Editing Pictures and Portraits of Our Rebbes (section)

==== The Rebbe's Questions to Photographers About Their Learning That Day ====
In the early years, the Rebbe opposed photographing him, so no one dared to photograph the Rebbe, so children were sent to photograph the Rebbe. When the Rebbe noticed a child photographing him, he would ask for the camera. When the Rebbe discovered the child Gershon Shusterman preparing to photograph him as he left a wedding ceremony, the Rebbe asked him if his teacher was satisfied with him, and added, "Is Chassidus for you just photography and collecting pictures?" The Rebbe approached the principal of the Talmud Torah where Gershon studied – Rabbi Tenenbaum – and requested that they test him on the material he was studying in his class, and if he failed the test, Rabbi Tenenbaum would have to confiscate his camera. The next day, Gershon was called for a fifteen-minute test in Rabbi Tenenbaum's room, after which his camera was returned to him.

When a Chabad photographer came to document the 'Kos Shel Bracha' ceremony, the Rebbe asked him if he had studied Torah that day. Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Freidin, who was standing nearby, said, "Rebbe, he's fine," to which the Rebbe replied: "I myself saw him talking during the Torah reading."

Similarly, at one of the Chai Elul farbrengens attended by a photographer, the Rebbe asked him if he had studied that day's portion of Tanya. The photographer was stunned, and the Rebbe turned to Rabbi Yoel Kahn and asked him if the photographer had learned Tanya today, and if not – Rabbi Yoel should learn with him. When Rabbi Yoel couldn't find a Tanya, the Rebbe lent him his own Tanya booklet.

A public reference eventually came at the farbrengen of 20 Marcheshvan 5744/1983, in which the Rebbe spoke painfully about those who think that "Chassidus" is "photographing pictures," and quoted the words of the Rebbe Rashab - "don't be preoccupied with externalities."<blockquote>There are those who think that the concept of "Chassidus" is expressed by standing with a "camera" and constantly taking pictures - how someone walks, how they stand, how they make a certain movement, etc., and they do this once, twice, three times, and so on! And among them - yeshiva students who could be sitting and learning Chassidus! I once approached one of them and asked if he had already learned Tanya that day - [this was around Mincha time - close to the end of the day!...] in addition to standing and taking pictures? And he didn't understand at all what was wanted from him! What is the connection between taking a picture and learning Torah?! - He was busy with the most important thing - taking pictures. And suddenly he's asked if he has already learned Tanya during the day - something he could have done before or after, during a time that isn't day or night! - This is truly a question "not in the realm of understanding" according to his comprehension!

Where did such an "understanding" come from - since "no one opens their mouth to protest"! No one bothers to explain (to himself or to the student) and to remind that the one whose birthday we celebrate constantly demanded "ligt nisht in chitzonius" [don't dwell in externalities]!? And we're talking about the "externalities" of "Chassidus"! But "externalities" of "photography" - this never existed!...

There are those for whom this is a matter of "livelihood"; there are individuals who do it for the sake of "spreading" - meaning, the use of "satellite," films, pictures, etc. is for the purpose of spreading Chassidus; but besides these matters - one needs to know that there is an instruction from the Rebbe Rashab - that his desire is for "pnimiyus" [internality] and not "chitzonius" [externality]! 

— Farbrengen of 20 Mar-Cheshvan 5744 (1983). Hisvaaduyos 5744 Vol. 1 p. 485 and on.</blockquote>It appears that in his words, the Rebbe was referring to an event that took place a few years earlier on Chol HaMoed Sukkos 5738 (1977) when two students stood close to the Rebbe and photographed him.