CONTENTS

18
FEATURED ARTICLES

WEEKLY COLUMNS

3 Dvar Malchus
22 Feature
29 Parsha Thought
32 Thought
33 Tzivos Hashem

A STAR BURNS BRIGHT

IN THE DESERT
Zalman Tzorfati

SOLDIER
10 ATILL
THE END

Shneur Zalman Berger

SECRET TO A
18 THE
SUCCESSFUL SUMMER

AT CAMP AND AT HOME

Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky

ELSE
24 NOTHING
BESIDES REBBE
Chanoch Shachar

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ENGLISH EDITOR:
Boruch Merkur
editor@beismoshiach.org

8/6/2015 1:17:33 AM

FEATURE

THE TREASURY OF
ALEXANDER
BIN-NUN

repeat the conversation not

in Yiddish as I heard it, in
order to be brief and my
translation is loose and I
hope I dont distort anything in
the transmission. The sorrow and
feeling of no-escape was heard
and felt and who, if not we the
bnei yeshiva, knew and felt and
encountered these persecutions.
Then there was the deep,
clear voice of R Meir Simcha
Chein: In the sidra it says, And
the children struggled within
her and she [Rivka] said, if so,
why me? And she went to seek
G-d. There are two questions
here. First, why did Rivka Imeinu
go to seek G-d rather than the
doctor or midwife? Second,
Rivka knew that she was carrying
twins for she suffered because
they struggled within her. If so,
how did it reassure her to be told,
there are two nations in your
belly?
Third, what Hashem said is
surprising for who cares who
will serve who, the oldest to the
youngest or vice versa, when
her complaint was and they
struggled and why me?
I think R Meir Simcha
raised his voice a bit when he
said: Chassidim! Rivka Imeinu
knew that they werent just any
children in her stomach. She had
left the house of Lavan not to

give birth to just any twins, but to

be the wife of Yitzchok, an olah
tmima (perfect offering), and to
take the place of Sarah Imeinu.
So Rivka knew even before
this that her two children were
two nations holiness and the
other side, good and bad. Her
question of G-d was, is it possible
that both are equal and one wont
overcome the other, that holiness
will not overcome evil? For she
felt them struggling within her
without one clear victor; this was
her fear. It wasnt the pain of a
difficult pregnancy that made her
seek G-d, but her wondering how
G-dliness and evil can be equally
strong.
To this, Hashem answers:
Although there are two nations
in your stomach, one nation
will overcome the other, and the
older one (Eisav) will serve the
younger (Yaakov). This calmed
her, for G-dliness and holiness
would vanquish the sitra achra
and Satan. And so it will be!
Concluded R Simcha, with his
deep bitachon, We must do and
do more and the strength of the
Rebbe strengthens us and they
will continue to learn Torah and
Chassidus.
I did not hear the rest of
the conversation. I hurried to
a shiur in the tractate Gittin
which was given by R Yudel

Eber or Berel Kornitzer in the

womens section of the kleinem
minyan along with my friends:
Lazer Lazarov, Notke Gurary,
Hillel the son of R Itche der
Masmid, Yosef Benshikovitzer,
Shmuel and Dovid the sons of
Chonye Morosov, Asher Batumer
Sasonkin, Hilke Asimov and the
oldest son of Shmuel Levitin and
others.

HOW WAS THE GLAZIER

BETTER THAN THE
PHILANTHROPIST?
In Tishrei, when I stayed at
the home of the Rebbe Rayatz
in Leningrad, I once went to the
mikva on Yekaterinislavski Canal
Street with my relative R Chonye
Morosov and he told me this
story:
R Chonye was the Rebbe
Rashabs aide. One time, R
Shmuel
Gurary
(Rashag),
the
wealthy
Chassid
and
philanthropist who was mekushar
to the Rebbe Rashab with all his
heart, soul, and might, asked R
Chonye to tell the Rebbe that he
had arrived.
The way it worked was, the
Continued on page 28

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DVAR MALCHUS

SEE WHAT YOU

WANT TO SEE
Translated by Boruch Merkur

25. The Zohar comments on

the verse, Your nation consists
entirely of tzaddikim: one who
is circumcised is called tzaddik.
The Rebbe Maharash cites this
Zohar and teaches that also when
it says, (Cast your burden upon
G-d, and He will bear you) He
shall never allow a righteous man
to falter [in making a living], this
is said regarding all Jews, for Jews
are called tzaddikim in virtue of
being circumcised, etc. But we must
understand how it is that there are
so many Jews that are impoverished
Why isnt each and every Jew
granted an abundant livelihood?
We may answer that the verse, He
shall never allow a righteous man
to falter, does indeed refer to all
Jews, as above. Why then are there
Jews who have such serious financial
crises? It is because their bitachon,
their faith and assurance in G-d, is
not as it should be Lack of faith
interrupts the flow of livelihood.
(It is analogous to shutting off the
current of hashpaa, the Divine
energy that provides livelihood.) If
one would put his faith in G-d
he would make an ample living and
he would experience the fulfillment
of [the first part of] the verse, Cast
your burden upon G-d, and He will
bear you.
The same principle applies to
drawing down influence though the
Rebbe.
But first to mention what I once
told an individual (a couple years

ago) that people see what they

want to see. That is, they interpret
the concept of histalkus in the literal
sense [of passing away]. They wish
to behold the great exaltedness of
the Rebbe, for whom the Lower Gan
Eden does not suffice, nor is the
Supernal Gan Eden adequate. True,
the Seventh Heaven is incredibly
sublime, but the greatness of the
Rebbe is loftier still Since the Almghty is the very essence of goodness,
and the nature of the good is to
bestow benevolence upon others,
G-d fulfills this persons wish and
shows him the exalted heights of the
Rebbe that the Rebbe transcends
even the Seventh Heaven and this
person remains below [i.e., distant
from the Rebbe]
However,
the
concept
of
histalkus may also be understood
on the basis of what the Rebbe
explains in the maamer Basi LGani,
which was published in honor of the
day of the yahrtzait [of the Rebbes
grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka].
Namely, histalkus is the revelation
of light at the lofty level of romemus,
exaltedness. That is, although
histalkus is romemus, something
transcendent and lofty, it is drawn
down below, as the statement of
the Zohar is explained in Igeres
HaKodesh: A tzaddik who passes
on is present in all worlds more
than when he was alive. When
one adopts this understanding of
histalkus with regard to the Rebbe,
then he is shown from On High how

the Rebbe is present in the world

below, and he sees with his mortal
eyes the influence extended to him
through the Rebbe.
This concept is reflected in
the words of the Rebbe (Rashab),
nishmaso Eden, to his son, my
revered father in-law, the Rebbe
that he called his name and said:
We shall remain whole [after our
histalkus] not only in terms of our
essence but also in terms of our
hispashtus.
That is, the influence the Rebbe
imparts is not limited to when he is
alive as a soul in a body, when he
can be seen with mortal eyes, but
even after his histalkus, when he is
not visible in this world.
In fact, after his histalkus, the
influence that extends from the
Rebbe is even greater, since the
limitations of the body are nullified.
And although there is the wellknown saying of the Alter Rebbe
(which is explained at length by my
revered father in-law, the Rebbe)
that the Giving of the Torah did not
take place in the lower hemisphere
the Rebbes influence extends not
only to the upper hemisphere but to
the lower hemisphere, as well.
And not only in a spiritual sense,
but also materially.
(From the address of Shabbos Parshas
Eikev, Chaf Menachem-Av 5713; Toras
Menachem 5713, pg. 124-125)

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PROFILE

A
STAR
BURNS BRIGHT

IN THE DESERT

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Tzachi was an outstanding drama student at Tel Aviv University when

he first met R Fishel Jacobs at the students club. Today, R Yitzchok
Francis is a busy shliach, a sought after speaker who reaches hundreds,
even thousands, a month, and a talented actor known to thousands of
bar mitzva boys and their families through the Chabad House of Yam
HaMelachs bar mitzva program. * In a conversation with Beis Moshiach,
the two of them tell of their first encounter, their deep talks, Shabbos
meals, struggles and the dramatic decision that changed the life of the
student. * About the Igeres HaTshuva, which was read with tears on the
university lawn, the secret to success in kiruv, and shlichus at the lowest
point on the globe.
By Zalman Tzorfati

he captivating desert
landscape which can be
seen from the peak of
Masada spreads forth as
far as the eye can see. Within a
not very large area, surrounded
by a low stone wall, the remnant
of a shul that served those who
fled for this mountain during the
second Temple era, sits a well to do
family on white plastic chairs. They
politely listen to the explanations of
R Shimon Elharar, director of the
Yam HaMelachMasada Chabad
house, about the bar mitzva
ceremony which is about to begin.
The rabbi promises an interesting
program and a special surprise.
The sun begins to heat
up, the father reaches out and
emotionally grasps the hand of
his son, the bar mitzva boy. The
mother wipes away tears. The
grandmother in a wheelchair
takes out a flowered fan from her
bag and tries to cool herself off,
and two cousins in the last row
start to lose interest. Suddenly, in
runs a figure from ancient times,
wearing a white robe and leaving
behind a trail of white dust. The

man breathes heavily and tells

the family that he has escaped
Jerusalem and the terrors of the
Roman government and he seeks
their help in finding his family
who have been lost.
It takes the crowd a few
minutes to figure out that
this is the promised surprise.
The escapee from the second
Temple era takes the family on a
fascinating journey from the Beis
HaMikdash to the bar mitzva of
the boy, in a performance full
of humor and Jewish messages
that turns the bar mitzva into an
unforgettable experience.
The actor is R Yitzchok
Francis, lecturer, actor, and
shliach at the Chabad House of
Yam HaMelach. On Tuesdays
and Thursdays, R Francis is busy
from morning till afternoon with
bar mitzva ceremonies on the
mountain. The rest of the time
he is a shliach who lectures on
positive thinking, relationships,
and many other subjects.
R Francis may have been
born an actor, but not a rabbi.

His first foray into Judaism was

made with the help of R Fishel
Jacobs who was a shliach at Tel
Aviv University. R Francis was
a drama student at the time and
the spark that R Jacobs ignited
turned into a flame that went up
of its own accord, which in turn,
ignites many others.

CULINARY TRADITION
R Francis, who was called
Tzachi back then, grew up in
Haifa. His parents made aliya
from the Balkans. He was
the youngest child of a small,
traditional family. They made
kiddush now and then, marked
holidays with special foods and
sometimes religiously too, but
not much more than that.
Tzachi was drawn to the stage
every since he can remember.
From a young age, I dreamed
of being an actor in the theater.
In high school, I chose theater
courses, and since then the stage
has been a part of me.
After high school, Tzachi was
drafted as a medic in a special
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Profile

R Yitzchok Francis
at a bar mitzva
ceremony on
Masada

People say that success occurs when opportunity

meets preparation. Tzachis neshama was a
spiritual powder keg and R Jacobs lit the match.
naval unit. When he finished his
service, he tried getting accepted
into an exclusive acting school,
the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio.
He was unsuccessful and he
decided to compensate himself
with a long tour in the US.
In America, I began a sort
of spiritual journey. I started
asking myself questions about
the future and the meaning of
life. I suddenly began to feel
strange stirrings when I did
inappropriate things, as though
G-d was watching me and was
not pleased. Later on, when I
returned home, my mother told
me that at precisely that time
she had decided to light Shabbos
candles as a merit for me. With
her motherly intuition, she sensed
my confusion and every Erev
Shabbos she prayed for me as she
lit the candles and asked Hashem
to illuminate my eyes and show

me the right way in life.

A MOTHERS PRAYER
Mrs. Francis prayers were
effective.
Tzachi
returned
home and began a process of
strengthening himself religiously.
He took out his bar mitzva tfillin
and started putting them on every
day and on Shabbos he went to
shul with his father.
Despite his failed attempt
with the Nissan Nativ School,
he did not give up on his dream.
Immediately upon his return
from New York, he registered for
drama at Tel Aviv University. It
was a four-year, very demanding
program.
I will be the first religious
actor, he told his mother, partly
in jest and partly seriously. But he
soon found himself torn between
worlds.

At home I was connected to

tfillin, shul, and Judaism, but
all that disappeared when I went
to university. I was drawn into
the studying and the pressure
and there was also the life on
campus and the atmosphere of
Tel Aviv which all had their effect.
It seemed impossible to me to
grow stronger in a Jewish sense
at university.
For two years, Tzachi
seesawed between Haifa and Tel
Aviv. At university he studiously
practiced his chosen craft and at
home he clung to his tfillin and
the old books.
For two years I was up and
down spiritually, until one day,
a good friend told me about a
special Chabad rabbi by the name
of Fishel Jacobs, who made
Shabbos meals for students on
campus. I went to see it and was
hooked.

INEVITABLE
CONFLAGRATION
It was for precisely situations
such as these that the Rebbe sent
R Fishel Jacobs of Kfar Chabad
to Tel Aviv University, and sent
hundreds of other shluchim to
universities and campuses around
the world. People say that success
occurs when opportunity meets
preparation. Tzachis neshama
was a spiritual powder keg and
R Jacobs lit the match. When the
two met, the resulting spiritual
conflagration was inevitable.
Said R Jacobs, We started
our work at the university in
5748. The university did not
welcome us with a red carpet and
nothing came easy. One day, we
were told that the dean was from
a Chabad family. We spoke to
him and he allowed us to work
out of a bomb shelter at the
student dorms. The truth is, to
say that he approved or allowed it

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is somewhat of an exaggeration.
It was more like he looked away
from our work. The shelter
turned into a shul which was
the Chabad House on campus.
We started regularly providing
Shabbos meals for students
there.
In 5748, the Jacobs family
was young. He was a prison
chaplain and his wife taught in
Beis Rivka. They funded their
work at the university out of their
salaries. Every Erev Shabbos was
a military operation for them.
We would cook the food at
home for dozens of people and
then load it all up and take the
kids and drive to Tel Aviv.

SHABBOS TABLE
ON CAMPUS
Friday night, we would go
with the children and stop at all
the dorms, knock at the door and
invite the students to a Shabbos
meal at the shelter. The meals
were outstanding experiences.
We could get 100 students on a
good week. It was all very alive,
with lots of mashke, a warm
atmosphere, simcha, and very
embracing. We would sing,
dance, say divrei Torah and
afterward, we would sit and talk
into the night. We also spent
the night at the shelter. After
all the students left, we would
put away the tables and spread
out mattresses and go to sleep.
That is how our children grew
up. These are the memories of
Shabbos from their childhoods.
This was the atmosphere
that Tzachi found when he went
with two friends, fellow drama
students. The three of them today
are Lubavitcher Chassidim.
I was already in my third
year. Due to the load of tests
and studying, I stayed most
Shabbasos at the university. I

R Fishel Jacobs with students at

the University of Tel Aviv

One night, I couldnt sleep, I was so torn. I

remembered R Jacobs and took a Tanya. I went
downstairs and began walking on the campus of Tel Aviv
University. It was late and the place was deserted. I sat
on the huge lawn and began reading Igeres HaTshuva
and burst into tears. I sat like that on the lawn for hours,
reading Tanya in tears like Thillim, and pleading with
Hashem to help me decide.

went to the Shabbos meal and

immediately felt that I found
what I had been looking for,
said Tzachi.
R Jacobs is a special guy.
The energy, the warmth, and
the caring that radiated from
him were something I had never
before experienced. I sat there
captivated by the joy and the
singing, and the excellent food
definitely played a role. After the
meal we would sit for long talks.
Always, at some point, R Jacobs
would take out a small Tanya
and start reading and explaining.
It was like his secret weapon, or
more correctly, like the cherry

on the frosting. I did not always

understand everything, but I felt
that this was something spiritual
that spoke to me. It was like a
relaxant pill for my neshama.

PILL FOR THE SOUL

I remember how one time,
we left at two in the morning
after one of these farbrengens. I
went to my room at the dorms.
I was wound-up and couldnt
sleep. I went back down to the
shelter and it was empty. I took a
Tanya and began reading it, like a
Thillim. I felt it was healing me.
This was the year of the

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Profile
drama department, recalls R
Jacobs. A lot of students came
from there. Three of them, Dori
Yitzchok, Yigal Admon and
Tzachi, became baalei tshuva.
During those years I was deeply
immersed in Tanya; it was part of
the hashpaa I got at the yeshiva
in Kfar Chabad. At every free
moment I would learn Tanya,
in the text and by heart. The
Tanya would come out at every
encounter I had with students.
It was very much emphasized
in our conversations. Always, at
some point, we would open the
sfarim and the students would
sit and listen and absorb a lot.
Week after week, encounter
after encounter, the small black
letters of the Tanya began to be
engraved in the minds and hearts
of the students. R Jacobs would
read and explain. The insights
they had to draw for themselves
and the ramifications on their
lives they were left to understand
on their own.
I myself was niskarev as a
student, says R Jacobs. The
one who was mekarev me was
the shliach at the University of
Vermont, R Shmuel Hecht ah.
He did not tell us what to do.
He would just teach and explain
and answer whatever we asked
and let us come to our own
conclusions. He died at the age
of 31 after making a number of
baalei tshuva, and he left us this
method. Since then, I follow him
with all my mekuravim. In prison,
at the university, and at our home
in Kfar Chabad, there is lots of
Tanya, Chassidus, and simcha,
and ultimately, it all clicks.
When asked whether he
thought Tzachi would turn out as
he did, R Jacobs said, Its funny,
but yes. Tzachi has a refined
neshama and I felt it immediately.
I remember sitting with him in a
long conversation and thinking,

with such a sensitive, refined

neshama he could be a mashpia.
I did not think of what type of
mashpia, whether of Chassidus
or on shlichus, but I thought
he would surely be involved in
having an influence on others.

NOBODY CARES WHAT

YOU KNOW, UNTIL THEY
KNOW THAT YOU CARE
When asked what is the
secret in the kiruv of Jews of
all backgrounds, to inspiring
people to become baalei tshuva,
R Jacobs said, I will tell you
something I never told anyone.
Always, whenever I am in a kiruv
situation, I am very particular
about reviewing as much Tanya
by heart as possible that same
day and if possible during the
encounter itself. This is true
whether its a lecture, shiur, or
personal conversation. I review
the words by heart until I feel
that they are glowing within me.
When I was young, I heard
a very wise statement and I try
to implement it all the time.
Nobody cares what you know,
until they know that you care.
You can be a genius in Chassidus,
and have a talent in explaining
things or convincing people, but
if you dont really care about the
message you are conveying or
about the people you are dealing
with, they might say wow at the
end of the lecture but you wont
really change anyone or anything.
When I talk to someone,
I first try, with all my heart, to
internalize and identify with the
message, and then to speak from
the heart and to think about
the person in front of me, to
love him. I tell him what I really
believe. Chazal say that words
from the heart enter the heart.
Afterward, when people become
Chassidim, they usually want

to influence others as they were

influenced.

IGERES HATSHUVA
WITH TEARS
Tzachi
became
more
involved. On those Shabbasos
that R Jacobs did not come, he
made sure to get a replacement.
The community in Ramat Aviv
supplied a convenient solution
and complicated arrangements
were no longer necessary as they
were in the early years. R Jacobs
was replaced by R Meir Tzvi
Turkov, R Shneur Chaviv, and
other young men.
I slowly got to know other
people and I learned something
from each of them. There were all
my rabbis, he says with a smile.
Tzachi heard about the
yeshiva in Ramat Aviv which
wasnt far away. The concept of
a yeshiva frightened him a bit and
it took some months until one
day he got up the courage to go.
The official excuse was to
check the mezuza I had in my
dorm room, but the moment I
entered the yeshiva, I became
a part of it. The chevra would
even sing about me, He came
to check a mezuza and became a
talmid of the yeshiva.
Tzachi became friends with
R Mendy Lerner, shliach to
Binyamina who was one of the
bachurim-shluchim.
I would go to yeshiva
whenever I had a break from
the university and I really
connected with the guys. R
Yossi Ginsburg, R Bentzion
Schwartz and the shluchim in
the yeshiva accompanied me on
my journey and gave me a feeling
of confidence. I had some really
difficult internal struggles. I was
about to finish my third year of
studies with excellent grades and
had one year left before earning

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my degree. It was a shame to

abandon it. Yet, I was more and
more attracted to the yeshiva and
knew my place was there.
One night, I couldnt sleep,
I was so torn. I remembered
R Jacobs and took a Tanya.
I went downstairs and began
walking on the campus of Tel
Aviv University. It was late and
the place was deserted. I sat on
the huge lawn and began reading
Igeres HaTshuva and burst into
tears. I sat like that on the lawn
for hours, reading Tanya in tears
like Thillim, and pleading with
Hashem to help me decide.
A short while later I wrote
to the Rebbe and opened to
an answer in the Igros Kodesh
written to a person who was
unsure of what to do next.
The Rebbe wrote he should do
what would increase Torah and
aggrandize it. I understood from
this that I should go to yeshiva.
I finished my third year at the
university and went to the yeshiva
in Ramat Aviv.

MY LIFES SHLICHUS
After two years of learning in
Tomchei Tmimim in Ramat Aviv,
Tzachi got married. The young

couple wanted a life of shlichus.

After kollel and smicha in
Arad, R Francis was offered
the position to be a Shliach
Torah at the Chabad House at
Yam HaMelach. Since then, he
has used his talents to spread
Judaism. Aside from the Dead
Sea, the hotels in the area do
not have a large selection of
attractions in the area. They
try to create entertainment
for their guests in the form of
performances and lectures by
experts on an array of subjects.
R Elharars Chabad House
began to supply Jewish content
for the guests at hotels through
R Francis.
My wife and I hadnt
thought of anything like this.
We were going to go on shlichus
somewhere else, to one of the
yishuvim in the Sharon. We had
even bought a home there, and
then we got this offer from R
Elharar. We wrote to the Rebbe
and realized what we were
supposed to do.
Today, I feel that this shlichus
includes all aspects of increasing
Torah and aggrandizing it as
the Rebbe had written. Today, I
reach audiences that nobody else
reaches, intellectual people, most

of whom never attended a Torah

shiur in their lives. I give 12-15
lectures a week which reaches on
average hundreds and sometimes
thousands of people a month.
At the end of the lecture,
each of the participants is given a
page with homework exercises to
work on the topic of the lecture,
and a list of books to buy so they
can delve further. People give
their email addresses and we
keep in touch with them. After
every lecture people buy books.
Its incredible work.
We are always looking
forward and want to continuously
develop our outreach. There is
enormous potential in this area.
G-dliness is infinite and the
same is true for the potential to
disseminate it. I have an excellent
teacher in this regard, R Shimon
Elharar, who is constantly
supporting me and pushing me
to achieve more. R Elharar is a
role model for me of constant
striving to progress and expand.
Sometimes I am reminded of
R Jacobs, of our conversations,
and of the Shabbasos at the
university and I think that this
is my way of paying back, by
continuing to pass the torch
forward and igniting others.

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OBITUARY

A SOLDIER

TILL THE END

A shocking tragedy: a shliach of the Rebbe, R Boaz Lerner ah, an expert
on mikvaos, founder of the Nachalat Menachem neighborhood, passed
away in the middle of a farbrengen in honor of laying the cornerstone of
the Chabad mikva in the Philippines. * Every move he made was for one
purpose, to give nachas to the Rebbe.
By Shneur Zalman Berger
Photos by Yisroel Navon and from the family archives

he residents of Nachalat Har

Chabad in Kiryat Malachi were
shocked to hear of the sudden
passing of R Boaz Lerner. The
terrible news quickly spread among
Chassidim everywhere, including the
many shluchim whom he helped with their
mikvaos.
R Boaz Lerner, builder of Chabad
neighborhoods and Chabad mikvaos
around the world, was a model Chassid
whose every moment was devoted
to giving the Rebbe nachas. He did
everything with fervor and dedication
and without fanfare.

FROM THE AIR FORCE

TO THE REBBES ARMY
R Boaz Lerner was born in 5712 in
Tel Aviv to Russian parents. His mother
was a descendant of the Baal Shem Tov,

but this had no impact on her daily life.

His parents were not at all religiously
observant and the atmosphere at
home was one of Western culture and
openness on every subject. Boaz and his
brother saw the inside of shul only on
Yom Kippur and even then, they went
on their own, without their father.
When he was of draft age, his
ambition was to be a pilot. It was his
childhood dream and he was able to
fulfill it. Within a few years, he was a
Phantom fighter pilot. He put all his
energy and abilities into becoming a
better, smoother, more accomplished
pilot. Flying provided him with
incredible experiences. It was what
his life was all about. At this stage of
his life, religion was of no interest to
him. Boaz, as well as his fellow pilots,
experienced a unique sense of smugness
as they controlled planes which ate up

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Obituary

The new mikva in the Philippines, one of his last photos

This answer encouraged him but only later on

did he fully appreciate its prescience. A few
weeks went by and on Erev Lag BOmer the mayor signed
the permit for construction. The very next morning, on
Rashbis hilula, is when the construction began!
prodigious distances and gave
them a dizzying sense of power.
This great sense of smugness
imploded during the Yom Kippur
War when the army sustained a
mortal blow and dozens of pilots
were downed by the anti-aircraft
fire of enemy forces. After the
war, Boaz and his friends were
plagued with many questions:
What were they fighting for?
Where was this all leading to?
The pilots continued flying
and the old smugness crept
back into the heart of Boaz, the
successful pilot.
The next thing that shook his
world was when he occasionally
encountered Lubavitchers who
put tfillin on with people in
Rishon LTziyon. He was not
willing to put on tfillin, but the
Chabadnikim looked like the real
deal to him, as he put it many
years later.

A turning point was when he

got caught up in the work of Dr.
Moshe Feldenkrais, founder of a
method of movement to reduce
pain or limitations in movement,
to improve physical function,
and to promote general wellbeing. Boaz took his course in
S Francisco where he began to
think about the meaning of life.
After some time, he returned
to Eretz Yisroel with a different
perspective on everything. His
service in the air force suddenly
seemed superfluous and he
informed his commanders that he
was finished as a pilot. Then he
began a search for the meaning of
life by reading mystical teachings
associated with the Far East. He
moved to a kibbutz where he
decided to put up a mezuza in
the apartment he was living in.
After a short stay on the kibbutz,
he moved to Tel Aviv.

He
worked
using
the
Feldenkrais
method
while
simultaneously trying his luck
at applying for an engineering
position for a company that
produced patents. About 35
engineers showed up for the
selection process and he was the
only one who came without some
degree. The manager presented
a problem to the engineers,
which required an inventive
solution in the area of piping.
All the engineers took the pipe
home in order to come up with
a solution and only Boaz went
to the work room where he fixed
the problem on the spot. He was
immediately hired and that is
where he worked for the next few
years. He registered for a number
of patents in the field of piping
and water systems. His talent for
inventions was later used for holy
purposes on many occasions,
whether in building mikvaos or in
making pushkas that matched the
places they were affixed to, and
more.

A FORTUITOUS BUT
SIGNIFICANT MEETING
At that time, he felt a
tremendous and urgent need to
connect to religion. Someone
directed him to the Chabad shul
on Rav Kook Street in Bnei Brak
and he was immediately swept up
by the Chassidus shiur.
Some years later, he described
what happened:
I went to Bnei Brak, bought
a black kippa, and went to the
shul on Rechov HaRav Kook.
Maariv had ended and the
minyan left. I remained standing
there when suddenly one of the
people took an interest in me and
asked my name and profession.
He immediately made me an
offer which he said, I wouldnt
find anywhere else, to learn
Chassidus with him. I realized

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R Lerner receiving a dollar from the Rebbe

Yom Kippur War 5734, the air force base in Chatzor.
R Lerner (right) at a briefing before the attack on Egypt

he was one of those Lubavitchers

who brought people back in
tshuva who I had expected
would corner me when I went to
the shul.
In fact, it was an entirely
different story. This person, R
Shneur Blizinsky, had been to
the Rebbe who told him to find
someone with whom to learn
Chassidus regularly. He had
looked for a while but hadnt
found anyone suitable, so he
started asking anybody who
walked into the shul if he was

willing to learn with him. When

he saw me, he was sure I was
religious which is why he asked
me his routine question.
I thought it was a great offer.
We met every week in his house
and learned Tanya. We learned
and progressed and I was amazed
by it. These shiurim ignited my
soul in a remarkable fashion. The
world revealed to me through this
book, opened up vistas of new
thought to me. I began seeing
everything in a different light. In
this book, I found the answers to

my Jewish identity. The meaning

of my tireless searches for that
certain something began to
become clear.
After spending a Shabbos
with R Shneur Blizinsky, he
went to work on Sunday wearing
a kippa. He made progress in his
learning and in the fulfillment
of mitzvos. Now and then he
visited Kfar Chabad and received
guidance and encouragement
from R Moshe Slonim ah. He
sometimes was his guest for
Shabbos too. Every one of those
Shabbasos had a tremendous
effect on him. Soon he had
become fully religious. As a result
of the influence of the Chassidim
he became close with, he started
doing mivtzaim, putting tfillin
on with his friends, and even
conveying teachings from Tanya.
This young former pilots
tshuva process was astonishingly
quick. He went to the
Rebbe
and
was
tremendously
impressed.
The visit also
highlighted for
him the feeling
of unity among
the Chassidim
when he saw
the
thousands
of
Chassidim
sitting together facing
the Rebbe and singing
niggunim and listening to the
Rebbes teachings.
The next stage of his journey
was made with the active help
of R Slonim and R Yisroel
Halperin, shliach in Hertzliya.
Together, they helped him with
his various challenges and taught
him how to behave as a Chassid.
Boaz became a Chassid, devoted
heart and soul to the Rebbe.
He moved to Nachalat Har
Chabad and was close with the
mashpia R Mordechai (Mottel)

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Obituary

With a tourist at the Chabad house in Dharamsala on a visit to build the mikva

Kozliner who often hosted him,

and from whom Boaz received
authentic Chassidic guidance.
At a later point, he was even
appointed as a member of the
hanhala of Tomchei Tmimim in
Nachalat Har Chabad which was
run by R Mordechai.
In the following year, he
married his wife Orly who stood
by his side in all the activities he
thought up and carried out.

EZRAS CHAYA MUSHKA

R Boaz started various
organizations and directed a
broad range of activities.
He started Ezras Chaya
Mushka
in
5750
and
implementing horaos from the
Rebbe in many areas such as
manufacturing tzdaka pushkas
for the home, kitchen and car,
as well as giving out a kzayis of
shmura matza. He also published
sichos of the Rebbe on the topic
of shleimus haaretz and was

involved in other important

projects
disseminating
the
wellsprings and the Besuras
HaGeula.
His son Mendy tells about his
fathers tzdaka project:
My father used his inventive
talents and his connections at the
Transportation Ministry to get
pushkas onto busses and planes.
During the Gulf War, many of his
pushkas were distributed. One
of the missiles from Iraq that
pierced a multistory building in
Tel Aviv stopped at a pushka.

JUMPING INTO
MIKVA BUILDING
During the past two decades,
R Boaz developed a reputation as
an expert on mikvaos. On behalf
of the Beis Din Rabbanei Chabad
in Eretz Yisroel, he would travel
to cities in Eretz Yisroel and
around the world to help and
advise with the construction of

mikvaos in the Chabad method

of bor al gabei bor. He was
involved in everything having to
do with mikvaos, from obtaining
permits from the government and
local rabbanim to construction
and filling the reservoir and
mikva, advising on which types
of ceramic tiles to use and advice
for maintenance.
It all began when a bracha
from the Rebbe did much to
complete the beautiful mikva in
Nachalat Har Chabad, which
required him to put a lot of time
and effort into understanding
mikva
construction.
This
included both the halachic
and technical angles as well as
inside and outside design. After
finishing the building of the mikva
in Nachalat Har Chabad and its
opening, having amassed much
knowledge and understanding on
the subject, he looked to continue
his work in mikvaos. He asked
the Rebbe whether to continue

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His son Yaakov relates:

I was involved in arranging the activities of the bachurim from the
Chabad Yeshiva in Tzfas for Lag BOmer at the gravesite of Rashbi in
Miron. It was the night before my father was flying to the Philippines.
I went home to raise money from the Chabad communities in the area.
I knew that my father had two dollars that the Rebbe gave on Lag
BOmer that he somehow got hold of. I asked him to give me one of
them so I could find a donor who would agree to take on a significant
part of the expenses of our outreach in exchange for the dollar. My
father agreed. The next day we found someone who bought the dollar
for 20,000 shekels!
My father was already in the Philippines. I called to tell him the
good news about the big donation that we got for the dollar. My father
was happy to hear it. I took the opportunity, and had the nerve to ask
him for the other dollar. Another dollar like that and our activities are
practically covered, I said to him. He was quiet for a moment and
then he said, Okay. Ill give you the other dollar too.
When I got home, after hearing the terrible news, I opened the
drawer where my father had told me he would leave the first dollar. To
my astonishment, I found both dollars there.

being involved in this and the

answer that he opened to in the
Igros Kodesh (volume 7, p. 112113) left no room for doubts:
They asked me from the
Taharas Hamishpacha center
in Yerushalayim through their
representative and shliach here R
Barzel, and also in writing from
Yerushalayim to help build and
complete mikvaos in Eretz Yisroel
and I promised them my help
and additionally the mikva
needs to be made in accordance
with the instruction of the Rebbe
Rashab since he is our posek. As
is known also in Halacha that in
the territory of Rav you need to
behave as rav, even though in the
territory of Shmuel etc. And this
is not a matter of you shall not
divide into camps for a number
of reasons.
In that letter, the Rebbe
continues to describe in detail
how the work with the mikvaos
needs to be and goes on to say,

Obviously, you are not supposed

to go to war but to explain that
this is the opposite of the din to
compel someone not to fulfill his
ravs psak, especially in these
matters wherein both kinds of
mikvaos are kosher according to
all opinions.
Since then, for over twenty
years, R Lerner accomplished a
tremendous amount in the field
of mikva construction. In an
interview he gave Beis Moshiach
a decade ago, he told us a little
about what goes on behind the
scenes of his complicated work.
He first explained his work:
There are places where its
about building a new mikva
and other places that want to
add a pit, in accordance with
Chabads shita, to the existing
pits. There are some instances
in which there are problems that
necessitate supervision during
the construction. There are also
places where the existing mikva

has to be destroyed and rebuilt.

I was recently somewhere
where the mikva had to be
destroyed and rebuilt. There
are many details involved in the
construction of a mikva, which
need close supervision. In many
places, rabbanim give precise
instructions, but workers and
contractors dont always do what
they are told, and thats when
problems arise.
In many places the local
rav or the head of the religious
council needs to be convinced
of the importance of a Chabad
mikva. In other places, you have
to get people to sign a petition
over this issue.
I can tell you that, Baruch
Hashem, when it comes to
agreeing to and understanding
the importance of a Chabad
mikva, we have come a long way.
Rabbanim who, in the past, knew
nothing about this, and when
they heard the word Chabad

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Obituary

We built a reservoir on the roof and hoped

that during the monsoon season, which would
take place after my trip, the pit would fill up. It turns out
that the day after we finished building the reservoir, the
monsoon began and the mikva filled right up. The mikva
in India is built with the greatest hiddurim.
automatically opposed us, have
become educated. Now they
understand the stringencies and
hiddurim of the Rebbe Rashab,
and they take them on.
In Gan Yavneh, Rabbi
Kurant, who is the shliach there,
invited me to come. All the
experts said they couldnt make
a Chabad pit, since the main
pipe of the Mekorot company
runs under the building, and
everything was ready for them to
pour the cement.
At the last minute, past
zero hour, we brought a note to
the architect from the religious
council which said: Please help
Chabad. The religious council
wrote this to be polite, but the
architect took it seriously. How
do you solve a problem with a
pipe, which interferes with the
building of a Chabad mikva? You
simply raise the building!
Another case:
Two years ago we discovered
that the Ministry for Religious
Matters had a project to build
mikvaos. We got involved, and
after bitter fights, we managed
to get another twenty or so
Chabad
mikvaos
approved.
In the meantime, some of the
mikvaos have yet to be completed
because of the budget cuts. We
hope theyll be finished soon.
But the big change is that today
the engineers at the Ministry of
Religion have a special model
from which to build Chabad
mikvaos. Its just as the Rebbe
said, a document that was

disputed and later certified.

And
a
story
about
constructing a mikva abroad:
I am regularly contacted by
shluchim around the world. This
past Sivan, we finished the first
Chabad mikva in India for shliach
Rabbi Dror Shaul in Dharamsala.
The mikva is part of his Chabad
House. Since the trip there is
arduous, we planned on finishing
everything in one trip.
We built a reservoir on the
roof and hoped that during the
monsoon season, which would
take place after my trip, the pit
would fill up. It turns out that
the day after we finished building
the reservoir, the monsoon began
and the mikva filled right up. The
mikva in India is built with the
greatest hiddurim.
Over the years, under his
guidance, dozens more mikvaos
were constructed around the
world. He published a booklet
called Mikva al Gabei HaOtzar
about bor al gabei bor, in order
to clarify Chabads position on
mikvaos. He outlines the order of
events that led to this important
enactment and provides the
Rebbes explanations, over the
years, about this enactment.
Chapters are devoted to practical
applications as to how to
kosherize piped in municipal
water in a mikva built on top
of the rainwater pit based on
instructions from the Rebbeim.
He worked on mikvaos until
his final moment, making a
special trip to the Philippines to

participate in a groundbreaking
for the mikva there and to
oversee the engineering plans.
After the festive celebration there
was a Chassidishe farbrengen in
the course of which he passed
away.
On his trips around the world
to build mikvaos, he was also
very involved in being mekarev
Jews to Torah and mitzvos, as his
son Mendy relates:
Every mikva that he built in a
Chabad House around the world
brought along with it dozens of
stories of good resolutions made
by tourists and Jews who were
present at the Chabad House
during his stay. At every Chabad
House he visited, he would
farbreng with the Jews there and
importune them to make good
resolutions. He would often
give a dollar from the Rebbe in
exchange.

THE REBBES NACHALA

Aside from his involvement
in mikvaos, R Lerner is famous
for building the neighborhoods
Nachalat Menachem Alef and
Beit, named for the Rebbe,
and which are an expansion
of the Nachalat Har Chabad
neighborhood of Kiryat Malachi.
He built spacious apartments,
suitable for large families, and
did so without any compensation.
It all began when private
contractors
advertised
construction in areas next to
Nachalat Har Chabad at very
high prices. R Boaz could not
let that pass, for he knew that
Chabad families could not
afford those prices. As always,
he wasnt only a visionary but
a man of action, and with the
encouragement he received from
the Rebbe through the Igros
Kodesh, he decided to initiate the
building of a neighborhood next
to Nachalat Har Chabad, which

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was founded by the Rebbe, and

thus enable additional families to
live in large apartments suitable
for frum people. The project
successfully got underway.
The night of Yud-Tes Kislev
5758, at the central farbrengen
in Nachalat Har Chabad, the
new neighborhood, Nachalat
Menachem, was announced.
The next day, the cornerstone
was laid, but like every such
project, many obstacles cropped
up. During Pesach, he opened
to a bracha in the Igros Kodesh
as follows: In response to your
letter announcing good news
that you and your friends are
meritorious, and I have already
written that you are meritorious
and will be meritorious the
allusion in the Targum on the
words and the Jewish people
went out with uplifted hand,
that mainly this needs to be in
pnimius haTorah, i.e. Chassidus,
going out breish glei with
breish being an acronym for
Rashbi.
This answer encouraged him
but only later on did he fully
appreciate the answer. A few
weeks went by and on Erev Lag
BOmer the mayor signed the
permit for construction. The very
next morning, on Rashbis hilula,
is when the construction began!
The building was completed
with maximum speed and
the buildings in the new
neighborhood were occupied
exclusively
by
Lubavitcher
families,
who
benefited
tremendously from the project.
A few years later, there was once
again a demand for apartments
for Lubavitcher families and
R Lerner got to work. Next to
Nachalat Menachem Alef he
built Nachalat Menachem Beit.
Dozens of Chabad families live in
these neighborhoods adjacent to
Nachalat Har Chabad.

R Boaz Lerner at the cornerstone laying ceremony for the mikva in the Philippines

THE NACHALAT
MENACHEM KHILLA
R
Boaz
Lerner
was
indefatigable. He went from
project to project, and whatever
he undertook he did in the best
possible way.
He built a shul and mikva
in Nachalat Menachem and
another Chabad community
flourished there with minyanim,
farbrengens, etc. all under his
guidance and influence.
He was particularly involved
in
the
Rebbes
birthday
campaign. He had connections
with people who dont generally
go to shul, but on their birthday
he would invite them to shul, put
tfillin on with them, give them
aliyos, etc.
Much more can be written
about R Boaz but there are space
constraints.

One of the topics about which

he was most passionate was
Moshiach. He truly lived with
publicizing the Besuras HaGeula
and the identity of the goel. He
did this for years, devotedly and
joyfully.
On 14 Iyar, Pesach Sheini,
he was in the Philippines, taking
part in a cornerstone laying
for a mikva being built by the
shliach, R Yosef Levy. R Lerner
was called in to oversee the
halachic and technical aspects
of the mikva. The stone was
laid and you can see R Lerner
in the pictures, smiling as usual.
Afterward, he danced at a festive
farbrengen at the Chabad house.
Some dancers mounted chairs
and they sang R Levi Yitzchok
Schneersohns hakafos niggun.
And then
R Boaz collapsed and shortly
thereafter passed away at the age
of 63.
He is survived by his wife
Orly, his daughter Rochel and
her husband R Sholom Ber
Shmuelevitz, and his sons
and daughters Mendy, Berele,
Zalman, Yaakov, Devorah Leah,
Yosef, Rivka, Geula and Moishy.
In preparing this article, I
was assisted by interviews that R
Lerner gave over the years to Beis
Moshiach and Kfar Chabad and
interviews with family members.

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CHINUCH

THE SECRET
TO A SUCCESSFUL SUMMER

AT CAMP AND AT HOME

Chazal teach us, A person should always
learn where his heart desires, as it says, for
his desire is in the Torah of Hashem. Since
the talmid loves camp, where he is inspired
in a positive way to learn and behave
properly, and he is provided with Chassidic
warmth, it changes him from one extreme
to another, because this is what his heart
desires.
By Rabbi Nachman Yosef Twersky

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THERE IS NO VACATION
FROM TORAH STUDY!
The summer vacation is just
two months long, but as a teacher
in yeshiva I have learned that
the summer lasts much longer
than two months. Four months
before the summer, and for half
a year after the summer, you can
hear the boys talking about what
happened and what will happen.
In light of the fact that the
summer is so important to the
boys throughout the year, it
is vital to use the summer for
positive activities which will be
a good influence on them. This
sums up the Rebbes approach.
The Rebbe explains that every
Jew in any situation has to be
continuously growing, especially
children who are in their growth
period. We cannot say that they
need to leave on vacation,
because every day is vital for them
and their future. The statement
of Chazal, I wasnt created
except to serve my Maker, does
not become irrelevant during the
summer.
Whenever the Rebbe speaks
about the summer, he negates
the concept of the long vacation.
The holy Torah is the source of
life, so how can we give children
a vacation from Torah? There are
letters that the Rebbe wrote in the
early years in which he said, If
I had the power, I would abolish
it. The only correct thing to do
is to go on vacation from the
Yetzer Hara. A little rest from
him wouldnt hurt
The truth is, although the
boys like the idea of vacation,
there are some serious ones who
want to continue the routine of
learning and would happily forgo
the vacation. Then there are
those boys who consider vacation
as a time-off from the year-round
routine of learning and who want
a break.

Although
the
Rebbe
encouraged the existence of
summer camps, he emphasized
that this is not to say that these
are days of vacation from Torah
and mitzvos, and it is absolutely
necessary that there be set times
of the day for Torah study. On
the other hand, the Rebbe did
speak of the summer as a time to
strengthen the body, and a break
so that the talmidim will be able
to prepare for the coming school
year.
The Rebbe compared the
summer break to an athlete who
takes a step back in order to
sprint forward. So too, in order
to strengthen the learning of the
coming year, we provide a time to
refresh and renew our strength.
But the emphasis is on preparing
for a renewal in Torah study and
mitzvos fulfillment with more
enthusiasm and simcha.

QUALITY TIME THAT DOES

WONDERS
Throughout the year there
are stressful times while being
occupied with work in the house,
parnasa etc. and the routine of
life wears us down, leaving us
little time to devote to our family
except on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
The summertime, which is
less pressured, provides parents
with an opportunity to provide
quality time to their children. We
need to make the most of these
days to instill Yiddishkait and
Chassidishkait in their hearts
through stories of tzaddikim and
by providing a better spiritual
example than usual.
We can see this in those
camps which see to it that the
children have suitable counselors
with solid Chassidishe values,
who also know how to convey
Chassidic messages in an
experiential way. We see how

powerful this can be, with chayus

lasting them until the next
summer.
I had a student who had a lot
of problems and his teachers were
asked to take his situation into
consideration and to help him
since they knew he was struggling
with certain things. Since I was
aware of his situation, I tried hard
to be mekarev him so he would
feel good and wed have an open
relationship. Every day he would
come over to talk to me. He was
very sincere and everything he
did, he did wholeheartedly.
Toward the end of the year, I
had nothing positive to write in
his report card but I noted that
he had great potential. He was
going to go to camp and I spoke
to him at length and said I was
sure he would be very successful
there. Being away from home,
the new environment, the new
staff, all this would enable him
to turn over a new leaf. He
asked me, how can you be sure
I will succeed when I havent
been able to learn since third
grade? I answered him with this
interesting story:
There were two boys who
lived near each other and were
good friends. From childhood
they learned in the same schools.
There was one big difference
between them. One excelled
in school and always won the
biggest prizes, while the other
one was a weak student. This
went on year after year and the
gap between them continued to
grow.
When they became bar
mitzva, the father of the weak
boy was very upset about his
sons situation. He met his
neighbor, the father of the boy
who excelled and asked him,
What is your secret for having
such an outstanding son?

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Chinuch
The man said, Every time
there is a Torah learning contest
in school, I tell my son, whatever
the school gives you, Ill give you.
So he knows that whatever he
earns at school is doubled, and it
works! Try it.
So the father tried it. But he
was most disappointed to hear
his sons reaction. His son said,
I dont need prizes. I am not
interested in prizes from school
or from you. I am not interested
in learning, just leave me alone.
The father went to the rav of
the city to consult with him. The
rav said, Your son will surpass

truth and when the time comes,

with Hashems help, thats how it
will be.
He went to camp and learned
17 pages of Gemara, something
even the outstanding boys did not
do. Camp changed him.
The next year, I suggested
to his father that his son have
a change (I didnt want to say
straight out that he needed to
leave the house for a dormitory).
I hinted to him that it would be
good if he went to a place with
a dorm and he went. I heard
later from the staff that even
if there was a farbrengen until

The saying goes, if you want children who are

yerei Shamayim, it depends on the mother
because the mother has the ability to instill this in
her children. If you want children who are talmidei
chachomim, that depends on the father because when
he sits and learns, he is a role model for the children.

the boy who excels and will

become an outstanding scholar!
Ill tell you why. The other boy
is a good boy and has good
character and when he is given
a prize it motivates him to study
more. But one day the prizes
will stop. Up until a certain age
the prizes work, but at a certain
point the boy himself will decide
whether he wants to learn or not
and the prizes wont help.
But your son is a very real
person and the minute he realizes
the truth he will throw himself
into learning and nothing will
stop him. He wont need prizes.
He will just take himself in hand
and then youll see what your son
is about.
Sure enough, a few years
later, this is exactly what
happened.
I told my student, The same
is true for you. You know the

late at night, the boy was sitting

at the Chassidus class at 7:30
and learning, because he was a
bachur who was for real. He took
himself seriously and changed
from one extreme to another.
Thats the power of the summer.

A YEARS WORTH
IN TWO MONTHS
I had another student who
struggled with another kind of
problem. At the end of the year
with me the hanhala debated
whether to expel him. Before the
summer he came over to me and
said he wanted to go to a good
camp where good boys went, but
the camp did not want to take
him because they were afraid he
would make trouble. I told him
I would try and help him get
accepted.
I called the director (who
was a former talmid of mine)

and begged him to accept the

boy, Just like you take talmidim
from all kinds of places in order
to save them. I promise you that
he wont make trouble and will
behave himself.
They ended up accepting him
and everything went well all the
way until the end of camp when
there was a trip for the eight best
students and he was one of them.
By divine providence, two
weeks before school began, I had
to get something from the office
and the menahel happened to be
there. As I walked in, the phone
rang and it was the father of
this boy. The menahel asked the
father to call back in five minutes
and in the meantime he asked
me, what should he say to the
father, that his son doesnt fit in
this yeshiva?
I told the menahel how during
the summer this boy had become
one of the best in the entire camp
and said I think he should remain
in yeshiva. The father could be
told he had to be particular about
certain things but the yeshiva
should not throw the boy out,
chv! The principal did as I
advised and let the talmid remain
in yeshiva. Today, this talmid has
a Chassidic home.
Many wonder what is the
secret to the camps success.
Chazal tell us, A person should
always learn where his heart
desires, as it says, for his desire
is in the Torah of Hashem.
Since the talmid loves camp,
when he is inspired in a positive
way to learn and behave properly,
and he is provided with Chassidic
warmth, it changes him from one
extreme to another, because this
is what his heart desires.
The Midrash says about
those who built the Tower of
Bavel, And they settled there, R
Yitzchok said, wherever you see
yeshiva (settling,) the Satan
jumps in. In a humorous vein

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we can say that in whatever

yeshiva a bachur learns, the
Satan will jump in and make
trouble. Wherever he sits and
learns, he will think its better
somewhere else, that the other
yeshiva is better. But in camp,
everything is good. This is the
advantage of camp and we need
to take advantage of it in the
most positive way.
There was once a group of
fifteen bachurim who did not
go to camp and stayed home
during the summer. Some of the
staff discussed this and said they
could not be allowed to hang
around idly and something had
to be done with them.
At
that
time,
I
was
supposed to learn Chassidus
in the morning with R Yosef
Goldstein ah and I figured this
was an opportunity. I invited
the bachurim to join us and it
became an ongoing Chassidus
class every morning after which
we davened together. We did
not need to worry about their
showing up on time. Every day,
at eight oclock, the bachurim
came to learn Chassidus. Since
they did this of their own free
choice, they enjoyed it and were
happy to come.
One of the bachurim told me
at the end of the summer, You
should know that this summer I
learned more than I learned the
entire year. He came with a
chayus and willingness to learn
and this had a good influence on
his later life.

HOLDING THE
CHILDS INTEREST
The saying goes, if you want
children who are yerei Shamayim,
it depends on the mother because
the mother has the ability to
instill this in her children. If you
want children who are talmidei
chachomim, that depends on the
father because when he sits and

TZNIUS IN THE SUMMER

A very interesting response from the Rebbe was recently publicized. There was a
bachur in 770 who wrote a certain question to the Rebbe. The Rebbe referred him
to his mashpia. He wrote back to the Rebbe that he cant ask the mashpia because
the mashpia was disconnected from the world and was clueless. He wanted the
Rebbe to answer him but the Rebbe wrote: When the Dor Deia did not want the
kabbalas ol of the mashpia they explained it etc. regarding Moshe Rabbeinu ah.
No wonder that this also pertains to our generation. You should force yourself to
accept the yoke of the mashpia of Tomchei Tmimim and carry out his instructions
and report good news.
In this response, we can see how the Rebbe compares the generation of the
desert who refused to accept Moshes authority, to those, now, who do not want to
accept the authority of the mashpia. In life we need a hierarchy and structure. We
need to be obedient to a rav and mashpia; this is the system and when we disdain
or ignore it, all the troubles begin.
The summer demands of us a strengthening of self-discipline and kabbalas ol.
At this time of the year it becomes especially hard to be particular about tznius, but
when a woman is particular to do as she ought in this regard, it affects her entire
household and even her entire surroundings. The Rebbe compared the lack of tznius
to a contagious disease, so that when a woman dresses properly it also affects others
who will dress modestly.
Not long ago there was something publicized about a certain Chabad
community that wrote to the Rebbe that its members were experiencing parnasa
problems and they wanted a bracha and advice for ample parnasa. In response, the
Rebbe wrote that the problem came from a lack of tznius in hair covering wigs,
and when they fixed this, it would also have a beneficial impact on parnasa.
The permissiveness and drastic deterioration in morality we see today is not
only with Jews. There is a tremendous decline among gentiles, which causes the
loss of even the most minimal standards of human values, and unfortunately we see
its effects in our own camp. The Rebbe once said we need to influence the goy in
Paris who designs the latest fashions so he does so modestly.
Sometimes its difficult, its hard to find suitable clothing, and in some cases
people even have to sew things, but Hashem pays us back for this as we see in a
recently shared story about the mother of Rabbi Shmuel Wosner zl. She had a
beautiful voice and had an extraordinary offer to sing in one of the most prominent
opera houses in Europe, but it would not have been under modest circumstances.
She declined upon receiving a bracha that she would merit a great son. Indeed, R
Shmuel Wosner was a world renowned posek, who passed away a few months ago
at the age of 101.
learns, he is a role model for the
children.
Throughout the year, when
the father asks his son who
has come home from yeshiva
to review what he learned, he
is not always enamored of the
idea. But during vacation, when
there is no school, and the father
takes his son to learn something
interesting, this will make a deep

impression on the child and hell

remember it all his life.
I got a phone call from
a young man who lives in
Lakewood who is mekushar to
the Rebbe and Chassidus. He told
me about a problem he has with
a boy he tutors. He said the boy
has no yiras Shamayim and is not
at all interested in learning and
he wanted to know how to handle
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Chinuch
him. How could he instill in him
a love for Torah and mitzvos and
yiras Shamayim?
I asked what he learned with
him and he said the mother asked
him to learn a tractate of Gemara
with the boy so he could make
a siyum on it at his bar mitzva
seuda. The boy wasnt interested
in making this siyum but the
mother was pressuring him.
I said, do with him as Chazal
say, a person should always learn
what his heart desires. Learn with
him something that he wants to
learn, interesting things from
Chassidus or halacha. The main
thing is that he should learn
something he is interested in.
Two weeks later he told me
that the boy changed. He loves
to learn halacha, it really interests
him. The change was so swift
during the week between the
end of school and the start of
camp that when he went to a
sfarim store and saw a book on
Hilchos Shabbos with pictures
and explanations, he bought it to
learn with his father.
When you learn interesting
things with children, things
outside of the normal routine,
it grabs their interest and turns
the learning into something

fascinating that makes an

indelible impression on the child.
For a while, once a week I
would teach Ohr HaChayim to
those who were interested and
served some refreshments. I saw
that when the learning is not
compulsory it makes the learning
more significant and interesting
to them.
In this way we can distill the
wisdom in the proper use of
summer and holiday vacations.
Parents should give thought to
what interesting things they can
learn with their children that they
would not ordinarily learn.
There is a seifer called Kessef
Nivchar that the Rebbe once said
a bachur should learn and take to
bed with him. Its a short seifer
with many concepts, from alef
to tav, short ideas covering the
major topics in Shas and its very
interesting. Similarly, you can
learn Responsa from previous
generations, look up interesting
questions, etc. It grabs the childs
interest when you learn material
like this.

THE SUMMER IS AN EASIER

TIME FOR AVODAS HASHEM
The

Rebbe

Continued from page 23

pleasant fragrance impart astuteness, and prior to
eating beef my mind was not clear.
The result of eating and drinking for the sake of
being able to study Torah and daven, etc., is that
the person is cautious [even] with regard to things
or activities that are permissible but solely for the
sake of fulfilling his desires. Since he only wants
G-dliness meaning using things for the sake of
Heaven, as above he finds that what is necessary
is sufficient, etc.
The same applies to business dealings: The proper
intent in business is that the profit frees his mind
and heart to be devoted to Torah and avoda, as well
as fulfilling Mitzvos, such as the Mitzva of Tzdaka,

says

everything in the world comes

from the Torah. Just as this is true
in ruchnius, it is true in gashmius.
When you need to move, you do
it in the summer because the
roads are more passable this time
of the year and this comes from
the fact that spiritually too, it is
easier to make progress now in
our avodas Hashem.
And yet, we see that its harder
in the summer! Why is it harder?
Because this is a propitious
time for advancement in avodas
Hashem, the Satan invests
greater energy in thwarting us.
But in reality it is easier.
If we utilize the summer
months in the right way, we
will bring out in ourselves and
our children the love and yiras
Shamayim which are revealed
through Torah and mitzvos
that we do during this empty
time, as it were, through family
learning and davening, and we
will keep after them in a pleasant
way. This will make the summer
pass by pleasantly and with
nachas, joy, and health of body
and soul.
May we all have a healthy,
happy summer.

that

and acts of benevolence, etc. In this manner,

his involvement with business will not present a
challenge for him or disturb him from Torah and
avoda, etc.
All this is done through meditation, deeply
contemplating and taking to heart how the main
thing is G-dliness, and physicality of its own is
literally nothingness and naught. In this manner,
one is aroused to love G-d, as described above.
And thus, also the Evil Inclination and ones natural
character traits are nullified [in deference to G-ds
will], qualities that are [typically] directed towards
desiring and lusting physical things as they are unto
themselves.
(Seifer HaMaamarim 5659, pg. 22)

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MOSHIACH & GEULA

REVEALING HOW
EVERYTHING IS
NULLIFIED TO G-D
From Chapter 8 of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros.
(Underlined text is the compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur

There is G-dly light and Divine energy in everything.

In fact, [irrespective of the seeming prominence
of the material presence of physical things] their
primary aspect is the G-dly light that resides
within them. This G-dliness is their existential
root and source that brings them into being, etc.
The creations are, therefore, truly nullified to their
Divine source.
When one contemplates these concepts, aroused
within him is desire and yearning, a great love
for G-dliness. He recognizes that G-dliness alone
should be all he desires, his only aspiration. The
importance he ascribes to the superficiality and
physicality of the world melts away, affirming the
notion that, of itself, the coarse materiality of the
world is tantamount to death they [i.e., material
things] exist [momentarily] and [then] they waste
away, etc. Indeed, one should only desire the G-dly
vitality, the inner essence of everything, etc.
How much more so is it imperative that one must
not actually separate the physical thing [from its
G-dly source]. That is, as explained above, the
physicality of a thing is truly nullified to the G-dly
light and vitality within it. [The physical thing is,
therefore, unified with G-d, in this sense.] However,
as a result of man considering the physicality as a
thing unto itself meaning that he wishes to benefit
from the physical thing itself he rebels [against
the Divine will] and separates it [from G-dliness],
for G-d has even placed the world in the heart of
man, etc. According to this dynamic, the sin of
the Tree of Knowledge caused a separation in the

general state of the world [causing it to become

removed from G-dliness, as it were]. Similarly on
an individual basis, if one seeks to derive pleasure
from a physical thing unto itself, he separates it
[from G-dliness]. Conversely, when he desires
the G-dliness of the physical thing, he elevates it,
allowing it to openly reveal how it is nullified [to
G-dliness], etc.
This is expressed in the teaching, And you shall
love G-d, your L-rd because He is your source
of life: A person [naturally] loves the vitality
of his soul. Feeling within him that the primary
aspect of his being is the life his soul imparts, he
therefore loves his soul. Loving oneself is not the
love of his flesh and blood, etc., but the love of his
soul, and wanting the life of his soul to be revealed
and broadly manifest within him, etc. In the same
manner, one love[s] G-d, your L-rd because
He is your source of life.
When one considers how G-dliness is the life-force
of all forms of life, for all the vitality in the world
and in created beings comes from G-dliness it
is the primary reality of everything when one
contemplates all this, he will desire G-d and love
Him. In all his mundane activity such as eating
and drinking, and business dealings, and the like
he does not want the thing unto itself but the
G-dliness within it, etc. His intent is to merely
harness strength, energy to be used in the study
of Torah and in avoda, as in the saying, wine and
Continued on page 22
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STORIES

NOTHING ELSE
BESIDES REBBE
It has been thirteen years since the passing of
the esteemed mashpia, R Reuven Dunin ah,
who was a model of a Chassid and mekushar
to the Rebbe MHM. Thirteen year, and still
hundreds of his mekuravim miss him and think
of him every day. * Stories and sayings of R
Reuven about hiskashrus to the Rebbe, Geula
and Moshiach.
Compiled and prepared for publication by his student, Chanoch Shachar

FLYING FOR TISHREI

R Gil Benisti relates:
One morning, at eight oclock,
the telephone in my house rang;
it was R Reuven on the line. I
heard his deep voice say, Kid,
Im going to the Rebbe. Please be
here at one oclock.
I was surprised since I knew
his health did not permit him
to travel. But if R Reuven said
something, you listened. I went
to his house, took down the huge
suitcase, loaded it into my car
and we headed for the airport.
On the way, R Reuven
suddenly said to me, First lets
go to Ramat Aviv, referring
to the yeshiva where he was a
mashpia.
When we got to the yeshiva, R
Reuven said to me, Take down

the suitcase, weve arrived.

And R Reuven remained in
the yeshiva for a month, and
throughout Elul the bachurim
enjoyed many farbrengens and
personal guidance from him.

YOUVE REVIVED ME
R Reuven Dunin spent a
number of years by the Rebbe
and was drawn close by the
Rebbe who treated him in a
special, fatherly way.
At one of the farbrengens, R
Reuven said that one morning he
got up not in good form. He
went from the dormitory to 770
feeling really down. He suddenly
saw the Rebbe approaching the
spot where he was standing, also
on his way to 770. R Reuven was
frightened and he hid in shame
behind a parked car. He hoped

the Rebbe had not seen him, but

when the Rebbe walked on the
pavement opposite his hiding
place, he suddenly turned his
head, smiled at him, and made
an encouraging motion with his
hand (as reported by R Moshe
Abad).
R Moshe Zev Pizem adds:
At one of his private
audiences, the Rebbe told him,
report good news. That was
something the Rebbe would say
routinely and most people took it
as a wish, while R Reuven took
it with the utmost seriousness as
an order. After that, each time he
wrote to the Rebbe, he tried to
include at least one piece of good
news.
One time, he wrote a letter to
the Rebbe and thought of what
good news he could write about.

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R Reuven
simply said,
Because there really
isnt anything aside
from the Rebbe.

He couldnt come up with any.

He wrote to the Rebbe about all
the shiurim and Evenings with
Chabad etc., but to him, this
wasnt in the category of good
news. He ended up apologizing
that when it came to ruchnius
(spirituality) he still had no good
news, but otherwise, they added
a few liras to his salary and this
was his good news.
He received an immediate
response from the Rebbe, You
have revived me, like cold water
on a tired soul.

I WANT TO BE THE REBBES

The entire topic of Rebbe
was top priority to R Reuven.
Rebbe was the essence of his
life, always, morning, noon and
night. He was once asked, Why
do you speak about the Rebbe so

that every second word is Rebbe

and everything revolves around
him such as This is what I saw
by the Rebbe, This is what I
heard from the Rebbe?
R Yisroel Halperin of
Hertzliya related that when R
Reuven went to the Rebbe for
the first time, as a 25 year old
bachur, he had yechidus. The
Rebbe asked him what he knows
how to do. R Reuven said he
was an expert in cars. The Rebbe
suggested that he work at a
garage, but R Reuven said, I
came to be by the Rebbe. The
Rebbe said, If you came to be by
me, then you need to be part of
the sidrei hayeshiva (the yeshiva
study sessions).
For a while, R Reuven
attended the sdarim, but it was
hard for him. He went to the

secretaries and asked for an

appointment with the Rebbe.
They told him that it wasnt so
simple, and it wasnt like every
time you had a problem you
could just go and see the Rebbe.
R Reuven simply went and
knocked on the Rebbes door.
When he heard the Rebbes voice,
he went in and told the Rebbe he
was not satisfied.
Why arent you satisfied?
asked the Rebbe.
I feel that I will become a
chacham (wise person).
Whats wrong with that?
asked the Rebbe.
Said R Reuven, I dont want
to be a chacham. I want to belong
to the Rebbe.
Not surprisingly, whatever the
Rebbe spoke about over the years,
R Reuven, as a loyal soldier, got
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Stories

R Chanoch Shachar

up and did it unhesitatingly.

R Uriel Kalev related that his
father has a friend, a kibbutznik,
who went to an astrologist with
his wife. The astrologist said that
she sees in the stars that they
need to do tshuva. Indeed, some
time later, he started the tshuva
process and today he is a Chabad
Chassid living in the north.
In 5747, my father went to
the Rebbe and stayed in Crown
Heights with a family where the
lady of the house was a principal
in a local school. During one of
the meals, when someone spoke
in praise of R Reuven Dunin, the
hostess exclaimed, I will tell you
who Reuven Dunin is. She said
that she used to be an astrologist
(the one who got my fathers

friend to do tshuva) and at one

point, she had lived with the
Dunins for three years!
Back then, they transmitted
the Rebbes farbrengens via
a live telephone hookup to
Eretz Yisroel. One time, the
Rebbe spoke about the need to
provide education for seniors,
Tiferes Zkeinim, and the Rebbe
suggested naming it for his
father.
The broadcast ended at 4:55
in the morning (Israeli time) and
five minutes later, at five oclock
in the morning, R Reuven was
already busy working on starting
a Tiferes Zkeinim in his city of
Haifa.
That was R Reuven Dunin,
she concluded emotionally.
R
Yitzchok
Axelrod
remembers that at one of R
Reuvens farbrengens he spoke
sarcastically about the help the
Chassidim gave to the Rebbe:
The Rebbe asked the
Chassidim to work on Mihu
Yehudi and we know the
result. The Rebbe asked that the
Chassidim work on shleimus
haaretz and we know the
result. When it came to the
sfarim, the Rebbe himself took
care of the legal matters and after
that we sang Didan Notzach.
Didan we won? Do you see
how impudent we are?

WHETHER LIKE CHILDREN

OR LIKE SLAVES
R Yair Maman recounted:
R Reuven once told me that
when the Rebbe returned from
the Ohel, he noticed that the edge
of the Rebbes pants leg was
folded so his sock was visible.
R Reuven did not think it was
proper for a king to walk about
that way and he decided to unfold
it without disturbing the Rebbe.
He crawled between the people

that stood asking the Rebbe for

brachos. He felt himself being
stepped on but did not care. He
finally reached the Rebbe while
hiding behind peoples feet and
gently undid the fold. The Rebbe
noticed, looked down, and smiled
at R Reuven, turned around and
entered 770.
R Kuti Rapp ah told a
similar story:
One time, before the Rebbe
came down from his room
for Kabbalas Shabbos, I saw
R Reuven standing near the
steps leading from Gan Eden
HaTachton to the beis midrash.
I noticed that R Reuven looked
agitated and realized something
was about to happen. I hid
among the lockers and waited.
When the Rebbe came
downstairs and reached the
bottom, R Reuven bent over
and began doing something with
the Rebbes shoelaces. Whats
this? asked the Rebbe.
R Reuven asked, Is it
comfortable like this?
Its that way on purpose!
replied the Rebbe in Ivrit with
a Sephardic pronunciation and
immediately continued walking
toward the beis midrash with
nobody having noticed anything.

A REAL GENTLEMAN
R Eliezer Reichman related:
R Reuven once told me that
at the beginning of Kingston
Avenue there was a hat store
that belonged to a Jew who
externally had no connection
with G-d. This man was wellbuilt and every free moment he
had without customers he used
to work out. He kept weights at
the back of the store and that is
where he exercised.
One day, he said to me,
You know, your rabbi is a real
gentleman.

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I asked him why he thought

so and the man said, Every day,
your rabbi passes the store [on
his way to his mother] and he
says hello. One time, I decided
I would say hello first but I was
never able to. He always says
hello first.

LIVING MOSHIACH NO
MATTER WHAT
R
Reuven,
to
whom
everything about the Rebbe
was infinitely precious, worked
diligently to publicize the Besuras
HaGeula and the Goel. The
topic of Moshiach burned in
him and at every opportunity he
would urge those who attended
his farbrengens to strengthen
their emuna.
R Tom Rettig related that
once, when he farbrenged
at Tiferes Bachurim in Kfar
Chabad, one of the participants
dared to ask him, What if
Moshiach comes and he doesnt
look like the Rebbe? How will we
know its the Rebbe? R Reuven
answered simply, You will hear
that hes the Rebbe.
At an interview he once gave
(which turned into a farbrengen),
R Reuven explained a deep
topic and then was asked about
proclaiming Yechi. R Chaim
Eliezer Wilschansky said that R
Reuven replied thus:
To me, saying Yechi is like
standing before the king, before
the Rebbe. You dont suddenly
appear before the Rebbe. R
Reuven then related memories
he had from the time he spent in
770:
When I wanted to see
the Rebbe, I would wait after
davening, and if I discerned the
Rebbes consent, I would head
for his office. If I saw that the
door was slightly ajar, that was a
sign that I could enter.

It once happened that I

went in after Mincha and spoke
to the Rebbe. A few hours later
I decided I felt I had to speak to
the Rebbe again. After Maariv,
based on the agreed-upon signs I
had with the Rebbe, I felt I had
permission to go in. The Rebbe
then looked at me with some
surprise, We just spoke. Then
I understood that I couldnt just
walk in unless I had made some
preparations beforehand.
The same is true for Yechi.
Something has to be done in
honor of the Yechi before going
to the king and proclaiming
Yechi.
***
As was his way all the
years, R Reuven shied away
from pshetlach and personal
interpretations that come from
the persons own mind. He
was like this from the start of
Mivtza Moshiach and even
more so afterward, when the
Rebbe encouraged the singing of
Yechi. R Reuven, as a Chassid
and mekushar with all his heart
and soul, knew that this is what
the Rebbe wants and so he
publicized it everywhere. He
wore a Moshiach pin in his lapel
and hat. If that wasnt enough,
he carried around a bag of
these pins and gave them out
to whoever said he would wear
them. He explained by saying
that the word Moshiach on
the pin represented pure emuna;
Moshiach, without pshetlach
and additional wording.
At one of his farbrengens,
he spoke about everyone being
a walking bulletin board when it
came to publicizing the Besuras
HaGeula. He said (from a
transcript of a recording, thanks
to R Mendel Schechter):
Publicizing this is the least
we can do so as not to forget
this subject of Moshiach. I think

YEARNING IN ACTION
R Gil Benisti relates:
I once heard a Chassidic story
from a friend about one of the Polish
Admurim who had a sick son. The
Chassidim told him that his son went
every morning on a long walk to a
spring to immerse. Hearing this and
knowing that his son was not allowed
to do this, he immediately ordered
him not to immerse anymore. The
son accepted this.
A few weeks later, the Admurs
brother-in-law told him that he had
seen his son a few times near the
spring. He had noticed that when
the son approached the spring, he
undressed but did not immerse and
then got dressed again. He cried and
said, Mikva, mikva, how much I
want to immerse, only you and G-d
know, but my father forbade me to
immerse, and he turned around and
left.
One Friday night, I told R
Reuven this story and it moved him
to tears. The next day, Shabbos, I
went to pick him up from the house
he was staying in, in Raanana. He
asked that we go together to the
mikva. I knew that he could not
immerse and I asked him about this.
If you cant immerse anyway, why
should you go so far?
He said, You hit me very
powerfully with that story you told
me last night. So at least one time I
am going to try to do what the son
did.

the person who invented these

Moshiach pins will be blessed
and Ive already heard about
some successes in this regard. All
the stories and clever arguments
and excuses dont interest me
I think simply: You know the
Rebbe wants Moshiach? Shout it
out. You dont think you can be
a rooster that calls out in a loud

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Stories
voice? Then become a bulletin
board. Wear a Moshiach pin.
If you say you are not a bulletin
board, there are dolls that you
insert a battery into them and
they start walking. Whats the

problem?
The minimum is to do
something as it says, and you will
see it [the tzitzis] and remember
and do. We learn from this that
seeing leads to remembering and

remembering leads to action. So

too with Moshiach, when you see
the word Moshiach, obviously
this will remind you of Moshiach
...

Continued from page 05

to R Chonye because, so he told

me, he had not heard a question
like this ever before.
R Chonye enthusiastically
said, Shmuel came! and in a
softer voice he said that Shlomo
Chaim the glazier had also come.
To his great surprise, the Rebbe
said that first Shlomo Chaim the
glazier should come in.
R Chonyes tongue clove
to the roof of his mouth and he
was stricken dumb as though the
Rebbes words were stuck in his
throat like a bone and remained
stuck. He said in a hoarse voice,
or more correctly, he mumbled:
R Shlomo Chaim, go in for
yechidus.
Rashag turned pale and then
red and went to the room that was
used as a shul and all those who
saw and heard were stunned into
silence by this announcement.
This Shlomo Chaim was
poverty stricken and a man who
suffered with sick children, a wife
confined to bed with an incurable
illness, unmarried daughters
and a deaf son. He himself was
a Thillim Yid. Who was he
that the Rebbe had him precede
Rashag?
After a few minutes, R
Chonye continued to tell me,
Shlomo Chaim came out and
Rashag went in like a wounded
lion. He spent a long time in
yechidus and everyone waited
impatiently for when he would
exit the Rebbes room.

R Chonye stood there on the

street in Leningrad and excitedly
described what happened next.
When Rashag came out he was
white like snow and plaster. You
hear, R Chonye touched my
shabby, old coat, he was white
like lime.
They all surrounded him
with respect and astonishment.
Rashag sat down, wiped the
sweat off his forehead and with a
little sigh he said:
I had just walked in and stood
before the Rebbe and he gently
said to me: Shmuel, you learn
Chassidus. Do you ever have
a personal interest, an ulterior
motive? You daven, are there
times that you have a selfish
interest? You are wealthy and
generous with the yeshiva and the
Chassidim, maybe here too you
have some self-serving motive?
You have good children, you
are pedigreed, you are Shmuel
Gurary maybe in all these
things there is a selfish interest or
an ulterior motive?
But Shlomo Chaim is a man
who suffers and one who suffers
has no self-serving motives
(personal enjoyment and selfawareness) and so he came in
before you. That means that he,
the man who suffers, is on a
higher level than you, Shmuel
Gurary!
R Chonye Morosov then
remained silent until we reached
the mikva.

Rebbe would see R Shmuel

Gurary in yechidus before other
people, because in those terrible
times of war, especially the war
of the Reds and the Whites
with the bands of Cossacks,
may their names be erased, who
wreaked havoc and destruction
in Jewish dwellings, and much
suffering was heaped upon the
Jewish people and the Lubavitch
yeshiva wandered from the sword
of war until it went to Rostov
on the River Don Rashag was
one of the closest people to Beis
Rebbi and supported the yeshiva
and the Rebbes household with
counsel, money, and efforts in
wide ranging communal work.
Therefore, when Rashag
came, the wealthy, handsome
Chassid who charmed and
astonished all who saw him with
his hadras panim of a genuine
Chassid, one who feared G-d,
whose
wisdom
illuminated
his face it was obvious that
he would enter right away for
yechidus, especially when there
were tragedies and communal
matters to discuss.
R Chonye Morosov went to
the door of the Rebbes room to
announce that Shmuel had come.
How astonished he was when he
had just opened the door of the
room slowly and carefully and the
Rebbe asked him, Chonye, who
else is waiting to come in?
This question was astonishing

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PARSHA THOUGHT

A TALE
OF TWO
SCENARIOS
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

TWO AUDIENCES
THE TWO PORTIONS OF
THE SHMA: SIMILARITIES
AND DIFFERENCES
A Jews most important
prayer is the well-known Shma,
which contains three paragraphs,
the second of which is taken from
this weeks parsha of Eikev.
When we contrast the first
two paragraphs of the Shma we
can see many similarities and
many differences between them.
The most obvious similarity is
their emphasis on loving G-d and
observing His commandments,
specifically three Mitzvos: Torah
study, Tfillin and Mezuzah.
However, there are also
significant differences between
the two sections: the most glaring
one is that the first paragraph
speaks to the Jewish people in
the singular while the second
paragraph speaks to them in the
plural.
Another
conspicuous
difference is that the first
paragraph exhorts us to love G-d,
With all your heart, with all your
soul and with all your might.
The words with all your might
are omitted from the repetition.

THE ORDER OF THE THREE

MITZVOS
However,
even
in
the
enumeration of the three Mitzvos
there is an obvious inconsistency.
The first paragraph lists the
Mitzvos in the following order:
a) Torah study (You shall
teach them diligently to your
children); b) Tfillin (Bind
them as a sign upon your arm
and let them be ornaments
between your eyes); and c)
Mezuzah (And write them on
the doorpost of your house and
upon your gates).
When we survey the second
paragraph of the Shma we find
them in a different order: First
Tfillin, then Torah study and
finally, Mezuzah.
Commentators
have
wondered why the Torah changed
the order to put Tfillin before
Torah study? And how do we
explain the other differences (i.e.,
singular versus plural, loving
G-d with all your might and its
omission).
We also want to understand
why the Shma, in both of its
sections, mentions only these
three Mitzvos.

One way of understanding the

textual differences is to view them
as G-d directing His message to
us in different situations or in
different time periods.
The Talmud (Brachos 35b)
actually intimates the root of
the differences between the two
sections by focusing on another
difference: the second portion
speaks of how if we abide by
G-ds word, then I shall
provide rain for your Land in its
proper time, the early and the
late rains, that you may gather in
your grain, your wine and your
oil
The Talmud asks, how do
we reconcile our need to gather
the produce with the prophetic
prediction that G-d will provide
for us? The Talmuds surprising
response is that this prediction
anticipates the day when the
Jewish people fulfill G-ds will.
The reference in the second
paragraph of the Shma to the
Jewish people gathering their
own produce, conversely, alludes
to times when they do not fulfill
G-ds will.
Chassidic thought explains
that this is indeed the crux
of the difference between the
first section of the Shma and

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Stories
its second section. In the first
section, it deals with situations
in which we rise to the highest
and maximal level of devotion
to G-d, expressed by the words
with all your might. It reflects
a spiritually sophisticated period
where there are no limits to our
devotion to G-d.
In the second section,
notwithstanding its mention of
loving G-d, the words with all
your might are absent, reflecting
a minimal level of devotion. As a
consequence of their, relatively
speaking, non-compliance with
G-ds will, the Jewish people
will have to exert themselves and
gather in their own produce.
The Rebbe explains that the
second paragraph reflects a
period of exile in which only the
minimum standards of devotion
to G-d are maintained.
This premise is supported by
Rashis comment on the words:
You shall place these words of
Mine upon your heart and upon
your soul which precedes the
commandment to put on Tfillin:
Even after you will go into
exile be distinguished through
Mitzvos; put on Tfillin, make
Mezuzos so that they shall not be
new to you when you will return.

DIFFERENCES EXPLAINED
This also explains why
the first section addresses the
Jewish people in the singular.
In spiritually heightened times
the Jewish people are unified
both spiritually and physically,
as opposed to the period of our
exile, when we are fragmented.
Indeed,
even
the
wicked
Haman acknowledged this exile
phenomenon when he charged
that the Jews are scattered and
dispersed among the nations.
He was speaking not only of their
geographic separation but also of

their internal divisions.

We can now attempt to
understand why these three
Mitzvos are singled out among
all of the others in these two
sections, albeit in a different
order.

THE THREE MITZVOS:

INSTRUMENTS OF THE BAIS
HAMIKDASH
These three Mitzvos serve
a dual function. One cannot
compare the focus and effects
of these three Mitzvos in times
of exile to their focus and effects
in times of spiritual advancement
such as in the days of the Temple.
When the Bais HaMikdash
stood and generated holiness
throughout the world, a Jew was
able to experience this holiness
in his own life. This can be
compared to the ubiquitous radio
waves, which require one to have
the requisite instruments to have
access to them. Without a radio,
for example, we cannot access
the radio waves that are in our
midst.
The instruments that enabled
a Jew to experience the holiness
generated through the Bais
HaMikdash started with the
brains absorption of the Divine
intellect. The Bais HaMikdash,
Tanya explains, is the brain
of the universe. All of G-ds
most sublime energy enters the
universe through the Holy of
Holies in the Bais HaMikdash.
To absorb this divine intellectual
energy ones mind had to be
saturated with Divine knowledge.
From the human mind, the
energy traveled to the heart and
the rest of the body through the
Arm Tfillin which are bound
around the arm, near the heart,
and the Head Tfillin with
its straps flowing downward
reaching the legs. This was our

way of channeling the Divine

energy that manifests itself in the
head onward to the entire body.
In this manner the Divine energy
affected every aspect of our
behavior controlled by the body.
Once the people received
and internalized the Divine
energy emerging from the Bais
HaMikdash, they placed a
Mezuzah on their doorposts,
through which the energy
extended itself into their homes
and, through their homes, to
their environment and the entire
world.

THE THREE MITZVOS:

CREATING OUR OWN
SANCTUARY
In times of exile, when the
Temples presence is hidden from
us and its light is concealed, the
necessity and focus of these three
Mitzvos changes. Since we lack
the physical structure of the Bais
HaMikdash with its concomitant
channeling of Divine light,
we must create a Sanctuary
in ourselves. In this context,
these Mitzvos are no longer
instruments to access the flow of
energy from its Source. Instead,
we have to create our own
generators, our own personal
Sanctuaries, to generate our own
individual Divine light.
The first step to creating our
personal generating capacity
is performing the Mitzvah of
Tfillin. The Zohar (I:129) states
that Tfillin are a miniature
Sanctuary in their own right and
it is to them that the Torah refers
when it dictates: Make for Me
a Sanctuary and I will dwell in
them. Our head and arm serve
as the Cherubic figures perched
atop the Ark and the Tfillin
represent the Divine presence
within the Ark.
Once we have created the

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Sanctuary, we shift focus to

Torah study, concerning which
our Sages state, From the day
the Temple was destroyed the
only place G-d has in this world
is the four cubits of Halacha
(Torah law).
While Torah study and
Tfillin both serve the function
of creating a dwelling place for
G-d akin to the Temple, it is
Tfillin that take precedence.
The reason is found in a famous
Midrashic comment recording a
conversation between the Jewish
people and G-d, occasioned
by their exile-affected state of
existence:
We want to study Torah day
and night but we have no time.
Says G-d to them: Observe the
Mitzvah of Tfillin and I will
regard it as if you have studied
Torah day and night.
This
exchange
describes
the state of Jewry in times of
exile, when we are preoccupied

with mundane activities for our

sustenance. In times like these,
Tfillin substitute for continuous
Torah study and therefore are
listed first.
Once we have created the
ideal Sanctuary in our own lives
we extend the Divine energy
we just generated beyond our
own bodies to our homes and
the entire world. The Mitzvah
of Mezuzah enables us to
transform our entire home into a
Sanctuary, not just our mind and
bodies. Through the aggregate
power of all our Mezuzos we can
transform the entire world into a
Divine Sanctuary.

CONVERGENCE
OF TWO DIRECTIONS
The element that changed
from the first paragraph of
the Shma to the second is the
direction of the flow of Divine
light. In the times of the Bais
HaMikdash the light flowed

Continued from page 32

after he recovered. That is not the
king and not the field. The Chassidic
Elul is completely different. I am
to my beloved and my beloved is
to me, Hashem is the king who
welcomes everyone graciously, etc.
And he went on to discuss it until
they reached one of the stops on
Rabbi Akiva Street in Bnei Brak.
He just managed to hear the man
mumble to himself something like,
The king in the field, nu, its time to
learn Chassidus.
***
The story is not over. Now comes
the real surprise of the story. Picture
yourself traveling on your way (not
necessarily from Kfar Chabad to
Bnei Brak and not necessarily a bus)
when someone suddenly explains
what Elul is, and its not what you
thought. You suddenly find yourself
on the receiving end!

from the Temple outward to

the rest of the world through
the instruments of Torah study,
Tfillin and Mezuzah. In this
period of exile we generate the
light within ourselves through
our Tfillin, Torah study and
extend it outward through the
Mezuzah.
The desired end result
of our creation of miniature
Sanctuaries and the holiness
they engender is that they should
so permeate the world that it
will bring about the rebuilding
of the Bais HaMikdash. When
that happens, the Divine energy
emanating outward from the Bais
HaMikdash will merge with the
Divine energy emanating from
our own Sanctuaries. The fusion
of these streams of energy, each
with its own distinctive quality,
will form a world where we will
experience the highest and most
internalized form of Divine
revelation. This is the revelation
of Moshiach.

We always knew that in Elul

there are two parts, the I am to
my beloved and my beloved is to
me. We are responsible for our part
and Hashem is responsible for His.
Suddenly, the Rebbe dedicates an
entire sicha (Dvar Malchus) which
says that the avoda, the cheshbon
tzedek, is in the combining of them
both together. That the I am to my
beloved is my beloved is to me
and the my beloved is to me is
the I am to my beloved! And the
cheshbon (reckoning) is, to what
extent did I work in a way of I
am to my beloved, to what extent
did I work in a way of my beloved
is to me, and to what extent did I
combine them both in such a way
that the my beloved is to me is
an inseparable part of I am to my
beloved.
If you learn and live with the
Dvar Malchus every week, you

recognize the Geula motif. This is

always the demand, in other words,
from new directions, and new dark
corners of our inner world where
we have yet to integrate the idea of
both this and that.
It must be applied in between
man and his fellow, between husband
and wife, in Torah study and mitzva
fulfillment, with simcha, in daily
life, calmly, in unity, with renewed
vigor, everywhere and at every
time, in handling the challenges of
life, in everything. From the Dvar
Malchus perspective everything
looks completely different. Geula!
Melech HaMoshiach is in the field
and the time has come to learn Dvar
Malchus!
Furthermore, and this is the
main thing we must achieve the
true and complete Geula through
Moshiach Tzidkeinu teikef umiyad
mamash.

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THOUGHT

ELUL.
NOT WHAT

YOU THOUGHT
A point from the weekly Dvar Malchus
with a relevant message to our lives. * Is
the avodas Hashem of the month of Elul
connected only with ani ldodi or also to
vdodi lee?
By Aryeh Yehuda

t is known that a Chassidic

tale has the power to inspire
a person to make a proper
personal reckoning. The
following is a true story which took
place in Elul a few years ago.
A man from Kfar Chabad got
on a bus that goes every day from
Kfar Chabad to Bnei Brak. He
sat down next to someone who
looked like a Torah scholar from
Bnei Brak. The Lubavitcher
thought for a while about how
to get into a conversation with
the man sitting next to him who
looked deep in thought.
Finally, the man himself
began to talk and said, Youre
a Chabadnik, right? The
Lubavitcher smiled as though

to say, whats the question; of

course! To his surprise, the next
question was not, Are you one of
those who believes ...
The man introduced himself
as a maggid shiur in a wellknown yeshiva in Bnei Brak and
then he asked, You know the
concept of the king in the field?
Of course, thats the parable
of the Baal HaTanya, the Alter
Rebbe, said the Lubavitcher,
who then waited curiously for
what the man would say next.
He felt the man would surprise
him. Little did he know to what
extent
I heard that in Chabad there
is a concept that in Elul you
say the king is in the field, but I

havent heard what this means.

Ive spent hours thinking about it
and now that Im finally meeting
a Lubavitcher, Id like to hear
what its about.
The man from Kfar Chabad
couldnt help but ask, What
conclusion did you arrive at after
hours of thinking?
The month of Elul is a
month of accounting, said the
man from Bnei Brak in a low
and earnest voice. A person has
to picture himself in the field,
and Hashem Himself facing
him in the image of a huge
lion, who instills fear and roars
loudly. With every step it makes
as it approaches him, he feels
a trembling and terror. This is
Elul!
It is hard to describe the
mixed feelings of the Lubavitcher
at that moment. With Ahavas
Yisroel he restrained himself
from laughing and merely smiled.
He also felt a tremendous wave
of compassion for the poor man.
Listen, my friend, he said
Continued on page 31

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TZIVOS HASHEM

THE
FORGOT TEN
LET TER
By Nechama Bar

Gush Katif was a beautiful

area near the Mediterranean
Sea. It was comprised of small
yishuvim whose residents felt
like one big family. They lived
happily in spacious homes, except for constant attacks that
Arab terrorists perpetrated
against them. Despite some
tragedies, there were big miracles too. Hashems constant supervision was felt daily.
One of the larger yishuvim
in Gush Katif was Neve Dekalim. This yishuv was on the
coast and the people had magnificent views from their homes.
The Rebbes shluchim, the Kirshnzaft family, lived there.
There was hardly anyone in
Gush Katif who did not know
the shluchim. Their home was
open to all and guests felt like
members of the family. Many
came to learn Chassidus, to
write to the Rebbe, to ask questions and get advice.
Yoel Friedman lived in Neve
Dekalim. He is a religious person and wears a knitted kippa.
Yoel works at Machon HaTorah VHaAretz which devel-

oped a special method to grow

leafy vegetables like lettuce and
cabbage without bug infestation. Thanks to them, we have
bug-free produce.
Yoel is a friend of the
shluchim and always had questions about Chabad like, why
do Lubavitchers daven late and
why dont Lubavitchers sleep in
the sukka, and so on. He was
friendly with the Kirshnzaft
family but did not become a
Lubavitcher Chassid.
In the summer of 5765, the
Israeli government perpetrated
a terrible thing. They expelled
thousands of Jews who lived in
Gush Katif and gave their land
to terrorists! Chassidim of the
Rebbe publicized the Rebbes
view about the great danger
involved in giving land away to
the Arabs. Many people worked
hard to avert the terrible decree but failed.
The terrible day arrived and
in the sad month of Av, Israeli soldiers forcibly removed
all the Jews from their homes,
put them on buses and sent
them away from their beautiful

neighborhoods, spacious homes,

shuls, schools and playgrounds,
from the land they had worked
on to produce fine vegetables.
They were taken away from life
as they knew it, some of them
having lived in Gush Katif for
decades.
The houses and shuls were
destroyed and all that remained were memories and
much sorrow and pain over this
voluntary churban.
The Friedmans also had to
leave their home. They boarded
the bus and were sent to a hotel in Yerushalayim. They spent
months there with all their belongings packed up and in storage. Throughout this time, the
they
promised
government
would be given a home but
nothing ever happened.
A few months later, the residents of Neve Dekalim moved
from the hotel to a site with
caravans in the south of the
country, near the yishuv called
Nitzan. Caravans are not at all
like the houses they were forced
to leave. In the winter, the rain
bangs forcefully and leaks in.

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33

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In the summer they are very

hot. When there was a war in
the south of the country, they
did not even have a decent
bomb shelter to protect them.
The Friedmans lived in this
caravan park. Dont worry,
this is only temporary, said
government representatives repeatedly. But the temporary
phase dragged on and five years
passed and many families were
still living there.
The Friedmans, like many
other families, did not even unpack all their boxes. After all,
the caravan was temporary, so
why should they unpack and
repack?
Finally, the Friedmans were able to
build a real house in
Nitzan after working
hard to get the necessary money and permits from the government.
FriedmaThe
ns moved, with the
movers loading all
their boxes including the ones that had
been in storage. Some
of their proper ty in
storage had become
damaged. There was
moisture in the storage area as well as
insects and mice, but
the family was happy
to finally move into
their new home.
After settling into
their home, they beboxopening
gan
es, unloading them,
and organizing their
things. Yoel took the
first box that was
near him, opened it
with a knife and an
envelope fell out to

the floor. On the envelope were

blue and red stripes and it
looked old and not at all familiar. Yoel opened it up curiously.
Wow! he exclaimed. I
cant believe it. Its a letter from
the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
From the Lubavitcher Rebbe? wondered his wife. She was
sure he was mistaken. What
letter did we receive from the
Lubavitcher Rebbe?
Yoel quickly opened the letter with trembling hands. He
felt that this wasnt a coincidence. When he saw what was
written there, he nearly fainted.
On top of the letter it said,

To the Friedman family of Neve Dekalim, Yoel and

his wife. The Rebbe went on
to write, I was happy to hear
that you entered your new
home. And the Rebbe said to
check the mezuzos.
Amazing! Yoel and his wife
were speechless at first. They
felt the Rebbe had sent them
the letter just then and had
blessed them upon their move
to their new home.
It took some time for Yoel
to recover and to remember
where he had gotten this letter.
Ah yes, twenty-five years
ago, when we moved to Neve
Dekalim, we asked the Rebbe
for a bracha and
received this letter. For years I did
not know where
I had put it and
then I didnt even
remember that I
had it. And now, of
all times, we found
it!
Yoel told friends
and acquaintances
about the unexappearpected
ance of the letter.
One day, when he
met his friend, R
Zoldan, he enthusiastically said, I got
a letter from the
Rebbe!
What do you
the
in
mean,
Igros?
No, an original letter from the
Rebbe, with the
Rebbes signature!
After a story like
this, you cannot
help but believe!

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