How a Secret Mission From the Rebbe Was Leaked

Welcome to our weekly Motzaei Shabbos program.

I mentioned in the previous program about the trip to Russia - the shlichus the Rebbe sent him on with two more people, in 1988. And I mentioned that the Rebbe had sent him five times to Russia, and this was a very dangerous time He sent him.

So today I want to share with you the first trip. The first was in 1958, I think. I think this was the first trip that the Rebbe ever sent people on - I think he was the first one. Later on the Rebbe also sent others to Russia - there was Rabbi Levi [?] who was sent, and Rabbi Katz [?] was sent, but Rabbi Mindel was sent before them. I think it was probably the first time anyone was ever sent in those days.

The Rebbe gave him special instructions - how he should walk, how he should behave, how he should be in his hotel room - such details, because it was such a dangerous time. There was the Communist regime then, and if they would know that he was a Lubavitcher, or that he belonged to [unclear], he would be arrested for twenty years. It was a very dangerous time. As a matter of fact, I remember they told him he should not wear a yarmulke - he should wear a beret, and underneath there shouldn't be a yarmulke, because they might stop him and ask him to take off his beret, and they'd see a yarmulke, and that would be that.

So, how careful - the Rebbe knew, since He Himself came from Russia, He knew. There was a lot of heroism involved. The Rebbe told him how he should be in the hotel, but that's another story.

So in 1958, during the Communist regime, there were Chabadniks there, but they did everything underground. If it was found out that there was a mikvah, or that there was a shiur, or that children were learning - if they were caught in those days doing this, they would be imprisoned, and not for one year, but for many years. That's the time that the Rebbe sent Rabbi Mindel to Russia.

That year, officially, Rabbi Mindel went as a tourist, and of course nobody knew the real reason, because he was in Soviet Russia.

What did He send him for? He sent him to bring manuscripts of the Frierdiker Rebbe that had been left behind. Maybe next week I'll explain how he left them in a place, and I think they were moved to [RI?], because that was an easier place. So he went to find them - he didn't know exactly where they were, but he knew more or less. So Rabbi Mindel came as a tourist.

In the tourist office there was a girl. She worked in the office. I don't know how she found out, but she found out that a tourist - a Lubavitcher - was coming to Russia. Now, this tourist - because everything was hidden - she was very close with [unclear]. I don't know if she was Jewish or not. Very close with [unclear]. It was besides that [unclear]. She kept it a secret - if the government would find out who she was, or that she had contact with him, we know what would happen: she would be arrested for years. But Baruch Hashem, nobody knew.

Besides, she told one person that somebody was coming to Russia. She knew the date, but she did not know which hotel he was staying at. So a few of Anash in [unclear] found out from her. So three people, I think, went together, and they spoke somewhere in a cellar - how do we catch this person? Don't forget, these Anash knew the Rebbe is the Rebbe. They were told that He is the [unclear - possibly "Nasi"]; they weren't told by the Russians - they knew nothing officially. It was a time we don't really understand what it means. They knew nothing, and you know how the desire to know the Rebbe - everything about Him - was very important to them.

Anyway, so they decided to get a car. I don't know how - again, not a taxi, you couldn't get a taxi, or rent a car there. I mean, it's Russia, and it's very dangerous. So somehow they got a car, and they went to the hotel that they felt he was staying at, because usually tourists stayed in that hotel, and they had to catch this person.

They took a chance. All of a sudden they were standing and waiting in a car in front of the hotel. So they see a person walking out - Rabbi Mindel at that time didn't have a beard, nobody had a beard - but they felt he looked different. Somehow they sensed it was Rabbi Mindel, and he was walking to a bus stop. So they followed him with the car to see where he went. They didn't know one hundred percent that it was him, but they felt it was him. They followed him, and he was standing waiting by the bus stop.

They stopped the car by the bus stop - I think it was four people, I'm not sure - and they blindfolded him and kidnapped him and put him into the car. He thought that was it - that was the end of him. They pulled him into the car and drove maybe an hour. No one said a word. Can you imagine how he felt? I mean, this shlichus - I think it was in 1958, or '59 - sent by the Rebbe to bring the manuscripts.

Anyway, they were in the car, they came to a place, they took him out. They put him into a cellar, a basement - not like an American basement. Can you imagine - a basement, with a little table? There was mashke - they put mashke on the table - and they took off his blindfold, and they said to him, "We are [Anash]; tell us about the Rebbe, we know you're from [Lubavitch], tell us." He did not say a word - he didn't believe them. I mean, in those days he couldn't just believe them. They were begging him, please - but he didn't believe them, until they begged so much, and they told him their father's name, their mother's name - and he recognized who they were. So Rabbi Mindel saw, after a long time, that he could finally trust them.

So they finally convinced him. And they begged him. They were crying, and they asked him to sing a niggun of the Rebbe - a niggun that the Rebbe had taught. Now, that year - I think the first time - you know, in the early years the Rebbe used to teach a niggun after [unclear, possibly Hakofos]. He went upstairs to the Frierdiker Rebbe's apartment, and that's where they ate - the Rebbetzin was still there - and they ate there, and afterwards the Rebbe came down and gave out [mashke] to the people, and then the Rebbe taught the first [niggun]; I think it was already dark out.

So, imagine - it was already five o'clock in the morning. So they asked him, and he sang the niggun - that's the niggun that he taught them. Can you imagine, sitting there in Russia, at such a dangerous time, and they asked about the Rebbe - they were crying - and then, I don't know whatever else they asked, but they couldn't sit too long. So he left - they left, of course, separately.

But I do want to say, regarding the Frierdiker Rebbe, that's how dangerous it was. There was [Sassin? - unclear] who was told by the Russians that the Frierdiker Rebbe had passed away. He fainted on the spot. Can you imagine, to hear that. Then the Russians went to Mendel Futerfas and told him that the Frierdiker Rebbe had passed away. He was shocked, but he didn't faint. So the Russians told him, "You're not devoted [unclear]. He is devoted - he heard that the Rebbe passed away and he fainted. You didn't faint."

I mean, we're talking about those times. And this is the first trip that the Rebbe sent Rabbi Mindel on, and he brought back those manuscripts. As a matter of fact, I do have some copies of that - there are copies of that. I'll tell you another time how I got it. I mean, also for Rabbi Mindel - because when he translated the Tanya, he used those manuscripts. In any case, this is what I wanted to tell you about the first trip.

Next week I will continue with the other trips of Rabbi Mindel. Thank you.