A gathering of Chabad women at the conclusion of the Shloshim

00:09 Speaker 1 Today, on the thirtieth day since the passing of the righteous Rebbetzin, Mrs. Chaya Mushka, a"h, daughter of the Frierdiker Rebbe, of blessed memory, and wife of—may he be granted long life—the Rebbe shlita. Thirty days have passed for us. Thirty days of feeling a loss that cannot be filled. Thirty days of feeling an absence that cannot be made whole. And pain—thirty days of pain that grips our hearts. How we wish we had been privileged to see her, to stand in the light of her radiant spirit. How we wish we had been among those privileged to receive a blessing or a good wish from her lips. [unclear] To see, if only once more, the noble figure of the Rebbetzin, a"h, the embodiment of modesty and perfect love, drawn from the purest wellsprings of Judaism. To this day, we are always wondering how to define the essence of Judaism, how to define the essence of modesty. Of course, we know other things from which we can draw our understanding of Judaism. But we were always looking for further arguments, qualifications: perhaps, in certain cases and under special circumstances, or in a time of distress, or—may Hashem have mercy on us—one could make a change. Then we would know how to change; then we would find that even in distress, change was possible. The two did not always go together, but we always found a way out. Today, today we know how to define, to clarify, and to see what a righteous woman is, what the Rebbetzin is. Today we know [unclear] in every circumstance, in every hour of distress, and precisely in order to serve for the sake of Heaven, with devotion, always. Before this Rebbetzin, before this figure, all the waves of honor broke and fell away. Before this [unclear], all the waves of flattery and falsehood were as though they had never been. Before

03:48 Speaker 1 this truth, all evil, all [unclear], all that is untrue, shrank into nothingness. For there is nothing [unclear] than the Rebbetzin, her figure, the eternity of her soul. And we said one more thing, and learned from it. [unclear] No one was ever truly distant from this wonderful lady. Her closest companions were her generosity of spirit and her broad heart, and those wonderful qualities never left her. Love for people and love of truth—truth. They grew accustomed to her boundless love: the joys of children, the worries of parents. She lived through their moments with them, their moments. [unclear] It is we who have been left alone. It is we who remain without that remarkable woman. It is we who have lost the one on whom we could rest our heads. And so [unclear]. Why should all those who have been left alone not come together, with a firm resolve to do everything she wanted, to carry out everything she prayed for, to fulfill everything she wished? [unclear] In our world. But this is part of the instruction: to succeed, to be good parents, to be good parents to their children. [unclear] They do not want to give the child ten shekels; they want to give the child everything. [unclear] You said many, many blessings.

08:03 Speaker 1 [unclear] You have to go to the doctor. You have to cook. What else—work? [unclear] Every single thing I do, what I did [unclear]. He knew every single word. [unclear] Mama, [unclear]. I—I cannot describe Mama [unclear]. She heard everything, every detail. [unclear] There were real blessings. And in everything, there was no limit to what I thought, but that is exactly how it was; I truly received it that way. What can I say? So thank you very much, and may everyone be well, may everyone be well. Thank you very much.

15:41 Speaker 2 [unclear] More genuine and responsible than anyone. There were troubles; there was a calamity, a terrible, terrible calamity, when she was ill in the hospital. [unclear] Every member of the family was very particular about it. And someone said to herself: “Look what happened there, when the Rebbe shlita returned forty days later.” But she herself saw [unclear] the Rebbe had concluded with the chassidim. And of course, everything that takes place in the Rebbe’s home has a connection to the chassidim. Afterward she said [unclear] the Rebbe shlita’s birthday in connection with a jubilee in the Jewish people, the wedding day. But the Rebbe [unclear]. Of course, [unclear] also for you, the chassidim. [unclear] So clearly this raises a difficulty concerning the Rebbetzin; what she saw is very important. But of course she does not know [unclear]. Yet this year has significance, as does everything that happens in it. This raises a difficulty concerning the Rebbetzin. And then she immediately said: “The Rebbe is surely [unclear].” Because if someone says forty days, then forty days must come—forty days [unclear]. That makes it a hundred and forty days from the beginning of the year. But there are explicit statements. The Rebbe [unclear] did not merely speak about it; he arrived. [unclear] We do not always look through the small panes of glass [unclear], but they began with the large mirrors; it was quite real. And I begin even before today [unclear]. The Rebbe spoke about the special time of the year, three hundred years since the Exodus from Egypt. [unclear] I mean the account of Lag BaOmer. And that is why we read the account, the account in Chassidus, because we must define [unclear]

19:08 Speaker 2 as being redeemed with a Geulah, the Geulah of Torah, and that is what heralds Moshiach. For it seems that this is a year for redemption, a year suited to redemption through Torah and Moshe, the Moshiach. The Rebbe says that one should add this: one should add [unclear] in connection with the Geulah. It is specifically this year that stands out, whose sign is [unclear]. Historians will look at what special events took place in a year marked [unclear]. Whether it was the Exodus from Egypt or the giving of the Torah [unclear] Pharaoh. These events are alluded to by the number eight, which indicates completeness in every detail. [unclear] They went to Egypt. [unclear] the First Beis Hamikdash. [unclear] the Beis Hamikdash. We have several people who know the history [unclear]. There are several people there who need to go. But in general, why did they do those things? Why did they not do other things afterward? And the most interesting thing is that it really connects to life. He says, “Look, Dovid, that is not it.” [unclear] And it is interesting only because each and every one became involved in it. [unclear] the events of their departure, and so on—that is, the name of the house. [unclear] Since the intention [unclear] this year itself, what good does it seek? The child. It was quite real. For completeness is to say “good” [unclear]. I returned. The intention is connected to the framework. But at the time of [unclear],

22:23 Speaker 2 The rabbi says something remarkable. After all, this is a point about overcoming one’s yetzer. [unclear] of Avraham, of his father, shlita. You are giving me a message about the yetzer. There is a moment when I can see it and overcome it. The way of the forefathers, of Avraham and Yitzchak, is to overcome the ordeal. Incidentally, it would be worthwhile if one could see it, but it seems that the Rebbe did not mean them, because all of us are occupied with [unclear]. Yet one can spread this, like Avraham. These things are ingrained in us, and a young man in his twenties confirms it. [unclear] their spiritual situation. He wrote him something interesting. He concluded that this was not complete; it was the main thing that year. All the more so, since their wedding was not in the month [unclear]. In their cleverness, he sees there [unclear]. Fine. What we did not have, we had even more. According to the Gemara, we look at him favorably, in what is called the small things. He wrote: “You did not [unclear]. But it is clear to you.” If you look with a good eye, you have [unclear]. The point of teaching is that it is something accessible to everyone. Everyone can complete it; everyone can learn it right now. In general. But here I want to tell you something important. And in general, we think this year is a special year because Rabbi Shalom Yaakov[?] and his student—of course, they have students. Nevertheless, there was some matter he worked out with his student, and at some point [unclear]. No, there is no worse personality. But one thing is clear: we must do good for others in any case, friends. The first thing is what the Rebbe spoke about

25:20 Speaker 2 on the very first day: trustworthiness, and the matter of Ahavas Yisroel and Jewish unity. If so, what does it mean for us to put Ahavas Yisroel and Jewish unity into practice in every sense? Not just [unclear]. So, according to this, our teacher speaks in the lesson after [unclear] about concern for another person and love for another person. We have a story about one of the great tzaddikim, who encountered two drunken non-Jews. He came into the beis midrash and said, “Today I learned a way of serving Hashem from two drunks.” He would always bring out the message. What did he learn from them? He saw one drunk say to his friend, “Yankel, if you love me—” “Of course I love you, dear Yankel.” “Do you know what hurts me?” “Of course I do.” “How can you love me if you don’t know?” What can you do? It cannot be that— But true Ahavas Yisroel is when we really know what another person is lacking. We do not need some kind of [unclear] attitude of... of... of— She needed to pick her up, and she told her that she had been ill. She had reasons to worry, to do something about it and make sure, and she told her, “It’s perfectly all right. I’m a doctor of [unclear]; it’s nothing.” But that is empty; it is based on [unclear]. He is a doctor of [unclear]. That is Ahavas Yisroel. So it appears before us in a concrete form. It is not just in a mussar book. Because there is a kind of love that, in any case, turns into hatred. We do not need to... [unclear] the other person. We do not need to get into [unclear], analyzing other people. We become people with a good eye. This is not [unclear]. No, the Shulchan Aruch. No, no. As soon as the opportunity arises, [unclear], they will choose to look with a good eye. A good eye is [unclear]. A good eye. This is something

27:48 Speaker 2 that needs attention. What does it mean in practice? What does it mean in practice? Having a good eye means rejoicing in another person’s happiness. If you gain honor through your fellow’s disgrace, then [unclear] when your fellow fails or when things go well for him. [unclear] True love is that we genuinely rejoice in our friend’s good fortune. We have a Geulah; we have a sea of great redemptions, and beyond them we also have Hashem’s Geulah. Hashem’s Geulah is connected with the love between friends. We can take hold of this, at least in a few words, through an account of something that happened—a short story. There was a decree in the time of the Tzemach Tzedek, in the years of... a decree by Nicholas I. It concerned women’s head coverings. Nicholas decreed that women should not [unclear]. There was [unclear]; it was extreme, affecting a whole generation. [unclear] the Tzemach Tzedek. There were [unclear] in Egypt. And the Tzemach Tzedek, twenty years later... And the Tzemach Tzedek said, “Now I feel it myself.” Who stood [unclear] twenty years earlier? Twenty years later, there was another decree concerning military conscription. They came for young boys and children, who did not want to be drafted, [unclear]. So they rose up, [unclear] an officer would come to speak. The Tzemach Tzedek said that, once again, the women who stood firm against the decree and maintained modest dress—their children, too, were spared that decree. I want to say something simple. There is a clear ruling that a woman must cover all the hair on her head, completely. There is no distinction here between the Torah’s requirements and those of the halachic authorities. Even if you want to follow the halachic opinion, we agree with that too. Halachah does not

30:33 Speaker 2 [unclear] the halachic authorities. He knew that a responsibility rested upon him. He represented—nevertheless, he generally represented—he knew the burden borne by the Jewish people. That is what he would mention. Perhaps this is also a personal matter; he knows, then, what to do. But one must see the reality, both in general and in particular. We are under the rule of four nations. The Jewish people are [unclear]. The Megillah, Megillas Esther, is named for a woman. “All the festivals will be annulled except Chanukah and Purim.” That is to say, in today’s situation, including the situation of the Jewish people today, the statement that all the festivals will be annulled except Chanukah and Purim takes on a very plain meaning: our strength lies only in teshuvah. “On that night the king’s sleep was disturbed.” Rabbi Gad ben Uri[?] begins [unclear]. Here the reader raised his voice, because this is the heart of the miracle. In any case, [unclear] is cited on this subject: “On that night the king’s sleep was disturbed”—the sleep of the King of the Universe was disturbed. For [unclear]. When the Jewish people do Hashem’s will as they should, [unclear]. When, Heaven forbid, the opposite is true, He makes Himself as though asleep, as it says, “Awake! Why do You sleep, Hashem?” The Rebbe says that when we want even to bring about a change in the situation, beyond all the physical, military and diplomatic events, good or bad—I will not go into that whole subject now—first and foremost, our strength lies in our mouths. Our strength lies in the ancient, time-honored, holy path of teshuvah and good deeds. And in all the mitzvos, and in every great event in the history of the Jewish people, Jewish women have played a major part. So it was at the Exodus from Egypt, so it was on Chanukah, so it was on Purim, and so it has been in every situation, [unclear]. May it be Hashem’s will that through everyone, [unclear], and in the merit of

34:44 Speaker 2 righteous women, [unclear], we merit to leave Egypt very soon and be redeemed soon, truly, truly, and immediately, at a good hour.

35:03 Speaker 3 About these things—the written words, the true words that reach deep inside—we know how to speak well. Of all the ways in the world to commemorate someone, Judaism recognizes only three things: fulfilling a mitzvah, engaging in Torah, and studying Mishnayos. Beyond that, Judaism maintains, there is nothing. These are the things that matter. Studying Mishnayos is studying the letters of neshamah: the letters of the word Mishnah are the letters of neshamah. Chassidic literature tells of the Slonim Rebbe, who was once asked to recite Tehillim. He did not know the people involved. He happened to pass by one day, and they asked him to recite those Tehillim. And he did. He read the sick person’s name and her father’s name. After reading her father’s name, he saw that there was a mistake in it. They checked and found that there really was a mistake. When they expressed amazement and tried to find out how he knew, he said, “There is nothing to it. There is no ruach hakodesh here, no prophecy, and no magic. It is very simple. When you say the letters of a person’s name, or say them through the letters of Mishnayos, that person comes here from the next world. So why didn’t I see her? It meant I had not read the name correctly.” We will now study Mishnayos for the soul of the Rebbetzin, a"h, led by Rabbi Chishelik[?], a teacher at Beis Rivkah. We are all certain that when the letters of her name are read, she will come here to be with us and shine her radiance upon us. Rabbi Chishelik[?], please.

38:27 Speaker 4 The Mishnah you are studying has its source in holiness. What it conveys to us is how awe-inspiring this is, how awe-inspiring what we are learning is. This is what is called the wisdom, the wisdom of the Jewish people. The Torah belongs to all of Israel. Every Jew should learn from everything, from every event and every kind of thing, through the Torah. [unclear] It is customary among Jews to study Mishnayos so that [unclear]. For it is known from the holy Arizal that the letters of Mishnah are the letters of neshamah. In other words, studying Mishnah also brings a rectification to the soul of the departed. Mishnah also contains the letters of neshamah. But in studying Mishnah there is also the person who studies it. After all, the purpose of everything—all the learning and all the awakening prompted by remembering the departed—is what the verse says: “And the living shall take it to heart.” The living person must take it to heart, to the extent that he can hear himself and not leave this gathering, united in grief for the departed, without taking something from the good work done in her memory. Therefore, as suggested, we will study at least a few Mishnayos, or letters, that will change our own situation. Under the letter ches: “A person must bless Hashem for the bad just as he blesses Him for the good.” The Mishnah is not coming to teach us merely the obligation to recite a blessing. That applies throughout the day. The Mishnah adds: “just as”—just as he blesses Him for the good, in the same way he blesses Him for the bad. And so our Sages say: Just as you bless Him joyfully for the good, so too you bless Him for the bad. [unclear] This is very important, but it is difficult for us because we are not able to grasp the idea. We do not say that everything depends on [unclear], or simply, “This too is for the good.” Both of them

42:48 Speaker 4 [unclear] “With all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.” “With all your heart”—with both your inclinations. The purpose of man’s creation is to serve Hashem and transform the evil inclination, the inclination within him that leads him astray, into good. He serves Hakadosh Boruch Hu with both his inclinations, with all his powers, bringing even his evil inclination into submission to Hashem’s will. “And with all your soul”—even if He takes your life. This speaks of the commandment of [unclear]: a person must give up his life. “And with all your might”—with all your money. Then an interesting question is asked: We say that a person must tell Hakadosh Boruch Hu, “[unclear] five thousand shekels.” But think about it: not only must he give up his life for Torah, he must also give up his possessions. And a person’s life is the most precious thing he has. A person works and toils in every way for the health of his body and soul. If the Mishnah first prepares us to give up our lives for Hakadosh Boruch Hu, does it also have to tell us to give up our possessions? The answer is that there is a person whose money is dearer to him than his body, and certainly dearer than his soul. Many people spend their entire lives, and certainly their inner lives, working for money. But how do you conduct yourself? “With all your possessions and everything that is yours, and with all your might” appears only in the first paragraph of Shema, in the singular, addressing each individual, each person separately, in every detail, as the verse says, “and the person.” Unfortunately, this is all too common. In the second paragraph of Shema, which we recite every evening, it says, “To love Hashem your G-d and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” It does not say there, “and with all your might.” And the Rambam says that [unclear] a person must repent for himself. Teshuvah is individual; a community does not do teshuvah in place of an individual. As we said, if a person does not correct himself, he will not change, even

45:52 Speaker 4 if he remembers a little of the proper spirit. It is not enough simply to include himself in a community serving Hashem, because his ailment is personal, not communal. Another interpretation: “With all your might”—for every measure that He measures out to you, thank Him very, very much. That includes everything, even what one needs and [unclear], even what you do not have, and also what seems better and more beautiful. It is also good to put an end to this illness when that is good for the soul.

00:05 Speaker 1 Yes. This mishnah explains the mishnayos about the pairs of sages, who were not all from the same generation. In each pair, the first received from the nasi and the second from the head of the beis din. One of these pairs had a particular distinction [unclear], and they received from the generation before them: Yosei ben Yoezer of Tzereidah and Yosei ben Yochanan of Jerusalem. The Rebbe asks: What does this teach us? It would seem that the nasi received from the nasi, and the head of the beis din from the head of the beis din. Accordingly, Yehoshua ben Perachyah, who was the nasi in his pair, received what he received from Yosei ben Yoezer of Tzereidah. Yosei ben Yoezer says: “Let your home be a meeting place for the sages; sit in the dust at their feet; and drink in their words thirstily.” Yehoshua ben Perachyah continues that idea. He says, “Make for yourself a rav.” Because once your home is a meeting place for the sages, you sit in the dust at their feet, and you drink in their words with real thirst and longing—not merely [unclear]—you can understand how much you have to learn. Then you can understand how essential it is to make for yourself a rav, [unclear]. “And acquire for yourself a friend.” [Unclear.] You can see this in the account of King David’s companions: [unclear] a friend could help him in his struggle against someone who stood opposed to him. But all those things are [unclear]. Therefore, acquire for yourself a friend, even if you have to spend money. “And judge every person favorably.”

02:53 Speaker 1 Favorably—every person. Whatever you know about his background, in every area, judge him favorably. So all I want to say is: don’t [unclear]. I see him doing what he did, and I don’t want to accept it. [Unclear.] This is the great wisdom of the inner dimension of Torah in general. [Unclear.] And regarding this, “Judge every person favorably.” Look, look at what is going on. Yes, you need to speak with him for four minutes, ten minutes, and listen. [Unclear.] “Judge every person”—you cannot see everything about him. What kind of home did he grow up in? What kind of home does he have? What problems does he have? If he came here now, he could tell you a great many things about what he is dealing with. You don’t see it. When you see all these things, you begin to judge the whole person. Then you look at him and say, “What, is he so clever? So educated? So experienced? Does he have everything?” You think [unclear]. That is one side of it. But something very important, says the Baal Shem Tov, is the verse in Tehillim: “Hashem is your shadow at your right hand.” Hakadosh Boruch Hu relates to a person like a shadow. What is the nature of a shadow? A shadow imitates

05:29 Speaker 1 a person in every movement. A person raises his right hand, and the shadow raises its right hand. He raises his left hand, and it raises its left hand. It follows his every movement. And the Baal Shem Tov says—listen to this—Hakadosh Boruch Hu relates to a person in exactly the same way that the person relates to his fellow. Therefore, if he judges everyone favorably and gives way to his friend, Hashem does the same for him. Hakadosh Boruch Hu relates to him the way he relates to his fellow. The Baal Shem Tov would say, “You should know…” [Unclear.] And make no mistake: everyone arrives there. He arrives with his case file, and no lawyer can make the file disappear. The file comes before the heavenly court, before the highest court of justice. [Unclear.] This is not handled by a lawyer. Even if you give him the job, he cannot make that file disappear. Then they accord the person a great honor. What honor? They seat him in a judge’s chair. In a judge’s chair. And they say to him, “Rabbi [unclear], what is your opinion of the case of [unclear], who did [unclear]?” They ask him all kinds of questions like that. [Unclear.] He is full of inner turmoil. He does not understand why he is being asked to decide these cases. After he has given all his rulings, they begin to speak to him

07:48 Speaker 1 [unclear]. “Now bring your own files.” And then he sees them with his own eyes. It turns out that he was not really ruling on most of those cases; he was ruling on himself. Had he known that from the outset, of course, he would have held back from ruling on every case. So what can a person do? [Unclear.] It is a remarkable idea. The Baal Shem Tov says that this is what takes place Above: in the same way that you judge someone else down here, a soul is asked Above and gives exactly the same rulings that it gave here about others. “I rule this way or that way,” and it has, in effect, ruled on itself. So judge every person favorably. [Unclear.] Wisdom. Every ruling, large or small, that a person gives is a ruling about himself. That may be the story for today. One more mishnah, once again: “When he prayed for the congregation, it was a sign for him.” It was a sign that his prayer had been accepted, a sign that he had not lost the power of prayer. There is a story behind this. He did not pray only for himself, but for the community, and this was a good sign for those who sent him. Of course, this is about Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa. He would pray for the sick, and after praying he would say, “This one will live and this one will die.” His students, of course, did not know how he could tell; they could not sense it. They asked him, “How do you know?” He told

10:12 Speaker 1 them, “If my prayer flows readily from my mouth, I know that it has been accepted.” If the prayer is accepted, that is a sign. Think how important this is for the sick person: if I am able to pray for him, that tells me the prayer has been accepted, and that the sick person finds favor before Hakadosh Boruch Hu and can be helped by Him. [Unclear.] Chazal tell of one of the great rabbis who, before his passing, said to his student: “After 120 years, when I ascend to the World of Truth, you will surely eulogize me. So I ask you: under no circumstances [unclear]. Deliver the eulogy here. Honor the occasion. Do it properly.” The student said to him, “But there are two things. First, you are here now, and what you are saying concerns here and now. Second, you haven’t even set a date for your eulogy. You are still here, and so am I.” He answered, “[Unclear.]” [Unclear.] “Why am I asking you for a eulogy?” What is the connection? In the World of Truth, eulogies are [unclear]. In this world, which we have seen in our lifetime and which is also called the world of falsehood, the truth is hidden from us to such a degree that we cannot grasp it. [Unclear.]

13:12 Speaker 1 But it seems that in your eulogy you were not with him in the face of it all. That sentence has another meaning. I am asking you now to deliver the eulogy. Thank you very much. There, in the World of Truth, [unclear]. Thank you very much. I remember. There I can no longer advance. Why? They tell of one of the great figures of Chassidus, [unclear], who erred, and it was through [unclear]. So he said to remove it, and then [unclear] said to him, “Reb, do you know this name?” He said, “[unclear] What was the intention?” [Unclear]. He explained to him that [unclear]. This world is the world of action: “Today, to do them.” Here in this world a person must work with the body; a person can accumulate and acquire tremendous spiritual strength without limit. All of that is possible until the soul departs. When a person reaches that point, he no longer has time to prepare. [Unclear]. He has already completed all those [unclear]. There is no more time. [Unclear]. He is already there. On the contrary, a person who influenced others—children who follow his path because of his influence, students who follow the path of a sage because of his influence—or even a person at whose eulogy people gather, hear words that touch their hearts, and truly take them to heart: they decide to learn, to improve their conduct toward others, to fulfill a mitzvah, to elevate themselves. What follows from all of this? Through the merit, help, and blessing of the departed, spiritual activity continues all the time. All the good that people do in the wake of the prayers and eulogies is credited to his merit. Even when [unclear], it is credited to his merit. Therefore—

16:03 Speaker 1 He said to him, “If I have shown you this, I assure you that [unclear] the influence of words that come from the heart [unclear].” [Unclear], New Jersey. And she called for a clear reminder to people, [unclear]. She speaks of people offering encouragement and praise, praising him because [unclear]. This is all [unclear], and this is one truth, a true spirit, [unclear]. But she, Rabbi Chaim’s family—her family—is here with us now. We do not see her; indeed, we did not see her then either. She was surely an angel even when we could see her, at times when one speaks of a G-dly person. We can use these holy vessels, each of us according to our level, each of us according to the sincerity with which we bring all we have to the work, or to this home of mitzvos. We can ask her to be an advocate on our behalf. Throughout her life she kept giving; her whole life, there was nothing for herself. There is no higher virtue than for a person to set herself completely aside, keeping nothing in reserve for herself, giving everything for others. Even when [unclear], she did something great. Her entire life was holy. She set herself aside and stepped out of the way to make things easier, to help in every way she could. Let us ask her to continue to be an advocate on our behalf there as well, first and foremost for the leader of the generation and [unclear], and for each and every one of us. And let each person pray for a few minutes every day and devote themselves promptly to [unclear], and this will be an everlasting merit.

18:48 Speaker 2 Thank you very much, Rabbi Moshe. The study of Mishnayos, and the profound things that come through studying Mishnayos. I want to ask those who will read them afterward to read the letters we have not said. We are not going to say all the letters of the name as mentioned, but we do want to say all the letters of the name. [Unclear]. We simply need to put the letters down on the page. [Unclear]. I want to say something about one of the Mishnayos being studied, in chapter five, concerning “a person’s agent is like himself.” We want to speak now about the resolutions we are making, and those that have already been made. But they told me, “A person’s agent is like himself.” We always emphasize that point, but there are things a person must do herself, rather than have someone else do them. As the popular saying has it, if a person has someone else do the important things for him, it is “as though he were dead”—as though he had done nothing at all. And what do we want? For all of us to act ourselves, not through someone else; we must be driven to do it ourselves. During the shivah, [unclear] we all had to make resolutions. We made two important resolutions. I think that among the hundreds of resolutions, one or two will succeed—but those are the ones that have an effect. [Unclear]. I want to explain why [unclear] in particular. As we can faithfully attest, the Chabad women’s gatherings were very important to the Rebbetzin. Over the years, from within her home she took a personal interest in their success and in attendance. She always wanted to hear a report on how they went and what was decided, and attendance mattered greatly to her—as the people who participated testify, or more precisely, the number of participants, since there were about twenty women here. That is why [unclear] saw fit to increase the participation of—

21:45 Speaker 2 women, recognizing that everyone wants to participate, but not everyone is able to. Sometimes that is something you cannot help, but sometimes it can also be encouraged. As mentioned earlier, we have three ways to keep a memory alive, and one of them is to light a memorial candle. And what greater memorial candle could we have than “a mitzvah is a candle, and Torah is light”? So we decided, in memory of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, to strengthen the observance of lighting Shabbos and Yom Tov candles. And not just to strengthen Shabbos and Yom Tov candle lighting: we want to hold a nationwide competition on the subject of Shabbos candles, [unclear]. First, we see two benefits. To begin with, the very fact that it will be a nationwide competition means it can be carried out with much greater cooperation and visibility than something local. Second, because it will be nationwide, it will include all the Jewish girls in Eretz Yisroel, and I expect [unclear]. So, a nationwide competition. What will the competition involve? It will be like this: for every—of course, first of all, within two weeks we will send out large flyers and brochures setting out the exact rules and subject of the competition. The competition is for every Jewish girl, from every community; that means it will include both elementary and high schools. Each girl may submit an essay or a drawing. First of all, an essay on the subject “How I feel when I light Shabbos candles” or “What feelings do Shabbos candles awaken in me.” She may add a drawing. She may also submit a story about Shabbos candles, or about an activity inspired by the Shabbos candle-lighting campaign. Anyone who wishes can submit all three, and anyone who wishes can submit just one of them. This competition will run from June until—

24:33 Speaker 2 In short, from Pesach until Lag BaOmer. Material submitted after Lag BaOmer will not be accepted. There will be special judging committees responsible for reviewing the material, so that it is judged properly and fairly. And the prizes—what are the prizes? Plane tickets [unclear], cash prizes, a tape recorder with cassettes about Judaism, and other valuable prizes. This competition has a twofold purpose. First, if a girl starts writing and expressing how she feels about Shabbos candles, [unclear] will start lighting them. Then she can write a story about how she feels about Shabbos candles. So we gain something here: girls will start lighting Shabbos candles. If not because they understand that they ought to light them, then someone who did not listen before may come to listen—even if it begins because of the competition. Afterward, it will become a regular practice. And there is something else for us, too. When we began working on the Shabbos candle campaign, we would go out and meet many women; we needed plane tickets. We are active and working on this additional aspect of Shabbos candles. And apparently you have gone through all the schools—wonderful! Now the competition will give us another opportunity to visit the schools to publicize it, to raise the subject of Shabbos candles again and strengthen the whole effort, since there is now this fine competition as well. The idea arose in the United States, in New York, at 770, and was put into practice this past March. The Rebbe then called in the woman responsible for Shabbos candles in New York, Esther Steinberg. Esther Steinberg wanted to contact all the gemachs throughout the country. We also wrote to Rabbi Saadia, to the Margalit synagogue, and received an answer that we need

27:08 Speaker 2 the rabbis’ approval and approval for the commemoration. We received the rabbis’ approval, so we have already begun working on it, because we wanted to start before the end of the shloshim. I hope everyone will submit [unclear] together, and that will be very good for us. That’s all. Excuse me.

27:36 Speaker 3 Thank you very much to Rebbetzin Dvoska for the idea, the suggestions and the remarks. I understand that everyone has taken them in, and that other branches will act on this as well. I would like someone to volunteer to come up and read the passages from the Mishnah that the children will learn. Please.

28:10 Speaker 4 “The Exodus from Egypt is mentioned at night.” Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah said: “I am like a man of seventy years, yet I did not merit to have the Exodus from Egypt mentioned at night until Ben Zoma expounded the verse: ‘So that you may remember the day you left the land of Egypt all the days of your life.’ ‘The days of your life’ refers to the days; ‘all the days of your life’ includes the nights. And the Sages say: ‘The days of your life’ refers to this world; ‘all the days of your life’ includes the days of Moshiach.” “And it came to pass that when Moshe raised his hand, Israel prevailed,” and so on. But do Moshe’s hands wage war or break war? Rather, this teaches you that whenever the Jewish people looked upward and subjected their hearts to their Father in Heaven, they prevailed; and if not, they fell. [Unclear]. As the author of the Tanya says in chapter twenty of Igeres Hakodesh, the stature of a tzaddik is seen more clearly after his passing than during his lifetime, because his deeds continue to grow and bear further fruit, and the seed sown for the tzaddik flourishes in the field that Hashem has blessed. Tzaddikim ascend from strength to strength because of their deeds here in this world. There is, however, one thing tzaddikim cannot do after their passing: perform a deed in this physical world. That is the point on which we must now strengthen ourselves—to add to our actual deeds for the elevation of the soul of the righteous Rebbetzin, Mrs. Chaya Mushka Schneerson. By doing so, [unclear]. Among the Jewish people, several periods of mourning are observed: shivah, shloshim, a year, and so on. Today we stand at the thirtieth day since the passing of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. We must reflect on today’s date in all its aspects and learn from it what we can contribute in the Rebbetzin’s honor and what we must do in practice. Today is 22 Adar 5748, a year of

31:28 Speaker 4 Hakhel, between Parshas Ki Sisa and Vayakhel-Pekudei. Adar is the month that was transformed from sorrow to joy. Last month we experienced a profound loss, a loss that pained every single member of the Jewish people, because the leader feels the pain of each and every one, and the leader is everything. Our hope and prayer is that this grief will not affect the health of the leader of our generation in the slightest. On the contrary, may he continue to lead his people and his flock with even greater strength and vigor. Chassidim do not give in to despair. As the Rebbe said on the very day of the Rebbetzin’s passing, 22 Shvat, one must not complain [unclear]. Just as one recites a blessing for the good, so one must recite a blessing for the bad, and so on. One must accept everything with joy and turn sadness into a sense of bitterness that spurs greater energy and action in good deeds. Since the Rebbetzin is now in a world where there is neither jealousy nor competition, one of our important tasks is to increase Ahavas Yisroel, which goes hand in hand with the absence of jealousy and competition. Chassidim do not dwell on the bad; they engage in and add to the good. So, as we have heard, Chabad women have resolved to establish gemachs. Or, if someone already has a gemach in her area or branch, she can name it for the Rebbetzin, if it has not already been named in someone else’s memory. And just as the month was transformed from sorrow to joy, we can bring joy through practical efforts, as we know Chabad women are already doing so vigorously: helping brides and expanding the Shifra and Puah organization everywhere. These embody Ahavas Yisroel, without jealousy or competition. We explained the connection to Parshas Ki Sisa. There is a very strong connection between the half-shekel and the Rebbetzin. When the Rebbe shlita spoke about it on Shabbos Mevorchim Adar, he raised a remarkable question: Most mitzvos in the Torah require something whole and unblemished. A kohen who is not physically whole, or an animal offering that is not unblemished, cannot be brought for an offering. Yet here the Torah explicitly says that we must give half a shekel, which is ten gerah. Why? For two reasons, the Rebbe says.

34:35 Speaker 4 The two halves allude to the bond between the Jewish people and Hakadosh Boruch Hu. As the Maggid of Mezritch said, “Make for yourself two half-forms.” When the Jewish people give their half, Hakadosh Boruch Hu gives them the other half. The second point the Rebbe explained is that the half-shekel represents the connection between the animal soul and the G-dly soul. When we give our half—the ten gerah—through the G-dly soul, we elevate the animal soul. That is why it is called a terumah, from a word meaning “to raise,” and a shekel, related to a word for “weight.” We need only contemplate Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson, may her soul rest in Eden, to see how she lived the idea of the half-shekel throughout her life, quite literally. With all her modesty, as we have heard—and the more one reflects on it, the more one sees the wonder of it—in a world bustling with activity, she modestly kept herself out of the public eye, like a half, something that is only one part. All so that the weight on the other side could rise; all to safeguard the health of the other half, the leader of our generation. Throughout the thirty-eight years of the Rebbe shlita’s leadership, she worked and labored. Not a single day did he fail to come and lead the Jewish people on account of physical weakness or anything similar, right up to her final day. Only at nine in the evening did she mention feeling somewhat weak. At twelve she was taken to the hospital, and by one or two she had already been taken to her Creator. We must strengthen ourselves in this idea of being a half, learning from the Rebbetzin. Each of us should see herself as a half and raise up the other half—whether that other half is the Jewish people or Hakadosh Boruch Hu. Only in this way can we add to the good deeds that the Rebbetzin can no longer perform directly. And the second connection to the time of

37:27 Speaker 4 The thirtieth day coincides with Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, in which the women of Israel are singled out. In the contributions to the Mishkan, we find that they gave their whole hearts to Hashem; they contributed all their abilities to Hashem’s Mishkan. As we heard, the Rebbetzin’s father, the distinguished Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, whose soul is in Eden, spoke at a farbrengen and a women’s gathering, around the time of Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei, about the contributions the women of Israel made. [unclear] To this day, every Jewish woman must step forward and contribute these pieces of jewelry. As we once explained at a gathering in Tzfas, and will go over with you again because this is such an important opportunity, we must contribute the spiritual counterparts of the women’s gifts in our parsha. The chach, as Ibn Ezra explains, is worn on the ear. We must contribute our ears to Hashem’s Mishkan. Every new directive, every new teaching, every new sicha of the Rebbe shlita—we must learn, listen, and understand what we are to do today. That is the contribution of the chach. The nose ring is worn on the nose. The nose means the scent, the general atmosphere in our home, in our community, in our city—wherever we go, people should sense that Chabad women are walking here, and that the children of Chabad families are walking here, with the distinctive atmosphere of spreading the wellsprings and looking out for others, too. That is the second contribution, the nose ring. The third contribution is the ring. The ring goes on the finger—Ibn Ezra says “finger.” The ring points out what is forbidden and what is permitted. Chabad women in particular must show the Jewish people: here you may go, and here you may not. We must show our own children, too. We must not say that children today cannot listen. When a mother gives birth to a son or daughter, she has within her the remarkable ability to provide the food best suited to her child. All attempts to reproduce mother’s milk have come to nothing. The final conclusion is that there is nothing like mother’s milk. Even if a woman is unsophisticated, even if she does not know the latest methods, when her child is born, she has within her the ability to produce

40:25 Speaker 4 the milk best suited to that child. And that, that is the point that has come back to our generation. Mothers today once again have the pointing finger—the finger that shows a child where to go and where not to go. We Chabad women, who want and strive to truly bring nachas to the Rebbetzin, whose soul is in Eden, and to the Rebbe shlita, may he live long, must raise that finger not only for our own children, but for many children and many women among the Jewish people: go this way, and do not go that way. The fourth piece of jewelry the women of Israel brought was the kumaz, which, as Ibn Ezra says, was worn on the arm—a bracelet, according to Ibn Ezra. If a child does not listen despite all our contributions and all our efforts to make our homes a Mishkan for Hashem, we must raise our arm. “One who spares the rod hates his son.” Whether it is a material matter or a consistent spiritual consequence, we must guide the child and direct him only toward the right pursuits. As Rashi says, the kumaz is the piece of jewelry associated with family purity, as he explains here through its initials. Who more than we Chabad women must go to every corner of the country and spread awareness of family purity, so that more pure families will be established among the Jewish people? That will bring true nachas to our Rebbeim. The Rebbetzin, whose soul is in Eden, of course put all these things—all these contributions to Hashem’s Mishkan—into practice. It is striking that, as we heard once again today, only crumbs, mere crumbs, of her righteousness are coming to light. She was involved in a special column connected with listening. It has even emerged that she was the one who wrote the “Wonders of Nature” column in Talks to Youth all those years—a column devoted entirely to revealing things about nature and how we can learn from it in our service of Hashem. So the decision to establish libraries in the Rebbetzin’s memory is a very strong one, and we can even extend it to small Torah libraries in community centers, anywhere children come, whether they are ill or healthy. This idea arose during the seven days of mourning,

43:16 Speaker 4 and we informed the Rebbe shlita of it. We promised that we would tell the national Chabad Women’s Organization, with a strong desire and determination that everyone take part in this effort. For two years we have been working in Tzfas to prevent abortions. During the shiva, we named our organization Chaya, after Rebbetzin Chaya and after the Torah’s description of a woman who gives birth as a chaya—one who brings life into the world. I wanted to share a little of our experiences with you in the hope that they will inspire you to join this work. In the two years we have been active, we have saved eight children. Since the seven days of mourning, when we informed the Rebbe shlita about the Chaya organization, three more children have been added: one from Kiryat Shmona, one from Chatzor, and one from Akko. To explain how this is relevant to every woman and every branch, wherever it may be, I will describe how we were received at Rafaeli[?] Hospital in Tzfas. When we came to the director, the hospital director, and asked to help women in distress who felt unable to bring their children into the world, he said that officially he could not give us a room in the hospital, but he was willing to refer us to the social workers who dealt with this. We approached the hospital’s senior social workers, and as the conversation went on, we learned that one of them was from Kfar Herzl[?]. In other words, the social worker who decides whether Jewish children will live or not is none other than an Arab woman. In speaking with them, we learned when and where the committee that approves abortions meets. Since then, we have sat there every week for two years, as though we were women waiting our turn. We sit and talk with the women who really are waiting, asking why and what has brought them there, without pressure, and offering practical help—even financial help. At first, they looked at us very harshly. I received several phone calls from the hospital. What could we do? I told them we had received permission. We were in the hospital area; they said we were not allowed to sit there. Baruch Hashem, we have developed such good relationships that the head of the gynecology department in Tzfas, who was initially opposed to us, came to our gathering against abortion on 12 Tammuz

46:18 Speaker 4 and gave a long talk about how much she appreciates the Chabad women who are working and truly helping...