• Anonymous -7 years ago

  thank you

  would you know where i could find the letter the rebbe sent out right after yom tov thanking every one for saying tehilim for the rebbe?

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• S

  Sima -11 years ago

  Chodesh of Geula!
  As an avid listener to Yeshiva.net's shiurim, I want to thank you, HaRav Paltiel and HaRav YY Jacobson, and all of the other wonderful Rabbanim on this site for such great learning.  Being home with little ones and having such wonderful Torah to listen to while cooking, chores etc... is such a bracha.  I loved this shiur very much and ask HKBH to bless you all with the kochos of the Rebbe, to enable you to keep up the wonderful deliverance of the wellsprings of chassidus.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  Chodesh tov!

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• AA

  An admirer -11 years ago

  Thank you
  A gut chodesh....maybe too many of us are silent and simply enjoy the classes 

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• J

  joy -12 years ago

  appreciation
  thank you thank you thank you

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• R

  Rafi -12 years ago

  Questions
  Rabbi Patel,
  
  
  
  
  
  I wish you would have understood how vital it is to quote every source in detail. If not, people do not believe. Too many stories have been fabricated.
  
  
  
  
  
  1) The story of the Rebbe referencing the Zohar -- if it does not say in Zohar, then the story must not be true, Why would you not research the zohar before you repeat a quote from zohar about such a critical issue as the Rebbe living longer?
  
  
  
  
  
  And what is the source of that story? Is it in writing? did you hear it from R. Hecht?
  
  
  
  
  
  2) All the stories about the Rebbetzin not allowing them to take the Rebbe, what are the sources? Why would you not verify what happened? Maybe the entire thing is a fabrication?
  
  
  
  
  
  3) The story of Cleavlend, are we suppose to believe it without a name and an address? If you were delivering a paper in University, this would be unacceptable. why do we all think we can get away with just "telling stories" because we are not lecturing in UNIV.?
  
  
  
  
  
  Your classes are good, you seem to have a scientific mind, which is why I am surprised that you do not allow your words to reflect the highest levels of rigorous scholarship.

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  • A

    Anonymous -12 years ago

    Re: Questions
    Dear Rafi, I’m including your questions in my response to make it more readable to others etc.
    
    
     
    
    
    I wish you would have understood how vital it is to quote every source in detail. If not, people do not believe. Too many stories have been fabricated.
    
    
    
    
    
    There are numerous reasons why not to name a source if the story is not from a printed source. As you indicate, a source is very necessary for the reasons you listed and when a story is printed I at least basically make referane to the source. When I’ve heard the story baal pe, there are reasons why it’s best not to quote the source, such as:
    
    
     
    
    
    A. I’ve been specifically told by my source not to disclose his name because often the people who worked closely with the Rebbe and Rebbetzin did so under the strictest expactaition for discretion. When someone shares with me something he witnessed personally 35 years ago and says that at this time his name cannot be associated with the story, I must honor that.
    
    
     
    
    
    B. Believe it or not, telling stories ‘bshaim omrum’ can lead to loshon hara. How? Simple so and so will say of so and so that he exaggerates and so and so will say of so and so, that he confuses and mixes stories together etc.
    
    
     
    
    
    I must tell you that I have my own filter when repeating stories I’ve heard, that have no printed source. I base it on various factors, including asking my source the very questions you asked. But my judgment sometimes leads me to not say where I heard it, for the aforementioned reason.
    
    
     
    
    
    I will tell you my sources to the extent I’m able, and I assure you that someone somewhere in the world someone reading this will say “Oh him, he is known to exaggerate etc.”
    
    
    
    
    
    1) The story of the Rebbe referencing the Zohar -- if it does not say in Zohar, then the story must not be true, why would you not research the Zohar before you repeat a quote from Zohar about such a critical issue as the Rebbe living longer?
    
    
    
    
    
    And what is the source of that story? Is it in writing? Did you hear it from R. Hecht?
    
    
     
    
    
    I heard it from my Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Ezra Shochat in Los Angeles many years ago. It was within several years of the events (in the early eighties) and he heard it personally form Rabbi Hecht. Since last week when I recorded this class, I met someone who knew the page in the Zohar the Rebbe referred Rabbi Hecht to. It is the Hakdama of the Zohar on daf 6-7. I looked up the story and it is very involved and I intend to learn it properly (and then find an opportunity to teach it). I saw enough of it however, to see that the story was there, tough it is quite involved.
    
    
    
    
    
    2) All the stories about the Rebbetzin not allowing them to take the Rebbe, what are the sources? Why would you not verify what happened? Maybe the entire thing is a fabrication?
    
    
     
    
    
    These stories have been told in Lubavitch since they occurred. I heard these stories growing up, as early as the next year (1978/9) after they occurred. At that time there was no need to quote sources because there were so many people around who witnessed it. The secretaries, Rabbanim and Doctors all told the same story. People from whome I’ve heard these stories recently are Dr. Feldman and Rabbis Groner and Halbeshtam among others. I also have a source that asked not to be identified who worked in 770 at that time and overheard the discussion.
    
    
    
    
    
    3) The story of Cleaved, are we suppose to believe it without a name and an address? If you were delivering a paper in University, this would be unacceptable. Why do we all think we can get away with just "telling stories" because we are not lecturing in UNIV.?
    
    
     
    
    
    Well, I’m not writing a paper for a University. Moreover, frequently people with “University discretion and integrity” quote pathetic sources because they serve their purposes that are so obviously false or partial or unsubstantiated. Simply reading something in a book, I’ve learned does not constitute accuracy or even a desire to seek the truth. Sorry for being honest but this is my experience.
    
    
     
    
    
    We “get away with telling stories” because there is an assumption that we’re are dealing with Chassidim who care about their Rebbe and his teachings and want only the truth. These same stories told by people who were not seriously connected to the Rebbe and his teachings, would be judged (by me at least) with a far more critical eye.
    
    
     
    
    
    The Cleveland story I heard from Rabbi YY Jacobson and I’m quoting his name here with his permission. I heard the story from him more than a decade ago, which was much much closer to the time he heard the story from his source. The name of the man is Markowitz and he lives in Queens. Rabbi Jacobson said to me that he heard the story from the man himself.
    
    
     
    
    
    When I tell stories in my classes I assume that my listeners accept that I won’t mislead them. This is how Chassidim have always told stories and there is a lot of critical examining of what people tell each other. I am asked all the time for my sources. But the questions are not asked so that “I not get away with just telling stories" but because people want to trace them back to their source, but not because they doubt them.
    
    
    
    
    
    Your classes are good, you seem to have a scientific mind, which is why I am surprised that you do not allow your words to reflect the highest levels of rigorous scholarship.
    
    
     
    
    
    Your identifying me as a scientific mind is in no way flattering. I would be far more moved if you said I had a Yeshiva mind with its’ critical thinking and analysis. I take the allusion to my mind as being Scientific as an Hochacha, a sign that too much secularism has crept into my language and form and I hope to correct that.
    
    
     
    
    
    Incidentally, I saw in “The Science News” over a decade ago (and don’t remember which issue it was, so you’ll have to trust me on this, sorry) that they did a comparative study of Yeshiva boys from Yerushalayim a College students from Yerushalayim to determine whose minds were sharper and better at critical thinking and analysis, and the Yehsiva Bochurim fared better.
    
    
     
    
    
    I hope this satisfies you, but I cannot promise to spend the hour or more it took me to contact my sources and to prepare this response each time I tell a story without a source.

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• B

  Berel -12 years ago

  Name in story?
  Rabbi Paltiel, what's the name of that boy in the story, Mrs. Kazin met in the hospital?

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• Y

  Yossi -12 years ago

  taking advantage
  There were Sichos, when the Rebbe "complained" that ppl write him, when it is unnecessary, and they could rely on the Rebbe's directives. (like roife yedid, 2nd opinion etc.)

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  • A

    Anonymous -12 years ago

    Re: taking advantage
    name one such sicha. The Rebbe said he had no time to answer letters but never complained about people asking him.

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• M

  myshi -12 years ago

  Looking forward
  Can't wait!
  
  
  
  I love listening to Rabbi Paltiel fabreng with Yeshiva.net! 

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Yossi Paltiel

• November 12, 2012
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• 27 Cheshvan 5773
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• 1351 views