By Rabbi Menachem Mendel D. Yusewitz, Principal of ‘Cheder Ohr Menachem’ in Crown Heights
This week, I held a Farbrengen in honor of a tremendous simcha – I merited a special gift from our dear Rebbe.
It was the eve of Tu B’Av when my cell phone rang. On the line was my mother, who asked, “will you be passing our area this evening?”
“I can if needed,” was my response.
“If you can, please do,” was her reply – and so I did.
Entering my parents’ home, I was overcome with a feeling of suspense, excitement and awe. I felt something in the air. With an emotional voice my mother said: “Mendy, the Rebbe was thinking of you – I just found 4 dollars of the Rebbe given to you 25 years ago.”
This story could have ended there. However if we follow these dollars, you will understand the reason for a farbrengen.
25 years ago – in תשנ”ב, these dollars were given to me from the Rebbe’s holy hand. For some reason, these dollars had been misplaced and lost between piles of papers.
Unbeknownst to me, as I took the precious ‘Rebbe Dollars’ and Kuntreisim with me after my wedding 10 years ago, these dollars were not included. 2 and a half years ago, my mother found these dollars, and prepared them in an envelope for me. She even labeled them… but their time to reach me had not yet arrived. Somehow, she forgot to give them to me.
This past Motzei Shabbos, a relative asked me for some help: She was drafting a letter to a young mother-to-be. She was going to be gifting one of dollars she had received from the Rebbe in light of the monumental stage the woman had reached. To prepare for and usher in the Brochos which come with a dollar from the Rebbe, the giver wished that the recipient take on a new hidur or strengthen herself in a Mitzvah.
And so, I found myself elaborating in writing about the tremendous value and privilege it is to own something from the Rebbe, keeping in mind that the Rebbe decides and orchestrates with hashgocha protis what the final destination of each item will be – we need to understand its great potential and prepare ourselves as a “keli” – vessel – to the brochos that come along with it. And then, truly celebrate our zechus when the Rebbe’s dollar reaches us – its intended destination.
Evidently, the Rebbe was preparing me for a boost which would reach me 2 days later. As the responsibility of a school leader is awesome all year round, you can just imagine how much more so at this time of year. While busily setting up the school year, hiring and training new faculty, amending curriculum, overseeing the touch ups to the school buildings, etc., this is the time Rebbe waited for, as only a Rebbe knows, this is the time I needed his hashpoah and boost in the form of these dollars.
At the farbrengen, the Mashpia of Tomchei Temimim 770, Reb Pinye Korf farbrenged deep into the night, inspiring those present on how much the Rebbe follows our lives. He cares for and supports us. The more we are conscious of it, the more we are Keilim to see it – until we will be zoiche once again to receive dollars from the Rebbe with the revelation of Moshiach Now!
I beseech all of you to use and appreciate the special gifts the Rebbe gives us.
A while back I was doing some Pesach-cleaning on my seforim. As I reached the Kuntreisim booklets I received from the Rebbe, I was saddened by the thought which crossed my mind: There’s no need to clean them, if you didn’t touch it…
Right then and there I decided to learn two of the kuntreisim in the coming days.
Miraculously, just three days after concluding the abovementioned commitment (to finish two of the kuntreisim) the Rebbe acknowledged it in a most unique way.
The following Motzei Shabbos someone anonymously dropped of 3 boxes of sheimos in our Beis Medrash. Obviously, this was not much of a reason to celebrate… until within the boxes I came across a thinly wrapped booklet, a precious Kuntres given by the Rebbe’s holy hand.
Even more amazing, was this was the one I had personally never received from the Rebbe! The Rebbe gave it out as a “surprise distribution” in the summer months when I was a child in camp.
And now, right after learning the ones I did get, the Rebbe ensured that I received the rest.
When you use the giluyim the Rebbe has given you he will make sure to give you more!
The attitude here is what i find incredible! Its thia attitude that makes ohr menachem unique- the Rebbe is current. We have a privelege and responsibility. That majes for invested teachers and enthusiastic students.
Hatzlacha in your holy work
Over the years I had different children and relatives of mine in all boys institutions in CH..
After all I discovered that Ohr Menachem is the best kept secret in crown heights. The dedicated teachers and principal, the chassidishkait and the academics!!
All I can say is ty rabbi yusevitch,,, really!
Just one word. . .wow
Great mechanchim. So much to learn from this article
As we are alive, he is alive.
please COLlive continue posting such stories!!!!!!!!!!
There is no such thing a late comer.
That is the opposite of what we believe in Hashgacha Protis! every person was born in the time he was meant to be born, which is in total sync with his personality family and job in life.
Just some food for thought.
Gives me again the feeling of being between chassidim.. (though far from ‘the heights’)
Don’t miss the point! Read till the end…
If you use what you have the Rebbe will give you. Learn the published sichos and maamarim, and you’ll see hashems hand guiding you through our generations Mosher rabeinu – the Rebbe.
Tool well get more of our Rebbes Torah with Moshoach Now!!
Ps. Simcha is key in chassidus, and specifically in for hashvii’s job in bringing Moshiach 🙂
What if I didn’t have the zechus to get dollars…
We have a teen who went to Cheder Ohr Menachem, and we are so grateful he attended this cheder! Baruch Hashem, nearly every day, I see the great jthings Cheder Ohr Menachem did for our son, even though he graduated a few years ago already.
All of this is directly connected with Rabbi Yusewitz’s guiding, caring, patient, and hardworking ways.
Mazal tov, brachah, and continued hatzlachah to Rabbi Yusewitz!
happy for you!
Great lesson ,to use the gifts we have then more come ,to celebrate the Rebbes Torah!
A wonderful celebration!
I wish COL the privilege and blessing of publishing many many more articles of this kind. The true and holy work that stems from “our world,” and the insight and maturity to know what it is when see see it.
Thanks for sharing
And to add to number one, if this is the way it is when he’s not Involved with the school, then we can only imagine how good it is when he is involved!! 😉
Reminding us about whats important in life..
When I asked you about passing on my Rebbe dollars to my children, you were very busy. Now I see somewhat of an answer as to how to prepare my children for this gift. If the Rebbe wills it…
Rebbe wills it if course.
We need more principals with principles..
Yasher Koach!
Very powerful!
Ty rabbi yuzevich, Would never know how things look from the other side of the school system…