56. x moshiach weekly adar

שער . . . וההוספה בלימוד התורה

בעניני משיח והגאולה היא ה"דרך הישרה" לפעול התגלות וביאת

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יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבינו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד

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Index

Yud Shevat: The Rebbe’s Plan A word from the Editors

Moshiach, The bigger PictureRabbi Simon Jacobson

Yud Shevat: A day to bring the Geulah A Sicha of the Rebbe

כל היוצא למלחמת בית דודThe Purpose of a Tomim: Moshiach

Reb Itche, Why don't you tell us the story? A Story

Moshiach's Sefer Torah The Story Behind

Crying doesn't help Ksav Yad Kodesh

Chess It's not just a game

Psak Din: Moshiach Must Come The 10th of Teves 5747

Moshiach On Air Yud Shevat 5753

The Chossid who lived Moshiach Reb Moshe Slonim

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Daloy Golus

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It is with great pleasure that we pres-ent our readership with this Expanded Edition of Moshiach Weekly, which is being released in time for 27 Adar 5774, the day when we saw our revered Rebbe suffers B’Gashmiyus, and we run into a major Golus which is still being held.

As we approach this moment, and contemplate on the fact that it has been over twenty Years since we have last seen our Rebbe, we immediately fill with a sense of longing and we yearn to see our Rebbe once again. However, even though these feelings of love and longing are a very important part of our hiskashrus to the Rebbe, neverthe-less we know that hamase hu ha'ikar, that these feelings must be brought into action and bring about a serious change in our day to day life. Fourtu-antely the Rebbe laid out a clear plan of action for us to bring Moshiach and be Zoche to his ultimate Hisgalus.

One of the things the Rebbe stressed time and time again after Yud Shevat 5710 was that in the last maamer that the Friediker Rebbe gave out (and more generally, in the Sichos of the last year of the Friediker Rebbe’s life) "דער רבי האט באווארענט The Rebbe anticipated“ ”אלץ everything and hinted everything” and that “I search among the subjects ex-plained in these maamarim for the an-swers to all the questions being asked”.

Based on this, in order to know what is demanded of ourselves as Chassi-dim at this time of העלם והסתר, we must look into the last Sichos which we were zoche to hear from our Rebbe and try to live with their message and bring

them down into our daily lives.The Rebbe prepared us, and before

27 Adar stressed deeply among us, how the month of Adar, is very connected with the speedy recovery and Geulah, in the Rebbe’s words: אדר – דבריא מזלי'ה. Adar has the power and the strengths - to make sure that our Rebbe will be health, and will return back to us – with the complete and final Geulah.

The Rebbe addressed us how to han-dle it, and to keep going even though all difficult situations. In 5752, short-ly before 27 Adar, the Rebbe spoke strongly among all various topics, how Simcha has the power to recover and heal this kind of situation. The Simcha in the month of Adar, all 60 days, can change it, and have our Rebbe back.

Nevertheless we know, that we can’t be happy - when we know and feel the deeply Golus we are in now, but together we that feeling we need to continue in our activities in hasten the Geulah, to believe and watch forward, that through our activities we will see our Rebbe once again!

It is our fervent hope that this pub-lication will inspire its readers to do more in all Inyonim connected with 'the only Shlichus', being Mekabel Pnei Moshiach, may this be the מכה בפטיש in bringing the Geulah, may we be zoche to see and hear our Rebbe ASAP, and He will lead us out of this hard deep and bitter Golus, and we will celebrate with him among all Chassidim the complete and final Geulah with joy and happiness, in Beis Hamkidash Hashli-shi, may in be right now!

Adar:

A complete and speedy

The Moshiach Weekly is a weekly publication for Chabad communities covering topics related to Moshiach and Geulah.

To subscribe or dedi-cate an issue contact us at: [email protected]

נסדר והוכן לדפוס ע"י:היייזיק גרשון בן שיינא באשא, מנחם מענ

דל בן מלכה זיסעל, מנחם מענדל בן שיינא שיינא חיה בן הכהן מענדל מנחם באשא, מנחם חיים רבקה, בן יוסף יעקב מיכלא, רבקה בן שלמה חנה, פריידעל בן מענדל מרים, בן זאנוויל ישראל שאול זלאטה,

שמואל בן אלנה.

Graphics and design: M. Abadi [email protected]

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Adar 5774 | 3

The events of Adar I 5752 were truly a par-

adox. On one hand we were then zoche to

an abundant shefa of 'דער העכסטע צייט' of

the Rebbe’s nsius, while on the other hand,

the perplexing event of a kidush Hashem in

the schunah followed by Chof-zayin Adar.

In this article we will recount some of the

many stirring events of this month with an

emphasis on the practical endeavors taken

by chassidim in accordance with the Reb-

be’s sichos and horo’ohs "נזכרים ונעשים"

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Adar 5774 | 5

Crown Heights, Winter 5752: Moshiach was in the air! With the sichos of the Rebbe

highlighting the imminent coming of Moshiach and the signs of its materialization, chassidei Chabad the world-over and particularly in Crown Heights, Schunas HaMelech, were able to truly sense “the footsteps of Moshiach”. The concept of “Living with Moshiach” was not a mere aspiration or wish, it was a reality.

As the months progressed, the idea of Moshiach and Geulah turned to being the central theme of every sicha; with the Rebbe connecting everything in Yiddishkeit and world events to this fundamental. In this article we will primarily describe the events leading up to the fateful day of Chof-Zayin Adar I, seeing clearly how the Rebbe prepared the chassidim for the situation of helem v’hester and provided us with the tools and convictions that we will soon merit its conclusion:

Gimmel Shvat 5752: The Rebbe surprised the small crowd pres-ent for Mincha when he asked for a microphone and launched into a particularly unordinary sicha. In this sicha the Rebbe de-cried in heartfelt terms the speech impediment that existed by the Fridiker Rebbe. Recalling a remark made by the doctor of the Fridiker Rebbe the Rebbe cried out “How could it be that the speech of a Nosi HaDor which communicates Dvar Hashem and Toras HaChassidus be impaired?!” The Rebbe followed to instruct the chassidim that we have the achrayus to fix up this chesoron: By learning and relaying to others an abundance of the Torah of Nosi Doreinu we are mashlim this chesoron and are po’el the ultimate shleimus with the coming of Moshiach. Trans-lating this horo’oh into ma’aseh be’po’el, a week later on the eve of Yud Shvat, the Rebbe personally handed out to the thousands present Kuntres Maamorim 5692 which was printed for the first time from ksav yad for the occasion.

Another intriguing event that transpired on that very same day was the instruction of the Rebbe to print the second book-let containing the Rebbes own Likkutei Sichos b’Inyonei Geulah u’Moshiach. The booklet had been prepared in Iyar 5751 by the members of Vaad L’Hafotzas HaSichos and had been waiting for the Rebbe’s approval before being sent to print. Now, some nine months later, the Rebbe instructed that it be hastily printed and that there be added to the Likkutei Sichos a number of sichos from 5752 which deal with inyonei Moshiach.

In the sicha of Thursday and Shab-bos Parshas Mishpotim the Rebbe brought the Moshiach awareness campaign to a new level. In an un-precedented sicha the Rebbe ex-plained how the historic end of Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was in a microcosm the fulfillment of the nevuah of Tanach, "וכתתו חרבותם לאתים". In much detail the Rebbe explained how the place where the event transpired and even the date point clearly to the fact that the Nosi HaDor, Moshiach Tzidkeinu, is orchestrating these events as a prelude to his to-tal revelation in the Geulah. This muggedike sicha (which was subsequently printed in tens of thousands of copies world-wide) the Rebbe ends off with an innovation, revealing a new Roshei

Teivos for the word "מיד", one of terms the Rebbe oft-uses the describe Moshiach’s imminent arrival: ",משיח )מנחם שמו(, יוסף יצחק ."דובער

The next day the Rebbe said a special sicha after Maariv. In this sicha the Rebbe spoke about the probability of there only being one Adar that year, even though it had already announced on Shabbos Mevorchim about there being two Adar’s.

A unique fact in regard to this sicha is the fact that it was public knowledge that there was going to be a sicha that night, unlike most weekday sicha’s which were a complete surprise. That Sun-day, Rabbi Yossef Tennenbaum had passed by the Rebbe during Sunday Dollars to ask the Rebbe for his brocha in regard to his upcoming visit to South Africa. The Rebbe proceeded to tell him that he should relay in South Africa the contents of the sicha that would be said that night after Maariv.

In retrospect chassidim saw in this sicha clear hints to the mat-zav of 27 Adar I. The Rebbe Rashab brings down that a leap-year is a year in which there is a fear that bad events will transpire, and it seems that the Rebbe wanted to avoid these events with the hope that there would be only one Adar which would lead straight into Nissan, Chodesh HaGeulah. Also the painful sicha of Gimmel Shvat, with the Rebbe speaking in such strong terms about the necessity of the Nosi HaDor’s speech to be in perfect order, less than two months before 27 Adar cannot be ignored.

"בזבוז האוצרות"

During the last days of Shvat and first few weeks of Adar I chassidim were zoche to a shefa of surprise sichos koidesh and dollars distributions which following them. Three weeks, one af-ter the other, the Rebbe surprised chassidim on four occasions (!) during the week, until in a way “surprises” became a sort of norm. This shefa of giluyim unparalleled in previous years brings to mind the moshol brought in Bosi L’Gani about the king who totally gives himself over to the simple soldiers and revealing in his greatest treasures, in order to achieve the ultimate victory.

As the Rebbe’s sichos regarding Moshiach intensified, chassi-dim were spurred to action; learning, teaching and publicizing the concepts of Moshiach and Redemption:

Regarding what was done in this regard in Chicago, IL, we can gain clarity from letter written to the Rebbe by one of the

shluchim to the city, Rabbi Yitzchok Wolf: “The students of our Cheder here are animatedly involved in the theme of Moshiach. The Jewish community, too, is discussing how in Lubavitch there is a tremendous excitement about Moshiach, and about the Lubavitcher Rebbe being Moshiach. We see evi-dently that when we speak about such

matters pleasantly and sincerely, our words are accepted. The time has come for Hashem to answer the supplication of Am Yisroel for the hisgalus of Moshiach, immediately mamosh”. On Erev Rosh Chodesh Adar I the Rebbe answered: “"שימשיך ]בבשו"ט ]בבשורות טובות[ אזכיר עה"צ ]על הציון

Another major subject discussed in these sichos dealt with mehus of Chodesh Adar which has a ‘healthy mazal’ )"בריא ותקיף

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and the koach of the 60 days of the two Adar months to be )"'מזליmevatel all bad things.

In a mayneh to Matteh Moshiach who had reported regarding the Melaveh Malkah which they had held Motzei Shabbos Par-shas Yisro (see text box) the Rebbe wrote: "הזמ"ג ]הזמן גרמא[ להרבות "בשמחה ובכפליים "שישים יום" אזכיר על הציון

In accordance with this, dancing with live music was held night-ly in 770 from 10:00-12:00 AM. During the dancing a brief in-terval was held during which Rabbi’s Berl Lipsker and Shlomo Majesky gave a chazorah of the lastest sichos of the Rebbe (often of that very night!).

Kiddush Hashem in the midst of Kan Tziva

On Thursday night, Leil Beis Adar Alef, the residents of Crown Heights were shocked to hear of the cruel murder of Mrs. Pesya Leah Lapine who was killed al Kiddush Hashem.

On Erev Shabbos, thousands gathered outside 770 for the Le-vayah procession. Close to 2 o’clock the Aron arrived and within minutes the Rebbe, looking extremely serious, led the procession walking closely behind the Aron. The Rebbe followed the Aron on to Kingston Avenue stopping under the huge “Moshiach Is On The Way” banner which stretched from one side of the street to the other, staring for ten minutes as the procession continued

down to the house of the nifteres.

The following Shabbos during the Farebrengen, Reb Itch’ke Gansburg got up (in between the sichos) and cried out that Chas-sidim and all of Klal Yisroel are “demanding, imploring, weeping; we need Moshiach NOW!”

During this announcement it was seen that the Rebbe was keen-ly paying to what was being said; after he finished the Rebbe said with a broad smile: “If there is a Rov here, he should state that on Shabbos it is oser to cry”. After a short wait the Rebbe asked twice more that a Rov should give a psak in this regard. Rabbi Yehudah Kalmen Marlow, Av Beis Din of the Schunah, proceeded to announce according to the Rebbe’s instruction that crying is prohibited on Shabbos. The Rebbe was not satisfied and asked that Rabbi Marlow repeat his psak in a louder voice. When he finished the Rebbe said in his direction, “Brochah v’hatzlochah”, and immediately began the freiliche Nigun Hakofos of his father, R’ Levi Yitzchok!...

At this moment the crowd was totally moved and surprised from the Rebbe’s reaction, the requests for the psak, and now this most freiliche nigun…

The Rebbe encouraged the singing with much enthusiasm, and especially as the crowd reached the well-known tnuah whenhe motioned to repeat it, over and over, a total of eleven times…

"נשתנו העיתים?!"

The idea for the Melaveh Malkah on Motzei Shabbos Parshas Yisro was sparked by a historic mayneh which the Rebbe released several days earlier:

During the winter of 5752 the word was circulating amongst the Chabad community that the Rebbe had had a certain change of at-titude in regards to peulos petitioning the קבלת המלכות of the Rebbe as Melech HaMoshiach. This rumor was the outcome of a number of occasions when the Rebbe had approved or even encouraged such activities, whether during Dollars or in mayneh’s to different shluchim etc. Also the frequent discussion of the identity of Moshiach during the Rebbe’s Farbrengen’s (and their subsequent print-ing as mugeh) was hard to ignore.

Finally early Shvat, Rabbi Mendel Lipsker, shliach in Johannesburg, South Africa, presented the dilemma as follows, in a letter to the Rebbe (free transla-tion): “…Everyone agrees 100% to the above, we only hesitate on account of our uncertainty that the Rebbe is in favor of such activities. (In the past, the Rebbe expressed his clear opposition to such matters, saying that they would distance Jews from the study of Chassidus. But now people are claiming that there are indications that the situation has changed; that now such activities are indeed desirable). Therefore, I dare ask - is the hour now appropriate for ”?"ובקשו..את דוד מלכם"

Several days after Yud Shvat the Rebbe answered: "תלוי בתנאי המקום. על חב"ד שעל "אתר לברר

Chassidim around the world rejoiced upon hearing of this mayneh, seeing in it a great chidush: In a stark turn-around from the position held in previous years, the Rebbe was officially permitting peulos of קבלת .in the case that the local Chabad sees it fit המלכות

In connection to this a special Melaveh Malka was held in Beis Chayenu, 770, that Motzei Shabbos, with the participation of over a thousand anash and tmimim. During the Melaveh Malka, the Rebbe’s chozer, R’ Yoel Kahn, spoke at length about the need for a koch and shturem in regards to inyonei Moshiach in general, and in particular the identity of Moshiach, as per the sichos and mayneh’s of the Rebbe. However, he said, he is not a Rov to say if this is a concept which is demanded according to Halochah. Following this, Rabbi Yosef Avrohom halevi Heller, member of the Crown Heights Beis Din, got up and said that during the past summer (of 5751) he investigated this inyan in depth and according to his findings it is totally clear that it is a chiyuv and mitzvah according to halocha for Am Yisroel to be mekabel the malchus of Moshiach already during the time of Golus. (The basis for this, among other profound

explanations in Geulah u’Moshiach, was later published in his sefer, "הלכתא למשיחא").

Adar 5774 | 7

However, that was not the end of it: On Motzei Tes Adar, the night fol-

lowing the end of the shivah, as Davening neared its end, the Rebbe turned facing the micro-

phone - the sign that the schtender should be set up for a sicha.

In this unusual sichah it seemed the Rebbe was direct-ing himself more to Hashem than to the large crowd gath-ered in 770. The sichah lasted some ten minutes and was said with much emotion. The toichen of the sichah was shock-ing, reminding many of the famous sicha of 28 Nissan 5751. The Rebbe spoke of the magnitude of msirus nefesh (especially that of a young mother) and the unbearable delay of the Geulah. In the middle of the sicha the Rebbe called out in visible pain “Bnei Yisroel have been found in Golus more than 1900 years! The avodah that was needed to bring Moshiach has been com-pleted, all measures have already been exhausted and it is not known what more can be possibly done; and nevertheless anoth-er week, another day and another second passes and we still do not have the Geulah b’poel mamash!”

The crowd gathered was greatly bothered by the words spoken, and aroused to do everything they possibly could to hasten the Geulah.

בתופים ובמחולות

At that time it had been planned a special event in which nshei ubnos Chabad and Jewish women in general were to gather and dance and rejoice in compete conviction in the speedy revelation of Moshiach. Following the cruel murder a question arose if, in light of the situation, the event should still be held and the Rebbe was asked regarding this. The Rebbe responded that it should be held as planned, albeit following the end of the shivah.

The next day, Sunday, 12 Adar I, one of the participants pre-sented the Rebbe with a tambourine decorated with the words “Yechi Adoneinu...Melech HaMoshiach Leolam Voed”. With tears in her eyes, she told the Rebbe; her voice choking with emotion (free translation): “This is for the Rebbe shlita; with this tambou-rine yesterday we danced with a simcha which breaks through all limitations, with total bitachon in the hisgalus of the Rebbe shlita Melech HaMoshiach, miyad mamash with the Geulah shleimah”.

A smile passed across the face of the Rebbe, who asked her, “This you will probably be leaving by me?” The women answered “Yes”, and R’ Leibel Groner took the tambourine and placed it among other things the Rebbe had received that day during Dollars.

The Rebbe handing her a second dollar said, “There should be והצלחה and immediately handed her a third dollar, while ,”ברכה pointing towards the tambourine: "ווי 'צלצלי תרועה' – דאס איז פאר די גוטע שעה א אין זיין אלץ אין תהלים, אנגרופען To two other women ."דאס who had participated the Rebbe gave an extra dollar saying that he is giving it on behalf of all of the participants.

"כתית למאור"

The Rebbe’s attention to the msirus nefesh was exceptional in the fact that several days subsequent the Rebbe was magiah a Maamer which discussed how the emunah and msirus nefesh of Yidden is empowered by the Nosi HaDor. In the Maamer ד"ה ואתה ,the Rebbe explains at length the special role of a Rebbe תצוה, תשמ"אMoshe of the generation, who deepens and reveals our inborn connection to Hashem. The Maamer proceeds to explain a higher level in msirus nefesh which is demanded in our generation: A Jew who enjoys a good life in the material and even spiritual sense must nevertheless be totally crushed, "אינגאנצען צוטרייסלט", from the

26 Adar I, 5752: The Rebbe’s Message to the World

A journalist questioned the Rebbe: “Why is this year particu-larly designated for the coming of Moshiach?”

The Rebbe answers, “The number for this year is "הי' תהא שנת .”"בתוכה, בכל מכל כל

The designer of the "היכונו לביאת המשיח" publicity campaign of Tzach in Eretz Yisroel presents himself. The Rebbe receives with a warm smile a framed picture of a huge Moshiach sign and wishes him "הצלחה רבה", three times.

Rabbi Yehudah Krinsky introduces a journalist from the ‘New York Post’.

Journalist: What is the message of the Rebbe to the world?

The Rebbe: That Moshiach is coming.

The Rebbe then added: “He is not only coming. He is on his way!”

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fact that we do not have the ul-timate Giluy Elokus which will be experienced in Yemos HaM-oshiach. The Maamer concludes that avodah of the Nosi HaDor is to reveal the emunah of Yid-den in a way that afterwards they should be able to do their avodah .בכח עצמם

The story of the hago’oh and chalukah is presented therein: On the night of Yud‐Gimmel Adar I at 8:00 the Maamer was brought in to the Rebbe’s holy room. At 2:15 the Rebbe placed the Maamer mugeh on the table next to his room (on which is placed urgent letters). At 5:50 AM a copy of the printed mugedike Maamer was placed on this table together with a duch of all the places the Maamer was sent to throughout the world (through Fax A Sicha). Not more than ten minutes passed and the Rebbe took the Maamer and the duch from the table into his room. In a rare move the Rebbe wrote a re-sponse regarding the duch expressing his hope that the Maamer cause the desirable effect.

The next afternoon, Monday, 13 Adar I, the Rebbe left 770 and headed towards his car which was to take him to the Mikveh, holding the Maamer in his hand. As he neared the car, the Rebbe told R’ Leibel Groner that he wanted to give out the Maamer that night, together with two dollars and Lekach (this would be the third time the Rebbe was to distribute Lekach besides the usual chalukas which took place during Tishrei).

By the time Rebbe had come back from the Mikveh the exciting news and already spread like wildfire…

At 6:40 the Rebbe entered a packed shul for Minchah‐Maariv. Hundreds of Anash and tmimim had also come in from the sur-rounding cities, Boston, New Haven and Morristown. At the cor-ner of the Bimah the sichah shchtender had already been prepared for a sichas kodesh after Maariv.

During the kaddeishim the Rebbe stared at the two Lapine chil-dren who stood next to the Bimah.

At 7:05 the Rebbe began a special sichah which lasted some 10 minutes. Following this, the Rebbe stood on his feet for the next

three hours, handing out to men, women and children the spe-cial Maamor. It is estimated that over 8,000 (!) people were zoche to receive the kuntres from the Rebbe’s holy hands. During the chalukah the Rebbe looked very “opgeleigt”, smiling to many and especially children. The Rebbe also encouraged strongly the singing of the bochurim, similar to a chalukas “Kos shel brochah”.

The Missing LevonahDuring the month of Chodesh

Adar I 5752 it was very overcast, and the Rebbe and chassidim

were not zoche to be mekadesh the levonah. Eye witnesses testify that during the nights preceding Chof-Zayin Adar the lights in the Rebbe’s room were on throughout the night more than usual. The Rebbe asked R’ Berel Yunik to be on the look-out for a Levo-nah and if there would be one to notify him immediately.

Chassidim later referred to a sicha the Rebbe had given during Chol-HaMoed Sukkos of that year in which he had mentioned a pisgom of R’ Hilel Paritcher who said, "וואס וואלט דעמאלט געווען"; “Who knows what could happen if I wouldn’t be able to be me-kadesh the levonah?”

It should be noted that also in Tishrei 5738, during which the Rebbe suffered a heart attack, there had not been an opportunity to be mekadesh the levonah1.

During that time period another intriguing event took place: For tens of years the Rebbe looked over the magazine, ‘Di Yidishe Heim’ which is printed quarterly by Nshei u’Bnos Chabad. A short time before 27 Adar an issue was brought before the Rebbe for hago’oh as usual. The Rebbe proceeded to write an answer for the editorial committee of the ‘Heim’: "מכאן ולהבא אין הזמ"ג ]הזמן from now on time will not permit (to edit)”.2“ ;"]גרמא

On Shabbos Parshas VaYakhel we were zoche to the last Farbren-gen (with sichos) לע"ע. The sichos were said in a special style, with the Rebbe discussing at length the concepts of Ahavas and Achdus Yisroel and giving tzedokah in a boundless measure. The Rebbe pointed out the specialty of the year תשנ"ב, in this that we see the beginning of the nevuah of קיבוץ גלויות, with millions of Jews being

Adar 5774 | 9

able t o

make ali-yah to Eretz Yis-

roel, with the knowledge and assistance of the nations of the world! The Rebbe also discussed the need to Yidden to wake up from their slumber in regards to spiritual matters, quoting the words of the Rambam, "עורו ישנים ."משינתכם

On Motzei Shabbos a תקציר, short overview of the Rebbe’s Farbregen, was given it to the Rebbe as was done every Motzei Shabbos. The Rebbe had never been magiah the תקציר, save the first time it appeared following the shturem’dike sichos of Shab-bos Parshas VaYikrah 5750, and no one expected that it be re-leased mugeh this time either. The תקציר had already been print-ed and sent international, when the Rebbe surprisingly released it mugeh several hours later with several hago’os.

On Sunday, 26 Adar I, following Mincha which took place in Gan Eden HaTachton the Rebbe gave out dollars, as on every Sunday.

The Rebbe gave out dollars for over five hours (!), from around 2:30 until 7:30. R' Leibel Groner relates that about three hours into the chalukah the Rebbe asked (for the first time since the be-ginning of the Dollar distributions) if there is a large crowd wait-ing and then instructed that only those who were already waiting inside 770 downstairs be able to receive a dollar.

Following Maariv in a rare move the Rebbe asked that Dr. Feldman visit him in his room. Towards the end of the visit Dr. Feldman asked the Rebbe to refrain to going to the Ohel on the morrow. The Rebbe replied, "די זאגן וועלן וואס און "?חסידים

The next day before the Rebbe headed to the Mikveh (as customary before visiting the Ohel) the Rebbe wrote a mayneh to R’ Dovid Nach-shon who had informed the Rebbe of an article in inyonei Geulah u’Moshiach which would be placed in the Tzi-vos Hashem magazine in Eretz Yisroel: התתקבל ות"ח ]ותשו]עות חן[ אזכיר עה"צ ]על הציון

At 2:45 the Rebbe exited 770 and distributed coins to

children and others who were present near his car which was to drive him to the Ohel. Before en-tering the car, the Rebbe waved his hand “good-bye”.

At around 5:45 it was known that something had happened to the Rebbe at the Ohel. Hundreds of worried chassidim packed 770, each one trying to figure out an-other bit of information, many whispered Tehillim silently. It was later revealed that around 5:15, after completing to read all the letters sent to him from around the world, the Rebbe had suffered a stroke, רח"ל. Rabbi Bin-yomin Klein, who arrived at the scene a short time later, related at a later occasion that when the ambulance came they wanted to take the Rebbe to the hospital, the Rebbe however told them clear “Seven-Seventy”. They pro-ceeded to suggest that the Rebbe

be brought to his home on President Street but the Rebbe refused again expressing his desire to be brought only to 770.

The general belief by chassidim was that nothing of such a se-rious nature could of possibly happened to the Rebbe. All were totally convinced that Purim and surely Yud-Alef Nissan, the Rebbe’s 90th birthday, would be celebrated with the Rebbe in per-fect health.

"ברוב שירה וזימרה"

That night there was a question if dancing should be held as had been done during the previous day or not, taking into account the bitter matzav. The organizers inquired of the opinion of HaRav Yehudah Kalmen Marlow who proceeded to call the Rebbe’s maz-kir, R’ Leibel Groner, asking him what he holds regarding the mat-

ter. Rabbi Groner responded that he feels that it should surely be held and with an even greater shturem. “In-deed this is what the Rebbe forewarned us - to nullify all bad things through adding in simchah”, he exclaimed.

That night hundreds of chassidim danced admist tears, “Der Rebbe iz gezunt; Moshiach kumt shoin!”. All cried out from the depths of their neshomo “Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu veRab-beinu Melech HaMoshiach Leolam Voed!”; hoping and praying for the Rebbe’s speedy refuah and the Geu-lah shleimah. Many recalled

יחי המלך!

It was also during this time, in the weeks and months fol-lowing 27 Adar when chassidim reminded themselves of a sicha which had been said some years before in which he states clearly a way to give chayus to the Nosi HaDor. In the sicha of Beis Nissan, 5748, the Rebbe spoke openly about how the declaration of “Yechi HaMelech” causes an addition in the life of the Nosi and brings to ביאת המשיח and תחיית המתים.

In Dor Hashvi’i this hachrozah found its expression in the hachrozah, "ועד לעולם המשיח מלך ורבינו מורנו אדוננו This ."יחי hachrozah and song had already been heard in קדשינו חצרות during Iyar 5751, enjoying the open encouragement of the Rebbe. As time went on the singing and declaration of “Ye-chi” became more commonly heard at chassidishe farbren-gens, with many even incorporating it into their Tfillos. In 5753, starting from Simchas Torah the Rebbe encouraged the singing of this song whenever he came out to chassi-dim, with vigorous motions of his holy head and sometimes even with his hand. This continued to be the seder up to and including the last time the Rebbe was seen in public on 14

Cheshvan, 5754.

10 | Moshiach Weekly

the words of the Rebbe in תשל"ח that his refuah will be brought about through an increase in simcha and stated unequivo-cally that getting depressed over the situation is totally against his holy rotzon. This feeling of chas-sidim was proven to be on the mark when several days later on Thursday, 30 Adar I, the Rebbe was heard saying an entire sen-tence3 "שירה ברוב קרובה רפואה תהי' ."וזימרה

"אינגאנצען צוטרייסלט"

The peuolos that chassidim took as a catalyst to bring to the Rebbe’s refuah were primarily directed in three areas:

1) Copious saying of Tehillim and adding in Tfillah. During the first weeks after 27 Adar there were minyonim in 770, 24 hours a day saying Tehillim for the Rebbe. Many chassidim also said the portion of Tehillim as it is divided into the days of the week. For the next two and a half years every Shabbos was like Shabbos Mevorchim with anash and tmimim reciting the entire Tehillim before Shachris. Anash were also encouraged to strengthen their davening with a Minyan and to have extra kavo-nah to beseech Hashem for the Rebbe’s speedy recovery.

2) Abundant study of the Rebbe’s Torah. In accordance with the sicha of Gimmel Shvat, mentioned-above, anash and tmimim added in their learn-ing and hafotzah of the Rebbe’s mamorim, sichos and igros in bountiful measure. Special at-tention was paid to parts of the Rebbe’s Torah where the con-cepts of refuah and dibur were discussed. (One of these ma-morim, תשמ"ח שפתים ניב בורא ,ד"ה was later edited by the Rebbe and released as "חודש ראש קונטרס .)"כסלו תשנ"ג

3) Added chayus in Mivtza Moshiach. To chassidim it was clear that the way to bring about the Rebbe’s refuah was first and foremost through be-ing involved in the latest sichos and horo’ohs that the Rebbe had given. These being the unique sichos of תנש"א-ב, which discuss at length the special tkufah we find ourselves in and the need to koch in learning, teaching and publicizing about the immedi-

ate arrival of Moshiach. Many new peulos were taken in this regard in the following months which received the Rebbe’s ex-plicit haskomah u’brocha.

The Jewish population in gen-eral expressed great interest and concern in the Rebbe’s situation. Thousands signed a form for קבלת and took upon themselves המלכותhachlotos to add in המצות to קיום hasten the refuah and Geulah.

Besides these three general abovementioned facets, tens of other ideas were brought up and tried around the world. The

atmosphere in those years was a tough one. Chassidim could find no rest with the terrible situation and waited and looked for any worthy suggestion that might be of aid to put an end to the Rebbe’s suffering.

27 Adar TodayToday, standing 22 years later, we cannot let the time which

has lapsed turn Golus into the norm. The Rebbe suffers רח"לtoday and awaits וכליון רוח בקוצר to be misgaleh4. We must עיניםbe ‘akshonim’, sticking to the clear words of the Rebbe and doing a we possibly can to bring them to their fulfillment. Very soon we will be zoche to the ful-fillment of the Rebbe’s nevuah, .'הנה הנה משיח בא'

1. It should also be noted that in 5737 the Rebbe spoke about the dangerous affects that could come about as the result of the printing of the profound Hemshech “B’Sho’o SheHekdimu” 5672 (which was later printed in the late summer of that year), and also in 5752 this Hem-shech was reprinted for the second time.

2. Heard from Rabbi Leibel Altein

3. In addition to this Dr. Eli Rosen, one of the doctors who were present in the Rebbe’s room in those years, related that he heard the Rebbe say on numerous occasions the words ."שירה וזימרה"

4. See Sichas Shabbos Parshas Tazria-Metzorah 5751.

27 Adar didn’t change a thing…At the Farbrengen of 11 Nissan 5752, R’ Leibel Groner re-

lated: “A certain women wrote to the Rebbe ‘Some people are saying that what transpired on 27 Adar occurred as result of the special activities designed to hasten the Geulah; as a result of our petition to Hashem that the Rebbe should be nisgaleh as Melech HaMoshiach. If this is true’ the women wrote, ‘ought we to conclude that we should stop such activities’?

“To this question the Rebbe did not respond” said Rabbi Groner.

“‘Should no answer be given to this woman?’ I asked the Rebbe.

“The Rebbe negated this suggestion.

“‘Should I answer her at all?’ I asked.

“The Rebbe indicated an affirmative response.

“I continued to ask, ‘Should I notify her that such activities, to hasten the arrival of the Geulah and the hisgalus of the Reb-be should stop?’

“The Rebbe negated this.

“‘Should I tell her to continue, and to do so in an increasing measure?’

“The Rebbe responded affirmatively.

“The above took place on Friday. The following Sunday a sim-ilar letter was sent. After I read it to the Rebbe, I informed him that that I had communicated his earlier response to the first letter, and that it created quite a stir. To my question ‘Does the first reply then alsole apply to [this] present letter?’ the Rebbe

nodded his head in the affirmative.”

Adar 5774 | 11

The “Sefer Torah To Greet

Moshiach" was completed on

Erev Shabbos, Yud Shevat,

5730; twenty years into the

Rebbe’s leadership. Today,

forty-four years later, many

people still remember that

momentous occasion, as

though they witnessed it just

yesterday. People were certain

that, in the very next


Adar 5774 | 13

Reb Avrohom Twersky (1806-1889), known as the Trisker Mag-gid, was renowned far and wide for his great piety and spiritual, supernatural powers. In addition to the many Chassidim who flocked to his gates to seek his advice on a wide range of topics and issues or merely to draw inspiration in their Avodas Hashem, many of his contemporaries, Tzadikim of immense stature in their own right, would also arrive at his court to spend time in his surround-ing and study his behavior.

His daily schedule was an extremely unusual one, spending much of his time in the seclusion of his bedroom, which was abandoned not only of human presence but also of any holy books, leaving his followers perplexed as to the nature of his occupation while in the privacy of his own four walls. Stories are told of those who were granted entry into his room during hours of seclusion, emanating from there shaken to the core after hearing his inter-world conver-sations with pitiful souls who begged him to have mercy on them and help them fix their wrongdoings while in this world.

An elderly Yid, who once reminisced before the Maggid about his trip to Chernobyl many years previously, saying that he remem-bered seeing the Maggid as a three year old, was amazed by his unassuming response “I too, recall your visit”. Discerning the man’s astonishment, the Maggid added this wasn’t a great feat, for he even remembered the entire Chassidic discourse which the Alter Rebbe delivered at the famous Zhlobiner Chasuno when he was an infant of two and half years (sippurei niflo’os migdoilei yisroel page 49).

He was especially known for his fervent enthusiasm when it came to the concepts of Moshiach and the Geulah he will bring with his arrival. At the turn of every year, he had the custom to derive im-plications from the number or name of that year, that Moshiach would arrive that year. When Challenged by the Brisker Rov, Reb Tzvi Hirsch Orenshtien

A familiar exposition rendering the saying “kol yemei chayecho lehovi liyemois haMoshiach” to mean “all the days of your life (should be dedicated) to bring about the days of Moshiach”, vastly attributed to the Frierdike Rebbe, can be found in his Sefer Mogen Ovos, albeit with slight variations.

This can be viewed as part of his general opinion that the future redemption will not be a sudden G-dly revelation, instigated solely by the divine desire, rather it will be a natural process achieved by the work and effort of Yidden. Therefore, he made a point of en-couraging his Chassidim, at every opportunity, to adequately pre-pare themselves for his arrival. This was the underlying inspiration of his talks on Moshiach at every possible occasion.

As we approach the festival of Purim, it is appropriate to men-tion a beautiful elucidation of the Trisker Maggid’s of the Posuk “ki im hachareish tacharishi bo’eis hazois” – explaining that this is addressed to Hashem, saying that if you don’t hurry and hasten the Geulah now, “revach vehatzoloh ya’amod layehudim mimokoim acheir” – the Yidden will seek other sources of livelihood such as studying in foreign institutions to qualify as doctors and lawyers,

“ve’at uveis ovich toiveidu” –Your Torah which begins with an Alef and ends with a Tof as well as the customs we received from our fathers will be lost. The only remaining possibility is to redeem Yidden from this dark exile.

It could be said that his education at home was what imbued in him such an intense longing for the Geulah, for the Chernobyl dy-nasty, in general, is known to have an inclination towards Moshiach matters. It is told of his father, the celebrated Reb Mottele of Cher-nobyl, that he would dress up in his Shabbos attire as befitting to greet Moshiach, and then he would go sit by the window gazing into the distance awaiting a very special guest – Moshiach.

How many tens of times does the Rebbe quote from the Sefer Me’or Einayim, by Reb Nochum of Chernobyl, father of Reb Mot-tele and grandfather of the Trisker Maggid, “that every Yid must rectify and prepare the part of Moshiach’s posture which is associ-ated with his Neshomo . . until the entire posture will be rectified and ready”.

Yet, something in the behavior of the Trisker was different to that of others who received the same education, the fiery drive toward a goal was somewhat more apparent.

The story that may shed some light goes as follows.

As mentioned previously, the daily schedule of the Trisker Mag-gid was painfully peculiar. Although no one could recount the adventures during his many hours in seclusion, it was clear that he barely ate and he would ration with his sleep. No Chossid pos-sessed the audacity to confront his Rebbe and inquire what the reason for this behavior, nor did any curious visitor who did pluck up the courage to dare ask actually receive a plausible explanation.

Such was life, until Reb Boruch of Mezhibuzh came to town. At


first the Maggid tried to shrug him off with some unreasonable excuse as he did all those who had previously inquired – he wasn’t obliged to give an explanation to anyone. At least so he thought. But that wouldn’t last very long. Reb Boruch grabbed him by the collar threatening that he would tear him away from this world as well as the next if he did not go ahead and spill the beans.

It must be understood, Reb Boruch, being a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, was at least two generations senior than himself, a grandson of Reb Nochum Chernobyler who was a student of the Mezritcher Maggid. In addition, Reb Boruch was legendary for his reliable kepeidos – they always materialized in their most literal sense.

Shaken by these sharp words coming from the revered Tzaddik that they did, Reb Avrohom was left with no choice other than to unveil his long reserved mystery.

“One day, early in the morning, my saintly father called me over commanding me that I should prepare myself for travel since I would soon be accompanying him on a journey. I prepared myself as commanded and we were soon on the way, riding by horse and wagon along the unpaved village roads. In no time we had entered the forest where the horses picked up speed and the trees began to whiz pass at lightning speed.

“Thus the journey continued for a long while through the thick of the forest, until the trees parted and we reached an opening. My father descended the wagon and walked into the meadow where he met an elderly man with a long white beard, his countenance shin-ing with an unmatched radiance, the likes of which I have never witnessed before. “After a short exchange of words, my father re-turned to the wagon and we were once again racing through the windy paths of the woods.

“I was brimming with curiosity. Who was that angelic man whom my father had travelled all this long way to meet for a meager few

seconds? What did they discuss in the course of that short ex-change? I gathered the nerves and requested of my father that he disclose to me the details of today’s events.

“My father granted. “That man was Moshiach, he was asking if he can come redeem the Yidden and my answer was that the time has not yet arrived”.

“If you would have seen”, the Maggid concluded his story, “with your very own eyes, the radiant face of the man so long awaited by Yidden throughout all the generations and your father would be compelled to delay his arrival, would you be able to eat? Would you be able to sleep?”

It was in the winter of 5752 and the Rebbe began to complain to his secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner, about the difficulty he was having with reading the small print in the Seforim he was using. Rabbi Groner didn’t waste a second and immediately summoned an eye Doctor who came to Crown Heights to perform an eye test in the Rebbe’s office, after which he raised the prescription in the Rebbe’s glasses.

It wasn’t more than a few weeks before the Rebbe was again com-plaining that the small print was giving him trouble. The Doctor was consulted once more. He suggested a special test, the equip-ment for which could not be transported to Crown Heights; rather, the Rebbe would need to travel to Manhattan to the Doctor’s sur-gery. The Doctor respectfully added that he would assure that the practice was deserted of human presence in the duration of the treatment.

So it was that on one winter day, shortly before 27 Adar, the Reb-be travelled to Manhattan for an eye test. In order that the Doctor should have a clear vision of the Rebbe’s eyes and the test be success-ful, drops were applied to enlarge the pupils. In the fifteen minute wait until the drops had their desired effect, the Doctor turned to the Rebbe with the following words: “I know that the Rebbe is ex-

Adar 5774 | 15


tremely busy and that ev-ery second of his time is most pre-cious, nev-e r t h e l e s s ,

would the Rebbe take the bother to answer one question”.

After receiving the Rebbe’s consent, the Doctor continued. “My job as a highly qualified physician brings me to extensive worldwide travel and wherever I go I have been exposed to the global work of the Chabad Chassidim. How is it”, he concluded his question, “that after all that has been done, Moshiach has still not come”.

“I have the same question”, the Rebbe confirmed, “however, it seems that something small remains to fill the cup”, the Rebbe ex-plained while signaling approximately a quarter of an inch with his holy hand, “therefore, I arouse my Chassidim at every opportunity to do more and keep active until Moshiach will come”.

“I don’t let my Chassidim sleep!”

The Rebbe as a role model

Every street goes two ways. When withholding sleep of his Chas-sidim, the Rebbe certainly was not relaxing on a swivel chair, far from it. It was a rare sight when the Rebbe leaned back on his chair. Reb Yochanan Gordon would say, “Er lebt alein nit un lozt nit an-dere leben - he himself doesn’t live and doesn’t let others live”.

Many stories are testimony to the extent of the Rebbe’s value of time. In the year 5704, when the Rebbe was Davening for the Omud after the passing of his saintly father, Reb Levi Yitzchok, he once inquired of the Mashgiach of the Yeshivah when the Bo-churim would be Davening, to which he replied “in ten or fifteen minutes”. The Rebbe was shocked, “ten or fifteen?! In five minutes one can overturn worlds”!

It seems that news of such episodes reached the Frierdike Rebbe, for the Mashgiach was promptly summoned to a meeting where he were to explain why the Rebbe was repeatedly kept waiting. When he said that it was ‘only’ five minutes, the Frierdike Rebbe retorted, “by my son-in-law a minute is like a year, if you waste five minutes of his time, you have wasted five years”.

How many times did the Rebbe say or write the words “לנצל את -to utilize the time”? Try this: search these words in the Si - הזמןchos and Igros, then sit back and watch the result. Well, don’t sit back but you sure want to watch the result. It is not only about the quantity of how many seconds are filled and how many not, it is also about the quality of the second and to what extent each mo-ment is stretched.

Rabbi Nissen Mindel, not one to exaggerate, describes the strain he experienced while working in the secretariat. The Rebbe “would sweep through a one or two page letter with extraordinary speed, missing nothing on, or between, the lines. Then, putting that let-ter down and taking another one up, the Rebbe simultaneously dictated his response to the first letter point by point seriatim, or in order of importance, as he determined. Thus, while the secre-tary was racing against time, taking notes in his own original steno “code,” the Rebbe was already poised to reply to the next letter . . .

“. . . Occasionally, the Rebbe would ask me to read a letter aloud

to him – not so much, I surmised, because of the difficult script, as in order to be able to read another letter or two while I got on with the reading, to which he scarcely seemed to pay attention. When I concluded my reading, the Rebbe would dash off his replies in his inimitable manner, quickly and unhesitatingly, both to the let-ter I had read aloud, as well as to the next one or two that he had, concurrently, read well ahead of me” (general introduction to ‘the letter and the spirit’).

The former Rov of Crown Heights, Rabbi Yehudah Kalman Mar-


Shevat 5774 | 17

low, once followed the Rebbe to his room after the Hakofos of Simchas Torah eve. The Rebbe swung the door open and before the door had even closed, a large Shulchon Oruch (Mechaber) was opened and the Rebbe learning from it. Yes, immediately after Ha-kofos which usually ended at approximately 2 a.m.

Once, as the Rebbe was approaching the door to his office, a Chossid who had been debating whether to bother the Rebbe with his question finally plucked up the courage and called out “Rebbe”. The Rebbe span around on one foot with a beaming grin on his holy face and while the Chossid presented his dilemma, the crowd of onlookers couldn’t help but notice that the Rebbe was swinging a key around his finger. That is when they realized that the Rebbe would prepare the key before reaching the door so that he wouldn’t need to waste time getting it out while standing by the door.

The favorite observation in this vain is that the Rebbe never took a day of vacation in his entire life, at least not since anyone knew him. Even when a doctor warned that if the Rebbe didn’t relax somewhat, the terrifying events of Shmini Atzeres 5738 could very possibly repeat themselves, the Rebbe refused to remove a single detail from his daily schedule. It was just out of the question.

Retirement at the age of seventy was an appalling proposition. As if to spite those who put forward such a horrendous suggestion, at the Farbrengen held in honor of his seventieth birthday, the Rebbe announced that the coming year he would be expecting seventy new institutions to be established.

Precisely ten years later, on 11 Nissan 5742, the Rebbe dedicated an entire Sicha to negate the notion that when a person feels his energy waning as life goes on, this is a sign that the time has come to slow down and take it easy. That is one way of looking at things, the Rebbe suggests another. If Hashem gave you another moment of life when you have at least one ounce of energy, the reason is that it is expected of you to operate to the fullest capacity of that one ounce.

No time to rest

But just to sit back and marvel at the Rebbe’s absolute devotion to fully utilizing every moment would be missing the point, for the Rebbe assured the doctor “I don’t let my Chassidim sleep”. These words are not only a statement; they are also a resounding demand. We bear the responsibility to live up to the truth of the Rebbe’s assurance and achieve the goal of this restless long Golus night.

As the saying goes, “after 120 years there will be plenty time to rest”. Slightly revised to better fit our context, that would read “when Moshiach will come there will be plenty time to rest”, until then - there simply isn’t. The era of the future redemption is de-scribed as “a day which is entirely rest”. Even the manner in which the actual exodus will take place will be rather laid back. Until then things are very different.

After a detailed and lengthy counsel as to how to deal with the constant harassment of the evil inclination, the Rebbe continues to provide what is, in his opinion, a more effective method. “He shall explain to himself, that although it is said about the generation of the heels of Moshiach that they will not leave in a hurry [and they will not go in a rush], this is said once the redemption and the departure from exile actually begins, not so in the last moments of the days of Golus, on the contrary, every passing moment becomes

more valuable, since soon will come the years about which you said I have no desire in them (tractate Shabbos 151b), therefore it is necessary to utilize every moment in the most effective way” (Igros Kodesh Vol 13, 444).

When someone complained about depression, the Rebbe ex-pressed his bewilderment, “I wonder???, from where do Anash ob-tain spare time for such things? Do they really not see and feel that the current time is of utmost preciousness, and every moment is a concept??? which must be used to its maximum” (Igros Kodesh Vol 14, 503).

In reply to a report informing of all the activities and develop-ments of a certain school, the Rebbe indicates the evident spiritual energy showered down by the Chabad leaders, complaining that they are utterly ignored by their recipients, not only in that school but the world over, the result being a minimal reaction on their part relative to the expected and desired effect. Quoting his father-in-law’s passionate words, “es vet bald kumen di tzeit (???) az mi vet zich chapen faren kop, es iz geven aza tayere tzeit un mi hot dos nit oisgenitzt” (Igros Kodesh Vol 14, 264).

Let us take a look at the words the Rebbe chose as introduction to HaYom Yom, the Sefer which is supposed to lead us in our daily lives. Again, quoting from his father-n-law In the current time of world-tremor, when the entire world trembles from the birth-pangs of Moshiach, that Hashem has ignited the walls of Golus . . It is the duty of every Yid, man and woman, young and old, to pose themselves the question:

What have I done and what am I doing to ease the birth-pangs of Moshiach and merit to the complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach”.

Ksav Yad - “af vos vart men” . . .

ולהיות נשמע תמיד באזנינו

Spiritually uncomfortable

Even when one is entirely involved and immersed in spirituality - Torah study and the fulfillment of Mitzvos, one must not suffice with the high spiritual status he has attained thus slacking in the intensity of his yearning for the Geulah.

It doesn't take more than a simple equation: the highest level of G-dliness anyone can possibly reach through his Avodas Hashem in the time of Golus is Chitzoniyus Atik, by contrast to the G-dly revelation which will be readily accessible to every Yid in the time of Moshiach is Pnimiyus Atik. So is written in Eitz Chayim in the name of the Arizal and for the Rebbe this serves as another incen-tive to yearn for the arrival of Moshiach.

We must take a lesson from the Yidden in Mitzrayim. When was the last time you sat down to dinner with your coat zipped up, a scarf around your neck and car keys swinging around your finger? Well, contrary to the common custom in those days, to place ones staff in the corner of the room, remove ones shoes and untie ones belt before commencing to dine, the Yidden were commanded to eat the Korbon Pesach "your belts girded, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand, and you shall eat it hurriedly"!

Why, because they were about to embark on a journey out of the land where Jews were oppressed for more than two centuries; more importantly, this was the voyage which would lead them to the once in history event, they would receive the Torah and it's Mitz-

Adar 5774 | 17

vos on Mount Sinai.

Still, this is dif-ficult to com-prehend, for were they not

fulfilling a fresh, hot off the press commandment of Hashem? Wouldn't it be more respectful of the A-lmighty if they were to sit down to feast on the "roast lamb chops" in a more relaxed setting? Don't we know that whilst learning Torah and fulfilling Mitzvos one is connected to Hashem in the deepest, most profound way?

The message here is clear. No matter in which lofty affairs one may be occupied, this must not cause him to forget, even for one second, that the situation is not the way it should be. As long as Yid-den are still suffering in Golus, together with whom the Shechinah is also enduring unimaginable pain, it is forbidden to stand by and watch cold bloodedly. At any given second, one must be ready to pick up and step aboard the heavenly clouds for the express flight to Eretz Yisroel, like a jet just even faster (Sefer Hasichos 5751 468). Moreover, one must await this and yearn for it constantly. It is told of the Chofetz Chayim that his suitcase was always packed as if he had plans for travel. In fact, he did! He would be travelling to the holy land together with all his fellow brethren. Being a Ko-hen, he would run up and down the staircase in his house so that he would be fit enough to serve in the Beis Hamikdosh. Similarly, it has been mentioned above that Reb Mottel of Chernobyl would sit next to the window dressed in festive Shabbos clothes looking out for Moshiach.

If in their generation so, how much more so in our times, when we have been promised that ours is the last generation of Golus and the first of Geulah, when we have been informed that every-thing that must be done to bring Moshiach has already been done and all that remains is for us to appropriately prepare ourselves to greet him, is this not reason enough to dress to the occasion. Incidentally, the silk Kapote which the Rebbe would wear only on Shabbos, became every day wear in the year 5750. The reason is unknown, but one thing we do know about that year is that . . . Reb Avrohom Twersky (1806-1889), known as the Trisker Maggid, was renowned far and wide for his great piety and spiritual, super-natural powers. In addition to the many Chassidim who flocked to his gates to seek his advice on a wide range of topics and issues or merely to draw inspiration in their Avodas Hashem, many of his contemporaries, Tzadikim of immense stature in their own right, would also arrive at his court to spend time in his surrounding and study his behavior.

His daily schedule was an extremely unusual one, spending much of his time in the seclusion of his bedroom, which was abandoned not only of human presence but also of any holy books, leaving his followers perplexed as to the nature of his occupation while in the privacy of his own four walls. Stories are told of those who were granted entry into his room during hours of seclusion, emanating from there shaken to the core after hearing his inter-world conver-sations with pitiful souls who begged him to have mercy on them and help them fix their wrongdoings while in this world.

An elderly Yid, who once reminisced before the Maggid about his trip to Chernobyl many years previously, saying that he remem-bered seeing the Maggid as a three year old, was amazed by his unassuming response “I too, recall your visit”. Discerning the man’s astonishment, the Maggid added this wasn’t a great feat, for he

even remembered the entire Chassidic discourse which the Alter Rebbe delivered at the famous Zhlobiner Chasuno when he was an infant of two and half years (sippurei niflo’os migdoilei yisroel page 49).

He was especially known for his fervent enthusiasm when it came to the concepts of Moshiach and the Geulah he will bring with his arrival. At the turn of every year, he had the custom to derive im-plications from the number or name of that year, that Moshiach would arrive that year. When Challenged by the Brisker Rov, Reb Tzvi Hirsch Orenshtien

A familiar exposition rendering the saying “kol yemei chayecho lehovi liyemois haMoshiach” to mean “all the days of your life (should be dedicated) to bring about the days of Moshiach”, vastly attributed to the Frierdike Rebbe, can be found in his Sefer Mogen Ovos, albeit with slight variations.

This can be viewed as part of his general opinion that the future redemption will not be a sudden G-dly revelation, instigated solely by the divine desire, rather it will be a natural process achieved by the work and effort of Yidden. Therefore, he made a point of en-couraging his Chassidim, at every opportunity, to adequately pre-pare themselves for his arrival. This was the underlying inspiration of his talks on Moshiach at every possible occasion.

As we approach the festival of Purim, it is appropriate to men-tion a beautiful elucidation of the Trisker Maggid’s of the Posuk “ki im hachareish tacharishi bo’eis hazois” – explaining that this is addressed to Hashem, saying that if you don’t hurry and hasten the Geulah now, “revach vehatzoloh ya’amod layehudim mimokoim acheir” – the Yidden will seek other sources of livelihood such as studying in foreign institutions to qualify as doctors and lawyers, “ve’at uveis ovich toiveidu” –Your Torah which begins with an Alef and ends with a Tof as well as the customs we received from our fathers will be lost. The only remaining possibility is to redeem Yidden from this dark exile.

It could be said that his education at home was what imbued in him such an intense longing for the Geulah, for the Chernobyl dy-nasty, in general, is known to have an inclination towards Moshiach matters. It is told of his father, the celebrated Reb Mottele of Cher-nobyl, that he would dress up in his Shabbos attire as befitting to greet Moshiach, and then he would go sit by the window gazing into the distance awaiting a very special guest – Moshiach.

How many tens of times does the Rebbe quote from the Sefer Me’or Einayim, by Reb Nochum of Chernobyl, father of Reb Mot-tele and grandfather of the Trisker Maggid, “that every Yid must rectify and prepare the part of Moshiach’s posture which is associ-ated with his Neshomo . . until the entire posture will be rectified and ready”.

Yet, something in the behavior of the Trisker was different to that of others who received the same education, the fiery drive toward a goal was somewhat more apparent.

The story that may shed some light goes as follows.

As mentioned previously, the daily schedule of the Trisker Mag-gid was painfully peculiar. Although no one could recount the adventures during his many hours in seclusion, it was clear that he barely ate and he would ration with his sleep. No Chossid pos-sessed the audacity to confront his Rebbe and inquire what the reason for this behavior, nor did any curious visitor who did pluck up the courage to dare ask actually receive a plausible explanation.


Such was life, until Reb Boruch of Mezhibuzh came to town. At first the Maggid tried to shrug him off with some unreasonable excuse as he did all those who had previously inquired – he wasn’t obliged to give an explanation to anyone. At least so he thought. But that wouldn’t last very long. Reb Boruch grabbed him by the collar threatening that he would tear him away from this world as well as the next if he did not go ahead and spill the beans.

It must be understood, Reb Boruch, being a grandson of the Baal Shem Tov, was at least two generations senior than himself, a grandson of Reb Nochum Chernobyler who was a student of the Mezritcher Maggid. In addition, Reb Boruch was legendary for his reliable kepeidos – they always materialized in their most literal sense.

Shaken by these sharp words coming from the revered Tzaddik that they did, Reb Avrohom was left with no choice other than to unveil his long reserved mystery.

“One day, early in the morning, my saintly father called me over commanding me that I should prepare myself for travel since I would soon be accompanying him on a journey. I prepared myself as commanded and we were soon on the way, riding by horse and wagon along the unpaved village roads. In no time we had entered the forest where the horses picked up speed and the trees began to whiz pass at lightning speed.

“Thus the journey continued for a long while through the thick of the forest, until the trees parted and we reached an opening. My father descended the wagon and walked into the meadow where he met an elderly man with a long white beard, his countenance shin-ing with an unmatched radiance, the likes of which I have never witnessed before. “After a short exchange of words, my father re-turned to the wagon and we were once again racing through the windy paths of the woods.

“I was brimming with curiosity. Who was that angelic man whom my father had travelled all this long way to meet for a meager few seconds? What did they discuss in the course of that short ex-change? I gathered the nerves and requested of my father that he disclose to me the details of today’s events.

“My father granted. “That man was Moshiach, he was asking if he can come redeem the Yidden and my answer was that the time has not yet arrived”.

“If you would have seen”, the Maggid concluded his story, “with your very own eyes, the radiant face of the man so long awaited by Yidden throughout all the generations and your father would be compelled to delay his arrival, would you be able to eat? Would you be able to sleep?”

It was in the winter of 5752 and the Rebbe began to complain to his secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner, about the difficulty he was having with reading the small print in the Seforim he was using. Rabbi Groner didn’t waste a second and immediately summoned an eye Doctor who came to Crown Heights to perform an eye test in the Rebbe’s office, after which he raised the prescription in the Rebbe’s glasses.

It wasn’t more than a few weeks before the Rebbe was again com-plaining that the small print was giving him trouble. The Doctor was consulted once more. He suggested a special test, the equip-ment for which could not be transported to Crown Heights; rather, the Rebbe would need to travel to Manhattan to the Doctor’s sur-

gery. The Doctor respectfully added that he would assure that the practice was deserted of human presence in the duration of the treatment.

So it was that on one winter day, shortly before 27 Adar, the Reb-be travelled to Manhattan for an eye test. In order that the Doc-tor should have a clear vision of the Rebbe’s eyes and the test be successful, drops were applied to enlarge the pupils. In the fifteen minute wait until the drops had their desired effect, the Doctor turned to the Rebbe with the following words: “I know that the Rebbe is extremely busy and that every second of his time is most precious, nevertheless, would the Rebbe take the bother to answer one question”.

After receiving the Rebbe’s consent, the Doctor continued. “My job as a highly qualified physician brings me to extensive worldwide travel and wherever I go I have been exposed to the global work of the Chabad Chassidim. How is it”, he concluded his question, “that after all that has been done, Moshiach has still not come”.

“I have the same question”, the Rebbe confirmed, “however, it seems that something small remains to fill the cup”, the Rebbe ex-plained while signaling approximately a quarter of an inch with his holy hand, “therefore, I arouse my Chassidim at every opportunity to do more and keep active until Moshiach will come”.

“I don’t let my Chassidim sleep!”

The Rebbe as a role model

Every street goes two ways. When withholding sleep of his Chas-sidim, the Rebbe certainly was not relaxing on a swivel chair, far from it. It was a rare sight when the Rebbe leaned back on his chair. Reb Yochanan Gordon would say, “Er lebt alein nit un lozt nit an-dere leben - he himself doesn’t live and doesn’t let others live”.

Many stories are testimony to the extent of the Rebbe’s value of time. In the year 5704, when the Rebbe was Davening for the Omud after the passing of his saintly father, Reb Levi Yitzchok, he once inquired of the Mashgiach of the Yeshivah when the Bo-churim would be Davening, to which he replied “in ten or fifteen minutes”. The Rebbe was shocked, “ten or fifteen?! In five minutes one can overturn worlds”!

It seems that news of such episodes reached the Frierdike Rebbe, for the Mashgiach was promptly summoned to a meeting where he were to explain why the Rebbe was repeatedly kept waiting. When he said that it was ‘only’ five minutes, the Frierdike Rebbe retorted, “by my son-in-law a minute is like a year, if you waste five minutes of his time, you have wasted five years”.

How many times did the Rebbe say or write the words “לנצל את -to utilize the time”? Try this: search these words in the Si - הזמןchos and Igros, then sit back and watch the result. Well, don’t sit back but you sure want to watch the result. It is not only about the quantity of how many seconds are filled and how many not, it is also about the quality of the second and to what extent each mo-ment is stretched.

Rabbi Nissen Mindel, not one to exaggerate, describes the strain he experienced while working in the secretariat. The Rebbe “would sweep through a one or two page letter with extraordinary speed, missing nothing on, or between, the lines. Then, putting that let-ter down and taking another one up, the Rebbe simultaneously dictated his response to the first letter point by point seriatim,

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or in order of importance, as he deter-mined. Thus, while the secretary was racing against

time, taking notes in his own original steno “code,” the Rebbe was already poised to reply to the next letter . . .

“. . . Occasionally, the Rebbe would ask me to read a letter aloud to him – not so much, I surmised, because of the difficult script, as in order to be able to read another letter or two while I got on with the reading, to which he scarcely seemed to pay attention. When I concluded my reading, the Rebbe would dash off his replies in his inimitable manner, quickly and unhesitatingly, both to the let-ter I had read aloud, as well as to the next one or two that he had, concurrently, read well ahead of me” (general introduction to ‘the letter and the spirit’).

The former Rov of Crown Heights, Rabbi Yehudah Kalman Mar-low, once followed the Rebbe to his room after the Hakofos of Simchas Torah eve. The Rebbe swung the door open and before the door had even closed, a large Shulchon Oruch (Mechaber) was opened and the Rebbe learning from it. Yes, immediately after Ha-kofos which usually ended at approximately 2 a.m.

Once, as the Rebbe was approaching the door to his office, a Chossid who had been debating whether to bother the Rebbe with his question finally plucked up the courage and called out “Rebbe”. The Rebbe span around on one foot with a beaming grin on his holy face and while the Chossid presented his dilemma, the crowd of onlookers couldn’t help but notice that the Rebbe was swinging a key around his finger. That is when they realized that the Rebbe would prepare the key before reaching the door so that he wouldn’t need to waste time getting it out while standing by the door.

The favorite observation in this vain is that the Rebbe never took a day of vacation in his entire life, at least not since anyone knew him. Even when a doctor warned that if the Rebbe didn’t relax somewhat, the terrifying events of Shmini Atzeres 5738 could very possibly repeat themselves, the Rebbe refused to remove a single detail from his daily schedule. It was just out of the question.

Retirement at the age of seventy was an appalling proposition. As if to spite those who put forward such a horrendous suggestion, at the Farbrengen held in honor of his seventieth birthday, the Rebbe announced that the coming year he would be expecting seventy new institutions to be established.

Precisely ten years later, on 11 Nissan 5742, the Rebbe dedicated an entire Sicha to negate the notion that when a person feels his energy waning as life goes on, this is a sign that the time has come to slow down and take it easy. That is one way of looking at things, the Rebbe suggests another. If Hashem gave you another moment of life when you have at least one ounce of energy, the reason is that it is expected of you to operate to the fullest capacity of that one ounce.

No time to rest

But just to sit back and marvel at the Rebbe’s absolute devotion to fully utilizing every moment would be missing the point, for the Rebbe assured the doctor “I don’t let my Chassidim sleep”.

These words are not only a statement; they are also a resounding demand. We bear the responsibility to live up to the truth of the Rebbe’s assurance and achieve the goal of this restless long Golus night.

As the saying goes, “after 120 years there will be plenty time to rest”. Slightly revised to better fit our context, that would read “when Moshiach will come there will be plenty time to rest”, until then - there simply isn’t. The era of the future redemption is de-scribed as “a day which is entirely rest”. Even the manner in which the actual exodus will take place will be rather laid back. Until then things are very different.

After a detailed and lengthy counsel as to how to deal with the constant harassment of the evil inclination, the Rebbe continues to provide what is, in his opinion, a more effective method. “He shall explain to himself, that although it is said about the generation of the heels of Moshiach that they will not leave in a hurry [and they will not go in a rush], this is said once the redemption and the departure from exile actually begins, not so in the last moments of the days of Golus, on the contrary, every passing moment becomes more valuable, since soon will come the years about which you said I have no desire in them (tractate Shabbos 151b), therefore it is necessary to utilize every moment in the most effective way” (Igros Kodesh Vol 13, 444).

When someone complained about depression, the Rebbe ex-pressed his bewilderment, “I wonder???, from where do Anash ob-tain spare time for such things? Do they really not see and feel that the current time is of utmost preciousness, and every moment is a concept??? which must be used to its maximum” (Igros Kodesh Vol 14, 503).

In reply to a report informing of all the activities and develop-ments of a certain school, the Rebbe indicates the evident spiritual energy showered down by the Chabad leaders, complaining that they are utterly ignored by their recipients, not only in that school but the world over, the result being a minimal reaction on their part relative to the expected and desired effect. Quoting his father-in-law’s passionate words, “es vet bald kumen di tzeit (???) az mi vet zich chapen faren kop, es iz geven aza tayere tzeit un mi hot dos nit oisgenitzt” (Igros Kodesh Vol 14, 264).

Let us take a look at the words the Rebbe chose as introduction to HaYom Yom, the Sefer which is supposed to lead us in our daily lives. Again, quoting from his father-n-law In the current time of world-tremor, when the entire world trembles from the birth-pangs of Moshiach, that Hashem has ignited the walls of Golus . . It is the duty of every Yid, man and woman, young and old, to pose themselves the question:

What have I done and what am I doing to ease the birth-pangs of Moshiach and merit to the complete redemption through our righteous Moshiach”.

Ksav Yad - “af vos vart men” . . .

ולהיות נשמע תמיד באזנינו

Spiritually uncomfortable

Even when one is entirely involved and immersed in spirituality - Torah study and the fulfillment of Mitzvos, one must not suffice with the high spiritual status he has attained thus slacking in the intensity of his yearning for the Geulah.


It doesn't take more than a simple equation: the highest level of G-dliness anyone can possibly reach through his Avodas Hashem in the time of Golus is Chitzoniyus Atik, by contrast to the G-dly revelation which will be readily accessible to every Yid in the time of Moshiach is Pnimiyus Atik. So is written in Eitz Chayim in the name of the Arizal and for the Rebbe this serves as another incen-tive to yearn for the arrival of Moshiach.

We must take a lesson from the Yidden in Mitzrayim. When was the last time you sat down to dinner with your coat zipped up, a scarf around your neck and car keys swinging around your finger? Well, contrary to the common custom in those days, to place ones staff in the corner of the room, remove ones shoes and untie ones belt before commencing to dine, the Yidden were commanded to eat the Korbon Pesach "your belts girded, your shoes on your feet and your staff in your hand, and you shall eat it hurriedly"!

Why, because they were about to embark on a journey out of the land where Jews were oppressed for more than two centuries; more importantly, this was the voyage which would lead them to the once in history event, they would receive the Torah and it's Mitzvos on Mount Sinai.

Still, this is difficult to comprehend, for were they not fulfilling a fresh, hot off the press commandment of Hashem? Wouldn't it be more respectful of the A-lmighty if they were to sit down to feast on the "roast lamb chops" in a more relaxed setting? Don't we know that whilst learning Torah and fulfilling Mitzvos one is con-nected to Hashem in the deepest, most profound way?

The message here is clear. No matter in which lofty affairs one may be occupied, this must not cause him to forget, even for one second, that the situation is not the way it should be. As long as Yid-den are still suffering in Golus, together with whom the Shechinah is also enduring unimaginable pain, it is forbidden to stand by and watch cold bloodedly. At any given second, one must be ready to pick up and step aboard the heavenly clouds for the express flight to Eretz Yisroel, like a jet just even faster (Sefer Hasichos 5751 468). Moreover, one must await this and yearn for it constantly. It is told of the Chofetz Chayim that his suitcase was always packed as if he had plans for travel. In fact, he did! He would be travelling to the holy land together with all his fellow brethren. Being a Ko-hen, he would run up and down the staircase in his house so that he would be fit enough to serve in the Beis Hamikdosh. Similarly, it has been mentioned above that Reb Mottel of Chernobyl would sit next to the window dressed in festive Shabbos clothes looking out for Moshiach.

If in their generation so, how much more so in our times, when we have been promised that ours is the last generation of Golus and the first of Geulah, when we have been informed that every-thing that must be done to bring Moshiach has already been done and all that remains is for us to appropriately prepare ourselves to greet him, is this not reason enough to dress to the occasion. Incidentally, the silk Kapote which the Rebbe would wear only on Shabbos, became every day wear in the year 5750. The reason is unknown, but one thing we do know about that year is that . . .

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crying doesnt help!

"זה מכו"כ ]=מכמה וכמה[ חדשים שמרעישים ויותר )ובהה ההכרח באחדות ישראל ככאן ע"ד ]=על דבר[

ושזהו וכו', מחלוקת ושלילת ישראל( אהבת קדמת להשים - ישירות נוגע ובמילא הגלות, סיבת ביטול

הץץ לגלות ולהביא את הגאולה, וכל השתדלות האפשרית בזה מקדימה קץ הגלות, ובכ"ז ]=ובכל זה[ חובת אאאו" ]כל אחד ואחד[ הרוצה ומצפה לגאולה להשתה

דל )ולהזהר מהפכו(.

כי מינה[, ]=נפקא נפק"מ אין כו'- היא כוונתם מה בפו"מ ]בפועל ממש[ שהן כנ"ל. לסיה ווגע התוצאותםוו - פעולתם הנ"ל ותוצאותי' מידיות: מחלוקת, פיה

רוד הלבבות, היפך מהפצת אהבת ישראל, פאררייסען עם רבבות מישראל וכו', וכתוצאה מכ"ז פארשלעה ייך

פען קץ הגלות, ר"ל ]רחמנא ליצלן[. וכו'."

No matter, what his intentions may have been, being that the cause of Galus is Sin'as Chinam, one must completley distance himself from anything which cause the opposite of Ahavas Yisroel. Rather, by increasing constantly when-ever possible in Ahavas Yisroel, can we hasten Moshiach's coming.

In the following letter, the Rebbe writes very sharply to a certain chossid, who apparently did a Peulah, which in-adverdantly caused a lot of Machlokes etc.

KS

Av

YA

D K

OD

ES

H


A S

TO

RY

“It was in the year 5688,” Reb Shemayahu Sasonkin recalls, “that I met Reb Itche Der Masmid, in the city of Charkov. At that time, I was fleeing the city of Batumi and I found refuge in the city of Charkov. When I had been in the city for a couple of days and had settled in, I met with Reb Itche.

We spoke about many subjects, one in particular about a concept that I had contemplated while I was still in Batumi regarding a Ram-bam at the end of Hilchos Malochim.

The Rambam says that, “If a king will arise from the House of Dovid, who, like Dovid his ancestor, delves deeply into the study of the Torah and engages in the Mitzvos as prescribed by the Written Law and the Oral Law; if he will compel all of Yisroel to walk in [the way of the To-rah] and repair its breaches [in its observance]; and if he will fight the wars of G-d; - we may, with assurance, consider him Moshiach. If he succeeds in the above, defeats all the nations around him, builds the Bais HaMikdash on its site, and gathers in the dispersed remnant of Yisroel, he is definitely the Moshiach. He will perfect the entire world [motivating all the nations] to serve G-d together, as it is written, "For I shall then make the peoples pure of speech so that they will all call in the name of G-d and serve him with one purpose.”

'It seems to me,' I told Reb Itche, 'that the Rambam is referring to our own Rebbe (the Frierdiker Rebbe). His family is from the house of Dovid, he is the foremost leader in the wars of Hashem in our genera-tion, and he is constantly learning Torah and performing the Mitzvos. This is clear proof that he is Moshiach!'

Reb Itche stood silently in thought. After a short moment, he an-swered, 'I have a story regarding this issue.' I told him that I would love to hear the story, but Reb Itche had no intention to say the story at that moment and informed me that, when the time was right, he would say the story.

Not long later, late on a wintery night, a group of Yeshivah Buchurim gathered in a Shul, to find shelter from the bitter storm raging out-side and a lively Farbrengen soon formed. At the head of the table sat Reb Itche, who was speaking about the concept of learning Torah Lishmah.

At that point, I walked in with the Mashgiach, Reb Yehoshua Karf, and together we asked that he should tell the promised story of the

Frierdiker Rebbe. At first he did not want to, but in the end, after a little persuasion (and a fair share of mashke), he gave in and began:

Once, the Maggid of Mezritch said, “Moshiach will come either from my older student's descendants or from my younger student's”. The oldest of the students was Reb Mordechai of Chernobyl and the youngest was, the Alter Rebbe. In order to minimize doubts, the Al-ter Rebbe came up with an idea: his grandchild and Reb Mordechai’s grandchild would marry and from them would come this descendent.”

Soon after, a granddaughter was born to the Alter Rebbe. Imme-diately, the Alter Rebbe journeyed to Reb Mordechai, to propose to him his idea of the Shidduch. When the Alter Rebbe arrived at Reb Mordechai’s house, Reb Mordechai was surprised to find his friend standing on his doorstep and asked him the cause of his visit. When the Alter Rebbe answered, Reb Mordechai readily agreed.

It so happened, that Reb Mordechai had several infant grandsons, from different children. As soon as it could be arranged, all of the families came to Chernobyl. At the appointed time, they gathered in a room that had been set up, with all of the babies in their cribs. The Alter Rebbe walked in and started slowly to walk from crib to crib, passing his hand slowly over each baby’s forehead, until he stopped beside one crib and said, 'this is the one that is fitting in my eyes.' 'If so,' proclaimed Reb Mordechai, we should roll the crib to another room, so as not to confuse the babies.'

Light began to shine outside, as the night ended and the early morn-ing birds chirped outside. Reb Itche paused for a moment, looked us in the eye, and said. “Our Rebbe has a very close connection to this story; his father’s side descends from the Alter Rebbe and his mother’s side is from Reb Mordechai of Chernobyl.

Reb Itche leaned back and continued. 'The last Purim that the Frie-diker Rebbe was in Leningrad, I was invited to eat at the Rebbe’s table.

I had not intended to mention this story, but "Nichnas Yayin, Yatzah Sod" and, after saying a good few L'Chaim’s I could not stop myself from turning to the Rebbe and telling him, “Rebbe! I would like to tell you a story.” However, the Rebbe surprised me by saying, 'I am not interested in hearing your story.

Later during the meal, I again asked him to let me say the story, but again he refused, saying that now was not the time for the story.

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Berel, a poor innkeeper, was in deep trouble. Three years has passed since he stopped paying his rent and the Poritz had threatened to throw him in the dungeons if the rent wasn’t paid in two months.

Frantic, he ran around searching for help but to no avail. The dreaded day arrived and Berel and his young family were thrown in the dungeons in the depths of the earth.

Years pass, and Berel and his wife pass on without being freed. Their three children, now grown men, are still in the dungeon.

Back in the village, Shmuel, another poor innkeeper, didn’t pay his rent on time and was thrown into the same dungeon.

Arriving at the dungeon completely crushed and broken in spirit, Shmuel was surprised to meet these three men at ease with their situation.

“How is it possible,” asked Shmuel, “that you could live your life so easily here, while being stuck in this cramped cell for years on end, without having seen the sun and its wonderful light? Without being around people with whom you could talk to, with whom you could relate to and connect with them? Don’t you realize that there is a whole world out there, with people free to do what they want; go where they want, with-out having to be stuck in this dirty cramped prison cell their whole life?”

“Don’t worry,” replied the young man, “just like us, you too will get used to it one day…”

* * *

Sunday night, Tu B’shvat 5739. The Rebbe, in middle of a sicha, suddenly switches course and starts speaking about the galus we are in. These are the holy words of the Rebbe:

There is a well-known parable related in the name of the Magid of Mezritch explaining the reason for the exile: God is like a father who hides from his son.

He doesn’t do so because he wants to be separated from him; rather, he wants to evoke his son’s desire to search for his fa-ther, and to find him. When the child constantly sees his fa-ther, He is not conscious of this longing, for “there is no plea-sure in a constant pleasure.”

When the father hides the son’s yearning is aroused: “Why can’t I see my father?” But after prolonged searching the per-son may eventually ask: ‘’Is God present among us, or not?”

He acknowledges that God exists, but he will question whether God is really with us. He understands that God ex-ists, that he rules the universe, and so forth…

He even knows that God creates him anew each instant, ex nihilo but he feels that God’s involvement in his own life is only peripheral - not, as Tanya describes, That God is com-pletely involved in every minute detail of his existence. He begins to doubt whether God is really involved in the details of his life.

And that leads to further doubt: “We don’t see a sign of God,

and who knows if we ever will… perhaps God has forsaken the world?” He despairs and gives up the search altogether. And this is what the parable tells us: When the father sees that his son no longer seeks him, that is the deepest exile.

So long as the son seeks his father, that is a step forward, a spark’ the beginning of the solution, because finding his Fa-ther is the son’s true desire, his main endeavor.

But once he stops searching - whether out of ignorance or out of despair - Then “I shall hide, indeed I shall hide, My countenance.’’

The Baal Shem Tov explains why “I shall hide” is said twice:

Is the very fact that God is hidden. itself becomes hidden from him - He forgets that God is even there Practically speaking: He pursues his worldly needs in a legitimate way, according to Jewish law…

He studies Torah as required of him by Jewish law… But he studies without thinking about the giver of the Torah When he does business He forgets that “it is God Who grants you the strength… To succeed.”

He no longer gives these thoughts any credence. And when he is confronted about this, He can respond: “why are you complaining to me?

The complaint is to God. How long must we Wait?”

Granted, the Father hides from his son So that the son will seek him And thirst for him “in a parched and weary Land, without water.” But to place the son In a doubled and redou-bled darkness … When, as the Talmud states, ''if our forebears were like angels, Then we are mortals; And if they were mor-


בהנוגע לעניננו איז אט דער ענין החידוש, איז דאס וואס מ'דארף בכלל האבן חידוש - אזוי ווי ס'איז געווארן רחמנא ליצלן העדר השמחה בא כמה וכמה פון בני ישראל. מ'איז פארמאטערט פון גלות, פארמאטערט פון דעם מאטערן זיך און

מ'איז פארמאטערט פון ווארטן אויף משיח'ן.

און וואס דאס איז דאך א טענה צודקת: עד מתי?! מה-דאך אין זמן, אין נבואת ישעי' האט מען שוין געפרעגט דעמאלט "שומר מה מליל עד מתי", מה-דאך אז בדורות שקדמונו, נאך פאר די גזירות רחמנא ליצלן, האט מען דעמאלט געשריען אז מ'איז וכמה, נושענו - על אחת כמה ועדיין לא "עד מתי", עבר קיץ כלה קיץ דורכגעגאנען אט די אלע ענינים, וידע אינש בנפשו דעם מעמד ומצב, איז דאך א

זעקה וואס זי איז בוקעת עד לב השמים: עד מתי?!

און מ'זעט, אז משרייט, און מ'בעט, און מ'שווייגט.

וכידוע דער משל פון דעם מגיד, וואס )ווערט געבראכט( חסידים זאגן דאס בשם אז משל, א דערויף אויף ברענגט און איז, טענה אויבערשטנ'ס דעם אז המגיד, בשעת דער אב באהאלט זיך פון דעם בן, איז דאס ניט חס ושלום ווארום ער וויל ניט זיין צוזאמען מיטן בן; ער וויל אז ביים בן זאל זיך נתעורר ווערן א תשוקה אויף זוכן

דעם אב און געפינען דעם אב!

וואס בשעת ער איז בתמידות עם האב איז דאס אין אים ניט ניכר, "תענוג תמידי אינו תענוג"; דער אב בשעת ער באהאלט זיך, איז אט דעמאלט ווערט נתעורר ביי

דעם בן א תשוקה: היתכן אז ער זעט ניט דעם אביו.

ביז וואנענט ווי כלשון פון דער סדרה פון פרשה פון י"ג שבט: "היש הוי' בקרבנו אם אין".

"ויבוא געווען דערנאך איז גלייך ווי טאקע, עמלק'ן פון זיך נעמט דאס וואס הממלק", ווי רש"י טייטשט דאס אפ. אבער פון עמלק'ן אין וועלט - קומט דאס דער

נאך אראפ דער ענין וואס "נצטננה האמבטי' בפני כל הרואים", אז די וואס זעען דאס בעיני בשר, קען דאס בא זיי אויך פועל'ן אזא סארט ענין: ער ווייס טאקע אז ס'איז

דא אזא מציאות, אבער "בקרבנו" - אט דאס ווערט ביי אים א ספק:

ס'איז דא הוי', "יש בעה"ב לבירה זו", מיט אלע פרטי הדברים. ער ווייס אפילו אז ער ווערט נתהווה מחדש מאין ואפס המוחלט, אבער וואס איז דאס ביי אים? - דאס

איז א התהוות וואס דאס איז אין אן אופן פון סובב כל עלמין.

און ניט ווי ער טייטשט אפ אין תניא, אז דאס איז "סובב" דערפאר וואס ער האט ניט אין דערויף דעם הרגש, דאס נעמט אבער דורך תוכו ותוכיותו - נאר ער טייטשט "סובב כל עלמין" - "ארום און ארום", אבער "בקרבנו" איז אפשר ווערט ביי אים

א ספק.

און פון דעם ספק הויבט ער אן טענה'ן, אז וויבאלד "אותותינו לא ראינו ואין אתנו יודע עד מה" - איז דעמאלט "עזב הוי' - חס ושלום - את הארץ". עד כדי כך, אז ער

ווערט נתייאש און הערט אויף זוכן.

)כל הבא להלן דיבר כ"ק אד"ש בקול חנוק מבכי(

און אט דאס איז וואס מ'זאגט אין דעם משל, אז בשעת דער אב דערזעט אז דער בן זוכט אים ניט - אט דא... ווערט ערשט דער אמת'ער ענין הגלות.

כל זמן דער בן זוכט אים, איז דאס גופא א הכנה און דאס גופא איז א ניצוץ און דאס גופא איז א התחלה פון דער גאולה, ווארום ער זוכט אביו; אין דערויף ליגט זיין רצון,

אין דערויף ליגט זיין השתדלות.

אז ער הערט אויף זוכן - אדער מצד חסרון דעת, אדער מצד יאוש - אט דעמאלט ווערט "אנכי הסתר אסתר פני", ווי דער בעל שם טוב... טייטשט אפ, אז דער הסתר אליין שטייט בהסתר - ער ווייס גארניט אז ס'איז א הסתר. ובפשטות: ער טראכט

ניט וועגן ג-טלעכקייט.

הרר טראכט וועגן וועלט, טראכט אויף א כשר'ן אופן, טראכט ווי ס'שטייט אין שולחן-ערוך, לערנט תורה לערנט ער ווי מ'דארף לערנען תורה, אבער טראכטן וועגן "נותן התורה" בשעת לימוד התורה, און טראכטן וועגן "משאו ומתנו באמונה", וועגן דעם וואס "הוי' הוא הנותן לך כח... לעשות חיל" - האט ער אויפגעהערט טראכטן.

און בשעת מ'טענה'ט מיט אים... זאגט ער: וואס האט מען א טענה צו אים?!... די טענה דארף זיין צו דעם אויבערשטן... וכאמור - עד מתי!...

אז דער אב דארף זיך טאקע באהאלטן פון דעם בן... כדי דער בן זאל אים וועלן זוכן, און ביי אים זאל נתעורר ווערן א תשוקה ווי פון "ארץ צי' ועיף בלי מים",

בשעת אבער ער שטעקט אים אריין... אין א חושך כפול ומכופל, און דערנאך "כחמורו... ניט אפילו איז דא און אדם"... וכבני כמלאכים "הראשונים ווערט

של ר' פנחס בן יאיר"... ביחד עם זה מאנט מען ביי אים, אז ער זאל... האלטן אין איין זוכן...

זונטיג געזוכט, מאנטיג געזוכט... ... ...

און אז מ'זוכט אויף דערויף א הסברה, זוכט מען אין ספרי מוסר, און מ'זוכט אין כל "כלו אז גמרא, אין ברור פסק-דין א מען געפינט דערנאך און חסידות, ספרי הקיצין... ואין הדבר תלוי אלא בתשובה", און דערנאך האט מען דעם פסק-דין ברור, אז "הרהר תשובה" איז דאס ווערט ער א צדיק גמור. און ס'איז ניטא קיין מציאות פון א אידן, וואס צי מצד האהבה צי מפני היראה, מאיזו סיבה שתהי' איז ביי אים ניט

געווען קיין הרהור תשובה. ניטא אזא מציאות ביי א אידן.

עאכו"כ בדורנו, וואס ס'האט זיך אנגעזען - הי' לא תהי', לא תקום פעמיים צרה... ה די אלע ענינים וואס ס'האט געטראפן וואס בעיננו ראינו ולא זר ובאזנינו שמע

נו ולא אחר. וואס כאמור "לא תקום פעמיים", שוין גענוג, ווי דער מיטעלער רבי שרייבט, אז מער וועט דאס ניט זיין חס ושלום.

אבער געזען האט מען דאס און געהערט האט מען דאס און געדענקען געדענקט מען דאס, און זיכער, כאמור, כל ישראל ניטא אזא מציאות וואס זאל זיין באפשרי נאר ניט איין מאל, געהאט קיין הרהור תשובה. און האט געהאט ניט אז ער האט

כמה פעמים ככה.

איז וואס האט מען א טענה צו א בשר ודם... וואס ער איז א מדוד ומוגבל... און א מדוד ומוגבל על ידי הקב"ה עצמו, קען מען צו אים דערפאר אויך קיין טענות ניט האבן, און א מדוד ומוגבל מיט דאס וואס ער קען פארנעמען... דערנאך קומט מען צו אים מיט א טענה: היתכן ער טראכט ניט וועגן דער גאולה, אעפ"י וואס ער זאגט - אדער ער ווייס אז אנדערע זאגן און ער טראכט וועגן דעם - אז "אצפה לו בכל יום שיבוא", און דערנאך וויל מען, אז ער זאל שטיין אין דעם מעמד ומצב כל היום

כולו - ס'איז ניט אפשרי!...

וואס ער ניט "אינו מבקש... אלא לפי כוחן". און און דער אויבערשטער מאנט אליין האט ניט געגעבן מערער קיין כוחות...

און אט דאס איז איינע פון די ענינים: בשעת מ'איז מוסיף ניט סתם אור, נאר אין וואס שמחה, מיט פארבונדן איז וואס אור אן המשמח, אור אן מוסיף גופא אור שמחה איז דאך פורץ גדר - איז אט דעמאלט איז דאס פורץ זיינע גדרים, און פורץ

די גדרים פון וועלט, און פורץ די גדרים פון חושך כפול ומכופל.

שיחת ט"ו שבט תשל"ט

Adar 5774 | 31

tals, then we are like donkeys…

And despite this, the Jew is expected. To keep searching.

Sunday he searches, Monday he searches…

One attempts to find answers to the situation In the works of Jewish ethics, in the Chasidic works…

Until we find a clear ruling in the Talmud:

"All 'end times' for the redemption has passed' All it depends on now is repentance.'' And the Talmud rules That even one sincere thought of repentance Transforms a person into a complete Tzaddik.

There is no such thing As a Jew who has not had a true stir-ring of repentance. There is no such thing. Especially in our generation That has witnessed such tremendous suffering - ''we saw with our very own eyes And we heard with our very own ears.'' May it never happen again.

But we did witness it, we did hear it,And we do remember it…

It is not possible that among the entire Jewish People. There is even a single Jew Who has not been moved to thoughts of repentance; And not only once, but numerous times.

What more can one expect of a man of flesh and blood, Who is finite and limited…?

And it is God himself who makes man finite and limited, So the person can’t be blamed for that either. Man is limited as to how much he can cope with.

And after all this, He is challenged: “Why don’t you think

about the redemption?”

He responds: “Every day, I affirm the Principle of Faith That I yearn for Moshiach’s coming every single day.” Now he’s ex-pected to keep this in mind all day long? It is not possible.

We know that, “God does not demand from a person More than he can handle,” But it seems He hasn’t given enough strength… But there is something one can do:

When a person increases the Divine light in his life, And specifically that Divine light Which brings him real, tangible joy, Then “Joy bursts Through barriers,” And that joy tears down the barrier within himself, The barrier in the world around him, And the thick barriers of the darkness of exile.

The sicha says it all. The מצב we are in now, not being able to see our Rebbe בעיני בשר, is the greatest העלם והסתר there could pos-sibly be. Never was there a time that חסידים couldn’t see their their Rebbe. Never was there ,ה‘ their connection to ,מקור החייםa time that bochurim could go through their years in yeshiva; shluchim could do theirעבודת השליחות in their respective areas, without seeing their משלח, their father, their Rebbe. Never was there a time when we weren’t able to see our Rebbe during davening, farbrengens, dollars, Kos Shel Brocho etc.

But after 22 years from 20 ,כ"ז אדר years from ג' תמוז, people could start forgetting the pain they had in the beginning. They could start not being pained if another day goes by without seeing the Rebbe. They could start “getting used to it”.

* * *

Bukhara, 5704. Nine year old Yankel, at home, alone with his widowed mother, is lonely and yearning to go to yeshiva. His older two brothers, Baruch Sholom and Aizik, went away


to the yeshiva in Samarkand, and Yankel, being too young to go, was left behind.

One day, after much pleading and begging, his mother, Bu-nia, agrees to send him also to the yeshiva. Being that he was a young boy at the time, Bunia decides to move also to Samar-kand. But she had no money for the move, so she smuggled him onto the train with the famed Chassid Reb Leizer Mishu-lovin and promised Yankel that when she earns enough mon-ey, she will come to Samarkand. Finally the long awaited day came and Bunia arrives at the Samarkand train station. Look-ing lost, not knowing where to go or whom to ask, she was shocked to hear a scream “MAMA” coming from the crowd.

Looking around, she saw young Yankel running towards her.

“How did you know I was coming today?” she asked him.

“I didn’t,” replied Yankel, “every time I heard about a train arriving into Samarkand, I ran to the train station, hoping you would be on that train.

“The kids would make fun of me for going every time and coming back with nothing, but I know that if my mother promised me that she will come, I know that she would come.”

Yankel didn’t “get used to it”, he kept on searching.

* * *

We can’t get used to it. We are not allowed to get used to it. We have to keep on looking, keep on searching. Every day that goes by that we don’t see our Rebbe we have to scream !?היתכן מתי ,We can’t sit still, we have to act. Learn more Torah !?עד

daven with more כוונה, do that extra גמ"ח, be more מקושר to the Rebbe, be more real in our אידישקייט, daven for משיח, start living a bit more with משיח, all with a שמחה, knowing that by doing the above and more we will very soon be זוכה to see our Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, taking us out of גלות…

We can’t stop. WE HAVE TO KEEP ON SEARCHING.

Adar 5774 | 33

Reb Moshe Slonim was born in Yerushalayim to Rabbi Ezriel Zelig Slonim, the head of Kollel Chabad in Eretz Yisroel and a Shadar of the Frierdiker Rebbe. Rabbi Ezriel Zelig would travel to many countries to collect money for the Frierdiker Rebbe, to whom he was strongly Mekushar.

As a child, Reb Moshe received his education in Chabad Mos-dos. Since there was no Chabad Cheder in Yerushalayim, he was sent to learn in Achei Tmimim in Tel Aviv. Later, when the Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim was founded in Lod, he learned there and was one of its first talmidim. Already from a young age, he began to be involved in Hafatzas Hamayanus. Before every Yoma Dipagra, he would travel to different settlements and Mosdos in Eretz Yisroel to farbreng with the residents and Yeshiva Bochurim there.

As a dedicated Tomim, he yearned to come to the Rebbe, but this involved many hardships. First, according to the instructions given by the Mazkirus, no bochur was allowed to travel without prior permission from the Hanhala of his Yeshiva. Additional-ly, the Israeli government did not give permission for citizens who had not yet served in the army to leave the country. This made it extremely difficult to obtain a visa to travel to the United States. Above all, the ticket itself was extremely expensive, especially for a young Yeshiva bochur. When the Rebbe sent Shluchim to Eretz Yisroel in the summer of 5716 (1956), Reb Moshe's yearning to be by the Rebbe increased. Only three years later, toward the end of 5719 (1959), was he finally able to travel to the Rebbe. During the following Kislev (5720), when Israel's President Shazar had a Yechi-dus with the Rebbe, the Rebbe asked him to work on extending Reb Moshe's stay and Shazar accepted upon himself the responsibility that Reb Moshe would return to Eretz Yisroel after Tishrei of the following year, 5721 (1960). When that time arrived, Reb Moshe

asked the Rebbe to extend his time in 770 until Yud Tes Kislev or at least until Shabbos Mevorchim Kislev, but the Rebbe responded that since his stay had already been extended on condition that he return after the Yomim Tovim, he could not stay any longer. Reb Moshe returned to Eretz Yisroel that winter and immersed himself with a new fire of Hiskashrus in the Rebbe's Peulos.

Working for Chinuch

In Adar of 5722 (1962), Reb Moshe got married. At that point, he turned his main efforts toward Chinuch, especially among the new immigrants. He would travel around Eretz Yis-roel in an effort to provide Chinuch, both for children and adults. Reb Moshe settled in Kfar Chabad, where his Peulos were in-creased with greater strength. Despite his young age he was al-ready a well-known figure in the city. Many would attend his Far-brengens in which he would demand from those gathered to take part in carrying out the Rebbe's instructions.

At the end of the 5720's (1960's), he joined the "Reshes Oholei Yosef Yitzchok Lubavitch " - the Chabad school network spread across Eretz Yisroel. Originally he had worked primarily as the principal of the Chabad school in Kfar Saba and worked volun-tarily for the Reshes, but as time went on and his work was needed full-time, he left the school and devoted himself completely to the Reshes, becoming the supervisor of all of the schools within the Reshes. His work included many Peulos, including arranging the Yud Shvat Farbrengen, publishing the ''Bereishis HaChinuch Chabad'' - a magazine for the graduates of Reshes schools, and many other programs.

The expenses were very high and there was very little income, and Reb Moshe worked tirelessly and was constantly in debt. How-

Reb Moshe receiving a dollar from the Rebbe

Adar 5774 | 35

ever, this didn’t stop him from increasing his efforts to strength-en and expand the Reshes. When his father passed away in 5732 (1972) and left his small apartment in Yerushalayim to his son, Reb Moshe gave it over to the Reshes to cover some of its many debts and to support learning programs, in honor of his father's memory . When the financial condition worsened, he was sent to raise funds in America. He paid for his ticket with his own money, refusing to take from the Reshes' own funds. When his wife asked him why, he replied, "I want to see the Rebbe! Is that alone not worth paying for the journey?''

In addition to his many responsibilities and his great devotion to the Reshes, he always had, in addition to the daily Shiurim of Chitas, fixed times for learning Torah, both Niglah and Chassidus. In fact, a close friend who accompanied Reb Moshe on many of his travels told over that he used to record for himself short reminders on a tape of anything he would need to remember, like to write a letter or to arrange a meeting. Sometimes he also used it for re-minders about his learning, such as to look up a certain part of a Maamar that he was learning which he had a question on!

Reb Moshe was never satisfied with his past achievements and always looked for ways to increase. He took part in many activi-ties of Hafatzas HaMayanos and the Rebbe’s Mivtzoim, yet always tried to remain discreet and refrained from publicity. Several times he set up a Chabad house and brought down a couple to take the Shlichus. He would meet up with different Yidden from time to time to encourage them to stand strong in their Torah and Mitzvos.

Reb Moshe was also very involved in inspiring young couples to go out on Shlichus, which was, especially in those days, real Mesiras Nefesh. In 5735, he worked on printing for the first time, ’’Kuntres HaShlichus’’, a booklet which explained many concepts in Avodas HaShlichus.

The following story expresses Reb Moshe's great devotion to the Rebbe. Reb Moshe inherited from his father a silver candlestick. This candlestick, according to their family tradition, came from the Alter Rebbe who gave it to his granddaughter, Rebbetzin Me-nucha Rachel Slonim. Once when Reb Moshe came to the Rebbe for Yechidus, he brought the candlestick and gave it to the Reb-be. The Rebbe was very interested in its source and thanked Reb

Moshe for it. When the showroom of the Lubavitch library was set up, many interesting objects which were given to the Rebbe were put there, together with the names of those who had donated them. This candlestick however was set up without any name! Reb Moshe was so butul to the Rebbe, that he did not want his name to be publicized in any way!

Reb Moshe once explained that there are many Chassidim who 'live' with Shlichus, Hafotzo, Mivtzoim, etc., and also with the Rebbe. However, a true Chossid is someone who lives with the Rebbe and as a result of that automatically fulfills all of the Rebbe's Peulos. This was something that Reb Moshe himself lived with, showing a true example of how a true Chossid devotes himself entirely to the Rebbe and in fulfilling the Rebbe's will and desire.

Life in America

In the year 5746 Reb Moshe moved from Eretz Yisroel to Ameri-ca, where he continued his holy work of strengthening the Rebbe's Peulos and Mosdos. At that time, the Rebbe was shtureming about opening new Chabad houses everywhere. Although there were al-ready many Chabad houses all around the globe, New York itself was missing Chabad houses. Reb Moshe worked tirelessly to es-tablish many Chabad houses including in Queens, Canarsie, and Flatbush.

In the winter of 5747 he received permission from the Rebbe to accept the position of Menahel of the Cheder in Morristown, New Jersey. Later, he moved on to be a Mashpia in the Lubavitcher Yeshiva on Ocean Parkway, together with R' Mendel Tenenbaum A"H.

As a Mashpia Reb Moshe inspired the Bochurim with his fire of Hiskashrus and Chassidishkeit. He was also known for demand-ing from the Bochurim to learn Tanya and Ma'amorim by heart, enabling them to think Chassidus at every possible opportunity.

During his many Farbrengens, Reb Moshe would instill in his Talmidim a Koch in the Rebbe's Inyonim, especially in Moshiach, as the Rebbe had started to publicize how close we are to his coming. Even in his earlier years, in his work for the Reshes, Reb Moshe had put a strong emphasis on Inyonei Moshiach. In 5743 he published a Kovetz Pilpulim on the Rambam's Hilchos Melo-chim, called "Chidushei Torah B'Inyonei Melech HaMoshiach". In


the preface he wrote, "In honor of 80 years of the Rebbe Shlita Melech HaMoshiach". When it was sent to the Rebbe, the Reb-be answered on a note: "נתקבל ות"ח" - "it was received and thank you" (free translation). Reb Moshe was very excited with the encouragement of this answer, and he began immediately to spread the Kuntresim in all of the Seforim stores in Eretz Yis-roel, causing the Sefer to become well known. However, other Chassidim were not happy with this and they sent letters to the Rebbe that it was not suitable. The Rebbe then told him to stop spreading the Kuntres.

Shlichus to Russia

At the end of the summer of 5749, the Rebbe instructed Reb Moshe to travel to Russia to help spread Torah and Yiddishkeit there. Reb Moshe immediately began making the necessary ar-rangements for the trip, but it was only some months later, on 4 Teves 5750, that he finally managed to get the visas necessary to travel and actually arrived to Russia. This was at the start of the communist downfall, when Yiddishkeit was slowly becoming alive in Russia. Reb Moshe played a major role in the revival of Russian Jewry, the practice of which had for many years been forbidden. This being so, there was a major lack of knowledge of Torah and Mitzvos. Reb Moshe worked tirelessly in coor-dinating with the other Shluchim, working together to revive the spirit of the Jews in Russia, by spreading Yiddishkeit and establishing Mosdos.

Reb Moshe would make sure to always let the Rebbe know about all of his undertakings. In fact, on Yud Shvat 5750, Reb Moshe informed the Rebbe that a live hookup of the Farbren-gen would be shown in Moscow. While listening to the hookup, Reb Moshe and those with him heard the Rebbe mentioning the Ma'amer "Veyadato Moskva 5657" (the Ma'amer starting with the word Veyadato and was said in Moscow, hence the name Veyadato - Moscow. The Rebbe added that it is a wonder that the Ma'amer is given the name of the capital of one of the most powerful nations in the world. Reb Moshe felt right away that the Rebbe was thinking about those in Moscow who were listening to the hookup.

Reb Moshe established many Mosdos in Russia, including Mikvaos, Shuls, Chadarim, Yeshivas, and summer camps. Even upon his return to America he still kept in contact with the Shluchim in Russia, which he would help both in advice from his experience and with funds he would collect.

Living with Moshiach

On Yud Shevat 5730 the Rebbe completed the Moshiach Se-fer Torah in 770. This Sefer Torah was started by the Frierdiker Rebbe in 5702, in order to greet Moshiach. When the Sefer To-rah was finished it caused a tremendous excitement all over the world for the coming of Moshiach. At that time Reb Moshe went with another Chossid to the publishers of the Israeli newspaper Yediot Achronot, and discussed with great passion

Adar 5774 | 37

What instruction in Avodas Hashem can we find in the simple looking, yet extremely complex game of chess? Furthermore, what is its connection to Moshiach?


Adar 5774 | 39

Adar 5774 | 41

In the following Sicha, the Rebbe addresses a main-stream Jew, who has a hard time coming to terms with Moshiach’s imminent coming. He comes up with all types of complaints and excuses why now is not the proper time to focus on Moshiach, resulting in a general weakness in his excitement for Moshiach.

The Rebbe turns to this Jew and tells him to change his attitude.

At times a person may be convinced that what he is doing is an outcome of Torah reasons, yet he does not realize that the real source of these actions are actually from his Nefesh HaBehamis.

In the Rebbe’s words:

‘True, you have a Nefesh Habihamis who tells you that business is the main thing (over Moshiach), but do you need to show everyone that your Nefesh Habihamis is the one ruling over you? How much time must be wasted on the Nefesh HaBehamis, instead of thinking about the Nefesh HuElokis?!’

‘You say that today is Shabbos – a happy day, and we shouldn’t remember the pain of Golus? So demand Moshiach joyfully!’

‘The Rambam paskens: Listen Yidden! Go out, and scream with great Simcha that Hashem must take the Yidden out of Golus!’

Enough, is Enough!

ומט צוגיין א בעל נגלה און פרעגט שאלות: אויב מ'וועט ארויסגיין פאט דער מיט זיין דעמולט וועט וואס - השבת ביום גלות הוון

שיילע, מ'טאר זי דאך ניט טראגן?!

זאגט מען אים: לאז די פאטשיילע אין גלות - און גיי אליין ארויס פון גלות!

זיין פאטשיילע, און "צדיקים חביב עליהם ממונם טענה'ט ער: ס'איז דאך כו'״ אפילו א שוה פרוטה, און די פאטשיילע איז ווערט מער משוה פרוטה,

ובפרט אז ס'איז א רויטע פאטשיילע...

זאגט מען אים: בינד די פאטשיילע ארום דעם האלדז – כמנהג ישראל – און טאנץ ארויס פון גלות!

ער ה גלות פון ארויסגיין השבת( )ביום איצטער ער קען ווי ער: טענה׳ט דארף דאך באלד מאכן הבדלה, און נאך הבדלה האט ער דאך א שטעלע און וואס ענינים אלע די וועגן טעלעפאן אויפן רעדן און מסחר א פירן דארף

מ'טאר וועגן זיי ניט רעדן בשבת?!

זאגט מען אים: האסט דאך א נפש האלקית, א חלק אלוקה ממעל ממש – וואס דאס איז דיין עיקר, און די נשמה איז קיינמאל אין גלות ניט געגאנגען און קיינער איז אויף איר ניט קיין בעל הבית – איז פאלג אמאל דיין נפש האלקית,

און דיין נפש האלקית וויל אז דו זאלסט שוין ארויסגיין פון גלות!

איי דו האסט אויך א ״מלך זקן וכסיל״ וואס זאגט דיר אז דיין שטעלע און דיין מסחר איז דער עיקר - איז צי דען דארפסטו אלעמען באווייזן אז דער

טיפש וזקן וכסיל איז אויף דיר שליט?!...

עוה״ז גענוג ניט איז אים החומרי, עוה״ז אין ליגן דוקא מען וויל אעפ״כ הגשמי, ער דארף דוקא האבן עוה״ז החומרי און מאכן פון חומריות ה גשמיות! אבער אפילו אזוי - איז עכ"פ שטער ניט דיין נפש האלקית, דיין חלק אלוקה

ממעל ממש!

וויפל א שיעור פטר'ן צייט אויף דער נפה״ב, אפשר וועסטו אמאל א טראכט טאן וועגן דיין נפה״א אויך?!

און אף על פי אז ניט מיט אונזער רצון זיינען מיר געגאנגען אין גלות )כפתגם בעל ההילולא( און ניט מיט אונזער רצון וועלן מיר ארויסגיין פון גלות - איז דאס נאר בנוגע צו רצון, אבער שרייען דארף מען אז מ'וויל שוין ארויסגיין פון

גלות, ״עד מתי", דאלאי גלות״!

קומט מען מיט א טענה - אז ס'איז דאך יום השבת, וואס אין עצב בו און מ'דארף דעמולט שטיין בעונג ובשמחה - איז וואס קומט מען מצער זיין אידן אז זיי געפינען זיך אין גלות און דארפן שרייען ״עד מתי״? ובפרט אז דו אליין

האסט דאך געמאנט אז איצטער במיוחד זאל מען שטיין בשמחה גדולה!

זאגט מען אים אז ס׳איז קיין סתירה ניט: גיי ארום און שריי און שטורעם מתוך שמחה וטוב לבב אז מ'וויל האבן די גאולה!

וכפס״ד הרמב״ם, אז ״השמחה שישמח האדם בקיום המצוות עבודה גדולה היא". במילא פסק׳נט דער רמב״ם: הערט זיך איין אידן - גייט ארום און שרייט

בשמחה גדולה אז דער אויבעשטער דארף שוין ארויסנעמען אידן פון גלות!

)חלקים משיחת ש"פ בשלח תשמ"ו - בלתי מוגה(

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Issue 23

MOSHIACH IN THE PARSHA

Rashi comments: “‘Come and possess the land’ - There is no one to contest the matter and you need not wage war. Indeed, if they had not sent the spies, they would not have needed any weapons.”

The Almighty promised the Yidden that He would give them Eretz Yisroel. Quite obviously, then, no one can contest this. The People of Israel, therefore, could have taken possession of the land without a battle, and even without any armor to deter a potential enemy.

Unfortunately, however, the Yidden lacked faith. They did not rely on Hashem to bring them into the land in a miraculous way. They lost that opportunity when they demanded, “Let us send men ahead of us to explore for us the land and to bring us back a report...”. Their attitude and conduct made it necessary for them to follow natural procedures in taking over the land. They met opposition on the part of the inhabitants which forced them to wage wars in order to assert their Divine right to the land.

There is a moral in this for our own times and present condition:The future redemption by Moshiach is said to be analogous to

the exodus from Egypt: “As in the days of your going out from the land of Egypt, I will show them wondrous things” (Michah 7:15). In fact, the wonders and miracles of the Messianic redemption will exceed those of the exodus. The entry into, and settlement of,

Eretz Yisroel by those who were freed from the Egyptian exile was supposed to be in a miraculous way - “There is no one to contest the matter, and you need not wage war” - how much more so will this be the case with the Messianic redemption in our own days!

Nowadays, too, this matter depends on the Yidden themselves. We must show absolute faith in Hashem and His promise, that entire Eretz Yisroel belongs to the Yidden! We must not be afraid to inform the nations of the world, clearly and unequivocally, that the Eretz Yisroel is Israel’s eternal legacy. “Should the people of the world say to Yidden, ‘You are robbers, because you took by force the lands of the seven nations (of Canaan),’ they can respond to them: ‘The whole earth belongs to the Holy One, blessed be He. He created it and He gave it to whom He saw fit. (Eretz Yisroel) was given to (the nations) by His Will, and by His Will He took it from them and gave it to us!’ ”.

When we shall demonstrate this true and absolute faith in Hashem, we shall merit immediately the promise “No one will contest this, and there will be no more wars nor the need for any weapons”: “I shall break from the earth the bow, the sword and warfare, and I shall make them lie down securely”.

DIDYOUKNOWThe reason why is not read from a Megilla on , like

Megillas Esther, is since we await every single day for these days to be turned into days of joy and Yomim Tovim, and therefore do not write on a for it would look like we Chas V'sholom gave up.

the exodus froland of Egypt,In fact, the wowill exceed tho

In the Farbrengen of Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5710 (-1950) the Rebbe spoke about the building of the Shul in 770, at the end of the written version the Rebbe added the following Bracha:

"And as our sages say that the Shuls from the diaspora will be brought to the Holy Land, and Yerusholayim will spread over all the lands".

DDDDDDDDIDYYYYYYYYYOUOUOUYO KKKKKKKKNKKNO

LIVING LESSONSWhenever the holy Tzaddik of would go

to sleep, he would put his Talis and Tefillin near his bed. One of his close Talmidim asked about this custom and he explained,

"Since we believe that Moshiach is coming any second, it is possible that while I'm resting, the good news that Moshiach has arrived will suddenly be heard. I want to be ready to go with Moshiach to Eretz Yisroel and not stay in this bitter Golus for an extra second.

I am leaving all my assets, but my Talis and Tefillin I have to take, so I keep them close to me."

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הודפס לזכותהוד כ"ק אדוננו מורנו ורבינו

מלך המשיח לזירוז קיום נבואותו"הנה הנה משיח בא"

לזכותהרה"ח הרה"ת

ר' זלמן גרשון בן יצחקומרת זעלדא בת מרדכי

ור' דוד שמואל בן זלמן גרשוןור' נחום לייב בן זלמן גרשון

לאריכות ימים ושנים ולהצלחה בכל עסקיהם בגשמיות וברוחניות

לע"נ הרה"ח הרה"ת ר' שמואל הלוי

בן ר' יצחק ע"הגורביץ

נפטר ו' שבט תשע"א

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