Supporting Sephardic Jews in Crisis | Letter #22 of Thirty Letters in Thirty Days 5786

I got to work. Welcome to another edition of 30 letters and 30 days. This is >> [snorts] >> day number 22. We are in the home stretch. We have one more week. And then our final class will be not tomorrow Sunday, but the day after a week from the I don't say this. A week from the A week from tomorrow. Yes. So like in 8 days. And that is the actual day of Yud Aleph Nissan that is birthday and that's why we are doing this. Let us not forget the main point that all of this is a birthday present that I have asked for gifts of Torah. And what better Torah can we learn than the Rebbe's letters? Of course also the Rebbe mentioned gifts of tzedakah. So we're giving tzedakah to Colel Chabad to support >> [snorts] >> the hungry in Eretz Hakodesh. A tzedakah that was founded by the Alter Rebbe, the Baal Hatanya, the first Chabad Rebbe. And we're going to give tzedakah. Why isn't it shaking? Shake. I don't know why the shaking noise isn't working. It's the most fun part of it. Okay, let me give a little bit more. Okay, now I'll try the shake. Ah. Now we got it. That's so much fun. You know, that's about as the most fun you can buy for $5. I'm saying $5 cuz I think I pushed the button five times. You could really you could just put in a dollar. Actually, I I I never tried this, but you could probably open up the Colel Chabad pushka app >> [snorts] >> and just shake it without even putting a dollar. All right. Going to crack the Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray soda. Some drink hot water after Shabbos. I drink Cel-Ray soda, but hot to eat and drink and have a snack and water. How's everybody doing? I don't see any uh exciting discussion in the chat. Usually there's something going on in the chat. Okay. [snorts] Maybe someone will say hi at some point. You guys ready to learn a letter? And um if you want to pull up the PDF, you can click on the link that's in the description of this YouTube video if you're watching live. Or you can go to soulwords.org/letters5786 and you'll see all of the PDFs from all of the classes from all of the nights starting from the beginning. If you're listening to the replay like on Spotify or other podcast platforms, I'm not sure what to tell you about how to get the PDF, but I told you you can go to soulwords.org/letters5786 and everything is there. Plus by the way, if you go to soulwords.org/letters, just plain letters, not letters5786, but soulwords.org/letters, you can see all of the archives from all of the years. Um I think there's over 100 classes now. Cuz we did 30 letters in 30 days a few times. And then we did it we did some other igros related classes some other times that weren't necessarily uh 30 letters, but I don't know exactly which times we did it. I think we did it for Gimmel Tammuz once, a few letters and anyways there's there's at least uh I don't know if there's 100, there's close to 100 >> [snorts] >> letters. Okay. Let's learn tonight's letter. Baruch Hashem base Adar taf shin tet zayin, Brooklyn. Harav Hagaon V'osek B'chassidus Yisrael Akim Nachman Noam, Baal Midos Mareh Noar Yitzchak Isaac Schochet. Who is the uh Harav [snorts] Hagaon, the genius? Reb uh Harav Yitzchak Isaac. Who is that? It's actually quite an illustrious rabbinic figure. It says here on the bottom, you'll see in the bottom of the page, Yitzchak Isaac Schochet. Maybe in English they say Schochet, Rabbi Schochet. He was in Chicago for many, many years. But he was originally from Russia. And he learned in the big Litvishe yeshivas. In fact, he was a brother-in-law of Harav Dovid Feinstein. He was married to um I mean he I'm sorry. Reb Dovid, okay, many know Reb Dovid Feinstein to be the son of Reb Moshe. But Reb Moshe's father was named Reb Dovid also. Reb Moshe named his son Dovid after his father Dovid. So Yitzchak Isaac Schochet was married to uh another child of the original Dovid. I don't know if he was the original original Dovid Feinstein, but he was Reb Moshe's father was named Reb Dovid. And he had um a daughter who was married to Reb Yitzchak Isaac, meaning to say uh Rabbi Schochet was married to the sister of Reb Moshe Feinstein. Following? Okay. Um he learned in illustrious yeshivas in Europe before the war, includ- including um in Radin. He became very, very close with the Chofetz Chaim. He was I think chavrusa with the Chofetz Chaim's son-in-law, uh Reb Hirsch. Um he was in Brisk with Reb Elchonon Wasserman. He was in Slabodka. He was in all the illustrious mosdos. And what you would call a big Litvak. >> [snorts] >> But, and I shouldn't say but, cuz why is this but? Nevertheless, he was very close with Lubavitch going back to Europe. He was uh helpful to the Friediker Rebbe in uh Petersburg or um >> [clears throat] >> Leningrad as it was called at the time. And he continued being a friend of Lubavitch after he came to America. And uh the Rebbe is writing to him as a friend, but also as somebody who he's not a Lubavitcher, he has his own proud tradition and identity. And that's sort of part of the theme of the letter. That he's not doing things under the banner of Lubavitch. He has his own banner. And uh let's see what the Rebbe has to say about that. Okay. Shalom U'vracha. Normally l'kavod prishas shalomim meno ayu day Harav Hachasid Yisrael Akim Nachman Noam Harav Pailim bin Harav Zalman Schochet. Okay. The Rebbe is writing to Rabbi Schochet. He did not write the Rebbe a letter, he sent regards through the shliach, Rabbi Hecht, Zalman Hecht, who was the Rav of uh Chicago Anash in those years. This is before Rabbi Shusterman arrived. I I I don't remember, I should, being from Chicago I should know these details exactly. But this is 1956. So um Rabbi Hecht was uh the representative of Lubavitch there. And the Rav of Anash. And he conveyed Reb Yitzchak Isaac Schochet's regards to the Rebbe. If Akasha she will say yes ki ruach bnei beis Schochet al atzinas kodesh shel kveidus mevei chaim. Admor Zechus adoneinu Rebbe tzadik kodesh l'vracha l'chaim ul'shalom u'l'baboch. Nishmasoi begin zeis meiraimim zechusoi yagein aleinu. Uh in accordance with his request, I am going to mention him at the resting place of my father-in-law. >> [snorts] >> Um So you see here, he was um a Litvak, but again, I don't I shouldn't really say but. Nevertheless, he told Rabbi Hecht that uh the the Rebbe should mention him at the Friediker Rebbe's ohel. And like I told you, he was close with the Friediker Rebbe or at least I don't know what close means. I people throw that word around. He was helpful to the Friediker Rebbe. And uh and by the way, when I say helpful, I don't mean like he ran and got him a coffee. I mean in the times of serious Soviet oppression, he risked his personal safety to spread Yiddishkeit under very, very difficult circumstances. So um I I I I'm sort of minimizing it by saying helpful. He did heroic and very brave things. Just clarify that. Okay. Um b'yadei yaaseh l'inyanei Lubavitch v'Chabad k'maamar Chazal mailin makdishin. Now, knowing your relationship with Chabad activities and the principle of our sages that mailin makdishin, holy matters we ascend. See what the Rebbe is doing here? The Rebbe was saying to him, you've been helpful to Inyonei Chabad in the past. So, you know, it's like when you fundraise, you call someone you say, last year you gave $180. We want to know if you could give this year 250, right? They tell you to up it a little bit. So, the Rebbe was upping it. Milan makadesh. You've been helpful to Chabad in the past or Inyonei Chabad. >> [snorts] >> So, we want to be Milan makadesh. We want to see if we can hit you up for even more. And what is a more if we're trying to ascend in holiness, and what is holier than the mitzvah of uh loving your fellow Jew, which Rabbi Akiva says is the foundation of you know, or he said it's the klal gadol ba Torah. I'm saying you should make a yakhas I'm hoping to strengthen your um your involvement in this. Mayucha good. So, in particular, the time has come to talk about the Keren Hatsalah, the rescue fund of your holy camp. Okay? Now, I told you before, he was not a Lubavitcher. Far from it. He had it of his very own strong identity. Um not just because he was related to uh uh the the the illustrious lineage and the big families or bnei families, but um as a as a leader and as a uh as a talmid of Litvisher gedolim. So, he's not a Lubavitcher uh at all. And so, the Rebbe first to what is your camp, meaning not our camp, your camp. You your holy camp, it's a it's a very holy uh community, but it's it's your community. So, time has come to talk about the Keren Hatsalah, the rescue fund that you [cough and clears throat] guys have. Um So, certainly, you know, there's a concept of Hashem counts a good thought as deed. But, here the Rebbe uses it to mean uh surely your good thought will translate into deed. And certainly, you know, the you know that the need has grown. Add to what extent um the need has even made its way onto the newspapers. The gam heim he shilo lisanyon. And they became the newspapers. Newspapers are writing about it. They are now interested in what? Mibnei Yisrael migaza asfardim in the um situation of of of of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of our brothers who are of Sephardic lineage. The Rebbe is speaking about the Sephardim who came to Eretz Yisrael who were um at risk of secularization. Also, Sephardim remaining in their uh in their lands where they'd been living for hundreds and some cases thousands of years, uh such as Morocco. And it was uh a material and spiritual crisis. And of course, we're talking about 1956 where there are still many many many many Holocaust survivors. And that was sort of occupying the forefront of the consciousness, the awareness of at least in in in many circles, uh Jewish philanthropy was sort of focused on that. But, the Rebbe here is saying that there's a crisis among the Sephardim that has grown to the point that even the newspapers are writing about it. So, I need you to Basically, this the Rebbe is asking for for money. I need you to allocate funds for the Sephardim. Now, I could have looked more into the history. I probably should have. But, the letter makes it pretty clear the Rebbe is not saying give me the money cuz the Rebbe was extremely active, I mean, through through his shluchim, um with this type of work. But, it didn't sound like the Rebbe was saying send me the money so I could pay for the activities that we're doing. As the letter continues, it's pretty clear the Rebbe is saying just do it yourself. Like, you should do it. And in fact, even though Lubavitch is already doing it, go ahead. Like, let's it it the as the letter becomes very clear, the Rebbe is saying I even if you'll be more successful than us, great. Let's just get this done because the Sephardim need a lot of help. Okay. Let's continue [snorts] here cuz I'm kind of spoiling it by telling you what's coming. Let's just see what the Rebbe says. I'm I'm reminded at times like the at the like these of a saying of my my father-in-law. He said on his second trip to America, although the way of the world is that people don't like competition or imitation, you know, they say imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Don't flatter me so much. You know, stop copying me. Like, when you're a kid, that's the most annoying thing, right? Stop imitating me. So, the minag oilam is people don't like competition, especially they don't like imitation. Hinei, but however, the approach of Chabad and especially my approach, and I believe the Rebbe is quoting still his father-in-law, meaning the Friediker Rebbe said it was his approach. God willing, if only more people would do the type of activities that he was doing and do it in the way that he was doing it. So, normally people really resent competition. Who are you to horn in on my act? But, the Friediker Rebbe said, no, to the contrary. Imitate me. Rip off my model. Go ahead. Why? Because what what are we talking about here? We're talking about helping Jews. And if you're going to help Jews, um >> [clears throat] >> then competition is good. Cuz the end result is more Jews are going to be helped. Can I be real? Um this is a sensitive subject. I don't know how much you guys watching this understand like the inside baseball, as they call it. Um it's interesting [clears throat] cuz we put these classes out on YouTube, and I imagine that the only people who are watching a class of an actual letter of the Rebbe read in Hebrew are going to be like people who are already insiders. But, it's interesting. I've gotten many correspondences from people who told me that this was like their first exposure to Torah learning in general. Although, it led to more Torah learning, but this was like their first exposure. So, not everyone here may be privy to all this, but I'm going to tell you something, and maybe the Lubavitchers are going to yell at me later, and that's fine. Um this is a constant discussion. This is a constant discussion. To what extent do we resent other people uh emulating specifically our model of outreach. And I know it's very very frustrating if, for instance, there's a personal relationship and you've invested a lot, and then you see somebody end up becoming closer to another community after you've put in a lot of time and patience, and especially during the initial stages where the person may have even been resistant to Yiddishkeit, and you're the one who had to warm them up. You know, it's like when uh I try to open the pickle jar, and then I hand it to my wife, and then she opens it on the first try. Yeah, but I loosened it up for you. >> [laughter] >> Right? So, I know it's a sensitive subject. But, if you're listening to this right now, I just want to tell you the Rebbe said this, and I don't think you would ever suspect that the Rebbe would just say it just because it sounds good, right? God forbid, you wouldn't suspect the Rebbe would write it just because you know, it's it's got a nice ring to it. If the Rebbe wrote it, especially if the Rebbe said it in the name of his father-in-law, you have to believe that it's 100% true. And uh I'm going to admit right now, on a personal level, it's something I've struggled with in the past. I'll admit it. I'll be the first one to confess. I've struggled with it in the past. But at the end of the day Okay, now I'll say another thing that maybe is controversial. I don't think that I would be involved in outreach, at least not to the extent that I've been in my life, if it wasn't something the Lubavitcher Rebbe said to do. Um and the same Lubavitcher Rebbe who's responsible for me being involved in this outreach is also saying that if others come along and replicate your model and outshine you and have more success than you that that's perfectly fine. Why? Because in the end of the day more people got helped. So there you go. I hope that gives some clarity and comfort to some people. I'm sure it will annoy and frustrate others. I'm just sharing with the what what the what what the Rebbe said. Disregard my commentary. Just look at the Rebbe's words. Okay, that was a lot of words. Let me just read that. Let me just translate that. It's noteworthy in this matter that in so many areas of my father-in-law's activities we see a striking parallel to the conduct of Nesi Yisrael biyomeinu. The translation says Nesi Yisrael of earlier generations, but biyomeinu means our generation. That the Nasi biyomeinu Maybe that's a I don't know. Is is is is that a typo from the Do you mind if I do this, guys? I'm going to open up the original letter. Uh W'nifla asher b'yom b'yom Is that Nesi Yisrael biyomeinu asher Nosi biyomeinu? Yeah, it does say biyomeinu. I'm looking in the original. Um that the Nasi biyomeinu, the the leader in our days, like the Tikunei Zohar says is an extension of Moshe Rabbeinu. Moshe Rabbeinu is represented manifested in each generation in the Moshe-like leader of each generation. And we know about Moshe that he had a an attendant, a devoted attendant named Yehoshua. Joshua who was his successor. He didn't budge from the tent. It says. And he told Moshe "Kla'em." What's kla'em? Kla'em. Finish them off. A little background is needed. Parshas Balak. The story of Eldad and Medad. Who were they? Pray tell. Um By the way, I don't see anything in the chat. Is there anyone here? Says that there's like 100 people watching. There's nothing going on in the chat? Nobody wants to say hello to me? I'll tell you about Eldad and Medad from Parshas Balak. It says that they started saying prophecy. They were saying prophecy. Okay, what was the prophecy? I'm not going to get into it right now. It's not not important right now. Okay? Someone wrote hi. Baruch Hashem. Yes, someone wrote yes. Okay. >> [sighs] >> Yehoshua Joshua who was the devoted disciple of Moshe came to Moshe and said "Kla'em." Now there's different ways of translating that. One is finish them off. Another, if you look in Rashi, Rashi says put them in prison. Another is um let's preoccupy them, let's tie up their time and attention by forcing them to be involved in communal affairs and they'll be so busy with that that they won't be able to prophecy anymore. But the point was that Yehoshua was jealous on Moshe's behalf. You understand? Yehoshua was jealous on Moshe's behalf because Yehoshua loved Moshe. He adored Moshe. And to him Moshe was everything. And the fact that someone else would have the gumption to go and prophecy while Moshe is right there was was such an affront. And so Yehoshua came as as as a zealot, a pure zealot and told Moshe let's let's deal with these Eldad and Medad characters over here. And um Moshe tells Yehoshua that won't be necessary. Like thank you. Thank you, but that won't be necessary. Um in fact Moshe says if only all of the people would be capable of prophecy. I'd be fine with that. I'd be I'd I'd be more than fine with that. I would love that. So finish them off could mean in the more benign interpretation I mentioned earlier, Rashi says put a lot of communal um activity on them. Neman, but the immediate response of Moshe was "U'miet en kolam Hashem nevi'im." If only the entire nation of Hashem would be prophets. That if only Hashem would put his spirit upon all of them. Zeh same edah is this means to say Listen, this is very interesting. Previous to this story, it's also Parshas Balak. It's a long parsha. There's this episode of the shiv'im zekeinim v'atzalti min haruach Hashem uh spread out Moshe's influence onto the elders. He sort of uh gave them the glow of Moshe that they should be Moshe-ized to some extent. So the Rebbe is being medayek here. The fact that Moshe says to Yehoshua "If only the entire nation." I wish the whole nation would be capable of prophecy. Moshe is saying even without my deputizing them. Like the story that happened previous to this where Moshe um spread forth his influence v'atzalti min haruach. But even if they won't get it from me. You hear this? This is very important, guys. Lubavitchers, please listen to this. Even if they they so so to speak sidestep my whole process, meaning they didn't get permission from me, they're not [snorts] answerable to me, I'm not the one who made them like that, they did it on their own, they went straight to Hashem and did it on their own. Moshe said [snorts] I'm okay with that. I'm more than okay with that. But rather he he was okay with Hashem directly giving his his inspiration to others. And therefore I give you my thanks in advance that you will put forth as much effort as you possibly can. Um in allocating assistance for our work in the above matters >> [clears throat] >> and in the greatest measure possible. With blessing. Um Yeah, let me know if historically I got this entirely wrong. It could be. Maybe you'll find that that the Rebbe was asking for uh a direct uh allocation of funds for the Rebbe's work. Possible. Um I would be very interested in finding out more of the history. I'm sure that it's much of it is public record and you'll let me know. I'm sure my research department will be uh the first to let me know if I uh am wrong here. But uh whatever the facts are, the words remain, for me at least, very clarifying. That the Rebbe was saying we are not jealous of people from other groups within the Jewish world imitating and even uh surpassing our uh our model. Which Yeah, that's uh needed clarity in that area. B'vrakha with blessing and that is the end of the letter. Okay.