FIVE IGROS STORIES FROM RASHBI

This past Lag B’Omer, as in recent years, the Igros Kodesh tent was in operation in Miron on the hill leading to the holy tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, manned by T’mimim from the Chabad yeshiva in Tzfas. They greeted the throngs who wanted to write to the Rebbe and receive his advice and holy blessings. We bring here five miraculous stories from among many that were experienced on this auspicious occasion.

Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

The Chabad presence at Mt. Miron on Lag B’Omer is not something that started this year or even in the past ten years. At the instructions of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Chassidim have made the journey to Miron for decades, putting on t’fillin with countless visitors to the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus in a variety of ways. As in recent years, the students’ association of Yeshivas Chassidei Chabad-Lubavitch – Tzfas has upgraded its outreach activities. Now, anyone who visits the Rashbi is bound to encounter them in one form or another.

Every direction leading to Miron, whether from the northern or central region, is filled with numerous signs bearing the words “Greet Melech HaMoshiach” alongside a picture of the Rebbe. As in previous years, near the foot of the mountain there stands a huge truck with a picture well over fifty feet high proclaiming the prophecy of the Rebbe MH”M – “Moshiach is coming.” The picture is illuminated during the evening hours.

One of the most important components of these activities is the tent for writing letters to the Rebbe. During the daytime hours, it also becomes a huge t’fillin stand. Several volumes of Igros Kodesh are placed on the table with separate places for men and women to write their letters, alongside a specially formatted informational brochure with a thorough explanation of the subject of Moshiach and the Redemption. A large projection screen is erected near the stand for showing clips of the Rebbe all hours of the day and night.

T’mimim and avreichim man the Igros Kodesh stand. Miracle stories originating from letters to the Rebbe in Igros have made the rounds in ever growing numbers. Almost everyone who wrote was stunned to receive a clear answer.

We have collected a few stories that occurred this year in Miron, possessing a spiritual vigor and fortitude to last the entire year.

THE POLICE OFFICER’S HEAVENLY INSPIRED ARRIVAL

Rabbi Moshe Treiger: A major in the Israeli Defense Forces wearing a knitted kippa came to our stand. A resident of Kiryat Ata, he is a close friend of the local chief rabbi and Chabad shliach, Rabbi Chaim Shlomo Diskin. He told the bachurim that the previous day, Erev Lag B’Omer, he received orders to report to his base. As a result, he had to return home that day.

As he made his way back to Kiryat Ata by bus, he was already tired and exhausted. Suddenly, he realized that it was Lag B’Omer and he pondered over whether or not he should go up to Miron. Then, just as he had decided not to go, the bus came to a screeching halt at the Tzomet Sheva traffic intersection. He felt that this was a sign that he should change buses and head for Miron.

While he did get off the bus, he discovered that he had a problem: The highway leading to Miron was closed and he didn’t know how he would be able to reach the Rashbi’s tomb. Then, he remembered that Rabbi Diskin had once told him that he could ask the Rebbe for a bracha in his heart and receive an answer, and so he did.

As he was asking the Rebbe, a car suddenly pulled over. The driver was a high-ranking police official who, by Divine Providence, also lived in the same building, and he asked him whether he wanted to go to Miron with him… Thanks to this police official, he easily passed through all the roadblocks and made it all the way to the ‘Tziyon’ itself… After davening, the excited IDF major went down to the Igros Kodesh tent to write a letter of thanks to the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.

In his reply, the Rebbe wrote that he should continue to bring him good news, adding that he will surely be stringent about learning Chitas each day. He promised then and there to try and keep this daily study cycle. He also resolved to give tz’daka every day before heading home.

“I was very moved to see how a Jew comes only in order to say ‘Thank you’ to the Rebbe. No cry of distress, no request for a bracha – just ‘Thank you’!” said R’ Moshe Treiger as he concluded his captivating story.

STRIVE TO CARRY
OUT THE MISSION

HaTamim Sholom Dovber Asulin: An ultra-Orthodox Jew living in England named Yosef came to us to write a letter to the Rebbe. He received an answer in Vol. 11, pg. 146. In his letter, the Rebbe writes that the solution to his problem is not to keep sending letters and expect a miracle, as sending letters is the easiest thing to do. Instead, he should strive to fulfill the advice he received and “if you have labored and (claim to have) found – believe it.”

He did right by keeping HaTamim … from writing here so fast, as it’s not the way for someone who receives advice and doesn’t see miracles and wonders on the spot not to know the saying of our Sages, of blessed memory, “If you haven’t labored and (claim to have) found – don’t believe it.” Indeed, writing letters is a much easier thing…

This Jew was in absolute shock. After he had regained his composure, he told us that he had come to our stand last year and had asked the Rebbe about his children’s education. The Rebbe gave him a certain piece of advice, although he didn’t want to tell us what it was. This year, he wrote to the Rebbe again on the same subject, and now the Rebbe is telling him that he has to make every effort to follow the advice, not just send letters.

At the suggestion of the bachur sitting with him, Yosef resolved to learn Chitas every day, and of course, he would strive as the Rebbe had advised him on the previous occasion.

THE FLOOD
AND THE COMPOSER

HaTamim Yosef Yitzchak Lipsh: A Jew named Yuval came into the Igros tent. As he was writing his letter to the Rebbe, it appeared that he was far more excited than everyone else. The answer he received appeared in Vol. 5, pg. 202-203. The first letter was in Yiddish and the three following letters on the page were in lashon ha’kodesh.

I read the letters with him. The first one dealt with a flood in the home of a Jew. The Rebbe noted that after the Divine attribute of Severity causes damage, this arouses the Divine attribute of Mercy – and he will see this with his own eyes very soon:

…And what he writes on the matter of the damage that they had from the flood, etc., he has surely seen the Alter Rebbe’s letter where he writes … that after damage, the Divine attribute of Severity arouses the Divine attribute of Mercy, which is initially greater than the Divine attribute of Kindness. As is known, this was the attribute of Yaakov, a boundless heritage, “the middle bolt which secures [everything] from end to end.” This is the issue of wealth, and may it be G-d’s Will that he will see this very soon indeed with eyes of flesh down in this physical world. With a blessing for material and spiritual success.

The letter stunned Yuval, as he recently did have a big flood in his house. The sewage pipe had burst, and numerous electrical appliances, furniture, and other household items were seriously damaged and broken, just as the Rebbe had written about. Naturally, this answer brightened his spirits and brought him great joy. Now, he believed, he would merit G-d’s Divine Mercy.

When we finished reading the letters in lashon ha’kodesh, Yuval said that he also wanted a bracha for his songwriting profession. The bachur manning the stand told him to wait just a moment: They still hadn’t read the first letter, the one written in Yiddish. In fact, this letter had been sent to a Jew whose father was a composer, and he had taught him the special niggun sung by R’ Avraham HaMalach:

…I received a letter in its proper time, in which he writes about his remembering the niggun that his father had taught him, and he had told him that the holy R’ Avraham HaMalach, son of the Mezritcher Maggid, sang the niggun at Lecha Dodi, and he suggests that they should come to him and he will learn the niggun…

Yuval made a resolution to put on t’fillin each weekday, and he also left his telephone number to receive daily SMS reminders and a brief d’var Torah.

SENDING REGARDS

Rabbi Yisroel Wilschanski: This past Lag B’Omer I sat with a Litvishe avreich named Ariel to write a letter to the Rebbe. While the Rebbe gave a precise answer to the question he had asked, what really astounded him was that at the beginning of the reply letter the Rebbe wrote that he was sending regards from his wife.

Ariel explained that a few months ago he had gone into the Chabad House to write to the Rebbe about a certain problem and then had told his wife about it. His wife, who had been raised in a Litvishe home, became very angry about this. However, after much arguing and convincing, she agreed to write a letter to the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach herself.

“Now, here she is in the women’s Igros tent, and the Rebbe is sending me regards in her name,” the avreich said with much enthusiasm. Before leaving, he signed the declaration accepting the sovereignty of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, and agreed to work for his ultimate hisgalus and the Complete Redemption.

GETTING SERIOUS

HaTamim Yehoshua Cohen: A young Litvishe bachur came to the stand for the purpose of making a joke out of the whole concept of writing to the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. I didn’t try to stop him from coming in. As he was writing his letter, I explained to him that this is a very serious matter that must be regarded with the utmost importance. However, he paid no heed to my advice and continued acting with total arrogance.

The Rebbe’s answer appeared in Vol. 18, Letter #6640. This young man read the letter and his face turned pale:

…They try to conceal this feeling with laughter and ridicule, etc., and we see clearly that when they don’t get into an argument and walk in the path of Torah and mitzvos without paying notice to the mockers, even those ridiculing and laughing stop this, and they too come closer, step by step, to the Torah and its mitzvos, regarding which it is stated, “And live by them.”

The Litvishe bachur left the tent in a state of sheer humiliation. A few hours later, I had to travel to the central part of the country for a parade I was organizing. Just as I was getting ready to leave the tent, I saw this same bachur coming in again, as he told me, “Now I’ve come to write seriously.”