e mas462 a - Moshiach · 2013. 1. 21. · Torah as “a threefold light.” There are three elements[32] to Torah study: G-d’s giving the Torah, the Jews receiving it, and the Torah

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:M.M. Hendel

ENGLISH EDITOR:Boruch Merkur

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CONTENTS

4 | NOTHING ELSE BUT TORAHD’var Malchus / Sichos in English

8 | “MOSHIACH WILL BE RIGHT HERE!”Moshiach / Yossi Shachar

10 | THE REBBE’S LARGE SEIFER TORAHShavuos / Avrohom Jacobson

15 | RABBI MORDECHAI ELIYAHU SHLITA (CONT.)Feature / Rabbi Shalom Dover Wolpo

20 | AN END TO CONFUSIONInsight

24 | THE CHASSID WHO INSPIRED MOSHIACH &SCIENCE RESEARCH (CONT.)Torah & Science / Prof. Shimon Silman

28 | OUT OF THE GREATEST DARKNESS THEGREATEST LIGHT CAN SHINEShlichus / Shai Gefen

32 | FROM YOUR MOUTH TO G-D’S EARSShavuos / Molly Kupchik

35 | WHEN EVEN THE FAMOUS PIGEON CUREFAILS…Miracle Stories / Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg

38 | DICTATORSHIP & CHUTZPAShleimus HaAretz / Shai Gefen

41 | DR. YAAKOV LIEBER RESNICK A”H Obituary

BEIS MOSHIACH - 1 Sivan 57644

SHABBOS PARSHAS BA’MIDBAR; 2ND

DAY OF SIVAN, 5750

1. This week’s Torah portion, ParshasBaMidbar is always read before thefestival of Shavuos, “the season of thegiving of our Torah.” Usually, as thisyear, it is read on the Shabbos directlypreceding Shavuos. In other years,Parshas Naso is read directly before theholiday and Parshas BaMidbar is readon the preceding week.

On the surface, Shavuos shares amore apparent connection with Nasothan with BaMidbar. Naso means “liftup” and thus relates to the giving ofthe Torah which brought the Jews to atrue state of elevation. G-d “chose usfrom all the nations and gave us HisTorah,” giving us the opportunity toestablish a bond with His will andwisdom.

In contrast, BaMidbar, meaning “inthe desert,” refers to a seeminglyundesirable place, a barren land, unfitfor human habitation.[28] Why didG-d choose to give the Torah in sucha place?

One of the resolutions of thisquestion is that Torah study requiresabsolute and total concentration.When a person studies Torah, nothingelse should be on his mind. He mustremove all worldly matters – and even

any other Torah subjects[29] – fromhis thoughts and concentrate on thesubject he is studying.[30]

This is further emphasized by theTorah passage which describes thegiving of the Torah which begins: “Inthe third month... on this day, theycame to the Sinai desert.” The mentionof “the third month”[31] underscoresthe relation of the Torah to the numberthree. Similarly, our Sages describe theTorah as “a threefold light.”

There are three elements[32] toTorah study: G-d’s giving the Torah,the Jews receiving it, and the Torahitself. The connection of the numberthree to the Sinai desert which, asexplained above, implies that while aperson is studying, there is nothing inhis world but the Torah indicates that,in regard to these three elements, G-d’sgiving the Torah and its reception bythe Jews are secondary, and theprimary concern is the Torah itself.

The Torah is “one Torah,” a singleunified entity.[33] When a personstudies it, he becomes totally absorbedin this unity as our Sages declared,“The Holy One, blessed be He, Israel,and the Torah are one.”

In Tanya, the Alter Rebbe explainshow this unity is established. When aperson studies Torah, his intellect –which is one with the person himself –

becomes one with the subject matter ina “perfect unity to which there is noresemblance or comparison in physicalterms, to be totally one and unified.”

[This concept is also alluded to inthe name Tanya. To explain: Tanya isreferred to as, “The Written Torah ofChassidus,”[34] which is “the soul ofthe Torah.” Accordingly, the wording inthe text is extremely precise just as thewording of the Written Torah is farmore precise than that of the oral law.Thus, the first word of the text, whichhas been used by the Rebbeim as thename of the text, was surely carefullychosen.[35]

This raises a question because thename Tanya has no apparentconnection to the goal of the text,which as the Alter Rebbe writes on thetitle page is “based on the verse, ‘Thematter is very close to you, in yourmouth, and in your heart, toaccomplish it,’ to explain how it is veryclose....”

This difficulty can be resolved asfollows: On a simple level,[36] thename Tanya which means “It has beentaught,” alludes to the importance ofTorah study. Although Tanya will opena person up to a deeper level of serviceof G-d, to love and fear of Him, itsessential emphasis is on the study ofP’nimius HaTorah, achieving a perfect

NOTHINGELSE BUTTORAH

SICHOS IN ENGLISH

D’VAR MALCHUS

Issue Number 462 - BEIS MOSHIACH 5

unity between the wisdom of man andthe wisdom of G-d. This concept is sofundamental to the text that it wasalluded to in its very name.

In this context, it is worthy tostress the importance of studyingTanya, and in particular, its openingchapters. There are those who feel thatsince they have studied Tanyapreviously, it is unnecessary for themto continue this study and wouldrather study other subjects inChassidus. This is a wrong perspective.Tanya must be constantly studied, inparticular, the opening chaptersincluding the preface. (This studyshould come in addition to the studyof Tanya within the study of Chitas.)]

The emphasis on the study ofTorah to the extent that nothing elseexists in one’s world but the Torah,also relates to the content of ParshasBaMidbar, which describes the censusof the Jews. Rashi explains that takingthis census reveals the dearness of theJews before G-d, “because they aredear to Him, He counts them always.”

There are 600,000 Jewishsouls.[37] Similarly, the Rabbis teachthat the name Yisroel is an acronym forthe Hebrew words meaning, “There are600,000 letters in the Torah.”[38]Nevertheless, despite this multiplicity,ultimately, both the Torah and theJewish people are single indivisibleentities. The “one people” areconnected with the “one Torah” andthe “one G-d,” to the extent that“Israel, the Torah, and the Holy One,blessed be He, are all one.” This is theultimate expression of the dearness ofthe Jewish people.

This relates to our Sages’description of Sinai as the mountainfrom which “hatred descended to theworld.” This statement can beexplained as follows: It is written: “Heplaced the world in their hearts,” i.e.,G-d placed the future of the world inthe heart of every man. The existenceof the entire world depends on man.Through his service in worldly matters,“turning away from evil” and “doing

good,” man has the power to correctthe entire world.

Thus, when there is nothing else ina Jew’s world but Torah, he bringsabout a parallel situation in the worldat large. All the undesirable aspects ofthe world are negated, or transformedinto good, and it is revealed how theentire world exists only for the sake ofthe Torah.

May we receive the Torah withhappiness and inner feeling. (This is

the blessing the Previous Rebbe wouldgive for the holiday of Shavuos.) Andmay we merit the age when, “a newTorah will emerge from Me,” with thecoming of Moshiach.

2. The above concepts can beconnected with the sixth[39] chapterof Pirkei Avos, which we study thisweek. This chapter begins with thestatement: “The Sages taught in thelanguage of the Mishna: ‘Blessed be Hewho chose you and your teachings.”‘

The word “Sages” refers to each andevery Jew who is a member of “a wiseand understanding nation.” Thesequalities are revealed through theTorah. Therefore, a Jew’s behavior mustbe permeated by the Torah, it beingthe only thing in his world.

Pirkei Avos continues: “The tablets were the work of G-d

and the writing was the writing of G-d,charus (‘engraved’) on the tablets.” Donot read charus, but cherus(‘freedom’). There is no free manexcept one who occupies himself withthe study of Torah.

The Shaloh explains that when ourSages teach, “Do not read..., but...”their intention is to add a newinterpretation, but not to negate thesimple meaning of the verse. Thus, theteaching mentioned above reveals thatthe Torah is connected with bothfreedom and engraving.

Chassidus explains that engravedletters are unique in that they are anintegral part of (and not a separateentity from) the object on which theyare written. When a Jew studies Torahin a manner of “engraving,” hebecomes unified entirely with theTorah he studies. His entire existencebecomes Torah. This leads to truefreedom; he is lifted above all worriesand distraction.

This has an effect in the world atlarge as the chapter continues,“Whoever repeats a concept in thename of its author brings redemptionto the world.”[40] The world, which inits present state, conceals G-dliness,will become permeated by the qualityof redemption.

Thus, the world will be elevated toa state where it will be revealed that,“Everything which G-d created in thisworld was created solely for His glory.”“Glory” refers to Torah, as Pirkei Avosmentions beforehand, “There is noglory other than Torah.” Thus, it willbe revealed that there is nothing else inthe entire world, but the Torah.

The chapter concludes, “The L-rdwill reign forever and ever.” According

The world will beelevated to a state

where it will berevealed that,

“Everything whichG-d created in thisworld was created

solely for His glory.”“Glory” refers to

Torah. Thus, it willbe revealed that thereis nothing else in theentire world but the

Torah.

to the Kabbalistic tradition when theletters of “va’ed” (translated as “ever”)are transposed the word “echad,”“one,” is produced, implying that theunity of “the L-rd is our G-d, the L-rdis One,” will be revealed “forever andever.” This will be revealed, not only tothe Jews, but also to the nations of theworld as it is written, “Then, I willtransform the nations to a clear speech,that they may all call on the name ofthe L-rd.”

3. Our Sages teach that the Jewishchildren were chosen as the guarantorsof the Torah. Therefore, it isappropriate that they, even infants of avery young age,[41] should be presentin the synagogue to hear the reading ofthe Ten Commandments. This can beaccomplished without great difficultysince in most communities, there areseveral synagogues, and often, severaldifferent times of prayer at a singlesynagogue. Therefore, the entire familyneed not attend the Torah readingtogether and a convenient time can bearranged so that all Jewish childrencan hear the Ten Commandments.

Before the Torah reading, it isproper to explain to the children howimportant receiving the Torah is andhow they should prepare to receive it.Although G-d gives the Torah in agenerous manner, He desires that theJews prepare themselves to receive it.This will allow them to receive theTorah in a full and complete manner.

Similarly, adults should prepare toreceive the Torah by increasing theirTorah study. In particular they shouldincrease the study of P’nimius HaTorah(Torah’s mystic dimensions). Thisrealm of study shares a connectionwith the holiday of Shavuos. Toexplain: Our Sages interpret the verse,“Honey and milk will be under yourtongue,” as a reference to P’nimiusHaTorah, stating, “Subjects which areas sweet as honey and milk should be‘under your tongue,’ (i.e., not studiedopenly).” On Shavuos, it is customaryto eat sweet milchig foods, indicatingthat this is a time when this realm of

knowledge is given prominence. This is also reflected by the

narrative of the giving of the Torahwhen G-d’s chariot,[42] associated withthe deeper aspects of P’nimiusHaTorah, was revealed to every Jew.Even though ordinarily, one beginswith the study of the revealeddimensions of Torah law, when theTorah was given, an exception wasmade and, at the very outset, evenbefore the declaration of the TenCommandments, G-dliness wasrevealed.

The vision of G-dliness perceived

by the Jews was also comprehendedintellectually. Not only did they seeG-dliness, they also internalized thisvision. Thus, our Sages explained thatat the giving of the Torah, the Jews“saw what was normally heard andheard what was normally seen,”implying that the revelation effected,not only the power of sight, but alsothe power of hearing, which isconnected with the power ofunderstanding.

Since the revelation at Mount Sinaiincluded an emphasis on Maaseh

Merkava, P’nimius HaTorah, it isappropriate that the preparation forreceiving the Torah anew should alsoemphasize this subject matter. This willalso effect our study of Nigleh (theteachings of Torah law). P’nimiusHaTorah is called, “the soul of Torah,”and Nigleh, its body. It is natural forthe body to be drawn after the soul.

The increase in Torah study shouldbegin this Shabbos. As mentionedseveral times throughout the year, onShabbos, there should be an effort to“gather together groups to studyTorah.” Surely, this applies on theShabbos which precedes the giving ofthe Torah. Therefore, it is proper toutilize the remaining hours of thisShabbos to gather together Jews tostudy Torah communally (preferably, ina manner of “When ten people sit andstudy Torah...” or in even greaternumbers as it is written, “Among themultitude of people is the glory of theking”). Simultaneously, thesegatherings should also be used tomention all the preparations for theholiday of Shavuos.[43]

May the “running to theperformance of a mitzvah,” the effortsto gather Jews in shul for Torah study,lead to the time when we run to greetMoshiach. Indeed, there will be noneed to run, for Moshiach will comedirectly here to the Previous Rebbe’sshul and house of study. Then, “a greatcongregation will return here,” theJewish people, together with all theelements of the world which theyelevated, will come back to EretzYisroel, to Jerusalem, and to the BeisHaMikdash.

4. We can also derive a lesson fromthe day on which Shavuos iscelebrated. Our Sages teach that on theday of Alef, the first day of Pesach, willfall Tav, Tisha B’Av. On the day of Beis,the second day of Pesach, will fallShin, the holiday of Shavuos.

This implies that the experience of“the season of our freedom” on Pesachwill transform all the negative factorsof Tisha B’Av into good, bringing about


Since the revelationat Mount Sinai

included an emphasison Maaseh Merkava,P’nimius HaTorah, it

is appropriate thatthe preparation forreceiving the Torahanew should also

emphasize this subjectmatter.


the ultimate redemption. The association of Shavuos with the

second day of Pesach is significant thisyear since it falls on Wednesday, “theday on which the luminaries weresuspended [in the heavens].” The term“luminaries” refers primarily to the sunand the moon. They can be associatedwith the written law and the oral lawrespectively. Both these were given toMoshe on Mount Sinai. The entire oral

law including even “every new conceptwhich an experienced Sage willdevelop” was included in that initialrevelation.

On Shavuos, may we receive theTorah anew with joy and inner feelingand may this lead to our receiving “thenew Torah that will emerge from Me,”in the Messianic age. Our Sagesdeclared, “All the appointed times forMoshiach’s coming have passed and

the matter is dependent only ont’shuva.” Our Sages also teach that evena fleeting thought of t’shuva is enoughfor one to be considered a completelyrighteous man. Thus, through t’shuvawe will nullify the reason for the exile,our sins, as we recite in prayer,“because of our sins we were exiledfrom our land.” When the reason forthe exile ceases to exist, the exile itselfwill end and we will proceed togetherto greet Moshiach.

NOTES:

28. In particular, the Sinai Desert isassociated with negativity as evident fromour Sage’s association of the name Sinaiwith, “the descent of hatred to the nationsof the world.”

[This comment is somewhat problematic:Since G-d is the ultimate of good, whyshould the giving of His Torah bring aboutanything negative? This concept can beexplained in the context of the conceptdescribed later on, that Torah studyrequires absolute concentration. Thus, whena person is in the midst of Torah study, notonly should he be removed from worldlyconcerns, he should hate – i.e., be unable tobear – them. The Hebrew word for “world,”“olam,” is related to the word, “helem,”meaning “concealment.” Any worldlymatters conceal G-dly light and thus arethe direct opposite of “the light of Torah.”]

29. The Torah is “one Torah,” and, thus,every Torah concept is connected with theessence of Torah, and thus, with all otherTorah concepts. Therefore, the study of anyparticular Torah subject can shed light onothers. This, however, is an advanced levelof study. At the outset, when studying, onemust concentrate utterly on the matter athand.

30. Although Pirkei Avos emphasizes thatwe should study Torah with the intent toteach, this does not mean that while one isstudying one should think about teaching.On the contrary, doing so will prevent onefrom absorbing the subject matter correctly.

31. The first month, the month of Nisan, is“the season of our freedom,” when the Jewsare freed from all disturbing influences. Thesecond month, Iyar, reflects the uniqueheritage of the Jewish people for its name is

an acronym for the names, Avrohom,Yitzchok, Yaakov, and Rachel.[Alternatively, when Iyar is spelled with asingle Yud, it is an acronym for the Hebrewwords meaning, “I, the L-rd, am yourhealer.” These two months prepare us forthe uniqueness of the third month.

32. Note also the explanation (See theSichos of Shabbos B’Har-B’Chukosai) thatthe number three also indicates how theTorah must permeate through the threedimensions of our personality and the threespiritual worlds, Bria, Yetzira, and Asiya.

33. Furthermore, the Torah is connectedwith the level of yechida, absolute oneness,which is above the level of echad.

34. The comparison is born out by the factthat just as the Written Torah is composedof five books, there are five sections ofTanya. Furthermore, in the Written Torah,the first four books are of primaryimportance, and the fifth book is referred asMishneh Torah, “the review of the Torah.”Similarly, in Tanya, the first four sectionsare of primary importance, and the fifthsection, Kuntres Acharon, is a deeperanalysis of points mentioned in thosesections.

35. The fact that the name Tanya wascarefully chosen is further born out by thefact that, although the passage is a quotefrom the Talmud, most published texts ofthe Talmud quote other versions of thepassage which do not begin with the wordTanya.

36. On an esoteric level, the Chassidim ofthe first generations, explained that thisname facilitates the study of P’nimiusHaTorah.

37. This refers to souls which are “rootswhich each sub-divide into 600,000

sparks.” In an ultimate sense, there are anunlimited number of Jewish souls as will berevealed in the Messianic age.

38. A Jew’s connection with Torah begins,not at the age when he is capable ofstudying Torah, but at birth. This isemphasized by the hanging of a ShirHaMaalos outside a child’s room.

39. The number six can be interpreted asan allusion to the sixth millennium, the erain which we will complete our service in theexile. In particular, it refers to our era,Ikvisa d’Moshicha.

40. The proof text quoted by Pirkei Avos,“And Esther told the king in the name ofMordechai,” is also significant. Esther refersto the Jewish people and Mordechai sharesa connection to Moshe, our teacher. Thepotential of Moshe exists within every Jew.The expression, “the king,” refers to G-d,the King of the world. He also joins theJews in exile, as it were, as Rabbi Shimonbar Yochai states, “Wherever the Jews wereexiled, the Divine Presence was exiled withthem.”

41. Although they will not necessarilyunderstand the Torah reading themselves,“the spiritual source of their souls sees.”Similarly, in regard to the Hakhelgatherings, the Torah commands us thatyoung children should attend, “so that thosewho bring them will receive reward.”

42. Not only was G-d’s chariot revealed,G-d, the Master of the chariot, was alsorevealed to every Jew.

43. This brings to mind the PreviousRebbe’s statement that a meeting of twoJews should bring about benefit for anotherJew. In this instance, the benefit is bringingthe Jew into shul to study Torah, or hearthe Torah reading of the Mincha service.


R. Zalman from Tzfas, relates thefollowing story:

A week after Purim 5740, mymother-in-law, who was living inFlatbush, passed away.

The following year, 5741, wecame for a visit to Brooklyn tocommemorate the first yahrtzeit.Since we were so close to the Rebbe’scourt, we thought about spendingPesach in Crown Heights, and so wedid. We stayed with my sister, wholived in the community. There werefive of us – me, my wife, and ourthree children, a boy and two girls –the youngest child, a two-year olddaughter.

After Pesach, we were scheduledto go in for yechidus with theRebbe, along with many other guests

who had come for the holiday fromout of town and overseas.

On the day of the yechidus, I hada conversation with my sister on theissue of whether the Rebbe isMoshiach. She tried to convince methat the Rebbe really is Moshiach. Ireadily agreed with her that theRebbe is most definitely fit to beMoshiach. However, I added, if hereally is, an announcement to thateffect must come from the Rebbehimself, not merely on the basis ofan opinion and an initiative of a fewprivate individuals.

As I contemplated the matter, Ithought to myself: If the Rebbewould suddenly proclaim to thewhole world that he is MelechHaMoshiach, how would everyone

react to such a statement?

When we arrived at Beis Chayeinu770, the place was filled withpeople. We approached the Rebbe’ssecretary, R. Leibel Groner, to askwhen our turn would be. He gave usa slip of paper and told us to writeour names only, cautioning us not toadd any additional requests, and sowe did. After a brief wait, not as onprevious occasions, Rabbi Gronerinformed us that it would soon beour turn to go in.

When we entered the Rebbe’sholy room, he asked us in whichlanguage we wished to speak, sincewe had been preceded by groups ofboth French and Hebrew speakers. Isaid that the Rebbe could speak inYiddish, English, or Hebrew. Ourolder daughter, age five, and ourfour-year old son stood facing theRebbe, peering at him over the table,and my wife stood next to me,holding our two-year old daughter. Istood and waited for the Rebbe tobegin speaking.

The Rebbe asked us variouspersonal questions, and then askedif the children had been registered inTzivos Hashem (the registration wasthen at the height of all its shturem).

From time to time, Rabbi Gronerwould open the door to hurry us up.For our part, we adhered to the rulesas agreed upon in advance, and wemade no requests. We simplyanswered the questions that we wereasked, and we responded “Amen” to

In an instant “I saw the light” regarding thediscussion with my sister about whether theRebbe is really Moshiach. As I was stillpondering the thought, I heard the Rebbe saysuddenly, “When all the souls have beeninvested in bodies, then Moshiach will be righthere,” pointing with his finger to where he wassitting, smiling broadly. I interpreted this as ifhe was saying, “Nu, you get the hint?” At thatmoment, I was in complete shock.

“MOSHIACH WILL BERIGHT HERE!”

BY YOSSI SHACHARTRANSLATED BY MICHOEL LEIB DOBRY

MOSHIACH


the Rebbe’s brachos.

One of the things that I wantedto request was a bracha for morechildren. However, since it had beenagreed that I would not ask, I hopedthat among all the Rebbe’s brachos,there would also be a bracha forchildren in the form of “an arousalfrom Above.”

The Rebbe spoke with us onmatters of Yiddishkeit and theeducation of our children. Up untilnow, he had spoken entirely inYiddish.

Then suddenly, the Rebbe turnedto my son and older daughter andasked them in Ivrit, “Hevantem mahsh’amarti?” (Did you understandwhat I said?). They nodded yes.

Afterwards, the Rebbe gave eachof us a dollar for shlichus mitzva.When the Rebbe gave me the dollar,I summoned the courage to ask theRebbe for a bracha for morechildren.

The Rebbe responded that this isa good bracha to request, since theSages say that the son of Dovid willnot come until all souls have beeninvested in bodies. Then the Rebbebegan to explain the importance ofasking for more children, whichhastens the coming of Moshiach.

In an instant, “I saw the light”regarding the discussion with mysister about whether the Rebbe isreally Moshiach. As I was stillpondering the thought, I heard theRebbe say suddenly, “And when allthe souls in bodies have run out,then Moshiach will be right here,”pointing with his finger to where hewas sitting, smiling broadly. Iinterpreted this as if he was saying,“Nu, you get the hint?”

At that moment, I was incomplete shock.

As we left the room, I heard theRebbe suddenly add, “You shouldmerit that these children will begenerals in Tzivos Hashem.”

After that yechidus, I knewbeyond a shadow of a doubt that theRebbe really is Melech HaMoshiach.

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Rabbi Dovid Nachshon is not thetype to get easily excited, but when Ispoke to him about the seifer Torahthat the Tankistin wrote, which theRebbe used for a number of years, hewas visibly moved.

It was late at night and RabbiNachshon had just concluded a busyday, but when he learned that I wantedto hear about the special Torah, heovercame his tiredness and began totalk. He recounted the sequence ofevents, the answers, the apprehension,and the great joy when the Rebbeaccepted the Torah as a permanentguest in his home, and then in 770,near the Rebbe’s little seifer Torah andthe Seifer Torah of Moshiach.

It all began after the passing ofRebbetzin Chaya Mushka a”h.Everybody knew they had to found asmany mosdos as possible in hermemory, to give the Rebbe nachas.

On Shabbos, during thefarbrengen, the Rebbe referred to these

good intentions and asked that allprojects that were done l’ilui nishmasthe Rebbetzin be cleared by, andreceive a stamp of approval from,rabbanim morei horaa (practicingrabbis), who would check to makesure that the opening of mosdos didnot step on anybody’s toes or duplicateexisting mosdos. These projects werebeing done l’ilui nishmas the Rebbetzin,whose neshama is in the World ofTruth, and over there they do nottolerate even a possibility ofencroaching on somebody else’sterritory. The Rebbe even demandedthat the rabbonim’s approval be givenin writing!

As director of the Chabad MobileMitzva Tanks and Tzivos Hashem inEretz Yisroel, I consulted with friendsabout what project we shouldundertake. Together we decided onthree projects: First, the purchase ofanother tank. The second projectwould be to publish reading materialfor the children of Tzivos Hashem.

(This ended up becoming thepublication called B’Machane TzivosHashem.) And, thirdly, to write a seiferTorah which would be donated by theTankistin and friends of the Tanks inEretz Yisroel, which would be placedin the new tank.

Since most of the members of theChabad beis din in Eretz Yisroel werein Crown Heights at the time, weconvened the rabbanim the day afterthe farbrengen in order to get theirapproval for our suggestions. Wewanted to begin putting the ideas intoaction before the end of the Shiva.

The meeting was called for theafternoon, and in the morning I spokewith the sofer, Rabbi Eliezer Zirkind,in general terms about the idea. Hetold me that the N’shei Chabad ofCrown Heights and another chassid,had already asked him and agreed thathe would write a Torah in memory ofthe Rebbetzin. He said it was difficultfor him to believe that he wouldmanage to finish three Sifrei Torah bythe yahrtzeit.

At that time, his health wasn’tgood, to the point that sometimesweeks went by when he didn’t do anywriting. There was no way he couldfinish three Sifrei Torah within theyear. Yet, he told me that if therabbanim gave their approval, and theRebbe gave his bracha, he hoped hecould finish the third Torah in time forthe yahrtzeit.

To tell you the truth, after talking

Starting in the year 5749 (1989), in mostpictures showing the Rebbe holding a SeiferTorah, it’s the Torah of the Tankistin. * Inhonor of Shavuos, we bring you the story ofthis special Torah, as we heard it from RabbiDovid Nachshon, director of Chabad’s MobileMitzva Tanks in Eretz Yisroel.

SHAVUOS

THE REBBE’S LARGESEIFER TORAH

BY AVROHOM JACOBSON


with him, I was skeptical about whether we would manageto finish the writing in time, but I decided to carry on andto present the idea to the rabbanim anyway. In theafternoon, after receiving the approval of the rabbanim, andafter getting their approval for all three ideas, I ran to R’Zirkind and told him to go ahead.

Since our plan was to place this Torah in the new tank, Iasked him to make a small Torah. By Divine Providence, hehad parchment ready for a small Torah that someone hadordered and then cancelled the order. He suggested that weuse them for the new Torah. This was parchment made froma cow’s uterus, which is very thin and suitable for smallSifrei Torah, but also very expensive. I told him that theprice didn’t scare me, especially when this was somethingthat would give the Rebbe nachas, and we don’t makemonetary calculations when it comes to these things.

The next day, on Monday, a day before the end of theShiva, we began the writing of the seifer Torah. On themorning of that day, two Sifrei Torah were begun, and webegan writing in the afternoon, in the Rebbe’s house.

As I said, N’shei Chabad and another chassid hadpreceded me. Due to the sofer’s poor health, each of thempressured him to finish their Torah first. It reached a pointwhere rabbanim were consulted, and this led to a sharpreaction from the Rebbe, who warned from the very startthat projects in the Rebbetzin’s memory should not be doneat the expense of ahavas Yisroel and the like. The Rebbe saidthat of those two, the writing of a Torah l’ilui nishmas theRebbetzin belonged to N’shei Chabad, and they could usethe Rebbetzin’s name on this Torah.

The sofer finished N’shei’s Torah on Rosh ChodeshKislev 5749. Another two and a half months remained, andin a conversation that I had with the sofer at that time, hetold me there was no way he could complete an entireTorah in that amount of time. He said that due to theRebbe’s sharp remark about the earlier Sifrei Torah, he really

wanted to get an answer and bracha to write a third Torah.

‘If the Rebbe gives his bracha, there could be a miracleand I could finish writing by 22 Shvat,’ he said, in a voicemore hopeful than confident.

I sat down immediately to write a letter to the Rebbe inwhich I said that I had heard about the Rebbe’s reaction tothe two earlier Sifrei Torah, and that I hoped that my planwould be viewed favorably. I asked for a bracha for thesofer, that he should feel well and be able to complete theTorah by 22 Shvat.

Within a short time, I was told that the Rebbe said: Iwill mention it at the tziyun.

Encouraged by the Rebbe’s answer, I went back to thesofer and asked him to do his best to finish the writing by22 Shvat. He said he would try, letting me know that if heactually finished it by then it would be a miracle.

The unbelievable happened and the writing wentquickly. About every two weeks, the sofer finished one bookof the Torah. We quickly reported to the Rebbe and receivedmany answers and encouragement.

A week before 22 Shvat it was clear that the sofer wouldfinish the Torah on time. We ordered two mantles for theTorah and a beautiful crown made of silver and gold. Thewooden handles were also silver-plated, to increase thehiddur mitzva in the Torah that was written to give theRebbe nachas.

That year, 5749, the 22nd of Shvat fell out on Shabbos,and we decided that the Hachnasas Seifer Torah would take

place in 770 on Thursday, the night of the 21st of Shvat. Wetold the Rebbe about this and ordered tickets for the flight.My wife, Bluma, joined me, as well as my dear friend andcolleague, Avi Taub, the one responsible for the tanksShemarya Harel, and the Tankist Yosef Abelsky.

That day, after davening Shacharis with the Rebbe in his


R’ Avrohom Genin dancing with the Torah

Avi Taub writing a letter in the Torah

house, the Rebbe turned around to the gabbai as thoughwaiting for him to make an announcement. Since it wasThursday, the day the Rebbe went to the Ohel, and therewas no set time for Mincha, the gabbai announced, as wasusual, that Mincha would take place “when they would beready.” But the Rebbe continued to look at him, waiting foran announcement. The gabbai didn’t know what he shouldsay next until the Rebbe told him to announce theHachnasas Seifer Torah that would take place at night. Onlyafter he made this announcement, did the Rebbe go up tohis room on the second floor.

At that moment, we were on the plane to New York. Itwas only when we arrived in Crown Heights that we heardwhat had happened at Shacharis. We were thrilled about theattention the Rebbe seemed to be giving our Torah.

Later on, the sofer told me that on that day, afterShacharis when the announcement was made about theHachnasas Seifer Torah, the Rebbe sent him his t’fillin andmezuzos to be checked. He said that there were otherthings, which he couldn’t tell me, that were connected withthe seifer Torah.

The simcha began that evening in 770. The Torah wasbrought into the Rebbe’s beis midrash with song and dance.We honored the T’mimim, the Tankistin, and friends of theTanks, led by Avi Taub, and Yaakov Tilson, with hakafos.The simcha was enormous and it lasted long after thehakafos ended. It was simcha that was reminiscent of thosespecial moments on Simchas Torah, and till this day theyare precious memories for me.

As is customary with every new seifer Torah that isbrought into 770 – that it is read from on the followingShabbos – our Torah was placed in the aron kodesh to beread from on Shabbos. As mentioned earlier, 22 Shvat cameout on Shabbos that year, and since the Rebbe was going tolead the davening of Shacharis, we were honored by the

Rebbe carrying the Torah from the aron to the bima evenbefore the first reading.

The gabbaim honored me with opening the aron, andso I presented the Rebbe with the seifer Torah. It was oneof the most thrilling moments of my life when I stoodthere, near the aron kodesh, waiting for the Rebbe to finishthe Ata Horeisa, thus giving the signal for the aron to beopened. I stood there from the beginning of the t’filla, andfelt as I had never felt in my life. As though in a dream, Iheard the Rebbe finish the verse, Hashem yivorech es amob’shalom. I moved the paroches, opened the doors of thearon kodesh, and nervously removed the new seifer Torah.

“After a few moments, which seemed like an eternity tome, the Rebbe finished saying Brich Shmei and with

trembling hands I held the Torah out to the Rebbe.

“The Rebbe took it with both hands. I heard the Rebbesay Shma Yisroel and Echad Elokeinu, with thousandsrepeating after him. Then, after the Rebbe finished saying,Gadlu l’Hashem iti u’n’romema shmo yachdav, the Rebbethrusted the Torah upwards. I was afraid the crown wouldfly off from the forceful motion. The Rebbe then made hisway to the table where the Torah is read.

“That Shabbos was Parshas Yisro, and we had the meritof the Ten Commandments being read in 770 from ourseifer Torah.

The biggest surprise awaited us after the kria. Generally,after saying the brachos of the Haftora, the Rebbe returnedto his place and said Y’kum Purkan and the other prayersbefore Musaf, but this time was different. The Rebberemained at the bima and waited until the end of AvHaRachamim, and then took the Torah from the one whoraised it up and began walking with it towards the aronkodesh. And the Rebbe danced with the Torah, just like onSimchas Torah.

“The crowd began singing Sisu V’simchu B’Simchas Torahand the Rebbe began waving the Torah in all directions in


The Tankistin and Friends of the Tanks sitting andfarbrenging after the Hachnasas Seifer Torah

R’ Yitzchok Springer dancing with the Torah

great joy, which made the crowd singeven louder. We all went wild over thespecial regard the Rebbe had for thisTorah.

“In the meantime, I quickly wentover to the aron kodesh in order totake the seifer Torah from the Rebbe,but I had to wait a few minutesbecause after the Rebbe came close tohis place he began to dance in placeand to wave the Torah in all directions.The singing became even more lively.

“Then the Rebbe gave me the seiferTorah so it could be put back in thearon, giving me a warm, affectionatelook.

“That Shabbos, the Rebbededicated a significant part of thefarbrengen to a sicha about the inyanof a Hachnasas Seifer Torah. This waslater published as a booklet edited bythe Rebbe.

“After seeing how precious thisTorah was to the Rebbe, I thought thatperhaps the Rebbe would be happierto have the Torah remain in 770. Iwrote this to the Rebbe, saying thatour original plan was to take the Torahto Eretz Yisroel and put it in the newtank that we had bought. At the end ofthe letter, I said that if the Rebbewanted something different to be done,we’d be happy to fulfill the Rebbe’swishes.

“I received an answer shortlythereafter, which said that a Torahshould not be taken from place toplace. I was very surprised by thisanswer since there had been instancesin which the Rebbe had sent sifreiTorah to Eretz Yisroel. Rabbi Marlow,to whom I told the Rebbe’s answer,said that according to halacha therewas no problem in taking a seiferTorah to Eretz Yisroel. We came to theconclusion that the Rebbe wanted theTorah to remain with him.

“At the end of that week, I wroteanother letter to the Rebbe in which Iinformed the Rebbe of our decision toleave the Torah with the Rebbe. A few

minutes after my sending in the note,Rabbi Leibel Groner came down andtold me that the Rebbe read the notewith great satisfaction and said: Theseifer Torah remains here.

“On Sunday morning, RoshChodesh Adar, in the minyan at theRebbe’s house, I was honored withhagba, and after I put the seifer Torahback in the aron kodesh, the Rebbewent up to the second floor to changehis Rashi t’fillin for Rabbeinu Tamt’fillin, passing me as he went.

“The Rebbe stopped for a momentand said, ‘yashar ko’ach’ with his facealight, and continued on. Now I wascertain that we did the right thing inleaving the Torah with the Rebbe.

“For a long period our seifer Torahwas read from in the Rebbe’s house,and when the Rebbe began daveningin 770, they moved the Torah thereand put it in the aron kodesh next tothe Rebbe’s little seifer Torah and theSeifer Torah of Moshiach. From thenon, whenever the Rebbe lead theservices and needed to carry a seiferTorah, they would take out the Torahof the Tankistin.

* * *

To conclude, I’ll tell you aninteresting story that happened on 22Shvat 5750, one year after the Torahwas read from for the first time. 22Shvat in 5750 also fell out on aShabbos, and the Rebbe lead thedavening. That Shabbos the Rebbefarbrenged, and as was usual in suchcases, Mincha was held on thefarbrengen platform, with the Rebbe’sshtender and the reader’s table placedon that platform.

That Mincha, the gabbaim honoredme with p’sicha and I took theTankistin’s Torah from the aron kodeshto bring it to the farbrengen platform.It was hard for me to make my waythrough hundreds of chassidim whocrowded around the bima, when Isuddenly noticed the Rebbe leaving hisplace near the shtender and comingtowards me.

I moved as quickly as I could, andwhen I got to the steps that led to theplatform, the Rebbe was waiting forme. I stood below and the Rebbe stoodabove me, and then the Rebbe held outhis hands towards me and took theTorah from my outstretched hands.

This sight is engraved in my mindtill this day.


The crowd rejoicing. As is customary, all the sifrei Torah were removed from the aron,including the Seifer Torah of Moshiach.


PART 3

FORTUNATE IS OURGENERATION

“‘His head is paz [finest gold],1

‘kvutzosav taltalim’ [his locks (of hair)are wavy],2 black as a raven’ – fromeven the smallest details3 of Torah heextracts mounds upon mounds ofhalachos. ‘Black as a raven – [thisrefers to him who studies Torah in thebeis midrash early in the morning andlate at night’ (Eiruvin 21b). ‘His head ispaz’ – it is the eighty-seventh year ofthe head of the Jewish people, thebeauty and splendor of thegeneration, the gaon and holy one asan angle of the L-rd of Hosts.‘Kvutzosav taltalim’ – his whole life[embodies] mounds upon mounds ofholy practices.

“His Torah, his tremendousbrilliance, and his exalted s’farim arefilled with mounds and mounds ofTorah and pure faith. ‘Kvutzosav’ – hismighty influence stretches from oneend of the world to the other.” ‘Blackas a raven’ – he sacrifices himself forTorah. He lives in tremendousmodesty and abstinence, devotinghimself by day and by night – the nightshall shine like the day – to making theTorah great and glorious. Fortunate is

our generation, in which such atzaddik and holy person resides.(From introduction to Torah thoughtsent by Rabbi Eliyahu for inclusion inthe book Kevod Chachamim, AteressPaz, 5749 / 1989.)

YOU WILL LIGHTTHE HOLY MENORAH

“How many baalei t’shuva? Howmany people are [now] keepingmitzvahs? How many Jews who

strayed have returned? How muchdarkness has the Rebbe shlitailluminated with the light of hiswisdom and understanding?Wherever there is darkness in theworld, his shluchim are thereilluminating the heart of the Jewishpeople . . . I am certain that when ourrighteous Moshiach will come, he willrule that the Menorah [in the HolyTemple] may be kindled by a zar,4 andhe will say to the Rebbe shlita: “It wasyou who brought light into the heartsof the Jewish people. It was you whobrought them the holy and purewarmth. It was you who brought thehearts of the children back to theirFather in Heaven. It is you who willkindle the holy Menorah! (Menorahlighting ceremony at the Kosel,5

Chanukah 5750 / 1989.)

GIANT OF THEGENERATION

“As one who met with the Rebbe anumber of times, and as one who isconnected to him in many ways, I cantell you that there in no rav in thisgeneration who is as great as him inall areas of Torah. On the basic level[of Torah interpretation], no secretescapes him. When it comes to the seaof Talmud, he navigates its waters asthough he learnt the subject matter

“How many baaleit’shuva? How many

people are [now]keeping mitzvahs? Howmany Jews who strayed

have returned? Howmuch darkness has the

Rebbe shlitailluminated with the

light of his wisdom andunderstanding?”

FEATURE

THE GAON AND KABBALIST:

RABBI MORDECHAIELIYAHU SHLITA From Shemen Sasson Meichaveirecha

BY RABBI SHALOM DOVER HA’LEVI WOLPO TRANSLATED BY ALEXANDER ZUSHE KOHN


this very moment. It is the same withthe allegorical, esoteric, andKabbalistic levels [of Torahinterpretation] – he is as familiar withthe mystical dimension as he is withthe revealed dimension. He isdefinitely the Torah giant of thegeneration – there is no one like him.But most important is his humility,the light that he imbues in the Jewishpeople, the holiness that he instills inthem. There is no one like him. In anydark corner of the world, if yousuddenly notice a point of light – “Amitzva is a candle, and Torah is light” –it comes from the Rebbe, by means ofhis shluchim . . . Fortunate are youwho take refuge in his shadow,fortunate are you who walk in hislight. (Vocational School alumnigathering, Kfar Chabad, 11 Shvat,5750 February 6, 1990.)

“THE MOUTH OF THETZADDIK UTTERS WISDOM,AND HIS TONGUE SPEAKS

JUSTICE”“We have gathered here in honor

of the birthday of the Sage of theSecrets, gaon of the generation, thebastion and tower, the ‘tzaddik [who]is the foundation of the world,’ hishonor and holiness, the Admur shlita,upon his entering his ninetieth year,for length of days and good years.There are no better verses to describethe uniqueness of this day than thoserecited by the sweet singer of Israel,King David, in perek 37 of T’hillim:

“‘The mouth of the tzaddik utterswisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.The Torah of his G-d is in his heart; hisfootsteps will not falter.’ ‘Pi’ [the mouth]has the numerical value of 90, andtzaddik has the numerical value of 90.‘Utters wisdom’ – who is the greatestspeaker of wisdom? It is the Rebbe,whose mind is immersed in findingways to disseminate Toraheverywhere. ‘His tongue speaks wisdom’– when one studies the sichos in theoriginal, as they were spoken by the

Rebbe, one sees how they are allwords of justice, ‘founded on sockets offinest gold.’ (11 Nissan celebration,Kfar Chabad, 5751 / March 6, 1991.)

THE TORAH OF HIS G-DIS WITHIN HIM

“Moreover, ‘The Torah of G-d iswithin him’- i.e., the Torah is engravedupon his heart. From the Torah’s basicmeaning to its allegorical meaning toits esoteric meaning; from therevealed dimension to the mysticaldimension; from the Talmud to theCodes to halachic responsa. Immenseknowledge and incredible depth in all

areas of Torah. ‘His footsteps will notfalter’ – he gazes and sees in thedistance, i.e., he foresees many eventsbefore they come to pass, and his[gaze] does not falter; as Rashiexplains, ‘his footsteps do not slip.’6

“Indeed, the Rebbe foresaw thetransformations now taking place inthe Soviet bloc, the wonders

transpiring this year, and many otherevents. All his predictions materializeexactly as he describes, and all hisprophecies come to pass precisely ashe foresees them. Gentlemen, anyonewho beholds the actions and activitiesof the Rebbe proclaims: ‘This is aRebbe! May there be many like himamong the Jewish people!’”

CONCERN FOR EVERY JEW“The Rebbe never sees the

crudeness of another Jew. If he seesJews who are lacking in Torah, heembraces them, draws them close,and gives them the spirit of Torahstudy. Gentleman, the greatness of theAdmur, as mentioned, extends toevery area of Torah. Nevertheless, hetends to the needs of people of smallstature, bringing closer those who aredistant . . . Fortunate is the generationthat has this tzaddik in its midst.”

THE THIRD MEETING: 5752Sunday night, 6 Mar-Cheshvan,

5752 (October 14,1991), RabbiEliyahu visited the Rebbe again in thelatter’s holy room. The gaon’sentourage was present during hisconversation with the Rebbe, and thetranscript of the conversation wasprinted as a pamphlet, and then later,as part of Seifer HaSichos 5752. Theydiscussed the following issues:

The Divine Presence abides inevery gathering ten Jews, even if theyare not studying Torah. * The Jewishpeople transcend the Torah. * Thevirtues of a Jew’s physical body. * TheRambam’s ruling concerning thepromises of material abundance,which is essential for the properfulfillment of Torah and mitzvahs. *The power of the rabbinical court totemporarily suspend a mitzva in theTorah. * Erasure of a section of Torahfor the purpose of making a woman7

permissible to her husband. * “BeforeWhom are you purified?” – i.e.,higher than the Tetragrammaton.8 *G-d’s sovereignty, through the Jewishpeople. The Chabad custom of

Rabbi Eliyahu during a visit to Chabadinstitutions in France


reciting L’sheim Yichud only once a day(before the Baruch Sh’Amar prayer). *Diverting one’s attention fromlearning – in places where Torahstudy is forbidden. Covering the hair.9

* Is the “half shiur,” which the Torahforbids, applicable only to food or toall things? * The reason the ShteiHaLechem offering presented onShavuos had to be of leaven. * Howshould a Jew from Israel conducthimself with regard to the recitationof “v’sein tal u’matar,” when he istraveling abroad? * The daily PriestlyBlessing according to Sephardiccustom.

Regarding the imminentRedemption: * “In the future, Mosheand Aharon will be with them.”10 * Inthe future Torah law will follow therulings of the House of Shammai. *The obligation to offer sacrifices inthe future era for sins committedduring the time of exile. * Willsomeone who converted to Judaismduring the time of exile be required tobring a sacrifice when the HolyTemple will be rebuilt? * The need forhalachic authorities to rule thatMoshiach must come immediately. *The Children of Israel say, “Return usto You, O G-d,” whereas G-d says,“[First], you return to me”; the law

must “follow the majority [opinion].”* At one point in the conversation theRebbe said, “The Redemption isstanding at the ledge, by the door,and is waiting for each and every Jewto open the door and pull theRedemption into the room.”

Before [the group left], the Rebbesaid, “May it be [G-d’s] will that theRedemption should comeimmediately, and then I will visit YourHonor in your holy chamber in theHoly Land.” Rabbi Eliyahu respondedenthusiastically: “Welcome! Withgreat joy I will say, “Welcome, he whocomes in the Name of G-d!” TheRebbe then escorted Rabbi Eliyahu tothe car awaiting him, at the same timespurring the onlookers, who weresinging, “Ki b’simcha seitzei’u.”

At a Kollel Chabad dinner thattook place in New York later thatweek Rabbi Eliyahu said thefollowing:

HOLY ANGEL OF G-D“What amazed me and excited me

so much was the following: my visitto the Rebbe did not take place on aregular weekday, but on Sunday, afterthe Rebbe had stood on his holy feetfrom morning till evening without

pause, without amoment to relax,welcoming thethousands of people[who came to seehim]. Under naturalcircumstances, heshould have exhibitedsome signs of fatigue;but in actuality, I wasdeeply impressed byhis clear-headednessand lucidity, whichwas so extraordinaryit cannot be explainedwithin the context ofthe laws of nature.”

“The moment Imentioned anysubject in Torah, the

Rebbe commented and spoke about itas though he had finished studyingthis particular tractate or subjectliterally this very moment. And it wasall so bright and clear to him. Quiteliterally, it is unbelievable how ahuman being is capable of this. I said[to myself], ‘He is not a human being,but a holy angel of G-d.’

STEERING THECONVERSATION

“It seems to me that there weretwo main things that stuck out in theRebbe’s words: Love for one’s fellowJew, and concern for the Jewishnation as a whole. It is really amazinghow with every subject that we spokeabout, the Rebbe steered theconversation in such a manner that itreflected the virtues and praises of theJewish people . . . The entire JewishPeople, literally, is always under hiswatch, unlike other leaders who haveonly their own following under theirwatch.”

I NEVER SAW SUCHGREATNESS

“I have merited to know many ofthe generation’s Torah leaders, and Iam awed by the greatness of some ofthem. But the Rebbe is something elseentirely. I have never seen suchgreatness in all parts of Torah – on thebasic, allegorical, expositional, andesoteric levels simultaneously. Aftermeeting the Rebbe shlita, I said tomyself, ‘He is not a human being, butan angel of G-d.’ Surly I need notelaborate on the Rebbe’s activities atdisseminating Judaism throughoutthe entire world; it is commonknowledge. I already related the storythat occurred . . . how the Rebbe shlitasaw with Divine inspiration that ayoung couple would come to me, andhe sent the person who wanted tomarry the woman to consult with me,and in the merit of his Divineinspiration a great disaster wasaverted. (All of the above was spokenat the Kollel Chabad dinner.) Rabbi Eliyahu with the Baba Sali

THE G-DLY MAN“Only the comprehensive soul of

the tzaddik of the generation iscapable of initiating projects thatunite the Jewish people. The Rebbeshlita is “the G-dly man.”11 He has nodesires of his own, no personalmatters – nothing – not even eating,drinking, and sleeping. Rather, hissoul yearns only to sanctify G-d’sName, and to unite the Jewish peoplewith love. One who reflects on theRebbe’s holy ways will quicklyrealize that such a personcannot possibly be subject tothe laws of nature – rather, themerit of the Jewish peopleelevates him to the level of a“G-dly man.” His great lightshines from one end of theworld to the other, and in hismerit the entire world becomesrefined, and ready for thecoming of Moshiach speedily inour days. (Siyum HaRambam,Kislev, 5752 / Nov-Dec, 1991.)

PRAYING FOR THE NASIOF THE GENERATION

After the occurrence of Chaf-ZayinAdar I, 5752 (March 2, 1992), thehonorable gaon took everyopportunity to urge people to pray forthe Rebbe. At the 11 Nissancelebration that year, Rabbi Eliyahusaid the following: “The Admur shlitais the most unique person of thegeneration. Who knows what wouldhave become of us without thisAdmur. He is a holy soul, anexceptional soul, which G-d has

placed in the midst of this generation. . . Fortunate are we in meriting tohave in our generation a luminous,encouraging, holy, devout, andangelic tzaddik of the generation suchas the Rebbe shlita. I will reiteratewhat I already stated: he is not of thesons of man, but a unique soul, a holysoul, which has come to bringdeliverance to the Jewish people.

“Gentlemen, the Rebbe’sunmatched love for every Jew is well

known. How much he has prayed onbehalf of the Jewish nation as a whole!How much he has prayed on behalf ofindividual Jews! Now, we must prayfor his recovery and well-being! I,furthermore, suggest that very one ofus – even those who are not presentlyhere – take upon himself to enhancehis observance of one of the [ten]mitzvahs that the Rebbe shlita haspromulgated and popularized.

“Gentlemen, the Rebbe inspires us

with the coming of Moshiach, and onthe need to prepare for his arrival.Master of the universe! The JewishPeople anticipates the Redemption.We have waited so long . . . We wantto see Moshiach’s countenanceimmediately! We have experiencedsuffering. [We have recently beenthrough] the ‘birth pangs’ ofMoshiach. Torah we have. Chassiduswe have. Master of the universe! Letthe Rebbe’s shlita’s 248 limbs and 365

sinews be completely healed.May it be Your will that heshould be healthy, and may itbe your will that we should allmerit to behold our righteousMoshiach!”

For all your Chassidic writing needs inEnglish call The Chassidic WritingCenter: 718-771-7290.

NOTES:

1 In the Hebrew, the number eighty-seven is represented by the letters Peyand Zayin, which, together, spell theword “paz.”

2This is the basic meaning. However,“taltalim” is etymologically related to

the “tel, telim meaning “mound, mounds,”and “kvutzosav” is related to “katzeh,”meaning “end.”

3 I.e., the “ends.”

4 I.e., a non-Kohen.

5 I.e., Western Wall.

6 I.e., he does not err.

7 I.e., an accused sotah.

8 I.e., Y-H-V-H, G-d’s ineffable Name.

9 I.e., in reference to a married woman.

10 Moshe and Aharon will be present towitness the Redemption.

11 Paraphrasing . . .


Rabbi Eliyahu shaking hands with the Rebbe

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A REDHEAD AND A COHENI was very mischievous as a child

and my mother a”h had a hard timewith me. Once, when my father had ayechidus with the Rebbe, my motherasked my father to ask the Rebbe forhis advice on how to handle me. Myfather did so, telling the Rebbe that mymother wasn’t happy with mybehavior.

The Rebbe smiled and said, “Nu,he’s a redhead and a Kohen…”

AN END TO CONFUSIONIn 5718 (1958), a year before my

bar mitzva, my father had a yechidus. Iasked him to take me along since I hadpain and inflammation in my right earevery winter. My father agreed to takeme, and in the middle of the yechidushe told the Rebbe about my problem.He added that we had gone to a topear doctor a few weeks before and hisopinion was that I had a deviatedseptum and this was the source of theproblem. The doctor concluded thatwhen I grew older, either the problemwould disappear or I would need anoperation to fix the bone.

When my father mentioned an

operation, the Rebbe made adismissive motion with his hand,indicating that an operation was out ofthe question. Then the Rebbe said:May Hashem help and bring to an endall the bilbulim (that which confusesyou).

From then on, with just oneexception, I didn’t suffer from theproblem anymore.

BAR MITZVA IN THELUNCHROOM

In Adar 5719 (1959), I had ayechidus along with my father, beforemy bar mitzva. In those days barmitzvas weren’t celebrated as they aretoday. The Rebbe asked where my barmitzva celebration would take place,and my father said he was making aKiddush in his shul on Shabbos (myfather was rav of a shul in East NewYork).

The Rebbe said: Aside from that,you should celebrate in yeshiva too,either where the bachurim learn orwhere they eat.

Then the Rebbe said: Surely he willreceive an aliya to the Torah here in770!

AN END TOCONFUSION

Many Lubavitchers have precious memories ofprivate audiences they had with the Rebbe. *Rabbi Menachem Meir Blau had many suchprivate audiences, and he shares some of hisstories with us.

INSIGHT


My father hadn’t originally plannedon my having an aliya in 770, but heimmediately changed his mind andsaid yes.

I was learning in Yeshivas TomcheiT’mimim on Bedford Ave at that time,in a rough neighborhood, and it washard to get people to come there in theevening. Instead, we made the barmitzva celebration in the boys’lunchroom on 676 Eastern Parkway.

Years later, when my childrenbecame bar mitzva, I remembered theRebbe’s horaa and made sure to makethe celebrations in the Oholei Torahlunchroom.

THE MOST DIFFICULT PATHIS YOUR PATH

The way it used to be was thatbachurim who reached the age of barmitzva would have a yechidus everyyear for their birthday. At one of theseyechidusin, I asked the Rebbe: What ismy primary role in life? (Each personhas a particular mission for whichreason his neshama descended to thisworld.)

The Rebbe answered: It’s hard toknow for oneself; all the more so forsomeone else. The general rule is thatwhich is hardest for someone is hismain task in life.

The Rebbe added: It doesn’t haveto be one thing; it could be a numberof things.

NOT TO SLEEP IN THEDAYTIME

At one of these yechidusin, I wroteout my daily learning schedule indetail and asked whether the Rebbeapproved. The Rebbe said it was finebut I had to add to it by learningpractical halachos every day in theKitzur Shulchan Aruch or in DerechHaChayim and Nesiv HaChayim(published in the siddur Torah Ohr).

I had written that I slept for someamount of time during the day. TheRebbe said: Sleeping during the day

isn’t good, even for someone older, andall the more so for a bachur. If ithappens that you don’t sleep all night,like on Simchas Torah or other specialoccasions, you can rest for half an houror an hour, so you can daven.

HOW TO CHOOSE AMASHPIA

At one of the yechidusin, regardingone of my questions, the Rebbe said Ishould ask my mashpia. I was learningin 770 at the time, and there were anumber of mashpiim. I asked theRebbe which mashpia would give me

the proper answers. The Rebbe said:Speak to whichever mashpia you feeldrawn to.

HOW TO RESTFROM LIMUD IYUNI

I once asked the Rebbe in ayechidus how to divide my timebetween learning in depth and learningto cover ground. The Rebbe said: Youhave to learn in depth, and when youget tired of learning in depth then it’stime to rest by learning to coverground.

NIGLEH OR CHASSIDUS?At a yechidus for my twentieth

birthday, I asked the Rebbe: Somepeople are meant to concentrate onlearning nigleh, while others are meantto concentrate on learning chassidus.What should I do?

The Rebbe answered: There is nosuch thing today. Today, everybody hasto learn both. The difference is only inwhat takes priority.

The Rebbe added: You write thatyou are 20 years old already and youstill don’t know what takes priority? Ifyou don’t know, ask your mashpia.

FITTING THE WORLD TOTHE DAVENING

On another occasion, I asked theRebbe: We daven every day and saythe same thing; I find it hard to thinkof the meaning of the words again andagain.

The Rebbe said: The words are thesame but the meaning is different.Each day we see different things in theworld, and the kavana while daveningmust incorporate everything we see inthe world with what it says in thedavening. If it fits, fine. If it doesn’t fit,then think about it until it fits.

WHAT TO THINKWhen I asked the Rebbe what sort

of maamarei chassidus to think aboutbefore davening, the Rebbe said:Whatever your heart desires.

BIRTHDAY ON EREV SHABBOSOne year, when my birthday fell

out on a Friday, the Rebbe told me inyechidus to get an aliya and to increasein Torah and tz’daka. These were theusual horaos that were given everyyear, but that year, the Rebbe added:Since your birthday comes out onFriday, review the sidra Shnayim MikraV’Echad Targum on Erev Shabbos anddon’t leave it for Shabbos.

I later heard that others receivedthe same instruction when their

The Rebbe made adismissive motion

with his hand,indicating that an

operation was out ofthe question. Then the

Rebbe said: MayHashem help andbring to an end all

the confusion.

birthday fell out on Friday, yet thishasn’t been included in the birthdaycustoms!

ADD A NAMEWhen I got engaged with the

Rebbe’s haskama and bracha, I wrotethat my name is the same as my father-in-law’s (Meir). The Rebbe said: Add aname. And the Rebbe mentioned thewell-known responsa of the TzemachTzedek, and added, “and it should befor length of days and good years.”

I added the name Menachem to myname. Shortly thereafter I had ayechidus for my birthday and I signedmy name, Menachem Meir. The Rebbeasked me in the yechidus: Your nameis Menachem? I answered that theRebbe had told me to add a name andI had added the name Menachem. TheRebbe said: a glaicha zach (a goodthing)!

LIGHTWhen my kalla and I had yechidus

before our wedding, the Rebbe said:Finish the preparations for thewedding in a Yiddishe way and in achassidishe way.

The Rebbe added: When youilluminate your surroundings it will belight for you.

SHLICHUS IN NEW YORKTwo years after the wedding, we

had a suggestion for shlichus. Wewrote to the Rebbe about it and aboutwhat we were doing at the time (Iworked in Hadar HaTorah and my wifeworked in the Breuers school). TheRebbe answered: If so, why not standby their word and commitment to allof the above, etc. etc.

From this, we understood that ourshlichus is to spread the wellsprings inNew York.

A MASHPIA MUST BE ABOVEAt that same time (I don’t

remember if it was before or after theprevious exchange) we got another

shlichus offer, here in Crown Heights,at Machon Chana. The school waslooking for a couple to live in thedormitory as house parents.

We had a yechidus and I asked theRebbe whether we should accept thejob. The Rebbe asked us whether wewould have privacy there, because amarried couple needs privacy. My wifeanswered that the hanhala told her wewould have our own rooms within thedorm. The Rebbe seemed satisfied withthat.

Then the Rebbe asked: What dothey have in mind – are they lookingfor someone to run the maintenance ofthe building or for a mashpia for thegirls? We said they were looking for amashpia for the girls.

The Rebbe said: If so, then it wouldbe better not to live there becausewhen a mashpia lives with hismushpaim, it diminishes his influence,because he becomes too close with themushpaim. A mashpia needs to be abit above his mushpaim.

We ended up turning down theoffer; the Gansburgs took the positionand are enormously successful in it.May they experience continued successfor many more years to come.

A SURPRISING ANSWERAFTER SHAVUOS

Twenty years ago, during S’fira, Iwent for a routine checkup with thefamily doctor. He found a growth andwasn’t certain if it was benign. He sentme to another doctor, who examinedme and sounded just as worried as myfamily doctor. He arranged a series oftests for me and decided that I neededto be operated on to remove thegrowth because it was highly likelythat it was malignant, ch”v.

I went to another top doctor tohear his opinion and he agreed withthe other doctor. This happened a fewweeks before Shavuos. I wrote to theRebbe and asked him what I shoulddo. I didn’t get a response.

A few days after Shavuos I got ananswer: After the Giving of our Torahand our receiving it, ask the doctoragain.

I went back to the first top doctorand said: Since some weeks have goneby since the initial exam, I would likeyou to do the tests over again. Maybethere was a mistake or maybe thegrowth shrank, and there is no need todo an operation. After insisting on this,the doctor agreed to do more tests.

After all the tests were done, hesaid that nothing had changed and Ineeded an operation. I wrote to theRebbe again and said: I went back tothe doctor. He did all the tests againand said nothing changed...

Since the Rebbe didn’t tell me to goahead with an operation, just to askthe doctor again, I did so, and I won’tdo the operation unless the Rebbe tellsme to do so. I received no reply and Ididn’t do the operation nor treat it inany way.

I ASKED FOR WEALTHI once wrote to the Rebbe (long

after our wedding) that I was askingfor a bracha for wealth to be used forspreading Yiddishkeit and thewellsprings. The Rebbe wrote hisanswer in his own handwriting on myletter. Between the words “to be used”and “spreading Yiddishkeit,” the Rebbewrote “mainly.”

CROWN HEIGHTSNEWS-LINE

On Purim 5751, I went by theRebbe for dollars and said it was threeyears since I had started the CrownHeights News-Line, and I asked for abracha for financial success so I couldcontinue to run it without limitations.

The Rebbe answered: Amen! Andadded: The main thing is that thewellsprings should be spread outward,and this will bring the coming ofMoshiach.

And the Rebbe gave me anadditional dollar.




A CONTINUING INSPIRATIONWhen the Previous Rebbe visited

Israel in 1929, he visited the graves ofseveral great tzaddikim. This, in fact,was the purpose of his visit. When hecame to the grave of the Rambam, hestayed an unusually long time.Afterwards he commented on theverse: “And the living shall take toheart,” explaining it to mean that oneshould live his life in such a way thateven afterwards he be a Chai – onewho lives.

In this section we will look atsome of the ways in which RabbiYisroel Aryeh Leib’s life continues tobe an inspiration for Jews in generaland for Jewish scientists in particular.

Over the years, the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach has said many sichos andmaamarim (Chassidic discourses) onthe yahrtzeit of Rabbi Yisroel AryehLeib. One year, the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach applied the verse “echodb’echad yigoshu…” – “one to one theyapproach….” – (Iyov 41:8) to theyahrtzeit of Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib

on the 13th of Iyar (the numericalvalue of the word echod is 13). Theverse is usually invoked to comparethe yahrtzeit of the Tzemach Tzedek(13 Nisan) to the yahrtzeit of theRebbe Maharash (13 Tishrei).

In recent years, however, MelechHaMoshiach put special emphasis onthe yahrtzeit by publishing maamarimfor the occasion under the title“Kuntres Yud Gimmel Iyar” (the booklet

for the 13th of Iyar), a distinction

reserved for the most special days onthe Chabad calendar.

At the Shabbos farbrengen on 13Iyar, 5751 (1991), Rabbi Yisroel

Aryeh Leib’s 39th yahrtzeit, MelechHaMoshiach, said the famous “Gola toGeula” sicha in which he definedGeula as the transformation of Galus(exile), a transformation which isaccomplished by “adding the Alef” toGola. In the same sicha he discussesthe deeper meaning of the name“Yisroel Aryeh Leib” and theinstruction that it holds for every Jew:

The name Yisroel has two oppositemeanings: 1) A Kabbalistic meaninginterprets the Hebrew letters of Yisroelas an acrostic for the phrase “YeshShishim Ribu Osiyos LaTorah,” meaning“There are 600,000 letters in theTorah. This refers to the fact thatevery Jew has a deep personalconnection with the Torah whichraises him above the level of themundane. 2) The original meaning ofthe name, as it was given to Yaakovafter he wrestled with the angel: “Youstruggled with angels and with menand you were victorious.” Thisindicates that a Jew must deal with,and sometimes even struggle with, theworld.

The message is that a Jew’s naturalplace is in the Torah which is thesource of his life. Thus everything hedoes must be based on and inaccordance with the teachings of theTorah. But his completeness as a Jewis attained only when he takes the

teachings of the Torah out into theworld and deals directly with thepeople of the world and the forces ofnature, affecting a transformation ofthe world into a place where G-d isrevealed. When a Jew follows thispath he is guaranteed that he will besuccessful and victorious.

The names “Aryeh” and “Leib”both mean “lion” – Aryeh in Hebrewand Leib in Yiddish. This teaches usthat we must approach the task withthe courage of a lion. Whether we aredealing with holy matters (asindicated by “Aryeh” in Hebrew, theholy language) or with worldlymatters (as indicated by “Leib” inYiddish, a worldly language) a Jewmust overcome all obstacles toaccomplish this mission.

Thus Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib’svery name continues to be aninspiration.

Two days after Rabbi Yisroel AryehLeib’s yahrtzeit that year, MelechHaMoshiach distributed the famousD’var Malchus book containingexplanations on the laws of Moshiachin Rambam. He called this book itselfa maamer. It was dedicated to thememory of Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib.Another famous event took place thatday: After the davening, as MelechHaMoshiach began walking out of theBeis Ha’midrash, everyone startedsinging “Yechi Adoneinu MoreinuV’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L’olamVa’ed!” and Melech HaMoshiachencouraged their singing.

THE CHASSID WHO INSPIREDMOSHIACH & SCIENCE RESEARCH

BY PROF. SHIMON SILMAN, RYAL INSTITUTE AND TOURO COLLEGE

Part 3 of 3

TORAH & SCIENCE

MY STORYAt this point I feel that it is

important for me to relate the effectthat Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib has hadon me personally. I was born into aRabbinical family. My father, a Rav inMinnesota, was a musmach of (i.e.received Rabbinical ordination from)HaRav Moshe Feinstein. Mygrandfather, a Rav in Uzda, Russia –Rav Moshe Feinstein’s home town –was a close friend of the Feinsteinfamily. It was in this atmosphere that Iwas raised. I went to Jewish dayschools in Minnesota and Chicago andthen to Yeshiva University High Schoolin New York City.

Every yeshiva has its particularhashkafa (philosophical outlook) but atYeshiva University (YU) this was hardto define. Academically, YU combined ahigh standard in both Talmudic andsecular studies. Philosophically,however, there was a great tensionbetween these two worlds and theyoften collided. In those days, the RoshYeshiva, HaRav Joseph B. Soloveitchick,wrote papers and delivered lectures onthese issues, but there was a significantgap between what he taught and thepolicies of administrators and teachers,which was often a matter of “jumpingback and forth between the two paths”of the holy and the secular.

I remember a discussion that tookplace when I was 12 or 13 years old,during my freshman year in yeshiva.Two of my friends, Moshe and Chaimwere arguing about what Torah is.Moshe said that all knowledge – eventhe secular studies – is “Torah” since allknowledge is truth (so he claimed) andTorah is truth. Chaim disagreedclaiming that only the Torah itself isTorah while all other knowledge is notnecessarily true. I listened to theirargument thinking, “This is a veryinteresting question. I wonder what thereal answer is. Anyway, I’m glad they’renot asking me….” Suddenly Moshe saidto Chaim, “Let’s ask Shimon. He’s in ahigher shiur (Talmud class) than both

of us. For sure he knows.” I was on thespot and I had to think fast. Since Ididn’t know the answer for sure, I justsaid something to make them bothhappy and put the argument to rest.But I was not satisfied.

After yeshiva, I returned home toMinnesota and enrolled in theUniversity of Minnesota’s Institute ofTechnology with a major in physics. Itwas clear to me that Torah was thesource of truth, but I was interested ininvestigating whether science couldalso be a source of truth. Here too, atthe University of Minnesota, a casualconversation that took place one daybecame a turning point in this search.

I was sitting at a table in the physicslibrary studying when a fellow studentturned to me and asked me to explainto him a Chemistry lab assignment thatwe were supposed to do. It wasn’t theprocedure that he didn’t understandbut rather the concepts behind it –what was going on among the atomsinvolved. I began to explain to him theatomic interactions that were takingplace in this experiment. As I spoke afeeling of excitement came over me.The intricacies of the structure of theatoms and the complexities of theinteractions that I was describingliterally filled me with awe and at theend of my explanation I blurted out,

“…And some people think that all thisjust evolved!” I did not know what myclassmate himself believed or how hewould react to my pronouncement, butthe smile on his face assured me thathe agreed that it was absurd that allthis had just evolved.

This casual event was a turningpoint for me in my search for it showedme that science itself could be a sourceof knowledge of G-d. If used properly,it could be a support for the truth ofthe Torah and there would no longerhave to be any conflict between them.A seed was planted that would yetgrow.

At this point I had not yet studiedChabad Chassidus. In fact, I had beenpart of a circle of students at YU whowere involved with Lubavitch andwould go to Crown Heightsoccasionally, and a few times I tried toread s’farim of Chassidus. But, eventhough I was well trained in Talmudand Halacha, I couldn’t understand thes’farim of Chassidus. One of my trips toCrown Heights was for the yom tov ofSukkos 5727 (1966). I was stayingwith a family on President Street andonce, during Chol HaMoed, I went for awalk. I was walking absent mindedlydown President Street when suddenly Icame upon an unusual scene. I saw aman get out of a parked car, open theback door of the car and continue tohold the door open as he stood there,straight as a soldier. For some reasonthe man was staring at me as though hewanted me to get in the car. Since Ididn’t know who he was and the entirescene appeared very strange, I wasscared and froze in my tracks.

I stood there for a few momentstrying to decide if I should continuewalking or turn around and go theother way. Suddenly, the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach walked out of thedriveway and, as he passed very closein front of me, looked at me – deeplyinto my eyes. He continued walking tothe car and got into the back seat, afterwhich the car drove off. This event


We must approach thetask with the courageof a lion. Whether weare dealing with holy

matters or withworldly matters, a Jew

must overcome allobstacles to accomplish

this mission.

made a very strong impression on mewhich I can still feel almost forty yearslater! I was connected.

My first encounter with ChabadChassidus came about four years laterwhile I was a student at the Technion –Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.The well known chassid Reuven Dunin,who lived in the area, used to come tothe Technion and talk to the students.Some of us would go to his house forShabbos and he would learn a sichawith us after the seuda. Once he beganto doze off as he taught the sicha (heworked very hard all week as a tractordriver) and he asked me to continueteaching the sicha. Me?! I didn’t evenknow how to learn Chassidus, muchless how to teach it. But he fell asleepand I had no choice but to teach, sowith G-d’s help, I taught. As I read thesicha out loud, it became very clear tome and I understood it and I wasactually able to explain it. The gates ofChassidus had been opened for me.

I continued to learn Chassidus overthe coming years and began to identifywith it, but all this just increased thetension between my profession and myidentity. The more I studied the deepwisdom of Chassidus, the less I wasinterested in the lower wisdom ofmathematics. For me, these were twoseparate worlds and they were incollision. Many times I consideredgiving up mathematics and devotingmyself exclusively to learning andteaching Chassidus. Then came myyechidus with Melech HaMoshiach.

A few months after we weremarried, my wife and I had the z’chusto have yechidus

with Melech HaMoshiach. It wasthe night after Chanuka, 5734 (1973)at 3:40 a.m. that we entered the KodeshHaKadashim – the yechidus room. Igave our letter to Melech HaMoshiach.He read it and then without looking uphe asked me “What is your profession?”Thoughts began to flash through mymind at lightning speed. Firstly, thequestion took me by surprise. I thought

he would ask me questions about whatI was learning in Chassidus and thingslike that. Secondly, I didn’t think ofmyself as actually having a profession atthat time. I was a graduate student inmathematics at the University ofMinnesota and simultaneously teachingundergraduate courses in mathematics(a position known as a “teachingassistant”) but I just thought of that asmy studies, not my profession. Thirdly,I was not earning enough money fromthe University and was consideringaccepting a position I had just beenoffered to teach Jewish studies parttime at a Jewish school in Minnesota.Maybe that was my profession. (Here,again, the tension between the twoworlds appeared.) But I didn’t havemuch time to think and I responded,“I’m a teaching assistant in mathematicsat the university.”

There is a well known saying of theRebbe Maharash that the intellectualand emotional structure of a chassidfollows his first yechidus, at which timehis personal service of G-d isestablished in accordance with his trueself. Thus it was established in myyechidus that my profession wouldremain teaching mathematics.

But the conflict was not yetresolved. Having identified withchassidus, I became very critical ofmathematics. I began to challenge theuse of mathematics as a representationof reality and questioned the veryvalidity of mathematics.

Actually, something productivecame out of this crisis as I realized therole that the axiomatic method plays inmathematics. Every mathematicaltheory must be based on certain axiomsor assumptions, and those axioms canserve as an interface or – a buffer –between the theory and reality. One canproceed to develop the theory with aclear conscience knowing that thetheory is not about reality itself butrather about the axioms. It’s about theassumptions that he made about reality.Based on these assumptions this and

that will follow. It is only at the point ofstating the axioms that one must beconcerned about the extent to whichhis assumptions accurately representreality.

It was some years later that I heardabout Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib. At asmall farbrengen in Minnesota, RabbiMoshe Feller was talking about a trip toIsrael from which he had just returned.He mentioned that he had visited thegrave of Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh Leib inTzfas and continued to speak abouthim. I was fascinated by thispersonality who was devoted to thestudy of Chassidus throughout his lifeand simultaneously studied and didresearch in mathematics, having writtena paper of major significance. Later,when I actually saw a copy of thepaper, I was overcome by a feeling ofjoy and exhilaration followed by afeeling of inner peace. The conflict wasessentially over. The very fact that sucha person had existed and that he wasthe son of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok and thebrother of the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach, was for me a sign that thetwo worlds could be truly unified.

The actual unification took placesome time later when I saw the sichaon Parshas Noach in which MelechHaMoshiach explains that the scientifictheories and discoveries of the past 150years were predicted by the Zohar andthey are a preparation for the Era ofMoshiach (Likkutei Sichos vol. 15. pp.42-48). In the sicha the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach explains in detail exactlyhow the modern sciences prepare theworld for Moshiach, the primary waybeing that they reveal the unity thatexists within nature. This prepares theworld for the revelation of the ultimateunity – the absolute unity of G-d whichis to be revealed in the Era ofMoshiach.

In case one may have the idea to goto college to study the sciences, theRebbe Melech HaMoshiach warnsagainst this. An entire section of thesicha is devoted to explaining the


Halachic prohibition and danger ingoing to college. This is because of theprevalence of ideas studied in collegecourses that are contrary to thefundamental beliefs of Judaism, and theatmosphere of immodesty whichprevails.

Elsewhere, the Rebbe MelechHaMoshiach explains a more subtleproblem in taking college coursestogether with studying Torah. Theconcepts, attitudes and ways ofthinking which one picks up from thecollege courses will carry over to hislearning of Torah and contaminate it.He will no longer be studying Torah onits own terms, but rather he will beapproaching it from a secularviewpoint. This may even result in hisinterpreting concepts in the Torah insuch a way to make them consistentwith his secular studies. (Unfortunately,I saw many examples of this at YU.)

Indeed, Melech HaMoshiach saysthat the endeavor of using the sciencesfor Torah purposes is not for everyone,only for those who are qualified to doit. One must be sure that he iselevating the science rather than havingthe science pull him down.

THE RYAL INSTITUTEIn 1990-91 Melech HaMoshiach

announced that the time of the Geulahad arrived and that everything in theworld had to be connected to Moshiachand the Geula. One day in the fall of1991, I found a letter printed in theback of the Likkutei Sichos in whichMelech HaMoshiach is responding toone who had identified himself as a“secular Jew.” The entire letter wasdevoted to explaining that there is nosuch thing as a secular Jew. There areJews whose profession deals only withholy matters and there are Jews whomust deal with secular matters in theirprofession. But there is no such thingas a secular Jew – all Jews are holy. Thiswas exactly my field of interest. Then Inoticed that the letter was dated 13Iyar, 5732 (1972) – Rabbi Yisroel Aryeh

Leib’s 20th yahrtzeit! I realized that inhalf a year (13 Iyar, 5752 (1992))would be his 40th yahrtzeit and itoccurred to me that it would be awonderful idea to have a conferencehonoring his 40th yahrtzeit on exactlythese topics – the holy and the secularin the Era of Moshiach.

When the concept was finallycrystallized, the theme of theconference was “The Role of Science inthe Era of Moshiach.” I workedtogether with Rabbi Moshe Feller andRabbi Asher Zeilingold to organize the

conference which took place on 13-14Iyar, 5752 in S. Paul, Minnesota. Theguest speakers were Professor Pesach(Paul) Rosenbloom, the famousLubavitcher mathematician to whomMelech HaMoshiach gave Rabbi YisroelAryeh Leib’s mathematical manuscriptto edit and publish, and Dr. Tsvi Saks,another well known Lubavitchermathematician, known for his lectureson Mathematics and Chassidus.

That Fall, my family and I moved toCrown Heights and the next Spring Icontemplated making another

conference for Rabbi Yisroel AryehLeib’s 41st yahrtzeit. After thinking itthrough I decided against it since I wasnew in Crown Heights and not sofamiliar with the people and places etc.Also, I did not have the same sense ofurgency as I did at the 40th yahrtzeit – amajor milestone.

Just to be sure, however, I wrote aletter to Melech HaMoshiach asking: 1)Should I make a Moshiach and scienceconference in New York similar to theone I had made in Minnesota the yearbefore and 2) Should I publish theproceedings of the conference of theprevious year. To both questionsMelech HaMoshiach answered: “Yes.”

Thus a second Moshiach andScience conference took place on 11-13Iyar, 5753 in Crown Heights. The mainspeaker was Rabbi Dr. Naftali Berg, aLubavitcher chassid and director ofresearch of the Advanced TechnologyOffice of the Pentagon’s Army ResearchLaboratory. He spoke about “SwordsInto Plowshares at the Pentagon.”

On the morning of 11 Iyar thatyear, before I went to the conference, itoccurred to me that there should be aninstitute to organize such conferencesevery year and to carry on otherMoshiach and science research. I wrotea letter to Melech HaMoshiach thatmorning asking if we should establishsuch an institute to be called the “RabbiYisroel Aryeh Leib Research Institute onMoshiach and the Sciences.” Later inthe afternoon, towards the end of thatday’s session, I received a message thatthat the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiachgave his consent and bracha.

The RYAL Institute was establishedand, with G-d’s help, we have held aMoshiach and Science conference everyyear since, in addition to variouspublications.

From all the above we see some ofthe ways in which Rabbi Yisroel AryehLeib continues to inspire Jewishscientists to this very day.


The endeavor of usingthe sciences for Torah

purposes is not foreveryone, only for

those who arequalified to do it. Onemust be sure that he

is elevating thescience rather thanhaving the science

pull him down.


This phenomenon has beengrowing in recent years, i.e. dozens,if not hundreds of backpackers havebecome religious after touring India.They go to India in order to findsome spirituality, which they get infull measure from the Rebbe’sshluchim, who are dispersedthroughout the Far East.

Touring India became a fad over adecade ago, when it was easier to getvisas. Tens of thousands of Israelis goto India every year. Hundreds ofthem have returned to their rootsthanks to the Chabad houses inIndia.

This search for spiritualitygenerally begins after they finishtheir army service. There in India, farfrom the tumult of life in EretzYisroel and their exposure to theanti-religious Israeli media, it’s a loteasier for them to explore theirJudaism. Paradoxically, it is there,while hiking through the naturalbeauty of India, going centuries backin time, that they begin to think oftheir futures.

Nadav Cohen, a young Israeli,went through this process andbecame excited about Judaism andchassidus in India. Nadav was inIndia for one year and three months,and experienced more than theaverage Israeli backpacker does. Yettoday he is a yeshiva bachur, and ifthat wasn’t enough, he himself went

on shlichus to Pushkar, in India, tohelp the local shliach, Rabbi ShimmyGoldstein.

Nadav says that he experiencedeverything in India. He went to thetemples and was hosted in primitivevillages where the homes are made ofmud, just as they were hundreds ofyears ago. Yet it was in India that hefound the path back to his ownheritage.

* * *

Nadav Cohen was born onmoshav Nir Yisroel, near Ashkelon.He attended school in moshav Be’erTuvia, which was completely non-

Nadav Cohen is one of hundreds of Israelibackpackers who have returned to their roots. *His first encounter with the Rebbe’s shluchim wasin India. * The story of a recent baal t’shuva.

SHLICHUS

The Chabad house in Pushkar (beware of monkeys!)

OUT OF THE GREATEST

DARKNESS THE GREATEST

LIGHT CAN SHINEBY SHAI GEFEN


religious. His family was secular,although his grandfather wasreligious and his father had attendedyeshiva. As time went by, even thetradition of Kiddush on Friday nightceased.

Nadav did what every typicalIsraeli does – he went to high schooland did his army duty, serving in thefield for Army Intelligence. He servedone year in Gaza and two years at thecommand post in Be’er Sheva. “I wasprivy to a good deal of top secretinformation regarding security, thingsI can’t talk about it, of course,” hesays.

Even after his army discharge,Nadav didn’t see himself as someonewho was searching for meaning inlife. “I was released from the armyand began working for a companythat made vending machines. After ayear and a half of this, I realized thatall I was doing was running aftermoney. I saw this as purposeless anddidn’t want to continue living such alife.”

Like many others, Nadav foundhimself planning for a long trip toIndia, a trip in which he was goingto search for the unknown, for the

spirituality and mysticism of India.

“I didn’t know what I wanted todo, but I knew that I was looking tofind myself. Like many of my friends,I decided I was going to India.”

Nadav left for India three yearsago, along with two friends. “Theywere going for a month, but I stayedfor half a year.”

He began this first trip in themagnificent Himalayas in northernIndia. He sometimes scaled mountainpeaks that stretched between Indiaand Nepal at heights of 7000 meters.The area is flooded with Israelis, andthey experience many accidents.

Nadav knew an Israeli who waskilled by a fallen tree. Others arekilled in avalanches or unexpectedfalls.

Nadav doesn’t tire of describingthe incredible scenery: gorgeousviews, endless forests, snow-cappedmountains, waterfalls, and valleys.Bears and other wild animals roamthe mountains. “The Indians wholive in the Himalayas are hospitableas they see us as a source of income.”

It was in the Himalayas thatNadav began his introspection. “Ilooked at myself as an onlookerwould; I saw the Israeli guys with meand saw myself in them. They weremy mirror through which I could tellwhere I was at. I suddenly began torealize that everything I was doingwas only being done out of habit.

“This self-involvement,wondering what I was doing here inthe world, wasn’t from a religiousperspective, but simply pragmatic.No wonder that these thoughtsbothered me a great deal.”

These conclusions didn’t leadNadav directly to Judaism. He visitedthe temples of India and watchedtheir ceremonies. “I went to a distantvillage where they had bizarre formsof idol worship. I went to everypossible place. They brought me togurus called “Babas” who live intunnels, each one trying to prove toyou how much he knows. But mostof them didn’t impress me at all.They didn’t supply the goods, andmy thoughts continued to race.”

Nadav stayed with many of thelocals, whom he found very friendly.Their houses, however, werewretched and filthy. Each homeconsists of a large room where theyall sleep. The kitchen has one smallburner on which they prepare food.

Nadav spent a great deal of timewith the locals and became familiarwith their way of life, doing this forover a year. Their farming is

“After a year and ahalf of this, I realizedthat all I was doingwas running after

money. I saw this aspurposeless and didn’twant to continue living

such a life.”

Nadav Cohen in chassidic dance at the Chabad house in Pushkar


primitive too. There are villageswhere they spend the entire summerdrying straw for their cows for thewinter, since every home has, onaverage, two cows.

Throughout his stay in India,Nadav experienced a series ofserendipitous encounters. “Oftenwhen I thought of someone –someone from the army or someonewith whom I attended school – Isuddenly saw him. Many strangethings happened that I had neverexperienced before. I began tounderstand that the world wasn’trandom, and that all is controlledfrom Above. Today I know that thisis called Hashgacha Pratit.”

After half a year, Nadav returnedto Eretz Yisroel because his fatherhad been hospitalized. Then hedecided to go back to India. “I lovedthe life there and it made me feel atpeace. I loved the trips far from EretzYisroel, where I was removed fromall the problems back home.”

When Nadav returned to EretzYisroel, he waited for a friend toreturn money that was owed him, sohe could afford to go back to India.

In the meantime, DivineProvidence led him to MitzpehRimon, “Thailand of Israel” as it’scalled, which attracts peoplesearching for spirituality or meaningin life. He attended many workshopson self-awareness, yoga and variousexercises. “I planned on being inMitzpeh Rimon for a month, andended up staying for half a year.” Itwas there that he began learningmore about Judaism.

He became acquainted with theteachings of Chabad only two daysbefore his second trip to India. “Imet a cousin of mine, who gave methe Tanya and asked me to read it inmy free time. When I was in India Ibegan reading the Tanya and slowlybegan understanding that religion isfar richer and more complicated thanI had thought, that it had a greatdeal of depth.”

When he returned to Dramsalatwo years ago, in Sivan of 5762, hemet his cousin who had becomeinvolved in Judaism through Chabadover there. “The confluence of eventswas orchestrated from Above, and

this is what convinced me to joinChabad. The truth is that I didn’twant to go, but agreed to go becausemy cousin asked me to.” The processwas set in motion, but Nadav wasstill in search-mode and observantJudaism didn’t appeal to him.

“In the course of a few days Iexperienced a series of HashgachaPratit, and this is what led me to theChabad house in Dramsala, to RabbiDror Shaul. I went to the Chabadhouse every day to visit, and just tosee what the place was about. At acertain point, I felt I was in, that Ihad arrived at religion. The more Iread of Tanya, the more I realized itwas true, but I still made no bigsteps. I continued touring northernIndia and encountered a lot ofidolatry. It wasn’t easy, because theentire time my thoughts raced aboutwhat I was going to do with theinformation I had read in Tanya. Ididn’t know how to translate what Iread into action.

“These thoughts bothered methroughout my trek. I was reallytroubled because inside it was clear

“I KNEW THAT IF I BECAME RELIGIOUS,IT WOULD BE ONLY AS A CHASSID”

“At the very beginning, after I started learning Tanya, I knew that theTrue Light was hidden within it. For the first time I understood thatTorah is not just a set of rules, but something that speaks to the neshama.I realized that religion is far more than I thought it was. The more Ilearned, the more clear it became to me that if I was to become religious,it would be solely to become a chassid.

“It was in India that I wrote my first letter to the Rebbe through theIgros Kodesh. I asked that I merit to come close to Judaism. After writingthe letter, I felt that it had given me additional strength to return toHashem. I felt that I was succeeding in overcoming difficulties, as thoughI was born anew.”

Nadav studied more and more of the Rebbe’s teachings, and readabout the Rebbe, and began feeling a strong pull towards the Rebbe.

“Today I am a Jew thanks to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.”

Last Tishrei, Nadav was among the thousands of guests in 770. It washard to tell that he was recently a backpacker who went searching for solong in the most unholy of places.

ADVENTURES IN INDIA“I went to distant places

where even Israeli tourists don’tgo,” says Nadav. “The further theplace, the more primitive theyare. There are places in Indiawhere you travel in a bus that’sforty years old, throughmountains and over cliffs, andyou’re sure you’re going to fallinto the abyss at any moment.

“On one trip, we traveled on apitted road when the road aheadof us became flooded. We had toget off the bus and swim to theother side and hitch a ride overthere. I hitched a ride on a largetruck and settled down in theback for the six-hour ride.”


to me that if I wanted to be involvedin spirituality, it could only bethrough Judaism and chassidus. Thebig question was: when would Imake the leap?

“On Tisha B’Av of two years ago, Idecided to fast for the first time. Iwas in Dramsala and wasn’t religious,but I felt that I had to fast.

“As I continued traveling, Icontinued to encounter Chabad.When I arrived in Manali I metChabad there too.

“The strongest sign I got was afterI fractured my leg on one of mytrips. It was at the end of Elul. I hadto stay in bed, and unfortunately Iwasn’t able to celebrate RoshHaShana properly. I just couldn’tmove. That Yom Kippur was the firstone I fasted, and this took place inIndia, of all places! I felt a strong

spiritual feeling that Icannot describe. I felt thatI was being cleansed of allthe filth that I hadaccumulated over theyears.

“I didn’t know how todaven. I knew nothing.All I knew was that I hadto regret all I did and askG-d for forgiveness.

“I felt involved inthings on Sukkos andhelped the Chabad housebuild a sukka. BetweenSukkos and Simchas TorahI wanted to go to Pushkar,another city in northernIndia. I went to say

goodbye to the rabbi who had hostedme, and when he heard that I wasgoing to the shliach in Pushkar, hegot very excited. ‘I was looking for away to send him aravos for HoshanaRabba, and now you can be theshliach mitzva!’

“I was amazed by this incidenceof Hashgacha Pratit. I realized thatJudaism wasn’t going to let go of itshold on me at this stage.

“On Simchas Torah I was at ShimiGoldstein’s Chabad house in Pushkar.The joy was amazing andunforgettable. All the Israelis dancedand rejoiced with the Torah in themost remarkable way.

“The day after Yom Tov, I knewthe time had come for me to put ont’fillin. I hadn’t put on t’fillin sincemy bar mitzva. I found it ironic thatI was beginning to put t’fillin on

again in India when I hadn’t done soin Eretz Yisroel for so many years.

“It was in Pushkar that the realturning point in my life took place. Istopped touring and knew I wasalready a Chabadnik, and that I hadto make up for lost time. All thethoughts that had raced about in mymind on the first trip becamefocused on the thought that fromnow on I would begin to fulfill allthe mitzvos.

“I didn’t know how to tell myparents about this. My mother wasapprehensive, ‘What?! You’re goingto suddenly show up in a black hat?’she asked. My family wastremendously uptight about me; theydidn’t understand what I hadbecome. I had to have lots ofconversations with them to calmthem down.

“I wanted to return to EretzYisroel to attend yeshiva in RamatAviv, where many of the backpackerswho became baalei t’shuva in Indiago to learn. Shimi Goldsteinsuggested that I stay in Pushkar andhelp him. I agreed to stay. Naturally,I grew a beard and cut my long hair.

“After two or three months Ireturned home and went directly tothe yeshiva in Ramat Aviv. In orderto prevent my old friends fromfreaking out, the first month I metwith them and my family and talked.

“Why did it take place in India? Ithink it’s because out of the greatestdarkness the greatest light canshine.”

Nadav Cohen’s “upsheren” in Pushkar

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In honor of Shavuos, the day thatmarks the passing of Dovid HaMelecha”h, the author of T’hillim, weinterviewed Mrs. MussiaMendelssohn, who runs B’nos ACHATChabad. What is B’nos ACHATChabad? The Hebrew letters ACHATstand for: Irgun Chevrat T’hillim.

Every Shabbos Mevarchim, dozensof girls gather at 7:30 in the morningto say the entire T’hillim beforeShacharis, as per the enactment of theRebbe Rayatz. Mrs. Mendelssohn hasproven that not only men and adultscan say the entire T’hillim, but younggirls can do it too!

What gave you the idea to startthis organization?

I’ve been living in B’nei Brak for anumber of years now and I teach inAteret Chaya. Before ShabbosMevarchim Adar 5762, I came upwith this idea of starting anorganization for girls to say T’hillimon Shabbos Mevarchim. There was no

such group for Chabad girls in B’neiBrak, or in any Chabad communityanywhere, as far as I know.

The idea took off and more andmore girls joined.

Describe what happens onShabbos Mevarchim.

Every Shabbos Mevarchim, dozensof Lubavitcher girls in B’nei Brakconvene in the women’s section of theChabad shul on Rashi Street. I makesure things run smoothly and quietly,with the girls taking turns serving aschazanit. When we finish the T’hillim,which takes about two hours, we saythe Rebbe’s chapter of T’hillimtogether, the HaYom Yom, and anotherchapter of T’hillim for those who needa refua shleima. Then I say a shortd’var Torah about the month we areblessing that Shabbos.

In recent months we have also hadguests tell a miracle story of the RebbeMH”M. The girls get some nosh, andthe next day (Sunday) we raffle off a

gold ring.

Who comes on ShabbosMevarchim?

We intended it for Chabad girlsliving in B’nei Brak, but we have alsohad non-Lubavitcher girls coming.The girls are in grades one to nineand ten. Saying T’hillim unites girls ofall ages.

As the months went by, more girlsheard about it and joined. I urge thegirls to convince other girls to comeand every month I see new faces.

* * *

At first, Mrs. Mendelssohn wasdiscouraged by well-meaning friends,who told her she’d be lucky if threegirls showed up. However, toeveryone’s surprise, about seventygirls fill the Ezras Nashim and sayT’hillim. This directly impacts on thewomen who regularly show up fordavening, who express theiramazement and join in the saying ofT’hillim.

How do you explain the greatresponse?

They are simply happy to come,even though for some of them thisentails getting up early on Shabbosmorning and a long walk. Some girlswalk for half an hour each way. Somegirls stay over with friends onShabbos Mevarchim just so that theycan join our T’hillim group.

I would like to make specialmention of the daughters of theshluchim in Givatayim, theBeckermans, who walk a long distance


SHAVUOS

FROM YOUR MOUTHTO G-D’S EARS

BY MOLLY KUPCHIK

They told her nobody would show up, but shewent ahead anyway and asked young girls toget up early on Shabbos Mevarchim and sayT’hillim. The results were pleasantlysurprising. * How the T’hillim Group came tobe, presented for Shavuos, the yahrtzeit ofDovid HaMelech, author of T’hillim.


accompanied by a parent.

ACHAT has an advantage in that ithas a regular time and place. The girlsknow there are no exceptions, andthat T’hillim is said every ShabbosMevarchim. I let them know thatB’not ACHAT don’t go on vacation orget a break, and they’ve gotten used tocoming.

Do any parents complain aboutthe early wake-up Shabbos morning?

On the contrary! Some mothershave told me, “Thanks to yourproject, the whole family says T’hillimon Shabbos Mevarchim.”

Since it takes place early in themorning, some of the girls need anadult to walk them. If a brother orolder sister walk with them, they stayin shul already to say T’hillim too.

What about you – isn’t it hard foryou to leave your children everyShabbos Mevarchim to go to shul?

No. My children are older, withthe youngest one in third grade, and

she comes along too and even finishesT’hillim!

How do you cover the costs of thenosh and raffle prizes?

The financial end is the hardest

part of the project. There is noorganization that helps us with thisand every month I have to break myhead to figure out how to cover myexpenses. I would be thrilled to havecommunity support. People candedicate the recitation of T’hillim as az’chus or l’ilui nishmas a loved one.

Have you reported to the Rebbeabout ACHAT?

I write to the Rebbe every monthbefore Shabbos Mevarchim and askfor a bracha for success. AfterShabbos, I report how it went andinclude a list of the participants.

I’ve gotten many encouraginganswers and brachos through the IgrosKodesh. I went through a particularlydifficult period for a few monthswhen I didn’t know how I could carryon with such high expenses. I wroteto the Rebbe, saying I know howimportant this is, but it’s so hard forme to continue.

In the letter I opened to, theRebbe wrote that we have beenpromised that chassidim will comeout on top, and it spoke aboutmesirus nefesh. I was encouraged andI continued despite the hardships anddebts.

Every month I see brachos andDivine Providence. One ShabbosMevarchim Iyar I had no idea howmuch nosh to buy because after thelong vacation I anticipated that fewergirls would show up. I decided to buy60 treats, and it wasn’t easy findingthem two days after Pesach. Howmany girls showed up that Shabbos?60!

There were times that I was readyto give up, but I always saw DivineProvidence at work that motivated meto continue.

* * *

How about you, dear reader?Maybe you can organize a T’hillimgroup in your community, or even inyour own family? This way, we willadd some more books of T’hillim tothe scales and bring Moshiach now!

JOIN IN THE Z’CHUSThe members of ACHAT have a bi-annual gathering, before Shavuos,

the yahrtzeit of Dovid HaMelech a”h, the author of T’hillim, and in themonth of Adar, the anniversary of the founding of the organization.

At one of these gatherings, the girls met at the Chabad shul on RashiStreet for a full dinner with music and song. The speakers spoke aboutthe z’chus the girls had to participate in the fulfillment of the RebbeRayatz’s horaa to say T’hillim on Shabbos Mevarchim, thusstrengthening their connection to the Rebbe MH”M.

Mrs. Rochel Rothchild, one of the speakers, spoke to the girls aboutthe uniqueness of T’hillim. She was so moved by the girls that shedecided to start a similar organization where she lives, in RishonL’Tziyon.

Mrs. Esther Cohen of Elad told her personal story, about how shebecame a baalas t’shuva because of the recitation of T’hillim by girls,and Dovid the mime portrayed a story about a man who was saved inthe merit of T’hillim.

Girls with outstanding attendance were given certificates andbeautiful T’hillims. There was also a raffle, with the first prize being adollar from the Rebbe.

About 90 girls participated in the event and were greatly inspired tojoin in future gatherings.

At first, she wasdiscouraged by well-meaning friends, who

told her she’d belucky if three girls

showed up. However,to everyone’s

surprise, aboutseventy girls fill theEzras Nashim and

say T’hillim.

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YOU TELL THE REBBE ALLA few weeks ago, we were at a

shalom zachar in Kfar Chabad. Amongthe guests was a fellow who is verymuch the cold intellectual. To tell youthe truth, I would never have believedthat he could tell such a story, but thisis what he said:

“Thirty years ago, I was sick withhepatitis. I was getting worse, but thedoctors could do nothing to help meexcept to numb the pain. My conditiondeteriorated over six months.

“We used the famous pigeon cure,and 86 pigeons gave up their lives forthe sake of my health. When Dr. Erez,the doctor of Kfar Chabad at the time,would meet me, she would ask, ‘Nu,how many pigeons did you kill today?’Despite this, I was still in bad shape.

“For some reason, I thought youdon’t write to the Rebbe about healthmatters. I wrote about other things butI never mentioned my health, evenwhen it became unbearable.

“One day, after half a year ofwrithing in pain, I stood in front of theRebbe’s picture [again, I wouldn’t havebelieved it of this person – LYG] andsaid: Rebbe, please help me!

“The next day, Menachem (Manny)Wolf of Kehos said to me, ‘How areyou?’

“‘Baruch Hashem,’ I answered,‘what’s up?’

“I tried to make sure that nobodywould know about my condition asidefrom my family and the doctors. Ididn’t like the idea of people knowingabout my health.

“‘No, I asked you how your healthis?’

“‘Why are you asking me all of asudden?’ I wondered.

“‘You should know,’ he said, ‘thatthere’s no ‘being smart’ when it comesto the Rebbe, and when there’s aproblem, you need to write the Rebbeall the details!’

“I was taken aback. ‘Why are youtelling me this?’ I asked.

“‘This morning,’ he said, ‘I spokewith my brother-in-law, the secretary,Rabbi Binyamin Klein, and he told methat the Rebbe had inquired about

your health. From now on, you shouldknow that you need to write the Rebbeeverything, with all the details …’”

THE REAL STORYAt one of the chassidus classes that

I give in Beis Moshiach L’Nashim on 76Rechov Yaffo in Yerushalayim, one ofthe women who had recently becomereligious told this story:

“Recently, before I began keepingmitzvos, I had a fire in the store weowned. We sustained great damageand lost a lot of money. I wasdistraught by it all, and that’s whensomeone told me that you can ask theRebbe questions now too, and getanswers. I decided I had nothing tolose.

“I wrote to the Rebbe and put theletter into a volume of Igros Kodesh.The answer I opened to was amazing.The Rebbe wrote that we should seethe fulfillment of the statement thatafter a fire one becomes wealthy!

“I was flabbergasted by this answer.This was the push that got me to beginkeeping mitzvos and to attend a shiurhere and there. I bought some volumesof Igros Kodesh and I write to the Rebbewhenever something comes up. I havehung up pictures of the Rebbe in myhome. My family is afraid that I havegone completely mad.

“A year ago, a growth wasdiscovered in my niece’s neck. Thedoctors said that she needed surgery,but it was complicated and there wasno assurance that it would besuccessful. I was embarrassed to tellmy sister about the Rebbe and the Igros

“We used the famouspigeon cure, and 86

pigeons gave up theirlives for the sake of

my health. When Dr.Erez, the doctor ofKfar Chabad at the

time, would meet me,she would ask, ‘Nu,how many pigeons

did you kill today?’”

WHEN EVEN THE FAMOUSPIGEON CURE FAILS…

Four amazing miracle stories of the Rebbe MH”MBY RABBI LEVI Y ITZCHOK GINSBERG

MIRACLE STORIES

Kodesh, but I wrote a letter about thesituation and put it into the IgrosKodesh. The Rebbe answered that weshould do as the doctors advised, andgave a bracha for a refua shleima.

“The operation was successful,baruch Hashem, and she’s all better.

“She had another medical problemrecently, involving her eye, and mysister told me about this sadly. Again, Ididn’t say anything but I wrote to theRebbe. The Rebbe answered that theperson should go to a specialist andnot make do with a regular doctor, anddo an eye exam and take care of thisimmediately so as to avoid anotheroperation.

“I called my sister and told her notto rely on the doctor at the clinic butto see a top doctor and to do an eyeexam.

“She asked me what prompted thisadvice and though I tried to avoidanswering and stammered somethingor other, she didn’t understand and Ihad to unwillingly tell her that theRebbe said what she should do.

“’Which Rebbe,’ she wanted toknow. I saw no purpose in notanswering her, so I said: theLubavitcher Rebbe.

“‘How did the Rebbe tell you whatto do when…?’ she asked.

“I had to tell her the whole thing,about how I got an answer after thefire, and then about her daughter, andhow this is what the Rebbe’s answer isnow.

“At first she was incredulous, butthen she finally understood that I wasabsolutely serious. She took herdaughter to the best eye doctor atShaarei Tzedek, and it turned out thattreating her in time saved her from anoperation, and now we anticipate arefua shleima.

SHOULD WE BUY A NEWAPARTMENT?

I was riding the bus when my cellphone rang. On the line was aLubavitcher woman who asked for myhelp in understanding the Rebbe’s

answer in the Igros Kodesh. She told methat due to financial difficulties, theyhad to sell their apartment in order topay the mortgage at the bank, and nowthey were living in a rented apartment.However, they really wanted to own anapartment.

They thought of taking anothermortgage and buying anotherapartment. Both of them work andmake a nice living, and they would beable to make the payments, although itwouldn’t be easy.

Her husband wanted to buy anapartment in a certain area, but shewas opposed to that because it was tooclose to their parents...

The answer in the Igros Kodesh wasthat generally it was preferable to buyan apartment, and instead of payingmoney to a landlord, to makepayments towards the mortgage andown the apartment. However, thissituation was different for threereasons. Firstly, the wife’s opinion hadto be taken into consideration.Secondly, as far as chinuch for thechildren, the place had to have anatmosphere of yiras Shamayim andchassidus. And, thirdly, since hislivelihood kept him away from homemost of the day, it made sense for themto live near his wife’s friends so shecould leave her children with a friendor find someone suitable to watchthem if she wanted to go out.

That was the Rebbe’s answer, andthe woman wanted to know whetherthis was a positive answer since theapartment they found was just whatshe wanted: in a location with anenvironment of yiras Shamayim andchassidus, and she had friends therewho could watch her children in theevening when her husband wasn’thome much. Yet, the letter made itsound like the Rebbe was negating theidea.

I said that in my humble opinion,the no was being said to the apartmentthat her husband wanted, and theRebbe was negating this for threereasons. I saw this as a clear answer to

buy the apartment she wanted becauseit fulfilled the three conditions.

MUNIK’S ANSWERIn the Golan Heights lives a Jew by

the name of Menachem Mendel, whois known as Munik. Some peopleasked him the following: There areJews who are not yet Shomer Shabbos,but before going to work they want todaven. Would he be their chazan?

Munik wasn’t sure how to respond.He asked the Rebbe and the answer heopened to in the Igros Kodesh (vol. 11,p. 255) is addressed to a personnamed Junik (similar to Munik) andsays the following:

In answer to your letter … in whichyou ask:

There is a quorum in a synagoguewhere less than ten congregants areShabbos observant, and all the rest arenot, Heaven protect us. While passingby there on Shabbos, he was asked tocome in to lead the services in the firstminyan, since they are in a hurry toget to work. Despite this, they wish topray with a quorum, and many ofthem recite Kaddish, etc. The questionis: should you accede to their requestand lead the services.

It would seem from yourdescription that they themselves donot wish to lead the services becausethey realize that someone who is notShabbos observant should not do so.And if you do not accept, the minyanwill be cancelled, and most likely themajority of them will not pray at all.

If that is the case, I do not approveof zealotry in a place where it is notentirely appropriate, and [the rule is]that we tell a person to commit aminor transgression in order to savehis friend from a severe sin. Eventhough there are those who opine thatthis rule applies only where you wouldanyway have a share in the sin of thefriend, that is not so according to thepractice of chassidus [i.e., when goingbeyond the letter of the law].

Munik had his answer.


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SHARON AND MOFAZ –PROMOTERS OF TERRORIt was shocking to see what has

happened since the Likud referendumtook place. In a normal democraticcountry, if the prime minister’s politicalplan were to be overwhelminglyrejected by his party, even after hethreatened that this referendum wasabout trust in him, he would resign.His electorate told him precisely whatthey think of his dangerous plan. Theyput all considerations aside and voteddirectly on the plan.

But our prime minister doesn’t care.He announced that he would continueto promote his plan, and he has beentalking about implementing a similarplan to the one that was just rejected.

The one who decided to hold thereferendum was none other thanSharon himself, who even declared thatthe referendum would obligate him. Sowhat happened? Even famousdictatorships tried to cover up theircrimes by saying the people werebehind them. They tried to put up agood front, to show the world that theywere doing what their people wanted.

In Israel, however, our primeminister talks with the utmostbrazenness and acts as though he leadsa dictatorship where he can do as hepleases. According to the rules of ademocracy, a failure such as the one hesustained in the referendum wouldsend him straight to his ranch.

The more Sharon and his defenseminister try to promote the plan, themore we suffer. First there was theheinous massacre on the day of thereferendum which wiped out apregnant mother and her four youngchildren. This was followed by an

additional attack during the Shiva onthe mourners, where miraculously noone was injured. These events provehow terror will continue to be themodus operandi of our enemies as longas we talk about expelling our brothersand sisters from their homes.

When someone with the position ofdefense minister announces thatestablishing yishuvim was a historicmistake and that in another five yearsthey will no longer exist, why shouldn’tterror organizations butcher the Jewswho live there? Why shouldn’t theyhasten the expulsion of Jews from thearea that the Israeli Defense Ministersays we settled in error?

Defense Minister Mofaz promotesterror. He not only gives a sense ofreward to terror, and victory to thosewho have replaced Yassin and Rantisi,but he is the man who fans the battlelust of the terrorists. Who would haveimagined that a Defense Minister wouldtalk this way after such a defeat at thepolls?

We may not be quiet whenpoliticians change their views accordingto expediency and promises about theirplacement on the list. If Mofaz thinksthat these announcements of his willhelp advance his political career, he’smaking a serious mistake. He will findhimself in the same position as theDefense Minister who was so similar tohim, Yitzchok Mordechai. The latteralso did everything to undermineIsrael’s defense and supported awithdrawal from parts of our land togain popularity. We all still rememberhis shocking statement that he wouldn’tignite the Middle East because of someold “ruins” in Chevron. We also knowthat his career ended in criminal court.

Mr. Mofaz! Your playing with thelives of Jews and with the fate of theyishuvim in Eretz Yisroel as though thelatter are your personal real estate isextremely dangerous. What a shamethat you are selling your image as asecurity professional for a weakpromise that you will become theleader and the man at the top. Don’tlisten to your Achitofel advisors, foradvice such as this has felled manybefore you.

MURDERED YET AGAIN!What chutzpa and wickedness were

displayed by Sharon in his visit duringthe Shiva to the Hatuel family. The mancame to dance on the blood of innocentchildren, and he shamelessly continuedto speak about expelling Jews fromtheir homes to the mourners. Themother and her children were killed asthey went out to convince members ofLikud to vote against the expulsion ofJews from their homes. Sharon told Mr.Hatuel and other grieving relatives thathe intends on advancing his plan!Many of those present felt that thefamily was being killed a second time.

Sharon! Your hands drip withblood. It’s not the mouse that’s thethief, but the hole. You cannot blamethe Arab snipers, especially after thenon-stop support they receive from youand your Defense Minister. Whenterrorist organizations hear yourpropaganda against the settlers of GushKatif and how they ought to be thrownout of their homes, why shouldn’t theyhelp you do just that?

Sharon’s visit to the Hatuels and thethings he said there are far morefrightening than a referendum of thenation. It shows us how low Sharonhas stooped. He himself is in a state of

DICTATORSHIP & CHUTZPABY SHAI GEFEN

SHLEIMUS HA’ARETZ

39

withdrawal, withdrawal from thenation, withdrawal from morality anddecency, and withdrawal from anythingJewish.

The blood of Mrs. Hatuel, her fourdaughters and her unborn son will notrest until all the collaborators with ourenemies are punished. It’s hard tobelieve that we are witnesses to suchcruelty and insanity. If one of us wouldhave spoken about a scenario like thisfive years ago, we would have beenlooked at askance and advised to see apsychiatrist. Now it’s happening.

We can better understand what theRebbe kept saying that when you startwith concessions and withdrawals, youcannot find the point at which you canstop. You not only concede but youbecome part of the propaganda arm ofHamas, whether willingly orunwillingly.

A HEARTFELT CALL TO THECHAREIDI LEADERSHIP

A few days after Sharon’s defeat inthe Likud referendum, we heard abouta conciliatory meeting between Sharonand representatives of YahadusHaTorah. Sharon apologized to themfor cutting himself off from thechareidim. News items said that Sharonbegan the meeting by talking about hispolitical plan that was halted for themeantime, and then he went on to talkabout financial problems in the chareidicommunity. He promised to dealfavorably with all their requests, andconcluded by repeating what he saidabout future political plans. The hintwasn’t subtle.

When it came to the Likudreferendum we saw a unity amongst usthat we haven’t seen in years.Chareidim of all stripes united in theiropposition to the expulsion of Jewsfrom Gaza.

Sharon more than hinted that whenit comes to his next attempt to expelJews from their homes and to turn ourland over to our enemies, he will try tobuy off the chareidi parties.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen in the pasthow chareidi leaders put security asidein exchange for money. And we knowthe consequences of those deals sincewe are suffering from them now.

It was hard to read the reports ofthe meeting in which only moneyissues came up, as though nothing ismore important than our budgets. It’snot that anybody is disparaging the direfinancial needs of our mosdos, but thereports gave the impression that moneywould be given, as it was previously, inexchange for support of additionalwithdrawals.

This money will be money dippedin Jewish blood! Money soaked withthe blood of the Hatuel family, and as

the Rebbe often said, with money likethis you cannot provide a properchinuch.

Chabad chassidim call uponrepresentatives of the chareidicommunity: Don’t raise a hand againstHashem and His anointed one! Don’tmake the same mistake that you didwith Oslo! Don’t support anothermistake, even in a roundabout manner,that will cost us in blood!

We hope that just as all therabbanim were on the right side of theissue when it came to the Likudreferendum, they will continue to standstrong, despite the desperate need formoney.

CONTINUING TO WORKThe work for shleimus ha’Aretz

must go on. We saw that when wework, we get results. The time has longpassed when we could just relax andsound off at home. We were shownthat when the Jewish nation wakes upand does what it has to do, there areimmediate results, and that is why thework must go on!

The explaining and convincingcannot stop. We can’t just wait for zerohour to take action. Every chassid hasto see himself as a loyal soldier of theRebbe on the issue of shleimusha’Aretz, and must speak up whereverpossible. In meetings and phone callsthat Anash had with members ofLikud, it was obvious that thebrainwashing of the Israeli media wasquite similar to Pravda in Russia, andworse.

When people began understandingwhat was really going on, and thesignificance of Sharon’s plan, the workof convincing them became that mucheasier.

So we cannot sit back, and all theexcuses about how it’s hopeless and wecan’t change anything because themedia is against us, are just that –excuses. The Likud referendum wasjust a test from Heaven to show us thatif we put in the effort, we’ll see results.

The Rebbe told us that we cannotgive up protesting even if we don’tthink it helps matters. Unfortunately, inrecent years, we have been hearingmore and more people from amongstourselves saying that protesting isineffective and we shouldn’t bother.

The referendum proved them wrong.

Issue Number 462 - BEIS MOSHIACH

Chabad chassidim callupon representatives of

the chareidicommunity: Don’t

raise a hand againstHashem and His

anointed one!

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Hundreds of Anash and T’mimim, led by therabbanim of Crown Heights and the secretariat,attended the funeral of Dr. Resnick, who was one ofthe Rebbe’s doctors in 5738 (1977). After the Rebbe’sheart attack on Simchas Torah 5738, Dr. Weiss camefrom Chicago and stayed with the Rebbe until thebeginning of Cheshvan. Since he had a senior positionat the hospital in Chicago, he had to return to his job.Before he left, Dr. Resnick came to replace him.

Dr. Resnick wasn’t married at the time. He workedas a military doctor in Hawaii and was an observantJew. In order to leave his position in Hawaii, he had touse connections highup in the WhiteHouse. The Rebbe’sposition was taken intoconsideration, and Dr.Resnick was allowed tostay in New York.

At first, Dr. Resnickstayed in 770 twenty-four hours a day. Hisbedroom was RabbiDovid Raskin’s office,and the secretarieswatched the monitorthat was attached tothe Rebbe. As soon asthey saw anirregularity they wokeup Dr. Resnick.

In his capacity asdoctor, he had to makevital decisions thatwere in line with the Rebbe’s wishes, though they wentagainst the rules of medicine. He later related that hesaw how the Rebbe’s life was above the laws ofmedicine and nature. This was the impetus for him tobecome the Rebbe’s chassid.

As the Rebbe’s condition improved, Dr. Resnickspent his free time learning Gemara and sichos of theRebbe with bachurim in the zal of 770. Since theRebbe’s door was open to him, he would also ask theRebbe his questions on the sichos and received manyanswers.

When the Rebbe’s condition improved even more,

the Rebbe went home on Rosh Chodesh Kislev. For anumber of weeks the Rebbe walked home and Dr.Resnick accompanied him.

Dr. Resnick worked at a hospital in New York anddivided his time between the Rebbe and the hospital.

In 5740, he married his wife Molly. The Rebbe waspersonally involved in this shidduch, and when theywanted to set the wedding date for Yud Shvat, the

Rebbe said it should be on the 9th of Shvat, since hedidn’t want to take away from the simcha. The chuppatook place opposite the Rebbe’s house, and RebbetzinChaya Mushka a”h stood at her window and watched.

The next day, at thefarbrengen, the Rebbesaid Sheva Brachosshould take place atthe farbrengen.

The Resnicks livedin Detroit for a fewyears and morerecently moved toManhattan.Throughout the years,Dr. Resnick was one ofthe Rebbe’s team ofdoctors, and he visitedthe Rebbe many timesand enjoyed a specialrelationship with theRebbe. Dr. Resnicksent his children toLubavitch schools andthey are chassidim of

the Rebbe. Just two months ago, the oldest sonmarried.

A few months before the passing of the Rebbetzinin 5748, Mrs. Resnick visited the Rebbe with herchildren. The Rebbetzin graciously hosted them eventhough the little children ran around the house. TheRebbetzin took a great interest in them, and in thecourse of the visit, she said, “My husband can neverthank your husband enough for his devoted care.”

This past year Dr. Resnick was diagnosed with thedreaded disease, and he passed away at the young ageof 58.

DR. YAAKOV LIEBER RESNICK A”H

OBITUARY

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e mas462 a - Moshiach · 2013. 1. 21. · Torah as “a threefold light.” There are three elements[32] to Torah study: G-d’s giving the Torah, the Jews receiving it, and the Torah