanking
the Rebbe on behalf of them all
for the great privilege of meeting
with him and personally giving
him the donation for the mosdos
in England. Gorman expressed
his hopes and prayers that they
continue to help the Rebbe in his
holy work and in even greater
measure.
He gave the check to the
Rebbe with the recipients name
omitted so the Rebbe could fill it
in and give it to whichever mosad
he saw fit. The Rebbe graciously
accepted the check and blessed
them with good health, good
parnasa, and much nachas.
The Rebbe then said a brief
sicha concerning tzdaka and the
parsha, BHaaloscha, focusing
on the menorah which was made

of a piece of gold, symbolizing
unity, and had seven branches,
symbolizing the different roles
that Jews have to light up
themselves and the world.
The Rebbe then referred to
the check and said: I see that
there was no need for any
special effort to urge you to
give this sum, and additionally
without
any
publicity,
advertisement, or receiving a
medal, and nevertheless I hope
and trust that you will continue,
willingly, as Mr. Gorman said,
in this direction and in even
greater measure.
Like every Jew, I am
accustomed not to be satisfied in
receiving one dollar and surely
this serves as a good beginning
for two dollars. This applies
to a million and two million
pounds sterling, and even more,
in the near future. For when
Hashem sees that a Jew decides
to give an outstanding sum for
a good cause, even though
through natural means he
does not have the wherewithal
to attain this sum, Hashem,
who is omnipotent, opens for
him channels and sources of
hashpaa so he can attain these
sums, so that not only is he able
to keep his promise but he even
promises on that day and in that
hour that in the future he will
do even better.
You see that not only am I
not satisfied with double, but as
much as is possible.
The
Rebbe
concluded
with numerous blessings and
apologized for receiving them in
such a limiting way, saying it was
because we are all in galus and
therefore he had no choice.
The Rebbe then gave out
dollars for tzdaka to each of them
and mashke. With the conclusion
of this unusual meeting, the

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guests were invited to a nearby

home where they farbrenged to
sum up the encounter.
The phone rang and one
of the Rebbes secretaries was
on the line who told R Sudak
that he had been given a special
instruction for him. R Sudak
hurried over to the office where
he was told that the Rebbe asked
him to explain to the group the
concept of until the flame goes
up of its own accord, one of the
points that the Rebbe had said in
his talk to them.
THE REBBE GETS

INVOLVED IN BUSINESS
DECISIONS
The Rebbes response
There is the promise that four measures will

belong to you, i.e. when you give, for example,
In the following months, R 100 pounds to tzdaka, Hashem afterward gives you four
Sudak continued to update the times that amount, 400 pounds. And if you give a million
Rebbe about developments since
the meeting with the Rebbe. For pounds to tzdaka, then Hashem gives four millions
example, on 23 Sivan, he wrote pounds.
that one of the Gormans and
one of the partners committed
to an additional donation toward
Chabad mosdos in England, the
sum of two million pounds.
The Rebbe was pleased and
immediately responded with
thanks for the good news and
said he would mention it at the
tziyun for good news in this and
more.
The Gormans bought a new
business which they also hoped to
improve and sell at a profit with a
certain amount of the tzdaka to
be given to Chabad mosdos.
R Sudak wrote to the Rebbe
and suggested that they deposit
the large sum of money so they
could earn interest on it.
On 15 Av, the Rebbe sent a
detailed letter in response to R
Sudaks writing that the money
go toward the mosdos including
paying off half of their debts
and using the rest for some deal
that would earn them profits to
augment their funds. The Rebbe
wrote not to do business with

tzdaka money (even if people
think its guaranteed) but to put
the rest in the bank until they
needed it. The Rebbe also said to
found a new Chabad house and
to publish at least one Chabad
book. The Rebbe said that since
chutz laretz is a branch of Eretz
Yisroel, they should send some
money (at least 10,000 pounds)
to Eretz Yisroel, 5000 to Chabad
rabbanim in Yerushalayim to
distribute to Chabad mosdos
there and 5000 to the vaad ruchni
of Kfar Chabad to distribute to
Chabad mosdos there.
The Rebbe also added a
technical point that since the
fees for converting such a large
check might be high, they should
look into whether it was more
worthwhile to write smaller
checks to each individual mosad.
R Leibel Groner, who
conveyed the response to R
Sudak, added orally in the

Rebbes name that they should
call a meeting of those who
were involved and tell them the
suggestions that were raised
and make decisions that day, if
possible, which would make the
Rebbe very pleased.
As soon as he received
the answer, R Sudak met in
Gormans house with the other
donors and he told them the
Rebbes answer. They discussed
the issues and decided to change
how they would allocate the
money as per the Rebbes wishes:
1) to pay half of Chabads debts,
2) not to do business with the
rest of the money, 3) to found
two new Chabad houses, 4) to
publish two books, 5) to send
18,000 pounds to Eretz Yisroel.
They conveyed their decisions
to the Rebbe and the Rebbe
swiftly responded, saying it gave
him great joy.
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FEATURE
TISHREI
BEHIND THE
IRON CURTAIN
We spoke with four Chazan sisters: Mrs. Devorah
Greenberg, Mrs. Chaya Scheiner, Mrs. Batya
Cohen, and Mrs. Esther Scheinberger, who go
back in time to those dark days behind the Iron
Curtain.
By Tovi Kenig
GIVING BIRTH ON YOM TOV

What do you remember
about the Tishrei yomim tovim
back in Russia?
Mrs. Cohen tells this story:
One year, on Yom Kippur, in
the middle of the davening which
took place in our home, my sister
Bas-Sheva Mishulovin ah, felt
she was about to give birth. To
call an ambulance was dangerous
because our secret minyan could
be discovered, but there was
no other vehicle available. My
brother-in-law, Moshe Scheiner,
followed the example of the Alter
Rebbe and came to the rescue.
He took off his tallis and kittel,
went outside and a few minutes
later he returned with a truck

that he got somehow. He took
her swiftly to the hospital.
That year, we celebrated
two brissin in the big sukka
that we built in our yard. Both
nephews were named for the
Rebbe Rayatz: Yosef Yitzchok
Mishulovin, today a shliach in
West
Bloomfield,
Michigan,
and Yosef Yitzchok Greenberg,
shliach in Alaska.
That year, 5725, I gave birth
on 8 Tishrei and the bris was the
first day of Sukkos, affirmed
Mrs. Greenberg. I fasted Yom
Kippur night and in the morning
some family members came to
visit me and said that according
to halacha, a woman who gives
birth is exempt from fasting for

three days after the birth. At
that time, new mothers stayed
in the hospital for a week, so I
was released on Yom Tov. The
problem arose in that I did not
want to sign on Yom Tov, but
without signing I would not be
allowed to leave. What would I
do for the bris? Boruch Hashem,
the doctor knew me and she
signed for me.
We left the hospital and
brought the newborn in a carriage
since you can carry on Yom Tov.
We thought how wonderful that
it was Yom Tov and not Shabbos,
for how would we have taken
him to the bris on Shabbos if we
couldnt carry? The sandak at

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the bris was my brother-in-law,

R Yisroel Friedman. He lived a
two hour walk away in Perlovka.
He came on foot, of course,
accompanied by his sons, and
afterward he walked home. With
two days of Yom Tov he couldnt
just wait until that night and take
the train home.
IN-HOME SUKKA
Was it difficult to obtain the
dalet minim?
Mrs. Greenberg:
Sukkos 5707/1946, our first
year in Moscow, my father, R
Aharon Chazan ah, heard about
a family in the area who had dalet
minim. He walked two hours in

order to say the bracha, but that
was not unusual. Other Jews did
the same. What was special was
that he took the dalet minim
with him back home so my
grandmother Rochel, my mother
Nechama Leah, and we girls
could say the bracha too!
He came home after walking
four hours, ate something, and
then went back to return the
dalet minim because the family
would need it the next day. That
Yom Tov he walked eight hours.
Its important to stress that there
were no boys or men at home. He
did it for the women and girls!
Mrs. Scheiner:
In later years, it was easier to

obtain the dalet minim because
the Israeli embassy would bring
some esrogim from Eretz Yisroel
to Rav Levin, the rav of Moscow,
and R Levin would give one to
my father. We were able to obtain
the other minim ourselves.
How were you able to have
a sukka under the noses of the
KGB?
When we lived in Bolshevo,
before the entrance to the house
there was a sort of foyer that
served as a buffer for the cold,
recalled
Mrs.
Scheinberger.
This room had many windows
so it was freezing, but it had one
important advantage. Part of the
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Feature
say, Its a mitzva to sit in the
sukka. He would use crutches.
His foot was injured in the war
but he did not want an operation
because as a healthy person
he would be considered fit for
service and would be sent back to
the front.
ONE PRIMUS AND GUESTS
Some of the Chazan children
roof came off. On Sukkos, we

would raise the roof and put on
schach and this way, nobody
saw our sukka. But even before
we moved to Bolshevo, wherever
we lived my father always built a
sukka. He set an example for us,
not to forgo observing the Torah
even under difficult conditions.
Obtaining schach wasnt
simple, added Mrs. Scheiner.
One year, my husband went to
a desolate area where reeds grew.
It was a marshy place but he took
the risk and cut reeds. He nearly
drowned in one of the mud-holes
but he continued his work with
mesirus nefesh.
Mrs. Scheinberger adds, In
order to heat the sukka, my father
came up with an original idea. He
put the kerosene heater in a box
that was attached under the table.
The little bit of heat could not
compete with the brutal Russian
cold but it was a little less cold
than it was outside.
Mrs. Cohen recalls, R
Zalman Leib Estulin was usually
our guest for Sukkos. He would
sit in the sukka for many hours,
day and night, even when it
snowed. When we asked him to
come inside, he would always
When we lived in Klyazma,

said Mrs. Scheiner, we had
only one primus on which
my grandmother would cook
tzimmes, kreplach, soup, fish
and even honey cake. Today, in
a modern kitchen, with a stove
with four or five burners, women
have a hard time before yom
tov. I dont understand how my
grandmother cooked so much
on just one flame! She worked
without a counter top on a table
with the primus on it, and next
to it a bowl of water because we
did not even have running water!
And we still invited guests under
these circumstances.
She smiled and continued,
When we wanted to buy fish we
had to go to Moscow, an hours
train ride away where there was
a store that usually had fish. I
said usually because in Russia,
shortages were routine. We had
to stand on line for about two
hours and then had the privilege
of buying two kilograms (5
pounds) of fish. We were a
large family and that wasnt
enough so we had to stand on
line again for another two hours
to buy another two kilos. There
wasnt always fish available
by that time but we learned to
manage with what we had.
We had to buy chickens in
the market, said Mrs. Cohen,
and it wasnt easy. There
werent always chickens available
and besides, it was expensive.
Then we had to go to Perlovka

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where the shochet lived, a yerei

Shamayim. Whenever we came
he was bent over a seifer and
learning Torah. In later years,
my
brother-in-law,
Moshe
Greenberg ah, learned shchita.
He would shecht chickens in the
shed in our yard.
COLD OUTSIDE
WARM INSIDE
Under such conditions were
you able to feel the holiday
atmosphere?
Of course, said Mrs.
Scheiner and Mrs. Scheinberger.
From the beginning of Elul we
felt the Elul atmosphere. My
father was the baal tokeia (one
who blew the shofar), the baal
koreh (one who read the Torah)
and the baal tfilla for Shacharis.
He was assisted in the davening
by our brothers who inherited his
sweet voice. From the beginning
of Elul he would sit and review
the piyutim and niggunim with
them and did not stop until they
knew it perfectly. He davened
with all his heart, but precision
was also important to him. By the
end of Elul we girls knew all the
tunes perfectly too.
In general, my father taught
all of us from the youngest age to
know all aspects of Judaism, like
how to kasher chickens, nusach
hatfilla, Krias haTorah, shofar
blowing, etc. He was constantly
afraid that he would be arrested
and at least his children would
know how to observe the mitzvos
and customs.
When we first lived in
Bolshevo, said Mrs. Greenberg,
my father attended a minyan
that took place in the house of
a Jew nearby, but when the man
died, the minyan moved to our
house for Shabbos and Yom Tov.
So we definitely felt the Yom Tov
atmosphere.
R Aharon Chazan
Mrs. Scheinberger added,

People who did not come the
rest of the year, came for the
tfillos on Rosh HaShana and
Yom Kippur. These were old men
who remembered the tfillos from
their fathers homes, and even
women who did not know how to
daven and read from the siddur
felt that during these days they
had to come and daven. These
were women whose manner of
dress indicated that they lived
well, but they were lacking
spiritually and they came to fill
this need during the Yomim
Noraim.
At that time, the law forbade

gatherings and all religious
activity was illegal. So a minyan
for davening was a double crime.
However,
boruch
Hashem,
it never happened that the
neighbors tattled to the police.
Mrs. Greenberg explains,
Our house had an advantage
in that it had a yard so the
neighbors were not that close
and the minyan could take place
undisturbed. In addition, the
people in the area were upper
class. Near us lived a pilot, a
director of a factory, etc. They
respected my father so they did
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Feature
not tattle on us even though
they were aware of the Jewish
activities going on in our house.
Mrs. Cohen tells of an Erev
Yom Kippur that she remembers:
My father was invited to a
district educational conference.
When he arrived, all the
principals in the district were
sitting in the room, together
with the mayor. They began
discussing the big crime of his
children not attending school on
Shabbos. At the conclusion of the
meeting, the mayor warned my
father that if he continued this
way, they would arrest him and
my mother and put the children
in Soviet institutions.
My father raised his voice
and shouted, do you want to run
an inquisition in Russia, to kidnap
children and imprison their
parents because of religion?! The
assembled were surprised by his
powerful response and told him
to go home. My father arrived
home a few minutes before
sunset and barely managed to eat
the seuda hamafsekes. People
had already begun gathering for
Kol Nidrei. My father suggested
they have the minyan somewhere
else, since he was afraid they
would come and arrest him that
same night. However, due to the
late hour, they decided to daven
in our house. But the baal tfilla,
R Chaim Eliezer Gorewitz (who
learned in Tomchei Tmimim in
Lubavitch), who was supposed
to lead the Kol Nidrei, was
afraid lest they catch him as the
chazan. He asked that someone
else take his place. He had what
to be afraid of. He had sat in jail
for ten years for the crime of
learning Torah with children. My
brother Yitzchok (today a shliach
in Rome) replaced him. He was
a young bachur at the time. He
led the Kol Nidrei and Maariv
and my other brothers helped
him sing the piyutim. Boruch

Hashem, that Yom Kippur was
uneventful.
Perhaps it wasnt hard to feel
the Days of Awe but how were
you able to rejoice on Simchas
Torah under those conditions?
It was always joyous on
Simchas Torah, said Mrs.
Cohen. However, in later
years, brothers-in-law (Moshe
Greenberg, Moshe Scheiner, and
Michoel Mishulovin) came to our
house and added Lubavitcher
chayus. They would farbreng,
drink mashke, say Chassidus,
make a somersault The
hakafos took longer, like in a
Chabad shul. Jews who were not
religious also came. I remember
one who did not keep Shabbos
due to exigent circumstances
but he danced with a Torah with
tears in his eyes.
Mrs. Scheiner adds, After
the hakafos, the people came
to our house for kiddush. My
grandmother would prepare a
feast. I still remember some of
the guests, one of them was an
intelligent person who worked
in photography. He would come
every year on Simchas Torah and
sing in Yiddish.
Were you particular about
Halacha in your home?
Of course, said Mrs.
Greenberg. Even immersing on
Erev Yom Kippur. At first, my
father and the boys would go to
the mikva in Moscow. After a few
years, my father was afraid that
the mikva in Moscow would be
closed, so he built a secret mikva
under the floors of our house.
The mikva was in the kitchen and

the bor was in the living room of
my house which was part of my
parents house. Since the mikva
had been prepared for emergency
use, we usually did not use it. But
Erev Yom Kippur, my father and
the boys immersed in it instead
of traveling to Moscow. I still
remember them heating the water
the way they did back then.
Do you have an interesting
story for us to end with?
Mrs. Scheiner: On Yom
Kippur we had guests. One of
them was Dr. Solovey, a famous
doctor who worked in a hospital
in Moscow. Many of Anash were
his patients. He was a talmid of
the Chofetz Chaim and did not
live a full religious life but still
learned Rambam and Gemara.
Dr. Solovey greatly esteemed
my father for his firm stance in
fulfilling Torah and mitzvos. On
Yom Kippur he stayed in our
house the entire time. He would
tell of a Chassid who came to him
after being sent by the Rebbe.
When he wanted to examine him,
the Chassid said, The Rebbe did
not say you should examine me.
He only said I should go to you
and I came! And the Chassid left
without being examined.
When
we
read
stories
about yomim tovim in Russia
under communism and we
hear about the mivtzaim being
done nowadays in Russia, we
understand and feel how the
Geula is mamash imminent. May
we merit to rejoice at the Simchas
Beis HaShoeiva in the third Beis
HaMikdash this year.
www.MoshiachForKids.com
Check it out!! Educational and Fun!!

944_bm_eng.indd 44
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MEMOIRS
WHY THE
FEIGLINS FLIGHT
WAS DELAYED
From the life of R Yehoshua Shneur
Zalman Serebryanski ah
Prepared for publication by Avrohom Rainitz
ith complete trust

in the fulfillment of
the Rebbes brachos,
R Zalman began
working on the new school which
was set to open in a few weeks, and
he went to fundraise in Sydney.
From there, he sent a letter to the
Rebbe that said of course they
would do as the Rebbe said and
open a new school, but if it was
decided in the end to open the
school in Mrs. Hertzs home,
school could begin immediately
after Rosh HaShana. If they had
to build classrooms in the yeshiva
building, the opening of school
would be delayed by a number of
months.
DIVINE PROVIDENCE
IN SYDNEY
While in Sydney, R Zalman
saw how divine providence
arranged things so that the
Rebbes wishes for the opening of
a girls school would be realized.
This is what happened:
As mentioned in earlier
chapters, the well-to-do R
Moshe Feiglin, his son Dovid
and his daughter-in-law, were
supposed to return to Australia
after a long visit to the US in the

course of which they visited 770
and attended a farbrengen and
had yechidus with the Rebbe. In
letters that the Rebbe sent to R
Zalman and to other askanim, he
told them to meet with the Feiglin
family in order to turn their
enthusiasm generated by their
visit to the Rebbe into something
practical, i.e. serious financial
support of the Chabad schools.
The Feiglins original plan was
to land in Sydney on Thursday 9
Elul, and take a connecting flight
to Melbourne so as to arrive
home for Shabbos. If they would
arrive on Friday, they would
probably meet their Mizrachi
friends first, those who opposed
the development of Chabad
mosdos. Only after Shabbos
would Chabad Chassidim be
able to arrange a brief meeting
with them and who knew how
effective that would be after their
friends cooled them off?
Since the Rebbe wanted
Anash to be the first to welcome
them, as the letter from the
secretariat
stated
explicitly,
divine providence intervened
and delayed the Feiglins flight
so that they landed in Sydney on
Friday afternoon, about a half

hour before Shabbos. They had
no choice but to spend Shabbos
in Sydney where R Zalman met
them because he was there at the
time.
During Shabbos, R Zalman
and R Asher Abramson went to
the hotel where the Feiglins were
staying and farbrenged with them
for a long time. R Moshe and R
Dovid told them at length about
their visit to the Rebbe, about
their impressions of the Rebbes
farbrengen, and mainly about
the yechidus they had and the
Rebbes instructions both during
the yechidus and during the
farbrengen, that they should try
and help open a girls school.
The following Friday, Erev
Shabbos 18 Elul, R Zalman
returned to Melbourne and
invited R Moshe and R Dovid
Feiglin to join a Chai Elul
farbrengen on Motzaei Shabbos
with Anash that would also be a
reception for them. During the
farbrengen, R Dovid told Anash
about his visit to 770. In those
days, most Chabad Chassidim
in Australia had never met the
Rebbe and they were all eager to
hear every word R Dovid said.
Issue 944
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MemoirS
R Moshe Feiglin (center), his son Dovid (right) on a visit to the Chabad yeshiva in Lud. On the left is R Horowitz.
R
Dovid
also
shared
highlights of his visit to Eretz
Yisroel on his way to America
and told Anash about his visit to
Kfar Chabad and Chabad
mosdos in Eretz Yisroel. He
concluded his moving talk by
repeating what the Rebbe said
at the Chaf Av farbrengen in
connection with founding a
school for girls, and announced
that the Feiglin family was
prepared to mobilize for this
important goal and to carry out
the Rebbes wishes.
TORN BETWEEN
TWO WORLDS
A few days later, R Dovid
went to the yeshiva to meet with
R Zalman and to hear what
progress had been made in the
opening of the school for girls.
R Zalman updated him with the
last offer made to Mrs. Hertz that
the preschool and elementary
school be run from her home

while being under the exclusive
jurisdiction of Lubavitch, and
that he was waiting for an answer
from her and for the Rebbes
approval. If he received a positive
answer from the Rebbe and
Mrs. Hertz agreed, they would
be able to open the girls school
right after Rosh HaShana, as the
Rebbe wished.
R Dovid, who in his heart
and soul was a Lubavitcher
Chassid, but whose friends were
Mizrachi, was torn between two
worlds. On the one hand, the
yechidus with the Rebbe had
aroused his Chabad connection
and he was determined to do all
he could to carry out the Rebbes
wishes and to help build the girls
school. On the other hand, his
Mizrachi friends tried to cool his
ardor and even criticized him for
helping Lubavitchers when they
needed help in building their new
yeshiva.
In order to satisfy his friends,

he told R Zalman that even
though he would help Chabad
build the girls school, he
remained a friend of Mizrachi
and would continue to support
their efforts.
R Zalman who was trained in
Chabad to draw people close in
peaceful ways, told R Dovid that
he had no intentions of distancing
him from his friends, and in
general, Chabad Chassidim did
not belong to parties and every
Jew was dear to them. R Zalman
even brought proof to what he
said from the work of the yeshiva,
which focused its activities solely
on Jewish matters and was not
involved in politics.
Unfortunately,
said
R
Zalman, if someone is stirring
up fights and quarrels its people
from Mizrachi whose names
I dont want to specify, who
publicly speak against the yeshiva

944_bm_eng.indd 46
2014-10-02 8:25:01 AM
and claim the yeshiva is fighting

Mizrachi which is why they have
to open a new yeshiva, Bnei
Akiva. I have no problem with
them opening a yeshiva, but why
do they have to speak against our
yeshiva?
A debate ensued between
the two of them, with R Dovid
defending his friends and
maintaining that the truth was
that Lubavitch opposed Mizrachi
since it was a Zionist party. His
friends were right for opening a
new yeshiva. R Zalman stressed
that although Chabad Chassidim
did not agree with the philosophy
of Mizrachi, they were extremely
careful not to besmirch anyone
but looked for the good in
everyone.
R Dovid was not convinced
by this but repeated his
commitment to doing what the
Rebbe wanted. He took out of
his pocket a letter that his father
received from the Rebbe recently,
after their return to Melbourne,
and asked R Zalman to explain
what it said.
The letter acknowledged
receipt of his telegram upon
arriving home in Melbourne
and said that he was certainly
received joyously by Anash
upon his return, and simcha
bursts boundaries, that is
to say, matters that limit a
person in his activities. And
that is why effort is made to
begin all matters and things
out of joy in order to increase
the success. The Rebbe also
wrote, I am confident that in
addition to the general regards
to Anash, you will also deliver
to them with the appropriate
specificity about the matter
of the school for girls, Beth
Rivka in Melbourne Australia,
which divine providence has
merited you and your family
members to be amongst the
founders together with your
son shlita. And certainly you
will exert your influence on
your son as well that despite
his many distractions including
in communal affairs, he should

be involved in this school with
the utmost energy as per the
greatness of the matter...
R Zalman read the Rebbes
letter to R Dovid and explained
it. Then he parted warmly from
R Dovid with both agreeing
to meet again soon when there
would be a response from Mrs.
Hertz.
Right after the meeting, R
Zalman wrote a letter to the
Rebbe about their meeting and
summed up his impressions of
R Dovid, that although he was
in an environment that opposed
Chabad, he had a certain
sincerity and felt obligated to
carry out what he promised the
Rebbe to be involved in founding
and developing a girls school. R
Zalman wrote that he needed to
meet with R Dovid more often
in order to draw him slowly away
from his environment and into a
Chabad environment.
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Issue 944
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STORIES
BY DIVINE
PROVIDENCE
By R Yaakov Shmuelevitz ah
Former shliach in Beit Shaan
he
Rebbe
begins
the historic sicha of
Mishpatim 5752, in which
he shows how events in
the world at the time are part of
the Geula process, as follows: It is
known that all occurrences in the
world are by divine providence
and contain a lesson and
instruction in mans service of his
Maker.
The following are stories of
hashgacha pratis that happened
to shluchim in the course of their
work.
THE MONEY ARRIVED

JUST ON TIME
R Shimshon Tal, shliach in
Hod HaSharon, relates:
For a number of years, every
Friday some bachurim from the
Chabad yeshiva in Bnei Brak
would come to do mivtza tfillin
here. Later, due to changes in the
yeshiva schedule, they stopped
coming.
Just at that time, a group
of bachurim from the Chabad
yeshiva in Netanya remained
without a steady place to do
mivtza tfillin on Fridays. The

bachurim had already agreed to
come to Hod HaSharon from
Netanya, but the great distance
required them to arrange for
transportation which cost several
hundred shekels every week.
In
incredible
divine
providence, just that week an
old mekurav of the Chabad
house called with an offer. Since
he used to do mivtza tfillin in
Hod HaSharon and now he
was leaving the city for business
reasons, he wanted to finance the
expenses of mivtza tfillin so it
would take place regularly.
All R Tal had to do was
connect the donor with the van
service and that is how the mivtza
continues till this very day.
IMMEDIATE MEETING WITH

THE DEPUTY MINISTER
R Ariel Goren, a dynamic
shliach in Rishon LTziyon, began
his shlichus in one neighborhood
but was quickly able to bring
out other shluchim. He started
preschools and a Chabad house
at the College of Management
which is run by R Dotan Korati

and others.
An administrative problem
arose regarding the preschools
and R Goren realized that the
best way to solve the problem
was by meeting with the deputy
minister of education, Meir
Porush. The question was how
to arrange a meeting and who
knew how long it would take to
arrange and whether it would be
successful...
He spoke with his brother-inlaw in Yerushalayim, R Shlomo
Segal, shliach in the Katamon
neighborhood.
Maybe
you
would know how I can get an
appointment with Meir Porush?
Said R Segal, I am in
the Chabad house and R
Tamir Kastiel, also a shliach in
Katamon, is right here. I think he
knows Porush. Talk to him.
Hello R Kastiel, maybe you
can help me get to see Porush?
Youre in luck, said R
Kastiel. This afternoon I have
a meeting with him and you can
join.
R
Goren
hurried
to

944_bm_eng.indd 48
2014-10-02 8:25:02 AM
Yerushalayim,
attended
the
meeting and told the deputy
minister what he needed. Porush
promised that everything would
be taken care of.
Hashgacha pratis at its best.
INFORMATION THAT
SAVED TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF SHEKELS
R
Menachem
Mendel
Greenberg, shliach in Shoham,
had to pay tens of thousands of
shekels for security around the
Chabad preschools. This was
very hard on his budget.
In
incredible
divine
providence, a few days earlier
he had happened to hear certain
information by which he realized
he was eligible to receive two
thirds of the security expenses
from the Israeli police.
He submitted his request
and the discount made a huge
difference and had a significant
impact on the continuation of the
preschools activities.
BUILDING THE CHABAD

MIKVA ON THE PLANE
R Shlomo Berkowitz went
on shlichus over 25 years ago
to Rosh Pina in the north. He
saw that the mikva there was
in a dilapidated building and
the kashrus of the mikva only
met minimal standards. With
the establishment of a Chabad
community, there arose a need
and demand for an upgrading of
the mikva so it would be bor al
gabbei bor as the Rebbe Rashab
enacted. There was just one hitch
150,000 shekels were needed.
The head of the local council
at the time was from one of
the nearby kibbutzim and was
no big maven when it came to
mikvaos, not to mention the
Chabad approach. Yet, his wife
was a mekureves of Chabad and

was even related to one of the
shluchim in the north.
R Berkowitz decided to pay a
visit to the family of the head of
the city council. He explained to
them briefly that a better mikva
needed to be made. The council
leader did not get into the details
but promised to look into it soon.
The opportunity arose sooner
than he thought. A few days later,
the council leader had to travel
to the center of the country. He
ordered a ticket on a flight from
Rosh Pina to Tel Aviv. By divine
providence, he sat next to a
Gerrer Chassid who introduced
marking the passing of R Gavriel

and Rivky Holtzberg, may
Hashem avenge their blood. The
event ended late and there was a
group of them from the north, at
two in the morning, approaching
the Kedarim Junction on the way
home to Rosh Pina.
They suddenly heard a noise
from the engine and the smoke
that billowed forth forced the
passengers to stop on the side
of the road. While R Berkowitz
wondered what they would do
next, the familiar car of one of the
closest members of the Chabad
community in Rosh Pina drove
up. He gave them a ride home.
The council leader told him that although he was

a kibbutznik, he wanted a top notch mikva in
Rosh Pina. The Chassid was so moved to see that this
was the first thing the kibbutznik brought up that he
promised to help him.
himself as the Chairman of

the Housing Ministry (which
was headed at the time by the
deputy minister, Meir Porush).
The council leader told him that
although he was a kibbutznik,
he wanted a top notch mikva in
Rosh Pina. The Chassid was so
moved to see that this was the
first thing the kibbutznik brought
up that he promised to help him.
The deputy minister visited
Rosh Pina, the funding was
approved and the mikva was
renovated,
expanded
and
upgraded according to all the
hiddurim and minhagei Chabad.
A RIDE AT TWO
IN THE MORNING
R Berkowitz continues:
About a year ago, a few
shluchim and mekuravim from
Rosh Pina went to Kfar Chabad
to attend the yahrtzait gathering
But that is only the beginning of

the story.
Later on, R Berkowitz asked
this friend why he was at that
spot at two in the morning. The
friend innocently said, You
know how much I love visiting
the gravesite of Rashbi in Miron.
That night I was in Miron at
seven at night and was returning
home. Suddenly, at 1:30 I felt a
strong need to go back to Rashbi.
My wife said, Whats the matter
with you? You were already there
tonight! But I couldnt stop
myself and I went. I suddenly
decided, and I dont know why,
not to go the regular route but via
that junction. Just as I stopped
there, I saw you on the other side
and that is when I realized why
I had had that powerful urge to
make this trip.
Everything is by divine
providence.
Issue 944
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TZIVOS HASHEM
LCHAIM
TO HASHEM
By Nechama Bar
The sun was setting in the west,
leaving in its wake reddish-purplish
hues. The candles lit by the women
added to the aura of the day. You
could feel the awe and holiness of
the holy day, Yom Kippur.
The streets teemed with people
dressed in white and wearing nonleather shoes, machzorim in their
hands and a serious look on their
faces. They were all headed for the
shul. Each person was pensive as
he contemplated the holiness of the
day and hoped for a good new year
to come, for his family and all the
Jewish people.
R Levi Yitzchok of Berditchevs
beis midrash was full. Hardly
anyone conversed, for the final
moments that remained until
Maariv were devoted to the tearful
recitation of Thillim.
Then R Levi Yitzchok entered
the room. A tremor passed through
the worshipers and they all gazed at
him. The tzaddiks face shone like
an angels and he walked quickly
to the lectern. R Levi Yitzchok was
the chazan on the Yomim Noraim
and this year, when our story took
place, was no different.
Machzorim were opened to
Kol Nidrei but for some reason
the davening did not begin. The
tzaddik stood there with his
machzor opened but did not say

anything. He seemed to be waiting
for something or someone.
The congregants exchanged
surprised looks. Nobody had a
satisfying answer for the delay.
An hour went by, then two, night
fell, and the tzaddik did not move
on. He just stood there but did not
begin davening. Nobody dared to
approach him and ask what the
delay was about. They all waited
silently and anxiously.
Suddenly, a door opened and
in walked a peasant-looking Jew.
The tzaddik noticed him, his face
lit up, and he began a heart stirring
Kol Nidrei.
As soon as the davening was
over, the people surrounded the
simple Jew. They could tell that the
tzaddik had waited for him to start
the davening and surely then, he
must be a great man himself.
Who are you? Tell us about
yourself, they asked curiously.
But the simple man just
shrugged and did not understand
why they were questioning him. I
am a simple tailor who lives in a
nearby village, he said.
The people did not accept this
answer. It could not be that the
tzaddik had waited all that time for
the sake of a simple villager.

We will not leave you alone
until you tell us, they urged him
and physically blocked the door to
the shul.
The villager insisted, I have
no idea what you want from me.
I said what I said because its the
truth. I am a simple tailor who
lives in a village. I have no special
knowledge of the Torah. I am not
a tzaddik and am not even close to
being one. Please, let me be.
But the people did not give up.
Finally, one of them asked, Then
tell us why you were late for the
davening and what you did today.
The man sighed deeply and
replied softly, It is no great honor
to tell you what happened to me
today, but I see that until I tell you
I wont get out of here. So here
goes.
This morning, as I sat down to
eat breakfast on Erev Yom Kippur,
I drank a cup of whiskey which
was followed by another cup and
another cup. Not surprisingly, I
felt very tired and I put my head
down to rest a little. I intended
on only taking a nap but oy, I
woke up later and looked at the
clock and was horrified to see that
in a little while it would be Yom

944_bm_eng.indd 50
2014-10-02 8:25:03 AM
Kippur. I still hadnt eaten the

final meal and I had a long walk
until I reached the shul.
I decided to forgo the meal
and I just poured another small
cup of whiskey in order to say
lchaim. Since I had no one to
whom to say lchaim, I thought of
saying lchaim to Hashem. So I
looked upward and said, Lchaim,
Master of the universe. Lchaim.
If we sum up the previous year,
we will see that over the year You
did some deplorable things. How
many widows did you leave, how
many orphans, how many parents
did You take from their children
and how many children from
their parents, how many people
suffered, how many tzaros were
there
Not only that if we take
a look we will see that You also
informed on people. How else did
my poritz (squire) know that I had
a little bit of money left over that
I didnt tell him about? You had
was very happy that I was able to
to have done that. You arranged
daven the important tfilla of Kol
things so that he knew about it.
Nidrei with the congregation.
And yet, Master of the universe,
***
despite all these negative things
The people listened and
that You did, we are willing to
forgive You, but on condition that believed him and he was free to
leave.
You forgive us too.
.
Hashem
to
Yom Kippur passed and the
That is what I said
and
cup
the
feeling of fear made way for the
After that I drank
daven
to
joyous atmosphere of Yom Tov,
walked to the shul in town
up
showed
I
with faith that Hashem had sealed
Maariv. I was sorry
that
saw
I
e
them all in the book of tzaddikim
late but to my surpris
I
g.
davenin
for a good year.
you had not yet begun
In Crown Heights area: 1640/1700AM

USA phone: 718 557 7701
R Levi Yitzchok, who had

realized that the congregants were
wondering about the mysterious
delay of Kol Nidrei, told them the
following when the day was over:
You should know that the
lchaim of that simple Jew aroused
a tumult in heaven and rent all the
heavens. Being that this was so, it
was fitting to wait for him for the
tfilla of Kol Nidrei.
worldwide, online: www.RadioMoshiach.org
In Israel (Nechayeg Venishmah): 08-9493-770 (press 1 # / 9 # / 3 #)
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What happened to cause the tzaddik to delay the start of Kol Nidrei?

What happened to cause the tzaddik to delay the start of Kol Nidrei?

How did the simple tailor explain his lateness?

How did the simple tailor explain his lateness?

DVAR MALCHUS

14. [] The Shabbos

has been illuminated by the

the Rebbes, the Nsiim, will

convoy that crossed the border.

4 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

The Rebbe encouraging a Niggun Simcha at a farbrengen in the 60s

you need to transfer to learn in

There is a saying that Mincha with the Rebbe is

were there for only three months,

never met before. The fact that

THE REBBE ASKED ME TO

THE MAIN THING IS TO BE

remained there until 5729.

with a big smile.

I wont forget the farbrengens

6 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

R Zalman Jaffe giving the Rebbe Tanyas during a farbrengen

this? Why did they behave this

I felt that the Rebbe was compensating me for

shluchim. There is a saying that

to Milan. I stayed in 770 for

to kiss it. I nearly swallowed

especially on Simchas Torah, and

WORTH THE BUMPS

Make a Mivtzah Kashrus in your own computer!

While The Internet can be a helpful tool for business,

experts that will solve your problems fast.

8 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

10 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

this story, but the Rebbe Rayatz

great Chassidim of the Rebbe

Lubavitch, drawn by Chassidic artist Yechiel Ofner with computer imagery

and afterward I found out that

When he entered the Rebbes

12 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

have accomplished had he lived

While I explained to the Rebbe what I was

The Rebbe Rashab (right) and his brother (Raza)

Rebbe finished he asked, It

do and accomplish even after

awesome night that was shrouded

the Rebbe said he wanted to go

the Chassidim surrounding him

14 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

had spread to his brain.

There wasnt much time for

not realize that the Rebbe was

16 Erev Chag HaSukkos 5775

My father, who observed my deterioration in

cure me. My father heard about

the pidyon nefesh that he had

"The quickest way to reveal Moshiach is by learning the Torah

sources about Moshiach

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