Tuesday, October 12, 2010

What set the Rebbe apart - (Part I)


Natan Yellin-Mor (Friedman)

There are all kinds of stories out there about the Rebbe. Some are nice, some are very nice and some are just, like "wow!" But even the "wow!" stories; how often does a story move you like never before? How often does it give you such a kitzel that it gives you no rest? How often does it tell you never to give up and never to lose hope? Here is one such story. You might say that there are two elements to this story, and that the point is not only what set the Rebbe apart, but also how a Jew must never lose hope.

(Free Translation)

Gershon Jacobson was the editor of the Yiddish-language "Algemeiner Journal" from its inception until his passing in 2005. There was a columnist in that newspaper by the name of Natan Yellin-Mor.(Friedman) Mr. Yellin-Mor was an extremely talented writer who write in both Yiddish and Hebrew, in the Algemeiner he wrote Yiddish, of course. He was a Yelid Grodno who was a member of Lechi during the Pre-State days, but switched ideological sides after the War of Independence, and even more so after the Six-Day War, when he became a sort of champion of Arab Rights. This was way before it became popular to look at Israel as occupiers. He would espouse his anti-Religious views in the Algemeiner every week, thanks to Gershon, who was a very liberal man when it came to publishing ideas and opinions. Reading his articles left you boiling mad, guaranteed. (I guess doing things for ratings is not a new concept, after all...)

in 5737 Natan Yellin-Mor came to see Gershon on the second day of Rosh Hashonoh. (Please don't ask me if he drove or walked, or if he wore a yarmulke.) Gershon took the opportunity to explain to his guest about was what about to happen later that day at 770, when the Rebbe would wash before Shkiah, farbreng, speak divrei torah, bentsh, daven Maariv, make Havdoloh and distribute Kos Shel Brocheh. Gershon told him to accompany him to KSB and take the opportunity to meet the Rebbe. Natan thought that idea was preposterous; "Gershon, he said, the Rebbe knows what my opinions are, and his opinions are the complete opposite of mine, he'll throw me out of his shul if I come and see him!" "Nonsense, said Gershon, the Rebbe is a Gentleman and would never do that to you. Of course he has very specific opinions, but he speaks gently and will be very happy to meet you. You'll be happy you met him." The two arrive at KS"B; GJ gets wine and then introduces NY-M, telling the Rebbe "dos iz Natan Yellin-Mor."

Yellin-Mor though that this was it, the Rebbe would throw him out shul, but to his surprise the Rebbe raised both his hands and exclaimed (I'm paraphrasing here) "Mr. Natan Yellin-Mor, far mir iz a greyser koved az ihr zent gekummen af ah bazuch tzu mir in shul. Ihr zent a gevaldig'e shrayber, ven ich bakum di tzeitung mitvoch ovent iz di ershte zach lein ich ayer artikel. Ich bet mechilleh fun der redakter, noch far zayn artikel. Ich bentsh aych az ihr zolt oysnutzen ayere talenten tzu lange gezunte yohren." NYM almost fainted right then and there. He stood there, unable to get a word out, until he stammered, "Ihr leint meine artiklen!?" Ich farshtey nit, ihr zent maskim mit vos ich shrayb?! The Rebbe smiled and said, "If I would read only what I agree with I'd have very little to read... I read lots of things, including your articles." NYM was confused; "If you don't agree with what I write why do you bless me to continue writing,?!" he asked. "One day you'll yet write the truth," the Rebbe said, "for now continue writing. Every person gets talent from G-d that he needs to utilize to its fullest, and I'd like to see you utilize that talent in the future even more than you had done until now."


to be continued...

62 comments:

Anonymous said...

If instead of attacking Judaism, the guy would have attacked Chabad in his writings, do you think the Rebbe would have responded similarly?

food for thought

pertzufal gekumen said...

in 5737 Natan Yellin-Mor came to see Gershon on the second day of Rosh Hashonoh

NO! he wasn't nudged,cajoled, encouraged,invited, to come, he just came ArupGefalen pun-kt in rosh hashana
Give me a break

Anonymous said...

Another Lubab mase that is nisht geshtoygen in nish gefloygen...

When will you guys stop coming up with the unimpressive rubbish that no one belives and is not all that impressive if it was true....

The frum world doesn't belive these stories any more than the new testament...

Go print some more lamplighters....

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

what's so unbelievable? I haven't finished the story yet!
you snag/Hungarians are so insecure.

Anonymous said...

how lame!

this is what gets you?! loser

Anonymous said...

Pertzufal
Why are you cynical on everything you read, it could be that Gershon invited his coworker to a Rosh Hashana seuda

grainom said...

what a silly story, chanifa is always free.

im chagas

Yeruchem said...

food for thought

a lot more like food for the dogs..

Anonymous said...

Anon. 8;32
Did you ever see the letters of the CI giving mussar to Reb Elchonan Wasserman, on his negative style of hanhoga , that his letters have to much bile and hate, and it does not help the cause at all, to rebuilt yahadus we have to build Chadorim and Yeshivahs,that was the hanhoga of the Gedolie Yisroel when normalcy was king. The Rebbe was from the old school but in the face brash about his views and worked effortlessly to instill it in a new generation . but unfortunately insanity is stronger and we are sloping to Moshe Ber beck and the Sikriken.

Anonymous said...

Grainom
the Chasam sofer ( the person to which all Kanoim cling to) writes that you should do Chanifa Lershoim in order to be mekarev them If I recall good, The Tzig posted the CS awhile back

Dov said...

Why do some posters think this story is not true??
Some of the details are probably not true but the gist that Yelin came to the Rebbe and that the Rebbe read his articles?Why not?

I"m sure he did not use the words " az ihr zent gekummen" Zent is "Hungarian Spinkesh" for zaynt, used by Litvishe and Lubavitchers.Small Tzig slip into his "mameh lushen"

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

Dov

I speak Litvish better than you. There was no slip. The Rebbe didn't speak 100% Russian Yiddish either; He was from the Ukraine.

besides, it's zayt, not zaynt.

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

oh, and thank you for allowing it to be true. Very gracious of you.

Anonymous said...

Dov
"Some of the details are probably not true"
that Gershon Jacobson had a newspaper?
that He lived in Ch?
that the rebbe had a shul in CH?
Dov the big shmasser, give us please your details of whats not true

Anonymous said...

the rebbe had a shul in CH?

Marc said...

This blog is a great place to learn about what set the Rebbe "apart". To sum up, it was NOT, largely unprecedented:

1) Aboloshing the third meal on Shabbos

2) Aggresive Tfilin campaign

3) Sending the teenage boys to Manhatten

4) 7 Noahite law thingie

5) emphasis on "Melech" hamoshiach

6) putting the galus Jew in the public eye

7) Sending out a significant percentage of his followers to barron lands

8)Basically telling his followers, not only (is it unnecessar, but) it is harmful to sleep in the Succah.

9) Parades

10) Publically (repeating) that a famous person's tfilin was possul

11) Hasidic Rebbe, with years of University training, aboloshing the levush

12) Closeness with politicians

13) isolarity (to a large degree) from the rest of Orthodox Judaism

14) Making the standard method of prayer very fast, for his followers (contrary to early Chabad tradition)

Etc, etc.

It wasn't any of these reasons, it was his ability to realize that taking nice to a writer will change his views (somewhat) and his future writings - that was it.

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

hello, Marc

next time use spell-check

don't let the door hit you on the way out

Marc said...

The door is shut - but there are still windows.

SDR said...

Tzig: I won't ruin the sequel but do you have a copy of the of the relevant Algemeiner article?

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

I do not. I contacted the algemeiner office and they do not have copies of articles that far back. I did not mention that PARTICULAR article just to be sure it wasn't only THAT one that they didn't have....

Anonymous said...

sdr
I believe Yivo will have it on microfilms

Anonymous said...

Marc
The more I read your list I feel that the Rebbe belonged to generations of 850 years as early as the Rambam, It looks like hashem had some pity on Klal Yisroel by granting us a soul that was intended for other Doirois

Aggresive Moshiach Campaign

7 Nohaide laws

Years of college training

Closemness with politicans

Isolated from mainstream Judaism

Aggressive mitzva campaigns

I can go on and on

Mendel said...

Marc,my guess is you're some Honky trolling about on the computer torn between who you are and what you dream the world is about.

The Rebbe changed nothing of what you mentioned, all that, is old stale machloikes addressed millions of times. The guy who had possul tefilin, he started, and should have kept his mouth shut. Once he attracted the attention of a Novi B'yisroel, who THEN, saw he has possuleh teffilin there was no choice but to bring it to his attention.

Now as far as the Rebbe sending people out into the world - firstly, this was the Rebbes holy position based on all previous Rabbaim and that is, we must sacrifice a little of ourselves to help those that are dying spiritually. This is a choiv kodoish to save lives especially after the terrible destruction of WWII.


Secondly , it sure beats people like you fressing pizza in boro park or someplace in kiryas G-d knows where with no life - again, trolling about on the computer.

Thirdly - all the laingeh payos stuck in their bubbles besides wasting away their lives, seem to be drifting away and falling off in huge numbers while the people is fardobeneh lands are personally stronger in their Yiddishkeit than you will ever know. Umitalmidai yoiser mikulom.

Anonymous said...

Marc
I am not getting whats wrong by telling a Yid you have possele tefilin,unless if the tefilin was kosher,was it kosher? or Possul?
it seems to me the right thing to do

Anonymous said...

could someone please answer me? Did the Rebbe have a shul in CH or not?

dovy in jersey said...

mendel,
do u not know what a navi b'yisroel means or r u just nuts?

Anonymous said...

Tzig ....let see if you put this up.....

What set the Rebbe apart....

1)Chanife lreshuim

2) Hatred pashut of tzadikim when they had a different point of view or undermined his own...

3) Compromise of standards of frumkeit of those from chassidish families so as not to s

4)Going to Univeristy and mixing exclusively with frayer yidden and

5) Never going to a Rebbe for a yomtov, advice or any other inyan until he was becomeing engaged to the daughter of the Rayatz Ztl.

6) Having both a frayer brother and brother in law

7) A Rebbe who had accounts costing millions with Manhattan advertising firms

8)Never talking openly and frankly about his

9)A Rebbe who pushed his main brains like R' Yoel to steal frummer yidden for the kavod of chassides even though their personal yiddishkeit suffered and their children became far less frum.

10)Chasidim never looking into interviews with people who grew up with Rebbe, only those who knew him peripherally. (e.g. view of R YB Soloveitchik - why was he never interviewed or asked directly about the years in Western Europe)

11) A Rebbe who never gave kavod to any other gadol unless it was in his own office or farbrenguns....

12) A Rebbe with a Mazkirus which kept personal files on people who came to the Rebbe and other Gedolim ....similar to the CIA ....

13) A Rebbe who never openly praised any other Rebbe and directly said only Chabad is derech Habaal Shem TOv ztl..

Anonymous said...

What set the Rebbe apart....

Growing up with almost no frummer friends or environment...learning secular studies from a young age and reading goyish newspapers...

Sure he could learn...but his attitudes and approach to life were not from the same place as the previous Chabad nesiyim....

Mendel said...

dovy, a novi b'yisroel means a spiritual refined Jew who speaks the word of G-d in this world, who also is yoideah asidois and sometimes makes miracles.

That's the Rebbe.

Now, do you have a problem with that??? Do you know the Torah/Gemoroh writes in every generation Hashem send his Novi to guide His people. Ypi have any of your own candidates??? Can I hear of some???

Anonymous said...

Satmar Rebbe - just because you don't agree doesn't mean he wasn't it !!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey where is my 13 point list ???

Scared of the truth ?

You asked the question.....knowing what would be answered.....

Anonymous said...

Please post my comment...I would like a point by point rebuttal

No other Rebbe has these 13 points and you asked what made the Rebbe different....

only one or two could be looked on as subjective the rest were statements of fact ....

Marc said...

So the Rebbe was a Navi (or "the" generations prophet) and the greatest soul since Maimonidies [Besides for being the Messiah!] and he learned Hasidus!

Anonymous said...

Do you know the Torah/Gemoroh writes in every generation Hashem send his Novi to guide His people. Ypi have any of your own candidates??? Can I hear of some???

ehhh, where exactly?

Hirshel Tzig - הירשל ציג said...

Mr. 13 points

I see no question mark in the title, do you?

You think I was born yesterday? until G-d made you nobody came up with these "feste kashes?"

Anonymous said...

13 is the gematria of Chabad - off by one.

Anonymous said...

MR NO QUESTIONS...

Tzig you are right....unfortunately everyone can see what was/is different and there is no question....

While everyone has youth at risk.....in Chabad it an open epidemic.....

Go to any Chabad simcha anywhere in the world and the your are an embarrassing sight....hide your mashke guys.....

Anonymous said...

MR 13 Points....

Any Rebbe has stories like that ...

you can bring stories like that from the Imrei Chaim, Satmar Rebbe, Bobover Rebbe, Skvere Rebbe, Skulaner Rebbe and the Rachmastricke Rebbe every single day of the year and many times a day at that....

You want to know how many Bobover chasidim in vayse zoken owe it to the Bobover Rebbe that their zeide did not marry a shikse in America after the war ?

Just ask Avremal Fried about his grandfather's friends. B'H Mr Friedman did not need saving so the Bobover Rebbe did not try to 'steal him' back.

Have you seen how many frayer yidden came from interstate and overseas to see these Rebbes....and still come to their children and einiklach until today..???

Its just that no one else 'bluzt' like Chbada....

Anonymous said...

MR 13 points....

Feste kashes yes....but they explain why the Rebbe was different.

Should every shliach do these things to ensure he can relate to frayer yidden like the Rebbe ?

I think the Rebbe had a bigger problem relating to other frum yidden which is why he cut Chabad off from the Chareidi world....

Mendy said...

I respect (as a Rebbe) whoever is a Torah Jew and loving of es Habrius like Aharoin.

If for you or anyone the Satmer Rebbe fits the mold yehi lohem asher lohem. I have my Rebbe.

Marc brought up a list of (dirty) laundry and my answer to him is that it looks dirty to him because he is the looser who sees only the negative.

Anonymous said...

Marc,
its my believe that after the churban Klal Yisroel neede some Manhigim that should think out of the box, It was not business as usual.
Btw, where did the Rebbe change the levush? Did his father wear a shtrimel? or did his father wear a hat as the Aroni/Zaloni Rebbes?

Anonymous said...

Ypi have any of your own candidates??? Can I hear of some???

Meiheichah teisy? If i don't come up with a cadidate, does the Rebbe win by default?
so basically, since we know there are n'viim in this dor, the Rebbe must be one of them, becaus who else?
krum as a pretzel

Anonymous said...

Anon,
as for myself I would like to hear a source for your claim that every generation has his Novi,in matter of fact please enlighten me on, who is our Novi after Gimel Tamuz? But by the Lubavicher Rebbe we did see a lot of his forecasts that were to the point, it was Chochem odef MiNovi

Anonymous said...

Anon,
"I think the Rebbe had a bigger problem relating to other frum yidden which is why he cut Chabad off from the Chareidi world...."
how exactly is chabad cut off from the charedi world, they stopped keeping shabos? they stopped doing taharas hamispocha, they stopped believing in the 6 day of creation? The stopped shechting by the neck?

or they don"t participate in the Aguda convention?

Mendel said...

anonymous 1:16

We where talking about a candidate then, and the Rebbe was my candidate then, and it hasn't changed----woooooooo now we really get into hot water.


I hope you had someone then- a novi b'yisroel and you have one now. That's all. AND have a nice day.

you see I am not looking to fight, I can explain my position and I hope you are secure enough with yours. If not come and join us (-:

Leihman said...

Some of us in Chabad are always wondering whether or not we're accepted among the true Jews of Lakewood and Bnei Beraq. It bothers us and we try hard to change that perception that we're different and not authentic.

Marc said...

For the record: I am not a Bobover. I don't even have the zchus to live near Bobov and rent out my parking spot to some fargrepte gvir.

Anonymous said...

Lieman,
are you realy a chabadnik? have you learned Chitas today? I am scared not.
"Different and not authentic"
deep profound words,wow wowowowo

Anonymous said...

Lieman,
are you realy a chabadnik? have you learned Chitas today? I am scared not.
"Different and not authentic"
deep profound words,wow wowowowo

LikeWhatever said...

Leihman. Im with ya... Well, half way fursure.
The authentic half.

Theres not really much to be embarrased from these days.
Marc's dirty laundry list is cute...untill we"ll pull out his denominations chazirei.

Imho not going to levaya of burnt sifrei torah and prophesising that it was burnt for some divine retribution for a slight to a Sects leader is wierder than say "Abolishing 3rd meal of Shabbos"

Anonymous said...

Mendel
lol. touche.
I'm certainly not looking for a fight either, and this has nothing to do with my self confidence
however, I don't think that because I can't come up with another "candidate," now the Rebbe wins the novi elections. Who knows who's an emese novi?
a guten

Leiman said...

According to Moreinu HaBaal Shem Tov, the Ma'amar "כל הנגעים אדם רואה חוץ מנגעי עצמו" That any shortcomings that a person sees on his friend, איז דאס מנגעי עצמו, it's a Negah that he has, and he sees it in his friend in order for him to rectify the situation.

If so, and using that logic, do we say that Chassidim suffer from a Gayveh problem, hence the accusations against non-Chassidim?

grainom said...

besides the cement in the way, as far as any sane person is concerned, the rebbe is pushing daisies. pray tell me who in your opinion is the nossi/novi hador? 'cause the 7th is over, and according to chabad mythology, we gotto be in the know who the "chezkas moshiach" of the dor is... i always thought it was rav shach, but sadly he died. i have no opinion on who it might be now, im just asking my lubi brethren since they told me all these years that is was info i had to have...

Anonymous said...

I keep waiting for a logical common sense argument.

The last point about davening in Chabad basically says that your mashpia has led you to belive that Chassidus is about mivtzoim and reading Tanya, Torah Or, etc....but not really understanding it or incorporating it into your life....

Living a life of hisbonenus and hiskafye is dead per dor shvii.....

It used to be that Chabad wasnt for the masses, rather the intellectual elite....

No one ever threw around numbers like 100,000 Gerrer or Aleksander in pre war times....

Chabad was small but powerful due to the Rabbeim and Sefarim they had....

Did anyone ever say they saw the Rebbe daven for hours every day before he became Rebbe ?

Must be he either didn't hold of it or held that even pre-war Reb Levi's chassidim were different to the previous Rabbeim......

The Rebbe wasn't just different from Chagas...he was different from every interpretation of Chabad until then as well.....

Anonymous said...

What a surprise the real kashes are ignored and the stupid insults are let through to make any questions on Dor shvii look like they are from ignorant fargrepte am aratzim..

We cant have any serious questions of the hanhogo let through ?

Why not post my last comment about the changes especially to tefila barichus and the direction of Chabad under nsi dereinu ?

jack said...

hey Zig,how long to we have to wait for part two?
this is absolute torture,please have rachmonos

Anonymous said...

Like Whatever

by making fun of Shalosh seudos and the singing of nigunim doesn't make YOU look any better!

Anonymous said...

Anon
"It used to be that Chabad wasnt for the masses, rather the intellectual elite...."
did you do research on the havona in chasidus of the tens of thousands of chasidim of the Tzemah Tzedek era , According to my understanding, that bochurim that pass thru the Tomchie temimim curriculum have a better havona in chasidus then those chasidim. Obviously they today have better tools starting from shiurim besefer hatanye, reb yoels biurim, chasidus mevueres all products of the doir Hasvie, you can shelt(curse) as Bilaam ben Hamdossa till tomorrow, but the facts are different

Anonymous said...

Anon
"No one ever threw around numbers like 100,000 Gerrer or Aleksander in pre war times...."
did you see the new book of Mondshine on Toof Kif Ayen? the way Reb Nachman asked the AR on the vast number of chasidim? That was first genaration of Chabad.
Did you ever hear of the numbers the Sanzer Rov estimated the Chasidim of the Tzemach Tzedek? when he marveled his gadlus of his writing so many teshuvahs with so many chasidim
get your facts together before you shelt(curse).

Anonymous said...

What happened to all those tens of thousands of Chassidim? Where were they during the start of the Rayatz's tenure?

Anonymous said...

good question
but Chabad was segmented in to many courts, most of the sons of the Tzemach Tzedeks sons had their own courts, Lubavich was not the biggest, and then you got WW1 and communism that demolished the whole base.

Anonymous said...

Here's a serious question: Did the Rebbe MMS ever write a single book or article that has become required reading or study for the Jewish world outside Chabad? If so, what was it? I read the new book the Rebbe by Heilman & Friedman and I didn't find it.