Ep. 41: How Does One Transcribe The Rebbe’s Maamar? with Rabbi Dovid Olidort

I listen to the so more or less I remember more or less said I understand a little bit what he said then when said you write down you write down details you write down or whatever said and then you sit down to write it down you you use both you use what you remember and you use the the foot the notes of short notes and together today's episode is brought to you by Mah is there's a very special being commissioned right now and stay tuned a little bit later for more details about how you can be a part of it. I'm Yasi Cayman. Welcome to among an ongoing faban about life as aid our vibrant connection with the inspired living shaped by the way he teaches us each and every day. How are you Rabbi Oladart Hashem? Thank you so much for being here. >> Always help. Always happy to help. >> Okay. Appreciate that. I would like to begin and ask you if you can talk a little bit little bit about your upbringing where you came from. I know you're not born in these parts and not born in Israel. So you have a unique uh a unique story. So maybe you can uh share that with me a little bit. >> Well, I was born in in a in Russia in a suburb of Moscow. at Zion. My parents were all but obviously there and um and I uh I lived mask that sub until until [clears throat] other actually that's when he moved from Masca to to talk about more about background of my family my father came from a from a from a family from Ukraine his his parents, his father was a Hassid and they ran away during the World War II evacuated from Ukraine from Odessa well in the east and they ended up being around Tashkant in that area and that that's when my father was then as as around Bitzvah age. So that's when my that's when my father was introduced to Kabad because there were Kabadorim ran Kabad ran in that area. It was the only only f environment. So that's what my father so my grandfather sent my father to study there under kabad and that's how my father became aid together with a lot of people that area in that from that era that were introduced to kabad and became close to kabad. I mean a big chunk of them moved in the famous echelons here to here to to the western world but also also stayed in in Russia. My parents, my father stayed in Russia >> because they weren't able to leave. >> They weren't able to leave. Yeah. No. And no, it to leave was was a was a process. Not everybody was not able. There were reasons why they a lot of them came later. We all know that a lot of them came later. And then my father and his family moved to Siberia because the government his sister the sister studied there and the the government center to work in a factory in in Siberia. Then later he he came to Mascow to Mascow in the area of Mascow that has a lot of a lot of fume fume families there big ponabad families and then that's when he met my mother who also came one of the relatives there one of her relatives lived in that area >> what what type of family is she from >> she came from also from a from a form family in Adessa from I think city of ruin of bhan And that's when they met and that's how I so I was born there and my my my grandfather my father's father who was already retired I mean it wasn't that old but it was already retired at that point he is the one who taught me everything he taught me from alumar >> you didn't go to or anything >> there was no there was no mask no there was no mascow so I was homeschooled in Edish in Jewish stuff and Jewish studies in uh by My grandfather taught me everything like I said from all the way till Gimmor till till 9 till I was nine and a half and uh and and I I was quite young when I was in Russia but my memories are we had in our little suburb of Moscow we had we had our minion we had a minion shabasim most of not everybody was very old-timers I was the only child there my my cousin my father's sister and husband they also lived there with my grandparents. So their children, but they were all old, my cousins a little older than me. And uh we used to have a minion of Shabbasim and I think if I think I remember correctly, I was once a minion with a I got mage n I got st a funny memor from past. Well, you know how to read it. >> Yeah, I'm telling you. My grandfather taught me everything. Gammor, not just like Mishna is gor. Then uh my father also learned Miller and in order in order to help in that in that area in that era again it was a time when there wasn't enough of people. We we all the all our families they get together. Were they pardon? >> So who's anyone anyone was organizing these activities or was all >> it was all Yeah, it was I don't know. Yeah, there was some kind of organization. I remember also going to there was a main sh in the Mascow the big shul in the city. The chief rabb was 11. remember I think going with my father there and he gave us uh I think it was cedar a small cider and we got I think they got it they used to get it to the Israeli embassy there um >> he's the one that came later to the >> right came to the um I mean from the the the Greenberg family obviously and his and Greenberg from Alaska his his older brother was my age and uh and his he had cousins he had his grandfather B Kazan and u was other families >> were there any like notable that came around over the that you remember >> a lot of names I remember I don't know how to describe notable but you know a lot of names from that era I remember the kalasha who was the He was in he was in the city. He lived in the city. >> Where is the suburb? >> There was a sub there was a suburb of mas of Moscow but now it became already part of the city. >> What's it what's a what's the name? >> The name was Clasma. I remember there was also there was also the M of KB was from the from the Chernobyl dynasty which like I said my grandfather was also like originally of of which was Chernobyl dynasty. So had his own shul in the city of Mascow. I remember going there a few times. Later he moved to we moved in too and not he was also my sand. Actually my grandfather bought him to be my sand was considered sh to have a a rabbit a rabbit to be um okay so that that's step one. Another small part is that first grade public school yet we must go to public school in Russia. In Russia those days at least Shabas was also school was school was six days a week including Shabas and because our school was a small school small so Friday our class is to learn in the afternoon so you know in the short Fridays was also a problem. So as far as Shabas, we got some doctor to to write a note that uh that I need an extra day off. But Fridays was an issue. This the winter Fridays. Sometimes I uh I always looked for excuses. One day they didn't let let me uh leave so I made a little a little uh I acted upset and this and that and they got got me some help. It's funny. I mean in my memory as when I experienced it was it was obviously bad but going back looking back it was a it was a little incident. Was it like um how was it to like be a minority of a minority from like used to for example you can see that for example I used to I used to I had to wear a yamaka right in in class I think I had to take I'm not sure in class maybe I had to take over but in the street I had to wear I couldn't wear a regular Jewish yamaka. So the the the you can see that the usbasis the use goim they have this big head covering called teeta that's what it's called in Russian so I used to work under that in Russia some people today you can see it some people do it still you know in it's it's some hard life was hard so I was taunted as a Jew obviously but I remember I was sitting in in uh in public school. Next it was mixed. So I I I mixed times up a little bit. The beginning was that the first class the first grade somehow my father managed to to get me out of the first grade but second I had to go. They forced us to go. So all these things happened there. Remember there was some some girl there. She says I'm not Jewish. My both grandparents and are Jewish but I'm not. She told me stop memory. It turns out later on she moved to Israel like after after like 40 years later, 30 years later, >> right? So she's she's >> I didn't I don't know anything about her. I just my mother told me about it. So that's step in a way step step one alf was that like I said well we we moved we moved towards soul it was it was a process they rejected us question before that. Um, was there like like you felt you knew that you were like I wanted I told you my grandfather was so and so there were we I felt there was also all the relatives we had there relatives of the Gimbers who were like also It was there was a little stickle friction even as children. We're talking about small children. It wasn't a serious friction but it was obvious that you we say I remember even even having a minion shabasim for >> as a child. I remember one once there was we wanted so people walked to our house like shabas afternoon to have >> and your father was part was part of >> course. Yeah. My father is the one. I mean, he's not the only one. He was Yeah, he was he taught me to to all the whatever mean they had there. I remember I think I remember also. So, yeah. >> You knew anything about the >> I I don't the the I don't recall exactly, but probably they said the better a rabbit. I was young and I don't remember I personally don't remember that but I assume that that the older people were more than that. >> Interesting. Okay. So decision that you have to get out of there. >> No, the decision is not mine. My parents my parents. So they asked to be to be released and they were rejected twice till finally some somehow we consider it a miracle that uh I remember I once met in Moscow later I met the ambassad the Israeli am I think the ambassador to Moscow she says I came out of Russia in 1967 also of Zions I said really she said according to statistics in that year only a thousand people left Russia >> to Israel I was one of a thousand which is is a miracle. >> Yeah, it is quite a miracle. She thought she knew the statistics. She also came out that year. I was I was surprised. >> Um okay, now >> she went out. >> Yeah, we got my family and the beginning we moved to Nebach because our relatives my my mother's cousin the closest relatives my mother had that was her cousin. So we stayed with them in Bbach. We rented a place from that was then we we took a trip to see from far. It was before six day war. So we went up some mountain I think to see from far parts of it was all trip. It was a major trip and then in in in oh when I came there I went to by the way so yeah there was there was a very small there's a picture actually there's a random picture because some kid over there had a birthday or something so there's a picture a lot of people there that mentioned today like Zman Lando him and you'll see maybe is also in that And um my Mhammed was obsin and he it was exciting because first of all was also my father's malamid in Russia in for so the same I have the same malammed >> and uh and uh and also if I remember correctly left Russia about half a year before us but he he came from from Usbekistan from Tashkant. So on the way to leave Russia, went to Moscow. So he stayed in my my grandparents house. So I remember I I saw him already before >> I learned remember learn and he it was I'm surprised at my at myself how my how good my grandfather managed to teach me. >> You're up to the level. >> I was up to the level I was able to to follow. It's not like a person comes out of nowhere and I didn't learn till then I never learned. So, so I mean that that really I have to credit my grandfather for that and u so we loan for three months there. So we were there for a few months and my father was looking for a job looking for for a house. Uh then the six day war started in right I remember during the war we came to is closed so we had to run to a to a to a special underground place I think it was under one of the shulsando zolando was our classmate so his grandfatherando arranged the place I think maybe not not maybe it's not exactly it's not but Nebak didn't feel anything. He didn't hear anything. So right after that the shalim became a place. So the government offered my father a place apartment near not for free but a special program area on the old border with >> in other words before before the war it was mish in the border of and Jordan of southern Jordan. So, so they offered him a place there and my father wanted to to live in. So, right away, so we moved to the base town of and the first day obviously the first time we came there and we met the people there. We went was still I was still 9 years old like I said and uh we got to know the the few people important people. There was TV blow which is where he became a good friend of my father and I also used to give later he was used to give shim in his in his home for children like I remember going there and it was also the then was leisenbal who was in later he moved to Montreal so he had a strong effect he was my Muhammad there in the beginning he was also the man was the Mhammed So that's I already started in regular for a few years after I had the Wilhelm Sh and a lot of important people and then later I had my bar mitzvah of Shalmed. So it was the first baritz ink was renewed was take you know in the old city in the old city it was still some old fac they turned it into factory >> you saying the when when it was under >> exactly when the Arabs turned it into a factory and then took it we took it over so it was being rebuilt and and they finally finished the downstairs should be a able to make it make I think was the first of and then at that point we moved from the was inabad which was the shul is now you know dance then we moved to the was then on the end of near near breast you know you're familiar >> not I'm not so familiar but yeah >> not familiar okay so it's the end of and uh that's what we was from top till Giml there. I had the the most the most important person that affect me was Feldman who was Shiva there. There's other was also again there and there was also who was now the and then the and then myo I had very we learned together a lot and then he he decided drop out and got mirror is so that that had a very you know it put me in a in a bad situation and I felt uncomfortable. So one of the options was to come here. Okay, that's one that's one thing part. >> How old are you then? >> By the time 15 >> this is one of the one of the options to come to New York. >> Yeah. And we had a bunch of borim like the day that called I don't remember they were called then elder elim used to come to came to and they inspired us I remember my perman who is now in Karacus and Ashkanazi allam there was a lot of the >> they were coming from 770. >> Yeah they was after they came to us after >> so they gave you a little bit of a flavor of Yeah, they gave us 17. Remember those years was also a very important year because every week there was a major a major inspiring uh and you would get it. Yeah, we got the and everybody was learn I want to tell you remind myself of that. I think Zion he told one day he speaks to boys and says you should know the rebades a new way of learning Russia and I must tell you it's unbelievable and he gave us this thing he says everybody who has a question tell it to me and I'll send it to the Russian not in the sh in Russia you have a sh in Russia but he were nine years old >> today people children n I I learned with my 8-year-old little it it was it was difficult. >> Yeah. Can you imagine? >> Yeah. >> So, I'm saying I even gave him some kind of question to stop. >> It was it. So, I'm saying that this these types of uh things were already started earlier but but we are children. We really didn't appreciate it. when we we got the Shiva and we had the Bin that came from 70 and we had the the uh the used to come out. It was very inspiring and uh >> and there was no the hookups yet. >> No, the Oh, wait a minute. Okay. You're right. Okay. Hookups also I remember the hookup situation. So the hookup start the first was that was Yeah, that's that was also an important event. >> Yeah, right. I don't Yeah, I remember about Mich was I remember waking up in the middle of the night like 3:00 3:00 in the morning is this that was the that was the time that we our our times are still organized before we become a b you know right 3:00 usually asleep you wake up woke up 3:00 and I we lived then in in Sanra to walk it was a it was a nice walk like a maybe 20 25 minute walk up a up a hill. It was a long long walk in the middle of the night. You come to Shiva and there's a hookup and a gate like you can't hear, you could hear. It was it was quite sporadic but that was the first time you heard the it was extremely then I was still 12 years old was only 12 was so but I yeah I do recall it but later the start to become more organized was also part of the inspiration. So you were already listening to the >> not that I'm saying I understood but uh >> you didn't understand it. >> No I understood something some things I understood >> what my age and especially when the spoke about some things that we like when we spoke about something something that we something with especially something that we learned in in gor etc. It was very uh inspiring obviously and um so then the option to come to New York starts developing. >> Yeah. Yeah. There's a few reasons. First of all like I said I lost my and the sheris I don't know if I want to talk it it wasn't I it didn't feel uh comfortable and it was a big let's go to let's go to the everybody was talking about it. So, so I guess so, so Elim I ended up here. >> You were off. I was ended up here. The first month I slept in some some nalo aer family on Kell Street because their son was punked my class. >> So he >> he was in your class. >> He was in my he came al family. He came loan obsess. I don't remember why >> his last name is Don. What was his name? >> Donor. Donor. I don't know. Okay. He lived on Carol Streets because I stayed tish in their house just sleep mean sleeping and okay tishalid anybody who knows history was was like one of the it was a major month the funny to me it felt this is what it was I didn't realize later this was something very very different from the year before and thereafter because first of all the war happened then the reb Fab spoke each other there. There's a lot of things happened that month which didn't happen later but to me that was my introduction. >> You came >> like I fell in right into the >> bank. >> Yeah. with a bang like you say, right? I fell into tish and uh for you know I have to find a place that stand by fing and all these type all these type of things took a a while to to land as they say and then also there was also there were a lot of interesting things that happened I don't I don't remember the details we're talking something about more than 50 years ago but uh there was then a cloud that no yeshiva can accept someone unless the yeshiva comes from G settle and Teras didn't want to let me go. So I never I didn't get to leave really. So I had to struggle here. So for a month I was just sitting at 770 sleeping on the bench and like it was I was really homeless sort of and uh but then late in the in the end early took me in. I went to actually the truth I went to Morrison also to try Moriststone but I but so I wasn't happy I was I came to be by the rebel but I'm going to be Morrison that's where I came from so so I ended up being an then it's not totally not a retire of today in there was a there was a building called 695 East Parkway I don't think it exists anymore there there was >> 695 >> 695 which is on the corner of Brooklyn across the street on the on the side of where Ela is today. >> Yeah. Yeah. On the side. Costa had something there was >> not sust. >> So 695 there was a there was had a branch over there from the old itself was in rhinus >> at Troy in Troy. So there I actually I remember learning the ro maybe I was but then when I 695 had there were three there was freedman the mashia was majeski that that's what it was and there were three three classes there the oldest class was the difference was probably alter also also the the the shim they got was >> you were al exactly I was the youngest I was 16 in Eladino. I became 16. I went I came there like at I came to 70 when I was 16 and >> you ended up with older people. >> No, no, there was also my so three grades there. There was the highest grade. I was in the lowest grade. That was my age group. I want to share something special that's happening through Mak is many of you listening can remember the moments that you spent in the Reb and the Reb's home. Whether it was in the Reb's physical presence or whether it was daing or a special occasion that you recently were in the home and how powerful those moments were. Now there's a new being written for that purpose. The Tyra that is being finished now will be used in the Reb and the Rabbitson's home and it is commissioned for the Rabbitson before it is finished. Each of us has a chance to be part of it. You can buy a letter in the Tyra. Think about that. Your letter will be in the Tyra that's in the Reb and the Rabbat's house. It's not every day that we have a chance to be part of something that has permanence in the Reb's home. And it's a huge for us and our families to be a part of it. Don't wait until it's too late. Go to Torah 1304.com right now and purchase a letter while it's still available. Let's all have a part in this ta together. One of my good friends from those years, all of us ship Dubski. He was a friend of mine. He was in my class. There's also a few there was a guy and then we have Catsman you know that was my class the the higher grade was to shar the middle class was burgar in Brazil and David Salmanov the Mashpia and Mandel the the love. >> Mhm. >> So he I was I became of Mandowski and we learned together for a year. So one one year we were there in remember at one point you see in the other interview it was mentioned that at that point the situation was very there was no there was no so decided that we we were going to write of every every the in in that in that group will write an everybody got his piece my my lot was >> so I was saying you have to slow down I have to process what's going on over here so now you're moving on from to to the unrelated no it's unrelated I'm just want say one point what I remember majeski >> okay yeah >> so his daughters are not I just want to tell one cent so everybody the like the alterg this they read the first some people somehow I ended up I know maybe it went on for didn't go on for too long a few months I forgot one of my classmates was also shap >> so because I mind he was also involved so I remember I remember for ourselves I remember I heard once in Hebrew I wrote and aba So tells me >> okay >> because translate but that's not the way you write right that's that's how ended the sent away that was everybody went away my entire class went away half to Israel to Montreal But I said I they didn't even offer me. Nobody told me I should go. But I said I came here. When am I going away now? >> So I so I was left alone. I had no class. So the next I was but you had to be a certain age. >> No. >> What >> isn't it? >> No was older. I was 17. See in Isn't that usually the >> No, in that point started gimlb. Yeah, of course the rebu spoke about >> and and the the came from 70 explained to us what he's talking about because we didn't >> right is giving a whole s we got no idea what the reb talking was talking about that the bim exactly from so at that point was so so I ended up being the youngest because I was the only one left >> in other words my class left and so so I ended up inv We have Mandik gave us a I think it was then if I remember correctly and Sam and what's I think summer one of the summers I don't remember but it's m not sure it's m gave us remember highest cloud high so he gave us nigler So that's that's why I ended up in one year at that point. Oh, so let's take a step back and I came you didn't ask me about it but so I was I was going to ask you about so that's a only the only kind of that's was total total democracy there was not that somebody was interviewed someone >> what was democracy was democracy >> yeah democracy means anybody who wants sab sits down mo shabas when I came at least downstairs in 70 in and over there you can see in the pictures and anybody nobody's asking you who are you what do you know what you don't know everybody can sit down and mix in excuse me the said the didn't say this you know >> but I interviewed um other people yeah >> they said there was a hierarchy meaning if you uh if you would have something to say and you weren't part of the club what >> someone would give you up a look and then you you're intimidated to say anything is that is that not your experience >> yeah there is no degree but obvious when you go into a new group and all of a sudden you start talking say who are you? Who are you? Yeah, that's but but I mean Teni the fact that you mixed in that that made you a part of it. Nobody said to you, "Excuse me, not longer." Maybe actually I remember in that Russian Russian was it was a right if you pay attention there was like four because like this. No. first of all the first only made a short for then Shabases. Oh. Oh no, don't forget there was also the first night. There's the first night the first the first night you have keep there's there's the the before yeah >> then morning sh evening four can you imagine that so and and people aren cop whenever said what and between the fabangans they used to the v was go and a few used to come listen to him and mix in this and that. I remember I was a child. I was 16 years old. So I I see a bunch of in my but city like I think for one of the I ran over to hear to listen. I did I didn't I don't think I mixed in but I wanted to be part of it because of all my like I said the excitement was from from the from before. Did he want to hear whatever said >> right? This is before you're writing hanakas or anything. No in the beginning it's not about writing. I'm talking as a b >> then uh actually so what happened? So that's what's simple story. Then I I was I was interested. First of all I want to tell you that after after I came nothing doing it was such a down but then I I used to >> never change that in the mess. Yeah, those things change later. But that for me again it's also there was up and ups and downs later also but for me especially like if you let's say if somebody came here in the summer when there's nothing wingers and then this t-shirt then they go back but you start on the high and all of a sudden it's a different I did start writing to my in my letters to home because I was because I was so excited about about being able to listen to the reb and the cor and everything. I used to I used to write the kids. So some whatever said this that you know to your father to my yeah to my parents and uh to my father and um but then another point is B Lev happens to be a relative of mine quite far because his grandmother my grandfather were cousins. So because of that there that he he he felt a certain kinship and he at that point he was he was writing that was my model he was like that was my model so he he got me also interested in that already then he didn't I didn't actually write but I was like involved he showed me I >> you knew about the process >> I knew about the process a little bit then happened so I used to come to Hazor mix in a little bit and I mostly I came to listen to and At that point was the main like second and second he was arguing with driver said this said it said this way that way when he said it the first and the second so I I was involved and uh sent slowly slowly I got involved more and I wrote I wrote and then like I said hey my all my friends went away went So what was this project of writing in ala that was stamped like >> stamp for ourselves for ourselves? >> This for ourselves. >> For ourselves have >> exactly because there was no because the people who didn't was not produced in time it was their role and >> this was mentioned on a different interview. Why? We'll get into later. I don't know. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's not doesn't matter why the I had friends who like I said they all ran away some to Montreal. So I used to write also send them my myimus not like not full but you know kitsu him from the that so that got me involved a little bit and then and I I was I started talking to also once in a while asking you know so that was hey and uh and David Felman used to write every in Hebrews himself and send it out of your friends. We used to have we we used to have a friend mutual friend we used to have you then >> he's the younger brother he had an older brother sim ands he was the younger one >> many of them have been translated >> yeah yeah yeah but I'm I'm saying SA was a good friend of mine and we used to converse and talk and uh we used to help type Marshall David was I I think David at that point used to write and then he was to type. We we like in a small group. We have to do things together and uh so again was my year that I was in and uh learning learning a little bit learning the but most my most of my already became but the and what the says then you have to understand another point which we'll talk about later that there's a major there's a major difference between Shabas Shabasans and and and and and and uh because if he knew there was a tape somehow at least me and my you didn't pay you didn't when you listen to I have to remember it there's a tape so so you listen to what is you don't apply so as much >> you're not working >> you're not not work you don't apply forget maybe it's a mile you listen to instead of trying to memorize it you listen to the more so there's a there's a difference I'll tell you later why why it's relevant But then came those years those years there was a special incentive for to go to only Bim got Parkway because why they want because they wanted the elder she got to to parkway to to inspire the younger generation. So, so I also appi applied for that so to speak and my green blood in Russia in Argentina. He he convinced me that that I'm I'm we so we we went together >> a bunch of there was a group of guy David Felma was there and no else was there remember there was I don't remember other names now and uh so we got that's how we got to know the younger generation like uh who was the the young class then was there were two classes in int what do I remember from the older class >> mhm ali book became later he was from the younger generation it was and then we had the rabbi we saw rakovski and the rabbet rabbi and the is that gave us some and there was lips actually official of the younger generation was lipk that's that's when we really got at least me that's when got really uh chunk of a gale's uh learning and Um and this also lament was also here the reb start started spoke there was a lot of fabans especially relative to lame at least in my memory a lot a lot of fabans involved it was a sheris also there's a lot of fabangans remember like I think zord there was there was a fabbringan all of a sudden they told us we national park where we ran in the train to I'm back. Oh, we got we got what do you say? >> Hi kids. >> And uh a lot of times we used to run back and forth because we wanted to not miss them every week. We were here for sure. But even weekdays and at that point we got involved more already. In the other interview somebody spoke about what happened at there was >> a new order so I weren't involved much more >> so you so when started right >> you became officially involved >> sort of officially the truth it started earlier also a little bit because I I started already helping to write the >> they found they found lately actually told me he s showed me found something I wrote and hey I didn't remember it looks like I sporadically I has to write something at that point I got involved much more and no was the first then we said we want to ask the reb questions we didn't it was new for us what do you Hey, what do you how do you sign? You have the question and the reb answered now it's a printed but about the answer 25 years a number remember the number it inspired us >> I don't understand you asked a shily But it was talked about it. >> Everybody spoke about >> no the question also. >> Okay. Okay. So said well it took us took you so long to remind us not to ask a question something was printed 24 years ago is enjoying that was very it was very it gave us some huge boost answer like then also then the way we organized then again I don't want to get into too many details but and Uh and David Felman after the the >> Russian whatever everything and and so then after answered us we got a little more we start asking questions so the m you can see it's all printed these days which is which is I think the in the m said something that didn't fit doesn't m the kun or something so and p that sh punked when I was sitting the fabangan beforean person sitting next to me this licask showed me that says something similar which also doesn't fit [laughter] you can ask >> no but also on the m also somehow connected. So the reb answered answered we never founded but later it looks like >> translate what what the said >> the said that this kind of the says that there is probably a this type of comment by somewhere but but later we found when printed that does someone as that question in the youuds in a letter to the reb with the same question at restoration there's no clear answer I don't remember the answer is that was the beginning of of a situation that we started sort of writing asking questions of the reb >> would you look for what to ask or >> no hak didn't understand there's always you know the spoke so much and so many topics there was always things that you can ask not didn't look to ask but we had the bra got the bra to ask >> so you would once you got an answer from the you would based with that understanding. >> Sure. No, but usually it was usually it wasn't on the in the general on the general concept the mind and the detail. Again, don't forget the Rabel Khan was always always involved still always involved him in in the same we asked him what it's not like he was always like >> overseeing it not in a not in the direct way but if there was something serious yesterday and so if if you find today but you'll find Zion you'll see there's a lot of answers in the a lot of rings because it was all based on that So I'm at Z. So then okay, but what happened was he in the summers used to go to Argentina. So somehow I took over I I took over for him. I don't remember exactly how was decided I took that I it's not like I was especially knowledgeable or anything. Sorry that I uh that I took over for him in the summer. So I started writing my in a more organized way. So actually I don't remember. Okay. So, so then all right, I mean again like I told before the after the but I don't remember if every faban but the important thing is not I know how important but the interesting thing is that the comes but it came to the tape fingans we were not sto writing them down because >> because >> because it's a tape anybody was can listen to the tape those days it wasn't as easy as today but it was still >> when they when they printed kesh talked about it. >> Part of that was to write the >> of the weekday because you guys didn't do it. So if they're making a book, they had to write from the tape from tape. And the Reb was very adamant against Mili. So you can't just not take a direct transcript from the tape, >> right? That's what uh it has to be something you can read. >> Has to be readable. They have to check the to fix is brought to you by we live in a chaotic world. A world where for us is a we do not have the ability to hear and see the on a daily basis. 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We asked other questions that something interesting happened with I hope this is close enough to me that to write my then and the reb twice shabas and mat shabas and the reb gave a after shabas they should turn it into one mimer the main should be the one from shabas because that was name and in the bottom should add the additions from shabas then after shabas the next shab and again I don't know why he wasn't there I I wrote it and we printed that the of the new so to speak was everything came out right away. We we so the Reb said, "Oh, actually it was it's a tape. Maybe it was a tape." So we right away made it and and printed it. All of a sudden the Reb take sends it takes the printed the printed m the way we did it. The way I did it was it was from a tape. Yeah, it was on tape. So So when I wrote the M from a tape, I was I was 19 years old. Okay. So, so the so I wrote more said I wrote said I fixed the language a little bit from more or less about muzak it's not it's not written the papar but it was still and he wrote on it and then then we in those days we used to a second time after it was type set we think in the the long used to be called gies but there was mia second time and came out that was like my first experience was m I wrote and not that I if I in other words if I would have known I wouldn't even do it >> will do it this actually did somehow I did it just to help to help out >> right and the end >> they ended up being okay so that's what happened was also something interesting the said that just a memory I have that said uh Uh that that was the rebadis. His name is Yalis the famous wrote was a book in also wrote in it was a big place of a ring. So we look so like uh those days there there was limited ways how to get sources we look we can't find the kilisak can't find it later by the way it was found in not it's different but at that we couldn't find it so we ran around we found that other place so we right away ran so he told Yeah. Yeah. I'm just a memory that I have from those days. So we were very involved in and you can see you can see especially in the summer almost every obvious ask questions and the answered and the also gave him was going back going back to was a very interesting thing the spoke about the that The kala becomes it's like like gay because the kal was in the end of a So it it has was to have food and when you take it away from the go it now you can eat only have kosher foods the only answer the question why we don't sell why we don't after pes yeah disagree there was then there was a dying fisher from England came to the other interesting things happened I remember now what happened later interesting happened and he spoke about whether we All these things are printed. I'm just expressing things that the way I experience them then to give it a little more >> right >> background. So So he as said that every that that they're going to come to every back and forth. So he asked the rabbit was a m I asked the rabbit a question and you wrote because I asked the rabb question a long answer client said the reb asked them to go to the library to find some safer very long answer it's printed now in in it's it just was an interesting experience another another interesting experience that happened at Zion Shabas avas so the reb said the reb said at least that's what they told us said there's going to be Fabringan. So Gail went to to camp Ganis for Shabas wasn't here. So it was a very small Fabian and so the only people who were left were us the few. So the M of and everything we we wrote basically but no it's a memory of a time the B wasn't there. It was time in my experience the B wasn't there and we had to race cuts by ourselves. what to write and this >> what I want to what I'm curious about >> is the process of writing so how does it get from to what what's the process to to writing but also specifically I'm also interested in and my question is do you have to be able to do both you have to be able to remember and or or how does this work uh it There's no climate that I can tell you how it happened in real life. >> Mhm. So in real life when I can tell you from my own personal experience what I remember let's say I listen to so more or less I remember more or less said I understand a little bit what he said then when said you write down you write down details you write down or whatever saidim to me and then you sit down to write it down. You use both. You use what you remember and you use the the foot the notes which are short notes and together I still have those days. basically like this. So, so you're you have if you're writing you have to make sure that you know the whole from the >> and then when it's like a refresher and you could write down so you write >> write down the right >> you can write and from yourself and what you wrote from >> you're able to to start writ but even more because the up. What does it say? And sometimes it says a little differently. So you have to know how to write it. You make the decision. You sometimes said it says this. It's a little different. Depends. Sometimes there such things. Yeah. That that's an important component of what you're saying. But the truth is even the right am from the tape it's also a process because those words the says but then you have to understand what he means and how how it fits with with the sources that like I said after we started writing so like the said I think this the first time first time the first of this was the first or the second I don't remember so so after that rah called us And they said me and David Felman and they said we have to write up this the the s in a way I guess it was for the paris probably or more for the publication >> for publication. So we sat down and wrote it and to us it was the first experience to write something not an something to write it out properly and the reb was very unhappy with it. So he wrote this this thing that that you have to make sure not to write me. I think after I had that very sharp answer now have to rewrite it in a normal way and also he said should shouldn't be in the signant of newspapers and the signal of and and and this applies to everything especially this children to write that in a way that it's it's a major challenge. Basically that that went off but it was a major teaching experience for us the way the reb wants the should be written >> right if I remember correctly it was so kind not a meaning every every after every shabas one b to come with him home to to sit in the bas shabas to to repeat the between themselves before before Friday night. So when I came yak was the >> before Friday nights >> m shabas I mean before m shabas. So when I came yas was the boy who used to come down got married but then he he got married and then he moved to Israel said at that point y asked me to stop. until I get married. Me olive. So every shabas after faban I have to go I have to go come to him after fabbran by the s of shabas we used to repeat this he used to repeat the series and I was like is sort of uh what is the word kick kick sidekick >> sidekick not sidekick in a way that like asking him if maybe push back >> push back discussing it shouldn't it shouldn't talk to the rabbi used to come sometimes shabosim also because he used to say Shabas in the radio. So he used to want to hear what said. So, so that's some things was a very high-end situation also by the way I went to also I went into at that point we came was announcement no more no more there's no such thing as but when I my v was my 19 letters I came to label first of all for my 18 ml letters those days you I write a letter settle to the reb starting that was the then age as the but it's true to him but I was never I want to go once so it probably was because mentioned probably the end of of beginning of yeah the end of I think IV I went into never told me a few interesting What what uh the spoke about about three things the importance of because obviously I wasn't but >> had a report about it. >> Yeah. No, and I wrote myself that I'm having a hard time. It's a big challenge for me. And the Reb spoke very strongly. It's important that I have a hard time doing also encouraged. He said it's important. What did say that I think said that you have to feel that he and the third thing I asked the was about about um memory that that I felt that I don't remember when I learn I learn more and this I don't remember everything. Mhm. >> So said never said something interesting that he should every time he finish learning something should write down for yourself in short the he said something like every 10 minutes or something write down the kits of what he wrote and and and concent what he wrote that will help you memorize things. It's interesting. >> Interesting. Then then the rebas used to go with the pen with a pencil go to first he had settled once then he went back with the pencil and everything he wrote answered then he came took my name when he put him name he said said since he came from and there he had a hard time there was it was it was hard to to be tomiruses and here you came out of this you have to utilize the fact that you that you now in a in a state that you can do it. You have to you have to take advantage of it. >> You have to take advantage and also like appreciate it. >> Just appreciate use it. Use it. That's generally I remember from that. Okay. Going back. We're going to have to go a little bit. That's a little bit more than a typical time I think. >> No, but yeah, but somebody told me somebody told me once used to say that to to people came from Russia. >> Somebody told me that. Okay. So what I want to tell you that all of us after this after what happened >> after the debut heart attack. >> Yeah. So the the whole thing changed because there was no more shabas for you remember what I told you earlier the big was in Shabas for because you have to memorize it. So the whole idea of memorizing >> everything there's everything there's a tape. So that part was a little bit of in a way a let down. There was a mile at the tape the we didn't have that experience of sitting and try to understand whatever said the truth in the beginning when whenever the few the few shabas there was mia I was sitting with typing his what he wrote helping with. Yeah, because the first few weeks I b everything but yeah then stopped after a while. So in a way that was a little bit of a a downer because the co like I said I explained before when when something you have to memorize. So the there's a c people hey do you remember them said this when you say but now everything's on tape so so if you want to listen go listen to the tape there was a little less people we all listen to the tapes but it wasn't the same it wasn't the same there was no sitting and saying there was a little bit of you understand that so from basically till Shabbasim again this the whole messed changed changed the form it was more taking tapes and rewriting them so there was there was no push like we said earlier that anything on tape okay people can listen to tapes you don't feel we must today then >> no there was no exact then felman went to Israel and in a way I felt I was left alone I was the I mean obviously there was a bunch of guys around but I I I wrote the IM but the sed was a seder in the came. So I think it was for already. So I I wrote down what I was said then also >> when that that's that's a memory from then but the memor is still out of memor at that point I think it was at that point I was I don't know what happened but the there was fight you know fight 11 from Australia. So right 11 then point got involved also in in in riding the memorial a little bit for a little while lame the end of lame test my my sister got married in Israel so I went for a few for a few months to Israel and because there was tapes so so I didn't feel that much I'm missing that much because I can listen by he got to shu in here I mean he missed the 770 but but the like the actual >> he's saying if if you If it wasn't if the rebas you wouldn't leave for so long >> you wouldn't leave for such a long time you feel like you can hear everything anyways it's a funny it's it's like looking back it's it's a funny type of thing but that's that's how it felt >> everything's right >> and then then was I think the first shabas if I remember correctly the first shabas for wing was if I remember correctly was I think those Those other things I did was I uh at one point in those in those days you know remember the the long after somebody used to write it down used to write it down and the two of them used to write down. This is this is before your times. No, not doing my times doing for bringing doing foren they used to prepare from before Shabas under the table a pen and a paper and the minute came they started writing down the kit for themselves and then then bakazor I think is used to look it helps to remember because there was no tape but but that was written down but later on there was a big shin after for example I used to sit I used to sit on the side near uh a few rows below the the center more closer to miser but then after the whole celebrations was normal for bringing that you but first of all doesn't matter when there's a mic doesn't matter where you sit you can hear anywhere all these things affected that's things that uh what what did I start saying that so then at that point I I got myself a place mish end of the sh in a way that I was bending and I couldn't see the reb started happening again >> again yeah starting again so I I was bending I couldn't see the reb when the reboke only between the I used to pick up my head but I remember when the reb everybody stood up I also stopped so the was face to face with me it was very almost scary and like I said later I started writing also in the yto Fabian remember one says I'm imish face to face closer than I am with you now even I think and I sit and I stand the eyes are closed and I stand and I write you imagine [laughter] that it's looking back it's quite uh interesting that was one part >> so later on um when did you get married >> mal mal so so the was usually Like >> no no but but then at that point because of the one of the results of top so t-shirt winter kiss David Felman got married he became already like he got married and like I said there was no there was no rush to still gave there was no pressure on tape >> because on tape so got married and he decided to go on went And then that's when Simon took over Simmon started writing in Edish beginning I think his first was I think Simmons at that point became sim but but I continued writing the memory always yeah I mean me and it's really I say I I wrote the way it worked was Shabas right away and it was printed in Shabas morning Sunday morning Everybody had done reporters from Shabas and then Sean looked it over and he added he added for memory stuff that he remembered. I mean I also but he also added more make it like should make more sense. It should be more organized. He also edited so to speak >> right then step two. So the >> yeah didn't do >> that's what I'm saying took over and together >> he never did >> what >> he never did the >> no he never himself did not I wrote my mom for >> and then later when there was when it became and >> so to give it the same thing >> so there's only one there's two of the but there's only one right yeah >> and then you also got involved in in No, that's later around PE time around Nissan time or other time. I was a single label comes over to me and he says that feel that they don't have enough they don't have enough people working and and it's a lot of pressure. So they need another hand to help. >> So we so we need to give a little bit of a hakama here that what >> there's another department of that's happening all the time. As long as it has nothing to do with the Fabian that are happening means they take from previous years and rework them in a way that is a topic not as a not as a transcript of what the Reb said. They take a topic that the Reb discusses sometimes a modern one for Wingan and they turn it into like an in call an essay a pilon it was in Edish those days so so that's what is a separate being it's a separate version it's it involves more research because you have to go to all the sources it's Not you just say exactly what the Reb said you you look you compare what Reb said to what he said in other places and you it's it's it's a much more complicated process so that point asked me to get involved help them also the first thing I helped was with the basim spoke about it. So that was the first project I was involved in. Then later I started helping the liquid itself. Take a take a from the old years and I did it. >> So what was your job? >> Same job as everybody else. Take a prepare a for shabas. But the way it works is not the way it worked was not not use and that's it. One person writes and the others look edit. >> So what did you do? You wrote or you? >> Yeah, I wrote I wrote >> is that from then after I was uh let go. So in other words it the the work was too intense for me at that point I I got some and I was continuing working in writing my mim it's it's parallel >> can you tell me was like so then >> the answers from the >> so that's a whole another involvement you're much more involved with the reb with the because that was >> in a way yeah a lot of sure but there was no conversation going on >> they didn't ask questions >> of First we ask questions you know in other words similar to the >> it's not it's similar in a way the the itself is similar and the reb was involved with much more and at the same time by the way at the same time when I came in there was also the rebad so also was involved in doing and people like the set himself in the fing that the families everybody they didn't sleep because everyone wanted out very fast so it was time it was a lot of hard work interesting work a different type of work but again okay so let me ask you I'm interested in your relationship with um I understand that had a whole another project that the gave him to Right. >> Right. >> And I don't know if you were officially involved or he would talk to you about it. Maybe you can. >> No, the honest the truth is I wasn't that involved in say but be was such a perfectionist. >> We talking back to my morale a lot of times write my mor so he starts telling me right please write this this paragraph. So I write it. He takes it. He erases the whole thing. Writes his own. But but he needed he needed something. He needed something to to >> It's easier to slug up. >> It's easier to easier. But he's he was a unique mind. So he's also a perfectionist. So the same with maybe I wasn't that really involved in a few few individual times. He called me up. He says there's one paragraph I must maybe you can help me write it. So I write it for him. Obviously he writes something. He erases it and writes something else. But he needed me to write it in order for him to be able to write his fine. There's other things I was involved calls me says I want to start giving God to have a st in a different format and I want you to help me and those that's I think computers were not yeah there was computers already but so he came used to come to my house and in every word I used to type to say let's change it >> what are you talking about what is >> so we're talking to two countries in grat one is And one is a lot of a lot of a lot of work went into every work. But like he's a you can see it say it took him such a long time to because he he's a perfectionist and besides being a perfectionist he also he assumed when people read his text the way he reads other texts that every word every oes mameish see because he sees depth in every think people read him the same way. So mainly you write no no if you write it that way people may make the mistake that it means not exactly dead. So you have to write it differently like the deal is outside our >> floor. And uh so so the same thing what was was so the first one was because it was because that's what anyway but but it peted out somehow later and that that was these two and then then there was which he calls. So he he spoke about it by phone and people already p published books from it but he decided he wants to write his own version of it also hours and hours we set every word there's a lot of it was an interesting experience the way he he paid attention to every detail and he was wanted to make sure that there's a source for everything remember I think it was I think in my two days he said there's something I remember saying I can't find a source for I remember 100% said bothered them that he didn't remember where >> but so he wrote I don't remember what the I don't remember what was exactly the that that he couldn't find the source but I think the one thing I told him hey what about this that's he says it's obvious but the didn't say it I'm not writing it I'm writing what only said it's a don in this way >> is there any um is there anything that in the way you did the >> like in hindsight something that you would do differently if you would have if you'd be doing it now. >> What you're saying is the all the the understatement of of the millennium. In other words, I can't see myself writing this anymore now because now when I and I see when I read and listen, I I see so much more that I missed that I I can't even relate to to the way I wrote it then to the way I It's a different world. because you're older and you know more. >> Probably maybe that also because because I know more and also because I I'm a different person. It's not the same when you're young and you very focused on on just writer I was saying invit you looked more for nuance and dep what what >> you're saying it it needed a certain like >> in order to in order to do like >> to be able to just to write whatever said and gave it but because I'm sure I missed a lot of nuances because I didn't have the didn't have the for sure I didn't have the knowledge and the capacity to to to exec to >> right I mean anyone will tell you if you learn something >> right >> every decade if you learn it again it's a whole new >> discover discover new things yeah >> um so I guess maybe that's what was needed and it's interesting >> yeah yeah I'm not >> it's interesting that was like >> but the truth is it's I wasn't I wasn't different the only difference what that happened since we started was until then every year or two the people who did went under their own lives. Everybody did their own lives. You know, they disco they did it as a do but start at the situation that the person does it. It's almost like for life. This is who you are and you stay like that. So like David did it and Simmon did it in a way. I did it also when I got to my you know. >> So you did it all the way till the >> Yeah. till the end. But again it came any time that always had president if he wants to write a mu for sure he should he he was right it whenever he wanted to write >> once a while he would want decide >> yeah once either because they like the m or whatever and sometimes there was once or twice I wasn't there so about it was like I said but it was it was like you devote yourself this is this is your calling in a way what we see still right but in the in the early in the hoffs all the people who wrote like label Shapi all these he wrote as my and everything beautiful but then then he went he moved on in life as they say you know so what would you say is the you know if you look at all the it's interesting that my by the >> is like a a detail by by by the previous myim is the whole Yeah, >> it's it's like a detail, you know, it's a 4 hour and it's it's probably sometimes the shortest part of it. >> Right. Right. >> So, I'm curious. It doesn't have to be only, but I'm curious what is like how would you describe the when you look at all the what is the like what is the contribution of of the is like to the what existed before that? It's it's it's too it's too uh the question is too uh what what's the word too ambitious a question to answer like as if I I I figured it all out the you know there's a he says that that that in the order to get into the alterb you have to be bo in all these other none he's saying really the spoke in such a that to really understand the depth of what he's saying he needed a lot of background but you see we don't have that much when you look at an let's say of the the other of the previous it's it's a contained thing you don't the spoke very basis sometimes he said he said it's over and and and you have to really understand the depth it's it's it's another way of saying it but like it's like it's do it's a question that can be answered like in in in a in a satisfactory way at least I can't answer it a way that I can define exactly what the expected I think the expected he said people should notesh the expected when he spoke he expected that people know all the background there was a certain expectation I when you built maybe >> um the is laying everything out >> for you, >> right? is less maybe but definitely in the first part of >> but it's like almost you can feel that is relying like this is for a seasoned person that that that has a background and like and is common to say like the no is that that makes sense >> yes yes sometimes it's it's you have to work hard to figure out what is even >> so and and the lady in the mems that became more harder >> yeah it was mish short very short history if you look in general with develop you can look sometimes they did it sometime some my mom if you look at my mom the way all the raims the same said the same m everybody added so the way let's say the he repeats everything that one before him said and then he adds a few question right the rabbi didn't the later years especially didn't repeat everything that said he just he just repeated a few nudes and then he added whatever he added and that's it. There was no >> the structure is not so clear. You're saying that >> but but I don't I it's it's one of these areas that I'm still in the middle of figuring out. That's the truth. [laughter] I still ever it's not like I haven't figured out >> now. Maybe you could say that also was saying in >> that maybe that may be really true >> to me. I don't know if it makes any sense. I'm asking you but to me it seems like my I'm all everything was about and it seems by theb it's a sobb first of all every time very often the start explaining things in the afterwards about so >> it's one it's one unit there's a in the could have more than the you know whatever that make sense >> yeah yeah true don't what's unique about the mime the m is limit ed to the structure the way it was established by the by the previous so the questions are more or less the same even the answers are more or less the same and the quotes are the same and it's all it's all within a certain structure in the more free just discusses the concept without being limited by the by the structure of the previous so it's a different way of thinking things but in the s is more about certain sugis is usually connected to to a specific concept in later that was but then Zion I got involved because then started coming out in Hebrew so then I worked it's a different type of I didn't write I just was one of the editors to edit the the lotion >> the lotion >> the lotion but obviously when I did the lion I also g if I had a horror and They also gave one. >> I have a question for you. The the and the father and the all that >> it seems to me also that the almost like the but the rebba said it like depends like it needs to be like this can definitely be elaborated. And I'm just telling to >> yeah but the truth is it's al it was it just like with my in the first 10 years the memory were quite elaborate only later years >> the same thing the same thing can say about the rashes in the first five 10 years of rashes the was much more in you know he he got involved much more remember the story asked yaf to count the question was more involved the later slowly the later years was a little less he was more more biker You're right. You could I'm not sure always has its own way and then there was Rambam you know but in other words some of them he looked almost like he says it because it's part of the process you have to talk about the Rambam and sometimes he spoke but like he aam he it's like an Indian to vom like it depends so he's saying with the years that change >> yeah I think it chang the first >> what >> it looks like to me als is till the mimer >> they said when I came when I came here as a bah they always told me the main fabangan is really before the m that's what people told me even then >> even though most of the quote unquote is is the second part >> exly because the faba that's when the spoke about the what we say but the fabangan is to in what we call in English inspiring not more like to tort you to affect to torture should be it should be like it says in in the sh of terror It was that type of language was more in the before the right. >> Okay. >> All right. >> Thank you very much.