FORTY YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP WITH THE REBBE

“His friend for forty years,” wrote the Rebbe about himself to the Chassid, Rabbi Moshe Yitzchok Hecht, one of the first shluchim of the Rebbe Rayatz in the US.  He was the shliach and dean of the Yeshivos Achei T’mimim in Worcester and New Haven.  After his passing on 27 Teves 5752 the Rebbe delivered an entire sicha about him.

By Refael Dinari

THE REBBE DOES NOT REMAIN IN DEBT

R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht a”h was born in 1920 in Brooklyn, New York.  While still a boy, he and his brothers attended the Chassidus classes given by R’ Yisroel Jacobson.  The Hecht brothers thus repaid the Rebbe’s debt to their grandfather.

The grandfather, R’ Tzvi Elimelech, who was a Shiniver Chassid, had bought a mikva in the Brownsville neighborhood a few years earlier which was about to close.  In 5690, when the Rebbe Rayatz spent Shabbos there, he immersed in that mikva and wanted to pay, especially when R’ Tzvi Elimelech had thoroughly prepared the mikva for the important guest.  But R’ Tzvi Elimelech refused monetary payment.  “My payment,” said the Rebbe, “will be that your grandsons will be my Chassidim.” Indeed, the six grandsons became Lubavitcher Chassidim.

When the Rebbe came to America and announced that America is no different than Europe, R’ Moshe Yitzchok was one of the students who joined the fledgling Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim that the Rebbe founded.  In 5701, he married his wife Rivka, daughter of R’ Shmaya Krinsky.

BREAD FROM HEAVEN

On 12 Tammuz 1942, the branch of Yeshivas Achei T’mimim was founded in Worcester.  The younger brother, R’ Avrohom Dov Hecht, was sent to run the yeshiva at first and then R’ Moshe Yitzchok, who arrived toward the end of the year, took over.  He had been married for just a year. 

“I chose him to run the yeshiva knowing that he is a serious person and that, with Hashem’s help, I could rely on him to act devotedly and responsibly,” explained the Rebbe Rayatz.  As the Rebbe instructed, he went first and then his family joined him at a later date. Before the trip, he had a special private audience in the course of which the Rebbe told him, “Until now you ate bread from the ground.  From now on you will eat bread from heaven.”

The yeshiva in Worcester enjoyed astonishing success.  Within two years the administration had already bought two buildings for the yeshiva.  There were about one hundred children in the school, most of them enrolled through persistent house calls made by R’ Hecht.  His wife also got involved in organizing the women in the community.

The shlichus in Worcester wasn’t only about giving classes in the Jewish school and raising funds.  From the Rebbe’s perspective, all Jewish matters in the city were on R’ Moshe Yitzchok’s shoulders, as he wrote him in a letter in which he told him to travel: “When you are there, there is no need to limit yourself solely to work in the yeshiva; you need to be involved in all matters that pertain to strengthening Judaism and matters of chinuch and to acquire members for Machne Israel, and to establish times to learn Chassidus and review Chassidus in public, and to raise the spirit of Chassidus, the main thing being to work in matters that have practical ramifications.”

When the local rabbi resigned his post, a man who was not that warm toward mitzva observance, the Rebbe Rayatz wrote R’ Hecht, “Now you need to make efforts with careful thought that a proper rabbi be chosen.”

R’ Hecht, who was known as an excellent speaker, used this ability to promote Judaism in Worcester.  In those days, when there were no books with ready-made sermons like you have today, he had to sit and prepare his sermons himself with the few s’farim he had.  In an interesting letter, the director of Merkos L’Inyanei Chinuch, Ramash, later to be our Rebbe, wrote, “We are sending you two books about Shabbos and family purity.  Although we did not clarify if everything it says in there is proper, however you yourself can select material for speeches etc. but don’t give them to others to read before clarifying.”

SHLICHUS IN NEW HAVEN

On 15 Av 5706/1946, the Rebbe Rayatz wrote to R’ Hecht, “I request that you carry out my son-in-law, Rashag’s suggestion to accept the position of running the yeshiva Achei T’mimim Lubavitch in New Haven and to move there for material and spiritual success.”

Shortly after receiving the letter, R’ Hecht was already on the train on his way to Connecticut, the place where he lived and worked with self-sacrifice for decades on shlichus of the Rebbe Rayatz and then the Rebbe.  R’ Yehuda Tzvi Fogelman a”h took over the running of the yeshiva in Worcester.

When he arrived in New Haven, he met the Chassid, R’ Velvel Schildkraut, who had already started a school, at first as an afternoon program.  Over the years, it became a full day program.  When R’ Hecht went to Connecticut, the total number of students was four and the class was held in a living room.  Two years later there were 120 students.  Today hundreds of children from preschool till high school age attend the school.  R’ Hecht was also appointed rabbi of the Beit-El shul where he was very successful.

In Kislev 5731, when various organizations decided to hold an education conference in the city, R’ Hecht debated about whether to go and speak.  He asked the Rebbe, who said yes, “Obviously, 1) you must attend and participate.  All the above-mentioned need to know that any discussion about chinuch in the city must certainly be held with your participation;  2) It would not be dignified if, when it comes to education, it seems that you have nothing to teach them, so you should speak and in expansive fashion;  3) About the importance of chinuch in the tradition of Avrohom, Yitzchok, and Yaakov, and Sara, Rivka, Rochel, and Leah, which is why Achei T’mimim etc. was founded and was successful; 4) Based on the foregoing, obviously more monetary help than in the past is the best investment …”

ACTIVITIES EXPAND

Over the years, more mosdos were added.  A few years after his arrival a school for girls was founded.  It was one of the only frum girl’s high schools in the US.  In 5725, after the passing of Rebbetzin Chana, R’ Hecht asked the Rebbe whether the school could be named for his mother, suggesting Chana Schneersohn High School for Girls.  The Rebbe circled the family name and indicated that it should be deleted and said the school should be named Beis Chana on condition that the name wasn’t already used outside of Chabad.

While the school was being built, an unexpected guest, Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, arrived, without prior notice.  The surprised Hecht couple gave the Rebbetzin a forty minute tour around the building that was under construction.  Later on, in yechidus, the Rebbe said that his wife was very impressed by how beautiful the building was.

When R’ Hecht brought the Rebbe the key to the city on 11 Nissan 5732, the Rebbe said, “I accept the key not as a personal matter, but in recognition of the mosdos that I have the privilege of heading.  Giving me the key indicates that he [the mayor] is pleased that one of those mosdos is in his city.  It also means that he is willing to help the mosdos in any way he can.  He writes very nicely about Beis Chana.”

The unusual success was the reason R’ Hecht was awarded an honorary doctorate.  A short while later, the Rebbe received a letter in which R’ Hecht is referred to as doctor.  The Rebbe expressed his surprise about this.

R’ Hecht wrote the Rebbe asking whether he wasn’t pleased with the use of the title.  The Rebbe responded, “There are places where mentioning the title can be helpful. My surprise was not about that but about the deletion of the real title, rav…”

MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD

Over the years, R’ Hecht was sent as the Rebbe’s personal emissary to a number of places.  In 5710, the Rebbe sent him to Brazil.  Before he went, the Rebbe gave him a piece of the Rebbe Rayatz’s handkerchief as a segula for protection and success.  Twenty years later, the Rebbe asked for it back.  The Rebbe also gave him a bottle of mashke for the trip.

In 5723, the Rebbe had R’ Hecht travel around the world and strengthen the Jewish communities in a number of countries including Greece, Turkey, Yugoslavia, Austria, Holland, and Eretz Yisroel.  Before leaving, R’ Hecht received precise instructions about people he was supposed to meet.  Rabbanim and community leaders gave him pidyonei nefesh for him to give to the Rebbe.

The Rebbe told him to meet with a Jewish doctor in Zagreb, Yugoslavia and to find out whether kosher meat was obtainable in the senior home there.  When R’ Hecht arrived, he found out there were great difficulties in obtaining kosher meat.  With much effort he managed to ensure a regular supply of kosher meat to that location.

R’ Sholom Dovber Wolpo related in his memoirs that were published in HaTamim, that one of the things that pushed him to switch to Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim was when R’ Hecht came for a farbrengen in Yeshivas Toras Emes, in the course of which he danced on the table with the bottle he had received from the Rebbe.

In 5739, R’ Hecht wanted to attend a family simcha in Eretz Yisroel.  The Rebbe told him to arrange a meeting with Prime Minister Begin as a Jewish representative from Connecticut, and to protest all dangerous political dealings.  Of course, this referred to the shameful Camp David Accords.

A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AN OLD FRIEND

R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht received special signs of affection from the Rebbe.  He had a special relationship with the Rebbe even before the Rebbe accepted the Chabad leadership (the Rebbe calls him, “our very distinguished friend” in a letter from 5703), in addition to which he was one of the Rebbe Rayatz’s first shluchim.

After the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz, R’ Hecht connected heart and soul to the Rebbe and was one of the people in the New Haven community who gave the Rebbe a “writ of hiskashrus” on 10 Shevat 5711, hours before the Rebbe delivered the maamer in which he accepted the nesius.

When the Rebbe wanted to reprint Likkutei Torah and needed $10,000, he wrote to R’ Hecht and “consulted” with him about who could be included among the ten donors.  In the end, one of the donors was R’ Hecht himself and after it was published he received a copy from the Rebbe with a personal dedication.

On 11 Nissan 5730/1970, when he went in last for a private audience after a line of rabbis and chassidim who had come to bless the Rebbe on his birthday, the Rebbe received him warmly and said, “Many were here tonight but acharon chaviv (the final one is beloved).”

In another private audience, when R’ Hecht went into the Rebbe’s room, he saluted the Rebbe in his great excitement.  The Rebbe smiled broadly when he said, “I should salute you in return but what can I do when they see me through the window.”

PASSING ON EREV SHABBOS

R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht passed away on Erev Shabbos of Parshas VaEira, 27 Teves 5752, and merited having the Rebbe go out to escort him at his funeral.  The Rebbe stood there until the car with the casket could no longer be seen and stared off into the distance at where the car carrying the coffin passed from sight.

At the farbrengen on Shabbos, the Rebbe said an unusual sicha dedicated to R’ Hecht.  The Rebbe elaborated on the significance of the names “Moshe” and “Yitzchok” which allude to his hiskashrus.  Moshe – the extension of Moshe Rabbeinu in every generation, and Yitzchok – the Rebbe Rayatz’s second name.  The Rebbe also spoke about the name “Hecht,” the name of a fish (pike) which is kosher even though it’s a predatory fish and spoke highly of R’ Hecht.

After his passing, the Rebbe said a book should be published in his memory and l’ilui nishmaso and a month later the book Tiferes Moshe Yitzchok was published.  The Rebbe also dedicated a sicha about this.

CHASSIDISHE NACHAS

All of R’ Hecht’s descendants continue in his ways and many of them serve as shluchim.

Every so often the Rebbe would update him about his children’s activities.  The day after the bar mitzva celebration held for IDF orphans at which his son R’ Yosef Hecht, shliach to Eilat, spoke, the Rebbe walked in for davening and saw R’ Moshe in the doorway.  The Rebbe said to him, “Your son spoke yesterday in Kfar Chabad with great success.”  He added that Begin also spoke.

R’ Hecht told the Rebbe that he hoped the Rebbe had nachas from his son.  The Rebbe said, “From both of them.” 

The same thing happened when his son spoke at an event where Shimon Peres, the prime minister at the time, was present, and he gave him a Tanya printed in Egypt.  When the Rebbe received this report, he told R’ Chadakov to immediately contact R’ Hecht and tell him.  After the Siyum HaRambam in Egypt, the Rebbe told R’ Groner to contact R’ Hecht and tell him about the wonderful thing his son arranged.

When his daughter was going to marry R’ Yaakov Kaploun, the father-in-law decided there would be no flowers since the Rebbe did not want money wasted on luxuries.  R’ Chadakov, who attended the wedding, noticed this.  A few days later, the secretary called the chassan and gave him a special thank you in the Rebbe’s name for not having flowers.  The parents were also told yashar ko’ach in yechidus a few days after the wedding “for not having flowers at the wedding.”

YOU DON’T NEED TO EXAGGERATE

R’ Yosef Reitzes related:

On Chanuka 5734, R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht took a group of bachurim from 770 to New Haven where they were very successful.  We slept in R’ Hecht’s basement and farbrenged with him, and it was very successful and enjoyable too.

On Zos Chanuka, the Rebbe suddenly announced that he would be giving a dollar to whoever participated in Mivtza Chanuka.  R’ Hecht knew about this shortly before everyone else which is why we arrived early at 770 and were among the first on line.

R’ Hecht stood near the Rebbe’s room.  When the Rebbe came out he went over to him and began enthusiastically telling the Rebbe, while pointing at us, about how the bachurim did excellent work, “mamash with mesirus nefesh…”

The Rebbe stood and listened, smiled, then speaking in a fatherly tone reserved for the Hecht family he said, “R’ Moshe Yitzchok, there is no need to exaggerate.”

ANSWERS FROM THE REBBE

While on shlichus for the Rebbe Rayatz and the Rebbe (in New Haven and before that, in Worcester), R’ Hecht received dozens of answers from the Rebbe that are relevant to all.  In these letters we see the unusual relationship that he had with the Rebbe.  Here is a sampling:

ADVICE FROM AN OLD FRIEND

My personal advice for you as his friend for forty years is: Your mosdos and activities in New Haven are large and wonderful.  You have succeeded as the shliach of the Rebbe, my father-in-law, the emissary of G-d, and I believe with complete faith that Hashem “did not change” and the Rebbe, my father-in-law “stands and serves” Above and blesses and grants success to his emissaries now as before.  The conclusion is simple.

THE REBBE IS HAPPY WHEN A CHASSID IS HAPPY

In another rare response, after R’ Hecht wrote about difficulties in his shlichus:

A number of times I’ve asked and agitated that in general, and especially now, you need to be happy etc. Obviously, if those who belong to me are happy, this affects me too (and from the positive you can infer the negative).  Those who belong more, especially through actions done daily, the above mentioned is in greater measure etc.  And suddenly I have been told that you are not (that) happy? 

THE FRIEND WHO DID NOT YET MAKE A DONATION

In one of R’ Hecht’s letters, he reported to the Rebbe about the financial state of the yeshiva in New Haven and how he was in debt for $100,000.  He said he had asked all his friends for donations of $1000 for the yeshiva. The Rebbe underlined the word “friends” and in addition to enclosing a check for $1000 wrote, “Surely from one of them you haven’t taken yet and his name is Menachem Schneersohn.  Enclosed is a check for my participation.”

THE SHLIACH DOESN’T KNOW HIS OWN POWER

Regarding what he wrote on 15 Tammuz, 5734 “that the Rebbe will help and do everything,” the Rebbe responded, “‘before they call, I answer’ – I have already done as you advised and sent R’ Moshe Yitzchok Hecht there, and it seems from this letter of yours and from the previous one that you still do not know him and the abilities he was given.  At least try and get to know him now and immediately everything will change; your disposition, trust in Hashem, joy in daily life, etc. I will mention it at the tziyun.”

FOR MY GRANDMOTHER

R’ Hecht had a daughter born in 5708 and the Rebbe contacted him and asked if it was possible to name her Rochel for Rebbetzin Chana’s mother who had no namesake yet.  After the bestowing of the name, Rebbetzin Chana thanked the Hecht family and the Rebbe also wrote a thank you letter which is printed in the Igros Kodesh.  It seems this is the only time the Rebbe asked a Chassid to name for someone in his family.

WHY DON’T THEY UNDERSTAND YIDDISH?

On the eve of the fifteenth of Shevat 5712, R’ Hecht brought a group of graduates from the school to yechidus with the Rebbe.  The Rebbe said a sicha to the children and then R’ Hecht translated it into English.  “Why don’t the children understand Yiddish?” wondered the Rebbe.