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Ep. 10: Shlichus in Chinuch with Rabbi Michoel Dahan
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In this episode, Rabbi Michoel Dahan—Dean of Chaya Mushka Seminary in Montreal, Canada—shares stories from his youth, his journey in shlichus and chinuch, and an inspiring farbrengen focused on strengthening our hiskashrus and connection to the Rebbe.
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Transcript
Auto-generated transcript. Not time-synced to the video.
We know the stories about getting a
letter from the Reb for your child, for
your baby, for your and you wonder if
it's the same knows who you are. They
wrote this, say your name. Everybody
gives the same letter. It could be that
everybody got uh the same letter, but
each one of those letters was addressed
directly and specifically to you, to
you. to the point in which not only the
Reb know your name and he knows who you
are in this letter but the Reb knows
your birthday and he mentions it and
this is also a very very important thing
to realize that when we ask from the
you know the is is is the of the
is your of you the individual that you
are
I'm Yasi Cayman welcome to among
An ongoing faban about life as our
vibrant connection with the Reb and
inspired living shaped by the way he
teaches us each and every day.
Rabbi,
how are you?
>> Thank you for hosting.
>> Of course. Of course. Thank you for
making it happen. And uh I'm ready to
begin. Let's let's do this.
>> Sure. So
I was thinking um I one time I uh sat
with you by Fabring many many years ago.
I was very young. I remember I was like
inspired by what you were talking about.
So may maybe that's the last
conversation that's the last meaningful
conversation we had. We've been always
saying hello to each other since then.
But this that's the last meaningful
conversation I had with you. So let me
start off with that. Take where where
that where that left left off. So I
remember you were talking about
um how you wanted I think the wasing for
the maybe it was your you'll tell me and
you wanted to come from far away only to
hear
and you you kept on repeating a certain
so that's what I remember so I don't
remember where were you coming from what
were you doing what were you talking
about I just remember that I had an
impression on me. So maybe you could
fill in the blank over there.
Well, firstly, um
I it's impressive that you remember
Fabian from so many years ago. You know,
sometimes, you know, you go you sit down
with
you don't you don't necessarily know if
anybody's listening if uh if anybody's
going to remember whatever it is that
you say. And then to hear that uh it's
maybe 20 close to 20 years later you
still remember what I said with the
Fabian is very impressive because I I
don't even remember everything I said. I
don't much I remember uh I'll tell you
for me it was memorable for me because I
was very young maybe 14 or 15 I think it
was the first time in my life that I
stayed up till it was Nissen. It was the
first time in my life I stayed up till I
don't know 4 in the morning fabing. So
that that was the first experience for
me. So uh I I felt I felt uh mature. So
maybe that's why I remember. But I also
remember what you said had an
impression.
>> Okay. Gun's good. So um to to start I
mean you're starting really with the
bank uh this MA actually happened to
um I want I was on in Bruna which is
actually where I'm from
and uh there's a lot of this very
interesting
from
>> I'm from Paris
>> from Paris okay
>> I'm from Paris my father was in buno my
parents got married in bunoa and then
they moved to Paris um but that's you
know I learned in buna And then actually
I went on
>> So sorry could you could you
could you backtrack a little bit? Your
parents are from where? They living in
Paris. You're going they went to how'd
that happen? You could tell us the kids
if you want or
>> Sure. Sure. Sure. Uh well actually my
father was one of the first Talmid in
the Shiva in MCN initials.
How did he end up there? Is also an
interesting story. He was actually he
was a Yasam who was very young. His
father was a rob in in a village and he
passed away. My father was uh was very
young. By the time my father was 10
years old in in
came to the village and he went to the
shul that's where the was and he said to
the mamemed
>> talking either it was I think may have
been
um you know otherim that were then at
the time and um
he sent he went to the and he said to
the opening sh and we need we
So the Muhammad said you know this this
little kid is a Yasim go ask his mother
and uh
so he went and my grandmother was very
happy to send him. Why was she so happy
to send him is because after my
grandfather passed away uh his younger
brother was was a banker so it was you
know more of a man of the world. So he
came and he told my grandmother, "I'd
like to take uh your son in in the big
city in Kazablanca. I'll send him to
school. I'll make him a whole man.
She'll be a businessman like I am." My
grandmother says, "No, his father was a
he's going to be a he's going to be an
ishiba."
>> So she told him, he told her, "What upon
him do a whole day?" They seeed the book
and they seldac.
So when the came was soon after this m
she was very very happy to send my
father away. So he was only 10 years old
and he went to the mcess when he was 14
years old. Um his uh 14 going to 15 his
uh group was up to continue and
continuation was in Bonoa. So he was
from the first talidim in the yeshiva in
mcnes and he was from the first ka that
went from mcnes to buna.
Um my mother was interestingly enough
from the same village in Morocco but uh
she came to France. She first went to
Biska in Morocco and then from there she
was 12 years old also she went to France
to Biska also same thing a group of
girls were going and uh she was there
then eventually uh they got married
actually very interesting story since
you know if we have time I could tell
you uh
>> uh time is not time is not a problem so
>> okay a very interesting story about
about the actually printed those letters
in a chur I made for one of
kids one of my sons. Um there is uh I I
see a letter
about uh about the shid a letter written
to my father in which the says
um
being about the the about the
proposition for the shid with a girl
from
uh being that
being that it seems to be a right choice
based on the discussion you had with all
the people you spoke to. So then
the should be in in a goodpicious time.
Um much later,
actually probably 40 years later, I saw
a letter that the Reb wrote a day before
to Zman to Rebel
Gurvich was the Manahel of Biska.
And the Reb wrote to him a letter about
making plays, you know, productions and
so on. And the last paragraph of the
letter says
the proposal for the my mother's name
being that the in question is
so then
it is it is a a right a right thing to
do.
This letter the Ebber wrote to Belgic a
day before the Ebber wrote to my father
being that it seems to be a right thing
based on the people I spoke you spoke to
then you should go ahead with it but be
it seems from the other letter they
wrote day before is that being that this
is a good idea based on whoever I spoke
to you should go ahead with it and it's
very interesting Because what what I'm
taking from this is
that then was very involved was very
involved
with with every talid with every talid
and uh
but at the same time he gave them the
impression that the ball is in their
court. You know you have to do something
you have to do your job. You have to do
your they call due process whatever. And
I think that this is very much in line
with whatever the has always told us.
You know, I'm here to help. The is
yours. So I think that this putting it
together this story was a very beautiful
thing.
>> Very interesting. Did your parents were
did your parents ever see themselves?
>> Uh it's a good it's it's a good
question. Yes, my parents uh have seen
before
>> before then. Never.
>> Yeah. Before then? Never. No. Yeah.
>> Never. Never. going to going to the Reba
from France was probably a few months
salary at that time and my father was a
bacha
he didn't have a father and he was
completely under the care of the yeshiva
so going to the wasn't an option
financially
>> that's also a whole another thing how
these people are asking the for if they
should do a and uh their whole
relationship with the rabbi was through
through and through letters like it's
interesting
Yeah, I'll take you I'll take you I'll
up you one on this one.
>> Mhm.
>> One of my father's closest teachers
lean was a
spless
h he was not only a teacher to my father
was very very close. So he was going to
the my father told him you're going to
the mention my name in the when you buy
the mention my name. So the so okay was
in at the end of the reb asked him do we
need to talk about something else so he
said yeah yeah my jiman is asking for so
the rebba says shimon bend
he couldn't remember it wasn't one of
those common name like uh
mushka you know it's like the name was
Isa so the rebel lets him sweat
And they is thinking and the say Ben.
He has no answer. The smiles and says
Ben is it seems to me I think that it is
Shiman Ben Isa.
>> So of course label says yeah yeah that's
a name. He runs out of he writes the
name on a paper because he won't
remember it again. And when he comes
back to the first thing he runs to my
father say what's your mother's name? So
when he says my his mother's name
I knew the name. Uh now you know I it's
interesting I explained this this by the
way this story is multi-layer.
>> Mhm.
>> The first thing to go back to what I was
saying before they do the name.
>> Why you why you why are you making the
guy sweat
um
is well it has to come from you. I'm not
going to do everything for you. I'm here
I'm helping you but as you have to do
something you have to do an effort. And
I think this is a recurrent in
by the way I witnessed this once myself.
I think it was in Topshim
was me I think it was me
that we mentioned before was actually uh
very sick I think it was me hey maybe
early me I don't remember but and by ka
upstairs
>> he was living at grown heights then
>> he was living heights he was actually in
charge of 1414
um so
so It helped that he remembered my
father. I got an extra
>> I I was able to ask him if I wanted the
pool care or the the other side. He
would he would he would help. Anyways,
but at one point he was very sick and by
ka upstairs on a Monday or Thursday in
the Reb used to getishi and right after
will make the
so after he finished
the turns to ask and tells
He doesn't know. So he looks at the
pointed to
the of Kiev. He's his son-in-law.
>> So the Reb pointed to him that he should
say he start to think and you know when
he's standing in front of the Reb and
the Reb is asking me something. You know
I've experienced this myself. I just
freeze. I I don't know what to say. So
they waited a few seconds and then he
says that he said the name. I can
remember the name. I remember this mad
how the asked for the name but he said
the name. So
>> the name said the name.
>> So again it goes back to the same. So
okay
we mention so
>> I I once heard someone told me that he
was he was speaking to a younger person
older than me but younger person that he
was speaking to a certain once and he
was asking like this famous question
like does the did the know where I was
you know I was around in you know in the
bay in later years I was a kid
I want to know so this told him were you
want in dus was your name in dus over
the years said yes says then
the rebba knows you because the rebba
knows the names so there's v various
stories that I heard about that but this
is these are two fresh ones that I never
heard before so this is amazing
>> yeah yeah yeah so just to to go back to
um
to go back to this uh to this uh other
layer I wanted to bring from the story
about how they ever knew my father's
name my father's mother's name
you know I thought then when my father
always told us the story he told this
story many many times so I figured yeah
talking
how many people wrote to the I thought I
was I was a young kid you know and I
thought
was very small my father was has
received letters from the already from
soon after he got to Bruno already
received letters and uh so I figured
that for many years my father is writing
100 anotherund
how many remembers the name because my
then camees and I realized by
already 20,000 letters at least that
were already written so even that the
gashm is not really sh
>> so I I gave I gave a shot
Um
you know the reason what says is to
someone even to someone that you have
never seen in your life
and so they have never saw my father at
that time. They haven't yet seen my
father.
But when you love somebody you remember
you remember his birthday. You remember
his name. You remember his mother's
name. That's it. You know, you get a new
cell phone, you remember the number
right away because it's it's na to you,
>> right?
>> My cell phone you won't you won't
remember,
>> but not that I'm not. I know I am, but
uh it's not the same. So loves
loves.
He remembers his name, remembers his
birthday, which I have another
interesting story about the birthday
since we're talking about it, but I'll
put it on hold for a second. until I
told this story to
to
a Shenan who was then in Montreal in
today's days in Zam Kaplan
I told him the story and he told me no
what's what's the wonder is
what is
in connect with your
is of the whole of course he knows of
every single year. So this take it took
it a bit uh a bit further.
>> I mean whenever there someone ask for
there's a big iss to know the the name
and the mother's name. That's like a
very important component of it.
>> Yeah.
>> Well
um okay so this is another uh another
deeper level of the the
whatever the connection of to
individuals. Very interesting. Yeah.
>> So, so let's go back to to to to you.
You were you were going you so you you
learned the mor and then you were later
on in
>> I actually
I I didn't learn bun for a very long
time.
Um the was very intent that I should go
to to
he spoke to my father. He told my father
different things why I should go there.
And I I very much didn't want it. I
wanted to finally I got to New York. I
wanted to stay there.
>> What you were in
those time was for the younger. It's not
like today
in those days was where the went and
that were not yet 2021. That's where
they were.
>> Of course you had the choice to go if
you're American go to Morristown to but
uh so I went first. Uh but it didn't not
for long because then I got called in by
the Brasin that the list put me on the
list and the name went to the reb and I
got to go to
him. I mean
yeah interesting stuff about my learning
I I learned
um in I was in Sai which is a peer
school was in Paris that's where we
lived actually originally lived in the
platel and the school was in the platel
and that's it that's where I went at one
point actually in Topshim Malv
my mother went in
and uh it was the last it
It was the last day of I hadis many
times before uh first time was when I
went right after mitzvah but uh this
time I was
>> this time you were by the
>> I was by yeah first time I went to the
was uh a week a week after mitzvah
um yeah so it was also I came in tisha
but Mrs.
My father couldn't come with me because
he was a and that's when they work right
in
>> so I went myself then and I went myself
interesting m is also there but this is
my mother tells me why don't you come
with me we could go together my brother
was also there we'll go together people
go in a
say to her you know what I I had by
myself I'd like to have again by myself
you go you go you have your kids.
Um sometime I think maybe I should have
gone but whatever
that one of the reason why I should have
gone maybe is because uh I was slated
for the next night and it was delayed
and delay delayed and delayed until the
only way we could go was that all the
should go together. So we all went
together. So it was my first clawless in
the Reb's room, not in not in the show.
>> Sois it stopped drastically like that
like there was no warning.
>> Uh that I think it continues. This was I
think that throughout the the
more after that but uh it became and it
was it was just so happened because the
were delayed and people had a flight and
the only way you could go in is if you
come with a group tonight and then you
go to Europe to the airport or whatever
or tomorrow is your flight so go tonight
and that was the only and I guess uh you
know turned out would be a good idea. So
it continued this way. But many times
said that
um we get the
meant for every single one who is there
which means that it includes that you
had no idea about asking because you
weren't thinking about it. Another
person thought about it and they got the
you got the ended up being so much
better
and
for some reason she asked the about my
continu continuation of my of my
uh just put in perspective I'm the third
in my family my older brother was uh you
know didn't he was in
you knowad very big is a in the north of
France today. My older sister as a girl
also stopped with by grade nine and in
the option only she's on today in
Argentina and I'm the third one and for
some reason my mother asked the if I
should do or if I should uh if I should
go to
and they decided to ask her a bunch of
questions about me. What do I do in my
free time? Do I frequent? I spoke in
French. Do I frequent the yeshiva during
my vacations?
And uh how old I am? How many years do I
have left? And then the said
using a French slang for the diploma
that he wanted me to get. He says I
should first get
in France it would be equivalent to a
high school diploma. But when you come
with here it's called it's called a
bachelor degree. And and after that I
should go to yeshiva for a few years.
>> So the wanted you to finish where you
started.
um wanted to finish but all the way
because you finish I could have finished
already by grade nine and then this is a
different you know you go to high school
I didn't have to do high school but they
and my older siblings didn't and most of
my younger siblings also did it and I'm
one of the only ones in my family who
who did it and that's because the said I
should get a certain degree and after
that
I asked the myself then I was very much
devastated did all but you know the has
this plan knows. So I asked the why am I
supposed to do this and the told me
priority and you
>> what did he ask? What did he ask?
>> Where where am I going to learn this
>> okay
>> you know.
>> Mhm.
>> So the said Kadima and he named a
yeshiva
the most lit that there is in France.
Excellent bank.
Um
I I I must say that when I got this
answer I was even more sub than for the
first one but nonetheless I felt that
they sending me on you know when you're
a kid you have the answer of all the
worst problem thank god you don't have
any problem but you have the answer in
case you
figured
whatever I was in with the people what
doesn't matter the is
that uh whatever that I did that I'm
doing now in Montreal
which uh you know I I run the seminary I
ran the seminary
which is an official college. So the
students who come to us they get pert
degree with credits that are
transferable to other universities and
so on. And to be in such a position uh
you had to show that you have something.
You have to show that you have some kind
of degree. And uh in Quebec if you have
a degree from France.
>> Mhm.
>> So that is the whole uh the whole way
the whole the whole way that I got where
I got was was with this uh was with
these studies that the Reb told me to
do. So the fact the fact that you're the
only one in your family that had that
from theb you can see like how your
you had you had a unique that that that
needed that. Do you able to see this?
>> Yes. And I tried I tried other things by
the way. I was a inn for three years. Um
after after ka I went to Staten Island
on I was working for Katsman because I
speak Hebrew like an Israeli because I
learned in 70 so my friends are
Israelis. So uh I ended up working with
the Israelis over there. I was involved
in the sh
nothing worked until I I I got to
Montreal
>> which by the way um it's connected to
another
very interesting story I don't have it
on screen I will show you the letter in
me giml in the summer me gimmel I was
head counselor in the day camp but I
wrote the I wrote to d
and I received
a letter from
that is dated
and is a you know kind of a
like a letter that the sends many people
who wrote a for the new year. So the reb
is giving a for the new year. And uh my
letter was not about the new year. It
was the end of camp. I sent a d I sent a
a p that I made the children write sent
pictures.
I received this letter at the end of
so it's about two months after it was
written.
I got the letter was in and the writes.
So for a to get
especially when you still in is
something very strange. I mean not
strange very rare not many unusual.
Thank you. And and I so already then the
says
writes um
and then in pen he adds
and the was included in the were
received and they would be read
at the
and then the whole for the new year. At
the end of the letter is typed and
before the signature writes with a pen.
So the Russians is also unusual.
Yes.
Success in education of Jewish children.
A proper Jewish education, pure
education. And then the rebite
here. This is I would say the third
letter that I the third
answer that I got from the Reb that put
me in a shock. I was then I was 18 years
old maybe 19 years old and I thought
that
means going go city you take over the
world you turn around the city you make
this and you open school and this and
the other
is before was printed you know and uh
that's the way that's the way I
understood and this was my dream this is
what I wanted to do and I saw in this
letter as if is directing me towards.
So of course I went to the mash. I went
to the letter and I said listen is the
telling me that I should work on on
so look at the letter and he says
what did you write? I said camp said,
"Oh, you wrote to about give you a
book."
I said, "Listen, I like your answer, but
you know this is talking here. It's not
just you wrote, he wrote, right? So what
what?" So he said, "Don't worry." So I
was happy thinking that maybe is not
going to be in.
And as I said, I tried all kind of
different things. When I was a bak I
went to in, you know, very interesting
places,
you know, being a Frenchy in 770. By the
way, we're not that many as many as
today. Those years maybe were a thousand
Frenchies.
>> There were there were French guests
particip not not learning.
>> Oh, thousands of course. But 770, a
whole year in 770, maybe a dozen.
And we don't get much privileges. But
one privilege we got is that my English
speaking friends went to Milwaukee, you
know, I went to I went to the
Caribbeans, I went to Africa, you know,
places where I speak French.
>> So, so I I I that's where I saw myself.
And like I said, after I got married, I
went on, everything was fine, the
whatever.
But they have had a different plan. And
it's about 10 years after this letter,
11 years after I got this letter, I
ended up in Montreal.
And uh ever since this is what is
and I don't see myself doing anything
else
and I tell people who think that
is a copout you want to you want to be a
at the same time you want to have fresh
baked goods and your kids in it's not a
copout it's a talent if you have the
talent they ever chose you to go on that
if your talent is to talk to people to
student university
you know there isn't in the letter that
sent before
he says
you should go speak in the shorts
should go and speak to the youth there
is you know there is different if you
are if you are fit to speak as a rabbi
in a that's your job That's if you are
fit, if you are talented to be able to
have an influence on the youngsters,
that is so basically
is not necessarily what you want. It is
what the Reb wants you to do.
>> Well, what's the
job to chop? That's also that's also
because by definition is doing the will
and the of the not about your career.
It's about it's about fulfilling the
that was given to you. So,
you know, maybe daf if you if you're
doing the that you didn't think you're
going to be doing, you're you're you're
doing it more for the right reason for
for for the for the mak. So,
>> yeah.
>> Yeah.
So, this is this is the ma uh by the way
I was once came to Montreal
from Italy. He came to Montreal for
and when I was a bach I used to love his
fabians
hang out over there a lot. So when he
was in Montreal I was happy to drive him
here and there you know. So he asked me
no what are you doing here? So I told
him and I told him the story with the
letter. I told him 10 years later I
understood what they ever wrote in the
letter. So he tells me you're lucky I
have letters 40 years I still don't
understand
what did they ever ask for me. So
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rest of the podcast. Okay, so back to uh
so let's move backwards to where we
started.
>> Yes.
>> About going to the for
what what was that about? Okay. So
shabas
was a shab and I very very much wanted
to go to uh to hear the
I'll be honest I I theat
probably I could read the
you know we got the we got the printed
uh the printed um uh edition of the
fabian then it took us a week but fabian
I missed it on chabas.
probably is from where? From from
>> so yeah. So what happened is yeah so
when I I finished being that the reb had
given me a very short amount of time to
go to yeshiva originally right
>> after after for what for?
>> Yes I was I was in Bana I was in Bwa for
summers and for stuff like that and then
I told my father I'm not going to bun
and my father told me why why you want
to go to New York. So I told him because
of New York I'm going to become a lton.
So so what am I going to tell him?
I thought brother is a smart man. He
says I went to my whole life it turned
out okay you know. So anyways but I went
and I ended up in
that
>> you asked the before.
>> No the told me I could go to yeshiva
after I'm done. That's it. I'm going to
sh
>> and
but then um I get that the calls me up.
He says he calls me over to his office
and he says that I'm on the list that
the listen sent and he wants me to be
one of the basically what happened is
that there were group
four French bahim and two not French uh
two Israelis but from
and the other three were French
the four French
the other three came from that's what
they were um and me I was whatever you
know who I was you put the name and
listen
what does has with you that he insists
you should go there it's not me he likes
my father
>> it's not me
the answer came from the reb that we
should go and uh
and uh we went
>> so so you didn't spend any time you were
there for a year in New York. No, you
don't spend any time.
>> I was there a few
months. Yeah.
>> And that was also Yeah, that was very
strange that you know to go not even you
go sends you from here from
>> right.
>> So I guess it was enough time for me to
be there. I don't know. Listen told my
father
that the whole reason why the told me to
go and do heaw I should come in and over
there on the who just came out of high
school many over there were from from
school you know new and so on he says
that's why they
don't know who told him it could be but
okay that was it wasn't convincing
enough for But nonetheless once the said
we go we go went on. So yes, I was there
only then I was as I said
comes I wanted to hear
so I say so you already had this
no pun intended you already had such
such a
>> so this is something that you picked up
from from being for those few months
like where do you get that conviction
that you need to hear the shabas
So the first thing is that you know I've
been to the I came to the every single
year since my mitzvah
uh for and in top gimmel I wanted to
prepare my my you know I wanted to get a
room and a locker in and so on. So I
also came for
um so like then I went back to finish my
to take my exams and then I came back to
New York. I went to bun and then came
back to New York. So being by the Reb
for so many years, even if it's only for
makes it that you don't you're not just
by the Reb for you go to the Reb for and
that's it. You're
you belong to the Reb that's it. So when
you come back you hang out with I hang
out in Bao. My brother was in Buno then
I was a kid. I'm a
I was in Ba every every other Shabas.
uh every time I had vacation from school
whether it is in the summer in the
winter that's where I went and uh and
for in Paris also there was some younger
light I became very friendly with when I
was already an older biddish
that that lived in Paris that live in
Paris and and you get this you get it
you get it it comes to you you know uh
it comes to you and my brother was also
definitely a huge huge when it came to
that. Um
you know listen theides
the I got from home you know was was my
father singing
and uh and telling us stories of the and
making sure we write a p to the before.
you know this was pretty much the extent
uh you know
so we had all the whatever you know but
this the the of
um is something that I got you know more
from I would say my older brother but
also the being in being around being in
>> for sure that like I said my my father
got many letters from the he wouldn't do
anything without asking the and so on
but still that thing I need to be by the
for this came from from
>> I had heard the before in in previous
years when I was by the
you knowish I don't remember if once had
but I just wanted to hear the
onab during the week I heard it I was
there
but on Shabas I wanted to
So I went to
and I as
said we don't travel in middle of this
month. You're in the middle of a
semester you don't travel.
So I say is not true. There was a goal
and the za is going that means that
there is a there is a possibility of
getting rash.
So he say yeah the is going on
everybody's behalf and that wasn't you.
So you're not going.
So I said, "Listen, it's Shabz. I'm not
going to miss much Seda
Friday. You know what? I'll travel
Friday morning. And if you want, it's a
winter shabas. I'll come back shabas.
I'll be back. I'll miss the Friday and
Sunday morning and maybe the m shabas."
So Esau was very intent of going and he
told me
and what happens if you get to to 770
and the ever walks into shul and he
looks at you and he tells you I sent you
there what are you doing here?
So when he told me those words,
I I know that uh you know the pen and
paper were ready for him to write to the
this went to
you know.
>> Mhm.
>> So that's
>> he's going to report to
>> definitely because that's the way Dan
Holly was working. I don't know if it
still happens this way but that's the
way was going all the years they never
wanted to know a report.
So I I said this is you know
you know that being said and you're
going and doing your own thing.
So I decided to stay but of course being
that after that I spent
from the summer of meal until
actually I went on to base.
So until then
I was I was inv day and night the whole
time. So I got many many uh
where they dabis
and so on.
>> Maybe maybe talk talk to me about uh
your years in 770. I want to that's the
that sounds like it's
years is the
and then your years by the so
what was going on what was your what was
your experiences then when you're
learning 770
>> you know if you ask anybody of my
generation what what were the best years
in Labavich they'll tell you the mems
you know if you ask somebody uh you know
generation before me that they're the
laments somebody what it depends older
you are and the the answer is very
simple the year you spend by the was the
best year in lavage that's it
after all is lavage is you being by the
that's it what do you know anything else
so uh definitely the mess the years we
were in in 2017 were very very
significant and packed went through the
whole the whole the whole mishbat first
all anguish that went through it.
Um
did itself
and uh
the different in yanim uh that that took
place also
of was something definitely very
historical
staying with the zid kapat whole week
you those were we're living times that
were very very clearly
unusual and something very significant
is happening. Um
I I I I can't really
pinpoint on uh on on
I don't know what should I say about it.
My time 770. I don't know. I could tell
you that first of all first of all when
you're in 770 the clock is not is not
the your watch the clock is what's
happening by the
um you know you meet somebody I I'll see
you after you know I'll give it to you
now give it give it back to me after my
you know like our was all about
after they ever after when they ever
came to K you meet people your whole
time frame you know that this is the
time
you are going to be in with so our clock
somehow was the whole time was around
the time going to be with with you know
that's that was one uh you know one
thing I would say about the timings you
know a very very
uh
a a very special moment also was every
day when in the winter when the rebi
came in from in middle in middle of the
sed I island upstairs in
And the Zal upstairs
uh was as packed as it is today. You
know, not that many maybe 40 guys, 50
guys.
>> It is what it is. It's a limited
capacity.
>> Yeah, that's the space. And uh you know,
we sit we sit uh whole day without our
hat and jacket. You know, we come in,
you fold your jacket, you put your hat,
you hang your hat, and then you open or
whatever, whatever it is that you're
learning. Then
in the winter in the mems they became
um very very often they went home early.
Um
so in the middle you're sitting there
and then you see the door of Genan
opens. So right away you know put on
your hat and jacket stand up and there
comes in right in front diving about uh
I don't know 5 ft from you six feet from
you know and uh this in itself was a
very very special
I could I could tell you one thing
talking about the
is that many of the bim when it came
time that rebu would walk in they would
they would run out and dive in the
hallway the door to the hallway next to
the um next to the kazin was always
open. So with minion but if you felt
whatever reason you know you didn't
really put in all your effort in
learning uh and so on or you didn't
whatever you didn't feel fit to be in
the so to speak. So many many guys would
go and stay and d in the hallway
instead.
Um you know because the intensity of
being in the is walking he's right in
front of you downstairs you could you
don't want to be mis you know what I
mean but upstairs was a very different
very different
>> you could like feel the the presence.
>> Yeah. Yeah. They would look they would
look at people look around.
Yeah, for sure. That um
you know the the three weeks of the
Mishbot where we had to take turn, we
couldn't go, we didn't have shoes to go
every day to the court. Number one,
because you're not going to pack the
whole the whole room and number two
because Mudaf learn, you know, you have
to learn. Uh, of course, some of my very
good friends were there every day.
Somehow yeah of course
you know when somebody wants
>> you find a way
>> they gave themselves jobs I guess.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
But uh you know the few times that the
few times that I went uh that I got to
go uh
was also felt you know seeing for
example menik sitting there in the front
with other members of
not necessarily understanding what's
understanding what's happening but
saying tim you see that you see them
sitting over there seriously saying tim
the whole time uh you see that uh You
know they taking it they're taking it
very this is this is the they have the
mishbat is involving the they take it
very seriously they're working on it
very you know standing there saying many
of us were there because we wanted to be
curious you know
>> right a lot is said about that during
that whole period of the of the from
when the from when the Reba first spoke
about the and the court case the mishbut
there was like a certain feeling
And I can imagine by the
in particular and then on
the good news came that like burst that
relief. So maybe you could describe a
little bit what what was that what were
the bakim the bakim had the heartbeat at
the end of the day right. So what were
the bakim feeling like that what was
going on during that time? First of yeah
first of all hearing hearing that
hearing in Indis talk about the
situation
>> you were there was me
>> no I was no I was in camp I was in camp
but right after shabas I got a phone
call I was in camp in France got a phone
call uh right after shabis from my
friend he told me what has happened it's
funny because I was in I left I left
right after
Um so when I left
um all we knew that there was a there
was a
of
I didn't know was called a good kabat on
that day
that that's that's the way on that day.
>> So the first inkling that that the
anyone knew that something was was
happening was the fact that the called
people the the
for for for the lay men, for people like
me. Yes, there were those people who
were more involved. For example,
William, those people were involved with
setting up the cameras and everything
else. So, for sure, they they knew a lot
more. Of course, I don't think they
spoke. I don't think they spoke. As a
matter of fact, even the Bahim who were
the most, you know, the do those who
knew all the secrets and had the intel
on every situation. Nobody was talking.
Nobody was talking. We knew something
was happening. And uh
then I left. I had to to go to camp. So
I left after this event. We know
something is going to happen. We're
going to hear about it on. And then I
asked, you know, call me, you know, what
was this all about? When we heard this
You knew that the Reb is going to speak
about
>> this this this was said. Yeah.
>> No, because the Reb said in the that if
nothing happens, I'm going to speak
about maybe that part leaked.
>> So that that part leaked but not nobody
knew what it was about. A as far at
least
nobody knew what it was about. When this
broke and then when we heard about
uh whatever said and when when we heard
the way they spoke um it was part of
pain. It was very painful and of course
even then we realized that whatever told
someone we made them bank you know it
was all on the
um
everything was
it's true
besides for the time of the mishbah the
time waiting after the mishbah it was it
was very very tense it was very tense
when the news came the came it was
actually like you say well the first
time was before the mishbat already it
was already a great uh
great
uh
I I'll tell you about the the second
you know
>> the sec he's saying a year after
>> the year after
is when they came out that does not need
to testify so you're talking about the
next year
>> the next year yeah so already on that
Hey by before after we're sing
this is really the first time we sang
the in that the way
was
right or
>> this was me after we the original yeah
after we heard that the doesn't have to
go to court this niggan came up did a
uh and uh that night was a fabangan in
in in in 770 upstairs in in in Dal.
Um the Fabrangan was planned. It was a
fabian organized by
uh before it turned to be downstairs.
But then was upstairs
like
and the speakers whatever. on the side
on the side of the bima on the side of
the the kazin of the ome's one table
over there right near that door to the
hallway.
>> Mhm.
>> And uh yakinsky and came to sit down
uh late late at night
and then you know went right away to sit
around and they they said a few things
about what was what was going on. Mala
few a few they revealed a few things
that they were told whatever but I
remember one se very interesting
um
was had had
and he screams to the other side of the
room to and he says
to this
you know why are you still sober you're
sitting at the head table like you know
father of the bride you know because
celebrating
yeah
so so this was you know you say things
that you remember from 20 years before
and this is 40 years before I remember
this this this outburst
this was like you know this like like
I'm saying already the first relief kind
of thing from that tension was that
you'd give a kiss.
>> People were a little bit
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And uh then of course
uh you know the year after.
>> So someone then by the made up the song
>> No, it's not true. We sat.
>> So it was before that. It was before
that we sang after in that the way we
sing that night. By the way, there was
Springer's son got married to
Ber Lazar's sister to Lazar's daughter
if I'm not mistaken.
Um that was the and uh
and over there started
I mean the whole over there was the
>> Mhm. And it was in the evening after
then whatever we went 770 and then came
the
a year later when came about we were
>> you saying the first year the
>> the first year. Yeah.
>> Commemorate whatever the first year of
celebrating the first anniversary of the
of the original.
It was before the
butler.
So we had to and we were maybe maybe 20.
By the way, I read some uh reports the
way it was written in
based on information from
and uh and uh it wasn't the way it's
printed is not not accurate. I I'll tell
you ma because I was there myself.
uh were maybe 20 25
sat down to fabang somewhere around
midnight
and the had to sing
that that night sing because that's the
idea of that the whole world should know
that is a mel and the is not subjected
to any testimony and he runs the show so
you say
and And somebody came up with
>> is what we sang. Yeah. Today the singing
is
we sang by the way the mashk was a few
the mashk was gone was finished. I had
came I came back from Schlas in the
Caribbeans and I had on my uh I had on
in my room I had a desk in my room for
>> in the summer you were you were
>> summer me yeah
>> you're in Caribbean okay
>> summer me I was in Caribbean also an
interesting story remind me I I'll tell
you something about it um
so I bought over there a gallon of crown
royal that comes with a on a stand that
you pour it because it's too heavy you
Okay.
>> And I said it was my I said I'm buying a
bottle for
and I had this bottle in my on my desk.
It was a discussion piece you know
discussion starter you know. Oh wow.
Don't touch it is for
anyways we're sitting over there give
him that's it. So one of my friends
sitting next to me became a
man. I gave him the keys to my room and
I said, "You know, my bottle over there,
bring it over." So, so you give a kiss
to.
So, he brought the bottle
full of his
respect by bringing a one gallon bottle
of mash. Anyway, so this bottle took us
while
>> a crown royal is
>> crown royal. Malus.
>> Yeah. Cory Malus. And this one,
>> this was the mus that we had then
>> if I bring today I had in
>> I'm old enough to remember Crown Royal
being the Mashka Labavage. Either either
Smeirnov or Crown Royal. Yeah. Yeah.
That's it. Yeah. Yeah. In the in the
storage room of my sh I have about 20
bottles. Nobody wants to touch them.
>> Yeah. Exactly.
>> But then al that was it. Kulp
um about 6:00 in the morning people
start to come to Davin
and uh professor Brown over his mention
he loses your money but let me tell you
exactly what happened professor
Brownover comes over and he says tells
me what's going on what's his height
was you'd give him kiss
so he said what do you mean you don't
know you'd give him kiss
so I told him this, that and the whole
thing. All right. So, oh, okay.
Okay. 6 a.m. Look.
Later on, he was standing around right
behind us. Whatever. We're in the center
of the show and somebody came in and he
says, "What? What Bim doing here?" 6:00.
What's it? So, Prime says, "You don't
know. Give a kiss to him."
And so
>> then yeah
>> spreading spreading the word.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
The interesting thing is uh
is that we weren't going to go to sleep
because it was a yamaka. I I mameish
don't remember if it was a Monday or a
Thursday. You could probably look it up
today on on Google. But it was yamaka.
So we're not going to six o'clock 7
o'clock but okay because then if you go
to sleep now you're going to miss
coming for and getting an out of a
question right so uh so we stayed and we
continued and whatever
the came in you know the the way the
sedan was the would come into the z
first the would go into his office and
then he would come out he would stand at
next to the door there was at at his
table and then there was just a top a
standard top that was on top of the
table and only there would be
>> sit on the table.
>> Yeah. Yeah. It wasn't a full stand. It
was it was a regular table the the table
with a checkered from Yankska. Um,
and uh there was a a standard top with a
few
uh prongs at the bottom and there were
four holes on the table that like this
it stand and it doesn't move. Um
so the would be there there would be ash
and and the tim and the would follow
with the and then after that while we
say
until comes back would say till and
after the seph came back would leave the
room we're in the middle of davening so
we never sang when they came in we never
sang when they came out this is the
middle of shahis
but uh
a few of us Um
I I I wasn't in a mat I could couldn't
fill in because alpin I don't think I
was allowed to d
uh so you know we were there for the
and when the left uh we started to sing
turned he looked he smiled he went on
>> yeah I heard a that asked label
what they saying then somebody told me
no it wasn't That day it was a time
where they ever went to
they ever went to the car and was
singing outside and they asked what what
it is and when they were called smile
called upon him this was a I don't
remember ever um
ever that we sang when they was coming
for the trilis I mean in the middle of
ding in chakis
uh he asked me would I do that again
today for sure not but uh after a lot of
mashk and then like you said it was
the tension of that time you know was
like ah
yall but whatever if if if we okay they
have acknowledged it one or another is
um
yeah so this was this is
>> so that was this is
>> and less than a month before the
>> right and then right after this is the
prelude
>> in the hakama to yes the explosion of
hatis
>> yes we knew for a few days before for
some reason I don't know uh I remember I
have a a good friend Ruven Matsov in
France so he he had a he had a
>> he's your older than you
>> no he's older than me is older than me
but he's he's one of those that I
mentioned to you before that you know
get the from when I was in France
to go
shabis go over to his house and then
ends up you know many hours later with a
few good stories and uh filling filling
the inia
so he I had a phone in my room so I
would uh I would call him all the time
anytime there is news so I remember
hearing I heard it from I don't know but
a few days before that the judge is busy
right Now with with a with a verdict the
judge is preparing a verdict. So a few
days before it was end of Khanek
um I called Abu and I told him
the judge is busy with it the is
imminent. We don't know when but this is
what's happening.
Uh and T was a few days later was
uh let me tell you something about the
everybody knows everybody saw the
videos.
Uh
Yasa was diving in Shakis. This was you
know around 11:00 and we started to
dance outside. So he finished shakis. He
went to his car. He took out his guitar
and he started to play in front of in
front of the office in front of the
window.
uh started to to to dance over there and
more and more and more and more people
came. Uh station wagon pulled over,
opened up the trunk. Cases of mashk
station wagon went onto the the parkway,
you know, like after the service light
cases of mashk went out. people were
saying
and uh there was I have a friend who was
going to France that day because he was
getting married on Thursday.
So he stayed till the last minute so he
could get uh the cedar from the Reb the
day before he travels. and he was
getting the cidal
onus
and I went to him and I was like you're
going to be the first civilian you know
not part of mascid
you're going to see the you come out you
tell us you know right he uh came out
after a while and he tells me the looked
very serious
So I thought you I don't know what
you're talking about. You are very
serious. Finally,
we're waiting for for this day for for
for years and you living. You're very
you're sad. You're serious. You're
depressed. So when you're depressed, you
see everybody around you depressed. You
don't know what you're talking about.
He says, "I I I've I know I've seen the
before. The looked very very serious. I
don't know what's going on.
We saw the come in. You saw you see it
in the video. So we were there by
the front. I was right there.
Nobody was nobody was and were singing
singing and came in and didn't look uh
didn't encourage the singing.
>> Yeah. We we expect it is not what we
expected so to speak, right? I realized
maybe this B was right and say we know
we know the story. They have immediately
asked if if there would be an appeal and
when it was told there would be an
appeal they closed door like was turned
very serious.
Even the M with the you know
>> Yeah. The Reb started saying
>> started saying but there was a but there
was a true there was a and uh so so
we saw that was very but
then
>> on the other hand the is a very strong
about about what happened that day.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Did they ever turn it? I think they
turned it. It was the next year it was a
shabz
said that this is just linked in that
to to
spoke about
started by saying that as it is
in a way and then what happened last
year and then
which is just like mish they have
establishing established it as a yam. We
understand that this was after the
appeal was won and this was after after
the whole thing was over. Um and that t
is was the really but nonetheless even
we dance every night didn't stop us
until
it was
to write the pan but you want to write
and anyways we're not going to read it
so don't worry about writing exactly
what you want it's going to of the
you know there was no faxes there. It's
not like you send an email today. Um I
remember
>> there's no faximax.
>> No mir didn't have a fax. Binyamin Klein
had a fax in his basement in Mamzin and
that fax actually belonged to uh to to
Yas Goodnik and he put it like he bought
it and he put it by by Binyamin. So
should have a fax. Um I Bammen had asked
me a few times to go pick up some some
uh to go pick up some letters from there
and bring him
sometime you know in between two in
between two I would I would I would need
air so I would go to Madash
so he said go to my basement get get me
some this boxes that machine was the
size of the copy machine of the 90s it's
the size of a table.
>> Mhm.
>> It's huge. That was the facts uh then
imam and uh I don't know what the
capacity how much it could take. So for
people from all over the world to send
it, everybody had to find a different
you know one way or another.
Uh
my friend Menimov
today in Paris, he was in then and his
father Mü
had a huge following and of course
I would assume somewhere around a
thousand people who had to send the
facts. Uh so you should get to the reb
before it goes to the dy. So then as we
all know everybody especially the
Americans Frenchies come to the by the
thousands. How do they come to the to
fly? So moola had a special uh deal with
their friends that when the people came
from the bisabat or when bisabat called
their friends for a ticket it was a
special deal.
So he uses connection then and he took
all the pun that all the panim that
people sent. He took them to a office
the central office of her friends in
Paris and he sent it to the central
office of to the office of her friends
in Manhattan and Mendy his son went to
Manhattan. He picked up the pim and
brought it to this is how much of a trip
you had to do to get
>> Yeah. This was yeah a very significant
thing just
>> one of the integral components of being
aim
and whether it's
orimot
these days give us an opportunity to
connect with our to connect with each
other and be better
what is the story behind each of these
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how did the rabbi commemorate and
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with.
>> So I want to go back a little bit to uh
you mentioned this something about the
the American that you had to the
Caribbean.
>> Yeah.
Um so actually it's a very interesting
story and um
I'll I'll I'll start I'll start from the
end. I'll start from the end. Okay.
Let's start from the beginning.
V um I had planned to go on to uh to to
two French islands in the Caribbeans
Guadlup Martineik and at the same time
that me and the friend were planning it
there's another two Bahim were planning
the same thing also two French bahim
they're planning the same the same
uh so then
when we're discussing it we decided you
know let's go together one of them was a
one of my parents was a he says he won't
go.
He has to get ready for his wedding. And
uh so it's only we're going to be three
three
and uh the three of us were going to
France for July to do camp
and we figured we finished camp in in
France camp was only one month so we'll
finish we'll go make in August on the
second part the second part of the
summer. Um
so we we made plans to print Italian
over there and so on. So each one had
you know took a job raising money to
print it. That was my job and uh you
know getting masses they got the
whatever it is. We went to France and
then they these two uh my two friends
decided to go straight from Paris
uh to the Caribbeans rather than come to
New York and I said it's B
and I want I want to be by the
I don't know what what it is with me and
wanting to
>> is a recurring story. Yeah, but this one
was a weekday.
By the way,
is the one time in which um you get to
hear the very very good you get to be
very very close. There's actually a
picture I have a picture of of the
also and I'm there right on the side
everybody small. There's a small and
yeah there's less time for the but less
of a crowd
>> right because in camp
the
in the country and uh people didn't come
usually not many people came for so it
was a small crowd and we were able to be
close here they very well
Gash menal and these kind of people.
Yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Always did. Yeah.
>> So
good. So I decide I'm going for to the
and then next day whatever two days
later I'll I'll I'll join you.
So, uh, I get to the I get to New York,
uh, a few days before Kaf and my friends
call me up and they tell me, "Listen,
we've been there for a few days. We did
we we did the whole we covered all the
ground. We saw everything there is to
see and we you don't need to come.
>> We're already cavish."
>> Yeah. Yeah. That's it. We
>> We conquer. We're done.
Yeah. And they Okay. So I say, "Yeah,
you conquered one, but there is a second
Thailand." They said, "Look, I we spoke
to the people here. They say there isn't
that much work to do there. There are
that many yiddens, so don't don't bother
coming,
you know." So, you know, again, you
know, I guess third wheel needs you
whatever. Okay. I say, "Okay, what's
with the the the money for the Tanya?"
Don't worry, we'll cover the Tanya for
So I tell them I said listen I I when I
booked my ticket
uh the travel agent told me that I have
to stop in an island called St. Martin.
Today St. Martin is very famous but I've
never
Yeah.
>> I've never heard of St. Martin before.
This the travel agent told me you have a
stopover in St. Martin. From France they
have direct flights but from New York
they didn't have to Martine to
Guadaloop. So you have to stop in St.
Martin. So I said, "I heard about that.
That means that maybe I have something
to do there." So they said, "Stay put.
We're going to find out with the people
over here. What's Yeah, good." So they
called me back and they said, "Here is
the phone number of the president of the
community. He's a lawyer. He is going to
show you around is a small community. Go
there." Okay. Okay. So I had to go to
anal to tell them change of plan and I
went to the office of over there is
where they prepared the plate for the
shahlat
uh of the tanya because if you print the
tanya you needed to have
the the shah had the name of the place
where we where it's printed. So you
can't just take each Tanya was assigned
a number you know print number this one
is shiny Z
>> right
>> anyway so I went over there and I said
you know they took care of Guad matik
I'm going to St. Martin not printed
there print okay good they prepared the
papers I wrote to the whole story change
of plan and I'm going there instead I
got an answer
they will mention
and I went back to my friend who was
getting married and I say this is your
last chance to go make you're getting
married you're going but is your last
chance come with Okay. So he said okay.
So I said fine you know you're Italian.
You're Italian. There are few gim over
here that are Italian. You go get some
money for the tickets. And we thought
okay. So we
>> but they did there's no payment from
meas for for
>> there was first of all first of all in
the in the mems it was very different
was very when you when you went to all
those places in America. Yeah. It was
covered. When you went to further places
didn't happen. Kimat didn't happen.
Remember
told me once he says we don't send
because there was another French place I
wanted to go to and told we don't send
to then I asked about this place he says
it's a French territory has to do with
the with the Frenchim
so the Frenchim said the French who was
uh actually who took ownership of this
island 5,000 kilometers away from him
but this is um he was was masking we go
but he wasn't going to Okay. So, we had
to cover for it.
Okay. So, me and my friend went and from
the airport, we went straight to the
lawyer's office. We had his his address,
his name straight to the lawyer
and secretary tells us he's he's away.
He's on vacation for two weeks. I said,
"Yeah, we're here for two weeks, you
know. So, then there's nothing. Where
are we going to go?"
So, okay, we go go out, we take a taxi,
we go to a hotel. I figured, you know,
growing up in France, if you want to
know where to find a Jew, you ask a guy,
they'll tell you who's Jewish. So, I
asked the guy at a hotel, who's a French
man. I tell him, do you know any in
French in nice way of saying Jewish?
It's not Jif is is which mean Israelite.
So he heard me say
>> is a jar is a derogatory. Jif could be
as not as nice.
>> Today we say who's a jif but then used
to say Israelites. I say do you know any
is say yeah there is a guy who has a a
supermarket. He's Israeli.
Um I go there. We go right away and we
ask where's the bus? The bus in the
back. Go there. You see a guy, big guy
with a mustache, a bit dark
and they say shalom. He say shalom.
Where are you from in Israel?
He tell
he's from he's a Palestinian. He was not
an Israeli. But for the for the Frenchy
over there all the same Israeli.
>> Okay. So we left and we don't know why
we're gonna we're here for two weeks.
The only contact we have is is is away
and close. So I told my friend Dr. Dal
just two years before that they ever
spoke about printing Tanyas all over the
world and they ever said that the idea
of printing a Tanya all over the world
is because
the wellspring itself is being printed
in the place not just the water not
going to learn there only but you're
going to bring the the Mayan say why we
make
let us bring the let's go find a
printer. The printer says, "Uh, yeah, I
could do it in two weeks." I said, "No,
no, no. We're living in two weeks." And
I see the guy was wearing a t-shirt that
had a mention of some type of godliness.
I told him, "Listen, let me tell you
about this book." Was a big big rabbi
when he saw the book. He says, "How
could it be a big big god? Contains a
small book. Now you want to print this
book and you print house." And the guy
said, "Oh yeah, I do it today. I start
today." Anyways, we started over. We
stayed over there till he starts making
upset. He wasn't coming. He was took
time.
As soon as we walked out
of the printer,
somebody walks, somebody who's driving,
short stops,
guy jumps out of the car, he tells,
"Yeah,
get in the car." He says, "Get in the
car. There's somebody who's who wants to
talk to you.
Hey, we get in the car.
>> He wasn't kidnapping you.
>> No, this guy is
tell
we go in the car and he tells us that
there is a man who now lives in
Guadalupe, the bigger island
who heard that we're coming
and he asked he says he asked me to go
around and look for you because he wants
to talk to you. So, we're going to this
man's office and he dials a phone and
this guy tells us uh what are you what
what are you doing here?
We're doing here they sent us here. So,
he said they sent you here. Is it
because of the letter that I wrote to
him? Said yeah that's why
he said wow this was six months ago. So
I said no. Okay.
But what was it? They didn't tell us the
details. So maybe you want you want to
fill us in.
>> You guys are just uh saying
>> bluffing. Yeah,
>> just bluffing. They sent me because he
wrote a letter. How do I know? I'm sure
it's true,
>> right?
>> But
they didn't tell me why.
So he said six months ago he was uh on a
boat. He went fishing and the boat
capsized and he felt he was going to
drown.
And in the water while drowning he says
elohim if you save me
that's it I go back to religion and you
know took care of and he saved him right
but the guy is stuck he has a promise he
has to do he doesn't know what to do so
he says I wrote to the a letter and I
told him that I want to do chuva and he
sends shuim all over the world please
send him to St. Martin. So I couldn't
know what to do.
So I was surprised. I made such an offer
and he didn't answer me. I said, "What
are you talking about? He didn't answer
you. He didn't answer you in the letter.
He answered in person. He sent us here."
After that, you know, I felt a little
bad. So I explained to him, you know,
didn't tell us anything.
Okay,
doesn't have to
call me in his office and tell me I
received a letter from a Jew
and they made it that the travel agent
told me there is St. Martin. My good
friend told me please don't hang out
with us and this whole thing came
together and and we're here.
Anyways, this guy Tak became full and so
on. But just to tell you the rest of the
story, which is which is amazing.
I mean, after that, by the way, this is
Israeli guy who who took us to his car
took us to every single Jew in the
island. Everyone we went to
in the D. I wrote to the everything. I
wrote to the Reb in the D that the whole
story how we met this guy and what he
told us about the Reb and I just told
the Reb that and we explained to him
that
forward 30 years. A few years ago,
Gimmel Tam was a Shabas
and I have a if Gimmel Tam is a Shabas,
I come to the Reb on Friday and I drive
back to be Shabas with
because if it's in a weekday,
everybody's nobody's there. Everybody
comes to the everybody goes travels. But
if it's a shabas, I have to fabang with
my people.
You have a sh of
>> I have a sh of Yes. Yes. Interesting.
Interesting stories about the sh this
one is the the first
in Canada
was established by this great uncles
uh in
a
>> great uncle or or like whatever.
>> Deb is great the sons of uh of the
>> of the Kabuki
>> of the Kabanaki. Yeah, the two sons Fab
actually asked them for the uh for the
kissad to print it.
>> Uh yeah, so they were basically uncles,
two brothers. They established the show
and I'll tell you a few interesting
things about that later. We have the
time.
So I figured I have so I stayed
I stayed for for I went to the river. I
went to I drove straight from the on a
Friday afternoon.
You know, I was listening to Fabrangans
and
I felt very very
uh lack of a better word, you know, I
felt unsettled,
felt very uncomfortable. What am I doing
here? Why I am not
but still I didn't feel good like I want
to be there.
I want to be in the
Anyways on Friday afternoon when I I get
a phone call from a group of Mash Kabad
who said would you be able to come and
give us a speech for Gilamos? So I said
okay fine
I'll come in I'll say the speech.
So
part of my speech over there is to tell
them I tell them the story this story
that I told you about.
Why did I tell him the story? Because I
said
the Reb, you are where the Reb wants you
to be. You know Amba wanted to send you
to call them up and to say you go there.
Today the is telling you you could you
need to be there. That's where you need
to be. And I said today even after
there's no question that the is sending
his exactly where they have to be
because he wants them to be there. So
from that perspective, you know, we're
here for Gil Tamos, but but we're here
because the wants us to be here.
And I told them the story exactly that
that the Eb wanted me to be in St.
Martin in the summer of because that Jew
needed it.
As I'm saying the story, there's a lady
who gets up and she tells me, "Do you
remember the name of of that person?" I
said, "Of course I
sa."
She says, "That's that's my husband's
uncle."
She tells me, "I knew the part of the
story cuz he had told the story that he
was going to drown and he made a promise
that he's going to do chuba and he was
saved and he did chuba two days in he
has a long beard. He learns in half a
day and so on so forth." But he never
said anything about a letter to the. So
I was already I was blown away. I was
like number one this is the telling me
you feel bad that you're in Montreal and
I give out tamos. I'm I'm here.
I'm part of your story here.
And I was very happy that you know
sometime you tell a story and somebody
uplugs you. Over here was a
>> confirmation a confirmation of the
story.
So I told her I said this is
unbelievable because this is telling us
again how the is the wanted me to tell
you this story so you could know the
rest of the story and please send him my
regards. Anyways the next day on Sunday
morning I get a phone call from the
husband of this of this woman who says
uh I I called my uncle this morning and
I didn't want a phone call. I wanted to
see him so I facetimed so I could see
his reaction. I told him the story and
his jaw fell to the ground and he said
that he has never told this story to
anybody ever only to one guy.
So he says now that you know let me tell
you the rest and he says that he wrote
eight pages letter to the his whole
entire life what he did until now and
then how he ended up and and so on and
so forth. So this was you know one of my
uh I would say first significant
that I saw
the involvement in in everything and and
today this is very very careful today
young who never saw the
who are going ones they're going far
away they this became the and they
sometime they may ask themselves self
who sent me the state sent me the did I
decide to find a job this is my career
what is it nob picked you because wanted
you to be there he didn't have to tell
you anything and this is the way it was
said the very good years of this is
still the way it was going on
>> and you're saying that this is the same
thing that uh happening today.
>> Exactly.
When somebody's going on today, it is
not because
his father happened to be a in that area
and he kept a spot for 25 years for him.
There was no Jews there until he got
married. That's not the reason. The
reason why he's there now after 25 years
of his father being there is because
that's the time the wanted you to be
there.
And how does this translate to someone
that's not official?
Well, the said many many times
especially in you know when the started
you know
with every house
what does it mean you know you're of
house
wherever it is your
what does it mean is you know there's an
interesting interesting thing that bin
client told me once I had an offer once
to go on. No, not on. I had an offer
once to become above in uh I've been on
on to Africa a few times
and uh so after I got married, I got an
offer from the
>> What year did you get married?
>> I got married. I got married
got it from the day before the night
in which he mentioned
we could could talk about it too. It's
an interesting uh thing.
>> Yeah.
This was said after
So
I'll jump to this. We'll go back to
that. Yeah. Are you okay?
>> You okay with the with the jumping
around subject?
>> Just just uh make a note. Yeah. Make
remember
>> the parenthesis. Okay. So uh
yeah I got married
and you could understand that
uh I was very confused besides of
hearing the first
was a heartbreaking for anybody
especially if you're
and who could think of a
>> was crying
was crying. Yeah.
when he said that by
it was was tearing tearing tearing me
apart
now I'm going to go I'm going to get
married with the band the music that was
so uh anyway so I actually asked u I
actually asked the what if we should do
anything differently and uh they were
going to told me you don't need to ask
because they already said to all the the
misters who had things planned not to do
anything different from as a matter of
fact I heard from u
my my brother-in-law's father Shiman
Goldman used to say a story shabishim
because he was in charge of the mishab
he would say a story in front of the deb
every year
>> so in the middle of the he would say a
story and he asked and then put put on
was part of the part of the show we put
on the
so he asked If maybe this time is
because the fab will be in the shabas in
the middle of Shiva and maybe it will be
more
uh has a darker kind of environment you
know he asked if he should say a story
and and with the said yes and I'll give
you a story to say a longer story than
usual like they didn't want any any any
changes whatsoever
um
the pel
Uh
the night before
the night before they gave dollars
and then they asked that there should be
a Fabran that begins in the house
and the next night or Tuesday night was
a Fabbran in the house and and the
Fabian should continue Wednesday night
in 770.
Yeah, we gave two bottles of wine. The
big bottles, the
the half a gallon. Yes. Uh two bottles
of wine, one for the house and there was
a in the house and the continuation was
a big fab the next day. Uh
Shia Pinson called Melab.
>> Yeah, Shia Pins was a gaba in 170. And
he's the one who made the announcement
what time what will be. He ann I think
he announced that there's going to be a
fab in 770 and the reb should be in the
house.
>> So he said it's the going to be in the
house and then
>> in the house and then
>> so
asked he called my father-in-law to find
out the the the times of the wedding.
>> Who's
is Jerry Simon Uncle Simon he was a
famous uh caterer in Crown Heights. He
was the cater for the for decades
the
special development fund.
Uh yeah
>> from Crown Street an American boy who
born in Jersey but uh he learned in
Bedford and wasn't a mistress. He was
part of part of Lubavich. I mean this is
a
>> for anybody my age he said Jerry they
know what you're talking about.
So uh he he asked he asked him what the
better being the patient guy that he was
he says what's your what's your business
why you why you asking so he says
because it's going to be a fabian
tonight in 770 and the
want to make sure that I'm not going to
announce the time at the time of the
wedding so I had to find out before
so is the wedding I mean I'm not into
the you know such a gentleman kind of
guy. But uh but sometimes you just can't
go around it.
>> Reb was sensitive about your your
>> Yeah. Yeah. But but for the
gave mash bottle of wine
give directives start here 70. And yet
is that Frenchie getting married down
the street. I'm not going to ruin the
party for him. Good. Anyways, after I
went for dollars after the
and told the I'm getting married
tomorrow, the gave me an extra dollar
and then he gave me another dollar and
he says,
"Give over to Yukala after the hookah."
My wife also went that night and they
told her the same thing. You know, label
told she's getting married tomorrow. So
they gave her an extra dollar to give me
um to give me by uh after the coupon
also after the coupon. So basically we
exchanged dollars.
>> Uh the next morning the gap dollars
again
and uh so I went by I didn't say
anything. I went by
uh my father was was also there. So when
I went by label told the I'm getting
married uh today. So they gave me an
extra dollar and told me
the first one was I already had one for
the give to the after
that's what
then I went to get the cedar from the
reb on that day the went to the oil that
day
and I went to get the cedar
uh
they never came down. So label told us
in advance he says they was going to
come where they were on another two they
were getting married one in Israel one
in California they were getting married
in different places so they came it
wasn't the day of their wedding the
wedding was either next week one of them
the other one was I think both of them
was next week so uh
they said is going to ask who's getting
married first you say me
and then they was going to give it Okay,
comes down
and he had in his hand the cider and a
bunch of letters and the ask asked who's
getting married first and I'm I'm not
going to volunteer to say
you know to the we know the stories you
know there is no say me to the so I
stood there like a guide I'm saying
nothing
Um so label says him gave it to me.
Um
ask for all the good things and the
and when you finish give it to the next
is getting married next.
Then they ever went to the meanwhile I
stayed at label told me after I have
something for you. So I went to label
after I finished davening and he had the
the letter was my with the letter is
that was actually Monday night that year
theat was very very late.
>> Yeah
was very late. It was a week 10 days
after each.
Monday night was the
Tuesday I believe went to the
uh Tuesday night was the
so in I gave the invitation
the gashm didn't have time to uh you
know to respond right
um
would hand an invitation to the Reb.
That was a say there
>> in Yeah.
>> Especially that we thought that we have
like at least two weeks from
is three weeks,
>> right?
>> So it's plenty of time but this happened
to be delay.
So uh there was the letter uh label told
me the letter was typed the date was of
uh the day after the
but signed it told me they just signed
it before coming down. They signed the
letter and uh
>> for coming down
>> before when they came down to give me
the sidel
in his house. So uh before coming down
they have signed the letter and he
>> Oh this the sid was in the house. This
whole thing was in the house.
>> Was in the house. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> All this was in the house. Yeah.
>> Mhm.
>> D in the house. Yeah. So yeah, they took
the time basically
>> before the rabbi gave you the in middle
of this that's going on to make sure to
sign your letter.
>> Sign your letter. Yeah. Yeah. And then
that night I tell you I insisted I
wanted my to be on.
Why? because I'm getting married in
winter
and I wanted that uh you know I I I want
after the I want to be able to go to the
with the kala you know and the only way
you could do that is if it's a day
because you know it's going to be very
very late so here's a chance
I wanted to get married
and turned out that but I I we didn't
make it was before the cop whatever was
up there
maybe I should have gone myself. It was
after bad started.
>> Mhm.
>> So I went 770 to get dressed, you know,
with the k and the
>> and I heard the over there. Yeah. Maybe
I should have just walked to the house.
I'll be back, you know. But I don't
know. I guess it wasn't uh it wasn't the
right thing to do for but nonetheless
said in the said that the Raam writes
that
Moshe has uh instituted seven days of
mourning and immediately in order to
counterbalance it he instituted the
and khal get married they also have
seven days following this event of
celebration and they have explained very
how
is the antidote is the opposite of theus
that is a concept of is about eternity
and the way to balance out the Indian of
of is with the of going
and then they said and especially that
we're going
straight uh straight into from the
straight into
and
which is the
and then this is the
to do that was also the with with
this came out by the way and I saw the
um in the added
added one word
uh but from the audio and from the tamil
of the the verbatim of the audio you see
David that's what David said you know
spoke about the
>> added that we're going to
made it plural because I guess there
were other things wasn't just all about
me
being including more
>> yeah including more of this after
that
the was was unbelievable
all my friends who were not in a mood
for a wedding you know for sure came and
everybody else came being that Mash was
a a very good caterer. So he was able to
add a few tables. Some of my friends
remind me this how after the added a few
tables to the to the hall.
>> So he knew he knew that the was going to
come to the
>> Yeah. Yeah. He saw that was it was a
very very fas. So once again this not
only the sensitivity of the asking what
time is what time is the before for the
to take place but in addition to that
they mentioning it by and uh you know in
my in my position in public service
uh I have had like many many opportunity
to show the toanim who had just lost
someone right before or the family of
the kal lost someone right before and so
on. So I always gave them this
encouraging
you know to say this what you're doing
now
because this is what is erasing whatever
you have lived experienced until now.
It's it's amazing also you hear stories
like this
which are smaller and the youths and the
you know had this personal connection
but it's what's amazing is that this is
huge already and it's not not the same
it's not it's not but but the made sure
to have that personal sh with with every
like like in that in that way it's like
uh it's unbelievable that type of thing.
>> Yeah. Yeah. No, it is. And of course uh
you know those days they in in the house
for the year and u
so I was doing
so I had access you know I was there for
every because like this I don't say
there somehow I got to even though
there's no but so every time I came in I
was able to be there during Shiva there
was mish measure a lot of people were
there
But then the whole week after that I was
down there all the all the time.
>> Okay.
Amazing.
So um
it's
before or after by the time this goes on
to
and the whole time the whole year it's
important for us to know about our
personal connection to the rabb every
and every every person in the in the
every person in the generation has this
uh connection to to the rabbi sometimes
you know it sometimes you see it some
you know sometimes you have a story but
I think it's also important
I think one one of the ways
to arouse that feeling and that
connection is to think about the and the
personal
attention that the gave either to you or
or to your mishbak to your your father
your mother your ba you know and those
that didn't have that hearing stories
like this can really help us understand
you know the personal connection that
has withb.
>> Yeah.
>> Okay.
And thank you for the for the warm
faban. And I believe that I enjoyed
every word. So I believe that many many
will will too. And uh it sounds like we
need to do a part two. So let's do a
part two a different time.
>> Good. Good. Good. because I was I was
gonna follow up with another mice had
paid attention but we could leave it for
a part. So, so, so say another one.
Let's go.
>> Okay.
>> This is this is a free conversation, you
know.
>> Okay. Free flowing.
>> It's like, you know, you think it's
done.
>> Yeah.
>> I'm saying the whole time over here.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> I have my water.
It's good.
>> Very good. Um, you know, another um
story. I'll tell you actually two two
very quick stories but uh and then the
next the part two will be we'll talk
about concepts
like this
>> okay go
>> the the my is that u you know my my I
saw a letter that my father got
when my older brother was was born and
in on the letter the writes uh the date
it was uh was written as
Heshman was typed. David turned with a
pen. He changed the form
and the letter is a regular letter, the
same letter that I got when I had a baby
boy. You know that
the regular that gave
and then adds after the
adds
in connection to his birthday. You
should have and then there are besides
my father's birthday is
so the letter was originally typed as a
and they maybe it's but we can't really
see they have a change with the pen the
date he put the z over there. So in
addition to writing a muzzle on top of
the birth they have also benching for
his birthday. So it's very interesting
because you know many people receive we
know the stories about getting a letter
from the for your child for your baby
for your and you wonder if it's the same
knows who you are
wrote say your name everybody gives the
same letter it could be that everybody
got uh the same letter but each one of
those letters was addressed directly and
specifically to you to you to the point
in which not only they ever know your
name and he knows who you are on this
But the Reb knows your birthday and he
mentions it. And this is also a very
very important thing to realize that
when we ask from the
you know the is is is the of the
is your of you the individual that you
are and uh I think this is also the with
realize that this is happening still
now. They told us
how much you know with all of
the request that we have to continue
asking for breakfast and they will find
a way to answer us and this is still
happening and is answering you when you
ask the answering you particularly
you should be able to see it.
Amen.
I'm hopeful.
[Music]