For Gimmel Tammuz, a day to strengthen one’s hiskashrus to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, we spoke with the Chabad rosh yeshiva in Tzfas, one of the Rebbe’s shluchim to Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Wilschansky. * How and when should we explain that the Rebbe is chai v’kayam? * How should we regard those who have adopted Chabad’s methods? * How can we achieve achdus? * Part 2
For Gimmel Tammuz, a day to strengthen one’s hiskashrus to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, we spoke with the Chabad rosh yeshiva in Tzfas, one of the Rebbe’s shluchim to Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Wilschansky. * Does Chabad welcome questions? How should we be mekarev Jews to Chabad? How do we connect people to the Rebbe nowadays? Why are some Chassidim weak when it comes to inyanei Moshiach? How should we treat answers from the Rebbe by way of the Igros Kodesh? * Part 1
The Jew is a conduit to bring G-d’s presence to the world through his or her performance of the Mitzvos. Sinai also revolutionized how we view the role of Jewish leaders. They are not just teachers who guide, inspire and uplift the people; they are the “head souls” who channel Divine energy to the entire Jewish nation in the same manner the brain energizes the entire body.
We believe the Rebbe when it comes to everything, except when it comes to this. We’re having a hard time understanding it. Naturally, this is the biggest thing he ever said, the most revolutionary mivtza he ever came up with…
Yehoyada, father of B’nayahu and Head of the Sanhedrin was utterly righteous, and tzaddikim, even in their death are called alive. * If the soul were to fall from its height, no longer maintaining its state of yearning to cleave to G-dliness, it is called death. The advise is to study and contemplate the teachings of Chassidus…
The soul lives on eternally, and it maintains its connection with family members, in particular those who are especially dear. The soul suffers in their pain and rejoices in their joy.
It is important to recognize that the degree to which music can assist us in liberating ourselves from dark places and especially the extent of music’s ability to energize our soul to reach higher levels depends on the nature of the music itself. The more spiritual the music is—composed by holy people or sung by people in their pursuit of spiritual goals—the more effective the music is.
We recently lost a special Chassid, R’ Itche Springer a”h, who was known to everyone but whom no one really knew. * His daily schedule reflected the sichos and horaos of the Rebbe. For years, he fought the Rebbe’s wars and worked hard to spread the Besuras HaGeula and the identity of the Goel. * He was one of the Rebbe’s soldiers, a true mekushar. He had a youthful spirit like a Tamim in Tomchei T’mimim till his final day.
A person might come and complain: This is “wild talk”! You are making claims that are historically unprecedented! How will the world react?! * Likewise with regard to the world’s argument that “they eulogized and embalmed him.”
For many years, R’ Shabtai Weintraub (a.k.a. Shai Gefen) enjoyed a close connection with Rabbi Yaakov Yosef z”l, who passed away on 2 Iyar. * Recollections and stories of a great supporter of the Rebbe.
His ongoing influence is reminiscent of the process by which plants reproduce, forming seedlings which mature into plants, which in turn produce a third generation of seedlings, ad infinitum – this process of continually affecting the world reflects the full sense of the Rebbe’s Rayatz’s eternal life, “hu ba’chayim.”
Thirty-five years have already passed since the histalkus of my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe. G-d forbid to say that for thirty-five years he has not been among us. G-d have mercy upon us for such a mindset! * The opposite is true. For thirty-five years now the Rebbe has been present among us and within us “more than when he was alive,” and from year to year his vitality and activity in the physical world progressively gains force.
When a Jew tries to hide his or her Jewishness, the non-Jew senses that there is something amiss. A Jew who is a product of exile conditions is a walking contradiction. On the outside he or she is like everyone else, but on the inside he or she is a Jew. The non-Jew senses the discrepancy and is unnerved by it. Is the Jew trying to deceive me?
June 13, 2013