"Bikur HaMeysedes" in Broonwah

The Rebbe fun Toldis Ahren bazucht di Meysdes Lubavitch in Broonwah, Frankreich, u'bifrat di Yeshiveh Teymchei Tmimim, un farbrengt mit dee buchrim. Vee bavust hubben di Anshei Toldos Ahren alange kesher mit Chabad, noch fun di tzayten fun Reb Ahren Rutt, velcher hut bazucht der Frierdike Rebbe in Yurop. Oych iz der Rebbe fun Todos Ahren, der Baal Divrei Emuneh, geven etliche mohl af yechides baym Rebbin in 770.

Bilder:COL


דער צווייטע פון לינקס איז הרב ר' יחיאל קלמנסון, ראש ישיבה און באוואוסטע מחבר ספרים






די רבי פון תולדות אהרן מיט ר' איטשע נעמענאוו, רעכטס

Ernst Bloch gets his day

I was apprehensive to watch it at first, which I'm sure you can understand. After all is said and done; despite the fact that BMR is a big part of the interviews here, we can all say that this was an OK film, even if Torah Jews are misunderstood by the secular and Gentiles. Compared to the book, which gave a platform for the LubavitcH bashers and dragged in every irrelevant story and MACHLOKEH, this program is gold. Ironically, where I sit now YouTube is blocked, so I cannot "see" what I'm posting. Please do not turn this thread into a Lubavitch bashfest; You'll be wasting your time writing them, since your comments will simply not be accepted.

Is what we have today "Chassidus" as the Heiliker Baal Shem Tov wanted it?

I can be "open" and "honest" about it, just as I can about other subjects. We look at ourselves and ask: Am I what the revolution was all about? Did the Baal Shem Tov fight for people like me to be able to have a good time in the name of "Chassidus?" We know what the Chassidim HoRishonim were like, how they acted and what they accomplished, and we look at ourselves - no, not ourselves, but even at the "great" ones of today, and we can easily come to the conclusion that the glory days of Chassidus are over, and that we're a mere skeleton of what the movement once was. For some reason the Satmarer "Chassidim" are the ones who carry this flag, along with many others. Flags that is. many other flags. After Zionism this may be their number 2 cause de celebre. Some say - and they may be chronic cynics - that these 2 causes are very closely related. That the REASON they disregard all other Rebbes is BECAUSE of the fact that most others didn't wrap themselves in the flag of Kano'us. I'm not sure why Chassidus has to take the hit, even though I sort of understand it. Or maybe kano'us could've taken a back seat to Chassidus, just like all others saw and understood it? The penultimate piece, the one that features the words of the Arugas HaBosem, is a real tough one to figure out or to come to terms with. After all, the AH had just joined the ranks of the Chassidim, which would lead us to believe that he had thought long and hard about it, had seen all the pros and cons, and STILL decided that this was the way that he wished to conduct himself in. He had come from a Misnagdic - or non-Chassidic family. To believe Rabbi Menashe Fulop, author of the שמנה של תורה, you'd have to think that he was of a simple mind, and judging from his seforim, that simply holds no water.

Reb Mottel Zilber, however, will have none of that talk. There is no Yeridas haDoros, he says. It cannot be. RMZ is himself not a Rebbe, and the irony is that this talk too place while giving a Mesilas Yeshorim shiur... Ans the proof that he brings is also from the Mesilas Yeshorim, which only increases the irony. On the other hand, maybe Reb Mottel doesn't disagree with the SR after all. Maybe the SR himself would agree that until the Rizhiner Kinder there was no yeridas haDeyres after all, and that it all started soon after that, when the Eyniklach assumed their leadership positions. IIRC that's when the real machlokes blew up between Sanz and Sadiger, although it started with the children as well. But who knows? I wouldn't be surprised if RMZ, despite his strong words here, if "confronted" with the words of the SR, if he'd agree with the SR as well! בבחינת "you're right too!" Not because I'm trying to put him down, chas vesholom, only because of the SR's stature amongst frum Jews today. So we may never know the answer to this timeless question.

Blogger has been "down" for 24 hours already

They also lost my post from yesterday. They promise to have it all back very soon.

New Treasures - Courtesy of the AJDC ("Joint")

(UPDATE Motz"Sh, 11:19pm: I reposted the pictures, since Blogger seems to have forgotten about me. They promised to put back the post but still haven't as of now. Comments, however, are gone. I added one or two pictures that weren't in the original post.)

The "Joint" recently went public with their archive of pictures from activities during and after WW2. As we know, many of our brothers and sisters - including the Rabbeyim of Lubavitch - were helped by the Joint during those difficult times - and before/after as well. This includes Jews of all nationalities. Not much was known about it, since they never went public with their activities, but they have now. And I chose some of the pictures that depict frum life in the DP Camps, as well as places like Vilna and Shanghai during WW2. I searched through many of the pictures and saved what I liked; those pictures of religious Jews that we can relate to, that maybe feature people and places that we heard of growing up - Feldafing, Foerenwald, Poking, Vilna, Kobe, Shanghai, etc. I saved them but unfortunately didn't note where many of them are from, so some have no captions. I apologize for that.


az s'nishtoh kein vayber shul shteit men indroysen..


Gantz a sheiner Esrog far a DP lager... (Germany)


I wonder whom they're waiting for... (Germany)


I'd be proud of my Matzoh if it came out like that too... (Germany)


In Germany, baking matzos just like before.


In Feldafing DP Camp with his treasure...



Rav BZMC Uziel visiting Cyprus Detention Camp


Cyprus. S'iz der zelber Eybershter, afilu in Cyprus.


Beth Bialik, Austria. The aniyus screams out!


Beth Bialik, Austria DP Camp. Learning Torah never ends.


In Feldafing DP Camp, post WW2. Anybody care to guess who this is?


Kobe, Japan. See anybody you know?


In Vilna, thinking about his family and future, no doubt.




Pocking, Germany, where many Lubavitchers may have met their first Hungarian brethren. The Sharmasher Rov is in the center.


Lunch in Vilna, thinking about home...


In Kobe, Japan, before departing for Shanghai. IIRC that's Reb Moshe Shatzkes on the left.


Kobe, Japan. Group picture of refugees


Afileh in Vayten Vilna farlozt er nisht dem sefer...



In Prien, Germany, after WW2. Oy, vee zees!




Lubavitcher Bochurim in Yeshivah in Vilna.


A protest in the DP Camp?!


In Vilna, being Osek in Avodas HaTfilloh.



Kobe, Japan. In Transit.


Ay, Vilne, mein Vilne.


m'derkvikt zich a bissale in Vilne


m'lernet vayter, vee es volt gornishe geven, Vilne.


Peylishe Kinderlach, antlofen fun der heim, in Vilne


Moh Ohavti Sorosecho in Kobe, Japan


Tinokos shel Bais Rabbon in Vilne

די צייטונג" רעאגירט נאכ'ן שטורעם"

ליהוי ידוע: איך האב נעכטן שפעט נאך האלבע נאכט זיך טעלעפאניש פארבונדן מיט'ן רעדאקטאר פונעם "די צייטונג" ר' אברהם שי' פרידמאן, און איך מוז אייך אלע זאגן אז איך בען דערשטוינט פון זיין איידלקייט! טראץ דעם וואס ער האט א דאנק מיר געליטן בושות און בזיונות (און נאך ארגער) במשך פון עטליכע טעג, און כאטש איך האב זיך מודה געווען אז איך בין לדאבוני און נגד רצוני דער קוואל פון זיינע צרות, האט ער זיך נישט גערעגט קיין כי הוא זה נישט! ער האט מיר ווארעם אויסגעהערט. ער איז שטארק ברוגז אויפ'ן "פארדארבענעם יונג" וואס האט עס אנגעווערטשאפט, אבער אויך איז עס אן "איידעלער" רוגז, ער וואונטשט אים ח"ו נישט קיין שלעכטס. עס באדערט אים אסאך מער וועגן די תוצאות פון דעם מעשה, דאס אז פרומע אידן וועלן פון היינט און ווייטער האבן גרויסע שוועריקייטן ווען עס קומט צו באציאונגען מיט ניט-אידישע שכנים און ביזנעסלייט, דאס אז מיר זעהן היינט אויס אזש ווי "טאליבאנער." נאר איין זאך וואלט איך אים גע'עצה'ט, שרייבן אזעלכע ווערטער אויף יענעם, דער וואס האט עס מפרסם געווען לעיני כל העמים, אין א וואך וואס מיר ווייסן אז ער ווארט צו זעהן וויזוי די צייטונג (תרתי משמי) וועט רעאגירן אויף די מעשה, איז נישט געראטן. וד"ל












הריני מוסר מודעה שה"סקענס" של המכ"ע "די צייטונג" נעשו על ידי, אני הק' שלמתי את השני רו"כ, ויקראו ענוים וישבעו, אבל אין להעתיקם בשו"א

COPYRIGHT 2011 BY HIRSHEL TZIG

.....יפה יום אחד קודם

The note that went up in the Williamsburg shul...


Boro Park feels the need to make a stronger point than Williamsburg...

Somebody should tell the people at 163 Rodney that this year was a nidcheh, so they could easily have said the kapitlech on 5 Iyar. Besides; isn't that giving it too much attention? Would it not be better to ignore the day completely, just as all other kreizen in the US do? I can understand in E. Yisroel, but in Brooklyn? C'mon, Satmorim, lighten up just a bit! It's your daily Tehillim, for crying out loud!

As far as the Tachanun saying goes; I'm sure anybody that goes in to Satmar won't think that they're not saying Tachanun just because it's 5 Iyar. So why not follow the S"A, and on a Yom Bris, or if a Chosson is in the house, don't say Tachanun!

The Impostors of Jewish Thought (part II)

See Part I

Guest post by Guravitzer

Preface.

BeSho'oh SheHikdimu Te'erav, Perek 14: "And this will be understood in the higher sphere through the statement of our Sages, their memory is a blessing, 'Quiet! So arose in thought.' For it seems to mean that there is no reason at all for this. But in truth it is profanity to say so, for this is not said in stubbornness, Chas VeShalom. But this is the idea of the concealed reason that is higher than the intellect and Chochmah-reasoning. And according to intellect there is no reason for this at all, to the point that there was no room in his [Moshe Rabbeinu's] intellect for this, and he asked, 'And is this Torah and is this its reward?' And this is the idea of the light of Chochmah-reasoning as it is higher than the container of Chochmah-reasoning." BeSho'oh SheHikdimu is the series of writings and talks by the fifth Chabad Rebbe, the Rebbe Rashab, tackling the highest levels of Kabbalah according to Chassidus, published in three volumes. "This" refers to raking the flesh being Rabbi Akiva's reward for his Torah study.

In other words, there is a level of thought which rises above all other thoughts at all levels. To get the answers to questions of Emunah which challenge the Litvishe thinkers and gedolim we must rise to this level of thought, reached by Baalei Ruach HaKodesh, although never quite reached by us. At the lowest level, the light of Chochmah resides in the keli-container of our chochmah, our mind, Sechel Anoshi. Human intelligence, being a container made of the thickening of light of Elokus, can’t comprehend Elokus. The Rebbe Rashab provides examples of this distinction in the above Ma’amar. The intellect of the Nefesh-soul before descent to the body versus the intellect in the human mind. Understanding the true nature of the spiritual versus only understanding the fact of the existence of the spiritual. Understanding concepts unlimited by time and place versus understanding our limited world. In all of these, human intelligence can be told of the existence of these higher spheres by Baalei Ruach HaKodesh, and be given understandable metaphors from our world. This doesn’t negate the attempt of Sechel Anoshi to understand Elokus. We should try that as well. It breaks the natural pattern of Sechel Anoshi to lean towards the animal, as Seichel Anoshi is a subset of the Nefesh HaBehamis.

If we consider Moreh Nevuchim as an explanation of Elokus and Emunah according to Sechel Anoshi, we’re told that Chasidim as far back as the Alter Rebbe’s Chasidim were fluent in Moreh Nevuchim, as well as Kuzari, Emunos Vedeios and other Sifrei Emunah. But we must realize that Emunah of the Nefesh Elokis lies further than those explanations. This Emunah is not fed, it is uncovered, the Nefesh Elokis is incapable of disbelief. This is a two-sided coin, both Emunah Peshuta and Emunah in a realm described by Mekubalim and explained by Toras HaChasidus. In essence, a person who professes disbelief doesn’t need to be convinced of anything. The Nefesh Elokis must be revealed to overpower the subset of the Nefesh HaBehomis that is Sechel Anoshi. With Sechel Eloki firmly in control of the Sechel Anoshi, we can then proceed to let the Sechel Anoshi dabble in trying to understand Elokus at its level. A piece of Matzah at the Seder may be more effective than all the permissions to believe and receive.


At heart, these ideas are not new, they emerge from the old. Witness the Rebbe Rashab’s statement of concept as based on a Ma’amar Chazal. Toras HaChasidus reveals the deeper meaning of every part of Torah. Whatever you have isn’t taken away. What you have is shown to have depths you never knew. The Rebbe defined this clearly in the booklet The Concept Of The Teachings of Chassidus (Kuntres Inyono Shel Toras HaChasidus), that the four layers of Pshat, Remez, Drush, Sod are given more depth through Torah HaChasidus, not superseded by a fifth layer. Again, this is only about this particular article, and this article chose to quote from Litvishe thinkers and gedolim only. I want to stay focused on this article only and not other issues, worthy as they are of discussion on another opportunity. If we broaden the discussion, we lose focus. The article chose to approach this issue from the Litvishe perspective only by providing responses from Litvishe sources only. It wasn't my choice. In general, the Litvishe world is almost the only one where the twisted approach to Emunah makes all conversations fractured.

A Lubavitcher Chosid can have a conversation on this topic with a Tora U’Mada adherent, with a Sephardishe adherent of Emunah Peshuta and Kabalah, with a fellow Chosid of other streams who thirsts to add Chabad Chasidus to the Emunas Chachomim of their Rebbe’s behavior. Toras HaChasidus reveals their inner meaning, no negation, they are all sourced in holiness. Only a crooked path whose fallacy is most clearly shown in Discovery seminars full of foolish content can’t be helped, there is no inner meaning. I am writing for the children bereft of Emunah. I want you to know there are answers. This may not affect your behavior or beliefs, now or ever. But you should know that when your teacher told you to be quiet, there are no answers, the question itself is despicable - your teacher was wrong.

I'm glad it wasn't me.

It seems every website in the WORLD picked up the story about the photo shopped picture from די צייטונג. One guy stole it, and sent to the Failed Messiah, who of course ran it like it was his discovery. Well, almost. The Jerusalem Post and DovBear picked up on it, as did Matzav. The JP - I know - reads my blog, so I was sure that they had taken it from me. Soon it was all over the place. Websites with readership in the MILLIONS have been running the story. Boy, was I surprised to see that they all credited FM! At first I was somewhat hurt and made it known that it was taken from my blog. But then I was made to realize that it's good that the "credit" was given to me since who needs the "credit" that makes all frum Jews look like the Taliban and worse. I know they took it from me because they all have the same picture, taken with a cellphone camera, and they all have the first name of the paper cut off, so FM made the mistake of calling it "Der Tzeitung," instead of what it should be called - Di Tzeitung. I'm glad I'm not associated with the Riff-Raff that runs those sites. (Not Matzav, the other two.)

.גם זו לטובה

what to do on Shabbos in Willy if the Cholent won't let you sleep

No, we're not talking about the Shabbos parades they used to have back in the 30's and 40's, where frum Jews would tell Jewish shopkeepers who had their stores open that they were violating the Torah by doing business on the day of rest. Here we speak of Jews who took it upon themselves to harass other frum Jews who rely on the Rabbinic "solution" that allows carrying outside the home by using an eruv. These zealots have a problem with some people having the freedom to move about town, and Shabbos takes the "blame." They say that the Shabbos has an issue with this freedom of movement, and that they wish to defend the holy day's honor. They do this by making the lives of the more vulnerable a living H E double hockey sticks. Nobody likes to be yelled at on the street, no matter how right or innocent they may be, and no matter how crazy the one doing the yelling may be. It's good to see that even those who suffer from indigestion and heartburn (are they one and the same?) can also pass the time productively by yelling at mothers out for a Shabbos stroll with their young'uns, or fathers carrying their heavy Terkishe Tallis home on a hot summer's day after spending 4 hours at his first cousin's Shabbos Sheva Brochos.

...חסר קצת

"די צייטונג"

"חסידי'שע שחיטה"

This is Skver, by the way.

"אסאמא בין לאדן בגימ' "עמלקי

"אוסאמה בן לאדן בגימ' "עמלקי

(my kid brother)

די באבע נחמה'לע האט קיינעם נישט געשאט

(אדמו"ר רב"צ השני מ'באבוב)

Heist es that the Sanzer Rov could control the thoughts of all the people with him in Shul. Or at least he can remove any, um, womanly appeal that his may have had.