BH. 30 Tishrei 5775 24 October 2014 Number 945 Price: $6.

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The international weekly heralding the coming of Moshiach

TALK OF
ETERNAL LIFE ON
3 TAMMUZ
DVAR MALCHUS

THE RETURNING
SOUL WHO IS
RETURNING
SOULS
THE LIFE STORY OF R
NOAM YISROEL HARPAZ

NOAHS ARK AND

HAMANS GALLOWS
Kiddush Levana [should be] with the especial intent of speeding
up and immediately bringing about the advent of Dovid Malka
Meshicha, by increasing in asking for and beseeching for the
redemption, as in the closing words of Kiddush Levana: And they
shall beseech G-d their L-rd and Dovid their king, amen.

BY RABBI H. GREENBERG

(Shabbos Parshas Noach 5752)

LONG LIVE THE REBBE MELECH HAMOSHIACH FOREVER AND EVER!

CONTENTS

5
FEATURED ARTICLES

WEEKLY COLUMNS

3 Dvar Malchus
21 Parsha Thought
34 Tzivos Hashem

FROM INDIA TO BOLIVIA

Prepared for publication
by Menachem Ziegelboim

RETURNING
12 THE
SOUL WHO IS

RETURNING SOULS
Nosson Avrohom

12

LOVE THAT WHICH IS

24 TO
MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL
Menucha R.

CHALLENGE OF
28 THE
OUR GENERATION
Michoel Leib Dobry

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DVAR MALCHUS

TALK OF
ETERNAL LIFE
ON 3 TAMMUZ
Translated by Boruch Merkur

Prior to the Rebbe Rayatzs

histalkus in 5710, he emphasized
the concept of chayim nitzchiim,
eternal life. The Rebbe MHM
points out the profound
significance of the topics a Rebbe
discusses in his final sichos
delivered in this world: they serve
as instructions for how to proceed
in the wake of his histalkus. In
Chapter 7 of Likkutei Mekoros,
author Rabbi Shloma Majeski
now cites similar reference in the
final sichos the Rebbe delivered
on Gimmel Tammuz.
5. [] The words Korach
and Chukas both contain the
two letters Ches and Kuf
that comprise the word chok;
the difference lies in the fact that
Korach has a Reish, whereas
Chukas has a Tav. Korach
(who came from Shevet Levi)
experienced the revelation of
chok, transcending reason and
intellect and beyond measure
and limitation. (Chassidus
explains that Korachs quarrel
stemmed from his virtue, as our
Sages attest he was clever,
for he beheld the revelation
that transcends measure and
limitation, as will be manifest
[universally] in the Future
Era. His mistake, however (in
disputing the appointment of
Aharon as Kohen [Gadol]),
was on account of the concept

represented by the letter Reish

(poverty), which signifies how
the manifestation (of thought
and speech) does not come
about through [the regular
channel of] Seder Hishtalshlus
(Korach had sought to separate
Supernal reality from Earthly
existence), for the letter Reish
lacks the third line ([the vertical
line on the left side] of the letter
Hei), corresponding to action.
Chukas, on the other hand
this is chukas haTorah,
the law of the Torah draws
down from chok (beyond
measure and limit) into the
letter Tes, the final letter of the
twenty-two letters of the Torah.
Chukas thus represents drawing
down G-dliness through the
entire Seider Hishtalshlus (all
the letters from Alef to Tav),
utilizing all the three lines (of the
letter Tes) of thought, speech,
and action, as well as Torah,
avoda [i.e., tfilla, prayer],
and acts of kindness. In fact,
this manifestation occurs in a
manner whereby all three unite.
The significance of this
union is as follows. The final
stage and perfection of avoda
is characterized by speed,
described as mhiros dkdusha,
the alacrity of holiness (of the
hamshacha that transcends
Hishtalshlus within Seider

Hishtalshlus). At this spiritual

height there is the union of
all three lines, meaning that
with alacrity the Supernal
(i.e., thought and speech) is
directly expressed within the
Earthly (action, deed) without
any interruption between them
(unlike what is represented
by the letter Hei). Thus, the
point beneath (the left line of)
the letter Tav is attained, the
point of bittul, selflessness. It
is actually a large point (having
length and width), meaning that
the bittul goes together with
[the seemingly contradictory
expression of] the expansion
of length and width. The point
appears at the end of the Tav,
symbolic of the perfection of the
point of bittul, at the completion
of ones avoda.
This process also brings
about the concept of chukas
meaning chakika, engraving,
signifying an (unchanging)
eternal manifestation, which
is connected with the letter
Tav, as our Sages say, Tav
tchiya, enlivens, the ultimate
expression of which is chaim
nitzchiim, eternal life.
(From the address of Thursday
of Parshas Korach on the second day
of Rosh Chodesh Tammuz 5751, as
well as Shabbos Parshas Korach,
Gimmel Tammuz; Seifer HaSichos
5751, pg. 656)

Issue 945

SHLICHUS

FROM IN
Radio Host: We are now
establishing
a
connection
between two brothers, each one
on a different continent. I will
say hello now to Shneur in India.
Good morning, Shneur?
Shneur: Good morning!
Host: Where are you in India?
Shneur: Delhi
Host: I will say good morning
also to your brother Itzik in
Bolivia. Good morning or is it
good evening?
Itzik: Over here its good
afternoon or good evening.
Host: What time is it there?
Itzik: 5:20pm.

4 30 Tishrei 5775

Host: Morning in India,

night in Eretz Yisroel, September
1, and the brothers Itzik and
Shneur Kupchik are in different
countries on shlichus for the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. Let us start
with the larger country, maybe
the second largest in the world,
India.
Host: Shneur, tell us about
your work and shlichus.
Shneur: We have a Chabad
house in the south of Delhi.
There are two Chabad houses
in Delhi, one for tourists and
one for Jews and Israelis who
live here in Delhi or for visitors
who are not tourists. They are all

invited of course, but our place

is primarily for Israelis who are
living here for shorter or longer
periods.
Host:
They
recently
inaugurated the Chabad house
that had been demolished in the
attack, right?
Shneur: Yes. Last week they
re-inaugurated
the
Chabad
house that was attacked six years
ago. Shluchim from all over
Asia came: Singapore, China,
Thailand, Cambodia, and I was
there too. I think that unlike other
shluchim who only saw the new
building and the great joy of the
inauguration, I am the only one

Two brothers, at two ends of the world, both shluchim of the Rebbe and both marking a
special celebration. Shneur Kupchik, the shliach in Delhi, celebrated a last minute Hachnasas
Seifer Torah, and Yosef Yitzchok Kupchik, the shliach in La Paz, Bolivia celebrated the bris
of his son. * Channel 2 of Kol Yisroel had the brothers meet over the airwaves, and aside
from being able to wish one another mazal tov, they told the thousands of listeners about
their work. * In addition, the shliach in Delhi, who was the only other shliach to see the
terrible destruction of the Chabad house in Bombay with the massacre perpetrated there,
was present at the inauguration of the renovated Chabad house.

Prepared for publication by Menachem Ziegelboim

DIA TO BOLIVIA
who was there at its destruction
too. I was there at the time of the
attack with my wife. For me to
enter this building now and see
it again They preserved some
of the walls, and the upper floors
are not yet renovated. For me, it
wasnt an easy visit.
Host: Thats in Bombay
right? How far is that from you
by car?
Shneur: 49 hours. Its a two
hour flight.
Host: So you were at the
building in Bombay where the
child Moishy remained crying
and his parents were murdered.
Perhaps this is an opportunity to

mention their names.

Shneur: Gabi and Rivky
Holtzberg. Both of them Israeli.
Rivky was from the Rosenberg
family in Afula, and Gabi from
the Holtzberg family, originally
from Yerushalayim.
Host:
Now
lets
jump
from India to Bolivia. First, I
understand that you get a mazal
tov you have a new baby!
Itzik: Another shliach of the
Rebbe was born.
Shneur: I will take this
opportunity to say mazal tov to
my brother; I still havent said it.
Host: Go ahead
Shneur: Itzik, can you hear

me? Mazal tov, mazal tov! May

you merit to raise him to Torah,
chuppa and good deeds, may
he be a ChaYaL, an acronym
for Chassid, yerei Shamayim,
lamdan. I havent heard your
voice in a long time.
Host: Here we are, connecting
the brothers, Shneur in India and
Itzik in Bolivia. Itzik, whats the
babys name?
Itzik: Shneur Zalman
Host: How original
Itzik: Exactly. It is the
name of the founder of Chabad
Chassidus.
Host: Obviously. By the way,
how many children in the world
Issue 945

Shlichus

BRIS MILA WITH A LACK OF OXYGEN

R Itzik Kupchik relates:
We decided my wife would give birth where we live
on shlichus, in Bolivia. Why not? There are enough
reasons. Why yes? First of all, so we could celebrate a
happy Jewish event with our community. The last bris
in La Paz took place over a decade ago. Aside from
that, a trip of a day plus, including several flights and
terminals, when about to give birth, with little children,
endless luggage and strollers and pacifiers The main
thing, it is not the height of the season. Nevertheless,
every Shabbos we have dozens of tourists at our
Shabbos table.
The decision wasnt lightly made but the moment
we opened to the Rebbes answer, May Hashem
complete his wifes pregnancy properly and easily so
that she gives birth to a healthy child in the right time
properly and with ease, it all became obvious and
matters progressed nicely.
My parents, who had to leave their place of shlichus
are named Shneur Zalman?
Itzik: I have no idea. Every
Chabad family that has two or
three sons is likely to have this
name.
Host: So Itzik, how old is the
baby now?

6 30 Tishrei 5775

in Poona in order to renew their visas, decided to travel

to the furthest point on the globe, to Bolivia. In amazing
divine providence, a week before the birth we gave our
second son, Berele, an upshernish. Who would have
imagined that my parents would have participated in
that event? I usually celebrate alone and usually, they
do not attend most of the simchas of the children and
grandchildren. This time, they even got an upshernish
included!
The birth went smoothly, boruch Hashem. On
Friday, my wife was supposed to be released from the
hospital when they discovered that the babys oxygen
level was very low, about 70%. This is because La Paz is
the highest capital in the world and is on a mountaintop
which is 3000 meters above sea level. This makes for
very thin air.
My mother did not tell me but it seems she was
plenty nervous. Long ago, in Eretz Yisroel, one of
my brothers was in the ICU with an oxygen level that
was much higher, and yet, they wanted to release her
grandson with such a low oxygen level? Why?
We are so distant from everyone and everything, we
could have managed on our own, but my mother was
here
The baby was sent to be checked by a cardiologist
and my mother spoke to the cardiologist who,
fortunately, spoke a bit of English (most of the people
here do not speak English). He said all was well. Babies
that are born here after many generations are born
in a physical state that is suited to the atmospheric
conditions, but a baby whose origin is at sea level needs
to adjust and it takes time.
So with all the Erev Shabbos pressure, my wife
being released, preparing the Chabad house for a
Shalom Zachor with 100 tourists, I had to get a mobile
oxygen tank and bring the baby home.
There was another stage in the middle. The
cardiologist left it up to us as to whether to be released
immediately or after Shabbos. What should we do?
My parents taught me to always consult with a doctorfriend, as the Rebbe says to do. A doctor-friend in
Bolivia? Well, my wifes doctor who accompanied us
faithfully throughout this period is the president of

Itzik: Two weeks old.

Host: Mazal tov. And where
did the mohel come from?
Itzik: The mohel came
from Chile, a four to five hour
flight with two stopovers. The
interesting thing is that before

we moved to Bolivia on shlichus,

we lived in Tzfas and that same
mohel also lived in Tzfas. I
moved to Bolivia and he moved
on shlichus to Chile. I told him
then, that one day a bris would
take place in Bolivia and he

the Jewish community here! He

advised us to have her released.
When I had not obtained a
mobile oxygen tank, he approved
our taking the baby for a short
time without oxygen.
Now we had to import a
mohel, to find flights, to arrange
a seuda
The first mohel I called,
R Berel Sokolowitz of Chile,
immediately said okay. Did I say
the closest? A 5-6 hour flight
and a four day stay until after
Shabbos.
The bris would be celebrated
with family (okay, just my
parents from my side and without
my brothers, but to us thats a
lot!) and with our community
and tourists.
To my great surprise and
delight, a special guest came
on the day of the bris, R Ofer
Kripor, the shliach in Cusco,
Peru. He set everything aside and
came with some of his family on
a 15 hour bus trip! I deeply felt
that Chassidim are one family.
We showed up at the bris
with the baby and an oxygen
tank, the local pediatrician, and
the one who gave the go-ahead
to hold the bris on time also
showed up to supervise the bris
and the baby. The seudas mitzva
and farbrengen were celebrated
into the night together with the
American consul in Bolivia, the
honorary consul from Eretz
Yisroel in Bolivia, and members
of the local community.

would come and do it. And he did.

Host: Itzik, lets hear about your
activities. Who are you targeting?
Itzik: Our target group is the
same as any Chabad house: every
Jew. Here in La Paz, the capitol
of Bolivia, there is a small Jewish

We left the airport in Delhi and experienced

humidity that is unworldly. Our glasses
fogged up. A minute of walking and we were dripping
with sweat. The driver was actually happy with the
weather. It was more pleasant than the previous days.
Its enough to make a grown person cry.

community of 150 people, well,

now its 151 Then there are the
thousands or tens of thousands
of tourists. Bolivia is the center of
South America so its a popular
destination. People who come
up from Argentina or down from
Peru always come to Bolivia. The
Chabad house is always humming
throughout the year.
The highlight of the year is
Pesach with about 1500 people
attending the seder. And there is
another Chabad house in the jungle
of Bolivia, in Rurrenabaque, where
there are over 100 participants.
Host: Tell me Shneur, is that
typical, that two brothers are in
different locations, or is it rare for
two brothers, both on shlichus?
Shneur: Two brothers on shlichus
in different locations is normal but I
think that this distance, with each of
us at opposite ends of the world, is a
huge physical distance. The distance
does not weaken our spiritual
closeness and it might strengthen
it. My parents are also shluchim;
they have a Chabad house in Poona,
India.

We are a veteran family of

shluchim here in India. For my
mother the distance was very hard
and its not just the distance. Every
so often we visit Eretz Yisroel and
meet the family, but the freedom
to do so is only at a time when
the tourist season is weak.
Unfortunately, the slow time here
and the slow time in Bolivia are not
the same, so we brothers hardly ever
meet.
Before the birth, my parents
made a major effort and flew from
India to Bolivia, attended the bris
and took part in what is a simcha for
all of us. They represented the rest of
the family, those in Eretz Yisroel and
those here in India.
Host: Nice! Itzik, in comparison
to Eretz Yisroel, you were in Tzfas
previously, how do you rate the
healthcare for an expectant woman
and the birth experience? Did you
have to be more careful? What
would you say the differences are?
Itzik: The truth is that if we were
on our own here, we would have
been worried. Since we are shluchim
of the Rebbe and he takes spiritual

Issue 945

Shlichus

AGAINST ALL ODDS

There is a special personal story having to do with
the Hachnasas Seifer Torah that took place in Delhi as
related in the radio interview. From a letter written by
Mrs. Sarah Kupchik, shlucha in Delhi, to her family:
First of all, I dont know how many moments of
sanity I have to work with. The children are using their
workbooks, Geula is quiet because of the intense heat,
and the baby isnt crying for a change. This is a good
time to update the worried family about recent events.
A few months ago, we received a phone call from a
family in Eretz Yisroel who wanted to contribute a Torah
to the local shul in Delhi. They wanted our help with the
catering in honor of the festive event.
A little background: Delhi never had a large Jewish
community. There is a shul which the Shila family from
Poona founded. Today there are a few remnants of the
community with whom we are in close contact, but
as far as the shul, whoever comes does as he pleases.
There is no mechitza, women and even non-Jews join a
so-called minyan. In order to understand the situation I
can only tell you that we were invited to an aliya lTorah
and bas mitzva celebration of a thirteen year old girl, the
daughter of a woman who is not Jewish. Shmulik Scharf
tried to make changes in the shul which, for various
reasons, did not work out.
Shneur tried to find out from them on the phone
why they wanted to donate a Torah. I dont have the
energy to explain the entire story. The point is, when
we visited Eretz Yisroel, we decided to visit the home of
the couple who were making the donation. It turned out
they had an emotional reason for making this donation.
They showed us the Torah and it was painful to see a
magnificent Torah with large, beautiful writing that was
going to reside in that kind of synagogue.
They wanted us to do the catering and for Shneur
to lead the inaugural reading of the Torah. It was
complicated, given the situation at the shul. They
promised to buy a mechitza and catering would be
supplied by the Chabad house of the Main Bazaar.
A few days before our arrival in Delhi, there was a
sudden change in plans. The person in charge of the
shul did not see eye to eye with the donors and so the
donors decided to give the Torah to us! That meant that
the day we landed, a Friday no less, there would be an
event in our home which would be followed by hosting
and physical responsibility for his
shluchim, we are relaxed.
Like everything else, this
is connected to a miracle.

8 30 Tishrei 5775

the donors and guests for the Friday night meal, and the
next day there would be a minyan for Krias haTorah in
our new Torah. The family has connections with local
government people and so they invited dignitaries, Jews
and non-Jews, to the event.
I wont get into the story of the visa and how we
managed the passports, shopping, and packing the
entire night before the flight.
After sleeping four hours, we left Tzfas. There was
a siren on the way. We passed through customs with all
the meat.
We left the airport in Delhi and experienced humidity
that is unworldly. Our glasses fogged up. A minute of
walking and we were dripping with sweat. The driver
was actually happy with the weather. It was more
pleasant than the previous days. Its enough to make a
grown person cry.
It was a more pleasant welcome when we arrived
home (sarcastic). The dust that filled every corner of
the house (a month in the filthiest city in the world)
was okay as compared to the unpleasant surprise. We
had left one freezer out of three running. The smell of
rotting meat reached the street.
Mendush, who was deeply asleep, woke up from
the odor and began to cry. All that we wanted after two
sleepless nights was to collapse into bed but the bedroom
air conditioner did not work. Ditto for another one in
the living room.
In another twelve hours they would all be here in our
house. It was four in the morning. I began to cry. The
new ambassador who arrived just two days ago and the
new attach and other people, more and less important,
for some of whom this would be their first visit to us
and there would be no second chance to make a first
impression.
In the morning, Shneur went to the market, built a
chuppa (out of bamboo and fabric from the market),
and ordered a group of musicians for the procession
(and it wasnt just a simple phone call). To our dismay,
we found out that the Chabad house at Main Bazaar
had not prepared anything, which meant we had no
refreshments for the event. The donor suddenly told us
that she had also invited the new ambassador and his
wife to our home for the Shabbos meal. Another four
couples from the embassy, the military attach (and we
continued to hear about more and more).

The president of the Jewish

community is a doctor and he
took personal responsibility for
the entire process until the birth

and in the days following the

birth.
Since we are at a height of
3600 meters above sea level,

The house was not at all in a condition in which I

could begin cooking or baking. Only cleaning could be
done.
Shneur emptied the fridge of the rotting food but the
stench in the house only increased. I was in the middle
of a phone conversation with the donor who wanted to
come and help with the preparations but I couldnt even
speak. We were simply choking from the stench. I ran to
the porch and there too, it was impossible to breathe. I
told her that the house was in the midst of being cleaned.
She wanted to come and help. An idea occurred to me,
to send her to an air conditioned, pleasant store for her
to buy nice dishes for the buffet, pretty tablecloths (all
my tablecloths were in the laundry from before our trip
because it had been Shavuos and Shabbos, but there
was no water to do a wash), fragrant candles, flowers,
and whatever would make the buffet (as of now, there
was nothing to put on it) decent. We arranged that she
would call at twelve to see if she could come over.
At one we were still cleaning and cleaning on our
own, without help. Suddenly, I heard, Sarah, Sarah
The donors had arrived. Help!
Straight into the stink, with black buckets everywhere.
On the one hand, it was extremely uncomfortable. On
the other hand, there was a sense of relief. Thats that,
they saw what was going on here. Next.
She was in helping mode. Dragging sofas and tables.
After an hour of helping, they left and we had two
hours until Shabbos. She bought deodorizing sprays in
addition to what we had bought.
Friday afternoon, at four oclock, the guests began to
show up. The living room looked clean. The fragrance
of challa and meat spread through the house. Someone
from the embassy took out a CD with Hachnasas
Seifer Torah music (a miracle since we did not have
time to prepare). The children were clean and dressed
for Shabbos. (Fortunately I had packed their Shabbos
clothes separately; otherwise, there is no way I could
have extricated them from the suitcases.)
The buffet was ready with nuts and dry fruit and
cookies that I had bought for the children in Eretz
Yisroel. Not what we would have prepared if only there
had been time.
All the tie-wearing dignitaries came, one after the
other. Handshakes, officialdom and formalities. If only
they knew what was going on here just an hour ago.

baby Shneur Zalman had to get

used to the oxygen level. He
had a very low oxygen level and
he was put on oxygen for 24

The Torah procession was on our street. One of

the most bizarre scenes this place ever saw. History in
the making. An amusing Indian band. Everyone was
satisfied. An attraction for the new folks. A chuppa made
of bamboo and Indian fabric.
Then there were seven hakafos. Shneur tried to get
all the diplomats to dance, with some success. For the
first hakafa, the ambassador and his number 2 and 3
person were honored. For the second hakafa, the military
attach and his aides were honored. Shneur gave them
all honors.
The grandchildren of Shila came and they saw that
the Chabad house is the real local community (they
learn Hebrew at Main Bazaar and they celebrated his bar
mitzva at Main Bazaar this week). Pictures were taken.
Then speeches by the donors, the new ambassador, and
a speech in a more endearing style by Shneur.
One of the guests told Shneur that it was nice and
respectable.
It did not end there. There was an hours respite
until candle lighting and masses of people packed our
house. Additional tables were opened. We brought some
shortcuts from Eretz Yisroel that they dont have
here. Sweet potato, avocado, salmon, meat, lettuce. The
atmosphere was incredible. We could not have had a
warmer reception than this.
All is by divine providence. If we had landed in the
humidity and stench but to nothing else (most of the
people arent here at all, for its peak summer now) that
would have been really depressing. But, boruch Hashem,
we landed straight into action, straight into such a
beautiful and uplifting event, for such important guests.
It was fantastic!
Then it was Shabbos. There was still no fridge. We
are helped by the African neighbor downstairs who
happily stores our Shabbos food.
We had a minyan for Krias haTorah and this was
followed by a Shabbos meal with chulent and meat! This
too was a rare event here. There were many guests. It
could have been a situation in which it was just us with
the donors.
When they began singing Shir HaMaalos before
Birkas HaMazon, there was nobody happier than me.
Finally, we could sit down, rest on the couch, relax a bit.
A new year of shlichus is about to begin.

hours. Since this wasnt a health

problem, just something having
to do with the local environment,
we could make the bris on time

and the Jewish doctor brought a

pediatrician along so everything
would be done in the safest way.
A bris for a baby with an

Issue 945

Shlichus
oxygen tank I dont think weve
ever heard of anything like this
before
Host: No we havent. And the
baby is adjusting to oxygen at
this height, 3600 meters, we wish
him a speedy adjustment without
any complications.
Itzik: Amen!
Host: Shneur, lets go back to
India, to Delhi, the big city. What
were people saying there about
the war we were fighting with
Hamas?

the procession in the street

with masses of Indians gaping
at us. Although this was in
the middle of the war in Eretz
Yisroel and there were grave
security concerns, especially
when it came to members of
the diplomatic community, we
still all walked in the street. The
ambassador was there as was
the military attach, the embassy
staff and many assistants. The
procession was led by a group
of local drummers. Picture
everyone dancing and rejoicing

Babies that are born here after many generations

are born in a physical state that is suited to the
atmospheric conditions, but a baby whose origin is at
sea level needs to adjust and it takes time.

Shneur: Surprisingly, until

today, we have been asked hardly
any questions about the situation
in Eretz Yisroel even though it
is mentioned in the newspapers
and all over the place. At the
beginning of the war we were in
Eretz Yisroel on a visit and we
flew back here in the middle of
the war.
We landed here on a Friday
at four in the morning and that
day, at four in the afternoon,
we made a Hachnasas Seifer
Torah. A family from Hertzliya
donated a Torah lilui nishmas a
friend of theirs, and they decided
to dedicate it here in India and
it somehow ended up with us.
They asked for this date and this
was the day we returned. During
those twelve hours from when we
came until the celebration, we
had to get ourselves organized
we are a family with four children
to land and recover and arrange
for a respectable Hachnasas
Seifer Torah (see sidebar).
The highlight was during

10 30 Tishrei 5775

with the Torah in 40 centigrade

(104 degrees Fahrenheit) heat.
The ambassador was honored
with a hakafa, the military
attach was honored with a
hakafa in the merit of all the
Israeli soldiers, the embassys
security detail was also honored
as were the members of the local
Jewish community.
After the festivities were over,
more and more locals came
over and asked me what was
going on in Gaza. Whenever
I encounter local Indians on
a level slightly higher than the

cleaning help, they ask me about

what is going on there and it has
become a topic of conversation
here in India. The Indian people,
from what I can tell, love Israel.
Without understanding all the
details, they realize that there are
two sides to the coin even though
the newspapers dont always
present it as such.
Host: Itzik, how is the topic
regarded and discussed in
Bolivia?
Itzik: Its just the opposite
here. In India there are
generally admirers of Israel
while here, following the Cast
Lead operation, the government
decided to cut off ties with
Israel. This time, the local
president announced that he was
pronouncing Israel a terror state
and he canceled the free entry of
Israelis here. From now on, they
will have to request a visa. At the
level of the ordinary people on
the street it is not felt as much.
Host: Do you have a large
Moslem population?
Itzik: Yes. There is a
community of Iranians and in
general, there are Moslems.
Host: As a Jew who dresses
and identifies as a Jew, do you
feel any antagonism?
Itzik: I am used to people
staring when we walk in the
street, but we have not been on
the receiving end of anti-Semitic
remarks. Last Friday, there
was an Israeli here who needed
help. He had a flight Sunday
morning; he had come from
Peru. Since he had already been
in Bolivia, they did not give him
a visa to enter again. He called
me from the border for help.
When we arrived to speak to the
immigration official, a petty antiSemite, he said to him, You are
an Israeli. You are from a country
of terrorists and you wont get a
visa.

I explained to the official

that he did not want to enter
the country; he wanted to leave.
He had a flight and he needed a
transit visa. The official persisted
and said again that he would
not allow terrorists to enter the
country. In the end, we managed
to straighten things out another
way and this morning he left
Bolivia without incident.
Host: According to what
you say then, there are hardly
any Israeli tourists in Bolivia
anymore.
Itzik: Last Shabbos we had
over 120 tourists at the Chabad
house.
Host: Israelis or Jews?
Itzik: Most were Israelis.
There were also a few Jews from
all over the world.
Host: So they are letting them
in despite what you said?
Itzik: Thats true for now.

The law is supposed to go into

effect tomorrow and well see
what will happen.
***
Host: Which of you two
brothers is older?
Shneur: Me.
Host: We thank
you for speaking to
us on this program,
one from India and
one from South
America. This is
definitely a unique
event. Mazal tov
on the baby and
continued success
in matters relating
to Eretz Yisroel. Be
well and thank you
very much.
Itzik:
Shneur
and I are waiting
to meet together in
Yerushalayim with

Continued from page 27

nail polish so her nails would not be
as showy.
The next morning she came
over to me and said, Look, I cut
my nails. She did this even though
I hadnt asked her to. It just goes
to show how much something is
accepted when it is presented in an
atmosphere of good will and proper
communication.
How do you explain to a girl
why, according to the principles
of tznius, a certain accessory,
although seemingly modest, is not
acceptable?
This week, students came over
to me and said, Morah, we dont
understand why this skirt is not
good. It isnt tight and its even more
modest than what other people are
wearing!
I told them, Im sure you

the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach.

Host: Here, in the studio, we
are waiting. Kol tuv.
Itzik: With the Geula shleima.
Kol tov and besuros tovos.

remember that a few months ago,

there was a polio scare and in
order to prevent it, everyone was
vaccinated, even those to whom it
wasnt an immediate threat. It is
very possible that a skirt made out
of fabric that does not meet the
standard looks modest to you even
though on most other people it does
not. It has to be off limits so that the
epidemic does not spread, even if it
looks as though you dont need this
rule.
In my experience in teaching,
I have seen that girls want to
understand why something is not
appropriate. We need to combine
the two: to tell them that this is the
situation and that in order to prevent
deterioration we have to call a halt
to it immediately, and to provide
explanations as to why to dress like
this and not like that. We need to

take advantage of every possible time

to reach them all. The best times are
farbrengens and lessons, Shabbatons
etc.
When hearts are open and people
feel close and receptive and not
threatened, we have an opportunity
to focus on this important topic and
to listen to their questions (let them
ask and talk about the difficulties
they are experiencing!). We will soon
discover that many girls observe the
rules because that is what it says
in the rule book from the rabbanei
Chabad, but they dont understand
why these rules are beneficial and
desirable. They are interested in
hearing answers to their questions.
Remember, the Rebbe does not
remain in debt! For all our efforts,
even the smallest, in this lofty matter,
each of us will merit material and
spiritual good!

Issue 945

11

PROFILE

THE RETURNING SOUL WHO IS

RETURNING
SOULS
The fascinating life story of R Noam Yisroel Harpaz
can fill several books, from his childhood when
he swam against the tide until today, when he is a
maggid shiur and a mashpia. * About the yechidus
which he did not know how to end. * The Av Beis
Din who suddenly recognized him and said, I
am your student. * The work he did on yoga
and meditation with the help of
rabbanim and mashpiim until
the Rebbe stopped him with his
ruach hakodesh.
Interview by Nosson Avrohom

It was a number of years ago

that R Noam Yisroel Harpaz had
occasion to be at the Beis Din
HaRabbanim in Yerushalayim.
One of his students, an
immigrant from the CIS,
wanted to get married and
he had to obtain the beis
dins affirmation as to
his being Jewish. R
Harpaz, who knew the
bachurs parents, was
there to help him and
to testify on his behalf.

12 30 Tishrei 5775

Silence fell upon the room

when the three dayanim entered.
As is customary, the Av Beis Din,
R Yisachar Dovber Hagar, asked
R Harpaz to identify himself
while showing his ID card.
A few moments passed and
then R Hagar looked up from
the papers in front of him, stared
at R Harpaz and said that his
name rang a bell and he could
not figure out why. R Harpaz
looked at R Hagar and couldnt
remember either. As far as I
know, this is the first time we
are meeting, he replied, a bit
puzzled.
But R Hagar was unwilling
to give up and he said to R
Harpaz that after the halachic
proceedings, he would try again
to remember from where he knew
the name Noam Yisroel Harpaz.
When the session was over,
R Hagar remembered. I am one
of your students, he exclaimed
suddenly. The other dayanim,
as well as R Harpaz, were taken
aback by this pronouncement.
When I get home after a
long day at the beis din, I am too
exhausted to learn inside a text. I
came up with a way that I could
continue learning. I heard about
the phone system Nichayeg
VNishma and I would call the
number and listen to shiurim
in Chassidus. Just recently I
finished listening to your series of
shiurim.
R Hagar was happy to meet
R Harpaz in person and the
two of them continued to keep
in touch. They have met, at R
Hagars initiative, and discussed
topics in Chassidus. This close
relationship which began by
divine providence continued for a
long time until the sad day, a year
ago, when R Harpaz heard of R
Hagars passing.
R Harpaz has had numerous
stories like this. Some people stop

him on the street and some call

him directly to ask questions and
to consult with him after listening
to or attending one of the many
shiurim in Chassidus that he
gives. For thirty years now hes
been traveling; in the morning
you can meet him in yeshiva in
Yerushalayim, in the afternoon at
an army base somewhere, and in
the evening at a Chabad house in
the Yerushalayim area.
Wherever
he
goes
he
farbrengs or gives a shiur in
Tanya or the Rebbes sichos
and
maamarim.
He
also
teaches deep hemshechim; it
all depends on the audience,
the age and intellectual level.
His speaking style is articulate,

winding road that he took from

when he was a boy growing up
in a typical, Israeli, Ashkenazi
family in Givatayim, until he
reached where he is today.
I had heard about Judaism
mainly from the radio or when I
saw religious Jews on television.
At home we were not traditional
and I naively thought that those
who were traditional were few
in number and would soon
disappear. I remember that we
built a sukka but I know that it
was more suitable for a childrens
clubhouse than as a real sukka.
Even if we kept certain
mitzvos, it was only because of
the experience. My parents sent
me to a local public school, but

All this teaching of Chassidus apparently

disturbed the sitra achra, for one day, R Harpaz
found himself under criminal investigation because of his
shiurim.

captivating,
knowledgeable,
and most importantly, clear and
illuminating to the broad array of
listeners who flock to his shiurim.
R Harpaz does not limit
himself to one sector; his shiurim
are successful with those who
grew up in religious homes as
well as with those who are recent
arrivals.
Before Rosh HaShana, we
went to the Maaleh Zeitim
neighborhood of Yerushalayim to
personally meet the mashpia who
is responsible for hundreds of
baalei tshuva over the years. The
conversation was fascinating and
could have continued for many
more hours if he hadnt had to
attend another farbrengen in a
yeshiva in Tel Aviv.

YEARS OF SEARCHING
R Harpazs life story is no
less fascinating. It was a long and

from a very young age I felt that

I was different than my peers.
I was a child who broke with
convention. I was unwilling for
people to lead me to thinking
a certain way without that way
being perfectly clear to me.
I searched for the depth in
everything.
From a very young age I
began feeling an emptiness and
I searched for pnimius. I was
a child who thought and read a
tremendous amount. From a very
young age I felt a strong need
for meaning and truth by which
I could live. I was unwilling to be
like the rest of the fish that swim
with the current.
The fact that his mother
worked as a librarian in the city
library was good for him since he
was able to borrow three or four
books a day which he finished
within hours and could do the

Issue 945

13

Profile
same again the next day.
My search began in the
enormous investment I made in
reading and acquiring knowledge.
I read all kinds of literature,
science, history, biographies, but
I was mainly drawn to reading
about mysticism.
When he turned fourteen he
felt that reading alone was not
satisfying his hunger for some
as-yet undefined dimension and
he joined a group of youths who
were also searching. They would
meet and listen to psychedelic
music and smoke various
substances.
Then he discovered the world
of vegetarianism and natural
healing. He avidly read books on

Even though I thought I had

attained the highest levels of
understanding and training, I
decided to leave the center the
minute they began including
personality worship of their
guru. Without knowing what
avoda zara is, I felt that I did
not relate to this ceremony and
I did not want to be a part of it.
The punishment for this was
that they did not register me as a
member in the cult.
I stopped visiting the center
but did not drop my involvement
in mysticism. I continued doing
meditation and yoga. The staff
at Kfar HaYarok, who saw that
the academic part of school
was not interesting me much,

Then he blessed me with a line I will never forget,

Every addition in Torah study will lead to an
addition in Hashems blessing.
the subject and was a member
of naturalist forums. Twice a
year for several weeks he lived
only on fruit and vegetable juices
in order to cleanse his body of
toxins and metals. After a while
he registered to learn at the Kfar
HaYarok boarding school.
While I studied there I
became acquainted with yoga and
meditation and heard about the
meditation center in Ramat Gan
which was run by disciples of
an Indian guru who immigrated
to Britain. I visited the center
regularly and spent hours on
meditation and various yoga
exercises. The lingo of the people
who ran the place, about the
inner dimension and the world
beyond ours, spoke to me and I
was sure I had reached what my
soul yearned for.
However, as with the earlier
stations along my way, the same
thing happened with meditation.

14 30 Tishrei 5775

also decided, at the end of my

second year there, to recommend
another place. I went to Ankori
High School in Tel Aviv which I
also soon left in order to work at
the Tel Aviv zoo.
When he was sixteen and a
half, Noam bought a bus ticket to
Nuweiba in the Sinai.
Back then, those who
wanted quiet would go down
there. I thought that maybe there,
in the Sinai, I would be able to
soothe the inner turmoil that I
felt, a turmoil that I did not know
how to assuage. I spent a number
of weeks there doing nothing. I
spent day and night staring at the
blue skies, wanting to find inner
peace but to no avail. I decided to
go back home.

SUDDEN CHANGE
My
younger
brother
was almost bar mitzva. The
preparations for his bar mitzva

were different than for mine. My

mothers friend brought her to a
shiur given by Mrs. Luba Garelik
of Kfar Chabad and that is how
she found a teacher to prepare
my brother for his bar mitzva,
R Chaim Tzadok, a shliach in
Ramat Chein in Bnei Brak. He
would come to our home once a
week and prepare him for his bar
mitzva.
At the time, I was sitting at
home doing nothing. R Tzadok
wasnt fazed by my appearance
and whenever he came, he tossed
some Chassidic lines at me that
were like riddles, but his simcha
captivated me.
One of the lines stuck with
me and shook me up without my
understanding why. A Rebbe is a
Rosh Bnei Yisroel, the leader of
the Jewish people. He said it and
left. I really liked R Tzadok.
On Shabbos Parshas Ki
Seitzei 5737, my brother had his
aliya lTorah. Early that morning,
R Tzadok knocked at our door,
shocking us all with his presence,
as he had walked nearly an hour
from his home. He urged us all
to get ready for the davening in
the nearby shul which was about
to begin.
After
quickly
getting
ourselves ready, we all went
together to the shul. R Tzadok
seated us on the eastern wall and
gave us siddurim. He showed
me what page we were on and
I began to read. I can only
describe what happened then
as no less than enlightenment.
It was something that could not
be explained rationally. I began
reading the words of the tfilla
and felt enormously connected.
Each additional word that I
uttered was said with tremendous
dveikus.
After the davening I told R
Tzadok that I wanted to go to
Kfar Chabad, the only religious

R Harpaz discussing Judaism with soldiers in the Shomron

place that I knew of, and that

I wanted to learn how to be
religious. When my mother met
me outside the shul, she told
me that the women in shul were
amazed by my davening.
On Motzaei Shabbos there
was a bar mitzva celebration. One
of the guests was Mrs. Garelik
who came with her husband.
The feeling that Noam had
experienced during Shacharis
had only gotten stronger and he
told the Lubavitcher couple that
he was interested in Judaism and
wanted to go to Kfar Chabad.
Mrs. Garelik was happy
to hear this and the following
Shabbos I was the guest of the
mashpia, R Zalman Gopin and
his wife Rivka of Kfar Chabad. I
went for a week and stayed on.
That was at the end of 5737.
R Gopin was mekarev him. In
the morning, they would go
together to yeshiva and in the
evening they would go home
together.
For a week I was hesitant

but then something happened

that made me realize that this is
my place forever. My chavrusa
for Chassidus was R Yitzchok
Elishevitz and we learned the
kuntres
UMaayan
MiBeis
Hashem together. When we
got to the part that talks about
levels of inanimate, vegetation,
animal, and human, it says that
the mashpia is above the mekabel
so if I receive enjoyment and
satisfaction from animals, I am
lower than them.
I loved animals and the
message seemed to be that I was
choosing to receive chayus from
a lower level. R Elishevitz did
not try to soften the message. It
shook me up. I thought about
this a lot and it led me to the
conclusion that this is a system
of thought that is structured and
deep, far more than I thought
and understood.
After completing the maamer,
Noam Yisroel left the yeshiva
building and strolled through
the pathways of the Kfar as
he thought over what he had

learned. He knew that he had

reached a moment of truth and
that in order to be a Chassid it
wasnt enough to take a peek; he
had to completely give himself
over.
After an hour of wandering
around, I went to the Gopin
house. Mrs. Gopin realized
what I was going through and
she served me a plate of pretzels
and a cup of lchaim. Then I
lay down to sleep and the next
morning, when R Gopin woke
me up for Chassidus, I remember
that I felt I was already someone
completely different.

OPEN RUACH HAKODESH

That morning, Noam Yisroel
decided that he was choosing
the Rebbe and Chassidus and he
went to learn in yeshiva like any
other bachur.
That was the end of Elul.
R Gopin went to the Rebbe and
I spent Rosh HaShana and Yom
Kippur in Shikun Chabad in
Yerushalayim. The second half

Issue 945

15

Profile

R Harpaz on Mivtza Tfillin

Write a check of even five figures and you will

see that it will be covered. The founder of the
yeshiva, the Rebbe Rashab, will make sure to cover it.

of Tishrei, Sukkos and Simchas

Torah, I spent with the Garelik
family in Kfar Chabad. At the
beginning of the winter semester
in yeshiva they arranged a bed for
me in the dorm and chavrusos.
R Menachem Brod taught me
Gemara and R Moshe Winner
taught me Chassidus. I was very
drawn to Chassidus and for two
years I learned a lot of Chassidus
from all the Chabad Rebbeim.
Before he wrote his letter of
hiskashrus to the Rebbe, he wrote
a letter in which he asked the
Rebbe to arouse great mercy on
one of his friends, a request that
was fulfilled in an astonishing
manner.
I had a good friend whom

16 30 Tishrei 5775

I learned with when I was in

school. Despite the upheavals
I had gone through, we had
kept closely in touch. I tried
to be mekarev him but was
unsuccessful. He laughed at what
I had done which is why I decided
to write to the Rebbe about him.
Just two days after writing the
letter, he called me and said that
he had a tremendous urge to go
to the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad
and to join me.
R Eliyahu Landau, who
taught in the yeshiva, questioned
me about many topics having to
do with yoga and meditation.
He told me that his father, R
Yaakov, had received letters from
the Rebbe on the subject. The

Rebbe viewed it as a medical

treatment and wanted people
knowledgeable in the field to
remove the avoda zara aspects
of meditation and leave just the
curative elements that could help
people. I was even asked to go to
his fathers house and he showed
me a folder of letters from the
Rebbe on the subject.
The Rebbes wishes in this
regard reached R Yitzchok
Ginsburgh of Kfar Chabad
and he got me involved. A few
times a week, in the evenings
after sdarim in yeshiva, I
would visit his house and tell
him about different approaches
in meditation and he would
put it into terms of sfiros and
kabbalistic levels.
It was 12 Tammuz and the
Rebbe would be farbrenging.
Together with all the bachurim,
we went to Beit Shazar in order
to hear the broadcast. Since I did
not understand Yiddish, I decided

to use the time to write my first

letter of hiskashrus to the Rebbe.
I wrote a letter about everything
I had experienced until I came
to yeshiva, and added about
the project I was doing with R
Ginsburgh on meditation. I had
a few questions about meditation
and asked the Rebbe to respond
to them.
When I finished the letter I
put it in my pocket. I planned on
mailing it the next day. My friend
Y. Y. Butman regularly recorded
the broadcasts and afterward
we would gather in a side room
and he would translate it for
those who did not understand
it. We did that this time too.
When he got to the last sicha and
translated it, I was in utter shock.
My face turned white.
The Rebbe explained that
every good thing in the world is
sourced in Torah and added that
a medicine must be given by a
doctor because he knows how
to adjust it to the patient. When
a healthy person takes medicine,
it is harmful, not helpful. The
Rebbe went on to say that this
is also true of meditation. It
could help those with emotional
problems but hurt those who are
healthy. The Rebbe then said a
line that stunned me. There are
people who are trying to develop
meditation according to kabbala
and as such are trying to adapt
the Torah to people. The Rebbe
negated this outright. I heard this
and realized that there was no
purpose in sending my letter for
I had already received an answer
that responded to each of my
questions.
I asked all those present to
wait. I took the letter out of my
pocket, told them when I had
written it, and read the questions
that I had on meditation. This
event greatly connected me to the
Rebbe.

R Harpaz receiving a dollar from the Rebbe

Speaking of the times when

farbrengens were broadcast, R
Harpaz tells of the days of great
excitement about the Rebbe and
Moshiach.
We would wake up for the
broadcasts and the discussion
among us bachurim was that this
time, the Rebbe would begin the
maamer with Anochi Melech
HaMoshiach.
During his second year in
yeshiva, Noam Yisroel developed
a good relationship with the
Yerushalmi mashpia, R Moshe
Weber.
I spent a Shabbos with him
and we connected. He called the
rosh yeshiva, R Yaakov Katz,
and asked permission to host me
every Shabbos. For months he
paid for my trip to Yerushalayim
to visit him for Shabbos.
Toward the end of the second
year, R Weber decided that
Noam Yisroel was ready for a
shidduch.
Our first meeting was in the
Weber home in Yerushalayim and
the second took place at the home
of Sudakewitz in Kfar Chabad.
During our second meeting, we
already contacted the secretariat
to ask for a bracha. After less
than half an hour, we received
the Rebbes bracha and consent

and the shidduch was sealed.

The wedding took place on
18 Elul 5739 in Kfar Chabad.

SHIURIM ON A GLOBAL
SCALE
During the first three years of
their marriage, the couple lived
in Kfar Chabad and R Harpaz
learned in the local kollel.
At the same time, he took a
job teaching in the yeshiva for
baalei tshuva founded by R
Zimroni Tzik of Bat Yam.
That was my first attempt at
giving classes. In the morning I
continued learning in the kollel
and in the evening I would give
shiurim in Chassidus in yeshiva.
When I returned home every
evening, I would visit R Gopin
and repeat the shiur that I gave
in Derech Mitzvosecha and he
would make his comments. I
had the privilege of his investing
hundreds of hours of guidance
in me and teaching me how to
prepare a shiur properly.
Since then, its all history. R
Harpaz is one of the top lecturers
in Chabad today. His students,
who learned Chassidus from him
over the years, number in the
many thousands, especially since
his shiurim were put online and

Issue 945

17

Profile

THE REBBE PAYS THE BILLS

In addition to giving fascinating shiurim, R Harpaz is known as a
mashpia who farbrengs exceptionally well.
A few years ago, I was invited to farbreng at the Merkaz Moshiach
VGeula at the Midrechov in Yerushalayim. Many people participated and it
went on and on and on. At a certain point I felt I had finished what I had to
say but the farbrengen could not stop. So I took out a sicha from my pocket
and began learning it with everyone. The sicha is printed in volume nine of
Toras Menachem.
At the end of the sicha the Rebbe says that financial problems cannot
prevent a principal from taking in students. The accountant can say there is
no money but you opened a yeshiva in the way of the Rebbe Rashab. Write
a check of even five figures and you will see that it will be covered. The
founder of the yeshiva, the Rebbe Rashab, will make sure to cover it, and
dont do this like so-and-so who does it in a wild way; do it with absolute
emuna and bitachon.
The day after the farbrengen, the director of the Merkaz, R Doron
Oron, called me and asked me to send him the sicha I taught. I uploaded
the sicha and sent it to him. As far as I was concerned, the story was over
but it turned out to have an incredible continuation that shows how our lives
revolve around hashgacha pratis.
That year, Yud-Tes Kislev was on Shabbos and I was invited to farbreng
at the Merkaz Moshiach VGeula. Before I began speaking at the Friday
night farbrengen, R Oron told about the sicha he had requested from me
and said that he had made some copies of it and sent it to some friends. A
few days went by and he received a letter in the mail from a lawyer with a
demand for payment of 100,000 shekels. The reason given was that since he
had not paid the rent for several months, he had to pay an enormous sum
now plus interest, for breach of contract and many other legal issues. He
was devastated by this and had no idea where he would get so much money
from.
The next day, one of his donors came into the Chabad house. He was
one of the people to whom he had sent the sicha. The man wanted to learn
it with him. When they finished learning, the man took out an envelope and
gave it to him. When he opened it, he was shocked to discover twenty-five
checks which added up to 100,000 shekels, the amount that would cover
what he owed.
When I heard this I thought, sometimes we go to a farbrengen and
think we are saying what we want to say, but the truth is, there is Someone
in charge who decides what will be said.
are heard all over the world.
I recently met R Chaim
Brod, one of the shluchim in
Mexico, who came to visit his
father-in-law, R Dovid Offen
in Beitar Ilit. He told me that a
short while previously, he had
visited 770 and went on mivtzaim
to the places he had visited when

18 30 Tishrei 5775

he had been on Kvutza. One of

the stores belongs to an Israeli
with whom the bachurim were
in touch over the years. They
schlepped him to farbrengens
and did a lot with him, but for
some reason, he did not make
spiritual progress.
On that visit, he went to see

him and the man was wearing

a yarmulke and tzitzis. He was
pleasantly surprised and asked
him about the change. The man
said he had recently discovered
an internet site with shiurim
on Tanya and once he began
listening to them regularly, his
mindset changed.
R Brod asked him to
show him the site and who was
giving the shiurim. They were
the shiurim I gave in Heichal
Menachem
in
Yerushalayim
which were uploaded to the web.
I recently davened in Shikun
Chabad in Yerushalayim. A
bachur came over to me to thank
me. It turned out he had been
in some third world country on
Merkos Shlichus and had to
teach Tanya. It was the first time
he had to do so and he looked
around online and found our
shiurim and that is what helped
him prepare.
I
received
another
heartwarming reaction from
a Lubavitcher who has a
senior position in a Chabad
organization. He had learned
with me in yeshiva and wanted
to thank me. Thanks to you,
he said, I began learning and
understanding Tanya. He is also
a regular listener to the shiurim
and he felt he had to contact me
and say thanks.

THE POLICEMEN
AT THE DOOR
All this teaching of Chassidus
apparently disturbed the sitra
achra, for one day, R Harpaz
found himself under criminal
investigation because of his
shiurim.
There is a wonderful fellow
by the name of Eliyahu Peretz. He
started a pirate radio station and
looked for material to broadcast.
Back then, Heichal Menachem

had produced a CD with shiurim

I gave there. He bought the CD
and played it on his station.
At some point, the police
discovered the existence of this
radio station and closed it down.
Then they knocked at my door
and said I was being held for
interrogation. I explained to
the investigator that they were
mistaken because my shiurim are
disseminated worldwide and I
did not sit in his studio and give a
shiur. I was quickly released but
to my great surprise, a few weeks
later I received a summons to
court.
The day I was told about the
court case I visited Nachalat Har
Chabad. Someone who learned
with me in yeshiva wanted to
thank me for the shiurim he had
heard on that same pirate station,
which he enjoyed tremendously
and which enabled him to better
understand the daily Tanya. I
thought, Perhaps this is the
price I have to pay to spread the
wellsprings to this extent.
As someone involved in
kiruv for many years, what
is the best way to be mekarev
people?
To look at the pnimius of the
person in front of you, not at his
externals. Another thing is not to
be afraid to say the truth.
Forty years ago, after I
returned from the Sinai to my
parents house in Givatayim, I
passed through the Central Bus
Station in Tel Aviv. There was a
tfillin stand there all the time,
belonging to R Zalman Levin ah
and R Avrohom Lisson. I looked
like a tourist with dreadlocks
and earrings, which was not
widespread in the country at that
time. One of them approached
me and asked me in English
whether I was Jewish. I said no
and continued on my way. The
reality is that two weeks later I

R Harpaz farbrenging in the Chassidus library in Beitar Ilit

was learning in yeshiva in Kfar

Chabad and I stood at that very
same stand to offer people tfillin

Sometimes, we see someone

who seems so far, but he is
actually quite close and perhaps,
within a short time, he will look
like us.
Share something with us
about Tishrei.
The change in my entire
outlook about Tishrei occurred in
5746. We were living in Emanuel
and that year, the Rebbe said a
maamer on 17 Kislev, Margila
BPumei
dRava.
In
the
beginning of the maamer the
Rebbe quotes the Rebbe Rayatz
as saying that simple people
say Thillim with tears. When
the Rebbe said this, he stopped
and commented, Obviously,
all the avoda must be done with
simcha.
Since then, my entire way
of thinking changed and that
includes the avoda of tshuva in
the month of Tishrei. Everything
must be done with simcha. Right
after this interview I am starting

a series of shiurim in Tel Aviv,

the topic of which is tshuva with
simcha. Merirus (bitterness)
was fine for earlier generations.
The Rebbe said it was good for
that time but today we no longer
have the ability to do tshuva
with merirus because we are
afraid that the merirus will lead
to atzvus (sadness). The avoda
of tshuva in our generation is
like the avoda of Shabbos which
needs to be done with simcha
and we know that on Shabbos
there is no sadness at all.
Since
Chassidus
places
an emphasis on hisbonenus
(contemplative meditation), its
not enough to say this; we need
to incorporate this into our
meditative contemplation and
think about it.
You talk a lot about
Moshiach in your shiurim and
farbrengens. Some claim that
when speaking to the outside
you need to tone down the
message. In your experience,
what is the best way to talk
about Moshiach?
The truth is that Moshiach
is something readily accepted
Issue 945

19

Profile

today. Last week I farbrenged

at a Yarchei Kalla that took
place at the Chassidic library in
Yerushalayim. R Yisroel Lipsker,
R Ron Kolton and I farbrenged
and it was a very special event.
We spoke openly about the Rebbe
as Moshiach and chai vkayam.
A lot of Poilishe Chassidim
were
present.
After
the
farbrengen, one of the attendees
came over to me and said, I
feel that the world exists only for
Moshiach. Now I understand
the meaning of the pasuk and
the spirit of G-d hovered over
the water this is the spirit of
Moshiach.
People from the outside,
and it makes no difference from
which group, readily accept the
subject of Moshiach. When you
learn Chassidus, your yearning
for Moshiach only intensifies.
Chassidus reveals to us the good
in everything in creation and
Moshiach is the perfection of
goodness. If you get a taste of
Chassidus, you want Moshiach
because
its
the
ultimate
fulfillment of Chassidus.

THE REBBES SMILE

R Harpaz often received
dollars from the Rebbe and spent
time in 770. In Tishrei 5741 he
had yechidus. That first time
that he went to see the Rebbe is

20 30 Tishrei 5775

etched in his memory.

I arrived at 770 on Erev
Yom Kippur. My wife could
not join me because she was
pregnant. When it was time for
my yechidus, I was unsure about
what to ask the Rebbe.
A long time earlier I had
read two stories, one about the
Chassid who had been rich and
had lost his money and had had
yechidus by the Alter Rebbe and
complained about his situation.
The Rebbe told him: You talk
only about what you need, but
not about what you are needed
for! The other story was about R
Isaac of Homil who had yechidus
with the Alter Rebbe when he
was 17 and after submitting his
note (which said, How can the
lowly soul that toils, cleave to
the Cause of all Causes) the
Rebbe made the unusual move
of leaving his room and showing
the Chassidim how a note to the
Rebbe is written.
These two stories were on
my mind and I did not know what
to ask and how to ask. I finally
wrote down my name and briefly
asked for success in everything.
During the yechidus I mentioned
my wifes name and her mothers
name. My wife was orphaned at
the age of two and was raised by
her father who remarried. I wrote
down the name of her biological
mother.

When the Rebbe read her

name, he asked me what her
mothers name is. I said, Chana,
but it was like the Rebbe did not
hear me and he asked again and
again. When I repeated the same
answer, he stopped asking and
made a mark with his pencil and
began to bless me. I remember
that the first bracha was for us
to have children and there were
other brachos. I was so focused
on what the Rebbe was saying
that I did not say amen at the
end.
A bizarre situation ensued
in which the Rebbe finished
the brachos, thus ending the
yechidus, but I remained standing
there. When I realized what had
happened, it was already too late.
The Rebbe was looking at me, the
secretary was opening the door
because he wanted other people
to have their turn, and I didnt
know how to extricate myself.
What should I do say a delayed
amen and leave?
The Rebbe then took out a
paper and wrote something while
I stood in the middle of the room
and didnt know what to do with
myself. A minute or two passed
and the Rebbe looked up. He
smiled a smile I will never forget
and maybe it was worth it all for
that. Then he blessed me with a
line I will never forget, Every
addition in Torah study will
lead to an addition in Hashems
blessing. I said amen and
quickly made my exit.
The Rebbes last sentence is
what gets me to focus on learning
Torah and giving shiurim.
The Rebbe guided me in that
direction. By the way, when I
told about the Rebbes repeatedly
asking me about my wifes
mothers name, they told me that
in fact you write the name of the
woman who raised her and not
the biological mother.

PARSHA THOUGHT

NOAHS ARK
AND HAMANS
GALLOWS
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg

A BOARD FROM THE ARK

One of historys most famous
construction projects was the
building of Noahs Ark, through
which he and civilization itself
were saved from the flood that
destroyed every other living
creature in the world.
This Ark served another
purpose much later in history
which is not as well-known as
the Flood story. In the Biblical
account, the Ark came to rest on
Mount Ararat where it remains
until this very day. However,
according to one Midrashic
account, the Ark served a crucial
function close to 1,500 years
later. When Haman sought to
have Mordechai hanged he sent
his son Parshandasa to fetch a
board from Noahs Ark to use in
constructing the gallows. It was
on this very board that Haman
himself was hanged!
Without too much probing
beneath the surface we can see
a correlation between these two
disparate events:
The Ark saved humanity and
the Ark saved the Jewish people
from annihilation at the hands of
the wicked Haman.
We must, however, delve
even more deeply for a better

understanding of the contribution

of the Ark to the hanging of the
Jewish nations arch enemy,
Haman. Why was it so crucial
for Haman to meet his end with
a remnant of the Ark? And why
was Haman so intent on hanging
Mordechai with this board?

FOUR SOURCES OF
HAMANS GALLOWS
A survey of Midrashic
literature yields at least three
additional views on the source of
the gallows upon which Haman
was hanged.
According to Pirkei dR
Eliezer, the lumber for the 50
cubit tall gallows was taken from
the Holy of Holies, the innermost
and most holy section of the Beis
HaMikdash.
According
to
another
Midrash, the gallows were
prepared by G-d in the Six Days
of Creation.
According to the Talmud,
Hamans name is hinted in
the verse which quotes G-ds
admonition to Adam: Have you
eaten of the tree from which I
commanded you not to eat?
The phrase Hamin-havefrom
shares the consonants of the
name Haman. Hence Hamans

name is associated with the Tree

of Knowledge, intimating that his
gallows were connected to this
infamous tree.
Hamans
gallows
are
associated with many historical
events: The first week of creation,
the eating of the fruit of the Tree
of Knowledge, Noahs Ark and
the Holy of Holies.
How can we thematically
connect the four sources of
Hamans gallows?

THE ARK: THE WOLF AND

THE LAMB
To answer this question we
must refer to Chassidic literature
which compares the Ark to the
future Messianic Age when the
entire world will experience
total peace and unity. This
phenomenon, in miniature form,
existed in the Ark. The creatures
and eight humans that populated
the Ark coexisted peacefully.
Consequently, the Ark should
therefore not be viewed solely
as a reminder of the destruction
caused by the flood but primarily
as a reminder of how perfect the
world could and will be.
We can now understand why
Haman wanted a board from
the Ark for his gallows and why
he was ultimately hanged on
it. In Hamans diabolically evil
mind, the Ark symbolized utter

Issue 945

21

Profile

In Hamans diabolically evil mind, the Ark

symbolized utter destruction and devastation.
Not only would the hanging of Mordechai be a victory
for him, he believed that it would portend an even
greater victory: extermination of Mordechais people.
Haman knew very well that the leader of a generation
represents and incorporates all of the generation. Haman
reasoned that the best omen for their destruction would
be for Mordechai to hang on a remnant of the Ark that
symbolized and was associated with utter destruction.
That would augur well for the fruition of his diabolical
plan.
destruction and devastation.
For him this bode well for the
execution of his plan. Not only
would the hanging of Mordechai
be a victory for him, he believed
that it would portend an even
greater victory: extermination
of Mordechais people. Haman
knew very well that the leader
of a generation represents
and incorporates all of the
generation. Haman assumed
that if he could rid himself of
Mordecai the leader he could also
rid himself of all of Mordechais
people. Haman reasoned that the
best omen for their destruction
would be for Mordechai to hang
on a remnant of the Ark that
symbolized and was associated
with utter destruction. That
would augur well for the fruition
of his diabolical plan.
Haman could not have been
more wrong. The boards of the
Ark symbolized the salvation
of the world so that it could
continue to exist and fulfill
G-ds purpose in Creation. It
epitomized the highest ideal
of unity that characterizes the
Messianic Age, when G-ds plan
will come to pass. The Ark that
Haman scavenged to construct

22 30 Tishrei 5775

his gallows symbolized the

survival of Mordecai and the
Jewish people, just as the Ark
allowed for the survival of the
world to ensure the endurance
of G-ds plan leading to the
Messianic Age.
We can now see that all the
opinions about the source of
Hamans gallows revolve around
one central point: overcoming
the obstacles to the fulfillment of
G-d plan for the world.

IN THE BEGINNING
The gallows that abruptly
ended Hamans attempt to
destroy the very people chosen
to implement G-ds plan for
Creation, originated in the very
act of Creation. When G-d
created the world, He did it so
that the world would eventually
become a dwelling-place for G-d.
It stands to reason that every
major event associated with His
Master Plan was already implicit
in the very first week of Creation.
This is similar to a human
builder who sets forth the goal
of his project at the very outset.
In addition, he plans at the start
for any contingent elements
necessary for the projects

ultimate success.
During the first week of
Creation G-d established that
the purpose of Creation was
BReishis. Rashi translates this
opening word to mean Because
of the two primary entities,
Torah and Israel, G-d created
the world. The purpose of
Creation will be fulfilled when
Israel receives and then fully
implements the Torah, the Master
Plan for existence.
However, in order for the
Jewish people to execute G-ds
plan they must survive. We
recite in the Hagada, In every
generation they stand up against
us to destroy us. However, the
conclusion of that refrain is,
and G-d saves us from their
hands. The instrument of G-ds
salvation of the Jewish people
and continuation of His plan
for the world must be present in
the very genesis of the Creation.
And, indeed, it was present in
the creation of the gallows upon
which Haman, the scion of
Amalek, would be hanged. This
outcome demonstrated that all
the other Hamans of the world
would fail too. The power that
guarantees this salvation has been
present since the very beginning
of existence. This powerful fact
drives the Midrashs statement
that the Ark board came into
existence during the Six Days of
Creation.

THE TEST
Once
the
world
was
completed by the creation
of Adam and Eve, G-d gave
humanity, to whom he would
eventually entrust His Master
Plan, a test commandment: Do
not eat of the fruit of the Tree
of Knowledge. The disobedience
of Adam and Eve set back the
timetable for implementation of
G-ds Master Plan. Indeed, from

that time onward, everything

seemed to have gone downhill
until the time of the Great Flood.
Here we can detect a Haman
effect: the undermining of G-ds
Master Plan. This is the reason
we associate Haman with the
Tree of Knowledge and Adam
and Eves partaking of it.
However, as bad as their
transgression seemed to be in
terms of frustrating G-ds will,
there was a silver lining, or
perhaps even more, a hidden
blessing. If evil had not mixed
with good in our world as a
result of the sin of the Tree of
Knowledge, there would have
been no challenge for humanity
to overcome and the world would
not have been the lowly world
in which G-d desires to dwell.
Indeed, the Midrash describes
G-ds purpose for Creation as a
desire to dwell in the lowliest
of realms. That suggests that He
wanted a world that harbored
evil, and that by following His
Master Plan we are intended
ultimately to overcome this
evil. Our triumph over evil will
make this world an inviting
world for G-d. This entire
episode, therefore, can be seen

as the seeds for the narrative of

Mordechais salvation rather than
the threat to him.

REHABILITATION
The next stage in G-ds
Master Plan was the Flood. On
one hand, it destroyed the evil
that had permeated the Earth up
to then and prepared the world
for its rehabilitation. Towards
that end, G-d gave Noach the
so called Seven Noachide
Commandments, which are
geared to making this a civilized
and habitable world. This set of
basic commandments served as
preparation for Sinai, when G-d
would give Israel His Master
Plan: the Torah. And, as stated,
the Ark was a model of what
the entire world would look like
when the Master Plan is finally
implemented in the Messianic
Age.
Hence, the hanging of Haman
who represented the greatest
threat of his age to the Master
Plan, with his diabolical plan to
hang Mordechai and annihilate
the entire Jewish people can
be traced back to Noachs Ark.
The Ark and the gallows both

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USA phone: 718 557 7701

reversed a potential for evil to

challenge and frustrate G-ds
plan.
Finally, the Midrash which
states that Hamans gallows
were built with materials taken
from the Holy of Holies can
be understood in light of the
foregoing analysis.
The gallows that destroyed
Haman represents the force that
will enable us to rebuild the Beis
HaMikdash, the place where
G-ds presence was pronounced,
and is the paradigm for G-ds
expectation for the entire world.
Haman saw a Temple in ruins
and thought that use of its
remains would ensure his success
in further destroying G-ds
plan. G-d saw it, contrarily, as a
sign that His plan for the world
to become His dwelling place
would indeed come to fruition.
Our Sages teach us that the
destruction of the seed of Amalek
will precede the rebuilding of the
Beis HaMikdash. It is from the
Beis HaMikdash that the G-dly
spirit will spread to the entire
world, which will finally resemble
the Ark with its peaceful and
unified atmosphere.

worldwide, online: www.RadioMoshiach.org

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

Issue 945

23

TZNIUS

TO LOVE
THAT
WHICH
IS MOST
PRECIOUS
OF ALL
With the start of the school year, we
visited a teachers room to ask teachers
how to teach our girls to love tznius.
* Those who were interviewed were:
Mrs. Elisheva Schwartz, an educational
advisor and psychodrama therapist; Mrs.
Diamant Berger of Petach Tikva and
Mrs. Yaffa Spinner of Kfar Chabad who
are experienced preschool teachers;
and Mrs. Miriam S, a veteran seminary
teacher.
By Menucha R.

24 30 Tishrei 5775

BEAUTY AND HOLINESS

How do you get a little girl to
love tznius?
Mrs. Schwartz: Lets start
with an example that is common
in a preschool, school and at
home. Little Mushky is sitting
on a chair in a way that her skirt
does not cover her knees. There
are two approaches on the part of
the mechanech, the spontaneous
reaction and the thought-out
reaction. The spontaneous reaction
is: Mushky! A Chassidishe girl does
not sit like that, its not tzanua! Fix
your skirt right now. In most cases,
this reaction goes along with a look
and tone of rebuke which the girl
internalizes at a young age.
The thought-out reaction is
effective in the long run and implants
in the child a positive memory for
tznius. It goes something like this:
Mushky, what a pretty dress you
have. Come, cover your knees and
show how pretty and tzanua you
are. Or: How pretty your dress is on
you when your knees are covered.
You are a pretty and modest girl!
With this reaction, we have
achieved a number of goals. The
child did not feel rebuked. She did
not get a message that her body
is not okay, and in addition, she
received a positive self-image and
a compliment about how she looks
and how flattering her dress is.
With this kind of reaction there
is no doubt that for this child the
concept of tznius is associated with
a compliment and beauty. Isnt this
the goal we want to achieve?
We always need to remember
and convey that tznius is not
rebuke! It is a way of life that leads
to simcha, bracha and beauty too.
Unfortunately, for many older
girls the word tznius is immediately
associated with negativity, feeling
choked, fear, and memories of the
principal chasing after them. We
can change this stigma by not, G-d
forbid, conveying fear and rebuke,

but beauty and holiness instead, and it all starts at a

young age.
Another thing that can implant love for tznius in
a little girl is being particular to dress her in modest
clothes which are also esthetically pleasing, clean,
and up-to-date. The way a girl perceives her body
image is very closely linked with the clothes she
wears. A girl does not want to wear an item that is
not flattering to her. It can make her feel socially
rejected and will lead to her not loving that which
represents tznius. When we dress a child in a
modest and pretty outfit, we achieve our goal.

FEMININE ROYALTY
Mrs. Berger: Boruch Hashem, we have many
options today with which to create a love for tznius
in preschool and at home.
First, when I sit facing the girls, I always double
check to make sure my skirt is covering my knees
fully. The girls see this and it has a direct impact on
them.
We expect of our girls/students to dress and
behave modestly, so we need to do the same. A child
is mature enough to understand when its genuine
and when you have to dress like that in school
what can you do ... When she sees a teacher that
she admires dressing modestly, it makes her want to
associate with her in dress too.
In general, I am not in favor of focusing on
those who are not careful about tznius (because
that is what sometimes happens by pointing things
out). Rather, it is preferable to praise, encourage,
and promote those who are careful about it. This
creates a desire and even a good competitive spirit
among other girls to adopt and behave in modest
ways, because its great and worthwhile to dress
modestly.
We start the morning with a nice song in which
we mention the rules of tznius and what a privilege
it is for us. You can actually see how, while singing
the song, the girls straighten out their skirts and sit
modestly without my having to say anything. There
is an additional benefit in that the girls love to sing
and be happy and that there is also an emphasis on
the rules of tznius in an experiential way.
Stressing the rules of tznius is also done in other
ways; for example, in touching up picture books.
Sometimes we get books in which the girls are not
always depicted modestly. The girls absorb the
pictures. Of course, we want them to absorb only
good things, so I fix them. Sometimes this is done
near the girls who watch and ask why Im drawing

stockings and sleeves. This gives me a wonderful

opportunity to explain the rules of tznius in a
hands-on way.
After thirteen years of teaching experience,
I can pray and hope that we women should have
the kabbalas ol of the little girls who understand,
when we explain to them pleasantly, that tznius is a
womans royalty and are happy to observe it!

PREPARING FOR GEULA

Mrs. Spinner: Rebbe, Rebbe, and Rebbe. Every
girl loves the Rebbe with an essential bond that is
inestimable. The Rebbe is part of our very personas
and part of our way of life. In preschool I teach
the girls that the Rebbe wants us to be modest and
when we dress modestly it makes him happy. A girl
who exercises self-mastery in tznius understands
that the Rebbe is smiling at her now and is very
pleased with what she does. I tell them that soon the
Rebbe will come and now we are preparing for this,
because when he comes he will be so happy to see
us dressed modestly. Theres no question that this
gives them a lot of motivation.
Another thing I do is praise a girl for what she
is doing modestly. Yes, her skirt might be short and
her blouse open, but if she came to preschool today
with tights after many struggles, thats fabulous
and she deserves a compliment and a big deal
made about this. The girl then feels that she has
something modest about her even though there is
more to fix. I will add that if she came today with
tights, then I am sure she will eventually come with
a longer skirt.
It is vital to make the effort to find that which is
modest about a girl, whether its proper language,
long sleeves, or anything else it may be. When we
see a girl as someone who belongs and is with the
program, it gives her the strength to continue and
progress. I am delighted in the morning when they
run (literally) to show me what they are wearing
that is modest today.
A few weeks ago, we learned how Hashem
created Chava. I told the girls the Midrash that
when Hashem created her, with every limb that
He created He said, Be modest. This is what is
primary about us. The girls feel and experience
this. This is just one example of how, at every
opportunity, we can convey messages of tznius in
an interesting way that is enjoyable to them.
And of course, above of all is being a positive
role model to the girls, not just in dress but in
speech, thought and action.

Issue 945

25

Tznius
Terrific. As a preschool teacher, do you
have a message for mothers?
Definitely! We need to remember that girls
of this age are so impressionable. The way we
shape them today is the way, with Hashems
help, they will be at age 17. This is the age
that is so uncomplicated in which they accept
everything with innocent kabbalas ol and a
genuine desire to do what is expected of them.
The more they internalize tznius with joy and
love, the easier it will be when they are older.
Now is the time to influence them in the short
and long run. Dont say, When she gets
older, Ill teach her.
Also, a mother benefits when she teaches
her daughter tznius because it gives her an
opportunity and a boost to advance in her own
tznius.
Every mother needs to remember that she
has the ability to endear tznius to her daughter
at this age, because this is what symbolizes her
being a Jewish girl and in the future, a Jewish
woman. When a little girl plays the role she
wants to be when she grows up, she is training
herself, as the Rebbe said. The same is true for
tznius. When, from a young age, she dresses
according to the rules of tznius, she is actually
taking a step toward being a woman!
Another message Id like to convey is, let
a child be a child! Little girls love to run and
slide down the slide. Doing so with a tight
skirt is difficult and uncomfortable. Even from
the standpoint of hygiene, tights and long
skirts protect the girls from germs. So, for
their good, let us enable them to enjoy their
age as pure Jewish girls and, with Hashems
help, we will have much Chassidishe nachas
from them.
When a girl is in the presence of an
admired teacher, she has more of a desire
to be careful about tznius. How can we
accustom a girl to tznius wherever she is,
not just at school?
Mrs. Schwartz: Habits begin from
seemingly trivial things. These seemingly
insignificant things are what accustom and
train a girl to tznius even when she is with her
cousins or her own family.
An example of habituation to tznius from
a young age is dressing her after a bath.
Sometimes, mothers feel that when the girl is
three or four, its not a big deal to take her
in a towel to the bedroom and to dress her

26 30 Tishrei 5775

there. But habits die hard and when she is six

it wont be that easy to start getting dressed
in the bathroom. Then, when the girl is in
the company of strangers and is not covered
properly, we cant be sure she will understand
what we mean when we tell her, Its not
tzniusdik, because it all begins at home. If
we are not particular at home, among family
members, the tznius wont be strong outside
of the home either.
However, when a girl is accustomed from
a young age to get dressed in the bathroom,
then when a situation arises in which she
is with extended family, even if she will be
running around she will remain modest since
she became accustomed to the idea that her
body is covered even at home.

JEWISH ASSERTIVENESS
It is easier to manage with younger
children because they are desirous of
earning our approval with good behavior.
But what about adolescent girls? Can you
give mothers some tips about how to handle
tznius then?
Mrs. Schwartz: Adolescent girls are
influenced by their peers who are the ones
to set the standard. So it is much harder for
parents. At this stage, parents need to be alert
to early indications for a desire to change.
These indications can include speaking
differently than usual, a different style of
behavior, and at a certain stage, a change in
dress. There are a number of reasons that can
lead to a desire to change and we will address
some of them (there are crises that can lead
to these behaviors which need professional
intervention MR).
There is the desire to belong to the group in
ones way of talking, behaving, and dressing.
Dealing with it is complicated and needs to
be done gently and warmly. The girls feelings
and experiences need to be understood and
she has to be told that her conduct is natural
and results from the transition from childhood
to adulthood. A parent can also share struggles
she had when she was an adolescent.
The way that has been proven to be most
effective is assertiveness training or, more
correctly, Jewish assertiveness. When a
parent teaches her child assertiveness from a
young age, the child will take pride in being an

individual and having the ability to go against the

current, when necessary. When the child receives a
lot of positive feedback about this, he or she has a
chance of prevailing over social pressure.
In adolescence, a girl feels a need to change, to
develop a new image and to appear well groomed.
This is positive and should be encouraged in a
good, modest way. When we allow her to buy
modest, pretty clothing now and then (even as a
surprise), and we dont wait for her to say, I have
nothing to wear, Its a year since weve bought
anything, we show her that it is also important to
us that she look nice, as well as modest. When a
parent is involved in the process the adolescent is
going through, its much easier all around.
Take note sometimes, clothing works for one
body type and not for another. It is very possible
to have two girls who are wearing the identical
item and on one it is flattering and on another it
is ugly. In order for the girl to be happy with her
clothing, you need to check that it is both modest
and flattering.
Remember, although its hard, try not to get to
the point where you are arguing, which will end
up in yes, boss but wont have your daughter
internalizing the values you want her to have.
At the same time, dont be afraid to state your
opinion. You can be forthright but convey love
and caring at the same time. It is important for
the girl to notice that her parents love her and give
her attention not only when there are problems
but also, mainly, when everything is just fine. It is
definitely hard to be both firm and to convey love,
but with consistency, love, and empathy, we can
achieve the goal, with Hashems help!

HEARTFELT MESSAGES
How can we convey the message of tznius to
an adolescent girl so she will be receptive?
Mrs. Miriam S: We are in a generation in which
real commitment is required in order to live with
kabbalas ol. When we want to transmit a message
to girls that to dress modestly is smart, good,
beautiful and useful to them, we need to speak to
their hearts and not just focus on what they have
to do, on what their obligations are. They we can
have an impact.
Every Bas Chabad wants to establish a
Chassidic home and to merit a husband with good
middos, a yerei Shamayim and yes, someone who
is also modest. The key to all this is tznius. When
we explain to a girl, nicely, kindly, how much her

way of dressing will affect her choosing a husband,

she will realize that it is smart on her part to dress
properly.
As a teacher of many years experience I can tell
you that many families nix shidduchim suggestions
in the initial stages just because of the girls
manner of dress. Even if a bachur is interested in
a more worldly girl, his mother is the one who
makes the inquiries and she is the one who sifts
through the names. She is certainly not interested
in a daughter-in-law who will sit immodestly at the
Shabbos table with her husband and sons.
Its easy to be shortsighted and focus on the
present, but we need to look to the future and a
girl ought to realize that a Jewish home and a
Chassidishe husband depend on her now and its a
shame to miss out, for her own benefit.
As an educator, surely you have encountered
girls who are not dressed modestly. How do you
react?
When I see that a girl has shown up dressed
inappropriately, I do not point it out in the first
thing I say or in the first conversation that we have,
and surely not in front of the entire class. First,
you need to invest in an emotional bond and in
communicating properly (this is true, of course,
for a mother and daughter too). Then you can
sit down together and talk in a good atmosphere,
first seeing who the girl sitting facing you is on
the inside and knowing what she has to deal with.
Only after I know her and Ive complimented her
can I ask her to be respectful and come in proper
attire. I explain why what she is wearing is not
suitable. Usually, when you do this from a place of
closeness and understanding, it is far more likely to
be accepted than rebuke.
I remember an instance in which I taught a
girl who came to class with long, styled nails that
definitely were inappropriate for this school. It
really annoyed me but I decided not to comment,
because it was probably pointed out to her before
and she still continued showing up this way.
I arranged to talk to her and what can I tell you
From thinking of her as a girl who was a rulebreaker I discovered an incredible person. She had
made her entire family into baalei tshuva and she
continued to set the tone for mitzva observance in
her home. I admired her.
At the end of the conversation, I told her that
I understood that her nails were important to her,
but for the next class I wanted her to remove the
Continued on page 11
Issue 945

27

CHINUCH

THE CHALLENGE
OF OUR GENERATION
Our veteran correspondent, R Nosson Avraham,
who also works as an experienced practitioner
in the field of education, recently hosted his
friend, Rabbi Avraham Tzatzik, for a one-onone discussion. Rabbi Tzatzik is a prominent
educator in the Chassidic-Chareidi community
and the developer of the Cycles in Gemara
approach. They spoke about the main emphasis
in education, the correct way to help a child,
the dangers of modern-day technology, and the
objectives we must set for ourselves.
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

I recently had the pleasure of

hosting Rabbi Avraham Tzatzik,
a highly qualified Chassidic
educator,
father
of
eight
children, developer of the Cycles
in Gemara approach, and
prominent lecturer in all matters
of education.
Rabbi Tzatzik has worked
his entire life in the field of
education. Even before he
began the process of returning
to his Jewish roots, when he
was working in the hi-tech
industry, his area of expertise
was administering educational
programs. Later, when he became
a student of the veteran educator,
Rabbi Yeshayahu Weber, he
entered the field of teaching the

28 30 Tishrei 5775

principles of Gemara instruction.

Through this aspect of his work,
he was exposed to the broad field
of neurological and emotional
disorders among students, which
constitute an obstruction to
greater progress on all fronts.
I understood that its not
enough to identify learning
disabilities. We have to find and
provide practical solutions for
the child that can help him in his
studies.
While Rabbi Tzatzik is not
considered a member of the
Chabad Chassidic community,
he was proud to tell us about
his great appreciation and
admiration for the Rebbe Melech
HaMoshiach
and
Chabad

Chassidus. He also revealed

that he was a descendant of a
Chassid of the Rebbe Rashab and
the Rebbe Rayatz. My paternal
grandfather was R Mordechai
Tzatzik, a great Chassid filled
with complete faith who did
tremendous work behind the Iron
Curtain. He was the father of six
sons and a daughter. While his
sons eventually left an observant
lifestyle, including my father,
his daughter remained loyal
to the traditions of Torah and
mitzvos. I heard stories about my
grandfather from her son, who
had been raised in his shadow
and had such great admiration
for him.
Just prior to the holiday

of Sukkos with its message of

Jewish unity, and having been
raised and educated according
to Chabad principles, I chose the
opportunity to have a friendly
discussion on the issue of
education with my friend, Rabbi
Avraham Tzatzik, whom I now
present to our readers.

SUITING EACH CHILD FOR

HIS EDUCATIONAL PATH
It
would
seem
that
throughout the history of
the
Jewish
People,
there
has never been a generation
with the degree and number
of
educational
challenges
as those facing the various
communities and sectors within

this generation. I would like to

discuss this matter at greater
depth, placing an emphasis
upon the difficulties and how to
solve them.
Rabbi
Tzatzik:
Indeed,
our generation faces many
challenges. In my opinion, while
there were serious challenges in
all the preceding generations,
they may have been able to deal
with them more successfully.
In those days, teachers were
determined individuals who saw
their educational work as a real
shlichus.
From my vantage point,
one great challenge is to
know how to identify a childs
hardships and to provide the

proper response. To attain this

objective, we must focus on
the child, not the learning. All
children are different, even
among siblings. The Torah
speaks of four children, each
one has his own built-in system
of skills and understanding.
In many instances, whats
happening today is that parents
and educators send the child
for psychological testing and
treatment only after all other
options have been exhausted and
the childs frustration leads him
to a confrontation with his school
or his parents at home.
There are also parents on
the other side of the coin. While
they are aware and realize that

Issue 945

29

CHINUCH

their child has certain difficulties,

they take steps that do no more
than prevent further damage.
For example, for a child who has
problems learning Gemara, the
parents hire an untrained and
unprofessional kollel student
to help him understand the
learning material. The result is
that the child is not helped and
the challenges dont disappear; it
merely bolsters the approach of
the childs teacher. The parents
end up spending a lot of money,
and only several years later do
they realize that their childs
educational situation has not
improved.

30 30 Tishrei 5775

Theres another issue that

I speak about a great deal in
lectures. The primary reason
for emotional and behavioral
problems in children was that the
mode of learning and conduct
isnt always suited to the childs
character. I generally place
children in two categories: a)
children with a logical viewpoint,
i.e. the intellectual outlook is
dominant; b) children with a
dominant emotional side, a more
prominent inclination towards
creativity and imagination, who
connect more to drama and art.
Imagine a child, connected
to his more emotional traits,

who finds himself in a place

where emotion is suppressed and
greater emphasis is placed on
pure intellect. Or, consider the
opposite end of the spectrum:
an exceptionally logical child
finds himself where far higher
priority is placed on emotion.
What happens to such a child?
He stifles his natural strengths,
working instead to placate his
environment. Consequently, he
never experiences true success,
as he uses his less prominent
strengths. He will never feel
accepted. Teachers would do
right if they would integrate logic
into their class, while leaving
room for some home-styled
emotional development not
just in Talmud Torahs, but also in
yeshivos.
I more than agree with what
youre saying. I see this clearly
in my own work. To sharpen this
point, it might be appropriate
to note that the prevailing
ideal among certain sectors to
place unrealistic goals for the
students, e.g. the obligation to
become great Torah scholars,
has had tragic results. This is
because, practically speaking,
only a few people can attain
such a level. Furthermore, it
is uncertain that this is the
mission that G-d has designated
for them, and when they fail, it
can potentially break them.
Rabbi Tzatzik: I speak a
great deal about this with parents
and teachers, and there are those
who criticize my line of thinking.
There is a concern that if a parent
or a teacher introduces additional
elements to the classic approach
to Torah study, it harms the
ideal that learning is everything.
I reply to them that its possible
to connect anything to Torah
study. For example, they can ask
students to make a presentation
on a story from the Gemara
or the Mishna or as a means of

explaining halachos in Shulchan

Aruch.
For example, if they want to
do some creative artwork, they
can build a sukka when they
study the relevant Mishnayos
on its halachic dimensions, or a
model of the Beis HaMikdash
when they learn Hilchos Beis
HaBechira in the Rambams
Mishneh Torah. The same applies
on the home front: give children
an opportunity to express
themselves in a variety of ways
instead of restricting them to just
one method.
Id like to get back to
the challenges and then add
something. In my opinion,
the biggest challenge is giving
quality time to our children.
Today, parents are working from
sunrise to sunset. As for those
who dont work, they dont
always have the emotional time
their children need. Therefore,
they have to set a regular time
to be with each of their children

Teachers would do right if they would integrate

logic into their class, while leaving room for
some home-styled emotional development not just in
Talmud Torahs, but also in yeshivos.

individually learn with them,

play with them, and listen to
them.
I meet many parents who
dont really know their own
children, and this is the heart of
the problem. The Rebbe Rashab
determined that every parent
must think about the education
of his/her children for at least
half an hour each day. When
we as parents invest sufficient
thought into and quality time
with our children, we find
ourselves
deeply
involved.
Therefore, it will be far less
likely that we will be caught
totally unaware of our childs
weaknesses in his Gemara
studies or his failure to take his
homework seriously.

THE DREADED
TECHNOLOGY
Rabbi Tzatzik: I would
like to speak about technology
and multimedia, which in my
opinion is the great illness of this
generation. No Jewish child or
youth can claim immunity from
these modern tools. Even the
Gentiles have already understood
the
educational
destruction
they cause. As a teacher and in
Chabad in general, how do you
deal with this matter?
Chabad
rabbanim
have
come out clearly against
cellular devices with unscreened
Internet and unlimited home
Internet usage. While Chabad
yeshivos have forbidden the use
Issue 945

31

CHINUCH
of any Internet devices, in truth,
there is a great deal of work
to do on this matter. Todays
students have undoubtedly been
exposed to things that children
of their age never would have
seen or heard before.
In the past, there were those
who attacked Chabad when it
taught Chassidus over the radio,
and the Rebbe replied that the
radio is a tool and it depends
upon how we use it. With regard
to Internet, Chabads approach
is that the tool is neither kosher
nor un-kosher, since it can
be used to spread the path of
Yiddishkait. However, most
regrettably, the potential for
damage is very great. There can
be no doubt that we must limit
and filter its use more and more.
While it seems that there is a
tremendous awakening on this
subject, it is clear to everyone
that it is far from satisfactory.
Rabbi
Tzatzik:
There
was a time in the past when I
would make many computer
presentations as a means of
explaining the methods of
Gemara study to my students.
This had a most impressive
effect, and the students truly
enjoyed them. However, at a
certain point, it became clear to
me that together with Gemara
study, I was exposing them to the
wealth of possibilities proposed
by the media, and I feared that
I was connecting them to the
computer and its gimmickry,
not their learning. Therefore, I
moved from computer aids to
more traditional illustrations. In
the final analysis, I not only think
that the Internet, but everything
connected with the computer is a
disgusting form of muktzeh.
Without question, there must
be balance. The educational
approach
that
uses
only
visual aids can create external

32 30 Tishrei 5775

stimulation that will detract from

the actual presentation, thereby
lessening the level of learning
ability.

THE THREEFOLD
CONNECTION: FATHER,
MOTHER, AND CHILD
I would like to talk about
obedience and setting limits.
This has also become a matter
of much concern in our
generation. In the past, there
was a clear distance between
parent and child. Today, it
seems that in many homes its
the children, not their parents,
who set the agenda.
Rabbi Tzatzik: As someone
who teaches children, I can tell
you that its very easy to identify
these youngsters based on their
conduct, and this is indeed a
serious problem. Parents must
establish a clear system of rules
and regulations, which above
all must be clear to the parents
themselves. There are some
parents who tell their child: Tatty
doesnt let, right?, and then wait
for the childs approval...
From my perspective, the
father doesnt ask, he lays down
the law. After the parents decide,
they must logically choose which
issues to emphasize and on which
they are prepared to be more
flexible, since you obviously cant
forbid everything.
Chassidus clearly explains
the role of the father at home,
the role of the mother, and the
role of the child. This threefold
connection usually remains
unbroken, provided that it
functions the way it should.
When one of the three doesnt
work properly, this has a
negative effect upon the child. A
child who feels that his parents
are a crutch grows up with
a serious lack of confidence,

although it often appears that

he is controlling his parents out
of a sense of overconfidence.
In practical terms, his conduct
is actually a cry for help: Set
limits for me, let me feel more
secure.
I speak with parents who
tell me that their child wont
agree or hell create chaos. Its
difficult to hear such talk. A
parent must tell his child No,
not just Yes. A child has to
defer to his parents authority.
Furthermore, we must say
that as parents and educators,
if we devote enough time to our
child and listen to him, much
of the opposition and defiance
disappears. A child often objects
because he fails to get positive
attention and subsequently
looks for negative attention.
Thus, we unknowingly play into
our childs hands, instead of
controlling the situation.
I definitely support the
idea of showing respect for the
child. My father always says,
Show respect for another, and
he will respect you. Smile at
him, and he will smile at you.
Make an effort, and you will
see that it works. So too with
our children: They also deserve
our appreciation and respect,
and then you will see that theyll
show respect for you as well.

A SALUTE TO CHABAD
EDUCATION
Rabbi Tzatzik: I would like
to salute Chabad education for
the interaction provided in its
educational institutions between
excelling and weaker students,
and
between
homegrown
Chassidim and those raised in
other sectors. If were talking
about unity within Chabad, I
think that first and foremost,
it begins there, and it is easy to

distinguish.
In the class that I teach,
there are twelve students, only
two of whom are from Chabad
homes. The Chabad ideal is that
we dont leave a single Jewish
child behind, even if he is not
academically or intellectually
successful. There is no
such thing as a second-class
Jew. I personally received my
education in Kfar Chabad, and
naturally, all my classmates
had come only from Chabad
homes. In contrast, my wife
had been raised in Tzfas, and
she told me that most of the
girls in her class came from
non-Chabad homes. Yet, not
only did this not prove to be
a harmful phenomenon; they
even considered it a shlichus to
influence their classmates about
the spirit of Chabad. Every Jew
is an entire world, and we dont
look at a persons external garb.
Rabbi Tzatzik: Since you
mention Chabad, Ill tell you
about an incident that Im sure
youll like. I have pictures of
animals and scenic views on my
computer. When my students
are particularly engrossed with
their learning, I show them these
pictures.

On one occasion, there was a

Chabad boy to whom I showed
the pictures, one of which
included tigers and elephants. He
looked at the picture and cried,
Ich! Treif! It was only then, as
a result of this response, that I
first became aware of the Rebbes
position on the whole subject
of non-kosher animals. This is
clear testimony to the powerful
influence of the Rebbe instilling
within younger people a sense of
disgust for all forms of impurity.

MOSHIACH DOESNT
BELONG JUST TO CHABAD
Its no secret that the main
emphasis in Chabad education
is how everything must be
infused with the subject of
Moshiach and the Redemption.
We see clearly when a child who
lives in great anticipation for
the coming of Moshiach, each
of his actions takes on a unique
vitality. How does the issue
of Moshiach appear in other
sectors?
Rabbi Tzatzik: I want
to reveal an open secret:
Moshiach doesnt just belong to
Chabad. I recently distributed
a questionnaire to non-Chabad

children I had taught, and one

of the questions was: What do
you expect will happen next
year? All of them replied that
Moshiach will come! I am a firm
believer that we must educate our
children accordingly. Yet, even
when we succeed in instilling
this belief, the success will not be
complete as long as we remain in
exile.
Theres an old folk story
about a Russian villager who
asked his wife to daven that
Moshiach should come. When
she asked why, her husband
replied that he had heard a rumor
that the Cossacks were heading
towards their town. If Moshiach
will come, he explained, we will
go to Yerushalayim and be saved
from them. Perhaps it would be
better to daven that G-d take the
Cossacks to Yerushalayim, she
told her husband. Then well
have peace and tranquility. This
represents a galus mentality a
concealment of G-ds Divine
countenance. There is no doubt
that teaching people to have a
true anticipation for Moshiachs
coming is extremely helpful to
the whole concept of Jewish
education.

Issue 945

33

TZIVOS HASHEM

THE
M YSTERIOUS
E VENT
By D Chaim
On Friday, I noticed that
Shmuely was going around the
classroom and giving out a note to
each boy. Here, this is for you,
he said when he came to me and
he stuck a paper into my hand. I
opened the folded note curiously
and read what it said in Shmuelys
curly handwriting:
This Motzaei Shabbos, at
the Hoshia es Amecha shul, 14
Rechov HaGeula, please come
dressed nicely.
How interesting. What did he
plan on doing there? I wondered.
How odd that he did not include
me. Is it a surprise party for
someone? I tried to guess. No,
nobody has a birthday coming up.
I came to the conclusion that the
best way to find out what Shmuely
had prepared for us was to ask
him.
As you surely remember, he
is my best friend and we always
solved mysteries together. As far
as I knew, there was no reason for
us not to work together this time
too. I went over to Shmuely at the
end of class and asked him, What
event is taking place at the shul?

34 30 Tishrei 5775

If I wanted people to know, I

would have written it on the note,
he replied.
The truth is, his answer
bothered me a bit. So what if he
wanted to keep the event a secret
he could tell his best friend,
couldnt he? I decided I would
do just what he did. I would also
arrange something on my own.
For a while now, I had wanted
to ask the mashpia, R Zalman,
what we kids could do to hasten
the hisgalus of the Rebbe MHM.
Now was my opportunity!
I had planned on approaching
R Zalman with Shmuely but if
he didnt want to, well, it wasnt
necessary. I got Tzvi, who lives
near me, to join me and together,
we walked to the mashpias house
after arranging a visit with him.
R Zalman is the mashpia of the
community we live in. He is a very
special Chassid. The adults love
to listen to him at the farbrengens
that take place in the community
and guests always come from
nearby cities.
R Zalman does not forget
the younger folk. He always

remembers to interact with us kids

and he even farbrengs with us now
and then. So we felt confident to
go and talk to him. We knocked
on the door of his house which
has a Beis Chabad sign on it and
R Zalman opened the door. He
welcomed us with a smile, caressed
his graying beard gently, and
invited us to sit down on the couch
in the living room. Refreshments
were already available on the small
table and all we had to do was
recite a bracha.
So you want to hasten the
hisgalus of the Rebbe ... he
mumbled to himself. You are true
soldiers in Tzivos Hashem! We
remained shyly quiet and he asked
us, You recently told me that you
are learning inyanei Moshiach and
Geula, right?
We have a shiur in class every
day during one of the breaks, I
said.
You know what, R Zalman
said, interrupting the silence after
a few minutes of thought. I think
I have an idea for you.
Have you noticed a mysterious