CONTENTS

6
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
8 THE LAG BOMER
PARADE THE REBBE DID 5 Parsha Thought
NOT ATTEND
Rav Saadia Maatuf 19 Halacha 2 Go
21 Moshiach & Hayom Yom
14 ATHE
GUEST AT
PARADE 35 Tzivos Hashem
Nosson Avrohom

25 THE BOY WHO WAS

BORN A VERITABLE
17 ORPHAN
Shneur Zalman Berger

30 LIVING THE
CONNECTED LIFE Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272
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1067_bm_eng.indd 4 2017-05-08 2:07:59 PM

 DVAR MALCHUS

HOW THE JEWISH

PEOPLE WILL
LEAVE EXILE
WITH MERCY
The principal association of Rashbi with nine hours (as described in the
writings of the Tzemach Tzedek).
the redemption is, With this work of yours However, regarding cakes and wool
[the Zohar] they shall go out of exile with garments, since there will be no
mercy, for then there shall indeed be the need for them to undergo a period
of development or growth, there will
fulfillment of When you come into the land, be no need to wait nine hours not
etc., and the land shall rest, a Sabbatical even nine seconds. Rather, it will be
to G-d, in the literal sense, in the true and instantaneous.)
In light of the above, regarding
complete redemption. entering the land in the imminent
redemption, since there will be
Translated by Boruch Merkur no need to wait until the holy land

I
n addition to what was said
above on the words, When you
come into the land, etc., and the
land shall rest, a Sabbatical to
G-d, this verse can also be interpreted
literally, describing the Jewish people
entering the land in the imminent
redemption.
Originally, following the exodus
from Egypt, the Jewish people took
possession of the land through a
process of seven years of conquering
and seven years of apportioning
it among the Twelve Tribes. The
future redemption, however, will not
come about through conquering and
war. Rather, it will unfold amidst
peace and tranquility, calmness and
comfort, and it will be instantaneous.
Moreover, there will be no need to
work the land, no need for the labor
described in the verse, six years you
shall plant your field and six years
you shall prune your vineyard, for
in the future, the Land of Israel
will [miraculously] give forth cakes
and wool garments (Shabbos 30b).
That is, although cakes and wool
garments will emerge from the
land (and not from the heavens),
nevertheless there will be no need for
any labor to be performed in order
to cultivate them. Eretz Yisroel will
yield them in a miraculous way and
there will be no need to wait before
they can be consumed.
(With regard to childbirth it is
said, In the future, a woman will
give birth every day. Nevertheless,
even in the Future Era, the Era
of Redemption, the process of
gestation will take time. But instead
of nine months, it will take only
is conquered and apportioned,
therefore, the six years of working
the field and the vineyard will be
instantaneous and the land
shall rest, a Sabbatical to G-d in
the literal sense. It is only after
this initial period that the literal
fulfillment of six years you shall
plant your field will begin, for there
must be a dwelling place specifically
in the lower realms. This planting
your field, however, will be done
by others, as it says, And strangers
shall stand and pasture your
sheep, and foreigners shall be your
plowmen and your vinedressers
(Yeshayahu 61:5).
The latter discussion relates
in particular to Rashbi, whose
celebration is on Lag BOmer. Our
Sages say that Rashbi was well-
versed in performing miracles (for
which reason they sent him to Rome

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 Dvar Malchus
in order to persuade the Romans to
lift their ban on Jewish observance).
Indeed, he was so spiritually elevated
that although Rashbi lived in the
time of the churban (the destruction
of the Beis HaMikdash), for him it
was as though it never happened;
Continued from page 13
He walked out of the zal, looked
for a garbage pail, and since he
did not find one, he put it on the
small ledge near the office of the
secretariat, where the mail is placed.
Everyone was surprised that we had
not noticed the pack, since we are
always looking out that there should
not be any dirt around the area
where the Rebbe stands. The student
Chazan took the pack away.
This event led to the decision to
stop smoking altogether in 770. If
only that resolution would last.
Tonight, the Rebbe took people
for yechidus, among them a
candidate for mayor of New York,
who stayed with the Rebbe for 25
minutes. Yechidus ended at 12
midnight.
During the night, I worked with
Chaim Masharki in the office of the
Vaad LHafatzos Sichos. I went to
sleep very late. We are still sleeping
in a basement, what can we do,
Hashem should help...
GENERAL YECHIDUS
FOR WOMEN IN 770
Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh,
Bechukosai
Today there was a very joyous
farbrengen. The Rebbe stood up in
middle of the farbrengen, when they
were singing Napoleons march, and
began to clap. It was a great pleasure
to see the Rebbe standing to his
full height and clapping his hands.
Immediately when the Rebbe stands
up, everyone else stands up, those
sitting behind the Rebbe and those
4 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 4
he did not experience exile (as the
Alter Rebbe relates). However, the
principal association of Rashbi with
the redemption is as it is said, With
this work of yours [the Zohar]
they shall go out of exile with
mercy, for then there shall indeed
sitting in front.
After the farbrengen we davened
Mincha, and immediately after
Mincha the Rebbe again began, like
the previous Shabbos, to sing Nyet
Nyet, and everyone joined in until
the Rebbe exited. Afterward, we
waited for the Rebbe to exit from the
door of Gan Eden HaTachton, and
when he came out he made motions
with both hands. We stood in two
rows on both sides, and when the
Rebbe makes encouraging motions
we all literally go up and down in
tandem with the motion. The Rebbe
also encouraged the little children
that were standing nearby.
We walked behind the Rebbe
in order to accompany him to his
house, and in middle of the way the
Rebbe crossed the street towards
President Street [where the Rebbe
lives]. A car that was traveling quite a
distance away honked the horn, and
the Rebbe immediately jumped and
went up on the curb. We continued
to follow the Rebbe with our eyes
until he entered his house, and from
there we went to the yeshiva dining
room to eat the Shabbos meal.
On Motzaei Shabbos, there was
a review with the chozer, R Yoel
Kahn.
Sunday, 25 Iyar
Today there was a gathering for
women in the study hall of Chovevei
Torah, and at 8 in the evening it
continued with the Rebbe in the
big zal in 770. The Rebbe entered,
followed by R Chadakov and R
Groner. The entire room was
packed with women, as well as the
ladies section. We [the men], stood
partially in the small zal upstairs,
be the fulfillment of When you
come into the land, etc., and the
land shall rest, a Sabbatical to G-d,
in the literal sense [in the true and
complete redemption].
(From the address of Shabbos Parshas
Emor 5747, bilti muga)
however, since the loudspeaker was
not working one hundred percent,
we couldnt hear so clearly. The
Rebbe spoke for about 25 minutes,
and immediately began to receive
the women for yechidus. [At
this point, the womens section
emptied out, as all the women went
downstairs to the big zal to stand in
line. Then the Tmimim including
the author of the diary went to the
ladies section and were able to watch
from there]. This is not a regular
yechidus, rather the Rebbe sits in his
place and all the women pass before
him, and each one approaches with
a note which the Rebbe reads, and
then answers and sometimes asks
additional questions. There were
some women whose yechidus lasted
twenty minutes or more, and there
were some women who came with a
few notes.
The yechidus concluded at 1 in
the morning.
When the Rebbe stood up to
leave, we immediately ran through
Gan Eden HaTachton to the small
zal, and after a brief wait the Rebbe
entered for Maariv. The zal was
relatively empty due to the late hour.
At the conclusion of the davening,
the Rebbe rode to his house.
Tuesday, 27 Iyar
Today, the Rebbe made a sudden
appearance in the Kollel without
advance warning. He walked in and
looked at the sfarim. Obviously,
nobody stayed there sitting and
learning because they all ran to hide.
The Rebbe went upstairs and then
came back down, and then returned
to 770.
2017-05-08 2:08:00 PM
 PARSHA THOUGHT
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
THE INSIGNIFICANT
OMER
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
ANIMAL FOOD
We are now in the midst of
the period known as Sfira. It
is based on the commandment
in this weeks parsha to count
50 days from Passover until
the Holiday of Shavuos, the
anniversary of the giving of the
Torah at Mount Sinai.
This Mitzvah, to count the
days between Passover and
Shavuos, is referred to as Sfiras
HaOmer, the Counting of the
Omer. The Omer was a measure
of barley offered in the Beis
HaMikdashThe Holy Temple on
the second day of Passover. From
that day onward, we are to count
49 days and then on the 50th day
observe the Festival of Shavuos.
In Chassidic literature the
question is raised why this
offering had to be from barley
whereas all the other flour
offerings in the Temple were
made out of wheat? Barley was
considered to be an inferior grain
intended mostly for animals.
The only other barley flour
offering was the one a suspected
adulteress had to bring to the
Temple. The Talmud explains the
reason for her barley offering:
She behaved in an animalistic
1067_bm_eng.indd 5
way, therefore her offering
should come from a grain fed
to animals. In other words, the
to count the days, as a way
inferior quality of grain served as
a reminder to the woman and all
characteristics to bring light and
others that the errant behavior
came from the Animal Soul.
This conveys a dual lesson for
us:
First, we have an Animal Soul
and our immoral behavior comes
from our Animal nature. Second,
we have the ability to overcome
that animalistic impulse because
we also possess a Gdly soul.
Indeed, the Gdly soul is our
true inner essence.
This explains why a woman
suspected of adultery had to
bring an offering that reminded
her of her animal instincts. But
why would a Festival offering,
associated with holy festivals of
assembly, Passover and Shavuos,
also have to come from barley?
Chassidic thought explains
that when we left Egypt as
liberated slaves we had been
exposed to the impurity of Egypt
for generations. We had to refine
our Animal Souls before being
worthy and capable of receiving
the Torah. Hence the offering
of barley, animal feed, helped us
refine the Animal Soul within us.
Once we brought the Omer
offering we were commanded
of dealing with our individual
refinement to them. Each day that
we count is not just a repetitive
exercise to know how many days
we have until Shavuos, but it is a
refining process. Indeed, the very
word for counting in Hebrew,
Sfira, also has the connotation of
bringing light.
WHY THE FOCUS
ON THE OMER?
In light of the above, one may
wonder why this ritual is known
as the Counting of the Omer?
An Omer is simply a unit of
dry measure, equal to onetenth
of an ephah. A more appropriate
name for this Mitzvah would have
been Counting of the Mincha
flour Offering, or Counting
of the Barley Offering, since
barley was an important part
of the Mitzvah. Why identify
the Mitzvah by a secondary and
ancillary aspect of it, such as the
unit of measure, rather than by
the barley or the flour itself?
The Midrash may have
anticipated this question when
Issue 1067 5
2017-05-08 2:08:01 PM
 PARSHA THOUGHT

The answer lies precisely in the paltry value of day of Passover, the day before
the Omer was offered.
the Omer measure of barley. Haman realized that
It follows, then, that the future
if Jewish power were only based on wealth and quantity, and final Redemption is also
connected to our internalizing
he could have easily triumphed over them. If the Jews
the lesson of the Omer offering.
were focused on the value of their offering, Haman could To understand the redemptive
always outspend them. After all, he had at his disposal the power of the Omer and discover
an even deeper reason for the
riches of the Persian Empire. When Haman realized that emphasis on the Omer measure
the Jewish people were preoccupied with an offering of barley, we must refer to a story
recounted in the Midrash of how
consisting of but one Omer, he knew that he could not Haman was defeated because of
vanquish them. This power of a Divine quantity was a the Omer:
When Mordechai saw Haman
sign that they possessed an infinitely more powerful approaching him with his horse,
weapon than Hamans 10,000 silver talents. he said, I believe this wicked
person comes only to kill me.
Now, Mordechais disciples
it connected the Counting of the to accumulate more than Gd were sitting and learning before
Omer with Manna, the heaven has ordained for us, it will not him. He said to them, Get up
sent food the Jews lived on change what we receive, just as and flee, lest you be burned by
throughout their 40 year sojourn the Manna was uniformly one my coal.
in the desert. The Manna too Omer for all, no matter how They replied, We are with
consisted of an Omers worth of much each person collected. you and will not leave you
food. No matter how much one This reinforces the idea that whether to be killed or to live.
collected, the daily portion of the barley offering represented What did he do? He wrapped
Manna never had more or less the need to refine the Animal himself in his tallis and stood
than the volume of an Omer. Soul. The argument presented in prayer before the Holy One,
Rabbi Berechyah said: by the Animal Soul that causes blessed is He, while his students
The Holy One, blessed is He us to sin is that we are in charge sat and learned.
said to Moshe: Go and say to the of our lives. The more we think Haman asked them, What
children of Israel, When I used we are independent of Gds are you studying.
to give you the Manna, I gave power and blessing, the more They replied, The Mitzvah
an Omer to each one of you, as emboldened the Animal Soul of the Omer which Israel would
is written An Omer per person. becomes to the point that it offer in the Temple on this day.
(Exodus 16:16). And now that exclaims: Its my life! I can
He said to them, What did
you are giving Me the Omer do whatever I want! Whereas
this Omer consist of? Was it gold
offering, I have prescribed for the Gdly soul always humbly
or silver?
Myself nothing but a single Omer realizes its dependence on Gd,
the Animal Soul is focused solely They replied, Barley.
from all of you. And moreover, it
is not from wheat but of barley. on itself and its needs; anything it He inquired, What was its
does to satisfy those needs is fair value? Was it worth 10 kantars?
Our offering of the Omer is
thus a vivid reminder of the Omer game. They replied, 10 manehs
of Manna that Gd provided in sufficed.
the desert. OMER AND REDEMPTION He said to them, Rise,
We can now understand for your 10 maneh have
The Midrash also states that
why a measure of Omer was so triumphed over the 10,000 silver
the merit by which the Jewish
significant. We brought the Omer kantars [that I gave to King
people entered the Promised
offering to remind ourselves that Achashveirosh]!
Land was the offering of the
Gd takes care of all our needs. Omer. Significantly, the Manna From this Midrash we see
No matter how much we may try ceased descending on the first that the Omer contributed

6 16 Iyar 5777

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 significantly to the salvation of
the Jews in the days of Haman.
But, the question can be
asked, what so impressed Haman
about the Omer that he realized
his decree was doomed?
The Rebbe once explained
that Haman saw how the Jewish
youth were engrossed in the
study of the laws of the Omer,
which could only be brought
in the Beis HaMikdash. At that
moment he realized that their
hope for and trust in Gds
promise to bring the Redemption
was so formidable that nothing
could stand in their way.
The fact that they were
oblivious to the threats of
Galus and were engrossed
in the offering of the Omer
demonstrated that they were
already living in the time of
Redemption. There is no greater
power to overcome Galus than to
live in the future!
A question remains. Granted
that they were empowered by
their preoccupation with the
service of the Temple of the
future, but how is this reflected
especially in the paltry Omer
offering?
QUALITY OVER QUANTITY
The answer lies precisely
1067_bm_eng.indd 7
in the paltry value of the Omer
measure of barley. Haman
realized that if Jewish power
were only based on wealth and
quantity, he could have easily
triumphed over them. If the Jews
were focused on the value of their
offering, Haman could always
outspend them. After all, he had
at his disposal the riches of the
Persian Empire.
When Haman realized that the
Jewish people were preoccupied
with an offering, consisting of
but one Omer, which symbolized
Gds ability to provide all of our
needs with a single Omer, he
knew that he could not vanquish
them. This power of a Divine
quantity was a sign that they
possessed an infinitely more
powerful weapon than Hamans
10,000 silver talents.
[According to some
commentaries, 1 omer is equal to
10 maneh, which in turn equals
a halfshekel. We also know that
Hamans 10,000 silver talents
were the equivalent of 30 million
shekels (which means they
equaled 60 million omer). The
ratio of one omer=halfshekel to
10,000 talents is thus 60 million
to 1! In Jewish law a ratio of 60
to 1 nullifies the 1.]
THE LESSON FOR TODAY
The lesson for our day and
age is that our way to bring
Redemption and salvation to
the world and to defeat all the
modern day Hamans and tyrants
is by living the future now!
As we stand on the threshold
of the Age of Redemption we
can already see the light of its
dawning on the horizon. Rather
than turning back to see the
darkness of night, we should look
forward to see and live in the
light of the future.
One way of experiencing the
future Geula is to focus now
on the intrinsic quality in every
detail of Judaism; in every Jew
and indeed in every small detail
of our lives.
Moshiach, who ushers in the
final Redemption, is different
from other great leaders in
that he already sees the light of
Redemption even in the darkness
of the last moments of Galus.
Moshiach tells us to do the same
and open our eyes to see the
world in this new light.
Our operating motto for
today is live with Moshiach
and see the inner beauty and
value of everything. Cherish
every Mitzvah and see the inner
goodness in everyone!
Issue 1067 7
2017-05-08 2:08:02 PM
 LAG BOMER

THE LAG BOMER

PARADE THE REBBE
DID NOT ATTEND
8 16 Iyar 5777

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 The Rebbe held a surprise farbrengen this Shabbos, and at the end of
the farbrengen announced that the parade could take place without his
being present. For us, this was like a bolt from the blue. There are those
who claim that there might be another change, and we are all hoping
for a surprise tomorrow. * An authentic firsthand account of the Lag
BOmer parade of 5733/1973, which the Rebbe did not attend due to an
occurrence that was the opposite of Ahavas Yisroel. * A description of the
parade, of the Rebbes farbrengen, the yechidus for women, and other
points of the Rebbes conduct during the month of Iyar 5733. * From the
personal diary of R Saadia Maatuf ah Part 2.

By Rav Saadia Maatuf

Prepared for publication: Shneur Zalman Berger

Issue 1067 9

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 lag bomer
LANGUAGE ADJUSTMENT
Thursday, 1 Iyar
As he did yesterday (the first
day of Rosh Chodesh), the Rebbe
received the third aliya. This
evening, there was a gathering of
Tzach [every year on 2 Iyar, the
birthday of the Rebbe Maharash,
there would be a members
farbrengen in honor of the
founding of Tzach], and we [the
participants] received mashke
and mezonos from the Rebbe.
Tonight we had a Chassidus
shiur (class) in Yiddish. I dont
know if we will continue, but for
now it is difficult [apparently due
to the language barrier], and we
hope to adjust.
Motzaei Shabbos, Kdoshim,
3 Iyar
This evening, we finally had
a review in Ivrit of the sichos of
Shabbos Mevarchim Iyar [the
previous Shabbos], after it was
pushed off a number of times for
various reasons.
Sunday, 4 Iyar
We had a shiur in the
maamarim of the Rebbe Rayatz
from the year 5708 with R
Shlomo Zarchi. The shiur was in
Yiddish, and I understood a little
more than the previous class in
Yiddish.
Monday, 5 Iyar
We davened Mincha with the
Rebbe, and for Maariv following
the conclusion of the Chassidus
study session at 9:20, we wanted
to go daven with the Rebbe as
usual, but R Shlomo Zarchi
informed us that the Rebbe had
davened already. We expressed
surprise as to why today the
prayer service was held earlier
than usual, and he told us: The
Rebbe fasted today, the fast of
ThursdayMondayThursday
(as is known, after Pesach and
Sukkos, those who are stringent
upon themselves, fast the three
10 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 10
day series of fasts). Since the
Rebbe fasted and davened Maariv
earlier than usual [to be able to
break the fast], we lost out on
Maariv with the Rebbe.
THE KADDISH
OF THE REBBE
Tuesday, 13 Iyar
Today is the yahrtzait of the
Rebbes brother, R Yisroel Aryeh
Leib. The Rebbe said Kaddish
five times during Shacharis.
It was very crowded [because
everyone wanted to hear the
Rebbe] and I pretty much was
not able to see the Rebbe, I only
heard his voice.
When we came [for Mincha]
in the afternoon, they told us
that the Rebbe went to the Ohel,
and we returned to our regular
place of learning in Chovevei
Torah. Mincha was at 8:25.
The Rebbe entered holding his
gartel in his hand and said a few
words [apparently Mishnayos],
which I did not manage to hear
because the Rebbe was speaking
somewhat low, and immediately
said Kaddish. Afterward, we
began Mincha. During the
review of the shliach tzibbur, the
Rebbe said the Mishnayos. After
Aleinu, he said Kaddish. The
Mishna, Machat shehi nesuna...
Rabi Chananya, he said in a
somewhat louder voice, then the
Rebbe passed his hand over his
forehead [and said a few lines of
Tanya quietly] and said Kaddish.
Thursday, 15 Iyar
Today, Zalman Pariz arrived
[ah, son of R Boruch Pariz]
exactly at Mincha time, and he
was very excited and pale. The
entire tefilla, he stared at the
Rebbe openmouthed. His arrival
generated a tumult among the
Tmimim. In general, his leaving
the Holy Land was above the
natural order, since he managed
to get the permit from the army
and all the documentation within
one week, and he was already
here.
After Maariv, we waited for
the Rebbe to leave [to his house].
I stood near the mezuza of the
small zal and was talking to my
friends Yosef Meir Cohen and
Yekusiel Rapp. Suddenly, the
Rebbes door opened and the
Rebbe exited. My blood froze in
my veins. I was electrified. The
Rebbe saw me, and I began to
back up, but the Rebbe looked
at me for a number of seconds
that felt to me like a long time.
The Rebbe exited from the door
of 770. It was drizzling outside,
and the Rebbe extended his hand
as though to feel the rain. The
Rebbe entered the car and went
to his house.
SHOCKING NEWS
Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh
Behar, eve of Lag BOmer
The Rebbe held a surprise
farbrengen this Shabbos, and
at the end of the farbrengen
announced that the parade could
take place without his being
present. [Afterward it became
known that there had occurred
an event in Crown Heights that
was the opposite of Ahavas
Yisroel, which was why the Rebbe
decided not to attend in person].
For us, this was like a bolt from
the blue. There are those who
claim that there might be another
change, and we are all hoping for
a surprise tomorrow.
At the farbrengen, the Rebbe
also spoke sharply about Mihu
Yehudi. At the conclusion of
the farbrengen, the Rebbe sang
Hinei Mah Tov UMah Naim,
and everyone joined in, and
then he stood up right away for
Mincha. After Mincha, the Rebbe
touched the edge of the paroches
as is his custom, and immediately
2017-05-08 2:08:03 PM
 began to sing Nyet.
Tonight, the preparations are
underway to close off Eastern
Parkway and construct the stage.
The parade will begin from
Eastern Parkway until Kingston
and Empire, and turn from there
towards the park.
Sunday, 18 Iyar, Lag BOmer
Today, I got up at 7 in the
morning, went to mikva and
davening, and then I went to
watch the final preparations
for the parade. I circulated
between the truck displays and
the preparations were going full
force.
It is now five minutes to 9 in
the morning. The preparations
for the parade are ongoing. Ten
policemen just arrived and took
up positions alongside Kingston
Avenue. The weather is cloudy
and there is concern about rain.
The stage is not set up in its
usual place, on the grass in front
of 770, but it is in middle of the
road facing Kingston Avenue,
where there is a stage on which
the Rebbe would stand.
Traffic was already closed off
since last night, and they divided
the street into two camps, the
side towards 770 for girls, and
the other half of the street for
boys. On the two sides of the From there they are taking them Sukka truck: Display of a
stage, they brought stairlike to the spots reserved for them Sukka and also showing the
structures for the crowd to stand facing the stage. The boys and order of hand washing for bread.
on. I stood on the end of the girls are gathering, kein yirbu. Mivtza Tfillin truck: Mivtza
bleachers on the side towards the Meanwhile, I am taking a spot tfillin near the Kosel, and people
bank, and it is a good spot. A few tour around the float displays and putting on tfillin in shul.
of Anash are walking around with writing a brief description of each Shmita truck: Cessation
walkietalkies, in order to keep one. of plowing and cessation of
things running smoothly, and in Shabbos truck: Divided planting.
general to know how to conduct into the six days of the week, Rashbi truck: A cave with
the parade. representations of workday Rashbi learning inside, and
It is now twenty minutes to activities, for Friday there is the a group of children around a
10. Buses are beginning to arrive baking of challos in honor of bonfire.
and are dropping off the children Shabbos, and for Shabbos there
Mattan Torah truck: Mount
on Brooklyn Avenue, where they are Jews learning.
Sinai and the Luchos, and the
are giving them signs to carry and Pesach truck: Display of Jews standing at the foot of the
a symbol of the parade for each searching for chametz, baking mountain.
child to wear on their clothing. matzos, and the Seder night.

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 lag bomer
As usual, Mincha is delayed when the Rebbe
goes to the Ohel. During Mincha, the Rebbes
face showed great seriousness, and it is hard to describe
how painful it is to see the Rebbe like that.
From Russia to 770 truck:
Jews studying Torah in a cellar
by candlelight in Siberia. Exodus
from Russia. And Jews studying
Torah openly in 770.
Unclear Message truck: What
the message is, what it is trying
to convey, I have no idea. But it
depicts a village farm of Jews,
with a vegetable garden and
home farming. There is also a
Billy goat, who is busy eating the
trees while waiting for the parade
to begin, and also a few real
chickens.
Brachos truck: The blessing
of Borei Pri Haadama and
children eating watermelon etc.
On a small trailer: On three
things the world stands. Image
of a Seifer Torah, with a siddur
Thillas Hashem and a sign that
reads on three things the world
stands.
770 mobile: A private car
of one of the Chassidim with a
model of 770 on the roof.
There are photographers
circulating among the trucks. I
managed to have a few pictures
taken along with one of the
guys from the kvutza who will
be returning, by the name of
Avrohom Kurant. I hope to see
the pictures [for our younger
readers: back then not everybody
had a camera and developing
and printing the photos took a
few days SZB]. Among the
crowd there are five policemen
riding on horses. I should also
point out that near the stage is
a smaller stage for the band that
was playing Chabad niggunim.
Afterward, the marching band
of Eli Lipsker arrived, kids
12 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 12
with drums and cymbals. A few
Tmimim were dressed up as
clowns to add to the joy, and they
entertained the children.
[What follows is a description
of reciting psukim at the are colorful and majestic, their
parade, three years before the
Rebbe went public with the 12
psukim SZB]: The emcee,
Rabbi Goldstein, instructed the
children to repeat after him word
for word, Modeh Ani, Torah to the park, where the children
Tziva, Shema Yisroel, and went from the parade. Meanwhile
Hashem hu HaElokim. It was a
special delight to hear thousands
of childish voices saying these
holy sayings.
They set loose five gasfilled
balloons, and they flew upward
until they disappeared from sight
[more than forty years ago, that
was a novelty, even for an older
bachur SZB], and there was a
police helicopter flying overhead.
Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda Hecht
was called up to speak, and he
began to lead the parade. The
actual march began at 11. A few
of the talmidim from kvutza led
the parade holding American
flags. At the head: Dovid Malka
[ah], after him Gershom,
Borovski, Scharf, Shabtai and a
few others. I wasnt with them
because I wanted to see and write
everything down.
As soon as the march began,
drops started to fall from the sky
and we were ready to give up, but
Boruch Hashem the rain stopped
quickly.
Behind the flag bearers,
went the marching band of Eli
Lipsker with their drums and
cymbals, and they were followed
by a group of children. After them
went the Shabbos truck, and it
continued alternating a truck, a
group of children, a truck and a
group of children, and here and
there were the clowns.
Marching in the parade were a
number of classes of nonJewish
children representing the city,
since for maintaining peaceful
relations it is not proper to
exclude them and it is necessary
to accept them. Their costumes
shoes and belts are white, and
they sang American marching
songs with drums and horns.
The march ended, and I
traveled with Chaim Reichman
some rain began to fall. We got
to the park and it is a large place
with a grassy area in the center,
and in the center of the grassy
area was a stage and seats all
around like in a stadium. First,
they distributed sandwiches to
all the children and guests, as we
hadnt eaten since the morning.
In the park, they held a raffle,
in which each child purchased a
ticket for a dollar and the prize
was a flight to the Holy Land.
The lucky winner was a boy of
seven, and the clowns lifted him
up on their shoulders. Afterward,
Rabbi Goldstein held him up for
everyone to see, and everybody
applauded him.
It is a shame that the Rebbe
was not there, and also that it
rained so the program ended
right away. Due to the rain we
only managed to have a few
pictures taken.
On that day, the Rebbe was
at the Ohel, so in the interim we
went to rest up a bit and write in
the room until Mincha. As usual,
Mincha is delayed when the
Rebbe goes to the Ohel. During
Mincha, the Rebbes face showed
great seriousness, and it is hard
2017-05-08 2:08:04 PM
 to describe how painful it is to
see the Rebbe like that.
THE REBBE PARTS WITH
THE DEPARTING KVUTZA
Monday, 19 Iyar
Today, the members of the
departing kvutza [in those years,
the year of kvutza began and
ended in Nissan] sent in a note
to the Rebbe, with a request for
a general yechidus, because they
would be leaving that night.
The Rebbe answered them in
brief, Tzeischem lshalom (go
in peace), and now is not the
time for yechidus kmefursam
(public knowledge). The Rebbe
underlined the word kmefursam
a few times. Obviously, they were
very disappointed, because all of
the prior kvutza groups to that
point had gone in for a general
yechidus on the eve of their
departure.
We davened Maariv at the
regular time, and after the
davening, the entire kvutza
entered Gan Eden HaTachton,
and I heard that this was as per
the instruction of R Chadakov.
The Rebbe entered Gan Eden
HaTachton, saw them and told
them to be involved in activities
in yeshiva, learning with others,
etc. Afterward, the Rebbe entered
his room, took out small Tanyas
and gave each one a Tanya. One
student was not present, and the
Rebbe inquired about him, but
for some reason he did not show
up. The Rebbe again mentioned
that now is not a suitable time,
and informed them that he would
come out soon to see them off.
We immediately went to grab
seats on the bus [in order to
accompany the departing kvutza
to the airport], and they began
to sing Ki Bsimcha Seitzeiu by heart the content of seven
and the Rebbe came out. We
practically did not see the Rebbe
1067_bm_eng.indd 13
at all since we were on the bus.
On the way we sang songs. We
were very happy, since we would
soon be returning to 770, but for
the departing kvutza, who knew
when they would return again? It
is no wonder that they were sad.
We parted from them in the
airport and returned to 770.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO
GIVE THE REBBE NACHAS
Wednesday, 21 Iyar
Today, there was a gathering
that was pushed off from
yesterday, for the students of the
kvutza. Being that the Rebbe is
in a very tense state, in order to
cause nachas for the Rebbe, the
students of Oholei Torah sent in
a note to the Rebbe with a list
of good resolutions, and we did
the same at the suggestion of R
Shlomo Zarchi. Similarly, we
accepted upon ourselves good
resolutions in the study of the
Rebbes sichos, to learn each
week the new weekly sicha that
was published, and also to study
his hand under the bima, and pull
maamarim and to be tested on
them by R Zarchi. We also took
upon ourselves to learn seven
chapters of Tanya. We also
committed to being particular
about sticking to the learning
schedule. It was decided also that
after Maariv, from 10 to 10:45,
each one should learn whatever
subject he wishes.
For now, there is an
experiment to learn the new
additional session in 770 (and not
in Chovevei Torah). Obviously,
the attendance of each bachur is
recorded, as this is being treated
like a regular study session of the
yeshiva.
Thursday, 22 Iyar
Today, something very
interesting transpired, from
which much can be learned. At
the conclusion of Mincha, the
Rebbe left the siddur at his place
(and did not take it with him as
he did every day), walked over
to the bima used for the Torah
reading, while everybody there
just watched the Rebbe without
knowing what was going on. I
stood very close to the bima and I
saw the Rebbe bend down, reach
out an empty cigarette pack.
Continued on page 4
Issue 1067 13
2017-05-08 2:08:04 PM
 FEATURE

A GUEST
AT THE
PARADE
It was breathtaking to see how the Rebbe did
not tire. He stood at the parade and showed a
warm fatherly concern to all as though to his
only child. When we passed by the Rebbe, my
wife got excited and waved both hands at the
Rebbe, as though blessing him with the priestly
blessing. The Rebbe smiled broadly at her,
stopped clapping and waved both his hands
like she had done. * Mr. Aryeh Monson excitedly
shares his impressions of the Lag BOmer
parade 5750.

By Nosson Avrohom

M
r. Aryeh Monson
experienced much
in his life. In his
younger years, he
enlisted in the Haganah and fought
in the ranks of the elite Palmach
brigade. As a young commander he
fought on various fronts. He was
part of the most famous battles of
that time, with the most famous
one being the opening of the famed
Burma road for the supply convoys
to besieged Yerushalayim. He saw
death before his eyes more than
once and was miraculously saved.
One time, we were sent
from Har HaTzofim, supplied
with new weapons that we had
gotten from Czechoslovakia.
The order was to search for
35 soldiers who had gone to
reinforce the besieged Gush
Etziyon bloc residents and had
not returned. We gathered at
Har Tor and from there we
went on seven armored vehicles
toward the Beit Jimal monastery,
which overlooks Gush Etziyon.
When we looked with binoculars
at the Gush, our hearts sank.

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 The valley was full of hundreds of
Arabs soldiers.
Despite being fewer in
number, we went to fight and
eliminated many terrorists, but
we also lost two men. One of
them, Moussa, stood near me
and at a certain point he asked me
for the scope. A few seconds later
he fell dead. While I tried to drag
him back, a black Sudanese Arab
soldier came charging opposite
me. He aimed his weapon at me
and I was sure my end would
be like that of my friend. One of
our soldiers who was lying near
us managed to preempt him and
shot him at pointblank range.
In later years he fought in all
of Israels wars. Once he retired,
he became a soughtafter speaker
who combined war stories with
messages about Jewish education
and returning to values of mutual
responsibility and compassion for
one another.
For many years he served in
senior positions in the Jerusalem
municipality and in the security
department. In his work, he met
with many highranking officials
and political leaders.
But the most powerful
experience in his life was his trip
to 770 for Lag BOmer 5750,
when he and his wife Ahuva,
along with another couple, joined
a group that was organized by
Rabbi Aharon Eliezer Ceitlin ah,
shliach in Tzfas.

CULTURE SHOCK
IN A POSITIVE WAY
After years of hard work, my
wife and I thought about traveling
abroad to rest up and revitalize
ourselves. Our oldest daughter,
Nechama Chaya Navon who
lives in Tzfas, heard about our
desire to go to New York. She
made a suggestion that we really
struggled with, but there isnt a

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 Feature
We did not yet understand, as we understand
today, that if the Rebbe says something, it has to
be. Indeed, this is what happened. For hours, the Rebbe
motioned encouragingly at the groups that passed by.
The sky was still dark with clouds but not one drop fell
until after the parade was over.
day that we dont thank her for it.
She told us about an
organized group from Tzfas that
was going to the Lubavitcher
Rebbe in New York. She
promised two weeks packed with
fabulous Jewish experiences.
We finally decided to do it
and joined the group which was
comprised of dozens of people.
We convinced another couple,
cousins of ours, and a mutual
friend, to join us.
Some time before this, we
had been exposed to Chabad
Chassidus in all its glory when
our daughter married a Chabad
Chassid and the wedding took
place in Kfar Chabad. Many
residents came to rejoice, and we
met special people with a unique
charm, committed to their faith
and pleasant in demeanor. We
figured this trip would give us the
opportunity to see the source of
the inspiration for the Chassidic
movement which is spoken about
so much.
The twoweek trip was
planned to coincide with Lag
BOmer. R Ceitlin himself
accompanied us as did Rabbi
Yigal Kaspi, the shliach in
Maalot. Mrs. Bashari and Mrs.
Rochel Kupchik led the women.
The wonderful atmosphere was
felt already within minutes of
takeoff. The excitement level
was so high that the Chassidim
and friends broke out in dance
over the privilege of going to the
Rebbe. At a certain point, the
16 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 16
stewardesses had to yell at them
to return to their seats.
As soon as we landed, we
were welcomed by Chassidim at
the airport with great warmth.
Transportation awaited us and
we were taken straight to 770
where we saw the Rebbe for the
first time.
The shul was packed. When
the Rebbe entered, the Chassidim
burst into song and cleared a path
for him. The singing intensified
as the Rebbe motioned with his
hands. For us it was a culture
shock, but in a positive sense. We
saw Chassidim standing on every
possible piece of wood, whether a
chair or table, just to be able to
see or hear the Rebbe, who spoke
in Yiddish.
A few hours after arriving
in Crown Heights, we were sent
to families according to a list
that had been prepared. The
hospitality was excellent. We
stayed with the Antian family
who spared no effort to make
our stay a pleasant one. One day,
Rami Antian ah, even took us to
his chemical factory which was in
a town near the Hudson River.
In the irreligious world,
where we come from, hosting
like this for someone you just
met, is rare. We were amazed
by the caring and by this broad
perspective that all the Jewish
people are one family and how
this is expressed in deeds and not
just words.
Within two weeks we had
become an integral part of the
landscape. We found ourselves
humming the same songs that
the Chassidim sang. The Rebbe
himself showed signs of closeness
to the members of the group.
Perhaps the Rebbe valued the
effort invested by the people in
Tzfas, Yerushalayim, Teveria,
and other parts of the country,
who left everything to travel
to see him. I dont know who
arranged it but they placed us,
the members of the group, in a
special spot that overlooked the
farbrengen table, so we did not
have to push. We could see every
move the Rebbe made.
STANDING
BEFORE THE REBBE
It was finally Sunday and
the Rebbe was giving out dollars
for tzdaka. I stood on line
with everyone else and noticed
something amazing. The people
waiting on line to receive a dollar
stood emotionally wrought,
tense and nervous. But as
soon as they got a dollar, they
relaxed and looked happy. The
glow of the tzaddik seemed to
have transferred to them. I had
prepared many requests before
I stood in front of the Rebbe.
The crowding was intense and
many people who had come
to spend Lag BOmer with the
Rebbe joined the usual number
of people who came on a typical
Sunday. It was really crowded.
We slowly moved forward
but at a certain point there was a
wave that pushed me forward.
In a moment, I found myself
standing in front of the Rebbe.
As I looked at the Rebbe, the
words stuck in my throat. You
become different than you were
a moment before and this feeling
is with me till today. The Rebbes
eyes, blue like the sea, and his
compassionate, loving gaze,
2017-05-08 2:08:05 PM
 mesmerized me. I stood there in
amazement and awe. Rather than
say everything I had prepared, I
just waited and watched, open
mouthed. I barely managed to get
out, in Yiddish, You should be
healthy. The Rebbe said, bracha
vhatzlacha, gave me a dollar,
and I found myself outside.
Those few moments will
be remembered till the day I
die. The feeling is absolutely
inexplicable. You enter a sort of
aura of holiness, an atmosphere
different than what you knew.
In those moments I promised
myself that at the end of the trip

I would write down everything
I felt, not because I am a
writer; on the contrary, Im far
from it, but because there is
nothing I experienced in my
life that compared to this, and
it was important to me to give
expression to such intensity.
I felt that the Rebbe was
bringing about a change in me.
All my life I had met celebrated
leaders whom the entire nation
bowed to. Deep down I did not
feel, towards any single one
them, any respect, aside from
the formal niceties that I had to
extend them because of their
job. With the Rebbe, I saw what
a different sort of leadership is.
He did not ask to be admired; his
personality caused people to do
so.
When I returned home,
I shared the experience with
friends and I mention it in
lectures that I give to those who
fought in the Haganah and who
were from the founders of this
country.
BLEAK WEATHER
FORECAST
Before we returned home, we
attended the special Lag BOmer
parade at the Rebbes court.
We excitedly got off the bus and ran to the
office. We rang the intercom and the secretary
opened the door. He gave us the Rebbes answer which
we read again and again. The Rebbe said that the couple
should be particular about kashrus and he blessed them
with children. When we arrived in Eretz Yisroel, we
quickly showed the letter to our son. A year later, after
nine years of marriage, their daughter was born, our
sweet granddaughter.
The streets were decorated with he began clapping.
flags and balloons. The stages That day, the forecast was
were decorated with the Twelve for pouring rain in New York.
Psukim and the Rebbe stood Black clouds began forming
on the central platform with the overhead but R Ceitlin told us
emcee of the event standing next that the organizers of the parade
to him. asked the Rebbe for a bracha
Children from the preschools that the parade not be canceled,
on up passed by in the parade and the Rebbe quoted, Rabbi
as they sang and rejoiced in Shimon can be relied upon in
honor of the holy Tanna, Rabbi an emergency. From this the
Shimon bar Yochai. It was most Chassidim understood there was
impressive to see the mothers nothing to worry about. The
with baby carriages holding girls truth is, we were pessimistic.
named Chaya Mushka for the How would we march in the
Rebbetzin ah. Behind them was pouring rain?
a large group of fathers with their We did not yet understand,
three yearolds in the traditional as we understand today, that
haircutting ceremony. The if the Rebbe says something, it
Rebbe kept on waving and when has to be. Indeed, this is what
our group passed by the Rebbe, happened. For hours, the Rebbe

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 Feature
Mr. Aryeh Monson standing on line for dollars from the Rebbe
motioned encouragingly at the
groups that passed by. Our group
was the last, after all the groups
and floats. The sky was still dark
with clouds but not one drop fell
until after the parade was over.
It was breathtaking to see
how the Rebbe did not tire, and
how he stood at the parade and
showed a warm fatherly concern
to all as though to his only child.
All that was needed was a hand
clap and a smile to satisfy the
crowd of Chassidim. When we
passed by the Rebbe, my wife got
excited and waved both hands
at the Rebbe as though blessing
him with the priestly blessing.
The Rebbe smiled broadly at
her, stopped clapping and waved
both his hands like she had done.
The Chassidim who watched this
exchange increased the intensity
of the clapping.
Later on, we saw a
photograph of this scene and
realized that one of the many
photographers there had taken a
picture and this is the story of the
photo, so everyone will know.
18 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 18
CALLED TO THE OFFICE
The cherry on top was on the
last day of our visit. Before our
flight, the organizers urged us to
prepare letters with requests for
the Rebbe. Each person wrote all
the brachos he needed, whether
for health, parnasa, shalom bayis,
etc. We asked for a bracha for
one of our children who was
married for eight years and did
not yet have children. They were
suffering and so were we.
Now that we were in the
Rebbes presence and they said
about him that his brachos are
fulfilled, this was at the top of
our list of requests. Furthermore,
someone told us that Lag BOmer
is an auspicious day to ask for
brachos of this nature. After we
wrote the letter, the organizers
of our group submitted all the
letters to the Rebbes secretariat.
The next day, we boarded
the bus that waited in front of
the beis midrash to take us back
to the airport. Yeshiva bachurim
stood around, celebrating and
dancing. Those who hosted us
so warmly and outstandingly also
came to say goodbye. Circles of
Chassidim formed near the buses
and there were hugs and kisses
as though we were their relatives
who came from Eretz Yisroel.
A bachur suddenly came on
the bus and announced that we
and another family were asked
to go to the secretaries office,
because there was an answer
from the Rebbe.
We excitedly got off the bus
and ran to the office. We rang
the intercom and the secretary
opened the door. We went
upstairs and entered his office.
He gave us the Rebbes answer
which we read again and again.
The Rebbe said that the couple
should be particular about
kashrus and he blessed them with
children.
When we arrived in Eretz
Yisroel, we quickly showed the
letter to our son. A year later,
their daughter was born, our
sweet granddaughter.
The day after she was born,
our son arranged with the gabbai
of the Chabad shul in Ramat
Gan to have an aliya and to give
his daughter a name. We went
to shul with him and set up
refreshments for the minyan. At
his aliya to the Torah he named
his daughter Adi Rivka. There
was no better place to name her
than a Chabad shul, in thanks to
the Rebbe for the miracle.
Since then, every year on Lag
BOmer, I remember that visit
and the results. I marvel yet again
about the Rebbes greatness and
the wonderful Chassidus that he
leads, a Chassidus that operates
under the banner of Ahavas
Yisroel and hastening the Geula.
If only on this Lag BOmer we
will see the Rebbe and celebrate
with him in Eretz Yisroel with the
true and complete Geula.
2017-05-08 2:08:05 PM
 HALACHA 2 GO
MAY WOMEN
DRINK FROM THE
WINE OF HAVDALA?
Selected Halachos from the
One Minute Halacha project
Mara Dasra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights
STATUS OF A
PRETOIVELED GIFT
I received a beautiful glass
platter piled with gourmet
chocolates as a Mishloach Manos
gift from a dear student (with a
note that she had toiveled it). Just
before Pesach, my family polished
off the last of the treats, and now
I would like to use the platter
for my Shabbos desserts. Does it
count that it was toiveled before
it was gifted to me, or must I re
toivel it?
The onus of tvillas keilim
(immersion of new dishes in
a mikva) is on the owner. If
someone purchases a dish and
toivels (immerses) it with the
intention of gifting it to another,
there is no requirement for teiva
at that time, and its questionable
whether the teiva is valid in
retrospect.
If the gift is being delivered
with food on itas with the
candy platter that the student
1067_bm_eng.indd 19
By HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Shlita,
gave the teacherit may have
required teiva first. But this
conclusion is not unanimously
accepted by poskim; some
argue that teiva is not effective
if performed before the end
user receives it, even if the gift
contained food. Ideally, the
recipient should toivel the dish
again without a bracha.*
The giver may gift the item
without toiveling it first. Taking
the stricter opinions into account,
the food should not rest directly
on the disha substantial
separation should be made
between the food and the dish,
rather than a ubiquitous paper
liner. However, even if the dish
is not covered in this manner,
it is still acceptable not to have
toiveled it before gifting it. This
is especially so in the above
example, since the dish was glass,
for which the obligation of teiva is
dRabbanan (of Rabbinic origin);
since the teiva requirement for a
foodbearing gift is in dispute,
there is room for leniency. The
recipient of the nontoiveled gift
should toivel it before using it.
In order to avoid these issues
altogether, it is possible for a
giver to pretoivel the gift
whether it is presented with or
without foodunder certain
conditions. (This would be
especially appropriate if there
is doubt whether a recipient
observes the mitzvah of tvillas
keilim.) The procedure is as
follows: The giver first makes
a kinyan(halachic transfer of
ownership) by handing the gift
to another person who acts as a
shliach (representative) of the
recipient and lifts it up on their
behalf. Once the kinyan has taken
place, it is as if the gift belongs to
the recipient, and the giver may
toivel it on their behalf.
*An empty metal food utensil
received as a gift must be toiveled
again, but without a bracha.
(Many are stringent to retoivel
even glass dishes.)
Issue 1041 19
2017-05-08 2:08:05 PM
 Feature

OF WOMEN AND WINE:
KIDDUSH VS. HAVDALA
It is considered mitzvah min
hamuvchar (an optimal level
of mitzvah performance) for all
participants to taste the Kiddush
wine. With regard to Havdala,
however, there is no mitzvah for
others to partake of the wine. In
fact, there are authorities who
caution against women drinking
the wine of Havdala. The
prevailing minhag (custom) is
that only the person reciting the
Havdala drinks, and neither men
nor women listeners sip the wine.
Several reasons have been
offered for the minhag of women
refraining from drinking Havdala
wine. One reason stems from
the halacha that a man may
not be yotzei from a womans
Havdala, and a man may not
recite Havdala for a woman
if he has already fulfilled his
obligation.* Some suggest that
the custom that men participants
dont drink the wine developed
from the restriction on women,
while others state that any and
all participants should abstain for
completely independent reasons.
There is no issue for a woman
who makes Havdala for herself
(and other women) to thereafter
drink the wine.
* There is a halachic dispute
whether women have a chiyuv
(halachic obligation) in the
mitzvah of Havdala. In order for
one person to make a bracha for
another, there must be at least
equal chiyuv.
MUST I PUBLICIZE THAT
FOOD WAS PURCHASED
WITH MAASER?
In the days of the Beis
HaMikdash, a host was obligated
to inform guests if serving them
food that was set aside for
maaser sheini (the second tithe
of produce that is separated
in the first, second, fourth
and fifth years of the Shmita
in Eretz Yisroel to be eaten in
Yerushalayim) or maaser ani
(tithe for the poor brought
in the alternate years of the
Shmita cycle), as stated in the
Mishna and the Tosefta. There
are various reasons enumerated
for this practice. Among them
are: Serving guests without
acknowledging that the food is
maaser appears as if the host is
utilizing maaser for their own
needsan uninformed guest
may even seek to compensate
the host for the meal in some
tangible way. Causing another
to consume maaser unknowingly
may constitute gneivas daas
(deception); an unknowing guest
may defile the holy food by eating
maaser sheini in a state of tuma
(ritual impurity).
When it comes to maaser
kesafim (the charitable tithe from
ones earnings)practiced today
in all localesmany authorities
do not consider it similar to
maaser sheini or maaser ani in
this respect. Additionally, many
of the conditions inherent in
maaser sheini are not relevant
to maaser kesafimincluding
constraints of time, place and
personal purityso many of
the reasons given to explain the
Mishnas admonition are not
applicable.
The issue of personal benefit
would apply if the giver extends
the monies in a prideful way
or with tangible reward, but a
general advantage of appreciation
would not be in this category.
It would therefore seem that
there is no halachic impediment
to such a practice. Indeed, it
is prevalent that tzdaka funds
are used for refreshments at
events held for the publics
benefit, such as seminars and
community affairsand there
is no need for it to be publicized
if money earmarked for maaser
was used. More so, it would be
inappropriate to advertise the
source of the funds as maaser
if it were to make wouldbe
participants uncomfortable and
hesitant to attend the function.
One Minute Halacha is a succinct
daily presentation on practical Halacha
in video, audio, and text formats, and can
be accessed by phone at 718.989.9599,
by email, halacha2go@gmail.com, or by
WhatsApp 347.456.5665.

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

20 16 Iyar 5777 sources about Moshiach & redemption" t"ab,wv grumnu ghrz, p"a
Radio Moshiach & Redemption
1620-1640 AM around Crown Heights & Boro Park
1067_bm_eng.indd 20 & 1710 AM in parts of Brooklyn 24/6 2017-05-08 2:08:06 PM
worldwide live broadcast: www.RadioMoshiach.org
Rabbi Jacob Schwei
 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
WHICH IS GREATER:
PESACH I OR
PESACH II?
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Dear Reader shyichyeh,
We are currently in the special
days of Sfiras HaOmer, the
counting of the Omer and are
quickly approaching the holy
Yom Tov of Lag BOmer. We are
not just counting the days that are
passing; rather we are working
to make every part of every day
count. This is described in the
words of the HaYom Yom (Rosh
Chodesh Iyar):
At a farbrengen during the
days of sfira (at some point
during in the years 5651
5653, 18911893) someone
said to my father, The Alter
Rebbes chassidim were always
keeping count. My father took
a great liking to the saying,
and he commented: That idea
characterizes mans avoda. The
hours must be counted hours,
then the days will be counted
days. When a day passes one
should know what he has
accomplished and what remains
yet to be done... In general,
one should always see to it that
tomorrow should be much better
than today.
Chassidus teaches us a deeper
perspective of Sfiras HaOmer, as
is explained in the HaYom Yom
(10 Iyar): At the festive meal
on the second day of Shavuot
5621 (1861), the Tzemach
1067_bm_eng.indd 21
Tzedek related as follows: At
the festive meal on the second
day of Shavuot 5555 (1795) my
grandfather (the Alter Rebbe)
said: At the festive meal on the
second day of Shavuot 5528
(1768) my saintly master and
teacher (the Maggid of Mezritch)
said:
You shall count for
yourselves, usfartem lachem.
The word usfartem has the root
of sapirut, meaning brilliance and
brightness. Usfartem lachem,
your lachem, selves, must be
bright.
The Tzemach Tzedek
continued his narrative: My
grandfather (the Alter Rebbe)
then leaned his head on his hands
and sang the Niggun of Four
Stanzas with profound dveikus.
Afterward he raised his head and
said in a questioning tone: And
with what does one brighten the
lachem? and without a pause he
continued in a tone of response,
With the seven complete weeks
(more literally, ...seven...
Shabbasos), that is, through
refining ones seven emotion
traits, each trait in turn to be
subincorporated with all seven.
The seven attributes themselves
are to become seven Shabbasos,
Shabbos needing no refinement.
With this understanding of the
word Sfira meaning shining,
the Frierdike Rebbe (Seifer
HaSichos 5704 page 88) explains
a seemingly perplexing part of the
Hagada shel Pesach. The Hagada
quotes: It happened that Rabbi
Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi
Elazar ben Azaryah, Rabbi Akiva
and Rabbi Tarfon were reclining
[at a seder] in Bnei Brak. They
were discussing the Exodus from
Egypt all that night, until their
students came and told them:
Our Masters! The time has come
for reciting the morning Shma!
It is seemingly unfitting of the
students to interrupt and interfere
with the service and Seder of
their teachers! But based on the
above, it can be understood.
The teachers were fulfilling the
commandment of
. The literal meaning of the
story is that they were retelling
the story of the Exodus. If,
however, we translate the word
as shining (with the same
deeper meaning of the words
) , it is all understood.
The teachers were trying and
accomplishing that through
their own service and by being
totally involved in the retelling
of the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim
by the Seder, they would bring
the light of the Exodus to their
students. After a whole night of
this intense service of Hashem,
the students told them, Our
Issue 1041 21
2017-05-08 2:08:06 PM
 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
Masters! The time has come for
reciting the morning Shma! You
have succeeded in bringing us to
the point that we see the light of
Shma ( ) as well. ourselves, we can finally cleanse
Realizing that Sfiras
HaOmer is not just a mitzva of
counting, rather a continuous
journey of selfrefinement
from Pesach through Shavuos,
we can understand the way
Chassidus views the Yom Tov of
Pesach Sheini. At first glance,
this day, when during the time
of Mishkan/Mikdash, those
that were impure or far away by
the first Pesach had a chance to
bring their Korban Pesach, has
no real relevance to us today in
exile, as we are not bringing any
korbanos.
The Rebbe (HaYom Yom
Pesach Sheini) teaches us: The
theme of Pesach Sheini is that
it is never too late. It is always
possible to make things right.
Even if one was tamei (ritually
impure), or one was far away,
and even in a case of lachem,
when this (impurity etc.) was
deliberate, nonetheless he can
correct it.
In a famous Maamer (Seifer
HaMaamarim Meluket Vol. 3
LHavin Inyan Pesach Sheini)
the Rebbe explains the deeper
meaning of the Yom Tov of
Pesach Sheini on a whole new
level, based on a Maamer of the
Tzemach Tzedek
The Yom Tov is not only for
sinners; rather, it is a unique
opportunity for a second
and higher jump the literal
translation of Pesach Sheini
for all those who are serving
Hashem.
What is the special Avoda
and Koach that comes from the
Yom Tov of Pesach Sheini? It is
the Avoda of Hishapcha, turning
over our Nefesh Habahamis.
While on Pesach Rishon the
22 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 22
Yidden had to run away from
Mitzrayim for they were still sunk
in the impurity, on Pesach Sheini,
after a whole month of purifying
have the same numerical
ourselves of the impurity.
One of the most special and
shining days of Sfiras HaOmer
is Lag BOmer, the 33rd of the
Omer. On that day, the Yahrtzait
of Rashbi, the tremendous lights
of refinement are drawn into the
world. It is connected with the
Pasuk homiletical understanding that
May my eyes be revealed and
see the wonders of the Torah
of Hashem. It is through the
revelation of Pnimius HaTorah
that we can refine ourselves and
prepare ourselves for Mattan
Torah.
The days of Sfira are the
bridge between the Yom Tov
of Pesach and the Yom Tov of
Shavuos. While we connected
the word to the Yom Tov of everything comes from and is
Pesach () , the word here to reveal Gdliness. Thus,
is connected to Shavuos. The
Gemara (Psachim 68b) tells us:
Rabbi Elazar said, All
authorities concede that on
Atzeres Shavuot we
require also an assembly for you
(everyone should eat). What is
the reason? It is the day on which
the Torah was given. (Psachim
68b) By feasting on Shavuot one
demonstrates that he
rejoices upon having
received the Torah.
(Rashi)
On the second
night of Shavuos 5751,
after the Chassidim
returned for Tahalucha,
the Rebbe delivered a
short sicha in which he
connected the above
mentioned Gemara
with the Geula.
The Rebbe quoted
a gematria from
a Poilishe Seifer
(Maamer Mordechai on
Meseches Psachim, written by
the Tzaddik HaRav Mordechai
from Nadvorna), that the words
value as the word ( meaning,
end of Galus and beginning of
Geula).
The Rebbe explains the
connection between the literal
translation of the Gemara,
that is teaching us that
we need to eat a meal, and this
implies (see footnote 15
of that sicha), that all agree that
we need the Geula. In the time
of Galus there is the incorrect
perspective that eating
representing the physical world
is a contradiction to spirituality.
The whole point of the giving
of the Torah was to break that
conceived barrier and to reveal
the truth in the world: that
we have a special Mitzva of
having a festive meal on Shavuos,
when we celebrate the giving
of the Torah, to show this very
point.
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva
of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a
well sought after speaker and lecturer.
Recordings of his indepth shiurim
on Inyanei Geula uMoshiach can be
accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com
2017-05-08 2:08:06 PM
 MOSHIACH & GEULA

WHO IS MOSHIACH
THE KING?
Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Tzemach is his name. Rebbi Yudan
son of Rebbi Aibu said: Menachem is his name. Said Chanina son of
Rebbi Abahu: They do not argue, for the numerical value of each is
the same he is Tzemach; he is Menachem. * From Chapter Fifteen
of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros, Volume 2. (Underlined
text is the compilers emphasis.)

The Rabbis said: Who is Moshiach the King? If he
is among the living, his name is Dovid, and if he is
among those already deceased, then he is Dovid.(If
he is among the living: If he is among the living, his
name will be Dovid, and if he is among the deceased, it
will be Dovid himself. Pnei Moshe)
Rebbi Tanchuma said: The reason [why Moshiachs
name must be Dovid is as it is said] And He does
kindness to His anointed, to Dovid. (To His
anointed, to Dovid: Dovid is eternally His anointed.
Pnei Moshe)
Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Tzemach is his name.
Rebbi Yudan son of Rebbi Aibu said: Menachem is
his name. Said Chanina son of Rebbi Abahu: They do
not argue, for the numerical value of each is the same
he is Tzemach; he is Menachem. (He is Tzemach;
he is Menachem: They are both equal according to
Gematria. Pnei Moshe)
(Talmud Yerushalmi, Brachos 17)

Continued from page 29
The rabbi was surprised by
the seemingly bizarre request,
wondering what exactly a kashrus
supervisor could be doing each
morning. The owner then told him
that before R Shlomo would start
his busy day at work, he would put
on tfillin with about 150 passersby.
When the rabbi of the city heard
that, he decided to leave R Shlomo
at his post, saying, Nu, am I going
to close down a branch of the
Chabad House? Ill find a different
mashgiach for the other place.
WONDROUS DEPARTURE
R Shlomo seemed to be
functioning at full strength, working
hard to make a living, keeping his
regular shiurim and involved with
many acts of kindness, far from
prying eyes. Only a few weeks
ago, the dreaded disease was
discovered and after just two weeks,
he passed away. Before his passing,
his family gathered together to part
from him. They describe a mind
blowing intensely emotional scene.
It was the night before he
passed away, at around 2 a.m., and
he was in extremely high spirits. He
said to his children, Say lchaim,
disconnect the machines from me,
it is a chasuna (wedding) now.
And he began to loudly sing, Atem
shalom uveischem shalom. His
voice could be heard out in the
corridor of the hospital, when only
days before he could barely speak,
and so he continued to sing until he
drifted off.
The next morning, Wednesday
4 Shevat, they put tfillin on him
and said Shema Yisroel and Vidui
with him, while he was fully alert.
Then they began to sing all of the
niggunim of the Chabad Rebbeim,
at the conclusion of which he
returned his soul to his Maker.
R Shlomo Vishedsky left
behind a beautiful Chassidic
family, including his wife Rishe
and sons and daughters: Mrs.
Chana Sudakevitz, Tokyo, Japan;
R Yehoshua Vishedsky, Donietsk
Kiev, Ukraine; R Mendel
Vishedsky, Brussels, Belgium;
R Pini Vishedsky, Nachalat Har
Chabad; R Zalman Vishedsky,
Kfar Chabad; R Shmuel Vishedsky,
Kobe, Japan; Mrs. Chashi Offen,
Kfar Chabad; Moshe Vishedsky.

Issue 1067 23

1067_bm_eng.indd 23 2017-05-08 2:08:07 PM

 OBITUARY

T
here were tears in his eyes and his
voice choked up, but he continued Rabbi Shlomo Vishedsky
speaking nonetheless, though
ah was born with a twin
not before ascertaining that his
grandchildren, whom he had just hugged sister while their father, the
and kissed, were far enough away so they
mashpia R Moshe, was being
wouldnt see their grandfather broken up over
the lost years. interrogated by the KGB for
This was an interview I did a year ago his role in the smuggling of
with R Shlomo Vishedsky ah. He spent
a long time telling me about his family in Chassidim out of Russia. *
Russia under communist rule for a book I R Shlomo was born into a
was writing about his father, the mashpia,
R Moshe Vishedsky ah. life of mesirus nefesh which
The following article about R Shlomo accompanied him all his life.
contains information from that interview
as well as memories from the family which
* R Shlomo was a man of
were related during the Shiva. chesed who did mivtzaim
every day despite the burden
BOND WITH RABBI SCHNEERSON
of making a living. * Memories
R Shlomo Vishedskys life story
begins with a sad drama, when he and his that he related to me, along
twin sister were born on 21 Shevat 5710. with stories that the family
They were born in Chernovitz while their
father, R Moshe, was being interrogated told during the Shiva.
in prison, far from home. A few months
earlier he had been arrested and charged By Shneur Zalman Berger
with being a member of an organization
of Chassidim who operated under orders
from Rabbi Schneersohn. He was also
accused of participating in smuggling
people associated with Schneersohn over
the border.
The birth of twins is no simple matter,
but despite the tremendous emotional
difficulty, their birth went peacefully and
the babies were fine. But their mother
Chasyas health was another matter. After
returning home with her babies, she had
a hard time functioning because of her
difficult situation. The one who took care
of the babies was the twins brother, R
Bentzion (now the menahel of the Yiddish
Cheder in Kfar Chabad):
I gave them bottles and changed their
diapers, even though I was just a little
boy. My mother was in terrible shape. I
remember that neighbors came to the house
and considered taking the twins because
it seemed to them that my mother would
soon not be among the living.
Hundreds of kilometers away, her

24 16 Iyar 5777

1067_bm_eng.indd 24 2017-05-08 2:08:08 PM

 THE BOY
WHO WAS
BORN A
VERITABLE
ORPHAN

Issue 1067 25

1067_bm_eng.indd 25 2017-05-08 2:08:10 PM

 Obituary
husband was being tortured.
They also threatened him that
if he did not accede to their
demands, they would arrest
his wife. R Moshe knew they
could carry out their threat.
He imagined how difficult the
situation at home must be and
how much worse it would get if
she was arrested. His heart was
torn, but he decided that it was
better to go with mesirus nefesh
and not inform on anyone.
Chasyas condition
deteriorated until she was
hospitalized with a severe case
of pneumonia while ten year old
Bentzion supervised his siblings
and was in touch with the
doctors.
The KGB went to their house
and after finding out that Chasya
was hospitalized, they went to the
hospital and mercilessly asked
the doctor in charge whether
she could be arrested and taken
to Kiev. The doctor said she had
high fever and pneumonia and
she would not survive the long
trip from Chernovitz to Kiev.
Mrs. Vishedsky heard about this
only after her condition improved
somewhat, when the doctor
informed her in secret. You dont
need much of an imagination to
know what would have happened
if she would have been arrested
after childbirth. And yet, after she
was released from the hospital,
the KGB went to her home and
interrogated her for a long time.
THE CHILD DEVELOPS
The bris took place two and
a half months late, both because
of the mothers hospitalization
and because of the great danger
that hovered over the family and
whoever had contact with them.
R Moshe Kolyakov, one of the
Jewish askanim in Chernovitz,
brought a mohel and ten men to
the house, bottles of vodka and
26 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 26
herring, and the bris took place.
R Shlomo related:
At that time, as my father
was being interrogated and we
waited for his trial, our home
was under constant surveillance,
so that friends of the family in
general and Chabad Chassidim in
particular were afraid to pass our
street. R Yona Lebenharz told me
that although the street served as
a cross way to another street, he
and all his friends avoided it in
fear that they would be suspected
of wanting to convey a message
to the family. Those who helped
the family were not Lubavitcher
Chassidim but a few good Jews.
For Lubavitchers, it was too great
a danger.
Despite the enormous
danger, my mother decided that
we must have a bris. Of course it
was all done secretly and cleverly.
A few Jews came to our house the
night before the bris, while the
rest arrived in the morning. The
sandak was R Moshe Kolyakov,
a Boyaner Chassid who lived
in Chernovitz. The mohel was
Velvel the shochet; that is what he
was called. I dont remember his
last name.
I remember that after my
father was released, we once went
home from shul accompanied by
R Velvel the shochet. When we
reached the house, the mohel
said, We did the bris for this boy
here, and as a result, I suffered
greatly, though he did not offer
specifics.
They told me that in the minutes]. From the train alighted
letters that my father sent from
prison, he did not ask about
a bris, but at a certain point
he asked, How is the boy
developing? They knew what he
meant and said I was developing
nicely and they included the
names of my sister and me, thus
hinting that the bris had occurred
and all was well.
When we were a bit older,
they told me and my twin sister
that my father had gone on a
business trip to Moscow. We had
never seen pictures of him and
had no idea what he looked like.
I grew up knowing that my father
was far away and someday he
would hopefully return.
After an imprisonment replete
with suffering and torture, R
Moshe was exiled to a labor
camp in distant Kazakhstan.
His wife continued running a
Chassidic home in Chernovitz, as
R Shlomo went on to tell:
My mother was a true
eishes chayil (woman of valor),
and without my father she ran
the house and took care of
us physically and spiritually,
despite all the hardships. There
were certain areas in which my
brother, Bentzion, served as a
father. Since I can remember,
my brother made Kiddush
on Shabbos and he ran the
Pesach seder. With my mothers
encouragement, he took me on
Shabbos to daven at the secret
minyanim.
At the end of years of
suffering and isolation, R Moshe
returned from exile and finally
could see his twin children who
had been born six year earlier.
The excitement was
tremendous, remembered R
Shlomo. We traveled to the train
station to welcome him [at this
point, R Shlomo got all choked
up and couldnt speak for several
a Jew with a beard and they told
me this is my father. The truth is,
I did not know my father had a
beard. My father was very weak
and his face was bronzed after
working for hours in the sun.
Until today, I can remember
the first time my father taught me
the alefbeis. It was the day after
he came home, when he needed a
2017-05-08 2:08:10 PM
 long rest. The excitement in the
house was tremendous. Despite
all he had gone through, the very
next morning, my father sat me
next to him, opened a siddur
which had the alefbeis, and
began teaching me. Until today
I am moved to think how much
spiritual fortitude was needed
after years in which he did not see
the family and barely knew what
was happening to them. After
going through such physical,
psychological and emotional
torture, the mind, heart and body
do not function normally, but his
priority was his childrens Torah
study, so he got right to work.
My father continued to teach
me. There were also times that
a melamed came and taught me
and other children. My mother
served as the lookout to make
sure the children entered without
being exposed to prying eyes.
THE FALL
Life under communist
oppression was complicated and
very difficult. Observing Shabbos
posed additional complicated
challenges. There was a time
when R Shlomo had to attend
Russian school. Of course, he
did everything possible so as not
to go on Shabbos, but one time
there was an important national
exam given on Shabbos. Shlomo
was warned by the school that he
could not be absent that Shabbos,
no matter what.
Having no choice, that
Shabbos he went to school
accompanied by his mother. The
entire way he wracked his brains
to come up with a plan to avoid
desecrating Shabbos. While on
their way, they met R Moshe
returning from shul together
with R Mendel Futerfas. R
Moshe said in passing to his wife,
Chasya, see what you can do.
1067_bm_eng.indd 27
Standing, from right to left: R Yona Lebenharz, R Shlomo Vishedsky, and R Roitblatt
R Mendel added, We do not
desecrate Shabbos.
While mother and son were
approaching the school, they
came to a hill filled with puddles
and mud from the snow that had
started to melt. Shlomo suddenly
felt himself losing his balance
and he fell into the mud. His
mother pulled him out and there
he stood, muddied from head
to foot. It was only later that he
realized it was something his
mother had done on purpose.
Mrs. Vishedsky and her son
walked into the school. The
assistant principal standing there
was taken aback by the sight of
the muddy child. Mrs. Vishedsky
explained that her son had fallen
into the mud, but she could not
take him back home to change
because there was a national
exam. The agitated woman
expressed her concern that the
boy would catch pneumonia
and it wasnt at all acceptable
to walk into school like this, but
Mrs. Vishedsky played dumb and
began to hurry to catch the
exam. Then the woman said that
she would arrange another day
for Shlomo to take the test.
Mother and son were thrilled
as they hurried home. When they
walked into the house, his father
and R Mendel Futerfas faces lit
up and they showered her with
many blessings. When they asked
her where she got such a clever
idea from, she said, When I
was a girl, we heard that the
Rebbe Rayatz planned on leaving
Russia. Before leaving, there was
going to be a final farbrengen on
Simchas Torah in Leningrad. My
grandfather, R Bentzion, told
my father in a telegram that he
ordered him with the mitzva of
honoring a father to attend this
farbrengen, so my father went.
Upon returning home,
my father was very excited,
and although he did not hear
the sichos because of the
great crowding, one sight was
engraved in his mind. He got
up on the table while holding a
Chumash and began dancing
with great intensity without a
break for many hours until he
finished and said, That is how
the Rebbe Rayatz danced on
Simchas Torah with a Torah,
and at the end of the dancing he
said, One needs to be literally
moser nefesh [not to attend] the
communist schools. From this
Issue 1067 27
2017-05-08 2:08:10 PM
 Obituary
R Shlomo Vishedsky at kos shel bracha
story I derived the strength now,
to prevent the desecration of
Shabbos.
AN EVERLASTING EDIFICE
There is not enough paper
to fully record the life story of
mesirus nefesh of R Shlomo
Vishedsky, a story that continued
until he turned 16, which is when
the family left Russia with the
Rebbes blessing. They arrived in
Eretz Yisroel on 9 Kislev 5726.
Learning with mesirus nefesh
in Chernovitz helped R Shlomo
acclimate to Yeshivas Tomchei
Tmimim in Kfar Chabad.
Already then, he was recognized
as a genuine Chassid who was
particular in his adherence to the
ways and practices of Chassidus.
Once, when he was a bachur,
he went to a dentist who rented
a room in the home of the
Chassid R Simcha Gorodetzky,
a distinguished Chassid. When
R Simcha saw him, he looked
in wonder at the cuff links that
adorned his shirtsleeves and
28 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 28
he told R Shlomo, One time,
the wealthy Chassid, R Meir
Simcha Chein had yechidus
with the Rebbe Rayatz. R Meir
Simcha wore a large straw hat
which was considered a modern,
expensive item. The Rebbe told
him, Under the straw roof lives
a gentile farmer. What he meant
was, in Russian villages, the
simple peasants lived in small
houses with straw roofs. R
Simcha continued, You are a
Tamim in Tomchei Tmimim, so
why do you have cuff links on
your shirt?
It was actually an old shirt
which was sewn with cuffs to
begin with, but R Shlomo was
not the type to look for excuses.
As soon as he got home he asked
his mother to remove the cuffs
and to sew buttons on instead.
After that, he was not willing to
wear a shirt with cuff links.
After two years of learning in
Kfar Chabad, he traveled to the
Rebbe to learn in 770. This was
in 5729. For the next eighteen
years he learned and lived in
Crown Heights.
R Shlomo was not the type to
tell stories about himself, except
when it was something that he
considered important. Still,
recalls his son R Zalman, My
father would sometimes recount
a moment in yechidus in which
he asked something for himself
or his parents, and whenever he
would do so tears would spill
from his eyes. My father could
not bring himself to ask many
questions in yechidus, and he
would ask for a bracha for his
parents only when they asked
him to do so.
In a yechidus that he was
granted in honor of his upcoming
birthday, he wrote to the Rebbe
about his work as a counselor in
yeshiva, and the Rebbe responded
to his questions. Suddenly,
the Rebbe asked him, What
is doing in connection with a
shidduch? R Shlomo shrugged
his shoulders in confusion, and
that is when the Rebbe instructed
him to get involved in finding a
shidduch.
A while later, he became
engaged to his cousin, Rishe
Raskin. Before their wedding, he
received a most unusual bracha
from the Rebbe. This was when
he went into yechidus a short
time before his wedding. The
Rebbe blessed him, That you
should have, together with your
kalla who is your match and the
one that was designated for you,
a luminous and warm home, and
it should be luminous and warm
by you and warm and luminous
by others.
Despite this, R Shlomo
was pained that he had not
received the traditional blessing
for chassanim and kallos, i.e.,
binyan adei ad (an everlasting
edifice). He was broken over
this and completely distraught.
When it was the Shabbos before
2017-05-08 2:08:11 PM
 At the center, a few weeks before he fell ill
the wedding, his brother Sholom
Dovber suggested that he say the
entire Thillim before Shacharis,
in supplication to Hashem that
he receive the traditional bracha.
During the farbrengen that
took place after davening, the
practice then was that chassanim
getting married that week would
go up to the Rebbe with a bottle of
mashke. R Shlomo went up with a
bottle and the Rebbe poured from
his becher into the bottle and then
back again. And then, unlike the
usual practice, the Rebbe poured
some mashke for R Shlomo from
his becher. The Rebbe continued
to hold the bottle, looked into
his open Chumash and then with
closed eyes said, It should be a
binyan adei ad. A heavy weight
was lifted from R Shlomos heart
when he received the hoped for
bracha.
MAN OF KINDNESS
AND GIVING
The young couple settled in
Crown Heights, and in the years
that followed, R Shlomo, along
with his brother R Michel, ran a
shoe store on Kingston Avenue.
Together, they pleasantly and
generously served the residents
of Crown Heights.
About thirty years ago, the
1067_bm_eng.indd 29
two brothers moved to Eretz
Yisroel, and thus began a new
chapter in which R Shlomo
worked hard to provide for his
family, in the fields of chinuch
and kashrus.
R Shlomo was the type of
person who avoided making
a commotion. His family and
friends tell of a modest man,
who whatever he did he kept to
himself, without telling the world.
However, during the Shiva, the
family was kind enough to share
some of his amazing acts of
kindness:
Collectors who would come
to Kfar Chabad to collect money
knew they could stop off at his
home to take a break. They
would eat and drink something
and even take a nap and then
set off to continue their rounds.
On numerous occasions before
Pesach, R Yaakov Katz, the rosh
yeshiva of Tomchei Tmimim,
would send a few boys who had
no family in Eretz Yisroel to our
house, and they would be hosted
for the entire holiday.
Aside from that, he would
often lend money to those in
need and to those who asked for
his help, and they were many.
During the years that he lived
in Kfar Chabad, he lent out
large sums of money. Whatever
On Mivtza T'fillin
he had he would lend out, and
when he didnt have he would
take out personal loans on his
own account and then lend that
money to others. There were
even times that the person had
not paid back the first loan and
needed an additional loan. R
Shlomo would not hesitate to
provide the additional loan.
His brother R Michel
recounts: My brother R Shlomo
was a very modest person who
didnt wish to talk about his
actions. Despite that, I can testify
about him that he was always
thinking about how to help
others. He always had an inner
smile and that is why people loved
him. He helped many people
and gave away so much without
calling attention to himself.
For a period of time he
worked as a kashrus supervisor
in the Nes Tziyona area, under
the auspices of the citys rabbi,
R Avraham Tzuriel. Once R
Tzuriel wanted to transfer him
from one restaurant under his
supervision to another place.
The owner of the restaurant
hurriedly contacted the rabbi and
requested that before he transfer
the mashgiach it was worthwhile
to come and see what he does
each morning.
Continued on page 23
Issue 1067 29
2017-05-08 2:08:12 PM
 PROFILE

LIVING THE
CONNECTED

LIFE
A year after Ami and Avital Baram married, Ami
began taking an interest in Judaism. Avital found
herself dealing with a new Boss in the house
Hashem Himself! * Avital shares her journey with
us, until founding the organizations, Hitkashrut
Zugit, and Hitkashrut Chavaya Yehudit, as
per the teachings of the Rebbe, for the broader
public.

By Hadar Mizrachi

PERSONAL CONFLICT home apart. create a connection and build our

A year after Ami and Avital
Baram married, Ami began the
teshuva process. For Avital, This
was no simple thing. Suddenly
there was the sense that Hashem
is running things and He, instead
of me, decides the rules. I found
myself dreading my husbands
becoming religious.
Did you consider divorce?
From the beginning, we
wanted to build. I wanted to give
it a chance and not break our
We lived like that, as a mixed
couple, for seven years, in the
course of which my husband
became a Chabadnik. Our
daughter went to the Chabad
preschool and we met other
families that were like ours.
At some point, we created a
workshop with the psychologist
Esther Meizlish of Kfar Chabad,
who gave us the tools to manage
family life. And from this space
we were able to grow.
From our personal desire to
home, the Hitkashrut Zugit
(Bonding Couples) workshops
were born.
We realized that many families
needed the knowledge we had
gained, so we began holding
workshops for the public. The
workshops developed over the
years. Today we help hundreds
of families like these and teach
that it is not necessary to break
up the home. With motivation
and creativity, it is possible to
preserve the family. You can carry

30 16 Iyar 5777

1067_bm_eng.indd 30 2017-05-08 2:08:14 PM

 on like this too, with respect and
love. We have similar workshops
for parents of children who
became baalei teshuva and for
those whose children have gone
off the derech rl.
What caused you to become
religious?
As soon as there was a good
atmosphere in the home, without
coercion and without tension, I
had the ability to examine things
at my own pace. When the threats
and coercion toned down, I felt
1067_bm_eng.indd 31
confident to see whether this was
for me. And in fact, I tried it and
saw that it was good and began
my own teshuva journey.
PURE FOCUS ON MARRIAGE
Do you try to make baalei
teshuva with your workshops?
Not at all. People in crisis
come to us. If couples feel our
goal is to make them religious, I
lose their trust. The first thing we
do is remove this threat. Our goal
is to restore peace in the home.
The Torah is in favor of shalom
bayis even if one spouse is not
observing Torah and mitzvos like
the other spouse. It says that for
the sake of shalom bayis, Hashem
is even willing to have His name
erased. So to us, the main thing
is to preserve the marriage, to
give people the tools to run a
healthy home, to raise a healthy
family. In general, Judaism
is about building a home, an
everlasting edifice. When the
two sides understand that this is
the main thing, the battles cease
Issue 1067 31
2017-05-08 2:08:18 PM
 PROFILE
One of our main challenges is how to mediate
for the children the existence of two worlds that
are not in conflict. Children can live with the differences
but they cant live with a fight between parents where
they must take a stand.
and together, they start building
a path to understanding and
cooperation.
As for doing teshuva, I know
from experience that only when
a person is not in a threatening
environment can he choose the
direction that suits him. You
cannot force someone to do
teshuva. One of the participants
at a workshop said to me, If
only I could do teshuva. It
has to happen to a person; the
inspiration needs to happen
willingly, not be forced.
What sorts of conflicts do
people bring to the workshops?
Often, when a person is first
becoming a baal teshuva, they
are flying. In such a situation, the
standing of the spouse becomes
weakened and he or she feels
betrayed. Many baalei teshuva
become extreme out of fear or
due to ignorance. Sometimes
they are particular about
chumros without considering the
environment. Problems also arise
with the extended family. They
dont eat with the family or they
cut off ties. But there really is no
need for that because solutions
can be found.
There are instances where
a spouse adopts a new practice
without explaining it and as a
result, the opposing side has no
ability nor desire to understand
it. Very often, each of the spouses
digs in to his and her position
without trying to reach common
ground.
We had a couple come to
us where the woman refused
32 16 Iyar 5777
1067_bm_eng.indd 32
to kasher the kitchen, so the
husband ate cold food on
disposable plates for five years.
Obviously, this fight did not serve
the couple nor the children. We
taught them that it is possible to
become more religious in a much
more balanced fashion from both
sides.
How are conflicts resolved at
a workshop?
The workshop is actually a
course that lasts four months.
During this time, people go
through a process which enables
them to dismantle things
and rebuild from a balanced
place. The workshops have
professionals running them; a
psychologist, a communications
consultant, and Rabbi
Nachmanson who finds common
ground between couples from a
halachic perspective.
Rabbi Nachmanson has
saved many marriages with
piskei halacha that enabled
couples to preserve the family
unit. By the way, it wasnt easy
to find professionals who would
understand the complexities of
this kind of situation. Often,
baalei teshuva are in touch
with rabbis who, unfortunately,
encourage them to remain
strong without understanding
the consequences on the
marriage. We have also heard
of cases where, due to lack of
understanding, they threatened
the woman that if she doesnt
follow her husband, it will lead to
a divorce.
We use many examples
and guidelines from the Rebbe
on the topic of shalom bayis.
There is a letter from the Rebbe
which explains how much a
proper family life impacts all
other aspects of a persons
life, including health, and for
generations to come. In general,
the Rebbes approach allows
people to find where they
belong at the place where they
are, without being judgmental
and with understanding every
individuals needs. Many couples
who come to us feel comfortable,
for this reason, sending their
children to Chabad schools, and
it is definitely a solution that
saves children and the whole
house. We teach people the basic
principles of Ahavas Yisroel.
There is a story we always
tell in our workshops of a
woman who wanted to move
to Yerushalayim, to daven at
the Kosel and eat kosher. Her
husband was a businessman
in Thailand and what can I tell
you The licentiousness and
abundance of nonkosher food
She went to the Rebbe and
he told her to go to Thailand
with her husband instead of to
the Kosel. In general, those who
come to us and see the picture
of the Rebbe realize they have
come to a Chabad House. Some
are turned off at first, but the
intimidation quickly recedes.
At the workshops, we first
work on neutralizing the conflict,
the coercion and intimidation,
and teach how to respect one
another and operate effectively.
We help couples develop choices
that fit their home and help
them move forward. Together
we examine what can be done
to achieve more balance. For
example, there was a husband
who became a baal teshuva when
his children were older, and every
2017-05-08 2:08:18 PM
 Friday night after kiddush, the
children and wife would laugh
before the HaMotzi blessing.
They were laughing about the
strange practice of remaining
silent before cutting the challah.
The husbands feelings of
isolation were raised in the
workshop. The wife got to
understand where her husband
was at and decided that she
wants to stand by him and
support him, even though
she did not identify with the
importance of what he did. This
new desire was engendered as a
result of her thinking about the
situation, which led her to a new
understanding. Her opposition
melted and when the children
saw their parents unified, the
atmosphere in the home soon
became a healthy one.
This is how every family
chooses solutions that are right
for them. We dont dictate, but
teach the family how not to create
a conflict in which each is trying
to achieve victory at the expense
of the other and of course not
at the expense of the children.
One of our main challenges is
how to mediate for the children
the existence of two worlds that
are not in conflict. Children can
live with the differences but they
cant live with a fight where they
must take a stand. So we are
constantly looking for points of
agreement.
Boruch Hashem, we have
a high success rate. There
are many graduate families,
people who completed the
course who learned from their
experiences. Over the years, an
active community has formed
of couples and families who
spend Shabbasos and holidays
together. We have programming
throughout the year which helps
people feel comfortable in the
place where they are at, for each
1067_bm_eng.indd 33
of the two sides.
Is it the irreligious spouse
who takes the initiative to attend
the workshop?
Not necessarily. Both spouses
find it hard. Couples often
think that they can handle it on
their own so its important to
emphasize that tools are needed
to deal with a situation like this
successfully. The distress is
acute and unfortunately, couples
sometimes come to us when
its too late. The rifts that were
created do not allow for healing.
We encounter people who had
unpleasant experiences and do
not have the desire to listen and
to work out a path together.
What is your message to
people who find themselves in
such a situation?
It is possible to learn and to
change, to go through the entire
process, which is complex and
challenging, in a balanced and
healthy manner. It is possible
to tone down the frustration
level and to learn to accept the
change. When there is no threat
and there is respectful behavior,
each half of the couple can grow
in an atmosphere of mutual
consideration and shalom bayis.
Even the opposing side has an
opportunity to grow and become
stronger. Despite the fact that the
subject is very complex, I think
we have succeeded in building
a workshop that provides a (Thursday through Shabbos),
professional and wellgrounded with the best speakers in Chabad.
approach to these challenges. Our goal is to make it possible
for people to be exposed to the
teachings of Chassidus in an
CHASSIDIC
experiential and pampered way,
VALUES SEMINAR
materially and spiritually.
Tell us about Hitkashrut It began twelve years ago,
Chavaya Yehudit (Bonding when we did not have a space to
Jewish Experience)? hold our Yom Tov activities, so
Over the years, alongside our we rented rooms in a hotel, and it
work with couples, we developed all grew from there...
the Jewish experience seminar.
At that time, my husband was
These are weekend seminars directing the outreach activities
Issue 1067 33
2017-05-08 2:08:20 PM
 PROFILE

of Chabad of Givatayim, and he
began to organize Shabbatons.
We started in Mitzpeh Rimon
with R Slonim. About fifty people
would come, getting together for
Shabbos. The atmosphere was
good and there were speakers,
tfillos, and delicious food.
We noticed that there was no
organization in Chabad that was
offering seminars like Arachim,
so we began to hold seminars
in hotels. We received a bracha
from the Rebbe for success in
this shlichus, and thank Gd,
today the seminars are very
large and high quality. Each one
attracts hundreds of people, and
the crowd is extremely varied.
Some people even come from
our marriage workshops. Many
times, people who come are
exposed to Chassidus for the first
time in their lives. We guide them
to where they can continue to
learn, and we have a lot of repeat
customers. Each weekend has
lectures, farbrengens, musical
appearances and everything
that can help to open hearts and
minds.
What does the word
hiskashrus mean to you?
Hiskashrus to me means
connectivity. The opposite of
separateness. This is the path to
Geula. To know that you are not
a separate entity and that true
goodness is found in connections.
Especially in our generation,
when there are so many outlets
for diversion and escapism, the
true way to get out of that type
of selflimiting behavior is only
through hiskashrus. This is the
path that the Rebbe paved for us.
Personally, I feel that my
hiskashrus to the Rebbe is
expressed in the sense that there
is a broad consciousness, warm
and secure, which is guiding
this exile towards Geula, on an
individual level for each person
and on a national level for our
nation, and ultimately for the
whole world.
I feel that it is a privilege for
me to be able to help build Jewish
families and spread the teachings
of Chassidus in a way that leaves
people with a yearning for more.

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 TZIVOS HASHEM
THREE
TIMES LIFE
Rabbi Chaim Shapiro, a
Tzanzer Chassid and founder
and director of the Refaeinu
organization, relates:
My father, Rav Leib Shapiro,
is a known rabbinic figure in
Kiryat Tzanz. Although we are
Tzanzer Chassidim, we have a
warm place in our heart for
the Lubavitcher Rebbe and
the Chabad movement. My
very existence is thanks to
the Rebbe, for my birth was a
miracle.
For a while before I was
born, my mother suffered
nonstop pain. She went to her
family doctor who first thought
it was a passing virus and gave
her some prescriptions, but
when none of it helped, and
the pain increased, he sent her
for tests at the hospital.
The test results were not
good. The doctor, looking
compassionate, said, Your
condition is very serious. The
only way to help you is with
an operation. We believe that
surgery will heal you but there
is one problem you wont be
able to have more children.
My mother was very upset.
Although she had children,
she wasnt willing to agree to
this. As Tzanzer Chassidim,
1067_bm_eng.indd 5
By Nechama Bar
my father asked the Tzanzer
Rebbe for a bracha. My advice
is that you go to New York to
be treated there, the Admur
said. With Hashems help the
treatment will work and your
wife wont need an operation.
Somewhat encouraged,
my parents flew to New
York. They stayed with a
Lubavitcher uncle, Rabbi Tzvi
Hirsch Spritzer. R Spritzer
warmly welcomed them.
This is wonderful hashga cha
pratis! In two days I have an
appointment to see the Rebbe.
Take my place!
My father was surprised
by the offer, knowing how
hard it was to arrange an
appointment with the Rebbe
and how long a wait it was.
But my uncle did not see it
as giving something up; he
saw it as extraordinary divine
providence, and felt that this is
why his appointment had been
arranged for this time.
My parents happily
accepted his genero us offer.
They made the necessa ry
spiritual preparations and said
many chapters of Thillim.
When the time came, they
nervously entered the Rebbes
office. As soon as they walked
in, even before they said
anything, the Rebbe got up in
respect and said, Welcome,
guests from Eretz Yisroel.
My parents were very moved
and my father gave the Rebbe
a note with their names
and requests, as well as my
mothers medical file.
The Rebbe quickly reviewed
the test exams and the doctors
opinion, and then blessed my
mother with a refua shleima.
But my father was not
satisfied with a bracha. Rebbe,
I already received a bracha
from the Tzanzer Rebbe.
If so, said the Rebbe,
very good.
Rebbe, a bracha is not
enough. We want a promise
that we will have more
children.
The Rebbe smiled broadly
and said, Young man, what
are you worried about?
You will yet have sons and
grandsons.
My parents left the Rebbes
room happily, feeling like
a stone had rolled off their
had simple
hearts. They
faith in what the Rebbe said,
that they would have more
children.
Issue 1067 35
2017-05-08 2:08:00 PM
 my mother stood on line
Miraculously, my mother out. He instantly recalled
it for dollars and the Rebbe
recovered from her illness that yechidus as though
the day before. Yes, recognized her immediately.
without an operation. I am happened
When she passed by, he asked
the first son born to her after the Rebbe remembered them!
ed her how she was. I was on
her recovery. After me, they With difficulty, he manag
d, Boruc h Hashem , line for dollars too and when
had another son and two to respon
wonde rful. Then he it was my turn, I did not ask
daughters. The Rebbes words she feels
This or say anything. The Rebbe
were fulfilled in their entirety pointed at me and said,
child born thanks handed me a dollar and said,
and grandchildren were also is the first
to the Rebbe. My father did for the third time, Ki chaim
born.
say my name but the heim lmotzeihem, ulchol
Twenty years passed and not besaro marpei.
Rebbe said to me, quoting a
the entire family flew to New
verse from Mishlei, Ki chaim At the time, I did not
York for Lag BOmer 5748
heim lmotzeihem, ulchol know what the Rebbe meant
for a family simcha. That was
besaro marpei (It [the by quoting this verse. I
the year Rebbetzin Chaya
Torah] brings life to all those thought he said it because
Mushka passed away. On
davene d who find it and brings cure to my name is in it. It was only
weekdays, the Rebbe
all of ones flesh). years later that I understood
in his home on President
The Lubavitcher The Rebbe obviously knew that the Rebbe saw the
Street.
go to the my name (having referred, future. I eventually founded
uncles told us to called
daven in the verse, to Chaim). The an organization
Rebbes house and zation
Rebbe gave me a dollar and Refaein u, an organi
there. My father was happy
to receive said again, This is for Ki that helps sick people deal
to do so and hoped
chaim heim lmotzeihem, with illness. We are in touch
a bracha from the Rebbe.
ulchol besaro marpe i. with top doctors and help in
At the end of the
The followi ng Sunday, getting expensive medication
davening, the Rebbe said a at a low price, and more.
sicha which was transmitted Ki chaim heim lmotzeihem,
live to the entire world. After ulchol besaro marpei.
the sicha, the Rebbe gave out
dollars for tzdaka. My father
stood on line to get a dollar
and a bracha together with
his sons. I also stood on line
excitedly. As we waited, my
father said, The Rebbe will
surely not remember me.
After all, twenty years have
passed since I visited here.
I dont look the same and
more importantly, thousands
of people pass by the Rebbe
every week. How can he
remember everyone?
When it was our turn, to
our amazement, the Rebbe
asked my father, How is
she? referring to my mother.
My father nearly fainted.
He could barely get a word

B"H. 16 Iyar 5777

12 May 2017 Number 1067
Price: $6.00 Part 2 of 3

1067_bm_eng.indd 2 2017-05-08 2:07:55 PM