When it was the custom to come together and tell over

Purim Torah. Someone related that the word יין (wine)

has the same numerical value as the word לקח (cake).

Someone asked “how is this possible, יין has the

numerical value of 70 and לקח has the numerical value of

138?

He answered “for this problem there is a simple solution,

to have more יין, and if two times יין comes out to be more

than לקח, then take another piece of לקח. If two times לקח

is more than two times יין and even more than three

times יין. Then you have to have so much יין and so much

לקח that either one of the two occur: Either this problem

will “work out” mathematically, or you will fulfill the

obligation of Purim to reach the limit of עד דלא ידע!

Eventually he will not be able to tell the difference

between “cursed is Haman and blessed is Mordechai.”

Certainly he will not be able to tell the difference if יין is

the numerical value of לקח!

(Maaseh Rav Tape #7 Side 2 the fifth Sicha)

Like the well known answer that the Tzemach Tzedek

gave to someone who asked “why is it that people

trample on me in the Bais Hamedresh?”

He answered “what do you expect, when you spread

yourself out on the floor. Where ever one wants to

step, you will be there to be stepd upon!”

(Maaseh Rav Tape #7 Side 2 the third Sicha)

Someone once discussed with the Rebbe the Nassi, that

miracles are needed foe [effecting , influencing] Phaorah.

But in order to effect a Yid, you must give him to understand

a deep thought or concept. This concept has already been

discussed in the “long letter” that is printed in “Hatomim”.

This is all good. But these days we see that if one sees a

miracle he is moved and touched by it. On the other hand, if

one is given a deep Mammer to learn, even if learns it from

beginning to end, and even if he understands it, it does not

leave a lasting impression on him at all. He sits right down to

have a piece of Kugal.

We have therefore seen by the Rebbe the Nassi, this idea of

miracles much more than the previous generation. The

Rebbe himself was a ‘living miracle’ the Rebbe’s doctors

testified, that the last seventeen years of the Rebbe’s life

totally defied the laws of nature.

In addition to this that most people didn’t know of all these

details, never the less, the ones who did see the miracles

and saw it with there own eyes, are many of whom are here

today. They are displaying a trick, that not only can they go

and eat Kugal right after a Mammer Chassidus, but they can

also sit and eat Kugal after seeing miracles!!

(Maaseh Rav Tape #7 Side 1 the sixth Sicha)

….As its known the story of the Rebbe the

Nassi, and a Kremnrtchuker Chossid.

Farbrengens would often be held in an

underground cellar. As the Chassid entered the

cellar, he commented that it was dark in there.

He was told that as soon as you get used to it, it

won’t be dark anymore. The Rebbe then

interfered, and said “this is the main problem

when you get used to the darkness of the dark, it

may seem that it has become lighter, when in

reality the light itself is darkness!

(Maaseh Rav Tape #5 Side 1 the fifth Sicha)

salt story

This is similar to the next story I heard from the Frierdiker Rebbe.

He told that in Russia the train had three classes, third class, second class and first class. It was said in a comical way that a rich person travels in the second class and a poor person travels specifically in first class.

What is the explanation?

A rich person travels on his own money and his own money he is careful with. If he can get by with less money, then he'll travel in the second class. But a poor man travels anyway with someone else's money. If he's traveling on someone else's money, he might as well travel comfortably so he travels in first class.

(Maaseh Rav Tape # 13 נר ה' דחנוכה תש"מ)

It is said of the Baal Shem Tov that he would never want money

left in his house overnight. The “left over” money would disturb

him of his Cheshbon Hanefesh at Krias Shema. He’d therefore

give all away before he’d prepare himself for sleep, night after

night.

This type of conduct is foreign to American Culture. Here in

America, one must first have a savings account together with a

checkbook. Then it is a must to have money put into another

account. Some money must be left over to be put into a sock so

that nobody will know of it, and then there must be a safe in

order to be exempt of paying taxes. There must also be life

insurance, fire insurance, car insurance and building insurance.

All these insurances are also money.

What ever it may be, once in a while we should be able to empty

our pockets more often then once a week on Erev Shabbos. This

should be done on any given Tuesday. After doing so, just rely

on Hashem that he will repay you with thousands more.

What I mean is, those who are worthy can be like the students of

the Baal Shem Tov. As the Rebbe the Nassi related, once on

Motzai Shabbos before Havdolah, the Baal Shem Tov entered

the room where the Chassisim were gathered, and ordered that

a candle should be lit. Being that it was just after Shabbos, none

of the Chassidim had money to go and buy a candle. But with

complete faith in the Rebbe’s words, they put their hands in their

pockets and behold there was money. They went and bought

candles.

(Maaseh Rav Tape #5 Side 2 the tenth Sicha)

…. As the known story of Reb Shmuel Munkes and the

Alter Rebbe. We spoke earlier, when they came to

arrest the Alter Rebbe he went into hiding with a couple

of Chassidim to discus the situation. Amongst those

who were present was Reb Shmuel Munkes. The Alter

Rebbe turned to him and asked, “What do you think

should be done?” Reb Shmuel replied, that the Rebbe

should give himself in. The Alter Rebbe asked, “But

what about the danger of this despicable government?

Is it not Pikuach Nefesh where even the slightest doubt

of hundreds and thousands of doubts, one must be

Doyche the entire torah?” Reb Shmuel Munkes

answered, “If you are a Rebbe then not even they can

harm you. But if Chas Veshalom, you’re not a Rebbe then what right

did you have to take away the pleasure and enjoyment

from so many Yidden?”

The Alter Rebbe’s Derech at the time was that a Yid

shouldn’t associate himself with physical enjoyments

and pleasures, rather the pleasure and enjoyment

should be only in G-dly things, like the pleasure that the

Neshama has while being in the body.

(Maaseh Rav Tape #5 Side 2 the second Sicha)

As it’s known the cute story which is told over,

how a big rabbi once asked, “Why is it, when

someone comes and asks me a Halachik question

regarding a big ox, which is worth a lot of money, and

I tell him that it is not kosher, he doesn’t put up a fuse

about it to investigate again perhaps I can find it to be

kosher. On the other hand, when two people come to

me with a dispute regarding a small sum of money

and the ruling is in favor of one of them. In most

cases the second one would start a whole

commotion, why did I rule in favor of the other if there

is this and this reason for me to get the

money…..etc.”

The answer was also answered is a cute way but

having to do with the way our Nefesh works. When

the ruling is done and there is no second party, then

the Yaitzer Harah can get over it easily. On the other

hand when not only are you taking something away

from one person, but you give it to someone else that

already is too much for the Yetzer Harah.

(Maaseh Rav Tape #4 Side 2 the tenth Sicha)

The Rebbe once related about Reb Hillel Paritsher.

We find written in Seforim that when crossing a bridge

you should go by foot not on a carriage, -this most

probably does not apply by today’s bridges- it’s

something to do with watching your health. He would

travel then with a carriage, approaching a bridge one time

he was sleeping but as the carriage got closer he awoke

from his sleep and saw where he was, got off of the

carriage and walked across.

Which at first glance this is not something which is a

Mitzvah Doraysah nor Mi’Dirabanun, its just to be careful

and it’s not like someone woke him up either, but rather

because it was his nature to live like it says in Seforim,

no matter what type of commandment, then custom

becomes nature, in his body this happens automatically.

That when he approached the bridge his body awoke.

Regarding what did the Rebbe say this -it wasn’t

simply to tell over nice stories- rather this is something

which we all some are what capable of by every Yid.

Rather by one person he has to be yelled at in order for it

to come to being, and the other one worked on himself so

much so that his Soul cries out because it means

something to him.

(Maaseh Rav 4 Side 2 the seventh Sicha)

When the Baal Shem Tov would learn with children, he

used to bring them to the Cheder, and teach them (on the

way) Modeh Ani and Shema Yisroel and to sit (in shul)

and answer Baruch Hu U’Varuch Shmoy and Amen and

Amen Yehay Shmay Rabah.

He latter told over that his most enjoyable years were

those years when he would learn with the children and

bring them back and forth to and from the Cheder.

Now the reason we were told this story is in order that all

children know that when they answer Amen Yehay Shmay

Raba, there is a holy G-dly power which helps them to and

from Cheder, and gives them power to be successful in

their studies while in the Cheder.

(Maaseh Rav Tape #4 Side 1 the fifth Sicha)

The story is told about when the Baal Hageulah

V’hasimcha, the Alter Rebbe, went to be interrogated

by the government, in the place where people would be

taken afraid for their lives, so that they could decide if

he is going to be killed or be given a different

punishment.

He went in with his Tefillin on - as the story is told by

my father-in-law, the Rebbe, - to this interrogation

room, inside were the people that would interrogate

him. When he entered, the people that were sitting

were not able to stand up, and the ones that were

standing were not able to sit down, due to the fear that

fell upon them when they gazed at the Alter Rebbe.

Later, when the Alter Rebbe was asked to explain why

he this happened, he answered, “it says clearly in the

Possuk about Tefillin Shel Rosh ‘And all the nations of

the world will see that the name of Hashem is upon

you,’ –and therefore – ‘they will be afraid of you!’”

(Maaseh Rav Tape #5 Side 2 the fifth Sicha)

Among the memoirs of the Rebbe my father-in-law the Ba’al

Hahilula there is a whole booklet about his grandfather, a

large part of the booklet also discusses his grandmother

which her Yartzait is also on the tenth of Shvat. Among the

stories there is a short story which has been printed already.

He relates that when she was 18 years old she was very not

well the Tzemach Tzedek -meaning her father in-law- called

her into his office to ask her what the doctor had said she

answered him he said being that she is so weak she should

eat as soon as she wakes up in the morning. The Tzemach

Tzedek asked “so what do you do?” She answered “so I wake

up very early in order to Daven the whole davening for I do

not want to eat before davening.”

Which means that she would sleep however much time

shorter then usual in order to keep to the doctors orders to eat

very early however it didn’t work too well for she hadn’t slept

properly.

So the Temach Tzedek told here that regarding mitzvos it is

stated in the torah “V’Chai Bahem” and he explained it the

way the Magid had explained it -as I mentioned in the

Ma’amer.- “Which means we have to give the mitzvos live

meaning in order to do the mitzvos whatever it takes we have

to make sure it’s alive and well. Therefore we need to be

healthy and strong so “RATHER EAT IN ORDER TO DAVEN

THAN DAVEN IN ORDER TO EAT!”

(Maaseh Rav Tape #3 Side 2 the eighth Sicha)

The Rebbe my father in-law on Purim once relayed: there

was once a Jew who wasn’t so intellectual at all, a simple

Jew which the harder words in Davening it was doubtful

that he understood them. None the less he would Daven

for many hours at a time, not just on Shabbas or Yom Tov,

Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, but every single day

during the week too. -It seemed from the Sicha- That he’d

Daven like this not just Shacharis but Mincha and Mairiv

as well, and he was a Chassid from the Alter Rebbe’s

times. People wondered how does it come to be that he

Davens for such lengthy hours. So he responded that he’s

not really sure but he once heard from his Rebbe -the

Alter Rebbe- “Zachar V’Shamor Bi’Dibur Echad” (Zachar

and Shamor in one statement) meaning to say you should

remember and guard that every speech and in general

everything has its Echad. With this in mind he Davened

like that every day Sunday Monday Tuesday etc. for forty

years.

On this story Chassidim say that a Saying by Chassidim is

not taken lightly.

(Maaseh Rav Tape #3 Side 1 the fifth Sicha)

(Maaseh Rav Tape #2 Side 1 the seventh sicha)

The Rebbe my father in-law once related: When the Ruzhiner was a child and started to learn Chumish it was

already noticeable that he would grow to be a brilliant

scholar. Even before he was of age to learn Chumish and

Rashi in Cheder when learning Chumish with his teacher

he would ask all the questions that Rashi asked. When

learning the episode of Yaakov and his dream of the

angels ascending and descending. His teacher asked him

if he had any questions. He answered “No” Are you sure

his teacher asked, the Ruzhiner replied “No, but what

does Rashi ask on this episode?” The teacher told him

that Rashi’s question is that if angels live in the heavens

then why is it that it says ascending before it says

descending? Rashi answers that first the angels of Chutz

La’Aretz ascended then the angels of Eretz Yisroel where

Yaakov was about to enter descended to escort him. The

Ruzhiner answered that it’s not a question because a

dream is one thing you don’t ask questions on! For if

Yaakov was awake no one would say Yaakov dreamt of

angels ascending and descending, it’s not even a

question.

(Maaseh Rav Tape#2 Side 1 the fifth Sicha)

The previous Rebbe once told a lengthily story about two brothers. One was poor but religious, and the other one was wealthy but not religious. The poor brother had many daughters, but in order to marry off a daughter in those days, you had to present a large dowry. As the poor man’s daughters were coming of marriageable age, he had to raise a large sum of money. He had no choice but to travel to his wealthy brother and ask him to help.

The rich brother was more than happy to help for he respected his brother greatly. When the poor brother arrived, the wealthy brother wanted to at least show him the “Beauty of wealth,” and began giving him a tour of his beautiful estate, to all the wings of the “palace” and of all the other thing he had there. Realizing that his brother had no interest, and wasn’t paying much attention to what he was showing him, he turned to his brother and asked: “NU!?! What do you have to say to all of this?!” His brother replied “if you’re going to give me the dowry, good. If you’re not, then let me go home right now for this a waste of time!” the poor brother continued “There is an animal (I’d rather not say its name) that rolls in mud, and all day she eats, and drinks mud. But there is one problem, why is it that the mud only goes up to her nose and not her whole body? If only the mud would cover her completely, how enjoyable it would be!”

(Maaseh Rav Tape #2 side 1 first sicha)