Chof Bais Shvat: The Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka OBM

00:00 The Kesher Techalvei Shvat, the yard site, Hilula of the Rebetzin, we will discuss a few short sikkhas which were delivered in the week and also days before the histalkas of the Rebetzin and an anecdote which took place on Erev Rishishana Tov Shin Mem Ches. The first event took place on Erev Rishishana Tov Shin Mem Ches, late 1987. But first, we will refer back to Erev Rishishana Tov Shin Yud, late 1949, some 38 years earlier. A chasid then benched the previous Rebbe with good wishes for the new year. The previous Rebbe responded that this is a time that focus needs to be on the public, not on the individual. As we know, the Tov Shin Yud was the previous Rebbe's last year be'alma dein in this world. Later, during the year on Yud Shvat, the previous Rebbe was nistalik. Erev Rishishana Tov Shin Mem Ches, Rabbi Klapman, a sefer in Crown Heights, and some of his children had a close relationship with the Rebetzin. On this day, Erev Rishishana, they benched the Rebetzin with best wishes for the new year. The Rebetzin responded with this exact same response as mentioned earlier that the previous Rebbe said, this is a time that focus needs to be on the public, not on the individual. During the year, when one of the Klapman daughters bid farewell to the Rebetzin, the Rebetzin gave her a hug, which was unusual. After Chavvei Shvat, the family understood the Rebetzin's comment on Erev Rishishana, and the girl understood that the hug was her

02:00 last visit to the Rebetzin. A second thing in, it was after the 22nd of Shvat when Hasidim realized the impression of the Rebetzin. The Rebbe no longer farbreng the middle of the week, be it Yud Eskislev or Yud Shvat or Yud Beshtamos. The farbrengens remained only on Shabbos and Yom Tov. And later on, also a sikha on certain occasions during the week. The Shabbos farbrengens changed in style and also were becoming shorter. It was Pesach Tov Shin Mem Ches, 1988, Rabbi Yoles from Philadelphia would customarily visit the Rebbe on Chalamed Sukis and Chalamed Pesach. On the 18th of Nisan, Chalamed Pesach, Rabbi Yoles asked the Rebbe to continue with the regular schedule as he did prior to Chavvei Shvat. The Rebbe responded that people who came to console him forgot that this is an entire sugya, an entire discussion in the Talmud, in Mesechta Sanhedrin about the loss of Ishti Horishena, the first wife. One of the things which the Gemara mentions that is lost is the lack of advice. When we look back in the sikha of the 15th of Shvat, the last weekday farbrengen that we had by the Rebbe to date, the Rebbe states, as it was translated by sikkhas in English, with this power, the previous Rebbe's life teaching chassidis and guiding his followers, we may also find in his teachings answers and advice in all areas of divine service as they are illuminated in chassidis. This rule will apply to questions in divine service and chassidic custom, there being no

04:00 reason to ask since the answers may all be found. Likewise, in matters of healing and health, since the Teydeh directs the doctor to heal and the individual to be healthy, as explained in the laws of the Rambam and Shulchan Aruch of the Beis Yesef as well as in the Altar Rebbe Shulchan Aruch, therefore there is no need to ask questions. Similarly, questions of business upon nosa may be answered by seeking advice of knowledgeable friends. In all these areas, there should be no reason to seek directives or answers, for in the teachings of the previous Rebbe, one may find all the answers. Which basically the Rebbe is speaking here about finding all the advice already in the sikkhas from the previous years or seeking the advice of experts. A third nekudah, during the yechidus on the evening of the 21st of Shvat, there were several groups who merited to enter into yechidus by the Rebbe, a group of chasanim and kalas, a group of bar mitzvahs, and the general bulk group of chassidim who were here as guests. In the last sikha to the general yechidus for all orchim, the guests, the Rebbe concluded with the words, And the word chayim is bolded in the printed sikha, which seemed to be loud. The Rebbe seemed to conclude the sikha on a loud note. This was the last closing word the Rebbe said in public to the large group of chassidim guests before the histalkas of the Rebetzin. The hemsek to the earlier installment, Bene Geta, the

06:03 Rebetzin, we're continuing now with installment number two. Referring to various stories, short stories that the Rebbe either spoke with individual people or expressions from the Rebbe to the Rebbetsin. When the Rebbe and the Rebbetsin lived on New York Avenue and President Street before they moved into their house on President Street, when the Rebbe went from his house to 770, he would walk through President Street. The Rebbetsin would escort him from the window of their apartment on New York Avenue. In the middle of the block, the Rebbe turned around, looked at the Rebbetsin who was escorting him from the window, and the Rebbe motioned with his hands as saying goodbye. Another occasion when the Rebbe once came into his house after a day's work, it was Yud Dalet Kislev, the anniversary date of the Rebbe and the Rebbetsin. The Rebbe walked over to the Rebbetsin and said, Mazel tov, heint is unser chasseneh tok. Mazel tov, today is our wedding day. There was another occasion when the Rebbetsin did not feel well and she was resting in bed. The Rebbe was unaware of it. There was a farbrengen then into the late hours of the night. And when the Rebbe came home, he was notified about her condition. He immediately ran up the staircase to her room and he sat with her till the morning. Now we're going to hear two stories of N'shei Chabad sending a bouquet of flowers to the Rebbetsin. It was many years ago that N'shei Chabad sent to the Rebbetsin L'Koved

08:06 her birthday a bouquet of flowers. And they also attached an envelope that contained names of people that needed broches. And the intention was that the Rebbetsin will give over the reshimah, the list of names to the Rebbe. The bouquet of flowers was given over to the Rebbetsin and the envelope was given over to the Rebbe. The Rebbe looked at the envelope and saw that it was addressed to the Rebbetsin. The Rebbe asked, why are they bringing me an envelope that is addressed to the Rebbetsin? The meshares, the person helping in the house answered that this is a list of people that need broches. The Rebbe responded, nu, sie ken doch eich benshen zei. Nu, she can also bless them. On another occasion, a kutzer, a group of women from France brought a bouquet of flowers for the Rebbetsin with an envelope of names that needed broches and they brought it to the Rebbetsin. The meshares took the pigen and gave it over to the Rebbe. The Rebbe said he should give it to the Rebbetsin. A smile appeared on the face of this person helping in the house. The Rebbe became serious and the Rebbe said, why are you laughing? She is a daughter of the nasi hador that his broches were fulfilled. She is a granddaughter of nasi hador that his broches were fulfilled. She is a great-granddaughter of a nasi hador that his broches were fulfilled and you're laughing? During the shiva, when people came to be melachem avo, one of the people

10:05 that approached the Rebbe told the Rebbe that he heard many unique qualities about the Rebbetsin. The Rebbe said, this is underestimated. Only Hashem knows all her qualities. On another occasion during the shiva, there was one of the Rebbes from other circles that came to be melachem avo the Rebbe and he asked how old the Rebbetsin was. The Rebbe answered that in general, we do not count years. But since he asked, her birth date is on the 25th of Adar, which on this day she is supposed to become 87. In conclusion, there was a family that knew the Rebbe and the Rebbetsin from France. Their name is Gorlin. Rabboruch Gorlin had a very special relationship with the Rebbe and his mother had a relationship with the Rebbetsin. And he was also very helpful when the Rebbe registered in Sorbonne. This was already discussed in detail in the audios number 174 through 177. The son-in-law, Mr. Lassner, alav hashalim, related the following. After they visited the Rebbetsin a few months earlier, and it was the occasion that the Rebbe was distributing dollars, so they stood out lying to receive a dollar from the Rebbe. Mr. Lassner relates that he felt a strong will to tell the Rebbe that we visited the Rebbetsin two months earlier, and if the Rebbe will allow me, I want to say something to the Rebbe. And he said to the Rebbe as follows, behind every great man stands a great woman. When the Rebbe heard it, the Rebbe smiled, very wide smile,

12:17 as this person told me that it was from ear to ear.