Edgware Lubavitch Booklet - Parasha Toldot 5782

General Overview: In this week's reading, Toldot, Jacob and Esau are born. Isaac relocates to Philistine where he digs wells, resulting in friction between him and the locals. Rebecca and Jacob successfully deceive Isaac, tricking him into giving to Jacob the blessings he had intended for Esau.

First Aliyah: Rebecca had trouble conceiving. Isaac and Rebecca prayed for children, and after twenty years of marriage Rebecca became pregnant. She was concerned about her exceedingly difficult pregnancy, and was advised by G-d that this was due to two children two nations struggling in her womb. She gave birth to twin boys: a hairy, ruddy boy named Esau, and a second son, born clutching his brother's heel, named Jacob. Esau became a hunter, while Jacob was an honest man who frequented the schools of Torah. Isaac favored Esau, while Rebecca preferred Jacob. One day, Esau came home from the field hungry, and pleaded with Jacob to give him some of the stew he was cooking. Jacob agreed to Esau's request provided that he give him his birthright as firstborn in exchange and Esau acceded to this barter. There was a famine in Canaan, and Isaac was escaping the famine by traveling to Egypt via Philistine when G-d told him to remain in Philistine. G-d also informed Isaac that he would visit upon him all the blessings He had promised to Abraham.

Second Aliyah: Isaac settled in Philistine. When the townspeople inquired regarding his wife, he told them that she was his sister, fearing that otherwise the Philistines would kill him in order to take Rebecca. Eventually, Abimelech, king of the Philistines, noticed that Rebecca was Isaac's wife and though he reprimanded Isaac, he issued a decree that no one touch them. While in Philistine, Isaac sowed crops, and miraculously harvested a hundred times more than a field's normal yield.

Third Aliyah: Isaac became extremely wealthy. He also re-dug some of the wells that his father Abraham had dug, but had since been stopped up by the Philistines. The Philistines eventually became envious of his wealth, and asked him to leave. Isaac complied, moving away from the city and settling in the Gerar Valley. There, Isaac's servants dug two new wells but the Philistines contested his ownership over these wells. The third well he dug was uncontested.

Fourth Aliyah: G-d appeared to Isaac and blessed him and assured him that He would always be with him.

Abimelech approached Isaac and requested to enter into a peace treaty with him.

Fifth Aliyah: Isaac agreed to Abimelech's request. On that day, Isaac's servants informed him that they had successfully dug another well. At the age of forty, Esau married two wives. Their idolatrous ways anguished Isaac and Rebecca. Isaac had now advanced in age, and he became blind. He summoned Esau and told him that he wished to bless him, but first he should go to the field and hunt some game for him to eat. Rebecca heard this conversation and advised Jacob to don Esau's clothing and trick Isaac into blessing him instead. Rebecca prepared meat and gave it to Jacob to bring to his father. She also took hairy goatskin and put it on Jacob's smooth arms and neck. Jacob approached his father and presented himself as Esau, and Isaac ate from the repast Rebecca had prepared.

Sixth Aliyah: Isaac blessed Jacob with the "dew of the heaven and the fat of the earth," and granted him mastery over his brother. No sooner than the blessing ended, Esau arrived from the field, only to be informed by his father who now understood what had transpired that the blessing was already given to his younger brother. Esau was furious and Isaac comforted him with a minor blessing. Esau was determined to kill Jacob, but Rebecca, who got wind of this plot, asked Isaac to send Jacob to Charan to find a wife. Isaac did so, and blessed Jacob again before he departed.

Seventh Aliyah: Isaac sent Jacob to his brother-in-law Laban's home, to marry one of his daughters. Esau married again, this time to Machalat the daughter of Ishmael. © Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.

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Part 9

By Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson Mother of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Published and copyrighted by Kehot Publication Society

Rebbetzin Chana returns home At the beginning of Elul,1 I returned home to Dnepropetrovsk. I traveled via Moscow where I again visited all the appropriate government offices, submitting documents and appeals for commuting d parcels.

The reception I received from the Dnepropetrovsk community was most sympathetic, friendly and respectful. Even gentiles came to inquire about our welfare. it was illegal to do so openly. In the synagogue, they had fenced off his seat, allowing no one to come close.

During the years before his arrest, there had been some differences of opinion between him and some congregants concerning the nusach2 of the prayers, the sounding of the shofar on Rosh Hashanah even during the silent Musaf prayer,3 holding hakafot on the eve of both Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah,4 and the like. Now, however, there were no differing opinions, and everything was conducted as if my husband was still present. Even his greatest erstwhile opponents now proclaimed that the Rav Later, when I related all this to my husband, he was deeply gratified and pleased with this report.

Now the congregation and the chazzan sang all the Yom Tov tunes that my husband would use for the prayers, and on Simchat Torah sang the melodies he used to sing.5 Some members of the congregation had been summoned by the NKVD for interrogation, ostensibly for other reasons. But their interrogation focused mainly on why my husband was being accorded such honor.

Everyone took an interest in my plight and sincerely desired to help alleviate it. They were afraid, however, to approach the courtyard where I lived. I remained alone all day, until Rachel would come home from work.

The only exceptions were two good friends, members of our community, who would come to visit me clandestinely, almost every night, at 11:00that even their families remained unaware of their visits. They came to keep me informed of any news. How I enjoyed those visits! On leaving, they would return home through as many as ten different sidebe apparent where they had come from. Although always convinced they were being watched, they still would return the following night.

Groups of several visitors often formed, and their discussion focused on the Rav, his accomplishments, his effect on the community, his sermons and his exhortations to the community.

Although he almost always had opponents, in the end they all become reconciled with him, often becoming loyal friends.

Chasid I recall an incident when I once left my house late at night and encountered an acquaintance who belonged to the most secular Jewish circles. He approached me, furtively glancing all around to

make sure no one saw him speaking to me. When he was certain no one was looking, he asked whether I remembered the banquet at t Present at that banquet was a certain Dr. Friedman, a university lecturer who belonged to nonChasidic circles. He had received rabbinic ordination and considered himself a significant Torah scholar. At the dinner, he had asked the Rav about the verse,6 am a Chasid mitnaged,7

My husband, the Rav

·

[Written on] the 28th of Menachem Av, 5708 [9/02/1948] Letter about the 19th of Kislev of those who have left us and left none like them!

8

I would like to continue recording my memoirs of that period, and will attempt to do so.

Time passed, month by month, with the established routine. My husband had been charged with certain crimes propaganda against the government, for which purpose it was claimed that he maintained contact with punishable by death. But since they were unable to prove this by any of the means they employed, ommunity mainly of Jews, of course so that he would be unable to utilize his spiritual powers to influence others.

Accordingly, his correspondence was strictly censored. Letters between us always took a long time, which was very upsetting. He was prohibited from corresponding at all with anyone else, and people were afraid even to send him regards through my letters.

At the end of the month of Cheshvan,9 I received a letter from him. He had hurried to send it out as early as possible for fear that it might otherwise not arrive in time. In the letter, he asked that I should see to it that the mood in our home on the 19th of Kislev10 should be a Yom Tov one, with good food etc. He even listed all minor details necessary for preparing the celebration, particulars he would usually not be involved with while at home. He also directed me to cast all negative feelings out of my mind, and to ensure that the day be a real Yom Tov. ·

Attempts at extortion As time went on, I started planning another trip to join my husband close to Passover.

During the winter months, I was subjected to repeated provocations. Almost daily, I received reports that my husband had been brought back to prison in Yekaterinoslav reports usually whispered to me as top-secret information.

A Christian woman, claiming to same cell as her father. A young Jewish man, involved in construction, informed me he had seen my husband at a prison in a location near Kiev, and that he had requested I send him clothes and the like.

Whenever I received such reports, I was directed to appear on certain street-corners, usually in the evening hours when no one would see us talking together. As much as logic dictated that I pay no attention to all this, yet in the final anal be some truth in it and that I really ought to help my husband at such a time.

Unable to decide on my own what to do, I waited until late at night, when I could consult with friends about these offers. It was most difficult when I was advised to go to the place where I had

been directed. I did not follow this advice, simply because it was too frightening to do so the places were either near the local jail or near the NKVD headquarters.

Eventually, these incidents proved to be attempts at sheer extortion.

The I started to prepare for my second trip during the month of Adar,11 just as I had done for the previous speedy return home.

After my necessary preparations, I traveled again via Moscow. I experienced similar problems to the previous time, but good friends helped me, supplying me with whatever was possible.

I again visited all government offices that could grant commutation of his bitter exile.

Unfortunately, those visits only depleted my health but contributed nothing positive.

Two weeks before Passover was also dispirited, which disturbed me deeply. Until my arrival, the man I had asked to move in with him had been staying there. This roommate had no food of his own and was always hungry.

Consequently, whenever my husband received a food parcel, he shared it with his roommate. y change; they usually turn into different people. My husband, however, remained the same. As soon as he would find sheet of paper, even a few scraps, he would use them to record his Torah insights. On one occasion he farbreng with someone now, because e

Efforts to obtain bread A month before my arrival, they stopped giving my husband his allotted bread-ration. To get it reinstated, I visited various government departments, trying to meet senior officials with whom I had become acquainted in the past. Unofficially, I even visited some at home.

They genuinely wanted to help my husband, but a ration card system had been introduced which entitled only those who worked to receive bread rations. My husband, however, was unable to work, both for health reasons and because he would not work on Shabbat.

For myself, I was able to arrange documents enabling me to receive bread rations to which I was entitled as an evacuee.12 A Jewish member of the Communist party, the head of his department, deportee.

My ration, which I divided into two, was insufficient for the two of us, as much as we tried to skimp.

This went on until a day before Passover. I had been running around to government offices seeking every possible way and means to ensure that we not be condemned to absolute starvation.

Through a lawyer I discovered a law stating that those 70 years and older13 had to be given bread nd took it to the director of the local Ispolcom

tell him what to do!

no one could

Despite his ruling, however, I managed to get through to an inspector who came to do an inspection at the regional headquarters. He gave me a written order that the deportee of this name my husband should be given the same bread ration as everyone who works, for his age entitled him to that. ·

Asking for leavened bread on the eve of Passover?

All this happened a week before Passover. A day before Passover, when I was busy preparing for Yom Tov, my husband had to go himself to submit his request for the bread ration. read of remaining absolutely starving for bread. Now, thank G-d, I am one hundred percent sated, but I still remember very vividly the dread I experienced then.

On the day before Passover, it was most unpleasant for my husband to be involved with submitting a request for chametz.

While on his way, the manager of a large government store which sold merchandise for members of the highly privileged class, happened to notice him. He approached my husband very respectfully and said, -in-law once had a din Torah14 before you, of the type where each side selects a representative rabbinic judge, and the two judges together mportant now.

After taking many precautions, the man brought out four new glasses and saucers. How festive they looked under the circumstances! I simply cannot describe how special it was. This was in addition to the kashrut aspect they were brand new utensils! request that day concerning his bread ration was refused. Meanwhile, however, he went to immerse15 the new glasses, and was happy with that accomplishment.

But when he returned to our room, he began to Passover submitting a request for chametz burst out crying, with heartfelt sobs.

tarted thinking about the details of it, he

Since our year-round chametz utensils were in the same room where we were to be during Passover, he took the new glasses he had obtained to set them in a place as far as possible from the year-round utensils. He was in such a tense mood, however, that all the glasses and saucers slipped out of his hands and broke on the floor! Only one saucer was left unbroken.

Throughout Passover, we drank from the wash cup normally used for ritual hand-washing.

FOOTNOTES 1. September, 1940.

2. Chabad Chasidim follow the prayer text based on the works of the Arizal Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572) as arranged by Rabbi Schneur Zalman (1745-1812), the founder of Chabad.

3. See , Orach Chaim, Vol. 2, #445-7.

See also Torat Menachem, Hitvaaduyot 5726, vol. 1, p. 46, where source references are provided.

4.

Siddur to hold hakafot also on Shemini Atzeret. See also below, p. 000.

5. See Sefer Haniggunim, Vol. 2, #185, where it is recorded concerning Hakafot melody had been sung at the hakafot of Rabbi Schneur Zalman.

6. Psalms 86:2.

7. An opponent of Chasidism.

8. Talmud, Sanhedrin 111a.

9. November, 1940 10. imprisonment in S. Petersburg.

11. March, 1941.

12. This must have been a few months later, after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, which began on June 22, 1941.

13. his age as over 70 years old.

14. Rabbinic court case.

15. Tevilat keilim immersing new food utensils in a mikveh, spring or body of flowing water.

By Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson From the memoirs of Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson (1880-1964), mother of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory.

Beans and Birthrights

By Yossy Goldman

In this week's parshah we read of the birth of twins to Isaac and Rebecca. Jacob and Esau are very different from the moment they leave the womb. As they grow older, their disparate personality traits become increasingly obvious. Jacob is the "dweller of tents," a diligent Torah scholar, while Esau is a "skilled hunter" and a man of violence.

We also read how one day, when Esau returns from the hunt, exhausted and starving, he finds Jacob cooking a pot of lentils. Esau wants the beans; Jacob offers to give him the pottage in return for Esau's birthright. As the first-born twin, Esau would have been the one chosen to minister in G-d's temple. Esau accepts the offer and the deal is done.

Fast-forward some 275 years. We're in the Book of Exodus now (4:22), and G-d is sending Moses to Pharaoh to redeem His people. He describes them as b'ni bechori yisrael "My son, My first born, Israel." Rashi, quoting the Midrash, comments: "Here the Holy One Blessed is He affixed His seal to the sale of the birthright which Jacob purchased from Esau."

Here? It took G-d so long to put His stamp of approval on a deal that was entered into hundreds of years earlier? Why only now?

The late Israeli Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi M.Z. Neriyah, offered this explanation: You can sell your birthright for beans, but you can't buy a birthright for beans. To throw away one's holy heritage is easy, but to claim it takes years of effort and much hard work.

He used the analogy of a war hero who earned a row of medals for bravery and courage under fire. Sadly, in his old age he was forced to sell his medals in order to survive. So someone else walks into the pawnbroker's and finds these war medals for sale, buys them and pins them to his chest. He might walk down the street, proud as a peacock. But does it have any meaning? We all know that this man is no hero. In fact, he is nothing more than a pathetic fool!

To wear the badge of "My firstborn Israel," the Jewish people had to be worthy of the honor. It wasn't enough that their father Jacob had purchased the birthright from an unworthy but willing seller. The children of Jacob needed to demonstrate that they understood what it meant to be Children of Israel.

When Jacob bought the birthright from Esau it was a legal deal. One wanted the beans, the other wanted the birthright. Fair and square. But did Jacob earn that hallowed title, or was he like the fellow who bought the war medals? Generations later, when his children had gone through the "smelting pit" of the Egyptian bondage and still, with amazing faith and tenacity, kept their heritage then they were deemed worthy of the honor of the birthright. Now, after the trial by fire, after the blood, sweat and tears of slavery, the great Notary on High, the heavenly Commissioner of Oaths, takes out that ancient document, the yellowed deed of sale that had been waiting for generations, and puts His official stamp and the wax seal on that document, and says, "Now now you are worthy of the birthright. Today you are My Son, My Firstborn, Israel."

There's a famous graffiti exchange that has much truth in it. Someone not too partial to our people had scrawled, "How odd of G-d, to choose the Jews." And one of our own responded, "Actually, the Jews chose G-d."

Being Jewish is indeed the birthright of every Jew. But it's not enough that G-d chose us, we must choose G-d. We need to earn our birthright by living as Jews. Chosenness is not license to snicker or condescend to others. It is far more responsibility than privilege.

It's not good enough that our parents and grandparents were good Jews, that my Zayde was a rabbi or a schochet and my Bobba made the world's best blintzes. What are we doing to earn our stripes?

Indeed, you can sell your birthright for beans. But you can't buy a birthright for beans.

Rabbi Yossy Goldman was born in Brooklyn, New York. In 1976 he was sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory, as a ChabadLubavitch emissary to serve the Jewish community of Johannesburg, South Africa. He is Senior Rabbi of the Sydenham Shul since 1986, president of the South African Rabbinical Association, and a frequent contributor to Chabad.org. His book From Where I Stand: Life Messages from the Weekly Torah Reading was recently published by Ktav, and is available at Jewish bookshops or online.

Dvar Torah Questions and Answers on Toldos "

" Yitzchak son of Avraham

(25:19) QUESTION: Why does the Torah repeat that Yitzchak was the son of Avraham and that Avraham was the father of Yitzchak? Moreover, at the end of Parshat Chayei Sarah it says " " And these are the offspring of Yishmael, Avraham s son not repeating that Avraham was the father of Yishmael. Moreover, regarding Eisav, the Torah states " " And these are the offspring of Eisav not mentioning that he is the son of Yitzchak, or that Yitzchak was the father of Eisav.

ANSWER: When one met Yitzchak and complimented him for being a tzaddik and a great talmid chacham When one praised Avraham for his stature and great

ather Avraham, and Avraham was proud that he had a son such as Yitzchak.

Yishmael, the ancestor of the Arab world, was proud that Avraham was his father. Avraham however, was not happy that he had a son such as Yishmael. For Eisav it meant nothing that he was the son of Yitzchak. And, of course, Yitzchak took no pride in his son Eisav. ( ) "

"

QUESTION: There is a story in the Midrash Rabbah (63:9) about a general who once asked a Rabbi, pasuk, " " and afterwards came ou pasuk?

ANSWER: There is a question in halachah whether it is permissible to write a complete pasuk on a piece of paper. According to some opinions it is not permissible. Therefore, in lieu of writing the pasuk as it is written in the Torah, it is advisable to skip some words, or to write only the first letter of each word (see Gittin 60a about Queen Hillney).

The Rabbi who answered the general did the latter. Instead of writing the complete words of the pasuk, he wrote only the He thus wrote ". " These letters have the numerical value of 46. The first letters of the words or also have the numerical value of 46.

Being a descendant of Eisav, the general was curious to know if his people would continue to dominate. The Rabbi, answered in the negative by hinting that Mashiach Ben David, as the continuation of Malchut Beit David, would eventually rule of the entire world.

However, being afraid of the general, he did not want to spell it out too clearly. Therefore, he wrote this pasuk, which the general could interpret to mean that Yaakov would be holding on to the heel of Eisav and that Eisav would be in command. ( ) "

"

QUESTION: Why is it necessary for the Torah to tell us that Eisav was the older and Yaakov was the younger?

ANSWER: The terms and do not only refer to the age of Eisav and Yaakov, but size compared to Yaakov.

Yaakov was reluctant to go to his father to obtain the berachot. He pleaded w Although Rivkah made a very brave statement, she still was curious to find out for herself if she was doing the right thing. She decided that the test by which she could prove it would be the clothing. Eisav was physically much bigger than Yaakov. She akov to get the berachot. ( ) "

"

QUESTION: Eisav is now upset for losing the berachot. Why does he mention the taking away of the bechorah?

ANSWER: When Rivkah felt unusual pains during her pregnancy, she went to seek advice in the Beit Midrash of Shem and Eiver. She was told that she was carrying two children and " " The elder shall serve the younger i.e.,

Chasya Hadassa

Dvar Torah Questions and Answers on Toldos Yaakov will rule over Eisav. Yitzchak in his berachah said to Yaakov, " bechorah,

younger (

birthright

" thus, he is now the rav

older

Be a lord over your and I am the

)

"

"

QUESTION: Earlier in the parshah we learnt in detail about ANSWER: All parents wish that their son should marry a girl who comes from a nice family. Unfortunately, many endeavor to accomplish this by means of intimidation, threats, and vociferous disappro l accomplish very little. they will in turn not want to do anything that may hurt their parents. he was concerned for his success. Once a good relationship was established, he used the opportunity to ask him a favor, that he not marry a girl from the daughters of Canaan.

From Yitzchak we can learn the best way to communicate with our children. His method is described by the popular adage; ( "

) "

-d AQUESTION: Why did Yitzchak employ the Holy Name " " when he blessed Yaakov to be fruitful and multiply?

ANSWER: G-d implanted in man the potential to procreate. The first mitzvah ( ) to be fruitful and multiply have the numerical value of 500.

When the letters of the name " " are themselves spelled out, shin is spelled ", daled is spelled and is spelled ". " The unrevealed part of the letters, i.e. the (60) " " of the shin, the (430) " " of the daled, and the (10) " " of the yud total 500. Thus, the Holy Name of " " has hidden in it the potential of pru urevu (500), which is the power to bring about GHe prefaced it by saying, Keil Sha-dai I am G-d A-mighty ( ) *** It is customary for a girl to light a candle in honor of Shabbat. When she marries, she lights two. The reason for this may be that a married couple has a total of 500 limbs (man has 248 and woman 252 see Bechorot 45a) and the Mitzvah of pru urevu neir ( ) candle has the numerical value of 250. Thus, the two candles total 500.

For this reason it is customary that a chatan and kallah are led to the chuppah with a candle held on each side. ( ) "

" -Aram to Lavan, son of Betuel the Aramean, the brother of Rivkah, the mother of Yaakov and

QUESTION: Why was ANSWER: To protect Yaakov from being killed by Eisav, his parents decided to send him to Lavan in Paddan-Aram, and Yitzchak and Rivkah had two sons, Eisav and Yaakov. Lavan had two daughters, Leah and Rachel. The popular opinion was that Eisav would marry Leah, and Yaakov would marry Rachel (Bava Batra 123a).

-inlaw, but it is improper for the younger to get married before the older. Therefore, I will call Eisav to come here and marry territory, he would kill him immediately. sent him, and that he, Yaakov, was her older son. Hence, he could marry before Eisav and there would be no need to bring Eisav to Paddan-Aram. ( )

Chasya Hadassa

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A Shabbos Stimulus

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643 EDITOR - RABBI SHIMON HELLINGER

HONORING SHABBOS (I) A ROYAL WELCOME At sunset on erev Shabbos, Rebbi Chanina would robe himself and stand up and exclaim, “Come and let us go forth to welcome the Shabbos Queen!” Rebbi Yannai would don his robes and lovingly greet the approaching guest, “Come, kala, come, kala!’

Before Shabbos one should put on his Shabbos clothes and rejoice over the approaching Shabbos, just as one feels before going out to greet a king, or a chosson and kalla.

After bathing in the river on erev Shabbos, Rav Hamnuna Sava would sit down for a moment and lift his eyes in joy. He would explain that he was sitting there to see the joy of the lofty angels, some of them ascending and some descending. Every erev Shabbos a person sits in the world of souls. Fortunate is the man who knows the secrets of his Master.

The Shaloh cites a middas Chassidus, an optional pious practice – to abstain from heavy work from Friday midday, so that one will be able to welcome the Shabbos while his mind is engaged in teshuva and Torah study. In this way he will also enter Shabbos in a peaceful manner, without the angry arguments which can often happen, but which disrupt the spirit of Shabbos. He will then be able to go to shul with joy, and cleave to G-d joyfully as he davens.

After chatzos every erev Shabbos, the tzaddik, Reb Elimelech of Lyzhansk, sensing the holiness of the approaching Shabbos, would hear ringing in his ears like a bell. He had to close his ears to block out the sound. Anyone in his house during that time would be overcome with a great fear. His servants had to prepare everything before chatzos, for if any weekday activity were undertaken in his home after chatzos, whatever they were holding would fall from their hands and the contents would be ruined.

A HOLY DAY When the Mezritcher Maggid passed on, a letter bearing the news arrived at the home of his close

talmid, Reb Mendel Horodoker. Seeing the content of the letter, his talmidim decided not to hand it to him until erev Shabbos, after licht benschn. (Reb Mendel’s custom was to personally light the Shabbos candles.)

When that time arrived and his talmidim handed him the letter, Reb Mendel read it but did not say a word. During the whole Shabbos nothing unusual was perceived and everything was conducted as normal, including his divrei Torah, just as on a regular Shabbos.

On Motzaei Shabbos, immediately after making Havdala, Reb Mendel fell in a faint.

Reb Michoel der Alter, the mashpia in Lubavitch,) commented: “This is fortitude of the soul – to contain himself throughout the whole Shabbos!”

CONSIDER How can we compare our spiritual observance of Shabbos to practically observing hilchos Shabbos?

The Chida was once a guest for Shabbos in the home of Reb Yaakov Yosef of Polonnoye, author of Toldos Yaakov Yosef. On Friday evening before Kiddush, the Toldos asked his guest to repeat a dvar Torah that he had heard from his teacher, the Ohr HaChayim HaKadosh.

The Chida said, “When one recites Yom hashishi he is giving testimony on the creation of the world, so like a witness, he must think thoughts of teshuva before testifying.” The Toldos was already holding the Kiddush cup in his hand, but he was so overawed by those words that the cup fell from his hand. He then retired to his private room for a few hours, and only then did he come out to make Kiddush.

Before being appointed personal secretary of the Frierdiker Rebbe, Reb Chatche Feigin served as a mashpia in several of the underground branches of Tomchei Temimim across communist Russia. One of those branches was located in Poltava.

A certain Jewish shoemaker in that city began to keep his shop open on Shabbos. Reb Chatche Feigin, who lived there for a time, once remarked, “Every time I see his store open on Shabbos, for me it’s a stab in the heart.

Why? I look at him as a mechalel Shabbos – but does he really know what Shabbos is? How great and holy the day is? The shoemaker especially doesn’t seem to know about its deeper meaning as explained in Chassidus. I, on the other hand, have learned about Shabbos both in nigleh and in Chassidus, and have some recognition of its greatness as a holy 24 hours. So if I do not utilize avodas HaShem, then I am the real mechalel Shabbos!”

HaShem says to the Yidden, “All week long you are working, but Shabbos should be dedicated to the study of Torah.” One should rise early on Shabbos morning and go to the beis midrash to study Torah, and only then should he go home to eat and drink. HaShem

MOTZOEI SHABBOS Every Shabbos Mevarchim, Reb Yaakov Salchubisky would travel to his uncle Reb Hillel, and on the following Sunday, he would buy merchandise for his store back home. One Motzaei Shabbos Reb Hillel davened Maariv hurriedly, which was unusual for him, recited Havdala, and said Veyitein Lecha with Reb Yaakov, directing the brachos at him.

“Travel home immediately!” Reb instructed.

Hillel then

Reb Yaakov protested: “But I need to buy merchandise!”

“Don’t delay!” Reb Hillel urged. “Leave right away!” reached home, he was aghast. His wife and children were bound in ropes and all his belongings were bagged in satchels. His wife related what had occurred earlier that evening. Thieves had broken in, tied them up and packed everything that they planned to take, intending to kill the family when they were ready to leave - but suddenly a fear overcame them. They occurred just as Reb Hillel was reciting Veyitein Lecha.

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RABBI CHAIM HILLEL RASKIN

ROV OF ANASH - PETACH TIKVA

R. NOCHUM OF CHERNIGOV

PUBLISHING ANOTHER'S TEACHINGS Can I publish a mashpia’s teachings without his consent?

One is permitted to repeat someone's Torah teachings without their permission as long as he credits the source.1 multiple times in the history of Am Yisroel that Torah was printed without the consent of the one who said it.2 The Netziv stresses the importance to preserve Torah in print and a Torah teacher does not have the authority to prevent others from publishing his teachings entirely.

Contemporary poskim write that a maggid shiur can prohibit the recording and publication of his Torah lectures out of concern that people may misconstrue his words or misinterpret their halachic implications. Additionally, he may have said things that he wishes to look into further, and may retract what he said. However, students can always transcribe it for their own private use to review the shiur.3 When a talmid chacham leaves handwritten manuscripts after his he may have changed his mind or had written them for himself.

Yet, if another talmid chacham print, they may be printed. It should then be noted that it wasn't reviewed by the author for printing, so that it isn’t viewed as the author’s authoritative teachings.4 For these reasons, one has the

R. Menachem Nochum Glatman was a chasid of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, and one of the senior talmidim of R. Eizel Homiler.

He served as the Rov of Chernigov until his passing in 5620, and he was succeeded by R. Peretz Chein.

During his time as a Rov in Chernigov, the longtime chazzan passed away. A new candidate stepped forward, but R. Nochum was reluctant to take him. The new applicant complained to R. Nochum, "How was the last chazzan better than me? He cried as he davened, and I do too!"

R. Nochum replied, "Here's the difference: the previous chazzan

cried when he spoke of Hashem's last," while you cry when you speak of man's fate, "Man is created from dust and is destined to be dust'…"

During one farbrengen, R. Nochum drank a lot of mashkeh, and when he headed home after the farbrengen, several chassidim followed behind As he approached his home, he stood for some time and muttered, "You can turn this way or that way, think here or there, at the end of the day there is nothing besides Him – ein od milvado!"

sole printers of his Torah teachings, relying that they will have the sensitivity to decide what should be printed.5 According to some, Torah teachings that a person actually wrote down have monetary rights (tovas hana’a) that are transferred to his heirs.6 Some poskim add that one has the ability to prohibit his written Torah teachings to be “used” by anyone else, while others hold that he doesn’t have the right to restrict the publication of his Torah writings.7 poskim hold that if one isn’t publishing that person’s words distinctly and is merely using that person’s fame or a distinct teaching that can be owned, 8

In practice, it seems that one may print a person's oral chidushei torah after their passing without their consent, though the transcripts publication and in accordance with halacha. Additionally, it must be noted that these transcripts where not reviewed and approved by the teacher.

NO COLLEGE! As Torah-true Yiddishkeit was getting on its feet in America, many reasoned that college must be embraced, or at least tolerated, since it is imbedded so deep in the local culture. As a result, most of the graduates of Lubavitch high schools didn’t continue to Lubavitch yeshivos, but the Rebbe would not concede. He saw things differently.

In 5720 (1960), a group of students from the Lubavitch Achei Temimim high school of Boston attended the Rebbe’s 12 Tammuz farbrengen.

After one of the sichos, the Rebbe gave them a l'chaim, and instructed them to begin a niggun.

The enthusiastic students began

the song “Eimosai ko’osi mar,” which is about spreading Chassidus. The assembled joined the lively niggun, to the Rebbe’s encouragement.

Suddenly, the Rebbe halted the niggun and said to them, “The concept of disseminating Chassidus is a direct challenge to the idea of attending college.

“So, let us now proclaim three times in unison, ‘No college!’”

The students all repeated after the Rebbe with zest, three times, and promptly continued singing the niggun with new-found meaning.

(Toras Menachem, Vol. 28, p. 163; Di Yiddisher Heim, issue 19)

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