נפטר געווארען ר' יוסף וואלדמאן ע"ה

Reb Yosef Waldman, the man who has a big part in the Rashi Sichos
More in English

 I knew Reb Yossel's brother somewhat. I think he was Hershel. He lived around the corner from us in Boro Park and I would see him on the street and in shul sometimes, although he didn't daven in our shtiebel for the most part. Then, when I started becoming closer to Lubavitch, I somehow got to know that he was a תמים who had a shaychis to the Rebbe, even if his family didn't really. I think he passed away some years ago. Then I discovered that he had a brother Yossel that lived in Crown heights and קאכט זיך זייער שטארק in the Rashi Sichos. He was the one who convinced the Rebbe to continue with the Rashi Sichos after officially he would stop due to lack of interest. He asked the Rebbe to provide him with Marei Mekomos, which he did, and often times he would know of a farbrengen before even the mazkirim would, since the Rebbe would tell him on his way into 770 on Shabbos morning. I heard that his whole davening Shabbos morning was consumed with preparing, looking at every conceivable sefer that would discuss the Rashi and discussing his findings with anybody shayech to it. By the actual farbrengen he would שלינג מיט דורשט every word that the Rebbe uttered. At word in the Diamond District any ben torah he came in contact with knew about the farbrengen and the Rashi sicha...

It seems like they were originally from Munkacs and came to this country in 1939. They soon entered the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, and Yossel especially formed a very special kesher with the Rebbe. Maybe if I was more of a yenta I would have spoken to him when I saw him in Crown Heights. But alas!

We bring you here - for the very first time - a recording of a speech by RYM to a small women's group in the spring of 1969/5729. You can skip ahead to 2:50 on the recording to skip the introductions and crowd noise. It is interesting to note that he starts in English and then switches to Yiddish at the request of the crowd.