R’ Shimon’s Tribute to R’ Shimon

As I learned today’s היום יום I silently wept for my childhood friend Shimon Potash.

Part of the היום יום for today is the following:

When the Tzemach Tzedek began writing on Talmudic and chassidic subjects, the Alter Rebbe said to him: וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר (acquire a friend for yourself), read וְקָנֶה לְךָ חָבֵר (a slight change in vowels) “the quill shall be your friend.”

I cried because my first vivid memories of Shimon was when we sat together (from the age of 7 and onwards) in Lubavitch House London listening to the Rebbe’s hook up שיחות and פארברענגען’ס.

I remember being so envious of him because he sat there writing and writing, page after page while I didn’t have the patience and willpower to do it. You see we both came from non Yiddish speaking homes but somehow he managed to fill up all these pages while I was left with blank sheets twiddling my pencil between my fingers. I once asked him how he knew Yiddish, to which he replied “I don’t”. To which I further inquired “then what are you writing?” and his response to me was “any words I recognize”.

Very soon after his birth, he had multiple surgeries on and around his heart. He was therefore unable to participate in any sports activities. It always boggled my mind how he never complained about it as well as never trying to get us to play a non-sporting game. Whenever we tried to include him in some non athletic role he always politely refused, never making us feel bad. Often he would say “I’ll stand here and keep the scores”. Once I asked him if he’d like to be referee and he declined. When I asked him why, he said with a smile “the referee is always disliked by half the players”. He was 10 when he told this to me, 10! His sensitivity to others was legendary even from a tender age.

When we left the boys school and went to Mechina, Shimon and I started a Chassidus Shiur together (ספר השיחות of the פריערדיקע רבי) at 6:15 am. We would trade off studying in each other’s homes – one day mine, one day his. We were both early “birds” so getting up 5:30 am wasn’t a big deal. Once, I overslept and he ended up waiting outside in the freezing cold for almost an hour. I felt terrible and kept apologizing to him throughout the day. At one point he turned round to me and said “stop apologizing, I want to thank you for over sleeping this morning. It was a great feeling learning outside in the cold, I felt like a real Chosid this morning” after seeing the puzzled look on my face, he continued “you remember all those stories about the Chassidim in Russia and how they learned Chassidus with מסירת נפש in the bitter cold? Well now I feel like one of them! He was 11 years old when he told this to me – I repeat a young boy of 11!

From Mechina we went to Manchester and then onto NY to study in אהלי תורה.

I remember him in Manchester with his small Rambam learning 3 פרקים daily. At that time I was learning one chapter a day and always marveled at his strength and ability to just do everything right.

He never got angry, lashing out at someone!

He always listened, even though he may have had his own opinion which differed from yours.

He never said to someone “you don’t know what you’re talking about” or being dismissive and say something like “Shtusim”.

He was always ראש וראשון to get something done, but without a tumult.

He never wanted recognition for anything. And certainly didn’t utter a word if recognition was given to someone else when he was the one who deserved it. In fact he preferred it this way.

When someone had an opinion about something and asked him what he thought, if he didn’t agree he would say “I’m not sure” or “purhaps you can look at it from another angle”. He would sometimes smile and not respond. And later on quietly go over to the person with a source showing them the right answer.

As a friend and Chosid he was as far and he was near i.e. The furthest from confrontation and the closest to a fellow Yid.

The last message I received from him was during the epidemic when China was the only country suffering from it. He sent me the following message out to the blue (meaning it wasn’t during a back and forth conversation):

How are you? I hope you’re OK. May Hashem protect you and all those around you. Wishing you much Hatzlocho Ba’kol.

We have a Mechina class chat which was mostly active with Shimon posting everyone’s birthdays accompanied with a warm message, Rosh Chodesh greetings, Yortzeit’s and so forth. Now more than one of us have to fill this role. He had small feet but huge shoes to fill!

I have never met anyone in my life who spoke so much by saying so little.

He was a gentle giant, a perfect son, a wonderful husband, incredible father, great friend and dedicated Chosid of our Rebbe with every fiber of his being.

Losing Shimon at the prime of his life gives new meaning to the words אָבַד חָסִיד מִן הָאָרֶץ.

I speak for all his חברים when I say, we lost a true חבר, who to many were the קולמוס הלב the quill (which expresses) what’s felt in the heart.

With tears and a broken heart I wish his entire family…….
אריכות ימים ושנים טובות ומשמחות תמיד כל הימים מתוך בריאות איתנה עושר ואושר בשמחה ובטוב לבב למטה מעשרה טפחים ותוליכנו מהרה קוממיות לארצנו ומלכנו בראשנו בטוב הנראה והנגלה תיכף ומיד ממש.

I conclude with the following:

The words שמעון ע”ה בן אפרים זלמן in Gimatria = 1051 which is the exact same gimatria as the words…..
משיח בא בקרוב ממש

Shimon Freundlich
Beijing China

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An emergency fund has been set up to support the family of Rabbi Shimon Potash OBM, who passed away suddenly and tragically on Tisha B’Av.

Please click here to donate now.