Kalever Rebbe

The Kalever Rav, shlita, will visit Queens from December 25 through January 1 on behalf of his holy father the Kalever Rebbe, Rabbeinu Moshe ben Raizel. The rav will be hosted by various shuls and schools. During the Rebbe’s visits in recent years, he met with thousands of people individually, and bestowed berachos, inspiration, and advice to everyone. Unfortunately, the Rebbe has been ill recently and unlike in previous years, the Rebbe did not visit Queens during the High Holy Days. Now the Rebbe has instructed his son, the Kalever Rav, shlita, to visit the community on his behalf.

The Kalever Rebbe is continuing the holy chain of 234 years of his forefathers, the righteous leaders of the Chassidic community in Hungary, Romania, and Poland. Following the Holocaust in Europe, he arrived in New York with his parents. His holy father led his students and his chassidim until his death in 1978, and then the Rebbe took his father’s place as their rabbi and light of the Kalev Chassidim.

The Rebbe has invested much of his precious time — leaving his students and chassidim — to travel throughout the world in order to reach every Jewish community. During the past 40 years, he has visited hundreds of schools and Jewish communities within 66 countries in order to strengthen, encourage, bless from the bottom of his heart, and advise men, women, and youth from all circles and of all ages.

During the past 40 years, thousands have come to the Rebbe with their problems and sorrows. Following a short and personal conversation with the Rebbe that penetrates the recesses of the soul, these people are filled with happiness, hope, and solutions to their problems. All of this without taking donations.

Stories Of The Kalever Rebbe

The Dream

Josef Weisman is an accomplished philosopher who has received the highest degrees from UCLA. As a younger man, he wasn’t religious, but spiritual. During his quest for spirituality, he spent many years in India learning with monks, gurus, and even joining cult-like groups. Now, Josef is a teacher of history and theology at YULA. Last year, while the Rebbe was visiting the school, Josef was interested in meeting with the tzaddik, if for nothing more than the experience itself.

When he walked into the room to meet with the Rebbe, the first thing the Rebbe asked him was, “Where do your children go to school?” Stunned, Josef went on to explain that currently his children go to public schools. But for the last several months he had wanted to move his children into YULA. After all, he explained, there was a clear difference between the kinds of students in public schools and the students in yeshiva, and the education at YULA was superb. However, his wife was vehemently opposed to the idea of her children attending a religious school. “You have no choice,” responded the Rebbe, “Your children must receive a proper Jewish education. It’s essential. Go home and tell your wife these exact words: “G-d gave her very special children with very unique character traits and personal qualities. They are refined. They will continue to develop into unbelievable people as long as they receive a Jewish education. If they don’t, they will lose all their talents and uniqueness. They will lose their future.”

Knowing what his wife’s reaction would be, Josef went home nervous and unsure. But, the Rebbe told him to do something and who was he not to do it? After dinner, he sat his wife down and said everything that the Rebbe told him. She had only one word to say afterwards: “Fine.” Josef was shocked. He blurted out, “What? For months you were against this idea and now you just say ‘fine’?”

“Let me explain,” answered his wife. “Last night I had a dream. There was a man in my dream with a long beard. He looked so holy. And this man in my dream said the very same thing that you just did.”

A year later, when the Rebbe returned to YULA, Josef was a different-looking man: he had long peyos and a beautiful beard. His two children were both in YULA and were distinguished in their personalities. Now, instead of history and theology, Josef teaches Tanach and the differences between the philosophy of mussar and chassidus.

Shabbos Is The Source Of All Blessings

While the Rebbe was at Yeshivat Rambam in Brooklyn, there was a bookkeeper who was anxious to meet the Rebbe. When she approached the gabbaim, their response was typical: the Rebbe is here to see the students. If there is time afterward the adults can get a berachah, too, or they can make an appointment and go see the Rebbe in Williamsburg. But this woman was determined and she started begging. The gabbai agreed and she went in. A week later, the gabbai received a phone call from this woman. She explained that the Rebbe had demanded her husband to keep Shabbos. As they were a struggling family that had only recently moved from Israel, she tried explaining to the Rebbe that they needed the money to survive.

“Shabbos is the source of all blessing in this world. Your husband must not work on Shabbos,” the Rebbe told her.

“But we don’t even have our green cards yet and no one else will even hire us.”

“If you keep Shabbos, you will receive your green cards, too,” the Rebbe said.

A week later the husband decided to quit his job and keep Shabbos. That Monday the mailman dropped off a letter. Inside were the green cards!

The Rav is scheduled to be in Queens from December 25–January 1. See ad in this week’s 5TJT for dates and locations to meet the Rebbe.

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