Yehuda Kalman Marlow: Difference between revisions

== Life History ==

== In the United States ==

His father, R' Avraham Yehoshua, despite not being among the Chassidic community, greatly admired the Chassidic ways, and when the Rayatz (Previous Rebbe) arrived in the United States, he traveled together with the Chassidim to the Rebbe's farbrengen.

After the wedding, Rabbi Marlow worked as an educator at the Lubavitcher Yeshiva and became a beloved teacher. Even when the burden of making a living fell upon him, he never stopped studying Torah for a moment. In the morning hours, he would teach at the yeshiva, and after classes ended, he would go to the synagogue and sit down to study with diligence and persistence. Only in the late night hours would he return home.

Every year he would complete several tractates in depth, and before each holiday, he would thoroughly review all the laws related to that holiday. He also had a special study schedule for learning the laws applicable throughout the year. He knew the entire Torah with Rashi's commentary and Targum Onkelos by heart, and was a very precise Torah reader. The cantillation marks were fluent on his tongue.

== Spreading the Message of Redemption ==

Similarly, in the summer of 5751, when the rabbinical rulings that the time of redemption had arrived and that the Rebbe is King Moshiach were being considered, Rabbi Marlow was one of the most dominant forces in the matter.

His strong faith in the Rebbe as King Moshiach was also expressed during his illness when doctors ordered him to be confined to his bed. On the first Shabbat after his surgery, while he was in the hospital, ten students from the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva at 770 came to pray Kabbalat Shabbat with the Rabbi in a minyan. Before they began praying, family members asked them to hurry the prayer somewhat, due to the Rabbi's condition. When they reached the end of "Lecha Dodi," the Rabbi signaled with his hand for them to do a 'Yechi' dance. When he noticed their hesitation, he rose from his chair and began dancing himself and singing 'Yechi Adoneinu.' The dancing continued for ten minutes, after which he returned to his bed completely exhausted. The effort was so great that after the prayer, the Rabbi was unable to make Kiddush and had to rest for two full hours. After he woke up, he told his family that this was a special prayer, and afterward made Kiddush.

It should be noted that Rabbi Marlow was among the Chabad rabbis who issued a Torah ruling that it is forbidden to write titles implying the opposite of life about the Rebbe.

== His Passing ==

After Tishrei 5760, the Rabbi felt strange fatigue. Initially, he thought it was accumulated tiredness, but after several weeks he realized it was something much more serious. He went for medical tests, where it was discovered that he had a cancerous tumor spreading near his brain. A surgery date was immediately set to remove the tumor.

The surgery was scheduled for 7 Kislev. The night before surgery, the Rabbi was hospitalized for medical monitoring. He used that night to study the Turei Zahav on the laws of Chanukah in depth. He was so immersed in his studies that he didn't even notice his son-in-law Rabbi Schechter entering and leaving the room every half hour.

After the first surgery, when he returned to the hospital, he wrote a letter to the Rebbe and inserted it into the Igrot Kodesh. In his letter, the Rabbi asked for a blessing that he would not become a burden on his family members during his illness.

Indeed, his condition began to stabilize. Two months later, the illness attacked him again, this time much more severely, and he became bedridden. His last public appearance was on the eve of 10 Shevat 5760 (at an event celebrating fifty years of the Rebbe's leadership at 'Ohalei Torah' hall, where he gave an especially long speech of about forty-five minutes). After 10 Shevat, he could no longer leave his home, and the Temimim (yeshiva students) would organize minyanim in his house. From then on, the Rabbi's condition did not improve, and for eight months he suffered prolonged afflictions. The name 'Chaim' was added to his name.

On Thursday night, 20 Sivan 5760, he went to the hospital for medical treatment. During treatment, a few minutes after midnight on Friday morning, the Rabbi suffered a heart attack from which he did not recover.

== His Family ==

* His wife, Rebbetzin Chaya Marlow

* His son, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Marlow - emissary and rabbi at 'Beit Menachem' synagogue in N. Miami Beach, Florida

== Activities in His Memory ==

# Mivtza Shoneh Halachos - Each year, hundreds of children from Ohalei Torah and Lubavitcher Yeshiva institutions memorize dozens of sections in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch with the Alter Rebbe's rulings and are tested on the laws. At the end of the campaign, a quiz is held between students of the institutions, attended by students' parents and Crown Heights residents. A number of judges examine the participants to determine which children will advance and win prizes.

# Yehuda Kalman Evening Yeshiva - Each year, children from educational institutions in Crown Heights participate in evening yeshiva programs throughout the year, receiving holy books and book purchase vouchers for religious bookstores.

# Tiferet Yehuda Kalman - For the first yahrzeit of Rabbi Marlow (20 Sivan 5761), a "Memorial Book - Tiferet Yehuda Kalman" was published in his honor and memory. It included teachings from our Rebbes, first Chassidim, scholarly discussions from rabbis worldwide, and a brief history of the Beis Din and Rabbi Marlow's life. For the second yahrzeit (20 Sivan 5762), a second volume was published.

# Torah Scroll - Writing of a Torah scroll in memory of Rabbi Marlow.