CONTENTS

4
FEATURED ARTICLES

WEEKLY COLUMNS

3 Dvar Malchus
13 Anash Shlichus
28 Parsha Thought
32 Tzivos Hashem

SHAAREI GEULA: THE

SHUL WHERE EVERY
JEW FEELS
AT HOME
Nosson Avrohom

SADDER MAN
14 ABUT
WISER NOW
Chaim Brook

16

OUR
16 GETTING
CHILDREN TO LOVE

LEARNING GEMARA
Nosson Avraham

LOYAL SOLDIER
22 ATHROUGHOUT
Shneur Zalman Berger

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2015-02-24 7:31:02 AM

DVAR MALCHUS

ABSORBING THE
GREAT REVELATION
OF MOSHIACH
From Chapter Seven of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis
Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the compilers
emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur

13. [] Ours is the ninth

generation [from the Baal Shem
Tov], and there is a special
innovation in our times over
earlier generations, including the
previous generation (the eighth
generation). Notwithstanding all
the virtues of former times, since
the previous generations did not
merit the redemption, therefore, the
revelation of what is alluded to in
the verse, come to Pharaoh (the
revelation of ispriu kol nehorin all
the Divine lights shining below),
was not experienced then in the
ultimate way as a soul in a healthy
body [i.e., referring to the Rebbe
Rayatz, Nasi and leader of the
eighth generation]. (Rather, there
was the histalkus of the soul [of
the Nasi] from his body. Moreover,
prior to his histalkus he lived in a
state whereby the faculty of speech
was in exile, etc. [I.e., having
suffered a stroke, the Rebbe Rayatz
was left with a speech impediment].)
Whereas, this generation the final
generation of exile and the first
generation of redemption will
immediately transition into natlu
hameoros the illuminaries were
suspended/positioned [see Likkutei
Dibburim Vol. 1 42a, end ff.; see
Zohar Chadash Balak, section
beginning with the word, Erenu
(55b)]. That is, not only will our

generation not lack, G-d forbid, the

revelation of the Written Torah and
Oral Torah on the part of the meoros
hagedolim, the great luminaries
[see Footnote 118 in the original],
on the contrary there will be an
even greater perfection in it (not in
a manner of a speech impediment
with regard to the Oral Torah and
a stutter in the Written Torah,
being higher than that). In virtue of
the immediate arrival of Moshiach
Tzidkeinu shlach na byad
Tishlach the revelation of ispriu
kol nehorin, lights that are presently
suspended, will be properly
assimilated within us as souls within
bodies. The capacity for absorbing
such an incredible revelation is in
virtue of the immediate arrival of
Moshiach Tzidkeinu, shlach na
byad Tishlach, and he will teach
Torah to the entire nation (see
Rambams Laws of Repentance
9:2; Likkutei Torah Tzav 17a ff.,
among other places), including the
new Torah of the Messianic Era,
Torah chadasha meiIti teitzei a
new Torah will emerge from Me
(Yeshayahu 51:4; VaYikra Rabba
13:3).
This revelation brings about
the perfection and elevation of all
preceding generations, insofar as
there will then be the fulfillment of
the verse, get up and sing those

who dwell in the dust, and the baal

hahilula [the Rebbe Rayatz] as our
leader.
The innovation of this generation
over the preceding generations is
clearly seen in the avoda of the
generation. This generation excels
in hafatzas hamaayanos chutza, the
avoda of spreading the wellsprings
of Chassidus outward, in a way that
incomparable surpasses previous
generations, both in terms of
quantity (of books published, etc.),
as well as making of the entire world
reaching out to even the furthest
possible point a vessel to contain
great revelations of G-dly light. Jews
receive this G-dly light through the
613 Mitzvos, and Gentiles, through
disseminating to them the Seven
Mitzvos of the Descendants of
Noach. Thus, the entire world will
be illuminated with a Mitzva is a
candle and Torah is light. Each
individual will then be able to absorb
the G-dly light of the revelation of
ispriu kol nehorin as a healthy soul
in a healthy body.
In fact, (as mentioned frequently
of late) we clearly see how Gentiles
in many countries assist Jews in
their avoda (reminiscent of and
even going beyond how it was in
the exodus from Egypt). Recently
Continued on page 21

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PROFILE

SHAAREI

GEULA

THE SHUL WHERE EVERY

JEW FEELS AT HOME
He was raised in a childrens home on a Shomer
HaTzair kibbutz and was given a communist
education. He was not opposed to Judaism,
simply because he did not know what it was.
When he grew up, he went to check out a Native
Indian cult in Canada and from there he came
back to Judaism until he ended up in the Chabad
yeshiva in Tzfas. * Today he leads the Shaarei
Geula shul in Kiryat Gat which is attended by
hundreds of religious residents. * This is the
fascinating story of R Meir Meiri.
By Nosson Avrohom

iryat Gat was in the

headlines this summer
when two Grad missiles
were shot at the city and
made a direct hit. One landed
on the porch of a house and the
other on a parked car. Fires
broke out in the neighborhood but
miraculously, only one person was
hurt, a foreign worker who went

out to photograph the missile in

flight.
One of the missiles landed a
few meters away from the homes
of the religious development.
Windows shattered, described
one of the shluchim in the city
and rav of the Shaarei Geula
shul, R Meir Meiri.

From the first day of the

war, when missiles began flying
toward all the cities in the south,
including Kiryat Gat, R Meiri
was busy strengthening the
residents of the city.
We
advertised
to
the
religious sector, inviting them to
come and learn in our kollel and
to join the gatherings and shiurim

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that we have daily. We also greatly

increased our work with the children
and held several childrens rallies and
Thillim groups.
***
The
Shaarei
Geula
community in Kiryat Gat,
which opened its doors
seventeen years ago in
a small apartment with
barely a minyan, has
grown into a spacious
shul that attracts not only
Lubavitchers.
Litvishe,
Sephardim, and knitted
yarmulkes can also be found in
this sanctuary of Torah and tfilla.
Shaarei Geula is more than just
another shul. Many programs and
activities take place there every day,
throughout the year, on weekdays
and holidays. In addition to the daily
tfillos, there is a kollel, farbrengens,
gatherings and shiurim, activities for
children and women, and mivtzaim.
And its all done in the authentic
Chabad spirit of hiskashrus and chayus
for inyanei Moshiach and Geula.
With the growing numbers of
Anash who are moving here, it became
necessary to open another shul that
would be not only a place of tfilla but
would serve as a Chabad center. The
idea was that when a Chassidic date
on the calendar came up, every
Chassid in town would know there
is a place to farbreng.
The shul has undergone many
positive transformations since
it was founded. It began with a
small minyan on Shabbos and
Yom Tov in the Meiri house, and
eventually moved to a permanent
building which underwent a
number of expansions as the
number of people increased.
The young people here
came up with a plan for another
expansion in order to make the
place look like 770. We have
received the permits already and
we are about to sign a contract
with a contractor.
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Profile

HE KNEW NOTHING
ABOUT JUDAISM
The
Shaarei
Geula
community was founded by three
men, with the most prominent
one, who is also the only one to
remain in Kiryat Gat, the one
who leads the khilla today, R
Meir Meiri. When you hear him
tell about the dream that became
reality, it is hard not to dwell on
his life story, from an atheistic,
leftist kibbutznik to a Chabad
Chassid.
R Meiri was born to an
Ashkenazic, bourgeois family on
kibbutz Chatzor in the Shfela
region, a second generation to
the founders of the kibbutz.
I spent my childhood like
the rest of my friends in the
kibbutz childrens home and we

days in the calendar and the

members of the kibbutz worked
the land as usual.
In later years, on the night
of Yom Kippur there were
discussion groups on the topic
of love of man by virtue of his
humanity and the tables were set
with refreshments. On Pesach
we celebrated in the dining room
with pita and rolls as the adults
read contemporary poetry that
was compiled and printed in the
kibbutz hagada.
Those days in the childrens
home, when he rarely saw his
parents, were very hard for
him. When I asked him for
childhood memories, he said
he remembered the time when
the counselors sent home the
entire youth group including
him, to their families, because

On the night of Yom Kippur there were discussion

groups on the topic of love of man by virtue of
his humanity and the tables were set with refreshments.
On Pesach we celebrated in the dining room with pita
and rolls as the adults read contemporary poetry that
was compiled and printed in the kibbutz hagada.
were given a Shomer HaTzair
communist education.
My
knowledge of Judaism amounted
to zero. The age of thirteen, for
example, did not mean a thing to
me and my friends. My parents
did not buy me tfillin and of
course I was not sent for any
bar mitzva preparation. There
was more ignorance than hatred.
The kibbutz did not have a shul
and we grew up in an atheistic
bubble.
The ignorance was so great
that until Meiri went to the army
he did not even know about
fasting on Yom Kippur and
that Rosh HaShana is the Yom
HaDin. These were just regular

of renovations being done in

the dormitory. Another strong
childhood memory is of a hike
that the members of his youth
group made to Nahal Amud near
Tzfas.
When we finished the
hike we headed toward Tzfas
exhausted. Every time it seemed
we were about to arrive we
discovered we were on a section
of a hill that was only a plateau
for more climbing. We despaired.
Today I learn a lesson from this in
avodas Hashem, namely, that in
Torah study and the performance
of mitzvos there is never a break,
never a peak.
Whenever we

arrive at a summit, its a signal to

us about the work we need to do
to reach the next summit; there is
never an end.
When he turned thirteen he
began to have doubts about his
education and upbringing.
After the Six Day War there
was a crisis on the kibbutzim.
The second generation began to
question the ways of the kibbutz
leaders.
Volunteers began
coming to the kibbutzim from all
over the world, especially from
Europe, and questions about a
Creator or about the truth of the
communist ideology began to be
asked.
His first opposition toward the
kibbutz chinuch occurred when
he and some other youngsters
took a yoga class. There they
heard for the first time about the
soul-body connection. To the
generation of kibbutz founders,
this was irrational talk.
We were very receptive to
this. We did not see the purpose
of life as our parents did and we
felt that there had to be another
world beyond the physical
world, one of depth, feeling
and meaning. Just like a boat
cannot manage on the sea on its
own, the world could not exist
independently.
When he turned eighteen
he was drafted into the Artillery
Corps. While there he used his
vacation time and every spare
moment avidly reading books
about mysticism and cults.
Among the many books I
read, I also came across our
heritage, that of the Jewish
people. In my unit there was
a group of religious guys who
belonged to Mizrachi. They were
very principled people and with
one of them I observed the first
Pesach Seder of my life. I loved
it. I felt that I was connecting
to the messages even though

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I still did not understand the

depth of it all, but the ceremony
itself excited me. I spent a few
Shabbasos with him which I kept
according to Halacha. I even
went to shul with my friends.
When
he
finished
his
military training, he read a book
translated from English about the
lives of Canadian Native Indians.
Many things in the book appealed
to him, such as their simple
lifestyles, their belief in spirits
and demons, and all the various
ceremonies the tribe performed.
He wanted to go and see them
and experience it for himself.
He asked the secretariat of the
kibbutz for time off to travel
and ordered a ticket to the area
where those Indians live. A few
days before his flight he agreed
to the suggestion of a friend on
the kibbutz, Gil Deporto, to join
him on an unplanned trip into the
Judean desert.
It was at the beginning
of Chol HaMoed Pesach and
although neither of us was
religious, we knew a thing or two
about Pesach from the army and
we decided we would not take
chametz along with us, just matza
meal and fruits and vegetables.
After hours of hiking in the
hot sun we realized we had not
brought along enough water.
Gil, who had served in an elite
scouts unit suggested we climb
to a higher spot. In my heart I
prayed that we would not remain
in the desert and die of thirst.
Gils idea turned out to be a good
one. When we were higher up,
a jeep from the nature preserve
stopped near us and the driver
gave us water and a ride to the
nearest bus stop.
Their plan was to board
the first bus that arrived. The
first bus that arrived took them
straight to the Mea Sharim
neighborhood in Yerushalayim.

Today, when I think about

it, I wonder what they thought of
us, two young kibbutz guys with
ragged clothes and long hair and
no head covering. A man with a
beard saw us and he invited us
to be his guests. He taught us
how to wash our hands and say
brachos and we had supper with
him. The encounter with him
was very special and we left with
positive feelings about Judaism.

WITH THE INDIAN TRIBE

R Meiri had to go through
all sorts of adventures before
discovering a life of Torah and
mitzvos. A day before his flight
to Canada, he was sitting in his
room on the kibbutz and he
asked G-d to reveal to him the
path of truth.
I wasnt interested in
working in Canada nor in seeing
the world. All I wanted to do
was check out the Indian tribe
I had read about. I rented an
apartment near where they live
in the forest and I would go
and visit them and join in their
worship and ceremonies.

Their leaders spoke a lot

about purifying the body and soul
and this spoke to me. Also, when
they spoke about a magical world
that lies beyond what our physical
eyes can see, I felt that there
was a lot of truth to what they
said. The atheistic education on
the kibbutz seemed empty and
foolish to me. I stayed quite a
while with the Indians until I felt
I wanted to join them.
Then, with some isarusa
dleila (heavenly inspiration) I
remembered the religious soldiers
in my unit who had learned in
yeshiva. I recalled their joy in
doing mitzvos and decided to
escape the place I was in.
His decision to leave was
completely irrational. R Meiri
feels that it was Hashem who
decided to take his neshama out
of the depths of impurity.
I had a friend who lived in
Boston where he went to study
music and he suggested I join
him there. I went and saw that
he had gotten involved at the
Chabad house and he went to
shul with other young Israelis.
I did not know what Chabad

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Profile
being like a son who meets his
father whom he had never seen
before.

LEARNING IN YESHIVA AND

ATTENDING PEACE NOW
DEMONSTRATIONS

12 Tammuz farbrengen this past year

Completion of a tractate during the Nine Days

is. Back then I thought that all

religious people were the same.
His encounter with Chabad in
Boston softened his opposition to
put on tfillin or to open a siddur
and pray but he was still far from
wearing a yarmulke. According
to him, all the changes were
external, not internal.
He left Boston after a few
months and went on a short trip
to Mexico and from there he went
to visit a friend in Cincinnati.
I liked R Sholom Ber
Alperowitz and with him I began
to change inwardly too. If you
know R Alperowitz you know
how special he is. He was a role
model who had a great influence
on me. Every move he made I
felt came from a wellspring of

truth and I related to this.

Meiri arrived in Cincinnati
on Shavuos. After a month,
R Alperowitz told him that he
was opening a yeshiva for baalei
tshuva in the summer and he
invited him to join. When Meiri
showed up on the first day of
yeshiva, he discovered that he
and another baal tshuva from
Morristown who had come to
visit his parents were the only
students and the one who filled
all the positions in the yeshiva
was R Alperowitz.
Two months of intensive
learning exposed him to a little
of the depth of Chassidus and
he received answers to all the
questions that bothered him.
I had a strong feeling of

When Operation Peace for

Galilee began, Meiri flew back to
Eretz Yisroel and reported to the
Absorption and Screening Base.
R Alperowitz, who realized
that Meiri would not attend
the yeshiva for baalei tshuva in
Morristown had told him about
the yeshiva in Tzfas. He gave
him the yeshivas address and a
letter of recommendation.
One day, I made my way to
the office of the rosh yeshiva, R
Wilschansky, and he welcomed
me warmly.
At first, Meiri still sat on the
fence.
There were mornings that
I learned Chassidus in yeshiva
and in the afternoons I went to
Tel Aviv to demonstrate against
the war in Lebanon with the
Peace Now movement. At the
kibbutz there was a strong leftist
atmosphere and I was not yet
aware of the Rebbes view, so I
would argue in favor of peace
and against war which killed
innocent people. Obviously, all
this crumbled quickly after being
in yeshiva for a few weeks and
connecting to the Rebbes way.
Some bachurim from the
yeshiva went to 770 for Tishrei
5742 and they returned all
enthused. They got the rest of
the talmidim caught up in their
excitement. Half a year later, on
Taanis Esther, R Meiri traveled
to 770. He describes his first
time seeing the Rebbe as the most
exciting, special time in his life.
The visit was for half a year
and I became an inseparable part
of the group of talmidim who

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came to spend a year with the

Rebbe. With every passing day I
felt myself changing.
In this half a year I merited
many special displays of affection
from the Rebbe. I joined the
learning by heart campaign
initiated by the mashgiach R Kuti
Rapp and one day I was walking
down the street reviewing
Mishnayos. I was so involved in
what I was doing that I did not
notice that the Rebbe had left his
car on his way to the mikva on
Union Street. When I looked up
I found myself facing the Rebbe.
I will never forget the broad smile
of the Rebbe and his gaze upon
me.
Before returning home as a
Chassid who had changed inside
and out, he stood with a friend in
Gan Eden HaTachton and they
waited.
The Rebbe left his room
and passed us and then came
back and blessed us with a good
trip and good news. That is a
moment I will never forget and it
is with me all the time.

A KHILLA IS BORN
After they married, the Meiri
couple settled in Nachalat Har
Chabad. A few years later, R
Meiri was offered the position of
rosh kollel in the yeshiva in Kiryat
Gat. After the Rebbes consent
for the move to Kiryat Gat, the
couple moved.
About a year later, many more
religious people began settling
there in the new neighborhoods,
as did Chassidic courts.
Along with the general
religious
public,
many
Lubavitcher
families
began
moving here too. From a khilla
of a few dozen families we
expanded to about two hundred
families. It became necessary to
open a shul in the new area.

There were mornings that I learned Chassidus

in yeshiva and in the afternoons I went to Tel
Aviv to demonstrate against the war in Lebanon with the
Peace Now movement.

Along
with
two
other
Lubavitchers,
R
Mordechai
Abutbul and R Ilan Chiyun,
they decided to start another
Chabad shul.
At first, there
were minyanim only on Shabbos
which took place in one of the
apartments.
The first farbrengen of
the minyan was on Yud Kislev.
The shul was full of Anash who
were looking for a place to
farbreng. The main speaker at
that farbrengen was R Sholom
Ber Wolpo who had asked the
Rebbe through the Igros Kodesh
whether he should farbreng for
us. The answer he opened to
was a letter written to someone
named Mordechai who wrote to
the Rebbe that he had founded a
shul and wanted a bracha
The Rebbe wrote to him that
he was hopeful that in addition
to the tfillos in the shul, it would
also be a place with shiurim
and farbrengens like the shuls
that had been in the big cities in
Russia which were open all day

and people were able to walk in

and say some chapters of Thillim
at any time. We decided that
our shul needs to operate this
way too. Since then, we keep
the place open all day and have
shiurim and farbrengens.
The first years werent easy,
to say the least, and some wanted
to give up the idea of a minyan,
but R Meiri and others stood
strong.
In hindsight, I dont know
where we had the strength from.
Every Shabbos we had to look
for a minyan. After a minyan
on Shabbos became a given,
we started having tfillos on
weekdays and then too we had
to look for a sixth or a ninth for
the minyan. A few years went by
and now the shul is packed and
we have several minyanim a day.
When the apartment became
too small to accommodate
everyone, they began looking for
a place for a shul. I remember
that when we saw the first

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Profile
suitable lot, we wrote to the
Rebbe. The answer was not
to pursue it. The Rebbe was
writing to someone in Raanana
who wanted to open a branch
of a vocational school and the
Rebbes response was that he did
not approve. So we continued
looking for a place. We kept
finding places but each time
we opened to negative answers
from the Rebbe. Without a clear
go-ahead from the Rebbe, we
wouldnt make a move. Finally,
when we found our current
location, we opened to a bracha
to the congregants of a shul and
we made the purchase.
R
Meiri
stresses
that
throughout the building and
expansion they felt that the Rebbe
was with them.
Under the previous mayor,

frightened since we were going

with the Rebbes kochos. Months
went by and nothing happened.
Then we were told that the
legal comptroller of the council
canceled the entire land grab plan
and since then we have expanded
another two times.

WHAT A CHASSIDIC
LCHAIM CAN ACCOMPLISH
As part of the community
focus that the shul has and in
light of the answer from the
Rebbe at the first farbrengen,
the Shaarei Geula khilla started
a kollel for young men. During
the day you can also find those
who are not Lubavitchers who
come to enjoy learning Torah
and Chassidus. The one who
runs this division is R Yisroel

I can tell you categorically Moshiach does not

distance anyone from Lubavitch. Whoever thinks
so is not out in the field. What can distance someone from
Lubavitch is seeing a Lubavitcher who does not comport
himself according to Shulchan Aruch or a Lubavitcher
girl or woman who is not dressed modestly.

a group of religious factions sat

down together and they divided
the land in the religious sector
among
themselves
without
consulting with anyone. One
morning, we went to the shul
and saw that it was fenced in. We
had been planning on expanding
the shul and we wondered who
had constructed the fence. We
discovered it was a representative
of one of the Chassidic courts
who, with the greatest of
chutzpah, told us that it was a
shame to expand since the land
was given to them and we would
soon receive a notice to vacate.
We were surprised but not

Noach Blinitzky and the rosh

kollel is R Shmuel Roch. The
mashpia is R Aharon Gold who
is responsible for all the halachic
aspects. Whoever visits the shul
during the day is astounded by
the atmosphere of learning here.
Over
the
years,
nonLubavitchers have also joined the
kollel.
There is a young man by the
name of Dovid Yifrach who had
worked for Shas. Among his jobs
he was the deputy director of the
Histadrut and one of the people
close to Aryeh Deri when he first
served as Interior Minister. He
admires Chabad and every day he
learns with R Gold. They learn

the daily Chitas and Likkutei

Sichos. At the Kinusei Torah
we arrange, he is responsible for
bringing rabbinic figures and
distinguished Torah personalities.
He became mekushar to the
Rebbe and to learning Chassidus.
He lives in a moshav near Kiryat
Gat, a religious moshav with a
strong Litvishe agenda, but when
he is asked to say divrei Torah
there, he repeats sichos from the
Rebbe that he learned that week
in our kollel. He has told me
how impressed the congregants,
who identify with the Litvishe
Torah world, are by the content.
R Yifrach loves to tell that
when he was an assistant to the
Interior Minister, he came with
an entire retinue to the yeshiva
in Kfar Chabad and one of the
mashpiim in the yeshiva gave
him lchaim. After drinking it
the mashpia said to him, One
who says lchaim in Tomchei
Tmimim is guaranteed that at
some point in his life he will
become a Chassid. And he was
right.

THE REBBE RESPONDS

The shul is busy throughout
the day. People of all types feel
comfortable walking in to learn
whenever they feel like it. If they
have a problem, they know they
can visit and someone will help
them write to the Rebbe through
the Igros Kodesh.
Just recently, someone of
Russian background came to us
and one of the Russian speaking
people in our shul went over
to help him. The man wanted
a bracha from the Rebbe. He
wrote and the answer was in
Yiddish which they translated for
him. The answer was to someone
who was experiencing insomnia
and the Rebbe suggested that he
distract himself and strengthen
his bitachon in Hashem. When

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we read the answer to him, he

nearly fainted.
Apparently,
this was a direct answer to his
question.
Recently, a Gerrer Chassid
came in who said he heard that
we were about to expand and he
wanted to make a donation. He
said that his family had great love
for Chabad and the Rebbe to
whom they wrote regularly. His
father is a mashgiach of kashrus
who travels a lot to Singapore
where he became friendly with
the shliach, R Abergel. A few
years ago, he had to be there for
Pesach and he offered to bring
products from Eretz Yisroel to
the Chabad house. R Abergel
was happy with the offer and
gave him a long list of items
to bring. The mashgiach was
certain that the airline would not
allow him to take so much so
he wrote to the Rebbe about it.
The Rebbes answer in the Igros
Kodesh was that he was happy
that he was helping his mosdos.
Accompanied with this bracha,
he went to the airport and was
flabbergasted when nobody asked
him any questions or stopped
him and all his baggage arrived in
its entirety in Singapore.

Photographed by M Ezagui

THE WAY
TO REACH HEARTS
The last part of the interview
took place as R Meiri was with
the children of Tzivos Hashem in
the amusement park in Yagur.
Our programs with children
are famous. Under the umbrella
of Tzivos Hashem, children of all
backgrounds come for activities
one day a week. This is run by R
MM Yisraeli and R MM Ezagui.
The programs for children
are experiential and educational.
Children learn things by heart
and win valuable prizes.
When looking at photos of life
in the khilla you see rabbanim

Plans for the new shul, to replicate 770

and local public figures on the

dais and people from various
Chassidic courts who see the

beis midrash as an accessible and

welcoming place to learn and
daven.
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Profile
At first I was nervous about
how people from the outside
would look at us Chassidim who
believe in Yechi, but the reality is
that Yechi doesnt bother anyone;
on the contrary, it gives hope
and faith in the midst of the
difficulties of our times.
We are particular about
following Shulchan Aruch so
there is absolutely no talking
during
davening
and
the
davening is at a moderate pace.
There is a seriousness about
learning and people come in and
see this and this is what speaks
to them. Religious Jews respect
those who learn Torah and who
follow Shulchan Aruch. You can
say lofty things but if you arent
particular about simple halachos,
you will not reach those who
were taught that Halacha reigns
supreme. I meet many people

who remark about the pleasant

atmosphere we have. People are
happy to go to a place that is
embracing and peaceful.
I asked R Meiri how he
manages to preserve unity within
the khilla. He said:
I take the approach that
whoever wants to get involved
I will help him to the best of my
ability. There are many areas
which can be developed and we
want to give everyone a place.
In conclusion, I asked R
Meiri about the publicizing about
Moshiach, how he does it and
how he explains it to people on
the outside. He said:
When we founded the
shul and the khilla we decided
that we were going to be open
about Moshiach just as the
Rebbe didnt hide it. I can tell
you categorically Moshiach

does not distance anyone from

Lubavitch. Whoever thinks so
is not out in the field. What can
distance someone from Lubavitch
is seeing a Lubavitcher who does
not comport himself according to
Shulchan Aruch or a Lubavitcher
girl or woman who is not dressed
modestly.
Its the opposite, Moshiach
attracts people. When people
see Chassidim who are particular
about Halacha crying out for
Moshiach, they realize that this
is something serious and not
just a slogan. We have Kinusei
Torah and shiurim on a high
level and which are attended
by
distinguished
rabbanim.
People understand that the
belief of Chassidim is based on
clear halachic sources and not
emotions.

Continued from page 13

activities during non-work times.

I have a pair of tfillin in the
office and people come in every
day to put them on. During the
break I go around with the tfillin
and offer it to people.
I also try to get permission
for everything I do.
Boruch
Hashem, all my requests have
been approved so far. A few years
ago, in Elul, I asked permission
to blow the shofar in the various
departments and since then, it is
something I do every year.
Besides
that,
I
have
numerous conversations with
employees. I try to help them
where I can. Sometimes, I refer
them to Chabad houses in their
area. I consider what I do a
shlichus from the Rebbe. I also
have volumes of Igros Kodesh at
the office and I often suggest that
people write to the Rebbe.
One of Refaels original
ideas is Kabbalas Shabbos. This

idea has been adopted by the

company.
Every Thursday, toward
the end of the day, we set up a
model Shabbos table near the
coffee room. I spread out a white
tablecloth and put out a pair of
candlesticks and challos. Some
of the employees sit around
the table and I tell a bit about
the parsha and stories. All the
employees on the floor pass by us
as they leave. Some sit down for
a few minutes and listen. Some
take a slice of challa and some
say Shabbat Shalom. There is
no question that the atmosphere
of Shabbos prevails in the
department every Thursday.
The idea for the Shabbos
table on Thursday has picked up
steam. I was contacted by the
Human Resources department
they are trying to arrange a
Shabbos table like this for all the
employees in the company.

every day of Chanuka. This

was the unofficial green light for
Refael to start openly promoting
Judaism at the company.
The last night of Chanuka
they had a big party and of course
I was asked to light the menorah.
In Russia I was a musician and
I thought the time had come to
use this talent of mine. I asked
whether I could play something
special for them. They agreed
and I played the Dalet Bavos.
They were all very moved; it
touched their souls.
***
I am very careful that
nothing comes at the expense
of my work, not because I am
afraid of the boss, but because
if it is done without the explicit
permission of the one in charge,
its a form of theft. I try to
concentrate all my hafatza

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ANASH SHLICHUS

KABBALAS
SHABBOS ON
THURSDAY
W
hen Refael was first hired
at his job, one of the
owners called him in for
a conversation that did
not fall under the heading of standard
job orientation. The reason was his
religious appearance.
Listen, he said to Refael. We
accepted you for the job because of
your skills but we want you to focus
on the work exclusively. Dont make
this firm into a synagogue or mitzva
center. We are a big company and
our policy is not to allow religious
activity.
Refael nodded to indicate that he
understood. He listened to his boss
but was on fire inside. I had always
done mivtzaim at my previous jobs.
After our meeting, I knew I had
to work more quietly here and I
prepared a spiritual program that
would influence the company from
within.
The first stage of his plan involved
checking the mezuzos. I discovered

that 25 doorposts lacked mezuzos.

I sent an email to the Human
Resources department. They passed
it along to the administration which
approved the budget. From the
moment the mezuzos were put up
the atmosphere changed.
The new religious employee in
the company stood out by his very
presence. His encounters with other
employees generated questions and
short discussions about Judaism
during breaks and near the coffee
machine.
Refael became the
supreme religious authority among
hundreds of employees at this hitech company.
Chanuka arrived. Considering
what time he would end his work day
made him realize that he would have
to light the menorah in the office.
He considered that a good thing.
He asked permission to light his
large menorah near the secretarys
desk. One of the employees who
saw Refael preparing to light the

Name: Refael Persky

Age: 43
Children: 4
Location: Lud

By Zalman Tzorfati
menorah yelled at him, Hey, why
are you lighting alone? Refael soon
found himself with candle in hand,
before all the employees on the floor.
He said the bracha loudly and lit
the menorah with everyone singing
HaNeiros HaLalu.
Then they asked him to say
something in honor of the holiday.
Refael remembered a point from a
sicha and spoke about it just as the
boss, who had warned him about
religious activity, passed by.
Refael thought it was his last day
at the company but the smile on
his boss face confused him. How
nice, said the boss. Why are you
only lighting on this floor? Starting
tomorrow, I want us to have a
menorah lighting for all employees of
the company in the large auditorium.
Can I rely on you?
There was a grand menorah
lighting at the company led by Refael
Continued on page 12
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MIRACLE STORY

A SADDER MAN
BUT WISER NOW
A Holocaust survivor finds himself heading toward a terrible tragedy: His only
daughter is interested in marrying a Gentile. After all his efforts to stop her
went for naught, he came to the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach for dollars. He told
his sad tale to the Rebbe and received a promise that everything would work
out. The mans daughter eventually married the Gentile and they even had two
children... A unique illustration of how the Rebbe is trustworthy in all his words.
By Chaim Brook
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

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What can I tell you? the elderly Jew

continued angrily. Nothing worked out! My
daughter married the Gentile, they had two children
and these are my grandchildren...

edia
headlines
periodically highlight the
issue of conversion and
the uncompromising war
of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach
over the definition of Who is a Jew?
which is someone born of a Jewish
mother or a person who converted
according to Torah law. In this
context, we bring the following story,
which I heard personally from R
Menachem Nachum Gerlitzky.
In 5753, Rabbi Gerlitzky went
on mivtzaim to a geriatric center
in one of the local neighborhoods
of Brooklyn. He spoke before the
resident seniors about the greatness
of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach,
explaining how the Shchina speaks
from his throat, and how every
word he utters is with the utmost
precision and accuracy.
He described how the Rebbe
prophesied the victory of the Six Day
War, the fall of the Soviet Union,
and the tremendous immigration

to Eretz Yisroel that followed. He

then concluded with a few of the
miracles he had personally witnessed
at the Rebbes weekly Sunday dollars
distribution.
Suddenly, one of the elderly
participants stood up and called out,
Rabbi, Im warning you. Dont say
another word on the subject.
Surprised by the outburst, Rabbi
Gerlitzky became silent as the
man continued to speak with great
venom: I am a Holocaust survivor,
the only one from my entire family to
survive. I immigrated to the United
States, got married, and my wife and
I had one daughter. One day, after
she came of age, she brought home
some terrible news: She had become
acquainted with a non-Jewish man
and she wanted to marry him.
All of my pleas went for nothing,
and whenever I asked someone to
intervene on my behalf, they couldnt
seem to help.
Finally, someone came to me
and said, Go to the Lubavitcher
Rebbe. He helps everyone and hell
surely help you as well. I arrived at
770 for Sunday dollars and I waited
in line for four hours. When my turn
came, I told the Rebbe, My daughter
wants to marry a Gentile!
Dont worry, the Rebbe
answered me, everything will work
out.
What can I tell you? the elderly
Jew continued angrily. Nothing
worked out! My daughter married
the Gentile, they had two children
and these are my grandchildren...
At one point during his tirade
the elderly man blurted out, And

thats the way it is with all Orthodox

rabbis, too...
Rabbi Gerlitzky then turned to
him and asked, What do you have
against Orthodox rabbis?
When I wanted to divorce my
wife, the man replied, the rabbis
wouldnt agree to arrange a get for
us.
Why wouldnt they agree?
Rabbi Gerlitzky inquired with
puzzlement.
They
claimed
that
the
conversion that my wife had
done before our wedding was a
Conservative conversion, he replied,
and therefore, it was invalid...
Rabbi Gerlitzky immediately
took the opportunity to explain to
everyone the true definition of Who
is a Jew? and the entire group
grasped the meaning of the Rebbes
words and how they had been totally
fulfilled: Dont worry, everything
will work out.
The tragedy would have been
if his daughter had married a
Jew (in addition to the tragedy
already caused by the Conservative
conversion, which merely assisted
Hitler, may his name be erased, in
eradicating this Holocaust survivors
entire Jewish family rl).
During
the
remainder
of
Rabbi Gerlitzkys presentation the
elderly Jew sat quietly and listened.
When the rabbi finished, the man
said, Youre right. In spite of the
conversion, she really was a Gentile.
Whenever she would get drunk she
would call me a dirty Jew...
His words are trustworthy, not
one returns unfulfilled!
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CHINUCH

GETTING OUR
CHILDREN TO
LOVE LEARNING
GEMARA
Every parent accompanying his son as he reaches the appropriate age for
Talmudic study surely knows the caution and anxiety in bringing him to
this phase. Gemara demands a new type of thinking, alongside unfamiliar
tools for learning and analysis. Rabbi Avraham Tzatzik, a prominent
educator in the Chassidic-chareidi community and developer of the
Cycles in Gemara approach, speaks about the difficulties and challenges
in transmitting the study of Gemara.
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

e would say:
Five years is the
age for the study
of
Scripture.
Ten, for the study ofMishnah.
Thirteen, for the obligation to
observe themitzvos. Fifteen, for
the study ofTalmud. (Avos 5:22)
There are two principal ways to
explain this Mishnah. According to
the first interpretation, it takes five
years to learn Scripture, another
five years to learn Mishnah, and yet
another five years for the study of

Talmud. Therefore, even someone

who began learning at the age of
forty should act in this fashion, as
the Midrash states regarding how
Rabbi Akiva learned with his young
son and had tremendous success.
The second explanation is
far more profound: There must
be a proper match between the
form of study and the learners
ability to grasp and understand
the material. Before building a
learning structure, its extremely
important to devote adequate

time
to
strengthening
its
foundations. As we see again
with Rabbi Akiva, in the merit
of his building the foundations
of Torah study together with his
son, he attained the level whereby
he could interpret the meaning
of the crowns on the letters of
Torah.
Practically speaking, our
children already begin learning
the chapter of Eilu Mtzios
in the third grade, when they
are eight or nine years old. The

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question is: Why? Why do

we find ourselves reaching a
situation where even as adults,
were still missing many of the
foundations of Torah study? We
can learn the explanation for this
from the words of Rabba bar
Abuha to Eliyahu HaNavi, as
brought in tractate Bava Metzia:
I am not sufficiently fluent in
the four sdarim [of the Mishnah
we focus on in Bavel (Moed,
Nashim, Nezikin, Kodshim)]
all the more so I am not fluent in

[Zeraim and Taharos]. We see

that the comprehension of the
Amoraim was less than that of
the Tanaim.
If the comprehension of the
Amoraim was less, then surely
our comprehension is even less
so. Therefore, we cant just blame
the education system that doesnt
teach according to the approach
brought in the Mishnah. The
facts are that our ability of
comprehension is limited. Its
simply impossible to expect that

we can master the entire Talmud

even after we learn Scripture
for five years and Mishnah for
another five years.
How do we produce the best
from this situation?
To receive a proper answer
to this question and others
pertaining
to
methods
of
connecting students to the study
of Gemara, we turned to Rabbi
Avraham Tzatzik, a leading
practitioner of the Cycles
in Gemara approach and
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CHINUCH

HOW DO WE BRING THE STUDY

OF GEMARA TO THE CHILD?
Ten tips for teachers and parents
1. Before we start learning with the child, we
must think carefully about what we really want to
achieve, and of course, coming well prepared to
teach him. It would be appropriate to seek the advice
of experts in teaching Gemara regarding additional
methods beyond what we already know. After
receiving this advice, formulate a workable approach
with the student and stick to it. A regular learning
pattern provides stability and a routine of Torah study
helpful to the child. Confusion often prevails within the
student when there is a lack of coordination between
the teacher and the tutor or the parent, i.e., when each
one teaches in a different style, this can make things
more difficult for the child.
2. We must internalize the fact that all the
concepts and thought processes that we take for
granted while learning Gemara are not necessarily
happening to the student. We must be certain that
the student fully understands every detail and every
sentence that we read with him. Dont assume
anything.
3. Its important to learn in advance how to

prominent lecturer in all matters

of education. Rabbi Tzatzik
has worked his entire life in the
field of education. He eventually
became a student of one of the
leading experts of our generation
in the principles of Gemara
instruction, Rabbi Yeshayahu
Weber, and spent ten years as a
senior staff member of Machon
Yad Tzvi in Yerushalayim. He
later developed the approach he
lectures on and teaches by every
day.

Before anything else, I first
want to ask you: From what age
do we start getting the child to
love Gemara and how do we

identify the difficulties and challenges in the learning

material. Identifying them during the learning process
makes things harder for the child. When we prepare
the class material, as we should, we will be able to
determine where the difficult sections in the Gemara
are and well make sufficient time available to explain
them in a variety of ways, not necessarily in a direct
manner.
4. Recognize and understand the childs special
difficulties. While its not easy for a classroom teacher
of thirty students to achieve this purpose, with the
passage of time, a good teacher will know how to
determine the strengths and weaknesses of each
student. Every child comprehends and understands
in a manner different from his friends. We must know
what is the toolbox for each student in order to know
which tool he needs the most, through which he will
properly understand the Gemara he is learning.
5. Be open to different ways for connecting
children to different Gemaras. Even if we learned a
certain approach and apply it well, its always good to
be familiar with other approaches, just as our Sages

achieve this in the best possible

fashion?
Every encounter a child
has with Torah content is an
opportunity to get him to love
what hes learning. In general,
this depends upon our ability
to connect the subject matter
to the childs world through his
more dominant spheres, e.g.,
intellectual, emotional, lingual,
visual, physical. The learning
experience does not have to be
limited to stories or questions
and answers.
The choice of appropriate
action in creating an enjoyable
and challenging experience, one
that can enable both individual

and creative expression together

with attaining personal success,
represents a key point in
achieving the desired objective.
In principle, when we succeed in
connecting the learning material
to our lives and sharing it with
our child, we can also send him
a message that Torah is a living
entity that relates to his life as
well.
Why is there a need to
develop an approach on how
to learn Gemara? Is this not
connected to the essence of
learning, regardless of the
subject?
While the difficulties in
Gemara study are derived in part

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say regarding different faces, different opinions.

Therefore, it would be appropriate to use several
learning approaches and not restrict ourselves to only
one method. We often face a situation where the child
understands the material in a certain Gemara through
a certain approach, but another Gemara requires a
different approach.
6. During these times, there is an obligation to
connect the learning material to the childs world,
personal experiences, and fields of knowledge. He
must feel that the subject matter contains concepts and
principles that he can use in his daily life, not things
detached from modern-day reality. It is definitely
possible to replace the ox and the donkey that
Reuven lent to Shimon with a computer toy that one
friend lent to another.
7. It would be appropriate to speak less and
actively involve the child more. When the child becomes
part of the learning process, he pays better attention
and internalizes the material more successfully. In
addition, teachers should also make a proper balance
and focus on the subject matter, as the main objective
often gets lost in all the activities. Similarly, it would
be fitting at the very start of class that the student
know exactly what theyre learning what section, its
beginning and end, the relevant commentaries from
Rashi and Tosafos. There are some students who need
the section copied on a separate sheet of paper. This
can lessen and even remove entirely all fears of a full
page of Gemara, as their eyes focus on specifically
what is needed.
from general learning problems,
Gemara study in particular
demands
a
simultaneous
combination of various areas of
expertise on a level of complexity
far greater than that required in
other fields of study. In addition,
there are special skills needed
to learn Gemara, and these also
must be acquired by someone
whose learning abilities are
already quite proficient.
What
are
the
central
problems that prevent children
from enjoying Gemara study
and what is your message on
this matter?
A student once told me in our
first meeting, It wont do you

8. Bring the child closer to the precise language of

the Gemara. This is important in order that eventually
he will know how to learn himself even when we are
not at his side. It would also be appropriate before each
section of the Gemara to give a sort of introduction
background on the subject of the sugya, certain basic
halachic and Talmudic concepts. Similarly, create a
few breathers during the class. In the natural course
of a Gemara class, there are a lot of details. It often
happens that a student misses a portion of the class
and is subsequently unable to close the gap. Therefore,
it would be a good idea to make a summary at least
twice during the class, thereby allowing those who
miss something to catch up and rejoin everyone else.
9. Consider every experience and learn from
mistakes. Its very important to get feedback from the
child after the study session. This should be done by
asking relevant questions and getting an understanding
where our investment has proven itself and where it
hasnt.
10. A final and most important piece of advice in
conclusion: Many children who tried unsuccessfully
to learn Gemara at a younger age decide that theyre
not good in Gemara, and we hear them say things
such as, I dont know how to learn Gemara. In such
cases, no matter how much we invest in them, it wont
do any good because theyve blocked themselves off.
We must remove these barriers by creating for each
student a series of small daily successes, whether in
understanding the text or actual learning.

any good I just dont like to

learn Gemara! I asked him if he
liked rice, and he said yes. And
if you had to eat it with tweezers,
would you still like rice? I
added. Perhaps with the proper
tools, youll also like Gemara.
After a few more meetings, this
boy changed his entire attitude.
Similar to playing a violin,
the pleasure derived from
Gemara study is the result of the
proficiency that one must strive to
attain. The difficulty in grasping,
understanding, and connecting
the various parts can absolutely
be a source of frustration and
opposition. However, in contrast
to learning how to play the violin,

with the help of an appropriate

learning approach, Gemara study
can produce from the very outset
a few tunes without too much
squeaking.
Considering the tremendous
challenges that Gemara study
places before children, with or
without special difficulties, in
a pulsating world that offers
endless possibilities at the click of
a button, its not easy to convince
a child to toil in studies that
demand such energy to produce
results, even enjoyment. I believe
that awareness of the importance
of our task as teachers and the
types of difficulties encountered
by various students enable us

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CHINUCH
to reveal greater educational
creativity, transform the learning
into
something
far
more
impressive, and provide answers
for minimizing the frustration
that many endure during the
learning process at different
stages.

Id like to bring things down
to a more tangible level: Can a
parent reading this article know
tomorrow morning how to learn
Gemara with his son in a better
way?
In a nutshell, the idea that I
want to convey to your readers
is that in order to teach better,
you must realize the nature of
the teachers or the parents

to enable every Jewish child to

realize his portion in the Torah.
This is not designed as a means
to make him into a good Jew or
an important scholar, rather a
concentration upon the essence
of Torah and toiling in its study.
This obligation relates to every
Jew, without any connection to
qualities unique to one sector or
another. It compels us to invest
much thought and love in our
children in order to send them off
into life with the necessary tools
for fulfilling the mitzvah of Torah
study that corresponds to all the
mitzvos.
Today, we know of numerous
approaches to didactic and/or
emotional evaluation. Even in

Many children who tried unsuccessfully to learn

Gemara at a younger age decide that theyre
not good in Gemara, and we hear them say things such
as, I dont know how to learn Gemara. In such cases,
no matter how much we invest in them, it wont do any
good because theyve blocked themselves off. We must
remove these barriers by creating for each student a
series of small daily successes, whether in understanding
the text or actual learning.
mission, define the objectives,
understand the causes for
difficulties in comprehending the
learning material, and obtain the
necessary tools for dealing with
them. This can be most helpful
even for a born teacher who
does everything instinctively.
There are parents who
believe that the most important
thing is for their son to be a
good Jew and that its less
important if he knows the
Gemara material.
As I said at the very
beginning, we have an obligation

cases of evaluations that offer

a more or less appropriate
approach for Gemara study,
the teacher has difficulty
implementing
the
overall
suggestions that are truly fitting
for the students needs. What is
unique to your approach?
The Cycles in Gemara
approach is based in general
upon Rabbi Webers viewpoint
on the requirements for Gemara
study. With the passage of
time, I have developed it into a
practical tool to form a bridge
between the evaluation and its

recommendations,
between
implementation and a specific
portion of the learning material.
Practically speaking, even the
comprehension of a single point
in Gemara can be constructed
from several stages, where
each stage involves different
learning skills. I relate to each
comprehension stage as the
closing of a circle necessary
before proceeding to the next
stage.
This circle can begin from
various points. I dont always
have to start with reading
and comprehending the study
material, and I also dont always
have to put certain concepts
before the actual learning. This
brings us to the melameds
creative role in teaching focused
on objectives. Choosing where
to begin each circle must pertain
to the students needs according
to his evaluated learning abilities
and personal character.
In conclusion, can you
please give me an example of
how this is done?
For example, in order to
understand the seemingly simple
question of the Gemara in
Chapter Eilu Mtzios (Why
is the knot on strings of fish
not considered a sign?), we
have to close a few circles of
understanding. First, we must
remember the context of the
question in terms of the Mishnah.
Second, we have to understand
the connection between the
lack of a sign and the owners
giving up hope of retrieving their
lost items. Third, there is the
connection between the owners
giving up hope and the lack of
any Torah obligation to restore
the lost items.
On the foundation of this
background circle, we will
build a second circle that
includes an understanding of

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the concept of strings of fish

and how the knot can possibly be
considered a sign. Based on these
two circles of understanding, we
can deduce how this influences
the person who lost these items
and the ruling on this possibility
as it pertains to the finder. Only
then can we compare between
the law for one who finds strings
of fish with a sign and the ruling
of the Mishnah, thereby closing
this circle of understanding that
includes the question of the
Gemara.
On the basis of this
understanding, we can decipher
the closed style of the Gemaras
question
and
identify
its
meaning: If such is the case, why
doesnt the person who finds the
strings of fish have to publicize
what he found? An experienced
student of Talmud has already
closed all these circles when
he read the Gemara text, more

or less intuitively, to the point

that theres only one way to
understand the question. In
contrast, there are children whom
we have to walk through some
or most of the learning stages
while connecting all the abstract
concepts to their own world. In
this way, they can reach a true
understanding of the learning
material, not merely repeating the
words by rote.
A skilled teacher knows
how to do this naturally.
However, with the additional
help of appropriate tools, he can
consciously decide if it would
be appropriate to start with an
illustrative story or a diagram
containing all pertinent data on
a challenging question or text
in the Gemara, while reviewing
the relevant background and
principles. At all times, the
teacher must consider the
students abilities to connect with

one end of the string that can

lead him to a closing of the circle.

Rabbi Tzatzik has invested
most of his time and energy over
the past decade in the teaching
of Gemara. While he continually
gives lectures on his teaching
approach, he also sets aside
personal time to teach children
experiencing difficulty in their
studies, including in Chabad
institutions throughout Eretz
Yisroel, the United States, and
South America. I see the task of
making Gemara study accessible
to those having trouble in their
learning as a shlichus of the
highest order, he told us at the
conclusion of the interview. My
experience shows that it doesnt
just have an influence upon the
learning ability of such students,
but also upon their emotional
and social conduct, and their
religious observance.

Continued from page 3

emigrate from there they even

assist Jews in doing so.
We now clearly see that
in addition to the fact that
Jews are hachein kulchem
for the redemption, standing
ready to greet Moshiach, even
the Gentiles stand hachein
kulchem, ready for Jews to
finally get out of exile and go
to Eretz Yisroel, in the true and
complete redemption.
And we go to the ultimate

perfection of come to Pharaoh

as souls in bodies, without any
interruption at all, in the true
and complete redemption,
experiencing the complete
revelation of ispriu kol nehorin,
and G-d will be to you as an
eternal light.

there have been developments

even in the country that held its
citizens behind an Iron Curtain
for many years, where Jews were
not free to leave and they were
not allowed to fulfill Torah and
Mitzvos in a full capacity, etc.
This condition has now changed
from one extreme to the other.
Presently, not only do the Soviets
permit Jews to relocate as they
please and they are permitted to

In Crown Heights area: 1640/1700AM

USA phone: 718 557 7701

(From the address of Wednesday,

Parshas Bo, 3 Shvat, and Shabbos
Parshas Bo, 6 Shvat; Seifer HaSichos
5752, pg. 294-5)

worldwide, online: www.RadioMoshiach.org

In Israel (Nechayeg Venishmah): 08-9493-770 (press 1 # / 9 # / 3 #)

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OBITUARY

A LOYAL SOLDIER

THROUGHOUT
R Yaakov Levkivker ah was never willing to talk about his life of
mesirus nefesh for Torah and mitzvos. * With his recent passing
at the age of 86, Beis Moshiach made a first attempt in tracing his
lifes journey. Whether working at hard labor in Siberia or living
in Tashkent, Kutais, Bnei Brak and Tel Aviv, he lived the life of a
soldier and was a model of a Chassid.
By Shneur Zalman Berger

THE BLACK CHASSID

R Yaakov Yosef Levkivker
was born in Voznesenski in the
Ukraine on 12 Sivan 5688.
His father was R Boruch who
was a chazan, shochet, and
mohel. His father trained him in
mesirus nefesh for Torah study
and mitzvos and from when R
Yaakov was very young, this is
how he lived. When he was two,
his father was persecuted by
the communists and the family
had to run far away to Batum in
Georgia.
At that time, R Boruch
became close with Chabad
Chassidim who were sent to
strengthen Judaism in Georgia
and he eventually became a
Lubavitcher Chassid. He even
wrote a letter to the Rebbe Rayatz
in which he expressed his feelings

of connectedness to the Rebbe

and said that he had changed his
nusach to Nusach Ari.
When a group of young
people tried to cross the Russian
border via Georgia, some of them
were arrested, R Boruch among
them. After interrogations and
torture he was released but he
was unable to regain his strength.
His wife went with him to healing
spas but his strength waned and
he died at a relatively young age.
After this tragedy, the family
moved to Kutais where Yaakov
learned in the branch of Yeshivas
Tomchei Tmimim there. Back
then, it was common to nickname
the boys for the city they came
from or the color of their hair or
their height, and so he was called
Yankel der shvartze for the color
of his hair.

CAUGHT, RELEASED,
CAUGHT, RELEASED
Along with the horrors of
World War II, there was a terrible
famine throughout the Soviet
Union, even in areas far from
the front lines. Bread was given
out with coupons. Sadly, the
bachurim learning in Georgia
were not residents of the city
and could not get bread. Having
no choice, young Yaakov and
his friends did all they could to
obtain coupons so they would not
starve to death. By open miracle,
one of the bachurim managed to
get some food tickets meant for
soldiers.
The problem was that just at
that time it was discovered in the
bread store that a large amount of
bread was missing relative to the
number of registered recipients.

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At that moment, Yaakov and

another bachur showed up to buy
bread. In the book Chassidim
VAnshei Emes, there is a
description of what happened, as
related by his friend, R Moshe
Morosov ah:
One day, Heschel Tzeitlin
went to the bread store along
with the boy, Yaakov Levkivker.
The gentile woman who worked
in the store suspected that the
boys were involved in selling
bread on the black market.
When Heschel showed up to buy
bread she suspected him and
said, Something here is fishy. I
suspect you. Let us go to the
police and check out what is
going on.
Heschel
staunchly
maintained that someone on the
street had given him the tickets

and had asked him to buy bread

on his behalf, but the clerk did
not believe him and forced him
to accompany her to the police
station.
On the way there,
Yaakov managed to escape but
he was caught the next day.
Under questioning he denied all
accusations against him. Due to
his young age, he was released
within a short time.

TRAP
At the end of the war, R
Yaakov went to Samarkand
where hundreds of Lubavitcher
Chassidim were, having escaped
from areas conquered by the
Nazis. Many of them left Russia
on forged passports but Yaakov
missed that opportunity. Many
arrests were made and Yaakov
remained alone, the rest of his

family having left Russia.

He went to Moscow and
from there went to the border
city of Chernovitz with hopes
of sneaking across the border.
One day, some non-Jews were
standing at the entrance to the
home belonging to the mashpia, R
Moshe Vishedsky in Chernovitz.
They had good news: There is
a way out! It is possible to cross
the border into Romania although
the danger in the attempt to cross
the border was enormous. R
Moshe shared his apprehensions
with other Chassidim. They held
a meeting that same night which
was attended by distinguished
Chassidim
of
Chernovitz
including: R Moshe, R Berke
Chein, and R Asher Sasonkin.
They dissected the advantages
and disadvantages of crossing the

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Obituary
since the law changed and
therefore I sentence you to 25
years of imprisonment and hard
labor in Siberia.
R Yaakov and his friends
were exiled to Siberia where they
suffered for many years.

DANGEROUS WORK ON
THE TELEVISION TOWER

R Yaakov at the Rebbe

border and the meeting lasted

until dawn. They finally decided
to offer the possibility to some
bachurim who might be willing
to endanger themselves, for even
if they failed, they would not be
endangering families.
The offer was made to three
bachurim: R Yaakov Levkivker,
R Meir Junik and R Moshe
Greenberg. The old Chassid, R
Moshe Chaim Dubrawsky also
wanted to join the group. I
must see the Rebbe, he said.
It was winter and they had to
prepare for the trip. Mrs. Chasya
Vishedsky, R Moshes wife,
bought good shoes and clothes
for the bachurim that would be
useful on their journey.
On the eve of 6 Kislev 5709,
the four set out. It took only a
few days. When Shabbos came,
a discussion ensued as to whether
to continue traveling or to wait.
R Moshe Greenberg convinced
the group not to continue on
Shabbos.
They crossed the
border on Motzaei Shabbos.
At night they stayed in some
structure and in the middle of
the night the Romanian police
came in and arrested them all.

It turned out that the border

smugglers were collaborators of
the police and they betrayed the
trust of the young Lubavitchers.
On Tuesday, 11 Kislev, the
group was sent back to Russia
and they were incarcerated in
jail in Chernovitz. The harsh
interrogations began and lasted
months in the course of which
they were subjected to physical
and verbal abuse. After several
months, they were transferred to
Kiev, capitol of the Ukraine.
During the interrogations,
each of the prisoners came up
with his own story with the
common denominator being that
none of them knew the other
and they had met on their way to
cross the border.
Why did you try to cross the
border? Who did you go with?
The interrogators demanded to
know, as we see in their file.
On 7 Adar 5709, after months
of questioning and torture in
Kiev, they were sentenced. They
were found guilty of treason, the
worst possible crime in the Soviet
Union. Here is a quote from
the sentence, Unfortunately, I
cannot declare the death penalty

He was only 21 when he

was sent to Siberia for 25 years.
Despite the tremendous suffering
he endured he was strong as a
rock. He remembered where
he came from and where he was
going. With mesirus nefesh he
kept his Judaism and Chassidus
intact.
The three young bachurim
were sent to a labor camp near
Omsk. They davened together
and even farbrenged on the Chag
HaGeula, 12 Tammuz.
At first, R Yaakov worked
at cutting trees in the forest
but then he was transferred to
build a television tower in Omsk
where he worked high up and in
tremendous danger. One of the
people in charge, a Jew, had pity
on R Yaakov and he advised him
to study architectural drafting so
he could help in the construction
another way. He did so and his
work burden was lightened.
Stalin died in 5713 and
numerous political prisoners
were rehabilitated, Yaakov among
them. He was released in the
winter of 5714.

MESIRUS NEFESH
IN TASHKENT
After he was released, he
married Sarah Esther Brod. The
young couple settled in Tashkent
where there were dozens of
Lubavitcher families. R Yaakov
could once again live among his
Chassidic brethren after years of
travail.

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In Tashkent, much mesirus

nefesh was also required under
the communist regime.
R
Yaakov was very particular that
the work by which he supported
himself and his family would
not require him to desecrate the
Shabbos.
Years later, he told a little
anecdote that shows what a bond
there was between the Chassidim
in Tashkent and the Rebbe:
One day, we [Chabad
Chassidim] heard a rumor
that a shliach of the Rebbe was
coming to Tashkent. It was R
Binyamin Katz. We went to the
hotel where he was staying and
waited for him to come out.
When he came out, we followed
him and asked him questions
to make sure he wasnt a plant.
Once we determined that he was
indeed sent by the Rebbe, I asked
him whether he had brought
anything with him. He said he
had maamarim from the Rebbe
and they were in his bag. I asked
him to take them out and put
them in his pocket and he did so.
We continued walking and as we
did so, I removed the maamarim
from his pocket and continued on
my way. That is how R Yaakov
concealed his relationship with
the Rebbes shliach so he would
not get caught.
Farbrengens in Tashkent took
place in the homes of Anash
without prior arrangements.
The night before the farbrengen,
they would whisper to one
another where it would be taking
place and thus, an unexpected
farbrengen landed in the
Levkivker home, as his wife
related:
It was one evening shortly
after we had married and we
were surprised that we would be
hosting the farbrengen in our tiny
home. As was typical in those
days, the house was empty. The

From right to left: R Yaakov Levkivker, his brother-in-law R Yisroel Brod, his nephew
R Naftali Estulin, his brother-in-law R Zalman Leib Estulin, his nephew R Dovid Estulin

Chassidim brought the mashke

but the host was supposed to
provide refreshments. We had
nothing. We did not even have
a few potatoes, not to mention
mezonos, which we did not even
dream about.
The farbrengen began and
the Chassidim said lchaim but
the absence of refreshments
was apparent. Then one of the
Chassidim said he remembered
that sometimes fried onion could
serve as farbaisen. Hearing this,
I remembered that this was the
only thing I had. I quickly took
out the precious jar with fried
onion and placed it in the center
of the table and the Chassidim
were happy.
The farbrengen
lasted long into the night.
Although
chinuch
was
problematic, R Yaakov did not
forgo a Lubavitcher chinuch.
When he realized that if his
oldest son Boruch would remain
in Tashkent the government
would force him to send the boy
to public school, he sent him to
Moscow, even before registration
time for first grade. Despite
his sons tender age, he lived
there with the Chassid R Yisroel

Konson, and the following

year he was sent to learn in the
Chabad yeshiva in Samarkand.

BANGING ON THE DESK

R Yaakovs dream was
to leave Russia so he and his
family could keep Torah and
mitzvos without fear. To his
great disappointment, although
his entire family and his wifes
entire family had left Russia, he
was refused time after time with
the excuse that he was a released
prisoner.
At a certain point, R Yaakov
suggested to his wife that she
leave the country with their
children but his wife refused to
go without him. She managed to
obtain an interview with a senior
official who told her explicitly
that her husband would not be
given an exit visa because he had
been a political prisoner.
The Levkivker familys plight
touched the heart of Mrs. Raizel
Estulin, Sarah Levkivkers sister.
When Mrs. Estulin visited 770,
she decided to ask the Rebbe for
a promise that they would get
out. She later told of her great
excitement in yechidus:
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Obituary
When I saw that there was
no one else willing to take it
upon themselves to ask the
Rebbe, I did. When we went in
[she and her husband, R Zalman
Leib] for yechidus, I began
speaking about the difficult
situation of the Levkivker family.
In my passion, I forgot where I
was and began demanding that
they leave Russia just as we had,
to the point that I banged on the
desk. I suddenly caught myself
and recoiled.
As I spoke, the Rebbe
listened quietly and did not react.
When I finished, he said, You
think that you were able to leave
because you are privileged or
because only you were supposed
to get out, or there was no need
for a big miracle. The truth is
that for Hashem, a big miracle
and a small miracle are the same.
The Rebbe concluded with a
bracha that the Levkivkers leave
Russia quickly.
In addition to this bracha, the
Levkivker family also received
another special bracha during the
Rebbes farbrengen, as recounted
by R Avrohom Mendel (Bumi)
Friedland, the Estulins son-inlaw:
When
my
father-inlaw
attended
the
Rebbes
farbrengens, he would sit behind
the Rebbe among the senior
Chassidim and between sichos
he would bless the Rebbe. One
time, the Rebbe suddenly asked
him, What do you want?
He understood that it was an
auspicious time for a bracha
and he immediately thought of
his brother-in-law, R Yaakov.
He mentioned his name and his
mothers name and the Rebbe
gave a bracha. A short while
later, R Yaakov unexpectedly
received an exit visa.
In addition to these brachos,
there was also the special tfilla at

Shliach to the
Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv

the gravesite of R Levi Yitzchok

Schneersohn. R Yaakov called
his friend R Yosef Nimotin of
Alma Ata and asked him to place
a pidyon nefesh on the grave and
to arouse mercy on him and his
family that they be able to leave
Russia and reach Eretz Yisroel.
R Yosef promised to do so.
The next day R Yosef called
him and said, I did as you
requested and went to daven for
you at the gravesite. When I left
the site, I fainted.
R Yaakov expressed surprise
over this and R Yosef explained,
As I stood there, I felt that the
request had been accepted and I
was very moved. When I left the
place and I thought that you were
about to leave the Soviet Union
and I would lose one of my last
friends here, I fainted.
On 26 Shevat 5729, R
Yaakov Lipsker of Crown
Heights and his wife Teibel, R
Yaakov Levkivkers sister, had
yechidus. As in every yechidus,
they wrote to the Rebbe that they
were requesting a bracha for the
Levkivker family so they could
leave Russia. The Rebbe looked
at the note, looked up, and said
with open prophecy, You will

see them this year.

Mrs. Lipsker was taken
aback and said she had planned
on sending them a package of
American clothing which they
could sell and use the money to
support themselves. The Rebbe
said firmly that there was no
reason to send the package.
A few weeks later, R Yaakov
Levkivker went to the OVIR
emigration office and one of
the clerks whispered to him that
the exit visa had arrived but it
was still a secret. In another few
days he would receive the longawaited visas!
The visas arrived and the
Levkivker family traveled to
Moscow, but it was hard to
obtain airplane tickets.
Mrs.
Levkivker went to the Dutch
embassy which also represented
Eretz Yisroel at that time. She
banged on the counter and
informed the clerk that they had
received visas for Eretz Yisroel
but did not have the money to
buy plane tickets.
The clerk closed the counter
and after a brief while she
returned with an envelope
without saying a word. In the
envelope were five plane tickets,
for R Yaakov, his wife, and their
three children.
R Yaakov and his family flew
to Vienna where they waited
for their next flight to Eretz
Yisroel. There, three Chassidim
who had just left Russia, met: R
Levkivker, R Notke Barkahan,
and R Shmuel Gitlin. The three
wondered whether to continue
on to Eretz Yisroel or to America.
They ended up going to Eretz
Yisroel.
The
phone
connection
between Eretz Yisroel and the
US in those days was not reliable.
When R Yaakovs brother-in-law
went to the Rebbe for matzos on
Erev Pesach, the Rebbe told him,

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Your brother-in-law is already in

Eretz Yisroel.
The Levkivker family arrived
in Eretz Yisroel in 5729 and
settled in Bnei Brak. A short
while later, R Yaakov went to
the Rebbe for Tishrei. He had
yechidus for a long time but
never said what the Rebbe spoke
to him about.
In Bnei Brak he was a role
model of a Chassid who, even
after leaving the Soviet Union,
continued to be a Chassid in
every respect.
His son R Boruch relates:
During our first years in Eretz
Yisroel, my father could not find
suitable work. As I approached
bar mitzva, my father put in great
effort to buy me beautiful tfillin.
His friends asked him why he put
in so much effort and my father
said, When I was in Siberia, I
would have given all the money
in the world to put on tfillin,
and now that I can put them on,
shouldnt I buy the nicest ones?
***
A few years after making
aliya, R Yaakov found a job as
assistant manager in the technical
department of the Ohr Yehuda
municipality. He was a loyal
worker while his office constantly
served to strengthen Judaism in
the city. He primarily worked to
provide proper chinuch and to
build mikvaos for the many new
immigrants who settled in Ohr
Yehuda.
One time, the Housing
Ministry designated money for
a mikva in the neighborhood
where new immigrants from
Georgia had settled, but after a
while, after the foundation was
built, the money ran out and
the construction was halted.
The immigrants asked for more
money and the ministry said that
there was no more available. R
Yaakov tried interceding but to

R Yaakov (left) with his brother-in-law, R Zalman Leib Estulin

no avail.
Soon after, he went to
the Rebbe and when he had
yechidus, he told the Rebbe that
the Georgian immigrants wanted
a mikva but there was no money.
The Rebbe said, in Eretz Yisroel
they get scared when people
scream.
Get some Georgian
immigrants together who know
how to scream and bang on
the table and send them to the
Housing Ministry and have them
scream that they want a mikva.
R Yaakov said, but the
immigrants dont know Hebrew,
how will they communicate?
The Rebbe said, even better!
They will scream and the
government wont be able to
answer them.
R Yaakov returned to Eretz
Yisroel and told this to the
immigrants from Georgia. They
organized a group of stubborn
people led by an immigrant
named Yitzchok Nanakshvili.
They went to the Housing
Ministry where they burst into the
head office and began screaming
that they want a mikva. The
clerks and officials did not know
what was going on; there was a
huge commotion.

In the end, the Housing

Ministry decided that they
would take direct responsibility
for building the mikva. Within
a short time, the Georgian
immigrants and R Yaakov saw
that the Rebbes advice had
worked.
R Yaakov also took care of
founding a religious school for
the immigrants.
Throughout
the years, he was involved in the
Rebbes mivtzaim. For decades,
every Friday he went on mivtza
tfillin and also did mivtza
Sukkos, Chanuka and Purim.
After he retired, he was
appointed shliach of the Central
Bus Station in Tel Aviv. For
seventeen years, each and every
day, he manned the tfillin stand
there for hours. Every day, he
put tfillin on with many people
and he encouraged many of them
to strengthen their Torah study
and mitzva observance.
In recent years, he suffered
from health problems and on
17 Teves he passed away. He
is survived by his wife, and
his children: Leah Raksin,
R Boruch, R Yitzchok, R
Menachem, Chana Kreiman, R
Chaim, and R Shmuel.

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PARSHA THOUGHT

THE GREAT
OFFENSIVE
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

PRIESTLY GARMENTS
Garments play an important
role in the life of a Jew. But in
no area of Torah learning is the
significance of clothing more
pronounced than in reference
to the Bais HaMikdash. When
a Kohen offered sacrifices or lit
the Menorah, he had to wear the
four Priestly garments. The High
Priest could not officiate without
an additional four garments.
The
Priestly
garments
endowed the Kohen with dignity
and beauty and pointed to an
ultimate state of perfection in
which the external appearance
mirrored the internal.
The Talmud ascribes another
quality to the priestly garments.
Each of them brought atonement
for a specific sin.
The Mil-the Robe with its
bells, the Talmud (Erchin 16a)
states, atoned for lashon haraslander. The Holy One, blessed
is He, said, Let something that
emits sound come and atone for
acts of emitting sound.
One is entitled to ask how
does the mere wearing of a
garment effect atonement for
any sin, let alone the sin of
lashon hara, which our Sages
equate with idolatry, adultery and
bloodshed?
It may be suggested that the
answer is actually provided in the

very detailed requirements of the

robe mentioned in this weeks
parsha:
You should make the Robe of
the Apron entirely out of tcheiles
(turquoise wool). Its collar
at the top should be hemmed
inside, the work of a professional
weaver, like the collar of a coat
of armor. It must not be torn.
On its bottom edge you should
make pomegranate shapes
and golden bells [W]hen he
performs the service, and its
sound should be heard when
he enters the Holy Place before
G-d

NEGATING IDOLATRY
The first description of the
robe in this verse is that it was
associated with the EphodApron. It was worn underneath
the Apron. The Apron, the
Talmud states, atoned for the sin
of idolatry.
The message then is to
enrobe and envelope ourselves
with a holiness that will sensitize
us against seeing the faults of
others; we must negate idolatry
in all of its forms, particularly
self-worship. When a person is
full of himself he all too easily
sees the negative in others. Sadly,
by exposing the others negative
aspects he enhances and justifies
his own sense of importance.

To wean ourselves off the

need to see and speak of the
deficiencies of others, we must
garb ourselves with the power
to remove every vestige of selfglorification from our heart.

REDIRECTING LOVE AND

FEAR
The second trait of the
robe described in this verse is
that it had to be made entirely
out of tcheiles. In Chassidic
literature this material is seen as
a metaphor for love of and fear/
reverence for G-d. Tcheiles is
related to a word that means to
be consumed with passion for
G-d. Conversely, the Talmud sees
the bluish color of the tcheiles
as a vivid reminder of the blue
heavens above which helps foster
our awareness of and reverence
for G-d.
Thus, to buttress our efforts
at combating the obsession with
seeing the negative in others we
must transform our emotions
of love and fear and redirect
them toward G-d. Without that
redirection we risk allowing
our hearts to focus on our own
interests and fears. When we
are full of anxiety we conjure up
enemies that dont exist; we see
the negativity in others. When
we are consumed with self-love
we feel compelled to justify it by
demeaning others. This makes

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us feel that we look good and are

worthy of our self-love.
When we channel our love
toward G-d and G-dly things we
no longer have the need to look
down at others, the root cause of
lashon hara.

HEAD IN THE MOUTH

The third aspect of the Robe is
that its collar should be hemmed
at the top.
The Chassidic work Oheiv
Yisroel
provides
a
novel
interpretation of the symbolism
in this requirement, following its
literal rendition:
Its head shall be inside its
mouth; a hem shall be made
around its mouth.
This, the Oheiv Yisroel states,
is to suggest that we must place
our heads in our mouths. We do
that by thinking before speaking
and thereby create a hem, a guard
and protection for the words that
flow from our mouths.

GET PROFESSIONAL HELP!

The fourth requirement of the
Robe is that it must be the work
of a professional weaver.
Creation of the Robe that
transforms our idolatrous way
of thinking and self-serving
emotions cannot be left to
amateurs. We must seek the
counsel of professionals. As our
Sages state (Ethics of the Fathers
Chapter one): Make for yourself
a teacher. Every individual has
to look for someone who can
inspire, guide and support this
transformation.

COAT OF ARMOR
The fifth characteristic of the
Robe is that it must be like the
collar of a coat of armor.
The preceding four measures
are based on the need to

transform ourselves by ceasing

idolatrous
self-worship
and
redirecting our passion and
anxiety with the assistance of our
mentors.
They do not necessarily
protect us from external threats,
however. We must therefore
create spiritual armor that will
deflect the poisonous arrows of
hatred and division that come at
us from the Galus environment.
There are two ways of
creating a protective shield. The
first is to withdraw from society,
live a totally insular life and shun
all influences from the outside
world.
The problem with this
approach is that it cannot fully
succeed in preventing the outside
influences from getting through.
A bullet-proof vest can shield
ones torso from an assassins
bullet, but it doesnt protect the
head. Without even realizing it,
the insidious hostile influences of
the world find ways of entering
our minds and then from our
minds creep into our speech and
taint every other part of our lives.
This is particularly true in this
day and age, when it has become
virtually impossible to keep all of
the most negative influences from
entering our homes and schools
and affecting our children.

THE BEST DEFENSE IS

A GOOD OFFENSE!
There must be another
form of armor for our complete
protection.
This approach is based on
a Biblical verse that describes
tzdaka as armor. The Talmud
(Bava Basra 9b) cites the prophet
Yeshayahus declaration: And he
garbed himself with tzdaka as a
coat of mail as an ode to the
power that tzdaka has to shield
us from moral harm.

We must learn how to protect

ourselves by considering the
lesson of a famous adage which
goes, the best defense is a good
offense.
When we reach out to others
and give them material and
spiritual tzdaka, we become
impervious to malign outside
influences.
When we do so, we are too
busy reaching out to others with
a positive message to have the
time and energy necessary to
absorb the negative vibes. To
paraphrase a Talmudic principle
regarding the kosher laws: When
a pot is busy spewing out its
contents it cannot simultaneously
absorb new flavors.
Second, little by little,
every effort at spiritual tzdaka
neutralizes,
refines
and
transforms the environment.

DONT RIP IT!

The sixth element of the Robe
is that it must not be torn.
There are people who, in the
process of influencing others,
need to rip them. This is not the
way to get rid of the negativity
in others. We may not rip the
Robe. Some folk even apply the
idea of ripping the Robe when
dealing with their own negative
traits and actions. While Judaism
advocates that we rebuke others
along with serious soul-searching
and repentance on our own part,
it does not want us to rip the
other or ourselves in the process.
Our efforts at strengthening our
defenses must not be destructive.

POMEGRANATES
AND BELLS
The
seventh
point
of
description of the Robe is that it
had to have woolen pomegranates
and golden bells on its bottom
edge. These bells were designed
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29

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PARSHA THOUGHT

One way of creating a protective shield is to

withdraw from society, live a totally insular life
and shun all influences from the outside world. The
problem with this approach is that it cannot fully succeed
in preventing the outside influences from getting
through. A bullet-proof vest can shield ones torso from
an assassins bullet, but it doesnt protect the head.
Without even realizing it, the insidious hostile influences
of the world find ways of entering our minds and then
from our minds creep into our speech and taint every
other part of our lives.
to ring when the High Priest
would enter the Holy Place.
The Rebbe explains that the
bells worn by the High Priest
convey a message, specifically,
for these last days of exile. Our
mission today is to bring the light
of Torah and Mitzvos to those
who have yet to appreciate their
value. These Jews are represented
by the pomegranates, about
which the Talmud states, Even
the sinners among you are filled
with Mitzvos as a pomegranate is
filled with seeds.
We cannot be content with
quiet and deliberate action to
reach all of our lost brethren.
We must employ all forms of
publicity and fanfare to reach
the largest number of Jews and
bring them back into the fold.

The way we educate them must

involve making a lot of noise, as
represented by the bells on the
bottom of the Robe.
This message assumed even
more importance after the
Rebbe told us that our mission
now is to prepare ourselves and
the entire world for the coming
of Moshiach and the Final
Redemption. To accomplish this
we have to harness every form of
modern technology and ring all
the bells of our Robe.

GETTING RID OF GALUS

THE ULTIMATE LASHON
HARA
The parshas lesson of how to
deal with lashon hara through
wearing the Robe is especially

pertinent today. Galus is one

ceaseless lashon hara experience.
We Jews, our Torah and our G-d
are continually slandered by the
enemies of Israel. The connection
between lashon hara and Galus
can be understood mystically as
well. Divine speech, which was
responsible for the creation of the
world, is now muted, allowing
evil to exist and flourish.
To counter the slander,
and usher in the ultimate age
of lashon tov-positive speech,
we must take the seven steps
discussed above:
a) Negate idolatrous selfworship.
b) Redirect our passion and
anxiety into love of G-d and fear/
reverence for Him.
c) Put our heads in our
mouths by having our minds
control our speech.
d) Avail ourselves of the help
of mentors.
e) Wear protective armor.
Mount a vigorous offense by
reaching out and transforming
the dark world.
f) Avoid ripping others or
ourselves.
g) Avail ourselves of every
means at our disposal and with
as much fanfare as possible, to
go on the offensive and introduce
the world to Judaism, with
particular emphasis on preparing
for Moshiach.

www.MoshiachForKids.com
Check it out!! Educational and Fun!!
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TZIVOS HASHEM

PLANNING
FOR PURIM
By Y. Shreiber

The cellphone rang, playing

a lively Chabad Purim tune. R
Menachem answered the phone
with one hand while, with his
other hand, he placed a Megilla
next to some others. Hello,
Yechi HaMelech, he gaily
answered.
On the line was his friend, R
Pinny, a shliach nearby. Hello
Menachem, can you come to
a meeting of the partimim
(princes)?
Menachem
who?!
Of
didnt get it at first. Then he
burst out laughing. You mean
the rulers?
mean the local
Yes, I
rulers who were sent by
Melech HaMoshiach, laughed
Pinny. You got it. We need
to prepare all the Jews in all
the provinces of the king, the
nation of Mordechai, to have
them fulfill all the mitzvos
of Purim in the right time,
as Mordechai HaYehudi (the
Rebbe) commanded us.
Many of the terms he used
were taken from the Megilla
and his meaning was clear: The
shluchim were going to have a
meeting to prepare for Mivtza
Purim the four mitzvos of the
Yom Tov: reading the Megilla,
mishloach manos, gifts to the

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poor, and feasting and rejoicing.

When will the meeting
take place? asked Menachem.
Pinny continued to respond
using phrases from the Megilla.
In the twelve month which
is the month of Adar, on the
Please make a
eighth day.
supreme effort to destroy, kill,
and cause to perish all things
which can prevent you from
Your presence is
attending.
very important to us. Be ready
for that day.
Who else is coming? asked
Menachem, as he arranged
the material that he would be
distributing and which had
come in that days mail
flyers, colorful Megillos Esther,
and brochures.
The seven ministers of the
city who see the kings face who
sit first in the kingdom. Pinny
meant the shluchim. They will
all be there, and so will you.
Menachem continued making
preparations for the Purim
events in the neighborhoods
under his jurisdiction. At the
meeting he would hear ideas
from his fellow shluchim and
share his own ideas. It would
be interesting.
The seven shluchim met at
Pinnys Chabad house where

there was a nice conference

room. On the table were some
refreshments, drinks and a
bottle of mashke to wish lchaim
and lots of success in their
activities.
Pinny: Thanks to all of you
for taking the time to come. I
will ask each of you to describe
your activities and this way, we
will get to hear ideas of how
to expand activities in our own
areas. Menachem, youre first.
Menachem: Since all of the
activities of Mivtza Purim need
to be with a focus on how it
leads to kabbalas pnei Moshiach
Tzidkeinu, as the Rebbe told
us in the sicha at the Kinus
HaShluchim 5752, every detail
of our activities has to reflect
For example, we will
this.
send mail to all our mekuravim
which will say that Moshiach
begins with the letter mem
just like all the mitzvos of Purim
begin with the letter mem.
Doing each of these mitzvos will
certain lead from the joy of the
Geula of Purim to the joy of the
true and complete Geula.
Shimmy: Nice, great idea.
By us, all the families belonging
to the Chabad house khilla,
about 200 families, will get
We
beautiful shalach manos.
attached special stickers to the

2015-02-24 7:34:42 AM

bottles of wine which have

a message about Moshiach and
Geula. This way, each family
will receive not only an actual
shalach manos but also, a
spiritual shalach manos.
about
Speaking
Yossi:
families of the community, the
secretary at my Chabad house
is working on ensuring that
everyone who davens by us,
and their families, will hear
the Megilla. She spends hours
on the phone to verify this
with them and whoever cant
come to where the Megilla will
be read, will have someone go
to them. We have a team of
bachurim who have prepared
the Megilla and they will have
access to cars belonging to
There will be
mekuravim.
someone in charge of making
sure that they are traveling to
the right people at the right
time.
Yitzchok: We are having
bachurim bring joy to people
in the hospital, at the police
station, fire station, and the
municipality. Each team will
have some musical instrument,
either a keyboard or a guitar
or something like that. We will
sing Purim songs and in every
public place we go we

will set up a small Purim feast

for the employees, patients, etc.
Tzvi: We dont have a
hospital, police station or fire
station in our area but we
have many senior centers.
We will bring a large group
of high school girls to do the
mitzvos with the seniors. This
is, of course, in addition to my
reading the Megilla in all those
senior centers.
Eli: In our area too, all
the senior centers are visited
on Yom Tov but the most
interesting of all is visiting
schools and preschools. We give
the kids an incredible Purim
experience which they wouldnt
otherwise,
school
in
get
unfortunately.
Pinny: How do you do that?
Eli: The method is simple.
We put together a small play
with two young guys who belong
to the Chabad house, that
presents the entire Purim story
briefly and in an entertaining
way. Theres special music for
the performance and we take it
to all the schools. The feedback
is extremely positive.
Menachem: Maybe well have
you come to us too
Eli: Fine, you just have to
plan it ahead of time because
every day we make one or
two appearances.

Yossi: Speaking of kids, our

cultural center is full on Purim
for a Tzivos Hashem rally.
Chazal tell us about Mordechai
who gathered all the children
of Shushan and the Rebbe
asked us to gather the children
on Purim. We recite the 12
Psukim together, say some
chapters of Thillim, and watch
a special Purim performance
a bunch of clowns and jugglers
who make merry. One of the
things we are very particular
about is that the background
music be Chassidishe niggunim
and not songs from the street.
Shimmy: There is a lot to
learn from you about that
point about the music
Menachem: At the end of
the day, towards sunset, the
entire community gathers at
our Chabad House for a Purim
feast. Beforehand, some of the
chevra set up the place, put up
a big mechitza, decorate the
tables, and the seuda begins
a few minutes before sunset
with everyone washing their
There are
hands properly.
divrei Torah, songs and mashke
which put everyone in the
Purim mood, and its a time for
good hachlatos for the whole
year. Whatever I am not able
to accomplish with the chevra
all year at farbrengens, I have
great success with on Purim.
Pinny: Its that way by
The thing is, you
me too.
need to take advantage of
this atmosphere to imbue the
participants with faith that the
Rebbe is about to appear. Even
if throughout the year, they
dont all accept this, Purim
is a time to reveal the emuna
within every Jew. Good luck
to us all!

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