And Aaron Was Silenced

By COLlive reporter
Photos by Yossi Percia

A farbrengen in Crown Heights this past Motzoei Shabbos marked 30 days since the passing of Rabbi Aaron Chitrik obm, responsible for preparing 300 volumes of Chassidus Seforim and manuscripts of the Rebbeim in Hebrew and Yiddish.

The Shloshim event was held at Ksav Sofer Shul on Empire Boulevard and was organized by his son Hershy Chitrik. Attending were chassidim and relatives from around the world.

For more than 50 years, Rabbi Chitrik worked in the Rebbe’s library, working on Maamorim of the Rabbeim. He put together the Maareches and Marei Mekoimos of many sforim, with his name specifically mentioned in Lekutei Torah and the Tanya.

In the late 70’s, Rabbi Chitrik was sent by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to assist Rabbi Avrohom Shemtov, today Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, on the special mission to release the Previous Rebbe’s seforim out of Poland.

His son-in-law Rabbi Nochum Gross opened the event by welcoming participants and making a siyum on Masechta Challah.

Words of inspiration were heard from the Ksav Sofer Rabbi Nissan Mangel, and Rabbi Berel Levin, chief librarian of the Agudas Chassidei Chabad Library, who worked together with Rabbi Chitrik.

An emotional moment was when Rabbi Hirshel Chitrik called out about his brother “Vayidom Aaron” (and Aaron was silenced).

Rabbi Mendel Leiberman of Ashkolon, Rabbi Mendel Kaplan of Detroit and Rabbi Nissan Dovid Dubov of Wimbledon, England – three of Rabbi Chitrik’s nephews, and Rabbi Shmuel Butman, a friend and Director of Lubavitch Youth Organization spoke as well and shared memories

A special Teshura with letters from the Rebbe to Rabbi Chitrik was distributed in honor of his Shloshim. Download Teshura here.