THE YECHIDUS OF THE RIBNITZER REBBE

Descriptions of the surprise ending to the yechidus of the Ribnitzer Rebbe; the unchanging conduct of the Rebbe even as the city emptied out for the summer; the constant urging of the Rebbe to conquer the world with the five mivtzaim; the tanks setting out on a daily basis; and the renovations of the first floor of 770. * Letters to home, written by R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom during his k’vutza year, describing some of the events of Tammuz 5734 in 770, with the Rebbe.

By R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom

Rabbi Tuvia Zilberstrom standing in the center, behind the Rebbe.
There are mitzva tanks in the background.THE RIBNITZER VISITS THE REBBE

_{Wednesday, Erev Rosh Chodesh Tammuz, 5734}

_{Erev the month of Geula – and as the Rebbe mentioned in the farbrengen of Shabbos, that when each one of those gathered makes mention of Shabbos Mevarchim Tammuz, he is immediately reminded of the days of 12-13 Tammuz.}

_{To my dear ones, for length of days and good years,}

_{I am again attaching with this letter some of the sichos from the past Shabbos. Of course, what was again spoken about in the main was the mivtzaim, as this is something that is especially timely, in particular as it relates to protection and defense. As I wrote already, the Rebbe’s first response to the report on mivtzaim was, “Many thanks and many thanks, and fortunate is their lot.”}

_{On Sunday, there was a gathering about mivtzaim, where they announced an appeal in the amount of “mivtza” = $202, and they resolved to hold another meeting on Motzaei Shabbos, at the monthly farbrengen of Lubavitch Youth. The Rebbe included in his response the amount of “mivtza mezuza” = $267, and added that by Motzaei Shabbos it is possible to conquer the entire New York and its neighboring cities with this mivtza, in ways of pleasantness and ways of peace, such that the mivtza becomes stronger each and every day, and especially mezuza. This was like what the Rebbe said in the farbrengen, in which the greatest agitation was about this (mezuza).}

_{Every day, large cars set out from here with large placards and loudspeakers about these mivtzaim. I heard that in Eretz Yisroel they have also gotten inspired about this in a strong way, in connection with the Education Ministry with all of its institutions. It would be interesting to know if the “frum” in Yerushalayim have also gotten into this lofty and elevated mivtza.}

_{The previous Sunday, as I wrote before, the Ribnitzer Rebbe was here for about an hour with the Rebbe. The Rebbe stood up and greeted him with a big smile. At the end of the hour, R’ Leibel Groner entered the room and told the Rebbe that there was concern for him (the Ribnitzer) since he had not yet eaten anything and was fasting. As a result, the yechidus ended a short while later. After the Ribnitzer exited, his Chassidim approached the Rebbe one at a time and extended their hands to him (what they call getting shalom), and the Rebbe told his Chassidim that they had to see to it that he eats. However, they answered that he does not want to, and the Rebbe responded, “Obviously, if he wants there would be no need for concern.”}

_{In response to the request of R’ Leibel Groner [to take into consideration that he had not eaten all day], the Ribnitzer said later when he returned to Boro Park, “I had such spiritual energy, we could have sat together a lot longer, and who is that yungerman that disturbed in the middle.” He also told over that the Rebbe spoke to him mainly about Russian Jewry and their situation there, and also gave advice about how they could get out of there more easily.}

_{Today, he went to the Ohel again, in honor of Erev Rosh Chodesh. Tomorrow there will be yechidus again, and so one day follows the next, with the Rebbe continuing his avoda with an alacrity that imbues in the Chassidim a similar mode, to light up the world with a shturem. And Hashem should constantly add strength to the head, and thus also to the rest of the organs of the body, in the fulfillment of their purpose, and in the meantime, Shabbos Shalom, and to hear from each other.}

_Tuvia

_{P.S. You have surely heard already that they covered the entire floor of the shul downstairs with Formica tiles, and it looks really nice relative to the way it looked in Tishrei. Included is also the addition of a new large bima, at the midpoint of the shul. Now they are working upstairs at changing the floor and the walls, from the entrance until R’ Chadakov’s room. Meanwhile they have torn out the old ones, which apparently have been there for sixty years. It seems that they will be laying in marble.}

CONQUERING NEW YORK WITH MIVTZAIM

_{Sunday, 10 Tammuz, 5734}

_{Dear Family, for length of days and good years, many greetings!}

_{Here, we are all involved in preparations for the upcoming Chag HaGeula, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The mivtzaim are also going full steam ahead, with offices of the headquarters (LYO) open and working nonstop.}

_{New York and the surrounding areas are being conquered, house by house, district by district, as every day the tanks go out for this purpose. Understandably, the morale of the soldiers is high, especially on Mondays and Thursdays when they arranged it that when the Rebbe arrives at 770 in his car, then the tanks set out. How wonderful is the sight when the Chief of Staff appears and the tanks start moving with happy song as the Rebbe urges them on with motions of his holy hand, and stands thus in the entrance to 770 until all the tanks disappear from sight. One can still hear the loudspeakers playing “Ashreinu Ma Tov Chelkeinu … K’Mofes Hayisi L’Rabbim.” Also, when they return with all of their conquests under their belts, they dance.}

_{When the Rebbe came back from the Ohel last Sunday, once again, it was with a smile and encouragement toward the talmidei ha’T’mimim Tzivos Hashem. The same happened when he drove home after Maariv, and last night, on Motzaei Shabbos kodesh after a relatively restful day [including Tahaluchos to Flatbush and Brighton Beach to promote the mivtzaim, based on the answer from the Rebbe on Friday to the reports, “Many thanks, and they should continue on Shabbos as per the law that one may oversee the needs of the public on Shabbos”], when they are preparing for the continuation of the conquest.}

_{And so they danced outside of 770 and again, the Rebbe urged on with his hand toward the crowd and from his car for a few minutes, including on the other side of the street when the chevra continued singing and the Rebbe continued encouraging with his holy hand from the car while it was moving. Of course, everyone is “filled up with gas” for the rest of the week.}

_{Every few days there are responses from the Rebbe to the reports with blessings of “Many thanks etc.”}

_{Last Wednesday, I also joined in the conquest, and one can readily see how the matter is being carried out successfully, as Jews respond, some in English and some (many) in Hebrew, that they already received the materials the day before. In Manhattan too, one can meet people that one already met on the other side of New York.}

_{For Binyamin [referring to the author’s brother]: We have heard a lot about your blessed activities that provide nachas for the Rebbe. Of course, if you were to get, for all this, some motion of the Rebbe’s hand, that would add a lot. In any case, I think of you at such times, and surely that helps increase in alacrity etc., and of course above all else, that the Rebbe himself wrote a letter to you.}

_{As far as what is going on around here, there are bachurim who left already last week to be counselors in camp in Canada. Another group will go this coming week to upstate New York … talmidim of our k’vutza will apparently move [from Chovevei Torah] to learn in 770 during this time. In the meantime, surely the letter will arrive after you hear the live broadcast from Beis Chayeinu, and we should only hear from each other constant good news. And of course, as we are absorbing the message here in our blood and soul, that everything be with a shturem.}

_{Wishing you all well,}

_Tuvia

THE SECRET OF THE CHABAD TANKS

_{17 Tammuz. The fourth fast day that will be transformed into happiness and rejoicing. 5734/1974}

_{To my dear parents, for length of days and good years,}

_{Whenever I start a letter, I think I need to start writing all the letters over again, because whatever I wrote is no longer the story of the past, but we are living it constantly, every day, every hour, and every moment. It is very hard to believe but this is the reality, that it is all one man and it is all being done by one man.}

_{I’m sure you heard the farbrengen [of 12-13 Tammuz] in the live broadcast that goes all over the world and how it was very joyous, especially the songs where the Rebbe clapped and of course, the entire crowd joined in.}

_{Guests came for 12 Tammuz including Gershon Mendel Garelik, Rabbi Ralbag of Yerushalayim [a Laufer of Lud – Abba’s student from Paris] and others. It was interesting to see how the children are scattered all over the world but are happy when they come home for a short while, to Beis Chayeinu, di varme shtub (the warm home) where they load up until the next visit.}

_{Today, once again, there was a new experience when the Rebbe came out for davening [Mincha], he did something amazing in that after Ashrei and Kaddish, instead of the Torah reading [for the fast day] the Rebbe took three steps back and began Shmoneh Esrei. Naturally, the crowd, which was taken completely by surprise, joined in. After Shmoneh Esrei and the chazzan’s repetition (Tachanun was not said because of a chassan), R’ L. Groner was standing there, and the Rebbe told him to ask a rav whether to say Avinu Malkeinu if a chassan is present.}

_{The rav said yes, which he told the Rebbe, and then R’ Leibel Groner went on to ask, “Before the Torah reading or after?” The Rebbe said again to ask a rav and they said Avinu Malkeinu, Kaddish, then read the Torah, the Haftora, followed by Aleinu.}

_{When the Rebbe left the beis midrash, R’ Moshe Pinchas Katz (one of the gabbaim) said to the Rebbe, “May Hashem help so that this will be the beginning of these days being transformed into happiness and rejoicing.” The Rebbe smiled and said, “In our times,” and left with a big smile.}

_{This Shabbos there was a farbrengen, and the talks were in continuation of what was spoken on 12 Tammuz. I will write at greater length soon. The tanks were mentioned again (as I already wrote in my earlier letters, that the Rebbe used this term for the trucks used by the activists, and added at the 12 Tammuz farbrengen that all of the mivtzaim serve the function of a tank and the letters are the first letters of the words Taharos, Nezikin, Kodshim: Taharos – that he purifies himself of any ulterior motives, then Nezikin – removing anything harmful, and kodshim – the sanctuary within each one of us. And this is the novelty of a tank).}

_{And he spoke about mivtzaim, especially about mivtza mezuza etc., which pertains especially in Eretz Yisroel, for the halacha is that even one who rents there, must immediately put up a mezuza. And they should go to work on the prime minister and his deputy that it be obligatory to work on every Jewish house having a mezuza and the minister of the treasury should finance it.}

_{The Rebbe suggested that this not come from requests of rabbanim, shochtim, melamdim, etc., but from the public, from the people in Eretz Yisroel, that this matter is essential and protects, defends and saves, especially now, when the religious are not in the government and consequently, it would not be pressure nor compulsion etc. and obviously, not from the minister of religions [it should be noted that there is no such thing as “religions” since there is only one das and the rest are foolish beliefs].}

_{There was also an instruction for tanks to do mivtzaim in the army camps. This was received as a directive over the phone on Motzaei Shabbos.}

_{The Rebbe also spoke about “houses of chinuch” [schools] that some maintain that in Eretz Yisroel now they should stop building because of a lack of means to provide the necessary security. The Rebbe said, on the contrary, they should go and explain to them, all over, and in their language, that every institution, building, preschools and even more so childcare centers, which are connected to Torah and mitzvos, is a protection for the city and more and more of this should be done.}

_{He even said that he would give his token participation to each person, including those going on shlichus who would previously get two shekels and who would now be given five shekels, in the merit of the five mivtzaim. He also told all the Tankistin to say l’chaim and to have the intention of fulfilling the obligation for all those in other locales, friends, relatives etc., and saying this, the crowd answered with amen. He said not to suffice with amen but to say l’chaim.}

_{It was very joyous, as with every song the Rebbe clapped. When he said a sicha about Mihu Yehudi [and spoke sharply], he then said that whoever has a simcha should do it now, a sheva brachos, bar mitzva, pidyon ha’ben, and with a smile. He addressed Pinson from Tunisia (who married off his daughter and his son but was only able to leave Tunisia for his son’s wedding, and they had previously made sheva brachos for his son in 770) and said, “You made weddings for a son and a daughter, where are the second sheva brachos?” He answered that they were finished already.}

_{The Rebbe said, “You can say a bracha again, without Hashem’s name,” and added, “we can discharge our obligation with a niggun.” He began the niggun, “Od Yishoma,” and for the first time ever, with this niggun, the Rebbe clapped and made motions with his head etc.”}

_{In short, we are all on the battlefield and our job is to go and conquer every mound and every hill, every ditch and every canal, with the tanks and with a shturem and with joy.}

_Tuvia

IN THE SUMMER, THE BACHURIM ARE THE BALABATIM OF 770

_{To my dear ones, for length of days and good years,}

_{How are you? How’s the heat in Eretz Yisroel? Here the temperature is a little higher than in Eretz Yisroel but occasionally the heat breaks and it is pleasant, and sometimes, we even have Yerushalmi air. Boruch Hashem, the heat does not bother us b’nei yeshiva at all, because there is always air conditioning in the yeshiva.}

_{In the dormitory rooms as a rule, each one has his own arrangements [to deal with the heat]. Many people go on vacation so only a few are left here. And most of the bachurim go on shlichus all over the world to draw Yisroel close to their Father in heaven, so the Israelis end up as balabatim in yeshiva at this time.}

_{This Shabbos, Shabbos Mevarchim Menachem Av, there was a farbrengen again. I will include here some excerpts from the sichos. For the Rebbe, all the regular routines continue as usual, no matter the season, with no changes, yechidus nights and the like.}

_{Two senior people from El-Al had yechidus last week. One of them is the security chief here. The Rebbe thanked them for allowing mivtzaim to be done in their offices [thanks to that, there are always about 400 people reached by the activities]. He also spoke to them again about the Yom Kippur War, about his view that they should have conquered Damascus and Cairo. And he spoke about this at length, including citing the names of commanders, the number of tanks, the number of soldiers of all the armed forces, and he told them how many soldiers Egypt had on the other side. He explained once again why it was a big miracle that the enemies held back before Israeli forces got there.}

_{The guests asked about traveling with El-Al and he said, quoting the Talmud and poskim, that if it is possible to travel with El-Al, they need to be the first choice. They left Beis Chayeinu in amazement.}

_{Otherwise, nothing special is going on. It is interesting that the Rebbe began changing siddurim in the last two days and does not come out with the usual siddur. At Mincha on Monday, after he was already sitting, he got up in order to remove a tallis from a Likkutei Torah. He notices every single thing, and there is no hiding oneself whether up close or from afar.}

_{To hear from and to see each other, starting with the parents and concluding with the children,}

_Tuvia