CONTENTS

5
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
5 ACTOR AND HEALER OF
THE SPIRIT 11 Parsha Thought
29 Moshiach & Hayom Yom
14 STORIES OF THE
LEGENDARY RAV OF 35 Tzivos Hashem
POLTAVA
Shneur Zalman Berger

23 MOSHIACH RETURNS
WITH THE CAPTIVES
OF TZIYON TO RULE
14 Boruch Merkur

24 FORESEEN
IN ADVANCE
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 DVAR MALCHUS

A BINDING
OATH TO BRING
MOSHIACH
Since Moshiach still has not come, it is clear
that in heaven they came up with a strategy without public consent. Even if one
as to how to have the tzaddik delay his appeal can convince one or even a few of
until later * The correct approach here may the group to annul it, it doesnt help;
G-ds Torah rules that an oath taken
well be to take an oath according to the by public approbation is sustained!
knowledge and consent of the public, in which The bottom line is that there
case the law is that there is no disavowal of should immediately be the true
and complete redemption through
the oath without public consent. Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and all the
Jewish will go together with their
Translated by Boruch Merkur homes with their houses of Torah,

T
he story is told of a righteous
Jew, who had said that when
he passes on (after a hundred
and twenty years) and goes
to heaven, he would demand of G-d
to bring the redemption (being a Jew
of such stature that he was worthy
to do so, to make such a demand of
G-d Alm-ghty). But the fact is that
he passed away and the redemption
did not come. Later on, another great
Jew said that [the failure to bring the
redemption in this manner] indicates
that this tzaddik was given such a
powerful revelation from Above that it
caused him to forget his promise, as it
were.
(The Rebbe shlita said with a
smile:) Since Moshiach still has not
come, it is clear that
in heaven they came up with
a strategy as to how to have the
tzaddik delay his appeal until later
The correct approach here may
well be to take an oath according to
the knowledge and consent of the
public, in which case the law is that
there is no disavowal of the oath
Tfilla, and Tzdaka to the Holy
Land, to Yerushalayim the Holy
City, to the Third Beis HaMikdash,
to the Holy of Holies. Then the
staff of Aharon, which is placed
there as a safeguard, will come out
from its hidden place of storage,
and a tzaddik will blossom forth
in his days for in the days (of
Moshiach) the Kehuna will return
and Aharons staff will sprout forth,
and Moshe and Aharon will be
among them.
(Shabbos Parshas Korach, 5 Tammuz
5749; Seifer HaSichos 5749 Pg. 561-562)

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Issue 1071
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 PROFILE

E
ver since Yitzchok Dori can remember,
he has performed and acted. The stage
was and still is his prime avocation. He was a successful actor,
Since he was a little boy, he was asked
to perform at every family or social event. The but the two years that
first pictures of him in the family album are from he waited for a kidney
when he was three, in which you see him standing
on the windowsill of his grandparents home in transplant led him to
Teveria and doing a song recital. In school, I discover deeper layers within
always got the lead part in the play, he recalls
with a smile. himself as he pursued the
When he finished his military service, study of psychodrama. *
he turned his avocation into a vocation and These two tools, acting and
got a degree in drama and theater at Tel
Aviv University. It was there that he also first psychodrama, he uses today
became acquainted with Chabad. His teshuva to empower people and to
process was slow but sure. Those who know
Dori know that he leaves the pretense for the provide them with insights
stage. In his personal life, he is sensitive, warm into their own untapped
and honest.
In recent years, along with his work as an potential. * Meet Yitzchok
actor, he also works as a therapist using the Dori, an actor of the spirit.
approach of psychodrama. He entered the
world of therapy after going through a dramatic
and traumatic experience in his own life. Four
By Nosson Avrohom
years ago, his kidneys stopped working and he
had to travel frequently to the hospital and to
dialysis units. There were some unsuccessful
transplant attempts. This experience shook him
up and he decided to help others in need.

FRIENDS NICKNAMED HIM MOSHIACH

Dori was born to a typical, traditional,
Israeli family. His father was born in and made
aliya as a child from Iraq, and his mother was
from a family of Holocaust survivors.

There was a lot of emuna in our home but this

wasnt translated into practical mitzvos. Now
and then, I would see my father put on tfillin.
On holidays we would go to shul and have
holiday meals together. The main message we
got was to put ourselves into our studies. My
father grew up in a family with meager means.
He was identified by some good people as
being gifted, and they saw to it that he was sent
to the Technion. He was very successful there
and graduated with a career in aeronautical
engineering and was very successful in his
work.
Along with his academic studies, Dori
became a member of the national youth work-

4 15 Sivan 5777

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 ACTOR AND
HEALER OF
THE SPIRIT
Issue 1071 5

1071_bm_eng.indd 5 2017-06-06 2:14:52 PM

 Profile
They took me to the home of Moshe Rubashkin
where I was amazed to experience the familys
incredible generosity. During those three days, I did not
stop crying from emotional overload. All my questions
about Chabad and the Rebbe disappeared after what I
experienced in 770.
study movement, where he spent
his free time. He would argue
with his peers and counselors
about Jewish matters. During
the Tanach lessons at school,
he always took the Torah path
despite his paltry knowledge.
In my class there was a boy
whose father was religious and
who learned Tanach with him.
He would regularly argue with
the Tanach teacher who brought
in commentaries by irreligious
people. I always sided with him,
for what he said seemed true.
Toward the end of high
school, his classmates arranged a
grand evening with performances
and lots of activities. Dori was
given the lead part to play and
was highly praised. As part of
the graduation, the students put
together a yearbook in which
each classmate was listed with his
nickname, along with newspaper
clippings befitting that individual.
The nickname they chose for
me was Moshiach, because I
always helped other students.
The newspaper cuttings that they
attached to my entry were articles
about the Rebbe.
When he finished high school,
his father suddenly died. It took
me several years to recover. My
fathers absence was keenly felt.
This event awakened my Jewish
spark and I started going to shul
more frequently and attended
shiurim.
After a years deferment in
which he joined an agricultural
commune under the auspices of
6 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 6
the Nachal Brigade, Yitzchok
Dori was drafted and assigned
to a combat unit where he spent
three years as a soldier and a
commander. Those were the
three quietest years in the area
in decades. I remember us doing
patrols of three soldiers in the
heart of Gaza without fear.
When he completed his
military service, he worked
at various jobs and looked to
professionally develop his love for
theater and acting.
I checked out entertainment
opportunities at hotels in Teveria
and the Dead Sea. I worked
for a few months in Teveria but
quickly grew bored. I looked
for something more serious
and intensive, but the one who
torpedoed my plans was my
drama teacher, Ayal Cohen, who
later opened a successful studio
for the study of theater, who
invited me to Givatayim to study
and gain expertise.
I joined him for a sample
class, and this was enough for me
to realize that this is what I want
to study and do in life. I learned a
lot from him.
Later on, Dori decided to
pursue his interest as a full-time
career and he went to study
theater at Tel Aviv University.
My first Shabbos at the
student residence aroused in me
the desire to pray and I looked
for a shul in the area. To my
amazement, I found that there
was a Chabad House operating
right under my nose. It was
run by Rabbi Fishel Jacobs and
there were minyanim for tefilla
and Shabbos meals. He and his
staff of shluchim welcomed me
warmly and I became an integral
part of the minyan and meals
every Shabbos. A childhood
friend who became close to
Chabad, Nadav Goldstein, would
take me to farbrengens, thus
exposing me to more of life in
Chabad.
Yitzchok Dori began to realize
that the path of Torah is the right
path, but many more years would
pass before he would commit
to living this truth. At a certain
point, I began taking part in the
Chabad House programs, but at
the same time I did not have the
courage to pick a side. Let it be
said in praise of Rabbi Jacobs that
he knew how to work with me;
he did not pressure or nudge me.
He was patient and he even stood
in as a family member when he
came to see my performances.
THE LONG
BUT SHORT WAY
Yitzchok spent one of his
vacations in New Jersey. At that
time, he had already started
getting involved in Judaism and
Chassidus and he wanted to
visit 770. But a big snowstorm
prevented him from going.
When he flew a second time to
the U.S. some time later, he was
determined to make his first stop
at 770.
I arrived at 770 on Hoshana
Raba and enjoyed three uplifting
days, two of Yom Tov and one of
Shabbos. I was wearing weekday
clothes and sandals but who
paid attention to externals? The
atmosphere there raised me up
above the ground.
I met school friends who had
become Chassidim like Moshe
Sperling, Tzachi Francis and
2017-06-06 2:14:52 PM
 others. They took me to the home
of Moshe Rubashkin where I was
amazed to experience the familys
incredible generosity. During
those three days, I did not stop
crying from emotional overload.
All my questions about Chabad
and the Rebbe disappeared after
what I experienced in 770. I
spent half a year in the U.S.
and worked at pushcart sales.
Whenever I had a chance, I
went to visit 770. I also regularly
visited the Chabad House where
I lived.
At the end of six months,
I returned home different than
when I left, with tzitzis and a
kippa. Dori undergoing dialysis
But Yitzchak still had to
his spiritual journey, R Jacobs One day, my kidneys
traverse a torturous path until
did not give up on him and at a stopped working. There were
he became a Chassid. Upon the
certain point he convinced Dori some warning signs, but the
advice of friends in the theater
to move into his house in Kfar fact that I was a young guy had
world, he rented an apartment
Chabad. me and those who knew me not
in the heart of Tel Aviv where he
Every day I learned in Ohr taking them seriously.
auditioned for roles in movies
and theater productions. Tmimim in Kfar Chabad. After Over several years, I
a while, I went back to Tel Aviv experienced difficult times while
It was a time that I sat on the
and went to learn in the yeshiva trying to find a kidney donor.
fence. I was the lead actor in a
in Ramat Aviv which was the I was on dialysis three times a
theater production in Jaffa, while
final blow in my becoming a full- week. I spent half a year in 770,
frequently visiting the Chabad
fledged Chassid. waiting for a donor. There were
yeshiva called Chazon Eliyahu.
a few attempts that my body
On Pesach, some of the stage
PEELING LAYERS rejected. Finally a donor was
props were chametz. I asked
found in Eretz Yisroel. During
them to remove the chametz and In recent years, Yitzchok Dori that dark period, I thought of
brought kosher-for-Pesach food has performed in many original studying psychodrama. I was
to replace it. When I showed up productions and educational previously very interested in
and saw that the chametz items videos, which he considers a it and finally decided to start
were still there, I refused to shlichus. Over the past three studying. I began my studies
perform until the chametz was years he has become involved amid my medical challenges.
burned. in the world of psychodrama
Studying psychodrama
The following episode therapy.
helped me recognize parts of
demonstrates the extent to which Although there might be a myself that I did not want to
he was torn between two worlds connection between the theater acknowledge, experiences that I
at that time. He had gone to and psychodrama, according had covered up with positive spin.
audition for a major project in to Yitzchok, this profession is At that time, I was exposed to
the theater world, but did not nothing like theater. In acting, much pain, both from the people
win it. The one who won was the work is on the outside and around me and within myself.
convinced by him to put on tfillin it affects the inside, while in The therapeutic tools I learned
and the television photographers psychodrama, its the other way about in psychodrama gave me
captured his image before the around; the inside affects the the ability to deal with it.
interviews as Dori tied tfillin outside.
on him. Despite the faltering in What is psychodrama?
***

Issue 1071 7

1071_bm_eng.indd 7 2017-06-06 2:14:53 PM

 Profile
Dori in action in plays and in performances for preschools
Psychodrama is mainly
group work but can also be done
one-on-one. The idea behind
it is to show a person that there
are other perspectives to a given
situation he is in and to give a
person the tools to choose how
he wants to react to various
situations in his life. We often
experience something that is
etched in our minds in a certain
way and is very influential in our
future reactions.
Give me an example to
illustrate the idea behind
psychodrama.
There was a boy I worked
with, curious by nature, who
brought home a worm. When
his mother realized what he
had in the box, he got it over
the head. This reaction of his
mother is etched in his soul. It
can cause him to refrain from
being curious in the future about
certain things. It can also affect
his relationship with his mother,
without the boy realizing it. A
child who experienced something
unpleasant can develop avoidance
mechanisms, but it also affects
his self-image. The scratch made
8 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 8
in his youth, can get deeper with
age.
Ill give you another example
that I experienced myself. During
my studies, I once lost my good
umbrella. The topic of that
class was longing and loss. I
volunteered to share my longing
for my high-quality umbrella that
served me faithfully. Something
in the nuance of my voice and my
choice of words had the lecturer
realize that it wasnt just about an
umbrella. He started asking me
questions and showing interest.
I told him about something
difficult I was going through at
the time that I did not consider
connected with my reaction to
the loss of the umbrella, but it all
rose to the surface. That sums up
psychodrama.
The purpose of psychodrama
is to break down a persons
natural defenses in reaction to
unpleasant situations. But these
defenses help us! How do you
decide when to remove them, if
at all?
A defense that a person
develops to protect his psyche
is definitely a good thing.
Oftentimes, it is an essential need
and helps him manage in life. A
defense is a natural process in
which a person covers over his
deficiencies and difficulties. I
wont remove this defense from
every client, certainly not in
haste.
The question is, when to
intervene and when to just
listen. This is a question that I
deal with, with every new client.
There are times I will decide not
to take down the defensive walls
that children created, because
it will affect their quality of life.
The defense provides them with
security.
In general, I dont only use
the methods of psychodrama.
In meeting with children, I use
my experience in acting and the
theater to help them. Not every
psychodrama practitioner will
be successful in every situation
and with every individual; there
are some disappointments and
failure, and we obviously need
siyata dShmaya. Not every
technique that worked with one
child will necessarily work with
another child.
2017-06-06 2:14:54 PM
 Can you give us some tips
that people can use at home or
in the classroom?
The first tip Id be happy to
share is not from psychodrama
but from my work as an actor.
For a long time, we ran a
presentation of the play, Two
Kings, which is a childrens book
authored by Rabbi Jacobs based
on Tanya. The main message is
that if a conflict arises, then the
child is not the problem; its that
his evil inclination got the better
of him. We need to teach him
that there is a good inclination
and an evil inclination; he himself
is good, but his evil inclination
overcame him and got him to
surrender or to behave not as he
should. Such an activity of acting
out the battle between good and
evil can be done at a time when
things are calm.
It is also very important to
1071_bm_eng.indd 9
talk about feelings at home. This
should be initiated by parents. If
we stop being afraid of bringing
up emotions and talking about
them, our children will do the
same. A teacher can also learn to
talk in the language of feelings,
and if we do this the right way,
it wont undermine our authority.
When a child is not afraid to talk
about his feelings, we will prevent
many problems. It doesnt always
have to be big traumas; even
simple negative occurrences
that he experiences can stand
in his way in the future. Along
with feelings, it pays to listen to
what children are saying. Many
children fall between the cracks
because nobody is listening to
them. Clear time in your week for
listening.
And here is a technique from
the world of psychodrama that I
use a lot. It is called playback.
The child tells a story and after
getting his permission, I repeat
what he said in my own words,
expanding and sometimes raising
questions. For example, a child
comes from school and we ask
him how his day was. He says,
It was fun, it was great and also
not so good. With the playback
technique I will say, I hear that
your day was mixed, both good
and bad, a mixed-up day? I use
his words, affirm, and add to it.
Can you tell us some success
stories?
The question is what is
considered success. In therapy,
there is no definitive answer.
Every client progresses at his
own rate and sometimes, it takes
a long time.
There is a boy who came to
me a few years ago when I was
first starting out in the world
of therapy. He was not yet bar
Issue 1071 9
2017-06-06 2:14:56 PM
 Profile
mitzva at the time. His family
situation was very complicated.
His mother valiantly dealt with
cancer for several years which
caused him to close up. During
the first year of our meetings
together, he did not talk; we just
played together. It was only a
year later that he started talking
about his problems. Today he is
handling lifes challenges nicely.
Its a complicated story. I still
meet with him and know that he
is progressing, but he still needs
encouragement and reminders.
In general, drama therapy
is not like a play where you get
off the stage and know how it
was based on the reaction of the
audience. The world of therapy
is far from hit and run. The
soul is very complex and we are
talking about processes that can
sometimes take a long time.
What do you use in your
work aside from psychodrama?
With psychodrama, the
client needs to bring a story and
then there is listening and self-
expression in response to that
story. But I meet with many
clients, especially young children,
who are not interested in
expressing themselves in a story.
With children, it is frequently
10 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 10
easier for them to open up
through play, and in this way
we can learn a lot about what is
going on with them.
Most of the time, when we
ask a child directly, he will only
answer in a roundabout way.
Through play, things will come
up. Lately, Ive been playing
Monopoly with the kids. Its
a long game and sometimes
its boring, and it can last over
several sessions. One of the
features of the game is that you
can buy houses. When I buy a
house, I will focus the discussion
on what a home is on the outside
as opposed to on the inside. A
child who experienced upheavals
at home can easily express his
feelings in a conversation like
this.
I use drawing a lot too. Its a
very helpful tool to know whether
a child underwent something
traumatic. Picture a child who
draws nicely and suddenly, his
drawings are ugly. The choice
of colors, how much pressure he
exerts, the objects he chooses to
draw, all these details provide us
with a lot of information.
A SHLICHUS
Nowadays, in every place
and in every community, there
are people who have studied
these things. They can provide
direction to those who need it so
they can deal with their issues.
This itself demonstrates to what
extent the world is moving to a
more constructive orientation.
Its a form of Geula.
As far as the clients, people
today are seeking to live good
lives. While in the past, people
lived more difficult lives and only
in extreme cases were people
willing to go for therapy, today,
people are looking for help for
even minor things.
I feel a great sense of
shlichus in my work. I am
particularly happy about my
work in preparing boys who
finished elementary school, for
mesivta. Its inspiring to prepare
talmidim to deal properly with
this transition.
***
Dori spends most of his time
and energy on psychodrama but
has not neglected the world of
acting. He performs in movies
for the Nitzotzot shel Kdusha
Company, and in collaboration
with them, he also gives drama
classes to children.
2017-06-06 2:14:56 PM
 PARSHA THOUGHT
TRANSCENDING
EMOTIONS
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
AHARON DISMAYED
In last weeks parsha,
Naso, we learned about the gift
offerings the leaders of each tribe
brought for the inauguration of
the Altar. According to Rashi,
Aharon felt badly that he was not
chosen to bring the dedicatory
offering on behalf of his tribe, the
Levites, although the leaders of
all the other tribes did so.
In this weeks parsha, G-d
consoles Aharon by telling
him that his role is far more
significant than that of the other
leaders because he would
prepare and light the Menorah.
There are many questions
regarding this saga.
THE FIVE QUESTIONS
First, why did Aharon wait to
express his chagrin at not being
chosen until after all the tribes
brought their sacrifices? Why
didnt he complain at the outset?
The simple answer is that he
did not know that he would be
excluded until the other tribes
finished bringing their offerings.
Only when Aharon realized that
he had been passed over for the
honor did he express his hurt
feelings.
However, the question can
be rephrased. In the beginning
of the book of Numbers the tribe
1071_bm_eng.indd 11
of Levi was excluded from the
general census. G-d had them
counted separately because the
tribe of Levi was chosen to be
G-ds personal legion.
Considering the tribe of Levis
superior role, Aharon should have
been the very first leader selected
to bring a dedicatory sacrifice.
Thus the question returns:
why didnt Aharon complain
when he was not asked to be
the first to bring a dedicatory
offering?
Second: Who prevented
Aharon from bringing his own
offering? These were personal
offerings from the tribal leaders
themselves. If Aharon chose not
to bring the offering, how could
he later complain?
Third: Why did G-d console
him by saying he had the greater
role because he would prepare
and light the Menorah? What
does lighting the Menorah have
to do with bringing a dedicatory
sacrifice? Are they mutually
exclusive? Would it have been so
difficult for Aharon to bring the
dedicatory sacrifice and also light
the Menorah.
Fourth: Why did G-d have
to console him at all? Werent
Aharon, and his tribe, the ones
to offer all the daily and festival
sacrifices? Only a Kohen was
permitted to offer the animal,
bird or flour on the Altar. Isnt
his role obviously greater? After
all, the sacrifices brought by the
leaders of each tribe required the
service of the Kohen at the Altar.
Fifth: How could Aharon
think that he was not part of the
dedication of the Mishkan when,
in fact, he furnished the ultimate
sacrifice? Aharons two sons were
consumed by the Divine fire at
the Altar. Moshe told Aharon that
this fulfilled G-ds words that He
would be sanctified through their
sacrifice. How could Aharon
think that he was found lacking
in bringing a sacrifice?
CHANUKAH
The answer to all of these
questions lies in the word that
Rashi uses to describe the
offerings of the tribal leaders:
Chanukah. This word, which
is also the name of a Holiday,
is translated as inauguration
or dedication. It is a cognate to
the word chinuch, which means
education. It is also related to
chein, which means charm of
grace. The term connotes not just
an initial act but one that instills
new life, excitement, joy and a
sense of purpose in ones life.
When Rashi says that he saw
the inauguration of the leaders,
Aharon was not thinking of the
Issue 1071 11
2017-06-06 2:14:57 PM
 PARSHA THOUGHT

Emotions derive from our recognition of the after he lit the Menorah Aharon
was still emotionally detached. It
positive or negative value of someone or did not change him emotionally.
something. Emotions are a gauge of how close or distant What was going on in
Aharons life?
we are to the other person, situation or thing. If we
A secular psychologist might
feel how special the other person is, we will develop a opine that he was so traumatized
feeling of love for that person. The same is true for fear. by the loss of his sons that he
could not emote. However, a
However, when the two things merge into one, when we Chassidic approach to this matter
reach the object of our desire, we transcend emotion. yields a completely opposite
explanation.
There is no longer a need to emote because we have
reached and have become one with our goal. TRANSCENDING EMOTION
Aharon had reached a spiritual
level where he felt so inspired
sacrifices they brought, for he he did not deviate (literally he and uplifted that it transcended
knew they were minor compared did not change). emotion.
to his major and exalted role in Commentators have been Emotions derive from our
the Mishkan. puzzled by this statement. recognition of the positive or
What troubled Aharon was Isnt it obvious that Aharon negative value of someone or
that he saw how the act of would not deviate from G-ds something. Emotions are a gauge
bringing the offerings actually commandment to him? Who of how close or distant we are
changed the leaders themselves. could think otherwise? to the other person, situation or
First, they were dedicated and One may propose that even thing. If we feel how special the
inspired enough to offer the after Aharon performed the other person is, we will develop
sacrifices. Second, when they service that G-d said was superior a feeling of love for that person.
brought the sacrifices to the to the service of the other leaders The same is true for fear, hate
Mishkan they were again uplifted; it still did not affect a change in and all the other emotions. Love
they felt renewed and invigorated him. Notwithstanding that he did is also a sense of yearning for
both emotionally and spiritually. not feel any more invigorated and something you dont yet have and
They were no longer the same inspired, Aharon still did as he pine to get closer to.
people they were before this. was told; it mattered not that it However, when the two
Aharon felt badly that all had no effect on him. things merge into one; when we
of what he did, including the reach the object of our desire, we
terrible sacrifice of his sons, did EMOTIONAL BLUNTING? transcend emotion. There is no
not appear to affect his emotional longer a need to emote because
or spiritual state. In his mind There seems to be a
we have reached and have
he remained the same Aharon; troubling pattern here. Aharon,
become one with our goal.
he did not feel that he had been the paragon of love, the man
transformed. He did not feel of unbounded kindness, was
becoming emotionally numb. YAAKOV RECITES THE
more dedicated and inspired;
in his mind, he was not part of This emotional pattern seems SHMA
the dedication process at all, to have begun when he lost his We can find another example
regardless of the great things that two sons. The Torah says that of transcending emotion with
he accomplished. Aharon was silent. He was Yaakov when he was finally
unable to show any emotion. reunited with his son Yoseph.
This premise can help us
shed some light on an enigmatic According to this Yaakov showed no emotion when
statement in the Torah: Aharon interpretation, Aharon did Yoseph fell on his neck, embraced
did so as G-d had commanded not feel any spiritual boost him and cried. Rashi says: he
Moshe. Rashi comments: This when he performed his service [Yaakov] was reading the Shma!
teaches the praise of Aharon that in the Mishkan. And if our Yaakovs bizarre lack of
interpretation is correct, even

12 15 Sivan 5777

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 feeling for his most beloved son
at such a powerful moment of
reunification can be explained
in light of the above. Yaakov
had reached the epitome of his
love for Yoseph, because Yaakov
had reached the epitome of
oneness with G-d expressed in
and through the recitation of
the Shma. He was not cold and
indifferent to Yoseph. He was at
one with Yoseph because Yoseph
had now become part of his
experience of oneness with G-d.
This, we may suggest, is at
the heart of Aharons coldness.
Aharon had reached the state
of oneness with G-d which
transcends even the most
heightened awareness of G-ds
emotion engendering light.
Aharon was connected and at one
with G-ds essence.
AHARONS HUMILITY
Aharon, in his humility,
however, attributed his own
silence and lack of emotion
as a sign that his mind was
weak. Without a strong intellect
one cannot elicit the deepest
emotions.
When Rashi describes
Aharons reaction to not being
part of the dedication ceremony
he uses the term, Chalsha
daato, which literally means his
daas-knowledge became weak.
What did Rashi mean?
Daas is the intellectual power
that generates emotion. One
whose emotions are occluded will
generally lack daas.
Aharon therefore thought
that his lack of emotion
was attributable to his weak
intellectual faculties.
In truth, Aharon was
mistaken about himself. Aharon
was not, as he thought, beneath
a heightened and sophisticated
level of understanding; he was
above it. He had reached the
climax of attachment to the
oneness of G-d and transcended
palpable emotions.
Nevertheless, Aharon felt
badly that he was denied the
ability to experience more
emotion along with other less
sophisticated people. It gets
lonely on top where you are the
only one who has this heightened
level and yearn to share in the
feelings of the rest of the people.
So how did G-d respond to
his unhappiness?
HAVING YOUR CAKE
AND EATING IT TOO
G-d told him that in the end
he would also enjoy the emotions
that others feel. Aharons role
was to prepare and light the
Menorah which metaphorically
means that he was to kindle and
prepare the souls of others for a
heightened consciousness and
passion for G-d. While Aharon
may, at certain times, remain
above the realm of emotion, he
will nevertheless be able to ignite
the emotions of all others. As
a result, Aharon too would be
affected and be able to feel their
emotions.
Rashi concludes thus: Yours
is greater than theirs. One can
interpret this in two ways:
First, Aharons role
transcends that of the others,
for he is above conventional
emotional attachments.
Second, Aharons role is
greater because you will get
it from them. Aharon will not
lose because of his higher level;
he will also share some of the
emotion of others because he
helped them develop it. When we
help someone with something we
are rewarded with the same.
In the Messianic Age we will
be able to have our proverbial
cake and eat it too. We will, on
the one hand, experience total
unity with G-d and transcend
limited emotional attachments.
Our relationship with G-d will
be with His very Essence. This
relationship is consummated as
a result of our commitment to
fulfilling G-ds Will even when
we feel no emotion; just doing
what G-d wants of us even when,
as with Aharon, we may not feel
weve changed emotionally and
spiritually.
On the other hand, because
of the way we kindle the souls of
others and bring them excitement
we will also be rewarded with the
joy and excitement from basking
in the G-dly manifestations.

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Issue 1071 13

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 PROFILE

STORIES OF THE
LEGENDARY RAV
OF POLTAVA
He will be the rav of a large city, predicted the
Rebbe Maharash. * Words fall short of describing
this great Chassid, who sacrificed body and soul
for his people, a Beinoni who davened all day
and whose niggunim have become staples of the
Chabad repertoire. The only one who was able
to console the Rebbe Rashab after the passing
of his father, the chavrusa of the Rebbe Rashab,
over a period of 30 years he slept only on a
bench, a pure and lofty soul. * Beis Moshiach
profiles the gaon and Chassid, Rabbi Yaakov
Mordechai Bespalov, Rav of Poltava.

By Shneur Zalman Berger

RAV, ASKAN AND FRIEND
OF THE REBBE RASHAB
Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai
Bespalov, Rav of Poltava, was
a distinguished Lubavitcher
rav and a Chassid of the Rebbe
Maharash and Rebbe Rashab.
A deep friendship developed
between him and the Rebbe
Rashab.
His name is mentioned in
many sichos and letters of the
Rebbe Rashab, the Rebbe Rayatz,
and the Rebbe MHM. Stories
about him were often mentioned
by our Rebbeim.
THE REBBES
PROPHECY CAME TRUE
Rabbi Bespalov was born on
12 Iyar 5615/1855; his father
was R Nissan. In his youth he
lived in Nikapol, Russia. In his
youth, he was a chassid of the
Rebbe Maharash and was known
as a lamdan and an oved. He
was one of three Chassidim
to whom the Rebbe Maharash
gave his handwritten smicha for
rabbanus (the other two were R
Dovid Tzvi Chein and R Moshe
Rosenblum).
R Nissan was a wealthy
man and although he was a
Lubavitcher Chassid, he was
not pleased with the fact that
his son was utterly devoted to

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His son, Rabbi Shmuel Bespalov, may Hashem avenge his blood.
Torah and avoda. He once went
to the Rebbe Maharash and
complained, What will be with
my son? Was it decreed about
him that he be a batlan (good-
for-nothing)?
The Rebbe replied
prophetically, Dont worry, with
Hashems help he will be the rav
of a big city and will get a weekly
salary of twenty rubles, twenty-
five rubles, and even more.
1071_bm_eng.indd 15
The Rebbes words were
fulfilled when R Bespalov was
accepted as rav, around the year
5646, in Poltava, in the Ukraine.
He was given a weekly salary of
twenty rubles, a decent amount
at that time. Then they raised
his salary to twenty-five rubles
and later raised it again to thirty
rubles.
R Bespalov had a brother
in Charson who was very rich
and G-d fearing. This brother
regularly offered him financial
support but R Bespalov declined.
He said, Do I lack money for
my expenses?
HE DID MUCH FOR
KASHRUS IN HIS CITY
R Bespalov led his
congregation with a strong hand.
He did much to strengthen
kashrus in his city and in
neighboring towns. He did this
work with great devotion despite
the opposition. When any issue
came up, he would get involved
in even the minutest details,
and it was all so that the people
of his city would not stumble
with something even possibly
prohibited.
He acquired a reputation as a
famous posek. The Rebbe Rashab
sent him halachic questions
several times in order to hear his
opinion.
R Bespalov did much for
the good of Russian Jewry and
was involved in Chabad askanus
under the Rebbe Rashabs
direction. Many gatherings took
place during those years for
the good of the Jewish people,
materially and spiritually. R
Bespalov also led the fight
against heretical movements,
many of which were founded and
flourished in that era.
THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE
After his passing, the Rebbe
Rashab described the mighty
achievements of R Bespalov
in a letter to the leaders of the
community in Poltava:
Remember the work he did
for you for over thirty years,
complete work, loyal work
devoted to the ultimate purpose
of the rabbinate among the
Jewish people. To analyze and
oversee every detail relating to
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2017-06-06 2:14:58 PM
 Profile
kashrus and tahara of body and
soul, and he established great
things in this area, and everything
big or small, he did not consider
his own needs, and literally
sacrificed body and soul for this.
And throughout all the years
that his honor was in your camp
you rested assured that you did
not transgress even the slightest
possibility of a sin, rachmana
litzlan.
In a letter, the Rebbe
describes the wars R Bespalov
led so that his people would not
stumble in forbidden things:
He endured much suffering
from this to the literal depths of
his soul, rl, and he stood like
a strong pillar in the face of all
the waves that crashed over his
head, and only the absolute truth
of Torah was a light to guide his
The Rebbe told me that when there is a Rebbe,
there are Chassidim, but he meant Chassidim
who accomplish and work. When a Chassid isnt a
Chassid, he causes the Rebbe to not be a Rebbe.
feet... and to its light he went and
has traveled from us to illuminate
his soul in the light of the Life of
all Life in Eden, the garden of
G-d.
Testimony such as this from
the Rebbe Rashab was definitely
a rarity and testifies to R
Bespalovs lofty character and
holy service.
FROM THE HEART
TO THE MIND
The mashpia, R Mendel
Futerfas, related:
The Rebbe Maharash had
some Chassidim on the level
of the Beinoni of Tanya. One
of them was considered in the
category of baal tshuva, this
16 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 16
was R Bespalov. Chassidim
said about him (and about the
Chassid, R Dovid Tzvi Chein)
that they were in the category
of Beinoni who davens all day
long.
At a farbrengen of the Rebbe
Rayatz, one of the Chassidim
asked, What is the difference
between R Yaakov Mordechai
and R Dovid Tzvi? The Rebbe
said, By R Dovid Tzvi, the
avoda was like this and the
Rebbe moved his thumbs down,
while by R Yaakov Mordechai
the avoda was like this and he
moved his thumbs upward.
The ovdim immediately
understood what the Rebbe
meant: Both were equal in the
greatness of their avodas hatfilla,
and both spent a long time on
their davening, but R Yaakov
Mordechais preparations took
five hours and his davening also
took about five hours. He would
get up at midnight and continue
his preparations for davening
until five in the morning. Then
he began davening and continued
until ten oclock. That is, he
managed to finish davening
Shacharis in its proper time.
R Dovid Tzvi, on the other
hand, would get up and start his
preparations for davening at five
oclock, do this until ten, and
then start davening. He did not
manage to finish davening in the
proper time.
The second night of Chol
HaMoed Pesach 1947, the Rebbe
Rayatz explained the difference
between the avodas Hashem
of R Bespalov and R Zalman
Zlatapolsky:
R Yaakov Mordechai
received everything in his heart
and from the heart it went to the
brain, while R Zalman received
everything in the brain and from
the brain it went to the heart.
MARA SHCHORA AND
BAAL MENAGEN
R Bespalovs avodas Hashem
was in a way of mara shchora
(melancholy). The Rebbe Rashab
encouraged him to leave this
type of avoda and start serving
Hashem with joy.
The Rebbe wrote to him
about this in 5648: Keep your
distance from melancholy and
sadness to the nth degree.
Davening and Torah study ought
to be specifically with joy. This is
what man is all about, to exhaust
himself in serving Hashem with
alacrity that comes from joy and
an open heart. Then he can be
victorious over the animal soul
etc. Learn well in the Book of
Beinonim from chapter 25 till
chapter 36.
The Rebbe Rashab wrote
another letter to him about this,
three years later. The letter is very
long and explains the advantage
of simcha and how to fight the
evil inclination without sadness
and the importance of distancing
oneself from such feelings.
Although he served Hashem
with mara shchora, he was
considered a baal menagen.
The Rebbe Rayatz said that R
Bespalovs niggunim were sung
before the Rebbe Maharash. One
of his niggunim, a well-known
one, is called, Niggun HaRav
MPoltava.
2017-06-06 2:14:58 PM

A certificate of kashrus with the signature and stamp of Rabbi Bespalov
A CHASSID IS SOMEONE
DEVOTED TO THE REBBE
At a farbrengen on 18 Elul
5657, during the sheva brachos
for the Rebbe Rayatz, R Bespalov
said that he once had yechidus
with the Rebbe Maharash and
he asked him about certain
things in the maamer that the
Rebbe said on Shabbos about
the level of Adam Kadmon
(primordial man, the initial
abstract structural manifestation
of G-dliness post-tzimtzum).
The Rebbe told him to learn
1071_bm_eng.indd 17
the maamer, LaMnatzeiach al
HaShminis which is printed in
Likkutei Torah, and to ask his
son, the future Rebbe Rashab, to
give him an explanation that was
not yet printed on this maamer.
Then the Rebbe said, A
tangible manifestation of the
supernal structure of Adam
Kadmon is the Baal Shem Tov,
who was both a human being and
had elevation of the soul (in the
higher spheres) simultaneously.
R Yaakov Mordechai saw that
it was an auspicious time and
he asked, What about the Alter
Rebbe?
The Rebbe Maharash said,
The Alter Rebbe was, at his
root source, from the aspect of
daas haneelam (pre-tzimtzum
consciousness) but that is only
at his root, while in his revealed
level he was mocha stimaah
(the hidden mind of Kesser).
Through his mesirus nefesh
was revealed an order of avoda
from below-upward. And he was
a Rebbe, and when there is a
Rebbe, there are Chassidim.
At this point in the story, R
Bespalov began to cry so hard
that the people sitting there
became concerned. They begged
him not to cry but that didnt
help, until the Chassid, R Leib
Hoffman said to him, It is a
triple simcha now, the birthday
of the Baal Shem Tov, the day he
was revealed to the world, and
the simcha of the Rebbes sons
wedding. Rav of Poltava, what is
this crying for? You need to do
tshuva!
R Leib Hoffman said this
and began to sing. R Leib was
a wonderful baal menagen and
everyone sitting there helped him
out. Some of the distinguished
Chassidim danced and were
followed by everyone else, but
R Bespalov still sat there with
his head in his hands, and he
cried. They poured mashke to
say lchaim and R Bespalov
stopped crying and said in a
tearful voice, The Rebbe told me
that when there is a Rebbe, there
are Chassidim, but he meant
Chassidim who accomplish and
work. When a Chassid isnt a
Chassid, he causes the Rebbe
to not be a Rebbe (ois Rebbe).
The Alter Rebbe was a Rebbe
and he made Chassidim, and the
Chassidim, being Chassidim, and
men of deeds in avodas hatfilla,
strengthened the Rebbe.
Issue 1071 17
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 Profile
On another occasion, R
Yaakov Mordechai said, A
Chassid is someone who is
devoted to the Rebbe.
YOU CANNOT FORGET THE
POSITIVE QUALITIES
There was a wonderful
friendship between the Rebbe
Rashab and R Bespalov. In their
youth, they learned Chassidus
together, and over the years they
had a regular correspondence.
One time, R Bespalov was
sitting with the Rebbe Rashab
after being friends for thirty
years, and he burst into tears and
said to the Rebbe, For the last
thirty years you rose higher and
higher and I went down, down.
After many years, the Rebbe
MHM related this and explained
it, It would seem from the story
that the Rebbe Rashab accepted
what he said, i.e., he agreed to
what R Bespalov said, since that
was the reality.
Think about it R Bespalov
was on a high level . . . an oved,
and his avoda was with merirus
(due to mara shchora) and yet,
relative to the elevations of the
Rebbe Rashab, not only werent
all the aspects of R Bespalov in
the category of a lofty quality,
on the contrary, they were
considered in the category of
lowly.
The Rebbe Rayatz told Rabbi
Yisroel Jacobson about the Rebbe
Rashabs reaction to something
similar:
When I [RYJ] had yechidus
by the Rebbe Rayatz, he told me:
My father [the Rebbe Rashab]
told the Chassid, R Yaakov
Mordechai of Poltava: Listen
du-you (the Rebbe usually spoke
to him with the respectful third
person ir, but this time he used
du), you say that I am like a bird
that flies upward to the top of a
18 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 18
WALKING IN STOCKING
FEET AND SPEAKING
CHASSIDUS
The Rebbe MHM said
in the name of Chassidim
that during the shiva for the
Rebbe Maharash, the Rebbe
Rashab and R Bespalov
walked back and forth in the
beis midrash in Lubavitch
with socks, no shoes,
because of mourning, and
they spoke Chassidus.
However, the Rebbe
pointed out that the story
does not seem to be true
because the passing of the
Rebbe Maharash was on
13 Tishrei toward evening
and the next day, the
mourners got up from shiva
by noon because of Yom
Tov. It is unlikely that the
Rebbe Rashab, who was so
attached to his father, would
find the time and strength to
discuss Chassidus so soon
after the histalkus of his
father.
tree, while you are a calf that
stands under the tree. We are
brethren and just as a Chassid
cannot forget his deficiencies,
by the same token, he is not to
forget his good qualities, and he
needs to preserve them and not
wish for their negation.
WHEN YOU DEMAND IT
OF YOURSELF, YOU WILL
BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
At the Purim farbrengen of
5663, the Rebbe Rashab related
the following in the presence of
R Bespalov:
One time, I went to my
father [the Rebbe Maharash]
for yechidus in which we spoke
about three levels of truth: 1)
edge of truth (sfas emes), 2)
truth (emes), and 3) absolute
truth (emes lamito). I
managed to understand the first
two levels after much toil, but
much effort and toil did not help
me understand the third level.
This bothered me very much and
I decided to see my father and
even prepared my questions.
In the evening, the Chassid,
R Yaakov Mordechai, came
to me. I saw that he was very
overwrought. He told me that
he had yechidus that day with
my father and said he does not
want to be involved in learning
and in avoda because he doesnt
understand. My father told him:
Why do you demand of me?
Demand of yourself! And when
you will demand of yourself, you
will begin to understand.
When I heard my fathers
answer, that when a person
demands of himself, he begins
to understand, I was encouraged
to continue toiling on the
meaning of absolute truth. After
much exertion, Hashem gave
me a wonderful present and I
understood the matter.
CRY OF AN EMBITTERED
SOUL
Nine years later, at the
Purim 5672 farbrengen, the
Rebbe Rashab reminded him of
the above-mentioned story and
added:
This answer of my father
was helpful in all periods in
dealing with the deepest inyanim.
Till today, thank G-d, there
was no inyan in the teachings
of Chassidus that was not
possible to reach its ultimate
understanding, although there
were times that it was necessary
to toil greatly.
Apropos of this, the Rebbe
2017-06-06 2:14:58 PM

Rashab began telling about the
time when he and R Bespalov
would learn Chassidus together,
reviewing maamarim of the
Rebbe Maharash, writing
hanachos, and speaking for
hours about matters of avoda and
haskala.
At this point, R Bespalov
burst into tears. The Rebbe
Rayatz described this crying as
Chassidishe crying, in which
it was felt the expression used
in Chassidus he will become
embittered and cry from the
bitterness of his soul, a cry of
soul bitterness, a cry that remains
engraved in the heart for all
eternity.
It was with great difficulty
that they were able to calm
R Bespalov down. After he
recovered, a real Chassidishe
farbrengen began, in the course
1071_bm_eng.indd 19
Poltava
of which the Rebbe Rashab
explained that the intellect of
Toras HaChassidus is a G-dly
intellect and is an intellect that
can be accessed, and the main
avoda needs to be in transforming
a person into a recipient.
The Rebbe Rayatz said that
when they began singing, R
Bespalov who was stern by
nature made a dismissive
motion with his hand and said,
No, not a chazanishe niggun, a
Chassidishe niggun! The Rebbe
Rashab said, Do you remember
what my father once said about
that? R Bespalov said, No, I
dont remember.
The Rebbe Rashab said
that once, at a farbrengen, his
father said that there are three
types of niggunim, a niggun of
chazanus, a niggun of tfilla, and
a Chassidishe niggun...
The Rebbe paused a bit,
thought, and said, We need
to skip a bit in the story.
The difference between a
niggun for davening and a
Chassidishe niggun is that a
niggun for davening grows out
of the kavana/intent, while a
Chassidishe niggun creates the
kavana, the arousal of the heart.
When R Bespalov heard this,
he cried and said, How could
I have forgotten these words of
the Rebbe, the Rebbe Maharash,
which inspired me then to go in
for a special yechidus.
LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP
With the passing of the Rebbe
Maharash, his son, the Rebbe
Rashab, was heartbroken, and
the one who consoled him was R
Bespalov.
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2017-06-06 2:14:58 PM
 Profile

beloved friend...
SONS FOLLOWING IN THE WAYS OF THEIR FATHER The Rebbe Rayatz goes on
R Bespalovs three sons learned in Yeshivas Tomchei in the letter to describe their
Tmimim in Lubavitch and their father raised them in the ways special friendship in lyrical poetic
of Torah and Chassidus. It is said that he had an ongoing shiur terms, and afterward, he writes
in Chassidus with two of his sons, R Shmuel and R Shneur that whatever he heard from his
Zalman, for two hours a day. father, he now found [the letter
From the Rebbe Rayatzs diary we see that when the Rebbes was written about a year after
family stayed in the resort area of Balivka in 5658, the Rebbe to the passing of the Rebbe Rashab]
be Rayatz, who was an 18 year old bachur, had a steady shiur in in letters that his father wrote to
Chassidus with Shmuel and Shneur who were also at the resort R Bespalov, which epitomize
area with their families. The shiur was from five to seven in the the loving and intimate sharing
morning every day. between the two of them.
R Shmuel Bespalov married Rebbetzin Sheina Rivka, the
daughter of R Dovid Moshe Barbash, the son-in-law of the I RECEIVED HIS LETTER
Admur, R Shmaryahu Noach of Bobruisk. After the passing of AND WAS AT THE OHEL
his father, R Yaakov Mordechai, Rav of Poltava, he succeeded In a sicha of Leil Shmini
him for some time. Then he moved to Charkov and from there Atzeres 5697, the Rebbe Rayatz
to Bobruisk where he served as rav until he was murdered by the said that his father had set times
Nazis, may Hashem avenge his blood. when he went to the Ohel of the
R Shneur Zalman was the son-in-law of R Chaim Yeshaya Rebbeim in Lubavitch, and aside
Schneersohn of Ramen. He lived in Charson where he was one from that, there were another
of the directors of the local Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim. Then three categories of things for
he immigrated to the United States where he continued with which he went to the Ohel: 1)
Chabad activities. After his passing, he was buried near the There were matters that are not
Frierdike Rebbes Ohel. known, 2) For friends like R
R Dovber Nissan Bespalov lived in Charson, and was one of Yaakov Mordechai of Poltava.
the directors of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim there. He immigrated There are the letters that my
to Warsaw and perished in the holocaust, may Hashem avenge father sent which say, I received
his blood. your letter and was at the holy
Ohel and relayed what you said,
and once he writes, I relayed

In order to feel the preciousness of putting on
tfillin to the extent that R Bespalov felt, you
first need to sleep on a bench for 30 years!
The Rebbe Rashab told his
son, later to be the Rebbe Rayatz,
that what R Bespalov said found
its way into his heart because
they were straight and honest and
not lofty words.
The Rebbe Rayatz wrote
about this in a special letter to
R Shmuel Bespalov, Hyd, the
son of R Yaakov Mordechai.
In the letter, the Rebbe tells the
son that his father told him that
a truly beloved friend is able to
stand a person on his feet and
teachings of Chassidus.
save him from descending to
the abyss. Then the Rebbe listed
his friends with their important
good qualities and then he said
that the one person from whom
he was able to derive consolation
after the passing of his father, to
the extent that a person can be
consoled after such a tragedy,
was only his childhood friend,
his beloved R Bespalov. He was
the first to extend a consoling
hand, a helping hand, a hand of
friendship and that of a faithful
your matters. 3) He would go to
ask about matters pertaining to
In the Rebbe Rashabs letters
that are printed in the Igros
Kodesh, there are a number
of times where it says that the
Rebbe read R Bespalovs pidyon
nefesh at the Ohel. In one letter,
the Rebbe writes to him that he
reworded the pidyon nefesh for
him, explaining that when writing
a pidyon nefesh to be read at the
graves of tzaddikim one should
not write out all of the faults of
his soul, but rather to just ask
that they be rectified according
to his understanding and true
desire. That is why I could
not read his pidyon nefesh, but
when he gave me permission to

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 fix it, I wrote and requested the
correction of those matters.
IF I WOULD KNOW HIM - I
WOULD BE HIM
The Rebbe Rayatz related:
In 5671, when R Yaakov
Mordechai Bespalov was a guest
for a few weeks at the summer
resort, he would honor me a
few times a week by visiting
and drinking tea on the bench
in the shade of the trees. On
one visit, I reminded him about
what appears in my notes of the
farbrengen that took place in the
home of R Zalman Aharon [the
Rebbe Rashabs brother and the
Rebbe Rayatzs uncle] during
the week of my bar mitzva, when
there was an argument between
a few of the great Chassidim in
defining what Chassidus is.
The people there, most of
them, agreed that the opinion
of the Chassid, R Gershon Dov
[of Pahar] about what Chassidus
is, was more correct than the
opinion of his adversaries. They
all agreed that Chassidus is G-dly
philosophy, but the question was
what advantage is there in the
teachings of Chassidus? What
did Chassidus innovate beyond
the teachings of Kabbala and
the teachings of chakira and
philosophy?
It was in this that R Gershon
Dov expressed his opinion, that
Kabbala calls every sfira and
partzuf by name, philosophy
innovated the concept of
comprehension through
the process of elimination
(knowledge of G-d by what He
is not), If I would know Him, I
would be Him, and Chassidus
innovated the abstract concept of
I know Him, I am Him.
R Yaakov Mordechai
Bespalov explained R Gershon
Dovs view at length and said:
1071_bm_eng.indd 21
STORIES ABOUT RABBI BESPALOV RECORDED BY THE REBBE
This is a page from a diary
entry of the Rebbe from around
5707/1947 in his own handwriting,
in which he recorded stories that the
Rebbe Rayatz told, that he heard
from Rabbi Yaakov Mordechai
Bespalov.
First, there is a paragraph
quoting the Rebbe Rayatz, about
how the Rebbe Maharash played
with his grandson, later to be the
Rebbe Rayatz:
He motioned with his finger
to indicate that I shouldnt laugh. I
stretched out my little hands to hug
him, as it were. My grandfather put
his cheek up against my face and
I closed my eyes when I felt the
ticklish hairs of his beard.
Then there is a story about the
Rebbe Rashab wanting to kiss his
son:
R Yaakov Mordechai also
related to me: When I [Rebbe
Rayatz] was two, he [RYM] learned
together with my father. My father
got up, covered me and rocked my
cradle and wanted to give me a kiss.
He R Yaakov Mordechai told my father There is no need for it; there
is no need to cause him to have a wild personality.
During the shiva for the Rebbe Rayatz, the Rebbe told a variation on
that story. A small part of the story was written and the Rebbe added all the
details in his own hand:
When my father-in-law, the Rebbe, was a little boy (in 5644), his
father lived in a two-room apartment. One room was a bedroom and in the
other room, his father would sit with R Yaakov Mordechai Bespalov and
learn. The Rebbes cradle was also in this room. The Rebbe was a beautiful
child and his face glowed.
Once, in the middle of learning late at night, R Yaakov Mordechai
looked at the child asleep and began to say to the Rebbe that his appearance
indicated purity of thought, etc.
As they spoke, the Rebbe had a great desire to kiss his son but then
the idea came to him that in the Beis HaMikdash they would bring gold
and silver in addition to korbanos, for bedek habayis (the upkeep of the
Mikdash) and so he decided to exchange the kiss for Chassidus and he
wrote the maamer, Ma Rabu Maasecha.
In 5652, he gave what he wrote to his son and said: This is a
Chassidishe kiss and later I will tell you the details. In 5656, the Rebbe
[Rashab] told the Rebbe [Rayatz] the whole story.
Issue 1071 21
2017-06-06 2:14:59 PM
 Profile
Such an outstanding brilliant
mind with such depth, for whom
six hours of delving into a haskala
maamer of Chassidus is to him
like the blink of an eye, and who
spent decades toiling, crowned
with blessings from the Rebbeim,
he had both those things, I know
Him and I am Him, and both
in a way of gadlus hamochin.
We were still talking and
behold the emanated light
appeared, my father, who sat
with us and asked us what we
were involved in. R Yaakov
Mordechai said that in light of
his conversation with me today
about the advantage of service
of the heart, to daven not only
with heart and tears but with
heart and Chassidus, I reminded
him of that conversation during
the farbrengen, the week of my
bar mitzva, in Razas residence,
when they discussed the question
of what did Chassidus add to
Kabbala and the philosophical
approach to G-dliness .
R Yaakov Mordechai repeated
his opinion, that R Gershon
Dovs view about Chassidus was
solely for people on high levels of
brilliance in haskala and avoda
like him, but not for ordinary
people like us, he said, referring
to himself.
My father said, It is not so.
Every one of Anash who delves
into learning Chassidus and
davening feels the I am Him
that flows from the I know Him
in his soul.
A MAVEN IN NESHAMOS
In Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim
in Lubavitch, it was customary to
bring the great Chabad rabbanim
and famous lamdanim every
year to visit. Among them were
Rabbi Dovid Tzvi Chein, Rav of
Chernigov; Rabbi Tzvi Tumarkin,
22 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 22
Rabbi Dov Zev Kazavnikov, Rav
of Yekaterinoslav; and Rabbi
Bespalov.
These rabbanim and
lamdanim would test the
talmidim, mark down how they
did, and assign them what was
suitable for them to learn in the
upcoming period. When they
came to the test the following
year, they would see how much
each talmid progressed in his
learning. Something similar was
done for the study of Chassidus
and conduct in the ways of
Chassidus.
Rabbi Shaul Dovber Zislin,
who learned in Lubavitch, told
of an amazing assessment made
about one of the Tmimim:
One time, Rabbi Yaakov
Mordechai Bespalov came to
test the talmidim in yeshiva. He
tested many talmidim but did
not test my friend, BYisroel
Noach HaGadol (Blinitzky). I
was very curious about this and
I dared to ask him why he hadnt
tested Yisroel Noach, one of the
outstanding Tmimim.
Rabbi Bespalov told me, He
has a neshama of Atzilus, so I am
afraid to test him.
30 YEARS ON A BENCH
H e a l t h
problems cast
dark clouds over
R Bespalovs
activities. From
letters of the
Rebbe Rashab we
see that the Rebbe
and R Bespalov
would report to
one another about
their medical
conditions and
treatments from
various doctors.
R Bespalov
received numerous
blessings and advice regarding
his health from the Rebbe.
R Bespalov passed away
on 30 Tishrei 5676 at the age
of 60. They say that before his
passing, he said, I slept only on
a bench over a period of thirty
years, but putting tfillin on one
time is more precious to me than
sleeping on a bench for thirty
years.
Somewhere else it says that
R Yaakov Mordechai said that he
erred in his approach to his self-
imposed affliction of not sleeping
in a bed because putting tfillin
on one time is more precious
than 30 years of refraining from
sleeping in a bed. Chassidim said
about this: In order to feel the
preciousness of putting on tfillin
to the extent that R Bespalov felt,
you first need to sleep on a bench
for 30 years!
After his passing, the Rebbe
Rashab wrote a very stirring
letter describing how broken
he was over the loss of his dear
friend, while proclaiming that
Hashem is righteous in all His
ways and a heartfelt supplication
for divine mercies for all of the
Jewish people.
2017-06-06 2:15:00 PM
 MOSHIACH & GEULA

MOSHIACH
RETURNS WITH
THE CAPTIVES OF
TZIYON TO RULE
Moshiach saw his forefathers, worshipers of idolatry, and he
parted from their ways and became a servant of the Alm-ghty,
hidden away in Gan Eden. In this respect, when G-d returns the
captives of Tziyon, Moshiach will be among them and he will
reign over his nation. * From Chapter Fifteen of Rabbi Shloma
Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros, Volume 2. (Underlined text is the
compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur

I
f I were to interpret it literally,
I am inclined to say that
in that case Moshiach dies
because of the inequity of his
generation. Moshiach is separated
from the wicked horde and his
soul is placed in the Supernal Gan
Eden, like the mighty men of old,
the men of renown.
The latter becomes the basis
for interpreting the teaching of
our Sages: Nine entered Gan
Eden in their lifetimes; they
entered Olam HaBa after having
lived short lives, ascending to
Heaven before their time, in order
to separate from the [wicked]
people of their generation. Thus,
the L-rd remembered [the plight
of] Chanoch and took him from
the world prematurely to prevent
him from succumbing to the
allure of the sin of the degenerate
generation he was in.
The same principle applies
to the concept of Moshiachs
untimely death (shmeis
bnaaruso): G-d sought to
remove Moshiach from the
debasement of his time. Thus, it
is within the context of discussing
those who entered Gan Eden
that our Sages said, And why is
Moshiach brought back? For he
saw his forefathers, worshipers
of idols, and he parted from
their ways and became a servant
of the Alm-ghty, hidden away
in Gan Eden. In this respect,
when G-d returns the captives
of Tziyon, Moshiach will be
among them and he will reign
over his nation.
Now, do not be puzzled by
the fact that Melech HaMoshiach
will be one of those who rises in
the Resurrection, for the question
was already raised in Perek
Cheilek: Rav Asi said: If he is
among the living, it is someone
like Rabbeinu HaKadosh. If
he is among the deceased, it
is someone like Daniel Ish
Chamudos.
( From Chapter 1 of Rabbi
Don Yitzchok Abarbanels Yeshuos
Meshicho)

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 MIRACLE STORY

FORESEEN
IN ADVANCE
24 15 Sivan 5777

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 For nearly a century and a half, the Bikur Cholim Hospital was a
permanent fixture in the center of the Holy City of Yerushalayim. With
a highly esteemed reputation among the local population, hundreds of
thousands of Jews received medical care here over the years. However,
when R Yitzchak Ben-Ari [Strasberg] received an offer to serve as its
administrator, the Rebbe told him in a letter to look into the matter of
pensions. In light of the Rebbes reservations, Ben-Ari understood that
he should not accept the offer. It was only several decades later that he
realized that the Rebbe knew exactly what he didnt know, despite his
longstanding association with the public health system

By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

Issue 1071 25

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 MIRACLE STORY
I
t was a sad moment
in the winter of 5772.
Representatives of the
legendary Bikur Cholim
Hospital in the heart of
Yerushalayim stood facing the
district court building, waiting
for the judges verdict. The judge
pounded his gavel, and after
reading his decision, he ordered
the immediate termination of
the hospitals non-profit status.
In other words, Bikur Cholim
ceased to function officially as an
independent medical center.
The truth is that the Rebbe
prophesized with sharp accuracy
the reason that brought on the
massive crisis leading to the
closing of the Hospital in a
letter he sent me in 5728, R
Yitzchak Ben-Ari (Strasberg)
from Yerushalayim told Beis
Moshiach in his fascinating story.
This was the sad ending for
this hospital as an independent
medical entity. [NOTE: Bikur
Cholim eventually became a
subsidiary of Yerushalayims
Shaarei Tzedek Medical Center.
N.A.]
R Yitzchak Ben-Ari is a well-
known public servant within the
national religious community,
in Yerushalayim and nationally,
holding numerous high-ranking
positions over the past several
decades. He ran and guided
numerous public projects while
also serving as secretary of the
chief rabbinate committee for
choosing the chief rabbis of Eretz
Yisroel in the elections held in
5733. I addition, he also served
as director-general of the Israel
Ministry of Health and was the
personal assistant to Chief Rabbi
Shlomo Goren. Afterwards, he
worked for the Jewish Agency.
Prior to holding these
positions, he served in several
important roles with the Health
Ministry before receiving an offer
26 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 26
to become the administrator of
the Bikur Cholim Hospital.
However, the Rebbes reply
dissuaded him from accepting
this high-ranking position. He
followed the Rebbes instructions,
even though he failed to
understand the reason why.
Over a period of many years,
he was a trusted advisor and
confidant to prominent figures in
Israeli politics. While he showed
great appreciation for the various
national leaders during this time,
calling them the men of the
generation of the Nephilim, he
saved his greatest appreciation
for the Rebbe.
The source of his firm bond
to Chabad Chassidus and to the
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,
is his wife Yehudis, youngest
daughter of Rabbi Mordechai
Mendel Cadaner, of blessed
memory, one of the most
prominent Chabad chassidim in
the Holy City of Yerushalayim.
FROM MEA SHARIM
TO CHABAD
I was born and raised in
the Mea Sharim neighborhood
to a family belonging to the
Perushim community. My only
connection in my childhood to
Chabad Chassidus was when I
periodically went with my father
to daven Mincha and Maariv at
the local Baal HaTanya shul.
When I reached
marriageable age, this connection
took on a new dimension. A
shidduch was suggested for
me with the daughter of Rabbi
Cadaner, a leading chassid of the
local Chabad community. This
marked the first time that I had
been exposed to the tremendous
faith and reverence of Chabad
Chassidim towards the Rebbe.
Consent for the match had to
come from the Rebbe, and only
when it arrived was the shidduch
agreed upon. Thus, I was
privileged to join this marvelous
family.
My father-in-law knew the
Rebbe back in the days when he
lived in Nikolayev prior to the
outbreak of the Second World
War, and he would speak about
him in lofty terms.
The first time I was sent to
the United States on behalf of
the Ministry of Health, I took the
opportunity while in New York to
visit 770. When I arrived at the
beis midrash, a farbrengen was
taking place. When I mentioned
that I was Rabbi Cadaners son-
in-law on an overseas mission
for the government of Israel,
they led me up to the farbrengen
platform, where I was honored
to receive mashke and a bracha
from the Rebbe.
Another curious event took
place several years later, in
5743, when I was working as
a representative of the Jewish
Agency in South Africa. My
wife traveled that summer for
a vacation to Eretz HaKodesh.
During this time, Operation
Peace for the Galilee had
commenced, and our son Ehud
was an IDF soldier on the
battlefront. Naturally, we were
very worried and my wife took
advantage of the opportunity
to travel first to New York to
request a bracha from the Rebbe
for our son. She arrived at 770
on a Thursday with our younger
son Shai, and she immediately
submitted a letter to the Rebbes
mazkirus. She spent that
Shabbos with her brother Moshe
and his son Zev Cadaner.
On Sunday, an answer to my
wifes letter had still not come,
and she was waiting in front of
770 for the Rebbe to return from
the Ohel. As the car arrived,
2017-06-06 2:15:04 PM
 she approached the door. The
secretary who came forward to
open the car door tried to get
her to move away. However,
when my wife told the Rebbe that
she was R Mendel Cadaners
daughter, the Rebbe motioned
for her to come forward. He
heard my wifes expressions of
concern about our son, and then
gave him a bracha that he would
return safely from the battlefront.
The Rebbe then blessed our
son to grow and give us much
nachas. Today, Ehud lives in Tel
Aviv, runs a successful company,
and is well-known for his many
acts of kindness and charity.
While I was raised in a
Litvishe home, I became a big
supporter of the Rebbe after
my wedding. Today, I consider
myself a Lubavitcher chassid.
AN EXCELLENT JOB
OFFER AND THE REBBES
EXPRESSION OF DOUBT
After I completed my
compulsory military service, the
Minister for Religious Affairs, R
Yitzchak Refael of the National
Religious Party, asked me to
work in the Ministry of Health.
I started at the lowest rung of
the ladder, and over a period
of time, I eventually climbed to
the top with my appointment as
the ministrys director-general.
Later, at the end of the sixties, in
consideration of my professional
experience and connections in the
Ministry of Health, I was offered
the position of administrator
of the Bikur Cholim Hospital.
Even in those days, it was already
quite clear to me that when
presented with such an offer or
some other potential change in
my life, I must first ask the Rebbe
and request his bracha, and so I
did on this occasion as well.
1071_bm_eng.indd 27
Before sending my letter to
the Rebbe, I made a thorough
investigation into this proposal,
and I found that the offer was
most worthwhile and potentially
quite lucrative. In those days,
the Bikur Cholim Hospital was
considered a most prominent and
respected medical institution.
The Rebbes reply was not
long in coming, and eventually
it was printed in Igros Kodesh
(Vol. 25, Letter #9406):
BH, 8 Kislev 5728
Brooklyn, N.Y.
The venerable and pious
chassid and counsel, R
Yitzchak Strasberg, shyichyeh
15 Bayit Vegan Street,
Yerushalayim (may it be rebuilt
and re-established)
Shalom uvracha!
After some delay, his letter
was received, in which he writes
about his current position
and about the offer to serve as
administrator of the Bikur
Cholim Hospital.
While this offer of a new
position is generally suitable,
it is not clear from his letter
regarding the financial
conditions for the new position,
including the matter of
pensions, etc. Furthermore, and
most importantly, is it firmly
established, i.e., if the new
position is certain and not on
a trial basis. Thus, if these two
details are in order, it would be day, in addition to the holy day
appropriate to take an interest of Shabbos.
in the new offer. It would be proper to check
Since all matters are by your tfillin and mezuzos if they
Divine Providence, I have the havent been checked in twelve
obligation and privilege here to months.
arouse the need for learning the With blessing for good news.
inner teachings of Torah as well,
I read the answer again
which have been revealed in
and again. I knew that if the
our generation in the teachings
Rebbe didnt explicitly write
of Chassidus. It is my hope, at
that I should accept the offer,
least from now on, that he will
it would be appropriate to
have regular classes in this each
check the matter out carefully.
Issue 1071 27
2017-06-06 2:15:04 PM
 MIRACLE STORY
The Rebbe never dictates to
someone what he should do,
rather he always gives advice
that the person can accept or
not. However, for someone who
knows how to read between the
lines, the Rebbe doesnt express
doubts for no reason and he was
obviously sending me to do some
investigative work.
You have to realize that
back in those days, the Bikur
Cholim Hospital was one of
Yerushalayims most respected
medical institutions. Countless
people had passed through its
gates, even employing numerous
eminent doctors. Nevertheless,
the Rebbe didnt write to me
about the challenges this job
would pose or at least about
the great privilege of working
in such a place. Instead, he
asked me to look into whether
there was a financial problem
specifically regarding the pension
payments
The Rebbe writes and as
Chassidim, we obey. To the
amazement of many of my good
friends and close acquaintances,
I refused to accept the position.
As an alternative, I agreed to
run on a short-term basis
the hospitals rehabilitation
ward. I worked there for three
and a half years, building a
good professional staff, adding
advanced medical equipment,
and giving the unit an excellent
reputation across the country.
After leaving my position
with Bikur Cholim, I was asked
by Dr. Yosef Burg to serve as
secretary of the committee for
choosing the chief rabbis of Eretz
Yisroel.
Later, I administered the
Givat Washington educational
center and even served as
a close advisor to the chief
Ashkenazic rabbi of Eretz Yisroel,
Rabbi Shlomo Goren. While
28 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 28
Rabbi Goren had numerous
disagreements with the Rebbe,
he generally identified with the
Rebbes path and his opinions.
I heard him make many warm
statements about the Rebbe.
On one occasion, I personally
delivered a private letter from
Rabbi Goren to the Rebbe,
followed by my bringing the
Rebbes reply back to Rabbi
Goren. I didnt know then,
nor do I know even now, what
he wrote and how the Rebbe
responded. After Rabbi Gorens
retirement, I was appointed as
an emissary of the Jewish Agency
in South Africa, where I worked
in close cooperation with the
Rebbes shluchim.
PENSION FUND PROBLEMS
PREDICTED BY THE REBBE
44 YEARS EARLIER
All during those years,
I often thought about the
letter I had received from the
Rebbe, which caused me not to
accept the position as hospital
administrator, and what the
Rebbe meant when he wrote
about checking into the pension
plan.
One morning, after more
than four decades, everything
became clear to me in an instant.
As I was reading one of the local
papers, there was a front-page
article announcing the economic
difficulties that had entangled
the hospital. It had failed to
pay salaries to its employees for
several months, compelling them
to impose work slowdowns and
a strike on the premises. Later,
efforts were made to sell the
institution to various authorities.
Eventually, the Ministry of
Health got involved and agreed
to transfer a large sum of money
to cover the hospitals budgetary
deficits. However, this was on the
condition that the hospital must
close its gates, and thats exactly
what happened.
The most amazing detail
of this whole affair was how the
institutions tremendous financial
corruption had been common
knowledge over a period of
several years when the Bikur
Cholim administration did not
fulfill its legal obligation to its
employees by paying the pension
insurance deducted from their
salaries After many long years
of devoted service, giving all their
time, strength, and energy to this
hospital, the employees were left
with nothing.
As many people now know,
after considerable efforts by the
Ministry of Health, the hospitals
outstanding debts were paid, the
facility was closed, and a portion
of the medical staff was hired by
the Shaarei Tzedek Hospital.
As the affair made its way
through the court system, my
astonishment continued to grow.
I am overcome with emotion
every time I tell this story. The
Rebbe could have given a clear
answer: Dont accept the offer -
or he could have written: Consult
with knowledgeable friends.
But thats not what happened.
The Rebbes answer was razor-
sharp: Check into the matter of
the pensions and it was there
that the shame and disgrace of
the hospital administrators was
revealed by their intentional
mishandling of their employees
hard-earned money. A literal
prophecy. Who would have
believed that such a prominent
and longstanding institution in
the heart of Yerushalayim, would
one gray and dismal day close its
gates? It turns out that there was
someone who knew long before
anyone could have possibly
imagined it
2017-06-06 2:15:04 PM
 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
THE
HISKASHRUS
BAROMETER
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Dear Reader shyichyeh,
The Rebbe writes (HaYom
yom 1 Cheshvan): The Rebbe my
father told someone at yechidus:
Ever since Gd told our father
Avraham, Go from your land
etc. and it is then written Avram
kept travelling southward, we
have the beginning of the mystery
of birurim. By decree of Divine
Providence, man goes about his
travels to the place where the
sparks that he must purify
await their redemption.
Tzaddikim, who have vision,
see where their birurim await
them and go there deliberately.
As for ordinary folk, the Cause of
all causes and the Prime Mover
brings about various reasons and
circumstances that bring these
people to that place where their
obligation to perform the avoda
of birurim lies.
It is a special zchus that we
have, that in many circumstances,
the Rebbe shares his vision
with us. Whether it is when he
lets us know what our shlichus
is, as a generation or individually,
or how to view events that
happen around us. It is up to us
to internalize what the Rebbe
graciously shares with us and
elevate ourselves to the higher
vision. We have the abilities
1071_bm_eng.indd 29
enough, he will find his father.
The smart son doesnt cry. And
even if initially the son does not
When the soul descends into find the father, he will continue
the body, it is administered an his search.
oath to be a tzaddik. This oath,
When the father sees the great
shvua, implies sova, satiety;
effort his son is putting in to find
the person is generously
him, which stems from a strong
endowed with eminent powers to
hiskashrus to the father, to
be able to fulfill Gds intention
search for him even though it is
in having the soul descend (into
dark and at most he can only see
the material world). And just
the back of the father, the fathers
as it is with the souls descent,
heart will swell with love for the
so is it also with every person,
son and he will then turn his face
in whatever place he may be
towards the son. The father will
(HaYom Yom 5 Nissan)we
reveal to the son the great love
just have to decide to immerse
that he has developed and will
ourselves in the Torah of the
kiss the son with this new and
Rebbe and to begin to connect
deep love which was developed
with the elevated Hashkafa of the
during the time of concealment.
Rebbe.
Every Chassid, who by
In Chassidus (see Hemshech
definition wants to be connected
Samech Vav pg. 248) the
to the Rebbe, needs to be striving
following example is often cited:
to be a smart son, i.e., a
There was once a father who
chassid with elevated vision. If
wanted to test the depth of his
not, even though he may have a
sons love to him, so he goes
refined and Torah outlook, he is
into hiding. If the son is foolish,
missing the deeper and elevated
he will not understand that the
vision. As the Rebbe writes in
concealment isnt real. He feels
the HaYom Yom of 25 Nissan (it
that he will be forever separated
bears noting that all three quoted
from his father. He will begin
HaYom Yoms are quotes from
crying profusely for his father but
the same letter (Igros 4, pg.
he will not search for his father.
341) of the Frierdike Rebbe):
Eventually, after enough time
The individuals avoda must be
lapses, he will stop crying as well.
commensurate with his character
If the son is smart however, he and innate qualities. There may
will realize that the concealment be one who can drill pearls or
is not real and it is only a test. polish gems but works at baking
He realizes that if he works hard
Issue 1041 29
2017-06-06 2:15:05 PM
 MIRACLE STORY
In order to feel the preciousness of putting on
tfillin to the extent that R Bespalov felt, you
first need to sleep on a bench for 30 years!
bread (the analogy in the realm of
avoda may be easily understood).
Though baking bread is a most
necessary craft and occupation,
this person is considered to have
committed a sin.
Between the Yom Tov of
Shavuos and Gimmel Tammuz,
we commemorate 15 Sivan,
the day that the arrest of the
Frierdike Rebbe (in the year
1927) began. Seemingly it is
not a day to celebrate, as it is a
day that began a tremendously
painful and concealing
experience for the Frierdike
Rebbe and the Chassidim. Yet,
we find something fascinating:
The Rebbe agreed to give out
Maamarim, something that is
only done of Yomim Tovim or
Chassidish Yomim Tovim, on 15
Sivan!
The Rebbe explained this
behavior (Seifer Maamarim
Meluket Vol. 3 pg. 188) by
noting that after the release of the
Frierdike Rebbe from prison on
12 Tammuz, and then eventually
coming to America which brought
a whole new level of spreading
Chassidus, it was revealed to all
that the imprisonment of the
Frierdike Rebbe was really the
planting processin which the
seed is buried in a dark place and
rotsfor the tremendous growth
that came after. Once the growth
was revealed, we do not look at
the day of 15 Sivan as a day of
imprisonment, rather as a day of
liberation and growth.
This is a tremendous lesson
on what our perspectives and
vision should be about Gimmel
Tammuz. While it is clear that it
is a day that brings out an initial
sigh and pain from the difficult
30 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 30
concealmentsee the HaYom
Yom of Gimmel Tammuz,
My revered grandfather, the
Rebbe [Maharash], once said:
Even when the sigh of a Jew is
occasioned by an unfavorable
material circumstance (Heaven
forbid), this too is a significant
act of tshuva. All the more so,
a sigh due to an unfavorable
spiritual situation is most
certainly a lofty level of tshuva.
It drags one out of the depths of
evil, and sets him up in a good
place, we must not lose focus
and cry like the foolish son.
We must all be like the smart
son. We must realize that we
were not forsaken; we are merely
being tested in our Hiskashrus.
We must continue to search for
the Rebbe, our dear father, in all
his paths and places that he has
travelled, i.e., continue to do all
his directives, as there is where he
will be found. This is especially
true of the Derech Yeshara -
Direct Path of the Rebbe, which
is learning about Moshiach, as the
Rebbe instructed, This increase
in learning the Torah concerned
with Moshiach and Redemption
(Malchus ShbTiferes) is the Yom 3 Av).
straightforward path to actually
cause the revelation and coming
of Moshiach and Redemption.
(Tazria-Metzora 5751).
When the Mitteler Rebbe
brings down the example of the
concealment of the father and the
subsequent search of the son, he
adds that if the son searches on
the main roads and doesnt see
his father, he will search on the
roads and in places that the father
travelled less-often. This is a
tremendous lesson for our times:
There are some directives that
the Rebbe travelled very often,
i.e., learning the daily Rambam,
etc. Then there are directives that
the Rebbe spoke of less often. In
our times, while many mistakenly
say that we should only focus
on the main directives and not
search and burden the young
generation with the extra
directives, we need to be looking
for and carefully following all the
directives of the Rebbe, as it may
be that that is where we will find
him.
We all know for certain, and
the Rebbe told us, Not just as a
Sage and Judge, but as a Prophet,
for this is certain (Shoftim
5751), that the time for the full
revelation of Moshiach is near. At
that time it will be revealed that
Gimmel Tammuz, and this entire
era of concealment, is part of the
process of Geula. We must use
out these final moments, as soon
When Moshiach arrives (may
that be speedily in our days!),
people will start hankering after
the bygone era of exile. It is
then that they will start feeling
regret for not having devoted
themselves to Divine service; it is
then that people will feel anguish
over their lack of avoda. As for
now, during the era of exile,
these are the days of avoda to
prepare oneself for the imminent
coming of Moshiach. (HaYom
We will finish with the words
of the Rebbe (Likkutei Sichos
Vol. 4 pg. 1315) However,
the hiskashrus of Chassidim to
a Rebbe in all aspects And
therefore Chassidim should
celebrate the day of Gimmel
Tammuz!
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
2017-06-06 2:15:05 PM
 NEWS
MOSHIACH
AND SCIENCE
ON HAR HATZOFIM
They came together on Har
HaTzofim (Mount Scopus)
with the Har HaBayis in full
view to contribute what is hoped
to be the final stone in the
construction of the Third Beis
HaMikdash. Who were they and
what was their stone? They were
Jewish professors, scientists,
engineers, Jews from the street
and even protesters. They came
together to restore the letter
(the Hebrew letters are compared
to stones), representing Hashem,
to the wisdom of modern
science, thereby redeeming the
sciences from their state of exile
and allowing them to play their
proper role in revealing the glory
1071_bm_eng.indd 31
of Hashem.
Even the protestors
contributed. They came to
protest against one of the
scheduled speakers, a very
prominent Rav (HaRav Yitzchok
Ginsburgh) who had recently
published a strong article on
Shleimus HaAretz. These leftist
students were angry with him so
they came to protest. When we
told them that he wouldnt be
attending, they didnt stop their
protest. But when they got tired
of our being nice to them instead
of arguing with them, some of
them left and the rest came in to
join the conference.
But it was not just on Har
HaTzofim. It was at the Hebrew
Universitya major stronghold
of secularism in Israelwhere
we came to attend the 26th
annual Moshiach and Science
Conference of the Rabbi Yisroel
Aryeh Leib (RYAL) Research
Institute, to transform secular
wisdom into holy wisdoma
very appropriate preparation for
Mattan Torah. Think: Hodoas
Yisro. (The Zohar says that
when Yisro, a master of secular
wisdom, came and declared,
Now I know that Hashem is
greater than all the gods, he
transformed his secular wisdom
into holy wisdom and only then
was Hashem ready to give the
Issue 1071 31
2017-06-06 2:15:06 PM
 News
His theory, known as Relativistic Newtonian
Dynamics, may bring about the long sought
after unification of classical and quantum physics.
Torah.)
The RYAL Institute, named
after the brother of the Rebbe
MHM, was founded by
Professor Shimon Silman in
1993 with the approval and
bracha of the Rebbe MHM, and
every year on 13 IyarRabbi
Yisroel Aryeh Leibs yahrtzait
it sponsors a conference on
Moshiach and science. In recent
years the conferences have been
held in Beer Sheva, Israel and,
before that, in various cities in
the U.S. and Canada.
FROM GOLA TO GEULA
Prof. Silman opened the
proceedings of the conference
with the declaration of Yechi
Adoneinu Moreinu VRabbeinu
Melech HaMoshiach Lolam
Voed! He then discussed the
famous sicha of the Rebbe
MHM that explains the
difference between exile and
redemption. Exile ( )and will be a preparation for the Era
redemption ( )are composed of Moshiach.
of the same letters except for the
letter alef. This means that
redemption is built from the
components of the world as it is
in the state of exile, except that
we recognize the alef in it. The
alef refers to Alufo-Shel-Olam,
the Master of the Universe. When
we see the Master of the Universe
revealed in the world of exile,
it no longer remains in exile.
It is transformed to a unified,
purposeful and G-dly world. This
world, and everything in it, has
been redeemed.
The point is that we dont
reject and try to escape from the
world of exile; we transform it.
The same applies to the sciences.
32 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 32
Science is not bad, even though
it has been used by some to try
and deny Hashem. Science, like
everything else, is a creation of
Hashem and everything created
by Hashem has the purpose of
revealing His glory, as it says at
the end of Pirkei Avos. Our job is
to use science to reveal the glory
and the wonders of the Creator
and when we do this science is
redeemed. It becomes part of the
Geula.
Furthermore, there is a special
role that modern science plays
in the Geula process. This was
predicted by the Zohar that says
that in the 600th year of the 6th
millennium (1840 on the secular
calendar) the windows of heaven
will open up and knowledge will
come down from above, and
the fountains of wisdom below
will break open and wisdom will
come from belowjust like the
flood in the 600th year of the life
of Noachand this dual event
audience, he succeeded in
providing enough background
In a famous sicha, the
Rebbe MHM explains that the
wisdom from above refers to the
Chassidus of the Alter Rebbe that
was published around that time
(Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah)
and the wisdom from below
refers to the new theories and
discoveries in modern science
that were developed around that
time.
The spreading of Chassidus
(Hafatzas HaMaayanos), of
course, prepares the world for the
time when the world will be filled
with the knowledge of Hashem
as water covers the ocean bed
the Era of Moshiach, and the
unifying theories in science
developed since the mid-1800s
demonstrate an underlying unity
in all of nature and prepare
the world for the revelation of
the absolute unity of Hashem
(Achdus Pshuta) in the Era of
Moshiach. (Likkutei Sichos vol.
15, p. 42-48)
A REVISION OF RELATIVITY
The keynote speaker,
Professor Yaakov Friedman of
Machon Lev in Yerushalayim
(Jerusalem College of
Technology), lectured on this
theme of developing unifying
theories. He began by reviewing
Newtonian dynamics and its
limitations at high velocities. This
gave rise to Einsteins theory of
relativity. But Prof. Friedman
revised the theory of relativity
by showing that the main focus
should be on the acceleration,
not on the velocity. His theory,
known as Relativistic Newtonian
Dynamics, may bring about the
long sought after unification of
classical and quantum physics.
While his lecture could be
understood fully only by the
professional scientists in the
and explanatory information to
make it accessible to everyone.
Professor Friedman
has performed a number
of experiments in particle
accelerators in Europe
(Switzerland and France), and
the results support his theory. We
wish him much success and new
breakthroughs in developing and
verifying his theorythat could
have applications in science that
affects our daily life.
THE WORK OF HIS HANDS
IS TOLD BY THE HEAVENS
Prof. Friedman gave a novel
interpretation of this verse from
2017-06-06 2:15:06 PM
 Rabbi Dovid Rozner
Rabbi Avishay Ifargon
the point of view of a religious
Jewish scientist:
One of the difficulties
facing physicists in taking
measurements in experiments
is the very difficult process
of isolating the object being
measured from the effects of
the Earths environment on the
measurement. For example, the
measurement of the degree of
the angle of inclination of a light
beam due to the attraction of a
solid body which it passes by
if we take such a measurement
on earth, we will have to take
into account many other
parameters that will affect the
outcome, such as the gravity
1071_bm_eng.indd 33
Yaakov Guggenheim
R' Aharon Kastel
of the earth itself, and more.
Prof. Friedman pointed out that
space, with the stars and other
heavenly bodies, constitute for
the scientist a perfect laboratory
for experiments because in space
objects are isolated; there is
vast emptiness and the distance
between the various objects is
huge. Additionally, there are
areas where gravity has no effect,
so there is sufficient space for a
beam of light to travel enormous
distances without being affected.
This may be a possible
interpretation of the above pasuk
from Thillim, Prof. Friedman
suggested: that Hashem has
provided a perfect laboratory
Professor Y. Friedman
Professor S. Silman
in the heavens for the believing
scientist, where he can do his
experiments and make his
observation and become aware of
Hashems wondrous creations as
they behave here, on earth, too.
THE UNIFICATION OF
LIGHT AND MATTER
In the famous sicha on the
revelation of the wisdom from
above and the wisdom from
below that was mentioned earlier,
the Rebbe MHM says, The
true unification of the sciences
with Torah occurs when within
the sciences themselves we see
things from the deeper levels of
Torah [Chassidus].
Issue 1071 33
2017-06-06 2:15:10 PM
 News
The next speaker, Yaakov
Guggenheim, a research engineer
and author of several books on
Chassidus and science, spelled
out the connection between light
and matter based on Chassidus
and from the point of view of
modern physics, making the
following points:
Light is the most delicate
of all physical creations, almost
spiritual. It can be observed as a
particle or as a wave of energy. In
some cases it is the choice of the
observer himself how the light
will be observed.
In Chassidus, the Rebbe
Rashab describes how matter
comes into being through the
condensation of light. The light
is repeatedly hidden (Tzimtzum)
until its essence is transformed
into a new entitymatter.
A similar concept exists
in physics and experiments have
been done on the condensation
of light.
This is analogous to the
LIVE SHIURIM 0NLINE
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INYONEI GEULA jhanu vkutd hbhbg
& MOSHIACH owwcnr
RAMBAM hyuekc ohrugha
SHIURIM IN LIKUTEI asue ,ujha
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34 15 Sivan 5777
1071_bm_eng.indd 34
well-known conversion between
matter and energy, as in E = mc.
The Rashab writes that when the
light is condensed, it becomes
a physical receptacle which is
material so that in essence the
material and the spiritual are the
sameG-dliness. This is real
unification!
FARBRENGEN!
At this point in the
conference, as the hour grew
late, everyone was hungry. Prof.
Silman had announced at the
beginning of the evening that
it was not just a conference; it
was a Chassidishe farbrengen.
Now was the time! We had a
short break during which round
tables were rolled out and plenty
of food was broughtseemingly
from nowhere! This was all the
work of Prof. Silmans colleagues
on location in Israel, Rabbi
Shlomo Dubnick of Beer Sheva
and Rabbi Dovid Rozner of
Yerushalayim. They had arranged
a feast worthy ofwell, Dovid
and Shlomo.
But the conference didnt
end there. There were two more
fascinating lectures delivered
during the farbrengen. One by
Rabbi Avishay Ifargon on 25
years of Swords into Plowshares
(since the declaration in 1992)
and one by a bachur from
Tomchei Tmimim named
Aharon Kastel on the concept
of gravity in Chassidus. Rabbi
Rozner himself delivered a
fascinating lecture on the
refinement and transformation
of Greek philosophy through
modern science. We will report
on these lectures in a follow up
article Bezras Hashem.
Videos of all the lectures at
the conference can be viewed at
the website of the RYAL Institute
(RYAL.org).
Lshana HaBaa
BiYerushalayimlets do it
again!
vww c
sgu okugk jhanv lkn ubcru ubrun ubhbust hjh
2017-06-06 2:15:10 PM
 TZIVOS HASHEM
THE ANSWER TO
THEIR PRAYERS
Curacao is a small island in
the Caribbean. Its one of those
tiny countries that you never
hear about, but as everywhere
else, Jews live there too.
Life in Curacao is generally
fine, but there is one problem.
Every school-age child must
register and attend a school.
This law ensures that parents
will see to it that their child is
in school and not on the street.
Eretz Yisroel and many other
countries have the same law,
but on the island of Curacao
it is different. Over there,
there are two types of schools
that represent two forms
of Christianity and the law
requires a parent to choose one
of them. There is no Jewish
school and there is no third
option.
Aside for the blasphemous
teachings, Christian schools
also hold ceremonies that
are in opposition to Judaism.
Nonetheless, the law obligates
every child to participate in all
school events, no matter what
religion he belongs to.
There was a boy named Eli
Grossman who grew up in an
irreligious home. His parents
registered him for first grade
in one of the two Christian
1071_bm_eng.indd 5
By Devorah Leah
schools. There were a few
other Jewish children in the
school who participated in all
activities.
But young Eli, despite
not knowing what Judaism
is, did not want to partake
anything belonging to
of
another religion . Withou t
understandin g why, he refused
to attend these activities.
He paid a steep price for
his stubbornness. His gentile
classmates started up with him
and their behavior escalated
so that every day something
happened. One day they stole
his pencils, another time they
tore one of his notebooks, and
so on.
You must be thinking how
awful it was to go to a school
where you know they will
bully and make fun of you. Eli,
who suffered greatly, asked
the administration for help,
thinking they would defend
him, but they just encouraged
the other students to continue
the bullying.
Eli continued to manage
until seventh grade. The small
annoying things the kids did
became crueler and more
frequent. He felt that he could
not go on. He came up with an
idea that every day, when his
father dropped him off near
the school, he would go to the
nearby playing field and spend
the day there without his
parents knowing, until it was
time for his father to come
and take him home.
But after a short while,
the principal called his father
in for a talk about his many
absences. The principal said
that Eli had missed several
weeks by then and he wanted
to know why. Elis father was
shocked since he had been
bringing Eli to school every
day and had been picking him
up. How was it possible that he
wasnt in school?
Elis father slowly walked
out of the principals office
and addressed his quaking son:
Were you in school today?
Silence.
This week?
Silence.
Two weeks ago?
Eli did not want to lie. He
burst into tears and told his
father everything.
Elis father listened to his
son with his eyes closed and
moist with tears. He loved his
son and realized that Eli could
Issue 1071 35
2017-06-06 2:14:49 PM
 , ,


.
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know , where they were
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follow ,the school
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since
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For Eli,


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z"xa,wv ct-ojbn wv | ~ | 74
strong against the threats. They It was a wintry day, and not what
understanding
had no idea what the future the Rebbes secretary, Rabbi father
was happening. Elis
would bring, but they knew Chadakov, called Rabbi Moshe 7/16/2007 1:18:21 AM
d his dream
immed iately recalle
that they would not be able to Kotlarsky. Wash your hands,
108.indd 2

and was about to faint. He

face off against the law forever. he said.
could not believe that this
One night, Elis father had a R Moshe realize d that the was taking place before his
strange dream. He saw himself Rebbe was listening in on the astonished eyes.
as a three-year-old sitting line to the conversation. After getting
After briefly
on his grandmothers lap and he washed his hands, he took invited
acquai nted, Elis father
she was saying, My dear, the phone and listened. R to his
R Moshe and his escort
whenever you find yourself in Chadakov spoke briefly and unders tood
home. They now
trouble, the Lubavitcher Rebbe firmly, The Rebbe wants you trip. The
the purpos e of their
is the one who can help you. to fly immediately to Curacao. father told them what had
Elis father woke up bathed R Moshe had no idea what been going on. They invited
in sweat. He remembered his this was about and what he Eli to New York to join the
grandmother from Russia and was supposed to do when he Gan Yisroel summer camp and
missed her tremendously. But got there. But as a Chassid, to continue afterward in a
what had she meant? He did he immediately prepared to yeshiva. This was the amazing
not know who the Lubavitcher set out. The next morning he answer to his prayers.
Rebbe is and how to reach him. went, together with a bachur,

B"H. 15 Sivan 5777

2 June 2017 Number 1070
Price: $6.00 Part 2 of 3

1071_bm_eng.indd 2 2017-06-06 2:14:45 PM