Boys Learn Lines of Tanya

Seventy one students of the United Lubavitcher Yeshiva in Crown Heights learned Tanya Ba’al Peh as part of a program begun by Rabbi Mordechai and Mrs. Shterney Kanelsky of the Bris Avrohom Center in Hillside, New Jersey.

The Bas Sheva Mitzvah Campaign to Greet Moshiach was launched in loving memory of their beloved daughter, Bat Sheva ob”m, who passed away seven years ago. The fact that there were seventy one students who participated in the program this year at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva is significant because this is the 71st anniversary of the institution in America.

The program recognizes boys who learn Tanya bal peh and rewards them with a colorful, personalized, laminated certificate, as well as a monetary stipend and gifts. After the boys learn their perokim, they are tested on the entire amount at once by one of the rebbeim to prove their knowledge. In the past seven years, thousands of boys have participated in this program and earned well deserved gifts for their efforts.

This year’s event at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva was attended by 150 parents, grandparents and families of the boys, who came to shep nachas from their great achievement. Rabbi Shmuli Turk was the Master of Ceremonies, and discussed the significance in the fact that 71 boys chose to participate in the program this year. Rabbi Simpson, Principal of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva, then spoke about the importance of learning Tanya. He spoke about how he too had learned Tanya ba’al peh in his youth. He started to recite several lines, from different chapters, and the boys collectively finished each line he started.

Rabbi Yossi Zwiebel, under whom the 4th grade boys learned their perekim of Tanya, was recognized by Rabbi Simpson. He told the audience that every student in Rabbi Zwiebel’s class learned a minimum of four chapters of Tanya. He then called up a representative group from the class and they recited all four chapters by heart.

Finally, Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky was called up to speak to the gathered boys and their families. He spoke about how he, too, had learned Tanya ba’al peh as a child, behind the Iron Curtain in a darkened basement of his home in Russia, and how he had the privilege of being tested by the Rebbe in 1970, when he recited the fourth chapter by heart at the Rebbe’s request.

He explained that this is the 250th yarzeit of the Baal Shem Tov, who always said that we have to spread the wellspring of Chassidus on the outside. Rabbi Kanelsky pointed out to the boys that when they are outside, going to school or returning home, or anytime they are walking in the street, they should recited Tanya by heart as a means of fulfilling the words of the Baal Shem Tov.

Rabbi Kanelsky then spoke of Bris Avrohom’s attempt to spread the words of Chassidus by printing Tanyas in 130 towns throughout New Jersey, in 1984 and 1985, under the direction of the Rebbe. Each boy received a sample of these pocket-sized Tanyas from Rabbi and Mrs. Kanelsky, as well as their certificate, a book entitled From Davening to Redemption, and a $2 bill.

Many parents and grandparents approached Rabbi and Mrs. Kanelsky after the ceremony to express their gratitude to them for giving encouragement and support to their children, who spent their own free time learning Tanya for this competition. Following the ceremony, refreshments were served. To top off the celebration, the students sang Happy Birthday to Rabbi Kanelsky, who was celebrating his own milestone on that day.