When Mr. Howard Peritsky and his father were called to fix the windows in the Rebbe’s room, they didn’t realize who it was. And then the Rebbe offered them to put on tefillin.
By Anash.org staff
In a circulated video, Mr. Howard Peritsky shares with shliach Rabbi Levi Wilhem of Southwest Las Vegas an incredible story of how he put on tefillin with the Rebbe.
At that time, Howard worked with his father at a company in New York called Precision Glass. In 1982, he got a service call for the Rebbe’s room.
“We received a phone call for service at 770. Not knowing the significance of that property, my father and I went down there. We found out that we needed to apply a coating to a window in the Rebbe’s office, since there was too much sunlight coming into the office.
“When we entered his office, he was there. He asked us if we were Jewish, and we said yes. He then asked me if I had laid tefillin that morning, and I said that I had not. So we laid tefillin with the Rebbe.
“It was an honor that I never ever forgot!”
VIDEO:
Doubt it. It was probably one of the mashbakim or secretary’s.
Was it the rebbes tefillin??
This story doesn’t make sense. It was probably Rabbi Groner who put on tefillin with him.
The story can’t be true as told.
1. There is no film on the windows in the Rebbe’s room, and there was never a reason for any to be placed there. (The clear plexi-glass came many years after 1982, and for other reasons).
2. The windows in the Rebbe’s room face North, and have no issue with sun glare.
3. Besides, the shades were usually closed.
4. Finally, there was no need to bring workers into the Rebbe’s room Davka while the Rebbe was there. There were plenty other hours in the day.
He may have met the Rebbe, but confused that detail with the other nice rabbis he met that day.
In general I agree. There have been other known stories where the Rebbe instructed Mazkirus to put Teffilin on certain individuals.
I agree as I doubt the Rebbe himself personally assisted this gentleman to put on Teffilin.
I don’t think this guy would just come up with a total Bobbe-Maiyse for no reason. Details – exact details are needed.
Nevertheless the. Thanks for sharing your interesting points.
I’m sure we will find out details sooner or later.
What a unique amazing experience. Very possible the only one (at least here in NY).
Much appreciated you sharing this story, But where’s the details.. what exactly did it mean the Rebbe put on Teffilin on him?
Who’s Teffilin was used ?
Etc etc.
bsd
I habe no direct comment on the story (as I was not there), but would like to share two episodes that I did witness:
1) There was a Yid that was (briefly) married to a woman from Cincninnati. I met him and he told me how close he was to Rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson (Tzivos Hashem and our mechutan) and that Rabbi Benjaminson brought him to the REbbe and how the Rebbe was involved with being Mekarev his daughter. It turns out that the main person that he referred to as “the rebbe from eastern parkway” was JJ Hecht Z”L at NCFJE (whose Yahrzteit is tonight).
2) For many years, I went on Mivtzoim with Rabbi Zalman Baras A”H to the “flooring store” (I am not sure it still exists) at the end of Empire Blvd (near prospect park) which was family owned. One of the sons kept telling me that they did remodeling of the flooring (or carpet?) at the “headquerters of lubavitch” at eastern Parkeay where he met the grand Rabbi. It has been many years since, but again it turned out that it was not the Rebbe himself (maybe Rabbi Groner and again Rabbi hecht at NCFJE).
Thank you Rabbi Gershi. Indeed a Rabbi is a Rabbi is a Rabbi. One never knows.
May I respectfully ask. In history did the Rebbe ever put on Teffilin on anyone that we know of ?
(A Shmua….. Albert Einstein -?)
BH
In my opinion it is very common that the Rebbe Melech Hamoshiach will ask someone an yechidus if he has teffilin and will talk to him about laying teffilin every morning.and WILL GIVE HIM A PAIR as a present.
I met a yid in Rabbi Stone’s Chabad house in the LES of Manahtten who got teffilin from the Rebbe.
He said the Rebbe asked him “דו האסט א תפילין” i said “no” the rebbe pressed a button and the mizkirus came in and the rebbe asked for a pair of teffilin and the Rebbe took them out of the bag and shook them by his ear and then gave them to him. (it is interesting because i know of someone that baught teffilin from a yerie shomayim store and they were empty by-mistake)
In the audio of the english long hour-and-half yechidus with frank lautenberg in 5732 the Rebbe speaks about teffilin and says now is forbiden “but if you will permit i will be very happy to present you with a pair of tefilin”. you can hear it here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fQD3krZEUOel0igwIQCWu4l4x_OVRASI/view?usp=sharing
(the first half hour is hard to hear because of a banging noise but afterwards is tremendously sweet to listen to)