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CONTENTS
4
FEATURED ARTICLES
WEEKLY COLUMNS
3
11
34
THE FAITHFUL
WATCHMAN OVER
THE HOLY CITY
Nosson Avraham
Dvar Malchus
Parsha Thought
Tzivos Hashem
ROUND SUNSHINE
17 YEAR
AND G-DLINESS ON
ISLA MUJERES
Nosson Avrohom
24 AOFCHASSID
CHESED
Shmuel Jacobowitz
and Berele Crombie
HEALING
31 MIRACULOUS
FORTY YEARS LATER
Menachem Ziegelboim
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
M.M. Hendel
HEBREW EDITOR:
Rabbi S.Y. Chazan
editorH@beismoshiach.org
ENGLISH EDITOR:
Boruch Merkur
editor@beismoshiach.org
2016-06-14 8:55:53 AM
DVAR MALCHUS
THE WONDERS
OF MOSHIACH
HAVE BEGUN
Sources where the Rebbe proclaims that
Moshiach has already been revealed. *
Chapter Seven of Rabbi Shloma Majeskis
Likkutei Mekoros (Underlined text is the
compilers emphasis.)
Translated by Boruch Merkur
8. [] In addition to the fact

that we are presently right before
the true and complete redemption,
this year is (Thei) Shnas Niflaos
Erenu (It shall be) the year of
I shall show you wonders (the
acronym for the year 5751 that
has been globally accepted by the
Jewish people). This is the year in
which the promise of as in the
days of your exodus from Egypt,
I shall show you wonders will be
fulfilled. In fact, we have plainly
seen wonders testifying that
this is the year in which Melech
HaMoshiach
is
revealed.
Indeed, at the time of the
advent of Melech HaMoshiach
he proclaims to them, to the
Jewish people, Humble ones,
the time of your redemption has
arrived (as in the words of the
Yalkut Shimoni), leading up to
the proclamation that Behold,
he (Melech HaMoshiach) has
come, that he has already
arrived. That is, we are presently
on the very threshold of the
beginning of the Messianic Era,
the threshold of the redemption,
and immediately thereafter, its

continuation and its perfection.
Since this is so, certainly
Yud-Beis
Tammuz
(which
occurs on Shabbos this year), as
well as the entire Three Weeks
of Bein HaMeitzarim of this
year, emphasize the concept of
redemption. And not just the
preparation for the redemption
but the actual advent of the
redemption takes place on this
Shabbos Kodesh, even prior
to the beginning of (Bein Ha)
Meitzarim. These days will,
therefore, be transformed into
days of celebration and rejoicing,
and festive holidays.
(From the address of Shabbos
Parshas Balak, 17 (Tov) Tammuz;
Seifer HaSichos 5751, pg. 690)
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PROFILE
THE FAITHFUL
WATCHMAN
OVER THE HOLY CITY
In his youth, he learned in a secular non-Jewish school in Baltimore,
Maryland. After a visit to Eretz Yisroel, he returned to his roots, became
a servant in the household of the Baba Sali, and a melamed of small
children at the Talmud Torah in Netivot. From there, he made his way to
Yeshivas Ohr Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, and after getting married, he
moved to Yerushalayim and began operating the famous tfillin stand at
the Western Wall as the Rebbes devoted soldier. His activities combined
enthusiasm, stubborn determination, tremendous vigor, and above all,
a fiery Ahavas Yisroel that managed to awaken many Jews and bring
them to greater Torah observance. A look back at the life of R Yosef
Eliyahu Dunin, of blessed memory, and the many miraculous stories he
experienced on his outreach activities. Presented in commemoration of his
first yahrzeit on the 5th of Iyar.
By Nosson Avraham
Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry
n Erev Shabbos Parshas

Kdoshim, family and
friends commemorated
one year since the
sudden and untimely passing of R
Yosef Eliyahu Dunin, of blessed
memory, who outwardly appeared
to be a typical chassid, but who
had a most unique and distinctive

personality.
R Yosef was a lebedike yid,
a Jew instilled with great joy. He
would use every waking moment
for acts of kindness and the Rebbes
mivtzaim. He was filled with
great care, concern, and Ahavas
Yisroel for every Jew he met. You

couldnt find anyone like him, said
Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gafni, rosh
yeshiva emeritus of Yeshivas Ohr
Tmimim in Kfar Chabad, now
serving as a rosh kollel in the Holy
City of Tzfas, as he enthusiastically
described R Dunin:
4 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel
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I remember the extraordinary

koch he had for Moshiachs
Seuda. For many years, every
Shvii Shel Pesach we would
organize a special farbrengen in
Kfar Chabad with the students of
Ohr Tmimim and its alumni,
and he was one of the leading
organizers
and
participants.
I recall one year, when I had
consumed a fair quantity of wine,
I had a hard time getting home,
and R Yosef made certain to
bring me upstairs to one of the
yeshivas dormitory rooms. He
stayed with me until he was sure I
was comfortable.
R Yosef Eliyahu Dunin was
a very vibrant and lively Jew, a
Chassid who was connected to
the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach
and his holy mitzvah campaigns
with every fiber of his soul.
Among other things, this took
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PROFILE
expression in his running of the
tfillin stand for eighteen years
near the remnants of the Beis
HaMikdash. He was a shliach and
a mashpia in every move he made.
He always knew how to find the
right track for reaching the hearts
of the people he met.
Once
he
moved
to
Yerushalayim, R Yosef could no
longer participate in the Yeshivas
Moshiachs Seuda. However, last
year, he made a special effort to
come, and as always, he was a
ray of simcha. When I heard a
few days later that he had passed
away on the fifth of Iyar, I was
to learn in a non-Jewish school.

His return to Yiddishkait had
already begun in his youth, and it
became much stronger upon his
arrival in Eretz Yisroel in 5737
for a family visit. The person
who accompanied him during his
spiritual journey was his uncle, R
Avraham Dunin, from Taanach.
During the first months of
his stay in Eretz Yisroel, he lived
at the home of his cousin in
Netivot, Mrs. Chana Lipsh, Rabbi
Avraham
Dunins
daughter.
She told how during that initial
period, R Yosef ah became
attached to the Baba Sali, of
Just then, one of the Baba Salis closest aides

came in and harshly rebuked him. R Yosef, have
you gone mad? This is the robe that the Baba Sali has
saved for the day when Melech HaMoshiach is revealed!
My father immediately removed the robe and put it back
in its place. However, ever since then, the whole subject
of Moshiach and spreading the announcement of the
Redemption became an integral part of his way of life.
stunned, Rabbi Gafni recalled.

To a certain extent, to this very
day, I find it hard to believe that
R Yosef is not with us. Rabbi
Gafnis eyes began to fill with
tears. I was very fond of him and
I loved him very much.
GARBED IN THE ROBE OF

REDEMPTION
R Yosef Dunin was born and
raised in Baltimore, Maryland in
a traditional Jewish family. He
was his parents only son; he had
two sisters. He was the nephew of
the mashpiim R Avraham Dunin
and his brother R Reuven Dunin.
In his parents home, while the
family observed certain mitzvos
and Jewish customs, he was sent
righteous memory, and over a

certain period of time, he was
even appointed as one of his
servants.
My father was very close to
the Baba Sali, and he even lived
in his house for a while. It was
the Baba Sali who suggested that
he should work for the Chabad
institutions as a teacher of young
children, recalls his daughter,
Chaya Mushka.
There was an interesting
anecdote with my father that took
place when he served in the Baba
Salis household. Once he opened
a closet in the Baba Salis room,
took out a beautiful robe that
was hanging there, and put it on.
Just then, one of the Baba Salis
closest aides came in and harshly

rebuked him. R Yosef, have you
gone mad? This is the robe that
the Baba Sali has saved for the
day when Melech HaMoshiach is
revealed! My father immediately
removed the robe and put it
back in its place. However, ever
since then, the whole subject
of Moshiach and spreading the
announcement of the Redemption
became an integral part of his way
of life.
His daughter says that this
strong connection with the Baba
Sali was maintained throughout
the years.
During this period which
marked the beginning of his
life as a Chassid, the Baba Sali
sent him to be a melamed at the
Talmud Torah opened by Rabbi
Yashar Edrei in Netivot. He
was our first melamed, Rabbi
Edrei recalled. I remember him
as a dynamic and energetic redheaded bachur, and this is exactly
what our young students needed
a Jew who could excite them
to follow the path of Torah and
mitzvos. He was an educational
figure, the very picture of a
Chassid, a member of every
Anash household in Netivot, a
Jew whose joyful image has been
engraved upon the hearts of
everyone.
Rabbi Dunin was also
privileged to be the Rebbe
MHMs shliach to bring mashke
to the Baba Sali. In 5740, the
Baba Sali called upon R Yosef
and instructed him to organize
a parade for the citys children.
Together with the Baba Salis sonin-law, Netivot Chabad House
director Rabbi Yashar Edrei, the
two organized a magnificent
parade. After the parade, at
midnight, the Baba Sali invited
Rabbi Dunin and Rabbi Edrei
to say Lchaim for the parades
success.
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LONGING FOR A STUDENT

R Yosef learned in Yeshivas
Ohr Tmimim in Kfar Chabad
for six years. He continued to
use the between semester breaks
and other opportunities to come
to Netivot and help with the local
Chabad activities. I remember
him well, said Rabbi Gafni in
response to my question. It turns
out that a personality such as R
Yosef cannot be easily forgotten,
even after thousands of students
over a period of several decades
have passed Rabbi Gafnis way.
He came to the yeshiva for the
first time with his uncle, Rabbi
Avraham Dunin, of blessed
memory, and stayed with us for
six full years.
There are two types of
students, the veteran rosh
yeshiva described. There are
those who learn how to learn
and become extremely diligent,
albeit without any revealed sense
of vitality in their studies. There
are others who, while they are
less scholarly, they grasp the
material in a clearer and more
Chassidic manner with an inner
desire to fulfill the will of our
Rebbeim. R Yosef belonged to
the latter group. He did know
how to learn, but thats not what
characterized him. His most
prominent characteristic was
comprehension, and internalizing
the Rebbes inner will. He was
always at the forefront of all
the Rebbes mitzvah campaigns
and he was a dominant figure at
Chassidic farbrengens.
Alongside
his
Chassidic
activities, Rabbi Gafni speaks
about
R
Yosef
and
his
overflowing kindheartedness. He
would always do acts of kindness
for others, performing them all
with great joy and a lofty spirit.
When he completed his
yeshiva studies, he returned to the
United States, got married, and
began to establish a proper Jewish

home together with his wife, may
she live long. He eventually came
back to Eretz Yisroel, took up
residence in Yerushalayims Pisgat
Zeev neighborhood as one of the
first Chabad activists there, and
even founded a Chabad shul in
one of the local air-raid shelters.
At the same time, he developed
a connection with the mashpia,
Rabbi Moshe Weber, and became
one of the most prominent figures
at the tfillin stand located near
the remnants of our Holy Temple.
His wife, Mrs. Rivka Dunin,
spoke about the deeply close
connection between her husband
and R Moshe Weber. My
husband received several offers of
shlichus in other places, however,
Rabbi Weber would not give him
up and he brought him to the
Kosel to operate the tfillin stand
there. After Gimmel Tammuz,
when R Yosef raised the question
whether he should continue,
Rabbi Weber claimed that it was
the Rebbes will that this should
be his shlichus.
Fifteen years ago, shortly
before Rabbi Webers passing,

my husband agreed to continue
running the tfillin stand and its
daily operations.
I HAVE PLACED A GUARD

UPON YOUR WALLS,
YERUSHALAYIM
For eighteen years R Yosef
manned the tfillin stand at
the Western Wall, winter and
summer, on fast days and at
the height of the intifada. He
maintained a constant presence,
ready throughout the day to give
Jews the opportunity to fulfill this
sacred mitzvah.
With his uniquely Chassidic
style and grace, R Yosef managed
to get thousands of Jews to roll
up their sleeves and put on tfillin.
There was nothing that could
prevent R Yosef from appearing
every day to greet those Jewish
souls who came to the Kosel and
convince them to put on tfillin.
His ability to influence others was
well-known. In those instances
when his fellow avreichim were
unable to persuade someone to
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PROFILE
do the mitzvah, they would call
upon R Yosef. With his pleasant
ways and warm smile, he would
manage to convince even the
hardest nut to crack.
His daughter Chaya Mushka
recalls his famous determination:
At one farbrengen, I heard that
when my father was in New
York, he was traveling in the
subway where he met a man
who had a Gentile father and
a Jewish mother. My father
tried to convince him to put on
tfillin. This man was extremely
stubborn, but my father traveled
with him in the subway for an
hour until he finally consented.
The man asked my father to stay
they said Kaddish together. The

man remained near the Kosel
for some time, deeply moved. As
their meeting ended, he resolved
to put on tfillin every day and say
Kaddish himself during the entire
period of mourning for his late
father.
At the end of the mourning
period, the man returned to the
Kosel. He looked for R Yosef
to thank him, as in his merit, he
had become a baal tshuva and
now conducted his life as a Jew
according to halacha...
There were also those who
experienced
great
personal
salvation from putting on tfillin
A few hours before his passing, as he looked out

the window of his house, he saw his friend, R
Dovid Konisberg. R Yosef opened the window and called
out to him, R Dovid, Im going to see Moshiach today.
A few hours later, when R Yosef suddenly passed away,
this statement took on a very significant and chilling
meaning.
in touch with him, and my father
continued to guide him along the
path of Torah until he eventually
changed his way of life and even
raised a Chassidic family.
One of his colleagues on duty
at the tfillin stand for decades,
Rabbi Dovid Cohen, personally
witnessed numerous episodes
with R Yosef. One day, a Russian
Jewish tourist came to the stand
and he asked R Yosef to dedicate
a prayer service and the recitation
of Kaddish in the memory of his
father, who had recently passed
away. The first thing you have to
do is give nachas to your father
and put on tfillin, R Yosef told
the man as he started rolling up
his sleeve and said the bracha
with him. Afterward, he directed
him to one of the minyanim and
with R Dunin, as Rabbi Cohen

recalls: I saw a Jew approach R
Yosef and ask him to pray for his
ailing father. R Yosef replied that
the Lubavitcher Rebbe says that
in order to bring about healing,
there must be a vessel to contain
the bracha. Therefore, he said,
you must accept upon yourself
the fulfillment of a mitzvah. After
the man agreed that he would try
and put on tfillin each day, R
Yosef wrote a letter to the Rebbe
on his behalf. Not long afterward,
the father became well again.
On another occasion, a
couple came to tell R Yosef that
in the merit of his suggestion, the
man had bought a pair of tfillin
and had begun putting them on.
They had also been blessed with
the birth of twins, and they asked

for his help in registering them in
the Childrens Seifer Torah.
R Yosef had a deep fondness
for the younger members of the
flock. Whenever tour groups
of children would come to the
Kosel, he would gather them
together, sing with them, tell
them Chassidic stories, and recite
with them the Twelve Psukim.
One of the most amazing
stories that we heard from his
friend and colleague, Rabbi Dovid
Cohen, was about a priest who
came to the Western Wall with a
group of tourists from Italy and
asked R Yosef about the nature of
his activities. R Yosef described
the mitzvah of tfillin and its
great merit. Then, in the normal
course of conversation, the priest
mentioned that his mother was
Jewish, however, due to the fact
that his religious affiliation went
according to his father, he was a
member of the church. R Yosef
acted quickly, took him aside,
explained to him that he was in
fact a Jew because his mother is
Jewish, and how he now had the
opportunity of a lifetime to fulfill
the mitzvah of putting on tfillin.
The priest agreed and looked
for a quiet and concealed corner
where he could put on tfillin and
pray. He parted from R Yosef
with tears in his eyes. He returned
a few months later in traditional
Jewish garb, carrying a tallis and
tfillin. He had come on a pilot
trip to check the possibility of
immigrating to Eretz Yisroel and
living as a Jew in every respect...
PERFORMING ACTS OF
CHARITY
One of the most prominent
characteristics of R Yosefs
personality was the deep love for
his fellow Jews. Immediate family
members can tell you about the
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many guests who came to

their home each Shabbos,
and often on weekdays
as well. One could
never know what guest
he would bring home,
his wife said. There are
shluchim whose shlichus
and their home are two
separate things, whereas
with my husband, they
went hand in hand. When
he put tfillin on someone,
he didnt settle just for
this mitzvah. Instead, he
tried to get them to do
more mitzvos. In many
cases, he even maintained
close contact with them,
often bringing them to
our home.
Despite
his
households
poor
financial situation, R
Yosef devoted much time to the
outreach activities of the local
Chabad House in Yerushalayims
Pisgat
Zeev
neighborhood,
run by Rabbi Ariel Pusilov. He
became one of the pillars of the
Chabad House, dedicating all
his available time and energy to
mivtzaim and performing humble
acts of charity without fanfare or
headlines.
R Yosef would wake up early
to open the Chabad House shul
and set times for Torah study
each morning until ten. Rabbi
Pusilov recalls how each Erev
Shabbos and Erev Yom tov, R
Yosef would go around to the
local bakeries and gather up all
the leftover challos and cakes for
distribution to needy families.
Toward the end of the week, he
would also visit the Rami Levy
chain stores in the Givat Shaul
and
Talpiot
neighborhoods.
Workers would load his beat-up
old car with fruits and vegetables,
and he would give them out to
those in need.
When the bakery employees

were preparing to close the
premises, shortly after the last
customer had left, R Yosef would
come into the store. They already
knew him and they immediately
filled up cartons of the remaining
merchandise for him: challos,
rolls, cookies, and other tasty
baked goods. He would then
distribute them in order to give a
little Shabbos and holiday joy to
poor neighborhood families.
An amusing story took
place once when during one
of his mitzvah journeys, a
policeman stopped him and
gave him a ticket for excess load
on the car roof. The Chabad
House director, Rabbi Pusilov,
submitted an appeal against the
citation, describing R Yosef as
a man of great kindness, a true
humanitarian. The appeal was
accepted and the citation was
rescinded. Rabbi Pusilov tells how
he once saw R Yosef remove his
own shoes and give them to a
homeless man who was walking
barefoot. And when he learned
that the man had no roof

over his head, he let him
sleep at night in his car.
Another acquaintance
tells how one Erev Yom
tov, R Yosef found out
that one of his friends, the
head of a large household,
had no food for the
holiday. The cupboard
was literally bare no
fish, no meat, nothing. R
Yosef immediately used
his connections and called
the owner of a kosher
lmehadrin
restaurant.
Within an hour, R Yosef
arrived and began filling
his car with first courses,
main dishes, a variety of
side dishes, salads, and
kugels. He drove to his
friends house and filled
the refrigerator and freezer
with a wide selection of holiday
delicacies. The fact that R Yosefs
house had only simple Yom tov
food was an entirely different
matter.
A woman from Pisgat Zeev
who regularly suffered from
economic
hardships
fondly
recalled R Yosef and his
boundless generosity. He had
a heart of gold, always ready to
help and with a smile on his lips.
Im the mother of eleven children,
and he would come every Friday
with a bag filled with a variety
of baked goods that I simply
couldnt buy myself. This would
bring a great deal of joy into our
home. Every time he would come
with his car, he would ask one
of the children to come down
and take the package. He never
wanted to come upstairs and give
us the feeling that we needed
him. He always made certain to
give discreetly without publicity
or self-promotion.
This woman suffers from a
physical disability caused when
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PROFILE
she fell and fractured her spine.
I cant leave my house anymore
to go to shul, and when R Yosef
heard about this, he faithfully
came to our house for years with
his shofar every Rosh Hashanah
to blow the one hundred tkios
for me. Three years ago, when
Rosh Hashanah came out on a
Thursday and Friday, he came
for the first day of Yom tov and
blew the shofar. He promised that
he would be back the next day as
well, but he didnt come. I was
sure that he would still make it,
and he did just before Shabbos.
He knocked on the door and
waited outside for twenty minutes
until I finished organizing
myself. He neither complained
nor showed that he was in a
rush. Instead, he apologized for
coming at that late hour, since he
had been on mivtzaim, blowing
shofar for IDF soldiers at an army
roadblock. Anyone else wouldnt
have bothered to come and waste
his time for an invalid. However,
R Yosef was cut from a totally
different cloth, the type you dont
find very often.
Every Shabbos over the past
year, as we made HaMotzi over
a regular white flour challah, not
those made from whole wheat
that he used to bring us, I realized
how much he is missed. On Rosh
Hashanah, when I was looking
for someone to blow shofar for
me, I couldnt help but remember
this very special Chassid.
IM GOING TO SEE
MOSHIACH
R Yosef lived with the Rebbes
and was constantly imbued with
the subject of Moshiach. In his
numerous discussions with other
Jews, he would always open with
We Want Moshiach Now.
With every action he took, he
believed that it would hasten the
Redemption, and he would speak

about this all the time.
Rabbi Naftali HaKohen Roth,
who knew R Yosef well, tells that
just two days before his sudden
passing, R Yosef stopped his
car near him. With a smile and
his characteristic joy, he said
in the presence of his family,
Rabbi Roth, you have to bring
Moshiach, and he then repeated
the call.
Friends tell how he was in
Beis Chayeinu during the period
when Chassidim began to make
the holy proclamation of Yechi
Adoneinu in the presence of the
Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach.
Upon his return to Eretz Yisroel,
he devoted himself as a faithful
Chassid with all his heart to
spreading the announcement of
the Redemption.
The following story, told by
family members, brings testimony
of how his life revolved around the
imminent coming of Moshiach
Tzidkeinu:
A few years ago on the night
of Tisha BAv, as the Western Wall
Square was filled to capacity with
Jews lamenting the destruction
of the Beis HaMikdash, R
Yosef was observed entering the
square carrying a picnic cooler.
One of the Kosel employees
well acquainted with R Yosef
asked him what was inside. R
Yosef replied that it was filled
with delicacies, including meat,
fish, and challos. Food on Tisha
BAv? He raised his eyebrow in
amazement. You wont be able to
eat it tonight or tomorrow. Why
did you drag it here now?
R Yosef gave his distinctive
smile and replied: Look how
every Jew gets ready for the fast.
People prepare a filling seuda
mafsekes, take their Kinos,
and even wear comfortable
sandals. Yet, no one takes into
consideration what would happen
if Melech HaMoshiach would

suddenly reveal himself on this
auspicious day and usher in a new
era for the Jewish People. Where
would people get wine and meat
to celebrate the occasion? I also
made the necessary preparations
for the Tisha BAv fast, only I
did so from a Geuladike point of
view, as weve already had more
than our fair share of the exile...
A few hours before his
passing, as he looked out the
window of his house, he saw his
friend, R Dovid Konisberg. R
Yosef opened the window and
called out to him, R Dovid,
Im going to see Moshiach
today. A few hours later, when
R Yosef suddenly passed away,
this statement took on a very
significant and chilling meaning.
A TRUE TZADDIK
As
mentioned
earlier,
the Dunin family and their
many friends have recently
commemorated
the
first
anniversary since his tragic
passing. First and foremost, the
loss is deeply felt by his wife and
seven children, his companions,
and close acquaintances. A
colorful Chassidic figure had
disappeared from the landscape
of Yerushalayim, a vigorous
advocate in spreading the
had suddenly been taken to his
final rest.
R Yosef represented the inner
picture of a Chassid. However, he
was also a man of the people. His
face always wore a smile and he
was filled with great caring and
devotion. He never complained,
maintaining a totally humble and
modest existence, and through
his unique characteristic of
continuous giving, he has left a
huge vacuum that may never be
filled.
2016-06-14 8:56:11 AM
PARSHA THOUGHT
TOPSY-TURVY
PRIORITIES
By Rabbi Heschel Greenberg
WHATS THE CONNECTION?

The parsha that we read
immediately after the Holiday
of Shavuos, the anniversary and
the reenactment of the giving
of the Torah on Mount Sinai,
is the longest parsha in the
Torah. Likewise, the Midrashic
material on this parsha is far
more extensive than for any other
parsha. Commentators point out
that the reason for the substantial
amount of knowledge imparted in
this parsha, in the Written as well
as in the Oral Torah, is precisely
because it comes on the heels
of Shavuos. To be sure, in some
years it is the parsha read before
Shavuos; nevertheless its close
proximity to Shavuos, before or
after, is an indication that these
two events are intertwined.
Surprisingly
enough,
a
cursory examination of the topics
discussed in this parsha yields no
direct connection to Shavuos.
In this essay we will focus on
one subject discussed briefly in
this parsha:
THE FIRST FRUITS

The Torah commands us
to give certain offerings to a
Kohen. At first glance, it is hard
to understand what connection
this commandment has with the
giving of the Torah at Mount
Sinai.
The answer perhaps lies

in the Hebrew word for these
offerings, which is Truma. The
Zohar comments on this word
and states that it is actually a
composite of the word Torah
and the letter mem, which is also
the number 40. Hence, Truma
actually contains within it the
idea that the Torah was given to
us at Sinai after which Moshe
ascended onto the mountain
and stayed there for 40 days
and nights to receive the balance
of the Torah as well as the two
Tablets into which were engraved
the Ten Commandments (or more
accurately: Ten Statements).
This does not fully answer
the question as to the substantive
connection between giving tithes
to the Kohen and the giving of
the Torah at Mount Sinai. It only
finds a hint to the word Torah in
the word Truma.
A closer connection can be
found in Rashis citation from the
Midrash that the term Truma here
is not the standard tithe that came
from ones crops (grain, wine and
oil) that the Kohen would come
and collect at the granary. Rather,
it refers to the Bikkurim, the first
fruits one would bring to the
Beis HaMikdash and give to the
Kohanim.
The season for bringing the
Bikkurim begins at the time Jews
would come to celebrate the
Festival of Shavuos. Indeed, one

of the Biblical names ascribed to
Shavuos is Chag HaBpikkurim,
the Festival of the First Fruits.
This refers to the Two Loaves
that were offered on this Holiday
(baked from the first harvest of
wheat), as well as to the first
fruits that were brought to the
Kohen at this time.
This verse establishes a more
specific connection to Shavuos.
But we now have to examine
the
conceptual
relationship
between bringing ones first fruits
to the Temple and the giving of
the Torah.
WHOSE PRODUCE IS IT?

To discover the connection, let
us cite the verse that discusses the
obligation of giving the tithes in
full:
And any portion [Truma]
from any of the holies that the
Children of Israel bring to the
Kohen shall be his. A mans holies
shall be his, and what a man gives
to the Kohen shall be his.
The underlying message in
this verse is that what we give
to the Kohen is truly his and
what we retain for ourselves is
truly ours. At first glance, this
statement is not earth shattering
or even necessary. Why would
anyone think that what we give
away to a Kohen is not his and
Issue 1024
11
2016-06-14 8:56:11 AM
PARSHA THOUGHT
that which we retain is not ours?
This question seems to be
the basis for Rashis statement,
quoting the Midrash, that the
words any portion (Truma)
from any of the holies that the
Children of Israel bring to the
Kohen shall be his implies that
the one who gives his gift to the
Kohen retains the right to decide
to which Kohen he should give it,
and the words what a man gives
to the Kohen shall be his also
refers to the belief that one who
gives the tithes to the Kohen will
that he first give Truma (and

particularly Bikkurim) from his
choicest produce, he was quickly
disabused of this notion. The
ostensible owner of the produce
is thereby informed that, on the
contrary, the primary reason one
grows food is to give it away to
G-d. This is done by giving it to
the Kohen, G-ds representative.
Once a Jew executes the main
function and responsibility vis-vis the produce, he can then
also enjoy the fruit of his labor
(literally). Only then can he claim
While Torahs primacy and inviolability is clear,

human nature militates against our feeling this
way intuitively. The fact that we are in Galus adds to the
smokescreen that cloaks the reality of Torah. All those
objects and ideas that we consider real acquire the
imprimatur of legitimacy and reality only to the extent
that they conform to Torah.
be rewarded with an abundance
of wealth.
One may suggest that the
following explanation will also
shed light on the connection to
Shavuos.
In truth, Truma is referred to
as the first of ones produce and
so is the Torah referred to as the
first of G-ds ways.
In other words, when a Jew
would separate a portion of his
produce and designate it as a holy
offering to be given to the Kohen,
it was his way of indicating that
in G-ds world there are primary
and secondary resources and
they are not necessarily identified
the way society tends to identify
them.
A person who grows produce
will naturally feel that his main
reason for farming is to get food
for himself, his family and the rest
of society. By the Torah mandating
that it is truly his produce.

This then is the deeper
meaning of the words, any
portion [Truma] from any of the
holies that the Children of Israel
bring to the Kohen shall be his
what a man gives to the Kohen
shall be his. Only after one gives
the offering to the Kohen can
one legitimately claim ownership.
Without first acknowledging the
primary owner, there is no room
for secondary ownership.
PRIMARY AND
SECONDARY REALITY
What occurred every time a
person gave his produce to the
Kohen is also a metaphor for the
way we look at creation in general
vis--vis the Torah.
Without the metaphor of
Truma, conventional wisdom
would view the relationship
among ourselves, our world and
Torah in the following manner:

We see ourselves living in a
predominantly physical world
governed by the immutable laws
of nature. In this world, G-d gave
us a metaphysical Torah to teach
us how to best live our lives within
the reality of physical existence.
From this perspective, the world
is truth, real, and primary, and
the Torah is a secondary influence
to enhance existence the way
we know it. In this formulation,
nature is primary and Torah is
secondary and is only real to the
extent that it conforms to physical
reality.
When we follow the lesson
of Truma we reach the opposite
conclusion. Torah, in truth,
is the primary and absolute
reality. In order for us to exist
as reality, our existence must be
preceded, created and animated
by the primary reality of Torah.
Only after the primacy of Torah
is established do we have any
basis to exist and also enjoy the
material world.
In other words, nature has
no legitimacy without Torah. As
Divine wisdom, Torah can exist
without a universe; the universe
cannot exist without the Torah.
In the words of our Sages,
Torah is the very blueprint of
creation. Just as complex human
structures are first represented by
a blueprint, there is no world that
is not preceded by and contained
within Torah. This also explains
another saying of our Sages:
The Torah preceded the world by
2,000 years. Chassidic thought
explains that it is not referring to
chronological time because before
creation there was no time. It
refers rather to cause and effect.
Torah is 2,000 levels removed
from the world, which means
that Torah is the primal cause of
a cascade of many subsequent
effects and causes that ultimately
2016-06-14 8:56:11 AM
devolved into a physical world.

Once we recognize that Torah
is the primary form of existence,
we reach a crucial conclusion.
Nothing in nature can possibly
pose an inherent contradiction
to the teachings and practice of
Torah. Any discrepancy between
Torah and science is either proof
that the scientific theory is wrong,
or that it was misconstrued. Of
course, the person who responds
to an apparent contradiction must
also make sure that he does not
misrepresent the true meaning of
Torah.
BRINGING THE FUTURE

INTO THE PRESENT
While Torahs primacy and
inviolability is clear, human

nature militates against our
feeling this way intuitively. The
fact that we are in Galus-exile
adds to the smokescreen that
cloaks the reality of Torah. All
those objects and ideas
that we consider real
acquire the imprimatur
of legitimacy and reality
only to the extent that they
conform to Torah.
When Moshiach ushers
in the true and complete
Redemption, the entire
world will be exposed to
this reality. Today, our
task is to introduce the
future by focusing our
attention on the Torahs
teachings concerning the
Continued from page 30

learned and taught others. Over the
years, he completed Shas several
times.
In 5753 he moved to Eretz Yisroel
after receiving the Rebbes bracha.
At first he lived in Geula and gave
shiurim to Russian speaking young
men at Machon Gutnick. Then he
moved to the Chabad community
in Ramat Shlomo in Yerushalayim.
For many years he was a pillar of the
Chabad community in the Yerushalmi
770. Even though he was no longer
young, he founded the kollel Tiferes
Zkeinim where he gave shiurim to
elderly Russian Jews. He was also
the treasurer of the Chabad shul and
worked in many ways for tzdaka
Redemption. That will provide

us with a paradigm shift and
condition us to see the true
relationship between Torah and
everything else in a refreshingly
new and liberating fashion.
matters for the public.

***
In recent weeks he fell ill. Even
during this period, the mesirus
nefesh he absorbed in his childhood
remained with him and he continued
to be mehader in mitzvos with
mesirus nefesh. This last Pesach
he drank four cups of wine and ate
all the kzeisim of matza and maror
although he was very sick.
He was released from the hospital
for one night. The first thing he did
was write checks for tzdaka for the
gemach that he ran and only then did
he go to lie down. The next day, he
returned to the hospital.
Erev Shabbos, Parshas Behar,
he passed away surrounded by his

family as they sang the niggunim of

the Rebbeim and recited Shma.
He is survived by his children,
Shaindy Wilhelm London, Rivka
Tenenbaum Crown Heights,
Leah Zilberstrom Yerushalayim,
Menachem Shagalov Crown
Heights, Yosef Yitzchok Shagalov
shliach in Minnesota, Moshe
Shagalov Crown Heights and
Yisroel Leib Shagalov California,
grandchildren
and
greatgrandchildren, many of them on
shlichus.
He is also survived by his sisters,
Mrs. Shula Kazen, Mrs. Roza
Marosow and Mrs. Rochel LevinLiberow.
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Issue 1025
13
2016-06-14 8:56:11 AM
BITACHON BYTES
CONFIDENCE IN
AVODAS HASHEM
By Rabbi Zalman Goldberg
The menuchas hanefesh which

results from placing complete trust
in Hashem is uplifting. By contrast,
when one feels burdened by lifes
responsibilities, ultimately due to
the lack of Bitachon in Hashem, one
might be more accurately described
as dispirited and disheartened.
Parshas Naso encourages an
uplifted mood, as can be derived
from the name of the parsha. Naso
means raise up; and although
literally it refers to the census of the
family of Gershon from the tribe of
Levi, however, this notion can also
be applied to uplifting in general1.
In light of the fact that this parsha
is read in close proximity to the
Yom Tov of Shavuos, the concept of
Naso affects that the Torah which
was given to us on Shavuos should
have the most exalted status in our
lives, i.e., we should be positively
affected and uplifted by the Torah
we study.
The idea of uplifting a person to
a level of pure menuchas hanefesh
applies not just when a person is
in a neutral zone, and becomes
elevated, rather this should also be
a goal for people who are feeling
down.
It2 is normal for a person to
occasionally feel that he or she is
living a life which best characterized
as a desert, i.e., lifeless and
lacking in accomplishments and
advancement. Much time may have
been wasted. Likewise, in ones

community one may feel the lack of
Yiddishe liveliness that surrounds
them on a daily basis. This does not
give a person a feeling of elation
and one wont feel excitement to
make a difference in their own lives
or on their surroundings.
The good news is that all
of these figurative deserts were
preceded by a real desert when
the Yidden left Mitzrayim. By
cautioning that the real desert
shouldnt affect the Yidden, and
on the contrary, the desert was
transformed to a place of vitality,
this helped every Yid who currently
finds him/herself in a figurative
Midbar that they should be helped
to not be subdued by the dreariness
of the desert, rather, they should
overpower the desert and transform
it to a situation shining with
Yiddishe life-force.
Being placed in a desert, and
being expected to transform it,
brings to mind the known account
of the attention that the Alter
Rebbe gave to Russian Jewry
before Liozna became a part
of Russia. In3 those times the
Russians were famous for their
illiteracy. Eventually there were
Yiddishe families who migrated
north, and with time the change of
their surrounding was noticeable
on them. Whereas formerly they
lived in more or less Yiddishe
communities and their appearance
portrayed that, they now looked

like their new surrounding which
was very peasant like, and coarse.
The Alter Rebbe was the
first to care for these families
scattered all over the Russian
towns, and he requested from an
accomplished chassid in study and
self-refinement, Reb Yochanan
Zeev from Horodok, that instead
of conducting his business in
the southern district which was
more populated by frum Yidden,
he should focus more on doing
business in the Russian towns.
This he did and after a few
months, he returned to the Alter
Rebbe depressed and downhearted
that he had to spent time amongst
such boorish people who had no
appreciation for anything refined
or intellectual. He begged the Alter
Rebbe to allow him to return to his
former clients in the more familiar
surroundings.
The Alter Rebbe sternly
responded that the steps of man are
ordained by Hashem, and man has
no say in matter.
After Tishrei Reb Yochanan
Zeev crossed the border to Russia
and as it got colder he found
opportunities to farbreng with the
local Yidden about Torah study
and about good middos. Hashem
gave him tremendous success and
over the winter he inspired many
baalei tshuva. The report that Reb
2016-06-14 8:56:12 AM
Yochanan Zeev brought the Alter

Rebbe after this trip was a truly
joyous one, for there were tangible
products from his hard work.
The Alter Rebbe then sent
several others to raise these newly
inspired people to the next level,
and within 3 years time there
had
blossomed
communities
with rabbanim, shochtim, and
melamdim etc. Twenty years later,
when parts of Poland and Lithuania
were annexed to Russia, which
resulted in Russia opening its
doors for freer travel, hundreds of
families who had resided in Poland
now moved to what was formerly
the coarse Russian empire, and
were astounded at how what was
considered a desert in the past, was
now a source of Torah and Yiras
Shamayim.
Direction for how to accomplish
this we also derive from our parsha,
where the Torah gives the command
to count the Levites and instructs
on their positions for traveling with
the Mishkan.
Chassidus explains that the
purpose of recording the Levites
numbers and listing their duties
was to empower the Levites. The
Levites needed empowerment for
at that time the Yidden were living
in the Midbar and there was a
constant fear that the desert and its
terrifying elements may overpower
them,
both
physically
and
spiritually. By counting the Levites,
those who bore the Mishkan in
the Midbar, the Levites were given
an importance which could not be
nullified, so that when they carry
the Mishkan through the desert,
they will be victorious over all that
the desert represented and they will
ultimately be able to transform the
Midbar to a place which contained
kdusha.
This census of the Levites has an
everlasting power for any individual
who wishes to commit him/herself
to the holy work of the 4Levites,
which is to battle against the unholy

desert elements. As a result of the
Levites receiving an invincible
existence by being counted in the
Midbar, a domino effect is had on
all those who follow their example.
Once we receive an invincible
spiritual existence from the Levites,
there is no situation in which we
may fear that our avodas Hashem
will fail. In whichever desert we
may find ourselves, whether our
surroundings seem void of holiness,
or if our lives appear to have been
spent for large part not in a G-dly
manner, we need to remember that
as soon as we devote ourselves to
avodas Hashem we become like a
Levi who maintains the upper hand
in every desert.
This is a general message
derived from the counting of shevet
Levi as a whole, but when we take
a look at the individual families of
shevet Levi, we can derive specific
direction on how to transform any
spiritual desert into an oasis of life.
The first (and oldest) family
counted in this weeks parsha
is that of Gershon. The name
Gershon means to chase away,
indicating that the evil elements
must be eradicated from a persons
being prior to bringing in holiness,
just as one must clean out the dirt
before bringing beautiful furniture
into ones abode. Bringing in the
furniture hints to the doing of
good deeds alluded to in the name
Kehos and in the specific work
that the family of Kehos did. Kehos
means to gather, as it says
, and to him the nations will
gather referring to the good deeds
that are being gathered as they are
performed. Kehos also carried all of
the inner vessels which were used
to serve in the Mishkan, in contrast
to the family of Gershon who dealt
with the protective and outer parts
of the Mishkan the yerios, which
were meant to keep out impure,
unholy, and therefore unwanted,
elements.
Interestingly, the family of

Kehos is actually recorded earlier
in Parshas BaMidbar, implying that
although Kehos is not mentioned
first in Parshas Naso and is
therefore not first in the necessary
order of overpowering the Midbar,
it nonetheless contains a certain
advantage over the family of
Gershon.
The superiority of the duties
of the descendants of Kehos was
that they represented the ultimate
goal. After the unwanted elements
of the desert were repelled and
driven away through the family
of Gershon, the Kehos family
can comfortably and confidently
serve Hashem with no unholy
distractions.
Simcha is one of the
fundamental aspects of Bitachon in
Hashem and if simcha is lacking,
its obvious that there is another
influence other than Hashem in
the persons life. And this is the
Bitachon message of this weeks
parsha: once we know that we
are an extension of the invincible
Levites, we need never worry about
being overtaken by the desert,
and we can be confident with inner
joy that we will always succeed in
our avodas Hashem.
Rabbi Zalman Goldberg is
a well sought after speaker and
lecturer on Chassidic thought. His
writings and recordings on the
topic of Bitachon can be accessed
at
http://www.gotbitachon.com.
You can also receive his one minute
daily Bitachon clip by sending a
WhatsApp to 347.546.4402 with
the word Bitachon.
(Endnotes)
. 452 '( '' '' 1
. 16 '( '' '' 2
482 '( '' '' 3
.
.( '' ' 4
Issue 1025
15
2016-06-14 8:56:12 AM
SHLICHUS
For many years, Jewish tourists who went to the tiny island
called Isla Mujeres in northern Mexico were surprised to find
out that this popular tourist spot did not have a Chabad
presence. * Not any longer. Four years ago, R YY Ben Shimon
and R MM Dayan opened a Chabad House there. * They tell
about searching for a big menorah on the rooftops, about
someone who donated $10,000 for Pesach outreach, about
a tourist named Menachem Mendel whose story moved the
tourists, and much more.
By Nosson Avrohom
2016-06-14 8:56:12 AM
YEAR ROUND
SUNSHINE
AND
G-DLINESS
ON ISLA
MUJERES
Issue 1025
17
2016-06-14 8:56:14 AM
SHLICHUS
sla Mujeres is a pretty island,

five miles long, with gorgeous
beaches, in northern Mexico.
Isla first gained international
attention for its outstanding
aquatic conditions. There is clear,
warm water, abundant marine life,
reefs and caves, and snorkeling
sites abound. Most of Islas
residents livelihood is from diving
and fishing.
The island is divided into
two sections. The southern part
is where most of the hostels and
hotels are and that is where the
Chabad House is located. The
Garrafon Reef Park, known
worldwide for its beauty and
snorkeling, kayaking and hiking,
is in the northern part. There are
breathtaking views and iguanas
that freely roam. The park has
a dolphin reef where you can
swim with the dolphins and feed
them. Thousands of Israelis and
other Jews visit the island every
year, says R Yosef Yitzchok Ben
Shimon.
The Chabad House is on
Hidalgo Street which is one of the
main arteries of the island. The
shluchim help tourists and Jewish
visitors both materially and
spiritually. At the Chabad House
they receive information about
hotels, stores, and attractions
at a special price and can
avail themselves of shiurim on
Chassidus and Halacha. There is
an active shul, kosher restaurants,
and special events on Shabbos
and Yomim Tovim.
The Chabad House is open
from early morning until late at
night. The tourists find it a warm
place that provides them with all
their needs.
The Chabad House was
opened four years ago, on
Chanuka, by R Yossi Ben Shimon
and R Mendy Dayan, who went
to the island as bachurim on
Merkos Shlichus. The Chabad
House is located in a spacious,

two story building. On the first
floor is a vegetarian restaurant
which sells falafel, and there are
offices. On the second floor is
the shul, a meat restaurant, a
kitchen, a place for tourists to sit
down and phone service to Israel.
The thousands of Israeli tourists
who visit the island head for the
Chabad House in order to take
part in their activities and to enjoy
the homey atmosphere.
On Isla you can open a
window on every side of the
building and see the ocean. This
island is one of the ten most
beautiful islands in the world
according to the ratings on every
tourist and vacation website
worldwide.
There are attractions, but
the tourists who come here come
mostly to relax. This provides
us with plenty of work to do,
because people are more open
to asking questions and we are
ready to answer and teach, says
R Yossi.
THE REBBE DIRECTED

US TO SHLICHUS ON THE
ISLAND
Although the Chabad House
has been in existence for only four
years, it is already a bustling place
that is busy around the clock. The
beginning was no picnic and the
shluchim had to be determined
in order to achieve this kind of
success.
We started our shlichus in
Mexico in Playa del Carmen, by
R Chaim Brod. We were there for
about a year and learned how the
Rebbes shlichus is supposed to
look.
Throughout that year, we
were asked by tourists, again
and again, why there wasnt a
branch of Chabad on Isla. People
would stay on the island thinking
they could spend Shabbos with

Chabad, and were surprised to
discover Chabad was not there.
For example, after Pesach, about
thirty tourists went to the Chabad
House in Playa and expressed
their dismay that on Pesach, when
they were on Isla, such a famous
island, they had nowhere to
celebrate the holiday.
When half a year later, the
day after Yom Kippur, a group
came into the Chabad House
with the same complaint, saying
they had nowhere to daven on the
holy day, I began to think about
opening a Chabad House on Isla.
However, I had one concern.
There had been couples who went
there on shlichus but encountered
hardships, and they didnt
last there. The problem is that
unlike other islands frequented
by tourists, progress still hasnt
reached it. American investors
have not arrived yet, and the ones
who run tourism on the island are
local Mexicans.
After Mendy and I finished
our shlichus on Playa, we looked
for a place of our own. When we
returned to 770 we wrote to the
Rebbe. We mentioned Isla and
two other places, enumerating the
pros and cons of each place. We
asked for guidance and a bracha.
When Mendy and Yossi read
the answer, they were stunned.
The first two lines began
with the Rebbe expressing his
joy about the opening of the
center on the island. It is a letter
addressed to Chabad activists
in Morocco. The letter goes on
to bless the activities there and
that the acclimation be easy and
successful. The Rebbe notes
that Chanuka is coming up and
gives a bracha that the activities
during Chanuka be successful.
We looked at one another in
amazement. The day we wrote the
letter was just two weeks before
2016-06-14 8:56:15 AM
Chanuka. We hadnt considered

starting so quickly but we felt the
Rebbe wanted it.
The two young, dynamic
shluchim felt that the letter was
clearly directing them to Isla, for
that was the only place mentioned
in their letter that is on an island.
In
consultation
with
mashpiim, we decided this is
a place we need to prepare for
the Rebbes hisgalus. The initial
money we had to raise was
$10,000, just to start out, said
R Yossi. I went to Mexico City
where I have relatives and raised
half the amount and Mendy raised
the same amount in Florida. We
were just young bachurim but
we were very determined and
ambitious.
We arrived on the island
for Chanuka with a few sfarim
and other essential things for the
maintenance of Jewish life. We
found a room in a hotel and hung
our Chabad House sign with a
note in Hebrew about where the

keys are when we are not there.
We immediately began walking
around and looking for the best
place to put up a menorah. We
heard that a few years earlier, R
Barak Chetzroni of Canada had
been active there over Chanuka
and he said that the big menorah
that he built was on a roof on
some street on the island.
We had some Israelis join
us and we went from roof to
roof. The locals, who are not
used to Chabad activities, were
quite surprised to see bachurim
in suits and hats jumping from
roof to roof. In the end, after a
lot of searching, the menorah was
found. It was repainted and set
up in the center of the island with
many tourists gathered round,
as moved as we were. It was the
first day and our first event on
Isla, and since then the outreach
has grown. The shluchim from
Playa helped us a lot at first, and
we always consult with and are

helped by them.
In the first months the room
at the hotel served as the Chabad
House. In the morning, the beds
were folded and became chairs
and on Shabbos the shluchim
would rent a restaurant on the
island and have the davening
and Shabbos meals there. It was
impossible to continue like this
and they looked for a building
where all their activities could
take place. That wasnt easy to
find.
They finally found a suitable
building which they renovated.
Its on a main street so that
whoever goes to the island drops
in.
Good friends helped us buy
the tables and chairs. On the
first Shabbos we used candle
light. Friends who turned into
real partners from R Motti
Anatis community, who came
to the Chabad House, made a
Issue 1025
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SHLICHUS
He is one of the biggest real estate agents in

the center of the country and we consulted with
him about a piece of land we wanted to buy. You are
uncertain what to do? When we said yes, he gave us
musar. Ill tell you what I do before every deal, including
deals that I am confident about. I write to the Rebbe
through the Igros Kodesh. If there is a positive answer, I
know there is a bracha in the deal. If not, then even if it
looks good to me, I dont sign on it. And you, shluchim of
the Rebbe, dont know what to do?!
nice donation with which air

conditioners were bought. The
island is near the equator and it
is summer weather most of the
year. On Purim day, the tourists,
who included men of means,
raised money to take care of the
lighting and a kitchen was built
which feeds hundreds of tourists
a week.
VICTORY OF LIGHT OVER

DARKNESS
The Rebbe says that holy
things always come with difficulty,
and all beginnings are difficult.
One Friday, about half a year after
we started working here, while
we were in the middle of getting
ready for Shabbos and were
expecting dozens of tourists that
night, two policemen knocked at
the door. They came in and told
us that we have ten minutes to get
out. They produced a warrant to
close the place. We were in shock
but we held on to the directives of
the Rebbe and continued getting
ready for Shabbos.
Ten minutes went by and
another policeman came with a
warrant and a roll of police tape.
The policeman went up to the
top floor, closed the doors, and
stuck police tape on them. If
this tape is removed you will get
a stiff fine, the officer warned

us. Within a few minutes we were
outside the building and all the
doors were locked. The owners of
neighboring stores stood around
us, happy at our misfortune.
The policemen told us to go
to the municipal offices which we
did. We were sure that we would
pay some fine and the place
would be reopened, but thats
not what happened. They sent
us from one clerk to another and
each one accused us of baseless
crimes. We had an immediate
need for a lot of money for fines
and the tourists who were on
Isla at the time helped us in truly
moving fashion. Surprisingly, one
of the tourists, whose goal was to
travel without spending money
while relying on others, took out
his credit card and made a nice
donation.
When two weeks passed
and we saw that things were not
moving, we called upon some
people from the community in
Mexico City. One of them sent us
some lawyers to help us confront
the municipal powers that be.
Throughout this time, we received
brachos from the Rebbe through
the Igros Kodesh which we found
encouraging.
In the end, after the
administration realized that we

might soon publicize a big article
in the most popular newspaper
in Mexico that the municipality
was working against Jewish sites
on the island, they recanted on
all their ridiculous demands
and within two weeks, on Erev
Shabbos, we were allowed to
return to our place. Of course we
immediately began our Shabbos
preparations with the tourists
happily helping us. We had a
big farbrengen after Shacharis
in which we told of the miracles
that Hashem did for us and good
resolutions were made.
Business people told us that
it generally takes six months to
reopen an enterprise that was
closed down by the police. They
were amazed that it took us only
two weeks. We eventually learned
that a local couple was responsible
for what happened. They were
wealthy Mexicans who owned
several hotels and businesses.
They were nervous about our
success and since they were
influential in the local government
they got them to close down the
Chabad House. When the story
was over, we did not know how
to regard them from that point
on, for a large part of our work
involves helping tourists with
places to sleep.
We wrote to the Rebbe about
this and the answer was all about
increasing light and not dealing
with darkness. So we prepared
a sticker about the Seven
Noachide Laws and asked for
an appointment to meet with the
couple. They agreed to meet and
were quite surprised to see that
we werent angry. Rather than
talk about the Chabad House,
we told them about the seven
mitzvos, about the Rebbe, and
about Chabad. They were very
excited and wanted to learn more.
They became our biggest helpers.
When we have a problem with the
2016-06-14 8:56:16 AM
city, we ask them for help and

they resolve everything. They are
invited to every event we make
and enjoy being partners in our
work.
MAKING SOULS
We put effort into keeping
in touch with our visitors. We are
in Eretz Yisroel now and every
Shabbos we host tourists who
were with us on Isla. Along with
reminiscing about the Chabad
House, we talk about deepening
Jewish identity and moving
forward with Torah and mitzvos.
At this point, R Mendy joined
the conversation and the two
shluchim tell us stories about
tourists who became interested

in Judaism. R Mendy told about
Three tourists came to us on a
trip after the army. They came to
the Chabad House on Shushan
Purim in order to put down their
bags until they found a hotel.
That night there was a Purim
farbrengen in Playa, at R Brods
Chabad House. Shluchim and
tourists from Chabad Houses in
the area attended. I invited these
three guys to the farbrengen and
they were happy to join.
The farbrengen lasted all
night in the course of which
the three of them made good
resolutions. One of them,
Netanel, committed to putting on
tfillin every day and after that, he
visited the Chabad House every

day. From Isla he continued on
to Central America and visited
another ten Chabad Houses.
In each place he became even
stronger in Torah and mitzvos
and at the end of his travels,
before he returned home, he
made a long stopover at 770. He
became part of Beis Chayeinu,
a real Tamim. He spent half a
year there, attending shiurim
in Chassidus, immersing in
a mikva daily, davening and
attending farbrengens. After
receiving a bracha from the
Rebbe, he returned to Eretz
Yisroel and opened a souvenir
shop in Hertzliya and developed
strong connections with the local
Issue 1025
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SHLICHUS
THE TOURIST NAMED MENACHEM MENDEL

Last 11 Nissan we had a special farbrengen at the Chabad House
with many tourists. At a certain point, one of them got up and said that his
Hebrew birthday was that day, 11 Nissan. He said that doctors had told his
mother to end the pregnancy, but she wrote to the Rebbe through the Igros
Kodesh and the answer was a bracha for an easy birth.
Despite all the warnings of the doctors, she gave birth to a healthy boy in
an easy birth on 11 Nissan and he was named for the Rebbe. When a tourist
gets up and tells a story like that, you start singing Yechi and who wont join
in?!
Chabad activists. His business
grew and he returned to 770 two
times.
This is one story out of many
about young people who became
interested in Judaism, aside from
many others who committed to
putting on tfillin regularly or to
light Shabbos candles.
I asked how the shluchim were
able to bring about such a deep
change in people. The answer:
Its all from the Rebbe. We
are just the channels between
the Rebbe and them. The best
approach is to do it in a matterof-fact way, with all your heart.
This point was brought home for
me by a tourist who came to us
from Eretz Yisroel. He is one of
the biggest real estate agents and
sellers in the center of the country
and we consulted with him about
a piece of land we wanted to buy.
You are uncertain and really
dont know what to do? When
we said yes, he gave us musar.
Ill tell you what I do before
every deal, including deals that I
am confident about. I write to the
Rebbe through the Igros Kodesh.
If there is a positive answer, I
know there is a bracha in the deal.
If not, then even if it looks good
to me, I dont sign on it. And
you, shluchim of the Rebbe, dont
know what to do?!
To us this was an amazing
lesson about how Elokus is
accepted
matter-of-factly.
You just have to say things

straightforwardly,
without
pshetlach.
THE STORY
OF MOSHE LEVY
Shabbos is a terrific day at
every Chabad House, especially
at Chabad Houses for tourists.
Numerous young people want a
Jewish atmosphere or a taste of
home and they visit the Chabad
House for tfillos and Shabbos
meals. But on Isla that feeling
is felt daily when the morning
begins with a shiur in Chassidus,
followed by davening and then
breakfast. The good feeling that is
created and the fact that nobody
is rushing anywhere, makes
for great receptivity. People
are willing to listen, and many
of them get involved through
the shiurim and make good
resolutions in mitzva observance.
Two years ago, one of the
tourists told a moving story. Ido
Galili attended a Chassidus class
and then shared his personal
story. He said that a few years
ago he was a commander in the
Givati Brigade. There was a time
when morale and motivation were
low. He gave a lot of thought as
to what to do about it and finally
decided to address his men on
the topic of love for Eretz Yisroel
and Jewish history. He spoke and
they listened but it did not look as
though his talk was a success.
As he listened in to
conversations emanating from
the soldiers tents, his instinct
was validated. Ido had to do
something to raise morale. He
went to the command offices
where he poked around in the
library and found a book that
documented all the soldiers who
received medals for bravery from
the IDF. Most of them were no
longer alive but there was one,
named Levy, who had received
a medal for endangering his life
during the Yom Kippur War in
order to save his men. Ido read
his story, got his soldiers together
again, and told them the story.
This time, it looked as though he
had reached their hearts.
The soldiers were motivated
and worked as they were expected
to work. Some months later Ido
was released from army duty
but he was first invited to attend
a trip to Poland to the death
camps, along with officers from
all branches of the army. When
they got to the hotel in Poland,
they were told that they would be
hearing a lecture from a former
IDF soldier. How amazed he was
to see Moshe Levy himself, who
told his story. Ido went over to
him after the lecture and told him
how happy he was to meet him.
He told Levy how his story had
raised the soldiers morale.
That night, Levy told him
his incredible rescue story and
then said he had the privilege of
meeting with the Lubavitcher
Rebbe along with a group of
other injured soldiers. Afterward,
he had a private audience with
the Rebbe in which the Rebbe
encouraged him to start putting
on tfillin. The Rebbe even asked
him to go to the office where
the secretary had a pair of tfillin
waiting for him. And since then,
the first thing he does in the
morning is put on tfillin.
2016-06-14 8:56:20 AM
Ido told this story at the

Chabad House. It was worth no
less than dozens of shiurim in
Chassidus. People were moved
and impressed. The most moving
thing, for me, was hearing from
Ido, who is not a religious fellow,
that after hearing Moshe Levys
story he also does not miss a day
without putting on tfillin.
I asked how the shluchim
raise the money they need for
their work. They said:
When you do, the bracha
comes. On Erev Pesach of
two years ago, we had a lot of
expenses and when we arrived
a few days before Pesach, we
had no money to work with. We
wrote to the Rebbe and asked
for a bracha. The answer we
opened to was all about emuna,
that everything is in the hands of
heaven. We understood from this
to continue as usual and Hashem
would provide.
The day before Pesach, an
Israeli showed up and said that
he met a very wealthy person
who lives on Cancun nearby, who
told him that he wants to meet
a shliach of the Rebbe. I went
with this Israeli while Mendy
continued making preparations
for Yom Tov.
We arrived at a beautiful
home on Cancun. The older
man showed me a dollar he had
received from the Rebbe and to
my surprise he said he felt great
gratitude toward the Rebbe.

Whatever I would ask him for
help, he said he would happily
give me. I was flabbergasted.
I made a quick calculation of
how much money we needed for
all of Pesach and said, $10,000.
The man got up, went to his room
and came back with an envelope
with $10,000 in cash. The power
of emuna.
The shluchim note that during
the past two years they have made
use of professional consultants in
constructing a long-term vision
in carrying out the directives of
the Rebbe, and preparing a game
plan for activities and fundraising.
They are seeing much heavenly
assistance and success with it.
As for spreading the Besuras
HaGeula:
We talk about the Besuras
HaGeula and the Goel matterof-factly and the tourists accept
it. When we proclaim Yechi, and
refer to the Rebbe as Melech
HaMoshiach,
that
is
also
accepted.
I see how the world is ready
for the Geula, even non-Jews.
There are many stores on the
island that have a picture of the
Rebbe in the window. They know
that the Rebbe is our father and
the father of the entire world.
When we come back from 770,
they ask us whether we went
to visit our father. We buy them
books in Spanish about observing
mitzvos and they pass the books

around. In recent days we have
been working on a pilot program
for teaching the Sheva Mitzvos in
the schools on the island.
The world is ready for the
Geula. When you convey the
message properly and with the
simplicity of emuna, it draws
people in. To them it is obvious
that if we left our comfortable
lives in Eretz Yisroel and all other
religious communities in the
world, the reason has to do with
the fact that we are on the Rebbes
shlichus to bring Moshiach.
DEVELOPMENTS
Chabad in Isla is not about
to rest on its laurels. They are
nearing completion of the process
of buying a lot and building a big
Chabad House which will have
a mikva, a guest house, a shul
and hall for events as well as two
kosher restaurants, dairy and
meat.
At the end of the interview, R
Yossi thanks his wife, Rivka, for
her help and support. She does
tremendous work with the female
tourists.
A great simcha was recently
celebrated as R Mendy Dayan
married his wife Ruchama. They
plan on returning together to Isla
to step up the work in preparing
for kabbalas pnei Moshiach.
ADD IN ACTS OF GOODNESS & KINDNESS
TO BRING MOSHIACH NOW!

Issue 1025
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OBITUARY
A CHASSID
OF CHESED
R Bentzion Shagalov, who recently passed away
at the age of 91, was born to a life of mesirus
nefesh. His early years were spent fleeing the
communists who murdered his father. * After
marrying, he settled in London and became one
of the pillars of the community and the Chabad
activity there. * He was mekushar to the Rebbe
and traveled to see him nearly every year. * His
chesed specialty was hachnasas orchim. * In
his later years he moved to Ramat Shlomo in
Yerushalayim where he continued his amazing
acts of chesed along with shiurim for Russian
immigrants.
By Shmuel Jacobowitz and Berele Crombie
Bentzion was born

in Kislev 5685/1824
in Homil. His father
was the Chassid and
baal mesirus nefesh, R Yitzchok
Elchanan, may Hashem avenge
his blood, and his mother was
Mariasha ah. Bentzion was born
after the Communist Revolution.
Persecution against anything Jewish

reached a peak. Any suspicion, as
slight as it might be, of involvement
in Torah and mitzvos, led to arrest
and persecution.
R Bentzion was educated by
his parents in a Chassidishe way
of life. His father hired melamdim
to teach him.
His childhood in the shadow
of his great father ended with
tragedy when his father was
arrested at the end of 5697 and
never seen again. Only later did
they find out that he had been
killed by the communists.
2016-06-14 8:56:21 AM
A few months later, in Kislev

5698, he became a bar mitzva.
He began putting on his fathers
tfillin. His mother had wanted
to bring him to the Chassid, R
Chaim Hillel Azimov to learn the
Haftora but following the arrest
of his father and other Chassidim,
many Chassidim fled, including R
Chaim Hillel. It was only after a

number of weeks had gone by and
R Chaim Hillel dared to return
home that his mother asked him
to teach her son the Haftora of
the upcoming Shabbos.
Bentzion had an aliya on
Shabbos, Parshas Shmos, and
read the Haftora.
ESCAPE TO MOSCOW
Following his fathers arrest,
the family was in trouble,
financially too, aside from the
fact that they were expelled from
their home. His mother looked
for work to provide for her
children but any work entailed
Shabbos desecration. She began
Issue 1025
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2016-06-14 8:56:23 AM
OBITUARY
working in the home and her
children would help her as much
as they could. Together they
would pluck feathers and they
also manufactured shoelaces. The
profits were meager and their
poverty was great, but none of
this prepared the family for the
even more difficult tribulations
that came upon them.
It all began with the criticism
of a friend of Mariasha who
unexpectedly visited one Shabbos
and saw the lit Shabbos candles.
She rebuked Mariasha for
sticking to this nonsense,
and told her that she must send
her children to public school;
otherwise, she would report her
to the authorities.
Mariasha kept her wits about
her and immediately began to
give excuses about how some of
her children did not live in the
city anymore and she would be
sending the little ones to school
soon. Despite this, as soon as
Shabbos was over, she ran away
with her children to her brother,
R Leib Garelik, while Bentzion
and his older sister traveled to
Bikova, a suburb of Moscow,
where he learned Torah with
those who were willing to learn
with him.
Bentzion understood, despite
his young age, that in order for
his family to manage, he had to
work too. He was able to find
various jobs that earned him some
money and over time he saw that
he had a good business sense.
The family soon reunited in the
village of Kashira, about 100
kilometers from Moscow. Other
Chassidim lived there, including:
R Dovid Kievman, R Shmuel
Itze Reitzes, R Yeshaya Denberg
(R Nissan Nemenovs brotherin-law). The latter was a big
lamdan and Bentzion occasionally
learned with him.
A few years ago, R Shagalov
His father, R Yitzchok Elchonon

Shagalov (a painting)
spoke about this period to the

Chassidic writer, R Yisroel
Elfenbein in Kfar Chabad:
In Kashira I worked and
earned good money. We would
manufacture scarves and I
became expert in making the
fringes that stand out from
the scarf after its knitted. But
in order to survive, the main
parnasa was from hiding some of
the merchandise and selling it on
the black market. After half a year
we had an entire room full of this
material and I would manufacture
scarves out of them and sell them
on the black market. I got five
rubles for every scarf, a very nice
income.
R Bentzion went on to say
that Chassidim gave his mother
long-term loans and most of the
money he earned went to pay
back the loans.
TRAVELING TO
SAMARKAND
When the Nazis approached
Moscow during World War II,
the Shagalov family escaped to
save their lives. After an arduous
journey the family arrived in
distant Tashkent where they
were hosted, at first, by R Chaim

Tashkenter (Horowitz). Then
they were helped by R Zalman
Sudakevitch,
who
arranged
proper papers for the family so
they could remain in Tashkent
which was relatively safe.
One
of
R
Bentzions
memories of those days was of
farbrengens that were led by
the mashpia, R Shlomo Chaim
Kesselman. During a farbrengen
he would demand from the young
men to establish a Torah shiur.
One of the men said, Nu, the
shiur will last three months and
then peter out. R Shlomo Chaim
said, Then we will make another
farbrengen and talk about the
need to restart the shiur!
Along with farbrengens and
shiurim he participated in, the
exigencies of life gave him no
rest and young Bentzion had to
go to work again. Since in those
days other relatives arrived in
Tashkent, Bentzion did all he
could to help everyone, despite
the difficult circumstances.
When he was a bit older,
he had draft problems. During
those war times, the government
drafted every young man of draft
age, even those who had been
given exemptions previously for
various reasons. Sometimes the
government conducted a siege
on a certain neighborhood and
went from house to house on
every street to find boys of draft
age. If they found them and they
did not have exemption papers,
they were taken directly to the
draft office and from there to the
front lines. This is why Bentzion
left Tashkent for Samarkand
where he got a Polish passport
which exempted him from the
draft.
There too, in Samarkand,
as the older child who took
the responsibility for parnasa,
he
continued
working
by
2016-06-14 8:56:28 AM
manufacturing stockings while

his younger brothers studied in
the underground yeshiva that was
founded there. He still continued
having set times to learn Torah
with his friends including Zalman
Lebenharz and Avrohom Aharon
Rubashkin. They sometimes
learned by R Yisroel Noach
Blinitzky and R Peretz Chein. He
was happiest when he was able to
occasionally attend farbrengens
with respected mashpiim.
LEAVING RUSSIA
At the end of the war, many
Chassidim were able to leave
Russia under the guise of Polish
citizens returning to their
homeland via the border city of
Lvov. The Shagalovs wanted to
leave Russia too, but Mariasha,
who still did not know what had
become of her husband, wanted
to wait in the Soviet Union. The
indecision was heartbreaking
and after much hesitation she
decided to leave the country for
the chinuch of her children.
Bentzion, eighteen years old
at the time, was happy with his
mothers decision. He obtained
Polish passports for the entire
family and on Lag BOmer
5706/1946 he held a farbrengen
with his fellow Chassidim in
Samarkand. In retrospect, this
turned out to be their goodbye
farbrengen for outside was
waiting a car with their few
belongings.
The Shagalovs arrived in
Poland. First they stayed in
Lodz where many refugees had
gathered. Bentzion, who wanted
to learn Torah, immediately
joined the yeshiva which had
opened there. From Poland,
the family traveled to Germany
where they settled together
with other Lubavitcher families
in the displaced persons camp
in Poking. There he learned in
At the wedding of a grandson, Meir Shlomo Shagalov,

now a shliach at Cambridge University
Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim. He

finally felt that he was making up
for what he missed in his younger
years.
At the request of the rosh
yeshiva, Bentzion made various
trips on behalf of the yeshiva
and for the Chabad refugees. He
made trips to the offices of the
Joint in Munich to get clothes
and other items for the refugees.
Years later he said that not only
did he not ask for payment for
these trips, he even paid the travel
expenses out of his own pocket.
From Poking, some of the
Chassidim traveled to Paris where
Bentzion continued to learn in
Tomchei Tmimim which was
founded in Brunoy. He studied
Nigleh and Chassidus diligently.
About a year later, he made
aliya alone. At first he stayed in
the Shaar HaAliya camp in Haifa
and then he learned in Yeshivas
Achei Tmimim in Tel Aviv. Then
he moved to Kfar Chabad and did
farming. He lived in one of the
abandoned Arab houses. There
were other young bachurim with
him, Mordechai Levin, Reuven
Kaminetzky, and others.
Bentzion continued farming
while having set times to

learn Torah. He also arranged
private lessons for himself
with the mashpia, R Nachum
Goldschmid.
IN THE COMMUNITY IN
LONDON
The second night of Chanuka
5713, he married Chaya Clara
Jacobson from Ireland (a Litvishe
family descended from the
Vilna Gaon). The wedding was
celebrated in Dublin, and a group
of Anash living there and working
in shchita at the initiative of
the Rebbe Rayatz, attended the
wedding.
The couple settled in London
where he opened a textile factory.
Unfortunately, the business failed
and when he expressed his pain to
the Rebbe, the Rebbe suggested
he be involved in shchita. In the
end, the Rebbe agreed that he
should be involved in business
and even guided him in this.
R Bentzion was utterly
mekushar to the Rebbe. In 5714
he went to the Rebbe for the first
time, even though in those years
the trips werent easy as they
Issue 1025
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2016-06-14 8:56:29 AM
OBITUARY
became in later years. Since then,
he traveled to the Rebbe regularly,
usually once a year. When his
children wanted to travel to the
Rebbe, he urged them to go every
year, although this wasnt typical
of English balabatim. Not only
that, but he even convinced his
children to go to the Rebbe for
Tishrei while he stayed home with
the younger children.
R
Bentzion
was
very
particular about all aspects of
kashrus and ate meat and chicken
only if he knew the shochet, and
if the koshering process was done
by his wife at home. Every year
he would bake matzos as part
of a very mehudar chabura. The
cost of the matzos was $52 a
kilogram.
people who speak like that about

the Rebbe, I wouldnt put in my
mouth.
GUIDANCE FROM THE

REBBE
Throughout the years, R
Shagalov had a warm and close
relationship with the Rebbe. On
his first visit he had yechidus
which lasted three quarters of
an hour. He told about it in the
aforementioned interview:
The Rebbe asked me to
write him all the details about my
businesses. In the next yechidus
he asked why I dont write about
my businesses. I expressed my
surprise, did the Rebbe have time
and patience to listen to all my
One year, the chabura used the bakery of another

Chassidic group and some of the bakers, not
from the chabura, spoke negatively about the Rebbe.
At the end of the baking, he went over to the person in
charge who calculated what he owed. R Bentzion took
out the money, which amounted to hundreds of pounds,
put it on the table, and to the shock of the man in charge
he said, But Im not taking matzos. Matzos that were
baked by people who speak like that about the Rebbe, I
wouldnt put in my mouth.
One year, the chabura used

the bakery of another Chassidic
group and some of the bakers,
not from the chabura, spoke
negatively about the Rebbe. At
the end of the baking, he went
over to the person in charge
who calculated what he owed.
R Bentzion took out the money,
which amounted to hundreds of
pounds, put it on the table, and to
the shock of the man in charge he
said, But Im not taking matzos.
Matzos that were baked by
personal questions with all my

silly indecisions? The Rebbe said
he did and as far as silliness, he
said that sometimes a good deal
emerges from silliness.
As a Chassid, it was no little
thing for him to bother the Rebbe
with details of his businesses but
it cost him dearly when he didnt:
The Rebbe said he would
give me detailed guidance, but I
sometimes relied on the green
light that the Rebbe gave me
for my factory and did whatever

I decided. At those times, things
did not work out well.
He also received guidance
about other things. Before his
oldest daughters marriage to
R Nachman Yosef Wilhelm in
5733, he was uncertain about
what kind of wedding to make.
Financially, he could make an
elaborate wedding and an askan
in London even tried to convince
him to do that to somehow make
Chabad look good. Yet, he knew
the Rebbes view which opposed
spending a lot on weddings but
he was afraid people would say
the rich man was tightfisted.
When he was in yechidus,
he presented these points to the
Rebbe and the Rebbes answer
was, Make a wedding that will
be rich in ruchnius and simple
in gashmius and I make you my
agent to repeat this to others
in my name; and dont waste
[excessive] money on flowers and
photos because it would be better
to give this money to tzdaka or to
the couple.
When a shidduch was
proposed for his daughter with
R Binyomin Zilberstrom, after
they met and decided to ask the
Rebbe, R Bentzion had yechidus.
Since the couple did not yet
receive a positive answer from
the Rebbe, R Bentzion brought
it up and the Rebbe said, When
they write, I will respond. Still,
the Rebbe did not wait, but
immediately began talking about
the shidduch as though it was a
foregone conclusion. The Rebbe
asked where the vort would be
with R Bentzion asking whether
it should be where the kalla lived,
in London. The Rebbe said, It is
bittul Torah to take the chassan
from here and fly to London. If
you want people in London to
hear the maamer, they should
record it and play the tape in
2016-06-14 8:56:29 AM
London.
On the Shabbos before the
yechidus, R Shmuel Shraga, an
askan in Crown Heights who was
involved in the neighborhoods
security, suddenly died. He had
been well-liked and people in the
community were despondent.
During that yechidus, the Rebbe
told R Bentzion it was worth
making the vort in Crown Heights
and in an expansive way, since it
was time there was simcha here in
Brooklyn, and the Rebbe made
an encouraging hand motion.
During the vort Chassidim
farbrenged, including R Gershon
Mendel Garelik, R Bentzions
cousin, until morning, and it was
very joyous.
R Shagalov was one of the
founders of Lubavitch House
in London and he did a lot to
raise big money for Chabad
mosdos in London. At the
same time, he worked to raise
money from wealthy people for
needy Lubavitcher families, and
especially did a lot to help Chabad
families in London so they could
marry off their children in dignity.
UNLIMITED HOSPITALITY
One
of
R
Shagalovs
outstanding characteristics was
his chesed. He constantly worked
not only for the welfare of people
in general but for individuals too.
He did not only give nice sums
of money to tzdaka; he took a
genuine interest in the person he
was dealing with and showed that
he cared.
R Bentzion gave generously
to tzdaka not only after his
businesses profited. To him, you
didnt make conditions with
G-d. He once entered a business
partnership with a Chassid from
some other group. The partner
announced that if he made a
nice amount of money, he would
At a bris of one of his grandchildren with R Michoel Teitelbaum next to him
give a large sum to tzdaka. R

Bentzion said, I will also give a
large sum to tzdaka, but I will
give it already [in advance].
His
son-in-law,
R
Zilberstrom, relates:
My father-in-law was a
very interesting combination.
On the one hand, he absorbed
from his father a lifestyle of
mesirus nefesh. On the other
hand, someone asked him at a
farbrengen, R Bentzion, how is it
that you are involved in business
matters in this world?
My father-in-law replied, I
make money so I can help Jews.
In general, he was a balabus in
the sense that you need money so
you can help others. Any Jew who
entered his home was received
expansively and felt good.
Throughout the years, he excelled
in hospitality.
At the beginning of the sixties,
when Anash in Eretz Yisroel
began traveling to the Rebbe on
charter flights, they would have
stopovers in London since there
were no direct flights from Israel
to the US. Anash, sometimes
dozens, would get off the plane,
and where should they go? They
all knew to go to the Shagalov
family. Sometimes they stayed

there for a day and sometimes for
two.
When people went to him to
raise funds, even if he was eating
supper with his family, he would
not ask them to come back in half
an hour. He would get up and talk
to them and when he returned he
would eat what had become cold.
One of his children said:
Twenty-two people once
came to stay with us. Each of
the children took a blanket and
went to sleep on the carpet near
the stairs. My parents also gave
up their bedroom to the guests.
Thats the chinuch our father
gave us.
R Levi Pariz said that one
time, when he went to London,
he spent two months at the
Shagalovs. R Gershon Mendel
Garelik and R Yisroel Friedman
said that in the fifties, after they
left Russia, they planned on going
to the US, but until they got their
visas they lived for half a year
with the Shagalovs.
The trait of hospitality was in
his blood and he took pleasure in
it. His wife supported him in this
all the years. She was a modest
woman who was also devoted to
Issue 1025
29
2016-06-14 8:56:29 AM
OBITUARY
The Rebbes answer was, Make a wedding that

will be rich in ruchnius and simple in gashmius
and I make you my agent to repeat this to others in my
name. And dont waste money on flowers and photos
because it would be better to give this money to tzdaka
or to the couple.
guests and it was all done in a

low-key way. She did most of the
work for the guests. She wasnt
content to serve simple meals; she
put thought into it. Every guest
who sat down to supper with
them was served four courses
which she made herself, especially
when they were so particular
about kashrus and she herself
salted the chickens they bought.
Even after his wife passed
away, he continued with his
hospitality. At the age of eighty he
even began studying cooking so
he could host guests lavishly as he
was accustomed. He would cook,
prepare many salads, and more.
On days when there werent any
guests, he was unhappy. One of
his children said that every Friday,
when he would call his father and
ask how he was, his father would
say, I am busy preparing salads
for the guests. He always blessed
his children and grandchildren
you should have an open house.
One time, after his wife had
passed away, a visitor met him
in London. R Bentzion was in a
rush, because he was on his way
to the airport, so he gave the
man his keys to his house and his
car and said, You can use them
as you please, just take care of
them.
Another time, he told his son
that there was an older Russian
couple in the house. He had to
fly somewhere and he left them
in the house so they would have
a place to stay. He often took
guests to the airport, an hour and

a half from his house.
After he moved to Eretz
Yisroel, he went home on his first
Shabbos there together with five
guests he did not know.
When he moved to Ramat
Shlomo, he continued with
his chesed and was involved
in all the public works of
the community. One of his
biggest accomplishments was
a gemach that he started with
his personal money for people
in the community. They knew
they could always get a loan
from his gemach, even for large
sums. Even during his illness, he
continued lending money to those
who asked.
He never took advantage
of his position or asked favors
of people. He was a model of
modesty and being satisfied with
little. One of his sons said that
when they were children, his
breakfast consisted of black bread
and herring even though he could
afford a lot more.
When I was fourteen I once
went with him to buy clothes
in a store in London. At the
time, Chassidic style clothes had
started coming from Eretz Yisroel
which were high quality. After
we shopped, I said, Abba, buy
yourself some new clothes too.
He looked at me and said, What
will we have to give to tzdaka?
Ten years ago, he had to
undergo a dangerous heart
operation. He checked the cost of
Israeli socialized medicine versus

going to a private doctor. The
private doctor stated an amount,
ten thousand shekels, to do the
operation. R Shagalov thought
it over and went to his neighbor,
R Avrohom Druk, and gave him
that amount to distribute to the
needy.
If Hashem wants me to remain
alive, He will do so whether
I go to a regular doctor or a
private doctor, so I will give the
difference to tzdaka and Hashem
will help.
The operation was a success
and he lived another ten years.
DOING CHESED IN
YERUSHALAYIM TOO
R Shagalov lived in London
for over forty years where he
was friendly not only with
Anash, but with frum people of
all backgrounds, Litvish, Polish
Chassidim, etc. He regularly
learned in the Vizhnitzer shul and
the people who davened there
treated him with respect. Even
during tense times in Lubavitch,
people from all groups highly
esteemed him and when he would
ask them for tzdaka to help
Lubavitcher families, they gave
him graciously.
He used unique ways to
strengthen boys who were starting
to go off the derech by taking care
of them materially and spiritually.
Although (or maybe, because)
in his childhood he did not learn
in a systematic way due to the
persecution and difficult life
circumstances, he had set shiurim
in Nigleh and Chassidus which
he learned diligently. For some
of the shiurim he had chavrusos,
even with those who were not
Lubavitch. Before davening he
also had shiurim in which he
Continued on page 13
2016-06-14 8:56:30 AM
STORY
MIRACULOUS
HEALING FORTY
YEARS LATER
By Menachem Ziegelboim
Farkash is a posek
in
Yerushalayim
and an author
of an important
series of halacha books. A few
months ago, R Yekusiel Farkashs
story was publicized in a number
of places, including a JEM video.
In recent days, there has been
a sequel to the story which shows
how much heavenly assistance
the shluchim are privy to, and the
incredible divine providence that
they have in their holy work of
drawing Jews close to their Father
in heaven.
In order to understand the
sequel, we need to go back to the
beginning of the story which took
place forty years ago, in 5736.
PART I
R Farkashs seven-year-old
daughter passed away after a
lengthy illness. In the last period
of her life she was hospitalized in
the pediatric ward at Hadassah
Ein Kerem in Yerushalayim.
The hospital staff did what they
could to save her life. One doctor

in particular stood out for his
exceptional devotion to her.
After the Shiva, R Farkash
wanted to meet the doctor
personally to thank him for his
devoted care of his daughter.
When he went to the doctors
office, he hugged him and said, I
cannot pay you for everything you
did for my daughter, because all
the money in the world would not
be adequate, but I can give you
from what Hashem gifted me. I
can learn Torah with you.
R Farkash knew exactly who
he was dealing with. He knew
that the doctor had moved from
South Africa to Eretz Yisroel,
having grown up all his life in a
community that wasnt religious,
and that he too was not religious.
He was actually a third generation
irreligious person.
Despite this background, R
Farkash did not have to work
hard to convince the doctor to
agree to his offer. After a short
discussion, they decided to learn
Tanya together.
Every week, at six oclock on

Monday nights, R Farkash would
go to the doctors nice house
in the Rassco neighborhood
of Yerushalayim. After some
pleasantries they would sit down
and learn.
The
doctor,
who
was
opinionated and deep, did not
accept every word as though it
was given at Sinai. He would
often argue about various ideas.
This led to discussions on other
areas of Torah and mitzvos.
Tanya has a light which can
penetrate a mans soul and
illuminate it. Not long afterward,
the doctor asked R Farkash to
buy him a pair of tfillin and he
began putting them on daily.
With the greater passage of time,
the doctor committed to doing
even more mitzvos.
It did not all go easily. When
he started making progress,
his wife strongly opposed the
changes. When she finally
consented to accept the changes,
she insisted that they belong to
her husband alone and that he not
Issue 1025
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2016-06-14 8:56:30 AM
STORY
I was surfing on YouTube and came across a

video of R Farkash who told the story about
how the woman recovered by listening to the Rebbes
instruction about kashrus. I was very touched by this
story and watched the video again and again. It got me
to thinking that maybe this would help me too.
impose them on the rest of the
family. All attempts to convince
her, failed. She refused to change
her way of life.
PART II
Two years went by. It was
the eve of 5738 when R Farkash
went, as usual, to the doctors
house. He knocked on the door
and felt, even before it opened,
that something was amiss. He
was surprised to see that the
house was dark with the shutters
closed, which was not the norm
all the previous times he had
visited. After a long wait, the
door opened and he could see the
doctor standing there bent over
with eyes lowered. The feeling
was one of tension and sadness.
R Farkash went in and sat
down and looked questioningly
at the doctor. A nightmare, he
mumbled.
What happened? asked R
Farkash.
The doctor began to tell him
that something strange was going
on with his wife the past few days.
Every night, when she tried to
sleep, she experienced muscle
contractions
which
caused
terrible pain so she was unable
to sleep. For days now she was
awake and it was only when she
just couldnt anymore that she
dozed briefly. No wonder her
body is weakening rapidly.
The doctor went on to tell
him that his wife had all the tests
done. I used my connections

with my fellow doctors who did
every possible test but have yet
to figure out the reason for this
mysterious ailment.
R Farkash listened and said,
If this is so rare and the doctors
dont know what it is, I think
that the one to turn to is the
Lubavitcher Rebbe. You need his
blessing.
The doctor shook his head
worriedly. I dont think I can do
that without my wifes consent,
but as you know, Im quite sure
she will refuse.
R Farkash did not give up.
He asked to speak to the wife. He
began by explaining the Rebbes
great spiritual abilities, about
his blessings that brought about
miracles. As expected, at first she
refused.
Does the Rebbe know my
medical file that he can tell me
what treatment course to follow?
she asked dismissively.
R Farkash continued to urge
her and told her stories about
happy endings that resulted from
the Rebbes brachos. She finally
gave into his pleading and gave
him permission to write to the
Rebbe.
That same night, when he
went home, he wrote a letter and
called the Rebbes office. He read
the letter to the secretary.
The Rebbes answer was,
Kashrus of food and drink, I will
mention it at the tziyun.
R Farkash knew what a

struggle it would be to convince
the woman to commit to kashrus.
He knew that she was opposed
to any religious observance.
Nevertheless, that same night he
went to their house. He knocked
at the door late at night and did
his best to explain the Rebbes
answer and the importance of
doing the mitzva, in the merit of
which she would be healed. The
exhaustion she felt after so many
nights, as well as the pains, made
his appeal easier than he expected
and she agreed.
A team of Lubavitcher
Chassidim went to their house the
very next day equipped with blow
torches and kashered the kitchen.
The next day, R Farkash
called the doctors house and the
wife picked up the phone. R
Farkash, she exclaimed, there
are no more muscle contractions.
Last night I slept eight hours in a
row without pain!
In later conversations she said,
The Rebbe is a wise man. He did
not tell me to become religious;
he just said to keep kashrus. But
R Farkash did not accept that.
He patiently explained to her that
the Rebbe doesnt simply invent
mitzvos as a cure, but gives advice
that will help physically and
spiritually. He encouraged her to
keep kashrus despite the difficult
beginning.
Her
mysterious
illness
disappeared.
The family became fully
observant.
Their
children
and grandchildren today are
religious, concluded R Farkash.
PART III
His son, R Shneur Zalman,
shliach in Buenos Aires, continues
the story:
I recently went to the grocery
store to buy some things for the
2016-06-14 8:56:30 AM
house.
How
are
you
Rabbi
Farkash? said the owner.
Boruch Hashem, fine, I
replied.
Someone suddenly came off
the line near the register and came
over to me and said excitedly,
You are Rabbi Farkash?
No, no, Im his brother
(referring to R Asher Farkash,
menahel and mashpia in the
Chabad yeshiva in Argentina).
But
the
excited
man
continued, I mean the Rabbi
Farkash that I saw in a video
where he tells the story of a
miracle from the Rebbe about
kashrus in a doctors house.
Yes, thats my father, and
I tried explaining our family tree

and who was who.
Then I must tell you a story
and please tell it to your father.
I stood off in a corner of the
grocery store with the man as he
told me the following:
My name is Yisroel Rhine,
the man introduced himself, but
in Spanish my name is Miguel. I
live in Asuncion, Paraguay. Last
year I was seriously sick and my
condition deteriorated rapidly
until the doctors gave up.
I was surfing on YouTube and
came across a video of R Farkash
who told the story about how the
woman recovered by listening
to the Rebbes instruction about
kashrus. I was very touched by
this story and watched the video
again and again. It got me to

thinking that maybe this would
help me too.
I decided to keep kosher and
spoke to the shliach in my city so
he would come and kasher my
kitchen. My house was kashered
and we began eating only kosher.
A short while later my health
drastically improved. Now, here
I am in Buenos Aires, taking the
opportunity to fill up my suitcase
with kosher products which I will
take home.
Yisroel-Miguel told his story
while warmly holding R Shneur
Zalmans hand, and he begged
him, Please tell your father
I have no words with which to
thank him.
Issue 1025
33
2016-06-14 8:56:30 AM
TZIVOS HASHEM
By Zalman Ben-Nun
A sign with an arrow

Zalman, the truck driver,
Zalman
smiled att me and helped me pointed right and
us was
put the box inside the truck. turned right. In front of
trees
As he made sure the box was a narrow, pretty road. Tall
the
of
secure on the wooden floor of towered on eitherr side
between
the truck he said, I picked this road and grass grew
ul
profession so I can help people them. Flowerbeds in beautif
floor.
How
day long. I smiled back colors were everywhere.
Dont forget my personal all
and we went up to the house beautiful! I exclaimed.
box, called out her mother,
Definitely a special place,
togetherr in order to bring down
and Rochel rushed back in to
boxes.
the
said Zalman. A good spot to
the rest of
take the medium sized box that
The truth is that if not for sett up a Chabad House.
was in the corner of the living
You hear, Zalman said to
what Zalman said, I would have
room.
to get out of that tiring me as he looked at me in the
Numberr one is everyone tried
job, but Zalmans smile and rearview mirror. In my line
take their personal box and
warm words motivated me to of work I get to set up many
bring itt downstairs. Then come
Chabad Houses. I help people
help.
back up and we will see how to
get their place and home ready
said
kid,
great
You are a
get the rest of the boxes down,
for the hisgalus of the Rebbe,
d
finishe
we
our fatherr said. He was holding Zalman, when
transforming the place into a
box
last
the
a big box that covered his face bringing down
t of all. miniature sanctuary.
and he headed toward the door. which was the heavies
You are
prize.
a
I nodded as I tried to
deserve
I glanced att the empty walls You
during
me
to
imagine the new Chabad House.
invited to sit next
that up until a few days ago
house.
new
r
I was going to become a young
the trip to your
were full of pictures and pretty
I jumped excitedly into the shliach in a new and distant
decorations. I gave a final look
driver. place!
at the house I loved so much, high seat nextt to the
s
parent
my
with
I looked to the right, toward
went
Rochel
where I grew up.
we set the row of wide houses that
and
car,
family
r
our
in
I searched among the boxes
out. Throughout the trip I were placed along the length
until I found a small brown
tried to picture our new house. of the street. See these
box which had Yosef Yitzchok
Would it be a high building or nice houses look alike, ordinary
written on it in black. I picked
a low one, big or small, with houses where you can go in and
it up with both hands, kissed
a private yard surrounded by sit down. But suddenly a family
the mezuza for the last time,
fruit trees or an apartmentt in walks in and turns the house
and wentt downstairs to the
into something special!
a big apartment building?
truck.
came,
truck
The
announced Rochel excitedly, as
she closed the window and ran
toward the door. On her way,
she nearly overturned one of
the heavy boxes that was on the
2016-06-14 8:56:30 AM
explained,
and
The word Geula is made stopped
I thought over what
we are
said,
you
like
(exile), Just
Zalman said. What did he up of the letters of gola
our
into
alef
the
put
to
in, but going
mean? Were we going to the terrible state we are
a
it
make
will
We
home.
word new
decorate our home in some if we putt an alef into the
it
e
prepar
and
House
to Chabad
special way? Was our furniture gola, and the alef refers
for Geula.
the
of
r
(Maste
olam
shel
Alufo
ors?
nicer than our neighb
My father took out a mezuza
Hashem), we get Geula.
Zalman saw my wondering world,
er
Then its just like the from his pocket and a hamm
look and explained, You are
ry and a nail out of his personal
going to turn your home into a houses! We are taking ordina
ng can box, and knocked in the mezuza
miniature sanctuary. You are houses in which anythi
alef and said a bracha. We said
planning on having guests, on be done, and putting the
we use amen and my mother took a
having shiurim, davening, and into them, meaning that
filling it with holy
books. Kosher meals
will be cooked in
the kitchen and in
each room you will
put a pushka and a
Chitas.
Zalman stopped
next to a two-story
large
A
building.
yard was around
it in which there
trees
fruit
were
and flowers. To my
surprise, I saw that
houses
otherr
the
on the street were
my
to
identical
house, I mean, the
house we were going
to enter.
so
are
You
I
as
said
I
right!
n.
Zalma
at
smiled
In an instant, we
are going to take
an ordinary house,
existence,
normal
it into a
turn
said,
and
them for kdusha. Thats Geula! sign out of her bag which
of
place
a
s,
holines
of
.
place
Chabad Levy Family My
My father, who had just Beis
living.
Jewish
father hung up the sign on the
gotten out of his car and heard
Zalman began taking down
door.
me, smiled. He cast a thankful
boxes and said, This is exactly
Now its your turn, said
look at Zalman and said to
exactly
what the Rebbe is saying in
me, The time has come to do my father. We knew
and
the Dvar Malchus, that Geula
Chitas
a
put
We
do.
to
it. We will enter our new home what
to
ran
is about putting the alef into
then
and
inside
now and focus on the things a pushka
to
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ors
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find
that are truly important.
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time,
our
This
We walked toward the make
new house.
understand. What do you
frontt door and then my father
n.
Zalma
asked
I
mean?
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CONTENTS

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Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082-0272

8. [] In addition to the fact

and immediately thereafter, its

n Erev Shabbos Parshas

had a most unique and distinctive

Yisroel for every Jew he met. You

4 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

I remember the extraordinary

to learn in a non-Jewish school.

Just then, one of the Baba Salis closest aides

stunned, Rabbi Gafni recalled.

GARBED IN THE ROBE OF

righteous memory, and over a

closest aides came in and harshly

6 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

LONGING FOR A STUDENT

began to establish a proper Jewish

before Rabbi Webers passing,

I HAVE PLACED A GUARD

they said Kaddish together. The

A few hours before his passing, as he looked out

with R Dunin, as Rabbi Cohen

the birth of twins, and they asked

8 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

many guests who came to

When the bakery employees

that the man had no roof

Redemption, and he would speak

if Melech HaMoshiach would

10 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

WHATS THE CONNECTION?

THE FIRST FRUITS

The answer perhaps lies

Festival of Shavuos. Indeed, one

WHOSE PRODUCE IS IT?

that he first give Truma (and

While Torahs primacy and inviolability is clear,

that it is truly his produce.

Torah in the following manner:

12 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

devolved into a physical world.

BRINGING THE FUTURE

inviolability is clear, human

Continued from page 30

Redemption. That will provide

matters for the public.

family as they sang the niggunim of

The menuchas hanefesh which

been wasted. Likewise, in ones

portrayed that, they now looked

14 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

Yochanan Zeev brought the Alter

which is to battle against the unholy

Interestingly, the family of

16 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

sla Mujeres is a pretty island,

House is located in a spacious,

THE REBBE DIRECTED

they could spend Shabbos with

18 11 Sivan 5776 - Hakhel

Chanuka. We hadnt considered