Ep. 14: The Mivtza That Unites All Jewish Children with Rabbi Shmuel Greisman

for bringing the said that Mashiach needs two. Every king and especially Mashiach needs two. The two of mashiach will be one of the mashiach and the second one will be the first children because are called [Music] the children are considered the anointed ones of the so the two of messiah >> I'm yasi kayan welcome to among by an ongoing faban about life as aid our vibrant connection with theb and inspired living shaped by the way he teaches us each and every day. How are you and you? I'm doing well and uh thank you for being available all the way from Israel. And um I actually was uh I was reading a article that the wrote a bunch of years ago about the those is um there's three three groups I one group of three installments. I'm not sure exactly how it's how it's uh classified, but um you were uh you were a part of that that that that's what you're doing there, right? >> Correct. >> So, so there today in your specific I believe the main focus is the for the Jewish children. Um, so maybe I don't know. I don't know if we should start off with the or before that when you were, you know, in 770. How would you uh how would what what do you what would you like to do? >> I mean, I was in 770, but I know what what I'm going to add to you for about 770. I was in 770 like this in 770. in love and uh whatever happened in 770 happened. It's recorded the yman. I don't really have much to to add to that. >> Where are you from? You're from You're from Brooklyn. I was born in Brooklyn, East New York, where most of the Jewish community lived then. That came out after uh after Europe and came to to live in East New York, a little bit of Brownsville, East New York. I was more in East New York than Brownsville. And my parents are not not a labeer family. a bail family that came from from Europe and settled in Brooklyn and uh decided to send myself and my brother to United was and that's where I was from probably Zion until then I went to 77 finished 12 years and I started at 770. >> Why did they decide to send you to >> be friendly? You're very thankful for the that >> what's the sh Yeah. 100%. >> There were a lot of at those days there were of a lot of non-lab families that learned in Bedford indeed. A lot of them, not too many of them stayed on for whatever reason. Today you have you have every meim that go out and take care and digger for worry about all the the younger bum that are not from the Ber families. But in those days it wasn't so it didn't really happen that much. So some families you know the reban that he wanted us and to to stay in labage and that's where we are. >> So I was actually thinking about that you know I've met a lot of people over the years or heard a lot about people and met people that live in Bedford and Dean. So what those that stayed on you don't have to talk about those talk about yourself and your family. What was the that made you stay on and uh you know go to 770 like what was was the deb involved in that or that was something that you decided? >> Probably the was involved and whatever that's what happened that uh some people stayed and some people went other places whatever. >> Okay. So you're in 770 and you're a bak when this whole starts, right? And some of them were married, I believe. >> No, I was after after marriage. Almost a year after marriage. >> Are you married? >> Yeah. Was just about already a year after after the >> So what happened? How how did this go on? Theb started at the was at the end end of the probably close to 3:00 in the morning and that was after theim was a sign of the end of the and then the Reb said that all the had a special connection and an interestb and the Reb says he has now a feeling if I remember the word to send two groups and made the cadesha to arades and made the cadesha towas originally was supposed to be tentas and sent to to to the purpose was to be mazak through different times I don't know if it was at bring or at different times when he spoke to rabbi menlik who was appointed to come along as the head of the mishas of the group that was going to And the rebba said the purpose of the is he wants to strengthen it bolster the morale of the people there by living there by working in the the work and uh people should sign up afterwards masceras came out details of how how the the were going to be picked. They had to be either a year before wedding or a year after marriage, not affiliated with a different messa. They never didn't want to take anybody away from a mess that they were connected to. Um they and everybody should sign and then the names went in and the reb picked they picked the two groups one and one to the week of hate tavis. It wasn't Hate Tavis Bulli yet, but was dead. I remember hate tavis. I used to go every day after Ka to walk into the masqueras to to talk to Rabbi Blein, my brother-in-law, and I would ask him, uh, you know, any news, any this. And one time I came knocked on the door, there was no answer. And then it was like 2:15, 2:20. He walked out of the Reb's room and looked at me and walked into the office and he told me that I'm on the list to go to Chisro and uh so I said okay ready you know but he said no there's three conditions first of all you have to get permission from your wife you have to be and you have to be healthy and then the name started from that Tuesday or Wednesday till the end of till of Shabas slowly all of those that were picked got the answers and then when there was the first was on that Shabas I think it was about maybe and there spoke again about the said and that's when the uh that's when the started in other words to get ready we had this was we had to be ready in a month back up get move that is just okay >> and >> the purpose the Reb did not say in the beginning exactly what the purpose of the but pack your bags and go and was rabbi men who would was on the day of the said he's not going to you know part with the but ofat we we went by the Reb. The Rebi gave money for he gave. He gave a the first time that the Reb gave or the year afterwards gave the year after the were going and he gave the women children also were children also. Women got uh safer a cidther and a children got just a sid plus money for different things in stucka stucker for money for expenses in America money for expenses in Israel stuck in there. That's okayish in different currencies. I think it was also in American currency and Israeli currency. We left when we came to on Wednesday. said one time that the purpose of the is with the will take every single Jew by hand and bring him to sort of a of an aliyah of of coming to toes and we came to we didn't know exactly what we were supposed to do but the young were supposed to learn in kale bram were supposed to we learn in yeshiva there were families These couples came only to and that were picked that were chosen to beim were learning in they were learning in in the old city and that was our mission to to sit and learn and uh for several years for three and a half years till us the Reb did not uh when we asked to come to to 770 to come to to to the Reb the Reb did not answer to come and wasn't until the Reb sent a letter to the okay said until now you were fulfilling the clothing in a general way which what we did was learn and we we we we traveled the land we came to all all communities to every every kahila of Israel to different places and spoke uh spoke. One of the main things that we did in those three and a half years is brought brought the rebba closer to to the community of to to the Jewish community. We spoke about the spoke about sikas and learning sikhas and learning the rabbis in doing the rabbis and that was our main in that three and a half years afterwards the reb detailed in a letter that the purpose until now was done in a general manner. Now the time has come to settle down each and every in a spec in a particular specific and each one should choose what he is the best at. And the started the first thing should be raonus or those that have a shakas to it those that are otherwise to be involved in and building and even things on said the main purpose of the is to build the country by living and doing the things rabb melik wherever he went uh said over wherever he went every even when he came to the queso even When he came to every community, every group for every many he said in If you if the will be happy will be pleased with the people of the people will be pleased with with the Reb said he will send more but he just sent a group invad. So ment >> he came along with us for the first two weeks of the he he made sure that everybody was settled you know everybody was in yeshiva wherever we had uh there was a big gathering in for for wherever he went wherever he came to he he mention he said this this statement as if probably he heard the statement uh from from the one of the ones told him this is something a specialist. So he he would answer you you you say it and I know it and that there was a special that that the Reb sent not an ordinary and obviously it was a purpose was to strengthen the country was after the war in in this was inv connected with strengthening and and the today are spread all over the country all the big mas and all the the raonas and and the positions are held by the rebent revolution in >> um and when you were invas who was supporting the ka how did that work? The ka was under Mosquirus. The ka in general of was paid. I think that was Rabbi Kaplan label Kaplan arranged or made an arrangement that the expenses the kale yungalite would be paid by masceras masceras. The same masqueras that pay for the kale you like in in crown heights also with the kale sha masqueras also the kale and was masceras and and that's where we got our uh monthly stipen whatever the were under yeshiva in other words they were they slept that their accommodations and their food were all supplied by the issue with >> and the ended up staying in Israel also, right? Most of them >> most the major out of the 44 that the Reb originally sent several left to return to the United States. Some by some had a h for the rebbit to go back to to to do like yasi darren was told to take over his father's position was told to to take over to build the kale kabad office in in America other for personal reasons left the said that in the long letter that the three-page letter that sent one of the one of the points was also that if feels that He his wants to continue with and doing whatever he wants and outside of then he can do that then what he did initi >> right so but most of you understood from that that he's supposed to find something in to continue >> right correct right >> so I know >> in fact after the three years the Reb asked that everybody should write and what they want to do what they interests are and to let let the know that you're planning to continue the because in the des you'll go for a year or two and afterwards we'll see something something to that to that effect and after those two and a half three three and a half years asked that everybody should you know let know that they're continuing the >> so I know that um for many years until Today your your your main is the specific the for but I believe that didn't start till right >> right >> so what until I came to work for for Rabbi Leof and Sak to do some projects and after that project finished uh in Tshin me alf And I was living in >> living inabad. I moved toad to work for Rab and then the project ended. And when the reb announced the safety campaign I was going between one one type of work to another type of work looking for something else. uh the safety came up and rabbad Ashkenazi at the time from approached me asked me like two days later I think it was out of shabas he had yim if I'm ready to take the project and not no one knew exactly how long the project was going to be and was it a one-time thing to write a safe one time and to continue it but after the rebba after the finished the first one >> so so can you can you start the story of like I mean everyone knows about it that hopefully everyone uh signed up their kids is right right when they're born and is involved in getting other kids to sign up to be part of it and to have a but uh the whole how did that whole thing begin and what what was the whole story of the potatob bring in the night of the beginning of the said he wants he started he spoke about the campaign that he wants to uh The Reba wants to start a new campaign and called it writing a cafeteria and a safe has 304,85 letters that amount of children boys and girls under the age of mitzvah mitzvah will unite together in that of Jewish children in the union of writing that will create a force to bring down Hashem's to the Jewish people and the Jewish people now are in the need of a Yeshua and Baraka. The Reb was accomplishing something of for the Jewish people by the writing of the for children. >> What do you mean? What do you mean they're in the need of Yeshua? No one knew exactly what the Reb meant. The Reb did not say at that time exactly what the issue was. But a month later on on a day after shabas the day after that was on a Friday the said that there's a mad man in the world who can go into a room and press a button and bring destruction to the entire world not only to himself. He's not he's he's he's a madman. He can't be controlled. You can't predict what he's going to do tomorrow. This person has to be stopped. There's no way to educate him and there's no time to to educate him or or to or to prevent him from carrying out this his ideas, his evil ideas. The only thing said then that is a a permanent a continuous mitzvah is the writing of a >> referring to Saddam Hussein. Obviously he was talking he's said that the person is ready to press a button at that time. Saddam Hussein was the one that was threatening to use nuclear activity, nuclear weapons against the the and the way to stop it was by writing for Jewish children. And uh the Reb said that the is not on Shab if you don't have a house, you don't have to buy it. put on is when you did the mitzvah you did it but it's and it's a continuous of is is the writing of a safe and the started with the children and then the rebba said between and everybody should get involved in writing in in signing up as many children as possible in in in in the safe and everybody in every community every part of the world should write sign up their communities their children wherever they can get a hold of in a letter in a safety that is the call of the hour. Shabas was then was Sunday was at the end says tomorrow all communities all over the world should stop all of their other activities and get involved in signing up children in the Reb said he wants to do a a report of how many children in each country signed up at that time because if you have to give a report you're going to get you're going to do things differently and that when everybody was involved in writing up kids and sending the to the at the same time the Israeli air force decided the government decided that this was the last opportunity before nuclear activity it would before the nuclear reactor would would start functioning and destroying it then would create radio radioactivity over the area which is dangerous. So it had to be done before the nuclear reactor started and at that time was begging at the time that decided that the Israeli government is going the air force is going on a mission to destroy the nuclear reactor and it was a miraculous mission. They took off from bases in a base in in the south of south of Israel and flew and it was a difficult mission because there was a wind effect and they didn't have enough oil for for for flying. They had to refuel and and and air and they destroyed the nuclear reactor and came back at the night of and that's when the news get out that the threat of the nuclear reactor was removed from the Jew from the Jewish people. It's interesting that a month before that in one in one one of the days of the Reb sent a hundred single dollars to that they should be distributed to the uh sergeant to the sergeant of the army and they were given out to a a meeting of the of the headquarters and the dollars were given out also to that air force base where the pilots took off on the mission. Again we saw the Reb was was was doing something here and the Reb said afterwards that even though you had to do a mission anything that you do has to be you have to do it in natural ways nevertheless that of a mission is the and especially when it's connected with to to which is brought which was the success was the reason they never mentioned it to somebody one of one of not not that was by the told him that you see that that this of the of this campaign to sign up as many children say was what what brought the aish bra to stop this uh Saddam Hussein from his evil intentions until today there are still thousands hundreds of thousands of of children all over the world and Maybe from this platform I can call to anybody that's listening. Get as many children as possible wherever they are. All schools should sign up their children. They can do it as a package deal. Get all the kids and get all the certificates. Today you get a certificate, a PDF by email. As soon as you sign up a day later, you get the two days later you get a you get a certificate. Every certificate has to go through a lottery which letter belongs to which child. So it takes a day and that's from the rabbi, right? The Reb said it should be a not no one not we should decide which letter goes to which child >> and because the the Reb said then he there's a minute that when somebody buys a letter in a safe you he's told which specific letter he bought or which part of the he bought the Reb said that Mik has to be discontinued not only by children but even by adults because if one child is going to know that he has a letter in shame Hashem and another child is going to have a letter in a word that's the opposite of good or the opposite of pure there's going to be a difference of failing between one child and another and if he's going to worry what letter he has it might even affect his maz which is why children should not be told which specific letter they have and the human being should not be the one that decides it should come mashem to decide which letter belongs. We should have it recorded in the office in our files. We have which specific letter belongs to which child. The Reb allowed us to do the lottery by a computer program and that's the way it's done. The letter that comes in gets a letter from the computer. The computer did >> already. Already in the beginning you were doing it by computer. >> It took a few months until we got organized to get all the names into the computer to get the certificates printed. But that that's what we I asked the Rebba then if uh if we could do it by computer and the Reb said yes and that's when we started putting it into computer. We had uh we had a program made for as which the name goes in not probably one of the modern program but 40 years ago a computer company did it for us and that's the letter we have recorded in our files in the office and the child just knows which para the said really you should not tell him anything just tell them you have the letter in the at least tell the child which part the he has in other words which para he his letter what got his lottery is the letter that he has and that's what we do until today >> one of the integral components of being aid are the whether it's orim these days give us an opportunity to connect with our to connect with each other and be better what is the story behind each of these days. How did the Reb commemorate and celebrate these days? And most importantly, what are the lessons, the takeaways, and the action items needed for each of these days? All of this and much much more are answered in the new set recently published by Our Days is a journey through the Kabad calendar in story meaning and practice with over 700 beautiful glossy pages with elevated content, beautiful, beautiful photographs. You, your family and friends will enjoy and live with each. This book is a must for every labamature home, for every schul, for every school. It is a perfect gift item. This will not collect dust. It will be used day after day, month after month, year after year. You can have this set. Go to.org/ org/ourdays. Order your set today and start living with. It's interesting that you're mentioning about the the Iraqi uh you know the the mission the nuclear in Iraq saying uh having just uh we all live through just now a similar thing in Iran. It's like an interesting uh >> in fact because of the situation in Iran there was a specialist everybody got involved in lighting up more children in in in the safety and there was even a plan that because of the situation uh we hoped that maybe this year there would be we would be able to complete the ninth children safe but it didn't turn out that way and there's still 80,000 letters missing and there's only a month left to make the scene. It's interesting. We're talking about in when the first scene was supposed to be made, the Reb wanted it finished by the startb months >> in four months less. The pilot finished at the end of Tam. So three and a half months that the Reb was able to sign up 300,000 children. He signed up more than 300,000 children. We had letters left over for the second. But when the sem came around originally the Reb said the latest date to make the is of and the Reb had instructed that the should be written in the old city within the walls and in the shul which is the only shul that it intact that remained intact its walls and its roof the entire time. if it wasn't in Jewish hands shows on that's where the safety should be written and the rebba had thought maybe that one safer would not finish in time so the rebba suggested to take a second safer there were two suffer that were writing the first safety and those two suffer the rebba said should write the second safety one that wrote the beginning should write the end one that wrote the end should write the beginning that way each one writes a complete safety and you won't have any problems how to pay each one for a complete for a complete safety and then this. So even though the Reb said that the last day to make the seam is sh but when he when heard that they going to finish earlier than that and so were sitting and they were talking about making the sem and mentioned it to and wrote to the Reb that there's plans an idea to make it and the Reb said to make the then an idea came up from some of the the Vad that it would be hard to get children in summer because everybody's on vacation or the camps weren't weren't there there wasn't as many camps in those days overnight camps or day camps and as many children as there is in the later years that it was suggesting an idea to make it when schools started and to be able to bring the schools as groups >> so said no to the and so the said no it should be A day later, Rabbi called Rabbi Slavski, the masc and said to him, "You you heard what we you were told yesterday. The sem should be." Now, when the second came along inv there was a question I wrote to the Reb, where should we make we're making the should we make it on The Reb gives mask to make and the Reb said and then I asked the Reb if the seam should be made in the sh where the first one was made or >> originally the first one >> originally was clearly yeah it should be written in the seam should be in >> but wasn't and it went to the >> reason was because there wasn't enough room. Originally the original plan was not to go to the but it was since there was not enough room in the seventh side came up to to make it at the so that was told to the to make it at the at the very interesting thing there was a shila at the time uh to make a seam in a shul you don't go out of where you make usually you make a seam outside of the place where you make the >> you write the letters. You finish the letters in in the house in a different place and then you make a to the >> now now to here you were supposed to make this in the in the in the but the letters were being written in the sh. So how can you go out with the cafeteria? So Zman Shim Zman Shim was was sent by the Reb at at first safety. The Reb chose Al Shimmed's work on the Reb 770 Crown Heights to be the Reb's personal emissary to finish the first to write the last letter of the first and definitely you will start a second because as long as there are Jewish children being born you're going to have to write a second third and continue writing as long as there are Jewish children that need the And you should and Zach should be the to begin to write the B of the second. So Zman Shim was at the sem. So Zman Shim said that it would have had the sh of where to how to do the sem. So and how can you go to the to you know you can't leave the so the sem of the letters of the first were written downstairs on the first floor of the and on the way out to go to the second floor we stopped by the and then came back and went up to the second floor of the that way we made the second one >> and the second was also made on it was made upstairs so maybe downstairs. I don't know exactly remember. Could be was made even downstairs because there was a suda made downstairs. So could be it was finished after the suda downstairs. I don't remember. But that was the way to the scene was made. And the rebu wanted as many raonim as possible rash from not labavatur. And then said that the terra is not for labavers. It's for the Jewish community. It's for every single Jew. And even on the certificate, the Reb says, "Don't pronounce, don't point out the name of Lubavich. You have to write signed by the secretary." And you should sign it by by one of the one of one of the people of the Vad. You have to write the address of where the safety office is. That's the only thing of the Babage that should be on on the on the certificate. The Reb suggested to put uh drawings or pictures of the Reb pointed out not pointed out and there was a fourth one of when a sketch of the certificate went into the Reb to okay it is number one he asked that it should be looked over by one of the prominent raon in in not that there should be no that everything should be okay wise there shouldn't be any questions by anybody and second the the was on the right corner on top and the was on the left corner on top they never said to switch it that the should be on the right on top and the k should be on the left and then the other two came ination the name of the child should be on the certificate the date when letter was bought and again as mentioned before where where uh which letter the the lottery in which section of the he has a letter in the safety and it should be signed by one of the members of the committee to make it an official document. Over the years the certificate was changed to make it more colorful and and the Reb said that should decide to make changes. On the first certificate there was a date of uh a date of you want to make a date was a date and another date all the certificates had the same date but afterwards we changed it to fill in the date because it didn't take just a few months to to write not everybody got a study at the same time it took over a period of years so the date is also changed as the person rides >> you're saying now there's a system it goes right away but then you have to Once >> at that time we used a company outside of of of the office. Now we have our own system our computer system and we print the certificates ourselves in the office. So the computer just decides takes the day the date that the person gets the certificate printed that's the date that uh that is on on the certificate. >> You started saying about the second do you asked about the location? Oh yes asked I asked then because at at the second semary took place involvas a bias of the 770 of the Reb pointed out that whenever you mentioned the 770 should say 770 the 770 of that to distinguish from the 770 the other 770 in in Crown Heights. And so with a to make the same was and here the scene was a month later. So it made sense but the rebba underlined I asked the reb this or this and the rebba underlined kamo just as the first was done in that why the second was also made in the sh and the third scene was after and since the rebut seems to all the of all the are in the sh in one of the I don't know the date the reb emphasized that all the that the cifra are in the old city of Jerusalem. The Reb connected it all within the walls of the old city. It seems that a special of and is especially in the in in within the walls. In fact, if you take a look at it, the aren kadesh has all eight the children in in an ord that means there are almost 3 million children united in the in one kadesh in the old in the old city. And the sikas always mentioned connected the special to the to the to the people in so I guess it seems that the they're all being written in the andosa and the the andosa are also taking place in in the t of concerning the uh can a detail that the Reb since the campaign is aus that the Reb said all the children should be the same there shouldn't be one difference one child should not know which letter they have different than another child also the price of of the suggested price of of a letter for the should be $1 or it's equivalent in currencies all over the world since we're in the United States the said we're setting up the the the the price of one one American dollar or it's equivalent So, so in in let's say they give one shekel or they give the equivalent of $1. >> One dollar $1. For the beginning was like 10 10 shekel. Today it's almost four shekel. >> Today the computer takes four shekel. The time was five shekel when the dollar was close to five. >> But now it set it at four shekel. And at that time there was a newspaper not a very uh pleasant newspaper in in in initial that wrote an article about the most expensive in the world was a safe being written by and he made it he made it a calculation how much could a safe be written he took the price of a value of a safe with the sea and with the celebration $50,000 300,000 letters is $300,000 that means you're pocketing a4 million dollars So this was sent to the Reb and the Reb answered, "Did you explain to them that according to the uh valuation of a a professional, the cost for each child is going to be $2? The cost for the certificate and the mailing and the and the processing is going to be $2. Three days after the sematea this was this was said in the beginning while the was being written after the seat was finished and the sem was made one of the had a project in the sadiku to that needed money and connected with the for the ordes for the windows for and he wrote to the rebba that maybe the vat feter that that made a lot of money could help with the expenses in in in fixing up the shul and or the whatever was needed for the for the safe for the for the kesser that about the kesser and so theb said that uh it seems that you're not really don't know what's going on in this world the child the child pays only $1 for a letter and the the processing and taking care of the child and with the mailing is almost $3. That means they already have between $2 and $3, which means that they're at a deficit today of $300,000. And you want, you know, you want where they have money to help you with the with the uh to pay for the expense. And that's what it is. Until today, it's approximately mail is almost $3. Send a certificate from Israel to America is $3. Send a certificate in in Israel is is a dollar. Almost a dollar. It's 3.6 shekel. It's it's more than a dollar today. And the rest of the expenses comes from either people that the said that people can donate to the cause. The letter itself is $1, the cost of $1. If people want to donate to the campaign or help the campaign said that is what should be done and people should help with the expenses of going out and reaching children. The Reb said that every community should not have sent to them, but they themselves should see that all of the children are are written up in a letter in all misders should see that all of their members and their students should get a letter in the safe. That's the only way they can sign up everybody in the world. everybody on the sp on on the plates to get the children at abranes. It was there was three fabans in and and one after the other I think and Shabas and Bier that the Reb spoke about every time at that time spoke about and he was baser he spoke about and at those he spoke about Zari was sitting at the Fbran and he from the Reb's talk and he wanted to donate the Kesser the crown of the first children say for he wrote to the Reb if he if the Reb will accept the his his his gift. The Reb said yes, but there's one stipulation the Reb said that it should be similar to the to the that's on Mia that was finished that the start it should be similar the Salman asked wrote to the Reb that of Msiah is partly silver and partly gold. It's not 100% gold. He would like to donate a kesser 100% gold. Will the Reb accept it? And the Reb said, "I'll accept it." And they copied. They took a pictures and took out the kesser of Mashia and they copied it. And the kesser that's on the first children is similar to the onsia. bring inf needs two. Every king and especially Mashiach needs two. The two of mashiach will be one of the mashiach and the second one will be the first children because are called the children are considered the anointed ones of the so the two of which then spoke and said that probably that's why the reason that's why maybe that's the reason that the rebb said the two the two crowns should be similar one one similar to another. >> Yeah. >> Interesting. Um there was also other from the Reb with the first one right with the with the mental the >> correct besid when the rebum >> say by the way it's interesting that it's very it's connected to right that it should be and then it's like interesting told that he's not he's going out to but he's also going out from all that in the United States from all those that are here in the name of Raon he's going out He's going out to to do this and this but he's going out to he also connected with the with the in fact the Reb said that the campaign of the children should not be affiliated with any other should be only under the not connected with any other any other any other midman Shim was given also 12 12 $100 bills also money for also a bottle of mashka from a forbrin in Russia. The Reb spoke about signing up children then being called it was still the iron curtain. The Reb wanted children in Russia to get a letter in the safe. All the certificates that we sent to Russia at that time only had first names. There were no family names. In Morocco, for example, the Reb said that a certificate should be made without any mention of of of for at all or just just uh a different certificate. They made a separate certificate in Morocco, >> huh? >> Not no, but I think I'm not sure what was on on the take a look on that certificate. Kubby, there was no connection at all with Archis that the certificate that was given out in Morocco and in Russia the children didn't even receive their certificates. They're all they were left in the office. In fact, all the certificates of children that bought letters in Russia that family members knew about people in Russia, children in Russia or people in different ways and we gave them letters only with a first name. uh 20 or 30 years later, just several years ago, somebody from Russia uh who was adult today came out and said he knows maybe a letter was bought for him and a children say and we went through the box and he went through it and he found his certificate of when when he was a child in Russia. He found that that certificate. The Reb designed the mantel, the m the that covers the safeter. The Reb drew there's a drawing of the Reb. He drew the Reb drew on a piece of paper a square sixim by sixim. Now each L is three. The two three and top to bottom six. >> The picture wasn't six. He he wrote that it should be sixim. Right. >> Right. It was on a piece of paper. Right. It wasn't the size of a but he wrote that it should be six each was given the wrote the word and then wrote and also asked that the should be written on the mant but within the the the six the one of the of the in other words the p should not extend longer than the it should be within the of the on the eights on each one of the may ask for two a blue one and a white one a white one in fact the rebba sent $118 for each one of the I think it was together with the rebbitson for remember that was I was told then that in the name of the rebbitson the rebent for the two men $118 for each one For the second one, the Reb sent it. Then Mus and Quincy gave Reb different times sent $118 for each one of the men that are on the are the Reb gave $118 for for each of them. Cooper and uh that was the mantel on top of the eights should be written one and we didn't have the at the first so we also added the word but twice on the on the when we received later it came out in the just wrote So the last two only have the without the words that was that we should do exactly what's written on >> and um I think there was also a about the the should be right >> Rabbi asked the if we can use I don't know if what the question exactly was if it was can we make the from silver or should we put silver on on top of it or on the or the itself should be but the answered is halts is wood so all the of the children have no silver on it no even silver plaques on top everything is inscribed in The wood of the tuk are inscribed and written within in in in the wood itself. At the second scene say the reb also sent 20 coins 20 mas at that time there were five lus and five lus had a picture of a lion on it. I we thought to ourselves but the didn't say why but the sent 20 coins that had a lion on it and there was five five lb is the mazle of and five corresponds corresponds to the because on the certificate there's a picture of a wall of the old city that has five stones and although we didn't wasn't put that wasn't the intention but the Reb says even though they didn't have that in mind but there are five stones corresponding to the >> but it was a to put the wall right [Music] >> not that I remember >> to just just became sac became a citation. There's no room to put the wall, but since it was the old city was written, so we a wall was put on. Maybe a graphic card is decide exactly. >> It's part of what the Reb said that should be done. >> Yeah. >> Ah, and um the Reb sent so the Reb sent to bring the kaser. So when he denot donated the kesser it was 100 it was a $80,000 kesser at the time was in Europe at the time it was very hot in summer and the rebba he got a call from rabhadov that the rebba wants him to come to and put the kesser on on the safe on the safe when he brought the kesser the ker came from New York came Schwitzes and I think his grandson Yasi brought the Kesser from Yasi Sternberg brought the Kesser from from from New York you know was insured and safe a safe was made in the Sedic and the Kesser the is kept in that in that uh in that in that safe at all times it's taken out only by or Russian Kipper that kesser is taken out to put on the first safety. Each one of the cifer are in the and every week a different safer is taken out to to to len to be read in the cif do not go out of the shul they're in the shul at all time in fact one time they already enlarged the the ordesh and now for the next sem they enlarge it another time so that there should be more room for for the children's safety And hopefully we're going to finish the ninth and as long as there are Jewish children like the Reb said at the first that before the before the Msiah will come and communic that were not special people with writing the letters of so Mashiach will be given that to finish the last letters of >> Was there from the of how long after the first one that the said should be done in four months was there of how often it should happen wasn't there wasn't a clear >> no no but he said that since the said that since it's a second there you should have extra merits, extra activity and extra strength. You need more than just what the did in the first. You know, that's why it took several years. The second one finished. each one took longer than than and in the later years in the last few years because of the new communication between and publicity all over the world whether it's it's it's whether it's WhatsApp or internet or that is used to spread the the message more people are involved and more children are written up because of that besides the fact that there are so many more than that are involved in the campaign and but the the avail the poss ability to reach the reg so many Jews, everybody, the whole Jewish community and all over the world is what helped that people more people get involved in signing up children for especially now you can do it online and you can do groups and and schools entire schools within a day. You can get you can just send an Excel file and it goes straight into the computer processed a lottery a printed PDF sent by email and then the rest takes mail. Mail is very problematic. Side because of the price decide because of the postal service. Not all certificates get to their place to the where they're supposed to get. the lottery certificates come back in the mail because of either one detail not correcting the address or or the postman didn't find the place so he just didn't look over work himself for for getting the place and which is why it is very important to send an email address on and especially if you do it online put in an email address because that will ensure that the child will see the certificate even before it comes in the mail that hopefully will come in the mail. >> Um, so >> a lot of schools, a lot of schools don't even ask for the printed copy because they want to give out a copy. And today with with modern printers, they put in a thicker paper and get a good colored printing of a certificate that they give out to the children in school because they want it quick. They don't want to wait for the mail. >> Right. Is there um something from the about signing up right away even before there's a name or that's where does that the way people do it? Where does that come from? >> Several times by fabin I remember one time in the beginning the Reb said that that a letter should be bought as soon as the child is born. In other words, the first thing that a child should do in is connect with a letter and say it several times. I remember one time in at the by the second seam the Reb spoke about the scene that took place today in Jerusalem and Reb and then the Reb says and I want to mention again and we might edit it again that a letter should be bought as soon as the child is born and when the child is given a name you should let the office know what the name is so that we can fill it in but the letter should be bought right away. There were times I heard from from Rabb Gron once told me that there were times of people that wrote letters wrote wrote for a for a for a child for for a preeie and the Reb said letter in the safety that the child already has a letter in the safety and there were sometimes that the Reb said that they should let us know in the office what name they're planning to give because having the name will be will quicken is the from the to to the child. You shouldn't publicize it or print a certificate. It just be quietly to the office without publicity. And when the child is given the name after the bris, then you should uh let them know and have the certificate printed. >> So if you know the name right away, it's or it's before the bris. You're saying it's recommended to write the name to the office in in the certificate. The Reb said it only in a case of of of a for it said he said he said buy the letter right away and after the bris let let the let the office know. There was certain cases after the bris after the person has given after the child's given a name let them know the the name. It was only in certain instances when when it was a child needed a special bra that the Reb said it wasn't just waiting for the Brit but needed a special braha for a for the said that let us know the name. So practically what the way you're supposed to do it is sign up without a name and then after the British send an email or whatever that there's a name there and then they have to redo the certificate, >> right? They do it online on the on it's a it's pointed out that if it's before the brisk fill in no name or before bris something and let us know I mean with an email or or what what the uh to the office what the name is and then we'll process it with the name >> and and so you're saying that you've seen in in recent years that there's much more of an an awareness and people are you know are signing up kids and then >> correct correct correct >> there's definitely more of an awareness with there there's a lot more publicity today there's a lot is easier to reach the world easier to reach everything in the world you know communication the ever says to use out communication all the the new developments and that's what we try and do and to use it out and it has its effect that more more people are involved more schools are involved more children are signed because it it it's more obvious it's more >> right and um so it's interesting it's like another Indian it's also this is it also connects to the which came out afterwards right among is brought to you by we live in a chaotic world a world where for us we do not have the ability to hear and see the reb on a daily basis. 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He didn't say the word. said pe that sh to the that could perhaps come to the say and so right after rash rash the will announce the campaign and at this of the second day of rashash theb said that now that we finished children I don't remember the mo but I remember the saying it that now that we finished with children and it's easier to create a by children because they're deis their opinions are not so opposite one from another and their is easier for children. But since we brought down in the world now we can start with adults and we need this quick and the said and should each write a safe for their members for their their students for their families. And a question was asked how can you take a letter ink or from somebody that's not a student of what not an alumni of so the said that as soon as they give money for a letter they become a connected with the they become a supporter of the me is already and and so they can have to to that and then that was what the beginning started with I think till today wrote about six or seven basifi wrote many and I don't know exactly if they're writing one today but there are other places in the country in in the world like in in the north and in writ of getting letters in the safe and but originally the reb started the campaign with and and >> it's very interesting that the the and the one for adults has like a it's a very different function saying is written by meas and there's multiple of them it's like a standalone like organization it's like it's a whole different formula >> right there's only one safety written being for children for adults there were mdas different meas that asked the rebba if they can write a safety clearly and the Reb allowed it. But then what started happening was everybody started writing a safe and then at a two different in in in treb said there's no inion there's no purpose in have writing many because the purpose is that each safeter should be completed filled up with 300,000 people buying letters and if everybody is going to have a a safety you won't be able to fill up a safety that means those that started already should continue but there's no Indian to write another people write for themselves or even a whole for themselves but the said that it doesn't compare to a where each person buys only one letter because that way more than more more people more 300,000 300,000 the the Jews and the more Jews yen that right that join in the is a greater one. So that's why is different. The said even if somebody writes a safe for themselves, it's not compared to the and not the to the to to to general where you miss in aid with with with with all over the world which is what the purpose of the campaign is in a from I think the Reb said that the mitzah of is a sniff It's a branch of the mah of and it's the same it's the same idea. It's interesting that that the mah thes of a safe is connected with and also the mitzvah the ton of theb onb called it sometimes also a mitzah that is also of that everybody the said that should be learning learning the same thing interesting these two areb The Reb said it's a thing that took upon himself. The Reb said on these but also on the Rambam and also on like the Reb like took it upon himself like a special not like a all the others are but this idea of and learning Ramb are like private things that set upon it. I took it upon myself. uh to for for both of them and which that's how basic one of the important thing that the Reb wants from so is the B is and that's what the Reb wanted with the the campaign will bring Mashia. Yeah, the same >> and and um I'm saying every when the Reb mentioned the afterwards mentioned I'm saying that that's direct hamot every time there were times there were some times that the Reb did not mention for whatever reason and the Reb once explained that that he's not mention he didn't mention it because most didn't have letters say and it's something that for a reason that but every time every time the mentioned it was the last time that the rebl mentioned all the before the second the said that everybody should be in the safe and uh then he mentioned all he mentioned all all the after they said and also the the mitzvah the mitzvah that we took up that that we took upon ourselves a letter in that was the last time that the rebb really counted out each one of the of the afterwards >> he said or until and from even after that the only place that the mentioned the word was in the of the telegram of the letter of it mentions the word after that used a different different for whatever reason >> but that was time last time sometimes he mentioned a few of them not even all of them >> you're saying the at the end of mention all the stop doing that. >> Right. Right. Right. >> And you were um you were living while doing this. >> Yes. >> Were you living the whole time? >> No. I lived in until Gimmel was when we went to get involved also with uh with the with my wife wanted to get involved with with with English speaking. chas and students in. So we moved to but uh I was thinking what to do with the safe but the reb I was told to continue to say and the Russian that I heard from my client at the time was fondier from here we know only you for the children's and it was at that time in giml that the responsibility of the campaign was given in the beginning there were many people involved in the safe But after the first seafetera uh a lot of the people that were involved only in the first went to do different things and I was the only one that remained and uh it was then that the rebre there's one person in charge of a vets after the general started and the said that it's a bud there's too many people, you know, too many cooks in in in the pot in in the pot and you're not going to succeed. The safety is not going to move. The general safety is not going to move. >> It's not about this is the >> the general secretarator. >> Yeah. that the only way that there be a successful campaign is if there's one person responsible that he's in charge of of the campaign otherwise the is >> that's what I remember one person that's the lion that he's involved totally in that that's when I understood at that time also that if the children say is going to continue there has to be one person that that's his Indian and that's his main Indian And that uh even though I did other things and other projects through off the air and in Israel and different different campaigns and different uh other time but my main thing that I was involved >> was the children and that's that's what it is. So back to the beginning of the so in the beginning you know you're going I'm saying there's no mission you don't you don't know what what what the is exactly how it's supposed to work and here you are you know writing the ninth and this is your so it's like this is what you think about the whole this is one one hispat of that of that you know that That's you know in each of the other have their own other >> um but this is also not only affecting Israel it's affecting the whole world >> the Reb wanted each and every to find a specific thing to do whether to open a open or become a or become or education and more Hashem We never said but we were in the beginning that we made we feel that we did was to bring the rebba closer to to at that time you know not not everybody was in 770 not everybody went to 77 not very had videos in fact there were didn't even have I remember bringing the first video machine and uh in tough Zion my wife and my son were in in were in in in in Kay for by the and Tavis you know was it was my wife's supposed to have a ticket to come back on hey Davis and then saw the re the action happening at 770 so I told her to stay another day and she stayed to love when she came back Zion and that night when she came back she brought with her a video machine a little television screen with a video machine and got from Kbar a cassette of the Havis and that was the first you know that we presented everybody started coming to the house to see that the fab was the first time people saw videos from the Reb that that started me but >> there was no hookup the >> there was a hookup but it wasn't visual it was like >> there was no visual ever in the mems I don't think so. I don't know. I I'm not sure. I don't know. Maybe there was always videos. The videos also we we started also the audios. We we had a push to push, you know, laser started the the hookups. >> Well, Griffin started >> and we pushed it. We were up nights to to find out if coming back with a going to be a surprise for bringing it or not and a lot of came close to but you know middle of the night and we like were into it and finding whether was coming back is it going to be for bringing or >> you're saying until then maybe the hookup was done in the major days you know when they knew in advance and here it happened much more often >> right because that lived 770 with you were were more excited about getting involved in it than woke up the Israeli community to >> to they didn't have access. They did, you know, they didn't know what's going on. >> Was the first was the first hookup that >> Christian made in from there was a hookup. It reminds me of the first that the Rabbi sent when the you know after the the massacre in the sentim. It reminds him a little bit of that because we uh we did articles about it. They actually had an event once of all the and it was a similar thing that some of the some of the older people now today they're older but then they were young that was the first time they had access and hearing a you know a fresh regards from the rabbi so that that was designed they didn't know anything they probably didn't have pictures of the even you know or or very few uh but here it was like I guess the next schlav in at uh bringing uh connecting the tob that's what we feel that's all houses started opening up after there were very few you know excitement of going out and being everybody to go out on started after those years because the reb wrote in in in the letter that one of the things is to open up new meases new kabat houses and that's what we spoke about when we made a tum wherever we went wherever you know to go out and do and then that's when houses were very few at the time that's when after the test that's when started growing and then growing and growing today there's thousands all over the country >> yeah and and those that were went was there any um the it was picked by Reba the that original group we don't know exactly >> that's what the we were told that the had the list and that were given in not everybody was at the beginning the said you have to be a year before the wedding a year after the wedding not affiliated with any other me and uh and everybody should sign up there were a lot of older sidum that signed up at the time you know that that everybody signed up and wanted to go there were married couples in crown knives that signed up. But I guess the Reb could be the masqueras gave in those names that were shas that that had the criteria and the Reb picked from those from the from those list. The first group, there were two groups that went, they went, one group went to and another group went to to to families, married couples went to and went to. The second group, the Reb sent only families, only six families that went to and there were no Bram to for whatever reason. Could be there was problems with the accommodations, but there were no way for the Bram. And the third group was again eight couples to and eight bakarim to and the famous letter that that afterwards that the point to detail what is and what it should be and and what should we be involved with why the reb stopped after is a different different reason. Nobody knows why but >> it's a yeah I guess that also it makes it a unique group that you know it's these three years it's this is this is the you know the pillars >> but that's the way it is told >> but I Ben Klein told me that he knows that the Reb's plan was to send a group every year why it stopped Mhm. You don't know. Okay. >> I don't know. >> Let me ask you a question. Can I go backwards to before before the >> Okay, try. >> What? What? So, you're learning in bed and you you're like how did it work? You didn't live in Kits, right? >> Didn't live in Kites. I lived in very few times that I those years I was my family was not a labeer family and they wanted me to get in a secular education but the fact is that a lot of also were in in were in elementary for sure a lot of them still started without without the without the was one of the reasons started at all but till the eighth grade there were some of the Irishes to continue ninth grade, then dropped out some 10, some 11, some even finished. But I finished uh eighth grades of elementary and four years of high school, the degree in high school. And uh my parents of course like anybody that grew up in in America at the time of all the couples all the families that came over from Europe wanted their children to get a college education. >> Your parents are Holocaust survivors. >> Yeah. Sure. They they went through the war. >> They came out after they came out in 48. They came to America. They went through camps in in in in Russian and Italy and and came to the United States with lots of and they wanted their children of course to get a college education and there were difficulties you know the difference of opinion my opinion their opinion and it took a while and a lot of support from the rebb >> you asked the deb about this >> yeah the from the about >> what happened by >> basically and I've explained what college is, what a university is and it's not a place for >> with your you had with your parents? >> No, no, myself. But uh he gave me guidance and direction how to talk to my parents about it, you know, and then they agreed slowly. They agreed. What was the guidance >> to to get somebody that knows their that someone that that a child would not be able to influence their parents to get someone on the outside that knows their characteristics doesn't ever use the Russian characterist characteristic spoken Yiddish uh and to explain to them to influence them to be mash on them to let uh to let me stay in Sean That's what happened. >> But by you >> that's what father isn't but my my class went to Newark but I went straight to 770 >> cuz what for whatever for personal reasons whatever so >> you to be near your parents >> whatever yeah different different circumstances. So but but you was clear that you didn't want I could that you didn't want the problem. >> So your question for the was how to talk to your parents. It wasn't a question about whether you should go to college or not. >> Right. >> Because there were other people I know that wanted to go to college and told them had to tell them that it that's not a good idea. So you're saying it was it was different. But the but yeah but the reb strengthened that opinion of not going to of not going to college by telling me what uh what college is all about. >> One of the expressions that used one of the expressions the longest from almost 20 minutes but that says I know what college is. I know what university is. I myself was in college and I know what goes on there. I know who the professors are. kind of know the environment is but I was 28 and I was after marriage I was married and for a ber it's it's a big messiah it's not >> and not until today that people say what nobody know they don't publicize what goes on in universities you know just lately most professor most Most professors are bringing the sign for to a buck who was 18 or 19 or 17 that was a mus are are great and that's not a place where >> so you went to 770 at 18 was that typical then or most you said already most people not >> yeah not typical >> so you were like the youngest buck in Yeah, a lot of the buck I met then were bum that weren't in Bedford by when they went to I used to go home but alter came that in those days. >> So you so you were in the you were in the high school it's a different thing. No, was the mood was the same and it stopped at 3:00 was from 3:00 to 5 in the afternoon from uh 5:00 I went home but the alter came to yeah would come to bed and uh 5:00 or whatever give a shim that stay that didn't go to >> she's saying those are the bak men in >> when I came to 770 I I met him then also I knew them. I saw them around but then the of the was probably started a little bit later. Today you have will go all over and whenever they see a ber from whoever they needs help they get involved with helping that was wasn't so popular at the time for whatever reason. >> You were just in 770 the whole time. >> What was happening? I'm talking when I was in Bedford talking about >> when I came to 770 it was the 770 whatever >> how many B 770 then >> all was upstairs they were learning was upstairs there was a time that they started a share in the vibr where they were grown his offices that was a part of the vibers there was another class the first class that of of 770 I think was that was there and that class the middle share from the right board but gave a share that's started What year did you say this is? >> So there was still a vibra show by uh >> that was the vibra room. That room was the vibra room that there was no afterwards till they till they broke the walls and they met >> and what what was it like in 770 by the I'm saying you saw saw the chab like what was the interaction? What was the inter what do today? I mean went through all the years you come to come to it wasn't there only came out to didn't come out with the just came out to Korea on Mondays and Thursdays was nights we stayed up all night for >> you did you stayed up all night every night >> whenever there was most night stay and And a lot of times there was Korea in the morning. >> What was the idea that the DEB is at 770, so therefore we need to be there? What was the idea? >> I I don't know exactly what my thoughts were at the time, but that was it. 770. That's where that's where we live. So >> you spoke to the people >> you spoke to the people that were coming out of >> No, I No. No. There were people that did, but uh I didn't uh unless they spoke or they came out in a they spoke and they said things, then then I'd listen. But I wouldn't approach anybody to ask them what the other bum did it. They were here. You can't you know everybody surround one person. But it was those bram that did it. Then we asked them what what what they heard and what they said and they would repeat it and we would hear what what was going on. I don't really remember things today. Everything is recorded. everything we have and we have when people are involved in getting stuff and everything is printed I I don't remember I don't have memories I don't have a memory for the cloth for everything memories >> okay so uh hopefully there will be uh many more yidden that will uh make sure that they're doing all that they and to sign up for uh more more children for and >> everybody should get involved in their find. Everybody needs a what that thing could they do with a different and we should all get involved. And then the campaign from and today the campaign to bring and which that's the the main campaign today. Everything is everything is permeated with with every letter in the like we say in other words every letter is another step to bring Msiah closer and every that everybody does and and get involved in the to to finish this goal is to bring Msiah what should happen Amen. [Music] >> Thank you. >> You too. Bye.