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REACH
Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 31, pg. 23-27
name Havaya, I did not make
known to them” – “I was not
recognized by them with My
attribute of truth, whereupon my
Translated by Boruch Merkur name is called Havaya.” For
without the revelation of the name
Havaya to the Patriarchs, “I was
[Continued from last issue.]
not recognized by them with My attribute of truth.”26
5. This is also the eternal lesson for every single The nature of the attribute of truth is the absence
Jew, applicable even in the time of exile: of change, as stated in the Yerushalmi,27 “The seal of
It is known25 that every single individual is able to the Holy One Blessed Be He is ‘emes (truth),’”28 as
attain the state of redemption and salvation in his seen in the three letters that comprise the word: Alef,
spiritual service, even prior to the general redemption Mem, Sav. The first letter of the word, Alef, is the first
of the Jewish people (when there will be the complete letter in the alphabet; Mem is the median letter; and
redemption and salvation, literally in the physical Sav is the final letter of the alphabet, [thereby
sense, as well). expressing a quality that is characteristic of G-d
That being so, it is possible that a person might Himself] as it is written,29 “I am the first, I am the
have difficulty discerning whether he remains in a last, and other than Me there is no deity.” That is, the
state of “exile” or whether he has merited to attain a concept of truth is that it is omnipresent – at the
state of “redemption.” Indeed, it is conceivable that he beginning, middle, and end, equally and invariably –
would surmise that since he has overpowered his Evil
FRUITS OF
ERETZ YISROEL
By Menachem Ziegelboim
was in danger. The doctors said encouraged the patients. This attracts forces to transform the bad
they didn’t know what to say except wasn’t a rational decision on my to good.
that her condition was critical. part. “Keren is now 28 and she is
When you stand in front of Dr. “After a few hours of this, a married and happy with a little girl.
Zeitzov a”h of Belinson and you see nurse asked me to rush to the office She is living with me until their new
her worried face and hear her say of the head of the department. We house is built.”
it’s critical because her immune went and she looked at us ***
system is down to zero, you feel openmouthed. Neither she nor the At a certain point the two
utterly helpless. According to the entire staff could explain what had Shimons and I meet to uproot a
medical literature, it takes at least just happened, but my daughter’s tree that had already been grown in
ten days for the immune system to immune system had suddenly a sack for the purpose of
recover and get back to normal. reached normal levels. transferring it. Shimon Friedman
“The brachos I had requested “From this I learned that we are was on the tractor and Shimon
and gotten, as well as the support actually always living a test. We are Ben-Brit stood and lovingly
from the Chassidei Chabad, made tested from Above and often, you supervised the work. When I asked
me suddenly think differently. I need a lot of strength to get out of whether they were uprooting a plant
impulsively told my wife to stay your routine of life in order to they said, “G-d forbid. We are just
with my daughter while I went out. understand the message. transferring the tree somewhere
I wasn’t raised as a Chassid who “That’s when I understood the else.”
spread Judaism and light, and I answer I had gotten the week At the end of a complicated job,
don’t know what got into me. I before from the Rebbe of ‘think the three of us leaned on the tractor
began looking for people to do good and it will be good, I will and the two Shimons reminisced.
tz’daka with them. I met a poor mention it at the gravesite.’ That is “When I was well along in my
man and gave him tz’daka. Then I the force that moves us and then connection to the Rebbe,” said Ben-
went from bed to bed and you begin to act. Positive thinking
Consistently
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BOGDAN
KHMELNITSKY IS
TURNING OVER IN
HIS GRAVE
By Chani Nussbaum
beginning, her work around the year, that there is a chemistry. We spoke
about the challenges that we knew
her disappointments and her nachas. we would have to face.
My husband sat down to write
to the Rebbe and included our
How did you get to your place shlichus to Ofakim. We were there concerns. The answer he opened
of shlichus? for two years with Rabbi Yisroel to in the Igros Kodesh amazed us.
When I first met my husband, Hershkowitz and we learned a lot The Rebbe said you need to work
Yehoshua Raskin, we spoke about from him. in ways of pleasantness and peace
going on shlichus. He told me that At some point we felt we with all the Jewish organizations in
he wanted to go on shlichus in wanted to be independent. Just at the city, and “in a place where
America or Russia. He saw that I that time, I heard that Rabbi there is no man, you have to be a
was taken aback and he asked me Shlomo Wilhelm of Zhitomir, man.” The Rebbe said that
why. I told him that I could not Ukraine was urgently looking for Hashem gave him the talents he
see ever leaving Eretz Yisroel. shluchim. We contacted him and needed for this and if he didn’t do
We thought maybe it wasn’t went to the Ukraine for a week to it, then nobody would do it … At
worth continuing to meet but he see what it was like. Rabbi the end of the letter, the Rebbe
suggested leaving it up to Wilhelm took us to Khmelnitsky, wrote mazal tov on the birth of a
Hashem, “He will lead us to where three hours away from Zhitomir son (at that point we had no
He wants us to go.” Seven months and suggested that we be shluchim children yet).
after our wedding, we went on there. My husband called his mashpia
We are looking for another couple and had shown up in the middle of soon as possible because his
to come on shlichus here. the year, which doesn’t fit with the Jewish grandmother would never
Do you see results? Russian mentality. When we asked allow him to do it.
There were times that we the mother how she got to us, she Kyril went from boy to boy in
complained to our mashpiim that said she was sitting at a beauty school and convinced them to
we wanted to see more fruits of parlor and met her friend, who have a bris too. Little first and
our labors, and the answer we got praised our school which her son second graders began begging
was that our job was not to seek attends. their parents for a bris.
fruits. I once opened to a letter in She decided to switch her Eight children ended up having
the Igros Kodesh that our work is children to this good Jewish a bris at the hospital and Kyril
to sow and Hashem sees what is school. She knew nothing at all took the Jewish name Dan. He
in the heart. We don’t know or see about Judaism. All she knew was was given t’fillin and a mezuza
everything, which is why the that her mother and grandmother and we arranged for his bar
Rebbe never asked a shliach: Tell were Jewish and she showed us mitzva celebration. He was happy,
me, how many chozrim b’ t’shuva her papers that proved it. Her son, but not for long.
are there in your city? Or: How Kyril, tall, thin, and blonde, went He continued attending my
many grew a beard? to eighth grade and his sister, husband’s classes and began
Even if a child graduates from Alona, to sixth grade. He turned making his parents crazy. On
the Jewish school and has not out to be an especially smart boy Chanuka he lit a menora and
adopted a Jewish way of life, we and it wasn’t easy for him to nearly burned his room down. On
don’t know how he was affected accept the Jewish ideas he was Pesach he went with his family to
by his Jewish education. The fact hearing. He did not want to wear his grandmother in Russia and ate
that he ate kosher every day, said a kippa and he didn’t want to only matza, fruits, and vegetables.
brachos, davened and learned learn Ivrit or about Judaism. None He slowly began keeping Shabbos
about Judaism is vastly important. of our explanations helped. and going to shul. The hardest
Maybe, thanks to this, he will One day, my husband decided thing for him was kashrus. His
marry a Jew. to start a Sunday school and mother panicked and was offended
Tell us some success stories. wonder of wonders, Kyril showed that her son, who used to like her
A few years ago, two new up regularly and asked lots of cooking, suddenly didn’t want any
students came to our school, a good questions. He once surprised of it and bought kosher food from
brother and sister. This was my husband with a request to be us.
surprising since we didn’t know circumcised like Avrohom Avinu. We had to calm her down and
them and they were older already He said that he wanted to do it as my husband was great at this.
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‘EXAGGERATED
HONOR’ GIVEN TO
THE REBBE?!
By Rabbi Sholom Dovber HaLevi Wolpo
Translated By Michoel Leib Dobry
11 SHVAT: MOSHIACH TZIDKEINU WILL BE REVEALED IN 770 15 SHVAT: PRECIOUS STONES AND GEMS
In simple terms, Moshiach Tzidkeinu will come immediately “A land of wheat and barley and vines and pomegranates;
and be revealed here, in the four cubits of my revered father-in- a land of olive oil and honey.”
law, the Rebbe, leader of the generation, where he spent the last (D’varim 8:8)
ten years of his life in this world – davening, learning, and The Jewish People are compared to a land where precious
proclaiming “Immediately to Redemption.” stones and gems have been hidden, only that there is a need to
And so it will be with us, “immediately” in the literal sense, look for them, an intensive search (since they are located in
and particularly since many decades have already passed since special places in the earth). One must dig deeply in the earth
the proclamation of “Immediately to Redemption,” with an even (since in most places, they are not on the face of the earth,
greater intensification in matters of Torah and mitzvos. rather within its depths) – as compared to the work of plowing.
Thus, the time for the True and Complete Redemption has …except that there is a need for far greater toil (and since
surely arrived already in actual deed, immediately mamash. the toil is greater, so too the find – “you toiled and you found”
(Shabbos Parshas Haazinu 5749) – is greater)… (and) thus the elevation is made all the greater,
according to the distinction between the toil of plowing to make
12 SHVAT: GEULA PROCLAIMED FROM CHUTZ LA’ARETZ things grow and the toil of digging …
“Melech HaMoshiach…stands on the roof of the Beis We must utilize the time of “the Rosh HaShana of trees” to
HaMikdash and announces to the Jewish people, saying, increase and be strengthened in all matters of the avoda of “a
‘Humble ones, the time of your Redemption has arrived.’” land of wheat and barley and vines and pomegranates; a land of
(Yalkut Shimoni – Yeshayahu 499), as was and continues to be olive oil and honey,” whether in relation to ourselves or in
proclaimed, especially as of late. relation to activities with others …
We note the precise language of the Midrash, “stands on the May it be G-d’s Will that the good resolution in all the
roof of the Beis HaMikdash. The roofs were not sanctified, and aforementioned (that “G-d sees into the heart”) will
this alludes to the fact that the proclamation of ‘Humble ones, immediately and speedily bring the reward – that “we will go
the time of your Redemption has arrived’ comes from the with our young and our old” (and we will travel with “Clouds of
Diaspora, which was not sanctified with the holiness of Eretz Glory”) to our Holy Land, the whole Eretz Yisroel (not only the
Yisroel (demonstrated by the difference between the roof of the land of the ten nations), “a land of wheat and barley and vines
Beis HaMikdash and the inside of the Beis HaMikdash itself). and pomegranates; a land of olive oil and honey” (“to eat from
(Shabbos Parshas Chayei Sara 5751) its fruit and be satisfied from its goodness,” and to bless “on the
land and on its fruits”),
13 SHVAT: THE MOST LOFTY CONCEPTS IN HUMAN TERMS and a land filled with precious stones and gems. And in Eretz
In relation to G-d’s revelation of the reasons and secrets of the Yisroel itself – to Yerushalayim the Holy City, to the holy
Torah, “there will come forth from Me” – even though the level of mountain, to the Beis HaMikdash, to the Kodesh HaKadoshim
Torah is one that cannot be revealed by man, rather by G-d (where there is also found the Even HaSh’siya, “from where the
Himself (“from Me”), in any event, it will come down to earth, in world was founded”).
the understanding and comprehension of human intellect. (Chamisha Asar B’Shvat 5752)
…this means that “the new Torah” that will be revealed
through him (Moshiach) in a manner of prophecy will be drawn 16 SHVAT: ALL INVOLVEMENT IN THE FUTURE TO COME WILL
down and clothed in human intellect as well, and “he will teach BE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF G-D
the entire people,” who “will be great chachamim and know “And the whole world will have no occupation other than
hidden matters, and they will attain the knowledge of their to know G-d.”
Creator, according to the capacity of a human being. In other (Rambam, Hilchos Melachim, Chapter 12)
words, even the loftiest concepts of the “new Torah” will be The precise wording, “The whole world will have no
attained and instilled within human intellect. occupation other than to know G-d,” even negates such pursuits
(kuntres “Torah Chadasha M’Iiti Teitzei” 5751) that are obligatory according to Torah in these times, according
14 SHVAT: BARREN TREES WILL BEAR FRUIT to the ruling of the Rambam in Hilchos Talmud Torah (3:9) –
that one whose profession is Torah must work “a little each day
…Then, there will also be the concept of “a tree of the field” for his livelihood.” Thus, in the days of Moshiach, there won’t
in its fullest sense – “even barren trees will bear fruit in the even be a need for this minimal occupation.
Future to Come,” as “in the days of Adam HaRishon,” when (Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 27, p. 238)
barren trees will turn into fruit-bearing trees, signifying the
elevation of transforming darkness into light. 17 SHVAT: A REVELATION OF A NEW LIGHT
Furthermore, there is its model in the avoda of man, namely, The inner purpose of the Exile is the revelation of new light.
“man is [comparable to] the tree of the field” – the ultimate level And as we approach this revelation of new light, the influence of
of t’shuva, in a manner of transformation – “his intentional G-dly revelation becomes more distant. Therefore, as this
transgressions become merits,” reaching the avoda of t’shuva process continues, as we approach the Redemption, as we get
for tzaddikim: “Moshiach comes to bring the tzaddikim to closer to Moshiach, the more intense the Exile becomes.
repentance.”
(Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 2, p. 362)
(Seifer Hisvaaduyos 5748, p. 330, muga)
MOLCFIB
FROM SYRIA
By Nosson Avrohom
chachamim. When the police
came, the children would run into
the shul and start reciting
T’hillim, for that was not
forbidden.
It wasn’t only the police who
He escaped from Syria and ended up in made their lives difficult. As time
passed, the Jewish children
Beirut. From there he managed to get suffered from the taunting of the
to the Holy Land. * He became Arab children in the city.
The spiritual life in the
acquainted with Chabad and became a community was oppressive.
Previously, there had been a
Chassid, while filling senior positions Jewish print shop that printed
Jewish books, but from 1946,
as an engineer working with fighter when the Syrian police were given
the authority to make decisions
planes and spy planes for the Air Force about state matters, the printing
and for the Intelligence services. * A shop was closed. They had to
import their s’farim and this was
fascinating profile. allowed only after the censor
approved them.
Not surprisingly, more and
Many people in Kfar Chabad requests from senior officials who more Jews chose to leave Syria,
know R’ Yom Tov Gindi, a quiet want to consult with him. but it was very difficult. Syrian
Chassidishe Yid. Every morning He was born in 1957 in Intelligence knew the names of
R’ Yom Tov goes to the Kollel in Chalab, Syria, and like his the members of the community
the 770 of Kfar Chabad, where he brothers he was given a Jewish and followed every suspicious
learns with his chavrusa. In education. His father, R’ Yaakov, move in the attempt to escape.
general, a lion’s share of his day is was an outstanding figure in the Their estrangement from their
devoted to learning. His life is one community. Whatever he said was neighbors was even greater during
of utter hiskashrus to the Rebbe. accepted unquestioningly. He was the State of Israel’s wars. “When
Most people are unaware of his one of those who arrived among the Six Day War broke out, there
past history. Even after a lengthy the first to shul and left last. was a terrible feeling. Our
interview, I feel as though I only “The Jews of the community, neighbors informed us that in a
got part of his story. big and small, called him ‘Yaakov little while they would slaughter
R’ Yom Tov worked for over Diknish’ from the root “dikna all the Jews and some of them
two decades in senior positions in kadisha” (lit., holy beard). The began planning how to divide our
the aircraft industry, directing origin, according to family property. But Hashem helped and
projects around the globe and tradition, comes from an ancestor Israel’s victory was so stupendous
being involved in security who was a Kohen in the Beis that the Arabs treated us with
intelligence. In his last job he HaMikdash. He would sweep the respect.”
engineered quality upgrades for floor with his long beard,” says R’ Nevertheless, the feeling was
existing planes, a complex and Yom Tov. that nobody knew what tomorrow
important position in the aircraft Life in Chalab was good until would bring and they had to leave
industry. Till this day he gets the police began hounding them.
as soon as possible. leaving and knew that now we wore sunglasses. We were terrified
The Gindi family tried to leave would remain in Syria. With each of being caught and our fear grew
Syria for the first time in 1964. passing day life grew more by the second. He gave us Arab
The year before, the Baath party difficult, which is why we had identity papers and we studied our
had taken over the government decided that we had to flee, no new names. We walked through
and since then, life for the Jews matter the danger. central thoroughfares bustling
there was even more difficult. The “It was only a few days later with people. Our fear that we
Gindi family wanted to leave that we realized what a miracle would be identified was
before it was too late. They had occurred. One of the families enormous. Our terror increased at
experienced a miracle when they that had decided to flee with that one junction when an evil
decided to postpone their trip. It same smuggler was caught. The policeman walked towards us,
was after they had paid the local smuggler had become a police someone who knew us well. I said
smuggler and had prepared, agent, for he hoped that in this Shma Yisroel and prayed that he
physically and mentally for the way he would be saved from wouldn’t notice us.
trip. punishment. This family faced “Our trip continued for several
Shortly before they left, late at accusations of treason and a slew hours until we arrived at the
night, Rav Shasho, one of the of other crimes and were tortured border with Lebanon. At the
rabbanim in the community, came in jail. This event postponed our border, the smuggler told us to
to their house. He had found out leaving for nine years. feign sleep. The car was opened
about their plan and he censured “The decision to leave was by the border guards and a strong
their father for not thinking about made in 1973, when I was 17, beam of light blinded us. I prayed
his brother who would be arrested and it was decided that only my that all would go well. My teeth
shortly after they left. two sisters and I would flee. I chattered in fright and my body
“My father listened to him and arranged our leaving with the trembled and had Goosebumps. I
with his faith in chachamim he did local smuggler. In the first phase I had never been so afraid in all my
not even try to argue with him. brought him only 100 Syrian liras. life.
He simply canceled our trip. I’ll “In the evening we went to the “The routine search went well
never forget how he got undressed local market and when it was and after a few hours we arrived
and put on pajamas. I looked at completely dark we met the at the shul in Beirut. I was
him and cried. I had dreamed of smuggler, a husky Syrian who ecstatic. The next day, the
appearance and heartiness that they had worked on the unexpected happened. One of the
captivated him. He eventually did planes on Shabbos. I pleaded with members of the Spanish team
t’shuva and has a frum family the manager not to work on went up to one of the planes while
today.” Shabbos but to no avail. He holding a screwdriver. He
One of the issues that R’ Yom always pushed me off but I removed some parts from the
Tov identifies with the most is persisted. upholstery in the pilot’s cabin,
preserving the holiness of “One week he admitted to me rubbed the metal undercarriage
Shabbos. Till this day there are that the four weeks they had and saw it was rusty. He yelled
managers of various departments worked on Shabbos, they had that the company had tried to
in that company who are careful discovered unexpected glitches defraud the country of Spain and
not to desecrate the Shabbos, that occupied them all Shabbos sell them a rusty plane. It was
even if they are working under and delayed their progress on the very uncomfortable. The company
time pressure on big projects. project. He said he decided they apologized. They removed all the
They have learned, the easy way would not work on Shabbos. added equipment from the plane
or the hard way, thanks to R’ Yom What happened? All the problems and painted it again. The loss
Tov, that it doesn’t pay to stopped cropping up and the work amounted to 15 million shekel.
desecrate the Shabbos and that carried on as it was supposed to. “On the other hand, there were
working on Shabbos will not “After a few weeks I found out stories that showed that keeping
further the project in the slightest. that they were continuing to work Shabbos brought the industry
On the contrary, it can only hurt on Shabbos in the hangars. All my much success. When I worked in
it. requests that they stop were the planning department in the
“One of the big projects we ignored. Once again, they learned military sector of the industry, the
worked on in the aircraft industry about keeping Shabbos the hard US government announced it was
was called ‘Sympatia’ and it way. accepting bids for engineering and
involved improving Boeing 747 “After the project had ended, a planning the F-38, a training
planes and converting them into team from the Spanish army came plane. The Israeli aircraft industry
spy planes by attaching the and there was a ceremony in the also participated and submitted a
necessary gear. When I arrived at course of which the new plane bid. At that time, I was working
work every Sunday, I was told was displayed. Then something really hard and I would return
TIFERES BACHURIM
By Shneur Zalman Berger
Tiferes Bachurim for young men who farbrengens from time to time.
The Chassidishe niggunim, which
were working or in university and were accompanied by dancing,
greatly strengthened our spirits.
wanted to remain connected to a We knew that it entailed great
danger lest the neighbors hear us,
Jewish-Chassidic learning atmosphere. but how could you farbreng
without dancing?
* The two yeshiva networks were very “Occasionally we received
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