Remembering Rabbi Yisroel Shimon Kalmanson, 98

Rabbi Yisroel Shimon Kalmanson was born on Tu B’shvat, 5674 (1914) to his parents R’ Shneur Zalman and Menucha. He grew up in Vitebsk, White Russia. As a boy he was brought to learn in Yeshivas Tomchei Temimim in a town near Vitebsk.

Ultimately, with the constant movement of the Yeshiva, he learned in the cities of Polotzk, Nevel and Vitebsk under the guidance of Reb Avraham Drizin (Mayor) and Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman. He celebrated his Bar Mitzva in the Yeshiva in Polotzk. He recalls learning the Maamar V’Atem Hadveikim 5686 (1926) with Reb Kalman Yishiye, who was an uncle of Reb Mendel Futerfas. He learned the Maamar together with Reb Zalamn Kuratin son of Reb Shilem, under the instruction of Reb Shlomo Chaim.

In time, he ended up in Leningrad, where he dormed in a room of the main Shul. During that time, Reb Chonye Marozov married off his son Shmuel Hy”d to Shaindel, the daughter of Reb Moshe Manye Geisinsky, a shochet in Krivai Rog, Ukraine, who came with her sister Chaya Sara to Leningrad.

A shidduch was then arranged between Chaya Sara and Reb Yisroel Shimon Kalmanson. They celebrated their wedding on Yud Daled kislev 5696 (1936), at the home of the chossid Rabbi Raskin. He recalls how the Chassidim in Leningrad Farbrenged the entire night. The couple then settled in Leningrad.

During the war when it became necessary to evacuate Leningrad, they got on one of the last trains out of Leningrad and traveled with a small group of Chassidim, including the noted Reb Avraham Elya Plotkin A”h and some members of his family. B’hashgacha Protis, they had a minyan of men, a Sefer Torah and a sefer called Bina L’Itim, which guided them during their travels to know when Rosh Chodesh would be.

On the train, Reb Yisroel had great Mesiras nefesh to prepare Kosher food for his family. Ultimately, their wanderings brought them to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where they joined the many Anash families there for the duration of the war. When it became possible to leave, using Polish papers, they left via Lemberg/Lvov (see Chatzkel Brod’s book for some details on that journey).

In 1946, they arrived at the DP camp in Pokking, Germany, where they spent the next few years amongst Anash and the Rebbetzin Chana. It was there that he learned Shchita and received Kabala and Hoidaa from Rav Avram Elya Plotkin and Rav Mendel Dubravsky. He was one of the first to receive permission from the Freidiker Rebbe to settle in America, as opposed to France or Eretz Yisroel, where the Freidiker Rebbe instructed many to settle.

He arrived with his family in New York during Cheshvan of 5710 (1949). He was Zoiche to have one of the last Yechidus’ with the Freidiker Rebbe. He took up Shchita in America, which became his profession throughout his years. After Yud Shvat 5710 (1950), he was one of the Chassidim who went to the Ohel to be mispalel that the Freidiker Rebbe give the Rebbe the Hoirah to accept the Nessius; this was after the Rebbe said “Ich hub nit gehert fun der shver (see this story in the book Ymei Breishis). After the visit to the Ohel, the Rebbe no longer used that “excuse.”

In the 1960s, he was asked by the Rebbe’s office to provide wine for the Rebbe for Pesach, after the individual from whom the Rebbe received his Pesach wine had passed away. Each year the Rabbe would give him a check for the wine.

In the year 5725 (1965), when his mother came out of Russia together with her daughter Faigel and husband Reb Berke Chein A”h, he asked the Rebbe’s permission and a Bracha to travel to Eretz Yisroel to see her. The Rebbe asked if the wine has already been made for Pesach, and when he replied in the affirmative, the Rebbe gave his Brocha for the trip.

In the year 5730 (1970), after Reb Yochanon Gordon passed away, he was asked to Shecht the Rebbe’s Kapporos, which he did. That afternoon upon coming to 770 for Mincha, he was told that Rabbi Groner was looking for him. Upon finding Rabbi Groner, he was told to come to the Rebbe. The Rebbe then said to him: “since the idea of Malkus is connected to the Kapporos and the Shechita, he should therefore give the Rebbe Malkus. From then on, he was Zoiche to two Yechidus’ on Erev Yom Kippur, until 5752 (1991). One Yechidus would take place after Kapporos (see Reshimois that this seems to have been a minhag by the Rebbeim to have Yechidus with the Shoichet after Kapporos). At that Yechidus the Rebbe would speak to him about matters pertaining to Shechita in general, as well as details on Shechitas Lubavitch. In the later years, the Rebbe discouraged him from retiring from Shchita, once using the Loshon “Mimkoimcha al tanach”! During these Yechidusin there were also personal Brachos given for family matters, Shidduchim and the like.

For many years he would teach Shechitta to Kolel Yungerleit and older 770 Bochurim, under the auspices of Machne Yisroel.