Letters home, written by R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom during his k’vutza year, describing some of the events of Menachem-Av 5734 in 770 with the Rebbe. By R’ Tuvia Zilberstrom
Rabbi Tuvia Zilberstrom standing behind the RebbeSEEING THE REBBE IN TALLIS AND T’FILLIN FOR THE FIRST TIME
BS”D, Monday, 10 Av 5734
Dear Family, for long years and good days,
I will use this opportunity to send you regards. There are three people from here traveling to Eretz Yisroel today, along with Mr. Ellinson who managed to speak with the Rebbe after Mincha for fifteen minutes. In a similar fashion, this past Motzaei Shabbos he had a sort of yechidus with the Rebbe for twenty minutes. The main thing is that he is happy. He told me that he will bring regards from me to all, and that he will be back for Elul, and I added perhaps together with Abba, sh’yichyeh…
This Shabbos [Erev Tisha B’Av] there was a farbrengen, and as the Rebbe explained it between the sichos, the reason for the farbrengen is because Shabbos is a day that “there is no sadness in it.” It is brought that there needs to be “like the seuda of Shlomo in his time,” or like the version “the seuda of Shlomo during the time of his kingdom.” So it is specifically on this Shabbos that we celebrate, in order that people not think that because of matters relating to the Nine Days we are avoiding doing things of simcha [on Shabbos]. Additionally, it is also in order to utilize this opportunity to agitate once more about the five mivtzaim, and also to be involved in them even on Tisha B’Av, as much as possible. The farbrengen went on for three hours. I will write again, G-d willing, and meanwhile will conclude, wishing you everything good.
I hope that the fast went easily (although it included an additional hour [i.e. daylight savings] in lengthening the day).
Boruch Hashem, everything here is in order. On the day of Tisha B’Av there was not even the time to think about the fast because there was so much to do. There was Shacharis followed by Mincha, and of course we got to see the Rebbe in tallis and t’fillin for the first time [in those years the Rebbe did not daven Shacharis with the minyan on regular weekdays], another experience. Afterward, we went out to the battlefield [to do mivtzaim] to utilize the few remaining hours until sunset. Also, the weather since Rosh Chodesh has been spring-like and pleasant; let’s hope that it continues that way.
Looking forward to hearing from each other,
Tuvia
SPECIAL PREPARATIONS FOR 30 YEARS SINCE THE PASSING OF REB LEVI YITZCHOK
Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh Nachamu, 15 Av, 5734
To My Dear Ones, for long years and good days,
A good and blessed week to all of you!
I enjoyed reading your letter this evening about going out for a short vacation, and let us hope that the leisure activities will be pleasant. Perhaps Abba also joined this rest and relaxation, and maybe this could be in exchange for hopping over here for the month of the holidays [Tishrei].
Here, everything is carrying on properly and in order. The bachurim have begun returning from their days of shlichus in the outlying areas of America etc., with each one bringing his baggage in the form of the report that he submits to the Merkos administration. The tanks still continue to operate, and a few of them go out each day and continue in the conquest of New York and the environs.
By Divine Providence, one day that I went [with the tank] a Jew stopped us very close to sunset and asked if we know so-and-so. It turns out that his son learns in Kfar Chabad, one of the students of R’ Gafni, and today he is one of the top bachurim in the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, although the father obviously is far from all of that. I decided that this excursion was such that it was not likely to occur every day, so of course with the proper effort he agreed to put on t’fillin and to the other mivtzaim.
Also, we took his address as has become customary, in order to check the mezuzos there, and I decided that I want to be one of the visitors to his home for this mivtza. We went there last week, of course with someone who speaks English well, and we spent two hours there. It was interesting that the mother speaks Yiddish and grew up in an observant home etc. What was also interesting is how it is clear that “and He will return the hearts of the fathers etc.” It was obvious that the results were a great success. I hope to visit there again with Hashem’s help, and also so that we can prepare the house a bit for their son, who, it seems, will be returning in Tishrei, in order to make his job easier or at least to create an opening like the eye of a needle.
Meanwhile, everyone is preparing for the farbrengen on Thursday of this week [Chaf Av farbrengen], which will surely be broadcast around the world. This year, there is a special inspiration due to it being thirty years since the passing of the father of the Rebbe shlita. To that end, they established a special committee in the vacation areas in the country, a yarchei kalla with the participation of all those who are out there, with the goal of completing the entire Shas by Chaf Av, as well as all of the known writings of Reb Levi Yitzchok. The children also took upon themselves to make a siyum [on his writings] by at least reading the words written there. Obviously, this gives the Rebbe much nachas.
This Shabbos, there was no farbrengen after an extended period of Shabbasos in which there were farbrengens. This Shabbos seemed almost like a weekday, but on the other hand, this gave the time and space to contemplate a bit about what was said in the previous farbrengens and what is demanded of us.
To hear from each other at the farbrengen, and all good always,
Tuvia
SPECIAL EVENT WITH THE CAMPERS
Monday night, eve of 24 Av, 5734
Dear Parents, for long years and good days,
When I returned to 770 today, they announced that the Rebbe would be davening Mincha downstairs, in honor of the campers (of the day-camps) coming to daven Mincha with the Rebbe. The large hall downstairs was filled with a few hundred children. At the Rebbe’s place, they set up a special platform so that they all could see the Rebbe.
This elevated event was interesting and moving, to hear the “voices of the sheep,” the voices of the Tinokos Shel Beis Rabban, as they said “Ashrei” together, word for word, accompanied by a tune, as well as the rest of the t’fillos until “Aleinu LeShabayach.” As for the answering of Amen, we heard all at once and in the same intonation, from the mouths of babes and sucklings, a cry of Amen that reached to the “Throne of Glory.”
As we stood near the Rebbe, we could see how he also joined them and answered Amen slowly, together with Jewish children aged three and a half to eight years old. [We heard that in another three weeks, there would be another gathering of children here from other camps.] This was an impressive event that left a deep impression not only on the children, but also on all those who were present. We could also see on the Rebbe’s face how he was energized by it. At the recitation of the final verses, they continued to sing “Utzu Eitza V’sufar,” as after the Kaddish the Rebbe turned to them and with his hand motions stoked the excitement.
In continuation of what I gave over to Abba a bit about Chaf Av, you certainly must have heard the sicha about how in the future time, all of the shuls and (Torah) study halls will be taken to Yerushalayim, in addition to the fact that Eretz Yisroel will expand to all of the lands. This sicha was in response [and I think this was also repeated on the radio] to the giving of a golden key to the Rebbe by R’ Shlomo Cunin, for the opening of a “Machon Levi Yitzchok” in the area of Los Angeles where he is active. This is also the key to a piece of land approximately the size of Kfar Chabad, where they are beginning to build.
R’ Cunin is known for being exceptionally active. For example, back in the year of Shnas HaShivim (the Rebbe’s seventieth year), in his area alone he opened many mosdos with the Rebbe’s blessings, of course. The Rebbe derived much nachas from this gift, and took a bottle of mashke and poured some into his own cup, then poured it back into the bottle and mixed it, and from this he gave l’chaim to R’ Shlomo Cunin. Afterward, he handed him the whole bottle. This is something that is very rare, for the Rebbe to give from his own cup.
A similar thing happened this Shabbos, when he gave mashke for farbrengens that will be held in Kfar Chabad, London, Paris, and Australia. And as I already reported, at the end of the farbrengen, the Rebbe stood to his full height and danced in his place.
After Mincha, instead of starting to sing “Nyet Nyet Nikavo” as has become the custom, he began “Becha Botchu” (“In You they put their reliance”), a niggun in which he has a strong koch lately, in addition to the sichos on this topic.
I am attaching here a portion of the content of the sichos, and I hope, bli neder, to fill in what is missing at the first opportunity.
Everything good, and to hear good news from each other, in general and in particular, and again a blessing of Mazel Tov,
Tuvia
THE QUESTIONS RESOLVED THEMSELVES
In a diary entry from the summer of 5733, R’ Tuvia Blau recounts the following episode:
In a yechidus that took place one night, there was a student who came with many questions on the subjects of religion and faith. Based on the length of the letter that he was holding in his hands, we knew that his yechidus would probably take a long time, and we bachurim were very interested in knowing what answers he would receive.
About ten minutes after he went in, we saw him again outside, all smiles and happy. We asked him if the Rebbe had said anything about his questions, and he answered in the affirmative. Did he also get any answers? No. He then told us that when the Rebbe received his letter, the Rebbe asked him if there were any other people waiting outside, and he responded in the affirmative. The Rebbe then asked his opinion about whether it was proper to make the people wait a few hours until he could explain the answers to all the questions, and he answered that it was not.
The Rebbe then said, “If I knew that there were so many questions, I would have received you at the end of the line. Please go into the secretariat and make an appointment for another three weeks from now, and then we will sit for as long as necessary or even the entire night, but please make sure to be last on the list.”
From the approach of the Rebbe, we see how the Rebbe did not impose his view, nor did he even make a direct request, but brought him to conclude on his own as to the proper course of action.
Toward the end of the yechidus, the Rebbe asked him to remain in 770 until the follow-up yechidus. He was not able to refuse the Rebbe after having met him in person and seeing how the Rebbe was prepared to devote so much of his precious time to him.
When it came time for the following yechidus, about three weeks later as the Rebbe had offered him, he did not ask anything. This was despite the guys reminding him and even pleading with him to ask, since as he put it, “I no longer have any questions,” or as the verse says, cited in the famous story (of the Alter Rebbe), “Taste and you will see that Havaya is good.”