Shluchim of New York Metropolitan Area Join Annual Kinus

By Rabbi Shmuli Butler
Photos: Mendy Krief

The Shluchim in the New York metropolitan area got together on Beis Iyar, the date of establishing Tzeirei Agudas Chabad –the Lubavitch Youth Organization by the Rebbe in 5715 (1955).

The gathering took place in the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights on the eve of Beis Iyar, the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash, “Lechatchila Ariber” and “Tiferes Shebitiferes.”

“Poschin bidvar malchus,” Rabbi Shmuel Butman, director of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, mentioned what the Rebbe said about Lechatchila Ariber. The Rebbe Maharash made a point of including what the “velt” (world) says. Why is it important for us to know what the world says? The Rebbe explained that the Rebbe Maharash wants us to know that he’s cognizant of the world and knows the world’s opinion. Nevertheless, his opinion is not to listen to the world.

Rabbi Butman also mentioned the words of Rabbi Dovid Raskin OBM, the legendary chairman of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, whose yohrtzeit is Zayin Iyar. He would quote Rabbi Mordechai Aizik Hodakov that the Tzach convention used to take place on the first day of Chol Hamoed Sukkos in the Bnei Yaakov hall, which was a hall on Kingston Avenue and Lincoln Place. The Bnei Yaakov hall was used for weddings; for example, Reb Yoel Kahn, Reb Leibel Groner, and Reb Berel Junik got married there. The Chupa was in front of 770, with the Rebbe being mesader kidushin, and this hall was in close proximity to 770.

This hall is where the kinus was. And that night, the first night of Chol Hamoed Sukkos, the Rebbe used to farbreng at the simchas beis hashoeva. And the Rebbe said through Rabbi Hodakov that, in principle, the Rebbe wanted to participate in the kinus of Tzach, but since that is not possible, therefore the chairman of the Tzach kinus will speak at the farbengen of Simchas Beis Hashoeva.

There was a special microphone waiting, and the Rebbe announced that the kinus chairman will speak about the highlights of the Tzach’s convention. That’s how much Tzach and the kinus of Tzach were important to the Rebbe.

Rabbi Butman mentioned that he remembers four people who spoke at the farbrengen: Reb Moshe Pesach Goldman, the longtime secretary of Tzach, and those who have since passed away, Reb Tzvi Gansburg, Reb Sholom Gordon, and Reb Yitzchok Dovid Groner. They spoke in front of the Rebbe, and you could see how they were trembling when they spoke. This shows us the unique relationship of the Rebbe to Tzach.

Rabbi Raskin also mentioned many times that Tzach was founded directly by the Rebbe. In the activities of the Rebbe of 5715 (1955), it says that he founded Tze’irei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis on Beis Iyar. Reb Dovid also stressed that even though the Rebbe spoke about establishing Tzach on Shabbos Mevorchim Iyar, 24 Nisan 5715, the Rebbe emphasized that the day of the actual founding was Beis Iyar, “Tiferes Shebetiferes,” which is the birthday of the Rebbe Maharash and stands for “Lechatchila Ariber.” The Rebbe gives us the brochos and the ability to do our activities in a manner of Lechatchila Ariber and in the most beautiful way — not only tiferes but tiferes shebetiferes, “beauty of beauty.”

It’s interesting to note, and it was noted already over here in the past, that when the Rebbe would speak about the saying of the Rebbe Maharash, he would say something like this, “Der Rebbe Maharash hot gezogt, di velt zogt… un ich zog, un der Rebbe Maharash zogt, un der Rebbe Maharash zogt, un ich zog…”

“For someone who did not know the Rebbe, it sounded as if the Rebbe was looking for words.

But we know the truth, that our Rebbe was not looking for words. For the Rebbe, everything was open and clear, and he was not searching for words. What the Rebbe wanted to say here, among all the words, is “un ich zog,” “and I say.”

“How many times did the Rebbe Maharash say this aphorism? Once. You won’t find it in the maamorim or sichos of the Rebbe Maharash. The Previous Rebbe, writes in a letter that this is what the Rebbe Maharash said, and it seems he said it one time.

How many times did the Rebbe say Lechatchila Ariber? Too many times to be able to count. Because the Rebbe of Lechatchila Ariber was our Rebbe. And this is the lesson that the Rebbe is giving, especially to the chaverim of Tze’irei Agudas Chabad, and the shluchim of Tze’irei Agudas Chabad, that we can do our work in the form of Lechatchila Ariber and Tiferes Shebitiferes. We are given all the opportunities, brachos, and capabilities to achieve that.”

“It is also important for us to know, as we sit here together in fellowship, that we are the shluchim in Paltarin Shel Melech– in the Rebbe’s capital city, the New York metropolitan area, the Rebbe’s area. The whole world is always looking up what’s happening in Brooklyn and what’s happening in Crown Heights, i.e., what’s happening in the Paltarin shel Melech. So we have a special zechus, and together with that, of course, comes the obligation that each and every one of us has. And the Rebbe gives us the possibility and the ability and the brachos and everything that comes with it, that we should be able to accomplish that, gezunterheit and freilecherheit.”

“We now live in a special time,” Rabbi Butman continued. “The whole world is saying that this is the first time in history that Iran has attacked Israel from its own territory.” The Rebbe already spoke about this idea in the past and quoted a Midrash, the Yalkut Shimoni, which discusses a time when we will see ‘Malchuyos misgaros,’ countries that are bickering. Especially when we see Melech Poras, the king or the kingdom of Persia making trouble, says the Midrash, the Jewish people are going to be afraid, and they’re not going to know what to do.

The Almighty will say to them, ‘I have done this only for you.’ And there’s a message here for you. The message is, ‘Anovim higia zeman geulaschem, Humble ones, the time of your redemption has arrived!’

“The Midrash singles out problems coming from Melech Poras, and according to all reports, this is the first time in history that Iran has attacked Eretz Yisroel from its own territory. So we know that Moshiach is coming. And there are still Pachim Ketanim, small vessels that must be taken care of.

“Who has that responsibility? It’s simple. The responsibility rests on the Rebbe’s shluchim. And among the Rebbe’s shluchim, we are the shluchim in the New York metropolitan area, Paltarinshel Melech. So we have a great deal of that responsibility of bringing, of working out the pachim ketanim, the little vessels that are still left of golos, and make sure that we prepareourselves and our part of this world for that great day of the coming of Mashiach, as the Rebbe promises us.”

Rabbi Butman thanked the Vaad of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Rabbi Kasriel Kastel, Rabbi Tuvia Teldon, Rabbi Sholom Tenenbaum and Rabbi Leibel Baumgarten for their steady help and dedication. “These are the Rebbe’s soldiers.” Rabbi Butman mentioned the member of the Vaad Rabbi Chaim Meir Lieberman OBM. “His selfless dedication and devotion are phenomenon. He is always remembered.”

Rabbi Kastel, program director of the Lubavitch Youth organization, spoke about their activities and how each and every one of us can continue and expand, and that we should all remember the privilege we have and the responsibility that we have.

At this year’s gathering, various Shluchim spoke, and each one had a special message. It started with Rabbi Avrohom Richter, the director of Chabad in Howard Beach, Queens, who is also the coordinator of the Chaplaincy Services for Northeast USA. Rabbi Richter said this is the first time that an Orthodox Jew has been given this position, which is a very prestigious position with an office in Manhattan. He related personal stories of how he used his influence to help other Jews.

Another one of the speakers was Rabbi Moshe Feiglin, the director of the Aliyah Institute in Crown Heights. He does compassionate work because he works with our own children, including children of Shluchim. Reb Moshe told us stories of his work and how he sees that his work succeeds and, im yirtzeh Hashem, it will succeed more and more.

The third speaker was Rabbi Yossi Rapp, the director of the Chabad on Air at the New York Airports. He took over the position from his father, Rabbi Kuti Rapp. Rabbi Yossi told us stories of his work at the airport. He was also invited recently by El Al to participate in a reception in Fort Lauderdale celebrating the opening of a new El Al line, going from Fort Lauderdale to Eretz Yisroel. The words of the three Shluchim were very well received by all participants.

The MC was Rabbi Yehuda Drizin, director Chabad at Columbia University. The keynote speaker was Rabbi Yossi Groner, Head Shliach in the Carolinas and a member of the executive board of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and of Agudas Chassidei Chabad.

Rabbi Groner spoke about the work of the Rebbe’s Shluchim and that we are like a “nanos al gabei ho’anok,” a midget on top of a giant’s shoulders. We may think of ourselves as being midgets, but we are on the shoulders, so to speak, of the Rebbe.

Rabbi Groner stressed how the Rebbe is carrying us on his shoulders, and therefore, there is no place that is too high because, from the Rebbe’s shoulders, we can reach every place. He illustrated this point with many personal stories.

Rabbi Groner is the son of the unforgettable Mazkir of the Rebbe, Rabbi Leibel Groner OBM. He was inculcated from his childhood with a very, very deep devotion to the Rebbe and to the Rebbe’s activities. With personal stories, Rabbi Groner brought the spirit of the Rebbe to each and every one of us. His words and his delivery were received very well, leaving a very strong and deep impression on all the shluchim.

After the formal part of the kinus, Rabbi Groner agreed to continue a farbrengen with the shluchim. “This was really an evening of Sheves achim gam yochad, of sitting together and farbrenging together,” said Rabbi Teldon, head Shliach of Long Island and a board member of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis.