#Chabad rebbe learning on the job book free
Oy vey, what an idiot (feel free to add any and all pejorative adjectives)!!! Since I opposed the man, I wasn't going to ask for his blessings. When he approached me to apprise me of this once-in-a-lifetime chance, I told him unequivocally that I was not interested. This friend of mine became the “letter carrier” for many of those in Lakewood who wanted to take advantage of this unique opportunity, as he traveled there almost daily during that week. During the original celebration throughout the week following Hei Teves, word got out that the Rebbe had announced that “all the doors were open” for all requests, and that any note with a request would be taken to the resting place of the Rebbe Rayatz.īags and bags of letters and notes poured into 770 Eastern Parkway, even from places like Williamsburg which was considered a stronghold of opposition. One of the Chassidic fellows that I became friendly with was very involved in Chabad, and on occasion, would gently try to soften my opposition.
By the month of Teves 5747, my identity as a Misnaged was pretty much limited to one school of Chassidus: Chabad – Lubavitch (as well as some individual aspects of certain other denominations). Slowly, over time, I began to become convinced that there was a lot more to Chassidus than is perceived by those who view it from the outside, or even dabble in it casually in the name of being broadminded. Little did I know the tremendous impact that my reading would have on me. It only seemed right that if I considered myself an opponent of the teachings of this movement that should have been part of my birthright, I should at least know what I was opposing. My curiosity was originally fueled primarily because of a family tradition that we are descended of Reb Gershon Kitover, the brother-in-law and later disciple of the Baal Shem Tov. Since my roommate also had a massive collection of Chassidic works, including many biographies of Chassidic greats and historical books covering many different branches of the movement, I began to devour them.
Although some members of this fascinating and diverse group treated me with suspicion (“He's just a Misnaged who is curious”), I soon found myself in the middle of a whole new social circle. This room was the “hangout” of the “Chassidic underground” in Lakewood, during off hours from the regular learning schedule. When one of those beds became available, he invited me to move in rather than have the administration assign him a roommate. It was an oversized room, but due to its elongated shape held only three beds instead of the usual four. I shared a number of mutual friends with a certain fellow student, who identified as a Chassid of Pupa, and who had one of the choicest rooms in the dormitory. Well, first a little background:Īt that time, I was learning in Lakewood Yeshiva. Whenever we begin to approach the special day of 5 Teves, I always find myself going back to that time and beating myself up with regret.
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