by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon
In the 1950’s, Malka looked forward to her bas mitzvah and the importance of growing as a bas yisroel. Then her loving parents informed her that she was adopted as a very young child. Being that they have no idea of who her birth parents were, she must undergo a geirus m’sufek (conversion just in case).
This news broke her spirits, as she felt she was abandoned by her birth parents, and these individuals who raised her had misled her for so many years. She replied she won’t go through the conversion process and if Hashem created her as a non-Jew, maybe that is what her destiny was.
Upon the advice of the Rabbi of their community, they came to the Rebbe and he informed her that her birth parents are Jewish and they had not forsaken her, rather they died in a car accident. He also mentioned where they were buried.
The Rebbe added that her biological parents still love her as does Hashem, who is the Father of all orphans. However, being that there are no witnesses to say who her parents are; she should go through the conversion process.
The Rebbe then asked her to promise him three things; A) she would always keep Shabbos B) she would also eat only kosher and C) she would visit him once a year. Promises which she keeps to this very day.
She graduated with honors, was accepted into an outstanding seminary and then tragedy struck again, her beloved adopted parents both passed away. Being the only survivors in their families, there were no relatives and her world was turned upside down once again. She then decided to study medicine.
After recovering from this she entered the shiddich scene and met a fine Jewish boy. However, after he heard that she went through a geirus process l’chumra, they had to break off, since he was a Kohen, and a kohen is forbidden from marrying a convert.
After recovering emotionally from this break-up, Malka went for her yearly visit and short talk with the Rebbe.
Following the previous articles about her life story posted on COLlive.com, I share additional information which Malka informed me of:
The Rebbe’s mother, Rebbetzin Chana Schneerson OBM, had a very hard life of suffering! When I asked the Rebbe [after we had to break the shidduch], why Hashem makes so much suffering he told me that [it is best] for me to speak to his mother that afternoon [immediately following his 4 pm visit to his mother – so I should come to her apartment at around 5 pm], stating that his mother is better and more able to explain that to me – which she did!
She told me things about my past that I did not know or was unaware of and she mapped out my entire future life. I could share part of our conversation, two points (of 4) that she spoke about [in answer to my question]: “Why Hashem makes so much suffering?”
She spoke at length about Yaakov, the “chosen”/greatest of the Avos, and all the unbearable suffering and personal tragedies he endured!
– starting with the “injustice” of his Father Yitzchok favoring his wicked brother (imagine the hurt and the feeling of not being appreciated! Yaakov knew what his brother was all about!),
– the need to flee the home of his parents (becoming a “refugee”! Leaving the home of not just his parents but his Rebbe/Role Model/Place of Spirituality!) ,
– living with Lavan (who was worse than Pharaoh and imagine the diminishing of Yaakov’s reputation by associating with Lavan – making a deal with the Devil! -which was needed to build the 12 tribes of Israel!),
– the abduction and defilement of his daughter Dina (whom he hid and protected from Essuv but destiny cannot be altered!)
– the loss of his favorite wife Rochel (and being separated from her eternally by burying her on the way, and meanwhile seeing the necessity of her to cry in the future for his exiled children!),
– the rivalry among his sons (not just to Yossef, but the disharmony between the tribes, discrimination to the maid-servants tribes and among themselves),
– the loss of Yossef (not just a favorite son but Yaakov’s true “chossid” believed to be torn apart by a wild beast, his “first born” from Rochel, his future replacement, and one from who will be born Moshiach Ben Yossef – all gone!!),
– the exile from Israel to Egypt (leaving voluntarily from the Promised Land to the Nakedness of the Land, a country that the streets are treif and impossible to remain Jewish there)…
– till his final years of old age reunited with his son in Egypt and seeing all his grandchildren and the survival of the nation.
She spoke all this as if it was her life of suffering and connecting each stage to her own (and Rebbe’s) past (sometimes becoming very emotional).
She said that after all of her own stages of suffering, she, like Yaakov left the Land of Her Fathers, arrived in America which is like Egypt, the Nakedness of the Land with treif streets, to live out the final years of her life.
Here in America, she, like Yaakov, was once again reunited with her son, the Rebbe, whom she did not see for so many years and never thought she will ever see again!
More so, she was able to see, like Yaakov saw the growth of his family, she saw the rebirth of Lubavitch, the growth of chassidim and accomplishments of Lubavitch in this land, a land that did not have the merit of hosting the Rebbes of past generations.
To see Lubavitch grow in a country that never absorbed the blood sweat and tears of self-sacrificing chassidim is simply an affirmation that it is part of the Master Plan of Hashem, that here, in the “Egypt of America” she sees the fruits of generations of labor and self-sacrifice. It is a miracle to see that “what was planted there, grows here.”
She stressed this point of “what was planted there, grows here” and even asked me after she said it, “Do you understand?”
After telling me of Yaakov’s life and her own life, she told me about all the stages of my own life and that my suffering and also hers and Yaakov’s (and all the suffering of the generations) is all part of the Master Plan.
A second point that Rebbetzin Chana shared with me:
She spoke about her husband, a great kabbalist that was even able to discern the “sources” of an individual’s neshama and their specific life mission (including if that neshama will have children) and then she mapped out my neshama and the reasons for everything that happened and then she spoke about what will happen.
She sat at the end/head of the table and I sat at the side corner next to her. In middle of our conversation, after she spoke about her and the Rebbe’s life, she began to speak about mine. She then took hold of my hand in a compassionate and tender hold as she gently informed me that I won’t ever have physical children (but I too can have spiritual children – by helping orphans and partnering with Hashem who is the Father of all orphans.
She noted that although her son and daughter in law – mentioning the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson by name – did not have any biological children, their marriage merited in bringing back many neshomas to Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit, which gives her tremendous joy.
She also said to me a few times, “You are a true Malka (queen) and your name is Malka,” and held my hand again. She then said a few endearing words (maybe Yiddish words that I did not know but probably Russian) – I did not catch the exact meaning of those words, but they were clearly words of love!
And then she mapped out the purpose of my neshoma and what my mission in life is. At that time, my research was geared towards healing cancer (oncology) but she directed me to shift it to combating infertility and developing treatments.
She said that cancer is an enemy that will claim many victims but I will not be its victim. Instead, I am a victim of infertility – like the Avos and the Rebbe.
She further explained that when one is attacked by an enemy, one has a greater personal motivation to overcome one’s personal enemy. She compared it to overcoming one’s personal yetzer hara. She used a chassidic/kabbalistic (or maybe Chazal) expression – which I missed…something like we can know our shlichus by the challenges we face.
–Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and author of numerous books. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be reached at [email protected]
MALKA’S LIFE STORIES:
+ The Effect of Non Jewish Music
+ Rebbe Saved Me From Church
+ Chilling Story: Go To the Cemetery
I missed the Malka Series and just caught up on the stories. MAMASH INCREDIBLE!!! I have goosebumps because there is so much in each segment that touches my core. This story series must me REQUIRED reading for all girls!
Someone might be reading these comments. That someone can feel offended. Careful what you say.
What halachic status does Malka have: A giyores, geirus lchumra, geirus misofek, (I saw someone call her an “asufi” – is that ashkenazi-sefardi mix?), BT, FFB? As Lubavitchers, do we consider her in another status due to the verified story of the information the Rebbe revealed to her?
That will be publicized for my weekly story of Yus Tes Kislev
Rabbi Avtzon
You say the Rebbe gave her his personal Hayom Yom and you have a picture of it. That is hard to believe. IF YOU HAVE IT, PLEASE SHARE IT! There is NOTHING “personal” or “private” in sharing a picture of a sefer!
You need to read ALL the earlier FIVE PARTS and your questions will be answered. She lives in a tiny town with no other Jews. Apparently she never married. She values her privacy and wishes to remain unknown. She only contacted Rabbi Avtzon to complain about something he wrote in another story – and then her story spilled out. She also was in contact with Dayan Raskin when she built her shabbos eruv (which the Rebbe predicted decades earlier). Rabbi Avtzon was able to confirm many of the things she shared. You must read the entire story to get a… Read more »
Thanks for printing this great story. My family enjoyed it.
Number 10 – you mixed it up! It goes “What was planted THERE grows HERE”, not – what was planted here grows there.
Just in time for Achas Bashana, I am inspired.
This is so illogically funny: “The rebbe never told anyone that they would not merit to have children. It is hard to believe that r. Chana would say this.” Like saying, the sun never moved from its spot or 1 + 1 is always 3, therefore it is hard to believe that oranges don’t taste like apples or that the oceans have water in them, since we all know that 1 + 1 = 3. That makes SO much sense, NOT.
This verfification should be added in the “pnim” and not in the “haoros”. It is an ikar gadol! Very few chassidishe stories have such strong verification.
“The rebbe never told anyone that they would not merit to have children” – wow, you are a boki that knows EVERYTHING the Rebbe ever told ANYONE throughout all the years! Were you hiding in the room at every yechidus?
the rebetzin lived 17 years in America similar to yakov avinu in mitzryim
Amalek comes and plants sofek, skepticism, mockery. Yidden are maaminim bnei maaminim. You probably doubt all stories about the ebbeim, The Baal Shem Tov, and maybe even Kriyas Yam Suf. Know that whatever sefekus in emmunah you have – you feel you must missionary to others to share with you your spot below in the next world. That is called Choteh U’machti. The story has been verified in more than one way. The person of the story has no benefit from telling the story other than giving up her own privacy. I calculate that she is very elderly and wants… Read more »
My mother A”H had the zchus of accompanying the Rebbetzin several times when she needed to visit a doctor. I also drove the Rebbetzin – together with my mother whom she would call to accompany her – on one of those visits when I came to CH. (Out of towners needed to learn to drive – shift was the norm then). It’s a memory I cherish.
I can inform you as follows Rabbi Groner told me he remembers when she came out of the Rebbe’s room after her yechidus by her bas miitzva and what she told her adopted parents what the Rebbe said how her parents passed away. I also have a picture of the Rebbe’s personal Hayom Yom which he gave her. There are other things that I cannot publicize from the hundreds of email correspondence that verify it. But I can say this she informed me who was Rebbetzin Chana’s seamstress and certain things that transpired when the Rebbe would visit his mother,… Read more »
maybe on chof av we will hear how she met the rebe father and on you svhat the rebbe Rayatz all in the same dream of course
The rebbe never told anyone that they would not merit to have children. It is hard to believe that r. Chana would say this.
Can this story be verified? It just doesn’t sound right
Very powerful when Rebetzin Chanah spoke of “what was planted here- grows there”. i think every Crown heights resident should put that on their wall, when they are feeling down and in need of spiritual awakening, they should read it and be reminded of that statement. every one should be sealed for a good year. thank you for sharing
Very very moved by this!!! Tearful & strengthened! May you be blessed
Great job Shalom but who did she marry
and where is she now?👍👀
We are told that Bitochen can change anything as in “Tracht Gut Vet Zein Gut.”
Would Bitochen be able to change one’s suffering if that is your life purpose?
Thank you for these inspiring stories and insights.
I hope that you will be able to share more of them.
Thanks for sharing.
what is the point of being mefarsem ma’ason that clearly never happened?!
Rabbi mundshine – we miss you!
Fascinating!! Would love to hear the rest of this story
she merited many unbelievable zechusim. May we have the Geula Shlema NOW – when all of our questions will finally be answered.
This photo was taken at one of the early conventions of Neshei Chabad.