Historic Treasures · Episode 66 · 5 Teves 5781 · 19:31
Rabbi Dr. Mindel’s Trips to Russia to Release the Seforim
Rabbi Nissan Mindel’s trips to Soviet Russia and Moscow in an effort to retrieve the books of the Schneerson Collection, and the yechidus that followed them. The difficulties of customs inspections of his suitcases are presented, along with a letter of appreciation for the effort to “bring home the holy books and manuscripts.” Also described is a later trip by a younger shliach for the same purpose, which was unsuccessful. The episode was published for 5 Teves.
The original video on COLlive · The series on Chabadpedia (Hebrew)
Automatic transcript of the original English recording.
Hebrew translation, side by side →
**Transcript**
Welcome to this weekly program, Historic Treasures. [unclear] This is a special program. [unclear] At the end of this program he will show us a very special yechidus [?].
"I came back from Russia," [unclear] "and I want to show you something interesting." [unclear] Rabbi Mindel [unclear] to bring back the manuscripts. [unclear] This was already mentioned once in a program. [unclear] Rabbi Mindel [unclear] came to him [unclear] to open up [unclear]. [unclear] He was [unclear] speaking [unclear] many, many languages. [unclear] He came to America and then I became a secretary. [unclear] And then [unclear] secretary [unclear] Arabic [unclear] return to open up [unclear].
[unclear] It was a very small [plane], 117 passenger[s], [unclear] eleven people. [unclear]
[unclear] We have the system. [unclear] Mindel [unclear] and family [unclear]. [unclear] Today we have [unclear]. [unclear] Before the war [unclear] getting [unclear], not want to leave. [unclear] Up to 7 [unclear].
I hope that we [unclear]. [unclear] Another program [unclear]. [unclear] This [is] my program. [unclear]
[unclear] Doctor [unclear], holding [unclear] in Russia. [unclear] It would be tough, it would be [unclear].
I hope that [unclear]. [unclear] What I hear those days [unclear], and the [unclear] will be there [unclear], someone should be here [unclear]. [unclear] Our [Research] Center [unclear] Mindel [visited Russia] quite a few times in those days, to see [unclear] what the story [was]. [unclear] Mindel, he is [the] third [unclear] center [unclear], fifty [unclear], [went] to Moscow, and [unclear] got dressed [unclear]. [unclear] Special [unclear] DVD [unclear], feel that you are sure [unclear]. [unclear] Customs [unclear]. [unclear] Stood here [unclear] hotel [unclear] whatever you can [unclear] the number [unclear]. [unclear] Chocolate [unclear] cops [unclear].
The second [shiny white] was in 1916 [unclear]. [unclear] July [unclear] chronicle[s] [unclear]. [unclear] May 1916 [unclear] landing [unclear] great [unclear] city [unclear] family [unclear] brothers and families [unclear] taking [unclear] surrounded [unclear] to bring back [the] same description. [unclear] Miracle [unclear] budget [unclear] get that one day [unclear] the family [unclear] to change it. [unclear] Rains in Russia [unclear] body wash [unclear] check that suit [unclear] upper [unclear] clouding [unclear] won the suitcases [unclear] nice still [unclear] cups [unclear] check [unclear].
[unclear] Mindel was [unclear] microfilm [unclear] special [unclear] catching [unclear] [the] doors [unclear] manuscripts and education [unclear]. [unclear] One time they opened up their [unclear] devices [unclear] request [unclear] case [unclear] open [unclear]. Then another one, then they won't hear [unclear]. [unclear] Point is the car [unclear] to the suitcase we [unclear]. [unclear] Picked up with [a] finger [unclear]. [unclear] Jets, pockets [unclear] summary and never got [unclear] in the back [unclear] finger [unclear].
[unclear] Monsieur, life is for letting [unclear]. [unclear] Boys [unclear] hard [unclear] wide [unclear] cab [unclear] thread [unclear] Madeira white [unclear] was a soup [unclear] travel there [unclear] decide address lying food driver [unclear]. The Titanic is — so that was [unclear]. [unclear] 16, 3, Danny takes in sixty-seven, union must go on. Many, great, and/or to bring back the manuscripts.
Let me show you first — any of you know that he wrote to someone who volunteered to go and bring [unclear] the [unclear] ship [unclear]. [unclear] Also [unclear]. This is not [a] long time ago. [unclear] Show you how important [unclear] [the] manuscripts [unclear]. [unclear] Continue [unclear]. [unclear] Location to mention [unclear] Kobe [unclear] it is Charlie [unclear] case of Piet Jansen [?] boy [unclear] for this manuscripts [unclear] after [unity], long [had to be] so long in captivity, and [unclear] in general, such a great mitzvah in particular [unclear] here requires [unclear] a young man, thank you — quote, unquote — [the] homecoming [unclear]. Coffee [unclear] lost and missed [unclear] manuscripts [unclear] must [unclear].
[unclear] Deeply touched to be personally [unclear]. I know that I [want] to let you know how much I appreciate what you've done. [unclear] And can rest [unclear] another [unclear] need [unclear]. [unclear] Not at all [unclear] library [unclear] the Naomi [?] [unclear] valuable collection [unclear] must [unclear] foster father alone and choir [unclear] this lifetime but also many [unclear] robots [unclear] my scripts, that [unclear] words legacy [unclear] is a dear for [unclear] beers [unclear].
Going back to the [unclear] founder of [unclear] built [unclear]. There is no need to liberate [unclear] and the boxes [unclear] my inscription with tour [unclear]. He is to judge [unclear] before, in Kiev [unclear] special [unclear]. [unclear] At the detachment to books and my scripts of simple secret content [unclear]. For many of them were precious [unclear] for generations, and part of it by [unclear] predecessor [unclear] efficient the heart [unclear] basic white garb [unclear].
[unclear] Must be an integral part of our [unclear] telephone [unclear], by which [unclear] I write, you can therefore [unclear] stand [unclear] type [unclear] [it] was, and [unclear] your great and noble [unclear] involved, enjoying your time and effort and plus, plus takes to bring home — quote, unquote — the sacred books and many scripts. [unclear] It is Shirley [?], it is [unclear] streaming the case of Pion Joia [?]. [unclear] Since you [bring] just [a] dispatcher [of] treasures [unclear], and on selfishness for the benefit of those [unclear] social [unclear] barbecue moment [unclear], but also for the benefit of [many] people, to the dissemination of [unclear] history and [unclear] [unclear]. [unclear] Must [go] with [unclear] garden [unclear] shall at [unclear] the riser and the internet link [unclear]. Our people and have [unclear] father in them. This is what [unclear] the savior [unclear] a precious [unclear] to save now [unclear].
[unclear] And send [to] other places. The [unclear] sent with focus on a few times [unclear] channel points. [unclear] The thing you put me to [unclear] Morocco, French and English. [unclear] When [unclear] effects came out in my [unclear] is the [unclear]. [unclear] Send him — it was really in the war and many times [unclear], and [of] course in Washington, DC. [unclear] For — yes, who knows, you knew already of Brussels, and for [the] President [unclear]. [unclear] And our [unclear] website, how [unclear] when I, in 1916 and 1917, [unclear] by the conference for children, and [unclear] to release [unclear] time [unclear].
[unclear] How you knew [unclear] spoken wherein and all [unclear] [for] successful [unclear] to direct we had [unclear] Miguel [?] [unclear] drive and [unclear] went in [unclear] lost it in South Africa, there we have our given [unclear] citizens, and this [unclear] South Africa, year, we have [unclear] so long we have [unclear] weatherman jury [unclear] bear dysphoria and [unclear].
[unclear] You come back in your [unclear] what you [unclear] in the winter of nature, and your [unclear] 13, the walls of nature, alarm bottom left, we have marked that so it becomes a wind [unclear] scenes, little about this, what [unclear] this process [unclear], so it becomes over successful [unclear].
But now, unfortunately, [unclear] travel management to Russia, to bring back this [the] manuscripts, to [the] other of his younger [unclear], unfortunately [unclear] who is not successful. [unclear] Coast still then have [unclear] so houses, and he hope[s] the [unclear] continues, gonna make and medical [unclear], that very, very soon [unclear] bring this for him back. [unclear] Here we [unclear], have now Rabbi Mindel [unclear] younger [unclear], but [he] came back earlier, and [the] other — stay tuned for more. [unclear]
[unclear — transcript breaks off into unintelligible text for the remainder of the recording, referencing "Russia," "manuscripts," a woman connected to the family who "passed away," a letter, people gathering "together" to share material, a "euro" or document being shown "before they left," and a closing reference to next Thursday's weekly program. Content too garbled to reconstruct reliably.]
Thank you — [this concludes the] weekly program.