1019

DVAR MALCHUS
KNOWING WITH
CERTAINTY
THAT MOSHIACH
HAS BEEN BORN
From Chapter Six of Rabbi Shloma
Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined
text is the compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
8. As discussed above,
Shabbos Nachamu emphasizes
the infinite quality (keifel,
doubled) of the true and
complete redemption. There is,
however, further emphasis this
year, when Shabbos Nachamu
follows the great preparatory day
of Erev Shabbos (one who is
busy during Erev Shabbos shall
eat on Shabbos) on the fifteenth
of Av.
But first to preface with an
explanation of the connection
between the fifteenth of Av
(especially when it falls on
Friday) to the true and complete
redemption:
The fifteenth day of the
month, when the moon is

full, alludes to the fullness, the
perfection, of the Jewish people.
[Contrary to the Gentile nations
who use a solar calendar] the
Jewish people follow the lunar
calendar. Indeed, the Talmud
asserts that the Jewish people
resemble the moon (see
Sukka 29a), and are destined
to be renewed like it (liturgy
of Kiddush Levana) in the true
and complete redemption by
Dovid Malka Meshicha (who is
associated with the moon, Sfiras
HaMalchus).
The fifteenth of the month
of Menachem-Av (the name
Menachem preceding Av)
expresses the fullness of the

month that is called by the name
of Moshiach Menachem is
his name. Also, the birth of
Moshiach (when his mazel
rules) is in this month (on Tisha
BAv, and when the moon is full,
on the fifteenth of the month of
Menachem-Av, it is known with
certainty that Moshiach has
already been born*), the month
whose mazel is Aryeh, the month
when Aryeh will comeand
rebuild Ariel.
NOTES:
*Footnote 83: As we find regarding
the kvius of the Yom Tov of the
Fifteenth of Av on the day when the
men stopped dying in the desert,
although the nullification of the
decree already took place on Tisha
BAv (Taanis 30b, end; commentary
of Rashi and Tosafos from Eicha
Rabba Psichta 33).
(From the address of Shabbos Parshas
VaEschanan, Shabbos Nachamu, 16
Menachem-Av; Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 743)
ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS
TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

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SHLICHUS
MIRACULOUS
SHLICHUS
IN THE CARIBBEAN
The Chabad House that operates in Bocas del
Toro Archipelago in northwest Panama is not
only a place whose outreach activities have
been crowned with tremendous success and
growth, it also regularly is witness to what we
call Baalshemske miracles. The two dynamic
shluchim, R Mordechai Cohen and R Yariv Klein,
tell the story of their extraordinary shlichus.
By Nosson Avrohom
4 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

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he Bocas del Toro

Archipelago is a beautiful
area in the Caribbean
that belongs to Panama
and touches the border of Costa
Rica. Bocas is comprised of six
big islands and another 360 or
so little islands. It is a stunning
tropical archipelago with verdant
rain forests, colorful animals, and
alabaster beaches that attracts
hundreds of thousands of tourists
a year including thousands of
Jews. We estimate that about
5000 Israelis visit annually and
the numbers are growing, says
shliach, Motti Cohen.
There are many attractions
that appeal to tourists. In addition
to the magnificence of nature
there are also the indigenous
Indians who maintain their
primitive way of life. It is sunny
most of the year, theres a coral
reef, and parks that preserve the
local natural treasures.
The Chabad House is in the
center of the main island, says
the partner in shlichus, Yariv
Klein. The island has about
4000 people living here and the
same number of visitors and
tourists on any given day. In
addition to thousands of Israeli
backpackers who visit every year,
there are about fifteen Israeli
families who live here who run
hotels and various businesses.

The American school on the
island is also run by a former
Israeli, a woman from a kibbutz
in the south of the country.
This season marks four years
of outreach on the island. They
started lchatchilla aribber,
with almost no resources.
People cant believe that in such
a short time we managed to do all
that we did, says R Cohen. He
says that his answer to all those
who are surprised is that their
success is thanks to the Rebbes
blessings.
The Chabad House does so
much, whether on weekdays or
on Shabbos and holidays. It is
situated in a spacious building
that previously served as a guest
house and has been rented to the
shluchim in recent years. Most
of the Israeli tourists who visit
the island will visit the Chabad
House more than once during
their stay. There are even those
who sleep there.
THE REBBE URGES

TO GET TO WORK
How did this pair of fellows
come to open a Chabad House
on a Caribbean island? And why
this island?
After they finished learning
on Kvutza in 770, they went on

shlichus to Chabad Houses in
Central America. R Yariv Klein
helped out in Cozumel, Mexico,
and R Motti Cohen helped the
shluchim in Guatemala. At a
certain point, R Cohen went to
Cozumel and their acquaintance
turned into a strong friendship.
When we finished the
temporary shlichus, we knew
we wanted to stay and devote
our lives to shlichus, says R
Klein. We saw the tremendous
impact a Chabad House has on
the Israelis who visit. Sometimes
they are introduced to basic
mitzvos for the first time in their
lives and first become aware of
their Jewish tradition.
The big question they had
was how to go about it. Running
an independent Chabad House
means having to raise funds, an
understanding of how to run
things, consistency and focus.
The ones who encouraged
us to take on this shlichus were
the shluchim in Cozumel, R
Shlomi Peleg and R Dudi Caplin,
from whom we learned so much.
After a period of time in which
we wavered, we decided to go
ahead to where the Rebbe wanted
us to go.
I wrote to the Rebbe via the
Igros Kodesh and the answer
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Shlichus
The Chabad House building in Bocas del Toro
My father, who had heard about our hesitation,

stood up during the farbrengen and asked for
the floor. Without further ado, he announced that we
were going to open another Chabad House and it cost a
lot of money. He took off his hat and put $500 in it and
asked those present to add to it.
shocked me. The Rebbe wrote
that he was happy to hear that in
recent months I was involved with
spreading Judaism and Chassidus
among Israeli youth. The Rebbe
added a line that really hit me
hard. I was shocked to hear
that he is considering stopping
his activities. After such a clear
answer it was clear to us that
we were going on shlichus. R
Cohen, who wrote separately to
the Rebbe, opened to an answer
addressed to Cohen, in which
the Rebbe wrote that the job of
a Kohen/priest is to illuminate
the souls of Israel, particularly
when he is involved in spreading
the wellsprings with youth, that it
should be with doubled blessings
in his efforts.
The clincher was when
Yarivs father, R Amichai, visited
Cozumel:
We went with him to a
farbrengen at another Chabad
House in Mexico, on the island

of Isla Mujeres, recalls Yariv.
My father who heard about our
hesitation, stood up during the
farbrengen and asked for the
floor. Without further ado, he
announced that we were going to
open another Chabad House and
it cost a lot of money. He took
off his hat and put $500 in it and
asked those present to add to it.
About seventy tourists were
there and the hat made its way
among all of them. It was moving
to see them all participate. At the
end of the farbrengen we knew
that we were going out to prepare
another point on the globe for the
hisgalus of the Rebbe MHM.
The one who helped us all along
the way was Dudi Caplan.
THE FIRST SHABBOS

The young shluchim headed
for Panama City, the financial
capital of Panama, where they

made
final
arrangements,
bought kosher wine, utensils and
other important items and after
receiving the approval of the
shliach in Panama, R Laine, they
set out for Bocas del Toro. We
boarded the plane on Thursday
afternoon knowing that as soon
as we arrived we had to make
arrangements for Shabbos.
On the flight, a middle-aged
man sat next to the shluchim.
He wore a captains uniform and
was busy reading the paper. I
did not start a conversation with
him since he did not look Jewish
to me. How taken aback I was
during the last fifteen minutes
of the flight when he asked
about our purpose for visiting
the island. When we told him
we were going to open a Chabad
House, he looked horrified. He
told us he was Jewish and was
born and raised in New York but
since he was a child he hid his
Jewishness. Why do you need
to announce your Judaism to
everyone? he complained.
Instead of debating the
issue with him, we invited him
to join us for the Shabbos meal.
Where? he asked. We told him
that we didnt know yet but we
would definitely be having a
meal and many would attend it.
After we landed, we parted ways
and we went to rent a room in a
building owned by a Jew named
Andy. Andy was happy we came
and within an hour we were out
on the streets canvassing for
Jews. Our plan was to spend
Shabbos in our apartment.
The shluchim spent hours
walking around the island. They
helped many Israelis do the
mitzvah of tfillin and of course
they invited them for Shabbos.
During their walk they had an
unusual experience of divine
providence (see sidebar).

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Their first Shabbos in Bocas

many Jews joined them, most
of them Israeli. The meal took
place on the balcony of one of
the hotels on the island. About
sixty tourists joined us, says
R Cohen. In the middle of the
meal, I glanced at the open sea
and suddenly saw the man we
met on the flight. He was going
out on the water in a small boat
on his way to a large boat that he
captained. I called his name and
motioned to him to come closer.
He recognized me and brought
his boat to the shore and agreed
to come up to the balcony. He
heard Kiddush and joined the
meal and was particularly moved.
He told the tourists that the last
Shabbos meal he attended was
when he was a little boy in his
grandparents home in New
York.
A BUILDING FROM HEAVEN

That was the launch of their
shlichus, and from that point on
word got around about the new
Chabad House on the island.
Tourists told their friends. To
meet the growing demand for
their peulos, the shluchim set
out on a search for a spacious
building where they could
regularly hold their programs.
We looked for a big building in a
central location that would meet
all our needs, says R Klein.
One day they met an Israeli
by the name of Danny Mizrachi
who lived in Key West, Florida,
but owned a large property on the
island that was used as a hostel.
He visited the island several times
a year.
He was happy to meet
with us and to hear that we had
initiated Chabad activity on
the island. He said that he was
traditional and ate only kosher
food. He showed us a Thillim
that he reads whenever he has
free time. He has a son who

became close with Chabad and
learns in the Chabad yeshiva in
Ramat Aviv. We soon became
friends and he became a regular
visitor at the Chabad House.
One day, an Israeli who had
been adversely affected from
smoking drugs fell into a deep
depression. The friend who
brought him asked us to take
care of him. We immediately got
to work and the one who helped
us a lot was Danny Mizrachi,
who referred us to an Israeli
woman in Panama who was a
holistic healer. After just a few
treatments she managed to get
him out of his depression. That
was the first time on shlichus that
we felt how we helped a fellow
Jew bgashmius. Danny was
impressed by our devotion.
When the balcony at the
hotel became too small to contain
all the participants at our meals,
we suggested to Danny that
we transfer our activities to his
building. He happily agreed.
He told us that he was tired of
running his hostel and that he
planned on selling it. We didnt
have the money to buy it, but we
really wanted to rent it as it was
a large building and was centrally
located.
Divine providence had an
Israeli investor from Panama
City come to us the following
Shabbos. When he heard about
the proposed sale he jumped at
the opportunity and bought it,
and agreed to sign a contract
with us for a long-term rental. He
donated the first three months
for free.
That is how the shluchim,
only one month after they
arrived, found themselves with
a spacious, two-story building,
centrally located, with eight
employees who were familiar
with the property, a ready
infrastructure, a large kitchen
and everything that shluchim
who are starting out dream of.
R Cohen tells us about many
tourists who keep in touch with
them, like those who were helped
by the Chabad House, and some
who made major changes in their
lives.
During our first year here, a
tourist came who was ripe for
anything Jewish. He liked the
warm atmosphere of the Chabad
House and decided to stay on
the island for a long time. He
visited us every day. Then he
decided to put tfillin on every
From right to left: R Dudi Caplin, R Yariv Klein, R Motti Cohen

on their first Erev Shabbos in Bocas del Toro
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Shlichus
day and we lent him a pair. When

he returned to Eretz Yisroel he
bought himself new tfillin.
WHEN THE REBBE

SENDS REGARDS
R Klein and R Cohen tell of
the constant sense that the Rebbe
is with them.
These are daily occurrences.
Ill tell you a story that is nothing
less than a Baalshemsker miracle.
If it hadnt happened to us,
I would not believe it could
happen, says R Klein.
This happened a few days
before Rosh HaShana 5774.
Hundreds of Israelis asked us
to host them on Rosh HaShana.
From other Chabad Houses in
the area we were told that there
was a mass migration of tourists
heading to Bocas. The truth is,
we were at a loss as to what to do.
We had the means to host
at most a few dozen tourists. We
had never had hundreds before.
It required a completely different
set of logistics. We decided to go

to Panama City to raise money
and shop for wine and other basic
items. On the Motzaei Shabbos
before the trip we sat down to
write to the Rebbe and ask for
a bracha. We are used to getting
clear answers but this answer
was especially moving. The
Rebbe wrote that he already sent
us a check via the secretaries.
Accompanied by this clear bracha
we left Sunday afternoon for the
big city where we stayed with
one of the shluchim, R Mendy
Karniel.
I took this opportunity
to shecht some cattle for the
Chabad community, and the plan
was that on Monday morning we
would go fundraising. R Karniel
woke us up at six saying there
was a person, a wealthy diamond
dealer, who asked to meet us
right away. He mentioned the
mans name but the name did
not ring a bell. We went to the
Shevet Achim shul for Shacharis
where we met an Israeli, a dealer
in kitchens, who donated a new,

fully equipped kitchen to us.
When he heard about the
diamond merchant we were
going to meet, he offered to
drive us there even though it was
just a few minutes walk away.
When we arrived at the office,
we suggested that he join us and
he did. The diamond dealer was
very happy we came. He said
he had been looking for us for a
whole day already. He opened a
drawer in his desk and took out
$1000 and gave it to us. It was a
nice sum and we wanted to hear
what he had to say. The story he
told was incredible.
He said that on Motzaei
Shabbos he went to bed and he
dreamed that the Rebbe came to
him in a dream and asked him
if he wants to be rich. When he
said yes, the Rebbe told him that
he needed to give tzdaka to the
Chabad House that was outside
the city. He motioned to the
Rebbe, a dollar? The Rebbe said
no. Ten dollars? No. A hundred

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The
night
before, after
her daughter asked her
again about learning
with her, she cried and
asked G-d to send her
Chabadnikim to teach
her children. She had
a little information
about the work of the
Rebbes shluchim and
she asked G-d to send
her emissaries from
the Rebbe to help her
educate her children.
dollars? No. A thousand dollars?

The Rebbe said yes. When he
woke up in the morning he was
agitated by his dream. There
were moments he thought it was
nonsense. What he found most
confounding was that he had no
idea that in Panama there was
another Chabad House aside
from the one in Panama City.
That night he told the dream to
a friend, a mekurav to Chabad,
who urged him to do as the
Rebbe said and not miss the
opportunity.
The fellow told him that he
had just heard about two young
shluchim who were operating
in Bocas, who had come that
morning to Panama City to raise
money and he considered this
incredible divine providence.
When we heard his story
we thought we were dreaming
because we remembered the
Rebbes answer we opened to
about the check he sent us. We
burst into joyous dance, being
so excited that the Rebbe was
looking out for us.

The Israeli from the
kitchens who had joined us
stood there in shock and
when we left, he said he was
making two days available for
us and would take us to all
his friends and acquaintances,
businessmen in many fields.
Within two days we were able
to collect all the money and
equipment we needed not only
for Rosh HaShana but for the
entire Tishrei.
Incredible. It looks like
the Rebbe spoils you
R
Cohen
(smiling):
Definitely. And yet, we are
still always busy raising money
for our work. When you are
involved in the work, the Rebbe
helps in supernatural ways.
Someone once came to
the Chabad House and started
asking us about our vision and
our dreams. At that time, we
wanted to renovate the kitchen
and equip it. We told him this
During the shluchims tour of the

island on their first Friday there, some
curious local gentiles noticed them. They
told the shluchim about a Jewish woman
who lived on a nearby island and also did
religious activities.
After hearing about her from a few
sources, we decided to get in a boat and
row over to the island. It turned out, she
runs an exclusive vacation village. As we
approached the village, she noticed us and
immediately came toward us in tears. We
didnt understand what she was crying
about, but after she calmed down she told
us that we were like angels from heaven.
She said that she has two children, a ten
year old boy and girl, who know nothing
about Judaism.
Her daughter had lately asked
her several times about learning about
Judaism, but she didnt know how or what
to teach her. She knew she was Jewish and
she was proud of it, and she said that she
invited tourists for Shabbos meals, but
aside from ceremonies and some hollow
symbols, she had no idea about the inner
meaning of Judaism. The night before,
after her daughter asked her again about
learning with her, she cried and asked
G-d to send her Chabadnikim to teach
her children. She had a little information
about the work of the Rebbes shluchim
and she asked G-d to send her emissaries
from the Rebbe to help her educate her
children.
This story greatly touched the shluchim
who understood that divine providence
had arranged everything. They calmed her
down and said they had come to settle on
the nearby island and they promised to
teach her children Torah. Since then, over
the years, the two children learn regularly
with the shluchim and in a few weeks the
entire family will be going to Eretz Yisroel
with the shluchim to celebrate the boys
bar mitzva.
We met these kids who had zero
knowledge of Judaism and today,
three years later, they know what every
Lubavitcher child their age knows. Their
mother kashered the kitchen in her house
and learned a lot.
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Shlichus
without considering that anything
would come of it.
The kitchen back then was
nothing but two plastic tables,
a few chairs, a simple gas
burner and a pathetic fridge. He
began asking us how much we
thought it would cost to do the
renovations. We threw out a wild
figure of $20,000. He smiled
and said, Chevra, I will pay for
the kitchen. I have a kitchen
company in Panama and my
workers will come in a few days
to make you a new kitchen. We
were stunned. We did not know
him and he did not know us and
in that first encounter he made
such a generous donation.
R Cohen recalls another
incident to share:
At a certain point we wanted
a machine to make dough.
There are days when we make
hundreds of challos and doing it
by hand takes up way too much
time. When we visited Panama
City we looked in a few Jewish
owned stores for this machine.
In one store the man told us he
doesnt carry it but he found out
for us that it costs $3000. I was
surprised by how much it cost. I
hadnt planned on spending that
much on it. I told him so and
said we could not buy such an
expensive machine. He asked me
to wait while he consulted with his
wife. A few minutes later he came
back and said that he and his
wife decided to donate it to us on
condition that every time we did
hafrashas challa we would say that
its in the zchus of the Gabbai
family from Panama City.
How are you preparing
the island for the hisgalus of
Moshiach Tzidkeinu?
Every tourist who comes to
the Chabad House knows that the
Lubavitcher Rebbe is Moshiach,
and all the good resolutions made
here are not only to make the
world a better place but to hasten

the hisgalus.
As soon as they walk in,
people hear about the opportunity
of writing to the Rebbe for a
bracha and advice. Some do it as
a matter of course and there are
some who heard about it at other
Chabad Houses they visited and
they know what its about.
There are also those who
look askance at it, but instead of
getting into a whole discussion
about it, we invite them for
supper at eight oclock. At supper
we talk about the Rebbe and
thoroughly explain the idea of
the Nasi HaDor and the need to
connect to him. Many questions
are asked about Judaism,
Chassidus and Moshiach, and we
answer everything to the best of
our abilities. People understand
that the reason we are on the
island instead of living in a nice
community in Eretz Yisroel or
New York is in order to prepare
this place for Moshiach.
One day, I met an Israeli
couple walking near the Chabad
House and I invited them to come
in. At first they hesitated but
when I offered them shakshuka
they came for supper. After we
exchanged a few pleasantries, we
realized they were not a couple
but a brother and sister who had
come to the island to surf.
My colleague Yariv told them
that he knows a longtime surfer
who also surfs in the area and
said his name. Hes our relative,
they exclaimed, surprised that
Yariv knew him. Yariv told them
that their relative told him that
thirty years ago his sister did not
have children after many years of
marriage. She went to the best
doctors who were unable to help
her.
At a certain point she went
to the Rebbe who gave her
three dollar bills for tzdaka and
blessed her. To her amazement, a

year after her visit to the Rebbe
she gave birth to triplets. The
brother and sister smiled and
said they were two siblings of the
triplets and the third sibling lived
in Australia.
Dozens of Israelis heard this
story. Naturally, after a story like
that, the shliach doesnt have
to explain too much because
whatever he will say will be
readily accepted.
***
R Klein concludes by saying
that he keeps on hearing about
stories that began at the Chabad
House in Bocas and concluded
later, in other places around the
world.
On our very first day
here, we met two young guys,
kibbutznikim, veterans of the
navy special forces, Shayetet 13,
who put tfillin on for the first
time in their lives, here with us.
At the chanukas habayis we
made for the Chabad House, we
noted that it was also their bar
mitzva. I later found out that the
two of them began getting more
involved in Jewish life and that
one of them went to learn in a
yeshiva and became completely
religious.
R Cohen follows up by telling
about the many ideas they have
for expanding their work:
There is a rich fellow who is
willing to give us the initial sum
to buy land on which to build a
Chabad House. Our dream is
to put up a building that will be
ours. On the first floor will be a
mikva.
We are right now in the
process of establishing a kosher
kitchen, which will produce high
quality kosher meals for Jewish
groups, not necessarily religious,
who come to the island a few
times a year on organized tours
from the US.

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THOUGHT
100% EMUNA
When the Rebbe said to learn Inyanei
Moshiach and Geula, he said this is the direct
way to bring the Geula. A few months later,
the Rebbe said that by learning, we can open
our eyes and see how the world is ready for
the Geula. At the same time, the Rebbe said
that if we want the learning to open our eyes,
we need to learn in a very unique way.
By Rabbi Yisroel Halperin
Shliach and Rav of the Chabad community in Hertzliya
n the sicha of Chaf-Ches

28 Nissan 5751, the Rebbe
announced, I did my part
and from here-on-in, do all
that you can, and yehi ratzon that
there be found one, two, three
among you who will come up with
an idea of what to do and how
to do it. Furthermore, and most
importantly, they must take action
so we have the true and complete
Geula immediately.
When we sit and brainstorm,
we need to open the Rebbes
sichos in the weeks and months
following 28 Nissan and see what
the Rebbe said to do to hasten
the Geula. As with everything
else, when it comes to preparing
to greet Moshiach, there is the
general concept and the details
that are derived from it.
Throughout those months
after 28 Nissan, the Rebbe
referred to dozens of practical
things which hasten the Geula.
Just as a soldier does not go
to battle without orders, so
too, a Chassid needs to know
all the instructions the Rebbe

gave which hasten the Geula.
The general point of all those
instructions is that every single
detail in the avoda of shlichus
needs to be permeated with one
intention: how does this lead to
welcoming Moshiach.
A Chassid might think that its
enough if he does ten or twenty
of those horaos and let other
people do the rest. We need to get
it into our heads that if we could
bring Moshiach by doing twenty
horaos, the Rebbe would not have
asked us to do to twenty-one! If
the Rebbe went on to ask that
we carry out additional horaos,
about fifty in all, obviously we
need to do all fifty to hasten the
hisgalus of the Rebbe even more.
Its hard, perhaps very hard,
to the point that at the Kinus
HaShluchim of 5752, in the
sicha in which the Rebbe said
that all aspects of shlichus need
to be permeated with Geula, he
used the wording yehi ratzon,
if only all the shluchim accepted
this and worked in unison. Back
then, when we stood before the

Rebbe, we did not understand
why we needed to hope that
everyone accepts it and why it
might interfere with unity.
Today, unfortunately, we
can understand what the Rebbe
meant. But along with the
difficulty, we need to know,
I demand only based on their
strength. When the Rebbe
demands this of us, along with it
comes special abilities conferred
by the Rebbe to enable us to carry
out the task.
In order to succeed at this
task, we need to seek out the inner
point, which provides chayus to
every activity and enables us to
live Inyanei Moshiach and Geula
with everything, everywhere, and
always.
HOW DO WE
OPEN OUR EYES?
In the winter of 5752, the
Rebbe revealed to us that we
are at a very advanced stage of
the Geula process. As the Rebbe
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Thought
A Chassid might think that its enough if he does

THE INNER POINT:
ABSOLUTE FAITH
ten or twenty of those horaos and let other
This is the innermost point of
people do the rest. We need to get it into our heads that
the self-preparation for greeting
if we could bring Moshiach by doing twenty horaos, the Moshiach Tzidkeinu, and this
is the key to getting us out of
Rebbe would not have asked us to do to twenty-one!
put it (Shabbos VaYeitzei): We
are holding at a point where
the physical body and even the
physicality of the world have
already been completely refined
and are a ready vessel for all
the lights and spiritual matters,
including and most importantly
the light of Moshiach, the light
of the true and complete Geula
The only thing that is missing
is the time that when a Jew
open his eyes properly, he will
see how everything is already
ready for the Geula. There is
the set table, there is already the
Leviasan and Shor HaBar and
Yayin HaMeshumar, and Jews
are already sitting at the table,
their Fathers table, along with
Moshiach Tzidkeinu (as it says in
sfarim, that in every generation
there is someone descended from
the seed of Yehuda who is fit to
be Moshiach) Now we just
need for them to open the heart
to know, and open the eyes to
see, and open the ears to hear.
The Rebbe actually revealed
to us the true reality, the physical
reality that we do not see, and he
tells us that we can see it too if we
just opened our eyes. How can
we open our eyes? The Rebbe
tells us to utilize all physical
248 limbs and 365 sinews and
in addition to learning Torah
and fulfilling mitzvos in general,
to learn pnimius haTorah as
it is revealed in the teachings
of Chassidus, and fulfill the
instructions of our Rebbeim,
our leaders, including learning
Inyanei Geula and in a way that
it opens the heart and eyes and

ears.
That means that there is a
specific way of learning that when
one learns this way, it opens the
heart, eyes, and ears. What is this
amazing way of learning?
The Rebbe goes on to say
that it must be in a way that
they understand, see and hear,
quite literally, in the physicality
of the world the actual true
and complete Geula, and learn
the teachings of Moshiach
(pnimius haTorah) in a way of
seeing. The Rebbe concludes
with a promise, All this is already
available and you just need to
open your eyes and see.
This is a formula for opening
our eyes learning in a way of
seeing. When learning a sicha
of the Rebbe in which he tells us
the true reality of the physical
world, and tells us that we are
already sitting at a table set with
the Shor HaBar, Leviasan and
Yayin HaMeshumar, this learning
ought to be with the absolute
certainty and absolute faith in
what the Rebbe said, in such a
way that it is readily assumed by
him that when he looks up from
the sicha, he will see the table, the
Shor HaBar, the Leviasan, and
the yayin HaMeshumar, just as
the Rebbe describes it in a sicha!
If we reach that level, the Rebbe
promises us that our eyes will
open and we will see how the
wondrous reality the Rebbe
speaks about exists in this
physical world.
the terrible state we are in. If

we want to be real Chassidim
of the Rebbe, it is not enough
to proclaim Yechi. Obviously,
we need to proclaim Yechi,
since the Rebbe himself said
that this proclamation reveals
the existence of Moshiach, and
through this his activities in the
world are revealed, but this is
not the point. We can proclaim
Yechi a hundred times a day
and remain galus Meshichistin
since our belief in what the Rebbe
said is incomplete and indecisive.
The core message is that
we
cannot
remain
galus
Meshichistin. Each of us needs
to examine himself: Am I a 100%
Meshichist? Do I believe 100%
or just 99%? If there is one
percentage point in which the
emuna is weak, you cannot call
yourself a believer, certainly not
a Meshichist. You need to know
you are very far from perfection.
And to believe simply is
not at all simple. The proof is
that if I myself believed 100%,
I would not need to explain
things to others since my entire
being would express and cry out
absolute belief!
The question is: how can we
attain absolute belief?
YES AND NO ON THE WAY

TO UNTAINTED FAITH
As on every path in the
journey of life, emuna also has
requirements, dos and donts.
As we explained earlier, absolute
emuna is the essential point of
it all, and therefore, in order to
attain it, you need to go by way
of the essential source: learning

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the teachings of our Rebbeim

and doing all their horaos. When
we are surrounded, from head to
toe, with the Rebbeims inyanim,
and are immersed in the waters
of pure knowledge of the Torah
of Geula, we can attain absolute
faith in what the Rebbe says.
Along with the asei there is
a lo saaseh. The greatest enemy
of faith is Amalek, and we need
to keep as far away as possible
from it. We cannot look in its
direction. We must remember
that Amalek can disguise himself
and come dressed as a Chassid,
with deep Chassidic concepts, so
the moment you sense a coldness
in faith, immediately identify this
as Amalek and disengage!
To illustrate how careful we
need to be, we know how the
Rebbe warned us to be careful
about not exposing children to
impure animals. We follow this
horaa and are careful not to have
these animals on sheets, clothing,
books and toys. Amalek can come
and say, look! There are dozens
of non-Chabad yeshiva students
who were raised with teddy bears
and zebras and they learn Torah
and they are G-d fearing
The answer to this Amalek
is: when it comes to emuna, to
the purity of G-dly faith, we
dont take chances. If those
animals will lessen emuna by just
one percentage point, then the
remaining 99% are trapped in
galus and will continue to see the
world from a galus perspective.
Another example, in the laws
of Pesach, the Alter Rebbe said
that matza made with fruit juice
does not become chametz. I
remember that R Fole Kahn told
us that in the Rebbe Rashabs
house they would make matza
brei with fruit juice and were
not concerned about shruya
(gebrochts). It wasnt a practice
that was made public, but we
see from here that there is no

halachic concern that fruit juice
will cause leavening. But if there
is one drop of water in the fruit
juice and it makes no difference
what the ratio of fruit juice to
water is, it can become chametz
in an instant!
Matza is faith, and with faith,
the smallest percentage of heresy
destroys it and turns it into galus
faith.
In order to believe 100% in
what the Rebbe says, we need
to have untainted emuna. We
are not allowed to read articles
by those who think otherwise,
which cools our faith, and we
cannot look at anything that
broadcasts the opposite of what
the Rebbe clearly said about the
Besuras HaGeula and the eternal
life of the Nasi Hador. Nobody
has immunity from heresy. Even

one who thinks that he does not
accept the approach of what he
is reading is drawn to it without
realizing it. We need to be as
innocent as babies, not to see,
not to hear, and certainly not to
say things that express a lack of
emuna in what the Rebbe says.
The point is not whether we
believe, but whether we believe all
the way.
When we finally believe with
an emuna shleima, our eyes will
immediately open and we will
see the Rebbe sitting at the head
of the set table and on the table
is the Shor HaBar, the Leviasan,
and the Yayin HaMeshumar and
the world saying: Yechi Adoneinu
Moreinu VRabbeinu Melech
HaMoshiach Lolam Vaed!
From a farbrengen
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THOUGHT
MESIRUS
NEFESH IN
NEW YORK
IS THERE
SUCH A
THING?
T
he Rebbe delivered the

maamer VAta Tetzaveh
in 5741 and published
it as an edited kuntres
for Purim Katan 5752. In that
maamer, the Rebbe addressed the
phenomenon that he saw among
some of those who left Russia.
Although when they lived behind
the Iron Curtain they were moser
nefesh for Torah and mitzvos, once
they left Russia that mesirus nefesh
was not that apparent.
As the Rebbe put it, We see
with a number of people that
when they were in a place where
there were decrees against Torah
and mitzvos, they had mesirus
nefesh for years. But when
they came to countries where

it is possible to observe Torah
and mitzvos amid abundance,
the mesirus nefesh they had
previously is not (that) apparent.
The mesirus nefesh they had
previously was because there
shone within them the revelation
of the essence of their soul
which transcends ones revealed
powers, but this did not affect a
change in their revealed powers.
At the time, after I learned
the maamer, I was left with
the feeling that the Rebbe was
disappointed with us and was
demanding to know where is
your mesirus nefesh?
At first, I did not understand
After the Rebbe

distributed the
maamer VAta
Tetzaveh, we
wondered does the
Rebbe want us to
continue living with
the same mesirus
nefesh that we
needed in Russia? But
the reality is different
here and there is no
need to be moser
nefesh for Shabbos
observance, tfilla and
chinuch! * R Hillel
Zaltzman discusses
mesirus nefesh in
a country and era
with no religious
persecution.
Prepared for publication by
Avrohom Rainitz
it. Did the Rebbe want us to

continue living with the same
mesirus nefesh that we needed in
Russia? The reality was different
here and it was no longer
necessary to be moser nefesh for
Shabbos observance, tfilla or
chinuch!
I spoke a lot about this with
other Chassidim and I would like
to share my thoughts with you
in the hopes that they will find a
receptive audience and will bring
about good results.
MESIRUS NEFESH
AROUND THE CLOCK
Starting
from
my
early

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childhood and until we left Russia

in the summer of 5731/1971, all
my memories of Torah and mitzvos
are interwoven with danger and
fear and doing them with mesirus
nefesh. I described this at length in
my memoirs which were published
in this magazine and later were
published as the book Samarkand,
so I will review some points of our
daily life briefly.
Chinuch: In order to avoid
sending us to communist schools
where we would be taught heresy
and be forced to desecrate Shabbos,
our parents kept us under house
arrest. For many years we did not
leave the house during the daytime
and only late at night could we go
out and breathe the fresh air. At the

same time, they had to devise clever
ways of getting a melamed into the
house every day to teach us Torah
without being discovered by the
neighbors. Picture what happens to a
child who grows up within the four
walls of his home without being able
to go outside during the daytime,
and living in an atmosphere of terror
with every knock at the door.
Tfilla btzibbur: In cities with
a Jewish community there was
usually an open shul, but it was run
by secret police agents whose job
it was to talk to whoever showed
up to daven. Whoever went to shul
was immediately marked and was
in danger of losing his job. And
whoever dared to bring his children

along feared that the police would
take his parental rights away and
put the children into government
reeducation programs. Since our
parents wanted to train us in tfilla
btzibbur, there was no choice but to
arrange secret minyanim in private
homes.
Every such minyan entailed
many difficulties. First, they had to
find a family whose members were
all capable of keeping a secret and
were reliable. You had to be able to
enter their home without arousing
the suspicions of the neighbors.
For years we davened without a
Torah scroll and when we somehow
managed to get one, we had to
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Thought
R Hillel Zaltzman and R Moshe Nisselevitz
Am I a Chassid? I playact as a Chassid! Chassidim

once farbrenged and they dealt with the question
who are we? Are we Chassidim as the Rebbe wants us
to be? How can we lie? Are we Misnagdim? G-d forbid! So
who are we? At the end of the farbrengen they concluded
that they were on the level of wanting to be Chassidim.
contend with a new problem. We
had always tried not to daven in
the same house for two weeks in
a row, but since when moving a
Torah from place to place you
need to read from it at least three
times, and on Shabbos you read
from it only two times, we had to
daven in the same place at least
two Shabbasos in a row. This
raised the fear level considerably.
The time for davening was set
for after the time people went to

work, so we would not have to
go out on the streets when people
were on their way to work and
arouse suspicion about where
we were going. For the same
reason we did not wear Shabbos
clothing so as not to stand out,
just clothes that were somewhat
nicer. When we finally got to
the house where the minyan was
located, we would look to see
whether someone else had just

arrived to avoid going in right
after him, so as not to arouse
suspicion. If it happened that
when we arrived we saw someone
else from the minyan walking in,
we would walk away in order to
return five minutes later.
Mikvaos: It was officially
illegal to open a mikva and so
all the mikvaos were secret ones.
Jews who lived in cities without
a secret mikva had to travel,
sometimes for a full day, in order
to get to the nearest secret mikva.
These mikvaos were usually
pits in the cellar that were built
secretly. I was once in the home
of someone in Tashkent where
the entrance to the mikva was
in the kitchen. When some
floorboards were raised, you
could see the opening to the
cellar and in order to go down
they had to set up a wooden
ladder with which you went
directly down into the water.
The water in the mikva
was cold and there were no
chemicals to clean it. When the
water became putrid there were
no electric pumps to draw out
the water and they had to go
down and manually remove the
water. Obviously, this was very
unpleasant work but it was done
with chayus and love.
WE WERE BORN TO
MESIRUS NEFESH
We did not feel like heroes
who were moser nefesh for Torah
and mitzvos. When a group of
Anash from Russia went to visit
the Rebbe in Tishrei 5732, the
Rebbe told them to visit Rabbi
Moshe Feinstein zl (world
renowned Russian posek who
lived on the Lower East Side of
Manhattan) and tell him about
Jewish life in Russia. The Rebbe
told them, Dont be humble

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about it. Tell him everything my

father-in-law is accomplishing in
Russia.
When they went to R
Feinstein he welcomed them
graciously. They told him
about Jewish life in Russia and
the hardships they endured to
be religious. He listened with
increasing emotion and asked in
wonder: How could you live like
that?
R Yaakov Notik replied: Did
we have a choice?
R Feinsteins reaction was
surprising. He burst into tears.
At first they did not
understand why he was crying
and only afterward did it become
clear that he cried because he
was moved by the mesirus nefesh
needed in Russia to remain frum
Jews. We, who were born into
this life, were used to it.
From a young age we learned
to live a double life at home we
lived as Jews and Chassidim while
outside we were forced to hide
everything. Many considered
us heroes but it was a type of
heroism that we were born into.
I believe that all of you reading
this would have been heroes too
if you had been born into our
situation.
EITHER A JEW OR A GOY

The alternative to mesirus
nefesh was, G-d forbid, to live
like a goy, which was the case
for many Jews living in the Soviet
Union. They fell under the sword
of communist heresy and many
of them were lost to the Jewish
people.
Knowing thisthat if we did
not withstand communism we
would end up living like goyim
aroused the essence of our souls.
As the Alter Rebbe explains in
Tanya that when a goy tries to
force a Jew to bow to an idol,
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zl
the essence of the soul is aroused

and the Jew is willing to give up
his life and not bow.
You could compare our
situation to a person born on the
battlefront. From a young age he
is taught how to use a weapon
and to be alert at all times. He has
no other option. He is fighting
for his life. If he doesnt fight,
he will die. Obviously, a person
doesnt want to die and he does
all he can to avoid it.
The fact that there were Jews
who despite it all gave in while
we fought with all our might, we
did not attribute to our personal
strength but to strength instilled
in us by our Rebbeim and the
chinuch they gave us.
WHAT HAPPENED AFTER

WE LEFT RUSSIA?
In the maamer, the Rebbe
explains that when we were
under communist rule we had a
revelation of the essence of our
souls, but in a manner which
transcended our revealed powers
and therefore no change occurred
in the revealed powers of our
souls. When we left Russia, the

essence of our soul was no longer
illuminated and we remained
with our revealed powers which
had not changed.
I will put it into my own
words but first, a preface. I do
not intend to justify what we did
or did not do after we left Russia.
I am only trying to analyze the
phenomenon in the attempt at
pointing out areas that can be
corrected.
When we arrived in free
countries, we felt like the person
born on the front who was always
on the alert, knowing that if he
tripped up he was likely to pay
with his life, who one day was
able to leave the battlefield. At this
point, he no longer walks around
with a weapon everywhere and he
stops living on high alert because
nobody is seeking to harm him.
Since he is no longer afraid for
his life, he allows himself to
become complacent.
We too were constantly tense,
knowing that if we stopped the
war we would lose our spiritual
lives, G-d forbid. The moment
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Thought
we passed the Iron Curtain a
change took place. We no longer
needed the weapon of mesirus
nefesh. We did not have to daven
in secret shuls, we did not have
to hide children so they wouldnt
be forced to attend communist
schools, and we did not have to
go far to find a mikva.
On an internal level, the fear
of spiritual death which awaited
anyone who cooperated with the
communists fueled the fire of
devotion to fulfill mitzvos, even
at the price of mesirus nefesh.
When this fear no longer existed,
the need for mesirus nefesh
disappeared.
MESIRUS NEFESH BEYOND THE

IRON CURTAIN SHLICHUS
When the Rebbe spoke
about Russian Jews who did not
continue living a life of mesirus
nefesh after leaving Russia, the
Rebbe did not mean the simple
meaning of the term, the way we
lived in Russia. Obviously, the
Rebbe did not expect us to open
secret minyanim and yeshivos.
The Rebbe was asking for
another kind of mesirus nefesh,
updated for the new reality,
to be his shluchim and spread
Torah and Chassidus. This was
the Rebbes disappointment,
that after living for years with
mesirus nefesh, he expected us
to throw ourselves into spreading
Torah and Judaism without any
calculations. Instead, we became
Americanized and thought more
about gashmius and less about
ruchnius.
One of the Chassidim who
did what the Rebbe wanted was
R Moshe Nisselevitz. As soon
as he arrived in Eretz Yisroel he
started the organization Chamah
and continued the work we
started behind the Iron Curtain.
In my memoirs I described the
meeting between R Moshe and
some of our friends who arrived

before him in Eretz Yisroel.
They all went to meet him at
the airport. After the initial
excitement at seeing one another,
R Moshe asked how they were
and what they were busy with.
They wanted to boast to him
about having become successful
businessmen and each one told
him about his business one
manufactured
blankets
and
another manufactured various
kinds of textiles, etc. R Moshe
was taken aback. After the shock
wore off he could not help but
say: Oy, for this you came to
Eretz Yisroel? To make blankets
and shmattes? Gevald, gevald!
Thanks to R Moshe I also
got involved in the work of
hafatza under the auspices of
Chamah. At first I also found
work manufacturing signs and
only did work for Chamah in the
evenings. When R Moshe urged
me to work for Chamah full time,
I told him that when I had my
first yechidus, the Rebbe asked
me what work I did in Russia.
When I said I manufactured
labels and signs, the Rebbe told
me to continue doing that in
Eretz Yisroel.
R Moshes reaction was to
quote the aphorism of Chassidim
in connection to yechidus: Az
men gait arein vi a naar, gait men
arois vi a naar (if you go in [to
yechidus] like a fool, you come
out like a fool), and he said: If
you had insisted, in a way of
chutzpa toward Heaven and
asked to do communal work, the
Rebbe would have guided you in
that way.
At a certain point I decided
to write to the Rebbe about this.
I wrote what R Moshe said
and asked explicitly, should I
continue manufacturing signs or
do hafatza. I received an answer
on 19 Kislev 5733 in which the
Rebbe underlined the words, to

work in ufaratzta and added
a handwritten note: May it be
successful, I will mention it at the
tziyun.
Until today, I thank Hashem
for having granted me the merit
to continue working for the klal.
After all is said and done, the
Rebbe surely expected more from
us!
REAL MESIRUS NEFESH ON

SHLICHUS
Along with the simcha for
the privilege I have of being
involved in the Rebbes shlichus
(including publishing my book,
Samarkand, which according
to feedback from readers is
inspiring many to increase in
Torah and yiras Shamayim) I
am alert to the fact that after all
is said and done, my shlichus is
limited when it comes to the need
for mesirus nefesh. This is why
I so admire, and am sometimes
jealous of, shluchim who left
their hometowns and traveled to
some forsaken place for shlichus.
The mesirus nefesh of these
shluchim is similar, in many
respects, to the mesirus nefesh
required of us in Russia. Some
of them also need to fly to get to
a mikva, they too cannot obtain
chalav Yisroel and pas Yisroel
and have to bake their own bread
and travel in order to supervise
milking or abstain from dairy
products.
We couldnt go to shul and
there are shluchim who cannot go
to shul, because in the city where
they work there was never an
active shul and they are starting
from scratch. In the meantime,
they do not have a minyan on
weekdays and sometimes on
Shabbos too they have to daven
without a minyan.
When it comes to chinuch,

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many shluchim have no suitable

school for their children in their
city and they have to send their
young children away from home
so they can attend proper schools.
Young children miss their homes
and their parents hearts are torn
too and this is definitely mesirus
nefesh for chinuch.
One major difference between
the situation of the shluchim and
our situation under communism
is that a shliach can take a
small break and travel to 770
to rejuvenate or attend a family
simcha anywhere around the
globe. We did not have that
opportunity and during those
years we did not even dream
of leaving Russia. We lived in a
giant prison against our will.
DISAPPOINTMENT WITH
THE CHASSIDIM
When we were in Russia
and mitzvos entailed danger
and fear, we were very afraid
that when we got to a Chassidic
community we would be on the
bottom of the ladder, for we were
sure that everyone was more
particular than us when it came
to Torah and mitzvos and were
full of Chassidus and immersed
in avodas Hashem. We were
sure that in western countries
where there was no impediment
to mitzva observance, many
of Anash davened with avoda,
farbrenged in a truly meaningful
way on every Chassidic holiday,
and took with them a bottom-line
resolution for self-improvement
from every farbrengen and
certainly implemented those
resolutions being that there was
no impediment
When R Naftali Estulin left
Russia a few years before us he
corresponded with us, in code to
be sure, and as far as our fears
and apprehensions he wrote the
aphorism, near the sea it is dry.
Painting of Chassidim davening by Zalman Kleinman
I am no angel and I know that it is definitely

not easy to refrain from talking in the middle of
davening, during chazaras hashatz or when the Torah is
being read. But speaking as someone who is well aware
of the difficulty, it seems to me that when you make
it your business to come before davening and learn
Chassidus properly, and then you daven without talking
in the middle, that is a type of mesirus nefesh.
We did not understand what he

meant or more correctly, we did
not want to understand. We did
not want to believe that this was
so.
In general, we did not see
ourselves as worthy of being
called Chassidim. As R Mendel
Futerfas once said to me: Am I a
Chassid? I playact as a Chassid!
Chassidim once farbrenged and
they dealt with the question
who are we? Are we Chassidim as
the Rebbe wants us to be? How
can we lie? Are we Misnagdim?
G-d forbid! So who are we? At
the end of the farbrengen they

concluded that they were on the
level of wanting to be Chassidim.
You
can
imagine
how
disappointed we were to see
that even when the KGB did not
interfere, the evil inclination had
enough power to interfere with
the avoda of tfilla, Torah study,
and other holy matters.
MESIRUS NEFESH IS
POSSIBLE, TODAY TOO
The truth is that everyone can
and must operate with mesirus
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Thought
nefesh. Although, as I mentioned
earlier, we do not need the same
sort of mesirus nefesh required
for underground learning and
davening, there is another type
of mesirus nefesh. As is explained
in Chassidus, mesirus nefesh also
means giving up ones ratzon
(will, desire). Negating the desire
for things that have nothing to do
with holiness, and creating the
desire exclusively for holy things.
Whoever
davens
in
a
community shul can identify
urgent
things
that
need
correcting in himself and
others, and the way to correct
those flaws is through mesirus
haratzon. When we transfer our
desire for negative things that
have taken root within ourselves
for holy things, that is a form of
mesirus nefesh.
For example, a person
walks into shul and instead of
standing and davening, he starts
schmoozing with his friends or
looks into the various booklets
and pamphlets that are all over the
tables (which is a phenomenon
that unfortunately is not worth
the benefits gained thereby, for
the goal was to inspire people to
Chassidus but instead, they cause
a greater bittul of tfilla). When
the chazan is up to Barchu or
Shmoneh Esrei he is reminded
that he is supposed to be part of
the minyan and he jumps ahead
and finishes Shmoneh Esrei
ahead of the chazan
Where does such behavior
come from? After all, he
considers himself a Chassid and
wears a sirtuk and gartel, his
family descends from Chassidim,
and at farbrengens he sits and
nostalgically recounts stories
of Chassidim from earlier
generations. But is this how
Chassidim of earlier generations
used to daven? Did they fulfill
their obligation of Chassidus
before davening by reading a line

in a pamphlet?
I am no angel and I know
that it is definitely not easy to
refrain from talking in the middle
of davening, during chazaras
hashatz or when the Torah is
being read. But speaking as
someone who is well aware of
the difficulty, it seems to me that
when you make it your business
to come before davening and
learn Chassidus properly, and
then you daven without talking
in the middle, that is a type of
mesirus nefesh.
(Another area that needs
fixing is the time for Mincha. In
Lubavitch it has always been the
practice to daven Mincha before
sunset and not to be lenient and
daven until the stars come out
as other Chassidic groups do.
Lately, many Lubavitchers daven
Mincha late and go from Mincha
to Maariv.
How particular they were
about this in Lubavitch we see in
a story about the Rebbe Rashab
(Likkutei Dibburim vol. 1) that
even on 24 Teves he hurried to
daven Mincha before sunset even
though he was alone. He did not
wait another few minutes when
other Chassidim came and they
could daven with a minyan!
This pertains especially to
Mincha on Erev Shabbos. And
here too, for someone who is
used to doing this, a change
for the better is a sort of
mesirus nefesh.)
which the Rebbe wants us to be

enthusiastic about.
This year, Shnas Hakhel,
there is a need for a special
arousal in carrying out the
Rebbes instructions regarding
this special year. The Rebbe
wants us to convene large
gatherings at every opportunity,
at home, at work, and in the
community. This demand of the
Rebbe applies to everyone with
no exception. Nobody can say I
have nobody to invite, because
everyone has people around him
whom he can and must gather
together.
On a broader scale, we need
an awakening in activities to
prepare the world for Moshiach
which is the avoda that the Rebbe
assigned to us on Yud Shvat
5711 and especially in recent
years. Here too, like Hakhel, the
Rebbe does not limit the shlichus
to a certain demographic, but
includes everyone. As the Rebbe
put it, since this is the avoda of
this time, obviously it pertains
to every single Jew without
exception.
***
I write this with the prayer
and hope that the words will
impact me and the readers and
that we all fulfill what the Rebbe
Rayatz said to a group of young
students you should know that
the main point of chinuch is that
tomorrow be better than today!
MESIRUS NEFESH IN
THOSE THINGS THE
REBBE KOCHS IN
In addition to veer
from evil, of course
mesirus nefesh should be
expressed in do good
too, in all areas of holiness,
especially those things

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PARSHA THOUGHT
WHAT DOES IT
MEAN TO BE
TRULY ALIVE?
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
THE INTRODUCTION
Before the Torah introduces
the admonition against emulating
the abominable behaviors of the
Egyptians and Canaanites, the
Torah inserts the following:
Carry out My laws and
safeguard My decrees to follow
them; I am G-d your G-d. You
shall observe My decrees and My
laws, which man shall carry out
and you will live by them I am
G-d.
What does the Torah mean
when it says, and you will live
by them?
The
Talmudic
Sages
(Sanhedrin 74a) derive from
this verse that the Mitzvos were
given for the sake of life, not
death. With the exception of
three cardinal sins (idolatry,
forbidden relations and murder)
the preservation of life takes
precedence over the performance
of a Mitzvah. For example, one
whose life may be at risk by
fasting on Yom Kippur does
not have to fast, and indeed, is
forbidden to fast.
The question can be asked,
why does the Torah introduce the
concept of the supremacy of life
over the observance of a Mitzvah
as a preface to enumeration of
the forbidden relationships?
This is especially puzzling,
as forbidden relationships are
actually one of the exceptions
to the general rule. If one
is threatened with death or
committing
adultery,
for
example, he may not violate this
commandment; he must die
rather than submit. Why then
does the Torah preface the life
above all else imperative to a
section where that imperative
does not apply?
RASHI ANTICIPATED
THE QUESTION
It is possible that Rashi
anticipated this question and
it may have prompted him to
explain that the reference to living
here is to the World-to-Come.
Rashi supports this interpretation
with the following argument: If
you shall say that it refers to this
world, is it not true that he will
die in the end?
At first glance, this proof is
hard to grasp. What does Rashi
mean that ultimately he will die?
Why cant the Torah mean that
by observing the commandments
people will live longer and more
wholesome years? Alternatively,

why didnt Rashi cite the
Talmuds explanation that we
should live and not die in the
observance of Mitzvos?
It may be conjectured, that
Rashi was referring specifically
to the commandments that
follow in the Biblical text, i.e.,
the
forbidden
relationships,
concerning which one must die
rather than transgress. Rashi
therefore argues how can the
Torah be referring to life in
this world if one is required to
surrender that life to avoid a
forbidden relationship? Rashi
therefore concludes that with
respect to these commandments
the meaning of and you will
live by them is the life in the
World-to-Come.
WORLD-TO-COME:
ETERNAL LIFE ON EARTH
Taken at face value, Rashi
seems to be alluding to the
afterlife of the undying soul.
However, upon deeper reflection
Rashi may actually be referring to
the period in the Messianic Age
when the dead will come back to
life and we will all enjoy eternal
life in this physical world. This
period is referred to as Tchiyas
HaMeisim-the Resurrection of
the Dead.
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PARSHA THOUGHT
Hence, all Mitzvos are
associated with life. In this preTchiyas HaMeisim period, most
Mitzvos demand living life to the
fullest in the most literal sense
while some apply to the future.
The common denominator is that
all of these Mitzvos are associated
with life in this physical world.
The question can now be
reversed. Why would the Torah
introduce the concept of living
with our Mitzvah observance in
the context of a Mitzvah which
relates to life in the future?
to make the world an abode for

Himself will come to pass in the
Messianic era, the period for
which the world was originally
created, and especially the period
after the resurrection of the dead.
Then G-dliness will be manifest
throughout the world and all the
nations on earth will experience
Divine revelation.
The Alter Rebbe continues
to elaborate on this theme in
Chapter 37:
Now this ultimate perfection
of the Messianic era and [the
time of] the resurrection of the
We are also, ironically, witness to the greatest

erosion of human life. Whether at the beginning
of life or near its end, our society today is engaged in
the worst possible assault on lifes sanctity. The trite
expression quality of life is used to deny the fact that
life itself is the greatest quality, for it is an expression of
the Divine in the physical realm.
PREPARING
FOR THE FUTURE
The answer is that all the
Mitzvos we perform now prepare
us for the Tchiyas HaMeisim
era.
This premise is rooted in the
words of the Tanya. In chapter
36, the Alter Rebbe explains that
the purpose of G-ds creation of
our world is that G-d desired
an abode in the lowest realms,
referring to our physical world.
We inhabit a world in which G-ds
presence is utterly concealed, and
He created this world of spiritual
darkness with the intention of
reversing that concealment and
darkness so that His presence
should ultimately be revealed.
The fulfillment of G-ds plan
dead, meaning the revelation

of Ein Sof-light in this physical
world is dependent on our
actions and [divine] service
throughout the period of exile.
For it is the Mitzvah itself that
causes [i.e., creates] its reward.
For by performing [the Mitzvah]
man draws the revelation of the
blessed Ein Sof-light from above
downwards to be clothed in the
physicality of this world.
After a lengthy analysis of how
the Mitzvah reveals unadulterated
G-dliness into the physical world,
the Alter Rebbe continues:
It follows, therefore, that
the purpose of the Messianic
Era and of the resurrection of
the dead, namely, the revelation
of His glory and Divinity, and
the banishment of the spirit
of impurity from the earth, is

entirely dependent on [our]
drawing down His G-dliness
and the blessed Ein Sof-light
upon all the 248 limbs of the
vital soul of all Israel by the
vital souls performance of all
the 248 positive Mitzvos and
[this purpose is also dependent]
on [our] banishing the spirit
of impurity from the vital soul
of all Israel by the vital souls
observance of all the 365
prohibitive Mitzvos.
In summary, whenever we
perform a Mitzvah with the
energy from our vital, animating
soul and body with the use of a
physical object we reveal G-ds
infinite light in the physical
world. The Messianic age, and
particularly the period following
the resurrection of the dead, is
when we will all see the fruits of
our labors.
Thus, when we perform
a Mitzvah we are actually
introducing the Divine energy
that will become fully manifest
in the future resurrection-of-thedead era.
This
explains
why
the
imperative to live with most
Mitzvos (and not die because
of them) is connected to the life
of the future (the reward for the
Mitzvos that require sacrificing
our lives), for in truth, each and
every Mitzvah introduces us to
the life of the future. When we
do a Mitzvah today we internalize
the light of the future.
One can add to the above
an important thought. Now
after thousands of years of
Mitzvos performed by countless
individuals under the most
strained conditions, we have
already elicited virtually all of the
Ein Sof-light of the future age of
the resurrection.

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QUALITY OF LIFE
OR LIFES QUALITY
Where do we see evidence of
this unprecedented phenomenon
of infinite Divine light ready to be
revealed in the present era?
The answer is that we see it,
paradoxically, in two opposite
examples.
First, never before have we
seen the medical advances that
cure illnesses, remove pain,
improve the quality of life,
prolong it and even portend a
time when we will be able to
live indefinitely. The potential
to live to well over a hundred
is already here and the notion
of eternal life is not so remote
in the minds of even the most
secular of scientists. Never
before have we seen so many
advances in the field of life. This
phenomenon is clearly indicative
of the future period of eternal
life. However, since we are still in
exilealbeit, on the threshold of
Redemptionwe see the effects
of this revelation without seeing
its source.
The Rebbes exhortation to
open our eyes can be applied
to our need to look at the latest
extraordinary changes in the
world and attempt to see their
Continued from page 29

tions as to what to do if in my
opinion your legal status is not
regularized.
Gorodetzki replied: I always
work with JDC on the basis
that the latter contributes 70%
of operating expenses (including Pinsons salary) and 100%
of installation (equipment,
etc.) costs. Pinsons salary really should be reimbursed prior
source.
Second,
we
are
also,
ironically, witness to the greatest
erosion of human life. Whether
at the beginning of life or near
its end, our society today is
engaged in the worst possible
assault on lifes sanctity. The
trite expression quality of life
is used to deny the fact that life
itself is the greatest quality, for it
is an expression of the Divine in
the physical realm and provides
with the opportunity to do a
Mitzvah.
As discussed in previous
essays, whenever there is an
explosion of positive energy
in a certain direction, we will
also witness a parallel surge
of
negative
energy.
This
phenomenon is based on the
words of King Solomon in
Ecclesiastes that G-d creates
parallel forces of good and evil.
As long as we havent totally
left exile, evil asserts itself,
particularly in the area where
goodness and holiness are most
pronounced. Precisely because
we are on the very cusp of the
age of eternal and unprecedented
quality of life we are also
experiencing the greatest erosion
of, and assault on, life.
to the formal beginning of the

educational project as the preliminary organizational work
is necessary. Pinson will be
prepared to submit receipts
for expenditures but I ask that
JDC-Tunisia evaluate all his
proposed expenditures with a
minimum of red tape even if
the latter approach may be legitimate for the Tunisian agencies.
I responded: I have no authority to participate for more
THREE LESSONS: OPEN OUR

EYES, SAVOR AND FILL
The lesson for us in these
extraordinary times is threefold:
First,
we
should
open
our eyes to the reality of the
life
embracing/assaulting
phenomenon as evidence that we
are about to enter into the period
of eternal life.
Second, we should do
everything in our power to savor
and treasure every moment of
life as G-ds greatest gift to us.
We should do everything in our
power to discourage the epidemic
of threats to life from the medical
community by educating people
about the true value of life.
Whenever there is a question
about undergoing a medical
procedure that can impact life,
only a competent Halachic
authority should be consulted for
guidance.
Third, we should fill every
precious moment of life with
Toras Chaim-the Torah of Life,
the life affirming power of Torah
study and Mitzvah observance,
suffused with enthusiasm and
revel in the knowledge that we
will imminently see the fruit of
our labor, with the immediate
Redemption.
than 60%. For this question

as well as the other questions
I plan to take advantage of the
time still available to seek guidance from my Headquarters
The JDC and Rabbi Gorodetzky came to an agreement that
the JDC will pay 60% and Rabbi
Gorodetzky will provide the additional 40%, and with that, the
Chabad schools opened in time
for the 1961 school year, and
continue flourishing to this day.
Issue 1019
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BITACHON BYTES
AN EXIT STRATEGY
IN AVODAS HASHEM
By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg
ne of the fundamental
aspects of Bitachon
is recognizing and
internalizing
that
everything that happens in our life
is ordained by Hashem. Parshas
Acharei Mos provides for us an
opportunity to internalize this
message. To preface this message
we will first discuss a component
which is integral to seeing
Hashems relevance in practical
life.
After a two and a half parsha
break in the story of Nadav and
Avihus untimely death, Parshas
Acharei Mos returns to the
recounting and taking lessons
from this unfortunate incident.
Chassidus1 teaches a lesson from
a deeper dimension that can be
derived from this story. Nadav
and Avihu, although extremely
holy, erred by expressing their
feelings for Hashem in a manner
which caused them to expire.
Hashem had originally placed
them in this world in order that
they should serve Him through
doing Torah and Mitzvos, and
their extreme expression of love
for Hashem ran contrary to what
Hashem ultimately wanted from
them.
When it comes to the spiritual
service of Hashem, the question
can be raised: how is it feasible
for a person in the middle of a

spiritual experience to maintain
a connection to this physical
world? The time to prevent the
expression of Ahavas Hashem
from going out of control is
at the beginning of the Divine
experience. If at the outset the
persons goal in the spiritual
experience is for his own benefit,
that he should be close to
Hashem, then indeed, remaining
grounded is contradictory to
his love of Hashem, and an
undesirable consequence will
probably occur2. If, however,
the persons intent is only to
fulfill Hashems commandment
to love Him with all his might,
and he knows that Hashem
simultaneously created a world
that should be inhabited and not
chaotic, then his behavior will
always reflect Hashems will that
the world should be inhabited
and refined through Torah and
Mitzvos. To summarize, right
at the beginning of the G-dly
experience, one needs to specify
that one will act in a manner
which is congruent with .
The Gemara3 relates that
Rabbi Akiva was the only one of
his colleagues who was able to
exit the Pardes-Spiritual Orchard
in peace. It is asked: why was
Rabbi Akiva the only one to
successfully exit? The answer lies

in the original intent in entering
the Orchard. When his peer Ben
Azzai entered, it was clearly with
the intention of elevating himself
higher and higher and not
returning to this physical world.
About Rabbi Akiva, however, the
Gemara says , he
entered in peace. He entered the
Orchard with peaceful intentions,
i.e., to later exit the Orchard
peacefully and return to this
physical realm, bringing with him
spiritual inspiration to affect this
world in a positive way.
It is told about the Alter
Rebbe, that at the time that he
was a study partner with Reb
Avraham the Malach, the son of
the Mezritcher Maggid, they both
decided to climb the spiritual
levels according to what they
had learned in their Kabbalistic
studies. After making the
appropriate preparations, they
began their spiritual ascent. For a
while, their progress was smooth
until the Alter Rebbe felt that he
was being tugged by an intense
feeling to continue climbing
higher and higher to the point of
no return. Immediately, the Alter
Rebbe ceased and made a hasty
return to this world. Turning to
Reb Avraham, the Alter Rebbe
noticed that he was literally on

1019_bm_eng.indd 24
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the verge of connecting to such

a sublime level of G-dliness from
where return was out of the
question. Acting quickly, the Alter
Rebbe grabbed a bagel, smeared
some butter upon it, and inserted
it into Reb Avrohoms mouth.
The sensation of materialism in
his mouth successfully reinstated
his physical life.
Its safe to say that the Alter
Rebbe always bore in mind the
purpose for which Hashem
created the world, and this
thought guided his every move.
So even when spiritual ascent
was on the agenda, knowing
Hashems intention for creating
the world kept the Alter Rebbe
safe from expiration. Reb
Avraham, on the other hand, was
known for his ascetic and austere
lifestyle, and connecting with
the sweetness of G-dliness was a
most attractive way to occupy his
time.
It requires a certain level of
bittul to put oneself aside and
strictly adhere to Hashems
desire for our physical world.
Even when the Kohen Gadol
entered the Holy of Holies on
Yom Kippur, an experience
which can be described as the
height of cleaving to Hashem, it
was necessary to bear in mind
this intention. It was not a
spiritual experience he sought,
but ultimately to bring Divine
forgiveness to his fellow Jews.
Additionally, upon emerging
from the Holy of Holies, the
very same Kohen Gadol who
had just attained a most lofty
level of attachment to Hashem

now proceeded to daven for the
parnasa of the Yidden. This too
expresses that the experience of
the Kohen Gadol did not remain
a lofty experience but concluded
with positive results for the
world.
This is applicable not only to
those righteous individuals who
usually enjoy a close connection
with Hashem, but also to every
Yid. Every Yid has a time when he
experiences inspiration. This can
occur during Shabbos and Yom
Tov; even more so during the Ten
Days of Repentance. At these
moments we must remember
that our entering the moment of
inspiration must not be separated
from our exiting the holy
moment. The commencement
must be peaceful and in a manner
that we will later draw from this
inspiration the ability to live a
more refined life.
This is all how we should
serve Hashem, but it is also an
important message for preparing
to live life with Hashem at the
forefront of our consciousness.
It is impossible to bring Hashem
into our lives if we dont have
an experience of serving Him
properly. So firstly, we have to
make sure that we are making
the effort to express our Ahavas
Hashem, and while ensuring
that it should be in accordance
with what Hashem wants, we
are cautioning that our Avodas
Hashem should not be mutually
exclusive of our day to day lives.
Once our service of Hashem

in the correct manner is in

place, it will affect how we view
physicality in general. Even
gashmius which is not directly
connected to serving Hashem is
derived directly from Hashem
Himself. As the Torah says,
... if
we fulfill the Mitzvos, Hashem
will provide rain, demonstrating
that the only way for a Yid to
receive his sustenance is through
fulfilling Torah and Mitzvos.
This is just as it was with the
Kohen Gadol, whose greatest
drawing down of sustenance for
the Yidden followed his sublime
experience in the Holy of Holies,
illustrating that the greatest
bracha for parnasa derives from
the prior G-dly experience. So
to be able to view all material
phenomena as being derived
from Hashem, we must begin
with proper Avoda that starts with
the right intention to inspire our
mundane life. It will then follow
that all aspects of life will be seen
as though they are bestowed to
us by Hashem, and not just there
on its own.
Rabbi Zalman Goldberg is a well
sought after speaker and lecturer on
Chassidic thought. His writings and
recordings on the topic of Bitachon can be
accessed at http://www.gotbitachon.com.
You can also receive his one minute daily
Bitachon clip by sending a WhatsApp to
347.546.4402 with the wordBitachon.
(Endnotes)
. 197 ') '' '' 1
) '' ' ' 2
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.' ,) ''3
Express service
Fully Computerized
331 Kingston Ave.
(2nd Flr) Brooklyn NY 11213
Get your tickets within minutes!
(718) 493-1111
Fax: (718) 493-4444
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Issue 1019
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25
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& 1710 AM in parts of Brooklyn 24/6
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1019_bm_eng.indd 25
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5/3/2016 8:01:50 AM
CHABAD HISTORY
1954-1960:
Establishing
Chabad in Tunisia
In 1954 Rabbi Gorodetzky travels to Tunisia to
see if he can establish a Chabad presence there
* The JDC refuses to sponsor, and the program
got delayed to 1960 * How did Shlichus begin
in Tunisia in 1960? * What did the Rebbe think
about Rabbi Pinsons Mikvah project? * Part Ten
In the previous installment

we presented a review on an unknown organization, founded
before Fall 1948 (5709) by members of Anash in America, named
The Non-Partisan Committee
for the Spiritual Survival of Eastern European Jewry.
Chabad in Tunisia was founded in 1960 by Rabbi Nissan
Pinson, under the auspices of
the Lubavitch European Bureau,
directed by the Rebbes personal
emissary to Europe and North
Africa, Rabbi Binyomin Eliyahu
Gorodetzky.
In this weeks installment we
discover that Rabbi Gorodetzky
visited Tunisia already in 1954!
And the American Joint Distribution (JDC) was obviously not too
excited about this development,
as they were still trying to figure
out how to rein in on Chabads

expansion in Morocco. This delayed the opening of Chabad in
Tunisia until 1960.
These fascinating documents
are part of the JDC Archives
(which were digitized and uploaded online, thanks to a grant
from Dr. Georgette Bennett and
Dr. Leonard Polonsky CBE).
SUMMER 1954:
FIRST STEPS IN TUNISIA
In a letter written by the
Rebbe to Rabbi Gorodetzky, on
the 24th of Tamuz 5714, the
Rebbe writes the following words
(translated from Hebrew Igros
Kodesh Vol. 9 p 206):
I have received your telegram
about your trip to Tunisia, and
surely you also visited Djerba
THE COMMUNITY ASKED,

THE REBBE AGREED
In a report issued by the
Non-Partisan Committee for
the Spiritual Survival of Eastern
European Jewry after their 1954
meeting, they write a summary of
the Rabbi Gorodetzkys speech
which discussed his trip to Tunisia, and the Rebbes agreement to
bring Chabad to Tunisia:
Having recently visited Tunisia, Rabbi Gorodetzky gave
a firsthand account of Jewish
life in that French Protectorate, where some 120,000 Jews
live in extremely difficult conditions. For some time past, Jewish leaders of Tunisia have been
appealing to the Lubavitcher
Rabbi to set up an educational program there on the lines
which had proved so successful
in Morocco.
During his visit in Tunisia,
the speaker said, he became fully acquainted with their needs
and problems. After reporting
same to the Lubavitcher Rabbi,
Rabbi Gorodetzky stated that a
plan of action has been evolved,
under which operations are to
begin without delay.
Rabbi Gorodetzky was also

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instructed to open negotiations

with the European Executive
Council of the Joint Distribution Committee, with a view to
enlisting their aid. He had already had preliminary discussions with them, and it is confidently expected that the JDC
will view the project favorably,
in line with its traditional cooperation with Lubavitch.
JDC: WE SHOULD NOT

AGREE TO CHABAD
EXPANSION
Although the report stated
that the JDC would probably
agree, the JDC itself wasnt too
happy when they read that report In an internal letter dated December 2, 1954 [Kislev
7, 5715], from Herbert Katzki
(JDC Europe) to Henrietta
Buchman (JDC New York), he
categorically refuses to consider
a Chabad expansion into Tunisia:
(2) You will note in
the report that Rabbi Gorodetzki makes special mention
of the intention on the part of
Lubavitcher to start operating in Tunisia, up to the present time the Lubavitcher has
undertaken no work there. We
had suspected, arising out of a

visit we knew that Gorodetzki
made to Tunisia, that something like this was bound to follow. Needless to say, we would
be most unwilling to have the
Lubavitcher start in this new
area. In our view, Tunisia is
pretty well covered on the Jewish education side though one
can be sure that Lubavitcher
will find an angle to get started
in the country. This, of course,
can only tend to complicate the
difficult situation there.
Should Rabbi Gorodetzki
raise the question of assistance from JDC in support of
a Lubavitcher Tunisia program,
we would like to tell him that
we cannot subsidize an expansion of his activities in that
country. However, before doing
so we would like to know from
you how important the group is
which endorses this project, so
that we will know how to deal
with the matter.
JDC TUNISIA: WE DONT

WANT CHABAD
A copy of the report and the
letter were sent to the JDC offices
in Tunisia, and they responded
echoing the same sentiments,

that they do not want Chabad
in Tunisia. In a letter written by
Henry Levi (JDC Tunisia) to
Herbert Katzki (JDC Paris)
on December 7, 1954 [Kislev 12,
5715], he writes the following:
...In any event, it should be
made absolutely clear that we
see no reason for the entrance
into the educational picture in
this country of the Lubavitcher
group. The educational program is being well handled by
ourselves and we have heard
not a word from any of the
communities that they have requested any other outside organization to come in to assist
in the educational work. We already have the culture and religious department of the Jewish
Agency doing some of its own
educational work, and in many
areas of this work we are cooperating with them
Accordingly, it would be my
recommendation that everything possible be done to dissuade the Lubavitcher from entering into any kind of work in
this country since I am afraid it
will only lead to confusion and
duplication
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Chabad History
JDC TO RABBI
GORODETZKY: STAY OUT
In a letter dated January 7,
1955 [Teves 13, 5715], written
by Herbert Katzki (JDC Paris)
to Rabbi Gorodetzky, he writes
the following:
In view of the fact that
you have reported that you are
about to undertake a program
in Tunisia for which you will
solicit the aid of the JDC, and
although you have not yet discussed this matter with us, we
wish to advise you now that in
our opinion the Jewish educational and cultural needs in
Tunisia are being adequately
covered, or present existing
mechanisms are in a position to
deal with them without new organizations coming into Tunisia
for the purpose.
Therefore, we wish to let
you know that the JDC would
not look with favor upon a request from the Lubavitcher for
financial aid to enable it to undertake a program in Tunisia.
This letter essentially sealed
the fate of the Chabad expansion to Tunisia at that time, and
the plans were put on hold until a
better atmosphere would prevail.
1960: Second Try
In the beginning of 1960,
Rabbi Gorodetzky approached
the JDC yet again with his plans
for Tunisia, after negotiating with
the local Jewish community and
securing an oral approval for establishing a Chabad presence in
said country, understanding the
need for Chabad schools, specifically for girls. However, due
to internal fights within the local
community, the local organizations changed their mind, and
decided to notify Rabbi Gorodetzky and the JDC regarding
their decision not to welcome
Chabad to Tunisia. However,
Rabbi Gorodetzky proceeded to

secure a temporary visa for Rabbi
Nissan Pinson, who would become the Chabad Shliach to Tunisia.
THE REBBE: SHLICHUS

WILL BRING YOU
BLESSINGS
In a letter dated Tevet 11,
5720, the Rebbe writes to Rabbi
Nissan Pinson (translated from
Hebrew):
After a long break I received
your letter from the 5th of Teves
in which you write about your
decision [to accept the Shlichus
position in Tunis],
May it be G-ds will that it
should be in a good and auspicious time, and together with
your wife, you will utilize your
talents in the new location in
the best manner, to spread Judaism in general and Chassidus
in particular, and this should be
done with joy and gladness of
the heart,
Surely your activities are the
vessels to receive the blessings
of G-d in your private matters,
and in the essence [of Shlichus]
to educate properly and have
real Chassidic Nachas from all
your descendants
JDC: WE CAN AGREE ON

50% SPONSORSHIP
On April 7, 1960 [Nissan 10,
5720], Mr. Herbert Katzki (JDC
Paris) writes to Mrs. Henrietta
Buchman (JDC New York)
about a meeting he had with
Rabbi Pinson, who was already in
Tunisia:
I was in Tunis last week and
while there met with Rabbi Pinson of the Lubavitcher. I wanted to get some idea of what his
program is like at the present
time and to hear what he had to
say. I thought you would be interested in knowing about it for

your own information.
Rabbi Pinson said that while
he has been in Tunis for about
a month, he has not yet undertaken any program at all as
yet. He had entered the country
with a one month visa, which
he succeeded in prolonging for
another three months through
the efforts of a private person
(I learned subsequently that he
had approached the Comite de
Gestion for such aid but that
they had refused to help him
because they were not interested in his program). Rabbi Pinson said that until he knew he
would get his visa prolonged,
he did not want to start anything. Now, with the prolongation, he will be returning to
Casablanca for his family and
then will come back to Tunis.
What Rabbi Pinson said he
had been busying himself with
was the matter of Mikwahs
in Tunisia. He has been to Bizerte and other communities
checking up on Mikwahs and
trying to impress them with
the necessity for putting them
in good order as a step in the
revival of interest in religious
matters. The other thing he
said he wanted to do was to
organize some evening courses
for adult women, so as to give
them some education in Jewish matters. He thought that
maybe some time in the future
he might be doing something
about a school for girls.
So far as the Tunis Comite
de Gestion is concerned their
view is that he can do whatever
he wants about adult courses
for women ... In talking with the
representative of the Comite de
Gestion he said that the Comite
does not propose to work with
the Lubavitcher; that they have

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their own educational program

on which they are working in
order to reorganize it and that
they certainly want to get their
own program in order before
doing anything further
So far as Rabbi Pinsons
program to provide or refurbish
Mikwahs is concerned, I do not
see that this is any business of
the JDC. If the communities
want to have Mikwahs that is
their local religious problem
which should be dealt with
without us. Certainly, it seems
to me, if the Lubavitcher represents itself to us as wanting to
operate an educational program
in Tunisia, an educational program means exactly that and
not Mikwahs. I left word with
Mr. Olnick that should he be
approached for assistance on
this score, we would not go
along.
I also told Mr. Olnick,
however, that we would have
no intention of financing a
Lubavitcher program in Tunisia
100% and that, if something is
to be done for this early period,
it would have to be worked out
on some kind of 50/50 basis,
with some small room for negotiations off that point.
THE REBBES GREAT

SATISFACTION WITH RABBI
PINSON
In a letter dated Adar 15,
5720, the Rebbe writes to Rabbi
Nissan Pinson (translated from
Hebrew):
It is obvious the great impression etc. I had from what
you wrote to me (albeit in
short) about your plans regarding building Mikvahs. I asked
Rabbi Gorodetzky to write to
you at length about it, and may
it be G-ds will that you will
succeed.
RABBI GORODETZKY: WE
WILL START SOON
In a letter dated May 3, 1960
[Iyar 6, 5720], Mrs. Henrietta
Buchman (JDC New York)
responds to Mr. Herbert Katzki
(JDC Paris) reporting a meeting she had with Rabbi Gorodetzky about Chabad educational
programs in Tunisia:
...Rabbi Gorodetzki told me
that Rabbi Pinson has actually
been sent to Tunisia to look the
situation over and not to inaugurate the education program.
That is something which Rabbi
Gorodetzki himself expects to
do. It will, however, be administered by Rabbi Pinson who,
together with his wife, have secured governmental permission
and will be in Tunisia by the
middle of this month,
According to Rabbi Gorodetzki, Rabbi Pinsons concern
with mikvahs has nothing to do
with the basic program which
he had discussed with Mr. Jordan. It is merely an incidental interest of the Lubavitcher;
adult education is also of secondary consideration.
These are fringe activities of
the Lubavitcher programs, and
Rabbi Gorodetzki is not seeking JDC assistance for either.
He naturally expects that the
understanding he had with Mr.
Jordan in regard to the basic
education program which the
Lubavitcher plans to set up and
the extent of JDC assistance for
that purpose, still hold...
I HOPE THEY REFUSE SO I

CAN GO INDEPENDENT
In a letter dated July 5, 1960
[Tammuz 10, 5720], Mr. Lawrence Olnick (JDC Tunisia)
reports to Mr. Herbert Katzki
(JDC Europe) about his meeting with Rabbi Gorodetzky, and
the agreement of the JDC to

sponsor the Chabad educational
activities in Tunisia:
...In my subsequent interview of July 5, Rabbi Gorodetzki declared: I did not go to
Djerba because I was ill. I am
negotiating with the Comite de
Gestion for a program under
their auspices; if they accept
(which I do not expect) I shall
proceed on this basis. If not
(and in a way I hope for a refusal as simplifying my work)
I will act independently; I have
already made confidential contacts and am confident I can resolve all problems including the
legal ones. I shall probably begin with girls, perhaps including adolescents, but do not intend to start with an internat. I
shall not request any money until Rabbi Pinson is able to present you with a concrete project
dealing with all aspects (housing, personnel, equipment,
program, number of children,
etc.). If I establish a full-time
course for girls I plan a curriculum roughly 50% religious
and 50% secular. If and when
I get around to such a program
for boys I also hope for a substantial percentage of secular
content for them as I recognize
that the Moroccan approach
is not suitable here.
In response to Gorodetzkis
questions, I stated: my instructions direct me to subvention as
soon as Pinson presents a real
educational program which later may be full or part-time and
for either sex, including adolescents. The JDC contribution of
2000 dinars may be used for all
expenses (rent, salaries, equipment, school carfares, etc.).
JDCs participation will be
50% on all items. I plan to ask
my Headquarters for instrucContinued on page 23
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STORY
THE WONDER
TORAH
By Menachem Ziegelboim
PART I
The story began in Adar of a
year ago. A young bachur, only
fourteen years old, was diagnosed
with a serious illness. This was in
addition to the sad fact that he
was orphaned of his father. Since
he was a relative of R Yosef
Yitzchok Lieder, a busy shliach in
Rishon LTziyon for decades, the
boys mother contacted him and
told him the terrible news.
R Lieder wrote to the Rebbe
about the boys medical condition
and put the letter into a volume
of the Igros Kodesh. The page he
opened to had a letter addressed
to Our brothers, the Jewish
people, the settlers of Nachalat
Har Chabad, among the many
immigrants who are settling in
our holy land, may it be built and
established speedily in our days.
The letter is dated, the day after
Shabbos HaGadol, 11 Nissan
5729.
The Rebbe begins the letter
in a celebratory tone, Surely the
two Sifrei Torah that were sent
from here arrived already and
were received. The Rebbe then
added some points from a letter
from the Rebbe Rayatz, when he
sent a Torah to the new settlers in

Kfar Chabad in 5709.
The day that R Lieder wrote
to the Rebbe was a Wednesday.
Thursday night he arranged, as
he did every week, the Thursday
night farbrengen in the small
zal of 770 in Kfar Chabad. That
week, R Menachem Mendel
Roth of Beitar Ilit was invited to
farbreng.
During the farbrengen, R
Lieder told the story about the
sick boy and the letter that the
Rebbe wrote about a Torah. R
Roth nodded and said that where
he lived, in Beitar Ilit, there were
many people stricken by serious
illnesses and in connection
with this he told the story of the
Wonder Torah in the time of
the Baal Shem Tov, as a segula
against tzaros (troubles).
PART II
5512.
That
year
was
remembered by the residents of
Mezhibuzh for many years to
come.
Many people in Mezhibuzh,
men, women, and children, were
sick with various illnesses. The
situation deteriorated rapidly.
Many of them were on the verge

of death. There was not a home
without one or two sick people
and the town was in an uproar.
In situation such as this, the
leaders of a city would go travel
to the tzaddikim to ask them to
arouse heavenly mercy. But this
time, all they needed to do was
travel a short distance to the
home of the wonder worker, the
Baal Shem Tov, and ask him to
plead on their behalf and stop
the epidemic. The Baal Shem Tov
was already known as a wonder
worker, one who breaches
the natural order, until some
whispered that he could even
revive the dead.
So the leaders of Mezhibuzh
went to the Baal Shem Tov. He
would surely arouse mercy for
them and the heavenly evil decree
would be rescinded. If he prayed
on behalf of Jews who lived far
away, surely he would pray on
behalf of his fellow townsfolk.
They went to the tzaddik and
cried and begged him to intercede
for them, but the tzaddik just
sat there, deep in thought. He
did not rush to respond to their
request. His eyes were fixed on
a distant point and he seemed

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absorbed in his cogitation.

After a few long minutes
he stirred, and with a clouded
countenance he said there
was a big heavenly accusation
against the Jews of Mezhibuzh
which is why so many fell sick.
Unfortunately, he could not help
them.
The town leaders could not
believe what they were hearing.
Did the Baal Shem Tov say he
could do nothing for them? The
man who regularly broke all the
laws of nature couldnt pray?
Rebbe, save us! they cried
out. You see for yourself what is
going on here, with not a single
house without a sick person. The
situation is getting worse from
day to day. Do something! Plead!
Knock on the heavenly gates!
The Baal Shem Tov bent
his head and once again was
immersed in faraway thoughts.
After many minutes he said again
that was unable to help and that
the matter depended on the
townspeople.
On the townspeople!?
The tzaddik nodded. You
have the ability to save those
who are sick, to weaken or even
I am flabbergasted that out of the 245 pages

of the Torah, I am up to page 190 (equivalent
to keitz end). May this be a good sign for us and an
end to all our sorrows. Also on that very page, in Parshas
Pinchas, there are the words, and the plague ended.
cancel the evil decree, he said.

In the Shmoneh Esrei we
daven, and may the service of
the Jewish people Your nation
always be pleasing. The meaning
of this is that the service of the
Jewish people always creates the
desire to weaken the decrees and
cancel them, and it is the service
of the Jewish people which
stands constantly before Hashem
to generate His goodwill, and
this can find expression in two
ways in saying the letters in
the Torah and Thillim, and by
writing a Torah in which all will
participate.
At that very gathering, the
leaders of Mezhibuzh decided
to write a Torah in which they
would all have a share. The
tzaddik called for his son, R
Tzvi, who was a scribe and told
him to start writing the first two
sheets of parchment.
The town leaders could

practically swear that on that day
the sick began to miraculously
improve. The healing process
took much more time, but the
improvement began to be seen
that same day and not just in
one house. Not surprisingly,
when the Torah was completed
and joyously brought to the
beis midrash of the Baal Shem
Tov, everyone called it the
Wonder Torah, for hundreds
and thousands of miracles were
associated with it.
***
R Roth told this story and R
Lieder listened. He realized that
this was the meaning of the letter
he had opened to in the Igros
Kodesh in connection with the
boys illness. A Torah scroll was
the solution, and not one, but
two!
He got up and announced
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istory
that he was committing to having
a new Torah written as a zchus
for the recovery of the boy who
was his relative.
He began the search for
a sofer, a Chassid and yerei
Shamayim, who would be willing
to take this job. The next day, he
saw an ad by a sofer who was
interested in selling a Torah that
he was in the middle of writing.
R Lieder called him and got the
information. They arranged to
meet on Chol HaMoed Pesach.
Since they were not allowed to
sign a contract because it was
Chol HaMoed, they arranged
that an advance payment would
be made immediately after Yom
Tov.
When their agreement was
written and signed, the sofer sent
a text to R Lieder which said, I
am flabbergasted that out of the
245 pages of the Torah, I am up
to page 190 (equivalent to keitz
end). May this be a good sign for
us and an end to all our sorrows.
Also on that very page, in Parshas
Pinchas, there are the words,
and the plague ended.
PART III
Mrs. Chava Lieder:
There was an irreligious
woman who sat next to me
during a course that I take. Her
son became a baal tshuva and
a Chabad Chassid. At one of
the sessions, I saw that she got
a phone call. She listened for a
long time and she turned white.
She apologized to all present and
said she had to leave.
We later learned that her
brother, who is a mechanic, was
working when a heavy piece of
equipment fell on his head. He
was critically injured and the
doctors feared for his life.
When I spoke to her, I told
her about the Torah we were
writing for the recovery of the

boy and I suggested that she join
with her family in the writing
of the Torah as a merit for her
brothers recovery.
She said she would discuss
it with her relatives. I said that
whoever sponsored a page of
the Torah would enter a raffle
for a dollar from the Rebbe that
was given lbracha vhatzlacha.
Whoever donated two pages
would be entered into a raffle for
the zchus of having the Torah
housed wherever he wanted.
Her brother underwent a
complicated operation on his
head. The family, fearing the
worst, agreed to take part in
the Wonder Torah and started
raising the money. Every day this
classmate called and reported
to me that her brother was
improving and yet the doctors
still did not know what would
be. Time will tell how he will
improve, they said.
One day, I met with her at
her request for she wanted to give
me the money for the Torah. She
was convinced that this played an
important role in her brothers
healing. Ten minutes after she
gave me the envelope, her phone
rang. Her sister-in-law, the wife
of the injured mechanic, was
calling to say that doctors just
announced that her brother
would be released the next day!
The connection between the
donation that the family gave for
the Torah and the good news that
came unexpectedly was obvious.
Emotions ran high.
PART IV
One day before Lag bOmer,
Mrs. Lieder had an unexpected
phone call. On the line was her
father who said that a few hours
earlier, her mother, Rivka HarGil, had fallen and was badly
injured. She was taken to the

hospital, where doctors said she
broke her pelvis and other bones.
Due to her advanced age, this
was particularly serious and she
needed complicated surgery.
Mrs. Lieder suggested to
her mother that she participate
in the writing of the Wonder
Torah which was being written
for refua. Her mother agreed and
donated a large sum.
A few hours later, the doctor
treating her called and said that
due to the danger in operating,
they decided not to operate but
to provide her with support
treatment and then send her to
rehab. It will be a long, difficult
rehabilitation, he said. Nobody
can say how long it will take.
The elderly mother began the
rehab process, and miraculously,
it was faster than anticipated. By
Elul, less than four months after
her fall, she was already able to
walk and function without help.
The doctors who initially treated
her were astonished.
***
On
Motzaei
Shabbos
VaYakhel, the Lieders held a
dinner to mark the completion
of the Wonder Torah. In the
middle of the dinner, as the
band played lively Chassidishe
niggunim, her mother got up and
invited her daughter to dance
with her.
Thats when I realized that
my mother had fully recovered to
the point that she could suggest
that we dance as though nothing
had happened, said Mrs. Lieder.
When she said that, I suddenly
realized the magnitude of the
miracle that Hashem did for us
and I knew what the zchus was.
As for the relative, by last Av
his mother called again, to say
that he was in remission and that
the doctors pronounced him well.

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TZIVOS HASHEM
D OING ALL WE CAN
TO BRING
MOSHIACH
By D Chaim
He raced between the houses,

looking for a place to hide from
the conquering soldiers. After a
while his lungs burned from the
effort but he continued to run,
distancing himself from the
place of danger. He constantly
looked right and left. The fear
that he would encounter enemy
soldiers kept him on high alert,
knowing that an encounter like
that would cost him his life.
When he saw the high wall
in the distance a small smile
appeared on his tired face.
He allowed himself to slow
down his pace and he finally
decided to stop altogether and
rest a bit. Only then he did
he feel what a great effort he
had made. His heart pounded
and he lay, exhausted, on the
ground.
After a few minutes passed,
he got up and removed the
stopper from the pitcher tied
to his side so he could rinse his
sweaty face with the few drops
of water that remained.
The sound of galloping
horses made him jump and he

returned the pitcher to its place
on his thigh and began running
again. Within a few minutes he
reached the mountains where
he finally felt secure. He climbed
to the top of one of the peaks
and turned toward the city. He
held his palm over his eyes and
fixed his gaze and trembled.
Who was this man and what
was he afraid of? In order to
understand, let us go back in
time.
Yehuda, a Jewish soldier,
stood at one of the positions on
the high wall that surrounded
Yerushalayim. He was immersed
in his task which demanded his
full concentration. Down below,
near the wall, right under him,
many Roman soldiers were
amassed, trying to breach the
wall. Their goal was to conquer
the holy city, to conquer
Yerushalayim! Dozens of them
held a heavy iron battering
ram, and again and again they
rammed the wall.
This was after a long period
starving,
The
fighting.
of
valiantly
fought
besieged Jews
Roman
the
at
and pushed back
city
the
in
food
soldiers, but the
Jewish
more
ran out and daily,
soldiers fell. The situation was
unbearable.
Like his friends who survived,
Yehuda was also focused on his
task. He had to push back the
enemy soldiers and prevent
them from entering the city.
He had many means at his
disposal, from deadly arrows
to boiling oil and heavy rocks.
He fought like a lion to prevent
the Romans from succeeding.
One by one, the Roman soldiers
holding the battering ram fell
after being hit by a rain of
Yehudas arrows, but they were
with
replaced
immediately
other Roman soldiers.
Yehuda felt that he was
going to collapse. The many
hours of fighting that passed
without decent food entering
his mouth threatened to fell
him. But he did not give in,
and with superhuman strength
he continued to fend off the
Issue 1019
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Tzivos Hashem
Romans. However, despite

his desperate attempts, the
wall shook. Another ramming
and another ramming and in
a minute the wall would break
and the Roman soldiers would
enter the city.
toss
to
turned
Yehuda
another rock but saw that
his weapons were used up. At
just that moment a huge noise
was heard accompanied by a
crumbling sound and a large
hole appeared in the wall. The
Romans quickly enlarged the
hole and masses of soldiers
began to pour in.
their
to
then,
But
new
a
amazement, they saw
wall. The Jews had realized a
long time before that the wall
would not last and they quickly
built a new, additional wall.
The Romans began to despair
but their commanders quickly
renewed their attempts to get
in and the battering rams were
put to work again. Yehuda and
his friends continued to fight
back.
Not long afterward, this
wall was breached too and
the Romans entered the city,
but they were astonished once
again. The Jews had built a
third wall! This time, even
the Roman commanders
despaired. They realized
that Hashem was not
giving them the city
and they began
to think of
withdrawing.
in
Then,
a last minute
the
decision,
Titus
wicked
went over to
measure the wall.
To his surprise, he
saw that the wall
was sinking into the
earth day by day. All he had to

do was wait
When the wall sank nearly
all the way into the ground,
the Roman soldiers broke in
and captured the city. Yehuda
ran between the houses (as
you read earlier) until, with
his remaining strength, he
reached the top of a hill in the
mountainous area outside the
wall. He held his palm over
his eyes, fixed his gaze, and
trembled.
He saw the flames shooting
up. He refused to believe what
his eyes saw and what his heart
knew to be true, but a quick
calculation of the location of
the flames told him he was
right. His eyes filled with tears
and he thought his heart would
break from sorrow. The Beis
HaMikdash, where the Shchina
dwelled, was going up in flames!
He knew that sins and not

obeying their righteous leaders
were what caused the terrible
destruction. He committed to
not resting; instead, wherever
he would be exiled with his
brethren he would urge
tshuva
do
to
them
t
brough
until Hashem
Beis
the
them back and
HaMikdash would be
rebuilt.
2000
Nearly
years have passed
then
since
a n d
the
Jewish people still have

not merited the third Beis
HaMikdash. With Hashems help
and open miracles, the Jewish
people are now privileged to
live in Eretz Yisroel, but we are
still in galus and we still do not
have the Beis HaMikdash.
At one of the farbrengens,
the Rebbe exclaimed that the
Gemara says: a generation in
which the Beis HaMikdash was
not rebuilt in its days is like it
was destroyed in its days. Let
us imagine that we are standing
in Yehudas place and we see
the Beis HaMikdash on fire. We
would do all we could! So as
long as the Beis HaMikdash is
still not rebuilt, and it is like it
was just destroyed, how can we
sit and do nothing?
On Chaf-Ches (28) Nissan
5751 the Rebbe taught a
shocking sicha in which he
said we need to sincerely ask
Hashem to send Moshiach to
take us out of galus and that
it should be out of the question
for us that Moshiach does not
come this minute. Ad Masai!!
Then the Rebbe said, From
now on, do all that you can
to bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu
the
Yes,
immediately!
Rebbe put it in our hands.
dedicate
must
We
ourselves and do
all we can so
that the Rebbe
imme diatel y
a p p e a r s
builds
and
Beis
the
HaMikdash, so
that on Pesach
we
Sheini
the
will bring
Korban Pesach
in Yerushalayim!

1019_bm_eng.indd 34
5/3/2016 8:01:57 AM

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DVAR MALCHUS

month, when the moon is

expresses the fullness of the

ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS

TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

4 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

he Bocas del Toro

hotels and various businesses.

THE REBBE URGES

on Kvutza in 770, they went on

The Chabad House building in Bocas del Toro

My father, who had heard about our hesitation,

House in Mexico, on the island

THE FIRST SHABBOS

capital of Panama, where they

6 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

Their first Shabbos in Bocas

A BUILDING FROM HEAVEN

free time. He has a son who

From right to left: R Dudi Caplin, R Yariv Klein, R Motti Cohen

day and we lent him a pair. When

WHEN THE REBBE

set of logistics. We decided to go

in kitchens, who donated a new,

8 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

dollars? No. A thousand dollars?

looking out for us.

During the shluchims tour of the

world a better place but to hasten

blessed her. To her amazement, a

10 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

n the sicha of Chaf-Ches

all the instructions the Rebbe

then, when we stood before the

A Chassid might think that its enough if he does

it opens the heart and eyes and

the terrible state we are in. If

YES AND NO ON THE WAY

12 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

the teachings of our Rebbeim

see from here that there is no

has immunity from heresy. Even

he Rebbe delivered the

they came to countries where

After the Rebbe

it. Did the Rebbe want us to

14 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

childhood and until we left Russia

out and breathe the fresh air. At the

whoever dared to bring his children

R Hillel Zaltzman and R Moshe Nisselevitz

Am I a Chassid? I playact as a Chassid! Chassidim

for after the time people went to

whether someone else had just

16 28 Nisan 5776 - Hakhel

about it. Tell him everything my

EITHER A JEW OR A GOY

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein zl

the essence of the soul is aroused

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER

souls. When we left Russia, the

MESIRUS NEFESH BEYOND THE

some of our friends who arrived

Rebbe underlined the words, to