SPREADING MITZVOS ALL AROUND

“Yismach contains the same letters as Moshiach,” was a constant refrain on the lips of R’ Velvel Pesach Marantz, of blessed memory, and it represented a great example of his unique joy and personal vitality in all matters pertaining to Moshiach and the Redemption. His thrilling life journey began in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn and continued on American military bases in Germany, where he revealed his musical talent and became a successful music teacher. After an audience with the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, he embraced the teachings of Chassidus. At the Rebbe’s instructions, he composed special melodies for the Twelve P’sukim, setting the standard for his tremendous Chassidic musical heritage. * In honor of the Shloshim on the 6th of Tammuz.

Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

The residents of Kfar Chabad’s Shikunim Chadashim and anyone else who spent Shabbos there over the past several decades could never overlook the charming sight that took place every Shabbos afternoon - until only recently. Entering the small synagogue, one would see the jovial Chassidic musician R’ Velvel Pesach Marantz in all his glory, standing and conducting a choir of dozens of delightful young boys. His energetic appearance and his long white beard captured the children’s attention, and they sang with great joy and faith.

With great enthusiasm, dozens of young voices sang the Twelve P’sukim to tunes that he had composed, then continued on to “Yechi Adoneinu” and concluded with the annual niggun based on the chapter of T’hillim of the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. This was the most recent composition composed by R’ Velvel himself.

Standing behind the children, one could see some older faces. These were the parents who sent their children to say or sing the p’sukim and remained for just a minute in order to watch with loving eyes, while many of them recalled sweet memories of their own childhood.

This pleasant vision came to an untimely end with the sad news on Motzaei Chag HaShavuos that R’ Velvel a”h had passed away on Friday night, Erev Shavuos, at the age of eighty-five.

G-D IS WONDERFUL

R’ Velvel Pesach Marantz was born on the 18^th of Shvat, 5690 in the Sheepshead Bay section of Brooklyn, New York, to a non-observant Jewish family. He received his education in the local public school system, and then later at Brooklyn College and Columbia University.

Velvel’s inclination toward music developed at a very early age. At the age of seven, he had already learned to play the piano, developing musical concepts and composing songs. R’ Velvel never learned the profession. “It came to me through listening and self-teaching. Essentially, it was always within me,” he said in an interview with the Beis Moshiach in 5769.

One of the early points of light in R’ Velvel’s life took place in 5712, a year after the outbreak of the Korean War. This was a particularly costly war, during which more than 34,000 American servicemen lost their lives, accounting for about a third of the U.S. forces that had been sent to the front!

As any other able-bodied young man above the age of twenty, Velvel was drafted and sent to the army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The new recruits were filled with an unspoken feeling of dread. The rumors coming from the Korean front were not very encouraging, and every soldier hoped that he could be one of the few to be sent to the American military bases in West Germany, where it would be much safer.

As they read out the names on the list of those traveling to West Germany, all the soldiers were filled with tension and apprehension. Suddenly, R’ Velvel heard his name. He clearly felt at that moment that G-d in Heaven was watching over him and protecting him. He burst out spontaneously with a cry of “Thank you G-d!”

Velvel’s musical career began to accelerate when he was appointed to be the army composer. Despite the fact that the army mandated that he prepare martial music and the like, Velvel concentrated primarily upon composing songs about G-d. One of the songs that he wrote during this time was “Heaven.” It became very popular among the soldiers.

Another memory from those times is connected to a Friday night that he spent on a remote army base in West Germany, when Velvel was invited by the army chaplain to come for Shabbos services. When he read the translated words from the prayer book, he felt that G-d was wonderful. However, since the lofty feelings did not lead him to practical action, he still had a long road ahead of him.

After two years in West Germany, Velvel returned to the United States and resumed his studies at Columbia University. Around this time, he met his future wife, Shaindel, may she live long. Before their wedding, the future Mrs. Marantz asked that they keep kosher and observe various traditional Jewish customs in their new home, to which he agreed. Even when the children grew up and went to college, they were stringent about eating only in the kosher cafeteria.

Another important event on his path to religious observance took place after the Six Day War, in connection with the worldwide Jewish re-awakening that came as a result of the miracles and wonders that G-d made for the People dwelling in Tzion. The Marantz family made an emotional visit to Eretz HaKodesh, with the high point coming when they stood before the Western Wall. As he looked upon the huge ancient stones, he broke into heavy sobs. He didn’t understand what had caused him to cry, but he knew that something was happening within him.

THE TANK THAT ATTACKED AT JUST THE RIGHT MOMENT

Another ten years passed, and the life of the Marantz family continued as usual. At the time, R’ Velvel’s elder daughter, Feige, was learning in public school, but she was not very happy there.

Then one day, an unusual vehicle passed through their neighborhood, bearing a placard that caught Mrs. Marantz’s eye: “Why not send your children to yeshiva?” This was a Mitzvah Tank. R’ Velvel also had the privilege of receiving a brochure on Jewish education from the tankists, and the ball soon began to roll. When their daughter expressed her interest, the parents decided to disregard their feelings of concern and uncertainty and they called the number that appeared on the brochure.

The person who answered the phone was Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, and he sent HaTamim (now Rabbi) Pini Silberberg to the family’s home. After he succeeded in arranging for the girl to begin learning in a religious educational institution, Pini extended an invitation to the entire family to spend Shabbos at his parents’ house. The Marantzs received the invitation with great surprise. They found it difficult to understand how a family would be prepared to host a family of seven with whom they were totally unfamiliar. However, Pini explained that his parents were used to guests.

The entire family arrived in honor of this historic Shabbos. Even their son, who was studying at Princeton University, made the effort to come. For the first time in their lives they experienced a real Shabbos together, seasoned with true Chabad flavor.

THE REBBE AS MELECH HA’MOSHIACH AND OTHER BASIC CONCEPTS IN JUDAISM

Pini maintained his connection with Velvel, encouraging him to make further progress in his Torah study and his mitzvah observance. The Marantz family came more and more often for Shabbos and the changes continued one after another, including leaving the local Conservative synagogue and joining an Orthodox shul.

R’ Velvel’s first teacher in Chassidus was Rabbi Dovid Sholom Pape, with whom he discovered the living wellsprings of Chassidic teachings. Even then, back in 5736, Rabbi Silberberg explained to the Marantz family that the Lubavitcher Rebbe is Melech HaMoshiach.

“We accepted this as a simple fact,” R’ Velvel said in a Beis Moshiach interview. “Everything he told us was true. We accepted the faith in the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach in the same way that we accepted the other fundamental beliefs of Yiddishkait. In general, I remember him always speaking about Moshiach – and this was during those years when talking about Moshiach had not yet become popular.”

WHEN THE REBBE TURNED COMPLETELY AROUND

R’ Velvel’s first encounter with the Rebbe was during a holy farbrengen. Shortly after the farbrengen, it was suddenly announced that the Rebbe would be giving out lekach and R’ Velvel got in line. When he came before the Rebbe’s holy countenance, he felt an electrifying surge flowing through his entire body. From that moment on he began coming regularly to the Rebbe’s farbrengens, sometimes bringing his young children with him.

His wife, Mrs. Shaindel Marantz, saw the Rebbe for the first time at the 5736 Lag B’Omer parade. After hearing about this most impressive event, she decided to come with her children. Indeed, the sight of hundreds of children marching, bearing signs, displays, and other Jewish attractions was very inspiring and deeply moving. The climax of the parade for Mrs. Marantz came at the moment that the Rebbe made a 180 degree turn and looked directly at her.

The family continued to make progress in its religious observance. The boys were sent to Chabad summer camps and not long afterward they were transferred to a Chabad cheider. Even their eldest son, who had just completed his university studies, traveled to Kfar Chabad to learn in the yeshiva program of Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gafni.

In 5739, R’ Velvel asked the Rebbe [in a letter] if it would be appropriate to immigrate to Eretz Yisroel and the Rebbe replied in the affirmative. Thus, R’ Velvel, who at the time still felt that he was only a “friend of Chabad,” arrived at the new immigrant center in Kfar Chabad. About a year later, he traveled to the United States for his father’s funeral and to bring his mother back with him to Eretz Yisroel.

AN ENTIRE LIFE IN SIX MINUTES!

During this trip, R’ Velvel was privileged for the one and only time in his life to have a private yechidus with the Rebbe shlita. The yechidus lasted only six minutes, but those six minutes included prophecy and guidance that stayed with him for the rest of his life. With prophetic accuracy, the Rebbe told him where he would live and what he would do. It’s interesting to note that the yechidus took place on Sunday, the 13th of Sivan 5740, the exact same date marking the end of the shiva thirty-five years later.

R’ Velvel was very excited when he entered the Rebbe’s room together with his son Reuven. The Rebbe motioned for R’ Velvel to sit, and since he was unfamiliar with the custom to stand in the Rebbe’s presence, he sat down. His son Reuven made the bracha SheHechiyanu.

The Rebbe asked R’ Velvel: Where do you live?

R’ Velvel replied: Kfar Chabad.

The Rebbe then asked if he was living there temporarily or permanently. Since he had signed a contract for a long-term rental apartment, R’ Velvel replied: Permanently.

The Rebbe continued to inquire about how long he had been living there and R’ Velvel said: Eight months.

R’ Velvel told the Rebbe that due to his father’s passing a month earlier (Iyar 10, 5740), he had come to America to handle some personal affairs and to take his mother back with him to Eretz Yisroel. He wanted to explain why he was thinking about taking his mother to Eretz Yisroel, and he started to say, “Because…”

However, the Rebbe finished the sentence for him: “Because she can’t take care of herself.” R’ Velvel lowered his head and nodded. The Rebbe then asked: Is she prepared to adapt to a life in Eretz Yisroel? R’ Velvel told the Rebbe that he was considering the matter for health reasons, as he felt that it would help to alleviate her arthritis. The Rebbe summed up the matter by saying that the climate there would be good for her arthritis.

The Rebbe then moved on to a discussion of parnasa, and he asked R’ Velvel what he did for a living.

R’ Velvel replied that he was a music teacher, and the Rebbe wanted to know if he taught adults or children.

When R’ Velvel told the Rebbe that he taught small children (in elementary school), the Rebbe smiled and told him, “And you can [in English, it sounded more like a request] spread Judaism to them when you teach them songs about ‘Shma Yisroel,’ ‘Modeh Ani Lefanecha,’ and ‘B’Reishis Bara.’

“You don’t have to know the language,” the Rebbe added, “since these songs are in the siddur.”

R’ Velvel told the Rebbe that he had already composed several songs on Torah passages and he could do this (in response to the Rebbe’s previous request regarding ‘Shma Yisroel’, etc.).

The Rebbe inquired further: Are you a private teacher or do you work in schools?

R’ Velvel: In schools.

The Rebbe: Do you work in Rechovot, Tel Aviv, or Petach Tikva?

R’ Velvel: No. I was a teacher in the New York public school system. Now, however, in Eretz Yisroel, I am learning in an ulpan for teachers. (In other words, he was now receiving training so that he could teach in Israeli schools.)

The Rebbe: You should be blessed to spread Yiddishkait through your music, and you should be blessed together with all the members of your family. May you go from strength to strength in your studies, may your family spread Yiddishkait in Eretz Yisroel when you return there, and may you spread Yiddishkait in America as well during your stay here — not (only) to your children, but you personally should try to spread Yiddishkait in America. May you have satisfaction from all your children. Much success!

R’ Velvel: Thank you very much.

•

Seven years later, R’ Velvel started teaching music at the Chabad cheider in Rechovot. One day, during his stay in Rechovot, he suddenly realized that the Rebbe’s words were beginning to be fulfilled! How did the Rebbe know that he would eventually be teaching in Rechovot? Two years later, R’ Velvel moved on to teach at the cheider in Tel Aviv, and again he noticed how he was fulfilling what the Rebbe had said. Afterward, when he recalled that the Rebbe had also mentioned Petach Tikva, he turned to Rabbi Meir Bostomsky, the director of the Chabad cheider there, and asked for permission to teach in his school, even for one day. R’ Velvel didn’t want to delay the fulfillment of the Rebbe’s words any longer.

THE GREAT BREAKTHROUGH

Immediately after receiving the Rebbe’s bracha in yechidus, the gates of Heaven began to open for R’ Velvel. He composed and recorded more and more songs on G-dliness and Chassidus, and the songs were publicized over the radio and distributed worldwide.

“I remember that they would call me ‘Mister Music,’” R’ Velvel recalled. “I had also written songs beforehand, but they didn’t become well-known. My close friends and neighbors all knew my songs. They liked them very much and passed them on, but they never achieved any degree of fame. It’s clear that all this happened in the merit of the Rebbe’s bracha.”

One of the songs he composed was “Eibeshter,” performed by the Tzlil V’Zemer Choir and the Tzivos Hashem choir, and it quickly became tremendously popular. This is a moving song, with words asking and pleading from Alm-ghty G-d that He should bring Moshiach.

In connection with this song, R’ Velvel heard numerous heartfelt stories from all over the world. An example of one such story came from a woman who heard the song at a Jewish wedding in Brazil and became a baalas t’shuva as a result. Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gafni tells how when he made a visit to South Africa, he asked the children there to sing a Jewish song, and they all started singing “Eibeshter.”

“MOSHIACH, HOW WE WANT YOU NOW”

A quick look through the pages of R’ Velvel’s songs reveals insightful arrangements on Moshiach and the Redemption, Chassidic messages, and true Jewish joy. Right after his yechidus with the Rebbe, he composed the melody to the song “Oh, Moshiach” with the lyrics: “Oh, Moshiach, how we want you now / Hurry and open the gates / Please return us to our homeland, Yisroel / Ad Masai – How long must we wait?” This song became famous some thirty years ago in a Tzlil V’Zemer Choir production, reaching Jewish homes of all backgrounds, years before everyone started crying out “Moshiach.”

Since then, R’ Velvel produced numerous cassettes and CDs. One recent production was called “Hinei Ze Ba – Light Up The World.” This name testifies with great precision to the content of the eleven songs on the disk, which are primarily filled with the concepts of Moshiach and the Redemption. “My objective is that every song should bring another Jew closer to Moshiach,” said R’ Velvel.

YIDDISHKAIT FOR CHILDREN IN SOUTH AMERICA

One special project of R’ Velvel’s that was a direct result of his yechidus with the Rebbe was the “Musical P’sukim” cassette, which contains a collection of light melodies based on the words of the Twelve P’sukim and “Modeh Ani Lefanecha” which the Rebbe mentioned during the yechidus. The songs include an English translation of the respective pasuk so that non-Hebrew speakers can understand its message. The cassette became a big hit with many children who grew up with it and love it to this day. A third generation now enjoys this unique production, which R’ Velvel re-released as a CD, as a means of living with the times…

After the cassette first came out, R’ Velvel received messages of appreciation from all over the globe – Australia, Russia, South Africa, England, and South America. On one occasion, a Jew from South America told R’ Velvel that he plays his songs for his children so that they should get a little Yiddishkait.

Interestingly, R’ Velvel’s music flows in the veins of his entire family, and has even been passed down to his children and grandchildren. His eldest son, Tzvi Hirsch, plays organ and trombone, and he is known to all Kfar Chabad residents for his musical accompaniment at the monthly public Kiddush Levana, sponsored by Matte Moshiach and held in front of the Beis Menachem Synagogue. His son Reuven also plays a variety of instruments, such as saxophone, clarinet, and flute, and is in great demand for appearances at weddings all over the country. His younger daughter, Mrs. Chava Berenstock, produced a popular book entitled “Mat’chilim L’Nagen” to aid children in learning music with a pure and Jewish approach. This unique learning tool constituted a major breakthrough in teaching music to Chassidic children, as no such texts had existed before.

FOR WITH JOY SHALL YOU GO FORTH ON MIVTZAIM

Every Friday, R’ Velvel would travel to the shopping center in Beit Dagan with the local shliach, Rabbi Shmuel Grumach (may he live long). Even there, he came with his flute, and between putting on t’fillin on local residents, he played Jewish songs and brought Chassidic joy to passers-by. An integral part of his activities came during the holiday seasons, when he would arrive to give the local Yidden the privilege of participating in the respective holiday mitzvos and, no less important, in the holiday simcha.

On Sunday evenings, R’ Velvel, together Rabbi Grumach, would visit the homes of Beit Dagan residents, a door-to-door tradition that the two did together for nearly a quarter of a century.

TO MAKE PEOPLE HAPPIER

R’ Velvel didn’t save the simcha just for his outreach activities in Beit Dagan. For over thirty years, he composed a special niggun each year, based on the words of the current chapter of T’hillim for the Rebbe shlita (corresponding to the number of years since his birth). The children living in Kfar Chabad’s Shikunim Chadashim were quite familiar with the joyous tune that R’ Velvel sang with them every Shabbos morning after the Twelve P’sukim and Yechi Adoneinu.

Even the adult congregants in the neighborhood’s Nachum Yitzchak Synagogue merited to hear the happy melodies. Each evening after proclaiming “Yechi” following Maariv, R’ Velvel would take out his flute and start playing a tune. When people asked him why, he didn’t quite understand the question: “I want to make people happier, because the Rebbe says this is what brings Moshiach.”

“Yismach contains the same letters as Moshiach,” he would always say. R’ Velvel demonstrated a personal example in making the connection by his joyous personality and the “Yechi” kippa on his head.