beis moshiach #624

8/14/2019 Beis Moshiach #624

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Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:M.M. Hendel

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HEBREW EDITOR:Rabbi Sholom Yaakov [email protected]

THE ETERNAL HOUSE OF YAAKOV[CONT.]Dvar Malchus | Likkutei Sichos Vol. 15, pg. 231-242

EMOTIONS OR INTELLECT?Thought | Rabbi Yosef Karasik

BUT IF YOU STILL WANT TO FLY...Profile | Nosson Avrohom

YAAKOV AVINU DID NOT DIE; HELITERALLY LIVES IN A BODYMoshiach & Geula | Rabbi Sholom Dovber HaLevi Wolpo

FROM RUSSIA TO MOROCCO ON THEREBBES SHLICHUSChassid | Shneur Zalman Berger

PRINTING THE TANYA IN LEBANONFeature | Shneur Zalman Berger

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WORDS OFCHASSIDIMFarbrengen

BINYAMIN, WHATS HAPPENING WITH

THE TANYA CLASSES?Feature | Shai Gefen

A DAILY DOSE OF MOSHIACHMoshiach & Geula


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[Continued from last issue]

However,52 all the above pertains to thecomprehension of Torah which is not connected withthe determination of practical law. To attain this levelof Torah study, the level of Tziyon suffices; there isno need to reach the level of Yerushalayim.53

But in order to approach (the word of G-d that is) halacha (law), the level of Tziyon is notenough54; one must be complete in fear the wordof G-d55 from Yerushalayim. As it is explained in

Hemshech 5666,56 ruling a law according to the

ultimate truth is only accomplished through theattainment of perfect fear, concern lest he rule not inaccordance with the Supernal Will, or even theopposite, G-d forbid, of the Supernal Will.

(Even when we are speaking about the analysis ofa subtle textual detail, or merely about theinnovations of a diligent scholar, since we arespeaking about something that was said to Moshefrom Sinai, about the Supernal Will, there is nodifference whether the Supernal Will is that it should

be a Biblical Law or a Rabbinical Law.57 He simplyfears that his ruling regarding a practical matter at

hand (on whose guidance a Jew will act) will be theopposite of the Supernal Will, G-d forbid.)

Indeed, this fear brings out in him greater andstronger fortitude in delving into the Torah, to theextent that he determines the law in accordance withthe ultimate truth.

This then is the significance of the notion that the word of G-d fromYerushalayim refers to perfectfear: In order to determine the law in accordance withthe ultimate truth, it is not enough to suffice with

regular fear, such as fear ofpunishment, or even a lofty degreeof fear. Rather, it is necessary tohave perfect fear (lest hemisconstrue the Supernal Will),

which brings to the perfectconclusion regarding the law, the

law in its ultimate truth.7. The above sheds light on

another matter: The order of the verses Ata Horeisa recited priorto the Hakafos concludes with forout of Tziyon shall the Torah comeforth, and the word of G-d from

Yerushalayim. The fact that wesay only this part of the verse from

Yeshayahu (and Micha), and notthe entire verse, can be explainedin a simple manner. Namely, only

this part of the verse, its content, isrelevant to (these verse recited prior to) Hakafos. Itis, however, at first glance, not understood why weinclude the word for, connecting the latter part ofthe verse with the unmentioned (as it is irrelevant)former part of the verse, serving as its rationale.

We must say that (the function of providing thereason, accomplished by) the word for in the versesof Ata Horeisa is connected (not to the beginning ofthis verse, in Yeshayahu (and Micha), but) to thepreceding verse in the series of verses of Ata

Horeisa, Your kingdom is a kingdom of all times,

and Your ruling is in every generation.58(The fact that, in its source in Yeshayahu (and

Micha), out of Tziyon shall the Torah come forthfunctions as the reason for the former part of the

verse there (which at first glance is not the concept ofYour kingdom is a kingdom, etc.) is not acontradiction, because we find in many instances thatfrom the same reason several outcomes arederived.59)

We must still say, however, that since the singleconcept, out of Tziyon shall the Torah come forth,etc., is a reason for two things, the two must have

something in common (in their significance, as will bediscussed).

[To be continued, beH]

NOTES:

52 To note that this [level, i.e., Tziyon] also exists at alofty level I am merely a sign (the level of Tziyon),the term Rashbi used to describe himself. Although thisspiritual height is on account of his profound self-effacement, for he didnt perceive himself at all as beingan independent entity (Hemshech 5666, pg. 159, among

THE ETERNAL

HOUSE OF

YAAKOVLikkutei Sichos Vol. 15, pg. 231-242Translated by Boruch Merkur


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others), we find a case that surpasses that, etc. seeFootnote 52 in the original.

53 See Footnote 53 in the original.

54 In accordance with the distinction between Torah andMitzvos. (See Yahel Ohr ibid pg. 575 in the note Seecomparable cases, etc.) See all of this topic discussed in

Likkutei Sichos Vol. 16, pg. 436 (Section 4) and pg. 440,among others.

In the context of Torah itself [this distinction also exists].Namely, the difference between Torah study (in general)

and the determination of Torah law,as follows. The self-nullificationassociated with Torah study isprimarily (the nullification of theintellects self concept) in order thatones intellect understands and unites

with the intellect of the Torah.Whereas, in order to determine the

law, one nullifies his intellect entirely,utterly surrendering his ego, at whichpoint he perceives the Supernal Will,

which transcends intellect. See atlength in the citations of Footnote 33.


56 Pg. 406 and pg. 420 ff.

57 For a simple slave (see maamerbeginning with the words Miknehrav of 5666, and the subsequentmaamarim there) discerns no

variation regarding the relative merit of the variousMitzvos. The fact that in the case of doubt one must bestringent regarding Biblical Law and one may be lenientregarding Rabbinical Law (and other such distinctions) isnot on account of a preference for Mitzvos but [simply]

because this distinction is the Supernal Will.

58 Thillim 145:13.


Even when we are speaking about theanalysis of a subtle textual detail, ormerely about the innovations of a

diligent scholar, since we are speakingabout something that was said toMoshe from Sinai, about the SupernalWill, there is no difference whether theSupernal Will is that it should be a

Biblical Law or a Rabbinical Law.

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13 KISLEV: ACTION FOR REDEMPTION PUBLIC STUDY ONMOSHIACH AND THE REDEMPTION

As I have come for the purpose of action, surely theywill arouse and publicize in every location that in order tobring about the revelation and coming of the Moshiachimmediately, it is incumbent upon every Jew men,

women, and children to increase in the study of Torah,(and particularly) the subject of Moshiach and theRedemption.

It is all the better when the study will be public (in aminyan), for in addition to the quality of ten who sit

together and are involved in Torah, the Shchina dwellsamong them, there is the unique quality in relation toheartfelt excitement and joy, through which there is agrowing sense of longing and anticipation for the comingof Moshiach.

(sicha, Shabbos Tazria-Metzora 5751)

14 KISLEV THE REBBE MHM AND THE REBBETZINSWEDDING ANNIVERSARY: FOR A CHUPPA WITH G-D, YOUALSO NEED PEARLS

There are those who claim that while it is true that

chassidus is a good thing, etc. infact, it is comparable to pearls nevertheless, one doesnt chase afterpearls. Its enough for him that hisgarments (thought, speech, andaction of the 613 mitzvos of theTorah) are complete, and he also has

jewels. But he is not lacking if hedoesnt have pearls!

We must know this is adin inShulchan Aruch that there is anobligation to study the innerteachings of Torah (as all parts of theTorah). Moreover, due to thedarkness [in the period] of thefootsteps of Moshiach, we need thestudy of chassidus in order that thegarments will be complete. Thisnotion (not to chase after pearls)

had its place in the previousgenerations.

Now, however, when Behold[the Redemption] is standing behindour wall, we must stand ready to goto the chuppa with the King of allkings, the Holy One, Blessed Be He.Thus, how can one not chase afterpearls?

(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 20, from pg. 171)

15 KISLEV: DONT MAKE CONDITIONS

At a Sunday dollars distribution,the tzaddik Rabbi Mordechai Cheshin shlita, rav ofKasho, said to the Rebbe: At the Yud-Tes Kislevfarbrengen twenty-five years ago, the Rebbe blessed methat our activities will continue to grow until the comingof the Goel Tzedek (the Righteous Redeemer). In fact,twenty-five years have passed until now, and the activitiescontinue to grow more and more all the time.

The Rebbe: But where is the Goel Tzedek?The rav of Kasho: He will surely come.The Rebbe: It is already written in the siddur that he

will surely come, however, Im asking when will he come?The rav of Kasho: Today if you will listen to his voice.

The Rebbe: G-d should help. Why do you have tomake a condition? When G-d makes a condition, thatsG-ds business. But a Jew doesnt need to makeconditions.

May it be today mamash, very soon!

(15 Kislev 5751)

16 KISLEV: THE ORDER OF MOSHIACHS ACTIVITIES

And if a king shall arise from the House of

A DAILY

DOSE OFMOSHIACH

& GEULA:13-19 KISLEVSelected daily pearls of wisdom from the

Rebbe MHM on Moshiach and Geula.

Collected and arranged by Rabbi Pinchas MamanTranslated by Michoel Leib Dobry


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Dovidand he will fight the wars of G-dand buildthe Mikdash in its place (Rambam, Hilchos Melachim,Chapter 11)

In general, the wars of G-d include the war against Amalek, and only after the destruction of the seed ofAmalek and a state of tranquility will the Beis HaMikdashbe built.

Similarly, we find regarding the First Beis HaMikdash, which was not built until they attained rest from thesurrounding nations in the days of Dovid and Shlomo.

(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 16, pg. 304)

17 KISLEV: THE SIGNS AND TIMES OF THE REDEMPTION THE ACTIONS OF MELECH HAMOSHIACH

Since we are now in di hechste tzait (the mostauspicious time) for the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu Behold [Melech HaMoshiach] is coming we alreadysee (a resemblance and) a commencement of the activityof Melech HaMoshiach upon the nations, And he will

judge among the nations and reprove many peoples, andthey shall beat their swords into plowshares, etc.

Thus, G-d places in the hearts of the kings of theworlds nations (heart of kings and ministers in the handof G-d) to decide and proclaim together regarding thestate and circumstances of And they shall beat theirswords into plowshares.

(sicha, Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim 5752)

18 KISLEV: THE REVELATION OF THE TEACHINGS OFCHASSIDUS OVERCOMING THE DARKNESS OF THE EXILEAND EXPERIENCING THE FUTURE TO COME

Among the explanations why chassidus was

revealed specifically in the lattergenerations:

Since the darkness of the exilecontinues to grow (see TractateSota 49 on how each passing day ismore cursed, etc.), there is a needfor a more lofty illumination to

enable us to overcome the darkness.Therefore, the soul of Torah was

revealed, which arouses and uncovers the deep andhidden powers of the soul.

Since we are already at the end of the time of exile, when we must prepare ourselves for the FutureRedemption, and the preparation must bear aresemblance to what we are preparing for there can

be a semblance and taste of the future revelation,according to the writings of the Arizal (and brought inhalacha in the Magen Avraham and the Shulchan

Aruch of the Alter Rebbe baal hageula vhasimcha)

that on Erev Shabbos, one should taste from theShabbos food (those who savor it merit eternal life).

(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 20, from pg. 171)

19 KISLEV ROSH HASHANAH AND MATTAN TORAH OFCHASSIDUS CHAG HAGEULA OF THE ALTER REBBE: YUD-TES KISLEV THE DAY THE REVELATION OF THE TORAH OFMOSHIACH BEGAN

The unique quality of the Rosh Hashanah andMattan Torah of the teachings of chassidus, ChagHaChagim when the revelation of the teachings ofMoshiach was revealed, the secret of its reasons andits hidden mysteries (Rashis commentary, ShirHaShirim 1:2) when [a new] Torah shall emanatefrom Me (Yeshayahu 51:4) is far greater than therevelation at Mattan Torah, as in the saying of ourSages, of blessed memory (Koheles Rabba 11:8), TheTorah of the present era is nothingness compared tothe Torah [to be studied] in the Era of theRedemption.

(sicha, Shabbos Parshas VaYishlach 5752)

Why do you have to make a condition?When G-d makes a condition, thatsG-ds business. But a Jew doesnt needto make conditions.


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THE MAIN EMPHASIS EMOTIONS OR

INTELLECT?

What is more important inhuman relations, between husbandand wife, between parents andchildren feelings of love in theheart or understanding andintellectual agreement? What is thedecisive factor when choosing a wife an emotional connection orintellectual communication?

Naturally, if we could combinethe two together, both the intellectand the emotions, that would be

best, but they dont always co-exist.Sometimes, we find that we have anemotional connection with someone

but not an intellectual connection.We cannot have a deep conversationyet we have great love for them.

With someone else there might be anintellectual connection and we mayhave fascinating conversations, butone doesnt feel close to them.

Which is the preferred shidduch?In relations between parents and

children, should the parentsemphasize their love for theirchildren, an emotional connection,or be friends with their children,emphasizing intellectual

communication?

ROCHEL AND LEAH INTELLECT AND

EMOTION

In the sfarim of the disciples ofthe Baal Shem Tov there is a uniqueapproach to this topic, whichexamines the family ties between

Yaakov Avinu and his wives, the

Imahos.Rochel is described in the verse

as beautiful of appearance andbeautiful of form. According tokabbala, this refers not (only) toexternal beauty but (also) to inner

beauty of wisdom. She was an

intelligent woman who evaluatedeverything with her mind. The

beauty was intellectual beauty. Heravodas Hashem was primarilythrough understanding andintellectual grasp with chochma,

bina, and daas (which is why Yaakovgave her signs that representintellectual ideas).

Leah is described in the verse ashaving tender eyes, because shecried a lot. This represents a person

whose primary trait is theiremotional capacity. The person criesa lot (or rejoices) and their avodasHashem is mainly with feeling.

Yaakov was a man of intellectand therefore he was involved inTorah study. For fourteen years helearned Torah in the yeshiva of Ever.He is the epitome of the intellectualand the verse describes him as,Yaakov, the wholehearted man whosat in tents. Yaakov is so greatly

associated with Torah that foreverafter Torah is called, the inheritanceof the community of Yaakov.

Therefore, when Yaakov chose awife from among Lavans daughters,he preferred Rochel over Leah

because an intellectual man is drawntowards intellect. Although he endedup marrying both Leah and Rochel,his main connection was withRochel.

AND HE TOOK LEAHLavan was also a man of intellect

(though unlike Yaakov who used hismind for Torah study, Lavan usedhis mind for trickery). He esteemedRochel, the woman of wisdom anddisdained the emotional Leah. Thisis why he fooled Yaakov and gavehim Leah, whom he had less regardfor.

How was it that Yaakov succeeded with all his children and how is this connected with his marriage to Leahand Rochel? * The proper relationshipbetween parents and children intellect or emotions? * A fascinatinglook at the parsha from the perspective

of Chazal, Kabbala, and ChabadChassidus.

EMOTIONS OR

INTELLECT?By Rabbi Yosef Karasik, District Rav Bat Chefer Emek Chefer


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Since everything that takes placein the world is directed from Heavenand not by chance, the fact that

Yaakov married both Rochel andLeah was meant to be. Hashem

wanted Yaakov to forge both anintellectual and an emotional

connection, for being the father ofthe Jewish nation, the foundationneeded both intellect and emotion.

Yaakov married Leah first,forging an emotional connectionfirst, and then married Rochel andforged an intellectual connection.This is because although a familyneeds both, the main connection isone of love, not of intellect.

We see in the results that there isan advantage to the emotional

component, for Leah gave birth tohalf the tribes, six sons and onedaughter, while Rochel had only twoout of the twelve tribes. In other

words, the practical output of theintellectual is less than what results

from emotions of the heart.

THE SIGNS ROCHELGAVE LEAH

Yaakov was afraid that Lavanwould trick him and put another

woman under the chuppa instead ofRochel (and because the bride wearsa veil and the chuppa takes place atnight, he would not be able todiscern the fraud). This is why hesecretly gave Rochel signs that she

would tell him, so that he wouldknow it was Rochel and notsomeone else.

When Rochel saw that her fatherwas taking Leah to Yaakov, in orderfor her sister not to be embarrassed

she gave her the signs that Yaakovhad given to her. From this we seethat even the emotional component,

which is the connection betweenYaakov and Leah, is based on afoundation of intellect.

Yaakovs great success, in

contrast to Avrohom and Yitzchok,is that his bed was complete allhis children grew up to betzaddikim, even the children of themaidservants. His success wasderived from the fact that his familylife was comprised of both emotion

and intellect. In first place wasemotion (Leah) but intellect(Rochel) was always present, andthat is why his success in raising hischildren was complete.

EMOTION ANDINTELLECT IN AVODAS

HASHEM

The same paradigm that existsbetween husband and wife and

parents and children exists betweenus and Hashem. Perfection in avodasHashem includes both the mind andthe heart:

Service of the heart is primarilyin prayer, when a Jew pours out his

Hashem wantedYaakov to forge

both anintellectual and

an emotionalconnection, forbeing the father

of the Jewishnation, the

foundationneeded bothintellect and

emotion.

Rochel is conceding first marriage rights to her sister(Art by Yossi Rosenstein)


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heart to Hashem in love and fear ofHim. Service of the mind isprimarily through Torah study, in

which a person endeavors tounderstand the Torah. We need bothfactors for a complete connection

with Hashem - emotion and

intellect, prayer and Torah study.Service of the heart is primarily

in prayer, when a Jew pours out hisheart to Hashem in love and fear ofHim. Service of the mind isprimarily through Torah study, in

which a person endeavors tounderstand the Torah. We need bothfactors for a complete connection

with Hashem - emotion andintellect, prayer and Torah study.

(Yaakov and Rochel correspond

to two aspects of intellect, chochmaand bina, the Written Torah and theOral Torah, which represent manand woman. Just as a womanreceives from her husband, similarlythe Oral Torah is based on the

Written Torah. The name Rochelalludes to the ewe, whose wool isshorn, just as laws are shorn fromthe Oral Torah. The signs that

Yaakov gave Rochel are as the versesdescribe, make signposts for

yourself, make signs for the Torahso that it will not be forgotten and

wont be exchanged. All the signsare from the Oral Torah, from theaspect of Rochel, where all the oraltraditions are found.)

From the story of Yaakov and hiswives we learn several lessons inevery Jews service of Hashem:

1. Just as Yaakovs success inthat all his children were tzaddikim

was because in his home there was

both emotion and intellect (Leahand Rochel), our success in avodasHashem is when our avoda is with

both our heart and mind, i.e., lovingto do mitzvos and understandingintellectually how great it is to fulfillmitzvos.

2. You cannot learn Torahcompletely (Yaakov and Rochel)

without prayer (Leah), becauseTorah and prayer are

interdependent. You merit perfectionin Torah only through tfilla (just as

we ask and enlighten our eyes withYour Torah and give understandingin our heart, etc., to study andteach). Learning Torah withouthumility is not desirable. Torah must

be studied lishma (for its own sake),for the sake of Heaven, and this isachieved through the humbling ofthe heart in prayer.

3. At first, Yaakov thought heshould begin with Torah (Rochel),

but Hashem brought it about that hemarried Leah, because the way westart our day is with the study ofChassidus and tfilla, in order toarouse our love and fear of G-d.This in turn opens up the mind so it

can connect to Hashem in Torahstudy.

The main motivator for doinggood deeds comes from inspiration

while davening, as we see that Leahhad six children. And not only that,

but Chazal say that even the twochildren that Rochel had were in themerit that she gave the signs toLeah. Through prayer, one achieveshigher levels in avodas Hashem.

4. Just as Rochel revealed the

signs to Leah and that is howYaakov came to marry Leah, so tooin avodas Hashem, one cannot serve

with love and fear (Leah) withoutthe Torah (Rochel) directing us as tothe proper love and fear. You cannotachieve success in prayer withoutTorah because Torah teaches us

what to pray for and that the prayershould not be selfishly motivated butfor the sake of Heaven.

The Arizal says: From here we

see a great secret in avodasHashem (in the secret of supernalunifications): When a Jew(Yaakov) wants to pray (Leah) buthe still cannot speak since he stilldoes not know how to pray, thenthe Torah (Rochel) itself has mercyon him and gives him signs and

ways to pray, and she herself (theTorah) speaks with Hashem (asRochel herself spoke with Yaakov

instead of Leah).

EMOTION ANDINTELLECT IN THE

FUTURE

Intellect and emotion dont

always work in tandem. It happensthat a person can intellectuallyunderstand that something is good

but nevertheless, he is not attractedto it. Conversely, a person can knowthat something is dangerous or badand be emotionally attracted to itanyway.

The inner battle between mansinclinations, whether in servingHashem or in his mundane affairs,is constantly going on. Dont we see

people who do things that areforbidden or disgusting ordangerous for body and/or soul,people who know, good and well,that it is bad for them?

In Yemos HaMoshiach, everyJew will achieve his personal

shleimus (perfection) and intellectand emotion will work hand inhand. They wont be in opposition

but will complement one another.Whatever the intellect understands

as good will automatically elicit apositive feeling in the heart, and vice

versa.It starts with Moshiach himself

who will be intellectually andemotionally perfect, and all theJewish people will achieve shleimusin their avodas Hashem withintellectual understanding and graspin chochma, bina, and daas and

within the middos (the emotions).In the Beis HaMikdash there will

be an altar on which sacrifices willbe brought which will draw downthe middos of kdusha to the Jewishpeople. From the Holy Ark and theLuchos in the Holy of Holies will bedrawn the intellect of kdusha to theJewish people, which will be perfectand work in unison. May we meritthe true and complete Redemption

with the revelation of our kingMoshiach now!


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For those who have difficultyaccepting strange things of thistype namely, the fact that thereare tzaddikim who live in thephysical sense, even after theyappear before our eyes to be inthe exact opposite state askingto find a source for all this in theTorah, the subject is actually

stated explicitly in the sayings ofour Sages, of blessed memory.We find in the Gemara (Taanis5b): Rabbi Yochanan says,

Yaakov Avinu did not die, andRashi comments that the fact thatthey embalmed and buried him

was because they thought thathe was deadit appeared to themthat he was dead, but he wasactually alive. It is further

explained in the MaharshasChiddushei Agados that inRashis opinion, the meaning hereis that Yaakov Avinu literally didnot die, even in body.

Furthermore, the Rifscommentary to Ein Yaakov on theaforementioned Gemara states:The power of the soul remained

in Yaakov Avinus body, and thesoul was not separated from thebodyhis soul was stillconnected to his body, and thefact that he was buried andeulogized is because the powersof movement were nullified; hegathered his legs into the bed andexpired like a man who hasfainted they didnt know thathis soul was still within him, and

therefore, they embalmed,eulogized, and buried him. Bythe same token, the Alshich writeson Parshas VaYechi that Yaakov

Avinu was as someone in a faintthat the powers of the soul andthe spirit of his neshama stillessentially clung to him.

See also at the end of one of

the Rebbe shlitas letters(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 4, pg.1261), where he writes that at notime did there cease within

Yaakov Avinu the connectionbetween the soul and the body.Similarly, in Vol. 6, pg. 414, note3, the Rebbe adds that accordingto Rashis commentary on theTorah, even the sons of Yaakovdid not think that he had died;

In response to requests by ourreaders, we now present the next segment from VTorah Yevakshu MiPihu, Rabbi Sholom DovberHaLevi Wolpos seifer on the Rebbesteachings regarding Chabad

chassidus, its approach to emuna,

and its various customs.

YAAKOV AVINU DID

NOT DIE; HE LITERALLYLIVES IN A BODYBy Rabbi Sholom Dovber HaLevi WolpoTranslated By Michoel Leib Dobry


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they knew that he was alive.Nevertheless, they wept andeulogized him since their

connection to him had beensevered (as in Rashiscommentary, BReishis 50:3 that his passing ceased the brachathat came through him).

Rashi also comments on theprevious pasuk that theembalming was (merely) amatter of mixing spices [and notthe full embalming process].There is also noted theexplanation on how Yosef kissed

Yaakov after he had a lreadyexpired, since Yosef knew that

Yaakov really had not died.Furthermore, as the OhrHaChayim writes (VaYechi 50:1):And he kissed him, but it

would be improper to so withanyone else deceased, because thedead are brimming withimpurity(and he did not kissanyone) except Yaakov becausehe was alive, rather he was

called dormita as someonesleeping and dozing.

Thus, we see from all this thatwhen they said Yaakov Avinu didnot die, it was not merely in thespiritual sense, rather quitesimply in the physical sense.Consider what is written in theseifer Toras Levi Yitzchok on theaforementioned Gemara, wherehe brings a marvelous allusion,

stating that Emes LYaakov(truth to Yaakov) is comprised ofthe same letters as Yaakov Lo

Meis (Yaakov did not die), i.e.,this represents the simple truth.(See also Likkutei Sichos , Vol.26, the first sicha on ParshasShmos, and the sichos from YudShvat 5726, Chaf Menachem Av5731, and Shabbos Parshas

VaYechi 5751.)

16. WE HAVE FOUND NUMEROUSSAGES OF THE MISHNA AND THEGEMARA WHO LIVED EVEN AFTERTHEIR HISTALKUS

We have seen throughout theTalmud how many tzaddikim hadan eternal connection betweentheir body and their soul. Forexample, it is related in theGemara (Shabbos 152b) thatRabbi Achai bar Yoshiya, who hadalready been buried decadesearlier, rebuked people who dugin the earth near his grave, andRabbi Nachman came to him,

spoke with him, even felt him,and saw that he had not decayed.When Rabbi Nachman asked himabout this, Rabbi Achai broughtthe pasuk (Mishlei 14:30):Jealousy is the rot of the bones,and commented, Anyone whohas jealousy in his heart, his

bones rot; anyone who does nothave jealousy in his heart, his

bones do not rot. Thus, when

Rabbi Nachman invited him tocome to his house, Rabbi Achaireplied that until the Resurrectionof the Dead, he has nopermission to rise, and proved itfrom the pasuk.

See there the Maharshas

Chiddushei Agados explainingthat Rabbi Nachman saw howRabbi Achai bar Yoshiya had

bones, flesh, and a soul, andtherefore, he asked him why hedoesnt get up. Rabbi Achaireplied that even though all threeparts exist, there is a need for anopening from G-d, who has thekey of the Resurrection in Hishand.

It should be noted that Rabbi

Nachman was the student ofShmuel (as in general, RabbiNachman refers to Nachman bar

Yaakov), and thus he was fromthe second generation of the

Amoraim, whereas Rabbi Achaiwas from the beis midrash of theTanna, Rabbi Yishmoel (whose

words appear in the Mechilta).Therefore, about two hundredyears had passed since thehistalkus of Rabbi Achai until that

meeting.It is also related in the

Gemara (Bava Metzia 84b) aboutRabbi Eliezer, son of RabbiShimon, who asked his wife notto give him over for burial, but toleave him in his room in the loftafter his death. So while heremained complete in body, he

would speak with his wife, andpeople would come to him forhalachic litigation as they stood

behind the door as they presentedtheir arguments, and a voice

would be heard from within theroom: This person is innocentand that person is liable.

Afterwards, when the Sageslearned that he was dead, theysaid that it was not respectful toleave him in this fashion, andthey brought him for burial in his

And he kissed him, but it would beimproper to so with anyone elsedeceased, because the dead are

brimming with impurity(and he didnot kiss anyone) except Yaakov

because he was alive, rather he wascalled dormita as someone sleeping

and dozing.


11/40

fathers cave at Mt. Meron. (Seeother such stories in the Gemara,Bava Basra 58a.)

Furthermore, we find inTractate Kesuvos (103a) thatRabbi Yehuda HaNasi would

come every Friday night to makeKiddush in his home. In addition,it is written in Seifer Chassidim(Remez 1129, as brought inGilayon HaShas): And RabbeinuHaKadosh (Rabbi YehudaHaNasi) would appear in the

attractive clothes that he wouldwear on Shabbos, not shrouds, tomake known that he was still inhis vigor and exempted others intheir obligation to makeKiddush as someone alive

wearing clothes, just as he woreduring his lifetime.

See also in the Gemara thereason why he eventually stoppedcoming to make Kiddush. (Thisproves further that even though

he continued on his own as a soulwithin a body, nevertheless, dueto some seemingly insignificantreason, he stopped appearing tothem.)

There is also the well-knowndiscussion among the Acharonimon how Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi

was able to fulfill the obligationof others in making Kiddush,

when he was a soul in the Worldof Truth and among the dead

who are free. In general, theexplanation is that since he cameto his home in the manner of asoul within a body, he wasobligated at that moment in theobservance of the mitzvos. (SeeGilyonei HaShas, Rabbi YosefEngel, on the aforementionedGemara, and inBris Olam and

Makor Chesed on theaforementioned SeiferChassidim.)

ArtbyGustaveDore(JacobG

oethIntoEgypt)

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Cellular: 917-805-7757


12/40

Its a few days before theChag HaGeula, Yud-Tes Kislev,the day which marks the

vindication of the spreading of

the wellsprings outward. Howdid you begin your work ofspreading Chassidus?

I first became acquainted withChassidus as a bachur when Ilearned in Toras Emes in5726/1966, over forty years ago.Back then, as bachurim, we got a

geshmak in Chassidus after webegan learning the maamarim

melukatim in Likkutei Torah. Themashpia, R Hillel Rabinowitz,made learning Tanya and LikkuteiTorah pleasurable. In those days,

Rabbi Moshe Yehuda Reichmanwas the mashpia of the yeshiva,and Rabbi Moshe Yehuda LeibShapiro was the rosh yeshiva.

I still remember my chavrusafor Likkutei Torah, R MendelHershkop. We learned everymorning at 5:45. The yeshiva wasstill in the old building at the endof Rechov Meah Shearim. This

learning instilled a love forChassidus in us, along with theobligation and privilege to spreadit to all segments of the chareidi

world.The Rebbe Rashab started

Yeshivas Toras Emes for thepurpose of spreading Chassidus inEretz Yisroel. It was the smeltingfurnace from whence the

wellsprings emerged. BaruchHashem, till this day, Toras Emesis a lighthouse of Chassidus forthe entire area.

Rabbi Binyamin Zilberstrom, mashpiain Toras Emes in Yerushalayim, hasbeen spreading the wellsprings for

about forty years now. Hundreds of shiurim on Tanya and Chassidus inYerushalayim and neighboring places

have taken place thanks to him, as well

as the enormous development in the awareness of Toras Chabad amongmany types of people. * Interview with

R Zilberstrom for Yud-Tes Kislev.

BINYAMIN, WHATS

HAPPENING WITH THE

TANYA CLASSES?By Shai Gefen


13/40

What else do you rememberfrom your early days in TorasEmes?

One of the things that Iremember is 5727/1967, whenthe Rebbe sent talmidim-shluchimto Toras Emes. In a telegram that

the Rebbe sent R Efraim Wolfah, the menahel of YeshivasTomchei Tmimim, he wrote: It ismy great request that thehanhala of Tomchei Tmimimshould select a minyan oftalmidim to go learn, at thebeginning of the summer zman,in Toras Emes as my emissaries,for the purpose of expanding it.

This telegram preceded aspecial shlichus from the Rebbe

when Rabbi J.J. Hecht ah cameto our yeshiva to farbreng with us.The Rebbe gave him mashke fromthe farbrengen of ParshasKdoshim, which was acontinuation of the farbrengen of

Acharon shel Pesach.Till this day, I remember R

Hecht at the farbrengen, tellingus, Kinderlach, with the Rebbeyou dont play around! and thissentence is engraved in us. When

I look back at what happened in5727 with the first shluchim thatthe Rebbe sent to the yeshiva, it

was the first time that the Rebbesent shluchim to Toras Emes. This

was the start of the revolution inspreading the wellsprings, and wesaw much good develop from it.

In general, the answer that RHecht got regarding Toras Emes(an answer that was recentlypublicized) shows how important

it was to the Rebbe that TorasEmes expand. The Rebbe wrote tohim what points he should conveyat the farbrengen:

Every one of theaforementioned should do all hecan to solidify and expand TorasEmes with kabbalas ol to theRebbe, my father-in-law (thebalabus of Toras Emes) and with

the devotion that it deserves, aswell as with joy and greatenergy, as required for thebeginning of the new building(literally and also spiritually).Nothing at all should bediminished in this, even if there

will be or there are complaintsand grievances to someone. Thisis for their good in this worldand the next.

The Rebbe went on to writeregarding the talmidim-shluchim

who went there as the Rebbesshliach, and the Rebbe asked thehanhala to inform him of theirnames so he could mention themfor a special bracha.

This answer demonstrates how

the Rebbe saw Toras Emes as thesmelting pot of the spreading ofChassidus and the foundation ofthe Tmimim, so that Chassidus

would spread in an unlimited wayin Yerushalayim and thesurrounding areas, and from thereto all lands.

Was the founding of TorasEmes in Yerushalayim connectedto spreading Chassidus?

Toras Emes was the first

Chassidishe yeshiva in Eretz

Yisroel where they learnedChassidus. The Rebbe Rayatzrelated that already in 5663(1903) his father told him thatthe time had come to bring thelight of Chassidus down into theHoly Land, even though the

yeshiva was first founded in 5672(1912). The Rebbe Rashab

wanted Toras Emes to be in thespirit of Tomchei Tmimim and hechose a group of outstanding

bachurim from Yeshivas TomcheiTmimim to go to Chevron, wherethe yeshiva was founded.

The bachurim arrived in EretzYisroel on 25 Cheshvan 5672 andon Sunday, the 28th of Cheshvan,they arrived in Chevron. The

Rebbe Rashab wanted them tolearn in the place that he had paidfor.

With the outbreak of WorldWar I, they had to return toRussia, but the Rebbe Rashabasked that they get the yeshivagoing again and the yeshivamoved to Yerushalayim. In

Yerushalayim it moved fromneighborhood to neighborhood,like Givat Shaul, the Bucharian

neighborhood, and Rechov Meah


14/40

Shearim. Later on, the Rebbeasked them to move into newquarters.

In 5734/1974, after mucheffort, they moved to a new

building on Rechov Yirmiyahu.Till this day, Toras Emes keeps up

a connection with Chevron and itsoutlying areas whether by givingshiurim to yeshivos in the area or

by doing mivtzaim on a weeklybasis.

* * *

One of the amazingdescriptions of the Rebbe Rayatzabout the Rebbe Rashabsaccompanying the shluchim toToras Emes, shows how much thismeant to him. I refer to a letter toRabbi Zalman Havlin in which the

Rebbe Rayatz wrote:13 years have passed since that

luminous day, a day of blessingwith which you, and the group oftalmidim who were picked totravel with you to Eretz Yisroel,

established the vineyard, TorasEmes. As though it is alive, rightbefore my eyes, I can see the

awesome sight of the Nasi, theRebbe, my father, accompanyingyou, the group traveling to theHoly Land Everyone believedwith perfect faith, and his heartwas confident with the kindness ofthe Supernal G-d, that fromChevron would go forth TorahTmima and in Yerushalayim thecommunity of Chassidim would beignited and enflamed with

enthusiasm Everyone felt in hissoul that a momentous thing washappening within the Jewish

people, a cornerstone was laidupon which would be built amighty edifice, Toras Emes, upon

whose flag would be emblazoned

Torah study and service of theheart [i.e., prayer]adorned with

good middos and illuminated withbrotherly love and loving friends.

Indeed, Toras Emes,throughout its wanderings,especially after the Rebbe sent thefirst shluchim there in 5727, is onthe frontlines of the revolution ofspreading Chassidus in

Yerushalayim and beyond. Thewalls of Toras Emes are suffused

with endless pages of Chassidus,farbrengens, shiurei Chassidus,and Chassidishe tfillos.

In most recent years especially,Toras Emes has blossomed in a

way that one can see the Rebbesbracha to the yeshiva, as well asthe brachos of the Rebbe Rayatzand the Rebbe Rashab. TorasEmes is not just a yeshiva ketana(high school) and a yeshiva gdola(beis midrash/zal), but also two

Talmudei Torah, a preschool and asuperb Machon Smicha.

As mentioned, Toras Emes isnot just a yeshiva but also acornerstone for spreadingChassidus throughout

Yerushalayim and the area.Talmidim of the yeshiva go outevery week and give over fortyshiurim on Tanya in variousyeshivos! There is also a phonesystem in the yeshiva on which

the bachurim give private shiurimin Chassidus. The Tmimim goout every Shabbos to gatherpeople to hear words of Chassidusin dozens of shuls, and makeMesibos Shabbos for about 3000chareidi children in variousneighborhoods in Yerushalayim.

This work is done because theTmimim go with absolute

kabbalas ol to the meshaleiach, tospread Chassidus. The Tmimimknow that the Rebbe is the

balabus of the mosad and it iswith this koach that everything isaccomplished.

I must mention the menahel,

Rabbi Yehoshua Yuzevitz, whokeeps the mosad going withmesirus nefesh, as well as themashpiim, each of whom is a

dugma chaya (role model) ofmesirus nefesh for spreadingChassidus and the BesurasHaGeula: Rabbi Avrohom BoruchPevsner, Rabbi Chaim SholomDeitsch, who is also the RoshKollel of Tzemach Tzedek, Rabbi

Yosef Segal, Rabbi Y.Y. Offen,

Rabbi Zalman Notik, and RabbiYosef Tzvi Tzirkus.

Lets go back to the earlyyears, when the work firstbegan.

One of the things that showedme my personal direction in howto spread the wellsprings was

when I wrote to the Rebbe aboutsomething when I was learning inyeshiva. The Rebbe respondedthat I should be a dugma chaya

and influence my friends. It wasback then that I was told to startbeing mashpia and to spread thewellsprings.

I have mentioned that the firstshluchim that the Rebbe sent toToras Emes made a revolution,and this was one of the thingsthat made a tremendous impacton me and infused renewedenergy into spreading the

wellsprings. I remember the

shluchim who came in5730/1970: R Moshe Permanand R Kalman Druk, traveling toall kinds of yeshivos to giveclasses in Tanya. Likewise, many

bachurim and married men cameto the yeshiva to the farbrengens

we made.One of the biggest successes of

that time was the shiurim on

Baruch Hashem,there is a Jew like

R Mendel whodoesnt let us

sleep.


15/40

Tanya given by Rabbi Yosef Segalin various yeshivos which greatlypleased the Rebbe.

Later on, I went to TomcheiTmimim in Kfar Chabad. I wasthere when the mashpia, RShlomo Chaim Kesselman ah

was still there. He urged us togive shiurim in Tanya all over.

When the mashpia, R MendelFuterfas ah came to take over asmashpia in the yeshiva, he told meto give classes in Tanya.

I would go once a week toYerushalayim and give shiurim inYeshivas Tchebin and in YeshivasKol Torah. I gave the shiur to the

bachurim of Kol Torah in theTolna shul. I remember that at theend of one of the shiurim with the

bachurim, which ended at four in

the morning, we all dancedtogether on Rechov HaPisga.

At other times I traveled toMidreshet Noam in Pardes Chanaand to the Nachalim yeshiva, as

well as to other yeshiva highschools. There was also a time

when I gave a Tanya shiur inYeshiva Ohr Yisroel in PetachTikva and many people became

involved in Toras HaChassidus. Itwas at that time that the seedswere planted for all the work thatwe continued later on inspreading Chassidus and shiurimin Tanya.

How did you officially getinvolved in building the far-reaching network ofTanya

classes that exists today?Before I respond I want to tell

you a story that I remember inconnection with Yud-Tes Kislevfrom R Avrohom Pariz. When Ilearned in Toras Emes he wouldcome every week from his homein Petach Tikva to say Chassidus.He would schlep on old bussesand did so because the Rebbe toldhim to go to Toras Emes.

I remember that he came on

Yud-Tes Kislev and during thepreparation time for thefarbrengen, he sat in a side roomand learned sichos. I sat near himand he said to me, You know,

Yud-Tes Kislev is a Yom Tov.When he said this, you saw andfelt that it was, indeed, a YomTov. This line stayed with me andgave me the ability to understand

the deeper significance of Yud-TesKislev.

As for your question, the onewho got me involved in Tanyaclasses was R Mendel who simplygave me no rest. He pushed meinto it and told me that in order

to make sure that we could go onand the mashpiim would be ableto give shiurim in Tanya, money

was needed. I remember that RMendel spoke to me about acertain mashpia, telling me thathe had seven children and if he

was given money, he would beable to devote himself to Tanyashiurim with peace of mind, and ifnot, he would not be able to givethem. R Mendel made it clear

that in order to expand theshiurim, more and more moneyhad to be raised so that a series ofshiurim could be provided and theteachers could be paid.

It was amazing to see RMendels mesirus nefesh to spreadChassidus. I would get a phonecall from him at six in themorning and he would say,Binyamin, whats doing with theTanya shiurim?

My wife didnt know what hewanted and I told her, BaruchHashem, there is a Jew like RMendel who doesnt let us sleep.

At that time we greatly expandedthe classes. We had over onehundred shiurim going every

week!One time, R Mendel took me

aside and told me that when hewas in the labor camps in Russia,he worked extremely hard. We

dug hole after hole, but from timeto time, Hashem had mercy on usand we would find gold dust, andthat made up for all our anguish.So too, said R Mendel, whenfundraising, its not easy work.Its hard labor, but sometimes youfind a bit of gold dust. It is thanksto R Mendel that I got involvedin this work and that I had the


16/40

kochos to continue.At the beginning we would

make large farbrengens and wouldbring special Chassidim, old menfrom Russia, baalei mesirusnefesh such as R Berke Chein,R Simcha Gorodetzky, and R

Nachum Trebnik and theywould make a profound impact.Some people told us that justlooking at these Chassidimstrengthened them in their studyof Chassidus.

Later on, when there werepictures available of the Rebbefrom farbrengens, we would have

farbrengens and bring thephotographer, Levi YitzchokFrieden, to show the pictures hehad taken during Tishrei. This

was mekarev many people to the

Rebbe.For over 30 years we have

organized Tanya classes andtoday, baruch Hashem, manypeople are involved in organizingshiurim in Yerushalayim and inyeshivos on an unbelievable scale.

We saw fulfilled, those who sowwith tears will reap with joy.

There were times that

learning Chassidus in certainyeshivos had to be done secretly.Do you remember that era?

Sure. There were times that ifa bachur was caught learningChassidus, he would be expelledfrom yeshiva and we had to

temporarily stop the shiur untilthings quieted down. It wasdefinitely very difficult. Today, itsmore open and there is lessopposition.

One of the things that hasencouraged the spreading ofChassidus in Yerushalayim andreinvigorated the learning ofChassidus is the HeichalMenachem library. It was started

by my friend, Rav Y.Y. Havlin,

and it broke through all thelimitations that existed in regardto the spreading of Chassidus.

Today there are bachurim andmarried men who are notLubavitch, who learn Chassiduson a regular basis. Hundreds of

bachurim are tested on Tanya andChassidus within the frameworkof shiurim that are given by theorganization of R Yisroel Lipskerand R Menachem Weiss. There is

also a kollel Chassidus in theBucharim neighborhood and everyday theres time to learnChassidus with dozens of menparticipating. It is literally therevelation of Yemos HaMoshiach.

How do you explain thisphenomenon of the spread ofChassidus and that Tanya islearned among all sorts ofpeople?

The Rebbe explains that the

revelation of Chassidus has tworeasons. First, the darkness in the

world increased and we needmore strength to withstand thetrials of galus. The TzemachTzedek says that the wordTanya consists of the sameletters as the word eisan(strength), for it reveals thestrength of the inner part of the

neshama so that it can withstandall the challenges to faith andmiddos.

The religious communities alsofeel that as the darknessintensifies, they need additionalstrength. There is a great interest,

a thirst, today, the likes of whichwe havent seen before. Onceupon a time, people thought thatChabad Chassidus was a luxury,

but today, the masses feel that itis necessary.

Second, learning Chassidus isin order to prepare for theimminent coming of Moshiach.The closer we get to the earth

will be filled with knowledge ofHashem, the more we need to

prepare ourselves to knowHashem. This is done throughToras HaChassidus.

Things have accelerated todayas can be seen in an amazinganswer that my friend, RabbiSholom Dovber Wolpo receivedfrom the Rebbe on 11 Nissan5751. The Rebbe wrote to him:Surely you review Chassidus inpublic. Indeed, the time isauspicious, Yemos HaMoshiach.

In this answer, the Rebbereveals, for the first time, thegreatness of the era we are in. Weare in a new era of YemosHaMoshiach, and learningChassidus must be in the broadestmanner possible. As the Rebbesays, the preparation is bylearning Chassidus and learninginyanei Geula and Moshiach asthey appear in Chassidus. So theresponsibility today is far greater.

Id like to mention ATaH,which is headed by RabbiMenachem Perlstein, who helps allthe Tanya classes. The work thatthe centra l ATaH organizationdoes is just incredible, and its allabout spreading the wellsprings asthe Rebbe wants. We thank themfor all the help they provide.

You spoke about a great thirst

The main reasonto learn Tanya isnot for haskala

(intellectualunderstanding)

but for avoda, toinstill good

middos and fearof Heaven within

the talmidim.


17/40

for Chassidus. Tell us moreabout that.

Look at the hundreds ofshiurim and the big farbrengens;at the great interest expressed onthe part of those who come tothese shiurim that are given bymashpiim in Yerushalayim, thelarge crowds that come to

farbrengens in Toras Emes; thelarge numbers of people who visitHeichal Menachem.

I was standing with R NaftoliRoth one day, in the entrance tothe library, and we saw a largegroup of bachurim from a Litvisheyeshiva coming to learnChassidus. He said to me, theRebbe has much nachas from this.Nobody asks these bachurim whythey come and who they are.

Many people visit withoutanybody asking them anyquestions. One simply wants tolearn something; another wants tohear a Chassidishe niggun. Today,there is much to choose from, inorder to be able to taste fromToras HaChassidus.

As I mentioned, there are largefarbrengens and shiurim from

mashpiim led by R MendelWechter. There is a week of YimeiIyun in Toras HaChassidus thattakes place annually, which is wellattended. I once saw adistinguished rav in the library

who belongs to the EidaHaChareidis. After he left, I askedhim what he thought of it.

He said, Whats the question?Here is where we feel the Rebbe!

These are people who, in thepast, had no place to slake theirthirst, their interest in Chassidus.I must mention the unforgettablemashpia, R Moshe Weber, whospread Chassidus in Yerushalayim.He once showed me a letter thatthe Rebbe Rayatz wrote to him in1946 that the main reason tolearn Tanya is not for haskala

(intellectual understanding) butfor avoda, to instill good middosand fear of Heaven within thetalmidim.

* * *

I will tell you some interestingstories that I experienced recently.One day I met two men whosedress indicated that they were notof Anash. Both were sitting in

Toras Emes and learningLikkuteiSichos. I was curious, so I wentover to ask them how they hadgotten to the yeshiva. They saidthey had been exposed to theRebbes teachings and so they hadset aside time in their schedule to

regularly learn the Rebbesteachings here in yeshiva.

Another time, I was on a flightand I got up to do mivtzaim. Imet two Gerrer Chassidim whotold me: Kol hakavod to you fordoing mivtzaim, for actually doing

what we are learning. I saw thatthey were learning chapter 16 ofTanya from Shiurim BSeifer

HaTanya. You feel that all theefforts were not for nothing and

Chassidus is seeping ineverywhere as the Rebbepromised.

Do people ask you why youbother reaching out to the frum

world when theres a wholeworld out there?

Ive heard that line more thanonce and its the wrong attitude.There are hundreds of thousandsof people in the frum world whoare ready to accept Chassidus and

we know what nachas the Rebbehas from spreading Chassidusamong these groups. The Rebbe

was very pleased with the librariesand Tanya classes in frumcommunities.

Someone once asked me thisquestion and then, when RabbiShlomo Zalman Auerbachsfuneral took place and wasattended by hundreds ofthousands of people, he came

over to me and said: Youre right.You have to put a lot into thechareidim too.

While on this topic, I shouldmention R Gershon HenochCohen ah. His Judaica store onRechov Meah Shearim was aplace from which he spreadChassidus. When he passed by forkos shel bracha, the Rebbe would


18/40

say to him: your store spreads thewellsprings outward. Even indifficult times, when tensionsregarding Lubavitch ran high, hisstore was the place where youcould hear a vort aboutChassidus, something from the

Rebbe about belief in the comingof Moshiach, etc.

Once, R Gershon Henoch wasin yechidus at a time when the

broadcasts of the Rebbe hadbegun. He told the Rebbe thatthey also came from Toldos

Aharon to the broadcasts and theRebbe wanted to know what theythought of it in Toldos Aharon.

I know that in addition to

organizing many shiurim, youare in touch with rabbanim ofall groups.

One of the things that theRebbe wanted was keeping intouch with rabbanim of allgroups. I will tell you a story with

my father. Forty years ago he wasin a hotel in Netanya, where hesat and learnedHemshech 5666.It was Erev Shabbos. In thosedays,Hemshech 5666was stillonly available in photocopy.

My father forgot the volume inthe lobby and went to his room toget ready for Shabbos. RabbiMoshe Chevroni, one of the

roshei yeshiva of YeshivasChevron, was also in the hotel. Heleafed through the volume and gotto the maamer, Titen EmesLYaakov.

When my father returned tothe lobby he asked him, Nu,

what is the truth of Yaakov? Myfather said that in order tounderstand it, you have to learn.Rav Chevroni said okay, so myfather asked him when was a goodtime for him. Rav Chevroni saidthat Shalosh seudos was theappropriate time. He came at thattime and they sat and learnedChassidus together for over anhour.

Rav Chevroni was a genius and

he asked tough questions. Myfather answered one of thequestions and about anotherquestion he said he had to thinkabout it. In the end, my fathertold him: If you learn Chassidus,you will be a genius in this too.Right after Shabbos, my father

wrote a report to the Rebbe abouthis learning Chassidus with RavChevroni. The Rebbes response

was: thank you for the good news.

Another story that shows howimportant being in touch withrabbanim is to the Rebbe tookplace when the library opened.Rav Zalman Nechemia Goldberg(a Litvishe rav and posek and theson-in-law of Rabbi Shlomo

Zalman Auerbach) went to thelibrary to try out the Torah CD-Rom on the computer. Someonecame over to me and told me tosuggest that he watch a video of

the Rebbe at a farbrengen.I asked him if hed like to see

it and he said yes. Rav Goldbergasked whether the Rebbe hadnotes when he spoke and I said hedid not. Two days later there wasa gathering against Chabad and adelegation of Misnagdim went toRav Goldberg to get him involved.

What I heard was that Rav

Goldberg took out a gartel fromhis pocket and said: I am aChabadnik.

The delegation got up and leftin disappointment. I wrote to theRebbe about this and said Ithought it had something to do

with his visit to the library. A dayand a half later I got a phone callfrom the Rebbes secretary whotold me that my news gave theRebbe nachas and that I shouldcontinue to relate good news.

Since the Rebbes BesurasHaGeula, when the Rebbe said

we need to prepare the world togreet Moshiach, how is thismessage conveyed in theChassidus shiurim?

The Geula is a reality, whetherwe want it to be, or not. Realitycries out and proves, now morethan ever, how close we are to thehisgalus of Moshiach. This is whytalking about inyanei Geula andMoshiach and Chassidus isaccepted when, not that long ago,it threw up a barrier. As theRebbe said, you have to talk aboutit in a way that will make peoplereceptive, especially when

speaking to a chareidi crowd.The Rebbe Rayatz said that

Chassidus gives light and warmthand this is the manner in which

we ought to convey the message.In 5733 the Rebbe said that todayeverybody has to be mashpia. Ifyou know Alef, teach your friend

Alef; if you know beis, then teachwhat you already know. Today wedont need to be big mashpiim inorder to influence others. The

Rebbe says that everybody mustteach what they know, the mainthing being to convey what youknow in the right way and with aninner chayus.

The secret to success inteaching Chassidus is to convey itin true friendship and to give themushpa (the one on the receivingend) the feeling that he is really

Once upon a time,people thought

that ChabadChassidus was a

luxury, buttoday, the masses

feel that it isnecessary.


19/40

your brother. I heard from RPeretz Mochkin that there is aChassidishe thought about Lavan

who said to Yaakov: Why did yousteal my gods? In other words,Lavan is upset because you tellhim that his leader is nothing.Dont take away what he believes.

We have to give the truth, giving

people what they lack. As soon aswe attack, a wall goes up and theperson is not willing to listen. Ifhe feels you respect him, he will

be ready to listen to everything.How do you think the

ordinary Lubavitcher canspread Chassidus?

Many Lubavitchers can do thisand if people would just try, they

would experience great success.Each of us needs to make shiurimand do mivtzaim in his area.

I saw a letter that the Rebbewrites to the mashpia, R SaadiaLieberov. R Saadia wrote to theRebbe that he was alone on Lag

BOmer and Shavuos and theRebbe wrote to him: It is notpossible that you were alone, forsurely there are Jews around you

who, with a Chassidic saying andwith Chassidic guidance, wouldaccept it, and you can influence

your environment.If a Jew is mashpia on another

Jew and spreads Chassidus, he isno longer alone.

Another thing, part ofpreparing for the Rebbes hisgalusis increasing the love amongChassidim, respecting oneanother, for this is the recipe tosucceed in all aspects of hafatza.There is nothing greater and morepowerful than achdus among

Anash which is the realpreparation for Moshiach.

When the Alter Rebbeannounced in Shklov, Taste it[i.e., Chassidus] and see that G-dis good, in the tune that he used,dozens of men followed him tolearn from him. Today, the Rebbeis announcing the same thing andit is attracting thousands ofpeople to Chassidus. Let nobodythink it is because of their

abilities. The Rebbe turned overworlds for this, in order to bringthe Geula even sooner and in amanner of kindness and mercy.

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R Shmuel Taizi has filledvarious roles since he married, allwith great success. He wasprincipal of the Ohr Simcha schoolin Kfar Chabad, founder of

Yeshivas Tmimei Nachaliel in theyishuv Nachaliel with the Rebbes

bracha, and principal in a TalmudTorah in Lud. He also served as amember of the city council in MevoModiin, where he began council

meetings with a Dvar Malchus andturned them into Chassidishefarbrengens.

R Taizi is an enthusiasticeducator of the old and goodschool. His work in chinuch beganin Lud, with a bracha from theRebbe that he received in yechidus.

I thought that, due to hisextensive resume in communal

work, especially in chinuch, hisname would appear regularly in

various places, but it doesnt. Hedoesnt run to participate ineducational panels. Hes notinterested in the publicity, butprefers to invest all his time andenergy into daily educationalendeavors.

I was recently able to arrange tospeak with R Taizi about theRebbe and Chabad.

REMINISCENCES

My brothers and I were born inthe resort town of Gadera, whichabsorbed many immigrants from

Yemen. Those days in the moshavawere wonderful. Thinking aboutthem makes me feel nostalgic. TheJews from Yemen were big yereiShamayim and were known fortheir tmimus, religious sincerity.

The Yemenite aliya turned thesecular moshava into a place ofshuls and battei midrash, a place ofpurity and Jewish warmth. Mysweet childhood memories are ofstories of faith and dveikus to ourtraditions.

My father, the mekubal RabbiZecharia, was the rav of thecommunity and the one whofounded the local Chinuch Atzmaischool in the town. The first

months of the new Talmud Torahentailed forgoing our comfortinsofar as we used one of the roomsof our house as a classroom.

In retrospect, my fathers actiontook no small amount of courage.The moshava already had a school,a secular school. When my fathersaw that Yemenite families werestarting to send their children there,he quickly founded this school.

Many people owe their Judaism tohim because of this school.

My father continued to run andexpand the school and then hehanded it over to others to run, as

he continued to wield the heavyburden of leading the community.At a later point we moved to

Lud, though not before my fatherreceived the Rebbes bracha. InLud, my father founded a shul,

which is open till today. In thatshul, they daven Nusach Arizal,

which is similar to the traditionalYemenite nusach.

Before we moved to Lud, I wentto learn, as did my brothers, in

Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Lud.When I moved there, my olderbrother Dovid was already a maggidshiur for Chassidus and I learnedfrom him.

A ROSH YESHIVAVISITS OUR HOME

When my brothers were oldenough, my father checked out theavailable yeshivos. He looked intothe Chabad yeshiva TomcheiTmimim in Lu and quickly decidedthat this was the yeshiva for hissons. The approach of ChabadChassidus, which embodies Ahavas

Yisroel and Ahavas HaTorah, wasalso my fathers approach. He was,therefore, very excited when he

visited, overjoyed to educate hischildren with these values.

From the time that my oldest

The story of how a Yemenite familybecame mekuravim and Chassidim ofChabad and the Rebbe.

BUT IF YOU STILL

WANT TO FLY...By Nosson Avrohom


21/40

brother went to the yeshiva in Lud,my father began to take an interestin Chassidus and the Rebbe. Hestarted learning Tanya and otherChassidic works.

I can recall a scene from mychildhood. One time, my brother

Dovid did not go back to yeshiva inLud, and the rosh yeshiva, RavLeizer Horowitz, went with theyeshivas driver, Rav Losh, toGadera on Friday afternoon, to visithim. When they arrived at twelvenoon, they found my parents sittingand learning together, as was theircustom every day, after finishingtheir Shabbos preparations. Myparents were surprised that theyhad left everything to come and

visit their student.In his neshama, my father was a

Chassid who did ufaratzta andenabled many to do mitzvos. No

wonder then, that when he learnedChassidus he felt a natural affinityfor it.

It is also not surprising thatYemenites and Chabad Chassidushit it off so well, with many

Yemenites becoming mekuravim ofChabad. Even back in Yemen they

were very connected to thekabbalistic approach. It was onlynatural that they connected withChabad Chassidus in Eretz Yisroel

and many went to Chabad yeshivos.Thats why the yeshiva in Pardes inLud was called Yeshiva LOleiRussia vTeiman.

My father, who was a bigmekubal, was able to discern theunique approach of Chabad.. My

father drew the entire family intoChabad. I remember that when I

was still a young boy I would talkabout when I grew up and how I

would also go to learn in theChabad yeshiva, where they trainedyou in fine behavior and genuinelove for Hashem.

In my youth in Gadera, myparents did not let me be friends

with everyone. Secular influencescould be felt even within the

Yemenite community, which wasfor the most part chareidi. They

were afraid I would be influencedby the atmosphere. I consoledmyself that soon I would be able togo and learn in a place where Icould be friends with everyone,

without exception, and learn withthem without hesitation.

My brothers shiurim inChassidus were fascinating. Theymade a strong impression on a

young boy like me.In those days, most of the

bachurim wore caps. Ill neverforget the look of surprise on the

faces of my friends in Gadera whenI came home wearing a cap. Manyof them asked me, Why are you

wearing that? Its not wintertimenow?

I FELT THE REBBEWAS TALKING TO ME

The first time I saw the Rebbewas in 5735 after the Yom KippurWar ended. A few months earlier,our brother-in-law, Rabbi Yeshaya

Weiss, was killed in a horrific caraccident on the way from

Yerushalayim to Kfar Chabad.Other Chassidim, including the ravof Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Shneur

Zalman Garelik, were killed too.

While my friends went on Kvutzathat year, I remained in EretzYisroel in order to help the familyrecover from this terrible blow.

Tishrei with the Rebbe wasthrilling. I had yechidus at the endof the month and I asked the Rebbe

whether I should remain in the USor return to Eretz Yisroel in orderto help my sister and her orphanedchildren. The Rebbe told me that hethought I should return to Eretz

Yisroel and work in the yeshiva inLud. There I could help my sisterand continuing to learn.

At the end of the yechidus, theRebbe blessed me with the words,and he should ask Hashem for allhis needs and he will be answered.I remember that line clearly, asthough I just heard it.

This was the first time that I wasseeing the Rebbe alone and I wasterrified. My knees were trembling

even after the yechidus was over. Ireturned to Eretz Yisroel, worked inthe yeshiva in Lud, and later startedan organization in memory of my

brother-in-law, called Ner Yeshaya.I wrote to the Rebbe that I had

plans for big projects under theauspices of this organization, butsome of those plans were not

working out for various reasons.Days passed and I did not receive a


22/40

reply. In the meantime, I went to770. How surprised I was when, inone of the farbrengens, the Rebbesaid that clearly the main thing isaction but one should not skimp onpositive thoughts. Rather he shouldpresent them to three people, andsurely there was no need to be

aggravated about them. I felt thatthe Rebbe was talking to me andanswering my letter.

THE REBBE SAVEDMY LIFE

A few years after I married Iwent on shlichus to Colombia for awhile. We built a mikva togetherwith the local community and withthe help of Rabbi Sholom Maatuf of

Lud. In the city of Barranquilla,there was a Jewish school that wasrun by the Jewish Agency. Thespiritual state of the school was so

bad that when I asked the JewishAgency shliach who ran the schoolwhy Arabs attended the school, hesaid, The Jewish people always feltthemselves to be the persecutedminority. I want to create asituation in which the Arabs, who

are the minority here, will feelsimilar in the face of the Jewishmajority.

After I successfully concludedmy work in Colombia, I returned toEretz Yisroel. I soon missed theJews of the community and wantedto visit them. The community there

was warm and staying there was aspecial pleasure. Before my flight I

was in 770 and I had a yechidus inwhich I asked the Rebbe whether Ishould return to Colombia.

The Rebbe said: The securityand political situation in South

America and Central America isknown, but if you still want to go,call a friend [in Colombia]

beforehand and ask whether a tripis worthwhile.

Since I had worked there andwas familiar with the politicalsituation, I wasnt concerned aboutit. I left the yechidus, at first notrealizing that if the Rebbe answeredme like that, that a trip was out ofthe question.

In the Jewish community ofBarranquilla lived a wonderfulperson by the name of YaakovMizrachi who helped a lot in

building the mikva there. Before Ileft Colombia he gave me his

business card and said that wewould be the first to know of thearrival of Moshiach, and themoment Moshiach comes I shouldlet him know so he could get ready.

I tried to call him to find outwhat was going on Colombia butcould not get through. I was quitesurprised by this. Yaakov has a

brother by the name of Chaim whois hard of hearing. I once askedhim: You are well-to-do, why dontyou buy a hearing aid? Heanswered me: Those things that Ineed to hear, I make the effort tohear, as for other things, better thatI dont hear them.

I tried to call the brother but Icouldnt reach him either. I wasreally astonished because in thepast, while on shlichus in Colombia,

whenever I needed them I couldreach them by phone. I understoodthis to be Divine providence andthat I should not fly to Colombia.

I called the Colombian airlinesand cancelled my flight andordered a ticket to Israel instead.

When I walked into my house back

in Eretz Yisroel, they told me thaton the news they reported that aplane from New York to Colombia- the plane I was supposed to be on- exploded in the air undersuspicious circumstances and allthe passengers perished. The Rebbesaved my life!

* * *

When I asked R Taizi aboutthis period we Chabad Chassidimare going through, he responded

with confidence: One thing I canwish and ask for is that we, all theJewish people from all over the

world, meet as soon as possible inYerushalayim, at the BeisHaMikdash, with the trueRedemption. We are alreadypromised that the yeshua will comesoon.


23/40

RABBI YOSEF CARLEBACH, SHLIACH ATRUTGERS, NEW JERSEY:

A few weeks ago, a belovedmelamed in the city of Lakewood

was brutally beaten by someonewith a baseball bat. He was taken

to a trauma center and baruchHashem, he is okay. Thecommunity was really shook upabout it.

Several weeks earlier, eighthigh school children from one ofthe public high schools, inHowell, NJ (a high school of2400 students) got into a truck,drove to Lakewood and peltedpeople with eggs and bottles. Thepolice arrested them. The high

school leadership was shockedbecause these were excellentstudents and members of theleadership of the high school.

The staff decided to educatethe children about the Jewishpeople. They contacted ourChabad house to ask me, anauthentic Chassidic Jew, tocome and speak to the students. It

was a chance to speak about the

Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach and Iagreed to speak.

200 of the top students werecalled into the library. When I

went there, a week ago, there wasa policeman who is always there,2 vice principals, a social studies

teacher, a whole delegation. Theyall welcomed me and thanked mefor coming. There were eight ofthem and they said they want tointroduce me to the principal.Eight men. Whats the principalsname, I asked. Mrs. Dury.

As we walked to her office, Ithought, I just shook eight hands.Im the kindhearted Jew who iscoming to explain She willstretch her hand out to welcome

me and Ill stand with my handslike this (behind my back) and it

wont be a good openingSo I go to her office and she

stands up from her desk and shewalks up to me and says, RabbiCarlebach, its a pleasure to meetyou! with her hands behind her

back!I said, Mrs. Dury, its a

pleasure to meet you too. Can Iask you one question? Who told

you not to shake my hand?Mrs. Dury said, Rabbi, I

come from Brooklyn. I was raisedin an Orthodox family. Mynephew went to your Chabadhouse and here are his twochildren (showing me a picture onher desk).

Im about to introduce you tothe first Orthodox Jew in the NewHampshire State legislature, astate that has only 10 frum

families. He is the youngestmember of the New HampshireState legislature Jason-YehoshuaBedrick, and probably the highestranking American official who

wears 2 pairs of tfillin every day,wears a black hat, and proudlyhas a beard. He is the first NewHampshire State legislator who

will only shake hands with men!

Highlights from speeches delivered atthe Kinus Motzaei Shabbos banquet

and Rosh Chodesh Kislev farbrengen in770.

HIGHLIGHTS

FROM THE

WORDS OF

CHASSIDIM


24/40

MR. JASON-YEHOSHUA BEDRICK FIRSTEXPRESSED HIS AWE OF THESHLUCHIM WHO ARE WILLING TO LIVEA LIFE OF MESIRUS NEFESH OUT OFAHAVAS YISROEL:

Shluchim often dont knowwhere their next dollar is comingfrom and they have large families,tuition and summer expenses, and

they dont want to charge for theirevents because they dont want toturn anyone away. Shluchim are

willing to live a life of uncertainty,trusting in Hashem, trusting in theRebbe that he will give them thekoach to do what they need to do.It amazes me and gives me thestrength to do what I have to do.

In particular, I thank Rabbi

Moshe Bleich who found me when Iwas in college and helped guide mein the direction I was going. I canhonestly say I wouldnt be Jewishtoday if it werent for Chabad. Imean that literally.

My nickname on campus was

Super-Jew. I started the Jewishfraternity, we started the Friends ofIsrael club. I was the guy who was

very active in Hillel, who got activein Chabad, who brought all hisfriends to Chabad events, who wasgiving up pork and shellfish, who

was deciding whether he was goingto walk to the rabbis house onShabbos, who brought people on theBirthright trip, and then

The rabbi found out that the

person who was president of Chabadon campus, has a mother who had anon-kosher conversion. It was verydevastating for the rabbi and it tookhim a while to break it to me. Hehad to do it very gently. He decidedto break it to me on our trip toIsrael.

I wore a yarmulke the entire timein Israel and by the end of the trip I

was wearing tzitzis, and he broke itto me over several days, moving me

from being unsure to realizing that Iwas not halachically Jewish.

I was at a crossroads in my life.Its one thing to become a baaltshuva. You do that by taking steps[in religious observance], but here, Ineeded to make a conscious decisionthat every Friday night, for the restof my life, I will keep Shabbos. Bythe end of the trip I decided Im not

just a Jew in Israel but Im a Jew inAmerica too. Six month later I

finished my degree and went toyeshiva.

On to my election. I had runonce before, as an Independent, justto raise the issue of school choice, a

vital issue for the future of Americaand for the frum, Jewish community.

While in yeshiva I got a phone callfrom one of the state representatives,asking me to run. I dodged this for a

while and consulted with the rabbisat the yeshiva and finally decidedthat because of the effect I might beable to have, I would give it a shot.

Most people didnt think Id beelected. I spent the summer inyeshiva while all the other candidates

spent the summer campaigning. Ihad about a month to campaign andI couldnt campaign at all the Fridaynight and Saturday events, which is

when most of the events take place. Icouldnt campaign at the restaurantsand I couldnt shake hands with

women, which made going door todoor a little uncomfortable But Idecided that if I was going to do it, I

was going to do it the right way.The Salem Womens club, a

feminist organization, heard therewas a candidate that wouldnt shakehands with women and they werequite upset about this. I sent them aletter and explained my position.

I was advised to shave my beardbecause people generally do not votefor people with beards. I was asked

whether I could trim it and I said,Im sorry, Im not touching the

beard. I was asked whether I couldmake an exception and shake

womens hands (as some Jews do),and I said, if I begin compromisingon my faith, on my principles, what

will I compromise when I get up intothe State house? Im notcompromising here. I cancompromise on policy but not onprinciple.

Believe it or not, the womensclub respected this. The vicepresident wrote in the newspaperthat she was supporting me and all

her friends were supporting me. Outof 40,000 people who live in mydistrict, I won by six votes!

I was a rather obscure candidate.I was 23 years old at the time andmost people in the district did notknow who I was. Because of the

womens club, I became infamousand because they respected myposition, I won. This means that I

I didnt windespite the factthat I didnt shake

hands withwomen. I wonbecause of the factthat I didnt shake

hands withwomen.


25/40

didnt windespite the fact that Ididnt shake hands with women. I

won because of the fact that I didntshake hands with women.

I find this is the case withChabad houses. Chabad houses donot bring in students and families

despite their beards and hat. Peoplewonder how Chabad is so successfuldespite the 18th century look. Theyassume its their successful events ortasty challa But thats not thereason.

Its because Chabad does notcompromise and the students seethat. They see its the emes, that

when the Chabad rabbi tells themsomething, he means it. This is what

brings people in and we cannot

compromise.The Rebbe said never to

compromise. I thank you for all youare willing to do, your mesirusnefesh, your ahavas Yisroel. In yourmerit, in our merit, we should seeMoshiach tonight!

The head of the 9,of the truthful

person, is up; helearns and davens.The head of the 6

is down becausehis head is

immersed ingashmius.

RABBI SHOLOM BER SHAPIRO:

During recess my grandfatheroverheard a conversation in whichone child asked the Rebbe why theTorah starts with the letter beis andnot an Alef. The Rebbe shruggedand did not reply and the child said,my father told me that beis is brachaand also because beis is the number

two andderech eretz kadma lTorah(good manners, proper behavior,precede Torah). This is also thereason why every tractate of Gemara

begins ondaf Beis (page 2).The Rebbe replied to the boy (I

think he said he heard this from his

father), saying that the number 9 isspecial. The letters of the wordemes (truth) add up to the number9 (Alef, Mem, Tav 1+40+400=9).That is why all multiples of 9 add upto 9 (ex. 2x9=18 and 1+8=9,3x9=27 and 2+7=9).

All numbers look different exceptthe 6 and 9, which resemble eachother, one right-side-up and oneupside-down, because truth andfalsehood are opposites. The letters

of the word sheker (falsehood) addup to the number 6 (Shin, Kuf,Reish 300+200+100=6).

The head of the 9, of the truthfulperson, is up; he learns and davens.The head of the 6 is down becausehis head is immersed in gashmius.

Since three times establishes achazaka, and the Torah starts withthe letter Beis, start counting fromthe letter Beis by threes and you seean amazing thing. Beis plus Gimmel

plus Dalet, 2+3+4 =9. Hei plusVav plus Zayin, 5+6+7 =18 and1+8=9. Continue in this way untilthe end of the Alef, Beis and you willsee that every three letters adds upto 9 which is emes.

Incredibly, if you start from theletter Alef and count by threes, everythree letters add up to the number 6,

which is sheker.Parenthetically, the Hebrew word

for the number 9 is teisha and the

letters of teisha, Tav plus Shinplus Ayin, add up to 770!

DR. FELDMAN:

I was at a lecture and the speakerwas talking about people who getout of bed too quickly in themorning and faint. They came up

with an idea to prevent a personfrom fainting, which is to wait 12seconds in bed, from when you open

your eyes, so that your brain andheart are then ready for you to getout of bed.

During the question and answersession I asked, have you ever seen aperson like me (yarmulke and beard)complaining about this problem?

She said no.I said its because when an

Orthodox Jew wakes up in themorning, before getting out of bedhe says a 12 word sentence Modeh ani

RABBI MOSHE ZEV PIZEM, SHLIACH INSDEROT IMPARTS A PRACTICAL ANDPOIGNANT LESSON FROM HIS LIFE ONSHLICHUS:

People wonder how it is possiblefor us Jews to go about their dailylives and activities while constantlyawaiting the coming of Moshiach;they seem mutually exclusive. For

when I am involved in work, etc.,

how can I be thinking about Geula?In Sderot we understand how todo this, because in Sderot, under thedaily barrage of deadly missiles, wego about our daily lives and activities

but as we do, we are constantlyaware that at any moment there can

be a Red Alert. Yes, you can do bothsimultaneously.


26/40

In one of the sichos the Rebbesaid: There was a special effortmade to unite all the Jewishpeople, wherever they are, throughpnimius haTorah, printing theTanya in every location in the

world where our brethren, theJewish people, are to be found even at the ends of the world There is an advantage to printingover saying Chassidus especially when the printing is

being done with the aid andparticipation of the localresidents, who participatephysically and monetarily inprinting the Tanya, for then theyfeel a special connection towardsthe Tanya. Great is the merit that

befell them too that the Tanya will

be printed in their locale, for thisis a merit and a benefit for them.It is a special segula for the city

where this work is printed, asegula which will help the settlingand development of this city.

The printing of the first Tanyain Lebanon did not take placeduring the first Lebanon war, buta few years before that, at the

beginning of 5739. A year prior,in 5738, the Rebbe announcedthat the Tanya should be printedall over the world. Until thiscampaign, a total of 81 editions ofthe Tanya had been printed sincethe first one, in the life of the

Alter Rebbe.Chassidim began printing the

Tanya in all countries around the

world, starting with the capitolcities of the big countries andthen also in small settlements inout-of-the-way places. There wereplaces where nobody expected toprint the Tanya, such as the Arabcountries, where there were noshluchim, as it was obviouslydangerous to do so.

However, Rabbi YosefGerlitzky, shliach in Eretz Yisroel,

The Rebbe gave special instructions forthe printing of the Tanya in Lebanon. *

In honor of Yud-Tes Kislev, when we start learning Tanya again from thebeginning, we present the story of the

printing of the Tanya in Lebanon in the

years 5739/1978 and 5742/1982.

PRINTING

THE TANYA

IN LEBANONBy Shneur Zalman Berger


27/40

thought otherwise. He decidedthat since there was a sizableJewish community in Lebanon, theTanya had to be printed there. Hesought the protection of theLebanese Christian Militia insouthern Lebanon, who ruled overparts of the country.

R Gerlitzky asked the Rebbeand the very next day he receiveda reply: It is a very proper thing to

do and you should hurry and doit, as quickly as possible.

A VERY PROPERTHING

As soon as he received theanswer, R Gerlitzky and RabbiLeibel Schildkraut beganarranging it with the leaders ofthe Lebanese Militia. In the

meantime, they received additionalinstructions. The Rebbe told themto make sure that the printingtook place on Lebanese land. Healso said that the printing should

be done in the city and not withinan army camp, it made nodifference whether in northern orsouthern Lebanon.

The Rebbe also said that theyshould mark this printing as the


28/40

120th edition of Tanya, and toadd the city and country on thefront page. The final thing theRebbe said was: When will theprinting take place?

Only two days went by and thesecretaries were calling with the

question: when will the printing inLebanon take place?

Their contacts with LebaneseMilitia stalled and no progress

was made. The leadershipmaintained that due to tensions inthe area, it would be difficult forthem to allow entry into Lebanonand they had to wait. The message

was conveyed to the Rebbe, whosaid that if there was no otheroption they could also have it

printed by an Arab (Palestinian orLebanese Moslem), for it ispermissible for Torah to beprinted by a non-Jew.

It was obvious that the Rebbewanted the Tanya to be printed inLebanon and the sooner, the

better.

APPROVED BY THECHIEF OF STAFF

The Lebanese Militia finallyallowed them entry into Lebanonand set a date. They also neededapproval from the Chief of Staff,Motta Gur.

beis moshiach #624

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