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This shabbas, Parshas Veyera 5787, is Chaf Cheshvan – the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab. One of the most famous novel accomplishments of the Rebbe Rashab was the founding of tomchei Temimim. On shabbas Veyira 5749, the Rebbe asked that each Chassid should enter their local branch of Tomchei Temimim on this special day. In this article, I would like to talk about what it means to “enter” tomchei Temimim (besides the literal meaning of the words).

In Nissan 5744, the Rebbe officially launched the “learning a daily portion of Rambam” campaign. While the other campaigns of the Rebbe focused on particular Mitzvos, this campaign was focused on a specific part of Torah to learn daily. Chassidim took the directive very seriously and began learning the daily portion of Rambam. As the – 11 month – cycle was nearing completion, certain dedicated Chassidim began thinking and planning the grand “Siyum Harambam”. The chairman of the committee was Rabbi Dovid Raskin A”H – who was the chairman of “Tzeirei Agudas Chassidei Chabad” – (Tza”ch) – in New York.

The committee wanted the event to be grand and really “make a statement”. They wanted to invite many Rabbanim from different groups of Frum Yidden and really “shine a light” on the Rebbe’s new learning initiative. The committee decided that they would do something really grand: Rent out the entire “Madison Square Gardens” – known internationally as “MSG”.

Some background for the many that have never heard of this venue: Madison Square Garden (MSG), known internationally as “The World’s Most Famous Arena,” is a historic multi-purpose indoor stadium situated in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is the iconic home of a New York Basketball and hockey team. The Siyum of the daily learning of Daf-Yomi would take place there in 1990, 1997 and 2005.
Rabbi Dovid Raskin excitedly wrote this idea to the Rebbe and received this astonishing 3 point response (Igros Kodesh Volume 37 page 110 # 12,718): “1) It is obviously not fitting. 2) A talent for Chabad activism – this is obviously “so strange”. 3) With all due respect and asking for their forgiveness: Maybe it is time that all those mentioned (from the committee) should once again start learning in Tomchei Temimim.”

[ After this very strong answer, the organizers obviously changed the venue and The first major international Siyum HaRambam took place at the New York Hilton in Manhattan on Isru Chag Pesach 5745.]

While there is much to be learned and understood from this answer [for example: 1) Is the Rebbe negating Chassidei Chabad from renting sports stadiums or was it specifically Madison Square Garden? Was this specifically the Siyum Harambam – which was geared for Rabbanim and a frum crowd – and would be different for an event that was catering to a crowd that would be impressed and feel good coming to such a venue? These are questions that Chabad Rabbanim and activists need to address and not for the scope of this article], let us focus on the third and most perplexing part of the answer: “Maybe it is time that all those mentioned (from the committee) should once again start learning in Tomchei Temimim.” What does the Rebbe mean by this?

I would like to suggest the following (and everyone is entitled to their opinion and interpretation): The Rebbe was shocked at the very idea and suggestion (and as mentioned earlier, it is important to understand why). More shocking to the Rebbe was that the idea actually made sense – and was strongly endorsed – by the committee of very Chassidishe Chabad activists. It was clear to the Rebbe that he and the activists were “living in two different worlds”. To the activists this idea was something to be excited about and to the Rebbe it was so obviously absurd and strange.

The only way to reset their natural perception of the world that would be in line with the Rebbe’s thinking was by “all those mentioned (from the committee) should once again start learning in Tomchei Temimim.”

Why and how so?

Tomchei Temimim is not – just – a school where students learn Torah. It is a place where the world view of the Rebbe is taught and lived naturally. Think of your local Tomchei Temimim as one would think of a branch of the Israeli Embassy in a foreign country. You could be walking the streets of America or France, but when you enter the Israeli Embassy – you have (literally and legally) entered “Israel”.
Our holy Rabbeim have a certain world-view. In their world-view G-dliness is reality (Bipshitus) and the word is the novelty (hischadshus), as opposed to the way it is by everyone else in the world. The Rebbe established “embassies” of this world-view all over the world (Tomchei Temimim) and wants all of us to not just physically enter the embassy (although that it also important), but also to have the world view of Tomchei Temimim enter our minds and hearts.
Thus, whenever there is a question as to what the Rebbe really wants from us, and where Lubavitch is holding, the best way to find the answer is (as Chassidim asked after the passing of the Frierdike Rebbe): What are the Bochurim in Tomchei Temimim saying about this?

Lchaim!

Please feel free to share your thoughts on the above with me by sending me a personal email: [email protected]

Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

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