Pinchas Hirschprung: Difference between revisions

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When he entered the Rebbe's room, before opening his mouth and giving the Rebbe the Pan, the Rebbe stood up and asked: "Are you the Akiva ben Yosef whose name goes from one end of the world to the other?" After a slight pause, the Rebbe continued and said: "Indeed, you are like Akiva ben Yosef"... When the scholar protested, the Rebbe smiled and asked: "Heaven forbid, why? Isn't this an explicit Talmud?..." Until Rabbi Hirschprung humbly replied: Heaven forbid to say that I am like Akiva ben Yosef...

== His Torah Study Meeting with the Rebbe ==

=== His Torah Study Meeting with the Rebbe ===

Rabbi Hirschprung visited the Rebbe several times. But he couldn't discuss Torah learning with him, since the Rebbe directed the conversation toward spreading Judaism. On this occasion, he asked the Rebbe if he could also discuss some Torah learning with him, despite the Rebbe's precious time, and the Rebbe agreed.

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From then on, his connections with the Rebbe and the Chabad community grew stronger, and in a certain sense he became a Chabad chassid.

== The Merit of Being at the Rebbe's Farbrengen ==

=== The Merit of Being at the Rebbe's Farbrengen ===

For some reason, Rabbi Hirschprung was perceived by many as an intellectual follower of the Rebbe, but not emotionally connected. However, this was a mistake.

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After the farbrengen, on the way home, the scholar couldn't stop talking about the great privilege he had to be present at the Rebbe's farbrengen. He said only a fool could go to sleep after such a farbrengen. "We must go out to the street and dance with joy, that we are worthy to gather with the Rebbe shortly after what happened."

~~== A True Chassid ==~~

~~One of his students related:~~

One year, his wife became ill with a cancerous tumor. The doctors said the situation was critical and doubted if surgery would help. Rabbi Hirschprung was deeply heartbroken upon hearing this, and a severe change came over him. He changed from an active person to an exhausted, lifeless man. He stopped coming to the yeshiva and didn't speak with anyone there. The only thing he didn't neglect was the general lecture he gave, but even this lacked his usual enthusiasm.

One day I met his son, and during our conversation he said, "Do you know that my father is a great chassid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe!" When I didn't react, his son continued saying, you should know that not only is he a chassid, but he is also connected heart and soul with the Rebbe, and I don't know if you can find a greater chassid than him.

As proof, he told the following story: When my mother's health was in serious condition, my father's mood was terrible. It became so serious that we children sat and cried over both parents. Over our mother who lay in bed, and over our father, who sat beside her in depression.

One day I was alone at home with my parents when a letter from the Rebbe arrived in the mail. My father was sitting and learning, and when I told him a letter arrived from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he got up, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, put on his hat and jacket, and then stood to read the Rebbe's letter.

~~I stood aside and watched. Suddenly he rushed to my mother's room and said: I just received a letter from the Rebbe. The Rebbe wrote the letter in Hebrew but I'm willing to translate it to Yiddish.~~

It was a letter from the Rebbe. At the end of the letter, the Rebbe added several handwritten lines: Regarding what you wrote about your wife - this is only the evil inclination's advice wanting to weaken you. Therefore don't pay attention to it, it's not true at all, and only the evil inclination's claim, and you and your wife will merit long days and good years.

Father stood next to mother, called her by name and said, thank God there is a Rebbe, the Rebbe said it will be good and there's nothing to worry about. In an instant, he changed drastically from one extreme to another in a 180-degree turn. And returned to being an active and lively person as before.

In the weeks that followed, until my mother's complete recovery - things were reversed. While the family was worried, it was impossible to talk to him about his wife's health condition. Even on the day of surgery, when they took her to the operating room he wasn't concerned, and didn't understand why his family was worried, after all the Rebbe said she was healthy. When the doctors said the tumor had stopped growing, he wasn't excited to the family's amazement, since he had no doubt otherwise.

~~His son concluded: Is there another chassid like him? Is there anyone more connected than he is?"~~

== The Rebbe as Moshiach ==

According to his student Rabbi Meir Plotkin, it was clear to him that the Rebbe is King Moshiach. When he asked his teacher: What did you see in the Rebbe that you didn't see in anyone else? Rabbi Hirschprung replied: There are two things that make the Rebbe unique, and there is no one like him. 1) His Torah study. 2) Leader of the generation. And I tell you that there is no one like him, not only in our generation but also in previous generations. I was with Rabbi Meir Shapiro in Lublin, with Rabbi Menachem Zemba, and all the geniuses of the previous generation, and I didn't find one who resembles the Rebbe's greatness in all areas of Torah. And it's unnecessary to elaborate on his leadership... He is the only one about whom it can be said that he is presumed to be Moshiach.

According to his student [[Rabbi Meir Plotkin]], it was clear to him that the Rebbe is King Moshiach. When he asked his teacher: What did you see in the Rebbe that you didn't see in anyone else? Rabbi Hirschprung replied: There are two things that make the Rebbe unique, and there is no one like him. 1) His [[Torah]] study. 2) Leader of the generation. And I tell you that there is no one like him, not only in our generation but also in previous generations. I was with Rabbi Meir Shapiro in Lublin, with Rabbi Menachem Zemba, and all the geniuses of the previous generation, and I didn't find one who resembles the Rebbe's greatness in all areas of Torah. And it's unnecessary to elaborate on his leadership... He is the only one about whom it can be said that he is presumed to be Moshiach.

In his Shabbat HaGadol sermon after the 27th of Adar 1992, almost half of his sermon revolved around the fact that the head of the Jewish people was ill. He expanded on the topic of the head of the Jewish people, and said that every Jew needs the Rebbe healthy, because he and only he is the leader of the generation. With tears in his eyes, the scholar cried to heaven and aroused the congregation, which was mostly composed of Lithuanian Jews, to pray for the Rebbe's recovery.

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* Heichal HaBaal Shem Tov, Issue 31, Nissan 2011 p. 30 onwards (Rabbi Hirschprung's correspondence with the Rebbe)

* Mendy Korts, "'Expertise in Sources is Special with You'", Kfar Chabad Weekly, Issue 2081, 'Guests' Supplement p. 12 (Sukkot 5785)

[[ Category: Rabbonim]]

@@ Line 22: / Line 22: @@
 When he entered the Rebbe's room, before opening his mouth and giving the Rebbe the Pan, the Rebbe stood up and asked: "Are you the Akiva ben Yosef whose name goes from one end of the world to the other?" After a slight pause, the Rebbe continued and said: "Indeed, you are like Akiva ben Yosef"... When the scholar protested, the Rebbe smiled and asked: "Heaven forbid, why? Isn't this an explicit Talmud?..." Until Rabbi Hirschprung humbly replied: Heaven forbid to say that I am like Akiva ben Yosef...
-== His Torah Study Meeting with the Rebbe ==
+=== His Torah Study Meeting with the Rebbe ===
 Rabbi Hirschprung visited the Rebbe several times. But he couldn't discuss Torah learning with him, since the Rebbe directed the conversation toward spreading Judaism. On this occasion, he asked the Rebbe if he could also discuss some Torah learning with him, despite the Rebbe's precious time, and the Rebbe agreed.
@@ Line 35: / Line 35: @@
 From then on, his connections with the Rebbe and the Chabad community grew stronger, and in a certain sense he became a Chabad chassid.
-== The Merit of Being at the Rebbe's Farbrengen ==
+=== The Merit of Being at the Rebbe's Farbrengen ===
 For some reason, Rabbi Hirschprung was perceived by many as an intellectual follower of the Rebbe, but not emotionally connected. However, this was a mistake.
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 After the farbrengen, on the way home, the scholar couldn't stop talking about the great privilege he had to be present at the Rebbe's farbrengen. He said only a fool could go to sleep after such a farbrengen. "We must go out to the street and dance with joy, that we are worthy to gather with the Rebbe shortly after what happened."
-== A True Chassid ==
-One of his students related:
-One year, his wife became ill with a cancerous tumor. The doctors said the situation was critical and doubted if surgery would help. Rabbi Hirschprung was deeply heartbroken upon hearing this, and a severe change came over him. He changed from an active person to an exhausted, lifeless man. He stopped coming to the yeshiva and didn't speak with anyone there. The only thing he didn't neglect was the general lecture he gave, but even this lacked his usual enthusiasm.
-One day I met his son, and during our conversation he said, "Do you know that my father is a great chassid of the Lubavitcher Rebbe!" When I didn't react, his son continued saying, you should know that not only is he a chassid, but he is also connected heart and soul with the Rebbe, and I don't know if you can find a greater chassid than him.
-As proof, he told the following story: When my mother's health was in serious condition, my father's mood was terrible. It became so serious that we children sat and cried over both parents. Over our mother who lay in bed, and over our father, who sat beside her in depression.
-One day I was alone at home with my parents when a letter from the Rebbe arrived in the mail. My father was sitting and learning, and when I told him a letter arrived from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he got up, went to the kitchen to wash his hands, put on his hat and jacket, and then stood to read the Rebbe's letter.
-I stood aside and watched. Suddenly he rushed to my mother's room and said: I just received a letter from the Rebbe. The Rebbe wrote the letter in Hebrew but I'm willing to translate it to Yiddish.
-It was a letter from the Rebbe. At the end of the letter, the Rebbe added several handwritten lines: Regarding what you wrote about your wife - this is only the evil inclination's advice wanting to weaken you. Therefore don't pay attention to it, it's not true at all, and only the evil inclination's claim, and you and your wife will merit long days and good years.
-Father stood next to mother, called her by name and said, thank God there is a Rebbe, the Rebbe said it will be good and there's nothing to worry about. In an instant, he changed drastically from one extreme to another in a 180-degree turn. And returned to being an active and lively person as before.
-In the weeks that followed, until my mother's complete recovery - things were reversed. While the family was worried, it was impossible to talk to him about his wife's health condition. Even on the day of surgery, when they took her to the operating room he wasn't concerned, and didn't understand why his family was worried, after all the Rebbe said she was healthy. When the doctors said the tumor had stopped growing, he wasn't excited to the family's amazement, since he had no doubt otherwise.
-His son concluded: Is there another chassid like him? Is there anyone more connected than he is?"
 == The Rebbe as Moshiach ==
-According to his student Rabbi Meir Plotkin, it was clear to him that the Rebbe is King Moshiach. When he asked his teacher: What did you see in the Rebbe that you didn't see in anyone else? Rabbi Hirschprung replied: There are two things that make the Rebbe unique, and there is no one like him. 1) His Torah study. 2) Leader of the generation. And I tell you that there is no one like him, not only in our generation but also in previous generations. I was with Rabbi Meir Shapiro in Lublin, with Rabbi Menachem Zemba, and all the geniuses of the previous generation, and I didn't find one who resembles the Rebbe's greatness in all areas of Torah. And it's unnecessary to elaborate on his leadership... He is the only one about whom it can be said that he is presumed to be Moshiach.
+According to his student [[Rabbi Meir Plotkin]], it was clear to him that the Rebbe is King Moshiach. When he asked his teacher: What did you see in the Rebbe that you didn't see in anyone else? Rabbi Hirschprung replied: There are two things that make the Rebbe unique, and there is no one like him. 1) His [[Torah]] study. 2) Leader of the generation. And I tell you that there is no one like him, not only in our generation but also in previous generations. I was with Rabbi Meir Shapiro in Lublin, with Rabbi Menachem Zemba, and all the geniuses of the previous generation, and I didn't find one who resembles the Rebbe's greatness in all areas of Torah. And it's unnecessary to elaborate on his leadership... He is the only one about whom it can be said that he is presumed to be Moshiach.
 In his Shabbat HaGadol sermon after the 27th of Adar 1992, almost half of his sermon revolved around the fact that the head of the Jewish people was ill. He expanded on the topic of the head of the Jewish people, and said that every Jew needs the Rebbe healthy, because he and only he is the leader of the generation. With tears in his eyes, the scholar cried to heaven and aroused the congregation, which was mostly composed of Lithuanian Jews, to pray for the Rebbe's recovery.
@@ Line 107: / Line 86: @@
 * Heichal HaBaal Shem Tov, Issue 31, Nissan 2011 p. 30 onwards (Rabbi Hirschprung's correspondence with the Rebbe)
 * Mendy Korts, "'Expertise in Sources is Special with You'", Kfar Chabad Weekly, Issue 2081, 'Guests' Supplement p. 12 (Sukkot 5785)
 [[ Category: Rabbonim]]