ONE IN A MILLION

The Rebbe once extolled R’ Zalman Serebryanski who founded the Chabad mosdos in Melbourne and added a rare line about his son, R’ Chaim, “He is one in a million!” * With such an unusual description from the Rebbe, even a million words would not suffice to describe the multifaceted character of a Chassid who engaged in global business deals, but was not immersed in material matters at all.  He was a Chassid who, upon the Rebbe’s instructions, was in business most of the day, but his head was in the hundreds of Maamarei Chassidus and tractates of Gemara that he knew by heart.  He was a Chassid whose entire life was devoted to others’ welfare while also knowing how to stand firmly when necessary when it came to advancing the Rebbe’s agendas. * Part 1 of the life of R’ Chaim Serebryanski a”h.

R’ Chaim Serebryanski was the oldest son of R’ Yehoshua Shneur Zalman, one of the distinguished Chabad Chassidim in Charkov and director of the secret yeshiva in that city.  His mother, Bracha, was the older sister of the mashpia, R’ Mendel Futerfas.

R’ Chaim was born about a year after their marriage, in the summer of 1929.  His father, who wanted to instill in his son a warm, Chassidishe spirit that would immunize him against the communist heresy in the street, took his son to shul when he turned three.  Every Shabbos, the two of them would walk half an hour from their home to the shul, where Chaim absorbed the special, Chassidishe atmosphere at farbrengens with R’ Avrohom Boruch Pevsner and R’ Itche der Masmid.

When he reached of the age of chinuch, his father hired a Chassidic melamed who taught him al taharas ha’kodesh.  When he turned eight and the law was that he had to attend public school where atheism prevailed, R’ Zalman was afraid the neighbors would notice that his son wasn’t going.  He came up with this idea: every morning, when all the neighborhood children would go to school, little Chaim would also leave the house with his briefcase in hand, but instead of going to school, he went to his Jewish teacher whom his father had hired.  The neighborhood children noticed that Chaim did not arrive at school, but despite the rampant tattling in Russia of that time they did not report him. 

This arrangement lasted for three years until a fervent communist moved into the building.  As soon as she heard about the neighbor’s son who did not go to school, she reported R’ Zalman to the KGB.

Once the government knew, R’ Zalman had no choice but to send Chaim to public school.  If he had insisted on keeping his son home, Chaim could have been forcibly taken by the authorities to a government-run orphanage where he would have been indoctrinated in communist ideology.  To offset the communist propaganda in school, R’ Zalman instilled in his son a strong spirit of faith, Chassidus, and fear of Heaven.  With various excuses, he managed not to send him to school on Shabbos for a year.

After a year of missing school on Shabbos, the administrators realized it was for religious reasons, which was unacceptable by Soviet law.  One Shabbos, they went to R’ Zalman’s house and warned him that if Chaim continued to miss school on Saturdays because of religious reasons, they would be forced to report him to the government.  R’ Zalman somehow excused himself and said he would take care of things for the next school year.

World War II, which swept Russia up into a bloody whirlpool at the beginning of the summer of 1941, made it unnecessary to deal with the school on Shabbos problem.  School did not begin, and after a short while R’ Zalman had to flee Charkov with his family in fear of the approaching front.

ESCAPE FROM THE HOSPITAL

By Rosh HaShana 5702, news came of the Germans’ advance on Charkov.  R’ Zalman could not flee the city since he was drafted, but because he was drafted his family was able to board one of the trains leaving the city for free.  The family traveled to the interior of the country, far from the front lines.

Their journey took weeks until they finally arrived in Samarkand.  Shortly after the holidays, Chaim became sick with a severe case of pneumonia that attacked both lungs and he was taken to the hospital.  Young Chaim saw the people around him dying like flies.  So many died that the hospital staff had no time to bury them all and the stench of the bodies wafted in the air.  He knew that if he wanted to live, he had to get out of there quickly, but due to his high temperature the doctors refused to release him.

So he came up with a plan.  When the nurses came to take his temperature, he put the thermometer under the blanket and shook it until it went down.  Then he gave it back to the nurse.  After a few times when he returned the thermometer with an acceptable temperature, the doctors agreed to release him.  He happily returned home where his family devotedly cared for him until he miraculously recovered.

After a few months, his father arrived in Samarkand, but due to a lung ailment, he was unable to work.  Having no other choice, Chaim tried his hand at business.

Even during those difficult times, Chaim was particular about learning Torah.  He would get up at six in the morning and learn Gemara with his neighbor, R’ Eliyahu Chaim Roitblatt.  At this early time of morning it was so cold that the water he had prepared near his bed for negel vasser was frozen, but nothing stopped them from learning by candlelight.

After his father recovered and began working, he sent Chaim to learn in the Talmud Torah which had been opened in Samarkand.

At first, Chaim learned in the Talmud Torah with R’ Roitblatt and R’ Moshe Robinson (Krolevetser).  Then he went to yeshiva where he learned Nigleh with R’ Zalman Shimon Dworkin and R’ Avrohom Eliyahu Plotkin, and Chassidus with the mashpia, R’ Nissan Nemanov.

R’ Chaim was immersed in Chassidus from his childhood.  With the encouragement of his uncle, R’ Mendel Futerfas, he learned the first thirty two chapters of Tanya by heart by his bar mitzva.  After his bar mitzva, he completed all 53 chapters of Tanya.  Later, he also learned Shaar Ha’Yichud V’Ha’Emuna, Igeres HaT’shuva and much of the Igeres HaKodesh.  Many years later, on one of his visits to Eretz Yisroel, R’ Mendel asked him whether he still remembered the chapters of Tanya.  R’ Chaim said, “What do you think I do all those hours on the plane?”

While learning in yeshiva, he began learning Maamarei Chassidus by heart.  His friend, R’ Mendel Aronov, said that after he learned the entire Thursday night, as was customary among the Chassidishe bachurim, he would go and rest on Friday afternoon but would not sleep; he would just rest and review Chassidus.  His grandmother Mariasha would sometimes say to him, “Chaim, say Chassidus!” And R’ Chaim would repeat a maamer by heart.

LEAVING ON THE LAST TRAIN

At the end of the war, in 1945, an agreement was made between the governments of Poland and Russia whereby all Polish citizens who fled to Russia during the war could return to their homeland.  This agreement enabled Chabad Chassidim to leave Russia after forging documents which testified to their Polish citizenship.

His father, Zalman, joined the special committee formed to arrange the mass escape, which was run by R’ Leibel Mochkin, and was appointed the treasurer.

When necessary, young Chaim volunteered to carry out missions for the vaad.  He was 17 and required an ID with a picture.  However, he only carried the ID of someone else in his pocket, of a 14 year old, and walking the streets was dangerous for him.  Several times, policemen stopped him and asked to see his papers and he was saved from them only by a miracle.

In the course of his missions, he met with Polish citizens in bars where he got their Polish documents.  In exchange, he gave them money he received from the vaad. 

He would often go to R’ Mendel Garelik who was an expert at forging documents, and would give him the papers to forge.  Rabbanei Anash who considered this work hatzolas nefashos (saving lives) permitted those involved to work on Shabbos too, when necessary.  There were times that Chaim carried documents on Shabbos.  According to the instructions of the rabbanim, he would put the papers under his cap so he would be carrying them with a shinui (not the usual way).

R’ Zalman and his family left with the last organized group that managed to leave Russia for Poland, on 9 Teves 5707.  According to the original plan, Chaim was not supposed to go with his family then but only on the next train.  By Divine Providence, he saw an old Chassid who had a hard time dragging his suitcases to the train; he helped him and went into the train with him.  As he helped the old man get settled in the car, the whistle sounded and the train began to move.  Chaim remained on the train, not realizing that this is what set him free, since the group of Chassidim he was supposed to go with on the next train were caught while crossing the border and were sent to prison for years.

YOU HAVE “PULL” IN HEAVEN

After much wandering, Chaim and his brother Aharon arrived at the yeshiva in Brunoy.  Chaim was known as a big masmid and was a close disciple of R’ Nissan Nemanov.  Back in Samarkand he had learned dozens of maamarim by heart and had grown accustomed to davening at length amid deep contemplation on maamarei Chassidus.  He also put his all into Nigleh and learned with great diligence.

His love for learning made him forget to take care of his bodily needs, and he hardly ate or slept.  If that wasn’t enough, at farbrengens that took place in the yeshiva he would take a lot of mashke which did not help his already compromised health.

His thin body did not bear the burden he put on it and one day Chaim lost sensation in his hands.  A few hours later, he lost sensation in his feet and could not walk, and it was also hard for him to speak.  He felt paralyzed.

Of course, he was immediately taken to the hospital. The doctors were in agreement that his body systems had broken down due to his terrible eating and sleeping habits, and they were unable to improve his condition.  The heads of the Joint in Paris, who felt responsible for the refugees, brought him the best doctors, but to no avail.

R’ Zalman sent a letter to the Rebbe Rayatz and asked for his bracha and within a short time he received a letter in return with blessings for a complete recovery.

Some months went by without any improvement and R’ Zalman sent the Rebbe another letter with another request for a bracha.  This time, the Rebbe wrote they should look for good doctors and there would be a refua shleima.

All this time, Chaim was in bed, almost completely paralyzed.  R’ Zalman wrote to the Rebbe again and said the doctors were unable to heal his son and he asked the Rebbe to bless him with a refua shleima without doctors.  The Rebbe’s answer was: It says in the Torah “v’rapo yirapeh.” And since the Torah says to consult with a doctor, when they would go to doctors again, there would be a refua shleima.

When R’ Nissan Nemanov saw the Rebbe’s answer, he said emotionally to R’ Zalman, “You have a clear promise from the Rebbe that there will be a complete recovery! You just need to make a vessel for it by bringing a top doctor.”  A top doctor was brought and after visiting Chaim over several days, and bringing a number of medications, the miracle happened and Chaim’s body began to recover. The doctor, who was very surprised by the speed of the recovery, said in amazement: “You have great pull in Heaven!”

R’ Zalman quickly informed the Rebbe that Chaim was out of danger.  In the following months Chaim’s body recovered.  For a long time he still had to lie in bed and regain his strength. He was unable to concentrate on learning as he had been used to doing until then, and could not learn more than ten minutes in depth.  Most hours of the day he spent in bed.  Now and then he would learn l’girsa (simple textual study), Gemara or Maamarei Chassidus.

It was only at the end of Sivan 5709 that Chaim was able to write a letter himself to the Rebbe about the improvement in his health.

THE TRIP TO AUSTRALIA

In the summer of 1949, the Serebryanski family immigrated to Australia after receiving a letter from the Rebbe Rayatz dated 7 Tammuz 5709.  Chaim, who was learning in Brunoy, at first wanted to remain in yeshiva and then go with his friends to learn in 770, but since the Rebbe’s letter referred to R’ Zalman’s traveling with his family, his sons and daughter, Chaim understood that the Rebbe wanted him to join his family.

Upon arriving in Australia, they received a letter from the Rebbe with guidance for the future.  As for Chaim, who was weak and could not concentrate on his learning all day, the Rebbe wrote: It is correct that your son Chaim is involved in the farming work, but every day he should have set times for learning.

HIS BODY IN THE FIELD AND HIS SOUL IN BEIS CHAYEINU

Chaim, who worked in the wheat fields, had set times to learn in the morning and evening.  During those times he would go to yeshiva and learn.

During working hours too, he used every free minute for learning.  During the lunch break which lasted an hour, he finished his meal in twenty minutes and the rest of the time he learned Nach with the Metzudas commentary.  After two years, he finished all of Nach in depth.

From his friends in America he heard about the Rebbe’s instructions about hafatzas ha’maayanos, including arranging Mesibos Shabbos with children.  Every Shabbos, he would gather children together and read to them from The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Memoirs, which had just arrived in Australia.

Since Yud Shevat, Chaim had gotten frequent reports about the goings-on at Beis Chayeinu.  His friends, R’ Yosef Reitzes, R’ Dovid Raskin, and R’ Moshe Levertov, wrote to him in detail about what was happening in 770 and activities of the Chassidim to crown the Rebbe MH”M as the seventh Admur of Lubavitch.

His frequent correspondence with his friends in New York aroused his longing to learn in Tomchei T’mimim and a tremendous desire to be with the Rebbe MH”M in Beis Chayeinu.  He asked his father to ask the Rebbe in his letters whether his son could travel to Beis Chayeinu.

R’ Zalman received a long response dated 8 Elul 5710 in which he referred to his father-in-law agreeing that Chaim spend part of his time in the garden, because of his health. As for Chaim and his father feeling bad that he wasn’t with his friends and learning in yeshiva, the Rebbe said that he should continue doing what he was doing until Yud Shevat. The Rebbe said he should explain to his son as well as to himself that they were feeling aggravated for nothing, since the Gemara says (and it’s quoted in Igeres HaKodesh Chapter 22), that a person doesn’t know how he will earn his money etc. and when the kingdom of Dovid will be restored. The Alter Rebbe says that this also refers to earning a spiritual livelihood. Consequently, if the Rebbe Rayatz told him where his spiritual parnasa lay, surely this was the best place for the soul and the health of the body.

When he first read the letter, Chaim’s heart sank.  He so badly wanted to leave working the earth and get back to learning like bachurim his age who were learning in 770.  He found it hard to digest the idea that he had to continue working.  However, after reading the Rebbe’s letter again and again, he realized that he was in an unusual situation and it was specifically by continuing his work that he would be carrying out the Divine Will.  What made it easier for him to reconcile himself to his new situation was the fact that the Rebbe limited his instruction until Yud Shevat.  He hoped that after Yud Shevat he would finally be able to go to the Rebbe.

SHLICHUS – AS PER THE REBBE’S WILL

On 11 Shevat 5711, the Rebbe accepted the Chabad leadership and the good news spread to wherever Anash lived.  Chaim’s friends in 770 sent him letters with excited descriptions of the tremendous giluyim they had merited to see at that time and once again Chaim yearned to leave farming for 770.

Chaim sent a letter, full of emotion, in which he expressed his powerful yearning to travel to the Rebbe and return to learning in Tomchei T’mimim.  He did not suffice with a letter, but also sent letters to his friends and asked them to present his case to the Rebbe when they had yechidus.

The Rebbe heard their request and responded neutrally, “In a gutten oifen (in a good manner),” but said nothing more.  Chaim also asked his uncle, R’ Bentzion Shemtov, to mention him to the Rebbe when he had yechidus.

On 22 Iyar 5711, Chaim received a letter with the Rebbe’s unequivocal answer, “In my opinion, it is not worthwhile to rush this; rather, continue your work in the garden or other physical labor, and in your free time have set times for Torah, to learn on your own and to also try to spread Torah in your environment, for we don’t know which is greater, whether to be in an environment of Chassidim and absorb internally or to fulfill the mission of spreading the wellsprings outward, even though it seems as though this diminishes from your knowledge of Torah or conduct in the ways of Chassidus and Chassidim.”

The Rebbe told him not to, G-d forbid, despair of traveling to New York, but for the time being, to take part in developing the yeshiva in Australia.

“The Rebbe’s letter, and the sicha the Rebbe enclosed, served to put me in the right place as far as his holy will,” recalls R’ Chaim. “The Rebbe was able to get me to understand that fulfilling the Rebbe’s will was greater than what I wanted.”

At the same time, the Rebbe did not discourage him from continuing to yearn to leave his physical labor and return to yeshiva. He just said it wasn’t the time for it yet. R’ Chaim continued working, and although his body was in the field, his heart was far away in the yeshiva and the corridors of Beis Chayeinu (770). Through the detailed letters that he received from friends, he was able to experience what was going on in 770.

During that time of longing, he recalled something his maternal grandmother Mariasha (also the mother of Reb Mendel Futerfas) said. When they were in Paris after his illness, she told Chaim, “It is better that you don’t learn now and have a great desire to go back to learn, then to continue learning now for several years and then lose your desire to learn.”

From time to time, R’ Chaim wrote to the Rebbe about his desire to travel to New York, but he did not receive a positive answer. It was only before Pesach 5718/1958 that the Rebbe finally gave his consent. 

To be continued, G-d willing