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    Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-

    0272 is published weekly, except Jewishholidays (only once in April and October) for$140.00 in the USA and in all other places for$150.00 per year (45 issues), by BeisMoshiach, 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn,NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid atBrooklyn, NY and additional offices.Postmaster: send address changes to BeisMoshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn,NY 11213-3409. Copyright 2007 by BeisMoshiach, Inc.

    Beis Moshiach is not responsible for thecontent of the advertisements.

    USA744 Eastern Parkway

    Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409Tel: (718) 778-8000

    Fax: (718) [email protected]

    EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:M.M. Hendel

    ENGLISH EDITOR:Boruch Merkur

    [email protected]

    HEBREW EDITOR:Rabbi Sholom Yaakov [email protected]

    MY REB MENDEL (CONT.)Chassid | Rabbi Hillel Zaltzman

    HOW COULD G-D DESTROY THE HOLYTEMPLE? (CONT.)Dvar Malchus | Likkutei Sichos Vol. 29, pg. 9-17

    A DAILY DOSE OF MOSHIACHMoshiach & Geula

    A LUBAVITCH DRESS CODE: IS THERESUCH A THING?Insight

    BHESECH HADAASMoshiach & Geula | Rabbi Shlomo Halpern

    TO BE HEALTHY... AND TO KNOW ITMiracle Story | Rochel Shavi

    THE RABBI OF BROOKLYNShlichus | Ben-Zion Sasson

    TEL AVIV REVIVAL (CONT.)Profile of Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi | Menachem Ziegelboim

    THE DEFINING MOMENT OF THE 20THCENTURYFeature | Rabbi Simon Jacobson

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    [Continued from last week]

    3. The above will be understood inlight of an analysis of what is stated in[the compilation of Midrashimknown as] Yalkut [Shimoni] in the

    beginning of the section onYirmiyahu18: Aryei (a lion) arose

    in the astrological sign Aryei(Lion/Leo) and destroyed Ariel (theLion of G-d)... [The latter statementis elucidated as follows.] Aryei aroserefers to Nevuchadnetzar, as it is

    written, A lion has arisen from itsthicket.19 In the astrological sign

    Aryei [is referred to in the verse],until the exile of Yerushalayim in thefifth month [i.e., Av, whichcorresponds to the astrological sign

    Aryei].20 And destroyed Ariel

    [referred to in the verse], Woe, Ariel Ariel, the city wherein Davidencamped!21 [The statementcontinues] in order that Aryeishould come in the astrological sign

    Aryei and build Ariel. Aryei shouldcome, refers to the Holy One BlessedBe He, as is written of Him, A lionhas roared. Who will not fear?22 Inthe astrological sign Aryei [isreferred to in the verse], I will turn

    their mourning into joy.23 And build Ariel [referred to

    in the verse], G-d is the builder of Yerushalayim [i.e., theHoly Temple in Yerushalayim]; He will gather the outcastsof the Jewish people.24

    All Torah matters are precise; certainly the Torah doesnot contain anything that is frivolous, G-d forbid. Thus,

    we must understand: What is being underscored by theuse of the term aryei (lion), both with regard to thedestruction of the Holy Temple (Aryei arose in theastrological sign Aryei and destroyed Ariel) and to its[re]construction (in order that Aryei should come in theastrological sign Aryei and build Ariel)? The passagecould have simply read: Nevuchadnetzar came in the

    fifth month, etc., in order that the Holy One Blessed BeHe should come, etc., and build the Holy Temple.

    4. The explanation is that in this manner the Midrashnegates a general misunderstanding with regard to thedestruction of the Holy Temple, as follows.

    It has been ruled as Torah law25 that All those who break vessels and tear clothing and demolish buildings,etc., in a destructive manner transgress the prohibitionDo not destroy 26 [i.e., wastefully destroying property].Moreover, in addition to the prohibition Do not

    HOW

    COULD G-D

    DESTROY

    THE HOLY

    TEMPLE?Likkutei Sichos Vol. 29, pg. 9-17Translated by Boruch Merkur

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    destroy, with regard to the Holy Temple, there is theprohibition of (You shall tear down their altars, etc.) Donot do so (to G-d, your L-rd) we may not damage[even] a part of the Holy Temple: One27who smashes[even] a single stone from the alter, or from any [part] ofthe Temple proper, or from the area between the faade ofthe Temple and the alter, in a destructive manner, is

    punishable by lashes, as it is said,28 You shall tear downtheir altars, etc. Do not do so to G-d, your L-rd. Howmuch more so does the latter prohibition apply withregard to the destruction of the entire structure of theHoly Temple, as the Rambam lists the prohibition not todestroy the Holy Temple or synagogues or centers forTorah study29 in the Enumeration of theCommandments.

    The question is raised30: Since He tells His words toYaakov, His decrees and His judgments to Yisroel31 that is, G-d fulfills the Commandments, as it were, whichHe tells to the Jewish people32 how could33 G-d have

    been allowed to destroy the Holy Temple?! Indeed, thedemolition was done as a mission from G-d, may He be

    blessed, as stated in prophecy, Behold, I send and I willtake all the families of the north, says G-d, and toNevuchadretzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and I

    will bring them upon this land and upon its inhabitantsand upon all these nations around, and I will destroy themand make them for a desolation and for a hissing and forperpetual ruins.34

    If the Holy Temple was destroyed because the Jewishpeople were not worthy to have it, G-d could have simplyconcealed it, as we find with regard to the Sanctuary

    (Miskan) that The Tent of Meeting was stored away,etc.35 Moreover, regarding the Temple itself it is statedthat Its gates were sunken into the earth.36 Likewise,several of the Temples vessels were stored away.37

    [To be continued beH]

    NOTES:

    18 Remez 259, etc. see Footnote 17 in the original.

    19 Yirmiyahu 4:7.

    20 Ibid 1:3.

    21 Yeshayahu 29:1.

    22 Amos 3:8.

    23 Yirmiyahu 31:12.

    24 Thillim 147:2.

    25 Rambam Laws of Kings 6:10; the Alter Rebbes ShulchanAruch Choshen Mishpat Laws of Care for the Body and Ones

    Life and the Prohibition of Wasteful Destruction of Propertysif14.

    26 Rambam ibid continues, but he is punished with lashesonlyaccording to Rabbinical Law. See the commentary

    Mishneh LMelech on Law 8that according to the opinion ofRambam, every instance except with regard to [the wastefuldestruction of] trees is only according to Rabbinical Law.However, the wording of the Alter Rebbes Shulchan Aruchibid is, transgresses a [Biblical] prohibition, as it is said, donot destroy, etc. See the legal dispute paraphrased in

    Encyclopedia Talmudis entry Not to Destroy, beg.

    27 Rambam Laws of the Chosen Temple 1:17, etc. seeFootnote 26 in the original.

    28 Rei 12:3-4.

    29 Seifer HaYad, beg., Prohibition 65; similarly, in SeiferHaMitzvos Prohibition 65, etc. see Footnote 28 in theoriginal.

    30 The reference for the following is the bookNefesh ChaimVol. 1 (of Rabbi Chaim Palagi), 2nd Edition, Section 14,where it is discussed.

    31 Thillim 147:19.

    32 Shmos Rabba 30:9; similarly, Yerushalmi Rosh HaShana1:3. See Brachos 6a (regarding tfillin), among others.

    33 See BReishis Rabba 11:5.

    34 Yirmiyahu 25:9 ff. See ibid 7:14 (I will do to the houseupon which My name is calledas I did to Shiloh), 32:3(Behold I deliver this city into the hand[s] of the king ofBabylon, and he shall capture it), among others.

    35 Sota 9a, end.

    36 Eicha 2:9; Eicha Rabba ibid (2:13); BaMidbar Rabba15:13; Zohar I 3a. See Sota ibid and the commentary of Rashithere.

    37 Yoma 52b, where it is discussed.

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    27 TAMMUZ: THE PERFECTION OF THEBEIS HAMIKDASH WILL BE INSTILLEDWITHIN THE WHOLE WORLD

    At the dedication of the ThirdBeis HaMikdash, the Sanctuary

    which Your hands, Hashem, haveestablished, the concept of I willcome to you and bless you in everyplace where I mention My Name(as is written at the conclusion ofthe reading of the TenCommandments) will be revealed inthe whole world (literally in everyplace).

    In other words, the perfection ofthe Beis HaMikdash, where theKohanim were given permission tomention G-ds Ineffable Name atthe Priestly Blessing, will berevealed and instilled within theentire world, as is written, on thatday G-d shall be One and His NameOne, as I am written, so am Icalled, since the whole world will

    be a dwelling place for Him (as inthe example of the Mishkan and theBeis HaMikdash).

    (Shabbos Parshas Naso 5751)

    28 TAMMUZ: THE THIRD BEISHAMIKDASH WILL EXIST ETERNALLY

    It is stated in Zohar (Vol. III, 221a) that the Firstand Second Beis HaMikdash are structures of man(which have no permanence), whereas the Third BeisHaMikdash, since it is the building of G-d, will existforever.

    The First Beis HaMikdash corresponds to Avrohom,the Second Beis HaMikdash corresponds to Yitzchok,and the Third Beis HaMikdash corresponds to Yaakov.

    And since the attribute of Yaakov is truth, and truthmeans that it has neither interruption nor change,therefore, the Third Beis HaMikdash will have an

    eternal existence.(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 9, p. 26)

    29 TAMMUZ: THE DEDICATION OF THE THIRD BEISHAMIKDASH THE GREAT FARBRENGEN THAT WILL BE INTHE PRESENCE OF THE ENTIRE JEWISH PEOPLE

    In simple terms, the request of Yaakov to dwell intranquility is immediately fulfilled mamash in actualdeed and in a revealed state (in the name and on behalfof all Jews, as it were), and there will be fulfilled [the

    A DAILY

    DOSE OF

    MOSHIACH

    & GEULA:27 TAMMUZ - 4 AV

    Selected daily pearls of wisdom from theRebbe MHM on Moshiach and Geula.

    Collected and arranged by Rabbi Pinchas MamanTranslated by Michoel Leib Dobry

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    concept of] Indeed, the righteous shall praise YourName, the upright shall dwell in Your presence, in theThird Beis HaMikdash.

    There will be a great farbrengen for the dedicationof the Third Beis HaMikdash before all the JewishPeople all its inhabitants upon it.

    (Shabbos Parshas VaYishlach 5752)

    ROSH CHODESH MENACHEM AV: THE PRIESTLY BLESSINGIN THE TIME OF THE REDEMPTION

    Birkas Kohanim (The Priestly Blessing) is a bracharecited by the Kohanim as they stood on the platform inthe Beis HaMikdash. Even today, the Kohanimcontinue to bless the Jewish People with it, but with onedifference.

    Then, in the time of the Beis HaMikdash, the bracha was recited with G-ds Ineffable Name, i.e., theKohanim pronounced G-ds Name as it appears in the

    bracha in its complete form, as I am written, so am Icalled. Today, however, the Name of G-d is

    pronounced in the manner we have become accustomedto using.

    In the time of the Redemption, the Kohanim willonce again bless with G-ds Ineffable Name, as is

    written (BaMidbar 6:22), And they shall set My Name they shall bless them with G-ds Ineffable Name.

    (Shabbos Parshas Naso 5751)

    2 MENACHEM AV: ALL JEWS IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES [A]

    There are those who ask how is it possible that at thecoming of Moshiach, all Jews will enter Kodesh

    HaKadashim (the Holy of Holies), when the pasukstates explicitly, With this shall Aharon enter the Holy,etc. specifically Aharon (and the Kohen Gadol ingeneral), specifically on Yom Kippur, and specifically

    with the offering of special sacrifices?Answer: According to several opinions, Aharon

    HaKohen could enter theKodesh HaKadashim anytimehe wished. Furthermore, since in the Future to Come,

    all Jews will be on the level of Aharon as Kohen Gadol(And you will be to Me a kingdom of priests,Kohanim Gdolim), it is understood quite simply thatthe place of every single Jew is in the Kodesh

    HaKadashim, and when a Jew can enter the KodeshHaKadashim how can he possibly be anywhere else?!

    (Shabbos Parshas Shoftim 5748; 15 BAv 5746)

    3 MENACHEM AV: WHEN WE MUST ENTER THE HOLY OFHOLIES IMMEDIATELY [B]

    Another answer to the question on how all Jews canenterKodesh HaKadashim (the Holy of Holies):

    There is an opinion that Jews will need to enter theKodesh HaKadashim immediately, in order to bring theHoly Ark (with the Tablets, etc.) from the place whereit is hidden to its place in theKodesh HaKadashim. Forthis purpose, every single Jew can enter Kodesh

    HaKadashim, and surely one can enter for the sake ofrepairing the House when there is no alternative, evenin a situation of the opposite of purity, and not only in

    crates, but even through the[usual] entrances.

    (Shabbos Parshas Shoftim 5748; 15 BAv5746)

    4 MENACHEM AV: THE GATES OF THEBEIS HAMIKDASH THAT WERESUNKEN IN THE GROUND

    Our Sages, of blessed memory,said on the pasuk (Eicha 2:9), Hergates are sunk into the ground,that the gates of the BeisHaMikdash were sunken and

    hidden in their place, and when the Third BeisHaMikdash will descend from Heaven, these gates will

    be revealed and Melech HaMoshiach will erect them intheir place.

    At first glance, what is the need to use the gates ofthe Beis HaMikdash that sunk in the ground? Just asthe Beis HaMikdash will descend from Heaven, itsgates can come down as well?

    However, since G-d is the ultimate good (and it isthe nature of the good to do good), and since Anindividual prefers a portion of his own over nine

    belonging to his friend (Bava Metzia 38a), therefore,even in the Third Beis HaMikdash (which will descendready from Heaven), there will be the elevation of the

    works of man (a portion of his own) through theerection of the gates that sunk in the ground, by whichthere will come the elevation of a portion of his own

    within the entire Beis HaMikdash, as the one whoplaces the doors is considered as if he built it all.

    (Shabbos Parshas Truma 5744)

    The gates of the Beis HaMikdash weresunken and hidden in their place, and when the Third Beis HaMikdash will descend from Heaven, these gates willbe revealed and Melech HaMoshiach

    will erect them in their place.

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    Unlike other topics, tznius isnot so clearly defined and there ismore room for judgment andpersonal opinion. How can we deal

    with this and how can we come upwith clear-cut rules?

    Rabbi Diskin: Remember, tzniusproblems are the plague of ourgeneration and all groups have tocontend with it. With us, everyschool has standards for tznius too,and the standards generally covermost things. As soon as the schoolestablishes a standard, mothers anddaughters have to sign to it and theadministration of the school has toenforce it.

    If we dont stand behind our ownrules, we lose everything. Its hard,and we cannot explain all the rules tothe girls, but the moment a schoolobligates the parents and sticks to

    their guns, they will be successful.Occasionally, new problems crop upand we have to update the rules. Wealso need to be aware about whatpeople can take on and what will fail.

    Regarding what is permissibleand forbidden in womens clothes,there is a booklet put out by Rabbi

    Wosner which details precisely whattype of clothing is permissible and

    what is not, along with illustrations.

    It says in holy sfarim that in the

    generation before Moshiach, tznius will

    be a great challenge. As we stand on the

    threshold of the true and complete

    Redemption, we see how tznius is a

    major test in our times. * ChabadChassidim, who spread the wellsprings

    and deal with all sorts of people, need to

    be extra careful in this area. We are role

    models for the entire world. * As the

    summer begins, a time when the Rebbe

    urged protecting and strengtheningtznius, we present a noteworthy panel

    discussion with several Chabad

    rabbanim, for the purpose of bringing

    this urgent topic to the attention of

    parents and educators.

    A LUBAVITCH

    DRESS CODE:

    IS THERE SUCH A THING?

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    It has the kashrus seal of the BadatzHaEida HaChareidis. We shouldhave a similar thing that will clarify

    what Chabads position is.Rabbi Drukman: Generally

    speaking, there are instructions fromthe Rebbe that we should do what isaccepted by other chareidi mosdos,Beis Yaakov and the like. (By the

    way, the Rebbe said this alsoregarding the curriculum.) In orderto set clear guidelines, its notenough to know the halachos; youalso need to be aware of styles and

    what is accepted in the world.There are many nuances and

    subtleties (or rather lack of subtlety)and there are groups who havealready done the work for us. All weneed to do is adopt what theyvealready decided (in chareidimosdos).

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: Tznius isfrom the root tzanua, i.e., not tostand out. The function of modestclothes or a modest hairstyle is toexpress a persons dignity, unlikeimmodest clothing, where the intent

    is to stand out. If you use this as aguideline and you check everythingagainst it does it impart dignity ordoes it stand out you can readilysee where the bounds of tznius are

    being breached.At a womans funeral, may

    Heaven protect us, it is customarynot to place the deceased there forthe recitation of Kaddish andThillim because of tznius, eventhough she is covered, so as not toemphasize that there is a womanpresent. Today people think that acovered woman is a modest womanand the truth is, you can be covered

    but in a way that is the completeopposite of tznius, by wearingclothing that is ostentatious and

    provocative.Rabbi Weiner: Regarding all

    those things explained in ShulchanAruch about covered or uncoveredareas of the body, customs of a placeor the prevalent styles make nodifference, since the Torah is eternal.However, there are details in the lawsof tznius that depend on the customsof the place, though the custom ofthe place can only be more stringentthan what it says explicitly in

    halacha, not less so.In other words, even if most

    women in a community or abungalow colony, etc., are notparticular about the length of sleeves,dresses, and stockings, as explainedin halacha, it is forbidden for womento follow the prevalent custom there!It is regarding such a minhag, thatit says that the letters of minhagare the letters of Gehinom.

    One of the reasons our

    ancestors left Egypt is because theydid not change their way of dress.How does this pertain to us, thegeneration of Geula?

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: This is verypertinent to us. Unfortunately, today

    we buy clothing according to what isin style, which is determined by thegoyim, and it changes every so often.Truly modest women wear the same

    PARTICIPANTS:

    Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi

    Rav of the Chabad community in Tel Aviv and mashpia in Yeshivas

    Tomchei Tmimim Ohr Yehuda

    Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Diskin

    Rav of the Chabad community and shliach in Kiryat Ata, a mechanech

    and rav of a Chabad high school in Kiryat Shmuel

    Rabbi Dovid Meir Drukman

    Rav of Kiryat Mochkin and the Chabad community of Kiryot

    Rabbi Moshe Weiner

    Author of Kvuda Bas Melech on the laws of tznius, New York

    Not every group ofpeople can take onall stringencies,but when it comes

    to those thingsthat are obligatory

    according to thelaws of tznius,there can be no

    compromises.Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi

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    styles for years.Tznius needs to start with the

    mothers and teachers, because whenthey wear short or tight clothing, ithas a direct influence on the girls.

    Remember that lack of tznius isworse than eating pork! Since a lack

    of tznius can impact dozens, evenhundreds of people a day, those whoare exposed to forbidden sights, thisis in the category of causing manyto sin, and a person cannot dotshuva for this! Someone whoappears immodestly has no way ofknowing how many people wereensnared because of her, and if she

    wants to do tshuva she will neverknow who she harmed.

    Rabbi Drukman: This is all the

    more important in this period of theeve of the Geula, especially in light of

    what it says in holy sfarim that thegeneration of Moshiach will have thegreatest test in the area of tznius. Inthe Torah it says, It should not beseen any immoral thing amongst youand He will turn away from you.From here Chazal learn thatimmodesty causes the Shchina todepart.

    The Rebbe once said that if a

    Jewish woman or girl thought aboutwhat immodest conduct could cause(the departure of the Shchina!), theconclusion would be obvious.

    We find that the prophetattributes the destruction of the firstBeis HaMikdash, among otherthings, to the immodesty of Jewishgirls. Of course, today, as weanticipate the complete Redemptionand the rectification of the churban

    with the building of the Beis

    HaMikdash, our behavior has to beappropriate.

    Rabbi Diskin:We ChabadChassidim need to be different(vniflinu). Our girls should notlook Modern Orthodox. It should beclear to all that they are Chabad.There should be a difference in how

    we look even in those things that arepermissible according to Shulchan

    Aruch. As soon as it becomes

    impossible to discern that this is aLubavitcher girl, then even if whatshe is wearing is technically modest,it shouldnt be worn.

    Rabbi Weiner: In the SiddurYaavetz (Amudei Shamayim) it talksabout tznius before the coming of

    Moshiach, and it says there, It isproper for Yisroel to be outstandingin their clothing and their customsand in all their ways, so that thelegion of the King will be knownamong the nations as His seed, Hisglory and splendor when the loyalshepherd comes and recognizes hisflock. And who can calculate the dayof his coming, the master whom weseek [i.e., Moshiach Tzidkeinu].

    In other words, the modest

    clothing of the Jewish people will bethe way Moshiach recognizes them.Rabbi Pinchos of Koretz is quoted inhis Midrash Pinchas as saying, Theexile hangs on a hair, and someexplain this as the hair in a mans

    beard and others explain it as asingle strand of a womans hair thatis not covered.

    The Rebbe says that accordingto Shulchan Aruch, a girl from theage of 3 has to conduct herself with

    tznius (Likkutei Sichosvol. 18, p.448). Yet we see many who do notdo so. Is there a halachic basis fornot doing so?

    Rabbi Weiner: In the sicha ofParshas Truma 5741, the Rebbe saysexplicitly, the inyan of tznius,according to most poskim, begins atthree years and a day, and he citesthe workKvuda Bas Melech, where I

    brought the views of various poskimwho discuss this. I wrote that the

    halacha is to dress little girls, whenthey reach the age of 3, according toall the laws of tznius detailed inhalacha. The fact that some do notdo so is irrelevant, as we said earlierregarding a custom which is theopposite of halacha.

    Rabbi Drukman: The Rebbeonce told me in yechidus that thedetails in this depend on the customof the place (and he told me to ask

    other rabbanim what the custom is inEretz Yisroel, and said it alsodepends on the climate of theregion). From what the Rebbe said, Iunderstood that, generally speaking,from the age of three there must betznius, which would mean long

    sleeves, no pants, etc.However, regarding the details

    (socks, etc., and the precise length ofthe dress) apparently this depends onthe custom as well as the childsphysical development. In any case, atone point an announcement wasposted in 770, and they said it wasfrom the Rebbes secretariat, that thegirls who come to shul should bedressed modestly from the age of 3.

    Rabbi Diskin: In the Alter

    Rebbes Shulchan Aruch it does notsay anything about the age of 3. Iremember a time when in Beis

    Yaakov schools they were particularabout tznius only from grade 3 (age9). However, due to the decline inthe generations, we cannot start

    being particular about tznius fromthe age of 6 or 9, because immodestyis so prevalent. Therefore, the Rebbeinstructed us to be particular startingfrom the age of 3.

    I have been teaching in Chabadgirls schools for 25 years. Tzniusproblems that in the past, came up intenth grade and up, are nowcommonplace in grades 5 and 6. AndIm talking about things that goagainst what it says in Shulchan

    Aruch. Therefore, just as the Rebbespoke about starting to light Shabboscandles even before age 3, and heexplained that because of theintensifying darkness we need to

    illuminate the house from an earlierage, so too with tznius.

    I once asked Rabbi Wosner aboutthis and he said that even though inthe past they began at age 6,nowadays we begin at age 3.

    Rabbi Ashkenazi:As soon as theRebbe writes that, we ChabadChassidim have no heter to actotherwise. However, apparently thishoraa is primarily about the tznius of

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    clothing. So for example, we findregarding a 3-year-old in the menssection of shul, that the Rebbe saidthis is permissible until she reachesthe age of chinuch andunderstanding (and maybe this is

    why she needs to dress modestly,

    because she is in the mens section,for the men cannot say the Shma ortake out a Seifer Torah if she is notdressed properly).

    How do we implement theRebbes guideline to do as they doin Beis Yaakov?

    Rabbi Drukman: The Rebbeonce sent the educational director ofBeis Rivka in Kfar Chabad, RabbiMordechai Levin ah, to the menahelof Beis Yaakov (Seminar Wolf) in

    Bnei Brak, Rabbi Avrohom Wolf ah(who was known as a big zealot).The latter told R Levin that the firstthing to do is to have the teachers berole models!

    Rabbi Diskin: Beis Yaakovschools also have problems, but thereis one difference. In Beis Yaakovtznius is constantly spoken about. InLubavitch, it was never the maintopic, since we speak a lot abouthiskashrus and shlichus. We need to

    encourage the girls in their tznius asmuch as possible, even if they dontalways accept what we say.

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: Obviously, we

    need to carry out the Rebbes horaa,though Beis Yaakov does things thatgo beyond the requirements of thehalacha and are additionalstringencies. Not every group ofpeople can take on all stringencies,

    but when it comes to those things

    that are obligatory according to thelaws of tznius, there can be nocompromises.

    Can a woman or girl be stylishwhile being tznius?

    Rabbi Drukman:Wanting to befashionable comes from feelings ofinferiority that some of us have. Itsno secret that there are plenty ofpeople who regularly try to be trendyand modern. We have this inLubavitch too, unfortunately,

    because of the interactions with allkinds of people while doingmivtzaim. If a person is aware thatthey are acting on behalf of theRebbe, they raise the mushpa tothem rather than descend to him orher.

    They tell that the Chassid R Itcheder Masmid (may Hashem avengehis blood) once met with students ofLitvishe yeshivos (who shaved their

    beards and grew their hair long) and

    he mocked them, saying, You looklike [university] students. Heintended on mocking them but theytook it as a compliment!

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: One of theprinciples of a Chassidishe chinuch isnot to accept the worldsassumptions. When you wearsomething trendy, its a gatewaythrough which you can be draggedafter things that are immodest. It

    could be that the garment itself ismodest, but since it was designed bya goy whose intention was not topreserve modesty, wearing it cansooner or later lead to outrightprohibitions.

    It seems that the big enemy oftznius in our generation is theelectronic media. Cell phones andinternet have claimed many victimsand in another few years theyexpect every child to be connected.

    How do you think we should behandling this in our homes andschools?

    Rabbi Diskin: This is a generalproblem that requires a generalChabad response. Since this is suchan urgent matter, I would like to takethis opportunity to call uponrabbanei Chabad to organize agathering of the Beis Din RabbaneiChabad [in Eretz Yisroel], together

    with menahalim and rabbanim of

    Chabad schools, for the purpose ofpresenting a united position ontznius for all Chabad schools. Itshould be clear and signed by theBeis Din and be binding on all schoolprincipals.

    Then we need to ensure that thestandards are enforced by carefullysurveying the schools and seeinghow many girls were dismissed

    because they did not conform to thestandards.

    Today the situation is such thatprincipals are afraid to fight withparents and they do not suspend girls

    because of tznius infractions. Assoon as they have the support of therabbanim, it will obligate them totake action. Likewise, parents would

    be able to complain to the beis dinabout lack of tznius at a particularschool, and if necessary, the principal

    Its not thatimportant to ourbachurim, but a

    Litvishe bachur

    recently told methat in his yeshiva,if you buy a shirt

    for less than 200shekels, peoplelook down on you.Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Diskin

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    can be called down to discuss it.The same goes for internet and

    cell phones (with internetconnections) we need to issue apsak din of all rabbanim that ifsomeone does not need it forpurposes of work (and even then, it

    needs to have other websitesblocked), they cannot be in oneshome. Schools can be told not toaccept students who have internet athome.

    How come even public schoolscan establish rules about thestudents homes but in our mosdos

    we do not obligate parents to get ridof the internet?

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: Regardingtelevision, the Rebbe said that having

    one brings a priest and a church intothe home. Internet and the phonesand other little devices that are nowavailable on the market, go evenfurther than television! When theyare brought into the home, theycause people to transgress serioussins, especially the three cardinal sinsthat we are obligated to give up ourlives for rather than transgress: idol

    worship, immorality, and bloodshed.When parents or educators

    realize what these devices can do andhow they can easily lead a person totransgress these three cardinal sins, Iam sure they will treat themaccordingly and keep them awayfrom children.

    Rabbi Drukman: It starts withthe atmosphere that the parentsinstill in the home. For example, inmy role as rav of the city and thisis not a chareidi city I need toappear at various events. Ive made it

    a point not to take my children withme, either because the event ismixed, men and women, or becauseof the atmosphere.

    At home they should know thatwe need to keep the rule, alwayskeep your distance from the sordidand the like. Parents can tellchildren, We are not buying shoesin Tel Aviv but in Bnei Brak for

    reasons of tznius. Remember, weare not all on the level of greatChassidim who did not notice theirsurroundings as they walked downthe street, being preoccupied with amaamer Chassidus. If at home thereis an atmosphere of openness and

    the lack of awareness of basic rulesof modest conduct (guarding oneseyes, harchakos, etc.), how do theyexpect their children not to sin?

    I dont say that its necessary toconstantly talk about this in anaggressive manner; thats notdesirable either. But every so often itshould be brought up and Iremember that the mashpia, RShlomo Chaim Kesselman ah wouldoccasionally discuss these matters

    associated with preserving kdushawith the Tmimim.

    How should the phenomenon ofimmodest wigs be dealt with and

    what is the halachic view on this?Rabbi Drukman: The answer lies

    in your question itself. The phraseimmodest wigs sums it up. If a

    woman feels good with the fact thather appearance reminds people of aHollywood star, then this is aproblem, and Im not talking about

    the element of chilul sheimLubavitch. (I will mention that somesimchas that take place in Lubavitchand the way the women dress forthese events, give no honor toLubavitch.)

    Rabbi Weiner: If the sheitel doesnot cover all the hair (even if only asmall amount is uncovered), she istransgressing the halacha. A sheitelthat covers all the hair, even if it is asnice as her own hair, even nicer, is

    fine. InLikkutei Sichos vol. 13, p.189, the Rebbe says: A sheitel ispreferred even if it is nicer than herown hair. When I asked the Rebbe

    why it is preferred if it is nicer thanher hair the Rebbe said: This isimmodesty with her own body, andthis [the sheitel] is a foreign item(the covering of the head is like thecovering of the foot, etc.).

    Rabbi Ashkenazi:A sheitel needsto cover the hair, like an item ofclothing which covers the body. Therule that clothing should not drawthe attention of people on the streetapplies to a wig as well.

    Rabbi Diskin: This gets back to

    my call for rabbanei Chabad to issuea clear psak din on tznius and to seethat it is implemented. Rabbanimneed to pasken what length ispermissible, bearing in mind that itshould be a decree that people canabide by. The phenomenon of manyLubavitcher women wearing akerchief or other non-sheitel headcoverings outside, something that theRebbe fought against, also needs to

    be decried.

    What about mens fashion?Does the fact that it is infiltratingour camp pose a tznius problem oris it just something that is notChassidish?

    Rabbi Ashkenazi:We know thatevery action that is done in this

    world with a holy intent, or at leastwithout the opposite of a holy intent,can have a positive influence.Something done with an intent thatis the opposite of holiness has

    negative energy, and one who doesthis is nourished by the three impureklipos.

    The same is true with tznius inmens clothing. It says in the Zoharthat a man who styles his hair isnourished by the impure klipos. Theentire purpose of fashion is toemphasize matter over form, whichhas its source in Greek culture. TheChashmonaim and our ancestorsfought this with mesirus nefesh,

    which is why we celebrate Chanuka.In general, the importance of

    modesty in dress is that immodestclothing is intended to draw theattention of the opposite gender.

    Rabbi Drukman: Everything Isaid earlier about feelings ofinferiority and submission before thecustoms and trends of the worldregarding women and girls applies to

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    men as well. Not to be fanatical, butI remember once asking the mashpiaR Mendel Futerfas ah why hedoesnt wear a watch. He said, Itsmodern and its hard for me to getused to it.

    I dont mean to say that people

    should stop wearing watches. Thepoint is the spirit of what he said.The appearance of men must also beuniform and Chassidish (and Im nottalking about obvious things like a

    beard and a short haircut). It wasalways the way you could identify aChassidic young man. (Clearly onedoes not need to look like a shlump,

    which, for some reason, some boysand men are mehader in; nor is theother extreme desirable.)

    In chareidi areas I notice workingmen, drivers, vegetable store owners,etc., who despite their line of work,are dressed in Chassidic clothes(each according to the group he

    belongs to). For some reason, inLubavitch (and without makinggeneralizations), some people thinkthat because they left yeshiva, theyneed to wear a leather yarmulke(because an ordinary black yarmulkeis too frummy), and they are not

    particular about wearing a hat andjacket outside the times of davening.Weve got to get it into our headsthat even when not within the walls

    of yeshiva, Hashem did not retire.A generation ago, Rabbi Yaakov

    Landau ah started Tiferes Bachurimin Moscow for working boys, and it

    was very successful. Even a bachurwho, for whatever reasons, is notlearning in a yeshiva, has to find a

    way to have set times for Torah studyand continue to see himself as beingconnected to the ways of Chassidus,and just as important those aroundhim should view him that way too.

    Rabbi Diskin: Baruch Hashem,this is less problematic with us [inEretz Yisroel] than in other places.Its not that important to the

    bachurim. A Litvishe bachur recentlytold me that in his yeshiva, if you buya shirt for less than 200 shekels,

    people look down on you.How should a bachur who goes

    on mivtzaim or to a place ofshlichus conduct himself when

    women ask them questions (andwhat should a woman do in thereverse situation)?

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: The best thingis for a woman to speak to a womanand a man to a man. If this isntpossible, the interaction should bedone in a very careful way, i.e.,

    keeping a distance both physicallyand emotionally. The moment aperson sees that its going beyondthat, they need to escape immediately

    and give it over to someone else tohandle.

    If there is a yichud problem, thenthere is no heter to transgress this forpurposes of mivtzaim. As a rule, ifits a conversation, it is preferablethat it take place in the presence of

    someone else.Rabbi Diskin: The Rebbe

    emphasized a number of times thatmen should work with men and

    women with women. If a womanasks a bachur on mivtzaim aquestion, he can give her materialand refer her to the nearest Chabadhouse or give her a phone number ofa Chabad house, but no more. Therehave been cases in which aconversation began on matters of

    faith and led to extremely negativethings.

    Rabbi Drukman: Of course youneed to be polite and respond.However, when its an ongoingactivity, it is not proper forunmarried bachurim to be involvedon a regular basis. Even in the caseof young married men, a rav andmashpia need to be consulted toknow how to go about it. RabbiChadakov would see to it that

    bachurim going on Merkos Shlichuswould not go to places known fortheir lack of tznius.

    When shluchim work with a

    R Itche der Masmid oncemet with students of Litvishe

    yeshivos (who shaved theirbeards and grew their hair

    long) and he mocked them,saying, You look like[university] students. Heintended on mocking thembut they took it as a

    compliment!Rabbi Dovid Meir Drukman

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    mixed crowd, how particularshould they be about tznius indress and separate seating (even ifit will alienate people)?

    Rabbi Drukman: In myexperience, I dont accept that italienates people (and I work in a

    place that is absolutely chiloni, aspeople put it). If its presentedproperly, nobody is alienated. Ingeneral, there are explicit instructionsfrom the Rebbe to keep men and

    women separate and I remembergoing to many lectures at kibbutzimof HaShomer HaTzair (virulentlyanti-religious kibbutzim) and they

    were definitely separate.Yes, there are places (like in

    Russia, etc.) where it is hard to do

    this (and there are instructions fromthe Rebbe about this). However, weneed to know that this is in thecategory of a forced situation andsecond-best. It shouldnt bepublicized to the world; it should bekept quiet. Nobody should think thatits a first-choice scenario and ageneral license to do the sameelsewhere.

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: The Rebbesinstructions are that obviously, where

    possible, all guidelines of tzniusshould be observed. However, weneed to differentiate betweensituations in which we are asked to

    be the guests to convey a messageand situations in which we aremaking the event.

    If the first case, we need to insiston the more essential matters, suchas the area where the speaker isshould not be one that is immodest.In the latter case, we need to ensure

    that all the details are as they shouldbe. That is part of the job gettingpeople to realize that this is the way

    we do things.A Chassidishe, G-d-fearing rav

    should be consulted. A Chassid forhe knows we need to be mekarevothers. G-d-fearing so he knows

    what is forbidden. One should notdraw conclusions from someone

    elses event and what takes place inother countries. And theres adifference between married men onshlichus, and Tmimim or girls onshlichus.

    While on the topic of outreach,do you have ideas on how to teach

    mekuravim about tznius when theworld associates beauty with thelack of tznius?

    Rabbi Diskin:When I speakabout this, I explain the point (whichis explained in the Rebbes sichosand letters) that when a person

    wants to express or reveal himself, hedoes so by means of the emotions orthe intellect. When he tries to expresshimself through his body, it showsthat he does not take pride in other

    things.You can point out the

    deterioration of tznius in the worldin that twenty years ago, certainthings were out of the question, andtoday you see it. This shows hownecessary it is to preserve the boundsof tznius.

    Rabbi Ashkenazi:A Jew mustknow to display his real self, hisintellect and emotions. One whodresses immodestly is proclaiming:

    Im just a meat market. I have nosubstance. Look at my flesh.

    Rabbi Drukman: Before weattempt to convince mekuravim, weneed to convince those close to us,and in a big way. When we see thedeterioration of the family unit andsociety, as a result of permissiveness,

    we need to draw our conclusions andchange direction.

    Its hard to cover the subjectexhaustively in the course of an

    interview, and to do it right you needto invite speakers (men and women)

    whose specialty is not only inheavenly matters but also in whatis going on down here, on earth.They can give examples from thefield, and from the shockingconsequences of the licentious

    behavior of today.Sometimes, our speakers (men

    and women) speak lofty words andare aloof of the fact that the audience

    is already drowning in the 49th levelof impurity and that lofty talk goesover their heads.

    These lectures should also begiven by baalei tshuva, who can

    teach others the lessons theyvelearned. It is not necessary to

    videotape every such lecture, and youhave to know who your audience is,

    because some topics can only beaddressed in private.

    What are the bounds of tzniuswithin the extended family?

    Rabbi Drukman:According tohalacha, aside from a father and hisdaughter, a mother and her son, agrandfather and his granddaughter,

    and a grandmother and her grandson other family members should notdisplay signs of affection.

    All the laws in Shulchan Aruchthat deal with keeping a distance

    between men and women, apply torelatives too (and in a certain way, itis more serious with relatives). At theShabbos table, there should beseparate places for men and for

    women (although there is no needfor a mechitza). Only men should

    sing zmiros.Rabbi Ashkenazi:You need to be

    exceedingly careful about getting tooclose, not to mention touching. A

    brother-in-law and sister-in-law arelike other unrelated men and women.The same is true for uncles andaunts and cousins they need to beinteracted with in the same way as tomen who are strangers, and there isno heter for getting too close.

    In the family setting, relativesmeet and there is a need to talkabout all sorts of family topics and tohand things to one another. Eventhen, you need to keep in mind thatthey are really outsiders and its only

    because they are part of the familycircle that there is a connection. Youneed to constantly remember, like ared light, that this person is astranger as far as getting close.

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    Rabbi Diskin:You need to becareful to avoid any familiarity whichgoes beyond ordinary friendliness,not to laugh or be frivolous together.If we are not careful about this, weneed to know there are tragedies andproblems among us as a result.

    What precautions should betaken at work regarding tznius?

    Rabbi Diskin: First, you need tobe knowledgeable in the laws ofyichud. I dont think this is studiedenough in school, which is whypeople are unaware of the basics.Practically speaking, a Chabad houseshould have a male secretary, even ifthe Chabad house director is carefulabout halacha. The same is true forother jobs, where you need to be

    careful beyond the bounds ofhalacha.

    Rabbi Drukman: This is aquestion that every person has to askhis rav personally. In general, ofcourse you need to be careful toavoid yichud situations, and when itis necessary to speak to women in

    work-related matters, there is noheter to talk at length and to jokearound and be otherwise social.Many have fallen because of this. In

    short, and your camp should beholy kdusha is a vessel for

    blessing.I want to point out that when the

    Rebbe writes to women, he beginswith Bracha vshalom and notShalom uvracha, because thehalacha says, asur lidrosh bshlomisha (it is forbidden to inquire[directly] regarding a womans

    welfare).

    I once saw a brochure that waspublished by a mosad in Eretz

    Yisroel which praised the patron ofthat mosad while noting that she wasalso a singer. Although it did not saythat men listen to this female

    vocalist, the Rebbes handwrittennote said to see in Shulchan Aruch

    where the halacha says the voice ofa woman is erva.

    If Chazal declared lhalacha thatein apotropos larayos (there is no

    safeguard for immorality), its not anexaggeration. Its a halacha and astatement of fact.

    Rabbi Ashkenazi: If you arereferring to the person in charge at aplace of work or office, he must seeto it that there is no yichud situationand no serving of drinks andrefreshments to men and women,and that the female employees bedressed modestly. If you are referringto employees, they need to describe

    the situation to a Chassidishe, G-d-fearing rav who will guide him or heras to what is in the category of bekilled and do not transgress and

    what is okay.Rabbi Weiner: Id like to mention

    the book, Yeitzei Adam Lfaalowhichdeals with this question. Irecommend it. [In EnglishNine to

    Five: A Guide to Modest Conduct forTodays Workplaceby Rabbi Shmuel

    Neiman and The Journey to Virtue -the laws of interpersonal relationshipsin business, home, and societybyRabbi Avrohom Ehrman arerecommended.]

    To sum up action is the mainthing:

    *Its best to shop in modestplaces.

    *There should be lectures on thetopic of tznius that are down-to-earth and specific.

    *People should be knowledgeablein the laws of yichud and these lawsshould be taught in school.

    *Schools must have standards oftznius.

    *Rabbanei Chabad are asked toprovide tznius standards for allschools, to enforce them, and tocompile a book which enumerates

    what is permissible.*See above regarding sheitels and

    internet.

    From the publication Chinuch BDerechHaMelech, published by the Chinuch Committee of

    Agudas Chassidei Chabad.

    The modest clothing of the Jewishpeople will be the way Moshiachrecognizes them. Rabbi Pinchos of

    Koretz is quoted in his Midrash

    Pinchas as saying, The exilehangs on a hair, and some explainthis as the hair in a mans beard

    and others explain it as a singlestrand of a womans hair that isnot covered.Rabbi Moshe Weiner

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    [Continued from last week]

    MEETING INCHERNOVITZ

    When I left Samarkand,

    although I had several things to takecare of, my thoughts were on myfuture meeting with R Mendel. Iarrived in Chernovitz on 16 Tamuz.Taking the necessary precautions, Isearched for the street where RMendel lived. I feared that the homeof a former prisoner would beunder surveillance, so I passed it bya number of times until I wascertain there were no suspiciouspeople in the area.

    I knocked on the door but therewas no response. One of theneighbors heard me knock, cameout and asked me who I waslooking for. I answered: ComradeFuterfas. He told me that Futerfas

    was not at home and was probablyat the home of his friend, Moshe

    Veshedsky since he spent a lot oftime there.

    He described where R Moshe

    lived, which wasnt far from RMendel, and I went over there. Afterascertaining that nobody wasstaking out the house, I knocked.

    I heard footsteps and then a

    womans voice asking who wasthere. I answered in Yiddish, Oneof us.

    There was silence for a fewseconds and then she asked again,Who is there?

    I repeated my answer, One ofus.

    I heard whispering and after afew moments the door was opened.I entered but did not see anyone.Then the woman asked me onceagain for my name. Zaltzman, Ianswered loudly, since I assumedthat the people in the house were ina nearby room and could hear me. Iloudly asked, Is R Mendel Futerfashere?

    A moment later, R Mendel cameout. Since the last time I saw him

    was when I was very little, I did notrecognize him. I asked, Are you RMendel? He said he was and heasked, Are you the son of Avremel

    Zaltzman? I answered that I was,and then we greeted one another. Icould not hold back my tears and Inoticed that R Mendels eyes also

    I asked: Are you R Mendel? He said he was and he asked: Are you the son of Avremel Zaltzman? I said that I was, and we both greeted one another. I couldnt hold back my tears and Inoticed that R Mendels eyes were also

    moist with tears. * Rabbi Hillel Zaltzman remembers the mashpia RMendel Futerfas. * Part 2

    MY REB MENDEL

    WHY WAS REB MENDEL IMPRESSED?

    During the time that R Mendel lived in Chernovitz, the RibnitzerRebbe lived there. Many people turned to this tzaddik for his brachos

    but the Chabad Chassidim knew that although he was a great tzaddik,we have our own Rebbe.

    His mekuravim related in amazement to the Lubavitchers that theRibnitzer fasted every day, immersed himself daily, and davened for

    hours. The Lubavitchers would listen but not be amazed.When R Mendel came to the city and they told him that the

    Ribnitzer Rebbe fasted every day, immersed daily, and davened forhours, he was very impressed and said he wanted to meet him.

    At first, R Mottel Kozliner did not understand why R Mendel wasso impressed and only afterwards did he say: the reason none of us

    were impressed was because none of us had tried to fast or to daven allday, so we did not appreciate the greatness in this. R Mendel on theother hand, knew what this was about and when he heard that there

    was a Jew who served Hashem in this way, he just had to meet him!

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    reddened and were moist with tears.R Moshe Veshedsky, who

    overheard the moving encounter,also came out of the other room. Igave him shalom while glancing athis tormented eyes, in which thehardships of the exile he was in was

    apparent. R Moshe realized I hadcome to meet with R Mendel andhe left us to sit together and left forthe other room.

    I sat facing R Mendel and wasspeechless. I was a young man of 20and I felt uncomfortable talking toan older Chassid who had manyyears of activism and mesirus nefesh

    behind him. R Mendel understoodhow I felt and began our discussion

    with his clever smile and a loving

    demeanor.I felt that he was wary of me and

    was telling me way less than he wasrevealing. I certainly understoodhim. After all, he barely knew meand even if I was Hilke Zaltzman,the son of his good friend Avremel,so what? There were plenty of casesin which the father was a Chassidand the son was

    But as we continued talking, wewarmed up and R Mendel realized

    that I really was one of us, and heasked me about Anash inSamarkand and Tashkent. I toldhim at length about our lives thereand about the undergroundactivities.

    I told him about the ongoingargument between R Berke and RMoshe during farbrengens, about

    which ought to take precedence working on oneself or influencingothers and asked his opinion. I

    sensed that he did not understandthe question and it was only after Ihad explained myself that he said:

    If Eliyahu HaNavi himself comesand tells you that you do not haveto work with others, tell him: Youare truly Eliyahu HaNavi, but we

    wont listen to you; we will continueworking with others.

    As we spoke, R Moshe walked

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    by. Since I did not know him anddid not know whether he could berelied upon, I refrained fromspeaking about certain topics. Ingeneral, the rule in Russia was thatyou didnt say everything, even tothose you relied upon. You just said

    what the person needed to know inorder to carry out his tasks in theChassidic underground.

    (People would joke about thesecretiveness in Samarkand and

    would say that if someone fromSamarkand told you something, hecould speak for a long time withoutsaying anything. The conversation

    would go something like this: I wentto a certain place and met withsomeone. I argued with him about

    something and after a vigorousdebate he agreed with me and all is

    well)R Mendel noticed my

    apprehension and said: If you arebeing careful about him, dont tellme anything either, because Ill tellhim everything.

    I expressed my surprise at thisand R Mendel said, we are one

    body and one soul, and he went onto tell me at length about their deep

    friendship since their youth.

    WHERE DID WE SEESUCH THINGS IN

    LUBAVITCH?

    The next day, the fast of the17th of Tamuz, I went to R Mosheagain. Since R Mendels family wasin England, he had nothing to do inhis house and he spent his days withR Moshe.

    That day, R Moshe ChaimDubrawsky ah was visiting too.This was a group of friends who

    visited together occasionally. I stoodup to daven and when I got up toSlichos, R Moshe Chaim passednear me. He looked at me, then atR Mendel, and pointed out that I

    was saying Slichos. He said: Wheredid we see such things in

    Lubavitch?R Mendel just said to leave me

    alone. (Afterwards, I found out thatin Lubavitch they did not saySlichos on fast days. Though, thecustom was reinstated later on.)

    In the meantime, R Mendelbegan to daven. I couldnt help butbe amazed by R Mendels davening.He davened at length, like a sonpleading before his father, using the

    niggun of R Michel of Zlotchov.There are no words to describe thesweetness that I heard in his prayer.

    During my stay in the city, Inoticed that R Mendel tried toavoid going to his house. Herealized that I wanted to spend asmuch time as possible with him,and he did not want me to visit himat home since the neighbors wouldsee me and word could get back tothe authorities. Why was a former

    prisoner who was still considered acounterrevolutionary, spending time

    with a young man like me?Other Chassidim lived in

    Chernovitz at this time, like RChaim Zalman Kozliner ah(known by the acronym Chazak), R

    Avrohom Shmuel Lebenhartz, andothers. R Mottel Kozliner the sonof Chazak, had gotten married and

    R Berke Chein hadleft, and we wereleft without amashpia. There

    was no one with

    whom to farbreng, from whom to getC h a s s i d i s h e

    warmth chayus, etc. After discussing it fromall angles, we came

    to the conclusionthat better that a

    Jew like R Mendel should co despite the dangerthis entailed.

    HOW CAN I SLEEP IN PEACE?

    R Mendel was a real Ish Chesed. During the war, when he was inSamarkand, he often joined R Dovid Deitsch and R MordechaiRivkin in business ventures. Each time he had to invest money, he

    would take a loan from his partners since the money he earned in theprevious business venture had already been given to the needy.

    One time the partners decided that the profits from their nextventure would be used to buy gold bars and they would hide it underthe floor since owning bars of gold at that time was considered acrime. When they needed money for their next deal, they would sellthe gold.

    Thats what they did but when it came time to do the next deal andthey asked R Mendel for the gold, he said: I heard that one of the mencannot support his family even with minimal bread and I thought tomyself, how can I sleep in peace with gold bars under the floor, whenone of our young men needs this money for food for his children? Ihad no choice but to sell the gold and give him the money.

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    moved to Tashkent, and R Moshesson, R Michel Veshedsky, alsomoved to Tashkent and lived withhis sister Dina, who was married toR Mordechai Gorodetzky. Youngpeople generally did not remain inChernovitz and most moved toTashkent, where there was a youngChabad community.

    I left Chernovitz with mixed

    feelings. I was happy for havingfinally met a true Chassid anddrawing from him an abundance ofChassidishe chayus for working on

    behalf of others. On the other hand,I missed him. I wondered when I

    would meet him again.On the way to Samarkand,

    which took two weeks with all thestops, I kept on thinking about myencounters with R Mendel andabout the other Chassid I had

    gotten to know, R MosheVeshedsky.

    When I arrived in Samarkand,people were impatient to hear aboutmy travels and especially, what RMendel had to say about the debate

    between R Berke and R Moshe. RMendels view causes a greathisorerus in the underground work.R Berke also attributed great

    importance to what R Mendel hadto say.

    THE REBBES ANSWER:CONSULT WITH THE

    AVREICHIM OFSAMARKAND

    Throughout those years, RMendel tried repeatedly to get outof Russia in order to see the Rebbe,and to reunite with his family wholived in London. He submitted arequest to leave time after time and

    was always refused.R Mendel once related that one

    of the times that the clerk told himthe answer was No, he began toyell: What do you want from me?How much can you punishsomeone? Ive been a prisoner for17 years already, first in Siberia andnow within the four walls of myhome!

    Their wicked answer was: Donteven dream about getting out. We

    will never allow you to leave Russiaand reunite with your family.

    R Mendel did not lose his faithand he responded: We will see

    What G-d wants is what willultimately prevail!

    In the meantime, R MosheVeshedsky received permission toemigrate and he left Russia. RChaim Zalman Kozliner moved toSamarkand and R Mendelremained in Chernovitz, alone and

    with no possibility for leaving the

    country.Chazak lived in our

    neighborhood and I took theopportunity to learn Gemara withhim. He was an excellent teacherand I acquired much knowledge inthe study of Gemara from him.

    One day, when I came for ourshiur, Chazak told me that RMendel wrote him that he had askedthe Rebbe that since the emigrationofficials in Chernovitz refused to let

    him out, whereas in Central Asiasome Chassidim had been allowedto leave (like R Boruch Duchmanand R Berke Chein, who leftSamarkand), should he move toSamarkand or Tashkent. R Mendelalso mentioned that he was alone inChernovitz while in Samarkand andTashkent there was a Chabadcommunity.

    The Rebbes answer, which wastransmitted somehow or other, said:

    consult with the avreichim ofSamarkand, how they will receiveyou.

    Therefore, Chazak said to me,go discuss it with the group and tellme what they say.

    Chazak was not involved withthe underground in Samarkandsince we tried to refrain fromtalking to anyone unless it waspertinent. But Chazak, with hisChassidic sixth sense, knew that we

    had a group and that I was part ofit, so he told me to check it out withthem.

    I immediately went and told mybrother-in-law, R Chaim EliyahuMishulovin. He was considered the

    brain of Samarkand and manypeople consulted with him. When heheard the Rebbes answer, he beganto analyze it. On the one hand, this

    Reb Mendel

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    was a zchus for the avreichim ofSamarkand and it was also a clearhint that the Rebbe wanted RMendel to move to Samarkand. Onthe other hand, one couldunderstand from the Rebbesanswer that there was reason to fear

    danger and it might be better forhim not to move.

    What danger was there inmoving to Samarkand? Very simple.

    At that time there were some groupsof bachurim who learnedunderground. If R Mendel, areleased prisoner who was underconstant surveillance by the KGB,

    would live among us, it could leadto great tragedy.

    The KGB would know where he

    lived, with whom he met, and if wefarbrenged with him or met withhim, they would know about it. This

    would put all the undergroundactivities in danger.

    Go consult with R Moshe, saidmy brother-in-law, and I headedstraight there. I told him about theletter that Chazak got from RMendel and about the Rebbesanswer, and he exclaimed: Oy, oy,oy, R Mendel wants to come to

    Samarkand He was well aware ofthe danger we would be in if RMendel came to Samarkand.

    We saw that the Rebbe wasparticularly careful when it came to

    Samarkand. We found out thattourists who had yechidus with theRebbe and said that they planned on

    visiting cities in Russia includingTashkent and Samarkand, wereasked by the Rebbe not to visitSamarkand. Rabbi Binyamin Katz

    was also warned by the Rebbe notto go to Samarkand.

    Yet, after living in Samarkandfor nearly ten years, R Berke Chein

    had left, and we were left without amashpia. There was no one with

    whom to farbreng, from whom toget Chassidishe warmth and chayus,etc.

    After discussing it from allangles, we came to the conclusionthat better that a Jew like R Mendelshould come, despite the danger thisentailed. R Moshe said: we arethree people Eliyahu, you, andme. Let us pasken together like a

    beis din that Hashem will help, thatall will be well!

    I immediately sent a message toChazak that the avreichim of

    Samarkand agreed wholeheartedlythat R Mendel should come. Weexcitedly awaited R Mendelsresponse and two weeks later weheard that he was on his way.

    R Mendel (center) receiving the four minim in the Rebbes room

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    Im sorry, its not the tooth.The reason it hurts is becausethere is an inflammation under theroot of the tooth. See? You donthave to be a radiologist to see it.

    Its the black area above the whiteroot.

    Aha, I see it. So what now?Im going to refer you to an

    oral surgeon. He needs to open itup and clean it out.

    Surgery?And there he was, my old

    acquaintance, gripping my heartwith icy hands. Hello there Mr.Fear. I havent exactly missedyou Why Hashem?

    Yet, the core of all tests is: notto be at all afraid. In other

    words, complete bitachon inHashem.

    Its nothing, said the dentistin his most soothing manner. You

    wont feel a thing.

    But the Chassidic womansitting there just a moment agohad disappeared. There remainedonly trembling and dread.

    Heres the referral.Thank you, Dr. Lieberman.Hashem, why me? Ive already

    told you, I cant go through withthis!

    * * *

    When I wrote to the Rebbe,these are the answers I opened to:

    Ive already written you myopinion, that your thinking is

    incorrect and there is no basisfor your fears, and certainly it isnothing but the counsel of theInclination.

    What inclination, Rebbe? I saw

    the X-ray!With blessing for proper

    health and that you should knowit (letter #1123).

    Heaven forbid. I did not meanto give rebuke but I am botheredabout your pain and anguish forreasons that have no basis andsurely also have no reality, andas is known according to what isexplained in Chassidus, thedifference between the concept of

    tests and birurim (experiencesone can work through and refine).

    TO BE HEALTHY...

    AND TO KNOW ITBy Rochel Shavi

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    (ibid #929)Rebbe, it explains there that

    with birur there is somethingthat needs to be extracted, and

    with a test there isnt anythingthere, and never was But I sawit on the X-ray! The dentist did

    too.Another two days until the

    surgery. True, its minor surgeryand I wont feel anything but inmy mouth!? And what can it be?

    And why didnt my cleaningroutine work? Maybe, G-d forbid,theres something awful there?That is why my old acquaintancehangs around my neck, hardlyallowing me to breathe. Two dayscan be a long time.

    How embarrassing. The mindshould be ruling the heart! Ill tryagain. TheHaYom Yom says that theBaal Shem Tov says that everything

    we see and hear is a G-dly directivefor what we need to correct withinourselves. What can it be?Abovethe upper root of the upper tooth,hmmm. Up on top, above. In my

    body, in my home, above, above thetop floor

    Oh my! That door! The door

    that for some reason the carpenterinstalled when he raised the roof

    because rain was dripping in, adoor whose threshold is way upthere and there is no ladder orsteps to reach it, and it doesntlead anywhere except into thatspace under the roof, but its adoor nonetheless!

    Danny! Remember that door upthere? The one that leads from theawning on the porch on top, to

    the roof over Shneurs room? Theone that the carpenter put there

    when he was fixing the roof a yearago? It doesnt have a mezuza,right?

    Mendy! Quick, go bring aladder. I dont care from where.

    That same day a mezuza wasput up.

    * * *

    Two days later, with theincriminating X-ray on the light

    box and butterflies in my stomach,I was at the oral surgeon. Youknow doctor, I tentatively began,drawing on my heaviest artillery,I once had something and the

    Rebbe miraculously removed it.Are you sure we have to gothrough with this?

    Well, if you dont want to losethe tooth he said, as heinstructed his assistant to preparethe materials he needed.

    The materials were preparedand he donned gloves. They tookout the knives from the metal traysand I was in turmoil. I even crieda little, in fear. They shined the

    light in my eyes and gave me alocal anesthetic. Yikes!

    Until the anesthetic took effect,

    the doctor said it paid to takeanother X-ray from another angle.

    A few minutes later and the nursebrought the little celluloid slide.He peered at it suspiciously andsaid, I dont see anything. Dry itsome more.

    She went off to dry it somemore and then came back. I cant

    believe what Im seeing! he saidquietly to himself.

    Mrs. , all the miracleshappen to you!

    For the second time within 48hours, I examined my upper jawand once again, you didnt need to

    be a radiologist to see, or betterput not to see, that which wasntthere

    How can that be? mutteredthe doctor.

    He called his colleague Dr.Lieberman.

    Hello, Dr. Lieberman. This isDr. Tamir. Regarding the womanyou sent me. Yes, Im holding the

    X-ray you took from two days agoand another one I just took now

    and the difference between them islike night and day. No, theresimply is nothing there, noproblem at all. What? The tooth isloose? (He looked into my mouth

    with the phone in one hand whiletrying to shake my tooth with hisother hand.) No, its not movingat all. A pocket? (And again, withthe phone in one hand and one ofhis tools in the other hand, hetried to locate the space (i.e.,

    pocket) between the tooth and thegum. No, theres no pocket

    Theres nothing wrong here,

    nothing at all!Doctor Lieberman, shes fine,

    goodbye.He looked at me and bent over

    a bit. Now theyre tears of joy,right?

    Of course.All I had left to do was

    apologize to the Rebbe and makean accounting with the despicableone [i.e., the Evil Inclination],

    who had vanished as though hehad never been present, with allthe names that Chazal call himand a few more that I thought upmyself.

    And you should know that thattooth shook like a door and there

    was definitely a pocket there, untilsuddenly

    * * *

    Someone once asked the Rebbe whatdoctors will do when Moshiach comes.The Rebbe said, They will convince

    people that they are healthy.

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    Someone once asked the Rebbewhat doctors will do whenMoshiach comes. The Rebbe said,They will convince people thatthey are healthy.

    I never understood that, for ifsomeone is healthy, theyre

    healthy, arent they?Well, apparently not, as long as

    he doesnt knowthat he is.This needs to be publicized! To

    convince And this is seemingly aserious job because theopponent in the heart is truly afool (at least my inner opponent),and really stubborn too. Its not soeasy to convince him, even whenthe miracles are taking place andeven when we are told, time and

    again, that the Avodas HaBirurimis over, and theres nothing here.If there are no more birurim, whatis there? Tests.

    The final test, the onlyremaining avoda, is to prepare the

    world, i.e., to tell everybody andconvince them that this is true!The nightmare is over even if wedont quite see that this is so.Perhaps only another little bit ofeffort is needed and thats all.

    To convince them that itspossible to relax. To stop beingafraid. To start breathing (the airof Moshiach). That we need to behappy and confident now! Forthose who cannot accept thisdirectly from the Rebbe, from thesichos of 5751-2, Hashem will useother ways to get the messageacross Doctors who dont even

    wear kippos yet, for example.Whether we want it or not, we

    are the generation in which it willhappen (you wont feel a thing).Mrs. , all the miracles happento you. A difference betweennight and day, now they aretears of joy. Its not hard to findthe source in the prophetic words:

    with blessing for proper health.And what is no less important:

    That you should know it!

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    [Continued from last week]

    Whats happening these dayswith the community?First of all, we are trying to

    preserve what we have, but the goalis to bring things back the wayused to be, to the glory days.

    Its the last two to three yearsthat the shul has started bustlingagain, even on weekdays. RMendel Tzurkenik put in greateffort and was able to reestablish a

    regular minyan for Mincha-Maariv

    every day. For a while now, wehave had a shiur in Dvar Malchuson Thursday night and this isfollowed by a shiur in Gemara. Forabout three hours, people sit andlearn with chayus. On Friday nightthere is a shiur in Likkutei Torah.

    Lately, weve revived the shiurin Chassidus Shabbos morning, ashiur that weakened in recent years

    because people find it hard to come

    early in the morning.We hope that we can add more

    shiurim, thus expanding the shuland strengthening it.

    Can something be done tobring in the people and restorethe shul to what it once was?

    This is one of the reasons why Iagreed to take the position, in thehopes that I can, with Hashemshelp, help draw more people in,and Id like to do this as soon aspossible. It can be done throughshiurim at the shul; to see to it thatthe farbrengens are interesting andattract people; and throughmivtzaim that will create aconnection between the people inthe shul and those living in the

    area. Remember, the shul is in thecenter of Tel Aviv, with everythingthat entails.

    These activities, as well as thework being done in Tel Aviv by theshluchim, will with Hashemshelp be successful and the shul

    will bustle with life again.The shul has a lot to offer.

    Today too, there are specialChassidic figures, like Rav Butman,a Chassid who conveys a great deal

    of Chassidic flavor, Rav MenachemLipsker, who remembers theChassidic glory of days gone by,Rabbi Avrohom Shmuel Levin, whois chockfull of Chassidic storiesfrom the time he was the Rebbesrepresentative in AgudasHaRabbanim in the US, RavEliezer Reichman, a remnant of thegeneration of genuine ovdim, andRav Boaz Segal and his wife, whoare full of Chassidic energy.

    The Rebbes way is not to waitfor people to come to you, but togo out in the street with a lantern.

    We plan on doing a series ofprograms, like having Shabbosmeals Friday nights for theresidents of the area, together withChabad Chassidim, to give them ataste of the Chabad-Shabbosatmosphere.

    As a child, he watched the Chassidim

    in the Chabad shul in Tel Aviv, and observed their davening, their avoda, and their farbrengens suffused with old-time Chassidishkait. Hisgrandfather was a rav, his father was arav, and he saw all this as he got up to

    speak when he himself became rav a few months ago. * An interview with Rabbi Chaim Ashkenazi, rav of theChabad community in Tel Aviv and a

    frequent contributor to Beis Moshiach.* Part 2 of 2

    TEL AVIV

    REVIVALBy Menachem Ziegelboim

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    Theres definitely a demand forthis and we hope to follow throughon this soon. It will attract peopleto the shul. Theres so much to doin Tel Aviv, a city with plenty ofpeople who are seeking meaning inlife. If you put in the work, you can

    reach them.What would you say is the role

    of a rav of a khilla?I think that nowadays, a rav is a

    sort of psychologist of the khilla.The role of rabbanim today is notonly to answer halachic questions.Every self-respecting group hassomeone with whom they discussthings. Even banks pridethemselves by saying there is

    someone you can talk to there. Inmy opinion, a rav today is someone

    with whom you consult and talkthings over, someone who canhelp.

    In other respects, it depends onmany factors. A rav who grew with

    his congregation is different than arav who joined an existing khilla.So I think that the Alef-Beis of arav is that he be a listening ear,especially when there are so manymekuravim who need a listeningear. They dont necessarily havequestions but they experience manydifficulties and a lack of clarityabout how to look at differentthings. Im not talking only about

    mekuravim, but Anash too,Chassidim who go way back.

    Im not coming to give advice toold-time rabbanim, and especiallynot to rabbanim who hold andpromote strong views. Who am I totell them what to do? But it seems

    to me that this is something we allneed to think about.

    In the past, a person knew thatin order to eat meat, it needed ahechsher. He had to know who theshochet was, whether he was G-d-fearing. etc. The rav wasresponsible for the local shochet,and he would check the knives, etc.They didnt need more than that.

    In our generation, in contrast,

    Theres so much todo in Tel Aviv, acity with plenty of

    people who areseeking meaningin life. If you putin the work, you

    can reach them.

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    we need a hechsher on everything,on pants, on socks, on sheitels.There is nothing that doesnt needa hechsher. Im not talking about apotential problem with shatnez oridol worship, etc. Today, there is a

    blurring between kdusha and the

    opposite of kdusha. Thisconfusion is tremendous and itaffects all aspects of life.

    People dont think we need ahechsher on everything, but we do!Take a cell phone for example.

    Who would have imagined that acell phone needed a hechsher? Doyou eat it? But a cell phone hassomething that other things donthave. If a person did all sorts ofprohibitions, he wouldnt attain

    what a cell phone can cause. Its a

    small device, but it is verypowerful, and people dontacknowledge this.

    To a certain extent we can saythat today, it is far less likely forsomeone to be tripped up with treifmeat than to be tripped up byhearing or seeing things that are inthe category of idol worship,

    immorality, and bloodshed. Most ofthe meat sold in stores [in Israel] iskosher, to some extent or another,and this is true for other fooditems, but most of the clothing thatis sold is far from being mehadrin!

    Most of the written media is notmehadrin! Most things that areheard are not mehadrin, and notonly fall short of mehadrin, but

    treif! People dont understand thatthis is a generation with new meansat its disposal. People are stringentabout using meat that is ShchitaLubavitch or Eida HaChareidis, butthey forget that there are thingsthey use every day that are in the

    category of completely forbidden.The role of rabbanim is to talk

    about this night and day and tomake sure that each item gets itshechsher. A rav has to get themessage across that we need to payattention to every detail in ourlives. The challenges today are veryserious. Once upon a time, thetests were of the sort that if youdo this, youre a Jew, and if youdont do this you are not a Jew.

    Today you can be considered a

    Chassidishe Yid even with all theprohibitions in the world.

    What do you think should bethe relationship between a youngmarried man and a balabus, withthe rav of the khilla?

    As I said, if a rav is successfulin instilling the awareness thateverything needs a hechsher, then

    naturally, the relationship betweenthe rav and his congregation will beone that encompasses all aspects oflife. He directs his khilla in shalom

    bayis, chinuch, parnasa, etc.You used to need a rav to be

    able to ask him a question aboutthe kashrus of a chicken, becauseother things were clear-cut. If youdidnt go to the big city to seek out

    the Evil Inclination, you didntmeet him. You could live 120 yearsand not meet the Evil Inclination,relatively speaking, of course. Aslong as you remained in a village,you needed candles to seek out theEvil Inclination.

    Today, you need to seek theGood Inclination with candles.Theres the well-known Mishna

    with the Arizals explanation, thenight of the 14th, you check forchametz by the light of a candle,that when you reach age 14, youneed to begin searching out theEvil Inclination by the light of acandle, which is the neshama.

    Today its the opposite. Youhave to seek what is permissible.

    Today, the world is in the categoryof the forbidden. Therefore, if weare moving away from the principlethat a rav has to wait for people tocome and ask questions about whatpermissible and what isnt, then hehas to drill it into the heads ofthose who listen to him that thereare problems of what is prohibitedand the world needs a hechsher.The pritzus, meaning the breakingof boundaries, is in all areas of life.

    So the relationship between a manand his rav is in everything.

    A rav needs to know that itdepends on him. If he conveys themessage that all problems center onthe hechsher of meat, then theirrelationship will be about ahechsher on meat. If he insists thatpeople come to more shiurim, thenthe relationship will focus on that.

    Rabbanim used to rebukepeople for not coming enough to

    shiurim and farbrengens, but todaywe have to convey that all 24 hoursof the day need the halachicguidance of a rav.

    To the credit of mekuravim Illsay that we see this more withthem. Someone who was born intoa frum home thinks he knows whatis permissible and what isforbidden, but those who became

    You used to need a rav to be able to askhim a question about the kashrus of a chicken, because other things wereclear-cut. If you didnt go to the big cityto seek out the Evil Inclination, you

    didnt meet him.

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    frum later in life, dont know a lot.You see that their connection withthe heads of the community,

    whether rav or mashpia, is onnearly every subject.

    Is there a difference betweenthe conduct of a rav and the

    conduct of a Chassidishe rav?The difference is not only

    among rabbanim but in everything.Theres a melamed, and aChassidishe melamed. Theres arosh yeshiva, and a Chassidisherosh yeshiva. Theres a shochet,and a Chassidishe shochet. Evenshluchim there are organizationsthat send people out to distantplaces, yet there is a difference

    between a shliach and a

    Chassidishe shliach, a shliach ofthe Rebbe.

    The common denominator in allof them is expressed in thequestion: who is for whom? Is therav for the sake of the khilla, or is

    the khilla for the sake of the rav?Is the shliach there to serve the cityor is the city there for the shliach,etc. In other words, how do I seethe khilla, howIwant it to be orhow the Rebbe wants it to be?

    The question boils down to

    whether first there was a khillaand you were chosen to run it, or

    whether the khilla is there to serveyou, to give you proper respect.This sums up the difference

    between a Chassidishe rav and anon-Chassidishe rav. Someone

    who is not a Chassid is notashamed to say openlythat the khilla isfor me. I am arav the son of

    a rav,generationsofrabbanim. Ireceivedthis khilla

    as an inheritance from my father orfather-in-law. They built up thekhilla and I am succeeding them.

    If the starting point is that I amfor the congregation, the rav feelsthat its not authority that I giveto you, but servitude.

    Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Gerlitzky,shliach in Tel Aviv, blessing

    Rav Chaim Ashkenazi on theoccasion of his appointment as rav

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    mud hole. One time, at aChassidishe farbrengen, theyinsisted on an explanation as to

    why there was a perpetual mudhole in his yard.

    He answered that when AdamHaRishon saw all the futuregenerations and their leaders, heasked who would be the rav ofBobruisk. Hashem told him, RavBoruch Mordechai. Adam spat andsaid, Some rav he is, and out of

    his spit this mud hole was formed.Thats a Chassidishe rav.

    * * *

    One of the issues of the day isthe representation of rabbanim ofChabad congregations in the VaadRabbanei Chabad in Eretz Yisroel.

    How do you thinkcommunities should berepresented?

    I dont want this to be

    interpreted as though I am seekinghonor. I am definitely not in a role

    where I can come and represent alarge congregation, but because ofthis, its possible that what I haveto say will be taken more sincerely,

    without ulterior motives.Since the time the Rebbe

    appointed the Vaad RabbaneiChabad and till this day, manychanges have taken place on theChabad map in Eretz Yisroel.

    Khillos have grown and othershave moved on. Thought must begiven as to how to build the VaadRabbanei Chabad in accordance

    with the present-day needs ofChabad.

    I dont mean, G-d forbid, thatthey should change any of theprinciples that the Rebbeestablished, but it definitely has to

    be built according to present-dayneeds. It doesnt have to be

    something that only thecommunities want, but the VaadRabbanei Chabad themselves haveto want it. Otherwise, it looks likea private business for a group ofpeople, and then its hard todemand that the Chassidim respectit as a place where their voice isheard. The impression that existstoday is a painful one. In recentyears they made no changes in itscomposition, no permanent or even

    temporary additions.The goal is to give all Chabad

    Chassidim the feeling that they arerepresented by this Vaad, thusstrengthening the rabbinicleadership in all Lubavitchercommunities wherever they are,and then their views will be more

    widely accepted. Theres noquestion that this would give greatnachas to the Rebbe MHM.

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    THE CONFUSING STAMP

    During the time of the BeilisAffair, a Torah scholar living in a

    small town in Russia came up withan idea on how to refute the bloodlibel. He sent a comprehensive letterto the prosecutor himself, detailingall the Torah evidence from Talmudand Shulchan Aruch for theprohibition against consuming

    blood, and so he thought theirclaims would be nullified

    The letter arrived at itsdestination, and the prosecutor readits contents. When his secretary

    asked him for his opinion on theletter, he responded angrily, Whatdo you mean? Didnt you notice

    what the Jew did on the letter? Heplaced the stamp bearing the pictureof Czar Nicholas on the envelope

    with the Czars picture upside-down!Thats rebellion against the king!

    The prosecutor was not theslightest bit interested in therefutations and claims contained in

    the letter, and he didnt want to dealwith them. He decided instead totend to the stamp on the envelope

    with the Czars picture upside-down,

    coming with the excuse that this isrebelling against the king!

    THEY CLAIMED WHEAT,AND HE ADMITTED TO

    BARLEY

    Over the past several days, I havereceived numerous phone calls fromfriends and acquaintances: Nu,have you seen it already? Have youresponded? In order not to go

    against my friends advice, I read thearticle written in response to myarticle last week, and I immediatelyremembered the aforementionedstory, which the Rebbe MHM toldat a farbrengen on Yud-Tes Kislev5730.

    In his response, Rabbi M.M.Brod chose to deal with only onepoint, and it wasnt really the main

    one: For some reason, theinstructions that he and Rabbi

    Wolpo received in connection withthe printing of the seifer Yechi

    HaMelechwere simply ignored. Ihave no cause to doubt the veracityof what he wrote, and thus it is notmy intention to refute him, althoughthere were some inaccuracies in his

    presentation. If my suggestion hadbeen accepted to gather together allthe Rebbes answers on the subjectof Moshiach and the Redemption,this whole discussion could have

    been spared in advance. In anyevent, he deserves someappreciation, as in his merit, we arelearning about additional answersfrom the Rebbe. Here, the childasks: What are you waiting for?Maybe youll finally consent to give

    us the privilege of seeing all theanswers in your possession? Didyou receive instructions to releasethem with an eye dropper?

    So why does this remind me ofthe story of the stamp? Very simple.Here too, there is no response to themain claims made in the previousarticle. I never suggested that theanswer to Rabbi Wolpo was meantto apply to everyone. Rather, thepublishing of the seifer is a matter

    that has relevance to everyone.In his current article, the authorwas careful not to show disrespect,etc. If only he would take thatapproach in all the articlesthroughout the periodical to whichhe contributes. However, just a few

    weeks beforehand, we wereprivileged to endure someunprecedented attacks, based uponthe well-known series of notes from

    Despite the fact that it says that Moshiach will come bhesechhadaas, at a moment of diversion, wemust be careful not to be diverted fromthe general approach of the Rebbe

    MHM to personal instructions, from his conduct during the years of 5753-5754 to the limited responses from

    earlier years.

    BHESECH HADAASBy Rabbi Shlomo Hal