Brothers Thank Late Rosh Yeshiva

By COLlive reporter

The 31st yartzeit of Rabbi Mordechai Mentlick, Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch – 770, the choizer of the Rebbe Rayatz and ‘Sar HaMashkim’ at the Rebbe’s farbrengens, was marked on the 25th of Tishrei.

A letter that Rabbi Mentlick has written some 43 years ago about two of his students was recently found and cherished for portraying his warmth and care.

Written to R’ Zaide Moshe Perl on London, Rabbi Mentlick reports about his two sons – Rabbi Anchelle Perl, today the Chabad Shliach in Mineola in Long Island and Rabbi Sholom Perl of Los Angeles.

“We only recently found it in our father’s papers,” Rabbi Anchelle Perl said. “We are forever indebted Rabbi Mentlick for taking the time to write to our father, to reassure him all was good across the pond!”

Rabbi Zalman Labkowski, the Rosh Yeshiva in 770 today, notes about Rabbi Mentlick cared had for every bochur, recalling how he once saw a bochur who had fallen asleep over his Gemara. Rabbi Mentlick smiled and said, “He is deeply immersed in the Gemara.”

Rabbi Mentlick was known to articulate clearly, word by word, and used both hands for emphasis. It was told that he went to the Rebbe Rayatz and asked for a bracha that he shouldn’t stammer. The Rebbe told him to speak more slowly and forcefully, and the stutter would disappear.

Rabbi Mentlick was a very “lebedige” (lively) Jew with a perpetual pleasant disposition, Rabbi Anchelle Perl recalls. “Even when things were not good, he would try to give the impression that all was well,” he said.

During the vort of Rabbi Yaakov Goldberg with Rabbi Mentlick’s niece, they asked Rabbi Mentlick to speak and he said he would speak “for a few minutes.” When an hour went by and he was still talking, he stopped and said, “I said that I would speak for a few minutes and I stand by what I said. The ‘few minutes’ begin now.”

Rabbi Mentlick was the Rebbe’s “Sar HaMashkim” from the start of the Rebbe’s nesius. At the beginning of every farbrengen, he would pour wine into the Rebbe’s cup and continue to refill it during the farbrengen. On another occasion, the Rebbe said at a farbrengen, “I am pleased that Rabbi Mentlick serves me.”

“Everyone could see R’ Mentlick’s subservience to the Rebbe in every detail, especially in the pouring of wine,” Rabbi Perl notes. “The manner in which he went over to pour the wine, with awe and respect, was apparent every time. With kos shel bracha also, he would stand for hours with a bottle and refill the Rebbe’s cup as soon as it was emptied.”

Rabbi Michoel Golomb, a mashpia in 770, related, “One Shabbos, it was already in his later years, when he suffered from a serious illness, Rabbi Mentlick pushed himself and came, as always, to be the Rebbe’s ‘Sar HaMashkim.’ His hands shook, but he persisted and tried to pour the wine into the Rebbe’s cup, albeit without success. The Rebbe took the bottle from him and poured himself. To many, it looked as though something ‘otherworldly’ had transpired. Indeed, this was the last time that Rabbi Mentlick poured wine, for after that he was bedridden until he passed.”

He passed away on Motzoei Shabbos Bereishis, 25 Tishrei 5748, at the very time that he used to pour wine into the Rebbe’s cup for Kos Shel Bracha.