Follow ChabadInfo & Never Miss an Update!

Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our WhatsApp status and broadcast Follow us on Tiktok Follow us on Facebook Follow us on X Follow us on Google News Subscribe on YouTube

Yesterday afternoon, Rabbi YY Wilschansky, rosh yeshivos Chassidei Chabad Lubavitch in Tzfas, responded to questions of talmidim following events in 770 in the yeshiva’s zal. Chabadinfo spoke to R’ Wilschansky to hear his opinion of the situation, beyond what he said to the talmidim.

Many of Anash are pained by what happened in 770. What is the right way to regard what happened? What can we learn from it?

First, something like this deserves every condemnation. Actually, it’s not even deserving of condemnation since it’s entirely beyond the pale! Any act of wildness, of destruction, of vandalism, is out of bounds even to basic rational thought. Certainly, when you add the raising of hands and chutzpa, we see how in Likutei Sichos of the previous week (vol. 31 Shemos) it’s explained at length how someone who raises a hand against someone to hit him, even before the actual blow, is called a rasha on the part of heaven!

Especially, when this destructive act occurred in a shul, and all the more so, in our Beis HaMikdash, the Rebbe’s bayis, there is a desecration of the holy here. Along the lines of what Chazal say, “Not the Mikdash do you fear but the One who commanded its fear,” the cautiousness in the honor of the Rebbe’s Beis Medrash is connected with honor of the Rebbe, and included in this is behavior in 770 which is established by the Rebbe and his holy directives. As the Rebbe emphasized that it pertains to the rabbanim, those appointed, etc. and surely is is forbidden to take the law into one’s hands even when it isn’t vandalism, and all the more so in a case like this.

Therefore, something like this is completely beyond the pale. The point I want to zero in on here is a positive point. To a tamim it needs to be clear that he must be devoted to what the Rebbe wants of him. Just as raising a hand etc. should be out of the question to a tamim (as explained in the sicha of 15 Shevat 5748), so too, he needs to be focused solely on what the Rebbe wants of him.

What needs to be emphasized to a tamim is not to be involved in condemning what happened – an event which is inherently ‘condemnatory’ as I mentioned at length, and as we teach in yeshiva, actions like these are absolutely out of the question, even if they are wrapped in a covering of holiness – but rather to be focused on what pertains to his own actual conduct. What pertains to a tamim is to ignore this completely, not get into debates and discussions but be immersed solely in learning and kedusha. Everything else is the responsibility of the hanhala. This is the point to emphasize to the talmidei ha’tmimim, not to veer from their ‘nekuda.’

What about the urgent need to do what the Rebbe wants and expand 770?

 The need to expand 770 needs no lengthy speeches. The Rebbe spoke so much about this, including marvelous words in kuntres Beis Rabeinu. The Rebbe himself went out to participate in the cornerstone laying. Obviously, the Rebbe wants the place to be beautiful as is fitting for “the mound to which all mouths turn to,” especially when currently, it’s not only a spiritual need but a practical one.

But this is precisely the point I wanted to emphasize to the talmidim and which, with your permission, I’ll emphasize now. It’s completely unconnected to current events! The Rebbe explains in the Dvar Malchus of Pinchas and at great length, that each person has a task in the world, and even when he wants to have an influence on another corner of the world, something that does not pertain to him, he needs to do so by doing properly what he needs to do in his place!

You care about 770 being enlarged? If you are a tamim, add in Torah, tefilla and tzedaka! Toil more in Torah study! Ask your hanhala how you can add! You’re a yungerman? You have a mashpia. Ask him how you can help spiritually or materially, to influence those involved, upon whom lies the responsibility.

But to act in a way that goes against your mission? In an area where you are not appointed? And an action which could in no way be beneficial (and certainly, in this case, a completely detrimental one). In fact, no we need to pray that it doesn’t have the opposite effect ch”v.

Many graduates or friends of the yeshiva are fathers, teachers. What point should they emphasize to the young generation after what happened?

Precisely this point, that everything needs to be done according to the Rebbe’s wishes and according to the Rebbe’s hora’os. A tamim is completely subservient to the hanhala of the yeshiva and certainly, for a tamim in yeshiva in 770, community matters are to be decided according to the Mara d’Asra. Every yungerman must have an active mashpia. Only in this way can the Rebbe’s wishes be carried out properly.

It should be clear that all these events are not, ch’v, connected to the belief of Chassidim in what the Rebbe said about Moshiach, the avoda of kabbolas pnei Moshiach Tzidkeinu, the proclamation of “Yechi,” etc. Unlike the unfortunate phenomenon of people making cynical use of what happened to denigrate the emuna and koch in these things, and presenting in a negative light the majority of Anash who “live” with these inyanim.

It is shortly before Yud Shevat. What point should a Chassid strengthen for this great and holy day?

 Each person knows what points need improving for himself. Generally speaking, of course it’s to add and strengthen hiskashrus to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. The Rebbe explains in the sicha of Beis Nissan 5748, that just like on Rosh Hashana, “a loftier light in each and every year” is drawn down, so too, with the nesius, on the day the nesius was accepted. Obviously, this ought to increase our hiskashrus to the Nasi HaDor, or as the Rebbe himself defined – in the sicha of Shabbos parshas Va’eira 5752 – the manner and form that hiskashrus needs to take in our generation:

“Each and everyone needs to commit to adding with greater force and greater measure in the deeds, teachings and avoda of the baal ha’hilula, my father-in-law, the Rebbe, Nasi Doreinu, who guided us from his ways and we shall go in his paths forever and ever – especially with the bittul and hiskashrus to my father-in-law, the Rebbe, Nasi Doreinu, the Nasi is everything. Namely, that by each and every one – his very existence and all of his matters – become sanctified to the Nasi HaDor through being filled with and infused with fulfilling the shlichus of the Nasi HaDor, Moshe Rabeinu of the generation, the first redeemer is the final redeemer, whose main purpose is ‘l’havi l’Yemos HaMoshiach’ b’poel mamosh.”

If we think about it, we have several points here:

• The addition needs to be in all inyanim of the Nasi.

• Particularly in “bittul and hiskashrus” to him (which includes obedience and not deviating from the Rebbe’s directives, as mentioned above).

• Hiskashrus in such a manner that all of his matters are “sanctified to the Nasi HaDor,” filled and infused with his shlichus.

• And what is his shlichus? The main purpose of the Nasi HaDor, which is “to bring to Yemos HaMoshiach.

Simply put, the practical meaning of hiskashrus today is – dedication to the mission of ‘l’havi l’Yemos HaMoshiach,’ the main inyan of the Rebbe, the ‘final redeemer.’ In the merit of this dedication and hiskashrus, we should merit to immediately see the revelation of the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach in 770, which will then attach itself to the third Beis HaMikdash.

679