By COLlive reporter
When Moshe Tuvia Fischer passed away this past month in Jerusalem, his family discovered over 100 letters he has received from the Rebbe.
What made the discovery even more unique was the fact that the 90-year-old Jew, an adherent of religious Zionism, wasn’t a regular in Chabad circles.
“My father was a Chabadnik from the inside and a National Religious from the outside,” his children told the Kfar Chabad Magazine. “The Rebbe wanted him to stay this way – as he is, where he is.”
These letters show how the Rebbe guided Fischer in every important crossroad in his life, from accepting a temporary job in Holland to moving back to Israel and raising a family.
The first letter is dated winter 5720 when Fischer reported to the Rebbe about “my new friends,” R’ Nachum Rabinovitch and other Chabad Chassidim living in Jerusalem.
Fischer discovered Chabad when he studied in the first Bnei Akiva yeshiva in Kfar Haroeh. The Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe-Zvi Neria would often quote Chabad teachings.
He continued to study in the Chevron Yeshiva, David Yellin College and Lifshitz College leading him to a long career in education. After enlisting in the Israel Defense Forces, he met his wife, a Holocaust survivor from Romania.
“My father didn’t take a single step in his life without asking and consulting with the Rebbe,” his son, David Fischer told Kfar Chabad.
Behind this unique correspondence between the Rebbe and Fischer that continued until the winter of 5752 (1992) was a moving reason.
Fischer’s sons told the magazine that their father was orphaned as a 4-year-old boy in the Hungarian city of Pressburg, today Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia.
At the age of 9 Fischer immigrated to Israel with his grandfather. But shortly after, Fischer was orphaned once more when his grandfather was killed in a car accident.
“The truck was driven by an Arab and until today it isn’t clear to us whether this was a terror attack or a car crash,” his son Benny Fischer said.
So when Moshe Tuvia Fischer started writing to 770 Eastern Parkway, the Rebbe took on the role of a father figure that Fischer was missing in his life.
“The Rebbe wrote to him before every holiday and at every family occasion,” David Fischer said.
“You can say that the Rebbe adopted him,” Benny Fischer said. “Being orphaned twice, he merited to receive a special treatment from the Rebbe…”
Will we ever see the like of the Rebbe? I imagine that there are hundreds of stories like this which have not surfaced. To make a point I did not read elsewhere. The Rebbe often counseled people who were not raised in the Chabad community to stay where they were. One example is a Reform Rabbi who was close to the Rebbe who asked him about leaving his position. The Rebbe told him no. There are many other examples.. The wisdom of the Rebbe was such that he knew that such people, and note that the subject of this article… Read more »
I don’t know who you are and what your associations are. Geographic locations are certainly not a factor, if that’s what you mean by community. Girls lighting Shabbos candles with a Brochoh from age 3, Boys donning Rabbeinu Tam Tefillin from Bar Mitzvah, learning Chassidus routinely, studying Chitas and Rambam daily and doing Mivtzoim (helping others do Mitzvos) certainly are. And there are more. If you follow those directives, then you are part of us; physical distance doesn’t separate Yidden. If you don’t, then your admiration for the Rebbe and gratitude for his guidance and blessing should spark a chord… Read more »
Nusach Ari (the Alter Rebbe’s version)
Again, there are many of us who follow the rebbe’s directives without being part of your community.
Just because we don’t live amongst you doesn’t mean we don’t do as the Rebbe asks.
I await the day when his professed chassidim live in the way he wants.
The Rebbe wasn’t an elitist.
To #6 and # 13 you are right!
And to add The Rebbe did not like it when people referred to the
Previous Rebbe as “our Rebbe” as it takes away… ,As he is
“The Rebbe, The Nossi of the generation.So to this Rebbe is
The Rebbe.!
Is the family willing to make the letters public?
Youre 100% right!! The Rebbe is the leader of this generation!
Hes the Raya Mehemna and a shepherd continues to tend to his sheep…………..
I hope the letters are published… in both the original text and in English on the opposite page.
And with a picture of the actual letter, large enough to be able to read it.
That comment just submitted titled to #4, should be to #6
You are right that the Rebbe accepts us as we are. It’s a good job for us Lubavitchers, because there are few people, if any, who can say that they behave totally as the Rebbe wants them to. Nonetheless, the Rebbe certainly wants acquaintances and admirers to become associates, not egotistically, but simply for the benefits that it will have in strengthening Torah study and fulfillment of Mitzvos and ultimately bring Moshiach, when they feel responsible to adhere to all his directives and requests. The Rebbe asked Yehudah Avner if he would agree to become a Chossid of his. Additionally,… Read more »
Amazing to see the self-sacrifice of the Rebbe for every Jew. Think of the time, energy and care the Rebbe had (and still has) for this man. And there are tens of thousands of similar examples and millions that we can’t see.
so special!!!!!
of Raya Mehemna.
his love and attention to each Yid, is so profound,
that it has ripple effects, throughout the generations.
Lubavitchers make a big mistake when they think you need to be part of them in order to connected to the Rebbe.
There are so many of us who love the Rebbe, connect with him, write to him, and have nothing to do with the Lubavitch community.
He accepts us as we are. He doesn’t make us feel like we need to be a part of you to be close to him.
I’m not sure this man’s connection with the Rebbe is “unique” in that he wasn’t a Lubavitcher. The Rebbe is everybody’s. He isn’t just a “lubavitcher” rebbe.
Rebbe we need you back in a guf! Ad mosai ! !!
Wow.
Love for a fellow Jew. Support of a fellow Jew. Empathizing with a fellow Jew.
really tuning into a fellow Jew.
Only with true bittul is this a possibility.
if those letters would be publicized (with the families approval of course)
Thank you so much it was a great read and so sincere
May he rest peacefully
Csimcha
bs”d
Hahsem
we want our Rebbe back in a guf please Hashem