BREAKING THE WALLS

By Zalman Ben-Nun

Among the many advertisements on the notice board at the entrance to the building, a small, simple sign caught my attention. It was written with a thick black marker, “You are invited to a Chassidishe farbrengen to mark Yud-Beis, Yud-Gimmel Tammuz, the day of the Geula of the Rebbe Rayatz from prison. It will take place, G-d willing, in the Shikun HaOlim in the Marina shul on Rechov Chabad at 8:00.

I liked the sound of it and decided that I would attend and maybe even take some friends along.

On that day, I walked with two friends in the direction of the Marina shul.

“Notice the long buildings,” said Daniel. “They were built when the Rebbe asked that housing be built for the masses of Jews who would be making aliya from the Soviet Union.”

“We will probably hear from them now about that special time,” I thought out loud.

Around the tables laden with delicious refreshments sat bearded Chassidim together with older men wearing knitted yarmulkes. Among them you could see the next generation, children who were pouring soda for one another. In the center sat the mashpia, a fine looking man who was leading a Chassidic niggun that tugged at our heartstrings.

The fantastic melody stopped slowly and an older Chassid got up and pointed at us. “Dear children, are you sure the police did not follow you when you came here? Did you check things out carefully? Do you have a plan of where to run if they walk in here?”

We looked at one another in alarm. What was he talking about? The police? Following us? And why would we need to run away?

“You don’t need to worry,” he said reassuringly, with a smile. “I just want to get you into the atmosphere of those days and the great Geula.”

We sat quietly on one of the benches and waited eagerly to hear his story.

“When I was a boy, the communists ruled Russia and were tough and cruel. According to their ideology, you could not serve G-d, and all citizens had to be equal ‘under the merciful wings of Mother Russia.’

“This delusional ideology forbade all religious activity: Shabbos, bris mila, davening, and Torah study. Life for Jews in Russia was extremely hard and as time went on, it became even more difficult.

“I remember well the day I left my house for the secret beis midrash. I walked silently on the narrow streets, trying to keep as far as possible from the main square where the KGB agents were. Suddenly, I felt that someone was following me.

“I was terrified. I knew that if I would be caught on my way to learn Torah, I would be put in jail and maybe sent to Siberia for years. Who knew whether I would ever return from there alive?

“It was really dangerous, especially since just two weeks before, Chatzkel, our friend, was caught and nobody knew where he was.

“Then, my great fear was replaced with thoughts of how to save myself. The adrenaline pouring into me had me rushing toward the main square, straight to the local bar. I quickly went inside and bought a kosher drink and sat down in a corner. I said a Chassidic l’chaim and prayed to be saved from the KGB.

“My plan worked. The agent who had followed me saw that I entered the bar. He peeked into the high windows and after a few minutes he left.

“When I returned home, I told my parents what happened and they calmed me down, but they were also anxious. They had tried several times to leave Russia but each time, their request was rejected. They were even fined and were fired from their jobs.

“The fear grew when we found out that there was going to be a new premiere by the name of Gorbachev; it was fear of the unknown.

“Then one day it happened. Suddenly, some time after he rose to power, word got out that the Iron Curtain was coming down and whoever wanted to leave the country could do so without fear.

“Hundreds of Jews, including my family, quickly left for Eretz Yisroel. To our surprise, we went straight to a neighborhood built for us, where we are celebrating today.”

The mashpia told the other side of the story with a big smile.

“As you related, the situation really looked bleak. Nobody thought the Jews of Russia had a chance of getting out. Then, in a surprising sicha, the Rebbe said that as part of the Geula process, the iron walls would collapse and he said to prepare places for Jews who would come from the Soviet Union. What the Rebbe said sounded entirely unrealistic, it sounded like a fantasy, but then, to everyone’s surprise, this Geula reality happened! Within a short time, the gates were opened.

“The Rebbe said this was part of the miracles and wonders that we now see, which point at the Geula process taking place in our generation.”

“What’s the connection to 12-13 Tammuz?” asked one of the men, as he raised his cup to say l’chaim.

“That’s an interesting question,” said the mashpia. “The Rebbe explained that this extraordinary process is derived from the Geula of the Rebbe Rayatz which happened on 12-13 Tammuz. His release from prison was a unique Geula which represents the start of the process, and it caused the tyrannical government to continue to deteriorate until the final collapse which enabled the Geula of Russian Jewry.

“The Rebbe even compared this Geula to the Geula from Egypt; just like then, the Egyptians helped the Jewish people leave, today too, the evil empire of Russia helped Jews leave and get to Eretz Yisroel.”

We sat transfixed in our places, taking in the enormity of the miracles that Hashem is doing for us, and realizing that we are living in a unique generation, the generation of Yemos HaMoshiach.