On the Frontlines
During the Yom Kippur War – when 49 years ago tiny Israel was suddenly attacked by Arab armies – tensions were equally high at 770 in Crown Heights. Even after the ceasefire, events in the court of Chabad swirled around the situation thousands of miles away. The Avner Institute presents edited excerpts, presented for the first time from the personal diary of Rabbi Saadya Maatuf, who while a student recorded some of the fascinating reports during the month in the aftermath of battle – a fellow student Dovid Mizrachi learning of the capture and murder of his brother, an Australian couple fretting whether to travel to the Holy Land, and a female intruder going out of her way for yechidus.
In honor of David and Eda Schottenstein
Rabbi Maatuf writes:
To Conquer Damascus
Shabbos Parshas Noach, 1 Cheshvan 5734
The farbrengen was a bit more contained than those of Tishrei. Apparently many of the chevra had gone and the guests had returned home. There are still some who need to travel but postponed their trip to the following week because of the [Yom Kippur] war, and because there were no seats on flights leaving New York for Eretz Yisroel.
The Rebbe gave mashke to guests as they approached the Rebbe . . . Those who received mashke stood around the Rebbe, across the table, so they blocked the Rebbe from us and we only heard the Rebbe bless them.
In the final and frightening sicha, the Rebbe spoke sharply against the ceasefire, the mihu yehudi [Who is a Jew] policy, and the return of territories and the Old City of Yerushalayim. The Rebbe asked – again — why Israelis don’t want to conquer Damascus. He explained that, in truth, the government does not want to conquer it and that its fear of America is not real, for America only says it’s opposed, but even Russia is not opposed. Only the Israeli government delays and gives all sorts of excuses, that there is rocky terrain, etc. At this point, the Rebbe’s voice changed and he spoke with pain.
The Rashi sicha was so sweet it was a delight to hear.
As usual, after the farbrengen, we escorted the Rebbe to his home and we went to eat the Shabbos meal.
Sunday, 2 Cheshvan
Today another group left for Eretz Yisroel. Before they left, all the askanim, led by R’ Zushe Wilyamowsky and R’ Yisroel Glitzenstein, had yechidus [private audience], in accordance with the Rebbe’s instruction at the farbrengen this past Shabbos. They went in after Mincha and said the Rebbe gave mashke for them to distribute to soldiers. He even gave them a nice amount of money and said they should hold gatherings for the soldiers and make a farbrengen in Kfar Chabad, Lud, the Old City, and Nachalat Har Chabad. After yechidus they met in the women’s section and divided the locations among themselves.
While escorting them out the office, the Rebbe motioned to ask, where is the violin? Immediately R’ Shmuel Kattan ran to bring his violin and played it. The Rebbe stood in the doorway of 770 until the bus full of men disappeared. When he turned to go back in, he said “yashar koach” to the violinist. A second group leaving for Eretz Yisroel left later but the Rebbe did not go out to escort them.
A Young Man’s Condition
Monday, 3 Cheshvan
This evening, the study of Chassidus was followed by a farbrengen with the spiritual advisor R’ Mendel Futerfas who is leaving tomorrow on shlichus to England. He called the farbrengen “half an asifa [gathering, as the Rebbe had instructed] and half a farbrengen.”
At first he spoke about returning to Eretz Yisroel [i.e. students who finished the term]. He said that he submitted a note to the Rebbe that he spoke with some yeshiva students who expressed their willingness to return to Eretz Yisroel as shluchim, emissaries, if they received instruction from the Rebbe.
The Rebbe replied as followed:
When a talmid of Tomchei T’mimim carries out horaos of his mashpia as stated explicitly in the sichos of the Rebbe [Rashab], in all such situations the entire concept of shlichus does not apply. Either way, if he is a talmid of Tomchei T’mimim as the Rebbe wishes, he does not need shlichus. If, G-d forbid, he is not according to his will etc., it is not appropriate to suggest to me that I say about him that the shliach of a person is like himself.
The group were all in shock. They had not expected such a direct response. R’ Mendel appointed R’ Yosef Yitzchok Levkivker, Shlomo Vigler and Shabtai Slavatitzky to write down who was already here for an entire year, and to give him the list tomorrow. Clearly they need to return to Eretz Yisroel, even the veterans who are learning in Oholei Torah or Morristown. Afterward, there was a farbrengen until two in the morning.
Tuesday, 4 Cheshvan
Today a funeral was held for a woman outside 770. At about two in the afternoon, the Rebbe arrived from his home, went to his office, and fifteen minutes later came out. The car belonging to the burial society passed slowly down Eastern Parkway until Kingston Avenue, where the Rebbe stopped and watched the car disappear.
The Rebbe asked R’ Yisroel Jacobson, “Where are the sons?” R. Jacobson replied that according to R’ Groner there is a decree from the Rebbe that minors need not attend the funeral. The Rebbe said, “There is no such hora’a — only for a father but not for a mother.” In the meantime, some other cars passed by and the Rebbe waited until the last disappeared.
It is not known whether in the end the children of the deceased went or not (but see the Rebbe’s response to the secretary, R’ Leibel Groner, which was printed in Otzar HaMelech vol. 1, page 249).
The Rebbe turned around. Immediately a path opened and the Rebbe walked to 770, with us following. He washed his hands and in the small zal said, “Yosheiv b’seiser elyon,” as is customary after funerals. Then he went to his office.
This evening, at 9:30, another group of guests left for Eretz Yisroel and the Rebbe came out to escort them.
Thursday, 6 Cheshvan
When the Rebbe had an aliya [to read a Torah portion], after saying the second blessing he stood on the side. Facing the direction of the Torah, he motioned lightly with his hand. R’ Meir Harlig, staring at the Torah which was being rolled up, thought the Rebbe meant to make certain that the seam was in the center, but R’ Harlig saw it was fine. The Rebbe again motioned about something behind the Torah but no one knew what he meant.
Then the Rebbe went over and took tefillin bags, Rashi and Rabbeinu Tam, that were in one plastic case – bags with no tefillin inside and lying on a Tanya and other sefarim. The Rebbe removed the bags and looked for a place on the table to lay the case. Since the table was full of sefarim, three students immediately held out their hands and took the case from the Rebbe.
Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas VaYeira
As it seemed to us would be the case in advance, there was no farbrengen today. On Motzaei Shabbos the Rebbe came out for Kiddush Levana, the blessing of the moon, and I stood very close.
Shocking News
Sunday, 9 Cheshvan
Today we received the shocking news that R’ Dovid Mizrachi is listed as missing in action. We are still hoping that the report is wrong and that we will hear good news.
[R’ Dovid Mizrachi was drafted into reserve service at the outset of the Yom Kippur War, and served in an armored division on the Syrian front. Already in the early days of the war, his tank took a direct hit and exploded, and he was listed as missing in action from that point. A few weeks later, his body was discovered by his father and Knesset member R’ Yaakov Mizrachi, who had gone personally to search for his remains. Dovid Mizrachi’s body had been identified because he wore Chabad tzitzis, among other signs. A brother of his, R’ Nochum Mizrachi (currently the owner of the “770 restaurant” in Kfar Chabad) was learning in 770 at the time and was a close friend of this diary’s author. – Editor].
His brother, Nochum Mizrachi, sent in a note to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe answered, “I will mention it at the tziyun,” his father-in-law’s gravesite. Nochum planned on calling home today, but for some reason pushed it off.
Monday, 10 Cheshvan
After the Torah reading, the Rebbe read Tehillim, Psalms as usual, starting with chapter 72 [his chapter] and closed the Book of Psalms. Then he opened it again and recited chapter 72 again.
At noon, Nachum Mizrachi called home to report the Rebbe’s answer, but was informed of the terrible news. He immediately went to sit shiva in the room of Chaim Mesharki.
There was a goodbye party today for the Rebbe’s shluchim, six going to Miami to learn there for the rest of the year. They thought the Rebbe would come out to escort them but he did not.
This evening, the Rebbe davened Maariv in a small minyan in Gan Eden HaTachton [the hallway outside the Rebbe’s room], since the Rebbe fasts Bahab, the Monday-Thursday-Monday fast following the months of Tishrei and Nissan.
Tuesday, 11 Cheshvan
Mincha was late today, around 3:45, because R’ Binyamin Gorodetzky [the Rebbe’s representative in Europe and North Africa] had a special yechidus and gave the Rebbe a report. It was only when the yechidus was over that the Rebbe came out for Mincha.
Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas VaYeira
Shabbos morning, the Rebbe left his house earlier than usual. He stood in the small zal and looked in [at the Chassidus learning hour]. I think there weren’t many bachurim, students. Unfortunately, I too had not yet arrived.
Sunday, 16 Cheshvan
Today we arranged a minyan in Chaim Mesharki’s room because Nachum Mizrachi concludes shiva today. We hope there will be no more tragedy.
Today the Rebbe went to the Ohel early, before 3:00, because the days are short now. The Rebbe left early and returned early. Mincha was around 5:30 and it was dark already. Maariv was at 6:20.
Monday, 17 Cheshvan
Today, at the Torah reading, I put down a Chumash Bereishis and a Sefer Tehillim. The Chumash is for me and the Tehillim is for Saadya Dahan, which is something he had asked me to do for him long ago.
When the Rebbe returned to his room, R’ Bentzion Shemtov was standing in Gan Eden HaTachton and he spoke with the Rebbe. Because R’ Groner wasn’t there to chase everybody away, everyone stood there to hear what the Rebbe was saying to him; but then suddenly, one of the students closed the door.
To Stay or To Leave?
Tuesday, 18 Cheshvan
At Maariv there were some little boys, brothers, who said Kaddish for their mother. The one who led the prayer service was apparently their father. The Rebbe looked at them when they said the Kaddish; I think they are French.
Today a letter arrived for a student named Yisroel Kruwani of Kfar Saba, who had come to Crown Heights just for Tishrei but had stayed on until now. He had written to the Rebbe that he was traveling to Eretz Yisroel the next day and the Rebbe responded, “In a good time, etc.”
Today he received a letter from home which said he should stay on in 770 and not go home. Apparently, his parents feared that the war might start up again [because of the ceasefire a few weeks ago]. Yisroel Kruwani submitted a note to the Rebbe and the Rebbe told him to ask the Rav [Rabbi Dworkin] of Crown Heights]. R’ Dworkin told him he should stay because of kibbud av v’eim, honoring one’s parents. He remained in 770 in a definitely high mood.
Wednesday, 19 Cheshvan
This evening [20 Cheshvan, the yahrzeit of the Rebbe Rashab] there was a farbrengen with the advisor R’ Shlomo Zarchi in Margolin’s room on the corner of Kingston. The group made a lot of toasts. At 770, the Americans farbrenged and said a lot of l’chaim [toasts] until about four in the morning.
Thursday, 20 Cheshvan
R’ Mendel Futerfas arrived yesterday and we saw him during the Torah reading with the Rebbe.
Today the Rebbe showed up suddenly at the mikvah on the corner of Brooklyn Avenue. Since it was a surprise, a few of the students were there. I don’t know who they were or what they did. The Rebbe went to the Ohel. When he returned, he davened Mincha at 5:30 and Maariv was at 6:20.
Tonight there was a meeting of the yeshiva administration with the mashpia, advisor R’ Mendel Futerfas, regarding the students who had to return to Eretz Yisroel. We did not hear any conclusions but those meant to return are despondent and tense.
Tonight there was a farbrengen with R’ Mendel Morosov and at about one in the morning, R’ Mendel Futerfas joined the farbrengen.
Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Chayei Sarah
Since Thursday, details have come out about the decisions made during the meeting of the administration, to send only six students to Eretz Yisroel, who are all older. It is surprising why they don’t send more of the younger ones.
Sunday, 23 Cheshvan
Today, R’ Mendel Futerfas apparently returned to Eretz Yisroel.
Tonight the Rebbe received people for yechidus, including those students who are returning to Eretz Yisroel, but each one went in individually.
Monday, 24 Cheshvan
We heard a report from those who went in for yechidus, six of them, who are going back to Eretz Yisroel: Moishele Orenstein, Moshe Rosenfeld, Zalman Pariz, Eliezer Gurowitz, Yosef Yitzchok Segal, and Yosef Yitzchok Levkivker. The Rebbe stressed that going back to Eretz Yisroel has to be with joy, simcha.
Aside from the six, Yitzchok Gruzman also went in. The Rebbe asked him questions: “How old are you? When are you going?”
Yitzchok said, “This week.”
The Rebbe asked, “Why not after Shabbos Mevarchim?” Yitzchok said he was told to return right after yechidus. The Rebbe asked, “Why, when all those returning were going after Shabbos Mevarchim?”
Yitzchok remained silent.
Thursday, 27 Cheshvan
The Rebbe went to the Ohel and Mincha was late, around 5:30. After Maariv, the Rebbe left to go home. This is the usual practice for the Rebbe to go home at an earlier time on the day he goes to the Ohel, since he is fasting.
Before he entered the car, he was approached by someone not Lubavitch, apparently a Rav. The Rebbe, standing by the open door of the car, spoke with him. When the conversation ended, the Rebbe went on his way. The crowd went over to the Rav to ask what the Rebbe said, but he said it was a private matter.
Sneaking into Yechidus
Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Toldos, Mevarchim Chodesh Kislev.
The synagogue caretaker, Rabbi Katz, went over to serve to lead Musaf. Afterwards he announced a melaveh malka, but forgot to announce about mivtza tefillin [to arrange to go on Sundays, when many men are off from work, to lay tefillin on them]. When the Rebbe passed by him, he reminded him to announce about mivtza tefillin and he did.
At the farbrengen which began as usual at 1:30, the Rebbe spoke about the war and said there were greater miracles than in the Six Day War, because in the first three days of the war the Israeli army practically did not respond at all, and miraculously, the enemy did not reach Tel Aviv.
Toward the end of the farbrengen, about nine bridegrooms approached the Rebbe. His brother-in-law the Rashag also went over to get mashke, apparently for the yeshiva’s fundraiser. The Rebbe motioned to a young man who sat among the seniors behind him who we found out is a mathematics professor from Australia on his way to visit Eretz Yisroel. The Rebbe gave him mashke and told him to wear military clothes, speak to the soldiers there, and give out mashke to the soldiers.
At the end of the farbrengen, he sang “Nyet, nyet, nikavo.” The same thing happened after Mincha; the Rebbe began this niggun. The farbrengen ended at 4:15.
After Mincha, the Rebbe went up to his room, and we had not yet put on our coats when he already left for home. It was drizzling outside but we followed the Rebbe anyway.
Sunday, 30 Cheshvan, first day of Rosh Chodesh Kislev
The professor mentioned earlier had yechidus at night, along with his wife. Both are baalei t’shuva, newly Orthodox, and both served in the Israeli army.
During yechidus a woman from a Chassidic, though not Lubavitch, home, pleaded with R’ Groner to let her have yechidus. He explained there was a line; he would write her information down and let her know which day to come. But she wanted yechidus that very night. She stood on the side and when R’ Groner moved away from the Rebbe’s door, right after someone went out, she slipped in.
When R’ Groner came, she was already in the Rebbe’s room and it was too late to get her back out. R’ Groner gave the Rebbe a written message that she had entered without permission. But the Rebbe continued to speak to her and she left with a happy face. Of course, this was late at night.
At four in the morning, yechidus over, the Rebbe came out. Of course, everyone – the students who waited to hear what people heard from the Rebbe — fled and ducked for cover, fearing the Rebbe’s displeasure that staying up all night would make the next day’s learning difficult. Suddenly one of the students peeked out, and the Rebbe asked him why he didn’t go to sleep. Of course, the student did not answer but turned colors. He was quite discombobulated.
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