CONTENTS

9
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
9 A HOUSE OF TORAH
Miri Schneersohn 5 Parsha Thought
25 Moshiach & Hayom Yom
17 THE EARLY DAYS
OF MIVTZA CHINUCH 43 Tzivos Hashem
By Avrohom Rainitz
and Shneur Zalman Levin

29 SIX DETECTIVES
SURROUNDED THE
REBBE
17 R Saadia Maatuf ah

36 CHINUCH ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION
Mendel Tzfasman
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1069_bm_eng.indd 4 2017-05-23 8:51:04 AM

 DVAR MALCHUS
ITS OBVIOUS
WHO
MOSHIACH IS
Moshiach already exists and is ready to usher
in the redemption. You know inside that you
are not Moshiach, and I know that it is not
I. But somebody must be Moshiach... Why
does it bother you that it is the Lubavitcher
Rebbe?!
Translated by Boruch Merkur
THE WHOS WHO
OF JEWISH LEADERS
If this was obvious of the earlier
generations how much more is
this the case now: In our generation,
whos who (identifying the
Moshe Rabbeinu) is certainly
something that is obvious, etc.It
says in the Zohar that there is a
manifestation of Moshe in every
generation. As with all topics in
the esoteric dimension of the Torah,
this concept also finds expression in
the revealed part of Torah. Indeed,
it states in the Midrash (BReishis
Rabba 6:7): There is no generation
without someone in it like Moshe
and like the Avos (the Patriarchs of
the Jewish people).
All Jews, being believers in
the words of our Sages, accept
this as fact. The only question is:
whos who? [who is the Moshe
Rabbeinu, etc., of our time?] It is
clear that in the generation of the
Baal Shem Tov, the Baal Shem Tov
1069_bm_eng.indd 3
was the Moshe Rabbeinu, then
[in the next generation, it was] the
Maggid, the Alter Rebbe, etc., until
our generation the Rebbe of our
generation is my revered father-in-
law.
Moshiach.)
If this was obvious of the earlier
generations [as described earlier in
this talk that the Alter Rebbe said,
Everyone knows that there is a
Rebbe. However, it is necessary
to know that [in the previous
generation] the Rebbe was the Baal
Shem Tov, and in this generation
it is the Maggid] how much
more is this the case now: In our
generation, whos who (identifying
the Moshe Rabbeinu) is certainly
something that is obvious, etc.
THE OBVIOUS ANSWER:
IT IS HE!
When the Rebbe issued the
public proclamation, immediately
to tshuva (returning to G-d,
repentance), immediately to
redemption, the Chassidim at
the time spread the word, adding
the whos who [i.e., identifying
the Rebbe Rayatz as Moshiach].
(Regarding the expression whos
who, see Sota 13a, Tosafos
dibbur hamaschil Serach.
Also, see Hisvaaduyos 5747 Vol.
1 pg. 266: The meaning of the
name Tzemach Tzedek alludes to
Moshiach Tzidkeinu indicating
that this name expresses the faith
of Chassidim, for every Chassid
believes with utter faith that the
Rebbe of his generation the leader
of the generation incarnate is
A complaint was made about
this at the time, directed to a
gutte id, a rebbe from one of the
Chassidic dynasties of Poland:
How can this be?! How were the
Chassidim permitted to publicize
this [radical] proclamation, and
whats worse, to make such a brazen
claim [identifying Moshiach as the
Lubavitcher Rebbe]?!
The gutte id answered: Consider
this. We believe [in Moshiach and
we are in eager anticipation] every
day that he should come. There are
those who articulate this statement
of faith verbally and there are
those who fulfill their obligation in
thought alone. In any event [since
Jews believe with perfect faith
that Moshiach can come today,
Issue 1069 3
2017-05-23 8:51:04 AM
 Dvar Malchus
therefore], Moshiach already
exists [and is ready to usher
in the redemption]. You know
inside that you are not Moshiach,
and I know that it is not I. But
somebody must be Moshiach...
Why does it bother you that it is
he?!
The same reasoning applies to
our discussion. There is presently
a Rebbe, for indeed, it says so in
the Zohar and Midrash, quoted
above. And since there is no one
[else] to ascribe this title to, then,
when the question arises, whos
who? the obvious answer is
it is he! At first it was the Baal
Shem Tov, then the Maggid, the
Alter Rebbe, etc., until the Rebbe
Rayatz, my father-in-law.
HOW THEY ERRED
IN OPPOSITION
From this we derive a
lesson regarding spreading the
teachings of Chassidus outward.
There are those who maintain
that it is impossible to go out
openly and spread the wellsprings
of Chassidus in the face of the
opposition that still exists against
it but that is not the truth.
The antagonism of previous
generations came about as a
result of mistakenly perceiving a
possible source in the Torah for
opposing Chassidus. For in light
of the dangerous movements of
4 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 4
the time, it was possible to err, existence. (See Seifer HaSichos
etc., [with regard to Chassidus, 5747, Vol. 1 pg. 264-266).
mistaking it to be a similar Thus, Chassidim can spread
threat] albeit inadvertently or the wellsprings in full force so
at least not deliberately. long as they do so in the ways
Whereas today, everyone of pleasantness and the ways
knows, even the man on the of peace to awaken the inner
street, even Gentiles, lhavdil, aspect of the Jews soul through
that when they identify Jews the inner dimension of the Torah,
as adherent of Chassidus, the thereby connecting the Jew with
intent is [benign, namely] that the inner aspect of the Alm-ghty.
they don two pairs of tfillin, And from there he draws down
they have full beards, they wear G-dliness into the revealed aspect
tzitzis that are folded over to total of G-d, which is the source of the
8 strands per corner, and so on entire Seider Hishtalshlus, the
and so forth. The sole argument Natural Order of the universe.
against the Chassid is that he is And drawing down the inner
a batlan, meaning that he doesnt aspect of G-dliness into the
have a job in the workforce, as world gives rise to abundance in
he davens at length and wears whatever is needed in family,
two pairs of tfillin [and of health, and sustenance.
consequence, he has no time for (From the address of Shabbos Parshas
a nine-to-five job]. In short, he Naso 5720, bilti muga)
is scrupulous in all the Mitzvos!
Therefore, according to the
Torah, there is no room
to oppose this approach
to Judaism in any way,
were it not for the
deed of their fathers
is in their hands [i.e.,
they blindly follow
the opposition of
their fathers against
Chassidim]. And since
this position holds no
weight according to
Torah, it is no more
than a nisayon, a
challenge; it is but a
chimera, having no real
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 PARSHA THOUGHT
MODERN-DAY
LEVITES
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
COUNTING THE
LEVITES SEPARATELY
BaMidbar, the book of
Numbers, begins with the census
of the Jewish people. According
to Rashi, G-ds census was a
sign of endearment; it indicates
how each one of us is precious to
Him.
This census counted every 20
year-old male; that being the age
of military conscription.
However, this census
excluded men of the tribe of Levi:
But, you shall not count
the tribe of Levi, and you shall
not take their census among the
children of Israel.
The Levites, the Torah
continues, would be counted
separately and include all males
from the age of one month.
Rashi provides the rationale
for the Levites exceptional
status:
G-d foresaw that all those
who were 20 years and above and
counted will be decreed to die in
the desert. He said, Let not these
[Levites] be included for they are
Mine; because they did not err
with the [Golden] Calf.
DID THE LEVITES REBEL
AGAINST ENTERING THE
LAND OF ISRAEL?
Sifsei Chachamim asks, why
1069_bm_eng.indd 5
did G-d have the notion that
counting the Levites with the
rest of the community meant
that they would be punished
alongside those who followed the
Spies in their rebellion against
the Land of Israel? Rashi himself
stated that the Levites did not
join their brethren in rebellion
against the Land. Indeed, the
Spies who slandered the Land of
Israel represented all of the tribes
except the Tribe of Levi.
Sifsei Chachamim answers
that the Levites did not initially
participate in the rebellion
because no Levite spied on and
slandered the Land. However,
when we are told that all of the
Jewish people accepted the
report of the Spies and wept, it
is possible that even the Tribe of
Levi joined in the tears.
However, this approach is
difficult to understand. If indeed
the tribe of Levi participated in
the collective rejection of the
Land of Israel, why wouldnt G-d
condemn them to perish in the
desert with their brethren? Why
did He spare the Levites from
the fate of the rest of the Jewish
community?
SPARED COLLECTIVE
PUNISHMENT
Another approach to
understanding Rashis assertion
is based on a Midrash that states
that G-d punished everyone
who had reached the age of 20
even if they personally did not
participate in the sin. The Tribe
of Levi was spared the collective
punishment meted out to all
those above 20 regardless of their
innocence.
However, this approach
merely leads us to another
question. Why would G-d punish
people who had not sinned with
the Spies? The fact that they
did not join the majority of
Jews in crying that night should
have earned them special merit
and distinction deserving of
rich reward. Yet, the Midrash
implies that they would have
been punished with all those who
sinned.
Furthermore, this approach
does not explain how counting
the Levites separately and from
the age of 30 days immunized
them against suffering in the
future.
RESISTING MASS HYSTERIA
A simple and straightforward
answer can be offered.
By choosing them at such a
tender age, G-d signaled that
He had invested them with an
inner fortitude. This enabled
the Levites to reject the mass
hysteria that overcame the other
Issue 1069 5
2017-05-23 8:51:06 AM
 PARSHA THOUGHT

Misplaced spirituality can be as detrimental to down spiritual existence. Staying
in the desert allowed them
our lives as misplaced physicality. Judaism is the luxury of living an entirely
not about spirituality for its own sake; Judaism is about ethereal life.
It would thus have been much
G-d. To be sure, leading a spiritual life and engaging
more difficult for the Levites,
in spiritual activities is an extremely important part of known for their heightened
spirituality and passion for G-d,
Judaism; but it is not the end, it is merely a means to an
to distance themselves from the
end. The true goal is contributing to G-ds plan for the sin of the Spies, who sought to
remain in the desert to be more
universe.
spiritual. They too desired this
lofty existence. G-d therefore
instilled in them a deeper
children of Israel upon hearing First, the Golden Calf was not consciousness that would allow
the slanderous report of the 10 a national sin. Only part of the them to execute faithfully G-ds
Spies. Had they not been so community committed it, as is plan even when it was at odds
endowed, there would have been evidenced by the fact that only a with their spiritual ambition.
a significant chance that they too minority were directly punished.
might have sinned. By contrast, all of the Jewish MISPLACED SPIRITUALITY
One can still raise a question. people (only the men, of course;
the women did not sin) beside In the final analysis,
Rashi stated that the reason
the Levites cried that night. misplaced spirituality can be
G-d separated the Levites to
as detrimental to our lives as
protect them in the future was G-d therefore was concerned
misplaced physicality. Judaism is
that He considered them to be that the mass hysteria would have
not about spirituality for its own
His, for they had not erred with a deleterious effect on the Levites
sake; Judaism is about G-d.
the Golden Calf. Why then did too. When an entire nation does
G-d need to separate them to something, it is hard to stand To be sure, leading a spiritual
protect them from the sin of the apart. Indeed, one of the greatest life and engaging in spiritual
Spies, when they had already challenges to our devotion to activities is an extremely
demonstrated their loyalty to G-d G-d has been peer pressure. For important part of Judaism; but
in the Golden Calf debacle? this reason, the Shulchan Aruch it is not the end, it is merely
(Code of Jewish Law) begins with a means to an end. The true
The fact that they had the
the words, Do not be ashamed goal is contributing to G-ds
inner fortitude to resist the sin of
[to perform Mitzvos] because of plan for the universe, which
the Golden Calf, it appears, failed
the cynics. included primarily conquest and
to protect them from the mass
settlement of the Land of Israel.
hysteria that gripped the Jewish G-d therefore separated
nation when they heard the the Levite men into a distinct When our material existence
slanderous report about Israel. category of activists endowed gets in the way of fulfilling G-ds
Why? Why would they need an with the power to resist any plan we readily recognize it as a
extra boost of support from the pressure; to stand up to the entire deviation and a sin.
time they were 30 days old until nation, if need be. It is no less a deviation when
age 20 to keep them from going Second, the sin of the Spies our spiritual ambitions get in the
with the tide? was qualitatively different from way of fulfilling G-ds plan for
the sin of the Golden Calf. The the universe.
CONTRASTING THE SINS idolatry of the Golden Calf We are now in a similar
compromised the Peoples belief position as the Jews were
OF THE GOLDEN CALF AND
in the unity of G-d. By contrast, following the Exodus.
THE SPIES the sin of the Spies resulted
Upon closer examination, the from a heightened sense (albeit, THE MODERN DAY GOLDEN
sins of the Golden Calf and the misplaced) of spirituality. They
Spies reveal several significant believed that going into Israel
CALF AND SPIES
differences: would leave them with a watered We too are poised to enter the

6 1 Sivan 5777

1069_bm_eng.indd 6 2017-05-23 8:51:06 AM

 Promised Land with Moshiach at
our head. We too have to contend
with twin threats and challenges
to our role:
The first is the fight against
the powerful heresies of modern
society. Chief among them are
the secular theories that attempt
to lure us away from belief in a
Creator. This and many other
alluring philosophies and -isms
are the modern day Golden
Calves.
But even when we successfully
withstand the challenges from the
false g-ds and Golden Calves of
modernity, we are confronted
with the challenge of carving
out a comfortable niche in
Galus-exile with all the spiritual
amenities it has offered.
The Rebbe Rashab (Rabbi
Sholom Dovber Schneersohn,
the fifth leader of Chabad) spoke
prophetically of two periods
prior to the coming of Moshiach,
based on the end of Psalm 89:
As your enemies reviled, O
G-d, as Your enemies reviled
[Mishichecha] Your anointed
ones steps.
The Rebbe Rashab prophesied
that before the coming of
Moshiach there will first be a
1069_bm_eng.indd 7
period of reviling G-d; where
ideologies and -isms would
spring up and wage war against
G-d. He was presciently referring
to the rise of communism
and other stark heresies that
threatened to take over the world
and which fought tooth and nail
to eradicate every trace of G-d
and religion.
However, the Rebbe Rashab
predicted that there would also
be a time when even those who
are devoted to serving G-d will
hold back their belief in and
anticipation for Moshiach.
One may suggest that these
two stages parallel the sin of
the Golden Calf and the desert
generations refusal to enter into
the Promised Land.
The Rebbe Rashab then
declared that the students of the
Lubavitch Yeshivah he founded
were the Soldiers of the House
of David whose task was to
wage war against these two
obstructions to Redemption.
Under the leadership of our
Rebbe, these students morphed
into a world-wide movement of
Shluchim-emissaries dedicated
to spreading the light of Judaism
throughout the world. Thank
G-d, as a result of these efforts
the Soviet Union, that apparently
unbreachable bastion of heresy,
was vanquished.
The Rebbe then set out to
tackle the second challenge by
appointing and empowering all of
us to be the modern-day Levites.
Our mission is to prepare
ourselves and the entire world to
greet Moshiach and enable him
to usher in the Final Redemption.
No longer can we remain
content in our exile, even
though we can now devote
ourselves unhampered to Torah
study, Mitzvah observance and
achieving the greatest spiritual
heights.
Like the Levites of old,
we successfully withstood the
challenge of adversity and the
Golden Calves of society. G-d
has therefore empowered us
as well to withstand the allure
of the spiritual treasures and
comfortable niche we have carved
out in Galus.
We are the generation of
Levites who will not succumb
to the Spies. We will lead
our generation and all past
generations into the Promised
Land with Moshiach at our head!
Issue 1069 7
2017-05-23 8:51:06 AM
 INTERVIEW

A DONE DEAL
As a couple, the Rebbe
accompanied us every step of
the way from the first moment.
The Rebbe was even involved in
our shidduch. The Rebbe spoke
in praise of me to my husbands
family and suggested they do the
shidduch.
I remember that we met
and he told me what the Rebbe
said and how as far as he was
concerned, it was a done deal.
If the Rebbe said so, it was
obviously the right shidduch and
we were only meeting because
of protocol, but actually, it was
finalized from the outset!
My lifes dream was to marry
a talmid chacham and to prove to
the Litvishe family on my fathers
side that there are talmidei
chachomim in Chabad. Boruch
Hashem, my dream was fulfilled.
KFAR CHABAD
We were chassan and kalla.
My father-in-law went to the
Rebbe for Yud Shvat. The Rebbe
asked where we would live and
he said we hadnt decided yet,
either Yerushalayim, where the
kalla lived, or Tel Aviv, their city.
The Rebbe asked, Why not in
Kfar Chabad, the capital of Eretz
Yisroel? The Rebbe concluded
explicitly that my husband should
learn in the kollel in Kfar Chabad
and that we should live in Kfar
Chabad.
I had previously signed for a
conditional loan when I started
seminary since I dreamed
of going and teaching in a
development town. I had planned
on deciding with my husband

8 1 Sivan 5777

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 A HOUSE
OF TORAH
To mark the holiday of Shavuos, a time when
morei tzedek gather at the Rebbe, we spoke
with Rebbetzin Sima Ashkenazi to hear about
the responsibilities of a rav and her life as a
rebbetzin, wife of Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel
Ashkenazi ah.
By Miri Schneersohn
Photos by Yisroel Bardugo

before we married whether it
would be Kiryat Gat, Brosh or
Taanach. Once the Rebbe stated
his opinion, the rest fell by the
wayside.
Then we were suddenly
made an offer to live in Modiin.
Modiin at that time consisted
of mountains and rocky hills
and the place was not built up
as it is now; there wasnt even
a main road. They wanted to
bring a group of bachurim who
would learn Torah by day, and
at night would guard the area.
They needed girls to cook and
clean, and they were looking for
a couple who would live there.
My husband would be the rosh
yeshiva, would give shiurim and
supervise the bachurim, while I
would be a mashpia for the girls.
I went with my husbands
parents in a military truck to
look at the place. The truck had a
hard time making it up there as it
was really disconnected from the
rest of the country. They told us
that once a month a truck would
come with food, and beyond that
there wouldnt be any contact
with the outside world.
I liked the idea and agreed
and then my husband went to
see the place and we decided to
ask the Rebbe. We thought the
idea might be feasible. He would
teach Torah and receive a salary.
The alternate, 200 liras I would
get as a teacher plus 200 liras he
would get in kollel would be very
hard to live on.
My husbands grandmother,
Rebbetzin Karasik ah, was
very devoted and wanted to
support us. I was unwilling for
her to do this and wanted to be
self-supporting. The idea of us

Issue 1069 9

1069_bm_eng.indd 9 2017-05-23 8:51:09 AM

 Interview
living in Modiin, which would
enable him to learn Torah, spread
Judaism, and earn us a salary,
appealed to me.
The chassan asked the Rebbe
and the answer was a quote
from Shulchan Aruch Admur
HaZakein which says that after
marriage one should sit and learn
for two or three years and not
think about anything else. We
knew then, that until three years
were up, we would not listen to
any suggestions. Of course, we
settled in Kfar Chabad.
I remember that we met and he told me what the
Rebbe said and how as far as he was concerned,
it was a done deal. If the Rebbe said so, it was obviously
the right shidduch and we were only meeting because of
protocol, but actually, it was finalized from the outset!
JUST LEARN TORAH
At the beginning of those
years, on Erev Rosh Chodesh
Cheshvan, R Shloimke
Maidanchek asked my husband
to temporarily run the Talmud
Torah until he found a principal.
He asked that my husband show
up to greet the students the next
morning. If he did not go, they
would not open the Talmud
Torah.
My husband was taken aback,
would the children of Kfar
Chabad not learn?! Although
he was a young man, he had
a great sense of responsibility
and realized there was no other
choice.
My husband came home
at 12 that night and told me
that he had to show up at the
Talmud Torah the next morning.
I said, No way! You are not
going to the Talmud Torah. The
10 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 10
Rebbe said explicitly, two or
three years, and we were just
at the beginning. I went to R
Shloimkes house and knocked
at the door. He opened it and did
not understand what I wanted.
I told him that I wanted to let
him know that my husband would
not show up in the morning at
the Talmud Torah. He yelled
at me that I only cared about
my husband and not about the
chinuch of the children of Kfar
Chabad. I told him that I care
very much but we had an explicit
instruction from the Rebbe about
two or three years and until
three years passed, we were not
listening to any suggestions.
My husband did not go.
Then there was an offer from the
yeshiva in Lud and they pressured
him about bachurim who were
left without a maggid shiur. Their
maggid shiur, R Zelig Feldman
ah, had moved to Yerushalayim
and they needed a replacement.
My husband said he would ask
the Rebbe, and at least in the
interim, until he got an answer,
they could not leave the bachurim
without a shiur every day.
The Rebbe answered that
it wasnt for him. The yeshiva
wanted to pay him for the two
weeks he had worked but I was
not willing for him to accept it. I
told him, Donate the money to
the yeshiva. We wont be taking
this money, which is not in
accordance with the will of the
Rebbe.
At the end of three years, we
went to the Rebbe for Tishrei
5729 where we had yechidus
three times. The Rebbe instructed
my husband to continue writing
his first seifer according to the
many instructions and guidance
he had received from the Rebbe.
He also said he should continue
to learn for a fourth year in the
course of which he should accept
a job in one of our yeshivos.
Before Pesach, the yeshiva
gdola in Kfar Chabad asked him
to be a meishiv. He continued to
learn until the tragedy in which
Rabbi Garelik was killed, and he
was elected as Rav of the Kfar.
SHABBOS KODESH
I never disturbed my husband
from learning Torah and going
to shiurim; I never stopped him
from going to a kiddush and
farbrengen on Shabbos. Back
then, they farbrenged only on
Shabbos Mevarchim. In our first
year of marriage, I would prepare
kiddush in the house, and after
the davening, all the young men
would come to farbreng. I would
set up and arrange things ahead
of time and from another room I
would listen to the niggunim and
what I could get from the divrei
Torah, and I was pleased. I was
willing to work and prepare, as
long as I had a home of Torah
and Chassidus.
In the years that followed,
when we had children, my
husband led the Friday night
meal, and on Shabbos day I
would make kiddush myself and
we would eat the Shabbos meal,
sing niggunim, and I would
review a sicha on the parsha and
the children would say what they
had learned that week in school.
I ran a wonderful Shabbos table
while my husband was at the
farbrengen. After the meal, I
would clear off the table and set
2017-05-23 8:51:09 AM
 it again for the bachurim who
ate in our home on Shabbos. I
would put the children to sleep
and take the baby in the carriage
and go and give a shiur on the
parsha at the immigrants hostel
near our house. When most
of the residents left the hostel,
I stopped, and in later years
the Shabbos afternoon shiur
resumed.
THE RAV AS A FAMILY MAN
My husband was extremely
devoted to the family. He was so
close to the children. He would
sit and talk and tell about the
period of time that he was by the
Rebbe as a young boy, and over
the course of time he recounted,
quoted, and described all those
years. He guided them in Torah
and contributed so much to
them. They knew that their father
wasnt just any father, that he was
also a rav, and he gave of himself
to the children even though he
had no free time. But he had no
greater joy than when sitting with
the children and grandchildren.
On any festive occasion, we
would make a big evening and
invite everyone and farbreng for
hours with wonderful spiritual
content and great joy.
PEOPLE ARE
WAITING FOR ME!
I thank Hashem that I never
interfered with his holy work.
Whatever had to be done, he did.
If he had to travel to shluchim, to
help them with conversions and
mikvaos, I never told him not to
go. He traveled to South America
and to Poland to supervise the
shchita there. He traveled to
Ukraine for the harvesting of
wheat for shmura matza. He
traveled to check the bakery in
Dnepropetrovsk. He flew to the
Rebbe for Shavuos and for all
1069_bm_eng.indd 11
Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi as a
boy with his father, R Moshe, and
his grandfather, Rabbi Karasik
sorts of communal matters, and
to the holy gravesites in Ukraine,
and I did not stop him.
The one time that I told him,
Maybe you shouldnt go, was
on his final day. He felt so unwell
and was scheduled to travel
to Tzfas to give a shiur in the
yeshiva. I said, Maybe you need
an EKG? Maybe you should go
to the clinic?
He said, How can I not go?
People are waiting for me!
That was his mantra, people
are waiting for me. I need to help
people. He did not think about
himself. At the same time, he was
such a devoted husband. People
told me after he passed away,
Think of it as his going to the
Rebbe, Think of it as his going
to Haditch. I said, But what
about phone calls? He would
call three times a day to ask how
I was doing and how the children
were and to share what was
happening with him.
RAV POSEK HALACHA
Even a young man with
smicha for rabbanus cannot
pasken for himself or others.
When there is a local rav, he
has to go to him and ask and
get his psak halacha. As long
as Rabbi Garelik was alive, my
husband did not pasken for
himself, even though the rav
gave him smicha before we
married. Even during the life of
the rav, the rav demanded that
he pasken and said, You yourself
are a shoemaker - a Russian
expression which means you
yourself are knowledgeable.
Rav Garelik, at the end of his
life, claimed he did not see well
and my husband should pasken.
When ordered to do so, he
paskened in the ravs presence,
but he never paskened at home
for us.
I will add that every young
man who learns and receives
smicha for rabbanus, its so that
he should know what to ask, but
in order to resolve the question,
he must go to the rav. There is no
such thing as a young man who
has smicha who can pasken.
Parenthetically, I will add,
that when it says, make for
yourself a rav, in the Mishna, it
means a mashpia and not a rav
that paskens halachos. A mashpia
knows the person and what is
appropriate for him in various
situations but this had nothing to
do with paskening halachos.
WIFE OF THE RAV
Maintaining a communal
home is holy work. To help
people materially and spiritually,
there is nothing greater than
this. My husband would say,
If someone calls at two in the
morning, it means its urgent.
Of course he would answer. He
would usually answer the phone
throughout the day. One time, a
woman called whose little girl had
lost consciousness. I immediately
ran to her house and took the girl
Issue 1069 11
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 Interview

and got into someones car and
raced to the hospital.
When we got to Asaf
HaRofeh, the driver had to
turn right and in her haste, she
collided with a traffic sign island,
knocked the sign over and nearly
overturned. Boruch Hashem, she
managed to straighten the car
out and continued zooming to
the emergency room. All along
the way we cried and screamed
to Hashem, we said Thillim and
I urged her to drive more quickly
because the girl was grunting
terribly and I was afraid for her
770 for Pesach and had yechidus
after Pesach, the eve of his 16th
birthday. In a note, he wrote to
the Rebbe that he wants to return
and learn in 770. The Rebbe
asked why, but he did not want
to say. The reason was that the
yeshiva in Montreal asked him to
pay a large amount of money for
tuition. They thought his parents
made good money in Brazil and
could afford it.
He did not want to tattle on
the yeshiva and he knew his
parents had no money to spare,
but he did not want to say this
tears and the Rebbe said, I see
that it is so hard for you so I
wont ask anymore. The Rebbe
gave him instructions and then,
when he returned to Montreal,
the matter was settled.
When my husband was a
young boy he felt strongly that
you dont speak negatively about
a Jew. One would think that if
the Rebbe is asking, you answer,
but this is how he conducted
himself throughout his years of
rabbanus. There were all kinds of
disputes that he had to contend
with but he never wrote to the

Rebbe negatively about anyone.
There was a girl who knew, before she married, The Rebbe once said to my
father-in-law, Your son is even
that she could not have children. Her doctor said less of a writer than you, and
that hair would grow on the palm of his hand before she this strengthened the idea that
really this is how it is supposed
had children. She then received a letter from the Rebbe to be and one should not tattle on
in which he promised her children. When it came time Jews.
One time Rabbi Groner
for shidduchim, she asked the Rebbe whether to tell a
called and said, in the Rebbes
boy she was going to meet about the doctors prognosis, name, that a certain incident
had happened and asked him to
as well as the Rebbes promise. The Rebbe said, Do as
look into it. My husband did so
advised by the Mara DAsra of Kfar Chabad. and then R Groner called again
and asked about it. My husband
asked, Does the Rebbe want me
to say who it is? R Groner said,
life. to the Rebbe. He did not answer No, the Rebbe only wants to
We arrived at the emergency and the Rebbe pressed him and know if you dealt with it. Then
room in tears and shouted, Save said, Why dont you tell me the he saw how the Rebbe helps him
her! Boruch Hashem, after a truth? and knows that he did not want
few minutes, they told us they He tried to be evasive so to say, and so the Rebbe really
had managed to rouse her and it the Rebbe tried another way did not ask who; he just wanted
all ended well. Whenever I pass and asked who his chavrusa to ensure that the matter was
by there, I say the bracha you was. He said that for Nigleh he dealt with. He never wrote or
recite at the scene of a miracle learned with Shmuel Lew. The told the Rebbe a bad word about
that occurred to you. Rebbe said, Shmuel Lew is a anyone which is surely a very
Chassidishe bachur, he keeps great zchus.
DO NOT SPEAK to the times. That is so good,
so why do you want to leave? MOREH TZEDEK
DEROGATORILY Then the Rebbe said, Who are
ABOUT A JEW the teachers? and my husband Before he became Mara
listed all the staff. The Rebbe DAsra, when he was just a
When my husband was a teen,
concluded, That is all good. Moreh Tzedek, the Rebbe referred
my in-laws went on shlichus to
And that is how, for ten minutes, people to him, not necessarily
Brazil and he went to learn in
the Rebbe tried to extract the from Eretz Yisroel and not
770. That fall, the Rebbe told him
answer but my husband did not necessarily Lubavitchers, on a
to go to Montreal. He went to
want to say until he burst into range of matters, so he could

12 1 Sivan 5777

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 help them in their plights. He was
the spiritual shliach of the Rebbe
to help people make the right
decision in weighty matters in
their lives.
He would often say, A rav
has siyata dShmaya when it
comes to practical matters.
Especially when they would ask
about medical matters that had
to do with halacha he would
say, When it becomes practical,
come to me and I will pasken for
you. He would never issue a
ruling hypothetically.
There was a girl who knew,
before she married, that she
could not have children because
of medical problems. She had
received a letter from the Rebbe
in which he promised her
children. When it came time for
shidduchim, there was a doctor
who said that hair would grow
on the palm of his hand when
she had children. And yet, she
had the letter from the Rebbe.
She asked the Rebbe whether to
tell a boy she was going to meet
what the doctors said, as well as
the Rebbes promise. The Rebbe
said, Do as advised by the Mara
DAsra of Kfar Chabad.
The girl was from
Yerushalayim. She came to
my husband and told him the
situation. He instructed her to
meet and when it became serious,
to take the Rebbes letter along
with her and say she wanted to
show him something and she married her and they are now envelope from the Rebbe. It was
first wanted to tell him something shluchim abroad. There were intended for the rav running
important. That is what she did. miracles and they have three against Rabbi Druckman. R
Her family in Yerushalayim children. Chadakov asked my husband to
had no connection to my be so good as to give the letter
husband. The day after the MY CONFIDANT to whom it was intended. My
meeting, my husband called her husband had no idea what this
When Rabbi Druckman ran was about and he went to bring
to ask how the bachur reacted. for the position of the rabbanus
He felt a great responsibility in the letter to that rav. The rav
in Kiryat Mochkin, there was opened the letter in his presence
this case the Rebbe gave over to another rav who also ran. During
him. The family was very moved and they read it together:
that time, my husband received
that he cared so much. I am sending a letter with my
a letter from Rabbi Chadakov
The bachur accepted and confidant, Rabbi Ashkenazi, and
and in the envelope was another

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 Interview
the Rebbe asked him to withdraw
his candidacy so that Rabbi
Druckman could be elected. He
did so, and Rabbi Druckman was
elected.
THE CHECK THAT WAS
TORN AT THE TZIYUN
When the Iron Curtain fell,
my husband went to Russia for
24 Teves to daven at the Ohel of
the Alter Rebbe. It was very hard
to access the Ohel at the time,
there was no convenient road,
no railing or steps and in the
Russian winter it was all covered
with ice. My husband fell and got
a big bruise so that afterward, he
stood at the tziyun in tremendous
emotional agitation and great
pains. Many people had sent
their pidyonos with him. There
was a shliach from Eretz Yisroel
who asked him to get a check
from a rich man in Russia who,
after much effort, had agreed
to give him $18,000. Someone
brought it to Haditch and the rav
was asked to bring it back with
him to Eretz Yisroel.
He had the check plus two
$100 bills in his pocket. He said
the maaneh lashon and read the
pidyonos nefesh and he ripped
each one as is the custom.
Since he was overwrought and
confused and the lighting was
dim, he also tore the check and
the money.
When he got back up the hill,
he sat down to rest and began
checking his pockets. He saw
that the money and check were
gone. He realized he had ripped
them up at the tziyun and didnt
know what to do. The shliach
was waiting for the money!
He returned home and told
the shliach what happened. The
shliach was shocked and said,
I waited so long for it and he
finally gave it to me, oy, now its
14 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 14
gone!
My husband said, Tell the
man exactly what happened and
let us hope he will replace the
check. After all, he can see that it
wasnt deposited.
The shliach did so. The rich
man was so excited, because he
considered it a sign of blessing
that his check was ripped at
the tziyun like a pidyon nefesh,
that he gave the shliach double,
$36,000!
WHEN A RAV SAYS
SOMETHING
This is an interesting story
that we heard after my husband
passed away. My son Yossi asked
the public to tell stories about him
that they remembered. Someone
from the Kfar recounted the
following:
Over 20 years ago, this man
sold T-shirts with the logos of
all sorts of companies on them.
He was in touch with all the
companies and paid them for
the right to use their logos, but
there was one American company
that he tried repeatedly to
contact, without success. In the
meantime, he bought the print
plate and printed their logo on
the shirts. Years went by and he
made a nice profit on it, but he
never paid the company for this.
One day, he received a letter
from the company in which they
demanded reimbursement for the
use of their name all those years.
They demanded that he take
back all his merchandise from
the stores and pay a very high
fine for the profit he made over
the years. He was frightened and
went to my husband to consult
with him. My husband asked him
whether the company owners
were Jews and he said no. My
husband said, Ignore them.
The man wondered, What do
you mean to ignore them? I have
a legal summons! My husband
said, Throw it out.
He listened to my husband
and threw out the summons with
kabbalas ol. After a while, they
hired a private investigations
firm who went to all the stores
and removed all the unapproved
merchandise with their logo on it.
They ignored the shirts that the
man from the Kfar had printed,
even though his shirts were not
hidden and were in the display
windows! Everyone was sure
they had some sort of agreement
with him because otherwise, why
werent his shirts confiscated?
They emptied the other stores of
all their merchandise and ignored
him completely.
Over twenty years passed
since then and a few days before
my husband passed away, the
man thanked him, You saved
me and thanks to you I was left
with a good parnasa. I threw
the summons into the garbage
and they didnt demand a thing
from me. The rav waved his
hand dismissively and said, It
was really nothing. After my 120
years, tell the story.
DID YOU ASK A RAV?
There was an older girl to
whom a divorced man was
suggested as a shidduch. They
met and all seemed well and she
wanted to get engaged. She had
a Lubavitcher friend who told her
you dont make these decisions
without the Rebbe. The single
had no connection to Chabad or
the Rebbe but her friend insisted,
so they went to the Rebbe. At the
dollar line, she said she was about
to get married and she wanted a
bracha.
The Rebbe asked her, Did
you ask a rav?
She was taken aback by this
2017-05-23 8:51:11 AM
 question and thought maybe
she did not hear correctly. The
secretary said yes, that is what
the Rebbe said, did she ask a rav.
She returned to Eretz Yisroel
and decided to go to the rav of the
largest Chabad community in the
country and that is how she came
to my husband. She told him the
story and he said he wanted to
speak to the prospective groom.
He asked the man where
he got divorced and he said
in Sydney. My husband asked
whether he had a certificate
proving his divorce and he said
no. The get is given to the woman
and the man is supposed to get a
certificate attesting that he was
divorced, but this man did not
have one.
My husband called Rabbi
Lesches, who was the rav and
Av Beis Din in Sydney at the
time and asked him about this
case. R Lesches said there was
a divorce because the man had
1069_bm_eng.indd 15
severe psychological issues. R
Lesches did not want to give him
a certificate so that a clever rav,
who would wonder why there
was no certificate, would call him
and would hear the story, then be
able to save another woman from
falling into this mans hands.
Thanks to my husband who
delved into this, and thanks to
the Rebbe who referred her to a
rav, the shidduch was off.
HE SET HIMSELF ASIDE
The rav had various sides
to him. He was a big talmid
chacham, and Torah knowledge
permeated the depths of his
being. Aside from that, he had
superior character traits. He
cared about every Jew. He did
not do anything just to get it over
with; he wanted to help with all
his heart and soul.
They say that what a
Chassidishe farbrengen can
accomplish, even the angel
Michoel cannot accomplish,
because when Jews, from the
depths of their heart, want to
help someone, and they bless
him, it accomplishes great things.
He had the great desire to help
people because he never saw
himself as the center of things.
He put himself completely aside
in order to help others. He also
had tremendous soul powers.
We see how the Rebbe relied on
him, with his abilities and his
enormous knowledge, that he
could really be of help!
May he accomplish up Above
for all of us, the hisgalus of the
Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, and
may we hear Torah chadasha
miti teitzei immediately. Yechi
Adoneinu Moreinu VRabbeinu,
Melech HaMoshiach Lolam
Vaed.
Lilui nishmas my husband,
Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel ben
Moshe Ashkenazi, ah.
Issue 1069 15
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 CHABAD HISTORY

16 1 Sivan 5777

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 THE EARLY DAYS OF
MIVTZA
CHINUCH
Over 40 years have passed
since the Rebbe announced the
Education Campaign, in which he
said a Jewish education should be
provided for all Jewish children,
mainly those not learning in
religious schools. * Beis Moshiach
looks back at the beginning of the
campaign which, over time, has
regrettably become somewhat
neglected, and the work that was
done in Eretz Yisroel and around
the world.

By Avrohom Rainitz
and Shneur Zalman Levin

Issue 1069 17

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 Chabad History
I
t was the end of Nissan
5736, at a farbrengen held
on Shabbos, Parshas Acharei
Mos, when the Rebbe
announced the Shnas Chinuch.
Before the announcement, the
Rebbe explained that just as the
president of the United States
[Gerald Ford] had proclaimed an
American Education Week, so too,
an announcement would now be
made about a year of education:
It is being announced
regarding this year as a Shnas
Chinuch and Mivtza Chinuch,
which is connected with the idea
of and you shall relate to your
child - a matter of education,
that there should be no boy or
girl without a Jewish education.
This is the announcement, that
this year the emphasis should be
on seeing to it that every Jewish
child receives an education
based on authentic Judaism.
The Rebbe said to hurry up,
and mentioned making a big
deal in the media and forming a
special committee to address this
new campaign.
At that same farbrengen, the
Rebbe laid out a practical course
of action towards implementing
the huge undertaking:
Registering children in religious
Signs of the 12 Psukim hanging on the building next to 770
during the Lag BOmer parade
18 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 18
summer camps.
This matter of chinuch
pertains to everyone, especially
those who worked in this field
previously or are working
in it now (because then all
beginnings are difficult
does not pertain to them)
successfully. And even if there
were some details that were
lacking, they knew with whom
to consult and clarify things
etc. This pertains particularly
to Jewish women, each of whom
is the mainstay of the home and
upon her depends the education
of children, and also those who
are preparing in anticipation of
this role.
The Rebbe added:
The announcement is
being made in a holy place (a
shul and beis midrash) and the
strength for it is taken from
the words of our Sages about
a persons livelihood being
designated at the beginning
of the year (during the Aseres
Yemei Tshuva), that as far
as expenses for tuition (i.e.
chinuch for boys and girls),
whoever adds, has it added to
him from Above.
This is what our Rebbeim
did regarding certain years, that
they announced Shnas Torah,
for example, and like we find in
a number of stories of tzaddikim
and gdolei Yisroel who used
customs of the country in the
service of Hashem.
TO DESTROY THE ENEMY
Everyone felt there was
something heavenly behind this
new campaign and this sentiment
was reinforced when the Rebbe
spoke about the enormous power
that the Jewish children have to
destroy the enemy.
The first time the Rebbe
spoke about the connection
between Shnas HaChinuch
and destroying the enemy was
a Thursday night, the eve of
Rosh Chodesh Iyar 5736/1976.
That night the Rebbe held a
special farbrengen, most of
which was dedicated to Mivtza
Chinuch. The Rebbe spoke
about the importance of the
children themselves participating
in Mivtza Chinuch in order to
destroy the enemy.
As was mentioned a
number of times, one of the
ways of tipping himself and
the entire world toward merit
is through from the mouths
Front page of
the 12 Psukim booklet
2017-05-23 8:51:16 AM
 of babes and sucklings You
established strength as this
causes to dispose of enemy and
avenger.
The Rebbe added that he
meant not only an actual enemy
who already attacked, G-d
forbid, but also one who planned
on taking revenge.
On this occasion, the Rebbe
added specific details regarding
the initiative. He enumerated
six verses that every Jewish
child needs to learn by heart.
The Rebbe explained that these
verses are easy to explain to little
children. These verses should be
printed and disseminated in every
country in their language so that
every child would be able to carry
out the commandment when
you sit in your house and go on
the way with these verses.
Three days after the
farbrengen, which was
uncommon for that period,
there was another uncommon
farbrengen, which was held on
Sunday, 2 Iyar, during which
the Rebbe spoke at length
about Mivtza Chinuch, and also
included a number of special
directives:
That there should be an
effort that every person should
get involved in the matter of
chinuch;
To give children three
coins for their involvement in the
chinuch of their friends;
That every person should
put in effort according to his
ability, in every possible way, in
Mivtza Chinuch, and especially in
registering children for summer
camps and in yeshivos for the
following school year;
That it is an obligation
on the administrations of the
schools to accept additional
students and not to let teachers
go for lack of funding.
1069_bm_eng.indd 19
THE REBBE PUSHES
FOR ACTION
From a brochure that was
published at the time, we can
glean some insight into what
were the goals of the campaign:
Mivtza Chinuch The
education in the home is very
important and is the first shaping
of the childs character. However,
even at that point he is still not
fully formed and it is necessary to
impart to him a greater awareness
of the questions that are already
teeming in his mind: Who am
I? Where do I belong? Where
do I come from? The Rebbe
contends that for questions such
as these, the answer should be
with a Jewish Torah education.
The campaign is being carried
out on many fronts, opening new
educational institutions primarily
in out of the way places, growing
and expanding the existing
institutions, setting up day
camps and summer camps,
and organizing Torah classes
for those children who attend
schools that do not teach about
Torah and mitzvos.
The Rebbe himself began to
push the Chassidim to hurry
and begin the work. It is told that
the day after the first surprise
farbrengen, Friday Rosh Chodesh
Iyar, the Rebbe asked one of the
secretaries why the students of
kvutza from the Holy Land are
not yet returning home (in those
years, the kvutza group would
be by the Rebbe from Nissan to
Nissan). The Rebbe explained his
question in the following terms:
There has just begun a shturem
in Mivtza Chinuch, and they
are not involved in this, neither
here nor in Eretz Yisroel. In
conclusion, the Rebbe instructed:
Therefore, they should leave
immediately at the beginning of
the coming week.
A few days later, Thursday
5 Iyar, after Mincha, R Katz of
South Africa was standing near
the office of the secretariat. The
Rebbe turned to him and asked
about the time of his return flight,
and then asked him if he agreed
to be his emissary. When he
answered in the affirmative, the
Rebbe gave him two dollar bills
for the purpose of giving them
to tzdaka over South Africa,
and said to him that being that
he is involved there in matters
of chinuch, he should make a
shturem in regards to chinuch.
The Rebbe also gave two
dollars to his wife, and told
her that being that there is an
organization there for women,
she should consider getting
involved in this. To their son,
the Rebbe also gave one dollar,
and then added another dollar,
saying, This is for your friends.
During that month, R
Chaim Gutnick from Australia
paid a visit to Eretz Yisroel. As
per an explicit request from the
secretariat of the Rebbe, he was
to be informed that the Rebbe
wished that his visit be used for
publicizing Shnas HaChinuch.
Issue 1069 19
2017-05-23 8:51:17 AM
 Chabad History
In the letter, under the heading of Be careful of
the sons of the poor, for from them will go forth
Torah, it calls upon the administrations of the various
educational institutions, including summer camps, to see
to it that at least a tenth of the students are accepted
tuition free.
The following is part of the text
of the message that was sent
regarding this matter:
R Chaim Gutnick has traveled
to the Holy Land. He should be
received nicely and he should use
his influence. He speaks well and
understands the issues ... and to
utilize his stay in the Holy Land
in the best possible manner. He
should speak before the crowd
on Lag BOmer in Miron. He
was at the recent farbrengens
and was influenced as far as the
activities of Mivtza Chinuch, and
he can influence others about
this matter to publicize about
him in the newspapers etc. to
make it easier for him to focus on
the activities. As per the request
of the Rebbe shlita, he should
remain in the Holy Land until
after Lag BOmer.
During the period that
followed, the Rebbe used almost
every opportunity to mention
the special time. In a letter for
the graduation ceremonies of
Tomchei Tmimim in Montreal,
the Rebbe wrote to be involved in
Mivtza Chinuch, which is an all-
inclusive campaign that includes
all the general campaigns [the ten
mivtzaim]. In a telegram sent
on 4 Elul 5736 to the educators
of the Reshet Oholei Yosef
Yitzchok, who held a gathering
at that time, the Rebbe wrote,
And especially since this year is
a Shnas HaChinuch for Torah
and Mitzvos. Similar mentions
can be found in almost all of the
Rebbes general letters from that
20 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 20
period.
Even in personal letters the
Rebbe often raised the topic of
Mivtza Chinuch. In a letter that
the Rebbe wrote to Professor
Velvel Green, the Rebbe
mentioned, Judaism should
be brought to every single Jew,
primarily in this year of Torah
Chinuch, in which everybody is
called upon to do everything in
his power in order to bring Torah
and mitzvos to all the Jews, young
and old, including those that
are already not young in years
but are still youngsters in Jewish
knowledge and experiences.
Similarly, when R Yosef
Wineberg wrote to the Rebbe
that he had spoken on the radio
about Mivtza Chinuch and that
he was traveling to Brazil, the
Rebbe wrote him, Certainly in
all of the aforementioned, he
will speak about this matter, and
as mentioned with a shturem
... and all of the above should
be in a manner of hyperbole of
holiness.
To a Chassid who wanted
to leave his job in chinuch, the
Rebbe wrote to him, It is a
moral lesson as to how great
are the concealments in the
darkness of exile, as specifically
when it was announced about
Shnas HaChinuch and the need
to prepare in a timely manner
for the summer camps, this plan
came up.
Before the beginning of the
new school year, the Rebbe
penned a special general letter for
children, addressed to the dear
boys (and girls), in which the
Rebbe encourages the children to
get involved in Mivtza Chinuch
and to influence their friends.
THE CHASSIDIM
GET TO WORK
Lag BOmer, which was a
short time after the Rebbes initial
call, was a good opportunity
to publicize the message to the
broader public (although this
was in the period before parades
began to be held in every city
in Eretz Yisroel). The main
activities centered around Mount
Miron, near the resting place of
Rabi Shimon bar Yochai, where
every year there were hundreds
of thousands of Jewish visitors.
The regular booth of Tzeirei
Chabad of Tzfas got a manpower
boost in the form of the first
group of shluchim that the
Rebbe had sent to move to the
Holy Land. The entire booth
was adorned with signs about
Mivtza Chinuch. The hundreds
of thousands who came to visit
the gravesite received explanatory
brochures that were produced
in honor of Shnas HaChinuch.
These brochures had a number
of rhyming slogans (in Hebrew)
printed as headlines, such as;
The chinuch of our children
to Torah, will take us out from
darkness to light, and The
guarantee of the survival of our
nation, Torah chinuch for our
children.
R Efraim Wolf, the director
of Tomchei Tmimim in Kfar
Chabad, began to send reports
to the Rebbe as early as 4 Iyar,
detailing the meetings that were
held among the activists, and
the decisions that were made,
including the practical steps
to be taken and the division of
labor. He also reported about
the activities that were done
2017-05-23 8:51:17 AM
 with the staff and students of the
yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, in terms
of carrying out Mivtza Chinuch
within the yeshiva in addition to
their regular studies.
In the north of the country,
the newly arrived young married
shluchim that were sent to Tzfas,
who were told to continue their
studies in kollel, would travel
around to cities, towns, and
settlements, to visit the local
schools on Fridays (kollelim in
Eretz Yisroel have no formal
hours on Fridays). R Aharon
Eliezer Tzeitlin, who was one of
the three unmarried bachurim
that were sent along with the
group, kept a detailed diary of
all the activities that the group
did, based on which he would
send reports to the Rebbe. In
the six weeks from after Shavuos
until the end of the school year
in Israel, he writes that we
managed to visit 941 schools,
which serve 20,000 students.
He goes on to list the
names of all the towns and
settlements where these schools
were located according to
the Hebrew alphabet: Avivim,
Achihud, Elipalet, Dishon,
Dalton, Chatzor, Teveria, Yesod
Hamaale, Kerem Ben Zimra,
Karmiel, Metulla, Miron, Maalot,
Nahariya, Safsufa, Acco, Alma,
Amuka, Kiryat Shmoneh, Rosh
Pina, Shlomi, and of course,
Tzfas.
Additionally, the Mitzva
Tank from Yerushalayim was
put to use to spread Judaism
in the small settlements in the
Galil region during this period.
Every day, after their studies
in kollel, a group would visit
a different settlement with the
tank, with some doing home
visits and others manning the
tank and distributing materials
to the passersby. R Tzeitlin
writes in great detail about
1069_bm_eng.indd 21
Chabad stand at Miron, decorated with signs announcing Mivtza Chinuch
the activities that they would
do with the children. Also,
on Fridays, the tank would
visit local army bases to do
outreach with the soldiers.
There follows a day-by-day
account from 17 Sivan until 22
Tammuz, listing the installation
of hundreds of mezuzos, dozens
of people putting on tfillin,
and many hundreds of children
participating in Mivtza Chinuch
related activities.
THE PHONE
CONVERSATION
WITH R CHADAKOV
It is interesting to note that
although initially the Rebbe
addressed his request to all
the Chassidim, including the
shluchim, it seemed that to a
certain degree the Rebbe shifted
the focus onto the small group of
shluchim that had only recently
arrived in Yerushalayim and in
Tzfas.
The bachurim shluchim,
those who learned in Toras Emes
in Yerushalayim, became like
family members in the home
of R Chanoch Glitzenstein,
and when they heard what the
Rebbe had spoken about that
first Shabbos, they consulted
Coins for blessing and success from the
Rebbe that were given out to Jewish children
in the summer of 5736
with him as to how to proceed.
R Glitzenstein called the office
of the Rebbes secretaries and
asked for clarifications in the
name of the shluchim, as to
what was expected of them. The
following is an approximation of
the conversation that took place.
Question: In the name of the
shluchim in Yerushalayim, most
of who are currently present
together with the faculty and
Rosh Kollel, it was requested
of me to ask the Rebbe shlita
regarding Mivtza Chinuch
as to what extent we should
be involved. The situation is
as follows. There are many
suggestions as far as possible
activities, creating a shturem
throughout the Holy Land;
visiting schools in Yerushalayim;
Issue 1069 21
2017-05-23 8:51:17 AM
 Chabad History
making a gathering for children
(at the Kosel or some other
central venue); a day camp.
There are those among us who
are prepared to undertake any
and all of the above, but it will
take up the time of most of the
day, at least by some of those
involved or maybe even most
or all of us until the end of the
summer.
R Chadakov responded
that the most important thing
that the bachurim had to do
was to keep to the learning
schedule. Immediately from the
beginning, when the Rebbe sent
you, the goal was that you should
learn. Therefore, it is understood
that it is impossible for you to
only be involved in activities and
not learn. You are to conduct
yourselves as you did in the initial
period, namely that all activities
are carried out only outside of
the learning schedule hours.
As far as Mivtza Chinuch,
R Chadakov answered, This
is a matter that has to be done
in an orderly fashion. Mivtza
Chinuch is not a local matter,
but a campaign that needs to
encompass the entire land. There
is no place for the group (of
shluchim) to organize things on
their own. You can participate in
the activities being done in Eretz
Yisroel, but not on your own. R
Chadakov added this message to
the bachurim, With this you will
bring merit to all of the Jews of
Eretz Yisroel, all the Chabadniks
and the Tmimim.
MIVTZA CHINUCH
IN THE USA
A few days after the Rebbes
pronouncement, the Lubavitch
Youth Organization sent out
a letter to Anash and all those
active in outreach, with a call to
get to work as per the desire of
the Rebbe. The letter was edited
22 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 22
Rabbi Shraga Zalmanov
by the Rebbe himself and many
copies were sent out. We need
to strengthen and expand the
issue of chinuch by every single
Jew; chinuch of actual children
who are young in years, and the
chinuch of those who are young
in their knowledge (even if they
are older in years). Each and
every person must be involved in
this education campaign with the
utmost energy, until every Jewish
boy and girl will receive a kosher
education according to the Torah
and its mitzvos.
The letter goes on to delineate
various ways of implementing
the campaign in practical terms.
One of the suggestions listed
was to utilize the upcoming
summer months to register as
many children in kosher summer
camps as possible.
It has already been said
many times that the advantage
of a summer camp is that the
children are under the influence
of the camp throughout the entire
day, without any influence from
outside factors, and it is obvious
that the influence on them is that
much more powerful.
It then goes on to say, Along
with the effort and emphasis on
the education of Jewish boys
and girls during the summer
months, it is also obviously
necessary to invest effort in
their education throughout the
year. And in preparation of the
upcoming school year, we must
already now put in tremendous
effort to influence the parents to
register their children in kosher
schools for the next school year.
When they will work at this with
requisite energy, along with the
effort directed at the children
themselves, certainly they will
accomplish that the greatest
possible number of Jewish boys
and girls will be registered in
kosher schools that are founded
al taharas hakodesh, and they
will receive a kosher chinuch
throughout the entire upcoming
school year.
In the letter, under the
heading of Be careful of the
sons of the poor, for from them
will go forth Torah, it calls
upon the administrations of the
various educational institutions,
including summer camps, to see
to it that at least a tenth of the
students are accepted tuition free.
In light of this letter, we
turned to R Kasriel Kastel, of the
Lubavitch Youth Organization,
who remembers those days well:
Following the sichos of the
Rebbe on the subject of providing
a proper chinuch, we set up a
telephone bank that was manned
mainly by girls from Beis Rivka.
They contacted Jewish families
throughout the New York area
and tried to convince them to
send their children to Jewish
schools. This was not a simple
and self-understood matter at
all. In many cases this required
great sacrifice on the part of the
families.
I recall that one day I
received a call from an elderly
woman who heard about our
phone operation and she begged
2017-05-23 8:51:17 AM
 us to contact her daughter and
try to convince her to send her
children to religious schools. I
asked her if we could say that she
sent us, but she cried, Heaven
forbid. She will be angry that I
am mixing into her life. So, one
of the telephone operators called
the daughter, and after she heard
what the call was about, she said
that she had been married to a
religious man, but after she got
divorced there was no money to
pay for Jewish education, so she
was forced to send the children to
public school where she doesnt
have to pay.
The girl from Beis Rivka
took on this family as a personal
project, and in a short time
she succeeded in having the
children transferred to religious
schools. The connection between
them became so strong that
when that girl got married in
Australia, the mother traveled
there to participate in her
wedding. Today, she is a shlucha
somewhere in the USA and is still
in contact with that family.
R Kastel added that Mivtza
Chinuch is still ongoing to this
very day, Every summer there
are families that have difficulty
paying tuition, who reach out
to us and ask for financial aid,
and in fact, we invest tens of
thousands of dollars each year in
this campaign. However, sadly,
the amount of funding at our
disposal is insufficient to meet
the need. If we had the ability, we
would save many more children
and transfer them to kosher
schools.
The challenges faced by those
who are active in this campaign
are far from simple. Even when a
family has been convinced to take
their children out of public school
and transfer them to religious
schools, they are confronted
with two major problems. First
1069_bm_eng.indd 23
Rabbi Kasriel Kastel
and foremost is the high cost of
tuition, which in some schools
can be more than ten thousand
dollars a year!
What can you do in such
cases?
We determine how much
the parents can pay, and at the
same time we approach the
administration of the institution
and try to arrange a special
discount, and whatever remains
we try to cover, at least partially.
In the special farbrengen
mentioned at the beginning of
the article, which took place on
2 Iyar, the Rebbe addressed the
obligation of administrations
of the schools to accept more
students and not to let teachers
go due to lack of funds.
R Kastel added an interesting
anecdote. In one of the brochures
that LYO put out in connection
with Mivtza Chinuch, it cited the
aphorism of the Rebbe Rashab,
that just as putting on tfillin
every day is a mitzva of the
Torah, so too, it is an absolute
obligation upon every Jew to
think a half hour each day about
the education of children. In the
Rebbes edits of that brochure,
he removed the limitation of a
half hour, and left it as a general
obligation with no time limit.
Another person who was very
active in Mivtza Chinuch in the
USA was R Shraga Zalmanov,
director of the Vaada LDovrei
Ivrit (committee for Hebrew
speakers). This group was in
direct regular contact with close
to a thousand Hebrew speaking
families around New York. R
Zalmanov recalls with great
clarity that first period after the
Rebbe launched Mivtza Chinuch:
The first thing we did was
to contact all of our mekuravim,
and whoever had children in
public school, we worked to
convince them to switch their
children to a Jewish school.
Concurrently, we placed radio
ads on a popular Israeli program
about the importance of Jewish
education, and asked people to
contact us for more information.
Additionally, in miraculous
fashion, we succeeded in getting
hold of an updated list of Israelis
living throughout the USA, and
we contacted them as well.
We were operating seven
telephone lines, and every
evening bachurim from the
yeshiva would head upstairs to
the offices and conduct dozens
of phone conversations. In the
months from when the Rebbe
began to talk about the topic in
Iyar, until the beginning of the
new school year, we succeeded
in transferring 600 children from
public schools to Jewish schools!
When we produced a
brochure about the campaign,
we decided to go big and for the
very first time put out a color
brochure. In those days that was
a novel thing and it cost four
times the regular printing. The
Rebbe apparently enjoyed this
novel development very much as
he sent out a note with thanks for
the beautifying of the brochure.
When we saw how much nachas
Issue 1069 23
2017-05-23 8:51:17 AM
 Chabad History

this gave the Rebbe, from that consideration. NAASEH VNISHMA

point on every brochure we put
out was in full color.
R Zalmanov also spoke
of the main problem that they
faced, which was the money
problem. Many families were
unable or unwilling to take on
the huge financial commitment,
especially those that did not really
appreciate the importance of a
Jewish education. We helped
them with significant sums of
money from a special fund that
we set up, he says.
The scholarships began to
add up to huge amounts. At a
certain point, I thought of pulling
Rabbi Kastel mentioned IN BRAZIL
an additional problem that
The Rebbes call for Mivtza
Tzach faced when they wanted
Chinuch reached Brazil too.
children to join Jewish schools,
The shliach there, Rabbi Chaim
We had to contend with the
Binyamini, founder and Rosh
mainstreaming of children with
Yeshiva of Machne Israel in
no religious background, directly
Petropolis, sent a letter to the
into a religious program.
Rebbe that same month in which
R Kastel divides Jewish he detailed the first activities that
schools into two categories, he did, including:
There are yeshivos which are
The bachurim learn more and
generally attended by religious
have made learning commitments
kids. It is very hard to put a child
regarding time and quantity of
with no religious background
mishnayos, dapim, perakim, etc.
into a yeshiva and have him fit
in. Then there are Jewish day They put ads in the papers
schools where most of the day on behalf of the yeshiva and the
michlala about their willingness

to accept poor students at reduced
In one of the brochures that LYO put out in rates.
connection with Mivtza Chinuch, it cited the Groups of talmidim went
to Rio on Lag BOmer and the
aphorism of the Rebbe Rashab, that just as putting on
Sunday afterward and worked in
tfillin every day is a mitzva of the Torah, so too, it is an five schools and clubs with about
2500 boys and girls, reviewing
absolute obligation upon every Jew to think a half hour
psukim and giving out coins for
each day about the education of children. In the Rebbes tzdaka.
edits of that brochure, he removed the limitation of a half They printed a translation of
the letter and distributed it to the
hour, and left it as a general obligation with no time limit. parents and students in the hopes
that this would also be useful.
Starting from Erev Shabbos
BaMidbar, talmidim were invited
the radio ads and limiting the is spent on secular subjects and to give a shiur on Erev Shabbos in
mivtza to the community of our there are basic Jewish subjects. It Rio about Shabbos and the tfillos
mekuravim, as many of those is easier to place a child without of Shabbos.
families were in financial straits a religious background into a day
and asked for help in covering school where the children are
the tuition fees. I wrote about from religious-lite homes.
A REQUEST AND A DOUBLE
this to the Rebbe, and the answer We talk to principals and try AND REDOUBLED REQUEST
I received was to the effect that to convince them to accept the To conclude this article, which
our work was analogous to a children into existing programs, only touches on a small part of
hospital, which needs to regularly but its not easy. I once spoke Mivtza Chinuch, here are unusual
advertise its existence. And if to a principal and read him a words that the Rebbe used to
too many patients show up, it is letter from the posek, Rabbi sum up the special farbrengen
necessary to place some of them Moshe Feinstein zl, that calls that took place on 2 Iyar:
in the hallways, and only if there upon principals to accept up All those who listen to my
is literally no space at all only to ten percent of children from voice or want to listen, fulfill
then do they stop taking new irreligious backgrounds, because the aforementioned suggestion
patients. Similarly, we need to then the majority are religious as a request and a double and
continue advertising, and as and they are the influencers and redoubled request.
far as financial assistance, we not the influenced.
need to operate with careful

24 1 Sivan 5777

1069_bm_eng.indd 24 2017-05-23 8:51:18 AM

 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
WHAT IS THE BEST
WAY TO REACH OUT
TO OTHER JEWS?
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Dear Reader shyichyeh,
We are all preparing for the
Yom Tov of Shavuos, when
we celebrate the giving of the
Torah. It is a very special time, as
Shavuos is an opportune time to
achieve everything in improving
Torah study and avoda marked by
fear of Gd, and also to strive in
tshuva concerning Torah study,
without the interference of the
accusing Satan, just like the time
of the Shofar sounding on Rosh
HaShana and the holy day of the
Fast of Yom Kippur. (HaYom
Yom 4 Sivan)
Before Hashem gave the
Torah, He asked the nations
of the world if they wanted
it. They first wanted to know
what was in it and only then
would they consider receiving
the Torah. When Hashem came
to they all responded, tmimus, earnest avoda flowing
- we commit to doing from the heart.
what Hashem wants even before
we know what He wants from
us. This showed Hashem that
were ready to receive the Torah.
Having to Hashem greatness, for he will teach Torah
is a prerequisite to receiving the
Torah.
The Rebbe writes in HaYom
Yom (24 Iyar) : With the advent
of Moshiach, the superior quality
of the traits of simplicity and
wholeheartedness, found in the
avoda of simple folk who daven
1069_bm_eng.indd 25
and recite Thillim with simple
sincerity, will be revealed.
This HaYom Yom that speaks
about the special quality of
simplicity and wholeheartedness
is actually one of three that are
taken from the same Maamer
(Maamer VAvdi David, 5694)
of the Frierdike Rebbe.
The first of the other two
is the HaYom Yom of 5 Teves:
When Moshiach comes we will
realize the greatness of hodaa
(acknowledgement, or belief)
and tmimus (earnestness),
everyones pure faith in Gd and
His Torah and mitzvos. Talmud,
namely human comprehension
even on its highest level
is limited. But hodaa, faith,
is a feeling that is boundless.
Moshiach will explain the
magnificent achievement of
your hand.
The Frierdike Rebbe asks:
This is the second one: The
unique quality of Moshiach is
that he will be humble. Though
he will be the ultimate in
under his domain, why should
to the Patriarchs and to Moshe
Rabbeinu (alav hashalom), still
he will be the ultimate in humility
and self-nullification, for he will
also teach simple folk. (Rosh
Chodesh Menachem-Av)
The Maamer was said on
Shavuos. It is based on the Pasuk
in Yechezkel (37, 24): And My
servant David shall be king over
them, and one shepherd shall be
for them all. The Navi is telling
us that although throughout
history, there were two kingdoms
and rulers of the Jewish people
(the ten tribes under Yosef and
two under Yehuda), yet in
, everyone will be united
under Yehuda through Melech
HaMoshiach. As the psukim
continue (37, 16-17): And you,
son of man, take for yourself
one stick and write upon it, For
Yehudah and for the children
of Israel his companions; and
take one stick and write upon it
For Yosef, the stick of Ephraim
and all the house of Israel, his
companions. And bring them
close, one to the other into one
stick, and they shall be one in
Why is it that there will be this
change in the time of Moshiach?
If historically Yosef had the
majority of the Jewish people
that not continue? Why should
Moshiach come from Yehudah
and everyone be united under his
rulership?
The Maamer explains that
the kingships of Yosef and
Yehuda represent two different
types of . Yosef, which
Issue 1041 25
2017-05-23 8:51:18 AM
 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
means to add, represents the
avoda of learning Torah. While
one is learning, he is always
using his mind to understand
and formulate new ideas. He
is constantly building and
adding onto what he has already
learned by thinking of new
ideas. Yehuda, which means
to thank and acknowledge the
superiority of a Higher Being,
represents that avoda of In the times of Moshiach, when
. A person accepts the the quality of simple and pure
commandments of Hashem and
follows the Torah with pure faith
even if he does not understand
fully why he is doing the Mitzvos.
He breaks his nature and will and
does the will of Hashem.
Which Avoda is greater?
There is actually a discussion
During the time of exile, the main ruler,
representing the main Avodas Hashem, is from
Yosef, representing Talmud. In the times of Moshiach,
when the quality of simple and pure action will be
revealed, we will all be united under Yehuda.
about this very question in the
Gemara. In Kiddushin (40b), the
following discussion is recorded:
R. Tarfon and the Elders were
once reclining in the upper
story of Nitzas house in Lud,
when this question was raised
before them: Is study greater, or
practice? R. Tarfon answered,
saying: Practice is greater. R.
Akiva answered, saying: Study is
greater, for it leads to practice.
Then they all answered and said:
Study is greater, for it leads to
action - .
This quoted discussion was
answering the above question
as it would be applicable to the
time of exile, but when Moshiach
comes it will be revealed that
26 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 26
, that it is specifically through
our action and physical Mitzvos
that we were able to build the
and reveal the essence of he does what is true because it
Hashem in this world.
With this understanding
we can answer our previous
question: During the time of
exile, the main ruler, representing
the main Avodas Hashem, is
from Yosef, representing .
motivated by love. The fact that
action will be revealed, we will
all be united under Yehuda,
representing .
In a Maamer of our Rebbe
VAvdi David 5746 paragraph
7, the Rebbe adds that now that
we know from our Rebbeim
that when Moshiach comes,
we will see the quality in pure
service of Hashem without any
ulterior motives, we must begin
implementing that in our Avoda
today. The Alter Rebbe writes
(Tanya Perek 37) that Now
this ultimate perfection of the
Messianic era and [the time of]
the resurrection of the dead is
dependent on our actions and
[Divine] service throughout the
period of exile.
We must strive to reach this
special level of Avoda in these
final moments of Galus. The
Rambam (Hilchos Tshuva 10:2)
writes: One who serves [God]
out of love occupies himself in
the Torah and the mitzvos and
walks in the paths of wisdom for
no ulterior motive, not because
of fear that evil will occur, nor in
order to acquire benefit. Rather,
is true, and ultimately, good will
come because of it.
This is a very high level
which is not merited by every
wise man. It is the level of our
Patriarch, Avraham, whom
God described as he who loved
Me, for his service was only
the Rambam writes about this
level of Avoda means that it is
something that we should strive
for and are able to attain.
With all of the above we can
explain something that many
wonder about. There seem to be
two ways that we can reach out
to a Jew who is not yet openly
connected to Yiddishkait. One
way would be to start with
inviting the person to learn
about Judaism and only later we
encourage the person to start
fulfilling Mitzvos. The other
approach is to first encourage
a person to do Mitzvos and
then get him more involved in
other aspects of Judaism. While
seemingly the first approach
would be more rational, the
Rebbe clearly chooses the second
approach. The Rebbe initiated
the Mivtzaim campaigns to
encourage people who may know
nothing about their heritage to
do even one single Mitzva.
There are many reasons for
this approach, and the success of
Chabad worldwide is evidence of
its success.
Based on all of the above, we
can add another important point:
As we stand right before the
Geula, the time that will
be revealed, it is clear that the way
to reach a Jew in our generation
is through . It is specifically
through a Yid connecting with
the essence of Hashem, through
2017-05-23 8:51:18 AM
 a physical Mitzva, that the soul
that is inside of him is revealed.
Let us finish with the words of
the Rambam in about
the power of each individual
action: Accordingly, throughout
the entire year, a person should
always look at himself as equally
balanced between merit and
sin and the world as equally
balanced between merit and sin.
If he performs one sin, he tips
his balance and that of the entire
world to the side of guilt and
brings destruction upon himself.
[On the other hand,] if he
performs one mitzvah, he tips
his balance and that of the entire
world to the side of merit and
brings deliverance and salvation
to himself and others. This is
implied by [Mishlei 10:25]: A
righteous man is the foundation
of the world, i.e. he who acted
righteously tipped the balance
of the entire world to merit and
saved it.
May we all merit to be
!
Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva
of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a
well sought after speaker and lecturer.
Recordings of his in-depth shiurim
on Inyanei Geula uMoshiach can be
accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com

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Issue 1069 27

1069_bm_eng.indd 27 2017-05-23 8:51:19 AM

 DIARY

28 1 Sivan 5777

1069_bm_eng.indd 28 2017-05-23 8:51:20 AM

 SIX DETECTIVES
SURROUNDED
THE REBBE
When the Rebbe left 770 and began
to walk home, an additional six
plainclothes detectives accompanied
him, all dressed in shorts and short
sleeves. They walked very close
to the Rebbe. We stopped at the
corner of the street where the Rebbe
lives, and the detectives, along with
one of Anash, continued with the
Rebbe until he entered his home. *
Fascinating reports and memories
from Sivan 5733 with the Rebbe,
published for the very first time
from the diary of the late R Saadia
Maatuf.
By R Saadia Maatuf ah
Prepared for publication by Shneur Zalman Berger

Issue 1069 29

1069_bm_eng.indd 29 2017-05-23 8:51:21 AM

 Diary
R Saadia (left) during his kvutza year on the dormitory roof (749).
770 can be seen in the background.
AFRAID FOR THE
REBBES SAFETY
Motzaei Shabbos BaMidbar,
2 Sivan 5733
The Rebbe held a farbrengen
today and again spoke about
Mihu Yehudi. During the
farbrengen, in middle of the
penultimate sicha, we suddenly
heard a clamor and screaming
from outside. I stood in my
place, all the way at the back of
the room [near the door to the
street] and the noise disturbed
my ability to hear the Rebbe. The
Rebbe paused speaking for two
minutes and then continued.
A short while later, I heard
from those standing near me,
that there were hundreds of
police outside beating mercilessly
the Chassidim standing outside,
and that they were swinging
indiscriminately at anybody with
a beard, and even children.
At the conclusion of the
farbrengen we davened Mincha
and after Mincha the Rebbe
started a niggun and headed
towards his room. We went
outside to wait for the Rebbe and
30 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 30
escort him home. Many blacks
were congregated across the
street and had no idea what was
going on. Until a few minutes
prior, the police were delivering
blows to the Chassidim and now
we are all standing outside in
two rows and singing on the top
of our lungs. Then suddenly the
Rebbe came out and encouraged
the singing with his hand
motions. We were all flying high
between heaven and earth. It was
very joyous.
We were concerned that the
blacks might try to cause harm
to the Rebbe, G-d forbid, so we
walked very close behind the
Rebbe, only a few feet back. A
few blacks were riding on bicycles
in front of the Rebbe, but at some
distance. It was an amazing
experience to follow the Rebbe
up close, to see how he says gut
Shabbos to everyone, and the
blacks watched in amazement
how the Chassidim followed
after the Rebbe. We reached the
Rebbes street, the Rebbe crossed
the street and we stopped at
the corner. We could see in the
distance that the fellows who had
been riding ahead on bicycles had
stopped not far from the Rebbes
house. We were concerned, but
one of Anash who was designated
for this [a member of Shmira]
continued to follow the Rebbe at
some distance, and we followed
with our eyes until the Rebbe
entered his house and then we
went to partake of the Shabbos
day meal.
There was not a whole lot of
appetite for food, because we
were stressed over what might be
happening with those Chassidim
who had been arrested by the
police. Meanwhile, I had heard
how the tensions with the blacks
had begun during the farbrengen:
As was usual during a
farbrengen, the police put up
a roadblock at the corner of
Eastern Parkway and Brooklyn
Avenue [to close off the entrance
to the service lane near 770]
so that cars should not pass
through, because a large crowd
of Chassidim would come out
to the street at the end of the
farbrengen.
This time, a car bypassed the
roadblock and continued down
the service lane near 770, and
some Lubavitcher kids who were
there blocked the street with
their bodies, not allowing the
car to proceed. The police on
the scene instructed the driver
to back up onto the boulevard
[in order to cross over the
island and get to the main road
of Eastern Parkway]. However,
there were some Chassidim there
who questioned the police as to
why they did not instruct him
to go back the way he came.
Meanwhile, some of the kids
kicked the car. Immediately,
one of the officers came and
arrested one of the Chassidim,
but he refused to enter the police
vehicle. He made it clear to them
that he is a Jew and he cannot
2017-05-23 8:51:22 AM
 ride in a car on Shabbos, and if
they want he would walk with
them on foot to the police station.
However, they insisted and
forced him bodily into the police
car. One of the Chassidim could
not restrain himself and he tried
to help the arrestee get out of
the car, upon which the police
put him into the car as well, but
in the confusion that ensued the
first guy managed to open the
door from the other side and
escape. The policeman grabbed
the second one and said, You are
not going to get away, and he
called something in on his hand-
held radio. Within moments,
dozens of policemen converged
on the scene with batons drawn,
and a large-scale confrontation
began between the police and the
Chassidim.
The Rebbes secretary, R
Leibel Groner, who arrived on
the scene in order to disperse
the Chassidim, also received
blows. The police rained blows
on everyone and there were a
number of injuries among our
people, and there were six officers
who took some blows as well.
Concurrently, the police arrested
three Chassidim and brought
them to the police station. R
Groner went to the police station
and pleaded with the police to let
the Chassidim go, but to no avail.
[The author of the diary
heard all of this during the course
of the Shabbos day meal, and
at some point during the meal:]
Some guys came and said that
everybody has to go to participate
in a demonstration near the
police station. We all went to
the police station on Empire
Boulevard. At the demonstration,
they sang Tziyon halo sishali
lshlom asirayich [at that time
it was popular to sing that at
demonstrations to free Russian
Jewry], Vchol karnei reshoim, there by the name of Shimshon,
1069_bm_eng.indd 31
R Saadia Maatuf (with glasses) learning in Yeshivas Chovevei Torah
where the bachurim on kvutza learned
Podoh vshalom nafshi, and
other songs.
There were some people
from the Jewish Defense League
there [under the leadership of R
Meir Kahane Hyd. They would
always operate very aggressively]
and they were planning to
cause a major disruption.
However, R Groner addressed
the demonstrators in Yiddish,
and he made it clear that if they
would wait quietly, there was a
better chance that those arrested
would be freed. At first, there
were those who were listening to
the leader of the JDL group and
wanted to start rioting, but one
of the Chassidim immediately got
up and informed the ringleader
that all of the Chassidim would
obey R Groner, and if he said to
stay quiet then they would all stay
quiet.
Meanwhile, the crowd
continued to sing and it kept
growing until the entire street
opposite the police station was
sealed off, which caused traffic
problems. There was someone
who screamed at the police,
Why dont you beat those
children over there [meaning
the black children]? What is
the difference between here and
there? He continued to scream
at the police but they did not
respond.
There was tremendous
pushing when we were standing
on the steps of the police station,
and at some point they instructed
everybody to clear the steps and
wait. We continued to wait there,
until about an hour after midnight
[of Motzaei Shabbos] when they
released one of the Chassidim.
We continued to sing, but there
were some demonstrators who
had already dispersed and gone
home. Another hour passed
and another one was freed, and
after an additional hour the
third one was also freed. One of
the Chassidim who came there
with his car, stubbornly insisted
on driving through the police
barricade near the demonstration
and he too was arrested, but
in the end he was freed too.
We went to sleep extremely
Issue 1069 31
2017-05-23 8:51:22 AM
 Diary
exhausted after being on our feet
for many hours, at the farbrengen
and at the demonstration.
SURPRISE FARBRENGEN
Sunday, 3 Sivan
Despite the late hour that we
went to sleep the night before,
at 7:30 in the morning I showed
up for Chassidus learning.
Today, there was hardly any
news, except that the review
of the farbrengen took place
today, because yesterday it was
impossible to have the review due
to the demonstration.
One of the Chassidim who came there with his
car, stubbornly insisted on driving through the
police barricade near the demonstration and he too was
arrested, but in the end he was freed too.
Monday, 4 Sivan
At around 3PM, the Rebbe
went to the Ohel, and Mincha
took place at a late hour. The
Rebbe came out to Mincha in
Shabbos garb, and this was one
of the signs for us that there
would be a farbrengen. For us,
this was a surprise farbrengen.
The farbrengen began at 9:30
and opened with the maamer,
Beshaa shehikdimu, and it to Eretz Yisroel, and why is the
ended at 11:40, which was a
relatively short farbrengen for
a weekday. The Rebbe left 770,
and this time the police did not
provide an escort, apparently
because of the events of the past
Shabbos.
DEBATES ON TAHALUCHA
Shavuos
At 6PM the Tahalucha set
out. Relative to the Tahalucha
of Acharon shel Pesach the heat
was oppressive. Of course we
32 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 32
walked with a police escort. We
arrived in Boro Park and danced
there in front of the Chabad shul,
and from there we divided up
to different shuls. I went to the
shul of the Yemenites, together
with Chaim Mesharki, Chaim
Tzadok, Gershon Ochana, Kuti
Rapp, and others. We asked
for permission to speak in front
of the congregation, and in the
beginning they refused with the
argument that they have a rabbi
and he already gives them a
speech. In the end they allowed
us to speak, but only for five
minutes.
Kuti Rapp spoke about Mihu
Yehudi, and also encouraged
them to send their children
to religious summer camps
during the summer vacation.
He concluded, and their rabbi
got up to speak after him. At
the outset, he praised the Rebbe
somewhat, but then he began
to speak tauntingly about the
fact that the Rebbe does not go
Vechartanu.
Rebbe against R Goren and the
Mizrachi party. [This was at
the height of the brother and
sister controversy, in which R
Goren permitted mamzerim to
marry, in opposition to the views
of all the greatest rabbis. That is
why the Rebbe called for him to
resign his position as the Chief
Rabbi, whereas the Mizrachi
party supported R Goren and
besmirched the chareidi rabbis
in general, and the Rebbe in
particular.] In short, they were a
disappointment for us... We tried
to respond to them to the best
of our ability, but they were not
swayed. It turned out that the
rabbi, and I have no idea why
he was called by that title, was
nothing more than a Mizrachi
activist sent to encourage aliya.
After lengthy debates, the rabbi
himself began to back down from
his attacks.
We returned to the Chabad
shul, where other groups who
had gone to other shuls also
arrived. We made kiddush, tasted
some mezonos (baked goods),
and went out into the street
where they held a talk for the
onlookers about Mihu Yehudi,
and from there we returned to
the base Beis Chayeinu 770.
Second Day Shavuos
The farbrengen began at 8 in
the evening and ended at 1:20 at
night. At the conclusion of the
farbrengen there was Maariv.
The Rebbe then made Havdala
on the kos and the distribution
of kos shel bracha began. The
Rebbe poured and the crowd
sang niggunim, among them
Ozreini Keil Chai. When they
sang Ki Elokim Yoshia Tziyon,
it was especially joyful. When the
Rebbe ended the distribution, he
covered the cup with a paper,
said the after-blessing, and began
to go out with the cup in his hand
and started the niggun Atah
The Rebbe left 770 and
encouraged the singing. This
time also, he traveled without a
police escort.
Friday, 8 Sivan
Today, the Rebbe received
people for yechidus until 8
oclock before kabbalas Shabbos.
Due to the yechidus, the Rebbe
did not go home at all today.
There was someone there
who had come out from Georgia,
2017-05-23 8:51:22 AM
 who wanted to go in for yechidus
[apparently, after the Rebbe had
stopped accepting people]. The
secretary, R Binyomin Klein did
not allow him to enter, but he
literally cried. R Klein went into
the Rebbe to ask if he should
allow the man in and the Rebbe
answered in the affirmative. The
Jew went in for less than half a
minute.
PROTECTION
FOR THE REBBE
Motzaei Shabbos Naso, 9
Sivan
This Shabbos, bli ayin hara,
there were nine chassanim, seven
of whom went up to the Torah in
the morning and two at Mincha
[in those years, such a large
number of chassanim was an
anomaly]. On Shabbos the Rebbe
farbrenged as usual. The Rebbe
told R Yoel Kahn to sing Yifrach
Byamav, and from that it was
understood that the song [from
the Rebbes chapter of Thillim
for that year] was accepted, and
from that point on they began to
sing it more often.
At the farbrengen, the Rebbe
spoke again about Mihu Yehudi,
and during one of the songs the
Rebbe clapped for a very long
time. It is impossible to describe
this feeling. After the farbrengen
was Mincha, and after the
davening the Rebbe began to sing
Atah Vechartanu and entered
his room. We waited outside as
usual, and when the Rebbe exited
we sang very loudly, and we
accompanied the Rebbe.
It should be mentioned that
due to the events of the previous
Shabbos, the blacks planned a
demonstration against the closing
of the street [the service lane on
the side of 770]. The secretary,
R Groner, informed everybody
not to get involved in the whole
1069_bm_eng.indd 33
The wedding of Chaim and Miriam Blinitzky to which the Rebbe sent mashke through
R Nachman Maidanchek. On the right: father of the kalla, R Shloimke Maidanchek
and on the left, the father of the chassan, R Yitzchok Blinitzky.
issue, and if anything happens a farbrengen, but it did not end
on their part, to allow the up happening, so the road was
police to handle it. What ended not blocked. However, when
up happening was that many we exited from the davening,
policemen were already on the the police blocked the road
scene from the night before and with a police car until all of the
they stood guard the entire night. Chassidim dispersed.
When the farbrengen began, the
blacks came to demonstrate, but MEDICAL INSTRUCTIONS
it passed without any untoward
occurrences. Sunday, 17 Sivan
When the Rebbe left 770 for Today the Rebbe received
his home, he crossed the street people for yechidus. The
not in the usual place, but in front yechidus began at 8PM and
of their house of worship. The continued until 12 midnight.
Rebbe was accompanied [besides Among those who went in was R
for the police that were there to Nochum Kaplan form Shikkun
keep order] by six plainclothes Chabad in Lud.
police detectives, all dressed in There was a father who went
short pants and short sleeved into yechidus with his son and
shirts. They walked literally very daughter, and the Rebbe gave
close to the Rebbe. We stopped each of them a Siddur.
at the turn to the street where the A writer for Hamodia, R B.
Rebbe lives [President Street], L., went into the Rebbe for his
and the detectives together with 19 year old son who had become
one of Anash continued with the blind and partially paralyzed. He
Rebbe until he entered his home. asked if they should teach his son
Braille since his son doesnt want
Motzaei Shabbos to learn, and there is concern
BHaaloscha, 16 Sivan that he will give up all hope. The
Rebbe answered that he should
This Shabbos we waited for
learn this form of writing and
Issue 1069 33
2017-05-23 8:51:23 AM
 Diary
he should not give up hope,
especially as today there are so
many new discoveries in research.
The reason for his blindness is
unknown, but the supposition
is that since he has the dreaded
disease, the doctors may have
used too much radiation and
caused damage to the brain and
that is the cause of his becoming
blind. The Rebbe added that the
reason for the doctors saying
that there is no hope is in order
to take the responsibility off their
own shoulders. The man asked
the Rebbe if he should take his
son out of the hospital where he
is [in America], and the Rebbe
answered that on the contrary,
the longer he remains there the
better it is. The Rebbe said to
him that as far as the book that
he published, he would send him
a response as well as notes on his
writing.
Motzaei Shabbos Shlach, 23
Sivan
Today there was a farbrengen.
This time the Rebbe spoke only
briefly about Mihu Yehudi.
Nine chassanim went up
to the Rebbe to receive wine.
During this distribution, the
Rebbe called out three times
for Nachman Maidanchek, and
gave him mashke to send for his
sisters wedding [Mrs. Miriam
Blinitzky, married to R Chaim
Avrohom Blinitzky]. At the end of
the farbrengen, the Rebbe began
to sing Hinei Ma Tov Uma
Naim and waved his holy hand.
After the farbrengen, there
was Mincha with the Rebbe,
and at the conclusion, the Rebbe
began to sing Nyet Nyet. As
usual, we waited for the Rebbe
to leave 770. When he exited he
made a sign with his hand and
a powerful song burst forth, and
that is how we accompanied the
Rebbe as usual.
34 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 34
THE SKULENER REBBE
GOES IN FOR YECHIDUS
Sunday, 24 Sivan
Today the Rebbe addressed
the graduates of Beis Rivka. We
all gathered in the small zal. We
thought that, as is usually the case
in such events, we would hear the
Rebbe over the loudspeaker, but
we waited for a long time and
the loudspeaker was silent, until
we realized that it was broken. I
jumped out through the window
[of the small zal], came around
770 and climbed up on the chain
link fence. I almost fell from high
up, but BH nothing happened.
I saw the Rebbe clearly [through
the back windows of 770] and I
even managed to hear, although
I missed the beginning. The sicha
went on for about half an hour.
Today, R Peretz the mikva
attendant [R Peretz Chein]
passed away. Just this past Friday
he was demanding money from
the bachurim for the use of the
mikva, as usual, and suddenly...
May his soul be bound up in the
bond of life. We thought that
they would bring him here and
the Rebbe would go out, but the
funeral left from Williamsburg.
This evening, the Rebbe
received people for yechidus,
and among those who went in
was the Skulener Rebbe [Reb
Eliezer Zusia Portugal] who lives
on Brooklyn Avenue [in Crown
Heights]. The Admur went in for
a yechidus that lasted about three
doors to their house of worship
quarters of an hour. When he
exited, the Rebbe accompanied
him until the doorway of his
room.
At the conclusion of yechidus,
walked between the cars until we
at 12 midnight, we davened
Maariv with the Rebbe.
Wednesday, 27 Sivan
[The Rebbes secretaries
would work from the early
morning hours until the late
hours of the night, and they
would tell how their children
barely ever saw them, and would
sometimes come to the office just
to see their father. The following
entry epitomizes that SZB]:
Before Mincha, something
a bit interesting happened. The
wife of the secretary R Leibel
Groner came to the secretariat
office with her son. She went
inside and left her son out in
the hall. After some time, R
Groner left the office and went
into the Rebbes room. . One of
the Chassidim who came there
with his car, stubbornly insisted
on driving through the police
barricade near the demonstration
and he too was arrested, but in
the end he was freed too.
Motzaei Shabbos Korach,
Rosh Chodesh, 30 Sivan
Today, the farbrengen we
had awaited took place, and the
Rebbe spoke briefly about Mihu
Yehudi. After the farbrengen
was Mincha, and as usual, we
accompanied the Rebbe after the
farbrengen. After Mincha, the
Rebbe began the song Eimosai
Koosi Mar, and that is also
what we sang when he left 770.
This time, when the Rebbe
was walking home by way of
Brooklyn Avenue, he crossed
the street not at the light, and
in general, not like every other
Shabbos. I heard that when the
are open, the Rebbe does not
pass in front of it and crosses the
street before. The Rebbe waited
for the cars to pass, and then he
got to the street that the Rebbe
lives on. We stood watching after
the Rebbe until he entered his
house.
2017-05-23 8:51:23 AM
 HALACHA 2 GO

MISPLACED
COMPASSION
Selected Halachos from the
One Minute Halacha project
By HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Shlita,
Mara Dasra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights

STUFFING OF SINNERS
Halitehu lrasha
veyamus(Stuff the wicked one
so he may perish) is a troubling
halachic concept that seems to
offend our sensibilities as well as
oppose Torah sources that urge
us to feel responsibility for and
offer rebuke to the wayward.
The source for this concept
is found in the mitzvosthat
regulate the agricultural
fields in Eretz Yisroel:
DuringShmita(the seventh year
[when the Land lies fallow]),
all Jewish-grown produce is
considered hefker(ownerless)
for any passerby to enjoy. But
it is the responsibility of the
owner to mark all trees that
bear prohibited producethose
that are orlah(uncircumcised who
fruit [within the first three years
of growth]),neta rivai(in the will
fourth year of planting [which
would normally be brought to
Yerushalayim]) or otherwise
forbidden to be eaten. However,
all other years, when snatching
fruit from anothers orchard
would be an act of stealing,
the owner has no responsibility
We are speaking exclusively of a passive
association with others wrongdoing. However,
in situations which involve active participation in
anothers sin, we are forbidden from tripping up another.
to warn would-be thieves ends. The question also arises
which trees are forbidden whether we are to consider this
as per the explicit words of alternative practice over the
Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel advice of Rabbi Shimon: is it a
(1stcenturyTannaof the positive effort to go beyond basic
Mishna): halitehuRam the observance to prevent would-
forbidden fruit down the throat be thieves from eatingorlah, or
of the wicked so they may suffer is it more correct to follow the
the consequences of their sinful directive of Rabbi Shimon and
ways. mentioning whattzenuimdo is a
However, continues subtle warning against misplaced
the Mishna, there are compassion for thereshaim?
stilltzenuim(modest people) Jewish farmers are not
pre-emptively redeem obligated to demarcate trees
their trees so that another whose fruit are prohibited due
not inadvertently toorlah(uncircumcised trees
consumeorlah.There is much within the first three years of
halachic discussion regarding growth) to prevent would-
this practicewhether it is an be thieves from consuming
additional precaution to marking forbidden fruit. Freedom from
trees in Shmitaor something the responsibility to protect
that is done in all years, in others from sinning in this
conflict with those who leave the
sinners to their own destructive Continued on page 42

Issue 1041 35

1069_bm_eng.indd 35 2017-05-23 8:51:23 AM

 CHINUCH

CHINUCH
ROUNDTABLE
DISCUSSION
Mechanchim discuss our children will be our
guarantors from the perspective of Yemos
HaMoshiach and the imminent Geula. * Presented
for Zman Mattan Toraseinu, when we received
the Torah because we offered our children as
guarantors. * Part 1 of 2.

By Mendel Tzfasman

W
e spoke with
mechanchim, those
who mold our pure
Jewish children.
They teach Torah and mitzvos,
doing mitzvos out of love, being
particular about Chabad customs,
and hiskashrus to the Rebbe. We
wanted to hear what children
being our guarantors really means,
why the children are described by
our Sages as my anointed ones,
how to get children to display
Moshiach as the Rebbe instructed,
and how now, after Gimmel
Tammuz, we can instill abstract
concepts such as our generation is
the generation of Geula, the Rebbe
is chai vkayam, and get them to
have a genuine hiskashrus to the
Rebbe.
As educators who work all
year with the guarantors of the
PARTICIPANTS: Jewish people, can you explain
Rabbi Refael Cheruti what makes Jewish children
teacher in Ashkelon capable of being guarantors for
and author of educational our observance of Torah?
books for children R Pizem:
The answer can be seen in
Rabbi Yosef Avrohom the first of the Twelve Psukim,
Pizem a veteran educator, Torah tziva lanu Moshe
principal of a Chabad morasha khillas Yaakov.
elementary school and Meaning, the Torah was given so
initiator and producer of that it would constantly be given
the HaDerech Hayeshara over as an inheritance to the next
Limud HaDvar Malchus generation. The real guarantee
lYaldei Yisroel for receiving the Torah is when
the children accept the Torah.
Rabbi YY Friedman In the times of the Rebbe
teacher in Nachalat Har Rayatz some asked how can
Chabad, Kiryat Malachi you endanger peoples lives for
children under the age of bar

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 mitzva who are not obligated in
mitzvos. There were mikvaos,
shuls, shchita etc. that were
also endangered because of the
stubborn devotion to chinuch.
However, the Rebbe Rayatz knew
that the children are the future
of the Jewish people and if the
parents caved in and the children
did not receive a proper Jewish
education, the generation would
disappear.
R Cheruti:
We might explain this
according to the sicha about
the law of the bar metzra (first
purchase rights for the adjoining
field owner) in which the Rebbe
explains at length why the angels,
despite being in the category of
bar metzrawhich is why the
Torah should have been given to
themdid not receive the Torah.
There is a serious
consideration for the Torah to
be given to the angels, since they
are close to G-d. Children, as
the Rebbe explains in a different
sicha, have an advantage in that
their souls recently came down to
this world. That is, due to their
purity and innocence, and their
not having gotten coarsened by
this world as the adults have, they
are the angels of this world, or
we can say, G-ds bar metzra in
our world.
R Friedman:
When speaking about Mattan
Torah and about children, the
guarantors for kabbalas haTorah,
I am reminded of the custom of
hachnasa lcheder which always
moves me, the parents and the
children. For the child, as it says
in holy sfarim, the hachnasa
lcheder is maamad Har Sinai
and kabbalas haTorah. The child
wears new clothes, as it says,
and they should wash their
garments, and the repeating
1069_bm_eng.indd 37
Rabbi Friedman
after the teacher, komatz-alef-
uh, which is like Anochi, which
begins with a komatz-alef, that
we heard from G-d. Its so
special to see it each time, how
the child licks the honey on the
letters with love, when most of
them dont know the letters and
their significance yet.
I remember that I was once
invited to Yishuv Nitzan near
Kiryat Malachi. People who wear
knitted yarmulkes heard from
someone in Nachala who moved
there about a hachnasa lcheder
and they asked me to come and
do this with the children on the
yishuv. Parents, brothers and
sisters, aunts and uncles, and
grandparents came, some of
whom were not yet religious. Ill
never forget how excited they
were. After that, I got many
requests to do this in other
yishuvim. To me it was a tangible
expression of the idea of our
children will be our guarantors.
Is there a way to tell if our
children are our guarantors? Is
there a way to measure whether
Im investing enough into the
chinuch of my children?
R Cheruti:
In my humble opinion, the
results are the answer to your
question. Does the child carry
out the horaos of the Rebbe that
apply to him? There are many
horaos about chinuch of children.
For example, that every child
should have a siddur and pushka
in his room that belongs to him
with his name on them, that the
pushka hang on the wall, that the
children say the 12 Psukim every
day, etc. More especially for
Shavuos, that every child go to
shul to hear the Aseres HaDibros.
When I want to test myself,
I check to see whether all the
children with whom I spoke
about the importance of going
to shul on Shavuos, will come to
me after Yom Tov and proudly
tell me that they heard the
Aseres HaDibros. And if they are
Lubavitcher children, that they
brought other children along with
them.
When children take the
Rebbes horaos seriously, then we
can say, our children will be our
guarantors, and surely, when
he gets older, he will continue to
carry out age-appropriate horaos
such as Chitas and Rambam,
having a mashpia, mivtzaim, etc.
and later, go on shlichus.
R Friedman:
In general, the question is
on us, how serious are we about
what we convey to children.
Without our realizing, and
without the children realizing,
we are constantly being tested:
Do the messages we broadcast
jive with our behavior? Or, if we
want to put it positively, when
the atmosphere in the home is
one of niggunim, of simcha,
Issue 1069 37
2017-05-23 8:51:23 AM
 Chinuch

farbrengens, mivtzaim, a warm
and loving relationship with one
another, guests in the home,
helping people, etc. - then the
makif, i.e., the environment,
has an influence.
We have no idea how deep the
daily influence is, on us and our
family. Its the daily chitchat that
creates the atmosphere and this
is what children absorb. There
is no lack of what to talk about
(not necessarily at the Shabbos
table), starting with the news
and politics in a way of poking
fun at this or that, to discussing
problems big and small in a
and kalla). Nowadays there are
plenty of books and lectures and
openness about the subject and
it is highly recommended that
people avail themselves of them.
By the way, based on what
the Rebbe said that the entire
generation is worthy, for even
tshuva has been done by
everyone (because there is no
one who has not had a thought
of tshuva), and what is lacking
is lacking on a personal level
and does not affect the collective
tshuva of the generation, so
too, with the children being our
guarantors, even if things are
his son, lest he make him hate
davening, neither view is correct.
Chinuch must be individualized
and a parent must know his son
better than anyone else, knowing
his good qualities and what
he lacks, his abilities and his
limitations, and based on that, to
be mechanech him.
There are times that parents
have to raise their children with
a Chabad chinuch that they
themselves did not receive. They
need more guidance before
making important decisions
regarding their child so as not to
be extreme in any way.

In any case, another
We have no idea how deep the daily influence is important point, especially in
on our family. Its the daily chitchat that creates our generation (aside from
demanding of ourselves and
the atmosphere and this is what children absorb. There is being a role model) is to talk to
no lack of what to talk about, starting with the news and a child on his level. This doesnt
mean that the mechanech or
politics in a way of poking fun at this or that, to discussing parent needs to become the
problems big and small in a negative and derogatory childs friend, but when the
child gets explanations based on
tone. We need to be aware that the atmosphere in the analogies from his own world
home will be influenced by the subjects of interest that about why he needs to behave
a certain way or stop other
become part of the daily discourse. behavior, in a loving way, and is
not just told, Dont do that, its
not allowed! then the chinuch
will stick.
negative and derogatory tone. lacking here and there, it is a lack This is not to negate firmness
But we need to be aware that on a personal level which does and a severe look when needed,
the atmosphere in the home will not take away from the guarantee but along with the severity, the
be influenced by the subjects of of the children for the fulfillment child needs explanations from his
interest that become part of the of Torah and mitzvos. own world.
daily discourse. Of course, in
addition to the influence of the R Pizem: The traditional wish for
home, there is also the chinuch Shavuos is kabbalas haTorah
Its a complicated question
in school and in the environment, bsimcha ubpnimiyus. How
which doesnt have a clear
but when each one does his part, can we get a child who does
answer since, with chinuch, there
Hashem helps so that together mitzvos but is lacking simcha
are no clear rules that apply to
they should produce only good to do mitzvos not out of fear
all. You cannot state categorically
results. of punishment or love of nosh,
what suits whom and from what
No couple gets a parenting but with chayus, simcha and
age to focus on this or that. To
degree before having children. taanug?
take an extreme example, a father
Even when learning about family of a three year old who will force R Pizem: First, we should be
life, until children are born, it his son to sit next to him for happy, as the Rebbe says, since
is all theoretical (just like its the entire davening, versus the we have the best reason in the
difficult to discuss things like parent who is afraid to pressure world to be happy, namely, that
shalom bayis with a chassan the Geula is about to happen.

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Rabbi Pizem
We need to state that simply,
and when we live it, there is the
rule that words of truth are
recognizable, and the nature of
joy and a happy person is to draw
in the people around them. When
everything, even the most minor,
is connected to the Rebbe and
the belief and anticipation for his
hisgalus, no wonder Torah and
mitzvos look altogether different.
Second, we have Chassidus
that explains why to serve
Hashem with joy, the sichos
and maamarim and letters of the
Rebbe, and the Dvar Malchus,
that bring chayus and simcha
and taanug to every mitzva
and holiday. All this pertains to
children too, and when a parent
and teacher will adapt the ideas
to the students level of intellect
and understanding, invariably
his performance of Torah and
mitzvos will change radically.
Third, boruch Hashem, in
Chabad, there is a tremendous
1069_bm_eng.indd 39
Rabbi Cheruti
broadness in which every talmid
can find a place to shine, even
if learning is not his favorite
activity. The derech of Torah
and mitzvos are interesting
and varied, there are mivtzaim
and programs, farbrengens
and niggunim, Chassidishe
stories, etc. In our school, even
students who are not top of the
class academically, organize
shiurim in inyanei Moshiach and
Geula during recess or do other
private initiatives in yeshiva, like
organizing campaigns for the
study of Chitas and Rambam.
And experience has shown that a
student who was particular about
a certain inyan of the Rebbe, even
though he wasnt learning much
or did not have other Chassidishe
behaviors, will eventually reveal
his pnimius.
And above all else are
Chassidishe farbrengens (which
pertain especially to the family
unit), when you sit together
and sing niggunim and tell
Chassidishe stories, and have
some refreshments and lots of
warmth, then all barriers come
down.
R Friedman:
This is the job of parents
and teachers. When teaching
something, look for ways to
convey it in the most interesting
way, with visuals, with pictures,
etc. There is so much available
nowadays in books, and even
3D exhibits, about the Beis
HaMikdash, the keilim and the
avoda that was done. You need
to search to find that which will
make learning joyful.
Aside from that, you simply
need to be happy. Joy over our
being Jews who keep Torah
and mitzvos, joy that we are
connected to the Rebbe. If our
lives are truly illuminated by
Chassidus (as in the Rebbes
blessing, an everlasting
edifice on the foundations of
Torah and mitzvos as they are
illuminated with the light-source
of Torah which is the teachings
of Chassidus), if we get that
Chassidus is not only nice
explanations and amazing depth,
but contains the goal of all of
creation the true and complete
Geula, this outlook gives a
person another perspective on
life, with the goal, which we are
about to achieve, right in front of
us, and no wonder that we would
be happy, and no wonder that
people close to us will catch the
happiness from us.
R Cheruti:
It should be stressed that
along with using the latest
technology to illustrate what we
want to teach, we should not
forget that we are talking about
holy neshamos, and anything that
is taught needs to be conveyed
with words from the heart; it
cant just be a story.
To be continued im yirtze Hashem
Issue 1069 39
2017-05-23 8:51:24 AM
 CROSSROADS

YERUSHALAYIM
UNITED?
The high expectations from our new friend in the Oval
Office have begun to dissipate like dust in the wind. The
great excitement over a president who isnt interested in
the Middle East has been replaced by a heavy sense of
concern. It turns out that theres a price for indecisiveness.
Granted, Donald Trump is no Barack Obama not by a
longshot. Yet, it seems that like his predecessors, he also
has grandiose dreams of walking on the White House
lawn to accept a Nobel Peace Prize. Instead of a United
States embassy in Yerushalayim, we have the darkening
clouds of a peace process.
By Sholom Ber Crombie
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

P
rime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu is a Jew with
plenty of merits. With
his gifted and talented
oratory, he manages to explain
his position with Jewish pride
before the whole world. He is also
the only Israeli politician who has
received international praise for his
skillful arguments, not for pro-Arab
positions or serving the agenda
of our enemies. On more than
one occasion he was the one who
managed to shatter the myth that
you can only win public adulation
if you prostrate before the Gentiles.
However, the prime minister
has his own strategy. He relies
upon previous experience from
the governments of Ehud Barak
and Ehud Olmert, who offered
the Arabs virtually everything,
yet the Arabs refused to accept.
From his viewpoint, this is the
reason for constantly asking
for direct negotiations with the
Arabs, thereby proving that they
dont want peace and exposing
their true colors. The problem
is that this tactic has come at
a very heavy price. This was
the reason for placing a freeze
on all construction projects
throughout Yehuda, Shomron,
and Yerushalayim over a period
of eight long years. This was the
reason for releasing terrorists
with Jewish blood on their hands,
who subsequently resumed their
murderous activities against
innocent Jews. And this is why
the status of Yerushalayim as
the capital of the Jewish People
is being systematically eroded.
According to Netanyahu, the
strategy is to manage the
conflict, for in this conflict, he
who fails to speak clearly quickly
loses the battle.
But now the prime minister
is faced with a new and harsh
reality. The high expectations

40 1 Sivan 5777

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 from our new friend in the Oval
Office have begun to dissipate
like dust in the wind. The great
excitement over a president who
isnt interested in the Middle East the statistics easiest to swallow. It
has been replaced by a heavy sense
of concern. It turns out that theres
a price for vacillation. Granted,
Donald Trump is no Barack Obama
not by a longshot. Yet, it seems
that like his predecessors, he also has
grandiose dreams of walking on the
White House lawn to accept a Nobel
Peace Prize. Instead of a United
States embassy in Yerushalayim,
we have the darkening clouds of
another peace process, and who
knows where it might lead? Even the
commitment that enraptured millions
of Jewish hearts worldwide moving
the United States embassy to the
true capital of our homeland has
begun to dissolve due to ambivalent
and contradictory statements by
Administration officials.
One can only imagine what
would happen if instead of indecision
and weakness, the prime ministers
office would issue a clear and ringing
statement, explaining that there is
no longer a need to march along
this path again and again, leading
to thousands of Jewish casualties.
In short, while the prime minister
may have achieved tactical victory,
his strategy has been an exercise in
failure.
A CITY DIVIDED
AGAINST ITSELF
With incredibly symbolic timing,
a report was publicized last week
revealing the number of homes built
in Yerushalayim beyond the Green
Line. It turns out that less than seven
thousand housing units have been
constructed in western Yerushalayim
over the past five years. Seven
thousand apartments for a city with
a rate of growth like Yerushalayim
and a demand for tens of thousands
of housing units is an absurd joke. To
be precise, there were 6,750 this is
1069_bm_eng.indd 41
the exact number of apartments that
survived the construction freeze in
Yerushalayim.
However, this just represents
city. In most cases, when they speak
turns out that in the Yerushalayim
neighborhoods liberated during the
Six Day War, the past five years
have seen the construction of only
639 apartments! This is despite
the fact that these neighborhoods
include areas that are an integral and
inseparable part of Yerushalayim,
e.g., Ramot, Ramat Shlomo,
Givat Zeev, and Pisgat Zeev.
Together with Har Choma a
young neighborhood still in its most
important years of development
only 700-1,000 housing units have
been built.
According to a revealing study
made by the Jerusalem Institute
for Policy Research, since the
reunification of Yerushalayim,
the capital citys Arab population
has increased in size twice as much
as its Jewish population. It turns
out that when the prime ministers
office declared that there would be
no building in Yerushalayim, this
didnt just refer to Sheikh Jarrah
they meant the entire city. You
couldnt add on even one meter in
the old neighborhoods, as every inch
in the residential buildings was taken
up. Such cramped living conditions
would be intolerable anywhere
else in the world. The only way to
absorb more Jewish residents in
Yerushalayim would be to expand
the new neighborhoods, except that
Jews are not permitted to build there.
Therefore, why should it come as
such a surprise that we are gradually
losing Yerushalayim?
When people talk about the
unification of Yerushalayim,
you have to remember that from
the worlds standpoint, most of
Yerushalayim is still occupied
territory with its status yet to
be determined. Furthermore, the
number of Jews living in the Jewish
Quarter is hardly negligible, but
to this day, there is no organized
policy program for implementing
Jewish sovereignty in all parts of the
about Jewish construction in East
Jerusalem, they are referring to the
neighborhoods of Pisgat Zeev, Givat
Zeev, Ramot, and Ramat Shlomo,
located in the heart of Yerushalayim,
adjacent to the Old City. No
one would even dream of Jewish
construction in the real eastern part
of Yerushalayim.
During the Obama
Administration, Netanyahu managed
to keep all building projects in
Yerushalayim under the radar scope,
and virtually no one said a word
about it. Yet, while he continues
to speak before the world about a
united Yerushalayim, in practical
terms, the prime minister restricts
construction in the Holy City as its
future remains questionable and its
status as the capital of the Jewish
People becomes less secure.
For his part, the prime minister
claimed that he had a variety of
reasons for placing a freeze on
construction in Yerushalayim from
his efforts to enlist the United States
in an attack against Iran to bringing
the chairman of the Palestinian
Authority back to the negotiating
table. However, the painful truth hits
us like a slap in the face time after
time.
DEMOCRACY?
The one person who consistently
cried out over Yerushalayim was the
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. When
prominent nationalist policymakers
were leading the struggle over Sinai
and Sebastia, the Rebbe was already
talking about Yerushalayim. Even
then, half a century ago, the Rebbe
saw what is taking place today: the
problem is not just Elon Moreh and
Kedumim, rather its the lack of
desire to apply sovereign authority
in Yerushalayim. In a sicha from
Issue 1069 41
2017-05-23 8:51:24 AM
 CROSSROADS
the 13th of Tishrei 5740, the Rebbe
noted the difficulties created by
the terrible discrimination existing
in Yerushalayim with Jews being
prevented from living and building
freely throughout the city, while
Arab control grew stronger:
They dont permit Jews to live
in the Old City of Yerushalayim and
they block Jews from living in the
Holy City of Chevron. Some years
ago, when they made a tumult that
they knew that there are Jews who
arent interested that the Old City
of Yerushalayim should have the
same Jewish rules and regulations
as other cities in Israel, they made
Yerushalayim into a separate region
where the Arab laws prevail, unlike
where the legal authorities prevail,
as in Tel Aviv, Chadera, New
Yerushalayim, and anywhere else.
And who compelled this the Jews!
They told me that no such law exists!
They gave us the stinking fish,
Continued from page 35
manner is concisely stated by
theTanna (Mishnaic sage) Rabbi
Gamliel,Halitehu lrasha veyamus. by an anonymous transgressor, and
This halacha demands
explanation, says the Chavos Yair
(17thcenturyposek), since it does
not seem to jive with other halachos
that call for love, accountabilityor
at the least rebukeof the failings of
our Jewish brethren.
The Chavos Yair, among
otherposkim, offers elucidation
on the particular circumstances of
stolenorlah that place it outside
the purview of normal communal
responsibility demanded by the
Torah: we are speaking exclusively
of a passive association with
others wrongdoingrefraining
from marking the forbidden fruit.
However, in situations which involve
active participation in anothers sin,
we are forbidden from tripping up
another.
Another possible argument
42 1 Sivan 5777
1069_bm_eng.indd 42
and now they have publicized that
for twelve years straight, there has
been a law there that created such
discrimination. And G-d made a
distinction between Israel and Egypt
this refers to the good aspect.
However, Jews with free choice
who compelled [others] for twelve
straight years - this is the opposite
of good. What is allowed for Arabs
is not allowed for Jews; and if a Jew
did as the Arabs he was punished
using the Jewish police and other
agencies!
Now this has been revealed!
I cried that many years ago, there
was a situation where according to
existing law there was discrimination
between Israel and the nations
but to the opposite extreme, and
we learn this from Pharaoh, king
of Egypt! They chase after Egypt
and then even learn from them.
However, Pharaoh himself said that
they should know not to make his
that frees the owner from
preventingorlah theft is that the
situation is only a potential threat
take from a non-orlahtree and
even so, the would-be thief would
already be sinning (by stealing), and
the preventative measures would
merely averta second crime. But
in any situation where a person has
prior knowledge of another specific
Jews intent to sin, and it is possible
to prevent it, they are, in fact,
required to take action.
The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe
ben Maimon, 12thcentury) in his
Mishnaic commentary clarifies
Rabbi Gamliels statement: Since
the thief is transgressing a much
greateraveira(sin) ofgezel(theft),
we are less concerned with the
comparatively lesser prohibition
oforlah. Others further explain
that by stealingorlah, the thief is
consuming holy produce, but not
actually committing the offense of
withholding property from a flesh-
mistake, and when a law is written in
the Shulchan Aruch, we must fulfill
it.
The claim I do not know G-d
this is a country of civil laws, not
a country of halacha, etc. Thus,
when he says, I do not know,
this is not true even for Pharaoh,
and it surely does not change the
reality. And regarding Jews, they
slander themselves when they say,
I do not know G-d for a Jew is
familiar with G-d, knows G-d, and
is connected to G-d, as Chassidus
explains, yadati (I know) means
hiskashrus (connection), and as the
Rambam rules in practical halacha.
Then, they finally will be stopped;
they (the Arabs) refuse, since they
continually make demands (as
they say, and they thereby fulfill
what they say) two hundred, four
hundred, eight hundred. They want
everything.
and-blood fellowman; a warning
against taking from this particular
tree might well cause the thief to
commit a greater transgression. In
addition, by stealing, the offender
is indicating that warnings against
lesseraveirossuch asorlahwould be
fruitless, exempting the owner from
making an effort to prevent it.
However, it is pointed out that
the crook in this case is termed
arasha (a wicked person), who
willfully and regularly transgresses.
Otherwise, all the mitzvos of
preventing a fellow Jew from
transgressing apply, as explained
above.
One Minute Halacha is
a succinct daily presentation
on practical and contemporary
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.
2017-05-23 8:51:24 AM
 TZIVOS HASHEM
DEAR JOUR NAL
Tov lee, tov lee, Toras picha,
malfei zahav vchosef sang the
girls in class as they faced the
impressive exhibit they built:
the Luchos HaBris covered with
shiny gold paper on which were
written the Aseres HaDibros in
shiny silver.
Over the past week, the
girls were busy learning and
preparing for the Shavuos
holiday that was fast
approaching. Over many days
they build the exhibit, learned
Midrashim and Maamarei
Chazal, and solved riddles and
puzzles about the holiday.
The highlight was the
assignment the teache r gave
them at the beginning of the
week:
As Shavuos approaches,
you need to find some aspect
of the Yom Tov that you feel
connected to. Put it in writing
in a special journal and submit
it at the end of the week. I
would be especially pleased if
someone connects it to the
special time we are now in,
when we are already living
with Moshiach and anticipating
his revelation any minute now.
The teachers announcement
ignited the girls imagination.
During the week, a competitive
atmosphere could be felt in the
classroom. One girl decorated
her journal with beautiful
pastels while another glued
in pretty pictures connected
with the Yom Tov, but the big
secret was what was inside the
1069_bm_eng.indd 5
By Zalman Ben-Nun
notebooks.
The big day arrived and the
eyes of the girls moved from
the exhibit to the teacher who
held a pile of colorful notebooks.
I read the notebooks with
great interest, and I must say I
was so moved! said the teacher
in amazement.
After much thought, I chose
one journal to be the winner
and now I will read it, exactly
the way the girl wrote it.
The girls sat in tense silence,
waiting to hear what she would
read and then guessing who
wrote it.
Dear Journal, I am very
excited since this is the first
time I am writing in you, but I
am sure that slowly, we will get
to know one another and I will
be able to trust you and tell you
my story.
The truth is that the
minute the teacher announced
the contest, I had no idea it had
anything to do with me. To find
some aspect of Shavuos that is
connected to me? How? What
can a simple girl learn from
the holiday of Shavuos? And to
connect it with Moshiach too?
It was that last thought
that gave me a little idea. In
the bookcase in our living room,
there is a set of Dvar Malchus
with sichos that the Rebbe
said in the years 5751-5752,
that are about our world being
ready for Moshiach and how
everything is connected to the
Geula.
I took a stool and climbed
up carefully and took the
sfarim down from the shelf.
After reading the sicha, I
saw that I did not understand
it too well.
My brother Shmuli told me
that Tzivos Hashem published a
special book, Dvar Malchus for
youth, and he was willing to
lend it to me from his personal
library.
I read the sicha carefully
and suddenly felt that I got
it. It was all clear to me. I will
tell you a secret, dear Journal,
although most of my friends
know it. I am not such a quiet
girl, and the truth is, Im really
not at all. You might even call
me mischievous and very lively.
You probably wonder
what the problem is with
that. The answer is that my
nature interferes a lot with my
learning. For examp le, when
the teacher teaches us certain
important things, I get up and
start walking around.
And thats just the
beginning! (I hope you are not
angry with me, you are just a
journal, after all ). When I am
bored, I throw paper airplanes
at my friends, pass notes, and
disrupt!
Dear Journal, if you
thought the problem is only
that I make trouble, you are
almost right. The real problem
is that this nature of mine
Issue 1069 43
2017-05-23 8:51:04 AM
 B''H
Post Seminary Academy
For Chabad Girls
does not allow me to concentrate on really
important things. I dont listen to what the
teacher is teaching, I dont know how to answer
the questions, and I lose out so much. I think you PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND
understand, and its really a problem. CHASSIDIC STUDIES
Now I will explain to you what I saw in the
Rebbes sicha. The Rebbe says that when the Torah Graduate program in Nigleh and Chassidus.
was given, something very special happened. Internalize acquired knowledge into life skills.
The world entered a state of menucha rest. Reach your highest potential in Avodas Hashem.
When Hashem created the world, He made it
conditional. If the Jewish people accept the
Torah, said Hashem, then I will continue to keep LEADERSHIP AND SHLICHUS TRAINING
the world going, but if the Jewish people do not
want to accept the Torah, I have no need for you Learn the principles and gain hands-on
and I will destroy the world. experience in non-profit leadership; strategic
You probably realize that the world was planning, fundraising, budgeting, programming,
nervous, the fish in the sea, the creepy-crawlies marketing, event planning, teaching and more...
on land, the stars in the sky and all of creation
waited with bated breath for the giving of the
Torah. And when the time came, the holiday of
VOCATIONAL TRAINING
Shavuos when the Jewish people accepted the
Torah, the world rejoiced greatly and there was Become a certified Life coach, Graphic
menucha. Designer, Sheitel Macher or Makeup Artist.
The Rebbe also explains in a sicha that we will
have true menucha in Yemos HaMoshiach, and
the most amazing thing was to see that the Rebbe Accreditation available
explains why menucha is needed altogether. To
my surprise, it was exactly what I wrote to you, PERKS:
because when there is no menucha, you cannot Student visas for foreign students
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when Moshiach comes, there will be menucha
Shidduchim Services
and we will able to focus on the spirituality that
will be in the world, on the new Torah ideas that
Shabbatons, Shabbos meals.
Moshiach will say, and in short, on that which is
truly important.
Do you know what I did? I did not waste time. No need anymore to leave the
I made a hachlata to try and internalize what I
Chabad world and education system
learned, to try to achieve a state of menucha.
The next day in class was the first day for me to pursue higher learning and career
to try it out. I tried with all my might and, as I training.
thought, I understood the lessons better; I enjoyed
playing with my friends, and I started using my
strengths for really important things. This exciting new academy is
I am so happy with this assignment our opening in Crown Heights in the fall.
teacher gave us, and I thank you, my dear
Journal, for listening to me so nicely. See you next
time! Registration beginning now!
The teacher stopped reading and the looks of
amazement on the girls faces expressed what they
were thinking. Without a doubt, this was the most
moving journal entry and the most important. Website: www.michleletchana.com
Email: info@michleletchana.org
Tel: 718 735 4044

B"H. 1 Sivan 5777

26 May 2017 Number 1069
Price: $6.00 Part 2 of 3

1069_bm_eng.indd 2 2017-05-23 8:51:00 AM