Coming to chassidus on time

The following anecdote was once related by R’ Mendel Futerfas:

Once, on Simchas Torah, the celebrated chosid R’ Itche der masmid asked two elder Chassidim to join him in the formation of a beis din. The two were both old and respected – one was a chosid by the name of R’ Meir Markowitz who was a chosid of the Tzemach Tzedek and was at that time over 1oo years old, and the other, a chosid from the times of the Rebbe Maharash, was in his 80’s – but R’ Itche der masmid was held in the highest esteem by all, and they complied.

As soon as the beis din was formed, R’ Itche announced that the beis din is hereby ruling that – for the upcoming year - every member of anash must attend a shiur chassidus from 6:00 a.m. until 7:00, followed by shacharis (R’ Itche would give a shiur in Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah during that hour throughout tha year).

He added, in the name of the beis din, that anyone who would not obey would not be motzie shnosoi(i.e., would not make it through the year alive)!

There were Chassidim in the group who worked the night shift, and only got home early in the morning, and there were others who were struggling in their livelihood and had no time at all to spare. But no-one, and I mean no-one, missed that shiur throughout that year. In fact, if anyone would even consider sleeping in, his wife would forcibly drag him out of bed, knowing what the consequences would be to her if her husband would ch”v be on the receiving end of the beis din’s ruling!

Iskafia

Rabbi Mendel Aronow related the following story:
‘As a child in Russia, I had a friend, a very chassidisher boy, by the name of Leizer Mishulovin. One day, as I was returning to school after the afternoon break, I saw Leizer in a state of great excitement. ‘Mendel’, he called to me as soon as he saw me, ‘I just experienced a great miracle!’ And he proceeded to share with me the following:

In Russia, at that time, there were no refrigerators. They used an icebox, in which perishable foods could be kept fresh for a time. Not everyone was able to afford even those; - it was only the wealthier families that were able to have their own icebox. The Mishulovin family was one of these families.

On this particular day, young Leizer came home in the afternoon famished. He immediately went to the icebox, to see what he could find to sooth his hunger pangs. To his delight, he saw some fresh cutlett’en (chicken patties), with a mouth-watering aroma. Leizer took one in his hand, and prepared to make a brocho . . .

. . . when suddenly he recalled being taught that a chosid needs to subjugate his desires, and when he realizes that wants something very badly, then he shouldn’t do it. Leizer was in a quandary. On the one hand, the delicious-looking cutlets beckoned to him temptingly, but on the other hand his education and his desire to work on being a chosid drew him in the opposite direction.

Leizer fought a brief – but fierce – inner battle, and in the end his Chassidic upbringing prevailed, and he returned the cutlets to the icebox.

Just then his mother returned home. When she saw her son near the ice box, she became alarmed. “Leizer”, she called to him, “I hope you didn’t eat the cuttlett’en”

“Why not?” he asked his mother. So, she explained that their gentile neighbor, not being in possession of his own icebox, had asked her permission to store some food in hers, which she granted. The cutlets belonged to him, and they were, as you can understand, pure treif!!’

Check Your Tefillin

There was a couple that had been childless for seventeen years. The woman had already been treated by the best doctors and professors in Israel. She had tried all the remedies, natural and supernatural. She spared no effort, but nothing helped. The couple visited various rabbis and sages, asking for a blessing for children. They had even discussed starting new lives, separately. In fact they had been at the point of requesting a divorce.

A friend advised them to write a letter to the Rebbe before they took this last, drastic step. They rushed a letter to the Rebbe, pouring out their bitterness and begging him for a blessing for children. With nervous anticipation they awaited the response. Ten days later, the hoped-for letter arrived from New York. With trembling hands and pounding hearts they opened it and pored over every word. A glimmer of light shone in their eyes. "The Rebbe instructs me to check my tefilin," the man said to his wife.

The man took his tefilin, and he and his wife went straight to a scribe who lived nearby. They followed the scribe's work with great anxiety. Nervous silence filled the workroom. Not two minutes passed before the scribe jumped from his seat as if bitten by a snake. He held his head in his hands and shouted, "Look what I see!"

The couple were amazed at what they saw. "Look at that! An entire word is missing! An entire word. And look at which word--rechem." He repeated the word slowly, emphasizing each letter.

The man turned pale. In the very first verse of the section beginning with the words "Sanctify for me the firstborn--peter rechem--of your animals." The word "rechem," which means "womb" was missing. Trepidation was soon replaced with joy. It appeared that this was the solution to the mystery of their years of childlessness.

He told the scribe to prepare new tefilin parchment for him on the spot. Then he sent a thank you letter to the Rebbe, describing what had happened. A second letter quickly came from the Rebbe, containing a blessing for children. The Rebbe wrote that he was now sure that the couple would be able to fulfill the words of the verse fully.

A short time later, the woman joyously informed her husband that she was pregnant.

A few months ago, a baby boy was born to the happy couple.

News of this wonder quickly spread through Jerusalem and made a deep impression in many circles. People began bringing in their tefilin for inspection, and scribes were willing to check tefilin free of charge. In fact, those who were involved in the campaignhad said that many tefilin were found to be missing letters, or words, or to have extra letters. In one case, they even found a pair of tefilin that had photocopies inside. They have now been replaced with tefilin written by hand on parchment as required by Jewish law.

Chain Reaction - the importance of learning

The Frierdige Rebbe once repeated a story that was told to him by R’ Chaim Brisker, about his father, the Beis Halevi: The Beis Halevi had a shiur every day with 2 great talmidei chachomim (one of them was known as R’ Eizik klotz, because he spent so many continuous hours each day sitting on a klotz – a block of wood – and studying relentlessly, that he left an image on the klotz).

One day a group of askonim came to meet with the Beis Halevi about a very urgent matter, affecting the entire community. The Bais Halevi, however, who was in the middle of his shiur at the time, first completed the shiur, which took some time, and only then attended to the communal matters.

One of the askonim was upset at this practice, and questioned the Beis Halevi, saying that the shiur could wait, while the matter about which they had come was of utmost importance. The Bais Halevi, however, disagreed, and attached more importance to the learning of these two great scholars, explaining that if Eizik would shorten the time of his learning by even one hour, that would set in motion a chain reaction, that would ultimately result in the Jew in Paris committing shmad r”l.

Saving Eretz Yisroel

Mrs. Geulah Cohen was a member of the kneset in Israel, who was also a long-time admirer of the Rebbe. She understood and identified strongly with the Rebbe’s position regarding various crucial issues pertaining to Eretz Yisroel, and was actively involved in furthering the Rebbe’s goals.

Once, she attended a farbrengen of the Rebbe in 770. She listened from the Veiber shul, while the Rebbe spoke passionately about the terrible danger in returning territories - that were captured by Israel – to their enemies (according to another version, the Rebbe was discussing the scandalous law regarding mihu yehudi, and the urgent need to have it changed).

After the farbrengen, she was asked for her impressions. “I am very much in agreement with everything that the Rebbe said”, was her reply, “but I don’t understand why he speaks about it here, to the Chassidim in attendance of his farbrengen. These are matters that need to be dealt with by Israeli politicians and public figures; what assistance can be provided by Crown Heights-based Lubavitchers?”

When the Rebbe was told about her query, he responded: “Zog ir, az oib di yungeleit vellen ton in taavos hetter, vet dos brengen di yeshua in Eretz Yisroel” [ - tell her that when the Chassidim here put their efforts into abstaining from worldly indulgences, this will bring about the betterment of the situation in Israel. According to another version, the Rebbe said this about the bochurim applying themselves diligently to their learning (the first version is probably the version of the bochurim, while the second is the version of the yungleit)].

The Importance of a Good Hechsher

A certain shliach recounted this story:

‘During the kinus a few years ago, I met up with a friend of mine, who serves as a shliach in another country. On Thursday night, we walked together to Oholei Torah, to take part in the workshops. On the way I noticed that my friend was limping. I asked him what happened, but he insisted that it was nothing, and that he would be fine.

Over the course of the evening, however, his foot deteriorated, to the point that he could barely walk. When it came time to go home, although the place where he was staying was on Carrol St, just over 2 blocks away, the walk was too much for him to handle, and we had to bring him there by taxi.

“Something is obviously very wrong with your foot”, I exclaimed, “shouldn’t you seek medical attention?” But he continued to maintain that it was nothing, and that by the next day there would be no trace of the turmoil.

Sure enough, when I saw him the next day, he was walking normally. I pressed him for an explanation, and he shared with me the following amazing story:

“When I was a child (he related), learning in Lubavitcher Yeshiva, I once had an accident while playing sports, and injured my foot. My parents wrote in to the Rebbe, who responded ליזהר בכשרות האכילה ושתייה – to be more careful with kashrus.

“Now, I was a Lubavitcher kid, from a Lubavitcher family, and we were obviously keeping kosher at home, but as a result of the Rebbe’s response, we found some ways in which we could raise our standards.

“This happened some 30 years ago, and since then, any and every time I compromise in my standards of kashrus, my foot immediately begins to ail me!

“On the way to the kinus, my flight had a stopover, and my second flight was delayed, and I was stuck for some time in an airport. I was, understandably very hungry, and was looking for something to eat. I found some food item for sale, that had a hashgocho. I knew inside that I should really not be depending on that hashgocho, as it was not up to my standards, but I chose to overlook that.

“Therefore, as soon as my foot started hurting, I knew with certainty what the cause was. I made a hachloto on the spot to stay away from this hechsher in the future, and was certain that my foot would be better the next morning, which it was!”

To the Rebbe by foot

There was a chosid who used to travel to the Rebbe every year by foot. Despite the fact that there were various means of transportation available, the chosid insisted on making the tedious journey by foot. As he advanced in age, the trek became more arduous, but the chosid stubbornly clung to his practice of walking the entire way.

When asked why he wouldn’t consider other much more convenient and comfortable modes of transportation, the chosid explained: ‘I am performing such a lofty mitzvah, that I have the merit to perform each year, and I have no intention of sharing it with a horse!’

Not Competition

Rabbi Kramer a”h (one of the senior Lubavitcher Chassidim in Montreal, who was instrumental in establishing both the Lubavitcher Yeshiva and the community there) was once in Yechidus by the Rebbe. During the yechidus, the Rebbe asked him about the litvishe Yeshiva in Montreal. He told the Rebbe that it is in a basement. In answer to the Rebbe’s further query, he informed the Rebbe that they don’t have air-conditioning.

The Rebbe instructed him unequivocally to do whatever it takes to get them into a building, with working ac. Rabbi Kramer, who understood well what kind of an undertaking this would be, was astounded. There was so much work still needed for the upkeep and maintenance of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva (that the Frierdige Rebbe had instructed him to found, and to which he dedicated his heart and soul). How could he divert his efforts to other projects?!

He asked the Rebbe, in surprise, “But they are our competition?!”

The Rebbe replied: “First of all, Tomchei Temimim does not have any competition. Secondly, a Yeshiva cannot be in a basement, and it must have air conditioning, so if this is not being taken care of without you, you have no choice but to address it”!

The right amount

In the chof’s (the 60’s) there was a frum Jew who was employed in Israel by the Israeli army. Specifically, he was in charge of “chalalei tzahal” or of dealing with the casualties amongst the soldiers.

One year, this individual had occasion to have a yechidus by the Rebbe. During the yechidus, he said to the Rebbe: “This year there were 30 “chalalei tzahal” (IDF casualties), and I would like to request a brocho from the Rebbe that next year there should be even less.

The Rebbe became very serious, and said “This year there were 33”.

The man saw no point in arguing with the Rabbi, so he politely remained silent, completed his yechidus, and left. Some time after he returned to Eretz Yisroel, he received a communication from headquarters, informing him of a problem with their calculations, and that there had in fact been 33 casualties that year.

A year later he was once again in NY, and again entered the room of the Rebbe for a yechidus. This time, however, he thought to himself ‘there does not appear to be any point in me giving over information to the Rebbe, he already seems to know it better than me’. However, he was very puzzled by the story and couldn’t resist asking the Rebbe how, in fact, the Rebbe had known.

The Rebbe looked at him and remarked “Alleh neshomos fun di velt darfen adurchgein di tzimmer!” [All neshomos that enter or leave this world must pass through this room, so it’s only natural that the Rebbe should have their accurate count]!

To the Rebbe by foot

There was a chosid who used to travel to the Rebbe every year by foot. Despite the fact that there were various means of transportation available, the chosid insisted on making the tedious journey by foot. As he advanced in age, the trek became more arduous, but the chosid stubbornly clung to his practice of walking the entire way.

When asked why he wouldn’t consider other much more convenient and comfortable modes of transportation, the chosid explained: ‘I am performing such a lofty mitzvah, that I have the merit to perform each year, and I have no intention of sharing it with a horse!’

The Goat

Once, Chassidim were farbrenging in the house of the Rashbatz. After some time they ran out of farbeissen, and they were trying to find a way to obtain some more.

The Rashbatz owned a goat, that provided him with milk, and was a source of livelihood for the family. However, recognizing that provisions for a farbrengen take precedence over anything else, when the Chassidim were unsuccessful in replenishing the supplies, the Rashbatz brought his goat and slaughtered it, providing ample farbeisen for the remainder of the farbrengen.

In the morning, the wife of the Rashbatz came screaming that their goat was stolen. But he calmed her down. She, however, would not calm down, insisting that they must take immediate action, and all the while the Rashbatz told her not to worry, that he knew its whereabouts.   

Finally, he couldn’t put her off any more, so he explained to her: “The goat is still here as before; the difference is only that until now it was saying “baaaaah baaaaaaah”, and now, instead, it is saying “Hashem Echad”!

The Rebbe's dog

Eliezer was a young child, growing up in Crown Heights in the mem’s (1980’s). Although, generally speaking, he was a regular Lubavitcher kid, there was one thing unique about him. Because his father was a diamond dealer, the family owned a dog – a Rottweiler – for security reasons. The dog was, by necessity, a big and vicious one, and practically towered over the little boy. When they walked together on the streets of Crown Heights, it was the dog that forcefully led the way, while Eliezer was pretty much dragged along at the end of the leash. Needless to say, anyone else out walking at the same time gave the two of them a wide berth.

Once, Eliezer was out walking with the dog, barely restraining the powerful and energetic dog – as usual -, when suddenly the dog stopped in his place, literally slinking down, with his tail between his feet. Before Eliezer had too much opportunity to wonder at the dog’s uncharacteristic behavior, he suddenly saw the Rebbe pass by right in front of him. Amazed, he turned to the Rebbe and asked: “how is it that you’re not afraid of my dog?” The Rebbe smiled to him and replied: “When I was your age, I had an even bigger dog than this.”

Naturally, Eliezer found the Rebbe’s words puzzling, and shared them with his father. His father later shared with him what he had learned from eltere Chassidim, that would shed light on the Rebbe’s words: When the Rebbe was a young child, the streets in Russia were not a safe place for Jewish children (to put it mildly). Therefore, for added security, the Rebbe would take a large dog with him when he went to the beis medrash.

A chosid muz gloiben

There was a chosid of the Mitteler Rebbe who had a partnership with a litvak. The chosid was always encouraging his partner to travel to the Mitteler Rebbe and meet him, but the litvak did not see a point in the expense and the trouble.

Once, the 2 had occasion to make a business trip to very near to where the Mitteler Rebbe was staying. The litvak his time agreed that it would be worthwhile to take advantage of the opportunity, and they spent Shabbos together by the Rebbe.

After Shabbos, the chosid asked his partner about his impressions. The litvak as ecstatic. He couldn’t stop describing the bliss he experienced that Shabbos by the Rebbe. ‘I literally felt myself as if I was standing by har Sinai and hearing the aseres hadibros from the Eibishter himself. It was like spending a Shabbos in Gan Eden etc. etc.”!

Now it was the turn of the chosid to feel dejected. He loved his Rebbe, and was a devoted and loyal chosid, and had spent years learning from the Rebbe and following his directives. Yet he had never felt anything like what his partner was describing, in his very first Shabbos! What was wrong with him?

With a heavy heart, he turned (as a troubled chosid will invariably do) to the Rebbe. During yechidus, he poured out his worry to the Mitteler Rebbe. Was the litvak hat much greater than him as to reach in one Shabbos a higher revelation than he’d reached in years?

But the Rebbe put his mind at ease. That is the way it is meant to be, he explained to the chosid. “A chosid muz gloiben, ober a litvak muz ibertzeilen!” [a chosid needs to believe (and therefore doesn’t need to be able to enjoy such a lofty experience), but a litvak needs to be able to count over (i.e., he deals with things that are visible and tangible to him)].