Weekly Story: Healthy Summer
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
During the farbrengen on the 8th day of Pesach, which stretched into the night, the Rebbe would wish everyone a healthy summer. Being that this coming week is the fundraiser in memory of my brother-in-law Avrohom Eliezer HY”D Goldman, and based on the Rebbe’s response to Reb Eli a”h and yibudel l’chaim tovim Mrs. Leah Lipsker and my in-laws Rabbi Moshe Pesach a”h and Yibudel l’chaim tovim Mrs. Esther Goldman, to memorialize his neshoma, by establishing a camp fund, I will post this week something about my brother-in-law, whom I never merited to greet.
To participate and help hundreds of children experience a healthy summer, please click on www.thecampfund.com or zelle your generous contribution of whatever amount to Kampfundme@gmail.com.
As always, your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated and welcomed.
Avremi’s Fruits Blossom to This Day
For a half a century, the Avrohom Eliezer Camp Fund has stood as a pillar in the Chabad community. Through its financial assistance, thousands of children have been able to experience the joy of summer camp filled with exciting activities and immersed in a vibrant Torah atmosphere.
Many younger members of the community may not know the story behind the fund’s name.
Avrohom Eliezer (Avremi) Goldman was the son of Rabbi Moshe a”h and Yibudel Lchaim tovim, Mrs. Esther Goldman may she be well, prominent Lubavitcher Chassidim of Crown Heights. At just 17 years old, Avremi was already an exceptional student at Oholei Torah—deeply devoted to his studies and tefillah, and known for his refined character and genuine care for others. He consistently went out of his way to help fellow students, sharing both his knowledge and his passion for Yiddishkeit.
Beloved by young and old alike, Avremi was a natural leader with remarkable vision. He organized collections of maamadin his yeshiva and, when the Rebbe encouraged all boys over the age of 13 to also begin putting on Rabbeinu Tarn tefillin, Avremi launched a fund to help classmates who could not afford their own pair. With boundless energy, he stood at the forefront of every new mitzvah campaign.
On Friday afternoons, Avremi would travel to Manhattan with friends to help fellow Jews put on tefillin and perform mitzvos. On one such occasion, after meeting a man whose wife had just given birth to a baby girl, Avremi immediately asked if the child had been given a Jewish name. When he learned she had not, he offered to arrange for her naming at a Torah reading in the Rebbe’s presence at 770.
That Sunday evening, 27 Sivan 5737 (1977), Avremi stepped out of his yeshiva to use a nearby public phone to follow up on that very matter. Tragically, he was attacked by three assailants who later admitted they intended to kill a Jew. Though critically wounded, Avremi managed to return to the yeshiva, where his holy soul was returned to its Maker.
Thousands attended his funeral, led by the Rebbe himself. Avremi was laid to rest near the Ohel, beside his grandfather, the prominent chossid and mazkir, Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson.
In the wake of this tragedy, Mrs. Leah Lipsker, a neighbor of the Goldmans, sought to create something meaningful in Avremi’s memory. In her letter, she presenting several thoughts to the Rebbe on how best to memoralize Avremi, and the Rebbe selected and blessed: the establishment of a camp fund. It was especially fitting—Avremi had loved working with children in camp settings. The fund was launched immediately, with the Rebbe’s own financial participation, and continues to thrive to this day.
But the story does not end there.
Avremi’s friends ensured that the newborn girl he had met would indeed receive her Jewish name—Pesha—at a Torah reading in 770.
Years later, that child, known as Pamela, grew up in Florida in a minimally observant home. Yet from a young age, she felt a deep pull toward Judaism. She pursued whatever Jewish education she could, eventually attending Hebrew school through high school.
At 16, she lost her father to illness. During that time, Rabbi Yosef Biston, a local Chabad emissary, supported the family and helped her father connect to mitzvos.
In her early twenties, Pamela attended a Jewish event that profoundly inspired her. She began learning Torah, observing Shabbos, and eventually became involved with a local Chabad House. When she later became engaged, she asked Rabbi Biston to officiate her wedding. During their preparations, he asked if she knew her Jewish name. She did not. He then revealed it—Pesha—and shared the extraordinary story behind it.
The realization was life-changing.
On her first anniversary, her mother gifted her a portrait of the Rebbe, along with dollars they had received from him during her father’s illness—visits she had never known about. She came to understand that her lifelong spiritual pull was no coincidence, but part of a deeper chain of blessings and connection.
Years later, now living in Rechovot, Israel, as a fully observant Jew raising a Torah-true family, Pesha gathered the courage to call Avremi’s parents.
“I’m calling about your son who was murdered thirty years ago,” she began.
Without hesitation, Mrs. Goldman replied, “You must be the little girl.”
Pesha later visited the family in Crown Heights and shared her story publicly at the camp fund’s annual event. Standing at Avremi’s resting place near the Ohel, she made a personal decision to fully embrace her Jewish name.
That same year, she gave birth to a son and named him Avrohom Eliezer.
Today, Pesha is raising a family of children deeply connected to Torah and mitzvos. Her sons are growing up with the same passion and commitment that defined Avremi’s life— learning Chassidus, going to mikvah, and helping other Jews put on tefillin each Friday afternoon, just as he once did.
We cannot understand why Avremi’s life was cut short. But we can clearly see that the impact of his actions—amplified by the Rebbe’s blessings—continues to bear fruit in extraordinary ways.
The Avrohom Eliezer Camp Fund carries that legacy forward, giving countless children the opportunity to experience a summer that shapes their Jewish identity for life.
Just as one small act by Avremi helped transform Pesha’s life, so too can your support make a lasting difference.
We invite you to partner in this mission of helping needy children by contributing generously to the Avrohom Eliezer Camp Fund, at www.thecampfund.com or by Zelle at kampfundne@gmail.com.
May the tzedokah given be a merit to Rabbi & Mrs. Lipskers son Menachem Mendel ben Eta Leah have a complete and swift recovery.
The Taste of Chassidus
שוש תשיש ותגל העקרה בקבוץ בניה – May the barren one rejoice and be happy at the ingathering of her children to her midst in joy. Likkutei Torah (Vayikra) p. 20 A
The Alter Rebbe’s main question is, being that the possuk informs us that this woman is an akara (a woman who has no children), how can the possuk state that she will rejoice when her children will gather together with her?[1]
In order to explain it properly, we first have to understand what the midrash says on the first possuk of this week’s parsha (Tazriah), that when the wife creates the pregnancy, the child will be a male, however, when the father creates the pregnancy the child will be a female.
In Chassidic interpretation, in addition to the simple meaning, “Father” (husband) refers to Hashem and “Mother (wife)” refers to the Jewish people. At the same time, “male” represent superior physical strength and endurance, while “female” represents weaker physical strength and endurance.[2]
Based on this the explanation of the Midrash is as follows: If the arousal and inspiration to come/ draw closer to Hashem comes from Hashem, (in Chassidic terminology Isarusa D’lieiluh), there is strong probability that it will evaporate and won’t remain. On the other hand, when the initiative comes from the person themselves, (in Chassidic terminology Isarusa D’litatuh), then the foundation is solid and therefore it will endure crises.[3]
The Alter Rebbe teaches us in this maamar, that while this is true, there is an exception, and even when the initiative comes from Hashem, if the person embraces that inspiration with enthusiasm, then the inspiration will remain with him, just as if the initiative was from him.
With this understanding, we can easily explain the possuk. In chapter 3 of Tanya, the Alter Rebbe calls the intellectual faculties of Chochmah and Binah, father and mother, and when a person truly comprehends a concept that will give birth to an emotional feeling. These emotions are born because from this true comprehension, thus they are called the children.
So the meaning of this possuk is as follows, when a person’s thought process, is unable to give birth to an emotional attachment to Hashem [and that person is spiritually barren]. Yet Hashem in His tremendous graciousness sends us an arousal and inspiration to draw us closer to Him, while under normal circumstances this feeling will gradually dissipate or evaporate, there is a way to hold on to it and keep it.
The possuk states, when her children will gather to her in happiness. Meaning to say, that when we, who couldn’t awaken in us a strong love and/or fear of Hashem, [and thus the possuk called us barren], embrace with joy the inspiration that Hashem granted us, that joy becomes our foundation for this emotional bond, and it is as if, we initiated this connection.
In other words, we utilize and embrace Hashem’s initiative to such an extent that it becomes as if it was our initiative, and as noted when the initiative to connect to Hashem comes from the Jewish people, it is everlasting.
I was asked by some if I can include in this weeks ’post, my summary of the maamar of last weeks Chassidishe Parsha, so here it is.
A Taste of Chassidus – Parshas Shemini Likkutei Torah (Vayikra) p. 18 A
לויתן זו יצרתי לשחק בה – I created the Leviyaton [fish] to rejoice with it, Likkutei Torah (Vayikra) p.
In this maamar the Alter Rebbe explains the spiritual meaning we can learn from the midrash[4] which states that when Moshiach comes Hashem is going to stage a Venatio (a battle in an arena) between the Shor Habor (ox)and Leviyaton (fish), that each one fights the other. The outcome is going to be that the Leviyaton is going to use its fins to slaughter the Shor Habor, while the horns of the Shor Habor are going to gore the Levyiaton, and the meat of both of them are going to be served [together with Yayin Hameshumer (wine that Hashem preserved)] at the feast in honor of Moshiach.
The basic question is what is the meaning (message) of this Midrash, and why specifically are the fins of the Leviyaton going to shecht (ritually slaughter) the Shor Habor, and why is the horns of the Shor Habor going to kill the Leviyaton?
In order to understand the basic point that the Alter Rebbe bases his explanation on, I will refer to the A Taste of Chassidus that I posted last week, where he explains that the waters in the sea is referring to the Tzaddikim who recognize that Hashem is the only true entity and therefore they nullify themselves completely to Him. While the dry land is referring to those who feel that they are an independent entity and therefore when they humble themselves to Hashem, it is only to a certain extent.
In Chassidic terminology the difference between these two levels of nullifying oneself is bittul b’mitzious (the complete nullification) and bittul Ha’yeish (only a partial nullification).
So the leviyaton is referring to Tzaddikim who serve Hashem on a spiritual level, such as Rabban Shimon bar Yochai, who did not have matzah for Pesach, a Sukka or Lulav and Esrog for Sukkos or even wine and Challah for Shabbos, during the thirteen years he was hiding in the cave, from the Romans. So the way he fulfilled the mitzvos were purely on a spiritual level (just as our forefathers did before Hashem gave us the Torah at Har Sinai).
The Alter Rebbe notes that the word Leviyaton, includes the name Levi, which was given by Leah as a special request/tefilla, that now my husband would really bond with me,[5] so too these Tzaddikim are truly bonded to Hashem on a much higher level than other tzaddikim. While Shor Habor is referring to the Tzaddikim who are involved in worldly occupations and elevate those materialistic aspects and entities to become a dwelling place for Hashem.[6]
The Midrash then asks, how can we eat the meat of the Shor Habar, as the halachah is that the utensil used to slaughter must be smooth without any jagged edges, and the fins of a fish are jagged, which invalidates the Shechita?
The Midrash replies, that at that moment/time Hashem will make an exception and not only allow the fins to be used, but will require it to be done so.
So we have to understand why is then going to be different and a jagged blade would be the way to shechtthe Shor Habar? Additionally, being that the midrash noted that the Shor Habar and Leviyaton are referring to two types of tzaddikim, what is the meaning that each tzaddik is going to shecht the other?
Our sages explain that the purpose of the ritual slaughtering of an animal or fowl is to elevate it. Until then the animal or fowl were part of the animal kingdom, but now that they were slaughtered properly and are permissible to be eaten (as they don’t have any injuries that prohibit them), once a human eats their meat, they transform into becoming part of the person who ate them and ascend to become part of the human kingdom.
So here too the reason both of them are being slaughtered by the other is to demonstrate that while each one has a quality, their quality on its own is not the ultimate goal, Hashem desires that each one acquires both qualities.
The Tzaddikim whose neshomos are directly from the world of Atzilus, and are completely one with Hashem (and do not consider themselves a separate entity who humbles themselves) are definitely on a higher level; they actually feel G-dliness. Therefore, they elevate the remainder of the Jewish nation by slaughtering the Shor Habar (which represents them) with their fins.
The reason it is with their fins is because fish use the fins to swim easily from one end of the ocean to the other. So they are graciously bestowing this power/abilioty to the rest of the Jewish people.
Yet, at the same time they are lacking a major aspect, and that is that being that they are not involved in worldly affairs, they are not the ones who actually refined and elevated the physical world and prepared it to become the permanent residence of Hashem.
Therefore, the Shor Habor is going to gore it with its horns, in order to give it this quality as well.
But if we said that these Neshomos are from Atzilus and the Shor Habar are representing the Neshomos from the lower supernal worlds of Beriah, Yetzira and Asiah, how can we say that the lower worlds are elevating the Neshomos of the higher world?
Therefore, the Shor Habar slaughters it with its horns. A horn is higher than the head. In Chassidic and Kabbalistic terminology that is referring to the level of Kesser (crown) which is above the head. So while the Neshomos which are in Atzilus, are on the level of Chochmah and are higher than all other Neshomos, nevertheless, the Nesomos which are involved and refine the physical matter, their source is higher than the source of the Neshomos of Atzilus.
We say in Lecho Dodi, Soif Maaseh B’machashova Techilla – The original thought is created at the end, and as Chassidus explains the higher a thing is the farther it falls. So the source of these lower Neshomos are in Kesser, and therefore it is the horns (the crown of the animal) that slaughters (I. e. elevates) the tzaddikim of the “sea.”
[7]Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeiim and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com.
[1] When a couple’s children move away, it is called empty-nest syndrome, which to many can be painful, but they have happiness in their children and grandchildren’s accomplishments. They are constantly thankful that there weren’t barren and bereft of children.
[2] Therefore, when the Torah instructs us to wrap the Tefillin on the left (weaker) hand, it writes ידכה (in the feminine sense) instead of ידך (in the masculine sense), which is telling us to wrap it onto the weaker hand.
[3] We see this concept in human nature. If a person finds or is given an item that they have desired for some time to acquire, obviously they would be quite excited and very happy that they received it in such an easy manner. However, if a short time later something happens to the item, it fell and broke, or was lost or stolen, while the person is upset, nevertheless, they console themselves and say, easy came easy goes, I was fortunate to have it for this time period.
However, if the item was not found, but rather the person had to work hard for a period of time to earn the money, to acquire it, and then after a short period of time it broke, got lost or was stolen, the person is going to be very upset and verbalize it; I work so hard to be able to purchase it and someone stole it from me Etc.
The difference between these two opposite reactions to seemingly similar situations is simple. When the item comes as a result of your own effort, you are much more attached to it then when you find it or it is given to you as a present by someone else, and the harder and longer you personally worked on acquiring or accomplishing that thing, the deeper and stronger is your attachment to it.
The same thing is here. When a person works/toils on creating this or any connection to Hashem, the connection has much more meaning and is much deeper to them, then if Hashem granted it to them.
As Chassidus explains this is the reason why the first Luchos did not last even a day, while the second Luchos last forever.
When the Jewish people left Mitzrayim, they physically left, but mentally they remained there, [or as the possuk states that Pharoh sent them out, as they were ok to remain there. So their mindset was not properly prepared to receive the Torah. But Hashem gave it to us anyways. Subsequently, we succumbed to the first challenge we encountered, and the Luchos were no longer with us.
However, after that, once we regretted our actions and showed remorse for our lack of appreciation for the Torah, Subsequently, we were then able to receive and hold on to the second Luchos.
[4] On this parsha Shimini.
[5] This was after she already had borne to Yaakov, his first two children, which obviously already created a strong bond.
[6] Author’s note: In essence this is referring to every Jew. As the Alter Rebbe explains in the explanatory maamar in Likkuttei Torah that the higher neshomos are the neshomos who come from the supernal wprld of Atzilus, whereas, the source of these neshomos are the supernal worlds of eriah, Yetzira and Asiah.
[7] To explain this midrash in greater detail, we will focus on the aspect that the Midrash states that Hashem is going to show this occurrence to the tzaddikim as a form of giving them enjoyment, what does that mean?
Hashem is showing both groups of Tzaddikim, that their joint efforts are what brought about the refinement and elevation of the world that it became His dwelling place. Hashem is happy that His ultimate purpose of creating the universe was fulfilled, and the Jews gain satisfaction that their actions and endurance are what accomplished it.
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