By COLlive staff
“Shavua Tov, a gutte voch, and welcome to our program.”
This was the opening line heard in Jewish homes worldwide every Motzoei Shabbos as people began the new week on an uplifting note.
After Maariv and Havdalah, individuals, couples, and families alike would tune in to watch the weekly “Shabbos Night Live” program on COLlive.com.
The program, which began airing in 2008, was presented by Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Executive Director of the Central Lubavitch Youth Organization (Tzeirei Agudas Chabad-Tzach) in New York.
Rabbi Butman, a veteran radio broadcaster and seasoned speaker, would open with a story about the Rebbe, in accordance with the custom of sharing a story about a tzadik at a Melave Malka.
Each week, Rabbi Butman skillfully selected a story to share, often one that had never been publicly told before and which he had personally verified.
Family members recall him lingering at the Ohel Chabad-Lubavitch House after davening at the Rebbe’s Ohel in the Old Montefiore Cemetery in Queens, chatting with visitors in hopes of uncovering a fresh story to share that week.
He would then follow with a sicha of the Rebbe, related to the upcoming Parsha or an approaching Yom Tov. The program always concluded with a wish for the coming of Moshiach and the final redemption.
He delivered the shiur in English for COLlive.com, with a second version in Hebrew for the sister website COL.org.il.
VIDEO: One of the first programs in 2008:
As a prominent figure in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, Rabbi Butman held a high profile. He lit the World’s Largest Menorah in New York’s Central Park each Chanukah, emceed the annual Siyum Harambam celebrations, and was frequently interviewed by the media.
After 15 years of broadcasting his program on COLlive.com, the largest independent Chabad community news website, Rabbi Butman had become a familiar face to young and old, from all backgrounds and walks of life.
Among its many listeners were venerable individuals such as Rabbi Leibel Groner OBM, the Mazkir of the Rebbe. Family members bearing the Butman name recall being asked if they were related to “Rabbi Butman from the shiur.”
Like his many other responsibilities, Rabbi Butman took the program seriously. He dedicated time to preparing and filming every Thursday night, even if he had just returned from a lengthy trip.
When away from his home and office in Crown Heights, Rabbi Butman made sure to film the program wherever he was visiting, including the Kotel and Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, the Ohel of Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson OBM, father of the Rebbe, in Kazakhstan, and the shul where the Rebbe davened in Paris, France.
On 16 Sivan, 5784 (June 22, 2024), Rabbi Butman presented the program that was titled “The Rebbe Sent Him a Dollar,” in which he told a story and spoke about the humility of Moshe Rabbeinu, who gave Hashem an ultimatum.
In the following days, he was rushed to the hospital to treat a heart condition. He passed away at the age of 81 on Tuesday night, eve of 17 Tammuz, 5784.
“While he was in the hospital, Rabbi Butman sent us a message that ‘I will be back’,” says Mica Soffer, Publisher and Editor of COLlive.com. “We thank him for the years of inspiration he gave Chassidim and Yidden worldwide. We are certain that with the coming of Moshiach, he will be back and fulfill that promise.”
VIDEO: The last program on 16 Sivan 5784 (June 22, 2024) before falling ill
I’ve watched these programs on Saturday nights religiously for the past several years, and after I watched the episode The Rebbie Sent Him A Dollar, I became sad that there were no new episodes being shown. A couple of weeks ago, I sincerely wondered about Rabbi Butmans health, and became greatly concerned. Now, I know what has happened. The amount of sorrow that I feel is beyond measure. His lessons will never be forgotten. I feel so privileged that I was able to watch Rabbi Butman’s programs as they were shown. At the same time, I am at a complete… Read more »
You should make all available on YouTube that people could access whenever they want
Thank you a gut voch
A Yasher Koach to COLlive for having him very Motzei Shabbos. I looked forward every week to his story.
Rabbi Butman was excited when I shared with him a story with the Rebbe to share.
I would whats app him to say Thank you & he’d always reciprocate with brochos.
Thank you Rabbi Butman for your warmth & for your dedication to the Rebbe.
Surely you are pleading with G-d to bring Moshiach Now!
Yirmi Cohen
I’ve been watching for years as well and really miss his program motzei Shabbos
Can collive please post a replay each week based on the parsha and year were in?
Ie. Align the year cycles which had the similar days of the week (leap year and days when chagim fall out) with the current year .
That way we can still have our weekly inspiration.
Rabbi Butman was an emeses chossid and great orator.
Please arrange this plan temporarily until Moshiach comes and we can he the real thing.
Can the recording of the parsha be posted weekly?
No doubt COL has at least one recording for each Parsha and Yom Tov. Would be great if these recordings would be posted every Motzei Shabbos. It was a COL staple.
Time for Moshiach!
His important work and message. Who is stepping up and doing this?
because of time etc, but i would love to be able to read them (if there is an ai or something(same for simon jacobson’s videos)
the titles of them were interesting to see
Ad mosai! A great leader of LYO, New York Shuchim are at a lost without him!
What will i watch while doing my shabos dishes?
Jokes aside, i really looked fwd to listening & being inspired
Hopefully in his zchus Hashem will send moshiach NOW!!
That his last shiur would be around the last words in the Torah about the humility of Moshe Rabbenu, the most humble of all men.
Rabbi Butman, Thank You, Thank you. Your class was the besamim to make Motzei shabbos less painful;.
You will be missed,
Eliyahu, Canada