‘For a Mashpia in Lubavitch, This Is Also Too Much’

Reb Alter Simchovitch was an outstanding chosid of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe who served as a mashpia in various branches of Tomchei Temimim. When a bochur expressed surprise at his meager seudas Shabbos, Reb Alter shared his ideal for a mashpia in Lubavitch.

Reb Chaim Alter Nissan Shimon Simchovitch (known as Reb Alter Potchiper) was an outstanding chosid of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe. He served as a mashpia in various branches of Tomchei Temimim, including Toras Emes in Yerushalayim and Tomchei Temimim in Warsaw. For a while, he was the chozer of the Rebbe Rashab. Reb Alter passed away on the 7^th of Nissan 5699 (1939).

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The bochurim in Toras Emes once asked Reb Alter to repeat for them a maamar and to farbreng with them. Reb Alter replied that he could only do one of the two, since each one required eight hours of internal preparation.

At one point, Reb Alter contracted tuberculosis, and he suffered terribly. He once turned to the students sitting around his bed and shared what he was thinking, “Hashem! You create the world every moment anew. Does the fact that yesterday you created a sick set of lungs mean that you should continue to do so every moment?”

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When Reb Alter studied in Tomchei Temimim, he wore—as was customary in Tomchei Temimim in those days—a long coat. This coat stood out and was a cause for scorn and derision among the neighbors where his father lived. He shared his predicament with the Rebbe Rashab, who strongly encouraged him to continue wearing the coat.

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At a farbrengen in 5681, during the Russian Revolution, the Frierdiker Rebbe spoke emphatically about the need for avoda. R. Hirshel was taken aback and asked, “Now?! When Alter [Simchovitch] is being forced to clean the streets, the Rebbe is demanding avoda?”

The Rebbe replied that although we are small in comparison to the mesiras nefesh of Rebbi Akiva, since Hashem chose us for this task it is a sign that we can succeed.

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Reb Alter’s chasuna took place on Friday. Because the day was short, there was time only for the chuppah to take place, with the simchas chasan v’kalla planned for the next day.

The next morning—Shabbos—before Shacharis, Reb Alter’s new father-in-law, Reb Shlomo Zalman Havlin, asked him not to daven at length, as a lavish kiddush was planned. After the minyan concluded davening, Reb Shlomo Zalman set out the kiddush, and Reb Alter remained in his place in the cheder sheini, trying his best not to daven for too long.

When he reached Nishmas, however, he could not bear to continue at such a (relatively) fast pace, and he reverted to his accustomed, drawn-out pace.

A bystander later recalled how Reb Alter stood in the midst of “Nishmas,” and his father-in-law pleaded with him, “Please, have pity! I invited everyone to a kiddush for the wedding!” Reb Alter’s only reply was his soulful, melodious davening…

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When he would farbreng, Reb Alter would talk for several hours about one inyan. Once, he spoke about iskafya for about four hours.

Concluding, he said, “To say that we are shayach to iskafya in the way that Chassidus teaches and tells us, that we cannot say. But one thing: At least when we sit down to eat or the like, we should make a short cheshbon, that at the time it should bother us that we are not holding where Chassidus wants us to be.”

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One Friday night, when Reb Alter served as a mashpia in Warsaw, one bochur wished to follow him and learn from his ways.

Long after the minyan finished, he watched the mashpia daven at length with emotion. When he went home at last, the bochur trailed him and watched him through the window.

He observed the mashpia take a broken loaf of bread and break it in half to make two loaves for lechem mishneh. He proceeded to recite kiddush over the loaves and ate them with a small piece of herring. Then, he took out a manuscript of Chassidus and learned through the night.

Later, the perplexed bochur approached his mashpia and asked, “Is that a Shabbos seuda?! What about the meat and other delicacies?”

Reb Alter replied, “For a mashpia in Lubavitch, this is also too much…”

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Once, while in Yerushalayim, someone referred to the Lithuanian Yidden who lived in Batei Broida as “misnagdim.”

Reb Alter retorted: Those aren’t “misnagdim”! In Russia we saw misnagdim who weren’t particular about wearing a talis katan and other “small” mitzvos. These people are very particular with mitzvos; they are careful to avoid speaking lashon hara and they study Torah diligently. These are “baal-shemske Yidden”!

For sources, visit TheWeeklyFarbrengen.com