Somewhat disappointed

(Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Shanghai, c. HaRav Meir Ashkenazi, Rov)

Reb Shimon Goldman came to our shul Tuesday night to discuss his Zichraynes of the Frierdige Rebbe. He's not a Mashpia, nor a "Redner", yet I was excited, although I'd never heard him Farbreng before, because based on the book I was hoping for a night full of stories. It seems like his son who compiled the book must've worked for a looong time "pulling teeth", because Tuesday night he wasn't talking much. What he said was straight out of the book, which is reassuring, because thus we know that it wasn't emellished at all, but the Misnaged-basher within me wanted more.


I wanted him to spill the beans and tell what he knows, the consequences be da--ed. He spoke a bit about his trip out of Poland, and how he joined the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Vilna. He spoke of his meetings with the Torah giants of the day, people like the Mashpia Reb Shua Eizik, but his words lacked a proper flow, meaning, if you didn't know the people and places being dicussed you were left with large pockets of "what's he talking about." He mentioned names like Reb Leib Malin z'l with great respect, and the fact that although the Chassidishe and Litvishe Yidden in Shanghai differed on when to keep Shabbos because they chose to adhere to different Poskim, Reb Leib and others would come to the Lubavitcher Yeshiva to hear Krias HaTorah on Shabbos. It does make you think that had it not been for the Roshei Yeshiva and "Askonim" in New York things may have worked out very differently.

Years ago we might have said "of what good is it to expose these stories", and seemingly most other groups with differences have buried the hatchet. However, for some reason, when it comes to Lubavitch then "the truth must be known".

Turnabout is fair play.