There is a famous saying often quoted in Chassidus Chabad "You cannot create a head". Is this always true? Why do Jewish babies come out so good!? א קאפ קען מען נישט ארופשטעלן or can you?
Lessons in humility I learned from a coat rack. What the Rebbe Maharash learned from the waves. A new twist into a classic concept from the Rebbe Rashab.
Correction:Rabbeinu Bachya that is quoted, is not the Rabeinu Bachya that wrote the 'Chovos Halevovos'. The former lived in the 11th century and his name was Bachya ben Yosef Ibn Pakuda. The latter lived in the 13th century and his name was Bachya ben Osher Ibn Halawa. They both lived in Spain and are referred to as Rabbeinu Bachya.
Correction: The Mammar of the Rebbe Rashab was from 1918. Interestingly it was about 10 years after he met with Freud.
Link to article analyzing the meeting between the Rebbe Rashabigmund Freud
When we drove in the car, the Rebbetzin loved to hear tapes of Avrohom Fried. One song that she especially liked was Tatenyu.
The Rebbetzin was usually particular that nobody be present when she lit
Shabbos and Yom Tov candles, even those close to her. I once heard
from someone who saw the Rebbetzin when she lit candles on erev Rosh
Hashana 5746, that the Rebbetzin hummed this song with great deveikus.
Our Father, merciful Father, have mercy on us … gevald Tatenyu …
At this auspicious time - the Rebbetzin davened, not for her personal needs but for the salvation of the Jewish people.
WHEN THE REBBE LISTENED TO CHAZAN ROSENBLATT
Once we are talking about music – on erev Pesach I would clean all the
sefarim in the Rebbe’s house. One of the first years, the Rebbe sat at
the table and learned, and I stood and cleaned the sefarim.
The Rebbe had a phonograph and he asked me, a few times, to put on the
record of Chazan Yossele Rosenblatt. One time, when we heard Rosenblatt
sing, Rachem na, Hashem Elokeinu, I heard the Rebbe hum along.
(source is from same link above)
Rebbe learning - picture taken through key hole
Yossele Rosenblatt singing Rachem Nu
It is told over that the Fridiker Rebbe said that "you can hear from 'Yossele's' chazanut that he sings with pirush hamilos".
"In
my opinion, the current situation differs from the situation of previous
generations, when it was a widespread custom to drink mashke in
abundance, in two ways:
a)
The ability is now given to Anash, through the availability of numerous
basic maamarim and sichos which the listeners can understand, for
their conduct to be inspired without the need for much mashke; just a
little will suffice.
b)
Since in most recent times we are all required to spread the wellsprings of
Chassidus outward, there is the possibility that an overabundance of mashke
could greatly interfere…
My
first statement is supported by something I once heard from the Rebbe, my
father-in-law, in Riga, who said, "Ich bin itzter (and the meaning
of ‘itzter’[now] was not for that time only, but for those years
since then, when they began to minimize the consumption of mashke) vi
noch a bisele mashke." (I am now as though after a little mashke.)
The Chassidim are drawn after the Rebbe, my father-in-law, and his intention in
saying that he is now as though after a little mashke is to instruct all
the Chassidim and give them the ability to be in that condition."
Original Takanah Shmini 1963
Mashke is mous - repulsive --Rebbe Rayatz Even kiddush should be on wine and you should not finish who cup.
2) On Chukas 1991 the Rebbe said it is a 'decree' not to drink more then four.
3) Yechidus with Zalman Jaffe
During
another yechidus before leaving, Reb Zalman presented the Rebbe with
five bottle of “mashke” (an alcoholic beverage) that the Rebbe could
distribute at a farbrengen. The Rebbe asked him “at which one.” He
replied “Any one. It is for the Rebbe to give to whomever he wishes.”
The Rebbe asked “Is it from Manchester?” “No,” Reb Zalman replied, “from
me. Surely the Rebbe can find some deserving person or cause to whom to
give the “mashke.” The Rebbe admitted that he had stopped giving “mashke” at the farbrengen because “it gout out of hand.” Reb
Zalman told the Rebbe that though he appreciates receiving from the
Rebbe’s cake, the “mashke” lasted longer and was easier to distribute
back in Manchaster, as the cake became hard and stale after a week. The Rebbe wanted to know if there were any special reason that he had brought five bottles. Reb Zalman replied: “Not really, but the U.S. Customs allows us to bring in five bottles free of duty.” “What will I do with five bottles,” asked the Rebbe. “Take them home,” Reb Zalman replied. “But I don’t like vodka,” answered the Rebbe. The Rebbe then thanked Reb Zalman for coming to see him. “Mr. Jaffe, I thank you for coming to see me!”
Rabbi
Aharon Eliezer Tzeitlin adds: The significance attributed by the Rebbe to the
observance of the takana of mashke is proven by the following
story – in which I was directly involved.
When
I was learning in yesihiva in Montreal, a few Tmimim, including myself,
made a farbrengen (in the winter of 5733 [1973]) and drank 4 big
cups of mashke – not within the Rebbe’s limit. When the mashpia,
R’ Yitzchak Meir Gurary, found out about it, he called me over and asked,
"How could it be that you transgressed the g’zera like that? Didn’t
the Rebbe say that whoever transgresses the g’zera cannot go on shlichus?"
The words entered my heart because our whole ambition was to merit to be a shliach
of the Rebbe, and here I was endangering my shlichus myself. Therefore,
immediately at the first opportunity I wrote to the Rebbe and requested a tikkun.
I went to 770 close to Yud Shvat, and when I came to the secretariat, Rabbi
Binyomin Klein gave me an answer from the Rebbe about the note I had written:
"He should learn 3-4 maamarim of my father-in-law by heart; at the
very least, the contents. Askiral ha’tzion."
I
immediately asked (through the secretary) if I am ready to go on the shlichus
of the Rebbe to Australia. [At that time, the Rebbe chose the ones who went and
asked them for their consent.] As you know, the answer was in the affirmative.
It
seems to me that perhaps all of this (asking for a tikkun, etc.) restored
my z’chus at the last minute to go on shlichus.
