CONTENTS

12
FEATURED ARTICLES WEEKLY COLUMNS
3 Dvar Malchus
4 SAVING THE
HORENSTEIN GIRL 9 Parsha Thought
18 Moshiach & Hayom Yom
12 PRACTICING JUDAISM
OPENLY IN THE SOVIET 33 Tzivos Hashem
PARADISE
Shneur Zalman Berger

24 LOVE, UNDERSTANDING,
ACCEPTANCE
Nosson Avrohom
4

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24
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1059_bm_eng.indd 4 2017-02-28 5:23:06 AM

 DVAR MALCHUS

THE STAGES OF
MOSHIACHS COMING
From Chapter Fourteen of Rabbi Shloma
Majeskis Likkutei Mekoros, Volume 2.
(Underlined text is the compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur

Since Eliyahu must come before the advent of Moshiach (see Malachi, end;
Eruvin 43b; Yad HaChazaka Laws of Kings 12:2) analysis is required as to how
Bar Kochba was erroneously assumed to be Moshiach [even prior to Eliyahus
arrival]. We may assert that in the sayings of our Sages the exact day of the
coming of Eliyahu is not clear, whether it is 1) prior to the first appearance of
Moshiach, 2) before his victory in war, or 3) prior to the acceptance of his rule
by the masses, or the like. Thus, there was sufficient rationale to proclaim that
Bar Kochba was Moshiach.
(From the handwritten manuscripts of the Rebbe Shlita;
Toras Menachem, Hisvaaduyos 5710)

Issue 1059 3

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 CHABAD HISTORY

SAVING THE
HORENSTEIN GIRL
The Story of Miriam Horenstein: It was a very hard job to take away the
child from Mr. Kumala, because the latter gave us a false address, trying
to hide the child in order to prevent the possibility of her going away from
him It was clear that Mr. Kumala intended to abuse the whole matter for
the purpose of a real blackmail executed as well on us, as on the childs
family abroad The child is in good health and very satisfied of the
change of her situation * Saving a Life

T
his Shabbos, Parshas
Teruma, the 6th of
Adar, is the Yohrtzeit
of Rabbi Shmaryahu
Gurary (Rashag), the son-in-
law of the Frierdiker Rebbe. In
honor of his Yohrtzeit we present
a special chapter in his postwar
work, in rescuing a young Jewish
girl, a descendant of the Rebbe
Maharash, from the Non-Jewish
family which adopted her during
the war.
This girl, named Miriam
Horenstein, was the daughter
of R Shmuel Horenstein, who
was murdered by the Nazis in the
Warsaw Ghetto in 1943.
R Menachem Mendel
Horenstein, a brother of R
Shmuel Horenstein, was the
youngest son-in-law of the
Frierdiker Rebbe, he married
Rebbetzin Shaina. The couple
adopted their nephew, Yekusiel
Yaakov Yosef Liss. All three were
murdered in Treblinka in 1942.
These fascinating documents
are part of the JDC Archives
(which were digitized and
uploaded online, thanks to
a grant from Dr. Georgette
Bennett and Dr. Leonard
Polonsky CBE).
WHO SURVIVED?
The first communication
we have is a letter from Mr. D.
Guzik (JDC Warsaw) to the
Rashag, in which he responds
to an inquiry regarding the
fate of R Menachem Mendel
Tishrei 5706]:
Horenstein, his wife Rebbetzin
Shaina Horenstein and their
adopted child, Yekusiel Yaakov
Yosef Liss. This letter was sent on
September 25, 1945 [18 Tishrei
5706]:
Dear Sir:
Referring to your cable
of 9/11 we advise you,
that Mendel and Schejna
Horensztein are dead. Their
child has managed to survive
and lives in Poland. Its
address is known to us.
Seems like some mistake
occurred, and the next letter on
this matter clarified that the
referenced child is the child of
R Shmuel Horenstein; this
letter was sent by Ms. Jeanette
Robbins from the Personal
Inquiry Department of the JDC in
New York, to Mr. Guzik (JDC
Warsaw) on October 2, 1945 [25
Rabbi S. Gourary, 770
Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn,
New York, has been in touch
with us in regard to Marya
Horensztein, the daughter

4 5 Adar 5777

1059_bm_eng.indd 4 2017-02-28 5:23:09 AM

 R Shmuel Horenstein with his father R' Moshe Horenstein
of Shmul Horensztein. A
letter was received from Josef
Kumala stating that the child
is with him. Rabbi Gourary
would like to have Marya
go to Palestine in order to
live with an aunt there. He
is endeavoring to secure a
Palestine certificate for her
and has promised to let us
know when the issuance of
the certificate is authorized so
that we can inform you.
In the meantime, we
will appreciate your doing
anything you can to help the
child. Rabbi Gourary wishes
to look after the expenses of
her maintenance and we have
suggested that he send funds
to her addressing the money
to her in your care.
1059_bm_eng.indd 5
NOT LETTING
HER GO BACK
A few weeks later, on October
29, 1945 [22 Cheshvan 5706],
Mr. D. Guzik and Mr. J. Gitler-
Barsky from the JDC offices in
Warsaw, report to the central JDC
office that as of now, the Non-
Jewish family which adopted the
girl doesnt want to give her back:
In reply to your letter of
October 2, 1945, concerning
the assistance to Maria
Horenstein, we advise that she
is living until now in care of
Josef Kumala in Cracow. The
child is under our protection
and we are paying a monthly
allowance to its patron for the
expenses of maintenance.
As to the question of
taking off the child from their
patron, we must confess that
until now neither the patrons
wanted to give her back, nor
wished the child to go away
from them. However we
expect that after the receipt of
the [immigration] certificate
we will succeed in getting
back the child and sending
her to her family.
JDC: AFTER MUCH
DIFFICULTY
WE HAVE THE GIRL
On January 5, 1946 [3 Shvat
5706], the JDC offices in Warsaw
sent the following letter to the
JDC offices in London, detailing
how they managed to take the
girl back, and the difficulties they
faced. Similar letters were sent to
the JDC offices in Jerusalem, and
to the Rashag:
Today we sent you a
Issue 1059 5
2017-02-28 5:23:10 AM
 Chabad History
The Joint: Polish refusal to return the child
following cable:
1 Marysia Horenstein
taken away from Kumala,
living in care of Joint.
Preparing emigration.
Jointfund.
whose contents we beg to
ask you to notice.
Simultaneously we notify
to you following details
concerning the matter: It was
a very hard job to take away
the child from Mr. Kumala,
because the latter feeling
that we are preparing the
emigration of the child and
fearing to loose thus a very
lucrative resource of income,
gave us a false address, trying
to hide the child in order to
prevent the possibility of her
going away from him.
We were obliged to
6 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 6
The Joint announces: "We found the child"
use very draconic means,
such as the intervention
of the attorney and of the
constabulary authorities.
The authorities gave us their
assistance in our action, as
it was clear that Mr. Kumala
intended to abuse the whole
matter for the purpose of
a real blackmail executed
as well on us, as on the
childs family abroad. After
scrupulate researches we
found the trace of the child
and finally we arranged the
matter, putting the child in
care of our employee.
The child is in good health
and very satisfied of the
change of her situation.
We already applied at our
Foreign Office for a passport
and after having received it,
which we guess will take place
in about a fortnight, we shall
arrange the departure of the
child to London.
The British Embassy
promised us every possible
help in securing an aircraft
place and a suitable protection
during her journey. We are
entirely persuaded that thanks
to the latter circumstances,
the child will soon join her
family abroad in order.
THE PAYMENT
Over a year later, after the
girl was safely in Israel, the
JDC office in Warsaw was in
contact with Rashag regarding
the payment that was supposed
to be paid to the Non-Jewish
family, reimbursing them for their
2017-02-28 5:23:10 AM

The Rebbe Rayatz with his son-in-law the Rashag
expenses during the years of the
war. The following letter from
September 23, 1947 [9 Tishrei
5708] to Rashag discusses this
request:
We received your letter
of August 8th concerning
payment for Maria
Horensteins maintenance
during the occupation and
want to inform you that
we had a rather extended
correspondence in this case
with both Mr. Ciserman
in London and with our
Headquarters in New York.
In order to clear the matter
finally we want to repeat the
facts connected with this case.
We were approached
by several outstanding
personalities from abroad
to take Marysia away from
1059_bm_eng.indd 7
her foster parents Mr. and
Mrs. Kumala who did not
want to give up the child.
They hid her and we were
obliged to take the child away
by the aid of all authorities
available and had to assume
officially in presence of
the authorities that all the
expenses connected with
the maintenance of the child
during her stay with the
Kumalas will be reimbursed
THE FULL STORY
The following is an article
prepared for publishing in
newspapers, which tells the story
of this rescue. The article was
titled Marysia Horenstein A
Case Story:
Our work has very little in
common with normal office
work, on the opposite, in
very many cases it reminds an
American picture or modern
thriller, the only exception
being that we are handling
human fates, not creations of
fancy.
Our slogan is the same
as of American movies
there must be a happy end
in spite of everything. The
heroes of our stories have
nothing heroic in them; they
are usually orphans, elderly
women severely experienced
by life, sometimes newly
married couples who have
still enough power to try it
once more.
Such too was the case
of Marysia Horenstein. On
February 25th 1945, i.e.
only a few weeks after the
liberation of Warsaw, when
heavy fighting with the
Germans was still going on
the western boundaries of
Poland, our office in Warsaw
received the following cable
from New York:
Please facilitate every way
possible emigration Marya
Horensztein, care of Josef
Kumala for whom British
Consul Warsaw authorized
issue Palestine Certificate,
and advise. Joindisco.
The first step was to
investigate the case. We got
in touch with the guardian
of Marysia Horenstein, Mr.
Kumala, and this was the
story he told us:
In 1943 it became
apparent even to the most
optimistic that the fate of the
Jews in Warsaw Ghetto was
doomed, the situation was
growing from bad to worse,
the surviving inhabitants
of the Warsaw Ghetto lived
under the constant shadow of
Issue 1059 7
2017-02-28 5:23:10 AM
 Chabad History
The Joint: a peaceful resolution
death, they realized that their
days were counted.
On April 8th, a Jewish
acquaintance of ours, Mrs.
Schnabel, came to us and
brought with her a nine years
old girl, Marysia Horenstein;
she asked us to take care of
the girl and promised that she
will come back soon and bring
with her the money required
for the girls upbringing. We
have not seen her since.
Few days later the uprising
in Warsaw Ghetto broke out
in which probably the parents
of Marysia Horenstein and
Mrs. Schnabel lost their lives.
I do not wish to recount
all the dangers from which we
8 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 8
have extracted her. Twice the
blackmailers have robbed us
of money, gold and securities.
In order to escape suspicion
we had to hide her in the
neighborhood of Warsaw and
pay for her maintenance. In
short, we have succeeded
in overcoming all dangers
and save G-d saved her life.
All this demanded heavy
expenses.
A letter written by our
office in Warsaw on January
7th 1946, i.e. nearly a year
after receipt of the first New
York cable, is only a very brief
and modest summary of the
next chapter of the epopee.
From: American Joint
Distribution Committee
Poland.
To: Mr. Schneerson c/o
AJDC Jerusalem.
We are glad to inform
you that finally we succeeded
to take Marysia Horenstein
from her up to date protector,
Mr. Kumala, and putting her
in care of our employee. It
was a very hard job because
Mr. Kumala feeling that we
are preparing the emigration
of the child and fearing to
lose a very lucrative resource
of income gave us a false
address, trying to hide the
child in order to prevent the
possibility of her going away
from him.
We were obliged to
use very draconic means,
such as the intervention
of the attorney and of the
constabulary. The authorities
gave us their assistance in our
action, as it was clear that Mr.
Kumala intended to abuse the
whole matter for the purpose
of blackmail executed on us
as well as on the childs family
abroad. After scrupulate
researches we found the
trace of the child and finally
arranged the matter. The
child is in good health and
very satisfied of the change of
her situation.
It lasted another few
months until we succeeded to
arrange the childs departure.
Many obstacles had to be
overcome. We were aided
in our work by the deep
conviction that we are doing
good to someone, and thanks
to our effort another homeless
Jewish child will regain his
home, another Jewish family
will be reunited. We knew we
must not fail.
2017-02-28 5:23:11 AM
 PARSHA THOUGHT
OUR
COLLECTIVE
BAR MITZVAH
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
NO COINCIDENCES
In the construction of
the Mishkan the portable
Sanctuaryas is recounted in
this weeks parsha, the Jews were
commanded to contribute their
resources to this holy project.
According to Rashi, there
were thirteen items that
constituted the bulk of their
contributions.
If everything that happens is
by Divine Providence, how much
more so is it true with respect
to the momentous event of the
construction of the Mishkan.
The Mishkan cemented the
relationship between G-d and
the Jewish people and was
emblematic of our purpose in life.
We are here to create a Sanctuary
for G-d in our own lives, and
ultimately throughout the entire
world. It is thus no wonder that
the Torah dedicates almost four
entire sections to the details of
the construction of the Mishkan,
for indeed, the entire Messianic
vision, which is the realization of
G-ds purpose for the creation of
the universe, was set into motion
with the construction of the
Mishkan.
1059_bm_eng.indd 9
If the Mishkans objective was
to make the world a dwelling
place for G-d, which is the
Messianic vision, then the fact
that it was constructed with the
contribution of 13 items dictates
that the number 13 has a direct
bearing on its objective.
THE SIGNIFICANCE
OF THE NUMBER 13
The number 13 is significant
in multiple ways. Here are 13 of
them culled from Talmudic and
Midrashic literature:
1) 13 Attributes of Mercy.
2) 13 methods of Torah
interpretation.
3) 13 Principles of Faith.
4) 13 is the gematria
(numerical equivalent) of the
word love (Ahava).
5) 13 is the gematria of the
word one (Echad).
6) Moshe wrote 13 Torah
scrolls.
7) 13 expressions of praise in
the Yishtabach prayer.
8) G-ds name is mentioned 13
times in the Ten Commandments
(more accurately, the Ten
Statements).
9) When translating the Torah
into Greek, the Sages made 13
changes (Megilla, 9A).
10) There are 13 musical notes
for the reading of the Torah.
11) The section of the Shma,
entitled VAhavta, contains 13
instructions in it.
12) We were commanded to
love G-d 13 times in the Torah.
13) Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
hid in a cave with his son for 13
years.
But of all thirteens, the one
that stands out the most is the
age of Bar and Bas Mitzvah (a
girl becomes Bas Mitzvah at
her 12th birthday which is the
beginning of her 13th year).
CORRELATION OF BAR
MITZVAH TO THE MISHKAN
There is a correlation between
the age of Bar Mitzvah and the
Mishkan. The purpose of the
Mishkan was to construct our
own personal sanctuaries within
our own hearts and bodies. The
Torah alludes to this in the words,
Make for Me a Sanctuary and I
will dwell in them. It does not
say in it, but in them, to
teach us that G-d wants to dwell
within each and every individual.
This process is achieved when we
reach the age of maturity at Bar
Issue 1059 9
2017-02-28 5:23:12 AM
 PARSHA THOUGHT
Mitzvah. That is when we build
our own Sanctuary, comprised
of the contribution of 13 years of
preparation and education.
It stands to reason that
since the Mishkan epitomizes
the ideal of the Messianic Age,
when the entire world will be one
universal Sanctuary, that it is
also connected to a Bar Mitzvah.
Indeed, the Messianic Age is
when the entire world will reach
its state of maturity and we will
perform our Mitzvos with total
understanding and knowledge.
DIVIDING HISTORY
INTO 13 STAGES
The analogy of the Messianic
age to both Bar Mitzvah and
the Mishkan suggests that all
of history, that has led us to the
Messianic Age, consists of 13
items/stages. Each period of
Jewish history has contributed
to our maturity just as each
of the 13 years of a childs life
contributes to the stage of Bar
Mitzvah. One does not become
Bar or Bas Mitzvah in a vacuum;
it requires the preparation and
education in the preceding
thirteen years.
Similarly, all of our history,
in all of its 13 periods, to be
discussed, has paved the way
for Moshiach. Each periods
contribution combines with the
next, because the good that weve
accomplished is cumulative,
while the negatives of each period
get erased with the passage of
time.
The Jewish peoples Exodus
from Egypt has been likened
by the prophet Yechezkel to
their birth. Hence the Egyptian
bondage is the embryonic period
of our history, and the Exodus
is when we entered the world.
In truth, the Exodus was not
complete until we received the
10 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 10
Torah at Mount Sinai at which
time we were now a nation unto
itself and no more a nation
within a nation.
As newborns, we receive
our identity and the resources
our soul needs to achieve our
lifes goal. Similarly, when we
received the Torah, it established
our identity for all times, set the
goal and objective for the world
and gave us the Master Plan to
implement and realize that goal.
This period lasted through the
40-year period we sojourned in
the desert and prepared ourselves
for the eventual entry into Eretz
Yisroel. At this stage we were still
in our infancy.
In stage two, we entered
into Eretz Yisroel and began
our education to transform the
land into a dwelling for G-d,
which would serve as a model
for what we expect to happen in
the Messianic Age for the entire
world.
Stage three was the period
of Kings David and Solomon
who laid the foundation for,
and actually constructed, a
permanent Beis HaMikdash.
Stage four was the period of
Babylonian exile, which produced
the Festival of Purim, when, as
our Sages state, we embraced
the Torah willingly. Although it
was exile, it did advance us to the
next level of preparation for the
future.
Stage five was the return
of the exiles to the Land of
Israel and the construction of
the Second Beis HaMikdash;
a period which produced the
festival of Chanukah; a foretaste
of the light of the future.
Stage six, the period of
the Tanaaim, followed the
destruction of the second Beis
HaMikdash and produced
the greatest of Sages, such as
Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Yehudah
HaNasi. They were responsible
for compiling, collating, and
editing the Oral Law. More
specifically, it was the period of
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who
began the process of publicizing
the secrets of the Torah in the
Zohar, which, he was told by
Moshe, would eventually lead us
out of exile.
This period, which
culminated with the writing of
the Mishnah, was followed by the
seventh period of the Amoraim,
who further developed the
understanding of the Mishnah,
interpreted and amplified its
teachings and demonstrated to us
how to apply Talmudic principles
to the changing situations. This
period made it possible for us
to implement the ideals of Sinai
into an ever-changing world
and set of circumstances. This
empowered us to elevate the
world through the guidance of
Torah and pave the way to the
Final Redemption.
The Rabbanan Savurai and
the Gaonim (the eighth period)
put the finishing touches to the
Talmud, making the Talmud
accessible to us. This period
also marked the beginning of the
scattering of Jews to all the far-
flung corners of the world. The
Gaonim were the Jewish spiritual
leaders who communicated with
all these communities and gave
them guidance in all matters that
pertained to their lives.
The ninth period, known
as the period of the Rishonim
(Early Commentators)
featured giants such as Rashi,
Maimonides and Nachmanides.
Their contributions to Jewish
knowledge included making the
Talmud even more accessible to
all segments of the Jewish people
through their commentaries and
codes of law. In this period, there
was also a significant escalation
2017-02-28 5:23:12 AM

of the mystical teachings of
the Kabbalah (that was begun
centuries earlier by Rabbi
Shimon bar Yochai).
The 10th period, known as
the period of the Acharonim
(Latter Commentaries), began
roughly with the writing of the
Shulchan Aruch (Code of Jewish
law) by Rabbi Yosef Karo and
the teachings of the greatest
Kabbalist, the Arizal (Rabbi
Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi). The
Arizal introduced Kabbalah in an
unprecedented fashion by stating
that now it is a Mitzvah to reveal
these teachings, as opposed to
the previous restrictive attitude
that prevailed.
This period continued
until the Baal Shem Tov (the
11th period), who founded
the Chassidic movement, and
took the dissemination of the
inner dimension of Judaism to
a new high. The Baal Shem Tov
reported that he had visited the
soul of Moshiach and asked him
when he would come. Moshiachs
reply was when your fountains
[of Torah] will be spread to
the most remote reaches of the
world.
The Baal Shem Tovs cloaking
his mystical teachings in short,
pithy teachings constituted the
embryonic stage of this effort;
the very last thrust towards the
coming of Moshiach.
1059_bm_eng.indd 11
The Rebbes efforts, which channeled and
capped the efforts of all the preceding twelve
periods, have brought us to the Bar Mitzvah of the entire
Jewish people and the worlds entry into a new era of
maturity.
The Baal Shem Tovs Judaism Torah and Mitzvos and
teachings were then given a boost the teachings of Chassidus to
in the 12th period, through the every place on earth. The Rebbe,
teachings of his disciples disciple, by sending shluchim-emissaries,
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, to every nook and cranny of the
known as the Alter Rebbe, who world, to promote Judaism in the
founded the Chabad movement. spirit of unconditional Ahavas
The Alter Rebbe took the seminal Yisroel, as well as through the
and nascent teachings of the Baal dissemination of the Seven
Shem Tov and developed them Noachide commandments to the
into a cohesive and structured rest of society, and his emphasis
intellectual system, thereby on doing everything we can
enabling this heretofore mystical, do to finally bring about the
esoteric and elusive knowledge Redemption, brought us to, what
to penetrate even the realm the Rebbe referred to as, the very
of intellect. Moreover, these threshold of Redemption.
teachings that have been digested The Rebbes efforts, which
and internalized into our minds channeled and capped the
have the capacity to affect the efforts of all the preceding twelve
entirety of the person, through periods, have brought us to the
which it will ultimately reach and Bar Mitzvah of the entire Jewish
prepare the entire world for the people and the worlds entry into
Messianic Age. a new era of maturity.
The Rebbe exhorted us to
THE THIRTEENTH PERIOD be aware of the unprecedented
The thirteenth and final stage stage we are in and to do the
can be said to have commenced one Mitzvah that will finally put
when the Rebbe, the seventh an end to the exile and bring
leader of Chabad, assumed the world to its fulfillment, its
leadership and began a massive, ultimate Bar Mitzvah.
all-encompassing effort to spread
Issue 1059 11
2017-02-28 5:23:12 AM
 FEATURE

PRACTICING
JUDAISM OPENLY
IN THE SOVIET
PARADISE
12 5 Adar 5777

1059_bm_eng.indd 12 2017-02-28 5:23:13 AM

 Both were child heroes who observed Yiddishkait
under Soviet rule. They had to deal with hostile
classmates, they learned Torah secretly, and had
to hide in times of danger. * Beis Moshiach met
with two Chazan brothers, R Chaim Meir and R
Avrohom, who explained how their family kept
strong despite all the threats, persecution, and
surveillance in communist Russia.

By Shneur Zalman Berger

Photos by Yisroel Blezovsky

T
he family of Rabbi and
Mrs. Aaron Chazan has
long since been a symbol
of heroism. They had
a large family but were alone as
they faced off against the mighty
Russian government which tried to
break them but were unsuccessful.
The family eventually moved
to Eretz Yisroel and over the
years, the story of Rabbi Aaron
and Mrs. Nechama Leah Chazan
became well-known because of
the book Deep in the Russian
Night. It is fifty years since the
Chazans left Russia and we
spoke with two Chazan brothers,
R Chaim Meir of Nachalat Har
Chabad and R Avrohom, rav of
the Academics neighborhood and
director of the Chabad House
Shaarei Aliya in Lud. They
were both asked to respond
to this question: How did the

Issue 1059 13

1059_bm_eng.indd 13 2017-02-28 5:23:13 AM

 Feature
Chazan family stay strong in
Soviet Russia? How were thirteen
children, raised under communist
oppression, able to maintain a life
of Torah and mitzvos? How is it
that their numerous offspring go
in the path of Torah with some of
them rabbanim and shluchim?
The meeting with these two
brothers took place in Shaarei
Aliya where Russian immigrants
come to daven and learn. The
little boy who fought for Shabbos
observance now runs an empire
of Judaism and Chassidus.
TRUTH VERSUS PRAVDA
Pravda (truth in Russian)
is the name of the newspaper
that was the official mouthpiece
of the communist party in the
Soviet Union. This paper, which
was anything but truthful, was
known for its incitement against
anyone who opposed communist
ideology, including shomrei
mitzvos. Pravda wasnt just one
paper; it had many subsidiary
local and district papers that had
the same goal, but whose content
reflected the local region it was
published in.
When the district Pravda
published a sharp article against
the Chazan family whose
children did not attend school
on Shabbos, a public firestorm
erupted. Despite this, the Chazan
family did not cave in and
Shabbos was not desecrated by
its members. The brothers we
interviewed told us about their
uncompromising battle as well as
the fear they experienced at that
time.
R Avrohom Chazan: Our
parents were truly G-d fearing
and truth was a rock solid
foundation from which they did
not budge. All their spiritual
battles were won because they
were people of truth who did not
compromise. They went all the
14 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 14
R Chaim Meir Chazan
way and never considered giving
in. Raising such a large family
with thirteen children under
those miserable material and
spiritual circumstances was done
with the power of truth. It was a
time when young men were afraid
to grow a beard and my father
had a beard. He was a genuine
Chassid and did everything as it
was supposed to be done.
R Chaim Meir Chazan: Our
parents were raised that way
themselves. My father would
say that in the town he grew
up in, when the Communist
Revolution took place, there
was hardly a family that had
all their children remain frum.
Communist ideology swept
everyone away and only my
fathers family remained totally
religious. He said that many of
the young people in town were
leaders the revolution in the
Ukraine. Despite this, my father,
his brother and sister remained
faithful to Torah and mitzvos.
How did this happen?
Because in their home they
received an uncompromising
chinuch. My mother had a
similar background. Her father,
R Zushe Friedman, proudly
fought for a Jewish chinuch for
his children. He even said that
to send children to a communist
school was tantamount to be
killed and do not transgress this.
R Avrohom: My father did
things completely differently
than his frum friends. While
they hid everything, he did not.
When he rode to work on public
transportation he learned Gemara
the entire time. I remember, as a
young boy, that during summer
vacation, my brother Sholom
Yaakov and I would go to work
with him. At work too we saw
him opening and learning from
a Gemara whenever he had free
time. He wasnt afraid of anyone
and acted based on what he knew
to be true. It was a miracle that
he did not end up in prison or in
exile.
Not long ago, my brother
Sholom Yaakov reminded me
how every Friday our father
would take us to immerse in a
mikva. We lived in a suburb of
Moscow, about half an hours
drive from the city and every
Friday he would take us younger
children (while the older ones
went themselves, at a time
convenient for them) to the
mikva at the Archipova shul. Who
immersed there every Friday?
A few old men and R Aaron
Chazan and his young children!
At a certain point, he built a
secret mikva in our house so we
could immerse on Shabbos and
holidays too, when traveling is
prohibited. In the kitchen there
was a small opening in the floor
and with a ladder we would climb
down into the mikva. The water
was freezing and was changed
only once in a long while due
to technical difficulties, but the
main thing is that we immersed.
As my brother told me this,
I was reminded that on one of
those Fridays my father went with
us to the office of the Chief Rabbi
of Moscow, Rabbi Yehuda Leib
Levin. R Levin was astounded
2017-02-28 5:23:14 AM
 by our knowledge of Gemara.
At some point he walked over
to a box nearby and took out
two new volumes of Gemara
and gave one to each of us. This
was a complete surprise for us
because we were used to thinking
a Gemara is a large crumbling
book, while the Gemaras he gave
us were new and not large. When
we went home on the train, our
father told us, Nu, open the new
Gemara and start learning.
In those insane times, when
even Chassidim and G-d fearing
people hid their Jewishness, our
father wasnt afraid to have his
children learn Gemara even in
a public place, because this was
his truth. The inner soul powers
that he operated with were
Chassidic, because he grew up
in a Chassidishe home and he
attended Tomchei Tmimim in
Zhvil by Rabbi Shaul Brook.
SUKKOS IN THE
CHAZAN HOME
The Chazan home was like
a Chabad House but it operated
under the watchful eyes of the
communist government. The
Chazan brothers told of secret
minyanim that took place in
the house on Shabbos. After
the davening on Shabbos,
there were kiddushim where
R Aaron Chazan farbrenged.
Circumcisions, weddings, and
many other events took place
in this home that served as the
headquarters for everything
Jewish throughout that area.
The Chazans maintained an
open home for many Chassidim
who lived in Moscow and its
environs. They would come
to consult with R Chazan and
attend farbrengens. When I
asked the Chazan brothers
which Chassidim went to their
home, they began enumerating
a long list. Some were: R
1059_bm_eng.indd 15
The Chazan brothers looking at childhood photos
Naftali Kravitzky ah, R Yehuda
Kulasher (Botrashvili) ah, R
Avrohom Rubashkin ah, R
Leib Charatznov ah, R Henich
Rapoport ah, R Yisroel Konson
ah and his son-in-law, R
Eliyahu Bisk, R Chaim Eliezer
Gurewitz ah and his son, R
Sholom Dovber, R Nosson
Kanelsky, R Berel Rickman ah,
and R Aharon Gruzman ah
(uncle of Rabbi Monke Gruzman
ah).
In very down to earth terms,
the brothers described in living
color their large and famous
sukka:
R Chaim Meir: We lived in a
private house and on the porch
at the entrance of the house my
father built a sunroof. Before
Sukkos he would open the roof
and put on schach. Whoever
wanted to fulfill the mitzva of
sitting in the sukka would come
to us on Yom Tov and Chol
HaMoed. There were a few other
sukkos in the Bolshevo area, but
guests preferred to come to us.
R Avrohom: Our sukka
was large and famous. Word
got around among the mitzva
observant people who lived in the
area and many visited our sukka.
R Chaim Meir: The four
minim were a story onto
themselves. We would usually get
them from the rabbi of Moscow,
R Levin. There was also a Jew
in our area who had a pot with
one small palm which grew a
few lulavs a year. We would get a
lulav from him.
R Avrohom: These four
minim were the only set in the
entire area. All the frum people in
the area would come to us to say
the bracha over them.
***
Before Pesach, the Chazan
home would turn into a secret
matza bakery. They baked a large
quantity of matzos for Jews in the
area.
R Chaim Meir: Long before
Pesach is when the matza baking
in our home began, which was
run by my father. We had a
machine that made the holes
in the dough, a hand operated
Issue 1059 15
2017-02-28 5:23:14 AM
 Feature
mechanical thing. At first we
worked during the day but when
the concerns about prying eyes
became too much, the work
hours were switched to late at
night. My father meticulously
covered the windows so no light
would be seen.
As Pesach approached, we
worked hard. We would bake
many hand matzos for us to
eat, and some more for local
Chassidim. This is what we
experienced at home but the
work was far greater. Our father
had to get special wheat that was
brought from Ukraine and he
supervised it until the grinding.
GRANDMOTHERS COOKIES
Shabbos in the Chazan home
was a taste of the World to Come.
A secret minyan gathered in the
morning and when the davening
was over the farbrengen began.
As the brothers began talking
about the kiddush, R Chaim
Meir smiled and exclaimed, Ah,
my grandmothers cookies.
He was referring to Baba
Rochel, Grandmother Rochel
Friedman, Mrs. Nechama Leah
Chazans mother. She lived
to a ripe old age and after her
husband passed away, and some
of her children left Russia, she
moved in with the Chazan family
and was a second mother to the
children. Her special cookies
regularly graced the kiddush on
Shabbos.
They made kiddush on wine
made out of raisins by R Aaron
Chazan. At the family meal there
were always challos, which was
not a given in those days, and of
course there were divrei Torah
and Shabbos niggunim.
A CHILDS JEWISH PRIDE
The Chazan familys battle
against going to school in general
16 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 16
R Avrohom Chazan
and against school on Shabbos
in particular was publicized a
number of times, but the two
brothers add some life and color
to the legend, from their personal
recollections.
R Chaim Meir: For three
years, my father hid me.
According to law, we had to
attend school from the age of
seven but I didnt step foot in
school until age ten. For a while,
there were melamdim who came
to the house to teach me and my
brothers. I remember R Yisroel
Olidort ah. At another time my
father sent me to live with our
relative, R Yisroel Friedman, so
people would not notice a child
around who wasnt going to
school.
When I turned ten, it was
no longer possible to hide me.
Although I knew how to read
Russian, my father made it
clear to me that it wasnt worth
insisting on putting me in the
class appropriate for my age.
Rather, I should go to first grade
where I wouldnt have to do
that much work. Emotionally, it
wasnt easy to be ten in the first
grade. I began going to school
but was absent on Shabbos. At
a certain point, the authorities
caught on and began pressuring
and threatening but my father did
not want us to go on Shabbos.
Due to pressure and
persecution, the secret minyan
in our house sometimes moved
to other locations. One Shabbos,
when we returned from one of
the secret minyanim, we saw a
police car near our house. The
tension was tremendous. We
entered the house and there were
three policemen there, speaking
to my grandmother. When my
father walked in, they told him
that he must send his children to
school on Shabbos. After intense
pressure, my father had no choice
and he sent one child to represent
the family, but without a briefcase
or writing implements.
R Avrohom: At first only the
girls went on Shabbos, because
the boys had to go to minyan.
Due to my relatively young age, I
started going to school only in the
last few years before we moved to
Eretz Yisroel. My teacher, being
a Christian, respected our being
religious and ignored my weekly
absences on Shabbos, but it
wasnt enough.
The large number of students
in the school compelled the
principal to split the class into
two shifts. On Fridays, my class
would start learning at one in
the afternoon and finish in the
evening. During the winter,
it was already Shabbos when
school was over for the day.
When it was candle lighting time,
I had to stop writing. At first the
teacher and students wondered
about my strange behavior, but as
time went on they picked up on
the step that I would take before I
would stop writing.
In those years, students did
not have watches and I had
to ask permission to use the
bathroom. That is when I would
go and look at the wall clock
near the principals office and
then go back to class and stop
2017-02-28 5:23:15 AM
 writing after a while. When I
left the classroom on Friday
afternoons, some kids would
snicker. I never tried to hide it,
but always proudly told the truth,
The Sabbath began and I am
a Jew and cannot write on the
Sabbath.
There were other problems
too. During gym, there were
times you had to take off your
shirt and then everyone saw
my tzitzis and would tease me.
I remember they were woolen
tzitzis that we got through
the Israeli consulate. A few
Chassidim were able to leave
Russia in those years and in The Chazan brothers being interviewed by R Shneur Zalman Berger
order to get a visa they had to
arrange it at the Israeli consulate A LETTER TO THE REBBE BETWEEN THE PAGES OF A TANYA
in Moscow. People at the
consulate would do a lot to help R Aaron Chazan grew up in a Chassidic home and slowly became
religious Jews living in Russia involved with Lubavitch. When he lived in Russia, he had an open miracle
and so, the Chassidim who went from the Rebbe, as he later recounted:
to the consulate left with various In my place of work there was a drunk who wanted my job, whether
religious items. Before these because he thought it was easy work or because he was sure the salary was
Chassidim left Russia, they would better. He started to cause me problems in order to get me to leave. At first
leave these things with Jews in I paid him no attention, but as time went on his provocations became harder
Moscow and that is how we got to bear and really got to me.
various religious items, including One day, I told my son-in-law R Moshe Greenberg who said I should
woolen tzitzis. write a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe and ask for his bracha.
In Russia of those days, nobody endangered themselves by sending
THE FAMILYS GEULA letters to the Lubavitcher Rebbe. The connection with Schneersohn was
reason enough to be arrested and exiled to Siberia. My son-in-law had a
This complicated life of
solution. He said to write the letter and then place it among the pages of
Jewish pride on the one hand,
a Tanya. Chabad Chassidim in Russia believed that when you put a letter
and secretly observing mitzvos on
into a Tanya, the fundamental work of Chabad Chassidus, that the Rebbe
the other, ended in the summer
received it with his prophetic spirit.
of 1966, when the Chazan
family was given permission to I did as he said. I asked for the Rebbes bracha to get rid of the goy and
immigrate to Eretz Yisroel. put it among the pages of a Tanya. A few days later I saw the fulfillment of
the Rebbes bracha. A fire broke out in a building near our workplace and
R Avrohom: We got a
after a brief investigation, that goy was found guilty of starting the fire and
postcard with an invitation to
was sent to jail for many years.
appear at a certain office which
everyone knew was where
you got your visa. When that R Chaim Meir: This past to the yeshiva ktana in Lud.
postcard arrived we were so 27 Elul was exactly fifty years ***
excited, but my parents warned since we arrived in Eretz Yisroel. The two brothers looked at
us immediately that it was When we arrived, our father sent one another with a smile. They
forbidden to tell anyone anything. us to learn in Yeshivas Tomchei described a way of life that they
They were afraid the government Tmimim. He sent me to learn in had to live day in and day out for
would change their minds. It the yeshiva gdola in Kfar Chabad years. That was their childhood
was a tremendous simcha, a real and my younger brothers, and it is engraved deep in their
Geula. Avrohom, Yitzchok and Yaakov, souls.

Issue 1059 17

1059_bm_eng.indd 17 2017-02-28 5:23:15 AM

 MOSHIACH & HAYOM YOM
WE MUST STOP
BEING APOLOGETIC
ABOUT MOSHIACH
By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon
Dear Reader shyichyeh,
This Shabbos (Parshas
Truma) falls out right before
Zayin Adar, the birthday and
Yahrtzait of Moshe Rabbeinu.
It is a very special day as in its
merit the Jewish nation was
saved during the time of the
miracle of Purim. The Midrash
relates that the entire Purim
story was predicated on a
misunderstanding about the
meaning of 7 Adar. When the evil
villain Haman threw his infamous
pur (lottery) to determine an
appropriate date for his planned
massacre, the lot fell on the
month of Adar.
Knowing that Moshe had
passed away on 7 Adar, Haman
rejoiced, because he considered
this a propitious month for his
destructive plot. Little did Haman
know, however, that Moshes
birthday was the exact same
day, and, rather than proving
an unlucky month for the Jews,
the birth of our leader presaged
a time of good fortune for our
people. Our holy Rebbeim -
who are the Moshe Rabbeinu
of each generation - would not
say Tachanun on 7 Adar (Seifer
HaMinhagim Chabad).
Moshe Rabbeinu epitomizes
the value of Emes-Truth. We all
know the saying Moshe Emes
vToroso Emes - Moshe is true
18 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 18
and his Torah is true.
In this spirit, let us
examine what the HaYom Yom
teaches us about striving for truth
and how it affects our Avoda to
bring Moshiach.
The HaYom Yom (27 Adar 1)
tells us: My father said: Truth is
the middle path. An inclination
to the right, to be overly stringent
with oneself and find faults or
sins not in accord with the truth,
or an inclination to the left, to
be overly indulgent, covering
ones faults or being lenient in
demands of avoda out of self-love
- both these ways are false.
The Rebbe adds (2 Adar 1):
Rabbeinu HaGadol the Alter
Rebbe, set forth a program for
Chassidim of striving (avoda)
with the mind and seeking truth,
to critically examine ones every
move to be certain it conforms
strictly with truth and comes
through avoda, effort.
This avoda does not imply
- as some think, altogether
erroneously - that one must
pulverize mountains and
shatter boulders, turn the world
upside down. The absolute
truth is that any avoda, any act,
whatever it may be, is perfectly
satisfactory when performed with
true kavana, intent: A bracha
pronounced with kavana; a word
of davening as it should be, with a
prepared heart and an awareness
of before Whom you stand; a
passage in Chumash said with
an awareness that it is the word
of Gd; a verse of Thillim; a
beneficent trait of character
expressed in befriending another
with affection and love.
The truth of the matter is, that
to achieve this calls for great and
intense effort, meaning simply to
study a great deal of Torah and to
comprehend it - each according
to his ability - and then Gd will
help him be what truth demands.
And finally, the Rebbe
records (HaYom Yom 20 Adar
1) from a private conversation
that he had with the Frierdike
Rebbe: Avoda (translated as
service and striving) is not
the striving that avoda (service)
itself be true; rather, truth itself
is an avoda, that the fingernails
(i.e., the fingernails are part
of man but virtually lifeless.
Truth is necessary not only in
the vital elements of man, his
thoughts, emotions, relations
with others, etc. but even in the
all-but-redundant, the furthest
extremities) be true. Why does
that surprise you? He saw the
attribute of Truth, the Talmud
declares, and he prostrated
himself.
2017-02-28 5:23:16 AM
 The Rebbeim sacrificed a lot
for truth. As is recorded in the
HaYom Yom (10 Av): Had
the Rebbe not inserted the three
words bmidas emes lYaakov
(according to the attribute of
Truth unto Yaakov), he would
have attracted fifty thousand
more chassidim. But the Rebbe
demands the trait of truth.
[And that demand has been
perpetuated by the Rebbe of
every succeeding generation.
In fact, after the passing of the
pushed away 50,000 people from
becoming chassidim?
Here is the answer: This letter
was written after the Alter Rebbe
was released from prison. He was
imprisoned and suffered greatly
based on trumped up lies told by
the opponents of Chassidus. As
one can imagine, the Chassidim
were terribly upset and the
feelings of anger and revenge
were high. The Alter Rebbe
demanded that everyone be calm
it crystal clear that we are the
generation of Moshiach and that
we should share that message
as a special prophecy (Shoftim
5751) and encourage everyone
to get ready for Moshiach by
learning about Geula and adding
in acts of goodness and kindness.
The Rebbe has publicly
accepted the acceptance of Klal
Yisroel of the Rebbe as Melech
HaMoshiach, and has even
edited and allowed the following

Rebbe Maharash in the year
5643 (1882), it was precisely
that demand that determined
the succession as eye-
witnesses told R Saadia Liberow
some years later when he was a
student in Tomchei Tmimim in
Lubavitch.
For more than a decade,
delegations of respected
Chassidim entreated the two
elder sons of the Rebbe Maharash
in turn to assume the mantle of
the Lubavitch leadership. At the
time of their fathers passing at
the young age of 48, R Zalman
Aharon was 23 years old; his
younger brother, R Shalom
Dovber, later to be known as
the Rebbe Rashab, was 21. Time
after time, each of them insisted
that the other was more suited
to the task, and begged to be
released from the repeated pleas
but in vain.
Finally, after years without
progress, an august delegation
called on the elder brother, R
Zalman Aharon, and declared,
respectfully but unequivocally:
This state of affairs cannot
continue; you absolutely must
consent to be Rebbe. R. Zalman
Aharons reply was brief: I hate
falsehood; he loves truth. He has
to be Rebbe. And so it was.]
One may ask: What was so
controversial and threatening
about those three words that
We must remain true to our special Shlichus and
be very open and unapologetic with the amazing
and unambiguous words of our Rebbe. The Rebbe
has made it crystal clear that we are the generation of
Moshiach and that we should share that message as a
special prophecy and encourage everyone to get ready
for Moshiach by learning about Geula.
and to not only behave in a way statement to be printed all across
that shows that you feel that the the world: And specifically to
opponent is greater than you, but our generation, that the acronym
to actually and truly feel that the of MiYaD alludes to the three
opponent of chassidus is greater periods connected to my sainted
than you. Such a level of truth father-in-law, the leader of our
was very difficult for many to live generation: in the order closest to
by. us, Moshiach (Menachem is his
All the above teaches us name), Yosef Yitzchak, Dovber
a tremendous lesson in our (the second name of the fifth
general Avodas Hashem and Lubavitcher Rebbe).
especially the Avoda to receive It is very easy for the Yetzer
our righteous Moshiach in the Hara to come to a Chassid and
true and complete Redemption. tell him that it would be wise to
Indeed, the preparation for conceal these words of the Rebbe
the coming of our righteous from others. As these are very
Moshiach is the most all- strong words, it may be best,
encompassing aspect of Judaism and we would be more effective
and includes all the other points in bringing more people to the
and details of the work of Rebbe and Chassidus, if we toned
shlichus. down the talk about Moshiach.
We must remain true to our We must remember all that we
special Shlichus and be very learned above about the Avoda
open and unapologetic with the of truth and especially, Had the
amazing and clear words of our Rebbe not inserted the three
Rebbe. The Rebbe has made words bmidas emes lYaakov

Issue 1059 19

1059_bm_eng.indd 19 2017-02-28 5:23:16 AM

 Feature
(according to the attribute of
Truth unto Yaakov), he would
have attracted fifty thousand
more chassidim. But the Rebbe
demands the trait of truth.
When we go with the truth, then
we will truly be successful.
I want to add: Recently I saw
a letter of the Rebbe (dated 23
Kislev 5733) where the Rebbe
responds to a group of Chassidim
from Manchester that was
printing the Tanya in English.
They wanted to omit that
controversial statement of the
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Telephone: 917-720-6565
Email: Oren@bfgny.com
1
Why Disability booklet, published by National Underwriter.

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stock subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY, or The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America,
New York, NY.

1059_bm_eng.indd 21 2017-02-28 5:23:17 AM

 HALACHA 2 GO
HALACHIC HR
Selected Halachos from the
One Minute Halacha project
Mara Dasra and member of the Badatz of Crown Heights
WHO DECIDES THE GREY
AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT?
The conditions of an
employees salary, benefits or
work requirements may become
a matter of dispute when
these matters were not clearly
delineated in the original contract
of employment. Halacha states
that these issues are often settled
based on minhag hamedinah (the
local custom).
One aspect of minhag
hamedinah includes matters
of takana (regulation) and
these become standard
regardless of local adherence.
But certain practices are only
minhag shenaaseh meiailav (a
developed custom) that became
the common procedure only by
default. In these matters too,
halacha follows the universal
minhag. Therefore, in areas of
disagreement, it is considered as
if the rules of minhag hamedinah
(both those that result from
legislation and those based
on universal practice) were
implied in the original terms of
employment.
However, sometimes there
arises an issue that is practiced
only in the majority of cases.
22 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 22
By HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, Shlita,
It is conventionally held as
common practicebut not
across the board. Should it still
be the standard for terms of
employment?
It may be argued that we
should take into account the
principle in halacha that states,
Ein holchin bmamon achar
harov (we do not follow the
majority in money matters).
Accordingly, one of the parties
might wish to argue, I belong to
the minority that follows different
standards. Many poskim
nevertheless maintain that in the
case of a contract established
between parties for the future,
we include matters that are
practiced by the majority. These
practiceseven if they are not
observed by every business in the
vicinityare also considered to
have been determined the time of
the contract.
INSIDE AND OUT THE
PARAMETERS OF AN EIRUV
The malacha ([one of 39
types of prohibited] work) of
hotzaah (carrying) on Shabbos
includes carrying mereshus
lreshus (from one [type of
halachic] domain to another)
or from one place to another
within reshus harabim (the
public domain [within or near a
major thoroughfare]). In a reshus
hayachid (private domain) we
may carry unrestricted.
However, Shlomo HaMelech
(the king, 10th century BCE)
instituted the concept of an eiruv
chatzeiros (mixed [ownership of]
courtyards) for carrying from
one reshus hayachid to another
or in a common area between
neighbors. While the common
area is fenced in, and therefore
a bona fide reshus hayachid, it
can be confused with a reshus
harabim, and would therefore be
subject to restriction. Through
the takana (institution) of an
eiruv,* where the neighbors band
together by sharing food, they
essentially create one inclusive
domain out of their individual
residences.
There are many intricate
laws regarding the parameters of
such an eiruv between neighbors
in a single building of separate
apartments, those that share a
common courtyard and private
houses that border each other.
In a very general summary, these
are the three requirements for
establishing an eiruv chatzeros:
2017-02-28 5:23:17 AM
 Fenced In: Mechitzos
(partitions)physical
demarcations of at least ten
tfachim (hand-breadths, a little
less than a meter in total) high
around the eiruv zone must be
present. In areas where there is a
pirtza (breach) in a wall or fence,
it is sometimes possible to bridge
the gap with a tzuras hapesach
(a doorframe) constructed in
accordance with specific criteria.
Mixed Crowd: If the eiruv
zone includes a non-Jewish
resident among two or more
Jewish residents, sechiras reshus
(rental of territory) from the
non-Jewish residents must be
arranged.
Honestly Open: Less known
than the other criteria, there is a
rule of accessibility on the shared
properties of an eiruv zone. If
there is a barrier of ten tfachim
or higher between courtyards to
be included, a door or a window
of at least four by four tfachim
(six feet by six feet) must allow
access from one property to the
next in order for the eiruv to be
effective.
*The enclosures of tzuras
hapesachconsisting of strings
or cables hung between posts or
polesthat are erected in urban
areas categorized as karmelis
(semi-private domain, i.e., a
Rabbinically restricted area that
is similar to reshus harabim)
are more accurately termed
mechitzos, although they are
colloquially called eiruv too.
The food-shares in urban areas,
kept in a central location on
behalf of all city residents, are
usually referred to as shitufei
mevoos (associations of
pathways) in contrast to eiruvei
chatzerosfood shares for
courtyards. Shitufei mevoos
were also instituted by Shlomo
HaMelech and have similarities
to eiruvei chatzeros, but their
1059_bm_eng.indd 23
complex rules and parameters, as [particularly] fears the word
well as those of tzuras hapesach, of G-d) would refrain from
are beyond the scope of this gazing at these images, except
halacha. in cases where there it brings
toeles (purpose) to their avodas
A PSAK ON PORTRAITURE Hashem.
The Gemara tells of Rav
Chazal instituted certain
Menachem ben Rav Simai
guidelines relating to appropriate
who earned the title of Benan
reading materials on Shabbos;
shel Kdoshim (son of holy
one of these restrictions is
[people]) due to his diligence
reading the captions under
in this particular matterhe
tzuros udyuknaos (paintings
never looked at the surface of
or imagessee Halacha #99),
a coin because of the image
as is brought in the Gemara
engraved on it. This anecdote
Shabbos. With regard to gazing
indicates that normal people
at the dyukna (image) itself,
need not be scrupulous about
the Gemara continues, this is
this, say the commentaries.
forbidden even during the week,
Even those poskim who restrict
mishum sheneemar al tifnu el
gazing at all images (including
haelilim (on account of the
those that dont represent avoda
verse [with the Torah prohibition]
zara) would allow this, since
Do not stray after idols).
the portraits on coins are so
Quoting this Gemara, commonly at hand, they would
Rishonim, posit a range of not be the cause of distraction
issurim (prohibitions); each from Torah and mitzvos.
opinion is based on a different
The Magen Avraham (17th
interpretation of the pasuk
century halachic commentator)
(verse). According to some
states that even the poskim
authorities, this issur refers
who include all images in the
specifically to portraits that were
prohibition refer to contemplating
created for the purpose of avoda
the image and not just looking at
zara (idol worship). Others state
a picture or portrait in passing.
that the word elilim can also be
interpreted as inanities. These
One Minute Halacha is a succinct daily
presentation on practical Halacha in video,
poskim state that even an image audio, and text formats, and can be accessed by
or visage that is meant to serve phone at 718.989.9599, by email, halacha2go@
only for decoration is restricted gmail.com, or by WhatsApp 347.456.5665.
as it causes mefaneh libo
lvatalah (directing ones
heart towards emptiness),
distracting a person from
their main pursuit of avodas
Hashem (service of G-d).
Nevertheless, halacha
concludes that pictures
and portraits that are not
meant for avoda zara are
not prohibitedand indeed
people commonly view (and
hang) innocuous pictures
and portraits. Poskim
add, however, that a yarei
dvar Hashem (one who
Issue 1059 23
2017-02-28 5:23:17 AM
 FEATURE

LOVE,
UNDERSTANDING,
ACCEPTANCE
After leaving home and their religious lifestyle behind, thousands of
kids reach a very low place. It is here that Eli Shahapurkar meets them.
He opened a weekend home for them which provides them with a place
where they feel loved and wanted. * R Eli gave Beis Moshiach a glimpse
into what goes on behind the scenes and says that the best, most effective
approach is what the Rebbe writes about in his letter for Yud Shvat 5711,
to visit where youth, who are not yet religious, gather, and explain to
them how the Rebbe loves them exceedingly.

By Nosson Avrohom

T
wo articles were recently
published in the Israeli
media that describe
the lives of the young
homeless of Yerushalayim, who live
in cheap shanties and abandoned
houses and beg to pay their way.
These articles made an impact at
the time, but as is often the case,
the impact faded as time went on.
It is a painful situation in
which hundreds of young people,
mostly from religious homes, left
their families and communities
and are seeking something. They
live lives of suffering, survival,
sadness, and physical hunger.
They seek a warm, embracing
home.
Five years ago, R Eli
Shahapurkar opened the
Bayit Cham (warm home) for
Shabbos and Yom Tov, for these
unfortunate youngsters.
After we got married, we lived
in the center of Yerushalayim
and I saw these kids. I noticed
that there were organizations
that worked with them, but the
focus was on weekdays. I was
disappointed because it is on
Shabbos and Yom Tov that the
kids need the most homelike
warmth. When I decided to open
a place for them, it was primarily
for Shabbos and Yom Tov.

24 5 Adar 5777

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 Since then, the project has
grown and expanded to all
days of the week, though the
cherry on top is reserved for
Shabbos and Yom Tov. Every
day, and especially on weekends,
dozens, if not hundreds, of
kids stop by. The house, which
previously served as a house
of prayer, is located in the
center of Yerushalayim and was
adapted and designed with care.
1059_bm_eng.indd 25
People who have come to see
the work being done here have
been amazed, especially by the
generosity of spirit of R Eli who
welcomes everyone graciously
without checking them out first.
CHILDHOOD
WITHOUT DIRECTION
We cannot write about Bayit
Cham without telling the story
of the founder, R Eli. R Eli
is the son of immigrants from
India. He lived with his family in
Dimona. When I was thirteen,
the family moved to Yavneh. For
me, the move was traumatic,
because I was taunted by the kids
in the new school I went to. Kids
would tease me about my origin
and even used physical violence
against me. What ended the cruel
treatment was a letter that I sent
Issue 1059 25
2017-02-28 5:23:19 AM
 Feature
to a popular television program at
that time. I wasnt sure the letter
would be publicized but when it
was, everyone became my friend
and the bullying stopped.
From when I was little, I
was drawn to motorcycles. In
order to buy one, I went to work
in the afternoon after school at
a local print shop. I learned the
secrets of the business and the
manager soon promoted me to
a managerial position and gave
me greater responsibilities. When
I was discharged from the army
I went back to the print shop
and was appointed manager of
human resources.
Some years later, he decided
to open his own company. He left
the print shop and opened a large
company in that field in Tel Aviv.
Young people would come to me
and I would train them for work
in this field. Many customers,
who understood the importance
of the work we were doing with
the youth, became clients of the
company, including big Israeli
newspapers. Sometimes, we were
given projects of a nationwide
scope and when we handled
them well, more doors were
opened to us. At a certain point,
we maintained a packing and
distribution center, which had
dozens of youth working in it
from all around the central region
of the country.
Despite growing up in a home
where faith was present, and a
grandfather who ran a shul in
India, Eli was not religiously
observant. He had plenty of
money and he lived among the
high rollers in the Dizengoff
towers in Tel Aviv.
I did not know what it means
to be a person with faith; nobody
taught me. I naively thought it
was enough that I have a good
heart.
26 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 26
SEARCHING
AND STARTING OUT
The first thing that woke him
up from his spiritual slumber was
the passing of his father. If that
wasnt enough, a good childhood
friend, his closest confidante, was
killed in a road accident. These
events made him think about the
meaning of life.
I remember the day I said
to myself, what now? I dont
lack for money, I can buy what I
like, I am sought after by people
in power, all the delights of this
world are spread out before
me, and I still feel I am missing
something.
I began sinking into a
depression. What is my purpose
in this world? Why did I come
to this world altogether? These
thoughts began to crop up after
years in which I pushed them
away.
A good friend, with whom he
shared his state of mind, took
him to a Lubavitcher Chassid
in Rechovot. He told me I
can write to the Lubavitcher
Rebbe through his sfarim and
that people see blessings and
yeshuos. I was very skeptical
but I had nothing to lose. In
the letter that I opened to, the
Rebbe wrote to keep kosher. I
left the Lubavitchers home in
amazement but unfortunately,
I had to go through a series of
experiences until I discovered the
light of Chassidus. I immersed
myself in reading books written
by gurus. I also attended lectures
and events, but I was constantly
disappointed.
In the midst of all this
searching, I myself was in an
accident that I emerged from
intact only by a miracle. That
day, and without understanding
why, I took a Thillim and went
to the beach where I began to
read chapters of it with great
emotion. Toward the end of
that week, I called a friend and
suggested that he join me in a
hotel in Yerushalayim where we
would keep Shabbos for the first
time in our lives. We wouldnt
travel by car and we would not
turn on lights. That was, more or
less, the only things I knew about
observing Shabbos.
We did it and I was thrilled.
Unfortunately, on the way back
from Yerushalayim to my parents
house in Yavneh, the sitra achra
realized that it could not sit with
hands folded, considering my
inspired state, and I got a phone
call from a friend who told me
that he opened a bar in Rishon
LTziyon and he was inviting
me to come and inaugurate the
place that night. My friend and
I decided to change our plans
and drive to him. I drank a lot
of alcohol and the more I drank,
the more I wondered why I didnt
feel happy; on the contrary, with
each cup I felt sadder.
When Eli left for his home
early in the morning, he was
involved in a head-on collision.
He woke up in a hospital with
a team of doctors and nurses
around him. They informed
him that he was in an accident
in which a young pedestrian
was injured. My injuries were
relatively light but the person I
hit was more seriously injured.
I remember praying at the Aron
Kodesh in the hospital that he
recover. Boruch Hashem, he did.
When I was discharged from
the hospital, a friend came to visit
me who told me that he had just
visited 770 and he had a present
from there that would help me
a lot. It was a book with some
chapters of Tanya explained by
Rabbi Yekusiel Green. I read it
and loved it. I felt that it related
to me, that this was what I had
2017-02-28 5:23:19 AM
 been searching for. I called Rabbi
Green and bought all his books.
With every additional chapter
in Tanya that I learned, I saw
how it answered more and more
questions that I had. At that time,
a shiur in Tanya began at a shul
near my parents home.
Divine providence led Eli to
the right place. He felt that the
shiur had been started just for
him, and he was the first student
to appear at the appointed time.
Some time later, Eli met the
young man he had hit in the car
accident. The latter was happy to
meet him and told him excitedly

that he felt the accident was a
message to him from heaven that
he should change his way of life.
He had become a baal tshuva.
From one day to the next,
Chassidus peeled away from
Eli more and more layers of his
old world, and he became a baal
tshuva. He eventually went to
learn in Rabbi Yitzchok Arads
Yeshivas Daas in Rechovot, and
spent four years there. Those
were the best years of my life,
he says. In Daas, I became a
Chassid and mekushar to the
Rebbe.
THE BIRTH OF BAYIT CHAM
After he married, the young
couple settled in the center of
Yerushalayim where he noticed
street youth. I always had a
positive approach toward young
people, from when I managed
the print shop. When he was
made the offer of working in a
youth club with dropouts, he felt
this work was suited to him. In
addition to the hours he spent at
the club, he invited boys over for
the Shabbos and Yom Tov meals.
After three years of intensive
work with this population, R Eli
realized that there was a major
lack in the work with these youth,
There are those who have become addicted to
alcohol and dangerous substances. Our approach
is to strengthen them and pick them up, and then they
will naturally find their way out of those dark places. Our
place is an ingathering of the exiles; there are groups
of punks, rockers, hooligans, and they all get together
and respect each other. For us, all of these labels are just
externals; we work with the soul.
especially on the days when they is the one who thinks of the
most needed a listening ear, and pauper to be of assistance to
to be in the warm environment of him al taharas hakodesh, the
a normal home life. It had already fact that there are proactive
become too difficult to host tens activists, concerned for the
of young people in his home, needs of Jewish children who
and he decided to set up a place are not adjusting to the regular
that would operate mainly on educational institutions,
weekends. inspires joy.
Before he set to work on My trust is strong that you
realizing his dream, he wrote a and your friends and partners
letter to the Rebbe and asked for in avodas hakodesh (work
his blessing. R Eli opened to a of holiness), will do all the
clear answer: appropriate exertions to fulfill
the responsibility that was
...Considering the
placed upon them to educate the
responsibility that was placed
children under their care and
on each and every one to be
influence them in the spirit of
of assistance to the sons and
daughters of the Jewish people, Torah and mitzvos al taharas
materially and spiritually, hakodesh. And Hashem should
each according to his station grant them success in this work
and situation, and fortunate of responsibility, through which

Issue 1059 27

1059_bm_eng.indd 27 2017-02-28 5:23:19 AM

 Feature
they will also merit the blessing
of Hashem in their private
matters...
What more is there to say? R
Eli felt that the Rebbe designated
this shlichus for him, and if he
had any doubts previously, they
faded and disappeared.
He made contact with some
of his friends from his past who
were men of means. They heard
about his plans and were excited.
As someone who had experience
in the world of business, I
prepared a business plan for the
project with a detailed budget.
Within a few weeks, we found
a place in the center of the city,
which we fixed, scraped and
cleaned. Since then, the place has
hosted mass Shabbos meals every
Shabbos, with good food which I
cook myself, along with words of
Torah and Chassidus, and talks
into the wee hours of the night.
PATIENCE AND LOVE
THAT IS THE APPROACH
When R Eli speaks about
his work, his eyes light up. It is
obvious that he loves his work,
which he describes as a life
mission. If in the early days he
was a one man show, now he
oversees a cadre of volunteers
who work with the youth all week
long, and care for all their needs.
The street kids had no place to
go on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
On those days, the clubs and
hangouts are closed, and they
would spend the time wandering
aimlessly and going out of their
minds in boredom, without
having a place to eat. We provide
them with a home experience,
with a first course, a second
course and dessert.
One of the rules established
at the outset was not to judge
anybody. We do not deal with
the places where they are at.
28 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 28
There are those who have
become addicted to alcohol
and dangerous substances. Our
approach is to strengthen them
and pick them up, and then they
will naturally find their way out
of those dark places. I always say
that our place is an ingathering
of the exiles; there are groups of
punks, rockers, hooligans, and
they all get together and respect
each other. For us, all of these
labels are just externals; we
work with the soul.
What are these kids telling
you? How did they get to this
point?
When we speak with them,
it is hard not to identify with the
suffering they have experienced
and are experiencing. We have
teenagers who have gone through
things that I doubt many older
people have had to deal with. If
a boy or girl leaves home and
prefers to wander the streets,
it is a sign that things were so
bad for them at home that they
felt they had no choice. There
are stories of young people who
went through terrible abuse as
children. There are times when
hearing their stories I find myself
tearing up. We have kids that
were thrown out of their homes
because of a minor cosmetic
change in dress, which their
parents considered deviations
from the norm.
The street nowadays is a
jungle. There are girls getting
involved with low characters, and
I wonder to myself if that mother
or father who threw her out of the
house for some minor infraction
understands what they have done
to her? Many young people have
had their belief system shattered,
which is very difficult to repair,
but we work very hard on this
with a lot of patience and the
study of Chassidus. Yet another
type we see is kids with attention
or concentration deficits, active
kids who cant sit still. Instead
of finding the proper way to deal
with them, the existing communal
establishments pushed them out.
These are kids with many talents.
It is really heartbreaking.
Despite the disappointments,
scars and upheavals, these boys
and girls have lived through, R
Eli has succeeded in producing
success stories, returning kids
to their parental homes and even
serving as the accompanying
parent for seven couples. We
had a boy named Abe, who was
a serious alcoholic. The first few
times he came to us, he would
upset the whole atmosphere. He
would act out and curse, but
I didnt let him get to me. I sat
him down next to me instead of
throwing him out. He was in the
deepest abyss, his best friends
were Arabs and it seemed like he
had no future whatsoever.
I did not let up with him.
Every time that we met when he
was sober, we would speak about
G-dliness and the Rebbe. Many
times he promised to change but
it wouldnt pan out. Despite this,
I never despaired or gave up on
him. Each time he would promise
again to leave the streets, but he
would slip back time and again.
2017-02-28 5:23:19 AM
 After two years it finally started
to look like the changes he was
making were for real. He stopped
drinking and even met a young
lady who would come to us, who
had also recovered from alcohol
abuse. I suggested that they think
in terms of a marriage courtship.
They argued that they didnt
have a penny between them, so I
offered Bayit Cham in the place
of a wedding hall and promised
to cover all the costs. And that is
what happened, they got married
in Bayit Cham.
Now, that young man is
living in Tzfas with his wife. He
has fully rehabilitated himself
and is in the process of building
up a burgeoning business. I
got a call from him two months
ago to inform me of the birth of
their first son, and that he was
honoring me to be the sandek.
When I arrived and met them, I
was very overcome. I remembered
good and well where he was just
a few years ago and where he
is today. This was a complete
transformation. When we spoke
about it, he told me, You should
know that I had already stopped
believing in myself; it was only
your belief in me that saved my
life. He may not associate with
Chabad Chassidus, but he does
1059_bm_eng.indd 29
not make a move without writing
to the Rebbe by way of the Igros
Kodesh, and he tells of amazing
answers.
TO BELIEVE IN THE YOUTH
Eli has many stories and you
can see how the experiences he
has had with the young folks
still keeps him pumped. He
perfectly carries out what the
Rebbe suggests, To try, as much
as possible in peaceful ways,
including places where the
youth gather who are not yet
religious, and explain to them
how tremendous endearment
was displayed towards them
constantly by the Rebbe, my
father-in-law, explain to them
what he demanded of them and
the trust he had in them, that
ultimately they will fulfill their
purpose in maintaining Judaism
and spreading Torah with all the
energy, warmth and liveliness
that the youth are capable of.
Eli relates:
The first young man I
married off came to us when we
first opened the place. When I
invited him for Shabbos I was
surprised when he showed up
in a suit and tie. I asked him
where he obtained this attire,
when on weekdays he wore worn
out clothing. He said something
amazing. He said that when he
left home, he took the suit with
him and waited for the time when
he would be able to wear it again
on Shabbos, and I had invited
him This bachur married and
lives in a unit that his parents
built next-door to them. He
is a baal tshuva and has four
children.
Eli told me about a couple
who were stars of a news
program that investigated the
phenomenon of street youth
in Yerushalayim. For obvious
reasons, he asked that I not
mention their names. There was
one young man who came to us
for the first time with piercings
in every possible place and he
was into heavy punk. Because
he came from a religious home,
he made fun every time someone
said something about emuna and
Torah. It was his future wife who
was mekarev him back to Torah.
We were there for them in every
way and when they said they
wanted to marry, we helped them
tremendously. I was the DJ at
their wedding.
I understand that your work
has expanded far beyond the
weekends.
Issue 1059 29
2017-02-28 5:23:20 AM
 Feature

We have expanded based

THEIR YEARNINGS on need. For example, there
The following is a letter from one of the volunteers to the members of his is an organization called Elem
community: which does incredible work with
Dear Community! young people. It works with them
every day of the week but they
Please take a moment to read the following. Despite the decades I have
are closed from Thursday until
spent in the field of education and teaching, I can divide my life into the
Sunday. We noticed that Arabs
period before my volunteer work for the organization Shabbatot vChagim
from the villages take advantage
and the period after.
of this and come to start up
There is an old Yerushalmi home in the Nachalat Shiva neighborhood with the boys and girls. When I
(near Cats Square) that is rented by a righteous man by the name of told the people in charge of the
Eli Shahapurkar, who turned it into a warm home for at-risk youth. organization about the problem,
Goodhearted women prepare tasty food that is gathered every Friday by they expressed concern about
volunteers for hot meals on Shabbos and Yom Tov. appearing racist, which is why
Im not hungry, but dont pay me any mind, Im in withdrawal, I was they didnt do anything about it.
told by the girl who came to the meal and curled up sobbing and shaking I decided to do something
under a blanket on the couch off to the side of the room. It was obvious and opened Bayit Cham starting
that the other kids who had gathered for the meal remained unmoved, from Thursday mornings. We
they were used to such sights. Some of them are homeless and sleep in serve a healthy breakfast and
abandoned homes or in public parks, and some sleep in shelters set up by provide cosmetic and design
the Department of Welfare for these kids. Some come with lifeless eyes that workshops so they will stay with
try to avoid encountering meeting the eyes of anybody else; they are just us and wont wander around in
here for some food. Other say that they are not hungry and just came for the street. There is a tremendous
the smile and hug that they can expect in this place, but many do join in the interest and I know that we saved
active discussion and the words of Torah and singing led by the volunteer many of them.
staff.
Eli came to realize that he
The familiarity that many of them have with traditional Shabbos zmiros needed a professional approach
is a clear indication that there is a significant percentage of kids from for those who were addicted to
religious homes in the house. And Your mercies should spread over Your drugs and alcohol and wanted
holy nation, sings one of the girls as she joins in the singing with closed to stop but were unable on their
eyes and a pleading voice. I would invite all of the heads of educational own. At Bayit Cham there are
institutions to see the inconsistency between the mode of dress of this girl two self-contained groups, one
and her dveikus and thirst for the living G-d. Generally, these kids choose for those addicted to drugs and
to cry out their pain and protest in the form of tattoos, piercings, bizarre one for those addicted to alcohol,
haircuts and shocking dress. who go through workshops
To give to drink those who thirst for Your kindness from the river that designed to help them overcome
flows from Eden, the song continues, and in my minds eye passes all of the their addictions. Another project
inflexibility and lack of a listening ear encountered by the ones who tried to Eli came up with is a group of
open up and talk about their struggles, the estrangement from their families, volunteers who collect the kids
the dangerous substances, and sometimes even worse that they have from the street.
endured. Sanctify them with the holiness of the Shabbos that is unified For two years now, we have
with Your Torah. Oh, to see the joy that shines from the faces of these boys been opening the Bayit every
and girls singing Shabbos songs and hearing words of Torah. Thursday while volunteers go
It seems that their rebellion is not against the Torah and against G-d, around and gather the kids and
but only against those that refused to understand them, those that refused bring them to us. Steaming soup
to accept them. The warmth, the love and sharing, that exists between these awaits them. We have a class on
different and varied kids is nothing short of amazing. Often is the time that the parsha from the perspective
I get up to prepare a plate for a boy or girl who dropped in, and on the way of Chassidus and the Rebbes
I find myself wiping away the tears so that they shouldnt notice them. I feel sichos. We also have workshops
that these are holy tears, burning, cleansing, and forcing me to rethink a to learn cooking, music and
whole different educational approach to the holy souls entrusted to my care, crafts. There are kids whom we
whether in my home or the classroom. help get accepted into various

30 5 Adar 5777

1059_bm_eng.indd 30 2017-02-28 5:23:20 AM

 professional courses, after we
see that they are interested in a
certain field.
What are your tools for
success? Why are you successful
when many others have failed?
I once heard at a farbrengen
that a person asked the Rebbe,
What is your secret, why do
so many people love you? The
Rebbe said it is because he loves
them. I think this is the most
important tool. There are no
secrets here. I really love them.
I relate to them as though they
are my biological children, and
people who are loved reciprocate
that love.

I am also often asked, how
can you continue working with
them when they disappoint you
so often? First of all, the reason
they do that is because it takes
them time to believe that someone
in the adult world truly believes
in them. They have experienced
so many disappointments that
they dont readily trust anymore.
Secondly, I follow what the
Alter Rebbe says, not to look at
a persons externals. When a
person errs, I know its not him
but his yetzer that overcame him.
When we lived in
Yerushalayim, one time my wife
forgot her keys and she called
me from outside the door. I was
in the middle of farbrenging with
a group of kids and I couldnt
leave. I gave the keys to one of
them and asked him to do me a
favor and give them to my wife.
He was happy to help and when
he came back he said a line
which stuck with me. He said,
This is the first time in my life
that someone believed in me and
relied on me. My parents did not
believe in me. I had no doubts
about him, but apparently when
he was younger, he made some
mistakes and his parents and
others labeled him a thief or an
It seems that their rebellion is not against the Torah
and against G-d, but only against those that refused
to understand them, those that refused to accept them. The
warmth, the love and sharing, that exists between these
different and varied kids is nothing short of amazing. Often is
the time that I get up to prepare a plate for a boy or girl who
dropped in, and on the way I find myself wiping away tears. I
feel that these are holy tears, burning, cleansing, and forcing
me to rethink a whole different educational approach to the
holy souls entrusted to my care.
incompetent. When someone take that approach.
believed in him, it was the Unfortunately, these days,
greatest possible tikkun. parents dont listen to their
children. There is also a problem
THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE with children from religious
homes where there are strict
FOR LISTENING societal codes and there isnt
In your experience, after much room for nonconformity
having so many conversations and individual talents. The kids
with kids who left home, how are constantly saying, They
can this be prevented? didnt listen to me. And when
It all starts and ends with they feel that way, they look
listening and acceptance. elsewhere for acceptance. Make
If parents knew where their no mistake about it, they go
kids would end up after being through very difficult and painful
thrown out of their homes, I times just to be accepted; life on
think most of them would not the street is not fun.

Issue 1059 31

1059_bm_eng.indd 31 2017-02-28 5:23:20 AM

 Feature
Another problem that
adversely affects these young
people is the fact that they
were not educated to feel a
deep connection to Torah and
mitzvos. People today are
educated to operate like robots,
in external fashion, without
any true understanding of why
they keep the mitzvos. I talk to
kids, and they hear from me
that when I keep the mitzvos I
am connecting directly, without
any intermediaries, to the Giver
of the Torah and Creator of the
world, with a love connection,
and not because of reward or
punishment that I will receive
after one hundred and twenty.
Many young people experience
the Torah as something difficult,
and the Creator as punitive and
vindictive. Why the shock then
that so many of them crack?!
R Eli emphasizes that
the defining ingredient that
characterizes his activities is to
accept these youngsters as they
are, with no judgments.
Let me tell you an interesting
story. There was a young man
who began to visit, and I trusted
him and gave him the keys to our
place. When I arrived there later,
I saw that the computer was not
in its usual place and I realized
that it had been stolen. For
some reason, I did not suspect
the boy. I contacted one of our
donors and informed him of the
theft, and he promised to make a
deposit to cover the cost of a new
computer.
When I was standing right
outside our door, I noticed that
the store opposite had a hidden
camera, and I asked the owner
if I could watch the tape of the
last few hours. I was shocked to
see this boy that I had trusted
walking out with the computer
in hand. I called him and asked
him to return the computer and
32 5 Adar 5777
1059_bm_eng.indd 32
I even invited him to come over
for a talk. The computer arrived
by taxi, and sometime later he
showed up as well. We talked
for a long time, but I did not get
angry with him although that
might have been warranted. I
had pity on him and I clarified
for him what his mistake was.
He apologized and told me that
his mother had confiscated his
computer and he was bored
at home. He ended keeping a
connection with me and even
began to bring his younger
brother around.
There are times when I
think about what would have
happened if I reacted differently,
if I had called the police or read
him the riot act for stealing.
Instead, I isolated the incident as
a turning point event, and when
I look back today I am filled with
amazement.
The lesson that he draws from
this story for parents is the need
to teach and educate not from a
place of fear.
By the way, as far as the
money that the donor had already
deposited for the computer, R
Eli asked him if it was okay to
use the funds to buy a set of Igros
Kodesh instead of a computer.
You operate in really dark
and difficult places. How do you
manage to see the realization
of the Rebbes words that the
world is ready for Geula?
R Eli doesnt even understand
the question. We see absolutely
that the world is ready for Geula,
except that we stubbornly insist,
for some reason, to close our
eyes and not see it. We are acting
exactly like the person who won
the multi-million dollar jackpot
and is still begging for handouts.
Everything depends on our
consciousness.
When these tragic kids come
to me, I see their depth, the Geula
that is within them. The problem
is in their consciousness which is
trapped in an exile formulation.
When their awareness shifts, they
start receiving the right messages
and get on the right path, and
become more successful than
their peers.
The same applies to the
world at large; if you dont make
the effort, what you see before
your eyes is exile. But if we
work on our consciousness, we
suddenly see the light of Geula
in the world. One of the tools
to opening our eyes, it seems to
me, is hiskashrus to the Rebbe.
Young men and women, who
are in the deepest pits of hell in
every aspect of their lives, write
to the Rebbe and are amazed by
the answers that they receive.
They dont always tell me what
they wrote, but many times I have
seen them cry after opening the
Igros. How does the Rebbe know
everything, is a common refrain
I hear from them, and they take
upon themselves the advice and
guidance of the Rebbe.
NEXT STOP, TEL AVIV
R Eli Shahapurkar does
not stop even for an instant.
After having built a successful
organization in Yerushalayim,
he is now devoting his time
to opening another branch on
Dizengoff Street in the center of
Tel Aviv. The donors are already
lined up and now he is involved in
the search for a suitable location.
From the years that I lived
in that area, I well remember
the number of young men and
women wandering the streets in
search for some balm for their
souls. Tragically, many of them
grew up in religious and chareidi
homes and strayed. My plan is
to set up for them a supportive
home, for Shabbos and Yom Tov,
and even ordinary weekdays.
2017-02-28 5:23:20 AM
 TZIVOS HASHEM

A HEAR TFELT
PRAYER 2

": lived a it became necessary, the Baal share in this great mitzva. He
In a littlevillage
things pawned his wifes candlesticks
poor Jewish man who made Shem Tov would explain
and his boots and gave the
a living from running a small to them.
The innkeeper placed a little money he received in exchange
inn. The patrons of the inn,
for those items to the holy
who were peasants who lived bread and vegetables before
Baal Shem Tov. Then the Baal
in the area, were also quite his guests. It was obvious to all
Shem Tov and his followers
poor, and only rarely had that this was all he had and
money in their pockets. This is that it was taking food away
why the Jew had a hard time from his starving children.
providing his family with food Before they left, the Baal

left.

import
After
ant
escorting
guests,
his
the
that
him hewas per
innkee went back his
to
needs.
,basic Tov told
and their other ,
. Shem .
ing money for a worthy house and found his wife
y, the collect .
Despite his povert
. . , ,
crying . The childre n were
man was happy with his cause and if
the

man
wante
"
d
" , .
,
there was


ined
"
to



take

"
part in it, he could also starving and
lot and never compla
.







, nothing to eat. Nor was there
about his difficult condition. give a donation.. to not
and
sell even ,
ng
anythi
He barely knew the words of The innkeeper, who hadnt
of seen time,
a long to The
pawn. began
man .
the davening and chapters . in
a coin ,
daveni ng Mincha and when he
a
to say much to have

.

Thillim, but he tried . d very
wante

.
as much Thillim as he could
,
during the day. One thing .
.
bothered him though, and

that was that he seldom saw a
.
Even
Jew in his village. Jewish.

beggars avoided this
,
. out-of


-

the-way village.
-
How happy he was
,then,
-
when one fine-- the
day, - Baal
ts .
Shem Tov and his , studen

came to his village. The
man

.""
was very surpris ed to see these


,


distinguished guests. The Baal
:

?
Shem Tovs students were also , .--
surprised thatthey had come
there, but they ,were used to ,--
their master s
myster

ious
,
doings and did not
ask , any

questions. They knew that if
--
. .
, ,
. .

, ,

Issue
1059

33

.
--
.

. , ,
, ,

1059_bm_eng.indd 33 , , . 2017-02-28 5:23:21 AM ...
. ,

, ,
 Tzivos Hashem

returned the third night and and never returned.

reached the words, Open
Your hands, and remembered
that Hashem sustains all of His
creations, he sighed heavily
and a tear rolled down his
face.
That night, the family went
to sleep hungry. In the middle
of the night, there was a
knock at the door. He opened
the door and there stood a
drunken farmer who asked
for a drink. The innkeeper let
him enter but he had no vodka
to give him because he had
served the last of his vodka to
his important guests, the Baal
Shem Tov and his students.
around, the
Searching
the glasses left by
man took
Shem Tov and his
the Baal
students that were nearly
empty, poured the remains
into a glass, added a bit of
water, and poured a cup for
the farmer. The farmer drank
it down in one gulp and said
in amazement that this vodka
was the best he had ever had.
The innkeeper was thrilled and
hoped the farmer would pay
him so he would be able to buy
bread for his children. But the
farmer said he had no money
and he left.
The next day, the same
thing happened. The farmer
came, asked for the same tasty
vodka, drank and exclaimed
how delicious it was, and then
left without paying. When he
licked his lips after drinking
the excellent vodka, which now
contained more water than
vodka, he took out a coin, held
it out to the Jew, and said,
Here is an old copper coin. It
may not be worth the value of
this delicious vodka and your
working in the middle of the
night, but this is what I have
... And he left.
The innkeeper was happy to
be finally holding money in his
hand. He began rubbing the old
coin which suddenly sparkled
as though it was made out of
gold. In fact, it was gold.
The farmer became the
Jews regular customer. He
came, asked for the special
vodka, and paid with an old
coin which he said was made
of copper. When the Jew once
asked him from where he got
these coins, he said he had dug
in the forest and found many
like them.
One time, the farmer came
and ordered a glass of that
vodka. Before he left he said to
the innkeeper that he would
not be able to come anymore.
He was old and his children
wanted him to be with them
in another village, far from
there. And this is the last coin
that I have, he said. I will
never forget this vodka because
I have never drunk anything
like it before. The farmer left
The coins the farmer
brought were all gold and
worth a lot of money . The
poor Jew becam e a rich man.
Business was good and he built
a nice house and bought many
fields. His inn became a busy
place. His life changed from
one extreme to another.
A year passed since the Baal
Shem Tov and his students
had visited his poor home.
They returned one year later,
just as unexpectedly as the
first time. This time, the Jew
welcomed them with great
honor and generosity. He told
the Baal Shem Tov how his
fortune had changed since he
had the privilege of hosting his
important guests.
Now I can tell you, said
the Baal Shem Tov, that all
this wealth was set aside for
you for a long time. But in
heaven they decided to delay
giving it to you because until
then you had not prayed with
such a broken heart; you did
not sigh heavily and did not
shed a tear.
That day that you
prayed Mincha with great
concentration, it was decided
that the time had come for you
to become rich. You yourself
opened the pipeline of wealth,
and the bracha came to you
because of your actions.

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34 5 Adar 5777 sources about Moshiach & redemption" t"ab,wv grumnu ghrz, p"a
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1059_bm_eng.indd 34 2017-02-28 5:23:22 AM
Rabbi Jacob Schwei
Member of the Rabbinical
Court of Crown Heights