Rabbi Yoel Kahan A"H - Part I

00:01 Today, the sixth day of Menachem Av, Tov Shin Pe Alef, Chassidim and Yidden the world over were saddened of the news that Rab Yael Kahn was Nifter. Rab Yael Kahn was born in the year nineteen thirty on the sixteenth of Shevat. He served as the Chief Chezer, which means he would review whatever the Rebbe said at a farbrengen, and that went on for hours. When it was Shabbos or Yom Tov, and since it cannot be recorded, Rab Yael was the one that would review the farbrengen as much as it was possible in detail. And this gave the opportunity that it was then transcribed and published. This is Sichas from forty-two years, hundreds of farbrengens and discourses that the Rebbe spoke over the years. Rab Yael also served as a Mashpia in Yeshivas Tamchait Mimem HaMerkazis, which means the Central Yeshivas Tamchait Mimem in seventeen seventy for many years. He was famous as one of the outstanding Mashpiyim in Chabad, and this was in the merit of him being the Chezer by the Rebbe and in addition, his unique talent, a phenomenal memory, a deep understanding, and had a very special sense in explaining something in a very simple manner. Rab Yael was a sought-after speaker many different places all over the world for Shiur Chassidis and for farbrengens, and in particular by Peleh Chassidim, who appreciated him very much. His Shiurim were compiled and were published in various Sefarim. Discussing an overview of Rab Yael's life, Rab Yael's father was our love, Refoel Nachman Kahn.

02:41 In the year nineteen thirty-six, Rab Yael's family left Russia. They went through Poland on the way to Eretz Yisroel, and they settled in Ramat Gan. In Poland, they were Zecher to go into Yechidas, private audience by the previous Rebbe. As it is told that when they went out of the Yechidas, the Rebbe asked while speaking with the child, Rab Yael, "What is the difference between this Rebbe and the Rebbe, your teacher in Cheider, in school?" The child, Yael, said, "This Rebbe is the Rebbe of all the Rebbes." The Rebbe was pleased with that answer and had an honor from it, and he told his father, "Rab Folde, you have a special child, and watch over him." When they were on the way to the boat to travel to Eretz Yisroel, the previous Rebbe sent a bar of chocolate for this child, who gave him a lachas luach. The mother, Rab Yael's mother, who was afraid of jealousy amongst the children, so she divided the chocolate amongst all the children. In his youth, Rab Yael lived in the Chassidische communities that developed in Eretz Yisroel, in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan. The following years, he learned in Yeshivas Achai Tomim in Tel Aviv by the Mashpia, Rab Chaim Shaul Brook, and Rab Shlomo Chaim Kasselman, and he also absorbed Chinuch from the Chassid HaMasla, Rab Moshe Gerari, Rab Nachum Goldschmidt, Rab Meir Bluzinsky, and additional older Chassidim, and also of the Rebbe's brother, Rab Yisroel Aryeh Leib Schneerson. Rab Yael asked the previous Rebbe a few

05:00 times if he can come to the United States. This was already in the nineteen forties, but the previous Rebbe refused. A short time before Yitzvat, the previous Rebbe approved the trip. This was when the Rashag chose a few Bacharim. The Rashag was in charge of the Yeshivas. Abbreviation for Rashag is Rab Shmarya Gerari. He was the older son-in-law of the previous Rebbe, and when he came to Eretz Yisroel, he selected a small group of students who he chose that they can travel to the United States to learn under the auspices of the previous Rebbe. So this was right before Yitzvat, which was the passing date of the previous Rebbe, nineteen fifty. Rab Yael took care of his papers, and he prepared for the trip. When they went on the boat, they didn't know yet about the histalkus of the previous Rebbe, but on the way they found out. And when he asked the Rebbe, who was the previous Rebbe's son-in-law, what should he do, the previous Rebbe asked him to come. The previous Rebbe approved his coming. So the Rebbe said that this is a sign that you should remain here. With his arrival in 1770, his unique talents became very obvious to the people around him, and he started to write the Hanoches. He started to write up the Sichas of the Rebbe, who was already farbrengen in that year following the Yutzvat, the passing of the previous Rebbe. All the Chassidim who were there at the time and who were chezrim, that they

07:08 would review the discourses of the Rebbe Rashab, were very impressed of his unique qualities in understanding and remembering in a very phenomenal way. He became the Rebbe's chief chezer, and from then on, the Rebbe saw him as the one responsible for all the Hanoches, which means all the Sichas that are being published of the Rebbe's Teyre. Rab Yeiel already served as the chezer of the Rebbe from the beginning of the Nesius. A few days after the Rebbe formally accepted the Nesius leadership, and during the farbrengen Yutz Aleph Shvatovsh in Yud Aleph 1951, which was a year after the passing of the previous Rebbe, the Rebbe turned to Rab Yeiel and asked of him that he should prepare the Maimer Basile Gali. He should write up the discourse that the Rebbe delivered at that farbrengen. On another occasion, which was about a year and a half later, it was Chadash Shvu'es, about five in the morning, the first day of Shvu'es 1952, and the Rebbe came to 770. 770 was empty. Everybody already left after being a whole night in shul, went to the mikvah, and the Rebbe asked, where's everybody? And then the Rebbe asked, where is Rab Yeiel? And they started to sing a long nigun, and this gave time that someone should give notice to the bochrim that they should come back to 770. In Tovshin Chavav 1966, approximately, the Rebbe consented to an additional group of bochrim who were to join Rab Yeiel in remembering the farbrengen and in helping to review

09:27 the farbrengen and to write up the farbrengens. The Rebbe asked them to say l'chaim, and the Rebbe asked them that they should stand near him, near Rab Yeiel, during the farbrengens. In Tovshin Yud Aleph, going back to 1951, Rab Yeiel also brought in a new chayes, a new liveliness in the Vaad La'afotze Sichas, which was founded 10 years earlier in 1941, which was for the intention to publish the Sichas of the Rebbe, and also to circulate them in various circles. Rab Yeiel also prepared the material that was being relayed in the shiurim on the radio, which the Rebbe edited many of these Sichas. Im Yirtza Hashem, in the next installment, we will continue on this topic.