By COLlive reporter
A public call is being made by Chabad and Crown Heights rabbis to dedicate this coming Monday, eve of Rosh Chodesh Nissan 5774, as a day of prayer and good deeds.
They wrote that the call to action is being issued “In connection with the recent happenings that occurred amongst the families of Anash in general and the Shluchim in specific, Heaven forbid.”
A string of deaths –among them the untimely passing of 4 Shluchim, 2 Shluchos, 3 bochurim and an infant– have been registered in the last 2 months of Adar, an otherwise joyous time.
The letter was issued by the Central Committee of Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbis in the U.S. and Canada and signed by members of its executive board.
They are Rabbi Dovid Schochet, Rabbi Avrohom Hertz, Rabbi Elimelech Zweibel, Rabbi Moshe Bogomilsky, Rabbi Zusha Winner, Rabbi Yosef Shusterman, Rabbi Yisroel Rosenfeld and Rabbi Leibel Schapiro.
They were joined by Rabbi Avrohom Osdoba, Rabbi Yitzchok Raitport and Rabbi Shlomo Segal of the Crown Heights Beis Din (Badatz).
Together, they asked that the public give tzedaka in exchange for Taanis Shaos, the concept of fasting for a couple of hours (a call which was supported by the Rebbe in the 5740s).
They said that in addition to the daily chapters read from Tehillm, the public should recite the following ones: 1, 20, 22, 35, 38, 79, 90, 93, 112, 120, 121, 130, 142 and 150.
Throughout the day, the rabbis said, “each and everyone should add in learning nigleh and chassidus on this day,” as well as increasing in Ahavas Yisroel.
DEATHS IN ADAR I & ADAR II 5774:
+ Devorah Leah Grumach, 1, OBM
+ R’ Shalom Ber Budnow, 92, OBM
+ Mrs. Bluma Lebovics, 94, OBM
+ Mrs. Rivkie Barber, 49, OBM
+ Yossi Fail, 16, OBM
+ Mrs. Dina Dahan, 62, OBM
+ Rabbi Motti Gal, 62, OBM
+ Mrs. Rashi Minkowicz, 37, OBM
+ Rabbi Yisroel Butman, 55, OBM
+ Reb Mottel Der Shoichet, 97, OBM
+ Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, 59, OBM
+ Tzvi Ostrozynski, 60, OBM
+ Rabbi Leib Scheiner, OBM
+ Gedalya Greenzayd, 25, OBM
+ Mrs. Rivka Niyazov, 83, OBM
+ Norman Katz, 74 OBM
+ Refael Kaushansky, 17, OBM
+ Mrs. Goldy Krinsky, 87, OBM
+ Mrs. Bryna Eisig, 79, OBM
Notwithstanding all the statistical arguments it is a tragedy that a 37 mother should suddenly pass away leaving behind her husband and many children, and an infant and three young men should be lost to us.
Hashem should comfort all the mourners, we should all increase in Torah, tefillah, good deeds and ahavas yisroel which should finally tip the scales & pave the way for the revelation of Moshiach – now!
came up with the number 250,000 for lubavitchers and how did they reach that number?
The amount of Lubavitchers in their late 50’s and early 60’s today is, I believe, dramatically more than just a couple of years ago because these people were born shortly after WWII when there was a dramatic rise in births following WWII. It therefore follows that there will be a dramatic rise in of Lubavitchers reaching their 50’ and 60’s now. Unfortunately, deaths under 60 is not that abnormal. Even in a country with a high life expectancy of 80 years some 10% will die before the age of 60. Despite the increase in tragedies in the last 2 months… Read more »
I hope you don’t work for an insurance company. Your thesis isflawed on too many llevels to go into right now. Here’s a much simpler way to test your theory: Count the under 60 deaths of the last two months and then compare them to any two month time period in the last 3 years. If you find a similar two month period than maybe you have an argument. No ones questioning whether simchas/ cavities/deaths will go up when population sizes rise but one needs to know how to do this sort of analysis. You can cough this up to… Read more »
The Rambam writes (Hilchos Taanis perek alef Halacha 1-3), it’s a Mitzvah to cry out and Daven to Hashem for any Tzoro that happens to the Tzibur… and this is from the ways of Teshuvah….but if they don’t cry out to Hashem, but just say this thing that happened is just the ways of nature and it happened by chance, this is a cruel way and causes them to cling to their bad ways, and it will bring more tzoros…lo olainu (free translation)
Hashem should hear our cries and put an end to our suffering and send us Moshiach Now!!
Stop and think for a minute. A few more good deeds can only help. So can a bit more tzeddakah. The statistical analysis is irrelevant.
1) Chabad has experienced exponential rise in the birth rate so it follows eventually there will be an exponential rise in the death rate. 2) Of course it’s a tragedy when young people die. But in a large population there will be some young people dying. In the UK with a life expectancy of 79, some 2% of people die before age 40; some 10% of people die before the age of sixty; and only some 10-15% will live to the age of 90. 3) The question as to why there seems to be many young people (in their 50s… Read more »
YOU HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD. WHEN THE ” HEADS” WILL BE “HEALTHY” SO WILL THE REST OF THE LUBAVITCHER WORLD!!!!!
Just make Monday special because there is power in achdus. Maybe it will rub off on the rest of your week, month. Don’t focus on what’s not important.
Yes, what I mean is why is it that we wait for tragedy to awake us, why not merit Moshiach now?? We know if even Klal Yisroel would simply properly keep Shabbos even ONCE it would instantly usher Moshiach. Every moment of our existence should be of prayer and good deed, not just dedicating a day after a string of tragedy and sorrow… That is my point, especially with our task of revealing HaShem in all creation and being a light to all the rest of the earth. This is why I say everyday we should fear and cleave to… Read more »
#1, I think you might have had a little too much “edumecation” to be able to simply rationalize even one death of a young vibrant person! and #10: why are you making fun of an issue which is so critical???? But here is my take on all of these tragedies; Dear members of Badatz: B”H As a concerned member of the (Jewish) community, as well as the Crown Heights community, I feel it is imperative for this matter to be brought to the attention of the Rabbonim, and that they act on it. This is very obviously a matter of… Read more »
What happens is not because off statistics. Hashem for a reason we do not understand is bringing these heartbreaking occurrences. So we do not accept these things with a cold heart, rather the one above wants that we return to him to his ways. to cool others off, you’re missing the point.
I don’t think anyone is saying that it isn’t tragic when young people pass away clearly ‘before their time’. I think I can safely speak for everyone, that we’ve all been overwhelmed lately. I think that what number 1 is saying is that in the world that we live in, Pre-Moshiach, it’s a fact that people die. Every country, city, culture, community, gender, and age-group will have their own statistics based on probability. So what we’re experiencing now is not ‘abnormal’ as ‘nature’ goes. However it is abnormal that we should have to live this, and we shouldn’t just accept… Read more »
you sound educated and thought out. however none of that explains why a family of eight will have to grow up without a mother. none of that explains why a family of 7 will have to grow up withot a father…..
Is there a difference in the definition of ahavas yisroel and random acts of kindness?
Also, I remember the time when Mrs. Nechamie Greisman passed away and some others passed away then, and someone mentioned then that the Rebbe said we should not connect tragedies.
You are trying to gather (unify) the masses with diversion and separation?!
YES: osdoba, segel,etc. etc. NO: schwei, braun!
Is there not a greater hypocritical statement?!
As long as there will be anti’s fighting moshiachistim, all this is worthless.
עס וועט העלפען ווי א זעץ אין דרערד
Who have achdus farbrengens that are heartfelt. Read the comments by their article compared to this one.
It’s amazing that even with all the tragedies, that have befallen the community, the Crown Heights Beis Din could not bring itself to unite to sign this letter, perhaps the Crown Heights Beis Din should look in a mirror and see how much damage they are doing to this community instead of writing a קול קןרא.
Why isn’t this Kol koreh singed by all rabbanim, why can’t they unite for this es tzoro, there should be a letter singed by all rabbanim of the crown heights BD
Ahavas yisroel should start from the top.
Why isnt Rabbi Bruen part of this letter?
A tragedy is a Tragedy, not a statistic.
That being said, it would be important to take many other aspects into acocount. The amount of health related deaths versus sudden deaths, the amount of drug abbuse versus the secular world….. There are many factors involved.
Monday is or le rosh chodesh. The day before rosh chodesh each month is considered as yom kippur katan.
While I enjoyed your well written comment and agree that al pi derech hateva it should seem normal. However, please explain how 37, 49, 59, 17, 27 are within normal life expectancy ranges, especially when you look at familial specific factors.
Every one knows there art two more elected Rabbonim in Shchunas Crown Heights. Are not the intentions of the authors of this Kol Koreh to get the maximum people to be be mishtatef ??? Do they think that Ommiting the two Rabbonim would accomplish this ??? Just like it would be travesty to ommit Rabbi Osdaba when you include the other Rabbonim of C.H. Equally is when you ommit Rabbis Schwai and Brown when you include Rabbi Osdaba. Common sense is being that both Rabbonim have respectable followings both should be included. You can still correct the situation. In any… Read more »
אפה כל הרבנים מספיק אם המחלוקת תביאו את כולם זה זמו של תפילות
Stop saying tehilim and start paying attention to individual pain.
Machlokes equals tragedy
stop the machlokes and the tragedies will stop
a yom tefilah is a good thing, but you have to go to the source and fix the source and not cover up
Monday is Erev Rosh Chodesh, commonly known as Yom Kippur Koton, when many have the custom to fast. Hence the choice of date.
Pre 3 tammuz or pre 27 adar?
So what you’re basically saying is that the woman should sit downstairs too…?
i dont agree with you at all. what happened these past two months has nothing to do with what you said. Hashem has his reasons which we cannot understand.
MOSHIACH NOW!
The mortality rate of lubavitchers is unknown. Not every death is reported on col, just mostly, young or important, for instance.The natural order is everyone who is born will die.
personally I don’t understand why we list people who died in their 90’s ( normal).together with who died so much younger.
Get rid of the divide in 770…everything should go back to pre Gimmel Tammuz…no divide between upstairs and downstairs
To number one. The fast was decided not by the applied mathematicians but rather by rabanim, attuned to the family tragedies r”l and cognizant of the message the RBSO is sending as per the rambam. It would behoove you to spend Monday to reflect on Ahavas Yisroel.
The amount a meal would cost /pp
“they asked that the public give tzedaka in exchange for Taanis Shaos” how much is that is money? What’s the minimum?
Why just this coming Monday, Rosh Chodesh Nissan? Why not every day until then, and every day that follows? We should strive to be closer to HaShem, Torah and Chassidus, every moment of our existence, are we not supposed to be a light to all the earth? In light of these tragedies we should wake up and fulfill our purpose, and not only within the confinement of our communities, but that all creation reveal HaShem! If only we did this daily and with every thought and action, not only just in the aftermath of tragedies and suffering… Moshiach now!
Happy its about taking positive steps and not about banning something
First of all Baruch Dayan Emes. Hashem should comfort all families that have lost their loved ones. I cannot fathom how much pain they are going through. This is a sensitive topic but that does not mean we should be blind to reality. As someone who has university experience in demographics, I feel that the concept that Chabad is suffering from too many people passing away recently is, in my opinion, perhaps a misunderstanding of demographics and life expectancy issues. It must be understood that Chabad has experienced exponential growth that started some 70 years ago, post WWII. It therefore… Read more »