While the Rebbe was at Yeshivat Rambam in Brooklyn, there was a bookkeeper who was very anxious to meet the Rebbe. When she approached the gabbaim, their response was typical: the Rebbe is here to see the students. If there is time afterward the adults can get a bracha too, or they can make an appointment and go see the Rebbe in Williamsburg. But, this woman was very determined and she started begging. The gabbai agreed and she went in. A week later the gabbai received a phone call from this woman. She explained that the Rebbe had demanded her husband to keep Shabbos. As they were a struggling family that had only recently moved from Israel, she tried explaining to the Rebbe that they needed the money to survive.
“Shabbos is the source of all blessing in this world. Your husband must not work on Shabbos,” the Rebbe told her. “But we don't even have our green card yet and no one else will even hire us.” “If you keep Shabbos, you will receive your green cards too,” the Rebbe said. A week later the husband decided to quit his job and keep Shabbos. That Monday the mailman dropped off a letter. Inside, were the green cards!
Josef Weisman is an accomplished philosopher who has received the highest degrees from UCLA. As a younger man, he wasn't religious, but very spiritual. And, during his quest for spirituality, he spent many years in India learning with monks, gurus and even joining cult-like groups. Now, Josef is a teacher of history and theology at YULA. Last year, while the Rebbe was visiting the school, Josef was extremely interested in meeting with the Tzadik, righteous man, if for nothing more than the experience itself.
When he walked into the room to meet with the Rebbe, the first thing the Rebbe asked him was, “Where do your children go to school?” Stunned, Josef went on to explain that currently his children go to public schools. But, for the last several months he had wanted to move his children into YULA. After all, he explained, there was a clear difference between the kinds of students in public schools and the students in Yeshiva, and the education at YULA was superb. However, his wife was vehemently opposed to the idea of her children attending a religious school. So, for months they argued about it. “You have no choice,” responded the Rebbe, “Your children must receive a proper Jewish education. It's essential. Go home and tell your wife these exact words: G-d gave her very special children with very unique character traits and personal qualities. They are refined. They will continue to develop into unbelievable people as long as they receive a Jewish education. If they don't, they will lose all their talents and uniqueness. They will lose their future.”
Knowing what his wife's reaction would be, Josef went home nervous and unsure. But, the Rebbe told him to do something and who was he not to do it? After dinner, he sat his wife down and said everything that the Rebbe told him. She had only one word to say afterwards: fine. Josef was shocked, absolutely shocked. So shocked that he blurted out, “What! For months you were against this idea and now you just say 'fine'?”
“Let me explain,” answered his wife. “Last night I had a dream. There was a man in my dream with a long beard. He looked so holy. And, this man in my dream said the very same thing that you just did.”
A year later when the Rebbe returned to YULA, Josef was a different looking man: he had long peyos and a beautiful beard. His two children were both in YULA and were very distinguished in their personalities. Now, instead of history and theology, Josef teaches Tanach and the differences between the philosophy of mussar and chassidus.
I had a chance to see the Kalever Rebbe during his visit in Los Angeles. I remember during the conversation he had made me promise to keep Shabbat, wear Teffilin everyday and that I would do religious studies at least twice a week. The first week after I met him I attempted to keep Shabbat but I wasn't able to do so completely. The week after I was forced to take a flight to New York on a Friday night, obviously I didn't keep that Shabbat. Within the first few hours I arrived in NY I got in trouble with the NYPD for smoking and received a citation. The week after, I reluctantly returned on a Friday night back to Los Angeles; my flight was delayed for many many hours. The next two weeks after that I kept Shabbat completely. I have been putting my Teffilin almost everyday in the past two weeks with the exception of a couple of days that I had forgotten. And this week I started to learn with a close friend of mine who studies in a Kolel. I feel like I had gotten in trouble for smoking because I did not follow through on my promise. He said that I would be successful as long as I wear Tefillin and keep Shabbat and when I did not I got in trouble. I don't know if the two are related but I feel that they are. Thanks for his time and motivation.
About 6 years ago my son had finished high school and was working in construction. His picture of himself was of not very smart or successful learner. His brother brouth him to the Rebbe, I don’t know what the Rebbe said, but within 5 days, he had gotten himself accepted into yeshiva in Ertetz Yisroel, attained a passport, plane ticket, suitcases and clothes and was on the plane. He had been in Eretz Yisroel Shteiging since then, thanks to the Rebbe. He came home this past summer to date and has recently got married. He is learning in Kollel. We have tremendous הכרת הטוב to the Rebbe, for turning our sons life around. Thank you very very much.
I rememebed that he came to speak to my school back when I was in 8th grade (Beer Hagola). At that time I did not obsever anything in Judaism, but now Baruch Hashem I keep Shabbat for the past year and started to observe tznius, kosher, and shomer negiya for the past couple of months.. I really enjoy working on my Emmuna and just wanted to thank him for helping me realize the light.
While the Rebbe was at Yeshivat Rambam in Brooklyn, there was a bookkeeper who was very anxious to meet the Rebbe. When she approached the gabbaim, their response was typical: the Rebbe is here to see the students. If there is time afterward the adults can get a bracha too, or they can make an appointment and go see the Rebbe in Williamsburg. But, this woman was very determined and she started begging. The gabbai agreed and she went in. A week later the gabbai received a phone call from this woman. She explained that the Rebbe had demanded her husband to keep Shabbos. As they were a struggling family that had only recently moved from Israel, she tried explaining to the Rebbe that they needed the money to survive.
ReplyDelete“Shabbos is the source of all blessing in this world. Your husband must not work on Shabbos,” the Rebbe told her.
“But we don't even have our green card yet and no one else will even hire us.”
“If you keep Shabbos, you will receive your green cards too,” the Rebbe said.
A week later the husband decided to quit his job and keep Shabbos. That Monday the mailman dropped off a letter. Inside, were the green cards!
Josef Weisman is an accomplished philosopher who has received the highest degrees from UCLA. As a younger man, he wasn't religious, but very spiritual. And, during his quest for spirituality, he spent many years in India learning with monks, gurus and even joining cult-like groups. Now, Josef is a teacher of history and theology at YULA. Last year, while the Rebbe was visiting the school, Josef was extremely interested in meeting with the Tzadik, righteous man, if for nothing more than the experience itself.
ReplyDeleteWhen he walked into the room to meet with the Rebbe, the first thing the Rebbe asked him was, “Where do your children go to school?” Stunned, Josef went on to explain that currently his children go to public schools. But, for the last several months he had wanted to move his children into YULA. After all, he explained, there was a clear difference between the kinds of students in public schools and the students in Yeshiva, and the education at YULA was superb. However, his wife was vehemently opposed to the idea of her children attending a religious school. So, for months they argued about it. “You have no choice,” responded the Rebbe, “Your children must receive a proper Jewish education. It's essential. Go home and tell your wife these exact words: G-d gave her very special children with very unique character traits and personal qualities. They are refined. They will continue to develop into unbelievable people as long as they receive a Jewish education. If they don't, they will lose all their talents and uniqueness. They will lose their future.”
Knowing what his wife's reaction would be, Josef went home nervous and unsure. But, the Rebbe told him to do something and who was he not to do it? After dinner, he sat his wife down and said everything that the Rebbe told him. She had only one word to say afterwards: fine. Josef was shocked, absolutely shocked. So shocked that he blurted out, “What! For months you were against this idea and now you just say 'fine'?”
“Let me explain,” answered his wife. “Last night I had a dream. There was a man in my dream with a long beard. He looked so holy. And, this man in my dream said the very same thing that you just did.”
A year later when the Rebbe returned to YULA, Josef was a different looking man: he had long peyos and a beautiful beard. His two children were both in YULA and were very distinguished in their personalities. Now, instead of history and theology, Josef teaches Tanach and the differences between the philosophy of mussar and chassidus.
I had a chance to see the Kalever Rebbe during his visit in Los Angeles. I remember during the conversation he had made me promise to keep Shabbat, wear Teffilin everyday and that I would do religious studies at least twice a week. The first week after I met him I attempted to keep Shabbat but I wasn't able to do so completely. The week after I was forced to take a flight to New York on a Friday night, obviously I didn't keep that Shabbat. Within the first few hours I arrived in NY I got in trouble with the NYPD for smoking and received a citation. The week after, I reluctantly returned on a Friday night back to Los Angeles; my flight was delayed for many many hours. The next two weeks after that I kept Shabbat completely. I have been putting my Teffilin almost everyday in the past two weeks with the exception of a couple of days that I had forgotten. And this week I started to learn with a close friend of mine who studies in a Kolel. I feel like I had gotten in trouble for smoking because I did not follow through on my promise. He said that I would be successful as long as I wear Tefillin and keep Shabbat and when I did not I got in trouble. I don't know if the two are related but I feel that they are. Thanks for his time and motivation.
ReplyDeleteAbout 6 years ago my son had finished high school and was working in construction. His picture of himself was of not very smart or successful learner. His brother brouth him to the Rebbe, I don’t know what the Rebbe said, but within 5 days, he had gotten himself accepted into yeshiva in Ertetz Yisroel, attained a passport, plane ticket, suitcases and clothes and was on the plane. He had been in Eretz Yisroel Shteiging since then, thanks to the Rebbe. He came home this past summer to date and has recently got married. He is learning in Kollel.
ReplyDeleteWe have tremendous הכרת הטוב to the Rebbe, for turning our sons life around. Thank you very very much.
I rememebed that he came to speak to my school back when I was in 8th grade (Beer Hagola). At that time I did not obsever anything in Judaism, but now Baruch Hashem I keep Shabbat for the past year and started to observe tznius, kosher, and shomer negiya for the past couple of months.. I really enjoy working on my Emmuna and just wanted to thank him for helping me realize the light.
ReplyDelete