A new publication from Agudas Chasidei Chabad of the Former Soviet Union (“Aguch of Russia”) revealed unknown details about the long and ongoing battle to release the Chabad seforim from Russia, involving presidents and top officials.
The publication was released to honor and commemorate the 30th anniversary since the Rebbe established Aguch of Russia in Kislev of 5751 (1991)— the last moisad to be officially established under the personal and direct leadership of the Rebbe.
Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, a member of Aguch in Russia and Head Shliach of California, writes in the introduction to the booklet:
In the summer of 1991, while in Russia fighting for the return of the Seforim, we were able to retrieve the KGB file of Reb Levik. The file, which contained the details of his arrest, also included a picture of Reb Levik and letters from Rebbetzin Chana to Beriya, (head of the KGB at the time of Reb Levik’s arrest.
We, the members of the delegation, Rabbis Aharonov, Kogan, Levin and myself, [appointed by the Rebbe as the sole representatives of Agudas Chasidei Chabad of Russia] made a gorel to choose who would have the zechus to bring Reb Levik’s files to the Rebbe and my name was drawn. (Rabbi Aronow joined me on the trip, as it was extremely dangerous to travel out of Russia with these files).
On the 5th of Elul 5751, we arrived at 770 and I told one of the Mazkirim that I intended to give the file to the Rebbe. After Mincha, we ran to Gan Eiden Hatachtoin and waited by the Rebbe’s door for the Rebbe to arrive. When the Rebbe arrived, he smiled, opened up the door, and told us to come in.
We went into the Rebbe’s room and I handed the Rebbe the KGB file on his father. The Rebbe looked through the file and I could see immense pain in the Rebbe’s eyes when he looked at his father’s picture and I could feel the Rebbe’s aggravation as he read his mother’s letters to Beriya.
After looking through the file, the Rebbe looked up at me and said:
”שלמה דו זאלסט וויסן אז יעדער רגע אז די ספרים זיין בשבי‘ איז א מצוה פון פדיון שבוים איך דארף דיר קיין דרשות ניט זאגן דו ביסט אליין א רב“
[Shloime you should know that every moment that the seforim are in captivity is a mitzvah of pidyon shvuyim mamosh, I do not need to tell you any droshois, you are a rav yourself]
I took a deep breath and said:
“אויב די רבי האט געוואלט ברעגען די ספרים, וואלט ער דאס לאנג געהאט”
[If the Rebbe had wanted to bring the books, [the Rebbe] would have had long ago]
The Rebbe looked up at me very sternly and said: ”וואס איז שלמה? דו ביסט מיר חושד?!“
[What is this shloime? do you suspect me?!]
I then replied:
“זאגט אז די רבי דער צמח צדק, וואס שמו איז מנחם, והוא ינחמנו, אז מזיצט אין ליובאוויטש און פירט אן אין פעטערבורג.”
[It is said that the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, whose name is Menachem, and “he will comfort us”, sits in Lubavitch and conducts in Petersburg]
The Rebbe smiled and you could on the Rebbe’s face that he accepted what I had said.
I then told the Rebbe that my son Mendel is getting married on Chai Elul and the Rebbe instructed me to go back to Russia since there is still time until the wedding. The Rebbe added that it is already possible to conclude the subject of the Seforim and that Moshiach will be here by then!
On Hei Teves 5752 and during the last Hei Teves farbrengen (7th of Teves, Shabbos ) that we were zoche to hear from the Rebbe, the Rebbe explained why the Seforim is a matter of ממש שבויים פדיון!
”דער ענין )די שייכות פון פדיון שבויים להגאולה( איז מודגש במיוחד בנוגע צו פדיון שבויים פון ספרים כידוע, אז דער ענין הגאולה איז תלוי אין דעם פדוין“,
The Rebbe addressed the significance of ה טבת to us in our time:
“…מצוה גוררת מצוה-ממצוה אחת דפדיון שבויים למצוה שני‘
דפדיון שבויים…“
”…אז די שלימות הפדיון פון די ספרים )בה‘ טבת( איז בשעת
דאס בריינגט דעם פדיון פון די ספרים האמורים )און אלע
אנדערע ספרים( וועלכע ווארטן נאך איוף זייער פדיון“
We need to remember how the previous seforim were freed and do what we can to free the seforim currently captivity in Russia. The freedom of the Seforim of ה טבת is not complete until the rest of the Seforim are free and returned to their proper place, the Bais Agudas Chasidei Chabad in 770 Bais Rabeinu!
So what can every person do to help? The Rebbe addressed this question during the Shabbos Farbrengen:
”וואס קען יעדערעראר טאן צו מזרז זיין דעם פדיון והשבה פון
די ספרים און חפצים? איז דער ענטפער א פשוט‘ער…“
The Rebbe explained that our efforts to show regard for Jewish holy texts has an effect on the redemption of the captive seforim.
Accordingly, any Torah that we learn from any Sefer brings Geulas Haseforim; the same with buying new Seforim and giving Tzedakah in their honor.
The Rebbe, on another occasion, also clearly stated that Moshiach is connected with the return of the Seforim.
”שלמה קומט צו פארען מיט‘ן די ספרים מיט משיח צוזאמען“
May we achieve our goal of the liberation of the Seforim, etc. along with the liberation of the entire world with the coming of Moshiach, with the Rebbe taking us out of galus now!
VIDEO: What the Rebbe Told the Cunins About the Captive Seforim:
Click here to download the full publication
A library held hostage
This is great! May we get the seforim back now!