Yud Bais Tammuz 2026, Previous Rebbe, Russia & America, Love for each Yid, R Chaim Ozer- RC Dalfin

So good day to everyone. Today is Yud Tamuz. It's two days before Tamuzb is known in the day of redemption referring to the redemption of the previous from his incarceration and death sentence in Russia during the time of the communist Stalinist KGB And for us and not only for us but for every every Jew as I'll tell you in a moment it's a it's a it's a special day. So if I bring a little bit today we'll talk a little bit about it. The in the year after he was given freedom he he they the first time was 1928. This happened in 1927. he wrote a letter and he said, "Not only did God redeem me, but he redeemed everyone the shame. He redeemed every Jew that's called a Jew by a nickname. even by a nickname. And that's a very very important statement. And that means not only did did Hashem save my life, but he saved every Jew. Even a Jew who all he knows or she knows is that they're Jewish. They know no Tyra. They do no mitzvah, but they know one thing. They were born to a Jewish mother or had a proper Jewish conversion. They're Jewish. They were also redeemed on in 1927 on this day of Yud Bay. And the Rebba, our Rebba would fab every single year based Tamos from 1951 when he becically became Rebe till 1992 in 1991. the last time that he spoke uh at a faban about this and what was Reb's point Reb's point was that his father-in-law's release was a release and a redemption for all Giddon for all Jews regardless of their religiosity or non-religiosity Because the breakthrough to withstand Stalinism, communism, which sought to destroy and obliterate Judaism, God didn't work. and and the Fred and and the Rebba was very clear in teaching us that the previous Reb was the sole individual who stood up to to to the communist the way he did risking his life literally and in over the years of research and documentation and books I could tell you that this is a fact. It's not a it's not wishful thinking. Even though there have been books written where people have challenged various aspects but no one will deny no one deny the fact that the one and the only one who was willing to to actually give his life away by keeping Judaism going, keeping the open, keeping the mikvah open and and instructing his to do the same was the bas. So even though today 2026 it's 99 right uh next year 2027 will be n 100 years since the event took place. So it's 99 years and we're living in Florida in Ramad Bamesh in Brooklyn and in a sense that time period is finished but everyone knows very well that today once again anti-semitism is rampant and the there are similarities to what was going on in Europe crystal and post crystal that was in eur in Poland and in Germany. And then there is the secularism that has been creeping in to Jewish communities with of which is when when in you know when in Rome do like the Romans and all of that. So this this fight for survival is very very is very appropriate. So we have to say and my wonderful wife brought me some wine to say if anyone would like to say I titled here at the work of the previous And it's and the work of should should not be seen as only aidic thing or only a kabad thing but it should be seen as yiddeskite world jewelry and that is why after the after the announced and celebrated based tamas as a yumptive As I told you in the last class, we don't say tabas and Sunday because the previous didn't go out mark from jail on the actual 12th of tamos which is shabas this year shabas because it was a holiday in Russia. So even THOUGH HE HAD A PAPER THAT YOU SCOT YOU CAN GO OUT SCOT-FREE IT YOU CAN'T WALK OUT BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS LOCKED UP AND THE OFFICE IS closed you got TO STAY OVER ANOTHER day you know here when Rashkin went out you know from from his 20 from his eight years immediately they told him you're free and he WALKS OUT FIVE MINUTES after he was told he's FREE HE WALKS OUT THE door Russia wasn't that way YOU'RE FREE BUT YOU CAN'T LEAVE because of a technicality. So he left on Yudgiml. So that's why kabad makes not only the festival for yud the 12th but also the 13th giml which this year is Sunday and we don't say so the so when gudenski was the rav the chief rabbi of vna vna was a a bastion a for the witfak movement of of Judaism nassid Moiser was someone who was was good was close to the the Rebet the previous Reb's father and the previousb and he distributed funds to everyone including the previous rebba for his institutions. So when they came to kind of complain they said look here again Kaba is making a new holiday another holiday where they don't say you know another festive day. So you know what he said? He said by them by the there's additional positive energy that's added and added and by us it's becoming less and less. That's because of the secularism that crept into the enlightenment movement that crept in into the youth of Russia and and and of Europe. So there was a um a a a a downturn in religious observance by the youth. So alluded to that by them it goes only more and more the youth is celebrating another festival another part another part of that's you know another reason to to be more religious to be more involved in in in in Torah and by us it's less and less. So what we see are statement is that that the y of is for every Jew. And then I want to now and I want to now just show you historically how this is true. More al more points. So in Cincinnati um there was a rabbi named Elezar Silver. They called him laser reb laser silver. He was the president of the union of Orthodox Rabbis in the 1930s and 40s and 50s till his passing in late in ' 68 or ' 69 I forget now. And he was a powerhouse, a real powerhouse. He was a litak and he he was had tremendous knowledge in Tyra and he was a sharp fellow and he was an activist. He's the one that got visas for Jews to be safe for the Holocaust. He had his his his hands in Washington on behalf of the Jewish community. His name was again Rabbi Elezar Silver. I wrote a book called Kabad and Rabbis. I found in the archives. I told you I went I was invited to to be a fellow at the archives in Cincinnati and I found tremendous amount of letters and and correspondence from reformed rabbis and reform leaders with Rabbi Silver and uh he doesn't mince his words. He stands firm and I also went to his grave site. This is online you can see my YouTube about me at his grave site. So the the point is like this that Rabbi Al Elazar silver he rolled the red carpet out for the previous reb you know he was a lit he wasn't aid but he knew one thing who is the one that fought Stalin one man Rabbi Yseph and for that we open all doors for him okay you know there's one thing Mark to to celebrate your Jewishness our Jewishness with learning and dabbing and fine. There's another thing to getting down and getting down and dirty. Put your Judaism in the street. You know, they they want to run over you AND YOU STAND UP AND SAY, "I'm here. Too bad. What are you going to do about it?" And today, this message, man, this message is so much more important. and Bar Hashem that initi the Israeli government and the soldiers no one's perfect but stood up to the enemy and stood up to America stood up to you know people who who said no back down and uh you know accused us of genocide and things like that and I'm not take making a political statement I'm not a politician but the fact that we stand up that's the only way the world will understand really. So when we talk about the Holocaust, never again, you know, Mayor Kahana's slogan, never again, the concept is right. Never again do you bow down. Enough with this bowing down because if they because we see now look here's in America, Canada, Australia, look free countries and and and they and they try killing us. They try hurting us. So the previousb already 99 years ago shared this message. The message is that every Jew, even if you're just a Jew by the name Jew and you don't know anything, you stand up and you fight the enemy. And how do you do it? By bringing light into the world. You don't fight the enemy by becoming more dirtier and more disgusting. You know, my father is greater than your father. You don't do that. What you do is you bring light, more light, more terra, more mitzvah, more helping. That's how you overcome the en the enemy. We've been learning in the mimemer. We just finished the mime. So appropriate that this is a day after we finish the mimer and the and the and the author of the third he he shares with us the idea that if you don't if you want God to not look at your weaknesses and shortcomings you don't look at someone else's weaknesses and shortcomings. It's very very important very important because it's easy it's so easy to find shortcomings in others and but the shortcomings in ourselves which we know about cuz we're not foolish we hide we cover up ah you know big deal I'll get I'll I'll make it up right why don't you have that same attitude towards someone else this is what we learned in the m and that said that when we do that and and and that's the meaning of what Hill said to the convert who asked him I I teach me the entire Torah on one foot. So he said what you don't like doing to yourself don't do to the others. So that so the explains what he really was telling him was you don't like when people make a big deal about your shortcomings. Don't make a big deal about other people's shortcomings. We discussed how do we reconcile that with the the mitzvah which says scold your scold shall you scold your friend and the gum says I feel a may upon him even a hund times keep on telling him you're doing wrong YOU'RE DOING WRONG UNTIL HE gets it so the alterb in chapter 32 reconciled this and he and he explained that he YOUR FRIEND. FIRST YOU HAVE TO BECOME FRIENDS. ARE YOU FRIENDS? You a friend a two friends can tell each other and should tell each other, "Hey, you're a jerk. Hey, you're you know you you need to improve." THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE. FRIENDS are not just eating popcorn, drinking beer, and going to the bowl game or or playing golf or or kibbitzing. That's one aspect of friends. The other aspect is, hey guy, shape up. It's it's important for you and friends should be able to talk that way because when you talk that way with a friend, you're not talking at him or her. You're talking with him or her. You know what I'm saying? And this is the message in chapter 32 in Tanya which is relevant to this whole idea of reconciling giving criticism mus and looking the other way. So buyers, you're there. You need to get the message out to all of all the litak and all the to everyone. You have to get the message out that we have to look with our right eye at another Jew and at yourself. You could look you should look with a left eye. And even that if you look too much at yourself with the left eye, it's also self-deprecation and no good. In other words, when when a person realizes they have a weakness, whatever it is, whether it be whatever whatever, right? Whatever we have, everyone has a shortcoming and they dwell on it and they eat themselves up and they say, "I'm a I'm so bad. I'll never have redemption. I'll never have this, never that is so unhealthy and so not Jewish." At the same time, saying I'm THE GREATEST GUY, GREATEST GIFT THAT GOD gave to humanity IS JUST AS BAD BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT. It's false. It's a lie and it's ego. Got to be balanced. When you learnus, listen to me. When you learnus, and we we've been learning, you know, we're learning deeply for 10 years almost. We're learning, your whole paradigm changes. the way you look at yourself, the way you look at someone else, the way you look at your community. And the previous took that another step. I'm just reading now, finishing an article on a Jewish woman who came from a German background, German Jewish background, and became kidic. She married aid and she became a teacher in her youth like in the 20s to strengthen Judaism at the time in Germany. You know, women to go to the mikvah before they have relations with their husband and and the use of the mikvah and and to learn Torah. And here it is. A woman a hundred years ago, more than 100 years ago, whatever is championing championing the the whole idea of women's involvement in Tyra. This is a very important and the previous rebounds with her in letters. I'd like you to show me other rabbis rebas that did that 100 years ago. You won't find it. And if you do, you'll find maybe one letter. He's going back and forth with her. Why? Because the previous Reb saw that the future of Yiddishes Kite is the woman, the Jewish home. And if you don't get the Jewish women to be involved and knowledgeable of Tyra, both the revealed Talmud, etc., and the hidden and andidis then there's going to be a breakdown and there's going to be a breakup and there's going to be a problem. So he gives power, independence and support to this woman who became an aator, a speaker, a motivator. Today they would call her an influencer. Her name was Adel or Papenheim and she married Schneer Zalman Dubin whose father Kaduben was a a coun a consulate member in the parliament of um Orga. He was a very prominent person very prominent respected by all. He did he did tremendous amount for Lati and Judaism. So his son Schneer Zalman or they called him Zman married Edith Adel Papenheim and it's fascinating because a girl from Germany you know they were orthodox but German jewelry you know is a in a sense a very different type of jewelry than jewelry it's a different you know both are keeping shabas but one is more kind of rigorous and punctual yakas what they call yakas Yakuz yeah right and to get together withid that itself is a very interesting story but it happened and she became she became a kabadnik and she corresponds with the one who's celebrating with bamos and he he gives her food for thought and then she translated into German an article that he wrote in Hebrew I Yiddish Hebrew about the importance of of bringing Torah and mitzvah into one's home. So he was working with this young 22 23 year old. She was born in 1917 and I believe perished in the Holocaust in 1943. So she was a young woman. So here, so my point again is we see clearly how the previous Rebuk was all about the the Jew who's just called Jew by name, by nickname, not even by name. It's not even by name, right? Mark, there's a Jew who's called MARK DUKER. EVERYONE KNOWS MARK DUKER IS A JEW. Then there's a Jew that No, he doesn't even know. Oh, he just knows. Like I told you the other day the story with the guy who helped me make dominion. The first R the first Shabas. I was in Marin County. His name was, I believe, Brown. And I I I saw him fixing uh greasing, you know, fixing changing the oil or something under his car. And I asked him, "Are you a Jew?" And he said, "Yes." And then I took him by the arm and he said, "I don't I don't relate. I don't identify with Judaism. I know nothing about Judaism. I said, that's that's that's another story. But right now, we need a minion and you're Jewish and you could be number 10 for the minion. So the previous his which means our redemption, our I mean all of Judaism, all of Ta. Now naturally if you you go into Slabka or another place and say this they might laugh at you. Let them laugh. But their forefathers who came from Russia know THEY KNEW QUITE WELL WHAT THE PREVIOUS Reb did. You know today it's a world where the youth many you know don't know the history and they they don't care. They just look at what's present and the future. But it's important to reflect back to understand the humble beginnings and who the individuals were. And he wasn't the only individual. I mentioned I mentioned the sofair of his grander of Krakow. I mentioned this the people there were many that but in this that that brought tremendous amount for the Yiddish. BUT IN THIS AREA of not running away and having self sacrifice, it was one man and one man only. And by the way the the his father told him in 1920 uh several months I believe before he passed away he said you know in the mimer that he said I think onash right he passed away in so in the mimer he spoke about and I think he said to his son that this will help you in the future and the says it took seven years for for him to realize what his father said in in 1920 in 1919. 19 I rash took him seven years to realize that the what he was talking about that this will help you in the future came to fruition 7 years later in 1927 when his life was threatened and and ultimately was saved Thomas. So again a help that the sh should enlighten us and bring to each and every one of us our families only Simus goodness and we should stand up for what's right and not capitulate to the uh whims of the time to the ills of the time to the opponents of the time and only by standing strong and being proud and not taking a yarmaka off if you wear yarmaka when you go on a rain in Europe because you're afraid they're going to kill you or hurt you. IF IF YOU WANT PUT ON A CAP YORK >> OR IN NEW YORK, PUT ON A CAP. PUT ON A BASEBALL CAP. OKAY. With your beard, if you wear a beard, I'm just saying you're titus. Yesterday I was in a doctor's office and I saw a Jew who's, you know, is elderly and um, you know, and and he was saying that he doesn't know Torah. He's a Bishua. But meanwhile, he he also said that he he he's been going to classes over the years and he learn and he gave a look in his in his uh shelf how many gamoras art scroll gumas he went through. He finished. I said to him, "YOU'RE YOU'RE THE BEST JEW. WHAT WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING YOURSELF DOWN?" And then he got up to they took him to, you know, to to do some test, whatever. I saw HIS SENSES SENSES STICKING OUT OF HIS PANTS ON BOTH SIDES in a nice organized way. And I said to him, "YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING. YOU'RE YOU'RE SUCH A HOLY JEW. HOW MANY Jews are IN HERE IN FLATBUSH WALKING AROUND WITH THEIR TITS STICKING OUT?" And he's not he didn't go to yeshiva. You you understand that? So, so, so the only way is to stand up and be proud. WEAR YOUR TITS OUT. WHO ARE YOU EMBARRASSED FOR? You know, your yabaka, your beard, your pettis, whatever. It does it doesn't mean to but you know be be properly dressed and wellkept and and organized not like a not like you know you know um a gun you know but the concept is to be proud. So the represents that pride of Jewishness, another thing >> two things. Oh, can I just ask a question? >> Sure, please. >> I have a question. Is there is there an is there an Indian to make a kiddish this week? >> Yes, for sure. >> Okay. SHE WAS BASED THOMAS AND SHE WAS BASED THOMAS and and and and your wife Za Tom WAS A OF THE PREVIOUS HE PAINTED THE SPECIAL picture >> and he and and he says that he he says that he sat on the lap of the previousb that's what he says. >> YES. >> SO FOR SURE YOU SHOULD MAKE A KDISH FOR FOR and you should AND YOU SHOULD MENTION SOME OF THESE THINGS. YOU'RE THE YOU'RE the in the I'm not joking. >> I'm not alone. Hill is my vice my vice president. >> Okay. So, you and Hill together. TOGETHER. WHAT ELSE DID YOU IS THAT ALL YOU WANTED TO ASK? YOU SAID TWO THINGS. >> YEAH. That's it. That's it. I want to just say before we finish that that when the freed came to America in 1940, you know, he had health issues and he came he came he was already on in a wheelchair pretty much. When he came in 1929, you could see online in the in the gem video of him coming off the boat. He looks like a prince, like a king. you know, not only is he younger, but his his posture, he looks beautiful. You look at him in 1940, comes off the boat in a wheelchair. Uh, you know, so his health was deteriorating, but he he lived from 1940 to 1950 when he passed away, he lived in Brooklyn. He he he lived here and he accomplished a lot and he used the Reb and then his other son-in-law and Rabbi Mandel Niss Mandel and Rabbi Khadakov Rabstein different people and Elder Rab Jacobson Rab Simpson Rabkin Battle Battle um forget his last name now they all contributed to to make his work easier. And this type of activity laid the groundwork for the Reb's work from 1951 and on. And the Reb always said, "I am a fillin for my father-in-law. I am here to take his vision and his programs to the next level." You understand? So when we celebrate Thomas, it's a it's not only his nephesh, his self-sacrifice in Russia's 1927, it's also his his abas for every single Jew and he brought it to America and that was also revolutionary because at the time although it was you know during and post Holocaust the there was this attitude, you know, that if you're a Ben Torah, if someone sits and learns, whether it be a or you're a rabbi or all that, you're more important. And the previous completely disregarded that he said all Jews are important. There's no differences between Jews. And then he started you know that he started the uh shabas campaign shabas and all that the previous started that in the 1940s 41 42 43 then he started release time and there are rabbis of the litfish movement today that are results of the release time I don't want to say names but I'm but I know okay so the didn't just deal with his andis and discourses and and meditation and praying dvening at at length. He he took it in a way to impact the current situation in America in the 1940s. And trust me, Yiddish Judaism in the 1940s was was down. It was down. it, you know, we went through a very tough period, rough period, the Holocaust, you know, and Stalinism and all that. >> What? What? I didn't hear what' you say. >> Right. >> 194. >> Right. Right. It was means, you know, it it's it's meager. It's weak. It's it's it's it's on the down and the freed you know with his people and then he sent out these rabbis young rabbis in their 20s to start yeshiva's day schools in Worcester in Baltimore in Newark in PHILLY IN ROCHESTER IN Boston you know there were 14 kabad yeshivas that he he he started and his son-in-law older son-in-law is Barari was director of them under his leadership which was AGAIN AND THIS WILL by the way people don't know or don't want to KNOW IT WAS BEFORE TORAH MASUR TO MASARA'S first school was in 1944 45 started already A SCHOOL IN 1941 IN NEWARK WITH RAB SHA BEAR Gordon Masha is not he's off he's he's from Newark well Mark is from from Newark that area Mark there was now Now >> Gordon, >> right? You know, Reb Gordon. SO NOW, NOW CREDIT TO BE GIVEN TO RABBI TITS OF ELIZABETH, Rabbi Pinus Tites, who was the king of Elizabeth who made a yeshiva. No question about it. But it was it was a co-ed yeshiva and all, you know, but no question he was a king and did a tremendous amount. And by the way, he was from from Russia, from the Dinsk, and he was very close to the previous and the Reb. He would come h to the Reb's house to have private meetings and then when he went to Russia he did work for Russian jewelry. He brought the Reb gave him missions to do. But Rabbi Gordon's father, Rabbi Josh Gordon, who's kabad.org teaches so wonderfully and special. His father was bear Gordon and HE WAS SENT BY THE REB TO OPEN a yeshiva in in Newark in 1941 I believe 41 or 42. SO THAT WAS BEFORE TORAH MASARA and then in 43 a yeshiva opened up uh either in New Or I forget. I'm not saying there weren't other yeshivas around. I'm just saying that the Torah Msara movement started in 44 45 and God bless them. They've done tremendous amount continue and it's very important. So the fadea saw the importance of sending out young guys from 770 and he got criticism for that. Why are you taking a 22 23 23 year old who's in the prime of his learning before he marries and you're sending him OUT AS A SINGLE GUY TO BUFFALO, NEW YORK to open a yeshiva or to wor to New Haven or to Newark. THIS WAS BEFORE THEY GOT MARRIED. Then they got married. this he sent them as and and and they and there were rabbis who were critical and the said you have a point BUT THERE'S A FIRE BURNING AND THERE JEWISH CHILDREN ALL OVER THESE CITIES THAT DON'T THAT GO TO PUBLIC school and don't learn and don't know anything and we need to bring to teach them so we have to when a fire is burning you do everything to extinguish the fire I've told you a little bit about help and he should bring to all of us true redemption, real redemption. We should feel and see and and and and EVERYONE SHOULD not only you but everyone else in their respective shoes make a fabin and talk about some of these things. share with people. Don't be shy and and and Hashem will help that we will see the ultimate mashia of Mamesh. Monday we will continue learning a new mimer in the I'll let you know which mimer zun shalom have a great day.