The Chassid R’ Chanoch Glitzenstein a”h was one of the distinguished Chabad askanim in Eretz Yisroel since the beginning of the Rebbe’s leadership and was one of the people who brought the message of Chabad Chassidus to the Chassidim of other streams and to many others outside of Chabad. * He was a man who juggled many roles: writer and historian, menahel of Yeshivas Toras Emes and many other Chabad mosdos in Yerushalayim, as well as trusted shliach of the Rebbe on various secret missions. * A brief glimpse into his life.
“SECRET”
“Secret” is what it said on many letters that R’ Chanoch Glitzenstein received from the Rebbe. In certain instances, the Rebbe would even make a note that his letter should be returned to him after it was read so there would be no record of it. These letters contained instructions and secret missions on an array of important and sensitive topics. Some of them were internal Chabad matters, some had to do with fights on behalf of Lubavitch, on behalf of the Jewish people, and there were sensitive instructions having to do with the documenting of the history of the Chabad Admurim.
R’ Glitzenstein was a prolific author who wrote more than sixty books documenting Chabad history. He translated sichos of the Rebbe Rayatz and Lessons in Tanya and was an askan (communal worker) who ran Chabad institutions, but his personality and his roles went even deeper. Like his father R’ Shimon, he was ever faithful to the Rebbe and his holy matters, and the work that he did was done secretively.
The Rebbe relied on R’ Glitzenstein since he was a truly faithful Chassid and mekushar to the Rebbeim. He knew how to accomplish things secretly and to keep quiet on every delicate topic. He kept the most sensitive secrets to himself until his final day. This is not being said as speculation, but from conversations that I had with him in which he sometimes revealed an inch but hid a yard.
SECRETARY AND WRITER
R’ Avrohom Chanoch Glitzenstein was born in Yerushalayim in Teves 5689/1939. His father Shimon was the secretary and menahel of Yeshivas Toras Emes in Yerushalayim. R’ Chanoch and his older brother, Yitzchok, received their Chassidic education from distinguished Chabad Chassidim in Yerushalayim and from their father.
In his youth, R’ Chanoch learned in Toras Emes under the guidance of the great Chassidim of the time. His talents in organization and writing were apparent early on, which is why he was appointed as secretary of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Lud which was run by R’ Efraim Wolf. Upon being appointed, he received a special letter from the Rebbe Rayatz with instructions pertaining to his job. After a few weeks, on 10 Shvat 5710, the Rebbe Rayatz passed away and R’ Chanoch felt that this letter was a last will and testament for him.
He combined the wide ranging work in Tomchei T’mimim in “Pardes” in Lud with the work of spreading the wellsprings through writing in newspapers and Bitaon Chabad under the new Rebbe’s direction as will be related at length. The offices of the yeshiva in Lud were in those days one of the important headquarters for Chabad activity.
His working alongside the menahel, R’ Efraim, led R’ Efraim to come up with an idea for a shidduch between Gitta, his wife’s sister (both daughters of R’ Avrohom Pariz) and R’ Chanoch. The shidduch was successful and the wedding took place in the home of the kalla in Petach Tikva. The courtyard of the house was decorated with colorful lights and mashke flowed throughout the night at a wedding which turned into an authentic Chassidic farbrengen attended by the distinguished Chassidim in Eretz Yisroel. The one who led the farbrengen was one of the menahalim of Tomchei T’mimim, R’ Avrohom Maiyor (Drizin). It was only when public transportation began working in the early morning hours that the guests took their leave to the nearest bus stop so they could go home.
ARRANGING THE VISIT OF THE SHLUCHIM
A few years later, the Rebbe gave him a special assignment after the massacre of the students and counselors in the vocational school in Kfar Chabad. Following this tragedy, the Rebbe sent a group of T’mimim to Eretz Yisroel in order to raise morale among the Chassidim in Eretz Yisroel, in Kfar Chabad and Lud in particular. He was to arrange the visit of these shluchim who went to Eretz Yisroel in 5716/1956.
Before they arrived, R’ Glitzenstein received secret instructions from the Rebbe which said: You have the responsibility of arranging the visit, setting up a schedule for them, and being with them all the time. At this point in time, the ATaH (Irgun Talmidei HaYeshivos) organization was just founded; the one who ran it was R’ Glitzenstein who served as the secretary in the yeshiva in Lud. He asked the Rebbe whether to arrange a goodbye party for these bachurim-shluchim. The answer he received from the Rebbe’s secretary said: Upon orders of the Rebbe, in response to your letter of 17 Tammuz and your suggestion to hold a gathering under the auspices of ATaH as a sort of goodbye party for the shluchim, obviously this is a very good idea … and may Hashem grant you success.
Instructions were included regarding arranging the visit: Surely you will do all that is necessary to take advantage of the visit of the shluchim and to help them carry out their mission in the best and most effective way, and surely you will also do the appropriate publicity in newspapers etc. for the success of the matter.
Those in the know say that this meant to introduce a fresh young spirit of Chassidic fervor to the visit, for the heads of the mosdos at that time were understandably very worried. In order to instill a spirit of youthful rejuvenation into the visit, R’ Chanoch decided to have R’ Zushe Partisan (Wilyamowsky) join him. He was a member of the hanhala of ATaH and had a youthful spirit.
From descriptions of the visit, in articles and photos, one can see that the two of them took the Rebbe’s instruction to heart. From the moment the shluchim got off the plane and throughout their trip and travels across the country until the goodbye party, the two of them accompanied the shluchim, going everywhere with them and arranging events. The highlight was the goodbye party.
The shluchim’s visit in general and the goodbye party in particular made a strong impression on the Chabad Chassidim in Eretz Yisroel. They were fortified and encouraged by this visit.
MENAHEL OF TORAS EMES AND CHABAD MOSDOS IN YERUSHALAYIM
In the early years of the Rebbe’s nesius, a big fight erupted in Toras Emes regarding the acceptance of the nesius and whether the institution was the legal property of Lubavitch. As a result, the Rebbe appointed R’ Shimon Glitzenstein to run the yeshiva. When his health became poor, someone suggested that he be replaced, but the Rebbe sent a telegram to the hanhala of the yeshiva which said that his son, R’ Chanoch, should help him. When R’ Shimon passed away, the Rebbe said that R’ Chanoch should be appointed in his place “to the secretariat and administration” of the yeshiva, Toras Emes.
Throughout the years, R’ Chanoch received numerous answers pertaining to his role as menahel of Toras Emes. He once said to the Rebbe that he received many ideas regarding Toras Emes and how should he respond. The Rebbe told him to listen to all ideas but to act as he saw fit.
A few months before he accepted the appointment, the cornerstone was laid for the yeshiva’s new building. Upon undertaking the project, he had the complicated job of building a new yeshiva building. This entailed numerous difficulties, mainly financial, but with the help of many good people and the Rebbe’s direction, he successfully put up the building.
When R’ Ezriel Zelig Slonim, the one who ran the Chabad educational institutions in Yerushalayim, passed away, the Rebbe appointed three Chassidim, including R’ Chanoch Glitzenstein, to run them.
In later years, R’ Glitzenstein left the administrative position and handed it over to the capable hands of R’ Yehoshua Yusewitz, while he himself was appointed as secretary of the Beis Chana schools along with his close friend, R’ Tuvia Blau. He remained in this role until his final day.
SECRET WORK TO EXTRICATE THE WRITINGS OF THE TZEMACH TZEDEK
An extensive covert operation that R’ Glitzenstein was appointed to run had to do with locating manuscripts and s’farim in general and those of the Rebbeim in particular. He located these Chassidic treasures in various ways through private individuals, communal figures, and in libraries, and he sent them to the Rebbe. Some of these treasures were printed over the years thanks to him. The optimal preference was to obtain the original manuscript or book, but when there was no choice, he obtained a photocopy of the important manuscript and sent that to the Rebbe.
In a diary that describes what went on in Beis Chayeinu in 5740, in two lines it tells of manuscripts submitted by R’ Glitzenstein. After his passing, I received additional details about that. This is what occurred, starting with the Tzemach Tzedek’s library in Lubavitch and ending in the Rebbe’s room in 770:
One day, R’ Chanoch received an assignment to obtain eleven books and manuscripts of the Tzemach Tzedek which were in the Jerusalem National Library. In various ways, including through R’ Zalman Shazar, R’ Chanoch did all he could so that the library would agree to return the manuscripts to their legal inheritor, the Rebbe. But the national library does not let out of its possession, even in exchange for a lot of money, books or manuscripts of which they have only one copy. Despite the claim that the s’farim legally belonged to the Rebbe as the inheritor of the Tzemach Tzedek, the library was afraid that this would set a precedent for other inheritors to come and make claims. R’ Glitzenstein faced a brick wall.
After much effort he got the good news. Shazar called him and said that the national library was willing to give the Tzemach Tzedek’s writings to the Rebbe. He joyfully went to the library, but to his disappointment they said that despite what they promised, they couldn’t give it to him!
Years went by and Shazar passed away. The efforts continued in two ways: R’ Glitzenstein exerted pressure through various people in Eretz Yisroel and R’ Avrohom Shemtov tried legal and political means through US senators, so that the latter would pressure politicians in Eretz Yisroel.
They were finally successful. In Shvat 5740, thirty years since the Rebbe had taken over the Chabad leadership, R’ Chanoch went with his wife and daughter to the Rebbe and took along eleven s’farim and manuscripts. They were bound in wood and were heavy.
On 6 Shvat, after davening Mincha, he went with R’ Avrohom Shemtov to wait in Gan Eden HaTachton where he put the s’farim. The Rebbe came in and R’ Chanoch showed him the s’farim. The Rebbe opened some of the volumes and looked at each of them and then asked some technical questions about how the books were removed from the national library. Then he blessed them.
The Rebbe began to pick up the manuscripts and one of the secretaries wanted to help him since they were heavy, but the Rebbe motioned to him that this wasn’t necessary and despite the weight he carried them into his room himself.
After Maariv, R’ Chanoch, his wife and daughter, and R’ Avrohom Shemtov had yechidus and the Rebbe blessed them for retrieving the Tzemach Tzedek’s writings. In a diary from that year it mentions that the Rebbe said to them: Just as this was a matter of pidyon shvuyim (redeeming captives), may we soon merit the pidyon shvuyim of the individual and the collective with the true and complete Geula. He concluded: A freilichin Shabbos and a freilichin hemshech (continuation).
The Rebbe gave each of them five dollars and five Israeli liras and five dollars for the lawyer who was involved in getting the manuscripts out.
HIS BOOKS ARE IN EVERY CHASSIDIC HOME
R’ Chanoch is without question the most outstanding writer in Chabad who, over the years, wrote sixty books and innumerable articles.
I don’t think there’s a Chabad house in Eretz Yisroel that doesn’t have R’ Chanoch’s fundamental works such as the series on the history of our Rebbeim or his translation into Hebrew of Lessons in Tanya and the sichos of the Rebbe Rayatz such as Likkutei Dibburim etc.
In his literary work, R’ Glitzenstein wrought a historical revolution by documenting Chabad history as well as making Chassidus accessible for Hebrew speakers. In the period in which he wrote the history of the Chabad Admurim, knowledge of Chassidic history was minimal. Based on instructions from the Rebbe, these history books were to rely solely on stories told by the Rebbeim. In order to create a time-line of the milestone events in the lives of the Chabad Rebbeim, he had to study numerous sichos of the Rebbe Rayatz as well as descriptions in the teachings and writings of the Rebbeim and stories of Chassidim. With the publishing of the series on the history of the Chabad Rebbeim, every Chassid now has a written, organized source of information about their history.
The Tanya, which many found difficult, became accessible to the Hebrew speaking public after he worked to translate the Lessons in Tanya given on the radio by R’ Yosef Wineberg a”h.
He worked on dozens of other books as well as hundreds of articles that were published in newspapers; the topics were on history as well as presenting a current view into the world of Chabad such as traveling to the Rebbe, farbrengens in 770, mivtzaim, the work Chassidim were doing on the Rebbe’s shlichus, and similar matters.
From the many conversations I had with him on historical topics, etched in my mind are the things he told me in passing. From these I learned how far-ranging his shlichus was, despite it not having a description, an official name, or position.
Occasionally, R’ Chanoch would write historical or current event articles and send them to newspapers. However, there were periods where he sent them but nothing was published. As a result, he began avoiding this shlichus which he had done with the encouragement of the Rebbe. When he conveyed a message to this effect to the Rebbe, he received a clear answer – he should continue sending in his articles even if they were seldom published. R’ Glitzenstein did so with kabbalas ol and continued writing articles and sending them. Many were not published.
He received many answers from the Rebbe about the articles he wrote. The Rebbe congratulated him for his work and urged him not to be satisfied with what he had done thus far. The Rebbe even gave him instructions about how to translate and publicize sichos. In the margins of a letter the Rebbe asks him to send to his library a newspaper and book that were published in Eretz Yisroel. The Rebbe adds that he should explain to all authors and publishers the benefit of their work being in the Chabad Library.
For Yud Shvat 5730, when the Rebbe announced the completion of Moshiach’s Torah, “The Committee of the Twentieth [Year]” was formed in Eretz Yisroel that sold letters in the Torah and did other activities to mark the Rebbe’s twentieth year of leadership. R’ Glitzenstein was a member of the committee.
Here is an excerpt from a letter written by R’ Efraim Wolf to the Rebbe a few days before Yud Shvat, in which he reports about the Chabad publicity push in the media as executed by “The Committee of the Twentieth:”
“Regarding the Vaadat HaEsrim, as far as articles in newspapers before Yud Shvat, it was arranged that R’ Chanoch Glitzenstein and R’ Tuvia Blau would write in Yediot Acharonot, and it would be under the byline of [and through the journalist] Menachem Barash.”
THE REBBE EDITS BITAON CHABAD
One of the important projects R’ Chanoch was very involved in was Bitaon Chabad, a journal for Chabad matters in Eretz Yisroel. He took responsibility for the editing and publishing under the auspices of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad.
When the publication first started, in the years between 5712-5719, R’ Glitzenstein edited it himself. This was long before it was as easy to do as it is today. The first issue was published shortly after he married. In the column “Sholom Achim,” there is an announcement about the wedding: “Petach Tikva, on Tuesday, 5 Elul, the wedding of the Tamim Avrohom Chanoch Glitzenstein took place. The kalla is the daughter of our friend, R’ Avrohom Pariz. Many of Anash and the T’mimim attended the wedding as well as distinguished guests from Petach Tikva.”
The first issue has 18 Elul as the date and two copies were sent to the Rebbe. In a letter from that time written to Tzeirei Chabad, the Rebbe wrote that he was pleased with it. The Rebbe even sent money to share in the expenses of printing and distribution.
The Rebbe stressed that the publication of the journal should not be at the expense of publishing news items and sichos in other newspapers, which had been the practice until that point. This was directed at R’ Glitzenstein who was involved in writing for non-Chabad publications.
In the years that followed, R’ Glitzenstein and R’ Blau served together as editors of Bitaon Chabad.
Many years later, in an interview with Beis Moshiach, R’ Glitzenstein spoke about how the Rebbe related toward the important publication. By way of introduction he asked, why the need for an in-house periodical when he and other Chabad Chassidim who were writers had articles published about Chabad in other religious publications?
“There are things that cannot be published in HaTzofeh or even in HaKol or Hamodia. There are articles and essays that are for inside Chabad and not meant for the outside. There is Chabad research on topics or perspectives which cannot always be published for the general public. Therefore, we needed a vehicle for expressing those things which pertain to Chabad.”
The Rebbe himself edited all the articles that were published in Bitaon Chabad. R’ Glitzenstein spoke about this:
“The Rebbe’s attention to the editing was tremendous. The fact that we knew that the Rebbe was reviewing every word and devoting time to this despite his tremendous workload, obligated us. The Rebbe erased paragraphs, changed, added and subtracted. There were also general notes in addition to comments about the content and style and even typos.
“Each time, the secretaries would type the Rebbe’s notes on a clean page and send them to us. I remember that one time there was a page with numerous corrections and then they sent us the original page. When we saw the page full of corrections from top to bottom, we felt the Rebbe’s special involvement even more strongly. It meant that the Rebbe esteemed and greatly desired the Bitaon.”
HISTORY OF THE REBBEIM
The biographies of the Rebbeim fill fifteen volumes. R’ Glitzenstein began writing them when the Rebbe told him to, and he received instructions throughout. The Rebbe saw each volume before it was printed. When it was printed, of course a copy was sent to him.
His nephew R’ Yisroel Tzvi Glitzenstein says that when the volumes about the Rebbe Rayatz were printed, his uncle the author sent them to him to give to the secretaries for the Rebbe. He did so immediately. That night, when the Rebbe left 770 for home, R’ Yisroel Tzvi noticed that the Rebbe was holding the two volumes on the Rebbe Rayatz.
Already at the research stage, as well as during the actual writing and editing of the biographies of the Rebbeim, he received many instructions from the Rebbe. He relied the most on the sichos of the Rebbe Rayatz. After Seifer HaSichos 5703 was published, he noticed that there were discrepancies between what was printed and the sicha that he had. He wrote to the Rebbe about this and received a response which said that apparently the sicha he had was from the hanacha (unedited notes) which was produced at that time by R’ Avrohom Pariz, while the printed sicha was after the editing and additions of the Rebbe Rayatz.
Back then, the sources were relatively meager, but in the author’s home there was a large archive with treasures containing sichos, reshimos, and correspondence of the Rebbeim and Chassidim of earlier generations. All this helped him establish and clarify the literary-historical tradition which pertained to the lives and work of the Rebbeim. His books became a source.
About twenty years ago he began writing the series Otzar Sippurei Chabad. Over the years he published many other s’farim, all connected with key issues relating to the teachings of Chabad and the movement it spawned.
Space is too limited and R’ Glitzenstein’s accomplishments are so vast that they cannot all be written about in one article. More must be written about his work with the Tzemach Tzedek shul in the Old City, his relationship with Zalman Shazar, his interactions with influential personalities including the writer Eliezer Steinman, all of which were done under the Rebbe’s guidance and direction.
SHARING THE WEALTH
I cannot end this initial glimpse into the life of R’ Chanoch, as he was called, without mentioning the personal angle. R’ Chanoch was open to anyone who had questions on Chabad history and I had the privilege of hearing a lot from him. I had occasion to speak to him in person or on the phone on many historical topics and he answered every question or referred me to someone who did. He was always helpful. His answers were brief, topical and sharp. When he wasn’t involved in a topic or wasn’t proficient enough in it, he wasn’t embarrassed to say straight out: I don’t know. Then he would refer me to someone who might be able to help.
The readers of Beis Moshiach owe him a lot for the important information he added upon my request and that of my friends, which he did gladly, with the utmost exactitude and clarity that were unique to him.
HE TOOK THE SECRETS WITH HIM
A few years ago he became very sick and he suffered greatly. Contrary to all the statistics and doctors’ prognostications, he fought the illness for two years and regained his health. When he went for his final checkup, the doctor said to Mrs. Glitzenstein in amazement, “What z’chus does your husband have? How did he manage to fight this disease for two years and emerge healthy?”
A few months ago he began suffering from heart trouble and was hospitalized for a while, but he continued to function as much as he could. On Shushan Purim he even went to shul to hear the Megilla but in the days that followed he had to be hospitalized again. The night of 20 Adar he had a severe heart attack. The doctors fought for his life for hours but sadly, the loyal Chassid, outstanding writer and tireless historian, passed away at the age of 86.
He is survived by his wife Gitta and his daughter Rivka Baila, the wife of the Chabad askan, R’ Menachem Weisfische, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and dozens of books that he wrote and translated which are testimony for generations to come of his accomplishments.
TRAILBLAZER FOR GEULA
By R’ Tuvia Blau
I worked with R’ Chanoch for fifty years in spreading the wellsprings. From my perspective, he is the man in whom the Rebbe placed tremendous trust. He received many instructions about important and sensitive matters, some of them still secret. He sometimes received letters from the Rebbe which said “secret” on them in big letters, and that says it all.
My friend R’ Chanoch was a trailblazer for Geula. He was one of the leaders of the revolution which the Rebbe wrought in our generation. When the Rebbe accepted the nesius and spoke about spreading the wellsprings to hasten the Geula, he was in charge of important and weighty missions, some of them known and some of them done quietly, in order to carry out the Rebbe’s orders in the best possible way.
He was one of the first to say “hineini” to the Rebbe and he meant it in all seriousness. One of the first steps he took was in forging special relationships with writers and journalists with whom he talked about Chassidus and about the Rebbe. Thanks to him, Chabad received unparalleled coverage and media attention. He was the first to do this.
My friend R’ Chanoch was also a pioneer in Chabad literature. Until he started writing, there were few Chabad books. He, with his extraordinary diligence to which I was witness, for decades, and with true devotion to the task, published book after book until he completed the first important assignment: documenting the history of the Chabad Rebbeim.
It should be noted that in his literary work, which was radically novel to the Chassidim, he succeeded in being absolutely faithful to the sources, i.e. the words of the Rebbeim, and this too was according to instructions he received directly from the Rebbe.
Bitaon Chabad was also a true revolution. For the old time Chassidim it was an a radical innovation. When the Rebbe gave his consent to publish an inside Chabad publication, R’ Chanoch made no calculations but took on the job of editing and publishing and within a short time he published the first issue.
For a long time he worked on it himself, publishing one issue after another. At a later point we worked together on the Bitaon and plenty has been written about this already.
One of his important qualities was diligence. He was diligent in his work in a way that is hard to describe. I’ll give you an example. When he worked as the mazkir (lit. secretary, in the British political system it is used to refer to a senior administrator – Ed.) in Beis Chana high school where I serve as principal, he came every day at seven o’clock, opened the doors and made sure that everything was as it should be. Then he sat down in the office and began a day’s work. This is how he managed to do his public service work, as well as various projects, planned or spontaneous, along with the dozens of books that he wrote and translated which are basic works in every Chabad home.
MEMORABLE SMILE
R’ Glitzenstein received many blessings and unconventional directives for children, since many years had passed after he married and he had no children. When he asked the Rebbe for a bracha for medical intervention, which the Rebbe approved of in many other cases, the Rebbe dismissed the idea and continued to bless him time and again. A daughter was born seventeen years after he married.
R’ Chanoch took her to the Rebbe when she was a little girl. When the Rebbe saw her for the first time he asked: This is the girl? And when he was told yes, the Rebbe’s face lit up. A cousin, R’ Yisroel Glitzenstein, said, “I don’t remember such a smile, such joy, by the Rebbe.”