Yahrtzeit of R’ Michoel Teitelbaum

This shabbos, Vov Adar Beis, marks 5 years since the passing of Reb Michoel Teitelbaum, who lived a life of hiskashrus and mesirus nefesh to the Rebbeim, and complete dedication to his many momentous accomplishments.

Reb Michoel was born in 1911/5672, and was named after his uncle, Reb Michoel Blinner, known as Michoel Der Alter. While Reb Michoel’s mother was near the end of her pregnancy, Reb Michoel Der Alter passed away, and the family did not want to tell her, for concern how it would effect her health, yet, she had a dream that Reb Michoel came to her and asked she name the baby after him. And in this atmosphere of kedusha Reb Michoel was born, and destined to lead a life of unparallel mesirus nefesh and hishkashrus.

In Soviet Russia, Reb Michoel ran and taught underground yeshiva’s and chedorim, and at one point, saved lives of 6 of his talmidim who were taken away to an orphanage, by helping them escape. This was done under extreme circumstances and great mesirus nefesh. All these six young boys survived and had lived to raise chasidishe families, whose children went on to become shluchim of the Rebbe.

One of the greatest accomplishments of Reb Michoel was the founding of Oholei Torah – Mossad Chinuch al Tarahas Hakodesh, a yeshiva that was founded on the ideals that the Rebbe so much wanted to have implemented, it was also the first yeshiva the Rebbe founded. Reb Michoel began Oholei Torah with just 2 students and not a penny in his pocket, Yet today, after years we see the Flagship school of Chabad has become, and the thousands of shluchim it produced amongst its alumni.

Reb Michoel also fought many battles for the Rebbe’s campaigns including Mihu Yehudi, strengthening the Shechunah of Crown Heights, keeping a Shul and Mikva in East Flatbush, functioning under the most difficult circumstances, and many more, all with a deep yearning to hasten the Geulah shlaima and help accomplish the Rebbe’s ratzon.

Throughout the Shabbos, and the days preceding, farbrengens took place in Oholei Torah, culminating with a grand Kiddush and farbrengen Shabbos in Reb Michoel’s Minyan, which take place in the Raitport Beis Medrash,

Reb Michoel left a legacy of mesirus nefesh, as an inspiration his family, and the thousands of talmidim, who draw chizzuk from his life accomplishments.

We are pleased to present a selection of pictures, and a a clip from a unique and rare video interview of Reb Michoel Teitelbaum from 2003.

To learn more about Reb Michoel and his life, please go to
http://www.oholeitorah.com/overview07.html
and support Oholei Torah, the mossad that was most dear to Reb Michoel please go to https://www.oholeitorah.com/donate.html

Untitled from Oholei Torah on Vimeo.

(Translation of Video)

I was by the Rebbe and I spoke regarding the income and donations for the Yeshiva (Oholei Torah) and the Rebbe told me, “Your (Reb Michoel’s) Toil and My (the Rebbe’s) Money”

For the beginning of the yeshiva I collected whatever monies I could raise, and the balance of the funds that were lacking, came from the Rebbe’s Secretary, Rabbi Chodokov.

I met with Reb Nissan (Nemenov) who came for a visit, and he told me, you can’t continually ask the Rebbe for money, By us (Chassidim) we know that we give money to the Rebbe, not to ask for money. As the yeshiva grew with many talmidim, the expenses greatly grew as well, and we needed large sums of money.

So Reb Nissan told me, that, that the Rebbe to you My Money, does not mean that you should ask for money (from the Rebbe) but it means I will be successful, with my toil, the Rebbe will then see to it money will come in (to the yeshiva). (That the Rebbe will put the proper thoughts in the donors to donate to the Yeshiva)

The Rebbe once told me that I will go with the Tzivos Hashem (the children) to greet Moshiach.