1029

DVAR MALCHUS
MAY HE BE REVEALED
AS MOSHIACH VADAI,
CONFIRMED TO
BE MOSHIACH
Sources where the Rebbe proclaims that

Moshiach has already been revealed. * From
Chapter Seven of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis
Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the
compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
14. In practical terms, the avoda

of Jews must now be to bring about
the Days of Moshiach. This avoda
entails immediately revealing how
those who enter Egypt, those who
are in exile, are actually in a state of
redemption, geulas Yisroel, which
is realized by preparing ourselves and
others for the Days of Moshiach.
Preparing for Moshiach, in
connection with Rambams yahrtzait
[on the 20th of Teives], especially
includes strengthening and adding
in the study of Rambams Mishneh
Torah, as well as participating in
the study of Rambam among many
Jews (or if one already participates,
by offering further support for this

endeavor) three chapters a day,
one chapter a day, or the daily study
of Seifer HaMitzvos.
In particular, within Rambams
magnum opus itself, preparing for
Moshiach is most pronounced in
the study of the Laws of Melech
HaMoshiach, the last two chapters
of the Laws of Kings at the end of
Mishneh Torah.
In addition to ones own study
of Rambam, we should also inspire
Jewish acquaintances men,
women, and children in pursuit of
the call to establish many students,
who will see and emulate.
In Crown Heights area: 1640/1700AM

USA phone: 347 990 1136
May it be G-ds will that through

our very resolution to do so, we
should immediately receive the
reward, the actual fulfillment of the
words of Rambam, at the conclusion
of Mishneh Torah that after there
already is the king from the Davidic
dynasty, steeped in Torah and
occupied with Mitzvos, like Dovid,
his ancestor and he compels
all the Jewish people to follow it,
strengthens its breaches, and wages
the wars of G-d this one is
presumed to be Moshiach may
he immediately become Moshiach
Vadai confirmed to be Moshiach,
by doing so and succeeding,
building the Beis HaMikdash in its
place, gathering the exiles of the
Jewish people and fixing the entire
world to serve G-d together, etc.
Until, as Rambam concludes,
the earth will be filled with the
knowledge of G-d as water fills the
ocean bed.
(Shabbos Parshas Shmos, 21 Teives;
Seifer HaSichos 5752, pg. 257)
worldwide, online: www.RadioMoshiach.org
In Israel (Nechayeg Venishmah): 08-9493-770 (press 1 # / 9 # / 3 #)

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HISTORY
FIVE
CHILDHOOD
SNAPSHOTS
A soul descended into Lubavitch on 12 Tammuz
5640. A little boy, Yosef Yitzchok, was raised
by his father while still benefiting from his
grandfathers input for his first three years. *
Presented for Yud-Beis Tammuz.
By Menachem Ziegelboim
PART I
Lubavitch
A small town in the Orsha
district, previously in the Mohilev
district, set in a magnificent area
of rivers and fertile land. In the
spring and summer there were
verdant grass meadows. The
homes were small and made
of wood and the ground was
muddy.
A small town but one known
to tens of thousands. Its narrow
paths were trodden by tens of
thousands who came to the

capital, to the jewel in the crown
of Chabad.
This
small
town
was
the official residence of five
generations of Chabad leaders.
For 102 years, this town was the
melting pot, the factory where
Chassidishe
neshamos
were
forged, starting from Cheshvan
5574 when the Mitteler Rebbe
settled there and until Cheshvan
5676, when the Rebbe Rashab
had to leave his ancestral land
because of World War I.
Here, in this rustic town,

the soul of the Rebbe Rayatz
descended on 12 Tammuz 5640,
a Monday of the week of Parshas
Pinchas, at 8:30 in the morning.
It was during the reign of the
Rebbe Maharash, the fourth in
the chain of Chabad leaders. The
Rebbe was thrilled upon the birth
of his grandson, son of his son,
Sholom Dovber.
Friday night of Parshas
Pinchas the shalom zachor was
held and the Rebbe Maharashs
face glowed with joy. He told
4 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

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is not the time to cry; take action!

During the seudas bris
the Rebbe Maharash was also
very joyous. He said a maamer
Chassidus, told various stories
and sang many niggunim,
including the Alter Rebbes
niggun of Four Bavos, which he
sang with great solemnity and in
a heartrending tone.
PART II
many stories and mentioned a

few times that this Shabbos was
a nidche since the fast of the 17th
of Tammuz was postponed from
this Shabbos. He concluded,
If only it were truly [i.e.
permanently] cast aside, as if
he foresaw the terrible galus that
would be cast upon the life of this
newborn and wishing it on his
behalf.
The babys bris was on 19
Tammuz. Like other babies,
he cried. The Rebbe Maharash
looked at the baby and said,
Why are you crying? When
you grow up you will be a Rebbe

(another version is: You will be
a Chassid) and say Chassidus
clearly.
These few words seem to be
the foundation of the chinuch of
his grandson, a sort of ethical
will, a way of life: dont cry,
dont display ordinary emotions,
withhold spontaneous emotions
and channel them toward
practical ends. Indeed, this is the
path the grandson followed all
his life, during times of joy and
mainly, during terrible times of
persecution and wandering. This
One of the fascinating

educational tools the Rebbe
Rashab used to groom his son
was the method of what do you
remember (this method has
become accepted in the medical
world). My father would
regularly ask me, from time to
time in my younger years, What
do you remember? His intention
was to refresh my memory of what
I saw and heard in my childhood.
The question, What do you
remember? was intentional so
that I would remember what
I saw in my childhood and so
that an impression of the image
would remain of the thing that
I saw. These were events from
times when I wasnt yet capable
of understanding the meaning of
what I saw. Afterward, he would
explain each thing.
The question, What do you
remember, was asked by the
tzaddik Rabbi Boruch, the Alter
Rebbes father, which is what
the Baal Shem Tov asked him.
The Baal Shem Tov asked this
question of his other students
too.
SNAPSHOT #1
What do you remember?
The Rebbe Rashab was walking
with his son in 5646, arousing
distant memories within him,
hidden away in the psyche but
etched in the soul.
The
boy
reviewed
his
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History
thoughts, five or six years back,
the images rush by one after
another. A bed, maybe actually a
red carriage, with two high sides
at the foot and the head, with
the side walls made of wooden
slats. A small child, clear eyed
and pure-hearted, the son of
holy ones, lying on his back and
caressing the slats with his hands.
Sometimes, the carriage was
near a big bed. The baby gazed
at the big wall that blocked his
way. He already understood that
someone lowered the right side at
which time he quickly crawled out
of his bed to the big bed where
there was plenty of room to crawl
from side to side. With sparkling
eyes the baby scanned the ceiling
of the large room, jealous of the
big people who walked on their
feet with no interference.
He also wanted to walk, to go
wherever he pleased, to be free.
He sought ways and ideas of how
to get off the big bed, down to
the wooden floor and crawl the
length and width of the room.
The childs broad soul yearned
for distant places for spacious
expanses and the boy thought
about it with his small mind and
arrived at a conclusion. With his
little fingers he pulled the side
of the carriage which, with its
small slats, looked like a small
ladder, leaned on the big bed
and managed to get down to the
floor like one of the adults. You
cannot imagine how happy I was
at this great victory. I was more
than pleased...
Apparently, the joy did not
last long. The little ones delicate
and sensitive soul understood
that every time the pillow fell on
the floor, it suffered great pain
from the fall and this made him
cry lustily.
When he crawled for the first
time on the little ladder, Yosef
Yitzchok grasped the duvet on
the big bed. When he got down,

in his great joy he pulled the
duvet down and at that moment
the ladder fell and the duvet slid
from the bed and pulled down
the pillows that were on the bed.
They all fell on the little baby.
His father listened to the
memories of his firstborn, the
first snapshot. His son made the
effort and succeeded in recalling
his thought processes as a oneyear-old.
He got the idea of how to
crawl out by thinking about what
he saw. In a corner of the room,
near the door, was a large oven.
Every so often, he would see the
adults putting something long
into it, something that looked
like the side of his carriage, like
a ladder, on which the adults
climbed in order to open the
chimney vent. The image was
absorbed, the method was
internalized, and the babys brain
turned it over in order to use
it so he could get down, on his
own, to the floor, like one of the
grownups.
However, his first descent
from his crib was unsuccessful
and the pillows that fell scared
him and he was ashamed and
he received a few light slaps
as reward for his mischief.
Nevertheless, he was left with the
means of how to independently
get from where he was placed, to
the bench.
PART III
In 5641, the Rebbe Maharash
instructed that his house in
Lubavitch should be enlarged. A
special apartment was built for
his middle son. It was completed
in 5642 and R Sholom Dovber,
his wife Shterna Sarah, and their
son, Yosef Yitzchok, who was
under the age of two, moved
in. At this age, he began to
grow under the watchful eyes
of his holy grandfather and the

discerning eyes of his father.
SNAPSHOT #2
Young Yosef Yitzchok was in
the big bed in the bedroom of his
grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka.
The bed was near the wall, near
the doorway to his grandfathers
room.
The door between the
bedroom
and
the
Rebbe
Maharashs yechidus room was
open and Yosef Yitzchok gazed
at the large room facing him. He
saw a round table in the center of
the room and near it sat a man
who wasnt tall. The child looked
curiously at the handsome man.
The man looked up and met the
gaze of his beloved grandson and
smiled and motioned with his
hand. The boy, whether out of
childish curiosity or obedience,
immediately jumped from the
bed and with small steps made
his way through the door and
entered the next room.
Without saying a word, the
man took Yosef Yitzchok, placed
him on the table, and gave him
something gleaming to play with.
The images reach into the
past, one following the other...
The Rebbe Rashab and
his son, Rayatz, continued on
their daily stroll in the resort
town of Yalta. Seven-year-old
Yosef Yitzchok talks, is quiet,
rummages in the archives of
his thoughts and tries to swim
through the haze of early
childhood, to filter the events
and bring up the images that
are branded permanently in the
recesses of his soul.
Whatever I would say,
my father would ask me for
more details, writes the Rebbe
Rayatz in his memoirs. I think
he accomplished two things:
1) that it should be clear to me

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what I remember and 2) that

the memory should remain
strong. When he spoke to me
about something I remembered,
he would ask me whether I
remembered where the chair
was and other trivial things like
that, in his desire that what I
remembered be fresh and clear,
etched further in my memory.
The Rebbe Rashab placed
a loving hand on his sons
shoulder and in the silence of
contemplation they walked side
by side.
What items were in the
room? his father suddenly
asked.
I remember that in the room
were two big beds, one that was
grandmothers, which was near
the wall leading to the carpentry
area. The other bed was near the
wall that led to the other room.
Near the staircase was a small,
round table and near it were high,
yellow wooden chairs. In a corner
of the room was a low, black box
an iron chest and near the
door leading to grandfathers
room was a red chest of drawers
belonging to grandmother. Aside
from that, I remember a big
window overlooking the garden.
When you lay in bed, asked
the Rebbe Rashab, trying to
refresh his memory, what did
you see out the window?
I saw the glass door and the
little green-blue-red windows
that comprised the glass room
which led to the garden. The
glass porch was painted in several
colors. I also remember the chair
painted blue that was on the small
porch.
You describe that while lying
in bed you saw through the door
a man sitting in his room. What
else did you see there?
I saw a large glass lamp
hanging from the ceiling with
many small lamps around it; a
round table with many legs

usually the table was extended
and became very long and then
the legs were situated along the
length of the table, but when
the table was shortened, the legs
were close to one another.
Father?
Yes, Yosef Yitzchok, said
his father as he looked lovingly at
his only child.
I
remember
another
snippet.
Tell me, Yosef Yitzchok.
I mentioned the window
before I remember myself
playing in the room. Next to the
window was a table. I stood up on
the chair and went from the chair
to the table and from the table to

the window I played so much
that I opened the window and
being frightened I began to shout.
I suddenly felt a tall adult pick me
up from beneath and put me on
the bed near the wall and strike
me. That made me start to really
scream. Some time afterward,
you came into the room and took
me by the hand and led me to the
stairs. I dont remember exactly.
We walked to another room and
then further, until the next stairs
until we came to a small,
round, low house which had
blue curtains with flowers. After
that I dont remember anything
accurately.
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History
***
The sun was about to set
when the Rebbe Rashab sat down
on a nearby chair and his son
sat facing him. He looked at his
father questioningly, curiously,
trying to understand. The Rebbe
Rashabs high forehead was
furrowed. You could tell that he
was there, back in the glory
days when he was close to his
great father.
The man you saw was
grandfather, he suddenly said
to his son and he added some
details describing his appearance
and what he wore. It was Pesach
Sheini 5642 when you were two
months shy of two years old.
At that time, there were
important guests in Lubavitch.
From Eretz Yisroel were R Leib
Slonim and R Mordechai Dov
Slonim; from White Russia
were R Chaim Dov Vilensky, R
Zalman Leibkes Zlatapolsky
from Kremenchug, R Manish
Moneson from Petersburg, and
there were the yoshvim who
stayed in Lubavitch on a regular
basis.
That day, Pesach Sheini,
after the davening, the guests
entered Grandfathers foyer and
began to sing. Levik (the head
servant) immediately went out
and said the Rebbe told them to
go to the Rebbetzins room and
farbreng. We went to my mothers
room from the steps, sang and
drank some mashke. About an
hour later, my father came in
and said a maamer Chassidus
for a while. When he finished,
he returned to his room while
the others stayed to farbreng. I
and Yaakov Mordechai Bespalov
(the Rebbe Rashabs friend and
chavrusa) went to my room to
review the new maamer we just
heard. It was the maamer said on
Shabbos with some additions, but
every word of Grandfather had to
be understood well.
When we went to the room,
you played and kept asking
questions until I sent you to your
mothers room. They fed you and
put you to sleep.
When you woke up from
your nap you would not wait
until they took you out, but got
out on your own and would
walk around. You went to the
lobby room where you played
with Aunt Mushka. She then
left the room to help clean the
table from the remains after the
farbrengen. You remained in the
room alone to play. You noticed
a tree growing in the garden
near the window with rabenes.
They were white, no more than
white beans. You got up on the
window, played with the lock,
and managed to open it and then
you cried in fright.
Chaim Meir the butcher was
in the stairwell and at the sound
of your cries he hurried into the
room and saw you lying on the
windowsill. He grabbed you and
put you on the bed and gave you
In the meantime, Mushka

came running to call me in a
fright. I went into the room and
took you by the hand and led you
to our room. As we passed the
stairwell my father [the Rebbe
Maharash] opened the bedroom
door and asked why you were
crying. I told him what happened
and he told me to come in with
you to his room.
Since he asked, I did so right
away. I left you to stand with
Mushka while I went to my room
and took my gartel and then
together we entered my fathers
room. I remember how he sat
at the table in the corner near
the window, wearing glasses.
When we entered, he took off his
glasses and put them on the table.
You went over to take the glasses
but I took you and put you

somewhere. Grandfather looked
at you and blessed you.
After all this, my father went
out to the garden and asked that
you and I go with him. We went
past the sukka to the yard. We
began walking along the row of
trees and Grandfather told you
to run ahead. You began to run
but after a few steps you fell and
immediately got up and nearly
burst into tears, but Grandfather
motioned to you with his
finger around his nose and you
remained silent.
My father walked back and
forth in the garden three or four
times while I followed him and
you pranced about as children
do. He spoke to me the entire
time. Then he went to the shed
in the yard where he smoked a
ready-made cigarette (not one
you make yourself).
That year the winter was
mild and summer came earlier
than usual, so that day, Pesach
Sheini, was quite warm. My
father would drink kvass (a
fermented beverage) made from
apples and he asked Bentzion the
servant to bring him a cup.
As my father and I were
talking, you played among the
flowerpots that were there.
Leaves had started growing from
one of them and you plucked
a flower and gave it to your
grandfather. I saw happiness and
joy on his face from this gesture
of yours. He wanted to tell you
something but you were active
and before he could open his
mouth you had already run over
to me and given me a flower too
and my father laughed out loud
in delight.
In the meantime, Bentzion
brought the apple kvass, a bottle
and a cup, and put them on the
iron table in the shed. Although
you were playing all around, your

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eyes were constantly open to what

was going on with Grandfather
and me. When my father took the
cup to drink and said a bracha,
you came quickly and curiously
looked into his mouth. Your
gaze was suddenly caught by my
fathers watch chain that he wore
on his cloak. The watch had four
strands of chain and you began
to play with it. Again, my father
laughed a lot.
When my father wanted
another drink, you made a move
to indicate that you also wanted a
drink. Grandfather said a bracha
with you and you repeated each
word quickly. He gave the cup
into your two little hands but you
gave it to me for me to drink first
Grandfather laughed heartily
when you drank the kvass which
you did not like. You gave back
the cup and returned to your
games.
***
When my father told me all
this, the memory became more
distinct for me and I remembered
more about how my grandfather
looked until his visage was
etched in my mind, so that I now
remember his entire image, later
said the Rebbe Rayatz.
PART IV
SNAPSHOT #3
At that time Yosef Yitzchok
recalled another memory:
I remember that we sat on
a bench near my grandmothers
apartment
and
I
played.
Suddenly, a black horse galloped
into the yard with a man with
long boots and a leather satchel
on his neck. All at once there
was a commotion. The rider
jumped down from the horse and
tied the horse to the fence and
immediately went up the stairs to
my grandfathers room.
Yes, Yosef Yitzchok, his
fathers face lit up upon also
remembering that scene. At that
time there was a wicked man like
Haman in his time, who wanted
to do evil to the Jews in Russia.
My grandfather was Mordechai
the tzaddik who annulled the
terrible decree. The rider who
arrived at a gallop was the
messenger who brought the good
news to my father and told him
that his activities on behalf of the
Jewish people were successful.
PART V
SNAPSHOT #4
Sounds of joy Adults
standing with various implements
in their hands, one going like
this with his hand, another like
that. People are singing and are
jumping up and down.
A small child, one month less
than two years, stands on the
window, jumping and dancing
on his little legs. He also wants
to walk over there, to the yard
where many people are standing
and dancing; to the sound of
music, but alas, the glass window
panes block his way there.

Only later did the boy find

out that these were the wedding
festivities of his uncle, R
Menachem Mendel Schneersohn,
youngest son of the Rebbe
Maharash, who married Sarah
the daughter of R Akiva
Schreiber. It was Erev Shabbos
after Shavuos 5642.
SNAPSHOT #5
Through a tall window that
Yosef Yitzchok loved to look out
of, he saw the joyous celebration
of his uncles wedding, and it was
through that same window that
he saw a large crowd gathered
in the yard. The two-and-a-halfyear-old boy did not understand
what the sudden commotion was
about, what was the reason for
the ruckus and why there were
changes going on in the house.
He looked sadly at the people and
wondered...
Grown men walked back and
forth and cried, he described.
The child was not allowed to
walk freely around the house and
was confined to the room, gazing
out the window with questioning
eyes.
It was only in later years that
he found out that this was the
time of the sudden passing of the
Rebbe Maharash, at the early age
of forty-nine.
As a child he did not yet
understand
that
Lubavitch
had experienced a tremendous
tragedy like a bolt from the blue...
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Rabbi Jacob Schwei
Member of the Rabbinical
Court of Crown Heights
STORY
THE SECRET
OF PROTECTION
I. Chazan
vi was studying in a nonLubavitch High School.

Though Lubavitch from
birth, his parents chose
a Brooklyn Yeshiva for their son.
Their personal family situation
warranted this choice. At 16, Avi
was exposed to Chassidus in a
vibrant manner and absorbed it with
love and depth. It was then that he
decided to switch from his current
school to a Chabad Yeshiva.
His
parents
adamantly
refused. They would play no role
in his new journey of education.
If their son continued to harass
them, he would be forced to pay
his own way through his Yeshiva
schooling, they told him.
All of Avis pleadings and
tears did not melt the staunch
opposition he received. Yet
his mind was made up. How
could he continue in his present
surroundings, when the sparks of
Chassidus had begun to shine a
light in his Neshama and he was
thirsting for more? How could
he ignore his desire to experience
the passionate fire of the Rebbes
sichos that would enable him to
learn the entire day instead of a
meager ration that was his current
lot? How could he not valiantly
fight for the Chassid within
him that cried out to taste the
sweetness of Pnimius HaTorah?
Avi turned to the Rebbe for
guidance and advice. The Rebbe,
in Igros Kodesh, responded:
Every hour that one does

not learn Chassidus,
you cannot make it up.
Jubilantly, Avi described to his
parents the clear instructions
of the Rebbe. And yet, they
maintained their decision. They
would not pay for Avis new
school, not for the education and
not for the dorm expenses.
Avi turned to the Rebbe once
again, seeking assurance, solace
and advice. Was it worth it for him
to raise $12,000 alone, carrying
the burden of the finances and
heavy parental opposition? Avi
opened the Igros Kodesh a second
time. The Rebbe responded: You
are asking my opinion if you
should switch schools from the
Yeshiva you are in to Tomchei
Tmimim Lubavitch. Every hour
that one does not learn Chassidus,
you cannot
make it up.
Chills ran down Avis arms.
The same exact wording, in
an entirely different Seifer and
letter! Come what may, he would
courageously fight and triumph.
With the choice of the new
Yeshiva already determined, with
some money set aside, things
started looking up! A week later,
fear settled like tiny knots in Avis
stomach. Can I really do it? Can
I leave my home, my school of so
many years and my friends, and
live far away in a dorm? Shall
I oppose my parents? Should I
really persist? Will I succeed?

With tears of regret, Avi told the
Rebbe that he understood that the
Seifer is not magic. He profusely
apologized for writing in a third
time, but the challenge he was
facing compelled him to confirm
with the Rebbe that indeed this
was the momentous step he
should make.
The Rebbe responded to the
third letter, in a totally different
Seifer of the Igros Kodesh:
I
already answered you twice.
With a light heart Avi thanked
the Rebbe for his kindness,
guidance, Brachos and strength
to do what must be done so he
may learn and live as a Chassid.
Avi switched Yeshivos, blossoming
on every level, creating a whole
new standard of life. Eventually,
his family reconnected with him,
realizing the unique vision of the
Rebbe for their dear son.
With Gimmel Tammuz in our
hearts; hope yet pain, laughter yet
tears, light yet darkness, victory
yet war, all vie for our attention.
The secret to our hope, laughter,
light, victory and protection is
connection. A fascinating proof
to this secret is actually derived
from the . They were the
instigators of much discord and
horrific trouble. Despite it all, the
Rebbe teaches an incredible lesson
that can be learned from them.
The consequence for Bnei

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Yisroel and the who sinned

at was not equal. With
witnesses and warnings, both
Bnei Yisroel and the were
killed. With witnesses and no
warning, both Bnei Yisroel and
the were killed .
There was only one difference, in
the following case: if there were
no witnesses, Bnei Yisroel drank
like a Sota but the were
saved. Why? Why were those,
who were the source of trouble,
tragedy and turmoil, saved, while
Bnei Yisroel had to drink like a
Sota to determine if they were
Chills ran down Avis arms. The same exact

wording, in an entirely different Seifer and letter!
Come what may, he would courageously fight and triumph.
guilty? What quality did the

have that saved them?
This powerful answer that
the Rebbe gives is dynamite. It
is the secret to our protection.
These people were saved because
they are , and it is their
Hiskashrus to the Nasi HaDor, to
Moshe Rabbeinu, that ultimately
and exclusively saved their lives.
Continued from page 13

they are expressions of G-ds will,
which must transcend logic. Leaving,
at least, one Mitzvah beyond our
understanding reminds us of the true
nature of all of the commandments.
Our awareness of the fact that
even the most logical Mitzvah is
essentially Divine and beyond human
understanding affects the way we
approach a Mitzvah.
Were we to base our mitzva
observance on logic, the entire
concept of self-sacrifice to perform
G-ds will would be absent. Our
observance would be measured by
and limited to our minds dictates.
Knowledge that the essence of
Mitzvos is trans-logical propels
us into total devotion to G-ds
will, beyond the parameters of our
Thus, the secret code of our

protection is our connection to
the Nasi HaDor, to the Rebbe
MHM.
It is profound, breathtaking,
awe inspiring and a true
Nachas for the Rebbe to see his
handpicked Chassidim so utterly
connected.
understanding.
(See Likkutei Sichos ibid. for
an analysis why the Mitzvah of the
Red Heifer was selected to be the
paradigm for all Mitzvos and why
Moshe was allowed to comprehend
it.)
THINGS WILL CHANGE!

In the present day and age it is
crucial that we remember that the
commandments are Divine and
transcend logic. The secular mindset
engendered by the Enlightenment
dictates that we must base everything
on logic. In this mindset, religion
based on faith is anachronistic and
infantile. Now, more than ever, we
need the example of the Red Heifer
to keep us from succumbing to
these pressures. We must recognize
that it is the secularists who are the
primitive thinkers if they stop at logic

and fail to realize that logic itself has
a ceiling and the Divine, and all that
is attached to the Divine, is beyond
that ceiling.
In the imminent Messianic Age,
however, there will no longer be any
reason for G-d to restrict our ability
to understand the unfathomable. This
explains the words of the Midrash
that in the future, G-d will reveal the
reason for the Red Heifer to all. And
this is also why we are told that all the
Divine mysteries (of the Torah and of
life in general, such as the existence
of pain and suffering) will be revealed
to us. In the coming period of
Redemption, we will simultaneously
see the supra-rational nature of G-d
and His commandments as well as
their rational basis without need to
compromise either.
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PARSHA THOUGHT
MAKING SENSE
OF THE SUPRALOGICAL
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
THE MOTHER OF ALL

ENIGMAS!
The Torah is replete with
enigmas,
paradoxes
and
mysteries. But the enigma of all
enigmas is the subject of the Red
Heifer, discussed at length in this
weeks parsha. The ashes of the
Red Heifer were used to purify a
person who had come in contact
with the dead and, as a result, was
considered ritually contaminated
and could not enter the Temple or
partake of consecrated food.
When the Torah introduces
this ritual it states: This is the
statute [more literally: the etchedin-stone, supra-rational dictates]
of the Torah, the connotation of
which is that this is not only an
enigma but it is the mother of
all enigmas.
KORACH IS BACK
This parsha comes right after
the parsha of Korach who rebelled
against Moshe and was swallowed
up by the earth.
An
enigmatic
Midrashic
comment connects Korach with
the Red Heifer when it says:
What did Korach see that caused
him to rebel? He saw the section
of the Red Heifer.
What is it about the Red
Heifer that could have motivated
him to rebel against Moshe?
HEDGING HIS BETS

One way we can explain
how the Red Heifer influenced
Korachs decision to rebel is based
on Rashis comment (in the name
of Rabbi Moshe HaDarshan)
that the Red Heifer was intended
as atonement for the sin of the
Golden Calf. Just as a mother
cleans the mess of her child, so
too, the Red Heifer (mother)
atones for the sin of the Golden
Calf (child).
Korach was thus hedging his
bets. In case his rebellion was
judged to be an egregious sin,
Korach was convinced that he
would still be able to procure
atonement. After all, if the sin
of the Golden Calf, the Jewish
peoples most heinous crime
against G-d, could be atoned for
by a Red Heifer, then his action,
directed only against Moshe,
could certainly be atoned for.
This ties in with another
Midrashic statement that Korach
saw his future descendants,
the prophet Shmuel and his
children, serve in the Temple. This
convinced him that he would be
absolved. Just as the Red Heifer
can atone for the Golden Calf, so
could his righteous descendants
atone for him.
Underlying
this
thought
process was the belief that one
can invoke the merit of ones

forebears in procuring G-ds
forgiveness. Our liturgy is replete
with pleas that G-d should save
us in the merit of our Patriarchs
and Matriarchs. This concept is
metaphorically represented by
the Red Heifer atoning for its
progeny, the Golden Calf.
Korach pushed this idea a step
further. He believed that one could
also invoke the righteousness of
ones descendants for protection
from punishment.
This thought process is
captured in the last words of the
Prophet Malachi that, in the end
of days, G-d will restore the
hearts of fathers to their children
and the children to their fathers.
Korachs error was that he
used the hope of his children
bailing him out to justify his sin.
In the words of the Talmud: A
prosecutor cannot become a
defender. The very cause of his
sin, i.e., reliance on his childrens
merit, could not become the
means through which he would be
absolved of his sin.
MOSHES EXCLUSIVITY
One may explain Korachs
connecting his rebellion with the
Red Heifer on yet a deeper level:
Our Sages taught that the Red
Heifer was an enigma so abstruse
and elusive that even King

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Shlomo, the wisest of all people,

admitted that he could not fathom
its reason. However, G-d revealed
the reason to Moshe.
This troubled Korach. If
Moshe had lacked this knowledge,
just as the rest of the nation,
Korach would not have been
stirred to fight Moshes authority.
After all, in that case Moshe
would be like everyone else with
limited understanding, who must
accept G-ds judgments without
reservation.
Conversely, if Moshe were
able to reveal the reason for the
Red Heifer then he would have
enjoyed Korachs respect because
he was demonstrating that he was
a faithful teacher who imparted all
of his knowledge to the masses.
That would have demonstrated to
Korach that Moshe was a man of
the people who did not consider
himself head and shoulders above
the congregation.
But when Korach saw that
Moshe kept this knowledge secret,
he became convinced that Moshe
was not a worthy leader of the
Jewish nation.
UNEQUAL EQUALITY
The
foregoing
rationale
for Korachs rebellion against
Moshes leadership can answer
another question, how could
Korach convince people that he
considered everyone equal and
there was no need for leaders
like Moshe and Aaron, when he
himself craved to be the High
Priest? (See Likkutei Sichos,
volume 4, Parshas Korach, for a
different answer).
Following
the
above
explanation
of
Korachs
displeasure with Moshe it may be
suggested that Korach was not
against Moshe being their leader.
A nation must have leadership
and Korach surely appreciated
Moshes role in liberating them

from Egypt, giving them the Torah,
providing them with Manna in the
desert, etc. What he opposed was
Moshe claiming exclusivity when
it came to understanding the most
mysterious aspect of Judaism. If
it was truly supra-rational, how
could Moshe comprehend it? And
if it were not supra-rational, then
why not share it with all?
This led Korach to believe that
Moshe was not a legitimate leader
since he withheld the knowledge
from the rest of the community.
MOSHE, THE SMARTEST

PERSON?
We now have to understand
why Moshe did not share this
knowledge with the entire Jewish
nation.
One possible answer is that
Moshes intellect was much higher
than all other human beings. He
could fathom that which no other
human could.
However, this still does
not fully answer the question.
Why couldnt Moshe attempt
to condense his knowledge and
bring it down to the level of the
rest of the nation? Isnt this the
method every teacher uses to
teach a deep subject to his or her
students? The teacher looks for
a good parable or analogy that
will help make the deep concepts
accessible in some way to the
people. Why did Moshe not make
that attempt? Instead he states
categorically, This is the statute
of the Torah, as if to say, dont
even try to understand it or expect
me to explain it to you.
AN ELEPHANT THROUGH
THE EYE OF A NEEDLE!
In truth, as the Rebbe explains
(Likkutei Sichos, volume 18, p.
230) Moshe could not explain
this commandment because it is

truly beyond logic. Logic cannot
capture everything just as a cup
cannot contain ideas or feelings.
Or, as the Alter Rebbe put it, to
state that G-d is unfathomable is
the equivalent of saying that one
cannot touch wisdom with hands.
G-d is inherently beyond the
realm of logic.
Similarly, the commandment
of the Red Heifer exists inherently
beyond the realm of logic. The
fact that G-d revealed the logic
behind it to Moshe was a miracle
that only G-d could perform. The
miracle was the equivalent of
putting an elephant through the
eye of a needle without benefit of
a crash diet... The elephant is big
but still finite. The commandment
of the Red Heifer expresses G-ds
infinite will and can certainly not
fit into a finite mind; not even that
of Moshe.
Only G-d, who transcends
both finitude and infinity (for
infinity is also a category in
that it is not finite), can take
something infinite and put it into
something finite. As great Jewish
philosophers stated: For G-d, the
impossible is impossible.
G-ds revelation of the reason
for the Red Heifer to Moshe was,
therefore, essentially a miracle of
the highest order. Moshe could
not replicate this miracle and
impart this knowledge to others
without G-d so desiring. Absent
that Divine license, Moshe could
not reveal the reason.
WHY NOT EVERYONE?

But why didnt G-d want us
to comprehend the reason for this
commandment in particular?
The
Rebbe
explains
that, in essence, all of G-ds
commandments, even the rational
ones, are inscrutable because
Continued on page 11
Issue 1029
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OBITUARY
A TIRELESS
SHLIACH WHO
AVOIDED THE
LIMELIGHT
Rabbi Yona Biniashvili, shliach in the Beit HaKerem
neighborhood of Yerushalayim, died suddenly of a
heart attack on 11 Sivan. * Beis Moshiach provides a
glimpse into the work of a quiet person who wanted,
despite his outreach work, to retain his anonymity.
By Nosson Avrohom
av Yona was a real

tzaddik who never
thought
about
himself and did not
stop for a moment in his concern
for others, doing for those in need,
and in being mekarev people, said
Shlomi Salomon, a resident of Beit
HaKerem in Yerushalayim.
Shlomi, who immigrated to the
United States, did not forget the
shliach who was so kind to him. I
knew R Yona 23 years ago when
he came to Beit HaKerem with his
little children to light a menorah,
and I immediately took a liking to
him.
Although I did not live in

Yerushalayim on a regular basis,
R Yona kept in touch with me.
He would call to ask how I and
my family are, and would visit my
elderly parents in Yerushalayim.
Over the years our bond turned
into a close friendship. During
every visit I made to Yerushalayim,
he would come to my office in Beit
HaKerem and make sure I put on
tfillin. Before Pesach he would
send me shmura matza and every
time I visited Eretz Yisroel he
loaded me up with every possible
thing that would make it easier for
me to keep mitzvos.
Comments like this were said

many times by many people after
R Yonas passing. The shock
over his sudden passing, a few
hours before Shabbos, and his
being so young, hit his friends,
acquaintances, mekuravim and
admirers in his place of shlichus
hard.
R Yona was a Chassid and
mekushar who was moser nefesh
for shlichus. With his charming,
simple manner he was beloved
by the irreligious, elitist residents
of this upper-class neighborhood
where he served on shlichus for 27
years.

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CONNECTION
WITH CHABAD
R Begin Kalimi, shliach in

Ir Ganim, who knew him as a
child, speaks nostalgically about
his colleague. One of his great
successes in shlichus was his
ability to endear himself to just
about anyone. He was a Chassid
who was devoted to all aspects
of shlichus, and was even able to
work together with the rav of the
neighborhood, R Dovid Shapiro.
Yona worked out of the main
shul with the permission and
encouragement of the rav, and
dont underestimate that. In most
areas you dont find such a warm
and good relationship.
The rav of the neighborhood
eulogized him, There is no Jew

in the neighborhood who does
not know Yona. Mezuza Yona,
Pesach Yona. Now Yona is
not with us. Who will arrange
for kosher mezuzos? Yona was
not a man of words but a man
of action. How many dozens
of families celebrated their first
Pesach thanks to him? How many
heard the shofar for the first time
because of Yona? Sat in a sukka
for the first time? What will they
do now? Who will they turn to? R
Yona carried out his shlichus with
his 248 limbs and did so modestly
without talking about his deeds.
Yona moved to Eretz Yisroel

with his family from Georgia in the
Soviet Union after the Yom Kippur
War when the Iron Curtain was
raised slightly. His family settled
in Yerushalayim in Ir Ganim and
his father was appointed as rav of
the Hanurit shul.
His father was definitely
someone I would call a tzaddik,
said R Kalimi. He did many
taaniyot dibbur (speech fasts). He
was a wise and learned man who
learned much Torah. He would be
the Torah reader and he led the
community. When I would visit
their home on Shabbos, I noticed
that he never spoke idly. Yonas
mother was also a righteous
woman who was very particular
about kashrus and Shmiras
Shabbos.
Even before they made aliya
the family was connected with
Chabad. The grandfather was in
touch with the Rebbe Rashab.
It was not surprising then for
Yona and his siblings to be
sent to Chabad schools in the
neighborhood. Yona was the
middle child, recalled R Kalimi.
When he finished the Chabad
elementary school, Yona went
to the Himmelfarb religious
high school in Bayit Vegan. At
the same time, he was an active
participant in shiurim and the
various activities at the Chabad
House. When he finished school,
he was drafted to serve in the IDF
Adjutant Corps where he learned
accounting. When he finished his
army duty, he went to work in the
Treasury Department.
I remember that he would
regularly attend the Tanya
classes of R Aharon Mordechai
Zilberstrom ah who was the
principal of his school. He got his
Chabad depth and pnimius at that
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Obituary
Rav Yona receiving a dollar from the Rebbe
time, says R Kalimi.

Yona slowly acquired a
Lubavitcher identity. He married,
and the young couple moved to
the Givat Shaul neighborhood.
R Yona began establishing
outreach
activities
in
Beit
HaKerem while working at the
Treasury Department. Even as
a senior official at the Treasury
Department, R Yona acted as
a shliach in every respect, said
R Eliyahu Zilberstrom. He put
tfillin on with employees, affixed
and checked mezuzos, and gave
shiurim. This year he told me that
he ran a Seder for 150 people and
before the Seudas Moshiach he
consulted with me about what to
say.
As time passed, he became
busier with shlichus work and was
absent more and more from work
until he decided to devote himself
fully to shlichus.
His
financial
situation
deteriorated, but it did not deter
him from continuing to work full
force in shlichus. He did not
always have money to pay the
rent, R Zilberstrom said sadly.
RESIDENTS IN MOURNING
R Yona worked in the
neighborhood
with
unusual
modesty. I remember him well
from Shabbasos I spent in the
neighborhood hosted by relatives

who are not Lubavitch, yet who
admired and appreciated the work
he did. He was noticeably different
looking in that environment, a
Lubavitcher who dressed like one
in an upper-class neighborhood.
He would always run to do more
and he did it all graciously and
willingly.
Before holidays, he would
go from classroom to classroom
and from one preschool to the
next. Before Rosh HaShana they
saw him with a shofar and before
Pesach with shmura matza, and
around the year he was busy
with mivtza tfillin and checking
mezuzos. He went from house to
house as he schlepped around by
bus.
His caring for everyone and
his great devotion scored a lot of
points with many residents, both
religious and not religious. It is
not surprising that all agree that
his passing left a void that nobody
knows how to fill.
The sudden passing of R
Yona was a shock for me and my
family, said Shlomi Salomon.
My wife and children also
admired and loved him. They
always looked forward to his
phone calls before holidays when
he would call to wish a chag
sameiach. After every chag and
activity for the residents and
children of Beit HaKerem he

would send pictures and tell us
about how successful it was. I, my
family, and many others will miss
him.
Another resident said, He did
everything with endless devotion
and without calling attention
to himself. He didnt look for
publicity or honor. He and his
wife gave their lives for us, for the
residents of Beit HaKerem.
Another resident had this
to say: R Yona was a tzaddik,
upright and modest, who did not
work for his own needs but did so
much for the neighborhood and
the residents. Checking mezuzos,
putting on tfillin; he went to every
business in the neighborhood
with tfillin; he held sdarim for
the needy and lonely, he blew
the shofar in all the preschools
and schools of the neighborhood
before Rosh HaShana, he held
a parade on Lag BOmer which
culminated in a grand gathering,
and provided music, refreshments
and lots of joy at the Simchas
Beis HaShoeiva. He will be sorely
missed. There is no one in the
neighborhood who did not know
him. The neighborhood wont be
the same without him.
HE FELT AT HOME
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
R Yonas son, Menachem
Mendel, sadly related memories of
his father:
From a young age I remember
the entire family doing outreach.
We loved going around with my
father. Although the walk around
the neighborhood was somewhat
long, he would stop and talk to
everyone. Two years ago, my
father called me home from
yeshiva and said he did not feel
well. He asked me whether I could
help him out. He did a class and I
did a class, as we blew the shofar
for all the children.

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With children in preschools
Rav Yona with a bar mitzva boy
After doing a few classes,

blowing thirty blasts in each, and
there were always a few children
who wanted to try and blow, I
felt I had no breath left to blow.
When I told this to my father he
said, I do it every year and in all
the schools and preschools. On
Rosh HaShana I walked with my
father to the local soccer field to
blow the shofar there. The soccer
players stopped their game, put on
hats, and heard the shofar on this
holy day. It was an unforgettable
sight.
R Kalimi characterized R
Biniashvilis life as having two
central motifs: He was very
particular
about
everything.
When he heard a story from me,
he would verify the details. He
did not like exaggeration; he was
a very serious person. When you
told him a story with the names
of the heroes and exact dates, he
enjoyed it very much. This trait
manifested in every aspect of his
shlichus. I think in this lies some of
his success in the neighborhood.
He was also very dedicated.
Whatever he did, he did with
utter devotion and exactitude. For
example, a Tzivos Hashem club in
an upper-class neighborhood like
this will not attract children with
ices or Bissli, because they have
plenty of that. The same is true for
the Lag BOmer parade. He knew
how to offer appropriate prizes

and work out all the details.
There are locations bustling
with people where you can set
up a tfillin stand that will be
frequented by many people.
But in a neighborhood like
Beit HaKerem, things are done
differently,
more
personally,
seriously and punctiliously, and he
knew how to do it because of his
nature. He did not set up a tfillin
stand in the middle of the business
section of town. He simply knew
all the business owners, forged
good relationships with them,
and would visit them daily. He
was the right person for this
neighborhood.
For a period of time he
brought R Aharon Mordechai
Zilberstrom, a Chassid and big
talmid chacham in Nigleh and
Chassidus, to give shiurim in the
neighborhood. He was the right
person to give shiurim to people
who are intellectuals, doctors,
and businessmen. People made
sure not to miss his classes, which
ended up scoring many points
for Yona by those mekuravim,
explained R Kalimi.
HUNDREDS CAME
TO SAY GOODBYE
When R Yona was in the ICU
following a severe heart attack,
many went to provide support.

A 90-year-old man came
and placed his hand on me
and blessed me, said his son
Menachem Mendel. News about
his condition spread quickly in the
neighborhood. One lady told me
how on Shabbos her son said to
her, I will take the books R Yona
gave me on Lag BOmer to shul,
thus hoping to forge a closer bond
to him.
What stood out about him
was his modesty. He recently gave
in his shoes for repair because
he did not think he needed to
buy new ones. For us, he did
not scrimp and whatever was
needed he bought, but he did not
seek things for himself. With his
shlichus too, he did not publicize
anything about himself. When they
suggested that he buy a camera for
the Chabad House to publicize
what they do, he preferred doing
better things with the money,
more activities with the children.
He did not think the rest was
necessary.
At the end of the painful
funeral, R Naftali Roth, director
of the Merkaz HaChinuchi
Chassiduti, said:
We lost a friend, a devoted
and faithful shliach, one of the first
to the holy city of Yerushalayim. I
have had occasion to speak with
people in the community in Beit
HaKerem and now too, during
the funeral, I have met people
from the main shul, and the rav
of the community, R Shapiro.
They all speak about a beloved and
upstanding person who spent days
and nights for the Jewish people.
We lost a good friend. May he be
a good intercessor for Klal Yisroel.
Yona, it is hard for us without
you, but rest assured we will
give chizuk to your children and
your family so they continue the
wonderful work you did in Beit
HaKerem.
Issue 1029
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BITACHON BYTES
SUPERHUMAN
DEVOTION
By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg
One of the challenging aspects

of Bitachon is that our devotion
to Hashem should be complete,
constant and unchanging. How
can this be accomplished when
our lives are subject to constant
change? Especially upon taking
into consideration the fact that
we operate with intellect and
reason, which can easily change
from day to day, or more often.
What may seem logical one
hour can be eclipsed by a more
compelling argument an hour
later.
One of the main ways to
express our commitment to
Hashem is through the fulfillment
of Mitzvos1.
From
a
purely
human
perspective it is a challenge to
express this devotion to Hashem
in a wholesome way. Some days
the observance of mitzvos will
come easier and will be done with
zest, while at other times it will be
less so. Chassidus on the other
hand presents us with a strong
outline for observing mitzvos in
a superhuman manner with an
element of permanence.
Torah
also
has
two
dimensionsthe
intellectual
logical dimension, and the
supra-rational dimension. The
Mitzvos that fall under the

rubric of Mishpatim are logical
commandments and mentshliche
people would behave accordingly
regardless of being commanded
to do so. The Mitzvos which are
called Eidos are testimonies for
historical G-dly occurrences and
the reason for their fulfillment,
once
explained,
is
easily
understood. The downside of
being able to understand the
mitzvos is that the fulfillment of
the mitzvos may then become
subject to our human limitations.
The third category of mitzvos
is that of Chukim, the mitzvos
that have no rational explanation.
For example, the prohibition
of wearing a mixture of wool
and linen shaatnez, and the
prohibition to cook, consume
or benefit from milk and meat
combined are not logical mitzvos.
The supremacy of these mitzvos
is that they contain an element
of G-dliness. Even though they
may raise eyebrows as to why
its necessary to command us
regarding such prohibitions,
when we contemplate the lack
of logic in the Chukim mitzvos
we will realize that it is the G-dly
quality of the Mitzva which is
totally beyond our understanding
which is the driving force behind

the Chukim.
In Chassidic terminology2,
Chukim represent the true will
of Hashem, with no intellectual
reasoning concealing the pure
will of Hashem. When discussing
the Will of Hashem in its pure
form there is one point and goal:
that the Will be fulfilled. Whether
or not the person is in the mood
or whether the person thinks
that that mitzvah is applicable
or not is irrelevant. This notion,
which stems from the essence
of the Yiddishe neshama is that
Hashems will must be fulfilled.
In truth, all mitzvos, even
those which are superficially
rational, are also essentially the
Will of Hashem. It is just that an
element of wisdom and reasoning
was added. All Mitzvos are the
Will of Hashem and they all
cause a supernatural connection
between the one fulfilling the
mitzvah and Hashem.
This concept is manifested
by the Mitzva of the
red heifer, which in reference to
all other Chukim is considered
a chok. Shlomo HaMelech
commented that for most Chukim
he found a rationalization, but
for the chok of para aduma he

1029_bm_eng.indd 18
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could not find any reason, for its

purity of Will and abstractness
from wisdom was complete. (Of
course there is no concern by
Shlomo HaMelech that when
he achieves understanding of a
chok he will treat it rationally, for
a tzaddik like him surely viewed
all mitzvos as the pure Will of
Hashem.)
This teaches that the type
of chok that the para aduma
represented was the essence of
every mitzvah, as reasonable as it
may be.
When
studying
and
contemplating and internalizing
the true nature of mitzvos, our
focus upon being faced with an
opportunity to do a mitzvah will
be, How can I fulfill Hashems
Will? With such an attitude,
our level of interest wont be an
issue, because its not a rational
decision, its Hashems Will at
stake and it must simply be done.
Also, the person will be sure to
fulfill the mitzvah in a more than
satisfactory manner to be sure
that the mitzvah was fulfilled in
its entirety, because if one detail
is missing, the Will of Hashem
may not have been fulfilled.
We are now in the season
of the Geula of the Frierdike
Rebbe, who is a prime example

of observing and strengthening
Yiddishkait
without
altering
standards with the change of
Russian policy. He remained in
prison longer than necessary in
order not to travel on Shabbos,
and generally showed that he
was completely unbending to the
wishes of the Russian officials.
This was as if to say, Hashems3
Will comes first and there will be
no other considerations.
Ultimately, this brought to
his redemption from prison,
exile, and from Communist
Russia altogether. The Rebbes
influencing us to
prepare the world
for Moshiach is not
only unending, it
actually is stronger
with each passing
day, as we can see
all of the positive,
G-dly impact in
the world today.
Through
our
taking the example
of
unchanging
and
unending
commitment
to
Hashem, may we
merit to see the
complete
Geula
now mamash.
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.
) ''1
67 ') '' '' 2
130 ') '' '' 3
Issue 1029
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STORY
THE GRENADE
MIRACLE
On Yud-Beis Tamuz, the Chag HaGeula, Chabad Chassidim will celebrate

the release of the Rebbe Rayatz. At the same time, another Chassidishe
farbrengen will take place which will be a thanksgiving gathering for
another miracle that took place 23 years ago on this date. * Beis Moshiach
hears a firsthand account of the dramatic story that occurred that morning
on the way to school.
By Bentzion Sasson
23
years have passed

and nevertheless,
it feels as though
it just happened. A
few days ago, I passed by the spot,
that black, asphalt road, on my
way to Rochel Imeinu. There, on
the side of the barrier, is the silent
monument to Janet Kadosh who
was murdered in an attack I was
witness to many years ago.
I will never forget that
dramatic event we were part of,
when we were kids. This day,
Yud-Beis Tammuz, a day of
miracles, is an excellent time to
reminisce in order To thank and
praise Your great name, for Your
miracles and Your wonders and
Your salvations.
The year 5752, I was a young
boy, only eleven years old.
Not long before, we still lived
in Kiryat Arba. At a certain point,
my parents decided to move to
Beitar Ilit, and they began looking
for a Chabad school for me and

my younger brother Yinon.
Some time before school
started, my parents found out
about the plans of a group of
parents from Beitar Ilit who
were interested in providing their
children with a Chabad chinuch.
The plan was to arrange for daily
transportation from Beitar Ilit to
Gilo in Yerushalayim where there
was a Chabad elementary school.
My parents liked the idea and
a group of ten boys was formed.
Rabbi Amiel Fish, a teacher at the
school, was responsible for the
group.
Every day, the driver made the
rounds and picked up the boys
and then we would head to the
gate of the city where a military
escort awaited us, sometimes one
jeep and sometimes two. They
would escort us until Machsom
300 (a checkpoint barrier)
located between the exit from
Beit Lechem and the entrance

to Yerushalayim. This military
escort was necessary due to the
great danger this trip entailed by
traversing Arab settlements.
On our way we passed near
Kever Rochel every morning
where we stopped on the side
of the road and recited chapter
twenty of Thillim for the
recovery of the Rebbe MHM.
The military escort would also
stop and wait until we finished
saying Thillim, and from there
we would continue toward
Machsom 300 where we parted
from the soldiers and continued
on our own for a few minutes
until the school.
This was our daily routine and
it was done to obtain a Chabad
chinuch.
***
Thursday, 12 Tammuz 5753,
the routine was broken.
7:40 in the morning, facing

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the Kever of Rochel Imeinu.

After a brief stop in which
we said Thillim for the Rebbe,
we were going to continue
toward Machsom 300 but the
military jeep accompanying us
disappeared. After a few minutes
of waiting, it was decided that we
would continue driving toward
the school.
Forty minutes earlier, at 7:00,
at the French Hill junction, two
terrorists boarded an Egged
bus and after a few seconds
they opened fire. The driver lost
control of the bus and rode up
on a traffic island, which caused
the terrorists to lose their balance
for a few moments. In a moment
of alertness, the driver opened
the doors of the bus and the
passengers fled for their lives.
The terrorists panicked and
looked for a way to escape. A
car driven by Janet Kadosh was
passing by. They hijacked the
We then heard the commander shout, A

grenade! In a split second, all the soldiers were
down on the ground. We kids did not understand what
was going on but knew it was something terrible. Seconds
later, another grenade was thrown. This time the sound of
its landing could be heard loud and clear for it had fallen
on our roof! Our driver thought it was his final moments
and he screamed Shma Yisroel.
car, loaded up their terrorist

equipment and began driving
south toward Beit Lechem.
8:05. Machsom 300, Beit
Lechem.
Our van, which was driving
toward the school, entered the
checkpoint area. Although it
was normally a time of busy
traffic, it was surprisingly empty.
Those who know the place know
that the checkpoint is divided
into four lanes three toward
Yerushalayim and one for those

coming
from
Yerushalayim
toward Beit Lechem. When we
entered the empty checkpoint, we
turned toward the leftmost lane
which is the closest to the lane
going in the other direction.
Even though the media
had already reported about the
carjacking, for some reason an
inexplicable calmness prevailed at
the checkpoint. The soldiers and
police looked relaxed. We were
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Story
THEY SHOULD LEARN IN GILO

When a group of Lubavitcher parents who lived in Beitar Ilit discussed
their childrens schooling in the Chabad school in Gilo, they were aware of
the danger, in light of the sensitive security situation at the time, a period of
time when hundreds of people were murdered, may Hashem avenge their
blood.
R Aharon Kurant, the father of Yosef Yitzchok and Mendy, decided to
write to the Rebbe and ask for his bracha. His letter said, As far as where
our sons Yosef Yitzchok and Menachem Mendel will learn this upcoming
school year, since there is a group who wants to travel to learn in the
Chabad school in the Gilo neighborhood of Yerushalayim, but the traveling
is dangerous past Arab settlements. Therefore, I ask for the Rebbes advice
and blessing about whether our sons should also travel on this road to learn
in Gilo or wait until they build a road that circumvents the Arab settlements,
and for the time being they should remain and learn in the Chinuch Atzmai
school where we live.
I request a bracha that Hashem protect them in all their ways, materially
and spiritually, nefesh and ruach, and that they become Chassidim, G-d
fearing, and scholars. And that we merit openly seeing Moshiach soon.
Aharon ben Ester Kurant.
A day later, R Aharon received a response from the secretary, R Leibel
Groner, who said he read the letter to the Rebbe who nodded to indicate
they should travel to the Chabad school in Gilo.
The Rebbes positive answer gave us much strength, recalled R
Kurant in an interview given ten years ago. And thanks to this answer
from the Rebbe they understood how important it is for children to learn
in institutions that follow the teachings of the Rebbeim, and that the Rebbe
took responsibility for the childrens security.
R Kurant concluded that interview emotionally, I feel that the Rebbe
watched over my sons in two senses, physically and spiritually. The Chabad
chinuch paid and is paying dividends, baruch Hashem. Today, my sons are
Tmimim in the Rebbes army and are mekusharim to the Rebbe MHM.
still driving on the exit lane when
suddenly, with no prior warning,
a car coming from Yerushalayim
entered the area. Within a few
seconds it was opposite us in
the opposite lane. That is when
events began to speed up like in a
horror movie.
The car looked suspicious to
the soldiers and they ordered it
to stop, but instead of stopping
the driver pressed on the gas
pedal in order to get into the
lane leading to Beit Lechem so
they could evade their pursuers.
The soldier, Eitan Cohen, who
was stationed at the beginning
of the checkpoint, ran toward
the entrance to the fourth lane,

quickly set up facing the lane and
began opening fire at the driver in
order to stop the car. He aimed
well and the car stopped about a
half a meter from our van. Just a
small plastic barrier separated us
from the terrorists getaway car.
A few seconds later, the
drivers door opened and a body
was thrown out which afterward
was discovered to be that of Janet
Kadosh, may Hashem avenge
her blood, the owner of the car
whom they murdered. Another
few seconds passed and suddenly
we heard the commander shout,
A grenade! In a split second,
all the soldiers threw themselves

down to the ground. We kids did
not understand what was going
on but knew it was something
terrible. Some of the children
panicked and screamed in fear
while others cried. Seconds later,
another grenade was thrown.
This time the sound of its landing
could be heard loud and clear for
it had fallen on our roof!
R Fish screamed at us to lie
down on the ground and not
get up. Our driver, Mr. Chaim
Lalom, thought it was his final
moments and he started counting
backward,
anticipating
the
explosion, while also screaming
Shma Yisroel.
Silence. The stillness of death.
Nothing happened. Our terror
turned into surprise.
The tense silence was broken
a few seconds later by a long
volley of bullets that rent the
air. At this point, the scene got
even more intense. Additional
soldiers arrived as reinforcements
and they also opened fire at the
terrorists car. That was a minute
and a half that is etched in my
mind forever.
In the meantime, our driver
managed to get up and move
our van and get us quickly out
of the lane heading toward
Yerushalayim. A few seconds
later we heard a loud explosion.
It was the terrorists car, which
had caught fire and seconds
later blew up with a mighty noise
because of the pipe bombs in it.
To think that just seconds earlier
we were right there, facing it,
only a meter and a half away.
We kept driving while the
sounds of shooting reverberated
in our ears along with the sound
of the explosions. Some of the
kids were still on the floor of the
vehicle. Dozens of security, fire,
and rescue vehicles streamed
toward the checkpoint. The

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pandemonium was indescribable.

Until today, I can hear the
cries of some of the children in
the van, crying hysterically.
***
When we got to school,
recalls R Amiel Fish, I got off
the van in order to check and see
if we had sustained damage from
the shooting. Incredibly, there
was no sign of anything. I felt the
Rebbes bracha which the Kurant
family had received when they
had the idea of putting together
a group of boys to travel to Gilo
every day. (See sidebar)
A few minutes after arriving

at school, the story of the
miracle began to spread and
we, children of Beitar, were the
stars. The administration of the
school brought us to a room
to try and help us calm down.
During the day, psychologists
and social workers came from
the Education Ministry in order
to speak to us and try and get us
back to ourselves.
The principal, R Dovid
Dahan, recalls that day too:
That day, we were in
the middle of preparing for
the celebration that night, a

graduation combined with a
Yud-Beis Tammuz farbrengen.
In the midst of that, the children
from Beitar showed up in shock
and told us about the shooting,
explosions and the terrible things
they saw. We had them calm
down and tell us what happened.
At the event later that day,
the group of students repeated
what happened to a reporter from
Hamodia who published it on
the front page of the next days
paper.
From there they continued
to the hall where the graduation
festivities took place. A surprise
awaited them. R Fish, who
was still shaken up by the days
events, asked permission to speak
and he told the audience the
miracle that occurred, at the end
of which he recited the HaGomel
blessing very emotionally.
On the following Shabbos,
there was a farbrengen in Gilo
which was a thanksgiving
gathering for the big miracle. A
similar farbrengen took place
in Beitar Ilit, where the children
came from. The third Shabbos
meal in shul turned into a seudas
hodaa.
R Fish, As we know, Yaakov
refused to send Binyamin
to Mitzrayim because of the
dangers of the road, and a
tragedy will befall him. The
holy Ohr HaChayim explains
that the word derech refers to
the Chevron-Shechem road, the
road the children travel on daily.
Interestingly, three of the ten
boys have the name Binyamin.
Every year, on that date,
Chag HaGeula, I try to go back to
that spot and recite the blessing,
Blessed is the One who did a
miracle for me, together with my
children who also experienced
the miracle.
Issue 1029
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FEATURE
THE BOYS WHO

TRIUMPHED OVER
THE COMMUNIST
REGIME
By C. Ben Eliezer
inter 5697. Following

the near total collapse
of the underground
Jewish
educational
system, which was based on young
married Lubavitcher teachers, after
the latter were arrested and exiled
en masse, a secret message came
from the Rebbe Rayatz to R Yona
Poltaver to mobilize the younger
forces. That is how a new era began
in the history of the underground
yeshivos in Russia. * What follows
is the story of one yeshiva out of
many, Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim
in Kursk.
Russia. Winter 5697. The
evil regime which operated
throughout the country in recent
years tried with all its might
to obliterate the widespread
activities
of
the
Chabad
Chassidim who led the war in
preserving religion in Soviet
Russia. The difficult battle that
was waged in nearly every city in
the country felled many victims.
The chadarim and yeshivos

had long since been closed down
and those that secretly existed
were discovered one by one.
Dozens of melamdim who were
heads of families were arrested
and exiled to the unknown, and
thousands of Jewish boys had
no place to learn Torah. The
secret yeshiva system faced total
collapse.
The Rebbe Rayatz, leader of
the Jewish people and director
of the spiritual battle in Russia,
was in Warsaw, Poland, but he
constantly received reports about
the state of Judaism in Russia. In
light of the dangerous situation,
the Rebbe decided to get
youngsters involved as melamdim
and directors of underground
yeshivos.
Somehow,
the
message
reached the Chassid R Yona
Poltaver (Cohen), may Hashem
avenge his blood, who had
recently been assigned the job of
running the yeshiva system. As

soon as he got the message, he
called a number of capable boys
to his home in Moscow for an
urgent meeting.
Late at night, in a small
house on the edge of the city,
the meeting took place under
a heavy blanket of secrecy.
R Yonas brother-in-law, R
Mordechai Eliezer Lapatovsky,
was also there. The atmosphere
was tense. Everyone felt they
must do something to preserve
the continuity of Jewish life in
Russia.
R Yona began the meeting by
reading the message he received:
Since dozens of melamdim
were arrested, and many places
are left with no teachers, the job
of teaching is now yours. Until
now, continued R Yona, the
adults sacrificed their lives for
you, to teach you Torah. From
now on, you have the obligation
to transmit your knowledge to

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2016-07-12 8:13:47 AM
Government building in Kursk
the next generation.

R Mordechai Eliezer said:
Yeshivos Tomchei Tmimim are
in danger! We must act with
mesirus nefesh! You young
bachurim, who have no families
to be responsible for, must go
everywhere and gather Jewish
children, find suitable places to
learn, and start yeshivos!
They decided how to divide
the work and how they would
operate. R Yona was appointed
the acting menahel with R
Nachum Volosov, and the two
decided where each young man
would go. This meeting was
actually the opening salvo of
the mesirus nefesh of the next
generation, which succeeded in
maintaining Jewish life under the
watchful eyes of the communist
secret police.
Yechiel Michel Rapoport,
Dovber
Goldschmidt,
and
Shimon Stillerman were sent to
Kursk with Rapoport appointed

as the rosh yeshiva.
THE WORKERS
HAVE TAKEN ILL
Kursk is located about
six hundred kilometers from
Moscow. A river runs the length
of it, dividing the city in half. The
city had a population of about
150,000, out of which there were
a few hundred Jews including a
few dozen Chassidei Kopust and
a few Chabad Chassidim.
A secret Chabad yeshiva
operated in the city starting in
5693, when a division for older
bachurim was opened. Among
the talmidim of the yeshiva were:
Bentzion
Katznelson,
Shaul
Steinbock, Yaakov and Sholom
Vilenkin. More bachurim joined
who had learned in Kiev. When
the yeshiva in Kiev closed, they
moved to Kursk. They included:
Dovber Goldschmidt, Elimelech
Kaplan, Michoel Teitelbaum,

Michoel Rapoport, and Shimon
Stillerman.
Spiritual
life
flourished,
but their material lives were
unbearable. We see this in the
request for help that the talmidim
sent to the Rebbe Rayatz in
a letter dated 24 Teves 5694.
R Shimon Stillerman wrote:
Since there are six workers here
engaged in holy work, with a
proper order as in the past, eight
hours of Nigleh and four hours
of Chassidus, as is known to his
Honor, and our material situation
is in the worst way and we suffer
starvation, may Hashem have
mercy, therefore, I request a
double and redoubled request of
his Honor to make efforts on our
behalf and send means [money
for food].
In another letter, Yosef
Vilenkin writes: We request of
their Honor to please make the
effort to send to us, because we
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Feature
THE EVIL REGIME

BEARS DOWN
A letter sent by Shimon Steinbock to the hanhala of the yeshiva.

The bottom of the page says: Talmidei HaTmimim
need it badly. And there was

added an additional employee
from Kiev, since the workers
there have taken ill rl [at that
time, the police closed down the
yeshiva in Kiev and the talmidim
dispersed to various cities and
this is what is meant by the
workers have taken ill]. May
Hashem protect us from all evil,
G-d forbid.
The yeshiva continued to exist
in this format until 5695 when a
division for older bachurim was
opened in Voronezh. Michoel
Teitelbaum, Sholom Vilenkin,
Shaul Steinbock and the rest of
the talmidim, who were younger,
continued to learn in Kursk.
The day after Yom Kippur
5696/1935,
three
of
the
bachurim were called up to the

army. It is unnecessary to explain
what serving in the army meant
for a Jewish boy in those days
in the Soviet Union. They sent
an urgent letter to the Rebbe
Rayatz and asked for his blessing.
When they went to the draft
office, they were asked many
questions about their jobs, where
they lived, their families, and
only after they signed the forms
were they released. A few days
later they were called up again
for a test and then they received
their exemptions, freeing them
from the army. They informed
the Rebbe, We recovered,
and the Rebbe responded,
Congratulations to the three of
you and may you be blessed in all
your work.
In the years 5695-6, the KGB

increased its persecution against
religion in general and Chabad
Chassidim in particular. There
were mass arrests and endless
harassment.
The
nightmare
scenario that played out in the
homes of many Chassidim in
those years was identical; in the
middle of the night, when the
streets were utterly dark, harsh
banging was heard at the door.
Sometimes the family was in
the middle of the Shabbos meal
when the angels of destruction
knocked. To the question, Who
is it? the answer was, Open up
right now, its the police.
The head of the family was
escorted out by the police as the
family cried, placed into a police
car and then, a moment before
the door was closed, his gaze
met that of his wife and both
cried out, What will be with the
chinuch of our children?
This story repeated itself in
many places and variations. It
created a situation in which most
of Anash were in jail and it was
greatly feared that all the mesirus
nefesh that had been exerted to
educate their children in the spirit
of Torah would go to waste and
their children would be raised like
gentiles.
It
was
under
these
circumstances that the decision
was made to enlist the older
bachurim to open yeshivos for
younger bachurim, in order
to provide them with a Jewish
education.
WE NEED TO START
WITH OURSELVES
In 5697, a yeshiva opened
in Kursk for 12 to 15-yearold bachurim. Yechiel Michel
Rapoport was the rosh yeshiva

1029_bm_eng.indd 26
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and he had his friends Dovber

Goldschmidt
and
Shimon
Stillerman with him. They
alternated giving shiurim in
Chassidus, Gemara and Shulchan
Aruch and among themselves
they learned for smicha.
A year later, R Michel became
sick due to the harsh conditions
and the lack of proper nutrition
and had to return home to Kiev.
He was replaced for a while by
Shimon Stillerman, and in 5699,
R Chanoch Henoch Rapoport
(Michels 18-year-old brother)
was sent with the Rebbes
blessing.
It is interesting to see the
Rebbes relationship with these
older bachurim during this
difficult time. The hanhala sent a
letter to the Rebbe and informed
him about their intent to send
bachurim to yeshivos in various
cities. The Rebbe responded with
an instruction: When you go to
deal with another, first deal with
yourself.
JOINING THE
UNDERGROUND
R Zalman Levin, who was
one of the talmidim in the
yeshiva, told how he got there:
At 14, I had to run away from
my hometown of Nevel. I ended
up in Leningrad and from there,
went to Moscow. Since I had no
papers on me, I could only stay
for a few days in each place. In
Moscow they told me that there
are underground people in
Kursk who have a yeshiva. They
did not even tell me their names.
And that is how I got to the
yeshiva.
Another talmid in the yeshiva,
R Refael Wilschansky, told Beis
Moshiach, I heard about the
yeshiva when I was in Voronezh.
My father was the shochet there
and our family lived in a room in
The shul in Kursk where the yeshiva was located for a long time
One day, as I was walking in the market in order

to buy food for the talmidim, I suddenly heard
a whispering voice near me. I turned around and saw a
Jew who worked for the KGB. I went with him to a corner
and he scanned the area again and after making sure
nobody was listening he whispered: The KGB heard that
a yeshiva took over the shul and they plan on checking
it out soon. Beware!
the shul. The Tomchei Tmimim

yeshiva for older bachurim was in
the next room and my family and
the bachurim were very close.
One of the bachurim, Yisroel
Levin, convinced my parents to
send me to a yeshiva for boys
my age, in Kursk. My parents,
who envisioned the difficult
spiritual future, decided to send
me to yeshiva despite the dangers
involved. At age 12, I went to
learn in yeshiva together with my
friend, Tzvi Slavin.
Aside from the spiritual
burden, the older bachurim had
the material burden too, and this
was sometimes a very heavy load.
R Michel Rapoport told about

this in his memoirs:
The financial burden was
particularly difficult. Sometimes
the money came from R Yona
who was in Moscow, via various
agents, mostly women. We often
had to raise money ourselves and
this was especially hard since
Anash were extremely poor. We
couldnt ask outsiders for money
for fear that the KGB would
find out about the yeshiva. This
situation wreaked its vengeance
upon the bachurim who received
very meager portions.
But there were also better
times as R Refael Wilschansky
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Feature
When he came to the cell where the bachurim

were he said: Kinderlach, you dont need to be
fazed by anybody. Put it all on me. Say that I organized
and did everything. They can exile me to Siberia, but you
need to continue learning Torah.
relates:
For a period of time we
had a relationship with an older
couple who loved the talmidim
of the yeshiva. They would cook
lunch for us every day. And in
the morning and evening each
of us would get a few coins and
would buy something to eat from
a nearby store. We also slept in
their house for a while and in the
winter they would cover us with
a pile of blankets, saying the
children shouldnt be cold.
THE JEWISH
AGENT OF THE KGB
related:
Until the end of 5699 we
learned in the citys shul (see
picture) and then I miraculously
found out that the KGB was on
to us. One day, as I was walking
in the market in order to buy
food for the talmidim, I suddenly
heard a whispering voice near
me. I turned around and saw a
Jew who worked for the KGB. He
motioned that I should go with
him. I went with him to a corner
and he scanned the area again
and after making sure nobody
was listening he whispered: The
KGB heard that a yeshiva took
over the shul and they plan on
checking it out soon. Beware!
I thanked him and ran to the
yeshiva to warn all the talmidim
to leave immediately. That is how
the yeshiva was saved at the last
moment.
After that, we learned in
private homes. Since it was very
dangerous, we could not stay

in one house for long and the
yeshiva wandered from house to
house.
One of the Chassidim in
whose house the yeshiva stayed
for a while was R Mendel
Sheinman. R Mendel was a
Chassid with a special story. At
first he wasnt a Chassid and he
was arrested for money crimes.
He was in jail with R Chonye
Morosov, may Hashem avenge
his blood, who was thrown into
jail for his mesirus nefesh for
mitzvos. R Chonye had a great
influence on this R Mendel to
the point that he did tshuva and
became a G-d fearing Chassid.
After being released from
prison, he went to Kursk and
began working as a wagon
driver. He was very poor but was
always happy. The Rebbe Rayatz
once told him in a letter to start
polishing shoes of passersby and
from then on he began earning
a dignified living. He always
displayed love for those who
learned Torah and when he met
with one of the talmidim of the
yeshiva he would hug and kiss
him. Throughout the time that
the yeshiva existed in Kursk, he
helped it financially and was even
arrested for this later on, as will
be related.
The yeshiva went to the
homes of other Chassidim like R
Berel Zeldin, R Boruch Shifrin
and others. After a while, the
danger increased and the yeshiva
had to move to the other side
of the river, to the houses of
gentiles. There was even a time
that the learning took place in a

cow barn.
R Zalman Levin told about
that time:
In one house we learned
in the attic that was made of
tin. During the warm months,
the place was burning hot. We
barely had water to drink since
we were afraid to go downstairs
to the house to get water during
the daytime. At night we slept in
the cellar. But the tough reality
was forgotten the moment we
got into a maamer of Chassidus
in Likkutei Torah. The rosh
yeshivas fantastic explanations,
and he was only a few years
older than we were, were able
to implant mesirus nefesh in
our hearts which is what was
demanded of us in those difficult
times.
YUD-TES KISLEV
FARBRENGEN WITH THE
KOPUST CHASSIDIM
R Refael Wilschansky relates:
Many Jews lived in Kursk,
most of them simple people.
On Shabbos in shul there were
dozens of people. There was a
shtibel, i.e., a small Chassidishe
shul of the Kopust Chassidim.
They were older and very
strong minded Chassidim, and
I remember that when they met
the yeshiva bachurim, they would
insist that the bachurim say over
a maamer Chassidus during
the time for the third meal on
Shabbos.
I remember that on Yud-Tes
Kislev they held a big farbrengen
in the shul and invited all the
Jews in town. We, talmidim of
the yeshiva, also attended the
farbrengen. They asked me to
learn by heart the story of the
Alter Rebbes arrest and liberation
from the book Beis Rebbi (which
at the time was the only source of

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R Yona Poltaver
R Refael Wilschansky
stories about the Rebbeim) and

repeat it at the farbrengen. There
were some older men who were
amazed by how a young boy, in
such difficult times, knew the
whole story of the arrest by heart.
While learning there, we
farbrenged a number of times
with R Dovid Horodoker
(Kievman) who fled to Kursk
in fear of the government. I
remember an interesting thing
that happened with him. At that
time, we lived by R Mendel
Sheinman, whose house was in
the center of the city, with one
side of the house on the bank
of the river which divided the
city. During the afternoon break
which lasted for an hour and was
for eating and resting, we would
eat quickly and run to the river to
bathe.
We once went to R Dovid
Horodoker to farbreng on 12
Tammuz, and our melamed R
Henoch complained about us to
R Dovid, saying that instead of
putting the recess time to good
use, we played in the river. R
Dovid said: Whats wrong with
bathing and immersing while
doing so?
But, said R Henoch, its in
the middle of the day.

R Dovid said: Before
Mincha its no good? And he
turned to us and said: But now
children, the Three Weeks begin
and you have to watch out.
R Zalman told about the
farbrengens:
The
farbrengens
strengthened us during the
hardest times. They revolved
around one point: we need
mesirus nefesh and we cannot
be fazed by anything, because
if we are not moser nefesh for
Torah study, we will be like all
the gentile children in the street
(and he emotionally described
the culture then). What would
that mean? The Rebbe made us
the patriots of Lubavitch and we
would betray him? G-d forbid!
We were the glowing ember of
Judaism of the entire Russia.
Of course, correspondence with

the Rebbe was done secretly. The
letters were sent to an address
in Otvotzk which was not the
Rebbes address and the answers
were sent from a different
address. The letters were written
in code in a double fashion:
with at-bash (inverted Hebrew
alphabet) and with hidden
meanings like fell ill meant
arrested etc. In the Igros Kodesh,
Volume 11, letter #3997 there is
a letter that was sent to them by
the Rebbe.
One
time,
said
R
Wilschansky,
we
had
a
paragraph from a letter that the
Rebbe sent to the yeshiva and
we sat down to figure it out. One
phrase said Since Henoch knows
the explanation of the Rosh
and it wasnt an ordinary Torah
letter.
LETTERS FROM
THE REBBE IN CODE
THE NOOSE TIGHTENS
Every so often they received

letters from the Rebbe Rayatz
through an older Jew who lived
in the city. The Rebbe usually
did not sign the letters but his
secretary R Chatshe Feigin did.
R Henoch Rapoport relates:

After we were saved, thanks
to the Jewish agent who worked
for the KGB, the KGB continued
to keep us under surveillance.
One day, when a few bachurim
went out, policemen went over
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Feature
The cemetery in Kursk
to them and arrested them. In

jail they interrogated them, what
were they doing and where were
they going, but Boruch Hashem,
they got no information from
them.
These
interrogations
were a red light. I went to the
coordinators of the yeshivos in
Moscow and after telling them
everything that happened, it was
decided that due to the danger
we would soon move to Georgia
where it was much safer, since
the government was afraid of the
Georgians who were very strong
people.
In the meantime, there was
a new calamity. The big shul in
Kursk was magnificent and the
government wanted it and tried
to take it over to use for their
own purposes. They tried with
various excuses until finally they
managed to find some problem
with one of the walls. They
immediately declared it a danger
zone for the public and closed the
main hall of the shul, leaving only
a few side rooms available for
davening.
Meanwhile, I heard a rumor
that the government was about
to confiscate the shul. I had
previously been witness to such
a horror. I knew that when they

cleared out a shul, the Sifrei
Torah were taken in a disgraceful
manner and were sold abroad for
their parchments or made use of
in the manufacture of airplanes.
I decided that we had to get all
the Sifrei Torah out immediately.
That night, together with all the
talmidim, we removed the Sifrei
Torah to private homes.
When the bachurim returned
to their lodgings late at night, the
police arrested them again and
took them for interrogation until
dawn.
POLICE RAID AT MIDNIGHT

R Yehoshua Raskin tells
of the events which led to the
closing of the yeshiva:
It was 17 Av, 5700 and I
was on my way to the house
where I lived. I was returning
from a late night farbrengen. As
I approached the house I noticed
light emanating from my room.
I realized that the police were
searching and immediately ran
to R Mendel Sheinman. But as
I approached his house, I saw
two KGB men standing in the
doorway. Of course I ran. I tried
my luck at the house of another
friend, but it was the same story
two policemen stood in the

doorway. When I saw that they
intended on arresting everyone
at once, I decided to flee the area
but did not know where I could
go at that late hour.
Having no choice, I ran
toward the tram station and
boarded the first tram that
arrived. I rode it until the last
stop and then got off. Since I
couldnt just walk around since
that would arouse suspicion,
I joined the line to the ticket
booths and went through the line
two or three times until dawn. In
the morning I went to the house
of R Yudel Shuster (Levin) and
found him terrified. When I
asked him what was going on,
he said at night they closed the
shul and arrested whoever had
ties with it. I was very frightened
and after a discussion I decided
to remain in his house for a few
days. In the meantime, our Rosh
Yeshiva R Henoch came. We hid
in the cellar for three days and
then thought the situation had
calmed down a bit and decided
to leave. R Yudels son, Mottel,
went to the station and bought us
tickets. I went to Moscow and R
Henoch went to Kiev.
When I arrived in Moscow,

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R Yechiel Michel Rapoport
R Zalman Levin
I got out at the station and a

stranger approached me, arrested
me, and ordered me to follow
him. Just like that, without asking
for my papers. I had to go with
him. Behind me walked Itche
Gansburg who ran away with me
from Kursk; the entire time I tried
motioning to him to run since I
was caught. Unfortunately, he
did not notice until a secret agent
noticed him and arrested him too.
Sholom Ber Menkin, who was
also with us, noticed the arrest in
time and managed to escape and
report about our arrests.
Then we found out that
we had been under constant
surveillance, twenty-four hours,
from the night they raided our
house.
They took us to jail in Kursk
and after a few days I was called
for an interrogation. I entered
the interrogation room and the
interrogator told me to sit down.
Then he smiled and asked me:
Do you know me? It was the
agent who had arrested me at
the train station where I had first
seen him.
No, I said. I dont recognize
you.
You dont remember? I went
to immerse in the river with you
and your friends, he said, and he

began to list the names and exact
descriptions of those who had
been with me.
Then he asked: How
are your other friends from
the yeshiva? And again, he
enumerated all their names.
I was shocked. I had not
imagined in my worst dreams
under what sort of close
surveillance we had been under.
He began questioning me.
He asked me dozens of questions
including: Where are you
from and what are you doing in
Kursk?
I said, I am recovering
from a severe stomach problem
and came to Kursk to rest and
recover. Now Im going home.
What connection do you
have with Mendel Sheinman?
I have no connection with
him. I have a connection with his
son.
And many other questions.
He finally wrote down all my
answers and told me to sign. I
signed and was put back in the
cell.
The next day, late at night,
they woke me roughly and took
me for another interrogation. It
R Yehoshua Raskin
was the same interrogator. When

I walked into the room he began
screaming at me: Liar! Whatever
you told me yesterday is
incorrect, and he began to prove
it. Then he said: If you tell me
what you know, we will release
you immediately. I began to tell
him insignificant details but they
did not satisfy him.
They
interrogated
me
for three months, difficult
interrogations that often included
torture. One night I was taken to
an interrogation where I realized
they had gotten hold of a bag
with all the yeshivas money
and documents. This bag had
been in my room since I was R
Henochs assistant. They began
interrogating me about the bag.
Whose money is this?
Who gave it to you? What is
it for? And dozens of other
questions. I claimed that all the
money belonged to me and I had
collected it, but the interrogator
did not let up. He demanded
to know who gave me the
money and to reveal the money
smuggling ring.
Boruch Hashem, I remained
firm as a rock and did not
reveal any information. When
the interrogator saw that he
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Feature
THE TALMIDIM WHO LEARNED IN THE YESHIVA IN KURSK

BETWEEN 5693-5700
Shaul Steinbock, Yosef Vilenkin, Sholom Vilenkin, Yaakov Dovber
Goldschmidt, Elimelech Kaplan, Michoel Teitelbaum, Yechiel Michel
Rapoport, Shimon Stillerman, Mordechai Levin, Sholom Ber Friedman,
Yeshaya Gopin, Shneur Zalman Levin, Hershel Slavin, Refael Wilschansky,
Chaim Ber Wilschansky, Yehoshua Raskin, Sholom Dovber Pevsner,
Herschel Tzeitlin, Yitzchok Gansburg, Shneur Zalman Katzenelenbogen,
Sholom Ber Menkin, Bentzion Katznelson, Avrohom Levin, Moshe Levin,
Sholom Mendel Kalmanson.
was unsuccessful in getting any
information out of me, he said
dismissively: You should know
that ultimately we will find out
the truth, but for you that will be
too late. We will get rid of you
forever!
For nine months they
tortured
me
in
terrible
interrogations, and then finally
there was the trial, which of
course was a farce.
My friends who were under
18 were released, whereas I,
being R Henochs helper, was
sentenced to five years of exile.
The older ones were sentenced to
ten years in exile.
After the trial we sat together
in jail. I remember celebrating
Pesach in jail when we subsisted
only on sugar cubes.
After the trial they sent us to
various places.
R Henoch describes the
night of the arrests from his
perspective:
One night, a wedding was
going to be held in the house that
I lived in. Many people would be
attending and I was nervous since
I didnt know who they were. I
left the house for a few days. The
night of the wedding, I urgently
needed a certain Chassidic work,
and since it was very late I figured
that all the wedding participants
had already gone home and I
could enter the house.
I approached the house
carefully and suddenly saw three

KGB agents standing in the
doorway. I immediately fled and
continued toward R Mendels
house to warn the five talmidim
who lived there, but when I
arrived I saw that the KGB
were there too. I went to a third
house where some talmidim were
hidden and remained there for
the night.
A few days later, the
talmidim traveled to Moscow
but were arrested as soon as they
arrived. I went to Kiev where
my parents lived. Since I knew
that I was under surveillance I
did not enter my parents home,
but immediately went to my
sister who also lived in Kiev. The
KGB, who went to catch me at
my house, did not find me there.
They questioned the neighbors
about where I was and were
told probably at my sister. They
immediately went and arrested
me.
For three months, night
after night, I was brought for
interrogation which included
extreme torture. The interrogator
presented many proofs to me and
I could not deny them all; that
I had a connection with Rabbi
Schneersohn, that I ran the
yeshiva and maintained it, and
many other accusations only one
of which would be enough to be
sentenced to death.
After long months of horrific
suffering, they finally put me on
trial at the end of which they

sentenced me to ten years in
Siberia.
The
also
arrested
R
Mendel Sheinman that night.
When he came to the cell where
the bachurim were he said:
Kinderlach, you dont need to
be fazed by anybody. Put it all on
me. Say that I organized and did
everything. They can arrest and
exile me to Siberia, but you need
to continue learning Torah
And he told them that in the
interrogations. They gave him ten
years too.
WHERE THEY ENDED UP

R Henoch Rapoport ah
was in exile for eight and a half
years and managed to survive.
He established a Chassidic home
and carried out manifold acts
of mesirus nefesh in observing
mitzvos in Soviet Russia. Then
he moved to Eretz Yisroel and
did much to spread Torah and
mitzvos among Russian Jewry.
R Yechiel Michel Rapoport
ah did much for Jewish chinuch
in Russia. He moved to Eretz
Yisroel and did much to spread
Torah.
R Yehoshua Raskin did
much for Torah and mitzvos with
mesirus nefesh. He left Russia
and became a shochet in London.
R Zalman Levin ah moved
to Eretz Yisroel and established
a generation of Chassidim and
did much to promote Torah and
mitzvos.
R Refael Wilschansky ah,
who passed away a few months
ago, did much to promote
Torah and mitzvos and raised a
generation of Chassidim.
R Michoel Teitelbaum ah
left Russia and started one of
the biggest schools in the world,
Oholei Torah.

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NEWS
TORONTO GALA
On Sunday 20 Sivan, June

26, the students of Yeshivas
Lubavitch Toronto hosted a
Farewell dinner for the Student
Outreach Program. Every Friday
afternoon the rabbinical students
spread out throughout the city
bringing the Mitzvah of Tfillin, a
Torah thought, Shabbos candles
and plenty of good cheer to 1800
locations across Toronto.
For
businessmen,
store
owners, elderly and just regular
inhabitants of the city, these

visits are the spiritual highlight of
their week, and greatly enhance
their Jewish pride and Torah
observance.
On
Sunday
some
45
prominent Toronto businessmen
spent an evening at the Yeshiva
with their Friday friends. The
event, which was organized by
Daniel Namdar, Yaakov
Landa, Zisha Kraman and
Motti Karp with much help from

all of their friends, transformed
the Yeshiva building into a black
tie banquet hall, serving cocktails
and an impressive dinner, with
much help from Chef Nachman
Perl. The guests were inspired
and entertained by speeches
from members of the Yeshiva
and others, tastefully emceed by
Mordechai Chemel, as well as a
special video presentation.
Everyone
used
the
opportunity to add in resolutions
to increase in good deeds to bring
Moshiach faster. The event ended
with a lively spontaneous dance
that everyone participated in and
all left uplifted and recharged.
For more information about
Yeshivas Lubavitch or about their
various programs visit www.
lubavitchyeshiva.com
Much gratitude must be given
to Moshe Berkowitz, Dovid
Kastel, Meir Shlomo
Zaltzman, Yisroel Wilhelm,
Yankel Oster, and Nechemia
Fried.
The event was sponsored for
the zchus of a speedy recovery
for Esther Malka
Issue 1029
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TZIVOS HASHEM
BREAKING
THE WALLS
By Zalman Ben-Nun
many
the
Among
advertisements on the notice
board at the entrance to the
building, a small, simple sign
caught my attention. It was
written with a thick black
marker, You are invited to
a Chassidishe farbrengen to
mark Yud-Beis, Yud-Gimmel
Tammuz, the day of the Geula
of the Rebbe Rayatz from
prison. It will take place, G-d
willing, in the Shikun HaOlim
in the Marina shul on Rechov
Chabad at 8:00.
I liked the sound of it and
decided that I would attend
and maybe even take some
friends along.
On that day, I walked with
two friends in the direction of
the Marina shul.
Notice the long buildings,
said Daniel. They were built
when the Rebbe asked that
housing be built for the masses
of Jews who would be making
aliya from the Soviet Union.
We will probably hear from
them now about that special
time, I thought out loud.
Around the tables laden
with delicious refreshments sat
bearded Chassidim together
with older men wearing knitted
yarmulkes. Among them you
could see the next generation,
children who were pouring
soda for one another. In the

center sat the mashpia, a fine
looking man who was leading a
Chassidic niggun that tugged at
our heartstrings.
melody
fantastic
The
older
an
stopped slowly and
Chassid got up and pointed at
us. Dear children, are you sure
the police did not follow you
when you came here? Did you
check things out carefully? Do
you have a plan of where to run
if they walk in here?
We looked at one another
in alarm. What was he talking
about? The police? Following us?
And why would we need to run
away?
You dont need to worry,
he said reassuringly, with a
smile. I just want to get you
into the atmosphere of those
days and the great Geula.
We sat quietly on one of the
benches and waited eagerly to
hear his story.
When I was a boy, the
communists ruled Russia and
were tough and cruel. According
to their ideology, you could not
serve G-d, and all citizens had
to be equal under the merciful
wings of Mother Russia.
ideology
delusional
This
activity:
s
religiou
all
forbade
ng,
daveni
mila,
bris
s,
Shabbo
Jews
for
Life
study.
and Torah
in Russia was extremely hard

and as time went on, it became
even more difficult.
I remember well the day
I left my house for the secret
beis midrash. I walked silently
on the narrow streets, trying
to keep as far as possible from
the main square where the KGB
agents were. Suddenly, I felt
that someone was following me.
I was terrified. I knew that
if I would be caught on my
way to learn Torah, I would
be put in jail and maybe sent
to Siberia for years. Who knew
whether I would ever return
from there alive?
It was really dangerous,
especially since just two weeks
before, Chatzkel, our friend,
was caught and nobody knew
where he was.
fear
great
my
Then,
ts
though
was replaced with
The
.
myself
of how to save
adrenaline pouring into me
had me rushing toward the
main square, straight to the
local bar. I quickly went inside
and bought a kosher drink and
sat down in a corner. I said a
Chassidic lchaim and prayed to
be saved from the KGB.
My plan worked. The agent
who had followed me saw that I
entered the bar. He peeked into
the high windows and after a

1029_bm_eng.indd 34
2016-07-12 8:13:51 AM
part of the miracles and

wonders that we now see,
which point at the Geula
process taking place in our
generation.
Whats the connection to
12-13 Tammuz? asked one of
the men, as he raised his cup to
say lchaim.
interesting
an
Thats
said
question,
the mashpia. The
Rebbe explained
this
that
extraordinary
process is derived
from the Geula
Rebbe
the
of
which
Rayatz
on
happened
12-13 Tammuz.
His release from
a
was
prison
Geula
unique
which represents
of
start
the
process,
the
caused
it
and
tyrannical
the
government
to continue to
deteriorate until
the final collapse
which enabled the
Geula of Russian
Jewry.
Rebbe
The
compared
even
Geula from
The fear grew when we a chance of getting out. Then, this Geula to the
then, the
Rebbe
like
the
just
sicha,
ing
Egypt;
surpris
a
in
going
found out that there was
Jewish
the
Geula
the
helped
of
ans
part
as
Egypti
that
said
the
by
to be a new premiere
evil
the
too,
would
today
walls
leave,
iron
the
people
s,
proces
fear
name of Gorbachev; it was
Jews
e
helped
prepar
to
Russia
of
said
he
empire
and
e
collaps
of the unknown.
places for Jews who would come leave and get to Eretz Yisroel.
Then one day it happened.
from the Soviet Union. What
We sat transfixed in our
Suddenly, some time after
y places, taking in the enormity
entirel
d
sounde
said
Rebbe
the
he rose to power, word got
unrealistic, it sounded like a of the miracles that Hashem
out that the Iron Curtain was
fantasy, but then, to everyones is doing for us, and realizing
coming down and whoever
surprise, this Geula reality that we are living in a unique
wanted to leave the country
happened! Within a short time, generation, the generation of
could do so without fear.
the gates were opened.
Yemos HaMoshiach.
Jews,
of
Hundreds
was
this
said
The Rebbe
including my family, quickly
few minutes he left.

When I returned home, I
told my parents what happened
and they calmed me down, but
they were also anxious. They
had tried several times to leave
Russia but each time, their
request was rejected. They were
even fined and were fired from
their jobs.
left for Eretz Yisroel. To our

surprise, we went straight to a
neighborhood built for us, where
we are celebrating today.
The mashpia told the other
side of the story with a big
smile.
As you related, the situation
really looked bleak. Nobody
thought the Jews of Russia had
Issue 1029
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2016-07-12 8:13:41 AM

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DVAR MALCHUS

Sources where the Rebbe proclaims that

14. In practical terms, the avoda

by offering further support for this

In Crown Heights area: 1640/1700AM

May it be G-ds will that through

worldwide, online: www.RadioMoshiach.org

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

thousands who came to the

Here, in this rustic town,

4 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

is not the time to cry; take action!

many stories and mentioned a

you grow up you will be a Rebbe

One of the fascinating

the big bed. When he got down,

of his holy grandfather and the

6 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

what I remember and 2) that

round table with many legs

to the table and from the table to

In the meantime, Mushka

but I took you and put you

8 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

eyes were constantly open to what

Only later did the boy find

"The quickest way to reveal Moshiach is by learning the Torah

Radio Moshiach & Redemption

1620-1640 AM around Crown Heights & Boro Park

vi was studying in a nonLubavitch High School.

Every hour that one does

really persist? Will I succeed?

10 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

Yisroel and the who sinned

Chills ran down Avis arms. The same exact

guilty? What quality did the

Continued from page 13

Thus, the secret code of our

THINGS WILL CHANGE!

primitive thinkers if they stop at logic

THE MOTHER OF ALL

HEDGING HIS BETS

can invoke the merit of ones

12 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

Shlomo, the wisest of all people,

Moshes role in liberating them

MOSHE, THE SMARTEST

this commandment because it is

WHY NOT EVERYONE?

av Yona was a real

Although I did not live in

Comments like this were said

14 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

R Begin Kalimi, shliach in

eulogized him, There is no Jew

Yona moved to Eretz Yisroel

Rav Yona receiving a dollar from the Rebbe

time, says R Kalimi.

neighborhood hosted by relatives

children of Beit HaKerem he

16 9 Tammuz 5776 - Hakhel

With children in preschools

Rav Yona with a bar mitzva boy

After doing a few classes,