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00 Part 2 of
THE IMPACT OF
THE PEOPLE
ON THE KING
BASI LGANI 5716
LOVE YOUR
FELLOW AS YOU
DO A STRANGER!
RABBI HESCHEL
GREENBERG
12/15/2015 1:00:57 AM
CONTENTS
10
17
FEATURED ARTICLES
WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
7 Parsha Thought
20 Bitachon Bytes
21 Letter to the Editor
32 Moshiach & Hakhel
42 Tzivos Hashem
AT THE CROSSROADS
TO BRING MOSHIACH
Boruch Merkur
THE TITLE
10 WHY
MOSHIACH?
Avrohom Reinitz
A CARESS FROM
17 LIKE
THE REBBE
ROUNDTABLE
22 WRITERS
Menachem Mendel Weiss
YOUR MIRACLES
29 FOR
AND FOR YOUR
WONDERS
Nosson Avraham
IS ALIVE
34 LUBAVITCH
AND WELL!
Rochele Haramati
22
744 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
M.M. Hendel
HEBREW EDITOR:
Rabbi S.Y. Chazan
editorH@beismoshiach.org
ENGLISH EDITOR:
Boruch Merkur
editor@beismoshiach.org
12/15/2015 1:01:00 AM
DVAR MALCHUS
BASI LGANI
5716
Beis Moshiach presents the maamer the
Rebbe MHM delivered on Yud Shvat 5716,
in accordance with the custom established
by the Rebbe to review each year a section
of the Rebbe Rayatzs maamer Basi LGani of 5710. This year
we focus on the sixth section of the profound and foundational
Chassidic discourse. * Fifth instalment
Translated by Boruch Merkur
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Dvar Malchus
rav, being incomparably greater than the talmid,
teaching the talmid is a vast descent for him, to
such an extent that it would otherwise compel him
to not even associate with the talmid. It is only
when the rav sees in the talmid great thirst to learn
that it evokes in him the desire to reduce himself,
as it were, to bring his ideas down and to transmit
them to the talmid. In fact, this process of lowering
himself actually benefits the rav, insofar as it draws
deeper on his intellectual prowess, revealing in
him greater genius, ideas that he was not privy to
prior to then, as expressed in the saying, from my
students [I have learned] more than all of them
[i.e., more than his colleagues and even more than
his teachers].
Here, however, we are speaking about the
importance of desiring to learn prior to the actually
lecture is delivered. When the teaching isnt actually
taking place, it is indeed necessary for there to be
12/15/2015 1:01:02 AM
EDITORIAL
AT THE
CROSSROADS TO
BRING MOSHIACH
Beis Moshiach weekly magazine presents a pathway that makes
sense, even in the face of such overwhelming darkness. Fine. If
its a test that Hashem is giving us in the final moments of Galus,
we will stand up to it with this publication.
By Boruch Merkur
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EDITORIAL
sacrifice to be a part of it dates
back to the earliest times, even
back to the times of the Avos (as
evident in numerous sichos of
the Rebbe as well as maamarei
Chassidus, such as those found
in Torah Ohr). If we have been
decades waiting, this mission
was vital enough for the greatest
tzaddikim to pursue, thousands
of years prior to the final
moments of Exile.
When seeking inspiration
for a message for the 1000th
12/15/2015 1:01:02 AM
PARSHA THOUGHT
WHAT MAKES
US HUMAN?
ITS NOT WHAT YOU THINK
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
YOSEFS REVELATION
In one of the most poignant
events recorded in the Torah,
Yosef, the viceroy of Egypt,
is finally ready to divulge his
identity to his brothers.
The Torah introduces his
revelation that he is their brother
whom they sold into slavery with
the following words:
Now Yosef could not restrain
himself in the presence of all who
stood before him, so he called out,
Remove everyone from before
me! Thus no man remained with
him when Yosef made himself
known to his brothers. He cried
in a loud voice. Egypt heard, and
Pharaohs household heard.
And Yosef said to his brothers,
I am Yosef! Is my father still
alive?
Many questions arise when
we examine this powerful
incident.
First, why did he want
everyone else to leave?
Rashi explains that Yosef
didnt
want
the
Egyptian
members of his household to
see how his brothers would be
embarrassed.
Rashbam explains that Yosef
realized that he would not be able
to control his emotions in public
as he had done so successfully in
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PARSHA THOUGHT
INHIBITIONS!
Humans have physical needs
that often eclipse the souls
desire for expression. We also
have inhibitions that cause us to
conceal our innermost feelings.
The reticence about venting our
true emotions through speech
is greatest when we are in the
company of others. This explains
why many mystics preferred
praying in seclusion. This
assisted them in getting in touch
with their true essence.
This also explains why the
Talmud says that a person
without a home is missing an
aspect of his or her humanity.
This was not intended to
shame poor people who cannot
afford a home. Rather, it is the
Talmuds way of getting us to
appreciate what a home does
for our dignity. To be human
(midaber) in the fullest sense of
the word one must be capable of
shedding all inhibitions and be
free to express ones innermost
feelings. Otherwise, ones soul
is in a virtual prison. A home is
where we can be ourselves, thus
enabling us to communicate on a
human level.
12/15/2015 1:01:03 AM
Yosef
was
about
to
communicate his deepest feelings
of connection with his brothers
and reconnect with his father
as well. Yosef did not want this
communication to be on a stage,
as it would have watered down
the intensity of the experience.
He wanted his communication
to be totally human because he
would be able to bare all of his
souls passion.
Moreover,
Yosefs
reconciliation with his brothers
was a portent of the ultimate
Redemption when there will
be a total rapprochement
of all segments of Jewry, as
represented by the two kingdoms
of Yosef (Ephraim) and Yehudah
mentioned
in
this
weeks
prophetic selection, the Haftarah.
Yosefs words were thus more
than just prayerful. Underlying
Yosefs cry to his brothers was his
desire for unity and Redemption.
Even as the Egyptian exile was
beginning, Yosef was laying the
groundwork for, and planting
the seeds of, the unity that is
synonymous with Redemption.
We can now understand why
asking the Egyptians to leave was
crucial to the narrative. They
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INTERVIEW
MOSHIACH?
Beis Moshiach refers to the Rebbe as Melech
HaMoshiach. Eight years ago we sat down with
the Vaad HaRuchni and asked them to explain
the importance in referring to the Rebbe with
the title Melech HaMoshiach. Why isnt it
enough to say, Adoneinu Moreinu VRabbeinu?
What impact does using MHM have on the
readers?
Interview by Avrohom Reinitz
Photographs by Chaim Touitou
Since
Beis
Moshiach
was
founded,
the
words
and acronym for Melech
HaMoshiach are used regularly
when referring to the Rebbe.
Some people wonder, why do
this over and over again? Is it
necessary?
R Liberow: This question
is asked about identifying who
Moshiach is in general. People
say, we believe the Rebbe is
Moshiach, but why is it important
to publicize and stress it?
The answer is simple. If it
wasnt that important, the Rebbe
MHM would not mention it
in his sichos. If you study the
Rebbes sichos, you know that in
the later years, the
Rebbe began to regularly
quote the Bartenura which says,
12/15/2015 1:01:03 AM
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Interview
12/15/2015 1:01:05 AM
Menachem.
There is no doubt that if
Anash would put their energy into
spreading the things mentioned
in the sichos, the world would
accept them and also believe
that the Rebbe is Moshiach.
The talmidim of the Rebbe, we
Chassidim, need to be the first to
publicize it.
R Lipsker: Before all the
explanations we need to say one
simple thing: its the truth! Since
the Rebbe is Moshiach, we have
to write it because its the truth.
This question was asked back
in 5751 with the koch in kabbalas
hamalchus of the Rebbe MHM.
Those who opposed using the
title Melech HaMoshiach for
the Rebbe tried to present their
position as one that is Chassidish.
They quoted the Rebbeim as
saying that to
Chassidim, there is nothing
higher than Rebbe.
This view went along with
the story of the Chassid who was
asked whether his Rebbe has
ruach hakodesh. He said it was
none of his business. If the Rebbe
needed ruach hakodesh, he
certainly had it; if he didnt need
it, he didnt care that he didnt.
This story expresses the idea that
to a Chassid, the Rebbe is not
measured by various qualities.
His greatest quality is that he is
Rebbe.
To tell you the truth, at first,
I didnt have a good answer to
this question and approach. I just
knew that if it was important to
the Rebbe to mention that the
Nasi HaDor is the Moshiach of
the generation, then there was
certainly a big inyan here.
We Chassidim had to follow
the Rebbe and use this wording
to refer to him.
However, on Shabbos Parshas
Toldos, the Rebbe began one
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Interview
12/15/2015 1:01:08 AM
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331 Kingston Ave.
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Rabbi Jacob Schwei
STORY
At the recent banquet of the Kinus
HaShluchim that took place on Motzaei
Shabbos in 770, the former Broadway
star, Dudu Fisher, addressed the
shluchim. He told about the bracha
of the Rebbe Rayatz in the merit of
which his mother was born, and the
bracha and guidance of the Rebbe
which paved the way for the kiddush
Hashem Dudu made when he
appeared on Broadway
without desecrating the
Shabbos. * Also, his
feelings about 770,
who his chavrusa for
Chassidus is, and
where he wants to
appear at the next
Kinus HaShluchim.
Photographs by Chaim Touitou
12/15/2015 1:01:09 AM
LIKE A CARESS
FROM THE REBBE
AN 84 YEAR
CONNECTION WITH CHABAD
It was a winter night, 5 Shevat 5692/1932.
A Jewish woman by the name of Fraida Gisha
was in labor in Riga, Latvia. A serious problem
arose and the doctors said they had to end the
pregnancy, as otherwise, it would be a danger to
both mother and baby.
The woman said to the doctors: Wait, dont
do anything. And to her sister standing next to
her she said, Leah, go and pray for me in shul.
Leah walked to the shul in the middle of the
night. The streets were dark and so was the shul
and Leah walked in the darkness, entered the
shul, and approached the Aron Kodesh. There
she poured out her heart to Hashem. She could
not restrain herself and tears streamed from her
eyes. She prayed and cried.
She suddenly felt a soft hand on her
shoulder. She turned around hastily and saw an
older woman who she assumed was the cleaning
lady of the shul.
Why are you crying? asked the woman.
Leah told her about her sister giving birth.
Come with me, said the woman. She
took her to the home of the Lubavitcher Rebbe,
R Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn. Leah wrote
a kvittel, said her sister had a fever and the
doctors were concerned and even wanted to end
the pregnancy.
The Rebbes faithful secretary, R Yechezkel
Feigin, gave the kvittel to the Rebbe. Five
minutes later he came out of the Rebbes room
and gave Leah a letter with a response for her
sister:
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Story
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
AND A BRACHA AND
CHIZUK FROM THE REBBE
For many years I was a
chazan, just like my grandfather
wanted me to be One day, I
was traveling in London and I
saw the musical Les Miserables
and as I sat there, I thought, I
can do that.
When the musical arrived
in Eretz Yisroel, I went to
12/15/2015 1:01:10 AM
LEARNING CHASSIDUS
Lately, Ive become more
involved in the teachings of
Chassidus. I have an excellent
chavrusa, R Yossi Ginsburgh,
rav of the Chabad community
in Ramat Aviv. I learn with him
twice a week. Its an unusual
spiritual experience to really get
into the depth of the topics. I also
learn the daily Tanya summary
with my wife which is sent to us
by R Amir Kahana.
I hope that at the next Kinus
I can appear before all the
shluchim at one giant Kinus in
Yerushalayim!
Shluchim, you have enormous
powers. You can transform the
world. Go on the offensive in the
streets and the marketplaces and
bring the Geula, immediately,
amen.
vww c
Anywhere, Anytime !
CHITAS
INYONEI GEULA
& MOSHIACH
RAMBAM
SHIURIM IN LIKUTEI
SICHOS KODESH
,ww,j
jhanu vkutd hbhbg
owwcnr
hyuekc ohrugha
asue ,ujha
WWW.770LIVE.COM
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BITACHON BYTES
WHEN FACING
BITACHON
HEADWINDS
By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg
ne
of
the
vital
aspects for upkeep
of Bitachon is that it
should be active in a
persons reality constantly. Even
during challenging times, the
same focused Bitachon mindset
and easy-going mood should be
maintained.
It can happen that one will
begin to work on strengthening
his Bitachon in Hashem during
a time which is not especially
challenging for him, during
which it will be noticeable that
the level of simcha in his life has
risen. Then, it could happen that
his Bitachon may be threatened
by perceived difficulties and his
bitachon and simcha will be put
to the test. For such a situation
we are reminded of the famous
teaching of the Baal Shem Tov
on the pasuk . In
a literal sense this means that
I place Hashem before me
constantly. The Baal Shem Tov
explains that also means
which connotes equality,
in the sense that to all times and
to all situations a person should
react equally, always in a balanced
manner. The way to accomplish
this is by realizing that (as the
pasuk concludes) Hashem is
opposite me constantly. When
one is opposite a king, no matter
12/15/2015 1:01:11 AM
WEEK AFTER
WEEK, FOR 1000
CONSECUTIVE ISSUES
Dear Beis Moshiach editors:
Putting out any weekly
publication is not an easy task.
There is so much coordination
that needs to be done and so
many deadlines to meet. The
constant pressure of putting out
a quality publication is very big.
I am not even talking about the
immense financial strain that a
publication creates. How much
more so, when you are putting
out a publication of Chassidus
and Yiras Shamayim, where
so much attention is needed to
make sure that every article and
picture meets the publications
divine objectives. Multiply that
intensity and responsibility to the
nth power, when we are talking
about the Shofar of Melech
HaMoshiach, the publication
that proudly carries the Rebbes
message of Emuna and Geula.
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INTERVIEW
WRITERS
ROUNDTABLE
H
12/15/2015 1:01:17 AM
poetry.
SZB: It was the end of the
winter 5758 when, at the request
of my friend R Menachem
Ziegelboim, I documented the
lives of a number of Chassidim
who were killed or who died
in the Soviet Union and whose
stories had not yet been told.
The work was part of a future
book that R Ziegelboim wanted
to produce called, Chayolim
Almonim (Anonymous Soldiers).
The book was never published,
but as part of my work, I wrote
about R Shmuel Menachem
Klein, my wifes grandfather.
The chapters were published as a
series in Beis Moshiach.
Tell us about your first book
when did you get the idea for
it and how much time elapsed
between when the idea first
germinated and actually writing
the book?
LG: My first book was
published while I was still a
yeshiva bachur. I was involved
in publishing the compilations
of pilpulim of my yeshiva. The
mashpia, R Yosef Yitzchok
Gansbourg, who saw my passion
for this kind of work, urged
me and my friend, R Moshe
Krishevsky, to compile what
the Rebbe said about shleimus
haaretz.
In less than two months,
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Interview
his life as a partisan and the
development of Chabad in Eretz
Yisroel. On the one hand, he said
that due to lack of time it would
be quite difficult to write a book.
On the other hand, he proffered
the assessment that it would be
of benefit to the public. I did not
find a response from the Rebbe
in his archives and I suppose
no answer was received and
therefore he shelved the idea.
There is also the feeling
of missing out when family
members or close friends of
the subject of the book, who
commissioned the book, pass
on before the book is published.
That happened to me a few
WRITING AS A PROFESSION
I know all three of you and
know that you are very busy.
When do you have time to write
a book?
MZ: Along with writing books
and editing, I am also involved in
publishing and that is in addition
to my work as a member of the
editing staff of Beis Moshiach, an
impressive weekly publication. I
also do personal coaching, write
articles for various publications,
and do spots on radio programs.
There is also quality time
spent with my family which I
wont forgo. With all that, I
still feel that I am not filling my
time properly. When you really
want it, there is enough time for
everything.
SZB: My work is divided
between
writing
for
Beis
Moshiach and writing books
which require historical research.
It is hard to sit with a stopwatch
and set a fixed amount of time
for writing a page/chapter/book.
Being invested in the process
is important and sometimes an
entire chapter is easily written
and sometimes, to understand or
research one line requires days of
work. In the past, when a book
was getting close to the printing
stage, there were nights I hardly
slept.
LG: There is no time! This
is also the reason why I dont
publish a lot of books despite the
dozens of ideas that I have. The
only time I can work on books
is in the evening after a day of
work. Since writing a book for
me is a labor of love and not due
to outside pressures I always find
windows of time for it.
12/15/2015 1:01:17 AM
self-publish,
investing
their
own money into printing and
advertising. They use Lubavitcher
distributors for the distribution
which frees them up for more
writing. With this approach, you
need to invest large amounts of
money into printing, graphics
and advertising, but the profit
margins are larger. If the writer
has a number of titles that are
not hot sellers, he can still make
some money from them but
definitely not enough to make a
living.
There is an alternative system
in which the writer writes for a
publisher and receives a onetime sum for his work. That has
an advantage in that he does not
need to invest a cent upfront,
but the downside is that none
of the future profits are his.
MZ: You cannot make a
living just from writing. I agree
fully with the analysis of my
friend, Levi Groner. You either
write as a labor of love or you
dont write. If you write to make
money, its a pity for the time
and effort you put in and also a
pity on the money of those who
buy what you write.
SZB: A best-seller is definitely
a good source of income but
it all depends on mazal. There
arent all that many best-sellers
and someone who writes for a
living needs to work hard to earn
enough.
I imagine that every writer
feels that his books are musthaves for our community,
and yet, Id like to hear from
you what you think makes
your books special. What did
you provide that did not exist
previously?
SZB: Boruch Hashem, I
have been successful in bringing
to light many teachings of our
Rebbeim, Chassidic personalities,
and Chassidic historical events
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Interview
that were not known to the
general public until I wrote
about them. Also unique about
my books is that each historical
subject connected to the theme of
the book is given comprehensive
treatment. I work hard to
get authentic testimony and
documents that are new and
important, even if it requires a
supreme effort.
For example, while preparing
the book Noda BShearim (about
R Chaim Naeh), I decided to
speak to people who were close to
him within the three arenas that
12/15/2015 1:01:18 AM
bestsellers is comparable to
the general market. The Rebbe
taught us Chassidim to love
books. Hei Teves, which everyone
calls the Chag HaSfarim, is one
of many examples of that. There
is no Chabad House without
a bookcase with a range of
interesting books.
LG: The frum market is
flooded by hundreds of titles,
with only the successful ones
being sold in large quantities.
The unsuccessful books or
successful books that were not
advertised adequately enough
can easily get stuck and have
only a few hundred sold. In
Chabad, the market is not
flooded by too many childrens
books and there is still room for
more. A quality book which is
well advertised can sell several
thousand copies. On the other
hand, even a very successful
book marketed exclusively to
Anash will never sell as many
copies as its counterpart in the
general frum market, and this
will be reflected in the original
investment.
But
as
R
Menachem
Ziegelboim said, in the Chabad
market there is greater awareness
about buying books, especially
because of Hei Teves and the
associated book fairs that only
grow from year to year. Its also
easier to advertise and distribute
books to the Chabad market
because it is a more targeted
audience.
Do you think that Chabad
literature can break through to
the chutza to other sectors of
the frum world?
LG: You can do that with
almost every Chabad book.
Proof is the historic book fair
at Binyanei HaUma where over
200,000 books were sold, with
most purchasers who are not
Chabad buying Chabad books,
As to your question,
if youre talking about primary
Chabad texts, then they have
already spread forth to every
Chassidic home and even many
non-Chassidic homes. As for
Chassidic stories, they have also
entered other peoples homes,
here and there, though there is
definitely room for much more.
Maybe we need to give the
general frum world a taste of
the wealth of Chabad literature
whether through gifts for bar
mitzvahs, events, or even as part
of mivtzaim. I have no doubt that
a book with Chassidic literature
will make an impression on
someone in the family and help
draw them close to Chassidus, if
not today then tomorrow or the
day after.
SZB: Not every Chabad
book can, from a marketing
standpoint, go outward. But
if the book has content that also
suits the chutza, after the writer
adjusts the style, then there is a
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Interview
of supreme value and can
even perhaps be called holy. If
someone helps support this its a
big zchus.
Today, with all kinds of
gadgets, some think that people
are buying far fewer books in
print and are opting for more
online reading or even visual
material. Even in Chassidic
homes you see children fixated
on the screen for hours with
educational CDs.
Do you think that people
still want books? Do you think
that the world of books we
grew up in is still attractive to
children and young people?
SZB: Its a little hard to say
that someone who loves books
will forgo buying a biography
and surf for another hour of his
day. What is true is that there
are those people who will buy
a history book in order to have
it for reference, and the huge
online databases do make
that superfluous. Still, boruch
Hashem, Chabad is growing
along with the demand, and that
fills the gaps.
LG: I think that visual media
is always more attractive than a
book and theres no question that
it takes a bite out of the book
market. So we must try to make
books an attractive product that
children will find appealing. A lot
Continued from page 31
However, I never got involved
in the arguments that arose
periodically, as there was always
a warm place in my heart for
Lubavitch.
12/15/2015 1:01:18 AM
MIRACLE STORY
FOR YOUR
MIRACLES
AND FOR
YOUR
WONDERS
It was common in this country for thugs to
kidnap in exchange for ransom. Acts of coldblooded murder by violent cartels were routine
occurrences. Who knew what my fate would be?
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
The
Lubavitcher
Rebbe
saved my life, plain and simple.
With these words, Rabbi Eitan
Elmakis, rav of the Sephardic
chareidi community in Yerucham
began his tale. While this amazing
story of personal salvation took
place about eighteen years ago,
the clear emotion in his voice
showed that the experience still
lives within him.
It wasnt easy to get hold
of Rabbi Elmakis. Hes a wellknown
rabbinical
authority
throughout the southern region
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MIRACLE STORY
I asked if I could leave that day
and not wait until tomorrow.
I went to the manager and
asked him if he could get me
a taxi that would take me to
the airport. At first, he tried
to dissuade me. Stay here
and travel back with everyone
else early in the morning, he
suggested. However, I was very
stubborn, and when I agreed to
pay for the taxi out of my own
pocket, he gave his consent. A
rickety old car serving as a taxi
came to the slaughterhouse. I got
into the front seat and asked the
driver to take me to the airport.
The ride to the airport
should have lasted no more
than twenty-five minutes. I had
previously taken this journey on
countless occasions. As a result,
it was surprising when I realized
that we had been traveling for
half an hour, but the airport was
nowhere in sight. There had been
no traffic jams or potholes along
the way, the roads were clear and
the ride was fast and smooth.
Yet, for some reason, I didnt
recognize the scenery I had been
used to seeing on past trips to
the airfield. The familiar rows of
houses and green fields had been
replaced by forest trees on each
side of the highway.
I turned to the driver and
asked him in Spanish how much
longer it would take before we
reached the airport. The Indian
driver looked at me angrily,
and instead of answering my
question, he told me firmly
to close the car windows. I
thought I was dreaming, yet I
understood Spanish well enough
to realize that he was trying to
avoid giving me an answer. As
I pondered over what this all
meant, the driver muttered under
his thick mustache, Fasten your
seatbelt. I realized that there was
something terribly wrong.
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1000:
THE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
GOLA & GEULA!
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
12/15/2015 1:01:20 AM
The
bachur
was
very
surprised and afterward, he asked
the Rebbetzin: If the Rebbe knew
the day before that he would be
farbrenging, why wasnt this
announced in advance? With
advance notice it is much easier
to prepare the room and inform
everyone.
The Rebbetzin answered:
My husband loves a shturem
(commotion).
When
it
is
announced at the last moment,
we are filled with great joy and
excitement and the chayus at the
farbrengen is much greater.
MY HUSBAND LOVES
A SHTUREM
This year, I heard a story
about a bachur who served as
an aide in the Rebbes home.
Once, during a special time in the
Chabad calendar, the Rebbetzin
told him that the Rebbe would
farbreng the following day. He
went to 770 and, sure enough, at
the last moment, they announced
that the Rebbe would farbreng.
There was such great joy that
they began calling people to come
and quickly prepared the room.
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INTERVIEW
LUBAVITCH
IS ALIVE
AND WELL!
Rebbetzin Sima Ashkenazi, wife of R Mordechai
Shmuel Ashkenazi ah, came to the Rebbe for
Tishrei this year, after a hiatus of 47 years.
Throughout those years she stayed with her
husband who could not, as the rav of Kfar
Chabad, travel at that time. * In this insightful
interview, she shares her amazement of the
chayus and hiskashrus of the young girls and
shares stories from her earlier Tishrei with the
Rebbe.
By Rochele Haramati
12/15/2015 1:01:22 AM
HAKHEL-GATHER THE
PEOPLE
Since you hadnt been to the
Rebbe for Tishrei in decades,
how was Tishrei this year, as
compared to years ago?
Whats special about this
year is that its a Shnas Hakhel.
The Rebbe wants us all to unify
this year. The theme of the
year is achdus, and in order
to emphasize this, the Rebbe
changed from his minhag on
Sukkos. Our minhag during
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Interview
Hallel in other years is to hold
the lulav the entire time and only
to take the esrog for the shaking.
That is what the Rebbe Rayatz
did and the Rebbe followed suit.
In 5748 the Rebbe held all four
minim together. Why did he
change? The Rebbe said this is
the idea of the Year of Hakhel,
that everyone, all four categories
of Jews, unites. The four minim
correspond to the four letters
of Hashems name. When we
are united Hashems name is
also united and then we have a
drawing down from G-ds infinite
light, bless us, our Father, all as
one.
The best segula for bringing
Moshiach is to be united. We
do all kinds of things to bring
Moshiach, but this is something
the Rebbe said explicitly, that
achdus among the Chassidim
will bring Moshiach. We need
to work on this. It makes no
difference that we have all kinds
of opinions. Its legitimate for
different people to have different
views, just as their faces are
not the same, so too their views
are dissimilar. The Rebbe will
come, immediately, and tell us
just how to think and what to
do. In the meantime, we need
naturally be!
During the 48 hours of
Simchas Torah in the zal
downstairs, the dancing did not
stop; there were people coming
and going on Tahalucha and they
did not stop dancing with the
sifrei Torah.
In the afternoon they had to
straighten up the room for the
farbrengen. They used to empty
the zal of people before the
farbrengen and then they would
arrange the tables and prepare
the Ches of the farbrengen and
the pyramids. Now you dont
see that happening. There was
a group that prepared the tables
and pyramids while others
danced. It was all wonderfully
organized and done so nicely. We
kept our places so I was there all
that time. The farbrengen was
at six. They began singing soul
stirring niggunim; if the neshama
remained inside, it was a miracle!
We truly felt klos hanefesh. It
cannot be explained in words.
The lights went out in the
middle of the farbrengen, due
to some mishap, and we stood
in the dark. The girls leaned on
the windows which creaked from
their weight. They just wanted
to see and see some more. I
was very afraid and I told the
girls, Watch out! Dont lean on
the glass. But there was such
a strong desire to see and hear.
They sang all the niggunim.
Some of them were niggunei
dveikus and some were niggunei
simcha. Everyone participated.
The darkness did not bother
anyone. Then the light came back
on partially. They danced on the
pyramids. What the Rebbe said
about it being possible to collect
simcha from the Simchas Beis
HaShoeiva and the hakafos in
pails, is exactly what happened
there.
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Interview
to come. This is your power.
Everyone took a Thillim and
cried and asked from the depths
of their hearts. It was a moment
I will never forget all my life.
Then the emcee said they
had sent a note to the Rebbe
and asked him to come. The
Rebbe was in his room, his chair
was ready on the platform and
there was such excitement that
I cannot describe. We felt that
if the Rebbe came, that would
mean the hisgalus of Moshiach!
The hopes of all the generations
would be realized now! It was
such a heightened moment
and we all waited while reciting
Thillim, but the Rebbe did not
come. The emcee said that the
Rebbe was not coming and
maybe he would come later and
in the meantime we would wait
and continue with the program.
Then I said to those sitting
next to me, What program?
Did we come for a program? We
came to be mekabel Moshiach!
We dont want a program. Weve
had enough speeches and want
Moshiach! They said to me, Go
up on the stage and say that. I
said, I wasnt invited to speak
and Im not going up there! In
the end, they spoke to the emcee
who called me up.
I went up and said, What
hasnt been done in recent weeks
so that Moshiach comes? Each
of us committed to an increase
in Torah and mitzvos; women
went on mivtzaim, were mekarev
Jews, turned over worlds, just so
we would be worthy of Moshiach
coming. We all know the story
from the time of the Rebbe
Rashab when there was an evil
decree and the gdolei Yisroel
convened and tried to have the
decree annulled. They tried but
failed. The Rebbe Rashab cried
and R Chaim Soloveitchik, who
was a gaon and the rav of Brisk,
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TZIVOS HASHEM
HE ONLY WANTED A
BLESSING TO
CATCH FISH
By Nechama Bar
12/15/2015 1:01:29 AM
and my
relent. You know what Dad, in the boat at one end,
the other
dont write. I will write for you. friend, Richard, sat on
to sea and
Tell me your requests and I will end. We headed out
got to work. I sent down the
write them.
fishing line and brought up a
Her father agreed to that
big, fat fish. I had never caught
and said: Tomorrow morning I
anything like it before. Richard
am going out to fish. I want a
put his line in but got nothing.
blessing for my fishing.
Dropping my fishing line in
Devorah was so disappointed.
once again, I brought up a big
That is what he requested? But
fish, something special, and
she could not press him anymore.
Richard again got nothing. This
She put the letter on the pile and
repeated itself over and over.
put them all into a bag which
I brought up great fish and
contained many letters. Since
Richard got nothing. At first
they could not get the package to
we joked about it, but when
the Rebbe in time, they decided
it happened again and again,
to put it on a grave of a tzaddik
Richard seemed upset. We tried
as the Rebbe had said to do.
to trade places in the boat but
After sunset, R Mordechai
nothing changed. I caught large
took the big package of letters fish while Richard did not catch
and went to the cemetery with even one small one.
his brother Menachem. It was
I suddenly remembered the
dark and not a living creature
letter you had written for me
could be seen in the area. It was a
to the Rebbe. I got goosebumps
bit scary as they walked around
felt
I
it.
about
thinking
the cemetery with the help of a
felt
I
frightened. Fear of G-d.
flashlight. After some searching,
ced
it was like G-d had announ
they found the grave they were
Himself to me: Here I am, within
looking for, the grave of Rabbi
you.
Asher Abramson, who was a
But after a few moments I
great Chassid, an Av Beis Din,
and to cool
and a well-known and esteemed tried to calm myself
s I had
holines
of
feeling
rav. They placed the letters on off the
r
anothe
was
there
then
his grave and then returned felt. But
entire
the
us
te
Opposi
home, happy and in good spirits. sign.
time was an Italian ship. I saw
At six in the morning, the
At first
asleep. it heading toward us.
was
family
Hasofer
then
but
ned
frighte
were
we
Suddenly, they heard banging at
to
d
wante
they
that
we saw
the door. R Mordechai jumped
out of bed in a fright. Who
was knocking so early in the
morning? At the door, to his
great surprise, he saw his fatherin-law, Peter. Peter looked
emotional.
They went into the house and
sat in the kitchen over a cup of
tea and cookies, and Peter told
his incredible story:
As I told you Devorah, I
planned on going fishing with a
friend early in the morning. This
is what I do every week. I sat
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