Awesome AJOP Drasha

Rav Benzion spoke magnificently at the AJOP convention about some fundamental attitudes in kiruv and having a Rav, as well as giving a fresh outlook on what our priorities in Avodas Hashem are supposed to be. Below is the very worthwhile 28-minute shiur for your listening and growing pleasure.

DOWNLOAD (11.24 MB)                  DOWNLOAD (lower quality 6.43 MB)
 

No More YouTube

Click here for yesterday's post that had three videos of the Rebbe from YouTube. I know, filters don't discriminate and most of you were not able to see the great footage of the Rebbe speaking on Reb Zisha's yahrtzeit. So, Baruch Hashem, we found an eitza that should get through the filters. Please let me know if there are still any problems.

Video: The Rebbe on Reb Zisha's Yahrtzeit 5772

Thank you to Ely Weisz for sending me a link to three videos of the Rebbe speaking at Yeshivas Tiferes Yonasan Moshe in Yerushalayim on Reb Zisha's yahrtzeit. Volume is low, so try headphones.

These videos were posted on YouTube by an old friend, Eliezer Goldsmith, the "Midnight Rebbe". Problem is, many people's filters block YouTube. So, I ripped the video from his channel and uploaded it on another site that hopefully will allow more of you to watch. I do not own the rights to this video. To see what the Midnight Rebbe is up to, click the above link to his yeshiva.

Tanya Shiur #9 (RBT)

Chapter Seven of Tanya, with Rabbi Benzion Twerski...

DOWNLOAD  
(Running time: 46:42, Size: 8 MB)

To download previous shiurim and additional sources, and for dial-in info, go to the TANYA tab.

Parshas Bo: "No Pain, No Gain" and "Choices and Zeides"

If you've noticed a dearth of written material on the blog lately, its simply because, while uploading audio takes time as well, it is easier to post mp3's and pictures than to sit down and write a decent piece. I haven't put up anything parsha-related for a while now, so here are two shiurim from the CBJ website for Parshas Bo. They are both short at about eleven minutes long, so it shouldn't be so hard to find time to listen to one or both.

No Pain, No Gain                       Choices and Zeides

 

To download, right-click and select "Save link as..." or "Save target as...". Or, just click the link and it will stream from the CBJ site. Enjoy!

Kever Rochel and One-of-a-kind Necklaces

For illustrative purposes only.

On Erev Rosh Chodesh, the Rebbe, shlit"a, and a few chevra went to Kever Rochel. After reciting Tehilim, the Rebbe told a beautiful and inspiring story about a girl's reunion with her father after many years.

 Each one of us has a special necklace, a jewel, that Hashem gave to us - there is none other like it in the world. Our neshama, no matter how far we may be, is proof that we are our Father's children. In the Rebbe's words, "It is time for Him to bring us back home." You will not regret the next six minutes.

Yahrtzeit: The Rebbe Reb Zisha of Anipoli (Shvat 2)

Anipoli, Ukraine. At the bottom-left is the ohel.

 What can I possibly say about the Rebbe Reb Zisha? The ways I see it, he was the Rebbe of all the Rebbes. Not in the Rebbishe sense, rather everyone loved and admired him, spoke in awe of him. His simplicity touched every tzadik and every common man. The stories told about him cover a wide range; he was a colorful personality to say the least. He would become deliriously enraptured with G-dliness as soon as the Magid began speaking and came back to himself the instant the Magid concluded speaking. He couldn't fathom thanking Hashem for something bad - there was nothing bad. He was convinced that his brother, the Rebbe Reb Melech, was greater than he, even though he was older and the one responsible for introducing Reb Melech to Chassidus in the first place.

Reb Leibele's Shulchan Aruch HaRav

Since this is "Reb Leibele Week", I thought I'd post what I thought to be a very interesting thing. Reb Leibele's personal copy of the second chelek of the Baal Hatanya's Shulchan Aruch (known simply as Shulchan Aruch Harav), sold at auction recently for 400.00 USD. See here for details of the sefer and the auction. Above is the title page where you can see the name-stamp of Reb Leibele. It reads (translated): "Yehudah Leib Twerski, the son of my father, my master, my teacher and my rebbe, Harav Hatzadik, our teacher Reb Mordechai Dov, shlit"a, of Hornasteipalya." It is the same stamp used in his Sefer Chassidim.

From Shabbos to Shabbos

As mentioned previously, Reb Leibele was born on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkos, the 20th of Tishrei, 5628. It is important to note the Gemarah in Shabbos (156a) says that one who is born on Shabbos will be a "parush and a kadosh", removed from physicality and a holy person.

Reb Leibele was niftar on the 28th of Teves, 5711 (1951) on a Friday night. In the words of Reb Sheya, shlit"a, who was present when his grandfather passed away: "He had been in a coma for several days. It was Friday night, and I went over to the bed. I saw that he was [moving his lips], so I bent down to hear. He said, 'Ha'aderes v'ha'emunah l'Chai Olamim, habinah v'haberachah l'Chai Olamim' (the tefilah of the angels that we say in Pesukei D'zimra) till the end and right then was the yetzias neshamah (departing of the soul)."

I don't have The Zeide Reb Motele handy, but I think Reb Sheya wrote about it at the end of the book.

What do Chazal and the seforim hakedoshim say about one who is nifter on Shabbos? Enlighten us in the comments.

Reb Leibele, zy"a (Part 1)

B"H, I have been busy with a new baby and haven't had lots of time to write. Hence, this post is unfinished and late. However, we are told that the three days after a yahrtzeit are still connected to the yahrtzeit, so here it is.

The following is a meager compilation about Reb Leibele. (Sources include Midor el Dor, Malchus Shlomo, Kuntrus HaRo'eh Bashoshanim, Toldoseihem shel Tzadikim, and that which was heard directly from various family members. There is a ton more; this will be the first installment.)

Reb Leibele was born on Shabbos Chol Hamoed Sukkos, the 20th of Tishrei, 5628, third son to the Rebbe Reb Motele, zy"a. He was named after HaRav HaKadosh Rebbe Yehudah Leib Hakohen of Anipoli, the author of the Or Haganuz (from the talmidim of the Mezritcher Magid and a close friend of the Rebbe Reb Zisha of Anipoli). It is worthwhile mentioning that Reb Motele, who was known to be careful with his words and never praised someone excessively (according to his grandson, Reb Nachum of Tel Aviv), would refrain from calling the Or Haganuz by his name. Instead, when referring to this tzadik, he would rise to his feet and say, "Der Heiliger" - "The holy one".

The name "Bentzion" was added in1920 when Reb Leibele became ill will typhus in Kiev. The same outbreak claimed his son Reb Moshe Meshulem Zisha, "Zeesaleh".

Shiur about Reb Leibele

Reb Leibele with Reb Shloime of Denver at the latter's chaseneh in Pittsburgh in 5703.

L'kovid the yahrtzeit of Reb Leibele, here is a shiur from the Chassidic Masters series. The shiur starts out as the third installment on Reb Motele and continues to speak about Reb Leibele.

DOWNLOAD (16.93 MB)

To download the rest of the series, see HERE.

Reb Leibele Arrives in Milwaukee (Yiddish)

If anyone has or knows of where to get pictures or articles of Reb Leibele, please send them in, "l'tovas anash".

Here are a few more from Reb Leibele's visits to Milwaukee:

 

Reb Leibele Arrives in Milwaukee

Two newspaper clippings from Reb Leibele's arrival in Milwaukee for the first time from Belgium:

Reb Leibele's Yahrtzeit on Monday

This coming Monday, the 28th of Teves, is the yahrtzeit of Rebbe Benzion Yehudah Leib Twerski, better known as the Rebbe Reb Leibele.

Together with Rav Efraim Twerski and his chevra, we will be going out to Reb Leibele's tziyun in Chicago at about 3:00 pm. Anyone interested in going should please contact me at twerskitorah@gmail.com.

For those who cannot join us, feel free to send in names for kvittelach, and I will bring them along, bl"n.

Info regarding the location of the tziyun and directions on how to find it are here (be sure to see the last comment there).

"He is the Rebbe's son!"

Ordinary Ruach Hakodesh...

 

Tanya Shiur #8 (RBT)

In this week's shiur, Rav Benzion began the sixth chapter.

DOWNLOAD 
(Running time: 41:26, Size: 7.12 MB)

To download previous shiurim and additional sources, and for dial-in info, go to the TANYA tab.

Shabbos with the Rebbe (Va'eira 5772)

From the chevra in Eretz Yisroel, this just in:

The Rebbe, shlit"a, will be "feering" Shabbos in the Beis Medrash Mishkan Asher on Rechov Ha'Argaman in Ganei Geula (Yerushalayim). 

Kabolas Shabbos: 5:00 pm

Tish: 9:00 pm

Shacharis: 8:30 am
Mincha & Shalosh Seudos

Details subject to change. We will try to keep this updated.

In the Footsteps of the Chassidic Masters

In the Footsteps of the Chassidic Masters

THEIR LIVES, TIMES & TEACHINGS

Doleh Umashkeh now brings you the Rebbe's popular series In the Footsteps of the Chassidic Masters. Until now it was only available for purchase as cassettes but now the entire series may be downloaded as MP3.

Go to the TWERSKI AUDIO tab above, or click HERE.

While the entire series is being offered here for free, solely for the purpose of furthering the learning of the Rebbe's Torah and Chassidus, you are encouraged to donate by contacting twerskitorah@gmail.com.

If you would like to purchase tapes, visit the shul website. 

Tanya Shiur #7 (RBT)

After technical difficulties galore, here is
the seventh Tanya shiur from Rabbi Bentzion Twerski...

DOWNLOAD (6.5 MB)

Previous shiurim: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6

For times and dial-in info for the live shiur, click here.

All the links for the Tanya shiurim should work properly, but in case they don't, you can email myself (twerskitorah@gmail.com) or Rav Bentzion (rbzt@sbcglobal.net) and we'll send you the shiurim you're missing. Thank you all again for your patience.

Pictures: The Rebbe and the Baal Shem Tov's Sefer Torah

The Sefer Torah of the Baal Shem HaKadosh.

Here are some pictures of the Rebbe, shlit"a, with the Machnovker Rebbe, shlit"a. The Rebbe had an aliyah by the sefer Torah of the Baal Shem Tov, which is in the possession of the Machnivker.

Tanya Shiur #6 (RBT)

Inscription by the Baal Hatanya's tziun

This week's Tanya shiur from Rav Bentzion Twerski...

DOWNLOAD (7.65 MB)

For times and dial-in info, click here.

Pictures: The Rebbe With Rav Chaim Kanievsky

Sometime last week, the Rebbe, shlit"a, met with Rav Chaim Kanievsky, shlit"a, (the son of the Steipler, ztz"l) in Bnei Brak. Enjoy the pictures:

Supply of Siddurim

For those who are interested, Moznaim Bookstore (on 12th Ave in Boro Park) has a large supply of the Tefilah Yeshara siddur. (This one as opposed to the other one in regular print from Kiryas Yoel.) Their number is (718) 853-0525.

Hat tip: Eli Singer

Minhagim: Shema (2)

This week's halacha summary from the shul discusses some more minhagim about Shema, including kissing the tzitzis during the reading of the Shema. Here are some specifics for those who want to know the Rebbe's custom: