The Rebbe’s shluchim, who are spread out all over the world working day and night to be mekarev Jews to Torah have much to tell about the miracles and salvation they see with their own eyes. Sometimes, it happens the other way around – first there is the salvation and then comes the t’shuva and mesirus nefesh. * Presented in honor of Chanuka.
By Rabbi Shmuelevitz ע”ה
Shliach, Beit Shaan
Working under the assumption that the Chassidic aphorisms in the HaYom Yom are not only stories from the past but lessons for our daily lives, let us look at the HaYom Yom for 29 Kislev. The HaYom Yom of 29 Kislev says that in the merit of the t’shuva and mesirus nefesh of the Jews in the times of the Greeks, great, miraculous Divine salvation – the miracle of Chanuka – came about.
Perhaps what the Rebbe is teaching us with this statement is that just as with the miracle of Chanuka, the same is true for us. In the merit of t’shuva and mesirus nefesh, Hashem provides us with a great, miraculous salvation.
The Rebbe’s shluchim, who are spread out all over the world working day and night to be mekarev Jews to Torah, t’shuva and mesirus nefesh, have much to tell about the miracles and salvation they see with their own eyes.
SALVATION AT THE MEXICAN BORDER
At a Yud-Tes Kislev farbrengen arranged by the shliach, Rabbi Shimshon Tal of Hod HaSharon, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Groner of Kiryat Gat told the following story:
Rabbi Groner had participated in a farbrengen at Yishuv Naveh Ilan near Yerushalayim, and towards the end a young man came over and asked him for a ride to Rechovot. During the drive, the young man told him:
“The hat, suit, beard and peios, being religious and a Lubavitcher, are new for me. I finished my army service not long ago and went on a trip to the United States. I went to S. Diego because I have relatives there. To my dismay, they told me they were making renovations on their house and could not host me. They told me not to worry because I could spend as much time as I liked at the Chabad house, which is a short drive from their house.
“The Chabad house is run like the tent of Avrohom Avinu, i.e. if you make blessings on the food and come to davening, you don’t have to pay. So every morning they showed me how to put on t’fillin, and I spent several days at the Chabad house.
“I met an American guy who liked to tour, and he suggested that we go together to Tijuana. Tijuana is in Mexico, right across the border from S. Diego. We went for a couple of days, but when we returned to the border to reenter the US, I ran into trouble. My friend with his American passport had no problem crossing the border, but I was told that my visa was no longer valid. I was told I would have to go to Mexico City and apply for a new visa.
“I tried explaining that it was Friday and I had to get to the Chabad house before Shabbos, but they told me that they weren’t interested and all that concerned them was my visa.
“I stood there and wondered what I should do. Then one of the border officials came over to me and said, ‘I heard what you said and realize you are a Sabbath observant Jew (unfortunately, that was not accurate at the time). I am also Jewish although I don’t observe the Sabbath. I’d like to help you even if it will cost me my job. Over there on the right there is another way to get over to the American side and there is less security. Go there and run across. Even if they shout at you to stop, continue running and I’ll tell the officials to let you go. The main thing is you should get to the Chabad house before Shabbos.’
“I didn’t have many options, so I did precisely what he told me to do. I ran across and within a minute I was on the American side. From there I continued to S. Diego and returned to my room at the Chabad house. This led me to think about Shabbos. Although I had never kept Shabbos before, I decided that at least this once I had to observe Shabbos. After all, it was thanks to Shabbos that ‘Eliyahu HaNavi’ had gotten me across the border.
“I kept that Shabbos and the next one too and then some more. I attended all the t’fillos and shiurim at the Chabad house. They invited me to Shabbos meals and then helped me get accepted into a yeshiva, find a shidduch, and establish a Chassidic home.”
The equation is clear: T’shuva = a great, miraculous divine salvation.
A DIVINE SALVATION AND AN ELECTRIC MENORAH
Rabbi Shlomo Schwartz, shliach in Chadera:
“A few years ago, we used an old makeshift electric menorah. One year, the municipality approved the menorah and allowed us to connect it to the electric system. The following year though, they told us that the menorah didn’t meet the necessary safety standards and we would have to rewire it, which was impossible.
“It was the last day before Chanuka and I consulted with the shliach Rabbi Yehuda Butman. Rabbi Butman said, ‘This afternoon I will be putting up mezuzos with a member of the municipality, and Danny Cohen, the municipality’s electrician, will also be there. Go and meet with the electrician and see what he can do for you.’
“I went to the ceremony and met the electrician. I told him how important it was to use the menorah. I emitted a sigh and said, ‘Oy, if only we had a normal menorah instead of this one.’
“Danny asked, ‘Why don’t you order a new menorah?’
“I explained that it was because a new menorah cost 1800 shekels. He asked whether I could get a new menorah in one day. I asked him to wait a minute, and I called Tzach and spoke with Rabbi Berele Levitin. Rabbi Levitin told me he had a menorah. I told Danny, and he asked me again how much it cost. When I said 1800 shekels, he took out his checkbook, wrote a check for that amount, and said, ‘Go and get it.’
“Rabbi Butman immediately offered his car and I drove to Kfar Chabad. Before sunset, the Chadera junction on the coast road was illuminated by a new electric menorah, which was seen by tens of thousands of people who pass by every day.”
LIGHT THE MENORAH AND MERIT SALVATION
The story from Chadera has a sequel. An employee of the municipality decided to “adopt” all the Chabad house’s electric menorahs. Every year, he calls Rabbi Schwartz and asks when they need to be made ready for Chanuka. He volunteers his time and expertise and doesn’t leave until all the menorahs are hooked up and lit.
Every year, Rabbi Schwartz asks him, “How can I repay you for all your help? What bracha do you want us to ask for you?”
He modestly responds, “Nothing; just bracha and hatzlacha.”
Two years ago, there was a change. When Rabbi Schwartz asked him what bracha he wanted, he thought a bit and then said, “You know what? Ask for a bracha for children. We have been waiting several years for another child.”
Rabbi Schwartz wrote the request to the Rebbe and pretty much forgot about the whole thing. A year later, Erev Chanuka 5770, the fellow called Rabbi Schwartz and was updated about the location of all the menorahs. The conversation was almost over when Rabbi Schwartz suddenly asked, “Nu, tell me something good.”
The man said, “My wife gave birth a month ago.”
Rabbi Schwartz exclaimed, “Why didn’t you tell me right away?” thrilled at the fulfillment of the bracha.
MIRACULOUS SALVATION IN THE CHABAD HOUSE KITCHEN
Sometimes, salvation is needed in things that seem trivial, but are very important to running a Chabad house. For example, at the Chabad house in Hod HaSharon, a problem was discovered in the kitchen’s plumbing system. This kitchen is used to prepare hot meals for dozens of needy people. Every day volunteers come to help out. Some do the cooking, others pack the food, and the rest make deliveries. With the plumbing out of order, the program was on hold.
A plumber told them that it could not be fixed and had to be replaced. Rabbi Tal began looking into prices and contractors and concluded that rather than fix the problem it made more sense to set up a new kitchen somewhere else.
A good friend of Rabbi Tal helped him look for someone reliable who could build them a new kitchen. They visited several showrooms and were told that the process would take several weeks of measurements, ordering material, building, etc. and it would cost a pretty penny. The problem was that in the meantime, they needed to run a kitchen, and there was no kitchen.
Someone remembered that there was yet another kitchen showroom that they hadn’t visited. They went and couldn’t believe their eyes. A completed kitchen was waiting just for them!
What happened was that a stainless steel kitchen had been made for a customer, but for some reason the deal fell through. The seller was ready to sell it at a ridiculously low price. Rabbi Tal and his assistant located a friend who was willing to drop everything and come install the new kitchen. Another friend covered the financial expenditures, and in one day the new kitchen was in operation, to the joy of the shliach, the volunteers, and the needy.
SPIRITUAL SALVATION
Rabbi Yigal Kirshnzaft, who used to be the shliach in Neveh Dekalim in Gush Katif, relates:
“One of the furthest military outposts in the Gaza Strip was Motzav Zivanit. It was actually in Palestinian territory, and whenever we wanted to visit the soldiers there, we had to get past several fences and blockades. One day of Chanuka, we loaded our van with menorahs and doughnuts and headed out. We arrived at Motzav Zivanit and made our presence known with loud Chassidic music.
“We were told that one of the officers was lying in his tent, sick with high fever. I went to see him and begged him to say l’chaim over a cup of mashke and to come out and dance with the soldiers. He explained he couldn’t get out of bed because of his fever. He told me that it was dangerous to be there since they constantly got shot at from Khan Yunis.
“After pleading with him some more, he finally agreed to get up and after sipping some mashke he went out to the dancing soldiers. After some time had passed, we shook hands and said goodbye to the soldiers. Then we drove off.
“Five or six years went by. My son Dovid was principal of a Chabad elementary school in Yerushalayim, and he was looking for another teacher to hire. He heard about a Chassidishe man by the name of Nir Tzukerman, who had a reputation of being an excellent teacher. He hired him, to the delight of the children and the parents.
“One day, Nir asked Dovid, ‘Are you related to the Kirshnzaft from Neveh Dekalim?’
“‘That’s my father,’ said Dovid.
“‘Really? It’s thanks to him that I’m a Lubavitcher!’
“Then the Chassidishe melamed told him how one day he was sick and the Lubavitchers showed up at his guard post. Rabbi Kirshnzaft had radiated joy and didn’t leave until he had convinced him to say l’chaim and got him out of bed.
“‘After the Chabadnikim left, I began to think. Who are these Lubavitchers? What makes them tick? I began learning Chassidus until I became a Lubavitcher myself.’”