Editing Menachem Mendel Futerfas (section)

==After 27 Adar and 3 Tammuz==

Following 27 Adar and 3 Tammuz, against the backdrop of the concealment that appeared then and enveloped the Chassidic community, Reb Mendel's Chassidic personality and his firm faith and hiskashrus shone forth.

His Response to the State of Concealment

The Rebbe's health condition (to physical eyes) touched Reb Mendel's heart and naturally caused him a lack in the line of joy. During that period, he would sit with tears streaming from his eyes. He could barely speak, only repeating again and again in prayer to the Master of the World: We must have the Rebbe healthy! Not in secret, not in hint, not in derush, but in simple pshat, to our physical eyes! During that period, he would frequently recite Tehillim while wiping his abundant tears with his handkerchief. On the other hand, he never ceased to encourage and call everyone not to be affected and not to be impressed. To go forward with heads held high, in the way the Rebbe guides us.

After Tishrei 1993, when the Rebbe began appearing on the balcony, Reb Mendel expressed: "Nothing can be understood. Every day there are new revelations."

At a farbrengen on Shabbos Mevorchim Teves 1993, Reb Mendel farbrenged in 770 with yungeleit and baalei batim from Anash and said that everyone needs to take upon themselves something in connection with the Rebbe's condition. When one of the baalei batim asked him what he was taking upon himself, Reb Mendel answered that he took upon himself to learn Masechta Beitza, which was physically difficult for him in those years.

About two weeks after 3 Tammuz, Reb Mendel farbrenged in the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, and although his eyes were streaming with tears, and he barely spoke anything, he said one sentence which he repeated again and again: "He, the yetzer hara, wants us to 'fall' into despair and depression - no and no! We will not 'give' him in any way! Zogt a nigun, a freilichen nigun!, Freilacher, freilacher!"

He would repeatedly quote Rashi's words on the verse "Be tamim with Hashem your G-d" - "Walk with Him in simplicity and wait for Him, and do not investigate the future."

In Sivan 1995, shortly before Reb Mendel's passing, his grandson Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Liberow asked him regarding the printing of the translated Likkutei Sichos books which he refused to print without the title "Shlita" for the Rebbe, but this involved great difficulties and pressures. Upon hearing the question, Reb Mendel immediately responded: "We need to whistle at the world and write shlita." After a few moments of thought, Reb Mendel continued and said: "And if it's possible to act in a way that won't cause argument - certainly good." Following this, Rabbi Liberow found a solution to print the books with the title shlita and note on the title page: "May this be the year of wondrous redemption."

I'll translate this document while keeping Judaic terms intact and organizing it with headings.
[[File:6426e5b8892f5 1680270776 news main gallery.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Reb Mendel during a Farbrengen in Kfar Chabad]]
=== Traveling to the Rebbe for Tishrei and Kvutza ===
Before Tishrei 1993, the first month of holidays after 27 Adar, Reb Mendel farbrenged with the Tmimim and Anash in the yeshiva in Kfar for about five hours, with his words being interrupted by crying and prayers that the obstacles should be removed. Along with this, he emphasized that from our side we must "make vessels" - travel to the Rebbe as we were accustomed to every year, and the "vessels" themselves will "draw down light" and hasten the Rebbe's revelation. Reb Mendel's words were written down by his student Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Ginzburg and published for all Anash in the 'Opinions' section of the Kfar Chabad weekly and stirred reactions.

Another point that Reb Mendel expressed was that even when we see the Rebbe, we don't understand the Rebbe - "We understand the Rebbe like a goat understands a human being, therefore, one needs to travel to the Rebbe even if we don't see and hear." Reb Mendel himself was among the few elder Chassidim who came from Eretz Yisroel to 770 at the beginning of Tishrei 1993.

During the yechidus and dollar distribution that the Rebbe held on 26 Tishrei 1994, the Rebbe unusually extended his hand and gave a dollar to Reb Mendel, while all other passersby extended their hands and took the dollar from the Rebbe's hand.

Even after 3 Tammuz, before Tishrei 1995, Reb Mendel expressed a firm position about the need to travel to the Rebbe even in the current situation. In discussions of the Tomchei Tmimim Kfar Chabad administration when it was proposed to shorten the stay of Kvutza students in 770, Reb Mendel protested: "A complete year! Not even one minute less!" He was also asked then by his student Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Ginzburg if it could be said in his name that even now after 3 Tammuz one needs to travel to the Rebbe for Tishrei. Upon hearing the question's wording, Reb Mendel exclaimed: "What? 'Need to travel'? We must travel!" Reb Mendel himself began traveling to the Rebbe for Tishrei 1995 but due to health reasons was stopped midway in England with his family where he stayed until his passing.

=== Encouragement and Vitality in Matters of Moshiach ===
The niggun "Chayalei Adoneinu Moshiach Tzidkeinu" was always familiar on Reb Mendel's tongue.

In summer 1992, Tomim Yitzchak Axelrod approached him and expressed his shock at cold and cynical talk heard from respected Anash regarding the Chassidim's faith, and Reb Mendel responded: "This comes from haskalah without avodah."

Before 10 Shevat 1993, when there were those who tried to obstruct the satellite broadcast event and its transmission in Eretz HaKodesh by convening a meeting of rabbonim, Reb Mendel's student Reb Betzalel Kupchik approached him and asked him to come to the meeting to express his positive opinion about holding the event. Initially, Reb Mendel strongly refused to participate in the meeting at all, saying he wasn't willing to be in the same room with them. However, after his mashpia Reb Zev Keselman came to his home and requested and instructed him to still go to the meeting, Reb Mendel agreed and arrived at the location and expressed sharp words to the participants, saying their opposition stems from their worry and fear of 'perhaps not' which is actual apikorsus, that their greatness is expressed in casting doubts and coldness, the matter of Amalek, in the matter of Moshiach. He even said then that the Rebbe's opinion in such a case is known since the Rebbe says that 'one needs to go with the most chareidi party' and also in this case when there are two groups one needs to go with the most chareidi, and this is not the group opposing the matter, etc.

In a conversation with Reb Yechezkel Sofer and Reb Tuvia Plass in winter 1993, he revealed his opinion about the 'rationalists' who supposedly worry about "saving the Rebbe's honor" from disgrace through publicizing matters of Moshiach etc.: "Don't try to understand them, I know them well, they are apikorsim yemach shmom! One who cools down the enthusiasm of a Jew who believes in the coming of Moshiach is a misnaged and..." And Reb Mendel even added and told them that these words could be published in his name.

At an Anash gathering on 28 Nissan 1993 for strengthening matters of Moshiach, Reb Mendel proclaimed the holy proclamation of Yechi Adoneinu.

In a letter from his student Reb Sholom Ber Reichman from Iyar 1993, Reb Mendel's words are described in response to what he told him about Reb Amir Rozen, a close student of Reb Mendel who was then learning in 770, who would have Shabbos meals at the home of Reb Yoel Cohen - one of the flag bearers of spreading the message of Geulah and Moshiach's identity in those days. This brought joy to Reb Mendel, and he said: "If so, then he is from the 'Meshichistim' - I have nachas from him, he has a good memory and can receive a lot from him." At a farbrengen in the yeshiva in Kfar in Iyar 1993, one of the mashpiim farbrenged and about an hour after the start of the farbrengen, Reb Mendel came from resting in his room and sat on the side while listening with visible pleasure to the mashpia's words that were said with tremendous enthusiasm about "Yechi Adoneinu" and how it comes from prayer.

Even after 3 Tammuz, Reb Mendel continued to adhere to the proclamation of "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L'olam Va'ed" after prayers, and to show this to people who were doubtful about it, he would often say it in a loud voice. When one of the young married men told him there were arguments whether to proclaim "Yechi" or not, Reb Mendel responded decisively that whoever the Rebbe is alive for needs to say "Yechi."

During that period when they would proclaim "Yechi", Reb Mendel would stand at his full height and respond despite not being able to stand in various places during the rest of davening due to his weakness. One day, one of the Roshei Yeshiva in the yeshiva in Kfar came to Reb Mendel and tried to "explain" to him how supposedly the matter of "Yechi" distances Jews etc. Reb Mendel was silent the entire time until he finished his words and then responded to him, that when someone would argue with Reb Abba Pliskin he would be silent and listen until the end and then say: "But I don't agree with you" without additional explanations, "so too I say to you: 'I don't agree with you.'"

After 3 Tammuz, when they wanted to donate a 'Yechi' sign for the walls of the zal in the yeshiva in Kfar Chabad, they asked Reb Mendel whether to add before it "and soon we will merit to Yechi..." and the like because of the differences of opinion, he answered: "No! Don't add, don't subtract, and don't change!

=== Love Between Chassidim and Rejection of Discord ===
During this period of helem v'hester (concealment) when differences of opinion increased, Reb Mendel emphasized several times the absolute necessity for love and unity to prevail among chassidim.

He frequently quoted and aroused attention to the words of the Alter Rebbe: "And do not think in your hearts about your fellow's wrongdoing."

On one particular occasion when asked about disputes on the subject, he gave a mashal about a bear that would gorge on honey until its owners devised a plan to place a branch that would whip the bear's face every time it approached. Indeed, when it approached, the branch struck it and the bear turned to fighting with it until it became exhausted and fell. The nimshal being that as a test, an antagonist is placed before us, where fighting and quarreling with them diverts our attention from the honey and the main matter.