Bochurim of Tomchei Temimim in Morristown have produced a beautiful sefer of ha’aros, containing 124 ha’aros – all in the Rebbe’s Torah. But the highlight of this kovetz is a never-before-published sicha that the Rebbe said to a group of young bochurim in 5701 (1941) in Marseilles, France.
By Anash.org reporter
In honor of Yud Alef Nissan, the bochurim of Tomchei Temimim in Morristown have dedicated many hours to produce a beautiful sefer of ha’aros, containing 124 ha’aros – all in the Rebbe’s Torah.
The ha’aros span the full breadth of the Rebbe’s Torah: the Haggadah, Ma’amarim, Likkutei Sichos, Igros Kodesh, unedited farbrengens, ma’anos kodesh, Reshimos, and more.
The highlight of this kovetz is a sicha the Rebbe delivered in France in 5701 (1941), now being published for the first time. Said on 15 Shevat during the Rebbe’s stay in Marseilles to a group of young bochurim in the middle of their farbrengen, this sicha is the result of weeks of dedicated research. It was transcribed based on the memory of R. Zalman Schechter, with additional details from R. Shmuel Meir Zilberstein.
R. Zalman once shared in an interview about this farbrengen:
“In Marseilles, there was a shtibel, and from time to time a young man would come in. I didn’t know who he was – he wore a gray hat, a gray suit, and had a beard. I had no idea who this person was. But every so often I’d see him sitting with the Moroccan rabbi and learning Gemara at the table in the shtibel. In my mind, I started calling him ‘the Moroccan.’”
He later described how, at the initiative of R. Shneur Zalman Schneersohn, a daily learning session was arranged for the group of refugee bochurim, starting with Maseches Kesubos. Occasionally, R. Shneur Zalman would stop in to see their progress.
“Once, he came in and said, ‘I won’t be here on Tu B’Shevat, but I’ll send you a guest.’ And when the guest arrived, the door opened—and ‘the Moroccan’ walked in.”
The sicha has been newly edited and is being published here for the first time in a clear and organized format. It was prepared by Yitzchak Leib Federman, with help from several bochurim, in collaboration with Vaad Hanachos B’Lahak.
The sefer will be distributed for free at the Ohel around Yud Alef Nissan, and a PDF version is available here.
The Maareches of Ha’aros Hatmimim V’Anash of Morristown also publishes a weekly Kovetz Ha’aros covering all areas of Torah. It can be found under the Periodicals section on Anash.org. Anyone who has learned in Morristown – or anyone else who would like to contribute – is welcome to submit their ha’aros by emailing kovetz@rca.edu.
Such a heart warming video of Reb Zalman Shechter’s recollection of the Sicha on Jem.
Very beautiful Kovetz!
I just wanted to comment about the “new Sicha”:
1. Z.S. was known for telling over a lot of Chassidishe Maasiyos from his days as a Bachur and Yungerman, however he is not always Meduyak, veaderabe veda”l.
2. The way he says over the story is that the Chazal say that a Gerushah gets married Leyom Hashishi. I saw that here it is quoted a little differently, but i thought it would be important to note that as far as I’m concerned (and I’ve asked several people about this) there is no source to such a thing.
3. Regardless, he was a man that left the derech of torah bichlal, and of the Rebbe bifrat, and should probably be treated accordingly.
Your קנאות is not necessary here, Especially when he is just bringing to light a otherwise unknown Sicha that he heard at that young impressionable age. His fealings of affection to the Rebbe is so palpable when you watch him tell the story on Jem’s video.
Yasher koach to Sruly Rosenbloom for designing the beautiful cover! Excellent job!
He was a Cohen. The Rebbe once asked him, when he came for lekach, the he should have him, the Rebbe, in mind during birchas Cohanim. He came casually dressed. Not in a suit, jacket or hat.