Ep. 44: Why I Received Over 700 Answers From The Rebbe with Rabbi Berel Levine

When the Rebbe first spoke about it, the public was based on this. And then, in continuation to that, they decided to take it to court. And when it is Rebbe Kanievsky discussed with the Rebbe about taking it to court, the Rebbe said that preparing the documents that are related to this court case, it should be on my responsibility. So, then I stopped all working and we worked on several months on all archives to go through everything, tens of thousands of papers, and to find things that are related to this subject. I'm Yossi Kleinman. Welcome to Among Chassidim by Their Hair, an ongoing farbrengen about life as a Chassid, our vibrant connection with the Rebbe, and inspired living shaped by the way he teaches us each and every day. Baruch haba Rebbe Leven. Thank you so much for being here. My pleasure. Okay. And I just want to give a little bit of a hakdama my own that first of all, you did a tremendous service for the world that your your role as the chief librarian of the Rebbe's library and all the other things that you're involved with, I mean, you the answers that you have from the Rebbe are probably I didn't count in the hundreds or more? About 5 600. 5 600. And the reason why you have so many answers is because you really I mean, in English, you worked for the Rebbe mamesh, like you know, and and you did a big service for the world that you mamesh printed every single I don't I don't know if every single or is it every every single >> so. Every single answer you got from the Rebbe with the background. And this is all out there, it's published. Safe Ha'eidis Ha'kodesh. And I'm saying this hakdama first of all to thank you, but also that it's going to be impossible for us to go through every single detail because you would be sitting here forever. So, we're going to try to focus on certain areas and we'll see how it how it how it evolves. Sounds Sounds like a plan. I'm blessed. Okay. So, let's begin. I always like to know a little bit of the family background, where you came from, where your parents came from, and how you where you, you know, how you got here. My parents lived in Kharkov till in middle of the war. When the Germans came close to Kharkov, they fled all the way down deep in the Russia to Samarkand. They lived in Samarkand till after the war. After the war, they fled Russia with fake papers. There some people Polish people that got killed in the war. So, they got their passports and they left Russia with these passports into Poland and from there they went to Pocking, which is a DP camp in Germany. They lived there for about a year and a half with the whole Chabad community fled Russia until they settled in Paris. They said they came there in early Tof-Shin-Ches, and in the end of Tof-Shin-Ches, I was born. They lived there another few months in Paris, and then they [clears throat] came to Eretz Yisrael and they settled in Kfar Chabad, who was then established early summer Tof-Shin-Tes. So, you were born in the DP camp or in Paris? In Paris. >> And your parents, both your mother and your father, came from a family of Lubavitcher Chassidim? My mother came from Lubavitcher Chassidim. My father in the early years, there was no other yeshivas in Russia that stayed there only underground Chabad yeshivas. So, he went to Vitebsk yeshiva Chabad and learned there. So, what type of family was he from? Paul Ukraine. From Chassidim general Chassidim. >> General Chassidim. Interesting. So, he's learning in Tomchei Temimim and they go over to Eretz Yisrael and that's where you're born. Yes. That's where you grew up, I mean. Yes. Yeah. And you were attending the yeshivas in in Eretz Yisrael in Kfar Chabad? I my youth, I learned in cheder in Kfar Chabad and then by a little before the bar mitzvah, I went to the yeshiva of Tomchei Temimim in Lod. In but then, after the bar mitzvah, I decided that my place is here in the yeshiva by the Rebbe. I felt this is my place and I told that to my father several times. In the end of that year, my father was here for Tishrei. So, when he went into yechidus, he told the Rebbe my desire to come learn here. I was still so young. So, the Rebbe told him this this year he should stay in is in Eretz Yisrael, and if he will learn good with Kiddush Hashem in there, so then in the end of the year, he should ask Dan Holler of the yeshiva there to write to Dan Holler in the yeshiva here, they should send them a student visa. And in that year, I tried to learn very well and I wrote to the Rebbe that I'm going to start my efforts to learn very good. And the Rebbe wrote to me a letter when he wrote among others that it should be in a even of Yuga Toira, that they recall it Yuga Toira, and then it will be the real Umot Ha'olam. So, in the end of the year, I he they they Dan Holler wrote a letter to here to ask for my student visa and they sent them. Until I got the visa, it was Teves Tof-Shin-Ches-Daled, then I I arrived here. Yud Ches Teves Tof-Shin-Ches-Daled. And when you came here, you where did you go where did you learn in the in yeshiva here? I went to Newark, that yeshiva that later went to Morristown. And I learned there for the year of Tof-Shin-Ches-Daled. I was supposed to, according to my age, to go stay there for another year, Tof-Shin-Ches-Hey. But then, there was the histalkus of the Rebbe's mother, Rebbetzin Chana, and the Rebbe started davening for the amud three times a day and farbrenging every Shabbos, and from Newark, they would permit the bochurim to come here only once a month for the farbrengen of Shabbos Mevorchim. I said I didn't come from Eretz Yisrael to stay somewhere in Newark and to come see the Rebbe only once a month. So, I stayed here. Dan Holler Dan Holler here didn't accept me because you're too young. I was just then becoming 16, so I should go back to Newark. I didn't go back to Newark. I stayed here. I slept in one of the rooms of Oholei Torah yeshiva, and I used to learn in 770. After 2 months, Dan Holler here saw that I'm here to stay, so they accepted me finally, and since then I learned in 770. I think I heard that from others that they also had plans to go to other yeshivas. They I think some groups were supposed to go to Montreal and then Tof-Shin-Ches-Hey, when they saw what was going on here in 770, they canceled and stayed in 770. Some people did, yes. And you had mesiras nefesh to do it. I felt that's what I came here for, not to just be somewhere and come here see the Rebbe only once a month. Okay. So, um during that time, when you were in 770, besides the farbrengens, I imagine you also had yechidus a few times. Right. When I came after Yud Shvat, a few weeks after I came, I went into yechidus, and I wrote of my learning in the yeshiva in Newark. So, the Rebbe told me there is a issue to go out from Eretz Yisrael to chutz la'aretz unless it the purpose is to learn Torah. So, therefore, if you learn with Kiddush Hashem here in the even that the Torah wants you, then you have the heter to stay here and come out from Eretz Yisrael. So, that my first yechidus. And I learned here for the 2 years, 1 year in Newark and 1 year in 770, and then my student visa ended, and I wanted to stay here continue learning. So, I went in another yechidus 2 years later in the end of Tof-Shin- Ches-Hey, and I I to the Rebbe that my student visa is over and I want to stay here. So the Rebbe said the same thing again. The only way to be able to to come out from the is if you learn the So if you do that, you could try to stay here. I went to the lawyer. Then there was a lawyer named Ring that he was saddle the papers for the 770 that needed to be get get Americans a green card and then citizen papers. So he told me, "Since you have no immediate family here in the States, you will be it will going to be hard for you. They should permit you to become a American citizen. So the only way is if there is a school that would write a letter that they invite you because they need you very much. So then they would maybe give you the green card to be able to stay here for that purpose." A few days later Rabbi Jacobson who was the Mashpia in the Yeshiva came over to me and told me that I hear that you have difficulties getting the papers to stay here. But I have a student in Passaic, New Jersey. He runs there a day school. His name is Baboyski. So I spoke to him. He'll invite you and give you an interview and then he'll try to give you such a letter. I went to Passaic and met with him and then he wrote me an invitation that he needs me to teach Hebrew in the day school. And with this I came back to the lawyer and he worked on it until finally I received the papers to stay here. Since the Rebbe told me that it's up to my speech in the small there, so in the next year I learned a lot and mainly I used to learn at night and didn't care so much about time of sleeping and eating. The Hanhalah of Mentlik tried to stop me from eating and he told me, "You put your health in danger." But I didn't It didn't help. In the end of the year for Tishrei my father came here again for Tishrei and Rav Mentlik told him the whole story. So when my father went into Yechidus, he told the Rebbe what Rav Mentlik told him about me. So the Rebbe told him he should tell me to learn Perek Gimmel in Iggeres HaTeshuvah where the Alter Rebbe says that if one learns Torah, he's not allowed to fast because it's going to disturb him from learning. So there he My father told the Rebbe he doesn't fast. He just doesn't pay attention enough for eating and sleeping. So the Rebbe told him, "Malikotla Malikotla Palga, what is the different if you kill someone completely or just half it is also not enough. So my father told me that and since then I'm trying to be careful in times of eating and sleeping." Malikotla Palga Malikotla Kula meaning anyways, whichever way it's still not taken care of. >> Not properly, yes. It was very interesting in that time when my father came here for Tishrei of Zion. My Yom Huledet is in the end of Elul. So every year it was very difficult for me to get the Yechidus because the in that days the Rebbe didn't accept Yechidus only the guest In Elul in Elul and Tishrei. Yes. But I wanted to go in before my Yom Huledet. So I used to stay and wait till the end of the Yechidus and then they permitted me to go in for a few minutes. So in the end of when I came into Yechidus, so the Rebbe answers my Yechidus and when I'm ready to go out, he tells me, "By the way, you probably know that your father is coming tomorrow." I was shocked. He received a letter from my father among thousands of other letters that he's arriving here on a certain day and when I saw me in Yechidus, he realized this is my father and therefore he told me you should you probably know that your father is coming tomorrow. Yeah. Um there was also a story right when you came your father gave you a bottle of of Mashke. Yes, that was the first time I went over to the Rebbe. He used those days they would put a bottle of Mashke on the table by the Rebbe. You can give it to the Rebbe. Give it to the Rebbe and for for the Farbrengen. So he gave me a bottle of Mashke and I by Yuds Shvat Farbrengen between the sichos I went over to the Rebbe and I told him, "This is the bottle of Mashke that my father is sending with me." So he told me, "Who is your father?" I say, "Israel Yudel ben Leib Belah." So he says, "Ah, Levin." Okay, he took the bottle. He looked on the wine of the Mashke and he looked on the hechsher and then he turns around his back over there said one of the Chabad rabbonim in Eretz Yisrael and he's asking him, "People are using this hechsher?" So he says, "Yes." So he asks him, "Do you use Do you you drink this hechsher?" He said, "No." So he turns back to me and he tells me, "So then you can don't mind if I don't accept it and come here and say l'chaim." And he pulled me in from one of the bottles that was standing by him into my cup to say l'chaim and then he returns me the bottle and he says, "Give it out to the people." Mhm. So I'm I'm sure there's a lot that you can share about when you're a bochur. Um I just want to I want to get to uh the Avodas Hakodesh. So I I was I'll move on to in 770 Kof Hey Kof Vav till till when? Till when I got engaged. So what happened when you were getting engaged? Then I went to Paris to meet my future wife. But it was not comfortable to go and people see why you're going in the older age, so they understand why you're going. So I wrote to the Rebbe that after Paris I'll go from there to nearby London and Clappy Hoods for officially I'll say that I'm going there to help on summer with the work of Rabbi Sudak, the head leader of London. So the Rebbe crossed it out Clappy Hoods and he says, "You're going to go to So that's what I did. I went to Paris to meet my future wife and then I went from there to London and in London I went around to many Yeshivas and [snorts] Kolelim in London and Manchester and Sunderland and Gateshead to speak with the bochurim and the roshei yeshivos in learning in England and also in about the sichos. It was very successful and then I came back I wrote a report from all the visits where I was. It's very interesting because it's a mitzvah of Chaim that people are going, you know, to date and they're traveling, but here the Rebbe is basically informing that it has to be a shlichus. That is correct, but nowadays people are much easier going traveling than in those days that was out of ordinary. So I felt not comfortable. But when he gave me this mission, I was completely in this mission for for 2 weeks and then I went back to Paris and from there I went back here. Yeah. So you got engaged and you had your chasunah here or there? Yes, I had the chasunah a few months later in Yud Daled Kislev here. And then you had Yechidus before for the chasunah? Yes. And then he was then I went to the Kolel, but it was a interesting thing then. For some reason the Rebbe wasn't satisfied of how how much and how they're learning in the Kolel. He went there to visit the Kalan in a surprise and he saw how they're learning and then he wrote the chatter to them that he wasn't satisfied. So then he said in a farbrengen he wants to open a Kalan from in the light of the really learning. So he'll take 20 people. 10 would learn mainly Nigleh, 10 mainly Hasidus. From them five mainly in the Gersha and five mainly in the Yona and that's going to be the Kalan. I was a chosson. So I felt I'll be part of it. But actually they didn't find the 20 that he wanted or for any other reason it never materialized. So I went in till the Kalan of learning there for several years. To the regular Kalan? Regular Kalan. Okay, so while you're learning in Kalan, I believe that's when your work uh began. Is that correct? Uh you you did first thing that I started uh I did in the Kalan was the contrast of Neros Shabbos Kodesh. It was in the end of Tof Shin of Daled that she had to the ladies. The Rebbe said that every lady and girl Lamed Daled? Lamed Lamed Daled which was the end of the year of when I got married and I learned in Kalan. So they should uh light candles with the brocha. And then he spoke about it several times and many rabbonim >> Neshek. The Mitzvah Neshek. And then many rabbonim wrote to him that Lichaeiren Alter Rebbe Shulchan Aruch comes out that the girls in the house cannot say a brocha. And how come he says that they should say the brocha? So [snorts] the Rebbe when we learned in Kalan then in one one day comes in Rabbi Groner and he says the Rebbe said that the Kalan should learn this Sugya totally and then write a bio on the minhagim and why it's okay. So the Kalan started looking into it and then they decided that myself and Rabbi Lustig and Rabbi Silverberg should learn the Sugya. We learned the Sugya very thoroughly and then I prepared the whole contrast to explain up coding to our understanding with a lot of questions but we explained it in our understanding. And then we wanted I wanted to give it out by three of us but they said you did the main work so it should be on your name and just would in the introduction say that we helped you. So that's how it was. We I sent it into the Rebbe. I wanted to know if if that's the correct explanation. He wrote some hours. He didn't go into details and then he said I should print it a lot of copies and send it to each one of the rabbonim in the United States of >> [snorts] >> Agudas Harabbonim, Agudas Harabbonim, Igud Harabbonim and that's what I did. I got some money to print it because it wasn't going to be officially from Kehos and Lubavitch but just my own thing as of and I sent it out to the old rabbonim and then when the Igros in the Likutei Sichos was printed we saw that in one of the letters they wrote he the Rebbe answered to one of the rabbonim that asked him questions on the Halacha that he Rebbe answered him and then it says Metzurav Bezeh Kuntres Shekosev Echad Meharabbonim Hatzeirim in this subject. So I felt satisfied that it I did what that was my first project in the Kalan for working for the for Habod for for the Rebbe whatever the Rebbe asked. But then uh a year later in Tof Shin uh Lamed Vov in in Beis Tammuz Farbrengen the Rebbe said a sicha that we should we should open a in the in Kalan we should open a Machon of and the Kavez giving out the Kavez that would gather the from Kisvei Yad Halacha and things that the the Rebbe wrote in Nigleh and Hasidus. The purpose of the Zichron Yaakov Dovid, right? So the purpose is is to collect things from the Rebbeim on Nigleh. That's that's the purpose of it? Yes. Rebbeim and Hasidus on Nigleh. He didn't call it yet and Zichron Yaakov Dovid and he didn't select anyone to be in charge of it yet. So he just explained in general the purpose of it and he said that there is still not decided who will run it. So therefore everyone that wants to participate should write in hours to Maskirim and that will wait till someone will be in charge on it. >> So it's hours. It's people writing hours about the Inyanim from the Rebbeim in Nigleh. That's what it is? First to get those things that from the Rebbeim that was not published yet. Edit it and print it in the Kavez. And then comes the hours on it that Hasidim are writing. So I also wrote in hours and I gave it in to Maskirim. So then calls me in Rabbi Chodakov and he tells me that the Rebbe had in mind that you should be the in charge of this Machon. But he didn't mention that because he wants to know what happened to the Atzoyra that you were supposed to become the Rosh Yeshiva of the Yeshiva in Morristown. And he answered you to accept it and he doesn't know what happened. So I answered Rabbi Chodakov that's correct. I in in that year the the Rosh Yeshiva was Rabbi Heller. And he was appointed in spring of Tof Shin Lamed Vov to stay to stay in the head of the Kalan here together with with Rabbi Sholom Rabbi Sholom Shimon Dworkin. So they had a opening there. So there the Menahel was Rabbi Shmuel Kever. >> At opening in Morristown? Yes. So he spoke to me that I should become the Rosh Yeshiva and to give the highest Shiur. So I asked the Rebbe. And the Rebbe obvious obviously answered me to accept it but for some reason the answer got lost and I didn't get answers so I didn't accept it. So Rabbi Shmuel Kever became the Rosh Yeshiva himself. So then the Rebbe writes he wants to know what happened to that. So we called Rabbi Rabbi Hershen in Morristown and we told him the whole story. So he invited me to come to discuss it because he said that now already they hired Rabbi Shmuel Kever to become the Rosh Yeshiva. I went there and then we spoke and in the end they told me that the Rosh Yeshiva is going to stay Rabbi Shmuel Kever. So if I want he they could give me the second class. Second highest class to teach. So I said I'll ask the Rebbe. I came back and I wrote to the Rebbe what they they offered me and the Rebbe said if that's the case then better stay here and continue to editing the Kavez Zichron Yaakov Dovid. I >> So if you if you would have gotten that answer that I would become the Rosh Yeshiva of Morristown. Yes. But since he didn't so I stayed here. But I still didn't know what how where I should get the material for the Kavez. So we had a lot of discussions but nothing came out in practice. So then in Chof Av he spoke about it again and he said that you think too much. First print whatever Cheimer you have already. And then it's going to work out. So I gave right away to print what we had already. Uh what did we have already? It's because a half year earlier in Purim time I thought maybe it would be idea to give out the Kavez. And I wrote to the Rebbe together with Rabbi Meir Gorin that uh Bloy. So the we we offered that option and the Rebbe answered to the Maskirim that we shouldn't do that. So therefore later when a half year later when he decided to give out such a Kavez in this Eis Moshiach said whatever you have print ready for print from then give it to print. So, I gave it to print and we added some things that we got later and that came out the first volume for Reshimo. We still didn't have a name. I asked to how we should call it. The Rebbe said, "Give me advice hotzo'os." Uh, some some what you think and I gave a few hotzo'os. The Rebbe said the best thing to call it Yagdil Torah and since then >> Was that one of the hotzo'os? No. That was the Rebbe's own name? Yes. So, since then it became Yagdil Torah. And this went on for years, right? >> It went on for 10 years. Came out every month or every 2 months. And uh that was my main main occupation in that 10 years. And came out 72 He'aros. And it was constant He'aros from the Rebbe. Constantly every every >> I gave it's gave I gave it to him and he gave some He'aros, some comments, corrections. And sometimes it was more complicated. There was somebody wrote something about the time of making Kiddush 6 hours after Chatzos. And [clears throat] the Rebbe said that in the previous years a few answers and people didn't know exactly what it means. And some people say it like this and [snorts] some people say it like that. So, I told them the three options what people explain it and what is the real thing. And I wrote it in together with the whole hour that Reb Sholom Mordechai wrote. So, the Rebbe didn't answer yet. But every month I got the final okay to give it to print and he didn't he didn't give me the final okay. So, I didn't know what to do. So, I asked the Moshiach if if the Rebbe means I should wait or I should print it right away. So, they answered me the Rebbe said he wants to answer you specifically on the question you asked and he's busy now. So, when he will be available, he'll write and then you'll print. So, a few weeks later he gave me a long letter that he wrote and we published to gave it with that. But that's a specific one. A few times was like that. But mainly it was only corrections and additions over the years. And all of these things So, you would write through Moshiach and then the Rebbe would send out the answers. That's how it would say that. Usually when I before I gave it to print after they set it in in in the print shop, so I would give the a copy of it to the Rebbe and the his okay was when he gave on the Pesach Doveh he gave the date. So, when he gave it back to me, so that means that you ready now [clears throat] to give it to print and the date would be on the Pesach Doveh like he wrote. And in addition to that he wrote some corrections inside. Mhm. So, this is the Tkufa that you started working in the library during this? No, that was only I I asked if I should continue in the library in the Kolel or I should do this. And the Rebbe answered I should continue learning in the library in the Kolel and that would be a project of the Kolel. So, I do I should do this as part of the work. But then the working in the library came a half a year later. Then there was another story with the Rosh Yeshiva. Here in Oholei Torah the Rosh Yeshiva then was Reb Mordechai Gerlitzky. But he his brother got married in Eretz Yisroel the Heichal Yehoshua in Tel Aviv. So, he went to the wedding for a few weeks. So, they asked me to be Mal Makom till he comes back. So, I gave the Shiur in the highest Shiur for several weeks in Oholei Torah. I guess they were satisfied. So, when he came back, they offered me that it's a large class of 60 boys in the highest class. So, they wanted divided it into two and one of them should give the Shiur in of Gerlitzky and one of them I should give the Shiur in. So, I said I have to find out with the Rebbe, but I wasn't comfortable to ask with the Rebbe since he already told me not to go to Morristown and continue here. So, what should I ask? So, I went to Reb Chodakov and I told him the whole story and I told him I don't know how to ask. So, he told me, "Don't worry, I'll speak to the Rebbe and I'll tell him the whole story." And next day he calls me in and he tells me the Rebbe said you should stay here. Continuing working on the Yagdil Torah and then I asked if I should stay with it only or I should look for a job for next year. So, he said that you should do this and also then came up there was a lot of his office that came up from Kisvei Admur Tzemach Tzedek She'eilos U'Tshuvos. So, I should prepare a volume of the She'eilos U'Tshuvos of the Tzemach Tzedek Milu'im. And then Reb Chodakov tells me the Rebbe said that he wants you to be in charge of the library. So, that's when in the early Lamed Zayin early summer Lamed Zayin I became in charge of the library working on the catalog too in addition to the above mentioned. But that was much work for me. So, the Rebbe wrote to me I should hire more Bochurim in the Kolel to work with me to prepare the catalog for the library. So, that's what I did in those few years. >> So, that entire idea of the library was Mamish Mamalo Mata. You had you had no connection to it before. No. So, what was happening I'm trying I'm trying to understand. What was happening with the Rebbe's library till then? It was they when they got to build a library, they had asked Reb Chaim Lieberman to help them to divide it into parts and to set it up. And then on the building and >> What do you mean when they got the library? When they purchased the house in in '66. They bought the building and then they They bought the building and they devoted it to the library. They put they put up bookcases and they filled it up with Seforim and they asked Reb Chaim Lieberman to help them to divide it. And then for the next 10 years from '66 till '76 the building and the whatever is involved with the material parts was involved Reb Reb Yudel Krinsky and to set this forum was in charge Reb Yisroel Groner. And in that discussion with Reb Chodakov, he said the Rebbe wants you to run the library and he already gave the order to Reb Groner that you'll be in charge from now. So, in the beginning the library was basically run by Moshiach. Yes. And then it was I guess it was too much for them or whatever. So, they they someone else was needed to do this. >> Correct. So, your So, the job was that there was a lot of Seforim that came in. So, it was it was not organized to kind of to make a catalog. That was that was the the main work? Yeah, we took a few uh Bochurim to help me and we together we prepared a catalog for the next 3 years from then >> [clears throat] >> till Tavshin Mem. In Tavshin Mem in middle of the winter I wrote to the Rebbe that we just >> was there He'aros from the Rebbe about how to catalog or anything like that details? >> hundreds of it, but I couldn't go in to details. That would be details that would be only complicated and that wouldn't be a just a story. >> that was going that you that you were doing you were reporting to the Rebbe about what what was happening. Constantly. We had if I say that about 600 answers I got over the years that I worked for the Rebbe. That means almost every day I got something from the Rebbe instructions. >> And it's also unique that the whole world the guy answers from the Rebbe they only got a copy of the of the Ksav Yad, but those Moshiach and you working in the Sichos and you got the actual Ksav Yad. >> That is correct and the unique thing is that usually people don't have so many answers because of for several reasons. If it's Moshiach so everything goes from mouth to mouth and he doesn't have to answer. If it's a Shliach in somewhere so they just write reports and they get answers from time to time. But here I was here working under the Rebbe with his instructions on every step I got the how to do, what to do, Mhm. and everything [clears throat] is because of because I didn't go into the Rebbe to speak to him. So, therefore, it happens that for the 15 years that I was working by the Rebbe for under his instructions, it was everything written in instructions, writing instructions, how to do every little detail, if it is how to do the cataloging in the library, or it's in the Yagdil Torah, or it's other projects that he is instructed me to do. Mhm. Okay. So, you're talking about Tash'an Mem. You finished the cataloging of the of the of the of the library, right? >> [snorts] >> So, I wrote to the Rebbe that we just finished the catalog. So, all those those other people that were helping you were let go. Some stayed because we still needed new books coming in. [clears throat] Mainly stayed with me, Rabbi Turk, villain that he was working for me all the time, and he continued working in the library till today. But, when I wrote him that I finished the catalog, that we finished the catalog, he right away had to find other occupation for me in addition to Yagdil Torah editing every month. So, the Rebbe writes me, "Ben Iggeres HaVeidis HaKedushah delay regarding the holy work that you are doing in the near future would be to prepare a volume of short mymorim of the Alter Rebbe, and in the end should be his letters that he wrote." The short mymorim was because in the early years the Alter Rebbe used to say short mymorim, and then he started saying longer mymorim, so I should prepare a volume of mymorim ketzarim, the short mymorim. Were there other people working on the ksavim of the Rebbeim? That's that they did, and they started in Tash'an Lamed Ches. It was mainly the Reb Zissel Avraham Khetrik and Zissel Pikarski, and Reb William Matterson and Gavriel Shapiro. They were working on it, but they wasn't working on the short mymorim. So, that I wanted to give me a project, so he gave me this project. So, I responded, "If letters [snorts] in the end, in the letters itself, is enough for a volume." So, he said so he wrote to me, "So, then add to it also the mikhtavim of the Tzemach Tzedek, some Mitteler Rebbe, and the Rebbe Tzemach Tzedek, and prepare one volume from the letters of these three." I was working on it the whole year of Tash'an Mem till I finished preparing it. It was already Chodesh Elul. In Chodesh Elul in Chodesh of in middle of Chodesh of there is a Yachid Kaleh that is in Kfar Chabad in Gan Israel. So, I finished it. I made a copy of it. I hand I gave it in to the Rebbe, and I left to the Yachid Kaleh. A day later, the Rebbe writes to be off, "You should have special efforts to finish it up with the mafteches and everything, and set it in print, and printed, and bind it in the way that people should be able to learn this sefer already Chof Elul." So, for 1 month he gave me all this to do. So, Reb William called up all the Rebbe, but he just left to Yachid Kaleh to Gan Israel. So, the Rebbe says, "If you went to Yachid Kaleh, you should stay there till after Yachid Kaleh, and then you should come back. You should have efforts to try to finish it for Chof Elul." So, I right away called up my co-worker, Rabbi Turk William. I told him where the original lay, and he should give it away right away to print. They should set it in print, and he should be start being magiah, and when I come after Yid after Yachid Kaleh, I right away started working on it, and when they set it, I was looking it over and they correcting and adding and moving, and then the mafteches, and it was very hard, and there was probably in that month of between uh 2 Av till the middle of Elul, I got tens of responses from the Rebbe with instructions and what to add and how to do. But, actually, after all efforts, we have succeeded. It was published, printed in the day before Chof Elul, and in middle of it we had to get some more additions to the Rebbe said wanted. So, we had to go to tell the printer to wait, and we went to from New Jersey to a tailor person that had some material, and he went to his house, and he got it, and he went back, and they printed it as the Rebbe wanted, and for Chof Elul was bound and ready. That's That's how Igros Kodesh was born. Yes. But, then the the mymorim ketzarim wasn't done yet. So, then the Rebbe looked at it between Chof Elul and Rosh Hashanah, even though it's a very busy time, but he looked it over those days, and for the next day in Tzemach Tzedek, he wrote to me a letter tzetl that "Since you so succeed successful in editing it fast and good, so now is the time a reiva of zich devote yourself to edit the sefer of mymorim ketzarim of the Alter Rebbe as we spoke then." So, I started right away, and there was so many instructions how to do it, how to judge what is long, what is short, and how to set it, and I was working on it for the whole winter of Tash'an Lamed Tash'an Mem Aleph till the end of the winter. In the end of the winter, it was published, and the Rebbe sent me a few things, more letters, more mymorim, and he said, "Prepare a hashlamah as a kuntres bifnei atzmo." So, I wrote to the Rebbe, "The letters have only a few pages, so it will be a very short kuntres. Maybe we should add the Igros of the Rebbe Maharash, so then it will be at least a little kuntres." >> So, it's like you're saying so, there's the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe, Tzemach Tzedek is something different? >> No, Alter Rebbe, Mitteler, Tzemach Tzedek was together. >> Oh, that was together. Okay, fine. But, now it's the hashlamas of the miluim, a few pages, and the letters of the Rebbe Maharash. So, that was published over the summer. Mhm. Okay, so then goes then you continued Then we continued them the letters of the other Rebbeim, he told me to. So, he I started with the Rebbe Rashab, and when I got 220 letters, I wrote to him that I that's what I found, and I'll start editing it. So, the Rebbe said, wrote to me, "Wait, I'll give you more letters, and you should know that not everything is for print. There private things, personal things that they shouldn't be printed." And he gave me a whole package of new letters that I still didn't have. But, then he writes to me, "But, this is just a preparation because mainly I want to give out now the letters of the Friediker Rebbe." And [clears throat] for that you need somebody to help you. Cuz it's so much? Because it's so much, and it's a lot of work. But, it should be someone that is shomer sod, that is not going to tell anyone what he sees in the letters. So, I took then I wrote Rebbe, "I'll then I'll devote for that Turk William that he would work with me." So, the Rebbe okayed it, and then he writes to me, "Okay, but after Tisha B'Av I'll bring you more." I didn't know what that means. Why after Tisha B'Av? Why more? But, the next day after Tisha B'Av, he comes from home with two large boxes, folders like this, with hundreds and hundreds of letters of the Friediker Rebbe. And he gave it to me, and he says, and writes to me, "Obviously, not everything is to be printed. There are private things or things that are related to Mahlekes, so they should be omitted. But start working on that." The how How did he have these two boxes? So, when he was in France, in Paris, and the Rebbe was in at Wotsk. >> Friediker Rebbe. Friediker Rebbe, he instructed the Maskilim that whenever one of my letters that I write, you see it a Teikniker letter with a special subject, make another copy of it and send one copy to the Rebbe in Paris. And from that, the Rebbe prepared all the letters in the Kuntresim of the Memoriam of the Friediker Rebbe. There would be sometimes letters that the Rebbe added, and in the Keves Hakhtomim, the Rebbe added edited and added letters, and he also gave out some Kevesim Keves Hakhtomim about Tehillim and about >> there? All what the Rebbe selected and the Rebbe edited, and he gave in in >> And the Rebbe brought it with him from from Europe? And then these two whole two boxes he brought with him when he fled from France occupied by the Nazis. So, he brought it with him, and he held it in his house all the years. And that's what he wrote to me, "I'll bring you more." And which I Tisha B'Av, he probably wanted to look it over first before he gives it to me. And next after Tisha B'Av, he gave it to me. But he told me to start working with the Rebbe Rashab's letters. But I should know that this is a preparation for the Friediker Rebbe's letters. So, and then he says from the Rebbe Rashab, you also you see you'll take out all personal items. So, I prepared two volumes, and I gave it in before printing. So, when I gave it in, the Rebbe writes, "It looks like after you took out a lot of letters, still there are personal things left. So, go over it again, and see to take out everything that is personal, that is not for publishing or what's Mahlekes." So, therefore, there was a lot of things about it. But this is whole another subject. >> about that specifically, but I got to see the whole >> he wrote to me that there are still things that that you have to take out. So, I went over it again. I took out a lot of pieces again, and then I edited it and gave it to print. And then I started the Friediker Rebbe's letters. And most of the Friediker Rebbe's letters you had uh you had them in the library, and Chaim Liberman had them. Yes. Uh Chaim I got it from Chaim Liberman, and the Teikniker the more Teikniker is from what the Rebbe brought me from his house. Well, when I It was It was uh several years, and I edited them whatever I got then in 10 volumes. Mhm. By the 10th volume, it when I gave it in, he gave it out to print it. And then he writes to me, "Since it's the 10th volume, which is ending the period of the years of the Friediker Rebbe, so maybe in the end of the volume, give add the documents that are related to the work of the Friediker Rebbe and Chabad in Russia." So, I wrote to the Rebbe, "If that's the case, then there is enough Chaimer in the library for the work of the Friediker Rebbe and Chabad in Russia for whole volume." So, he said then, "Then prepare the volume of for of the history of Chabad in Russia, in Soviet Russia. But >> This is a different project. It's not the same. >> Yes. After I got finished the 10th volumes, so start that. But don't print it. Just [snorts] prepare it. Because it's not time yet to print anything about the history of Chabad in Russia, because there are still people and the government could harm them. So, therefore, only prepare them, don't print it." So, I prepared it. And a few years later, I asked, "Is it already time?" So, he wrote, "No, there is still persecution in some cities there. So, therefore, time didn't come." Wait. Five years later, in Tof Shin Mem Tes, he wrote to me I should publish it. That's Toldos Chabad There is Soviet Russia. And that was the beginning, because the Rebbe wanted also Toldos Chabad in United States. But this work he gave to Counselor. He was a writer and a researcher and writing in Kehos. He He was working with Counselor for years, right? >> Yes. And he told him to prepare some book like that. So, he started preparing, but then he saw it's too much for him, and he wouldn't be able to do it. So, he came in to me, and he tells me, "Whatever I collected, take. I'm not capable of doing it." So, I asked the Rebbe if I should do on history of Chabad in States also. So, he asked why Counselor doesn't do it. So, I wrote to him, and then he said, "Do it." So, I started working on the Toldos Chabad, the history of Chabad in the States. So, then I asked him there is so much material about the history of Chabad in Israel, should I do this too? He okayed this too. So, then I worked on these three volumes. They all came out in Tof Shin Mem Ches Tes. Then after Gimel Tammuz, he did another one, right? That's already after what we are speaking now, what the Rebbe told me. So, the Rebbe told me about these three volumes. Mhm. That's a whole 'nother project that happened three decades >> came as a continuation, because in every volume of the Igros, the Rebbe wanted me to give a introduction with a summary of the work of of the Friediker Rebbe in that period. >> So, yeah, Mavo. So, in the first volume, it was the period of the very harsh period in Soviet Russia. So, I wrote about the help of Joint to the work. So, when I gave it in to the Rebbe, he says, "Don't emphasize the work of Joint, because Joint is still helping the work of Chabad in Russia, and it could harm if they see. So, don't leave the history, but don't emphasize the help of work of Joint." But then, there was also some history about the Yeshivas underground in those years. So, this he told me to add in And there was a Yeshiva here and a Yeshiva there. So, add all the history of that. So, I added all of this in the volume in the Mavo to the first volume. So, that work with all the Mavo's gave me the material to prepare the history of Chabad in Soviet Russia, because I had it from parts of the letters and parts that of the material that went into the Mavo and other material. So, that's how these three volumes came out, Toldos Chabad in Soviet Russia, in the United States, and in Israel. Okay, so now we get to because of this, the Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe, that that's the next step, right? I never thought that I will have to be occupied with the Rebbe's letters, because the Rebbe's letters was always published as a hisafeh to the every Krah of Likutei Sichos. That was the Rebbe's letters. Selections of letters. >> Selections of letters. And I thought after I finished from the Alter Rebbe till the Friediker Rebbe, my job on the Igros is over, fulfilled. But then, in in middle of other Tof Shin Mem Zayin, the Rebbe sends me a package of copies of letters of the Rebbe from the archive of the Maskirim. The Hetecha Maskirim of the letters that he sent out. And he writes to me, "See it. Look what from it is capable to be printed and how we should do it, and write to me what you think." I was shocked when I got it, and I didn't know, because I didn't know where this copy is from and what happened to the continuation of the letters that is always being published in the Likutei Sichos. So, I right away went up to the Vad L'Chaim Sichos. I sat with Reb Nachman Shapiro and Label Altein, and I asked them, "Do you know what happened here?" So, they were shocked and they told me, "Yes, we know exactly what happened there. We asked the Maskir, Reb Sholom Mendel Simpson, who was in charge on the archive of the letters of Maskirim, that he should give them letters to publish in the next volume of Likutei Sichos. And he prepared a whole bag of letters, and he gave it in to the Rebbe to show him before he gives it to us. And the Rebbe, when he got the package, rather than giving it to us, he gives it to you. You should publish it. That's what happened." But, they didn't know anything more than that. So, I still wasn't comfortable that I understand correctly, and I wrote back to the Rebbe about publishing these letters. There was two options. One is to continue publishing it as a addition to the volumes of Likutei Sichos, and one of them is to publish in separate volumes and in the set of the Igros Kodesh of the Rebbe. So, you you were clarifying Yes, that I should >> So, I wanted to know which the correct one what the Rebbe means. So, the Rebbe crossed out the editing publishing it in Likutei Sichos, and he wrote that they should give it out, edit it, and print it in the sefer in the set of Seforim of Igros Kodesh. So, I asked them, "Till now, it would it it will according to subjects, so it's not an order, but maybe in the older Rebbeim it was on the order of the years. So, maybe I should do it here also like that, so it will be more mesudar." So, he said, "Yes." And he ordered the letters of the archive that till he became Rebbe in Tash'in Yud Daled, till Tash'in Yud Daled, till Tash'in Yud Daled was in a box in his sichos room hidden somewhere, locked somewhere. From Tash'in Yud Daled and on, it was in the archives of the Maskirim that Reb Sholom Mendel Simpson was in charge. So, he told Reb Label Groner to find that box and to give me the box. I should start working with it. So, that's what happened, and that's how I started. But, when in ordered in addition to that, the Rebbe writes me, "Now, we are in before Pesach. Pesach is a period period of reposon, fast working. So, try to work fast. It should be able to be very fast like the work for Pesach." So, I had to work very fast with nothing else in my mind, not sleeping, not eating, working constantly, because I had 1 month from Purim till before Pesach, and I wanted to give it out for Yud Daled Nissan. To work on it, make the Mafteichos, and I wrote to him, "If Mafteichos and if Ma'amorim, it's it could be a lengthy work. So, unless I do it the minimum of the Ma'amorim and the minimum of Mafteichos, and then I'll be able to do it." So, he says, "Make the minimum of everything. It should be before Pesach." So, that's what I did, and then it came out before for Yud Daled Nissan. And right away, he said, "Work on the second volume, and it should be very fast. It should be ready for Shavuos." And he continued hurrying very much every volume in a non-normal, non not humane way that it should be easy. So, for the next year, I had no day and no night continuously working on the Igros Kodesh. Yes, so the first few volumes came out very quickly. Yes. Uh-huh. So, the whole idea of of the Igros, that was from the Rebbe. Not only from the Rebbe, it was was by me mufrech. I didn't even think in that direction, but that's what the Rebbe wanted. Okay. Much has been said about the fact that the Rebbe asked the Igros to be published. And the those that are they're learning the Igros, and the Rebbe you got the Rebbe apparently the Rebbe asked if there's shiurim in it. You probably heard this. >> Obviously, I was I heard it, and I wasn't involved in that part. Yeah. Okay, so this is Mem Zayin till Tash'in Nun. Why Tash'in Nun? Because early Tash'in Nun Alef, the Rebbe sent me together with a group to Russia. So, So, I was I when I was there for a year and a half, I wasn't working on the Igros. And what was after I came back and after Chof Zayin, order, that's already a different period. >> Right, and you continued the Igros, yeah. Amongst them is brought to you by Ach She'Daf Ha'Derech. We live in a chaotic world, a world where for us Chassidim as they say "No leida einu", we do not have the ability to hear and see the Rebbe on a daily basis. 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De Hair is a dynamic organization which is committed to continue providing these tools, grow on a constant basis, and do all that we can to help this effort. Baruch Hashem, it takes a lot of resources and finances to make this all happen. You can be part of De Hair through your financial support as well through visiting our website dehair.org or through contacting us to setting up a meeting. Thank you very much. Enjoy the rest of the podcast. So, let's go back to Mem Zayin. So, obviously Mem Zayin were started earlier in Mem Hey is the whole story of the Seforim, which I know that you were involved in the thick and thin of the the Parshas Seforim. So, how did that begin? When the Rebbe what in in your involvement? When when the Rebbe first spoke about it, the public was Yud Beis Tammuz. And then, in continuation to that, they decided to take it to court. And when he the Rebbe Krinsky discussed with the Rebbe about taking it to court, the Rebbe said that preparing the documents that that related to this court case, it should be on my responsibility. So, then that was in beginning of of in Mem Hey. So, then I and my co-worker, Reb Yitzchak Groner, stopped all working, and we worked on several months on all archives to go through everything, tens of thousands of papers, and to find things that are related to this subject. >> So, what were you looking for? Subject that how the the library started, and if it was personal property or was Chabad property. When he made the Magbis that people should be sending swarming >> If the freedom to the library. He never said to me send me swarming. He said send swarming to the Lavarage library. So that showed that it's a property of Lavarage. It's not a private private property. If you would take it to private, it would be not correct from him because he never asked them to give private donations to him only to the Lavarage library and things like that. So we working for a few months and also we had to prepare the lawyers that didn't have any background on the subject and on the history of Lavarage. So all the lawyers I sat with them. First I sat together with the Rabbi William and Net Luen the lawyer sat in my office for several hours to give him the background of the whole story and then he had questions and we corresponded in Texas for next few months. So many Texas of answers and details and then Rabbi the lawyer Shustak got involved. So he first came to meet me in my office and then he said he must order to learn the whole subject. He need me he needs me to come down to Philadelphia and to sit with him all day. So that's what I did and then they they started preparing the depositions. So they asked me that I should sit with them by the depositions to help them to know what to ask and to and understand the answers and what what else? You sat through all the depositions? >> All the depositions of the first Rabbi Lieberman three days and then with Barry Barry Gurary for three days. I sat with him and then I had my own depositions and the whole complications and then after we finished with the depositions started he started getting witnesses to be on the witness stand in the court. So they also didn't know enough about the history. So I had to sit with each one of the witnesses for several hours. >> Beforehand? Beforehand. They should understand exactly what the details are and they should be able to answer all the questions of both both lawyers understand and then I myself had to go on the on the stand. When the court started the lawyers asked me to stay there with them because whenever comes a subject they don't know they will ask me and I don't know how to continue. So their lawyers complained that I'm not allowed to be in court since I'm a witness. So there was a whole discussion. Our lawyer said they must have me there because I'm not a regular witness. I'm an expert witness. So they need me there whenever there complications they discuss it with me. So the judge ruled that I I should stay in the court case with the lawyers the whole three weeks of the court case and then when I went up myself to the witness stand the first our lawyer asked question me and then their lawyers. So that's how I was continue continuously involved with that. After the court case they each lawyer needed to write a whole summary and how they understand the whole the results. So they needed me also do whatever they wrote they wrote they sent to me in a fax and I wrote wrote corrections and explanations and I wrote to them back in a fax. There wasn't yet the emails yet. So I was completely involved with that for that much. Yes. For for next few months till the their their appeal and they went to the federal court and appellate court to the appellate court here in New York. So they had to be prepared. So I was completely involved with them on that and even after after the the verdict that the all all swarming belong to us. They they needed a lot of details and about buying back the books. So they they needed me to be involved with that to prepare everything. So much that when in tough shalom zain after the ruling the Rabbi told me to start working on the letters and I prepared the first volume. So when he wanted to call me hurry me for the second volume I wrote that the lawyers want me to prepare a whole set of documents and material for the court. So maybe I should leave the second volume and or I should leave the the preparing the documents. So the Rabbi answered me no you can't leave them. Work on both together. And and that's what I did. So I was yes I was >> the Rabbi's style. >> Yes. So that's how I was involved in the court case. Yes. And also when they seized the the swarming from New Jersey I think you you also went to to check it, right? I I had to go twice. First when before the court case the court wanted to know exactly to pull it in that you wouldn't be able to take any books from there. So I had to go. I went with Rabbi William together to to the storage house and to see make a list and to to give a report to the court what there is and then there was locked that he didn't have the approach to it and then after the verdict and after the verdict of the of the appellate court when we went to take it we went there to take the books. So then together with me and Rabbi William went also Rabbi Shemtov and Rabbi Grinsky. So we had to go back there again. Okay. And were you also were you also by the depositions that the opposition was conducting? No. Only the ones that I mentioned. They didn't did The our side and what our side gave the depositions to their side which is Lieberman and Gurary but not all the others they didn't need me for that. So they only asked me to come with them for those that they needed me to. Okay. And what was your interactions with the Rabbi regarding the the swarming case? In in in in the beginning I just did what he told me through Rabbi Grinsky. But then when after Rabbi Lieberman's deposition and I had my explanation if the the the approach of the lawyers to him is correct or not correct. So I wrote I discussed it with the Rabbitson that she was involved and then I wrote it to the Rabbi too. So again you went to the Rabbitson to discuss this issue? Yes. So what was what was the She wanted to know exactly how it was. Rabbi Lieberman? Yes. So I I went to the library on on the Shabbos Friday night when she was there to give her a report from whatever happened. And then the Rabbi The Rabbitson she had input in it or she just wanted to be reported? No. Just wanted to report and she probably reported to the Rabbi. And it's possible the Rabbi didn't like my view on things. So then the Rabbi wrote me a whole letter of I had a difficulty because I was very much involved with Rabbi Lieberman in the work of the library and here I'm standing in against him. And the Rabbi wanted to emphasize that that. So he wrote me a whole long answer about how it's with Rabbi Lieberman and he even told me to discuss it with Rabbonim how I should deal with it. That was in the beginning before the court case. And it's the the I think there's two of them two long >> them they have everything about this subject. But then there was then there was several more things. One of them is that when this whole subject started I wrote a whole article in for Lavarage to explain what I just mentioned before that the Rabbi never built for himself. It was in my collections for the for the for Lavarage And they wrote an article. So, the when I before I sent it to Chabad, they sent it in a copy to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe said, "He wrote article one." Which means continue on that. And the second thing was before the court case started, the Rebbe was very tense. Unbelievable. And the lawyers told me that. And they told me, "Since you prepared everything, and everything is so clear, and we feel we are certain going to win, write to the Rebbe the whole thing how you view it. The Rebbe should feel confident that we're going to win." So, a few days before the court case started, I wrote a whole letter with all the details to the Rebbe, just to explain. I didn't expect a answer on that, but they wanted me to calm down the Rebbe with the feeling that we feel that we're going to win. Mhm. And uh we did win. Yes. Did I not say? Yes, did I not say? But that was the final final thing was uh a year later in Hey Teves of Shin Mem Zion, which was over a year after the court case ended in beginning of Teves of Shin Mem Vov. Right. And then Seforim when they there was an appeal, and the Seforim came back. Yes, and the and the and the the appeal was in the summer of Shin Mem Zion, and the court case the hearing was in early Shin Mem Ches, and then there was the verdict of returning all the Seforim, and we went there to pick it up as I mentioned before in base Kislev Shin Mem Ches. And when the Seforim coming off the van, only a few people are are actually touching them. Yeah, I wasn't involved in that. I didn't even know when I when I was there. I There was telephones constant telephones between Rabbi Krinsky and Rabbi Shemtov and here at Agudas Chabad, and I didn't even know what the subject was. The subject was that the Rebbe said they should make it b'tzinah without a pirsum, because Luchos Rishonos was with pirsum, and it didn't succeed. And Luchos Shniyos was without a pirsum, and that's why >> the end of the Rebbe said that Mamesh that's what he explained. >> I was told then the Rebbe said it there in the in the hero he gave to to Agudas Chabad. But when he came out and he saw the whole crowd is waiting outside for the van to come with the Seforim, he started screaming on them. He didn't like that. He said, "Why don't you go back to learn? That would help more." So, that was then. So, when the Seforim came back, nobody was outside, only the few people, me and Rabbi Wilhelm was sitting in the van that brought the Seforim, and the car that came with us had in it Rabbi Krinsky and Rabbi Shemtov. Mhm. Okay. Um There's something I wanted to ask you, but I'm forgetting. So, I'll ask you something else. You mentioned the Rabbetzin. There were there were other times that you um spoke to the Rabbetzin? Yes, I spoke to the Rabbetzin several times, and I discussed that specifically in the gem my my stories. And it was about one of them was about the library, and one of them was about other subjects. But I I I I don't know if you how much you want me to go into that, because that's not subject. The the the next subject is where we are up to is when the Seforim came back, and Hey Teves was Shabbos. So, the Rebbe said on Shabbos that the this day, Hey Teves, did I not say, is nikva that every year when this day comes, it's a yom segulah for everything that is related to Seforim and to the library. So, therefore, we should decide in this day that everyone that has Seforim that are could be part of the library, they should donate it to the library and to enlarge the library. That was on Shabbos. And on next day, on Sunday, the Rebbe wrote to me a whole long answer with saying that "Since you're going to be busy because you're going to Russia for the Seforim, so get someone to be involved to be involved themself with the people that are giving in coming bringing in more Seforim to the library because in the two weeks later, I went with a mission on the mission of finding the Seforim of our Rebbeim in Russia together with Rabbi Kunen and Rabbi Mindel. So, these two weeks was very very tense two weeks that I had to work with the project of preparing the library for the proceeding this that bring in Seforim to the library, and preparing myself for the trip for the to Russia. And there was a lot of questions on each on each of the two subjects, and the Rebbe answered me dozens of answers in that two weeks in both subjects. >> Mhm. So, I want to speak about the the shlichus to Russia. Um can I ask you a few question more questions about the library? Yes, feel free. Okay. So, first of all, the things with the Rabbetzin you want to share? If you want me, I'll I'll I'll tell them. The the story about the library was that in the Rebbe became after the heart attack in Shin Mem Ches, he a few years later, two years three years later, it became difficult for him to walk home from 770 on Shabbos. In the weekdays, they would bring him with the car, but Shabbos he would walk by foot. And walking the several blocks back and forth every Shabbos a few times was difficult for him. So, they decided to prepare for him apartment in the library. He should stay on Shabbos and Yom Tov. How could they prepare? So, in one of the rooms where it was filled with Seforim, they put in a dining room table and chairs, and that became the dining room. And one of the room that was filled with Seforim, put in two beds, and that became the bedroom. So, it was very difficult. So, in it was difficult for for them, it was difficult for us, because whenever we go to take Seforim from the bedroom and the dining room, it's not comfortable for me or for the librarians to go in to a room where you see the Rebbe's beds and the Rabbetzin's bed. So, it was not comfortable for anyone. So, there was a decision to take out all the Seforim from there, and install the bookcases on the second floor of the library, and there it should be only a dining room and a bedroom. But they knew that if they ask the Rebbe, the Rebbe would say, "What do you need it for? Us, it's okay." So, they decided that one Shabbos after the Rebbe went back home, the Rabbetzin went back home, so they started working right away. They took they took everything apart, and we we took the Seforim upstairs to the second floor, and they installed the rooms. It should be a normal bedroom and dining room. That's how till Friday. Nothing was told to the Rebbe or the Rabbetzin. When the Rebbe came on Friday, and he saw what was done, he was upset. "Why this is done?" >> [snorts] >> That the Rebbe used the Rabbetzin used to come right before Shabbos. So, the Rabbetzin the Rebbe used to come in to the library when the Rabbetzin used to light candles when Shabbos comes in. And he told her his displeasure. So, he went back to his room. She sent the boy uh Yunik that was helping there to go to my house and to told to tell me it's emergency she has to talk to me right away. I understood right away what it's all about. So, I went right to the library, and she told me, "Why did you have to do it? We are comfortable without it." So, I told them, "We didn't do it for you. It was for us. It's not comfortable for us to go in constantly in the room. So, we decided for us it easier if we do it. So, she still wasn't she told everything to the Rebbe and the Rebbe still wasn't satisfied of that. So, then he wrote a letter of displeasure and I he the Rebbe's and told me, "Write everything to the Rebbe." I wrote him everything as I spoke and then the Rebbe answered me, "If that is correct, then it's okay." In other words, he was skeptical. That's true. If it's true, but [laughter] so you he didn't want to tell me it's not true. So, he says, "If everything that you write is correct, then it's okay." Okay. And then later there was a like another apartment built, right? If still he didn't have a living room. So, and that was in Tof Shin Mem Beis. So, 2 years later >> is Mem Beis. Yes. 2 years later Tof Shin Mem Dalet, they added a room in the back of the library in the backyard of the library. Then there was the the Tashlich. Tashlich they took half from the old Tashlich, they put it in in in on the side and over there they dug up and they built two floors. The bottom floor was addition for the library for the storage and the second floor was the top floor was for living room for the Rebbe. >> That's the room where the Rebbe met Matisyahu. Correct. So, that was the living room and then there's a dining room and a bedroom. Yes. So, the dining room and bedroom was not redone then. They're not. So, that was just an addition. Yes. Okay. And what were the other times and other you this is the Rebbe spoke about Paris, but what was that about? That when the as I wrote the movie Never Volume when as I mentioned before. So, when it came to the volume hey, which is the period that what they were came out from Europe and was saved the Friediker Rebbe and then the Rebbe and the Rebbe's and so, I looked at the documents and was very fuzzy what they did in she what they did in in Marseille, what they did in Portugal and from Paris. So, I decided I'll try it out. So, I went in Friday night to the library to the Rebbe's and and I told her that I have to write and I don't understand what was the story Paris and then Vichy and and then Marseille and then Portugal, what is the story? So, she sat down and she told me the whole story. When she told me the whole story, I then I wrote it down and they went in all to the movie. I couldn't write that she told me the story. She wouldn't be comfortable. She was she was a lady that she didn't like anything to write about her. So, I wrote the whole story, but nothing about that she told that to me, just the story itself that the Rebbe was in Paris when they came to the Paris the Germans. So, he fled to Vichy, but all the trains was full. He couldn't get a place, but he had a paper that he shows that he's a soldier in the French army. So, with this he went to on the plane on the train until he came to Vichy. It was already the Shkia of Shavuos. So, when he came to the train station, they had to take a horse and wagon to take all the stuff we mentioned before, the boxes that you came with, but he had a lot of Kiseh Yad, Kiddush and copies and Seforim that he had with him several suitcases. He couldn't carry it. So, they took a wagon and they put everything on the wagon. But then the Balagola wanted the Rebbe should also go on the wagon. So, the Rebbe says, "No, I'm walking. The Rebbe's and would be on the on the wagon and go slow and I'm walking with you." And that's how he walked from the train station till the hotel where they stayed. Shavuos. On the night after Shavuos. Mhm. So, this is a one-time thing that you went to the Rebbe's and to ask That that's already a few times. Then there was another one that the I got in the Rebbe Rebbe's letters I got a picture of the Rebbe's letter in the early years in Tof Shin Pei Hei in 1922 that he wrote and the letter was a long letter to the Rebbe Rashab. And it looked we could so it's his handwriting. But he signed with the name of Mordechai Gurarye. That was a name that the Rebbe started later to use, no? Later. Yeah. But then there wasn't Mordechai Gurarye in near Petrograd. >> Mhm. That his son of Mordechai Gurarye is his son also called Mordechai Gurarye and he was here a Rov in Chevreh Shas. So, we know that there was, but who wrote this letter? >> You could tell from the Rebbe's handwriting? >> Yes. So, what happened? So, I went in then to the Rebbe's and I asked her if she knows anything about it. Why did he have to change his name? So, she heard all the details and she said, "It's very exciting and I also want to know and the best thing is write to the Rebbe." I he she she asked the Rebbe and the Rebbe told her, "Let him write to me and show me." So, I wrote to the Rebbe and I asked him, "Was this for because you didn't want in your house your parents should know that you're writing letters to the Rebbe Rashab or because of the censor you're afraid if it they'll say they'll they'll see each Nelson they'll they'll make a issue of it?" So, the Rebbe answered me, "No, that it's for the for the censor, [snorts] not for my parents. I never didn't hide anything from my parents." So, that was another time that I was spoke to the Rebbe's and. Okay. Is that all? Yes. Okay. Um And it's just interesting to me that the certain I guess you didn't want to you know kind of ask the Rebbe to tell me the whole history. So, you you went to the Rebbe's and interesting. Um So, I'm not going to I'm not going in order chronological order, but it's like on topics. I want to we'll go back to the to the chronological. You're talking about the library. So, maybe let's stay on that and talk about the expansion of the library which happened in Tof Shin Nun. Right? Is that the right year? What what what was that about? What what happened then? You see, after the Rebbe spoke after that 2 weeks that he said that people should bring in their Seforim and collections came into the library. >> All of a sudden tons of Seforim are coming. >> Tons of Seforim are coming and till then the library was packed. There wasn't So, so where was the library? The library was in the basement >> 770 where the Friediker Rebbe's collection and in 766 was the Rebbe's collection. On two floors. On two floors. Okay. But now for the new books there was not no room. So, I asked the Rebbe, "What should I do?" So, he says, "Write to me Hatzlo'os." So, I I wrote that Hatzlo'os. I I should write Hatzlo'os about building. So, I spoke to the Agudas Chabad to Rebbe Krinsky and he says, "Just now we are preparing plans to build a big construction building on 770." A shul. Yes, and offices in the top and the first floor in top of the shul would be devoted to the library. So, I says, "It's very good." And then the Rebbe came out to the Chanukah even a pine and and the even a pine was supposed to be for the shul and for the library. But the next day the Rebbe something didn't like in the plans and he spoke a sicha that this is a residential area and shouldn't be high buildings. >> day or it was a while later? 2 weeks later. In the in Tishrei Tof Shin Tishrei, yeah. Mem Tes. This was in Chayei Tof Shin Mem Ches. This was in Tishrei Tof Shin Mem Tes. Table. So, I wrote to the Rebbe, "So, what should I do now? The 10,000 books came in when the Rebbe said that everyone should be bringing in and they're all in boxes. We can't even take them out from the boxes. They're in the hallways full with boxes." So, the Rebbe said, "Speak to Agudas Chabad about building for the library in the area of 770." I spoke to them again, but they didn't have plans. So, he tells me, "We have a plan. Since the Rebbe said it shouldn't be such a high tall building, we're going to build only four five floors. And the bottom floor is the shul and the floor on top of that is the library. And I'm going the Rebbe then was in his house because of Aveilus. So, I'm going I have appointment with the Rebbe in the Chodesh Teves. I'm going to show him the plans. We're working on the plans. And I hope he'll locate and we'll do it." So, I'm waiting for that day. And then, when he comes back on the next day, he comes back to me very upset and he says, "I showed the plans to the Rebbe and the Rebbe looked on the all the details of the plans and he says, 'It's good it's very nice plan, but don't do it.'" And he didn't explain himself. So, I didn't know what to do. So, I wrote again to the Rebbe. "So, what should I do?" So, the Rebbe wrote to me, "Get people to make a vote of opinion and build opinion for the library." So, I then took Rabbi Zalman Gurarye, Olov Hashalom, and they Botelheim, they have made it to make it calling together with me. I wrote to the Rebbe, "If these three is okay to be the vote of opinion." The Rebbe said, "Yes." So, then we start preparing the plans. So, we whole building for the library. We had where Asia is now on Kingston Owen. Family Family Dollar is down in the on the on Kingston. >> [snorts] >> We're ready to buy that building and do it the library. So, the Rebbe said, "No." The Rebbe said it in a sicha. "We're dealing now about the subject that is related to me, building the library. But this library the Friediker Rebbe started it in 770. So, it must be in 770. If there is no place in 770, so do it in the adjacent building. Build up more and it should be considered as 770 because it's connected to 770." So, that's when we started this construction. This construction went through the whole year of Tof Shinun till we finished the facade. And Tof Shinun Alef we did the details inside. >> So, the construction consists of adding a floor Adding a floor in 766 and digging up the whole courtyard and and and making the storage rooms under it. And then also the bridge connecting >> because the Rebbe said it should be connected. It should be called as it's in 770. Right. So, the library today is um under the chotzer in the and in 766. And then now it's also in the next house. >> Yes. So, I think the Rebbe There was a such a chotzer once that Rebbe didn't Then then we asked if we should buy the building of uh Rabbi Mordechai Hodakov and build there the library. So, we spoke to Mordechai Hodakov and Mordechai Hodakov said that he'll ask the Rebbe if the Rebbe says so, he'll agree. He wrote to the Rebbe and the Rebbe told him not to. So, that one off the plan. Right. Okay. So, did the Rebbe the Rebbe saw the new construction? When the when the construction was done in Tof Shinun, the Rebbe didn't go out to look on the facade. The first time he saw the facade of the building of 766 with the three floors was on Rosh Hashanah Tof Shinun Alef. Rosh Hashanah Tof Shinun Alef he went to Tashlich in the backyard. And on the way back, he stopped and he picked up his eyes and he looked on the building from all the sides. And that's the first time the Rebbe saw the bridge also and the the whole thing. >> And then on the next day, on the second day of Tishrei, day after Rosh Hashanah, the Rebbe wrote told the mashgichim to tell me I should make pictures of the building as it's now and I should send it to all donors that donated large sums for the construction of the library. And they were That's what we did. Okay. And I know that the Rebbe went to the library after Chof Av 5744. What was What was that? Yes, it was after Chof Av 5744 in Tishrei Tof Shinun Daled. The doctors that occupied with the helping him making it easier easier approached me and told me that they know that the Rebbe was so involved and so much pushing for the construction of the library. Now, after it's all done, that was already later, so we then it was already completely finished, not only the facade. So, maybe the Rebbe should go to the library to all the rooms and I should explain them what the rooms are and that would give the Rebbe a lot of satisfaction. So, they they didn't want people should know about it. So, they decided to do it in one of the nights of Chol Hamoed Sukkos 2:00 at night. We went around from 2:00 till 3:00 at night. They took him on a chair and they took him all the details in every room. We came in, I explained what this room is about and what is there. And when he was satisfied, he shook his head for the sweat satisfaction and I knew we're ready to go to the next room. If he continue looking around and looking for something, I knew that he wants to hear more details. So, I continue explaining them more details till he shook his head to further satisfaction and then I knew that we have to go to the next room. >> went into like the the reading room? Reading room and the the the storage rooms, everything. And the exhibition hall, everything he went. Exhibition existed then? No, not yet. Yeah, but But with that room. When we went to bridge, the Rebbe start we heard the bochurim in the sukka singing. So, the Rebbe started looking on the window where the voice of the singing comes and steering. So, I went over to him and told him that downstairs in the sukka uh with the mashpia Mendel Futafas is farbrenging with the bochurim and that's what they're singing. So, the Rebbe shook his head with satisfaction and I understood we have to go to the next room. And I told you last week that uh I was there when this happened outside in front of 770. >> Yeah, you told me that after all although it was secret, so you're standing in 770 Eastern Parkway and you saw from far. You didn't see it clear, but you saw it blur that something is going on. Going on the bridge. And it's also it's it's not a clear memory because I was extremely young. It's actually the the first thing that I remember in my life actually. So, um Yeah. Something like that. I didn't I didn't even know that it was a thing cuz I but I remembered it so I checked it out later in life. Okay. So, that's the that's the um So, it was interesting that the Rebbe was in every room in the library. It's very interesting. Um but not not in the basement. In the basement to the to every everything. Oh. Okay. So, let's go back to the story of the shlichus. There's two shlichus into Russia. So, let's begin with the first one, Tof Shinun Mem Ches. What happened? Why? What, when, and where? It was to find where is the collection of this forum that was in the library of Lubavitch by the Rebbe Rashab and the previous Rebbe. >> Whether it's there. Whether it's there. Because it was in Lubavitch and when the in in the First World War when the Germans came close to Lubavitch, the Rebbe fled. The Rebbe Rashab with his whole family fled from Lubavitch and settled in Rostov. And the library they took to a storage house in Moscow. After the war ended and the communists took over, they didn't return the forum to the Rebbe. They just took it away from the storage and they stored it in the library the public library in Moscow. For some reason, Prime Minister Menachem Mendel Schneerson when he wrote read in the papers, he saw that they took it away from there and they they took it to Kiev and then it was destroyed by the Nazis, so nothing was left. But he didn't know for sure and they never did think that the case. They didn't believe it was destroyed. Yes, but he we didn't have any way to finding out correct. So in tough shalom aleph purim time a prime Lieberman brought to me the whole catalog that was typed up in Lubavitch before fleeing Lubavitch. That the previous Rebbe had? Yes. I saw the whole catalog and I felt if we have the whole catalog, we have way of finding out in the public library in Moscow now if this volume are there. So I gave it into the Rebbe. And I wrote that maybe it's now possible to find out. Few months later the Rebbe told Rebbe Cunin the head shliach of California and over there there are two businessmen Dr. Armand Hammer and Jerry Weintraub they're doing a lot of business with the government of Russia. So maybe he could convince them to convince the government in Russia to find the collection and to return it. So he did so. But they responded they find nothing and there is nothing there from Lubavitch collection. So Armand Hammer I gave a copy to Armand Hammer and he gave it to the government. Here you have the whole collection. Find out if this volume are there. Went through another year and they said we checked there's nothing there. Okay, what's next? So Armand Hammer tells them would you permit our experts in Lubavitch to come there to look to check them by themselves? They said, "Okay." They felt they wouldn't let us too much anyways, so we wouldn't find anything. So then the Rebbe decided to send them on the shlichus myself, Rebbe Cunin and Rebbe Nissan Mindel who is his secretary. Nissan Mindel's my and Cunin's Russian is very poor. But Rebbe Nissan Mindel speaks fluent Russian. So all three of us would go together. Yes, but they had to do some homework before we're going. So I did some homework. What was it? I went through the catalog. So 5 and 1/2 thousand titles. So much more volumes. And I selected the most rare old books that are in stock. And when I we would check now in the catalog in the public library in Moscow if these if these books are there. If these books are there, we have already a string how to find the whole collection. In the end of tough shalom zayin in there was a book fair in Moscow. And there was also a table for Lubavitch. And Rebbe Yossi Friedman went there to stand in the the be the head of the table of Lubavitch in the book fair. So I spoke to him. I gave him the list of the rare books. I told him without any person go into the public library to the catalog check if these books are there in their collection. He did so. And he found 12 books from this collection are there in the catalog. And they're all in the same department. I took this information and we went to Russia. We went to Russia two weeks after 8 Davis tough shalom ches the famous one and that's what the Rebbe told me that if you're so much busy now with going to Russia and preparing yourself for this trip with all the documents what to look when to look. In Moscow I sent us in the better book to send us and we went to Lubavitch and they went sent us to Kiev and Odessa a whole story that we're not going into it now. It's not related. But now we want to people should bring in books. So you need somebody to be involved with that. So I would prepare myself mainly for Russia and Rebbe Tzvi Hirsch was occupied mainly with this volume that was brought into the library. We went there. So we wanted to get permission to look in the in the storage rooms. So they said, "No, no, no, that you can't." He went to the Armand Hammer with Rebbe Cunin went to the culture minister Zakharov and told him if we should check, we have to go look. He said, "No, no, no, only with the catalog." We know that the Rebbe they don't let us look and they say only with the catalog. With the catalog the books itself I can recognize according to different marks. But from the catalog I wouldn't be able to. So the Rebbe answered try to go in the way that they are telling you and do whatever you can. Okay, so next morning we went to meet the librarian and I said, "You know what? There is 12 books I have a list of 12 books that I have to check. See if you have them." So we went to the book to the building of the rare book collection [clears throat] and we filled up the requests for these 12 books and it took them half an hour till they got it. Then he brings the books to us. When he brings the books to us we open the book we right away see a a few words written by the previous Rebbe by the Rebbe Maharash and by the Rebbe Rashab on each different books. We knew that we got it. So we asked him which collection is it? Is it Lubavitch collection? He says, "No, it's Polyakov collection." How many books are in the Polyakov collection? About 8,000, 10,000. I says I assume this is our collection that we need and there are all the current the books. We left the library. It was on Friday morning. We went right away to the office where we could call. We called here to the Moshiachs to Rebbe Leibel Groner and to Yudel Krinsky and they told the Rebbe that here was still in middle of the night. But in the morning they told the Rebbe that we found it and all the details. I was so glad and he told the Rebbe it's all the details. The Rebbe then called her friends with big joy the collection was found. So that's how it started then. We were there for a month. First returned Rebbe Rebbe Nissan Mindel. Second returned Rebbe Cunin. I stayed the last. I arrived here chof aleph Shvat tough shalom ches a few hours before the passing of the Rebbetzin. That was our first mission. Over the month we went to Petersburg and to Kiev and to Odessa and to Dnepropetrovsk to find if there is anything from the Rebbe from the Rebbe's father. The Rebbe the Rebbe stipulated that you should look for that. The Rebbe stipulated they should look and they gave me a lot of instructions on all my questions he they gave me a lot of instructions about this. He says you are asking for my father's things because it's me. So it's a good Chabad. So you could demand that they should give you. But we we checked in this volume in the shul of the in Dnepropetrovsk but we didn't find nothing. And yet we still didn't find. We still didn't find. Whatever was found somebody gave that he was hiding and but we didn't find there nothing. Was there an effort then to try to get them back or just uh So they said now that we found it you could go back and we'll deal with the with Chabad about returning it. You don't have to stay here for the our dealing. So we returned back. For 3 years nothing was done. They always pushed away and nothing was done. So, the Rebbe sent us again 3 years later in early tough shin nun aleph. What was then? In tough shin mem vov, there was the explosion in in Chernobyl. The nuclear explosion. And [clears throat] then effort was made to save people from there. So, Tzach in Eretz Yisrael and Aronov head of Tzach >> [snorts] >> together with Yitzchak Kogan that was from Russia decided to try to get permission to get the children out out and to settle them in Chabad meister shin nun aleph. Russia didn't give them permission. But far far related from Yitzchak Kogan was Veronica Kogan. She was a lawyer. And she said she'll be able to help. So, she went to the government and finally she got the permission and all the children came out from >> This is something that the Rebbe was encouraging them to do. >> Yes. Yes. If that was earlier, but after that was all finished she told them you're dealing so much about this forum I feel I can arrange that too. Come with us and we'll work on it. They wrote to the Rebbe. Aronov wrote to the doctor Rebbe and the Rebbe responded, "Find out by Rabbi Cunin where it's holding now." So, he found out by Rabbi Cunin and he wrote to the Rebbe. And the Rebbe said, "Then go there together work together with the Veronica in Moscow. They asked me to come with them. So, I I didn't feel it's important. I wrote to the Rebbe, "They're asking me to come with them, but I think I can stay here. When they're going to need me, I'll come." So, the Rebbe answered me, "No. She go to give now it's going to help to to help more to the mission." So, I went with them. Yeah, you did this before, right? That was after we got all the in the instructions to go. So, we went all four of us. You also had before mem ches on the way you also spoke to the Rebbe, no? Mem ches Before before we went there? Yes, sure. So, the Rebbe the Rebbe told it was then a secret. Nobody knew. But the Rebbe in the middle of the farbrengen he spoke that we there is a story that the Tzemach Tzedek sent a shliach to do something in Petersburg. And the chassid told him, "And if I have questions so the Tzemach Tzedek answered, "When you'll be there your decisions are going to be the correct ones. The Rebbe the the Tzemach Tzedek will decide for them and they'll make them the right decisions." Nobody knew what we are talking about. There are just after that the Rebbe told me and Rabbi Cunin to say l'chaim. And then and then the next day on Sunday morning by dollars we went over to the Rebbe. So, the Rebbe says, "Where is the third one? Uh Rabbi Nissan Mendel." So, we answered, "He didn't come yet, but so afternoon we'll come all three." So, in afternoon all three came. So, the Rebbe gave us each one $18 and then the they came out the proofreading from the maamar the Rebbe said yesterday. It was in three page long pages. So, the Rebbe gave each one of us one page and he says, "You'll learn the maamar so each one will need the other one. You wouldn't be able to survive himself. So, that will help to the artists between you and the mission." And then he said that when we go that night we went that was chof Teves. It was Sunday. So, we went that night and he said that since you're going on chof Teves the Alter Rebbe will work with you and since you're going to be there on chof dalet Teves chof Teves that the Maharal will work with them until you'll be there on chof Teves chof dalet Teves the free Alter Rebbe will work with you. So, I was very happy with that and the Rebbe would be work with us. The Rebbe said, "Amen." So, that's when we all three got the mission personally and that night he said that when we went to the when we're going to the airport that we should be a good delegation to go with us for to the honor of the mission. So, then David Kinsky went with us. And that's how we went. This is on mem ches. So, then on mem aleph mem aleph Mem nun aleph Mem nun aleph that was in uh Mem ches Yeah, mem aleph we went on tes Kislev. All four of us. Myself, Rabbi Cunin, Rabbi Aronov and Rabbi Kogan. And then you did this before also. Only by dollars. I don't remember if we went to Yechidus. Only by dollars. Yes. And then we was in Moscow for a year and a half. When in the beginning it looked like they're going to give it to us the collection. But they tried the cop and they just said and they they said yes and next day they said no and she was working with them and they they tried the cop. So, nothing came out for the year and a half. We after a while we wanted to go back here. The Rebbe didn't let us. He said we should stay here. We should stay there till we get our books. So, uh we went we came back only for short missions twice. For Shavuos they kicked us out from Russia and we came home back from Shavuos and then we went back after Shavuos. And then and then for for Yitzchak I came and for Pesach the Rebbe said the shliach and the Cunin should go home. So, and for bar mitzvah the Rebbe said the Aronov should come here. But in general we were there for a year and a half. In the beginning they worked with us. They drove us crazy. In the end [snorts] after the year and a half it was already year and a half later was already after chof zayin adar and they said they had enough with us. They are not going to speak to us anymore about the subject. So, we we we don't have anything there to do with them. They're not speaking to us. So, we didn't know what to do. It was already after chof zayin adar. So, after in order to the I I I thought l'chatchila maybe we should stay there. So, in in the when the Rebbe didn't let us I asked the Rebbe "It's very hard for me to stay there. Maybe you'd permit me to go home at least." And the Rebbe answered, "B'yachad ov nos'u b'yachad ya'azovu b'egiyazman. Do you went all there together on the mission, you'll come back from the mission all together when time comes. But now stay there." It's very difficult for me, but I stayed there for a year and a half. And and in the and and then I thought maybe the Rebbe wants me to stay there to settle there. So, there was the Rebbe on the hall of fame the kehilla in Petersburg offered me to become the chief rabbi. So, I asked the Rebbe, "Should I accept it?" So, the Rebbe answered me, "What do you mean? Your work is here to run the library and you still have to continue in it. So, why are you asking me about about the job there?" So, I stayed there only as much as I could and after chof zayin adar was very difficult to ask the Rebbe. So, I wrote to the to the Rebbe Groner. I told him to ask the Rebbe that if I should come back for Shavuos. The Rebbe shook with his head and then I came back for Shavuos to continue running the library till today and on. Okay. And your family also came sometimes with you from Russia. You asked the Rebbe about that. >> difficulties was that the family was here with three little children and was the difficult for my wife to be with them for such a long time without me. So, she said, "If you are going there, maybe I could go also there with the children." So, I asked the Rebbe in summer of shin nun aleph after we there for half a year. And the Rebbe said if there is education place that would fit for your children then they could go. So that was before the summer camp. We arranged a summer camp there. So she my wife and three children came. They were campers and they helped a little bit in the camp. And there was there like seven, eight Bochurim to take care of the camp and my wife was in the kitchen making sure everything is kosher. We were there for two months. It was very successful. That was and then half a year later we we asked again. They came again. We arranged a year a Chernobyl children camp. We were there with them for uh two weeks. Then the plane took us to Israel. I went with the camp with one of my children and the same day the plane came back filled up with food for the of the Russian Jews. As I came back the same day and then we were there till before uh Shavuos and then before Shavuos I got a permission to come back here and to continue running the library. Right. And it's also the Shlichus changed a little bit the one in Elul that you're also involved with Yiddishkeit in Russia. The group, right? That was right when we came there. The Rebbe said that we should be the four of us should be the goodest Chabad of Russia. And then there was several Shluchim there in cities but wasn't really organized. The one that supported them was Ezras Achim organization here. But the Rebbe wanted us to run it. So he gave us instructions and we were involved. We I went around to all 15 states to be with the Shluchim till Kishinev and till in Russia all the cities. So involved with the work but then then when we came back we didn't have any more I after I came back I continued going to Russia to meet in with the Shluchim in these 15 cities. But only for one year then it stopped. It it couldn't continue. Right. It's also the two Shlichus are very different cuz the first one was before the fall of communism. And the second one was afterwards. >> We were there that night by the fall of communism in and they came a few there were supposed to be a chassunah in a chuppah in the big shul Achimov but then after that night was the the whole commotion with the fall of the government so they came to us in our shul in in Bolshaya [snorts] Bronnaya if they could do anything so we did a chassunah for them and I between the after the chuppah I went to the main street and I went to between the tanks that stopped that stopped the government to to go there so I was I wasn't involved in the fights but we saw it all between on the main street. We wasn't in danger but we went between the tanks. Mhm. Um Okay. So I think I think we we covered a lot of what you know we wanted to discuss. With your with your permission I'll ask you some miscellaneous questions. Is that okay? For my part if I know what to answer. If you ask me more details that I wouldn't remember I wouldn't be able to answer but in general I'll try my best. Okay. So first of all after this forum came back um the you know basically the Mem Chos so there's a whole story with the Derech Emunah and printing it. The Rebbe then he said nobody should make a commotion out of 770 and he went to the aleph. And then he said when the forum come they should bring him several books of this to the aleph. He should be able to see them there to show them to the Friediker Rebbe or whatever. One of the three books was a sefer Derech Emunah. It's a sefer in Kabbalah. And when he saw the three books he came back from the aleph. He wrote to me right away that he wants this book to be edited and printed very fast in order that we should see that returning the books means adding and learning. So Kabbalah Marmaros and write a whole movie about the history of the man that wrote it and that book I didn't know anything about it. So I asked then Rebbe because in the Rebbe Mem Chos of the day were working on the cities Marmaros Achidus they should work on the Marmaros and I sat down to make a movie and it was very difficult because they was very not clear. I wrote it into the Rebbe and the Rebbe changed it completely and sent it back to me to rework and everything was supposed to be in the same day and every hour he asked the secretary Rabbi Groner to call me and ask me where they up in the Marmaros where I'm up to in the movie and where they up to with the printing. A whole [snorts] day and till the evening they set it in print shop in Empire press. But he wanted to get a copy of what they set it in before he goes home. But every while he asked if they they ready. I say they not ready. What I do? So the Rebbe said he's going home and when I get it from the Empire Press I should bring it in to the Rebbe's house and I should ring the bell and give it to him. I did so. When I arrived to the Rebbe's house I rang the bell. Came out Zalman Bergasburg and the Rebbe and he tells me the Rebbe sent me to pick it up from you. Over the night the Rebbe looked it through and made a lot of corrections and made a lot of re-writes. And then in the next day it was already ready with the Marmaros and with the printing and the Rebbe was very satisfied that it was so fast done. Okay. And you know over the years there were other publications that in between the Igros and in between the Igros Tehillim there was other publications that you worked on based on the Rebbe's ideas, right? >> Theoretically think that all this would fit in in a way that I could explain it and be able people should be able to follow it. I just mentioned the Igros Tehillim is one description of 72 uh havoros. I spoke about the Igros Kodesh. Altogether there are about over 50 volumes. So I could give a general ex but to go very specifically on each one separately it would be too much for me, too much for the listeners. I can just say that in when I was engaged I was in London. I was by my grandfather there. He lived in Meir Meir Gurkov. He lived in London. So when I was by him he gave me a whole booklet of his handwriting telling all his biography that he wrote when the Friediker Rebbe said Chassidim should write their own biographies. So he gave it to me. So when I came back here I made a copy of it and I sent it in to the Rebbe. That was the end of Tav Shin Lamed Gimmel. Three years later the Rebbe in Lamed Vov when I started to working with the Kitzur Yalkut Tehillim and with other Kitzurim then the Rebbe told me to do. So the Rebbe sent it to sent it out to me and he said he should I should edit it and print it. So that was the first book the the second book that I edited and printed on my own by the Rebbe's instruction not by yours. So that's one of them but there is many others to just go read and see the history of each one is more too many too much detailed for interview. Okay. And I guess this is another encouragement that uh those that are watching and listening can read the sefer of Igros Kodesh that you published which is available for sale, right? It's in print. And uh Whatever I said today is just description but the details of all the 600 answers between 6 and 700 answers that I have from the Rebbe in their copy of the Soviet Kidish and the retyping of each answer and the background for each answer is all I included in the Avidus Kidish so my interview today is just take some of the details of the Avidus Kidish and to describe it verbal for people to be able to follow it up but specifically if one wants to know everything that he heard here from me to know the exactly the text what the Rebbe wrote to me and to see the Soviet Kidish of what the Rebbe wrote to me he could see it all in the Avidus Kidish. Okay and I have to thank you again on behalf of uh K's of them that you published all of this and not only that generally you like putting everything out for example scanning everything from the library. I mean in the there are that's something we access all the time documents and photos and everything like that so >> That's no question that you as the head of the Rebbe years ago whenever you give out of the Rebbe you asked me for different Soviet Kidish that's long copies of a copy of Soviet Kidish and I went out of my way to try to help the Rebbe in in everything they needed from Soviet Kidish or from other books to be able to give out to the Rebbe in a proper way. Okay so yes to care for that. And hopefully it's easier now that it's all scanned. Yeah. [laughter] Okay thank you very much and uh Yiddish Yiddish Machtay and uh I'm in the scale set up. I'm in. All right thank you.