The Rebbe's Tehilim

This Tehilim belonged to the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel of Milwaukee, zy"a. It is a rarity today as it was printed on the holy press of the famous Slavita printers.

The Rebbe, yblcht"a, said that his father, zy"a, said Tehilim very often, and one can clearly see the use that this Tehilim sustained over the years. The Rebbe himself uses this Tehilim when he goes to his father's tziyun to daven.

Reb Leibele Arrives in Milwaukee

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

Minhagim and Halacha: Shema

There are a few matters of note in this week's "Halacha Summary" email from the shul that I would like to mention (in accordance with what the Rebbe, shlit"a, has said on various occasions). The first is regarding the time by which Shema must be recited.

In the email, it says, "According to the Magen Avrohom, the day is reckoned from dawn until nightfall. According to the Vilna Gaon, the day is reckoned from sunrise until sunset. Hence, the deadline for Shema according to the Magen Avrohom is earlier than that of the Vilna Gaon. The custom is to follow the opinion of the Vilna Gaon which gives a later deadline. It is praiseworthy to daven with a minyan that reaches Shema before the deadline of the Magen Avrohom."

Chanukah with the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l

An excerpt from Reb Sheya's book, Generation to Generation:

"Some of my most cherished memories relate to the Yomim Tovim (holidays), and I was fortunate that the modern super-industrialized commercialism had not deprived me of these experiences.

Chanukah Holiday by Boris Dubrov

The joy of Chanukah actually began several days before the holidays. Father (Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel) would use a beeswax candle to light the wicks of the oil-burning menorah (candelabra), and since beeswax candles were unavailable commercially, he would make them himself, eight of them, one for each night. He would also make one extra candle to put away for use in the search for chometz (leavened bread) on the night before Passover.

Chanukah: Responding to the Challenge

The words of Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel Twerski, ztz"l (from "Turning Pages")

During the weeks between the High Holidays and the festive time of Chanukah, we find ourselves treated by inspiring and very interesting Torah readings in the Sabbath Service. These portions deal with the very beginnings of our people, and deal with the lives of the spiritual giants of our early history: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, the Matriarchs, the Twelve Tribes - all are part of the unfolding story of spiritual commitment, determination, and courage.

Yom Kippur with the Rebbe, ztz"l

Below is another excerpt from Generation to Generation describing Yom Kippur with the Rebbe, Rav Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l.

The day before Yom Kippur, at the morning meal, Father would sing the ‘portion of the Selichot (prayer for forgiveness) services for that day. The melody penetrated every crevice in one’s soul, and brought one to a profound state of atonement.

Owning It

On Rosh Hashanah of 5767 (2007), before the blowing of the shofar, the Rebbe, shlit"a, spoke about the following ideas:

Are We Willing To Answer Our Prayers?

By the Rebbe Harav Hatzadik Rav Yaakov Yisroel Twerski, zt"l

No matter how old one may be, no matter how many New Years one has already experienced, the coming of Rosh Hashanah is always an exciting and hope-filled event. We look forward to a year in which illness will yield to good health, sadness to happiness, misfortune to mazel and success, and the hope that a general improvement will prevail in all of the hardships which afflict mankind. To those who are sustained by a strong and abiding faith, this is not a vain hope. The all-powerful and bountiful hand of G-d can, within a twinkling, transform our life into one that is filled with every desired blessing and good fortune. It is important, however, that we remember that while we shall pray and ask the Almighty’s blessing for the coming year, a great many of our most painful problems can be removed by our own intervention and efforts. For so much of our unhappiness is not outside of us, but rather is brought about by our own distorted hopes, and our exaggerated demands on life. Our Sages, for example, suggest this, when they state “He is wealthy who is content with his portion in life.” Let us hope that G-d shall fill this coming year with the fulfillment of our most cherished dreams. And let us also hope that we will find the spiritual strength to look inwardly, so that we may bless our own lives with contentment and peace of mind.

(Written by the Rebbe, Harav Michel Twerski, shlit”a)

Three New Old Pictures of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a

Three Brothers About Their Father

This past week I wrote up some anecdotes and teachings of the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a, instead of Drops of Rain. This short compilation received glowing haskama from the Rebbe, shlit"a. It includes some of the posts from last week, along with selections from what Reb Sheya, Reb Aharon and the Rebbe said at last year's "Azkarah". It is available HERE as a PDF.

From One Room To Another

Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l, told the Rebbe, shlit”a, that one morning when he woke up and while still laying in bed, he saw, standing in front of the bed, his father [Reb Leibele], the Zeide, Reb Motele and another man, whom he did not recognize. They just stood there. Finally, [Reb Leibele] said, “Don’t worry. It will be like going from one room to the next.” With that they faded away.

Reb Yaakov Yisroel said that at that time he did not yet know he was sick but was convinced that his time was approaching. Shortly thereafter he became ill, went to the hospital, and that’s when he was diagnosed with the liver cancer that ultimately brought him to Gan Eden.

The Rebbe concluded, “Divrei emes nikarin.” True words are recognizable as such.

(Thanks to Ely Weisz for pointing out some missing details to this story.)

Motzei Tisha B'Av Yahrtzeit Seudah in Yerushalayim

As every year, the einiklech and chevra in Eretz Yisroel got together at Reb Mordechai's house to make a seudah for the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel's yahrtzeit. Yankel (Reb Bentzion's) made a siyum on Bava Kama by the seudah.
Eliezer Kwass spoke about his and other Milwaukeans' connection with the Rebbe, ztz"l, and Twerski family.

Yud Menachem Av 5771 Highlights (with pictures and audio)

Last night, the Rebbe davened Maariv from the amud. He broke his fast at the home of his son, Rav Bentzion, with a fleishigeh seduah at which the Rebbe made a siyum on Masechtas Rosh Hashanah (l'ilui nishmas his father, ztz"l). Afterward the Rebbe sang Reb Sheya's "A Freilichen Tisha B'Av" and his own Lev Tahor.

Send a Kvittel to Reb Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a

Anyone who wants to send a kvittel (written petition for a tzadik to daven on one's behalf) to the kever of the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel on his yahrtzeit (or any other time) may email his name and the name of his mother, along with the same for his spouse and names of his children, and include a short written request. This should all be done in Hebrew if possible, but any language is acceptable. If you wish to include a pidyon (monetary donation customarily given with a kvittel) for tzedaka, please indicate that desire in your email. Kvittelach are never turned away because of lack of funds!

זכותו יגן עלינו ועל כל ישראל אמן

May the merit of the tzadik protect us and all of Klal Yisroel!

"I Love Yidden!"

In addition to the previous vertlach in preparation of the upcoming yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, here is a tidbit about his exceptional ahavas Yisroel.

Last year (5770), Reb Aharon Twerski, shlit"a, said that Reb Yaakov Yisroel's "ahavas Yisroel was indescribable. If ten portions of ahavas Yisroel were sent down to the world, my father took nine." Reb Aharon described how when the Rebbe, ztz"l, came to Milwaukee there was a certain Rav who "really had it in for my father, [but] my father never responded with any hate. They turned out to be the closest of friends because my father could only show people love. The fact that somebody else hated him, that was [the other person's] problem."

Words of Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Twerski, ztz"l

In honor of the upcoming yahrtzeit of the Rebbe's father on the 10th of Av, here a few kernels of his divrei Torah. After Shabbos, Reb Yaakov Yisroel would write down what he had said on Shabbos, and he had amassed quite a large quantity of hand-written maamarim. The unfortunate story is well-known. Somehow, the Rebbe's hundreds of kisvei yad were left behind in the old house during a move. By the time the Rebbe came back to retrieve them, all the boxes of papers had been destroyed by the new owners of the house. He never spoke about the incident.

Ma Tovu Ohalecha Yaakov...

As many of you may know, the ohel (mausoleum) over the kever of the Rebbe shlit"a's father, Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l, was recently renovated. Much needed new doors were added. Beautiful Jerusalemite stone now makes up the exterior of the building. It is quite befitting as the love the tzaddikim had for Eretz Yisroel was always apparent, and the seforim hakedoshim mention that the grave of a tzadik has kedushas Eretz Yisroel.

Recording of Reb Yaakov Yisroel Twerski (full version)

A while back I posted a very short audio clip of the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l, that I received from Stuart Rojstatczer, a Milwaukee yid from back in the day. I just uploaded the full version (23 minutes) that I got from him. It is a very rare treat that we get to hear the voice of this great tzadik.

PLAY DOWNLOAD

Random Pictures

Here are some pictures of the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a, and one of, yblch"t, the Rebbe, shlit"a. Thank you to Ely Weisz for bringing them to my attention. Tizkeh l'mitzvos!

Anyone who has additional info regarding these pictures please comment or email me. [UPDATE: The first two pictures are from the Bobover Rebbe, Rav Naftulche's chasunah. The man at the left in the first picture is the mechuten, Rav Yosef Panet of Dezh, ztz"l. The chosson in the second picture is Rav Naftulche, seated between his father and his shver.]

Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a, dancing with his brother-in-law Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov, ztz"l

Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel, zy"a, sitting next to his brother-in-law Rebbe Shlomo of Bobov, ztz"l

TIME (later LIFE) Magazine did a story on Reb Sheya, shlit"a, when he was in medical school

The Rebbe, shlit"a, with the Bostoner Rebbe, ztz"l, in Eretz Yisroel.

Video: Rebbe Yaakov Yisroel Twerski 1963

Thanks again to Stuart Rojstaczer for graciously sharing this very rare clip from his home collection. In the video, the Rebbe Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l, is shaking hands with Stu's grandfather, Tevyah Erlich (d. 1992). Also visible is Mr. Richt, the shamash of the Rebbe's beis medrash at that time.

If anyone has any other video or audio of Reb Yaakov Yisroel, ztz"l, please email me so I can add it to the archives.