CONTENTS

24
FEATURED ARTICLES

WEEKLY COLUMNS

3 Dvar Malchus
19 Parsha Thought
22 Bitachon Bytes
48 Moshiach & Hakhel
50 Tzivos Hashem

THE REBBE
BELIEVES IN US
Yisroel Lapidot

OF
12 HISKASHRUS
LOVE BEHIND THE
IRON CURTAIN

Shneur Zalman Berger

REBBE
24 THE
IS WITH US EVERY STEP

OF THE WAY
Avrohom Rainitz

36 AOFMOSAIC
ARTISTRY AND
CHASSIDUS
Moshe Shlomo

HASHEMS
43 REVEALING
ONENESS THROUGH
NATURE

Menachem Ziegelboim

Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content

and Kashruth of the advertisements.

36
744 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409

1028_bm_eng.indd 4

Tel: (718) 778-8000

Fax: (718) 778-0800
admin@beismoshiach.org
www.beismoshiach.org

Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272

is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only
once in April and October) for $160.00 in Crown
Heights. USA $180.00. All other places for $195.00
per year (45 issues), by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern
Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals
postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional
offices. Postmaster: send address changes to
Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY
11213-3409. Copyright 2016 by Beis Moshiach, Inc.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
M.M. Hendel
HEBREW EDITOR:
Rabbi S.Y. Chazan
editorH@beismoshiach.org

ENGLISH EDITOR:
Boruch Merkur
editor@beismoshiach.org

2016-07-05 1:38:10 AM

DVAR MALCHUS

PROPHECY
FULFILLED
Sources where the Rebbe proclaims that
Moshiach has already been revealed. *
From Chapter Seven of Rabbi Shloma
Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined
text is the compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur

2. [] This Erev Shabbos,

the world heads of state made
resolutions and proclamations
about the diminishment and
disarmament of weaponry, and
about increasing the production of
agricultural equipment to provide
sustenance at both national and
global levels. In so doing, they
are fulfilling the prophecy of
they shall beat their swords
into plowshares, dismantling
weaponry to make them into
tools of agriculture from the
land, bread has emerged. This is
a clear sign of the beginning of
the fulfillment of this prophecy
in the true and complete
redemption through Moshiach
Tzidkeinu.
To elaborate:
Since presently we are in the
most auspicious time for the
advent of Moshiach Tzidkeinu
Behold this one (Melech
HaMoshiach comes we
already see (an aspect of and) the
beginning of the effect of Melech
HaMoshiach upon the [Gentile]
nations And he shall judge
among the Gentiles and rebuke
many nations, and they shall beat
their swords into plowshares,
etc. The latter is achieved through

G-d Alm-ghtys directing the

hearts of the kings of the nations
(the heart of kings and ministers
is in the hand of G-d) to resolve
and to proclaim together about
the initiative of they shall beat
their swords into plowshares.
It is for this reason that this
resolution and proclamation was
made specifically at this time
because of its close proximity
to the actual true and complete
redemption through Moshiach
Tzidkeinu.
3. The connection between
the convention on world peace
and the beginning of the
accomplishments of Moshiach
Tzidkeinu is also underscored
in the particulars of the event
the place and time the resolution
and proclamation of the heads of
state about they shall beat their
swords into plowshares took
place:
The venue for this meeting
(the special place designated for
delegates, world heads of state,
to pleasantly and peacefully
discuss among themselves) is
this country [the USA] and this
state [New York], the country
and state where Beis Rabbeinu
ShBBavel is situated, Beis

Chayeinu, the shul and beis

midrash, the place of Torah,
prayer, and acts of kindness, of
my revered father in-law, the
Rebbe, leader of our generation.
[] *
All this comes as a result
of the dissemination of Torah
and Judaism, righteousness and
uprightness, throughout the
entire world, accomplished and
implemented by Nasi Doreinu,
Moshiach of the generation [for
the leader of the generation is the
Moshiach of the generation
see Footnote 25].
[Having
stated
the
significance of the physical
proximity of the UN conference to
770, headquarters of the Rebbe,
Moshiach of the generation, the
Rebbe goes on to illustrate how
the timing is also auspicious
with regard to the Messianic
Era, citing three reasons. First,
in terms of the day of the week
the conference began on Erev
Shabbos, which is the eve of and
preparation for a day that is
entirely Shabbos and tranquility
for eternal life (Tamid, end).
Second, the day of the month was
the 26th of Shvat twenty-six
being numerically equivalent to
G-ds name Havaya, Creator of
the universe, alluding to the state
Continued on page 35
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 3

2016-07-05 1:38:12 AM

FARBRENGEN

THE REBBE

BELIEVES

IN US
How do we stay strong 22 years after Gimmel
Tammuz? And what is the significance of this
day? How do we handle the challenges of
the times and how do we teach our children
about hiskashrus to the Rebbe? * Rabbi Moshe
Kornwitz, rosh mesivta and mashpia in the
Chabad yeshiva in Natzrat Ilit, in a fascinating
farbrengen for Gimmel Tammuz.
By Yisroel Lapidot

abbi Moshe Kornwitz

is a tremendous talmid
chacham, author of the
encyclopedic
Mistar
Tzefunosayich, which contains a
compilation of inyanei Moshiach
and Geula from Hemshech 5672.
He grew up as the son of
a fine, upstanding, religiousZionist family in Alon Moreh. He
went to learn in Yeshivas Mekor
Chaim, headed by Rabbi Adin
Even Yisroel-Steinsaltz and was
one of the outstanding students
there.

He discovered the rich Torah

library of Chabad teachings and
began spending his time there.
At that time, he acquired a great
understanding and proficiency in
dozens of sifrei maamarim of the
Rebbeim. He decided to devote
all his energies to the teachings of
Chassidus and he spent hours on
the avoda of tfilla daily.
When I learned Chassidus
and the importance of avodas
hatfilla, I realized that I cannot
fool myself. When a person
wants to serve Hashem and

daven sincerely, without bittul

to the Rebbe its all a game, he
is actually serving himself. Every
line in Chassidus screams out
that you must have real bittul to
the Rebbe; otherwise its baloney.
The more sichos of the
Rebbe you learn, the more you
realize that this is the absolute
truth and it is impossible without
the Rebbe. The same is true for
a Chassidishe farbrengen. I dont
want to be sharp but learning
Chassidus without hiskashrus to
the Rebbe means to turn all the

4 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 4

2016-07-05 1:38:14 AM

G-dly concepts and deepest ideas

in Chassidus into an entity unto
itself, Heaven forefend.
After seven years of learning
the teachings of the Rebbeim, R
Kornwitz realized that he wanted
to be a Chassid and mekushar
to the Rebbe. After a period of
time studying for rabbanus and
dayanus in the Ohr Zarua kollel
in Rechovot, headed by Rabbi
Meir Aharon, he decided to travel
to 770 to learn there. Within a
short time, he stood out among
the top students.

In recent years he has become

the personal mashpia of many
students who attended the
Chabad yeshivos in Natzrat Ilit
and a rav for Chassidic young
men who go to him with halachic
queries.
For Gimmel Tammuz, we
farbrenged with R Kornwitz
about hiskashrus to the Rebbe.
Lchaim, lchaim vlivracha!
Gimmel
Tammuz.
Despite
the
differences
among Chassidim about the
significance of the day, and the

Chassidic feelings about it, all

agree that it is one of the most
significant dates for Chassidim
of the seventh generation.
Correct. In general, the Rebbe
often asked that we utilize every
opportunity and special date to
farbreng.
The Rebbe Rayatz tells in one
of his sichos that in his younger
years he attended a farbrengen
of Chassidim which included
the elder Chassid, Rashbatz
(R Shmuel Betzalel Sheftel
ah, a distinguished Chassid of
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 5

2016-07-05 1:38:16 AM

Farbrengen
the Tzemach Tzedek and one
of the great Chassidim of the
Rebbe Maharash and the Rebbe
Rashab). One of the Chassidim,
who was very impressed by the
Rashbatz, asked him, You are
possessed of a great intellect. Did
you ever make a mistake?
Rashbatz thought and then
said, I think that I made a
mistake one time in my life.
The mistake was that I did not
appreciate my good qualities
enough. This response made a
tremendous impression on the
Rebbe Rayatz.
When he went to his father,
the Rebbe Rashab, his father
asked him what was spoken at the
farbrengen. The Rebbe Rayatz
repeated Rashbatzs error. The
Rebbe Rashab was pleased and
said this was the way to conduct
oneself, We need to start with
the healthy side.
In avodas Hashem, we need to
start from the healthy side. There
are many who start the avoda
from the wrong, not healthy,
side from sadness and low selfesteem, from the animal soul
and all the negative things. The
Rebbe Rashab said that the yetzer
hara is what causes a person to
start from lowliness and despair,
while telling him he is distant and
not suited to anything true. But
Chassidim understood well that
the avoda needs to start with the
healthy side, from the positive.
What do we learn from this,
for our times?
When
Gimmel
Tammuz
approaches, we encounter two
basic approaches. The animal
soul, of course, will want us
to start from the lower end of
things, looking at the terrible
concealment and how twentytwo years went by already and
it doesnt look as though we
accomplished anything, and we
still havent heard and seen the

Rebbe. Its possible to go on and

on about this.
But as Chassidim, we need to
cling to everything in life that is
healthy, starting from the highest
and greatest perspectives, seeing
things as the Rebbe wants us to
look at them, with a healthy and
functional perspective, as they
really are.
For example, when we look
at the last sichos of the Dvar
Malchus we see how the Rebbe
places us on the highest of
places. The Rebbe looks at us,
the Chassidim of the seventh
generation, as lofty people,
people with whom you can speak
and even demand incredible
things.
Contrariwise, if we start from
the unhealthy, lacking, lowly side

or what is called in the vernacular

the whiny side, it can be one
of the greatest obstacles to
hiskashrus to the Rebbe today.
This is actually a test of our
loyalty as Chassidim, because to a
Chassid, it should be a given that
if the Rebbe gave us a mission
to bring Moshiach, then he also
endowed us with the ability to do
so.
Dont
we
see
some
dissatisfaction on the part of the
Rebbe too, for example, in the
sicha of Chaf-Ches Nissan and
the sharp terminology he used
afterward?
I think we need to look at that
also from a healthy perspective.
On Purim 5747, long before
the sharp sicha of Chaf-Ches
Nissan 5751, the Rebbe said a

6 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 6

2016-07-05 1:38:18 AM

The night of Simchas Torah 5711, the Rebbe said

that when going on Tahalucha, Anash should say
straight out that Moshe [i.e. the Rebbe Rayatz] did not
die and there is no change. But if questions are posed,
tell them the way you answer a little child when you get
older you will understand. This is the reality, even if you
dont understand!

similar sicha. In this sicha, he

referred to the story of the king,
Hosheia ben Eila, who abolished
the barricades that Yerovam ben
Nevat had put up on the roads
to prevent the Jews from going
to Yerushalayim. Hosheia was
punished for this. Why? Because
even after the barricades were
removed, the Jewish people still
were not oleh regel, but until
then, they had an excuse for not
going. Once Hosheia removed
the barricades and the roads to
Yerushalayim were open, they
no longer had an excuse for not
being oleh regel. This put the
Jewish people in a bad light and
for this he was punished.
However, the Rebbe said
about himself, I still give the
matter of bringing the Geula to

the Chassidim. In other words,

the Rebbe believes and trusts
that his Chassidim can bring
Moshiach, because if he did not
think we were capable, he would
not have given us this assignment.
The same goes for the sicha
said on Chaf-Ches Nissan. We
see how after the sicha the Rebbe
told a few people, If I am a
Rebbe, then I spoke clearly that
this needs to be done by each
one of you. The Rebbe made
the opening move. He broke
down the barricades and then
he empowered us, especially the
post-Gimmel Tammuz 5754
generation namely, that we are
capable and it is possible to ask
and demand from us very serious
things.
That the Rebbe believes in us
we can see throughout the years
of his leadership, but it appears
most openly in the sichos of
5751-5752. For example, in the
Dvar Malchus for BHaaloscha,
the Rebbe explains an amazing
path in the avodas Hashem of
our generation, until the flame
goes up of its own accord,
the chinuch today needs to be
in a way of doing it on your
own, and the same is true for
spreading Judaism, spreading
the wellsprings outward.
When we examine the Dvar
Malchus, we see all the amazing
things the Rebbe speaks about.
The Rebbe believes in us and in
the abilities we have today, to lift

ourselves up.
What would you say to
someone who agrees in theory,
but doesnt see how it can be
done in reality. People know
themselves and many of us
dont feel on such a high level.
In Pele Yoetz, which was
written 200 years ago, it says you
may not hit children. Then he
asks, but we see that parents hit
children? He says that although
a parent sometimes hits, at least
he should know the principle, the
ideal concept.
The same applies to us; we
dont live in a bubble, in fantasy
land. We certainly cannot ignore
the reality in which most of us
are likely to fall, but we need to
maintain continuous focus on
our direction, the correct and
healthy path.
What does that mean in real
world terms?
The correct and healthy way
is that the Rebbe today is giving
us kochos and keilim to connect
to him on an essence level
which weve never had before,
and to bring about the complete
hisgalus.
In recent years, they have
been publishing letters of the
Rebbe and handwritten notes
that were never published before.
Maamarim of the Rebbeim have
been reprinted from manuscripts
along with many other great
revelations. The Rebbe is giving

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 7

2016-07-05 1:38:20 AM

Farbrengen

LEARNING TO APPRECIATE THE REBBES TEACHINGS

During our conversation, I asked R Kornwitz where he got this special
koch in learning Chassidus. He said:
Sometimes, when you are on the inside, born to a Chassidishe family,
you dont pay attention to the value of these things. As someone who grew
up without the treasure trove of Chassidus, I can personally tell you that
Chassidus in general and the Rebbes teachings in particular are the remedy
for all the maladies of our generation.
There is a story that R Nachum Shmaryahu Sasonkin ah tells in his
memoirs, that when he was sent from Tomchei Tmimim to get an exemption
from the army, they sent him to the rav of Kremenchug, R Dovid Tzvi
Chein. Upon arriving, Radatz Chein told him to join him in the womens
section of the shul to prepare for davening because downstairs many people
disturbed him since he was the rav.
While preparing for davening, Radatz said to him: Ai! Tomchei Tmimim
destroyed the learning of Chassidus!
R Sasonkin was taken aback. How could Radatz, one of the elder
Chassidim, say such a thing?!
Radatz continued: When we were young men by the Tzemach Tzedek,
they did not allow us to learn Chassidus. When we learned Chumash with
Rashi, we would relate to Avrohom Avinu as to a regular person who also
had desires and an animal soul etc., heaven forbid. When they allowed us to
learn Chassidus, we discovered a new light. We learned that Avrohom Avinu
is the attribute of chesed and Moshe Rabbeinu is daas and our eyes were lit
up. But in Tomchei Tmimim they got used to this and they dont know to
get excited and be amazed by it.
For Chassidim of the seventh generation in particular, there is much
to identify with in this story. Because sometimes we forget the powerful
treasure we have in the teachings of Chassidus, in the sichos and maamarim
of our Rebbeim, and especially the teachings of the Rebbe MHM.
us all this so that we have the
ability to contend with the
tremendous concealment through
the abundance of Chassidus we
now have.
It reminds me of a story that
will illustrate the idea of the
giluyim we have today in the
teachings of Chassidus. There
are letters and notes that the
shliach in Argentina, R Berel
Baumgarten, wrote. He relates
that in the years 5714-5715 he
began working on drawing Jews
to the Rebbe and Chassidus.
R Berel would bring them
to the Rebbes farbrengens and
once got it over the head from
the Rebbe for saying lchaim
more than necessary and saying

things that did not need to be

said. In response to this, he told
the Rebbe that without drinking
lchaim he had nothing to sell
them What Chassidus can I
teach them?
The Rebbe said, You have the
maamarim of the Rebbe Rayatz.
R
Berel
replied,
Its
published in the smeared lettering
of a stencil (the copying machine
of the time) and so I dont have
what to teach them in Chassidus.
[The Rebbe responded to that
argument as well.]
What an astonishing point.
Sixty, seventy years ago there
were hardly any sifrei Chassidus
that could be learned from. A
person involved in mivtzaim

and drawing people close to the

Rebbe says to the Rebbe: I have
nothing to work with.
Today, sixty years later, not
only are there sifrei Chassidus
translated into other languages,
but they are in a style that suits
every level. Nowadays, a person
who wants to learn Chassidus has
nothing holding him back. This
is a great abundance of very lofty
light that we have here. A G-dly
light descended to the world.
Are all the trials and
hardships nothing?
Nobody
said
that
the
challenges stopped with Gimmel
Tammuz. On the contrary, there
are harder tests now. If you are
involved with the challenges of
todays generation, you know
and see that there are difficulties
and tests that we did not have
before.
On the one hand, we cannot
ignore what is happening and
only talk about inyanei Moshiach
and Geula as though there are
no problems at all. On the other
hand, our approach needs to
be that the Rebbe is with us,
supporting and believing in us.
One of the things that the Rebbe
emphasizes in a very emphatic
way in the sicha of Shavuos
5751 (although the premise was
already published years before in
the Igros Kodesh) is that even
in the Yemos HaMoshiach there
will still be evil in the world. That
means that the world will still not
be completely cleansed of evil. A
Jew will experience the change
and will have no evil, but there
will still be evil present in the
world.
The Rebbe explains that
the tikkun for this is the cities
of refuge the new Torah that
Moshiach will teach; by learning
the new Torah, it will be possible
to overcome the evil in the world

8 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 8

2016-07-05 1:38:20 AM

so that it does not lead to

anything undesirable or
untoward problems.
If we examine the
formulation that the Rebbe
establishes regarding the
new Torah and its special
ability to protect one from
the evil in the world, we
discover that this is also the
way that the Rebbe guides
us in our avoda today.
As we said at the
beginning,
the
Rebbe
greatly believes in us
and lets us know that
we are already in the
Yemos
HaMoshiach.
Yet, completely opposite
events are taking place in
the world. What can we
do? The remedy is the
teachings of Moshiach, the
Rebbes teachings. We see
how this is the remedy for
all negative things in the
world.
So the right way to deal with
the pervasive darkness is to
learn the Rebbes teachings?
Its not only a way to deal with
evil; its also the way to connect
to and know the Rebbe. Until
now, we knew the Rebbe in
external ways, with wondrous
giluyim which anyone could see
at dollars etc., but today we have
an opportunity to connect to
and know the Rebbe in a more
internal way, through learning his
teachings.
This is similar to what
the Rebbe said about looking
forward to the Geula and living
with Moshiach, that in order for
it to penetrate, a person needs
to learn the sichos on the topic.
The Rebbe explained that the
way to eliminate all the questions
that arise is by learning about the
Geula, which is what will instill in
us the understanding that we are
in the Yemos HaMoshiach.

Obviously, this is not enough

for us and we want to see the
Rebbe, but for now, the Rebbes
teachings are the strongest
weapon we have until the
complete hisgalus.
There is a parable that the
Rebbe cites a number of times
in the maamarim of Basi LGani,
about a king who decides to
squander his treasures in order to
win the war. One analogue of this
is the printing and disseminating
the maamarim of the Rebbeim
that until now were only in
manuscript form and were not
publicized.
Likewise,
regarding
the
treasures the Rebbe reveals with
greater intensity in the Dvar
Malchus sichos. Whoever learns
them in depth knows that the
deepest ideas in Chassidus are
in there and the Rebbe directs
this to the soldiers. Who are
the soldiers? The Chassidim

who work to bring the

Geula. These are the
genuine treasures that are
revealed in the world. The
revelation of Chassidus in
general, and the teachings
of the Rebbe in particular,
are a phenomenon that
everybody can plainly see.
Is it enough to learn
the Rebbes teachings?
What about shlichus?
Learning is a tool; of
course it is not a substitute
for carrying out the
Rebbes horaos, to connect
to the Rebbe, to write to
the Rebbe, to travel to the
Rebbe, to attend Chassidic
farbrengens that arouse
our connection to the
Rebbe, to live with what
the Rebbe lives, and most
importantly spreading
Judaism and the Besuras
HaGeula and the Goel.
But its important to
emphasize that today we need
to use genuine weapons in order
to attain genuine hiskashrus,
and these weapons are in the
teachings of the Rebbe and
Chassidus. This serves as a
vital component in shlichus and
it is the most reliable way of
succeeding to influence people
on a personal level, so that they
view everything from a positive
perspective.
Sad to say, it appears like
many of those who learn
Chassidus have yet to see the
healthy side.
One of the principles of the
teachings of Chassidus is that
everything is G-d, and as such,
the Divine is expressed even
in the material reality. When
we only study the intellectual
ideas we lose this feeling. Its
only when we learn Chassidus
properly and know how to look
in a deeper way, so that its not

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 9

2016-07-05 1:38:21 AM

Farbrengen
the external face of the world that
dictates to us but the pnimius,
that we will realize that this is the
very essence of the challenge we
face after Gimmel Tammuz.
What do we do to rise to
the challenge? Does it mean
capitulating to the reality, to
nature, to this world, to the
concealment which G-d created
with the original tzimtzum, or
that we do not give in to nature
and the concealment and know
that G-dliness is everything and
consequently, we are not fazed if
the world says this or that.
We can say that what
Chassidus teaches us is to look at
the entire world as it is connected
to G-d and not be fazed by the
concealment of the world. Then
its a lot simpler to connect to
the Rebbe even when he hides his
face from us.
Perhaps it is better to
emphasize
the
intellectual
aspect and the wisdom in the
teachings of Chabad; otherwise,
there will be many who wont
even bother with that?
Obviously, in order for
people not to be theoreticians
of Chassidus we need to place
the true reality like a mirror
in front of their faces. In the
yeshiva I learned in, by R Adin
Even Yisroel-Steinsaltz, there is
a huge library with all the sifrei
Chassidus Chabad. The library
was donated by Professor Zev
Kitzes who is a direct descendent
of R Volf Kitzes. But although
he is an important person and
a descendant of Chassidim, he
himself is not a Chassid.
The night of Simchas Torah
5711, the Rebbe said that
when going to the shuls [on
Tahalucha], Anash should say
it straight out Moshe [i.e.
the Rebbe Rayatz] did not die
and there is no change. But if
questions are posed, tell them

the way you answer a little child

when you get older you will
understand. That is the reality,
even if you dont understand!
If I would not have met good
people who helped me to properly
recognize the Rebbes teachings
and the truth, as it is, I would
not know about it until today. I
would have continued learning
Chassidus without bringing it
down to real life, and who knows
where I would be...
They say that when they
invented the steam engine in
Russia, the czar invited all his
ministers and members of the
royal staff to inaugurate the first
train. Before the train began
moving, they turned on the
engine and it made a lot of noise,
but when it came time for the
steam engine to move, it would
not budge.
The engineers came and
checked it out and said, all the
energy was wasted on the whistle
blowing and now it cannot move.
Of course, if we waste all our
energy on the beautiful sound and
light show in Chabad Chassidus,
the train wont go and we will
never get to our destination.
In your opinion, is the
Rebbes influence felt today
within the religious sector?
There are many people
who know the truth but dont
outwardly display it. In Alon
Moreh where I grew up, many
people write to the Rebbe even
though they dont outwardly
belong to Chabad, because to
take an actual leap is very hard.
There is no question that
with the abundance of Chassidus
we have today, everyone has the
ability to discover the truth that
everything is G-dliness, and that
he is connected to the Rebbe
no matter what his individual
circumstance.
We see this in particular with

writing to the Rebbe through

the Igros Kodesh. When you tell
people that you can write to the
Rebbe you see miracles.
When a person writes to the
Rebbe today and opens to an
answer in the Igros Kodesh, he
understands that the Rebbes
instructions obligate him. Its not
some ancient legacy of the Rebbe
about Ahavas Yisroel and learning
Rambam, but actual instructions
that he received now by writing
a pidyon nefesh or report to the
Rebbe.
I remember that before I
came to Chabad, in the two years
following Gimmel Tammuz they
spoke about Meshichistim who
believe the Rebbe is Moshiach
as a passing fad. Today, those
people and their children are
learning Chassidus and becoming
Lubavitchers.
That
means
that today everyone sees that
believing in what the Rebbe said
is something else entirely, and it
is something that is only getting
stronger.
It gives us a lot of
encouragement when we see how
the Rebbe is victorious, no less
than before Gimmel Tammuz.
Chassidus
is
permeating
everywhere among the religiousZionists and the ultra-Orthodox,
so much so that today it has
become commonplace when it
used to be completely out of the
question.
We spoke about learning
Chassidus and the teachings of
the Rebbe, especially the sichos
of the Dvar Malchus. What
about inyanei Moshiach and
Geula?
It is specifically the subject
of inyanei Moshiach and Geula
that needs to be learned in the
most internalized way, as the
Rebbe himself said, This is the
direct, easy and quick way.

10 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 10

2016-07-05 1:38:21 AM

One can give many examples

that highlight the flaw and error
in just learning in a general way
as opposed to learning it in a
comprehensive manner from the
Rebbes teachings on the subject.
I will give you one example,
from the War of Gog and Magog.
If you do research about this
war you will find incorrect or
imprecise information, but if
you learn it in depth, starting
with the Prophets and in the
Rishonim down to the Rebbes
sichos, you will discover amazing
things about this war that it pays
to look forward to. Of course, as
the Rebbe emphasized, we need
to look forward to the positive
aspects of the revenge on the
nations of the world, without the
negative repercussions for the
Jewish people.
When speaking about this
war out in the world, its a very
sensitive topic and it is brought
as an example of the cataclysmic
aspect of the Geula, but if we
learn it as we should, we would
discover a completely different
understanding of it. Not only
would we not be flustered by
someone who is nervous about
the War of Gog and Magog, we
would know how to explain it
according to Torah.
Interestingly, there is a
Midrash in Shir HaShirim
Rabba which says that one of
the tragedies of Gog and Magog
is that Moshiach will be hidden
before the final Geula.
In
conclusion,
as
an
educator and mashpia, how
do you give the essential
hiskashrus of our times over to
your talmidim?
Chinuch for hiskashrus needs
to be with an emphasis that the
Rebbe is present tense, chai
vkayam. Not as a tradition and
not out of habit or routine, but a
bond that comes from a place of

Sometimes, when you are on the inside, born to a

Chassidishe family, you dont pay attention to the
value of these things. As someone who grew up without
the treasure trove of Chassidus, I can personally tell you
that Chassidus in general and the Rebbes teachings
in particular are the remedy for all the maladies of our
generation.

feeling and caring for the Rebbe;

a bond that obligates you.
There are bachurim today
who find themselves struggling
between the lowest descents
and the highest elevations, so
you cant talk to bachurim with
proclamations
and
slogans.
That approach is not relevant to
todays generation.
I once farbrenged with a
bachur who was one of the
outstanding talmidim who went
through the best yeshivos, went
to the Rebbe on Kvutza, but
returned very spiritually down. In
a candid moment he said to me:
You know why I am this way?
Because after being on Kvutza
I cracked. I asked why, and he
said, On Kvutza I saw there is
no Rebbe; hes not there.
We spoke about this and I
said, You are saying this only
because all you had were camp
slogans. You did not make these
things yours, a part of you.
It says numerous times
in Chassidus that we need to
meditate on the small things.
Its not enough to remain with
general ideas. This is truer
today than ever before. In my
experience with bachurim, true
success is when you are able to
connect a bachur to the G-dly
perspective of the Rebbe on the
world, to learn about the Rebbe
in great detail. That is how true
hiskashrus is constructed.

If we dont learn how to bring

the Rebbe into our lives through
the means that the Rebbe gives
us, all the slogans wont help.
As we have spoken at length, it
can also come through learning
the Rebbes sichos, because it is
specifically through learning the
sichos that one truly absorbs the
Rebbes G-dly understanding,
so the bachur learns to look at
the present reality in a way that
connects him to the Rebbe.
Another thing that we see
that really helps is simply to learn
about the Rebbe. Its a little hard
to say this, but we need to urge
the bachurim to learn about and
take an interest in the Rebbe.
In books like Yemei Melech,
in stories about the Rebbe, in
practices and facts about the
Rebbe, in whats called shpitzkait.
You can say this is chitzonius,
but we see that for bachurim it
is these details that really grab
them.
Learning
the
Rebbes
teachings and studying his
conduct creates a specific focus
for a bachur to contemplate, and
this is what gives him the strength
to deal with the challenges of the
times and makes tangible for him
the belief that the Rebbe is alive
and is with us. It increases his
anticipation of the Rebbes full
hisgalus as Melech HaMoshiach.
Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu
VRabbeinu,
Melech
HaMoshiach Lolam Vaed.
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 11

11

2016-07-05 1:38:21 AM

FEATURE

HISKASHRUS

OF LOVE

BEHIND
THE IRON
CURTAIN

Twenty-two years have passed since we last saw the

Rebbe. Many ask how we can be truly mekushar under
these circumstances. * Let us go back many decades to
life behind the Iron Curtain where many Chassidim were
trapped without a direct connection to the Rebbe, where
the bond of love and longing connected them and melted
any iron curtain that threatened to separate between
them and the Rebbe. * Presented for Gimmel Tammuz.
By Shneur Zalman Berger

12 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 12

2016-07-05 1:38:22 AM

large and terrifying

but
invisible
Iron
Curtain separated the
Soviet Union from
the rest of the world. An even
more powerful curtain separated
between
Chabad
Chassidim
in the Soviet Union and their
leader, the Rebbe. Just the word
Schneersohn alone was enough
to incriminate someone and send
him to prison, exile, or worse.
And yet, a Chassid needs
his head and he knows that
the Rebbe is the source of his
light and divine flow, spiritual
as well as material and cannot
feel disconnected. He is thirsty
for anything from the Rosh
Bnei Yisroel. An Iron Curtain?
We can overcome that too;
otherwise, life is no life and who
wants a life like that?
Above all else, there was
longing for the Rebbe and
everything
associated
with
him his teachings, pictures
of him, his sichos and letters.
Every crumb of information
from the Rebbe was precious to
the Jews of Russia to the point
that they would sometimes walk
for hours in order to peruse a
sicha that came from there,
or a new horaa or the like. To
them it made no difference
whether it was a sicha hot off
the press, which was just said,
or an old sicha. These baalei
mesirus nefesh were connected
to the Rebbe with all 248 limbs
and 365 sinews and held on to
their hiskashrus to the Rebbe
despite or perhaps because of
the disconnect.
The Rebbe always wanted
to know how the Chassidim in
Russia were doing and he wrote
many letters about them. For
example, we see a moving letter
that the Rebbe wrote to the
mashpia, R Nissan Nemanov, in

5712, who had sent the Rebbe a

list of names of Chassidim who
lived in Russia. In his letter,
the Rebbe wrote about the
importance of the connection
and care of Jews who live in free
lands for their brethren behind
the Iron Curtain:
I had especial pleasure
when receiving the names
of Anash in Russia which
indicate two main points: 1)
the idea of Ahavas Yisroel and
the nonstop bond between
them and our brothers in
Russia, 2) it is nearly certain
that by being in touch with
them, at least in thought, this
strengthens the idea of every
Jew being responsible and
intermingled with one another.
Consequently, just as the
hiding and concealing forces
of that country have no control
over those located outside that
country, the bond with those
who are still in that country
gives them added strength to
rise up and strengthen their
position and situation and
diminishes the control that
could be upon them by the
enemy.
This is like when part of
the body is in a place with
clear, pure air. This increases
the chayus to that part of
the body which is in a cellar
where the air is putrid, but
this necessitates being like one
body. This is the idea of the
power of thought, especially
the power of imagination as
explained in several places
in the Sichos of the Rebbe,
my father-in-law, that time
and location are not limiting
in this. See also the sicha of
the Rebbe, my father-in-law
(Shmini Atzeres night in the
sukka, 5693), and although
there he speaks about a Nasi

in Israel, there is something

like this in all those who are
connected to him, especially
when it is a tzibbur about
which it says that Hashem will
not repulse their prayers, and
surely they will maintain this
hiskashrus in the future. And
without a doubt this will be of
great benefit to those who are
there and even to those who
are here, as in the saying of
the Rebbe, my father-in-law,
that Hashem does not remain
in debt. (Igros Kodesh vol. 6,
letter #1564)

HANDWRITTEN BLESSING
Fourteen years passed since
I excitedly looked through the
modest archives of the Chassid,
R Berel Rikman. He learned
together with the Rebbe as a
child in cheider, and in the
years that followed he went
in the path of Judaism and
Chassidus with self-sacrifice. In
his archives there is a detailed
diary about the suffering he
endured in the KGB cellars. The
rest of it contains letters from
the Rebbe to him. In the middle
of all this appears a page with
the heading, The blessing of
our grandfather on Erev Yom
Kippur 5731.
I learned that this was the
Rebbes bracha that was said
on Erev Yom Kippur, written
in R Berels handwriting. He
heard the wording of the bracha
from someone or maybe he
saw it written and copied it for
himself.
He lived in Moscow under
communist rule and yearned
to leave. As a Chassid and
mekushar he wanted to know
the wording of the Rebbes
bracha on Erev Yom Kippur.
Somehow, he obtained the

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 13

13

2016-07-05 1:38:22 AM

Feature
wording
that
remains
an
authentic testimony to the
hiskashrus of the Chassidim at
that time. Two months after that
Yom Kippur, R Berel received
permission to leave Russia and
together with his wife moved to
Eretz Yisroel.
How precious was every
word that reached them from the
Rebbe.

THE HANDWRITTEN
HAYOM YOM
Despite the great fear in
receiving a letter or package from
the US, new books of Chassidus,
maamarim and sichos were
constantly smuggled in and even
recordings of Nichoach. For
example, there is the story of the
unbound HaYom Yom, unbound
so there would be no indication
that it came from the US, that
got passed around among Anash
in Tashkent and Samarkand.
In the archives of the mashpia,
R Bentzion Grossman of Migdal
HaEmek, there is a HaYom Yom
which is entirely handwritten.
R Grossman told me that it
belonged to a Chabad Chassid in
Soviet Russia who copied it so he
would own a copy of something
the Rebbe wrote.
Likewise, the first four
volumes of Likkutei Sichos were
smuggled in to Tashkent where
dozens of Lubavitcher families
lived. For the next long while, the
lights burned long in one of the
houses, night after night, until
the entire set was copied by hand.
Whenever a maamer, sicha
from the Rebbe or any other
Chassidic work arrived in a
Chabad center of the Soviet
Union, whether it was Tashkent,
Samarkand,
Moscow,
or
Leningrad, there were homes
where the light was on all night
as the Rebbes words were

copied a few times and given

out afterward, secretly, to
mekusharim. They never saw the
Rebbe but their hearts burned
bright with hiskashrus and love
toward the Rebbe.
For example, at a bris mila that
took place in Tashkent around the
year 5722, someone present was
able to obtain a recording of the
niggun, Eimasai ka asi mar and
dared to play it. These and other
actions helped the chassidim
strengthen and preserve their
feelings of hiskashrus toward the
Rebbe.

DIPLOMATS AND
TOURISTS
How did a printed copy of a
maamer or sicha actually get into
Russia under the noses of the
communist police who looked
out for anything connected to
Torah, Judaism and Chassidus?
It seems some of the Rebbes
teachings arrived via Israeli
diplomats and Lubavitchers who
went to Russia under the guise
of tourists. Over the years, the
Israeli government put in much
effort toward helping the Jews
of Russia through the Israeli
embassy in Moscow. The Mossad
also had a department called
the Contact Office whose role it
was to keep in touch with Jews
in Russia. One of the first steps
taken by Israeli personnel was
to supply Jewish ritual items for
Russian Jewry.
But this wasnt enough for the
Chassidim and they also asked to
receive sichos from the Rebbe.
Mr. Nechemia Levanon, who
was an agricultural attach at the
Israeli embassy in Moscow, also
ran a Jewish underground whose
purpose was to fortify the Jews of
Russia morally and spiritually:
They were not satisfied with
what we had done for them until

then, but they worked up the

nerve and asked that we give
them the divrei Torah that the
Rebbe says in New York. At first I
tried to object and explained that
it was not our job to disseminate
the teachings of the Lubavitcher
Rebbe throughout the Soviet
Union, but the pressure exerted
by the Chassid [with whom I
met in Moscow] was enormous
until I could no longer refuse
and I caved in. I transmitted
this odd request to the Mossad
and to my great surprise they
agreed to the request and began
regularly sending the Rebbes
teachings. The Chassids joy was
boundless.
Mr. Avrohom Cohen who
served as the second secretary
of the embassy in Moscow also
helped the Chabad Chassidim
a great deal in obtaining what
they desired. A few years ago
Mr. Cohen told me about his
work. He was born to a religious
family in Poland and he learned
briefly in Tomchei Tmimim in
Lodz in his youth. He saw the
Rebbe Rayatz and so he knew
the Chabad Chassidim and their
uncompromising hiskashrus to
the Rebbe.
When I asked him to tell
me the names of Lubavitchers
he knew during those years
he immediately said, Mottel
Olidort, Yaakov Elishevitz, R
Yehuda Butrashvili (Kulasher)
with whom I met many years
later in Israel.
Mr. Cohen described how
he gave Chabad Siddurim to the
Chassidim and when I asked him
to remember other details, he
suddenly recalled some details
about delivering specific sifrei
Chassidus:
Maamarim of the Mitteler
Rebbe and other Admurim.
Nearly all of it went to
Malachovka (a town near

14 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 14

2016-07-05 1:38:22 AM

A tourist in action. R Nosson Berkahan (center) farbrenging in Leningrad

Moscow) where there was a

concentration of Chassidim.
All this stopped when relations
between Israel and Russia cooled
in 5727 and the Israeli embassy
in Moscow was closed. Instead
of diplomats bringing Chassidus,
in the years that followed a new
network was built that helped
transmit Jewish ritual items as
well as new divrei Chassidus from
the Rebbe. These were Chassidim
in the guise of tourists who were
sent by the Rebbe to the Soviet
Union. They brought sfarim,
ritual items, sifrei Chassidus and
new sichos and maamarim of the
Rebbe.
The tourists trips began at
the end of the 60s and continued
for about twenty years until it
was possible to legally enter the
Soviet Union in order to spread
Judaism.
The tourists would also
farbreng and strengthen the Jews
in general and the Chassidim in
particular. At these farbrengens
the Chassidim would want to
hear every drop of information
about what was happening with

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 15

15

2016-07-05 1:38:23 AM

Feature

The physical disconnect between the Rebbe and the Chassidim in Russia
began when the Rebbe Rayatz left Russia, the day after Simchas Torah, on
Isru Chag Sukkos 5628/1927. That yom tov, numerous Chassidim from all
over the Soviet Union endangered themselves in order to be with the Rebbe
before he left.
We learn about the bond of love between the Rebbe and the Chassidim
and vice versa from the fact that despite the great danger and the spying eyes
that constantly looked at the people surrounding the Rebbe, a large crowd
gathered at the train station to say goodbye.
The Rebbe Rayatz himself described his emotions in a moving letter:
When parting from my brothers and friends, hundreds of people or
more, whom I was with for six years, whose depth of their hearts and their
plights I know, from them, from these beloved ones and friends, I parted,
and who knows when I will be able to see them and where I am going with
my walking stick and satchel.
The scene was frightening with thousands of emotional people pushing
one another without any intentions of pushing and shoving, just each one
displaying his great emotion, his face and movements testifying upon him
that he is compelled by the event taking place in those moments. And the
I [meaning himself] is standing at the window of the train and looking
at everything, standing and melting and only his lips moving with his voice
inaudible: Please Hashem, please have mercy on Your flock and bless them,
their household and children and descendants and may I also merit to soon
see satiation of joy, amen vamen.
The Rebbe added:
and in another few minutes we will hear the toot of the train and
then the outcry of those accompanying with the blessing of Yivorechicha and
the Kohanim present will spread out their hands and the Yisroelim, the men
and women waving their hands and with their white handkerchiefs and all of
them blessing us with a successful trip. And the I takes his wandering staff
in hand and turns aside and weeps woe to the son and grandson who is
expelled from all that is precious to him in life.
the Rebbe, what the Rebbe said,
when he farbrenged, what new
niggun he introduced, etc. Every
new crumb of information was
received with delight. Sometimes
the tourists would film these
farbrengens in the course of
which the Chassidim would
speak to the Rebbe, mention their
names and their mothers names
and ask for brachos. Later, these
videos were viewed by the Rebbe.

WAITING FOR AN ANSWER

FROM THE REBBE
A Chassid does not make a
significant move in life without
asking the Rebbe for his counsel

and bracha. What did Chassidim

in Russia do when they had to
make important decisions? It
was not possible to send a letter
directly to the Rebbe and ask
him because of the censorship of
every letter that was sent abroad,
especially to the US. All the
more so for Chassidim who were
blacklisted by the KGB.
The Chassidim found a
solution for this too by sending
their questions to a relative or
friend who lived in Eretz Yisroel.
The question was written in code
and then decoded by the recipient
and sent to the Rebbe.
The answers were transmitted

the same way, in reverse. The

Rebbe would send his response to
a friend or relative who was the
go-between in Eretz Yisroel and
who would forward the answer
to its destination in the Soviet
Union.
From the time a question
was sent to when an answer was
received, weeks could go by. For
example, when deciding about a
shidduch, the details were written
in code and sent to Eretz Yisroel
and from there to the Rebbe.
The answer was sometimes
given in Lashon Hakodesh and
sometimes in Russian. In the
meantime, the young man and
woman and their parents waited
weeks and sometimes months!
But as always, the Rebbes
answer and bracha arrived,
even when the Chassidim were
behind the Iron Curtain, because
mekusharim receive an answer,
no matter the circumstances.
Sometimes, the Rebbe sent a
letter directly but in code, not on
office stationery and without the
Rebbes full name. The Rebbe
sometimes signed his first name
and sometimes signed as Zeide.

AND THEY BELIEVED IN

HASHEM AND MOSHE HIS
SERVANT
Leaving Russia was every
Chassids dream back then, but
the gates were locked. Needless
to say, questions pertaining to
this sensitive topic were in the
category of pikuach nefesh and
were not decided without the
Rebbes approval and consent.
Just posing the question about
leaving Russia was dangerous.
The Rebbe touches on this in
a fascinating letter that he sent
about ten years after accepting
the Chabad leadership, on 20
Teves 5720. In the letter, the
Rebbe expresses his esteem and

16 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 16

2016-07-05 1:38:23 AM

rebbi vechasid.qxd

special regard for the Chassidim

living with mesirus nefesh
behind the Iron Curtain. This
is a letter with an unusual style
that was written in English and
refers to how the Chassidim
in Russia were separated from
their leaders for over thirty years
and the young ones never even
saw the Rebbe. They certainly
couldnt rely on the leadership
and decisions of others to shape
their lives. And still and all,
these Chassidim were the most
powerful force for Jewish life
in Russia. They preserved their
independence and way of life
despite the cruel persecution and
having to constantly make critical
decisions, sometimes life and
death decisions. This was at a
time when others could not make
decisions and went with the flow,
taking the easy way out.
The Rebbe said that this
exceptional inner strength of the
Chassidim was apparent when
many Chassidishe families with
their children and grandchildren
were allowed to leave Russia.
With the difficulty in obtaining
horaos, guidance and brachos,
there were many instances in
which Chassidim demonstrated
resourcefulness and were able
to receive instructions from the
Rebbe about various matters,
particularly about whether, when,
and how to ask for visas. There
were also cases of miracles and
the Rebbes ruach hakodesh in
these matters.
For example, R Berke Chein
was a wanted man for many
years. In 5711 he was able to
escape imprisonment a moment
before the secret police came to
arrest him. After that he hid in
various hiding places. At a certain
point he used the name Chaim
in order to hide his true identity.
Due to his complicated situation
he made the effort to receive

1/31/2005

8:42 PM

Page 20

vhxurk hcrv hc,fn

ktrah hbc ubhjt usng ohbav kf lanca gushf
,urnk 'hcrv og c"uhfu ohc,fn raec vhxurc
uhv tk ohc,fnva tkt '.hrgv iuykav ka vruzbmv
odu 'hcrv ka hnarv ohc,fnv rhhb kg ohjkab
hcrv ,truv ubhbpk /vbua v,hhv hcrv ka vnh,jv
oukhm og sjhc 'c,fnv ,t cu,fk lht ,urhfznk
,khpb rjtk _ t"ab, ,ban ',urdtv ,jt
A tourist in action.
hcrv kRaShmuel
,sjuhHeber
nv u,with
nh,young
j og men
_ vinhxRussia
urc ozhbunuev
the Rebbes bracha through
his father-in-law, R Zalman
Kalmanson, who lived in Eretz
Yisroel.
Since he and his wife lived
in Russia while his
ohctwo
,uf osons
ak vnhad
usnf
already left, the question
arose
yuap iuhkdc
as to whether
[ivtxruthitbapaid
=] "x-toa" try
oa htokcu
leave Russia. His father-in-law
was able to convey the message
from the Rebbe that he should
try and leave. Nevertheless, R
Berke thought maybe his wife
should try to submit a request for
the family since he was a wanted
man and his picture was at every
police station.
His son Mordechai asked the
Rebbe and received the answer,
Your father should submit a
request to leave for the entire
family and may Hashem help
them. The son expressed his
surprise to the Rebbe about the
sensitive and dangerous situation
but the Rebbe responded with a
smile, They wont realize it is
him.
R Berke submitted the
request and lived in fear lest he be

Instructions from the Rebbe to the secretaries

about how to send a letter to the Soviet Union
which says: I think you use a blank sheet of
paper and without the name Schneersohn

caught, but after a year and a half

he received the visa. R Michoel
Mishulovin described R Berkes
great joy when he received the
papers:
When he received the passport
he danced for joy and his friends
and family joined him. Then and
there he composed a tune to
the words Vayaaminu baShem
uvMoshe Avdo. Nobody could

20

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 17

17

2016-07-05 1:38:24 AM

Feature

R Berke Chein at the Rebbe

A handwritten HaYom Yom

understand how a wanted man

received permission to leave.

ETKAS CHILDREN
The
members
of
the
Lebenhartz family also received
instructions and brachos from
the Rebbe while they lived in
the Soviet Union. Their contact
person was the brother, R
Zalman Lebenhartz, who left

Russia for Eretz Yisroel in

5719. He was their go-between,
receiving requests from his family
and conveying them to the Rebbe
and then conveying the Rebbes
responses back to his family.
In order to hide their
connection to the Rebbe, the
family wrote in code and the
same was done with the Rebbes
responses. They were coded
letters which only the family
could understand.
A brother, R Moshe, related:
Before Zalman left Russia,
we set up a code with him.
Whenever we would want to
convey a letter to the Rebbe
through him, we would use
the title Uncle Chaim and not
Zeide the title usually used
by Russian Jews to refer to the
Rebbe. This was because the
Russian government already
knew about this title.
Upon first settling in Eretz
Yisroel, R Zalman reported to
the Rebbe that his sister Bella
Gorowitz would be giving birth
and he asked for a bracha for

Submit it again and again until

they allow you to leave.

her. In a letter dated 13 Adar

II the Rebbe responded, At an
auspicious time your sister Baila
will be mentioned at the holy
tziyun, that she complete the
pregnancy in a good way and
give birth to a healthy son and
together with her husband raise
him to Torah, chuppa, and good
deeds.
After the boy was born, R
Zalman reported this news to
the Rebbe who responded on 12
Nissan 5719: In response to
your letter of 6 Nissan, thank you
for the good news about the birth
of a son to your sister Baila. May
his parents raise him to Torah,
chuppa, and good deeds.
What was routine for every
Lubavitcher Chassid in free
countries, i.e., receiving a bracha,
was a joyous occasion for those
behind the Iron Curtain. Despite
the hardship and danger, the
Lebenhartz family wrote to the
Rebbe about everything that
came up. Even a curtain of iron
would not separate them from
the Nasi Hador.

18 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 18

2016-07-05 1:38:25 AM

PARSHA THOUGHT

GEULA IS THE
FUSION OF
DUAL TRUTHS
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

BRIBING G-D?

KORACHS SINCERITY?

Moshes confrontation with

Korach, who revolted against
Moshes and Aarons leadership,
included the following exchange
between Moshe and G-d:
Dont turn to their giftoffering. I have not taken a
donkey from a single one of
them, and I have not wronged a
single one of them.
Commentators raise several
questions concerning Moshes
plea to G-d:
First, why would Moshe
need to ask G-d not to accept
their offerings? If Moshe was so
confident about the righteousness
of his role and the utterly
objectionable nature of Korachs
rebellion, why would he worry
that they could bribe G-d with
their offerings?
Second, what did Moshe
mean by saying that he had
not taken anything from them?
What would have been so
terribly wrong if he had? We
can understand that Moshes
not taking anything from them
pointed to his righteousness and
their evil for not appreciating his
selflessness. But what does taking
or not taking have to do with
his request that G-d refuse their
offering?

One can answer the first

question by considering Moshes
view of himself. In an earlier
parsha G-d Himself told us that
Moshe was the humblest man
on the face of the earth. Being
so humble, Moshe might have
thought that while his cause was
objectively just and consonant
with G-ds will, he, subjectively
speaking, might not be as sincere
as he ought to be. Perhaps
he was seeking honor, albeit
subconsciously, thus tainting the
virtue of his position. In contrast,
Moshe thought, Korach and his
cohorts might actually be sincere
in their quest for more power
simply because they believed
more power meant more access
to the Divine.
Moshe pleaded with G-d that
He not look at their offerings. In
doing so, Moshe asked G-d not
to pay attention to their intention
of wanting to get closer to G-d.
To be sure, our feelings are
crucial and an integral part of our
service to G-d. However, Moshe
knew that G-d wants, first and
foremost, that we conform to His
objective truth. In this case, G-d
wanted Moshe and Aaron to be
the leaders of the Jewish people
and He did not want anyone

to challenge their position,

even though the entire nation
[meaning every Jew] is holy and
G-d is within them, as Korach
argued.
By saying Do not accept
their offerings Moshe asked G-d
to ignore their quest for greater
access, even if it was sincere,
and overlook his possible, but
unlikely, subconscious lack of
absolute sincerity.
Alternatively, Moshe was
suggesting to G-d that in truth
Korach and his supporters were
not sincere in their desire to get
closer to G-d; they really only
wanted the secular power of
leadership. Not only was their
demand contrary to G-ds will,
their motives were suspect.

WHY DO THEY HATE ME; I

NEVER HELPED THEM!
The
second
question,
however, still remains. What did
Moshe mean when he said he
did not take anything from the
Korach group?
The answer, one suggests, is
that if Moshe had accepted gifts
from them, his judgment could
have been clouded.
However, this answer flies
in the face of logic. If Moshes
judgment had been affected by
receiving something from them,

Issue 1024

1028_bm_eng.indd 19

19

2016-07-05 1:38:25 AM

PARSHA THOUGHT
the effect would have been the
opposite. Feeling that he owed
them something, Moshe would
have leaned to their side of the
dispute. Why would not taking a
bribe from them make him more
confident that his opposition to
them was unbiased?
The answer lies in a deeper
understanding of human nature.
When a person is on the receiving
end of a favor it creates a sense
of I owe him something. To
be beholden to another renders
a person a debtor and no one
likes to be indebted. The Talmud

it can be the other way around.

Giving something to another
might actually turn the recipient
against his benefactor. Consider
if you will the rueful jest that no
good deed goes unpunished.
Moreover, the reason some
might resent being the recipient
of a gift is based on false pride.
Many people do not want to
be viewed as needing someone
elses kindness; it makes them
feel like a schnorer. Most people
prefer to be givers rather than
takers. Rendering others as
takers can create hostility toward

One of the casualties of Galus is the lack of

subjective and objective truth. While Torah was,
is and will ever be consistent and the ultimate transmitter
of truth, there is still a problem with the way Torah is
understood subjectively. Galus-tainted minds may learn
a section of the Torah but distort its meaning. The Torah
could describe certain behaviors as an abomination, for
example, but there will be some who attempt to explain
away the prohibition and assert that it no longer applies
in our modern day and age.

shows how reluctance to become

a debtor translates into practical
law.
This also explains a seemingly
paradoxical comment made by
the famed Halachic authority of
the 19th century, the Chasam
Sofer, who was puzzled by the
negative sentiment of one of his
community members towards
him. I dont know why he
resents me so, the Chasam
Sofer asked rhetorically. I never
did him any favors.
Sometimes taking a gift can
cloud your judgment of the gift
giver, hence the impropriety and
illegality of bribes, but sometimes

the benefactor for stripping the

recipient of pride and dignity.
At this point we might ask
why it is so that giving a gift can
elicit opposite responses from
people. In one person the gift
can generate a sense of gratitude
and closeness while in another
it provokes a sense of unwanted
indebtedness, maybe even shame
and indignation, at being a
recipient.
The differences arise from
the ego. A person whose ego is
in check will always appreciate
the gifts of G-d and others and
show gratitude for them. On the
other hand, persons whose ego

is inflated might respond to a

gift with resentment caused by a
bruised ego.
Moshe, in his humility, states
to G-d that, even if he had
had an inflated ego, he had no
reason to personally begrudge
them the position of leadership
because they had not bruised it.
Korach and his allies hadnt done
anything nice for Moshe that
might have caused him to resent
them.

THREE REFUTATIONS
Based on the above analysis
it appears that Moshe was
giving three reasons to refute
any possible merit in Korachs
rebellion:
The first reason they might
use to justify the rebellion is
that they were sincere about
getting close to G-d. To counter
that argument, Moshe pleads
with G-d not to turn to their
offerings. The meaning of
turning here is that G-d should
focus on the objective truth and
not turn away from that focus
to consider the positive feelings
of a rebel. Moshe beseeched
G-d not to accept the argument
that although they are rebelling
against G-ds wishes, at least they
are sincere in their quest to get
closer to G-d.
The second argument to
justify the rebellion is that
Moshe might have been insulted
by their actions and responded
with a personal vendetta. To allay
the suggestion that he might
be upset that they put him in a
position of a taker, tainting his
intentions and making him less
sincere than his detractors (e.g.,
while they wanted to get close
to G-d, he wanted to avenge
his bruised dignity and honor),
Moshe stated that he was not, in
fact, a taker.

20 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 20

2016-07-05 1:38:25 AM

The third possible rationale

for the rebellion against Moshe
was that he had wronged one
of them and the attack on
his leadership was a justified
retaliation. To counter this,
Moshe concludes with the words,
and I have not wronged a single
one of them. This statement was
designed to dispel the suggestion
that his position of leadership
was being challenged because he
wronged one of them and this
was his retribution.

PARAGON OF TRUTH
In summation, Moshe did not
possess even the slightest tinge of
desire to pursue personal honor.
Moshe was the paragon of truth
and, as our Sages teach us, in the
end Korach and his sons declare:
Moshe is true and his Torah is
true and we are the liars. The
reason for the repetition is that
they acknowledged that truth
defined Moshe in terms of his
subjective character as well as the
objective aspect of his teachings.
Some people teach Torah
truthfully but lack sincerity.
Others are totally sincere but
teach a distorted Torah. Moshe

combined Torah
complete sincerity.

truth

with

GEULA: SYNTHESIS
OF OBJECTIVE AND
SUBJECTIVE TRUTH
One of the casualties of
Galus is the lack of subjective
and objective truth. While Torah
was, is and will ever be consistent
and the ultimate transmitter of
truth, there is still a problem
with the way Torah is understood
subjectively. Galus-tainted minds
may learn a section of the Torah
but distort its meaning. The
Torah could describe certain
behaviors as an abomination, for
example, but there will be some
who attempt to explain away the
prohibition and assert that it no
longer applies in our modern day
and age.
This is like the Talmuds
description of one who can
find 150 ways of proving that a
sheretz-a dead rodent is ritually
pure, contrary to the Torahs
explicit statement of impurity
concerning eight types of rodents.
This
teaches
us
that
the objective truth can be

compromised in Galus.
But, Galus also affects the
subjective way in which we
approach the Torahs teachings,
even when we do not distort their
essential meaning. It is true that
our Sages declared that the deed,
i.e., the act of the Mitzvah, is the
essential thing. Moreover, they
asserted that one should perform
a mitzvah even if it was for
ulterior motives. Nevertheless,
the ideal is for us to perform the
Mitzvos with integrity, sincerity
and profound inner feelings.
The objective truth of Torah and
Mitzvos should be augmented
with subjective truth.
Moshiach is a leader who,
like Moshe, epitomizes Torah
in its most unadulterated form;
combining objective truth of
Torah and subjective truth. The
Geula, which Moshiach will
inaugurate, will therefore expose
the truth of Torah to the world.
Nobody will be able or desire
to distort it. In addition, we will
learn Torah and perform Mitzvos
with unmitigated truth and
sincerity. The synthesis between
objective truth and subjective
truth will be complete.

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 21

21

2016-07-05 1:38:26 AM

BITACHON BYTES

IS HOLINESS
THE ULTIMATE?
BY Rabbi Zalman Goldberg

early everything in the

world can be corrupted
and altered from its
original
and
pure
context. Even kdusha-holiness can
be viewed in a mistaken manner.
How is that possible?
When kdusha is used as a
kosher imprimatur, and not
demanding spiritual growth and
advancement, the outcome will
most likely be spiritual descent.
In kdusha things dont remain
stagnant, they move either up or
down. This could happen in the
context of saying that possessing
a neshama makes a person holy,
or as a result of acquiring a lot
of Torah knowledge a person
considers himself holy and
worthy (regardless of the impact
Torah had on the student of
the Torah). In either of these
situations, the result may be that
not only will the person not grow,
for he feels the importance of his
spirituality even remaining as he
is, it may actually be the cause
for descent, if he can convince
himself that he is holy even in a
low spiritual state.
True holiness only exists
where there is recognition of a
higher existence to which we
nullify ourselves, i.e., Hashem. In
chassidus, kdusha is described
as something which is

separate. The resulting conduct

will be one of striving to emulate
this holier being. Instead of using
the holiness as a status symbol,
which always exists (for example
the neshama) and can ultimately
excuse any behavior, true kdusha
represents an existence beyond
the scope of our grasp and
through striving to connect to it
ones conduct will become ever
more refined and altruistic.
Korach erred precisely in
this ( 326 ')" " , in
the definition and expectations
of kdusha. Korach claimed
,'
' , the entire
congregation is holy, so why
are you (Moshe and Aharon)
raising yourselves above the rest?
All Yidden contain a neshama
which is the ultimate in holiness,
many Yidden are very learned
and contain in their minds the
holiness of the Torah, and thus
Hashem rests among all of the
Yidden. So why is Aharon raised
above the rest of the Yidden (in
the sense that we must give the
Kohanim various gifts)?
Korachs error was that his
concept of holiness didnt require
G-dliness and kabbalas ol to a
higher existence. The unfortunate
result was the perfidious behavior
he displayed.

Korach further claimed that a

house full of sfarim and kdusha
neednt a mezuzah, for what will
two additional parshiyos from the
Torah in the mezuzah contribute
to the homes ambience when the
house contains so much Torah
already? In truth however, the
text in the mezuzah discusses
love and fear of Hashem which
infuse all of the Torah in the
home with a G-dly atmosphere,
ensuring that the holiness will
maintain its G-dly status.
Likewise, with tzitzis; Korach
maintained that a tallis which
is colored with the special
tcheiles coloring is sufficient,
and tzitzis strings with tcheiles
are unnecessary. The response
to Korachs mistake is that the
tzitzis represent fear of heaven,
so notwithstanding all of the
personal accomplishments that
the tallis represents, there must
also be an element of bittul to
Hashem, expressed through
kabbalas ol and fear of heaven.
Hashems response to the
Korach debacle was to give us
the mitzvos of the
priestly gifts. The priestly gifts
mean giving the first and best
to Hashem. By giving truma to
the Kohanim we are essentially
giving to Hashem and thereby
expressing our kabbalas ol to
Hashem.

22 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 22

2016-07-05 1:38:26 AM

The same is true in our times,

whenever we give tzdaka to the
poor, whether in the form of food
or clothing or employment, we
are essentially giving to Hashem,
and the manner of our giving
should reflect a bittul to Hashem.
The first and the best should be
given to tzdaka.
Likewise, with our dwellings;
to show our bittul to Hashem,
our dedication to the places of
avodas Hashem should take
priority over our own dwelling
places, like making sure that the
shul should be nicer and better
maintained than our own homes.
In our lives as well we should
give the best parts of our lives,
i.e., our younger years and the

first part of every day totally to

Hashem. This all begins with a
totally devoted Modeh Ani in the
morning. The Bitachon
message is to be sure to
maintain a G-dly and
selfless holiness, thus
obviating any behavior
that is contrary to the
Torah.
Rabbi
Zalman
Goldberg is a well sought
after speaker and lecturer
on Chassidic thought. His
writings and recordings
on the topic of Bitachon
can be accessed at http://
www.gotbitachon.com.
You can also receive his
one minute daily Bitachon

clip by sending a WhatsApp

to 347.546.4402 with the
wordBitachon.

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 23

23

2016-07-05 1:38:27 AM

SHLICHUS

THE REBBE
IS WITH US

EVERY STEP
OF THE WAY
About the shlichus of Rabbi Dovid (Dudu)
Lider, director of the Chabad House for
Israeli tourists in Melbourne. He tells
about the shluchim in the early years who
were guided closely by the Rebbe. He
himself went on shlichus in 5764. * Within
a short time he was able to double and
then triple their activities and now he
is about to complete a new, three story
building. * The story of a shliach with
incredible stories to share, whose shlichus
exemplifies chai vkayam.
By Avrohom Rainitz
Gromov Photography

24 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 24

2016-07-05 1:38:28 AM

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 25

25

2016-07-05 1:38:30 AM

Shlichus

have known R Dovid (Dudu)

Lider for many years, since
our childhood in Shikkun
Chabad Lud. Sixteen years
ago I saw the work that he was
doing in Australia when I visited
the continent for a series of articles
on Chabad in Australia. At that
time, he was a student in the R
YY Gutnick smicha program. In
his free time, he helped R Shneur
Schneerson, then the director
of the Chabad House for Israeli
tourists in Melbourne.
Although many years passed
since then, I cannot forget
the special atmosphere at the
Shabbos meal that took place
in the Ohel Devorah shul hall.
R Schneerson led the powerful
singing that accompanied the
meal. Then he sat, along with
bachurim from the smicha
program, to talk to the tourists
until late into the night. Already
then, R Lider stood out and in
his conversations with tourists
I could see a special spark on
both sides a spark of chayus in
R Lider and a spark of desire to
learn more and more on the part
of the tourists.
But back then, R Lider was
a smicha student and he did
not dream that the day would
come when he would return to
Melbourne to live, on shlichus.
Even then, he felt how beneficial
the shlichus was for him:
The
long
conversations
with tourists, led by R Shneur
Schneerson, which took place
in a manner that maintained
appropriate boundaries, were a
spiritual experience for me. In
order to teach others, you need
to live what you teach, and this
helped me develop a much deeper
bonding with all matters of Torah
and mitzvos.
R Shneur Schneerson, who
noticed the special rapport that
R Lider had with the tourists,

asked him at the end of the year

of learning to stay on for another
year and to focus on learning and
activities with the tourists. He
agreed and stayed together with a
friend, Shlomo Taubenfliegel.
At the end of the year he
received an answer from the
Rebbe to return to Eretz Yisroel
where he married his wife Sara,
daughter of Rabbi Professor
Yaakov Friedman. They both
committed to go on shlichus
after they married. About a
year after they married, R
Lider had many shlichus offers,
including returning to Australia.
He received that offer from
the shliach R Yitzchok Dovid
Groner along with his son, R
Chaim Tzvi, who remembered
his success as a bachur. Since R
Shneur Schneerson had moved
to a shlichus in Ramat Aviv, they
asked R Lider to fill the void.
R Lider and his wife wrote
to the Rebbe about the various
offers and asked for a bracha
and guidance. The clear answer
he opened to in the Igros
Kodesh was the first in a series
of extraordinary letters that he
received, with clear direction
from the Rebbe. The answer
was in a letter to R Shneur
Zalman Serebryanski, director
of the Chabad institutions in
Melbourne. In the letter dated 29
Sivan 5714, the Rebbe wrote:
Regarding the end of your
letter about Anash being very
upset when they see that it is
possible to be successful and
what is lacking is the right
people, since Divine Providence
brought you [to Australia] and
not others and showed you open
miracles obviously Anash in
Australia have the ability to do
all that is necessary and may it
be Hashems will that they take
this potential and actualize it and
that this be soon and go easily.

BRING NEW STUDENTS

There is no comparison
between doing outreach in distant
Australia as a bachur and filling a
permanent shlichus position as a
married couple. Aside from the
enormous distance from family
and ones familiar environment,
the young couple has to deal
with a demanding shlichus that
requires 24/7 dedication. At a
certain point, R Lider realized
that he needed help from Hebrew
speaking bachurim, and since
there were no such bachurim
that year in the smicha program,
he had to bring them on a direct
flight from New York which cost
$5000.
R Lider who was barely
managing with the Chabad
Houses expenses was unsure
whether to pursue this or not.
Where would he get the money
from? He wrote to the Rebbe
and opened Volume Eight in the
Igros Kodesh to page 134, to a
letter written to the hanhala of
the Chabad Yeshiva in Lud, dated
29 Teves 5714:
Regarding the new students,
I already expressed my opinion
in the past that this is very,
very necessary and oftentimes
in situations like this it pays
to begin the thing which will
draw afterward the means, and
not necessarily the reverse to
delay the start until you have
the means.
R Lider immediately called
a travel agency in the US and
ordered tickets. It was 4:30pm
and he had no idea how he would
pay for them.
A half an hour later, while
visiting an apartment belonging
to tourists, he got a phone call
from someone who asked him
to stop by his office. When he
finished his days activities, he
went to see the man who told
him that at 4:45 that day he had

26 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 26

2016-07-05 1:38:30 AM

R Lider (center) with a group of mekuravim and bachurim helpers

closed a big deal and for some

reason he had remembered that
he once promised to donate
toward the Chabad House. He
decided to give the maaser as his
donation and he handed R Lider
an envelope. To his amazement, it
contained a check for $5000!

BAALEI TSHUVA WHO

MAKE BAALEI TSHUVA
The Israeli tourists who go
to Australia are different than
tourists in the Far East. They
dont go for a month or two
of adventures, during which
they dont stay in one place for
more than a few days or weeks.
Rather, its a calmer trip usually
combined with temporary work
which generally lasts a year
or two. This creates a special
opportunity to forge long-term
relationships with tourists, most
of whom are young people with
open minds, for better or for
worse, who are willing to hear
anything. Visits to the Chabad

House are more serious in nature

and their attendance at shiurim
is consistent, which usually leads
many of them to become baalei
tshuva.
Over the years, R Lider has
brought dozens of young people
to Torah and Judaism. Many
of them became Lubavitcher
Chassidim and some of them
are even shluchim themselves
who are bringing back another
generation of baalei tshuva.
This is the story of Yoni
Yitzchok and Kobi Ohana, as
told by R Lider:
Yoni and Kobi lived in
an apartment of tourists and
attended our Chabad Houses
activities. At a certain point, Yoni
began getting stronger in his
religious observance, and living
in that apartment interfered with
his spiritual progress. I suggested
that he come and live in one of
the guest rooms on the ground
floor of the Chabad House. He
was unsure whether he wanted to
leave his friends. Since we talk to

the tourists a lot about the Rebbe

being the Nasi Hador with
whom we should consult and get
guidance, he decided to write to
the Rebbe.
He put his letter into Volume
21 of Igros Kodesh and the
answer he opened to was clear
as day. In a letter from the first
day of Rosh Chodesh Adar 5715,
the Rebbe writes to someone
who was offered a job to be a
shamash in a shul while living in
an apartment in the shul:
In response to your letter
of 9 Shvat, which was delayed
somewhat on its way, in which
you write that you are being
offered another job in the
shul and you ask whether to
take it and settle there in the
apartment.
Even though as regards to
many of Anash I wrote about
settling in Kfar Chabad , due
to your personal and special
situation, it is proper the
arrangement that you write of
that your residence be in ... and
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 27

27

2016-07-05 1:38:30 AM

Shlichus
try to get the job.
May you merit the aphorism
of the Tzemach Tzedek that
he said to a certain individual,
Kara lashamash vayizrach
ohr (a play on the words of
the prayer referring to Hashem
instructing the sun to give off
light, to mean instead, He
called to the shamash and he
should shine light). The Rebbe,
my father-in-law explained this
to mean to illuminate the shul
and beis midrash with chayus
and an increase in general in
both prayer and the shiurim that
are learned, and may Hashem
grant you success.
After this clear answer, Yoni
went back to his apartment and
informed his friends that he was
moving to the Chabad House.
Before he left, he spoke to his
friend Kobi, who was also far
along in the kiruv process, and
suggested that he join him at
the Chabad House. Kobi is an
intellectual guy who was not so
enamored of answers in the Igros
Kodesh and at first he refused
to listen to the idea. But then he
said, At the next opportunity I
will go to the Chabad House and
when I will be alone, I will ask the
Rebbe. If I get the same answer
you got, I will join you.
I didnt know about Yonis
conversation with Kobi. The
next morning I went to the shul
of the Chabad House and saw
Kobi sitting with an open volume
of Igros Kodesh, looking pale as
a ghost. In amazement, he told
me about what happened the
night before and he showed me
the answer he had opened to a
minute before I arrived. It was
exactly the same letter!
The
Rebbes
amazing
answer spurred on the religious
advancement of both young men
once they felt that the Rebbe was
with them, and today they are

both Chabad Chassidim. Yoni

runs Beis Moshiach in Nachalat
Har Chabad where he is mekarev
youth to Judaism and Chassidus
with a special enthusiasm for
Inyanei Moshiach and Geula and
writing to the Rebbe.
The phenomenon of tourists
becoming baalei tshuva at the
Chabad House has picked up
speed in recent years after R
Lider began a yeshiva. R Lider
noticed that many of the tourists
were inspired at the Chabad
House (and also at other Chabad
Houses) and planned on going
to yeshiva when they returned to
Eretz Yisroel, but when they went
home and met up with family and
friends, they cooled off and did
not go to yeshiva. This is why he
decided to open a yeshiva where
tourists can learn for a long time,
get stronger in their religious
commitment and knowledge,
while working at jobs that he
helps them find, and only then
return home.

THE TOURISTS LIVE WITH

THE REBBE MHM
R Liders clear answers
from the Rebbe over the years
strengthened his awareness and
feeling that the Rebbe is chai
vkayam, as well as his fervor in
spreading the Rebbes Besuras
HaGeula. In accordance with
the Rebbes sicha at the Kinus
HaShluchim 5752, in which he
said that all aspects of shlichus
must be permeated with Inyanei
Moshiach and Geula, R Lider
tries to connect all his activities
to Kabbalas Pnei Moshiach.
This is aside from shiurim on the
topic of Moshiach and Geula, a
daily shiur every morning on the
weekly Dvar Malchus in order to
live with the Rebbes messages of
5751-5752, and a weekly shiur
on Shabbos on Geula concepts.
In these shiurim, which take

place at the Baal Tshuva Yeshiva

which recently opened at the
Chabad House, they learn in
depth and have recently begun
learning from R Sholom Ber
Wolpos excellent book.
Along with the learning, the
tourists enthusiastically sing
Yechi and every Shabbos after
Lecha Dodi, they dance and sing
Yechi like in 770. In this way,
the Chabad House is a ray of
light of Geula on the Australian
continent.
R Lider combines and
balances the Lights of Tohu
with the Vessels of Tikkun,
so that even those of Anash and
the shluchim who have different
ideas respect R Liders work and
are on friendly terms with him.
In accordance with guidance I
received from the Rebbe, says
R Lider, I am careful about not
giving in on principles, but it is
all done in a peaceful way, with
the understanding and awareness
that it is unity that will lead us
toward Moshiach.
Despite all his efforts, said R
Lider, there was one instance in
which a wealthy person who did
not like the emphasis on Inyanei
Moshiach stopped his donations.
Of course I was sorry to lose
contact, but you dont change
your principles for money.
In connection with this,
R Lider tells a story that
happened with one of his wealthy
supporters with an important
message for shluchim:
One of the wealthy men
in the community, a regular
supporter of ours, asked me
to do something for him that
raised some halachic concerns.
I consulted with a rav and after
he told me this was prohibited,
I called the man and told him
that although I wanted to help, I
could not fulfill his request since
it was not halachically acceptable.

28 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 28

2016-07-05 1:38:31 AM

The man, who was not

used to being turned down, was
furious and hung up. A few weeks
went by and one Friday I wrote to
the Rebbe about this and asked
for a bracha that no harm result
to the Chabad House and to
the mans spiritual and material
connection because of this. In the
Rebbes answer he referred to the
field of endeavor the wealthy man
was in and wrote that all these
dealings need to be done in a way
that is permissible according to
Shulchan Aruch.
Without thinking twice, I
called the man. Although he had
not taken calls from me until
then, this time he answered.
I told him: You should know
that I am very pained over your
cutting off ties and I just wrote
to the Rebbe and received an
answer regarding your business
that everything must be done
according to Shulchan Aruch.
He understood, and not
only did he not break off ties but
this story changed his attitude
toward the Chabad House. I later
learned in a roundabout manner
that he was very impressed by the
fact that I wasnt afraid to stand
up for the principles of halacha.
That only increased his esteem
toward the Chabad House.
R Lider tells an interesting
incident
about
how
he
demonstrated the power of the
Rebbe encouraging the singing
of Yechi for an entire year. It was
at a farbrengen with the shliach
from Thailand, R Yosef Chaim
Kantor, when a tourist asked
him how he decided to go on
shlichus. R Kantor said that it
was after Chaf-Zayin Adar 5752
and when he asked the Rebbe
whether to go on shlichus in
Thailand, the Rebbe nodded his
head affirmatively.
R Lider pointed out: See
what one nod of the Rebbes head

R Lider at a Chassidishe farbrengen with Israeli tourists

The next morning I went to the shul of the

Chabad House and saw Kobi sitting with an
open volume of Igros Kodesh, looking pale as a ghost. In
amazement, he told me about what happened the night
before and he showed me the answer he had opened to
a minute before I arrived. It was exactly the same letter!

did? It changed the lives of an

entire family and sent them on
shlichus, which over the years
changed the lives of hundreds of
thousands of tourists in Thailand.
Now think about the significance
of the Rebbes encouragement of
the singing of Yechi for an entire
year!

EVERY HOME NEEDS

TO BE A CHABAD HOUSE
As
mentioned
at
the
beginning of the article, outreach
with tourists began under the
auspices of the Ohel Devorah
synagogue, which belongs to a
small community in Melbourne
that donated the hall for hafatza
activities. However, as the years

passed and the shlichus grew,

it became necessary to move to
larger quarters.
When they found a two story
building on the main street, the
idea was proposed to have one
floor for living quarters and one
floor for activities. It wasnt an
easy decision, says R Lider,
since the hafatza could affect
our privacy, but after writing to
the Rebbe we opened to a letter
that the Rebbe sent to the Nshei
Chabad in London in which he
urged them about the lesson we
learn from the verse, and make
for Me a sanctuary and I will
dwell in them, within each one of
them. The Rebbe concludes that
every private home needs to be a
Chabad House! I could not have

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 29

29

2016-07-05 1:38:32 AM

Shlichus

R Lider explaining the answer in the Igros Kodesh

to a tourist who wrote to the Rebbe

It wasnt an easy decision, says R Lider, since

the hafatza could affect our privacy. But after
writing to the Rebbe we opened to a letter where the
Rebbe concludes that every private home needs to be
a Chabad House! I could not have opened to a clearer
answer.
opened to a clearer answer.

A BLESSING IN A DREAM
In recent years, R Lider has
been busy building a big Chabad
House which he is about to
finish. From the outset, he has
seen open miracles, as he told
Beis Moshiach:

Six year ago I read a letter of

the Rebbe in which he expresses
his view about buying and not
renting. When I convened a
meeting of the members of the
vaad and told them we need
to buy a Chabad House, they
looked at me as though I fell off
the moon. Prices in Melbourne
are sky high, and if you take

into account the difficulties in

obtaining permits at all stages
of construction until actually
entering the building, the
undertaking becomes nearly
impossible.
A short while later, I had to
take a flight overseas. Before
the flight I took a nap. I had an
incredible dream which moves
me till today. In my dream I
and my oldest son Mendel are
walking with a group of tourists.
Suddenly, I see the Rebbe
walking toward us, pointing at
the tourists and saying, They
are the shluchim to bring the
Geula to the world since they
are dispersed all over the world.
Then the Rebbe motioned to us
to follow him. I suddenly found
myself together with my son
entering the Rebbes room for
yechidus. The Rebbe closed the
door and placed his hands on my
head and began to bless me.
While dreaming, I thought,
this is my opportunity to ask the
Rebbe for a bracha to be able to
buy and build a Chabad House.
But a moment later I thought,
the Rebbe knows what to bless
me with and I dont need to make
requests.
When the Rebbe finished
blessing me, he turned to my son
and began to sing Tzama Lecha
Nafshi with tears in his eyes.
Then he kissed my son several
times.
That was the most powerful
dream I ever had and I so badly
wanted it to go on and on, but
it ended when the Israeli bachur
who was going to take me to the
airport knocked at my door and
woke me up.

SERIES OF DIVINE
PROVIDENCE AND
MIRACLES
While

still

under

the

30 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 30

2016-07-05 1:38:33 AM

influence of the dream, I told it

excitedly to the bachur who took
me to the airport. As I told it to
him, I got a phone call from a
member of the community who
heard I was looking to buy a
building for the Chabad House.
I have an excellent property
and I am willing to sell it to you
at a good price. Instead of two
million, it will be 1.6 million. I
considered this the fulfillment of
the Rebbes brachos and quickly
signed a contract.
After signing the contract, of
course I had to get the money. I
consulted with R Yisroel Brod
who told me: Who is the richest
person you know? Call him and
ask for a meeting. When you are
on your way to see him, call me
and I will tell you what to ask
him.
The richest person I knew
was an Israeli businessman I met
ten years earlier. It was when
I started davening at the local
shul and one of the congregants
told me that a wealthy man was
present who spoke Hebrew, who
came because it was his mothers
yahrtzait. He asked me to say a
few words in Hebrew at the end
of the davening. I agreed and said
a short Torah thought along with
an amazing story of the Rebbe
with the Igros Kodesh.
An hour later I got a call from
the businessman. I heard the
story about the Rebbe, he said,
and I would like to know whether
you can come to my office to help
me write to the Rebbe about an
important matter. I said yes, and
when I got to his office I asked
him what he wanted to write. Its
confidential so I cant say. Just
write that I ask for a bracha. I
took his name and his mothers
name and asked the Rebbe for a
bracha for him. I put the letter
into a volume of Igros Kodesh
that I brought with me, Volume

Lider and R Sholom Dickstein farbrenging with tourists

Eight, and the answer was letter

#2289, a response to R Michoel
Lipsker, shliach in Morocco:
I received your letters from
3 and 11 Kislev. And in the
matter of Almaliach shyichyeh
and the newspaper, I received a
letter from him with a copy of
the piece from the paper, and
he writes to me that he relies on
the fact that I will deny what it
says etc.
Apparently he has not
dealt with those who write
for newspapers, who consider
themselves absolved of all
obligation when harming others
etc.
Not being involved with
them is best, if at all possible. In
this situation, since a significant
amount of time has passed
since the article appeared, and
apparently they did not notice
it, silence is preferable for a
number of reasons.
I read this to the man
and he (who I later learned
was a seasoned businessman
who
conducted
business

internationally) was astounded.

He emotionally took me to
another room and showed me on
a screen the latest news report in
which he starred in a financial
scandal... He took me to his
partners and said: Im not saying
a word. Listen to R Lider read
the Rebbes clear answer.
Then he said that the media
was waging a campaign against
him and his plan had been to
react with a counter campaign
at the cost of a million dollars.
But before doing that, he wanted
the Rebbes bracha. Now he was
going to shelve the idea! A few
days later the media campaign
died down and he saw how he
benefited by listening to the
Rebbes advice. Naturally, as a
result, our relationship got tighter
and he began to get closer to the
Rebbe.
I called this man and told
him about buying a building for
the Chabad House and asked for
an appointment. He, as though
not hearing my request, said: I
have a big court case coming up

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 31

31

2016-07-05 1:38:34 AM

Shlichus
soon and I want you to ask the
Rebbe for a bracha for me.
I usually try to make it clear
that when asking for a bracha
from the Rebbe, you need to
make a vessel with a positive
commitment of some kind. I told
him this and then he said: Write
to the Rebbe that if I win the
case, I will make a donation to
the Chabad House.
I did not like doing things
this way give me, and Ill give
you and I said: When I asked
you to make a positive resolution,
I did not mean that you should
make a deal, but that you
should simply make a spiritual

Confirming the receipt of

the note of kavod toraso from
Monday. The letter goes on
to refer to the maxim of Chazal
which says, Whoever says this
coin is for tzdaka etc. is a perfect
tzaddik which the person had
cited in his letter to the Rebbe
according to the explanation
of the Divrei Chaim that it is
referring to someone who does
this regularly, and since from lo
lishma (doing it not for the sake
of heaven) he will certainly come
to lishma (doing it for the sake of
heaven), he is therefore already
considered a perfect tzaddik. I
explained this to the rich man

But, she added, you need to remember that

this isnt your personal issue. You are the Rebbes
shliach! Picture the Rebbe extending his hand and going
inside with you would you be nervous?
commitment like putting on
tfillin once a week.
He was silent for a moment
and then said: Write to the Rebbe
that I will start putting on tfillin
every Sunday and also, if I win, I
will make a donation.
Before writing to the Rebbe
with his request, I thought, it is
very easy to ask someone to make
a good hachlata. What about
my making a good hachlata?
I remembered reading in Beis
Moshiach that a rich man once
said to the Rebbe that when he
gives tzdaka, he does not feel
that it is an effort. The Rebbe
said: When it starts to hurt you,
that is your mitzva of tzdaka. So
I made a commitment to help a
friend who has a mosad in Eretz
Yisroel with a relatively large sum
of money beyond my natural
means.
That was on a Monday.
I opened to Volume 18, p.
297 which began the words,

and he asked me to come to his

office the following day.
I called the next day and he
wasnt available. The same was
true the day after, on Wednesday.
Wednesday night at 10:30 I stood
up to say the bedtime Shma and
went in front of a picture of the
Rebbe and pleaded that I get to
see his blessings.
I suddenly remembered my
good hachlata that I had not yet
followed through on. I called
my friend in Eretz Yisroel, and
since he wasnt available, I left
a message to get back to me as
soon as possible because I wanted
to help him. I had decided on a
large amount of money I would
give him.
A minute later I got a phone
call from a private caller. I was
sure it was my friend in Eretz
Yisroel and I answered the
call. To my surprise, it was the
businessman who said, I am

trying to sleep without success. It

thought maybe its because I did
not advance my donation that I
promised you. Come to my house
on Sunday, well put on tfillin
and talk about the building.
On Sunday, on my way to
his house, I called R Yisroel
Brod who said to me, Ask him
for a large amount. Since buying
the building costs 1.6 million,
you need to ask for at least
$150,000. I was taken aback.
I had never asked anyone for a
sum that large. I said, not only
didnt I think he would give
it to me, since he wasnt used
to giving tzdaka in such large
amounts, I was also afraid he
would throw me out down the
stairs and wouldnt even put on
tfillin.
R Brod was not impressed
and repeated that I should ask
for a large sum, and then he hung
up.
I was in a bind. I could not
delay because the man was very
particular about the timing of
meetings with him, but I called
my wife and asked her to write to
the Rebbe and ask what I should
do. As I stood near the door of
his house, I called to ask my wife
what the Rebbes answer was.
She said that the answer was in
Yiddish and since she didnt know
Yiddish, she could not tell me
what the Rebbe said. But, she
added, you need to remember
that this isnt your personal issue.
You are the Rebbes shliach!
Picture the Rebbe extending his
hand and going inside with you
would you be nervous?
What she said really got
through to me, and I felt that the
Rebbe was with me and I went
in with full confidence. I hugged
the man and then told him about
buying the property. I asked him
for $150,000. He immediately
agreed and then he put on tfillin.

32 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 32

2016-07-05 1:38:34 AM

R Lider in the foreground of the building under construction

That took place on 13

Nissan. A month later, at 12:30,
I woke up to the ringing of the
phone. It was the businessman
who happily said, The Rebbes
bracha was fulfilled in a most
unexpected way, but tomorrow
I have another court case and I
want a bracha from the Rebbe.
Although it isnt Sunday, I will
come to you and put on tfillin
and you write to the Rebbe.
When he came, I asked him
what his hachlata is. He said that
since he sees that I am pressured
by the Chabad House finances,
he thought of an original way of
helping me. Publish a magazine
in Hebrew and English and I
will commit to helping you get
paying ads from big Australian
companies and of course I will
also put in ads, and you will have
a steady income.
I wrote asking for a bracha
and put the letter into Volume
Three, p. 340. The answer was

in Yiddish. I translated it and was

amazed by the clear answer which
referred to his good hachlata:
Surely you have also met
with Jews whom Hashem helped
be able to support financially the
work of the Merkos LInyanei
Chinuch and Machne Israel
By providing an opportunity to
Merkos LInyanei Chinuch and
Machne Israel, for example, to
publish and distribute as many
publications as possible in
various languages, they become
partners in the enormous
rescue work that the donor
himself cannot do. And it is
self-understood that this merit
makes him more worthy of
easily receiving the spiritual
hashpaa that he requires.
As we both marveled at the
answer, I noticed that on the same
page was another persons letter.
I did not remember ever opening
to this particular answer for any
letter and I curiously opened the

letter. To my amazement it was

my wifes letter when she asked
for a bracha for me when I was
on my way to the businessman,
that Yiddish letter that she did
not understand. Now, it turned
out, the Rebbe had given the
same answer twice!

I WILL ASK ANASH TO

CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS
THE EXPENSES OF THE
MIKVA
After we bought the property
and began working on plans, we
thought of building a womens
mikva since there is no mikva
for a three-mile radius, but after
figuring out that it would cost
another $150,000, I decided to
drop the idea.
When I reported this to
the Rebbe I opened to a letter
addressed to a mikva building
committee that asked the Rebbe

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 33

33

2016-07-05 1:38:36 AM

Shlichus
for financial help. The Rebbe
writes that due to the importance
of building mikvaos, which
hastens the end of galus, I will
ask Anash to contribute towards
the expenses of the mikva in a
symbolic way.
In light of this clear answer,
I called an architect the next
day and asked her to once again
include the plans for a mikva.
Knowing our financial situation,
she asked, You said you dont
have the money I couldnt
explain to her the whole thing
about Igros Kodesh, so I briefly
told her that I was in touch with
the Rebbe in New York and he
told me he would send the money
for the mikva. She accepted that
and said she was very happy for
us.
That night I attended a
Lchaim in the community, and
in the course of a conversation
mentioned this story to a fellow
Lubavitcher. He was very excited
by the story and grasped my hand
and said: Listen, name the mikva
for my relative who recently died
and Ill pay for it.
When I showed him the
Rebbes letter in the Igros
Kodesh, we were both in shock
for the letter was addressed to
someone with the same name and
position as this donor!

THE 770 BALCONY

After we reinstated the
mikva plans, we brought R YY
Feigelstock, a well-known expert

on mikvaos, to oversee the work.

When he saw the plan to have
the shul on the first floor with
two floors of offices and guest
rooms over it, he pointed out
that lchatchilla we dont build
sleeping quarters and bathrooms
over a shul. I didnt know what to
do since we had already approved
the plans, and every change could
delay the construction for a long
time.
A few days later I received
a surprising email from the
inspector in charge of approving
building plans. He wrote that
there was an error in the approval
of the plans and the upper floors
had to be moved back 7.70
meters from the front. A quick
check showed that after moving
the upper floors precisely 7.70
meters back, the problem was
solved. We used the space that
was vacated for a large balcony
that due to its size was nicknamed
the 770 balcony.

IT IS UP TO ANASH
The
cross-continent
conversation with R Lider
continued and the stories
were nonstop. Unfortunately,
the stories have to fit into an
article of limited length in the
magazine and we had to stop,
while recalling that the Rebbe
Rayatz said that we dont end
a farbrengen; we merely take a
break until the next farbrengen.
R Lider is rushing to put
the finishing touches on an



upcoming campaign to complete

the building. Three wealthy
people promised to match what
he is able to raise up to $750,000
and R Lider is working on
obtaining donations of $250,000
so that together with the three
mens donations, he will reach at
least the million dollars needed
to complete building the Chabad
House.
Before he hangs up, he tells
me that when he wrote to the
Rebbe about the campaign, he
opened to a letter that was written
to R Zevin in connection with the
activities of the shluchim whom
the Rebbe sent in the summer
of 1957, nearly sixty years ago.
In that letter the Rebbe writes
that although it is important to
try to have an impact in many
places, the main place ought
to be Kfar Chabad and Lud. In
line with this, R Lider plans on
focusing his fundraising efforts
on Lubavitcher communities.
I quickly wrote down all the
moving stories that I heard in
this long phone conversation,
trusting that these incredible
stories will inspire the readers to
hiskashrus to the Rebbe, both in
learning his teachings and doing
his instructions and in writing
to the Rebbe about all aspects of
life. And mainly, being involved
in Inyanei Moshiach and Geula
with the belief and knowledge
that the Rebbe is chai vkayam
and will soon be revealed to us
and redeem us.

Express service
Fully Computerized
331 Kingston Ave.
(2nd Flr) Brooklyn NY 11213
Get your tickets within minutes!

(718) 493-1111
Fax: (718) 493-4444

34 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 34

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

sources about Moshiach & redemption" t"ab,wv grumnu ghrz, p"a

Radio Moshiach & Redemption

1620-1640 AM around Crown Heights & Boro Park

& 1710 AM in parts of Brooklyn 24/6
2016-07-05 1:38:36 AM
worldwide live broadcast: www.RadioMoshiach.org
Rabbi Jacob Schwei
Member of the Rabbinical
Court of Crown Heights

Continued from page 47

to stay, but some Jews within the
university staff did not like the
lecturer who wasnt ashamed by
his overt Jewish appearance.
At a certain point he received
an offer for a position at Machon
Lev in Yerushalayim. He asked
the Rebbe about it and the answer
was, Move on to Yerushalayim
in a permanent move.
In 5747 the Friedman family
returned to Eretz Yisroel and
R Friedman went to work at
Machon Lev, a college which
combines Torah study and
science and has an excellent
reputation.
R
Friedmans
Chassidic
appearance and his low-key,
smiling demeanor do not belie
the fact that he is one of the most
highly esteemed professors and is
head of the Research Authority.
Although he is a professor, a
Chassid remains a Chassid, and

Continued from page 3

of [consciousness in] the Future
Era, when G-ds creating the
world through His name Havaya
will be perceived throughout the
entirety of Creation. Third, how
the timing of the UN initiatives
relates to the life and leadership
of the Rebbe:]
The main factor is expressed
in terms of the connection and
relevance of this time to Nasi
Doreinu being the final Erev
Shabbos in the month of Shvat,
the eleventh month. Indeed, the
tenth day of this month is the
day of the hilula (the completion
and perfection of the Divine
service) of my revered father
in-law, the Rebbe, leader of the

within the framework of his

position he also gives shiurim in
Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah of
the Alter Rebbe. He also supports
the Chassidus classes given there
by R Tzirkis. About twenty
students from the Machon have
become Chabad Chassidim over
the years, under R Friedmans
direct or indirect influence. The
shiurim take place in the beis
midrash, and are not part of
the official college curriculum.
This shiur gives me my spiritual
chayus.
This is precisely the idea of
the fusion of Torah, Chassidus,
and science, not just the
theoretical and academic aspects
but the practical aspect. Professor
Friedman, whose life has been
a combination of Chassidus
and science, with the Rebbes
guidance, knows how to do it:
I think that if someones
shlichus in life is in science,
he needs to use that in order

to make that part of the world

as it ought to be. There arent
many Chassidim in the scientific
niche, but as the Rebbe told me,
this area also needs to be made
ready for the Geula. I have no
doubt that if I continue with my
research it will be a shortcut to
understanding G-ds unity in the
world.
If I had not received the
Rebbes encouragement, and
if I wasnt aware that this too
belongs to Hashem and it needs
to be revealed, I would have left
the world of science a long time
ago. But I know that my mission
is here and if I dont do it, it is
hard to see who would do it right
now. I feel a responsibility since
the Rebbe put me here. The
Rebbe provides the kochos with
which to succeed and if I leave
the battle that would be a betrayal
of my role. The mission is to
carry on.

generation. And on the eleventh

day of the month there was a
continuation of and innovation
in his leadership, with greater
strength and greater fortitude,
reaching the completion and
finale of all the service of this
generation (the final generation
of exile, which is itself the first
generation of redemption)
All the above underscores how
also the time (in addition to the
place) of the proclamation about
they shall beat their swords
into plowshares is connected to
the activities of Nasi Doreinu,
the Rebbe, my father in-law,
Moshiach of the generation, who
accomplishes the fulfillment of
the promise, they shall beat their
swords into plowshares, etc.

(Shabbos Parshas Mishpatim, 27

Shvat, Mevarchim HaChodesh Adar
1; Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 362366)
NOTES:
*Footnote 24: The ostensible reason
for [choosing New York as UN
headquarters] is to establish from the
onset a place designated for world
delegates to convene on a regular
basis in a place that is not the capital
city of a particular country. However,
the true reason for selecting
specifically this city is because it is
the capital city of rabbis, who are
[called] kings (see Gittin 62a, end,
among other places), the city of my
revered father in-law, the Rebbe,
leader of our generation. (And see
below, Footnote 26).

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 35

35

2016-07-05 1:38:36 AM

PROFILE

A MOSAIC

OF ARTISTRY

AND CHASSIDUS
R Michoels artwork is sold all over the world as unique creations that
depict the world of Torah and mitzvos in bas-relief mosaics. * Few know
the famous artists personal story. He became involved with Chabad in the
70s and received detailed guidance from the Rebbe regarding his art. *
In a fascinating conversation with Beis Moshiach, R Michoel tells about
the inspiration he got from the Rebbe and about the artistic ideas that he
derives from sichos and maamarim.
By Moshe Shlomo

t was 5741 when the

Chassidic artist, R Michoel
Muchnik, went to South
Africa for an art exhibit. He
experienced problems with his
visa there. When he asked for the
Rebbes bracha, the Rebbe told him
to extend his stay there, remaining
two weeks longer than planned.
Maximizing his time there, he
arranged additional exhibits in
nearby towns.
One of the exhibits took place
in Cape Town, by the shliach
R Mendel Popack. Along with
the exhibit he planned a special
gathering for his community.

In Cape Town there lived

a wealthy man that the shliach
knew, but for some reason he
had been unable to be mekarev
him to Chabad. The shliach, who
knew that this man loved art,
invited him to emcee the event.
This was the first time that the
man agreed to enter the Chabad
House. The event was successful
and the wealthy man got involved
and began taking an interest in
Chabad.
Eighteen years later, says
R Michoel, I went to visit my
daughter who was in seminary
in South Africa and I met the

chairman of the board of the

Chabad House; it was that
wealthy man who did not want to
hear about Chabad.

THE YECHIDUS WHICH

SHAPED THE YOUNG
ARTISTS LIFE
At his first yechidus, the
Rebbe saw a great future for the
Lubavitcher artist and took a
great interest in his paintings. At
this time, Michoel had finished
learning in yeshiva and decided
that the time had come to go back
to that which he thought he had

36 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 36

2016-07-05 1:38:38 AM

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 37

37

2016-07-05 1:38:40 AM

Profile
been created for, art. He did not
want to do this without getting
the Rebbes approval. Michoel
was only twenty-one when he had
his first yechidus. He brought
some of his artwork with him.
The Rebbe took an interest in
various details and even told
Michoel to start publicizing his
art in and beyond the Jewish
world.
During the yechidus the
Rebbe, surprisingly, asked that
he leave the paintings with him.
Michoel of course agreed. The
Rebbe asked, Are these original
paintings? When Michoel said

but as a hobby. The hobby

made significant progress when
he turned seventeen, when he
began getting more involved
in the world of art. To his
disappointment, after several
years he did not find his place in
the art world and wasnt all that
pleased with his creations.
In general, says Michoel,
to succeed in the world as an
artist is quite a challenge. In
every branch of art, in order to
be successful, you need to put in
a lot of work and be extremely
dedicated and mainly, you need
siyata dShmaya.

The Rebbe once told me, after I turned to him

in a difficult time, that I need to think about
divine providence and everything would work out. In my
experience, this has helped me tremendously in stressful
times.

yes, the Rebbe said he could not

take the originals but asked him
to photograph them and send
them through the secretaries.
From this incident, Michoel
understood how much the Rebbe
cared about the work of artists
and took it as a green light to
continue. He went back to his
studio, put on his smock, and
with paintbrush in hand began to
paint. That first yechidus, which
shaped his life, was eight minutes
long.

CHASSIDUS AS A SOURCE
OF ARTISTIC INSPIRATION
Michoel Muchnik was born
in 5712 in Philadelphia to a
Conservative family. He would
attend Hebrew School now and
then where he got a little Judaism.
At bar mitzva age, and even
before that, he began painting,
not in a professional capacity

Because of this and other

reasons, Michoel decided to put
down his paintbrush. He began
going around to try and find the
right place for himself. Knowing
that he was a Jew, he began
looking in this direction. He
became interested in Judaism in
general and Chabad Chassidus
in particular, with the help of his
friend, R Meir Abehsera ah (the
Rebbes whistler), who was
also searching at the time.
Upon discovering Chassidus,
Michoel decided to focus on
learning, especially Chassidus.
He spent the following years
in yeshiva in Morristown. He
acclimated well and enjoyed
the lifestyle and he especially
connected to the mashpia, R
Avrohom Lipsker.
When he decided to go to
back to painting, he received
permission from the Rebbe to do

this on condition that it would

not disturb his studies in yeshiva.
Today, says Michoel, after
years of learning Chassidus, and
connecting to the depth of the
world of Kabbala, my art takes
on a whole new meaning. The
work today is far more elevated.
Every painting contains a hidden
message; nothing is done without
a reason. Even the colors I
choose have a reason.
Colors, as explained in
Kabbala, have significance. Red is
the color that represents gvura.
As we see, every child knows that
red means stop. White represents
chesed. The combination of the
two is pink, which corresponds to
tiferes, rachamim.
Even the inspiration for a
given painting usually comes from
something I learned in Chassidus
that day or previously, he says.
Sometimes I see something in a
sicha of the Rebbe, I hear a point
from a maamer, and I get the
inspiration from that. That leads
to all sorts of ideas and images
that I paint.
As the Chassidic aphorism
goes, from whatever I see and
hear I try to learn a lesson; what
does it say to me as a Chassid,
and then, as an artist. This
usually generates ideas for my
work.
R Michoel recently held a
special event for artists in the
spirit of the year of Hakhel, in
the course of which he explained,
with the help of a slideshow, that
before learning about Chassidus,
his artistic works were much
darker and incomprehensible.
They lacked color, which meant
they lacked joy. Once he started
learning Chassidus, his art
became full of color and joy and
mainly, feeling.
My paintings, explained
Michoel to his fellow artists,
are meant to depict Jewish

38 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 38

2016-07-05 1:38:40 AM

life, and how can that be done

without colors? Without joy?
Without chayus? And without
Jewish-Chassidic emotion? In
his paintings, Judaism becomes
something alive and joyous that is
worthwhile to take part in.

THE SOUL IN ART

Michoels special craft is
unique and is called mosaic art.
R Michoel assembles pieces of
stone that together comprise a
work of art. The stones are placed
in some material that holds them
together. Mosaics are sometimes
just designs with no images and
sometimes shapes and images
are depicted. The quality of the
mosaic is determined by the size
of the stones that are used (the
smaller the stones, the more
complicated the design can be).
He can give weight to the images
and designs (with the use of light
and shadow) by using mosaic
stones.
In order to understand the
uniqueness of his work, we
attended an exhibit and met
with some of his friends and
employees.
Shloimy Rabin, Michoels
personal manager, shared his
experiences of working with
Michoel. When I walk into
Michoels studio, I am amazed
every time. The words who
renews in His goodness, every
day, constantly, takes on
additional meaning and I always
feel as though this is the first
time I am looking at Michoels
three dimensional art, and feel as
though I am in it. Ive never been
to the Old City of Yerushalayim
but with Michoels art, I feel as
though I am walking around
there. With his art you can really
live it.
Michoel has many stories to
share:

In 5741, I sent the Rebbe

a painting of the Jewish shtetl
in which I depicted the old
Jewish way of life. I got detailed
feedback from the Rebbe. For
example, I drew all sorts of
enterprises in the town and the
Rebbe wanted me to add a facility
for the manufacture of Shabbos
and Yom Tov candles.
There were buildings of
chesed organizations and I drew
them on the left side. The shul
was on the right. The Rebbe

pointed out that based on what

is explained in Chassidus and
Kabbala, it should be the other
way around. Tfilla, which mostly
corresponds to gvura, should
be on the left, and those things
associated with chesed should
be on the right. The Rebbe
added that the world stands on
three things, the pillar on the
right is chesed, the pillar on the
left is tfilla, and the pillar in the
center is for Torah study. Based
on this, something having to do
with Torah study should go in the
center.
Since then, when I use the
three pillars, they are always in
this order. (see sidebar)
One of the most famous
instructions that Michoel got
from the Rebbe has to do with
Shabbos candles. This horaa
pertains to every shliach and
every Lubavitcher. When the
candle lighting campaign began,
Michoel designed a pin with two
candles. When he submitted the
sample to the Rebbe, the Rebbe
asked him to add another small
candle to indicate that a little
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 39

39

2016-07-05 1:38:42 AM

Profile

girl should also light a Shabbos

candle. On another occasion the
Rebbe told him that the small
candle should be in the center,
between the two larger ones, not
on the side.
I asked Michoel, where does
the passion for painting come
from and where does the desire
to work in such a difficult field
come from. He didnt have to
think much to answer me; I
suppose this isnt the first time he
has been asked these questions.
At the end of the 50s there
was an exhibit in Philadelphia by
the artist, Jacques Lipchitz. In
honor of the exhibit, the Rebbe
sent a letter in English and when
Michoel saw a copy of it many
years later it was a source of great
inspiration for him.
This is what the Rebbe wrote,
Those who have been Divinely
gifted in art, whether sculpture
or painting and the like, have
the privilege of being able to
convert an inanimate thing, such
as a brush, paint and canvas,
or wood and stone, etc., into
living form. In a deeper sense,
it is the ability to transform to a
certain extent the material into
spiritual, even where the creation

is in still life, and certainly where

the artistic work has to do with
living creatures and humans.
How much more so if the art
medium is used to advance ideas,
especially Torah and Mitzvoth,
which would raise the artistic
skill to its highest level.
The Rebbe went on to say
that by artists showing the beauty
of Torah and mitzvos, they have
the ability to influence the Jewish
people and draw them closer to
their Father in heaven.
For R Michoel, his work
is his shlichus. It is his way of
drawing Jews closer to Torah and
mitzvos; it is his way of preparing
the world for Moshiach. In his
creations, he includes motifs
of Geula and in depicting
Yerushalayim you can see the
Beis HaMikdash which arouses
yearning for the future Geula.
Although
he
does
not
personally know most of his
mekuravim, he makes an
impact on thousands. Many
became involved in Torah and
mitzvos thanks to his art, whether
through his books for children or
one of his exhibits. Sometimes,
the Jewish concepts that come
to the viewers are totally new

for them and sometimes they

serve as reminders. When they
see a mitzva in his art, they are
reminded of how they used to do
that mitzva at home.

THE REBBE INSTRUCTED

THAT PEOPLE ATTEND THE
EXHIBIT
While preparing this article,
we tried to understand what art is
altogether, what is painting, and
what did the Rebbe think of it.
For Michoel, art is his form of
expression; the way he chooses
to express his feelings, feelings
that sometimes are difficult to
express verbally. Michoel says,
Art is something within you and
you bring it out to those around
you. The Rebbe once said to a
painter who brought the Rebbe a
gift of a painting he drew, that he
was giving a part of his neshama
to the Rebbe. Indeed, art comes
from a deep place in the soul.
When you convey this to others,
you are giving them a part of
your neshama.
In 5737, I did an exhibit at
the Brooklyn Museum. At the
time, there was a large group
of people from France who had

40 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 40

2016-07-05 1:38:42 AM

come to see the Rebbe. In the

middle of one of the farbrengens,
in front of everyone, the Rebbe
asked the group to go and see
my exhibit. If I ever had doubts
about whether the Rebbe liked
my work, well, after that, any
doubts disappeared. The Rebbe
was asking them, in front of all
the Chassidim, to go view my
exhibit!
What this event did for me
and my work, I cannot express
in words. All my doubts about
whether this was really my
shlichus, were resolved. Who
would have believed?
From what I saw and
experienced, the Rebbe really
enjoyed what I do. On another
occasion, the Rebbe even asked
me to design pushkas, something
that wasnt so popular at the
time. After that, I heard from one
of the secretaries that the Rebbe
left the pushka I designed in his
office. My pushka on the Rebbes
desk!
Aside from the influence
Michoel has via his art, he also
has a lot of influence on other
artists that he deals with. He
often comes across drawings
of a mitzva done by non-Jews.
They sometimes make mistakes
in details of the mitzva. For
example, I have come across
quite a few paintings of menorahs
in which they drew five or some
other number of branches other
than eight. Someone who is not
frum and sees this painting can
easily become confused regarding
this mitzva. When I see this, I
take the opportunity not only to
get it corrected but to convey to
the artist a little more Judaism, a
little more Chassidus.

ART AS A KIRUV MEDIUM

When I asked Michoel to
share some stories about Jews
who became interested in Torah

and mitzvos through his artwork,

he laughed and said that there are
many. He agreed to tell a few.
At the beginning of the 80s,
a woman wearing a wig knocked
at my door who looked like
someone raised Lubavitch. She
wanted to tell me her story. She
was from Tulsa, Oklahoma. A
few years earlier, two bachurim
visited her city on Merkos
Shlichus. They brought kosher
food and stam and books for
children that were illustrated by
Michoel. The woman, who knew
nothing about Judaism, bought
her son a set of these books that
tell children about Jewish life.
Her son really liked the books
and he got his parents to do
things as depicted in the books.
So without knowing any halacha,
they began to keep mitzvos based
on what it said in the books. They
slowly began lighting candles for
Shabbos, keeping kosher, and
when the bachurim returned the
following summer, the family
contacted them and learned more
about how to do mitzvos. Today,
the family is Lubavitch in every
respect thanks to the artwork he
did for those books.
R Michoel has another story
about a girl who attended an
exhibit he did in Chicago. She
loved his style and after a long

talk he referred her to the local

Chabad House where she became
more Jewishly involved and then
went to Machon Chana in Crown
Heights.
Michoel ended off with a story
about how his paintings helped
shluchim too:
On one of my visits to
Uruguay, I had problems entering
the country and they did not let
me enter with my paintings. After
a few attempts at persuasion, the
shliach remembered a certain
senior
government
person
that had a connection with the
customs authorities. That man
had come with him to the Rebbe
for a bracha before the elections
and was very favorably impressed.
The shliach contacted him and
within a few minutes, I was
allowed into the country with all
my paintings! The shliach told me
that since then, every time they
ran into trouble with customs,
usually before Pesach when they
import huge quantities of matzos
and wine, that politician arranges
everything for them without their
even having to ask.

THE ARTISTS DREAM

I asked Michoel whether he
had any message to convey to
our readers. He said, Before, we
spoke about horaos I got from the
Rebbe that should be publicized.
The Rebbe once told me, after I
turned to him in a difficult time,
that I need to think about divine
providence and everything would
work out. In my experience, this
has helped me tremendously in
stressful times.
As for Michoels dream,
My dream is to prepare a new
painting about the future Geula
but not like my other paintings
that are the products of my
imagination. I want to draw from
my personal experience of the
actual Geula.
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 41

41

2016-07-05 1:38:43 AM

PROFILE

42 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 42

2016-07-05 1:38:44 AM

REVEALING T
HASHEMS
ONENESS
THROUGH
NATURE
Rabbi Professor Yaakov Friedman is a Lubavitcher
Chassid from Bayit Vegan in Yerushalayim. He is a leading
scientist in Eretz Yisroel in the field of mathematics and
physics, and is a trailblazer for whom the most advanced
testing facility in the world is available whenever he
wants, for his experiments. Today he is a top lecturer at
Machon Lev where he combines mathematics, physics,
and Likkutei Torah in his classes. * He told Beis Moshiach
about the path that was paved for him since he was a
child in Munkatch and then about attending the University
of Moscow, about his attempts to preserve his Judaism
under difficult circumstances, and about the nonstop
encouragement he received from the Rebbe throughout
the years in his scientific work, to the point that he was
told that he is needed on the staff of Moshiach. * Part 2
By Menachem Ziegelboim
Photographs by Zohar Reves

he
Rebbe
often
spoke
about
one
of the preparations
for
Geula
being
discovering the unity of G-d
within nature. I began looking
for the connections between
the mathematical model I
had developed in the context
of physics and arrived at the
thought that it is possible to
unite various subjects within
physics. The biggest difficulty is
in finding integrative formulas
between the big things, the
macro (the universe, the
constellations and stars etc.)
and the small things, the micro
(atoms, etc.).
This was actually one
of Einsteins dreams, to
find a unifying theory, but
although he searched for it
intensely, he did not find it.
Einsteins theory collided with
the quantum theory which
describes the micro world.
At a certain point I realized
that it is not possible that
the universe that Hashem
created contains contradictory
wisdom, for the world is
the same creation made by
Hashem and there must
be harmony within it. So a
mathematical model needs
to be built which will explain
this unifying theory, both the
macro and the micro, for You
made it all with wisdom. It
does not say, You made it all
with wisdoms in the plural.
There is one G-dly wisdom
which operates systematically
on all levels, from the big to
the small.
Obviously, a theory is
not sufficient and we need to
do scientific experiments to
confirm that the world does
indeed operate according
to this theory. At first I
did experiments in Eretz

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 43

43

2016-07-05 1:38:44 AM

Profile

INCREDIBLE HEAVENLY ASSISTANCE

We see the connection between the world of
academia and the world of Chassidus and the balancing
of the two worlds in Rabbi Friedmans life from the
following story:
The first year the Rebbe announced the enactment
of learning three chapters a day in the Rambams Yad
HaChazaka, I was in Los Angeles. During that time,
along with my work at the university there, I also
learned in R Shochets yeshiva. One evening there
was a broadcast from the Rebbe in the course of which
the Rebbe spoke again and again about learning three
chapters a day.
The truth is, this wasnt easy for me. Three chapters
a day, especially for someone who wasnt used to
learning Rambam, and at a very stressful time in my
life because I had started working in a new place and
had to prove myself, didnt seem tenable. I also had
little children at home and I had to help out. I felt that
I could not add another learning regimen into my day.
However, the Rebbe kept at it and at the next
farbrengen he said that whoever committed to learning
three chapters a day would not lose out.
When R Shochet heard this, he got up on the table
and said, Since the Rebbe wants it, although I dont
have the time, I commit to learning three chapters a
day after the yeshiva finishes the days learning, i.e., at
ten-thirty. Who wants to join?
There was silence. It really wasnt a simple thing,
but he did not give up and he said to me, Yaakov, you
are the first to join. I agreed. Did I have a choice?
Others joined too and we began to learn. It really
was hard. I would get home very late and early the
next morning I had to travel to the university while
exhausted, and when your head is tired the research
doesnt progress. Still, I learned three chapters every
day as I committed to do.
At the end of the year were finals. Although there
were outside proctors, the lecturer had to be present
during the exam to answer questions, but not to
supervise the students. I told my research partner,
You know what I will be free during the three hours
of the exam except for some time here and there when
Yisroel with other scientists at
Hebrew University, Ben Gurion
University and the Nuclear
Research Center, but in the end I
realized that Israel does not have
the requisite tools.
In Europe there are particle

I will be asked questions. Bring the research material

and we will work on it then. Due to my packed
schedule, although my partner had compiled some
articles related to our field, throughout the entire year I
had not had the time to read them.
We were trying to solve a very complicated
mathematical problem. The most talented people in the
world had tried to solve it but were unsuccessful.
During the exam, I looked at the first article.
Wow, this is an important article. It outlines an
approach to solving the first half of the problem, I
said to my partner. I see, according to the style of the
article, that the author himself did not see the solution
in front of his eyes. I went on to read the next article
that my partner gave me and was excited. He did not
understand what I was excited about. I explained,
This article solves the second part of the problem we
are working on. He looked at me uncomprehendingly.
I went on to read the third article and I said, This
article is fantastic, and it solves the third part of the
problem! So the whole thing is solved. My partner did
not understand. He knew me as a rational person
He asked, What do you mean? The entire world is
working on the solution I explained to him that if
we put together the three articles and constructed the
connection between them, we would get the desired
result.
They were three articles published in professional
journals. One article was from a mathematician in
Maryland, another article was from a mathematician
in Australia, and the third was from Tennessee. Each
one wrote one article which was part of the solution
and one did not know about the other, while I, with
the flash of understanding that Hashem gave me,
realized that together they made up the solution to a
complicated puzzle. Then and there, I dictated our
new article to my partner, which, till today, I consider
one of the best Ive ever done.
I was ecstatic. I saw the fulfillment of the Rebbes
promise when he said whoever committed to learning
three chapters a day of Rambam would not lose out.
True, I made no progress on the problem all year, but I
saw how all the other mathematicians did the work for
me and I reaped the benefits.

accelerators, one in Hamburg,

Germany, where they have the
best accelerator in the world,
and one in Grenoble, France. A
particle accelerator is a machine
that uses electromagnetic fields to
propel charged particles to nearly

light speed. Then they radiate

a powerful light which enables
various experiments to be done.
Boruch Hashem, the scientific
thesis that I presented was
enthusiastically received, and
I was accepted to the research

44 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 44

2016-07-05 1:38:44 AM

facility where few

are accepted. In
order to discover
the changes I was
looking for, I had
to attain a very high
level of accuracy
to a billionth of a
billion, at least. It
wasnt easy, for
after I received the
results, I suddenly
discovered
that
there is another
interfering
factor
and a way had
to be found to
neutralize it. When
I went further, once
again I discovered
another source of
interference.
Just
like in spirituality
where there is a
mixture of good
and bad, so too in
the physical world
there is a mixture of
forces.
I
did
three
experiments,
but
sad to say, each time
I broke new ground, I discovered
another dead end.
***
When we spoke about this
connection between science and
Chassidus, Professor Friedman
wanted to clarify the difference
between scientific theses and the
Torah perspective on the world of
science:
All
scientists
seek
to
understand how the universe
came to be, but a religious
Jew who knows that Hashem
created the world during the
Six Days of Creation, is not
involved with that; his research
is to understand, what do we
learn from Creation? Science
does not want to accept the
fact that Hashem created the

world because science only deals

with the laws of nature that
are familiar to us and a G-dly
creation is not within the laws of
nature. Very often other scientists
and I take the same facts but
apply them differently to different
areas of study.

EXPERIMENTS IN G-DS
LABORATORY
Professor Friedman sanctifies
G-ds name in everything he
does, including among non-Jews.
When he went to Hamburg to
do experiments on the particle
accelerator, people were quite
surprised by his yarmulke and
tzitzis, but they soon recovered.
They knew that he hadnt
come thanks to his appearance
but thanks to his scientific

achievements, and
they treated him
with respect.
The experiments
with the particle
accelerator
also
entailed challenges.
It is a machine
which only a few
people in the world
are allowed to use
for experimentation,
and this is only
after passing many
hurdles.
They welcomed
me graciously but
they require you to
work there seven
days a week, which
of course I couldnt
do. This was a
nisayon which really
wasnt easy.
As I sat there
comfortably
with
Professor Friedman
in his living room,
he pointed and said,
Here, in this room,
I met with a group
of German scientists on the topic
of technology. The Germans are
very good in that field.
He was quiet and spent some
time thinking. My father went
through the Nazi camps and my
mother found it hard to accept
that I went to Germany, but it
turned out that my work was
mainly with German scientists
who are very good in the field I
work in.
I brought them here to
break the stereotype. Business or
scientific relationships are usually
fostered over a restaurant meal,
but for reasons of kashrus, I
never met there. I brought them
here to show them what a Jewish
home looks like, what a Jewish
bookcase looks like. I explained
to them the logic behind a life of

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 45

45

2016-07-05 1:38:45 AM

Profile

DIVINE PROVIDENCE ON A BUS

R Friedman has a wonderful story about divine
providence:
Six years ago there was a big convention in Mexico
City on the topic of Einsteins Theory of Relativity. It was
a convention of scientists that was attended by people
from around the world. Many of them came to present
their new ideas on the Theory of Relativity as it relates to
cosmology.
At the time I had started thinking in a new direction
about how to unite physics with astronomy and I thought
of presenting my theory there, even though this was rather
ambitious, especially when I was new to the field. There
were thousands of participants, all very advanced. When I
arrived, I noticed that they had broken up into groups and
I was the only one who was alone. In the convention halls
they were all grouped in clusters and at the lectures it was
impossible to talk or interrupt. The same was true at the
hotels. The only possible place I could present my ideas
was on the bus between the hotel and the convention site.
I tried here and there to join various groups of experts but
I am not the type to be pushy and to tell you the truth, my
trip seemed to be a waste. I nearly despaired.
My goal was to reach leading figures in the field, but
there was no way of approaching them.
It was a Thursday and I davened in the morning at
the Chabad House, a longer davening than usual. I came
a little late to the first lecture which was delivered by
someone named Weiss. I assumed from his name that he
was Jewish. He was the head of the LIGO labs, a very
exclusive project, and had at least a thousand employees
working under him. There were thousands of scientists
attending the lecture. I couldnt even see him except on
the screens. I managed to hear the end of his talk in which
he spoke about how the results of the LIGO project wont
be known in our generation; only the next generation will
get to see it. But we are preparing the tools for the next
generation so they can measure the results of what we are
working on today, he said.
I wanted to approach him and comment on his talk,
but it wasnt possible. Hundreds of people surrounded
him after the lecture, and they all wanted to talk to him or
at least shake his hand.
Later in the day I saw an announcement that said
that at night there would be a reception for a scientist
named Smoot, for his winning of the Nobel Prize. The
reception was going to take place in a local theater and all
were invited. During the event, said the announcement,
Mr. Smoot would lecture on the subject for which he had
earned the prize. I thought this might be an opportunity
to meet someone of importance.

That day was beautiful but then suddenly, it began to

pour, which was most unusual. I boarded a bus that took
people to the reception. I looked around the bus and saw
that it was full except for one empty seat. I sat down and
turned to the person sitting next to me to shake his hand
and realized, he was Mr. Weiss, head of the LIGO project
who spoke in the morning.
Since the trip was a short one, I immediately raised
the topics I wanted to present to the leadership at the
convention. He was willing to listen for a few minutes to
what I had to say. He listened attentively and affirmed that
I had good ideas. I asked whether he saw any obstacles
that I hadnt noticed, especially since I was new to the
field, but he said, Whatever youve presented fits nicely
with my vision. He added, What you want to change in
Einsteins teachings is something I too did not understand
until now, and I honestly think that your approach seems
more reasonable.
Because of the sudden, strong rain, there was traffic
on the road and the bus was at a standstill. This enabled
me to talk with him some more. I utilized the extra time
to tell him that I wanted to conduct an experiment to
test some hypotheses. He pointed out several things and
suggested some changes and affirmed that I was on the
right track but warned me, You are entering into an
experiment and think X, but suddenly, you will discover
that its something else entirely. I myself, whenever Ive
done experiments, had surprises. You need to prepare for
the long term. Furthermore, even if you get the results you
hoped for, the scientific community wont believe you, but
when you obtain genuine results, come to me and I will
connect you with the right people and they will test your
experiments, and if they verify them, then your research
will be accepted in the scientific world as solid.
As we spoke, the bus was still stuck in traffic. We
started to talk about Eretz Yisroel, about Judaism, and
then, as it turned dark outside, he said in distress, I
dont know why Im going. Its a reception in honor of
Mr. Smoot. He worked for me on the project and I was
the head of it. We once did a certain experiment and the
results were revolutionary, but since they were not precise
to the nth degree, I wanted to redo the experiment but
he did not wait. He ran to the media and announced the
discovery that, supposedly, he made. Since the media
knew him, he got the Nobel Prize for it when I should
have gotten it. So why am I going altogether? I will sit
in the front row and he will look at me and how will he
feel when he knows I am the one who really deserves the
prize?
I wanted to tell him you know why you are going to
the reception? Because, by divine providence, you needed
to meet with me and hear some things from me

46 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 46

2016-07-05 1:38:46 AM

Torah and mitzvos. They were

amazed by the interesting life of
a religious person. One of them
told me afterward that all his
relatives had been Nazis, even
after the war, but now he sees
that what they told him about
Jews was not true.
What was for you the high
point in your scientific work?
To date, I have published
hundreds of novel discoveries in
the world of science. I can tell
you that each time I discover
another dimension that was
previously unknown, I am
infused with excitement. There
are times that I think that I have
uncovered the whole picture and
suddenly I realize that I have hit
another roadblock, and now the
new challenge is to break through
that. Over time, one learns to
take things with the proper
perspective.
Beyond the feelings, what
would you say is your greatest
achievement to this point?
I think that my greatest
achievement was being able
to experiment at the particle
accelerator. In order to be able to
do so, you need to go through a
gauntlet of scientific committees
who
closely
examine
the
experiment you want to conduct.
Boruch Hashem, the research
that I am doing passed all the
committees. When I submitted
my first request, I received the
highest mark that a request every
received. The head of the facility
himself was very enthusiastic
about the project for he realized
that if the experiment was
successful, it would bring a whole
new level of international acclaim
to his facility.
I
conducted
three
experiments there but now I am
trying a new approach, to attain
results through Hashems own
laboratory, through astronomy.

It is possible that after I develop

some solid theories I will go back
to conducting experiments with
the particle accelerator in order
to check the results. I can tell you
that with the Rebbes bracha I see
Hashems providence guiding me
(see sidebar). I was granted open
access to the facility, which is
quite rare.

DELVING INTO THE DEPTHS

OF SCIENTIFIC ISSUES
WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF
A CHASSID
Professor Friedman lectured
at the University of California for
eight years. He would wear his
yarmulke and have his tzitzis out.
He remembers the first time that
he walked into class looking like
a yeshiva student.
The first morning I walked

into class and faced about two

hundred students. They were not
used to teachers looking as I did.
I was also relatively young as a
professor. There was an uproar.
I stood in my place and waited
for silence. After many minutes
passed, I raised my hand and
there was silence. I said, I hope
you finished your discussion
about the lecturer. Now I want
to begin teaching but since I am
polite, I try not to speak when
someone else is speaking. They
got the hint. They treated me
with respect. Many of them came
over to me to ask what the kippa
and tzitzis are about.
Over the years, he occasionally
received offers for desirable and
permanent positions. He was also
very admired by the local Jewish
community and they asked him
Continued on page 35
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 47

47

2016-07-05 1:38:46 AM

MOSHIACH & HAKHEL

DONT BE A
CHASSIDISHE
KORACH!
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

Dear Chassidim shyichyu,

This Shabbos (Korach) is
Gimmel Tammuz. Those two
words bring out a lot of mixed
emotions by Chassidim. Whatever
your Hashkafa or thoughts are,
everyone agrees that it is a day of
Cheshbon Hanefesh about our
Hiskashrus to the Rebbe.
Every Chassid knows that the
Alter Rebbe teaches us to Live
with the times in relation to the
current Parsha. As this Shabbos
is Parshas Korach, I would like
to share some thoughts related to
Gimmel Tammuz based on this
weeks Parsha.
Parshas Korach is a very
drama-filled Parsha. In the center
of the drama is the conversation
between the articulate and suave
Korach and the stammering
Moshe Rabbeinu. Perhaps the
most spectacular public speech
ever given bemoaning nepotism
and encouraging egalitarianism
is given by Korach. He challenges
Moshe and Aharon, his very
own cousins, with his famous
words You take too much
upon yourselves, for the entire
congregation are all holy, and the
Lord is in their midst. So why do
you raise yourselves above the
Lords assembly?
We all know the end of the

story: Hashem opens the ground

and Korach, his henchmen,
and entire family are swallowed
alive. They go into the ground
screaming the words Moshe is
true and his Torah is true. It is
clear to all that Moshe is chosen
by Hashem to be the undisputed
leader of Klal Yisroel.
Throughout
the
history
of Chassidus and the history
of
Chabad,
especially
in
our generation, the seventh
generation, there have been
many people that have come to
stand up to Chassidus and our
Rebbeim. They come with various
arguments and complaints, but
when analyzed correctly, it is
clear that these well-spoken and
eloquently explained complaints
are all rooted in the words of
the most articulate person in the
Torah: Korach.
The non-chassidic Korach
says: The Torah was given to
all of us equally on Har Sinai.
We all were taught by Moshe
Rabbeinu. We have been serving
Hashem for hundreds of years
before the Baal Shem Tov. Why
do you feel that you need to learn
Chassidus to serve Hashem?
Why do even simple Chassidim
take upon themselves Chumros
(mikva, beard, chalav Yisroel and

Rabbeinu Tam tfillin,to name

a few) that are reserved for elite
Roshei Yeshiva? So why do you
raise yourselves above the Lords
assembly?
The chassidic Korach:
Chabad Chassidim do not feel
equal to all other Chassidim.
They feel that it is not enough to
learn Chassidus, it is important
that you learn Chassidus Chabad.
We learn the history of our
chassidus as well as others. We
have Agudas Admurim that
discuss policies for chassidim.
Chabad Chassidim are totally
ignorant of the names and
history of other Chassidiyos and
the Rebbe does not consult and
discuss his agenda with other
Admurim. So why do you raise
yourselves above the Lords
assembly?
The Chabad Korach: For
many years, the Rebbe was called
Adoneinu Moreinu VRabbeinu
Our Rebbe. The Rebbe
belonged to Chassidei Chabad.
Since the hisgalus of Moshiach
(VaYeira 5752), Chassidim have
started calling the Rebbe with
his title Melech HaMoshiach
King Moshiach. This title
elevates the Rebbe and
seemingly distances him from
the Chassidim and shares the

48 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 48

2016-07-05 1:38:47 AM

Rebbe with the whole world. So

why do you raise yourselves
why do Chassidim call the Rebbe
by his title Melech HaMoshiach,
which makes him above the
Lords assembly?
Dear fellow Chassidim:
We must remain very strong
in our Emuna that Moshe is true
and his Torah is true! It is our
obligation and privilege to
remain firm in our commitment
to the Shlichus that the Rebbe
gave over to us (28 Nissan
5751) which is Lekabel Pnei
Moshiach
Tzidkeinu
bpoel
mamash (Chayei Sara 5752)
through learning and teaching
others about Moshiach (Tazria
Metzora 5751) and to spread the
prophecy that Hinei Zeh Melech
HaMoshiach Ba (Shoftim 5751).
We
merited
that
our
generation is the generation
of the Geula. Our Rebbe was
anointed by Hashem as Melech
HaMoshiach
(mishpatim
5751). The Rebbe has told us
that success of his mission is
dependent on the acceptance of
Moshiach by the people (Chayei
Sara 5752). The acceptance
of Moshiach and the life of
Moshiach is accomplished
through the nation declaring
Yechi HaMelech (2 Nissan
5748).
This of course must be done
Bofen Hamiskabel in a way
that is accepted by the people,
but it must be done.
Dear Chassidim!
On Gimmel Tammuz 5710
(the first Gimmel Tammuz of the
seventh generation) the Rebbe
defined the way we are supposed
to view a Rebbe. He wrote the
following letter, a letter that sheds
light on the entire discussion:
Many people seek to pinpoint
and characterize the vir
tues
and pre-eminence of each of
the Rebbeim of Chabad, and

in particular of the Nasi of our

generation in various terms:
the paradigm of self-sacrifice,
a gaon, a man of exemplary
character traits, a tzaddik,
an individual endowed with
divine inspira
tion, an individual
accustomed to [performing]
miracles, and so on...
Nevertheless, the essential
point is missing here. Apart from
this being the essence per se, it is

some direct material benefits to

their followers; and so on.
And there are Nsiim who
comprise several of these
attributes, or even all of them.
This [essential] quality [of
a Nasi] has characterized the
leadership of the Nsiim of
Chabad from the very beginning,
from the Alter Rebbe up to and
including my revered fatherin-law, the Rebbe, . They

On Gimmel Tammuz 5710, the first Gimmel

Tammuz of the seventh generation, the Rebbe
defined the way we are supposed to view a Rebbe.

especially important because of

the vital effect it has [in general],
and in particular upon us, the
community of those who are his
Chassidim and who are bound to
him. That essential point is the
fact that he is the Nasi, and the
Nasi of Chabad.
For a Nasi by definition is
referred to as the head of the
multitudes of Israel; in relation
to them he is the head and
brain; their nurture and lifeforce reach them through him;
and by cleaving to him they are
bound and united with their
Source in the Supernal worlds.
There are various categories
of Nsiim: some Nsiim convey
their influence in an internalized
manner; others diffuse their
influence in an indirect and
encompassing manner. These
differences may be further
subdivided: some Nsiim endow
their recipients with insights into
the revealed plane of the Torah
(Nigleh); some endow their
recipients with insights into the
mystical plane of the Torah, and
some do both together; some
instruct their followers in the
paths of avoda and Chassidus;

incorporated all the above

attributes: they radiated both
inward
and
encompassing
influence in Torah, in avoda,
and in the practice of good
deeds; [and they conveyed
blessings both] spiritual and
material. Consequently, [the
Nsiim of Chabad] have been
bound with all 613 organs of the
soul and body of those who were
connected with them.
Every single one of us must
know i.e., must think deeply
and fix his thought on this
that the Rebbe is indeed the
Nasi and the head; from him
and through him are directed all
material and spiritual benefac
tions; and by being bound to
him (in his letters he has taught
us how this is accomplished) we
are bound and united with the
spiritual root, with the ultimate
Supernal spiritual root.
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh
Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch
Cincinnati and a well sought after
speaker and lecturer. Recordings
of his in-depth shiurim on
Inyanei Geula uMoshiach can
be accessed at http://www.
ylcrecording.com.

Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 49

49

2016-07-05 1:38:47 AM

TZIVOS HASHEM

THE REBBE
SAW INTO
THE FUTURE
By Nechama Bar

Drazin,
Yitzchok
Rabbi
to
Rebbe
the
of
shliach
California,
of
University
Berkeley, works with Jewish
students. He learns Chassidus
with them and hosts them in
his home. He is the one they
turn to for all Jewish matters.
Even the students parents
know R Drazin and know that
if G-d forbid a problem arises,
they can talk to him.
It was a Friday and R
Drazin was sitting in his office
when his phone rang. On the
line was someone who sounded
agitated.
Rabbi, I need your help
urgently! A terrible thing
daughter
My
happened.
Adina who is at the university
became friends with a black
Christian and I found out that
on Saturday night they are
planning on flying to Hawaii to
get married!
The rabbi heard a choked
sob as the father had a hard
time continuing to talk.
The guy wants her to
baptized.
be
and
conver t

Although we are not religious,

marrying a non-Jew is out
of the question! Who would
have believed that such a
terrible thing would happen
to my daughter? In my worst
dreams I never thought of
this. Rabbi Drazin, please try
to do something. We have
given up. We spoke to her a
lot but nothing helped. She is
determined to go through with
this. Maybe you can reach her
and maybe she will listen to
you. You are our last hope.
R Drazin was shaken up by
this call and wanted to help.
But Shabbos was in six hours
and the girl was in her fiances
house, a two-hour drive away.
It was uncertain whether he
would make it back in time for
Shabbos and anyway, who said
they would even let him in?
And even if they did, who said
he would change her mind?
R Drazin was doubtful that
he could do anything but an
inner voice urged him to try. He
told his wife about the sudden
trip and prepared her for the
possibility that she would have

to spend Shabbos without him.

With two hours of driving
behind him, he still had not
arrived. He still had a long way
to go to reach the town. He
wondered why he had set out
and considered returning home.
What would he do all Shabbos
in a Christians house and who
says they would be willing to
host him?
But the inner voice urged
him to continue and so, without
Drazin
R
why,
knowing
continued driving with a prayer
in his heart.
He arrived at the Christian
town. Religious symbols could be
seen at nearly every house and
made him feel uncomfortable.
He was happy that he found
the address easily.
What do you want? asked
the black guy coldly.
Lubavitcher
the
am
I
I came to
and
ry
emissa
Rebbes
stay with
I
Can
Adina.
speak to
row?
tomor
and
you today
his
though
ntly,
confide
he said
ing.
pound
heart was
To his great surprise, the

50 2 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

1028_bm_eng.indd 50

2016-07-05 1:38:48 AM

silence and said, Make no

e.
man welcomed him in. But ready to politely say goodby
mistake. Your explanations did
One minute, said Adina,
when Adina heard his reason
not move me at all. I still want
moments before he was about
for coming, she was furious.
nd to
want to travel with my boyfrie
Dont mix in to my private to leave. I decided that I
him.
marry
and
i
Hawai
g about
life! Let me live happily with the to spend a year studyin
The shliach wondered what
person I have chosen. Its my Judaism.
dissuaded her from leaving with
The shliach stood there
decision and Im not changing
him that night.
in amazement. He could not
my mind, she declared.
Adina then said the following
But her boyfriend was believe his ears. He quickly
listening. called the principal of the amazing words:
in
interested
tshuva
Throughout the night, the Chabad school for baalos
Fifteen years ago, when I was
and
ce
shliach tried to convin
a little girl, my father decided
it
explain how seriously wrong
to go to the Lubavitcher Rebbe
was for a Jew to marry a nonand he took me along. It
them
Jew, but the two of
was a special experience.
were unmoved.
The Rebbes penetrating
It is not right for you
eyes looked deep into
to change your religion
my soul. When I
before you learned
the
facing
stood
own
your
about
Rebbe, he blessed
religion, he said,
me to be a good
another
trying
Afterward,
Jew.
approach. Before
he said the day
you think about
would come when
another religion,
there would be a
year
a
spend
problem with my
studying Judaism
Judaism and then
and then you
my father would
make
can
call Chabad and
informed
an
get help.
n.
decisio
shliach
The
Over Shabbos,
was astounded by
they debated the
this open miracle.
topic and as the
Now he understood
hours passed, the
why he felt the strong
shliach saw his efforts
to make the trip,
need
were in vain. They
despite the difficulties.
were not changing their
Adina went on to say,
minds. He regretted what
our
entered
you
When
he had done and wondered
ber
remem
not
did
I
home,
why he had even tried. Then
when
just
was
It
all.
at
this
that
he suddenly remembered
the Sabbath was over that I
he had invited students to a
in Minnesota and registered remembered what the Rebbe
s
Melaveh Malka after Shabbo
Adina. In order to be sure that said. Its prophecy! The Rebbe
and he was so far away. He
she would not change her mind, prophesied what would happen
felt terrible about the hasty
he took her to the airpor t to me fifteen years later! I feel I
decision he had made but
himself and got her a ticket.
cannot refuse the Rebbe.
tried to console himself by
airpor t
the
to
trip
The
by
Today, Adina is a religious
remembering that it was all
heavy silence. Each Jew and a mother of a beautiful
in
passed
divine providence.
person was deep in thought.
Chassidic family.
Motzaei Shabbos, R Drazin
the
broke
Adina
ly,
Sudden
packed his belongings and got
Issue 1028

1028_bm_eng.indd 5

51

2016-07-05 1:38:12 AM