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Translated and adapted from
V'rabim Hashiv M'avon and Sichat HaShavua #471
Rabbi Pinchas Teitz of Elizabeth, NJ made
twenty-two trips to Russia in the 60's, 70's and 80's. Even during the height of
the Communist empire and the secret police, he managed to secure permission for
his visits. He had good contacts in the government and they trusted him.
Nevertheless, he was often able to utilize his visits to secretly smuggle in
important Jewish paraphernalia, such as tefillin and prayer books, for the
benefit of the oppressed Jews of the USSR.  | | " The KGB knows very well what a Tanya is ..." | | |
Although Rabbi Teitz was born, raised and educated in
Lithuania and its yeshivas, which rarely associated with Chabad Chassidim, it
was impossible to be involved in Jewish life in the Soviet Union in those days
and not laud the activities of the Chabad Chassidim, who had dedicated their
lives for the preservation of Torah Judaism there. Thus, many times he merited
to bring objects from the Lubavitcher Rebbe to his Chassidim in Russia, and vice
versa.
One summer, when he was preparing for another trip, a
representative of the Rebbe showed up at his house, bringing him a package of
prayer books, Bibles and several pairs of tefillin. This was no surprise; he was
already used to and even expected the arrival of an emissary and the usual
package.
But this time the messenger from the Rebbe also took
out a small-sized volume of Tanya, the foundation book of Chabad
teachings, and handed it to the rabbi. He explained that the Rebbe asked that
Rabbi Teitz take it and carry it with him while in Russia - but didn't say who
to give it to.
"I was astonished," related Rabbi Tetz afterwards. "To
cooperate with the Rebbe to deliver basic Jewish necessities to the deprived
Jews of Russia was one matter, but to go with a copy of Tanya in my luggage? To
Russia? It seemed unnecessarily dangerous. The KGB knows very well what a Tanya
is. What plausible explanation could I give if it were detected?"
In the end, he decided to take it. If the Rebbe was
making such an unusual request of him, he must have a good reason.
On the third day of his stay in Moscow, in the
evening, while he was walking back to his hotel from the Great Synagogue after
the Evening Prayer, two young men suddenly approached him as he passed through a
dark side street. They took him by the arms and forced him to quickly go into a
nearby parked car. The Rabbi was taken by surprise and, of course, frightened.
Were they the KGB? Was this a kidnapping?
His fears were soon dissipated, however as his two
"snatchers" turned out to be local Chabad Chassidim. They apologized for the
rough treatment, explaining that this was the only means by which they could
possibly bring him to a safe house to talk to them without arousing suspicion,
and they needed to discuss urgent matters with him. | | " He wanted to know if the Rebbe thought he should flee Moscow..." | | |
Only after they were safely in the house, did the two
introduce themselves. They said they had investigated and discovered that he
could be trusted, and what they wanted of him was that he should deliver a
message to the Lubavitcher Rebbe for each of them. They had major life decisions
to make for which they needed the Rebbe's input, and they couldn't wait for an
official emissary.
The older one had recently found out that the KGB was
actively pursuing him. He wanted to know if the Rebbe thought he should flee
Moscow and move to another city or remain, despite the obvious danger, in order
to maintain and further his important educational activities in the Jewish
underground, of which the Rebbe was already aware.
The second, the younger, wanted the Rebbe's advice
whether he should apply for an emigration visa to Israel. Recently, a number of
such requests had been approved. On the other hand, he currently held an
excellent position as a top engineer, and as soon as he would submit his
application, he would be fired from his job; if the request was refused, he
would be left without any means of support.
Rabbi Teitz was very moved by the encounter - and
especially by the fiery dedication of the two Chassidim. He promised to commit
to memory their names, their mothers' names and their questions for the Rebbe,
because it would be much too dangerous to write them down and have such a paper
in his possession.
After this, the three men relaxed and engaged in
conversation, marveling at the differences between their lives. The rabbi
happened to mention that soon before his departure from home, the Rebbe had
given him a copy of Tanya to keep with him on the trip but didn't explain what
should be done with it. | | " A page had been slightly crimped by folding down the top corner..." | | |
The eyes of the two Chassidim opened wide. "Do you
mean to say that you have this Tanya from the Rebbe in your possession? Now?
Here?" they exclaimed enthusiastically.
Rabbi Teitz silently took the Tanya from his coat
pocket and showed it to them. They grabbed it from him and eagerly examined it
from all sides and angles. Their increasing excitement was palpable. Clearly
they were overjoyed to be holding a book that less than a week ago had been in
the Rebbe's own holy hands.
However, it turned out there was more to it than that.
While fondling the book, one of them shouted out in amazement. Too excited to
speak, he pointed to what their intense scrutiny had uncovered: a page had been
slightly crimped by folding down the top corner, as a person sometimes does in
place of a bookmark.
They opened to the page and were awestruck by the very
first words: "...He is extremely pressed for time and finds it utterly
impossible to delay..." (p.323 in the standard edition; p.634 in the bilingual
edition - near the end of the fifth book)
"That's it! That's my answer from the Rebbe!", cried
out the older chasid, visibly shaking with emotion. "The Rebbe is telling me to
hurry and escape from here."
The younger chasid quickly picked up the book and
eagerly examined it even more closely, hoping to find another crimped page. And
there was one! Again they were overwhelmed. This time it only took two words:
"...to enter the Land...." (p.74 in the standard edition; p.130 in the bilingual
- near the end of chapter 29 in the 1st book)
"That's the answer for me!" he shouted excitedly. "I
should apply to make aliyah to the Holy Land now."
The two pleaded with Rabbi Teitz to allow them to keep
the book. He refused, saying that the Rebbe had instructed him to carry it with
him but had said nothing about giving it to anyone.
"To this day," related Rabbi Teitz to Aharon-Dov
Halperin, the editor of Kfar Chabad magazine, "whenever I study
something from this volume, or even happen to glance upon it, I recall this
extraordinary episode and get excited all over again."
Rabbi Teitz warned the editor not to publish the
story, so as to not damage the rabbi's relationships with his valuable contacts
in Russia and the government's trust in him. The editor transcribed the story in
its entirety and submitted it to the Lubavitcher Rebbe on 17 Av, 1984. He
received a reply that same day: "I am pleased to receive this, but absolutely do
not publicize it in any form at this time."
For over a decade the story was suppressed, but when
Rabbi Teitz passed on to his Heavenly award in the final weeks of 1995, it
quickly found its way into print.
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