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Weekly Story: You Were Not Abandoned, Part 3

Continued from last week – You Were Not Abandoned, Pt. 2

by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon

In the previous two segments, I related how the Rebbe informed Malka exactly who she is, why certain things happened as well as sending her matza ten years after she moved to a non-Jewish village and environment, which carried the message, that no matter where you are, you are still Hashem’s precious child.

In this third (and for the time being, final) segment, Malka relates how the Rebbe looked, not only for her spiritual health, but also for her physical health and well-being.

In Malka’s words:

In one of my meetings with the Rebbe [by the steps in front of 770] I happened to have been very ill [at that time I was suffering from severe migraine and sinus headaches as well as painful earaches. I was sometimes in such extreme pain, that on those days I couldn’t function at all]. Obviously I went to medical professionals for treatment and/or medications; however, whatever they tried wasn’t helping.  After a period of time, the doctors were becoming worried that it is something more than migraines etc. and were concerned about my survival).

I mentioned this to Rebbe and he said that listening to non-Jewish music can badly affect a sensitive soul resulting in physical illness. (I never told the Rebbe, but at that time, I enjoyed very much to listen to popular non-Jewish music – sometimes, even for hours, it was relaxing, enjoyable and even while working I would often listen to non-Jewish music).

In order to clarify what he meant, I asked; “Does the Rebbe mean that I should only listen exclusively to Jewish or chassidic or Chabad music?”

He answered that listening to Chabad nigunim is like a healing medicine for the soul and the body. (I am unsure of the exact wording of his answer, but this was and remains my understanding).

I completely stopped listening to non-Jewish music and would make a point to listen to Chabad melodies (at least once a week or more often).

Very shortly after I made that change, the illness went away for good. The treatments and medications had very little or no effect. Stopping to listen to non-Jewish music and listening to Chabad tunes was the medicine which removed the illness.

Malka

P.S. It was uplifting to read that some sons/daughters were by their parents’ seder table as a result of what I wrote. We all belong at our Fathers’ – Hashem’s table, where all sorrow will no longer be,

May He send Moshiach now!

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech in the United Lubavitch Yeshiva of Ocean Parkway and he asks the hundreds of readers of The Weekly Story to please participate in the annual Chinese auction of the United Lubavitch Yeshiva by going online at WWW.ULYAUCTION.COM and choose something from their 95 wonderful and practical prizes.

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54 Comments

  • Wow!

    Thirsty for more!

    The message of the damage caused by goyish music is SO POWERFUL!

    I wonder if it is a contributing cause to the mageifa of Off The Derech kids, which “ain bayis asher ain bo mess” – no family is completely spared of this plague.

    There is so much wisdom and so many horaos from the Rebbe that we are unaware of which an help each of us.

    Such stories are priceless.

  • Final Segment??????

    Why is this the “third (and for the time being, final) segment”??????????
    Rabbi Avtzon, why don’t you find out more from Malka??????
    R’ Zalman Jaffee gave us so much of his interactions with Rebbe – it taught us so much.
    So can Malka!
    In fact, Malka became part of our lives during the past few weeks!
    Her life story is so fascinating and teaches so much with lessons of determination and inspiration.
    We love her!! She is family!!!
    I look forward to each segment and share it with friends and family.
    Give us many more segments!!!
    Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • HEAR HEAR

      Ditto from me. Give us more! What else did she hear directly from the Rebbe?

  • Boruch

    Malka is a special person, a person with a sensitive soul. Others may not become as aware of the damage of secular music until the damage becomes irreversible.

  • Curious

    In all the answers over the years, does anyone know of any other case where the Rebbe associated an illness with listening to non Jewish music?

    • Mendel Kohen

      Everything we see or smell or hear – enters our bodies and effects us. If the music has kedusha – a positive effect. If c”v the music is tuma, it damages us on every level. Seems simple but until we are told about it, we may not realize. Rebbe spoke of effect of Medel the Mouse in old Olomeinu Children’s Magazine. Rebbe spoke against children seeing tumay animals. Now you are suddenly “shocked” that listening to tumay music??? It hurts not just the neshama but the guf (of sensitive people). This is no chidush, but PSHITA!

    • Videos

      Look at farbrengens when you see the impact of niggunim as they effect the Rebbe physically – energizing him, making him serious etc.

    • Chosid

      שערי הלכה ומנהג יו”ד סו”ס טז. וראה מבוא לספר הניגונים חב”ד עמ’ יז-יט

    • Mendel Kohen

      It is obvious that you listen to goyish music and refuse to give it up. Therefore you resort to questioning the story and even calling it made up. Is it such a foreign concept to you that goyish music is bad for Jews to listen to???

    • Shaindy

      Yep, it must be made up because the Rebbe really wants us to listen to secular music. It is good for us. How ridiculous!

    • Chosid

      Avrahom, explain why you think it is “obvious a made up story”? Is it because YOU don’t like it? Because it makes YOU uncomfortable? Because it does not fit with YOUR lifestyle? Please explain yourself!

  • Sad story ending

    So sad to see that this is the last segment of this incredible story about such an incredible woman. I can only imagine how incredible Malka is and hope to one day meet her. Maybec at the Ohel!

    • No! We Want More!!

      Rabbi Avtzon, Ask Malka to share more with us. Just the way she lives is fascinating. She lives like a true chosid, following the Rebbe’s demands like a true soldier. . And her memories of the Rebbe are so valuable.

  • Baalas Tshuva

    As a Baalas Tshuva I can say that as long as I listened to Goyish music, I felt a resistance to many Chassidic feelings and struggled with certain mitzvos. Once I stopped listening to Goyish music, I became stronger spiritually and open to Chaasidic thought.

  • Chabad music

    Is there a Chabad music app or online Chabad radio station?
    Thanks for the nice interview. May Hashem bless Malka physically and spiritually.

  • Thank you

    I have read all three segment and enjoyed them all immensely. Each segment taught me a lesson and uplifted me spiritually. Thank you for this series and I hope to see more like it. Reuven Bender

  • More Important

    Keeping mitzvos is important. Not doing aveiros is important. But where does it say in Alter Rebbe Shulchan Oruch that we can’t listen to goyim’s music? Is goyim’s music ossur like cholov akum? (Apparently Malka eats cholov akum!) Maybe first start keeping cholov yisroel and bishul yisroel!

    • Chutzpah

      Instead of piking yourself up to get higher, you try to knock others, hoping that will leave you higher than them. You have chutzpah. Apologize to this tzadeikes!

    • K

      רבי יהודה החסיד בספר חסידים, כתב, מי שקולו נעים, יזהר שלא יזמר ניגוני נכרים, כי עבירה היא, ולא ניתן לו קול נעים אלא לשבח לבורא יתברך, ולא לעבירה.

      ונראה שכוונתו היא שמזמר שירי הגויים עם המילים שלהם שהם שירי עגבים, וכמו שכתב בשו’ת הרי’ף (לרבינו יצחק אלפסי, רבו של רבינו יוסף אבן מגאש, רבו של הרמב’ם.) בזו הלשון: שליח ציבור שמרנן בפיו שירי ישמעאלים, ומוציא מפיו דברי נבלה מסלקין אותו ממשרתו, ועליו ועל כיוצא בו נאמר ‘נתנה עלי בקולה על כו שנאתיה’. והובא להלכה ברמ’א (אורח חיים סימן נג), אבל לומר שירי קודש ופזמונים במנגינה שהולחנה למילים של שירי עגבים, נראה שאין בזה איסור כלל.

      ואף שיש כמה פוסקים (ובתוכם הגאון רבי מסעוד רקח בספר מעשה רוקח.) שסוברים שאפילו כשהשיר מצד עצמו יהיה קודש, כגון קדיש או קדושה או מילים של שבח ותפילה לה’, מכל מקום ניגון הנוכרים שבו יפסידהו, מכל מקום דעת הרבה גאוני ישראל הייתה להקל בזה. וכן ידוע מכמה גאונים שחיברו שירות ותשבחות על פי הלחן של מנגינות שירי עגבים, ומהם שירי הבקשות שחוברו על ידי הגאונים, רבי שלמה לנייאדו, ורבי אברהם
      ענתבי, ורבי מרדכי לבטון, ועוד רבים אחרים.

      ראה בהרחבה בשו”ת יביע אומר (ח”ו או”ח סי’ ז), שהביא מקורות שמצדיקים את שילוב המנגינות ואף כתב שזהו מקורם של רוב הלחנים השמחים של עדות המזרח. ולעומת זאת בשו”ת ציץ אליעזר (חי”ג סי’ יב) שסיכם: “הכנסת והלבשת שירי תפלה ובקשות בבתי הכנסיות בניגוני – עגבים, הרי זה כמכניסים אל הקודש אש זרה אשר לא צוה ה’… כי המוחש לא יוכחש שזה מביא לביטול הכוונה ולגירוי היצר הרע”.

  • confidential ends here

    There must be much more for us to know about Malka. Rabbi Avtzon, you have no right to not share everything you know about her. We have a right to know. Even what she told you to keep privately you must tell us. It is our Rebbe and we need to know.

  • Line in Sand

    Part 1 and 2 told an interesting story. That is great. Part 3 tells me what I have to stop doing. That crosses the line.That is not cool. Stick to telling me interesting stories. Do not tell me what I can or cannot do.

    • Anonymous

      You obviously keep Torah and Mitzvot because they make you feel good. They fit well with your lifestyle. But anything of Torah or Mitzvot that makes you uncomfortable – you toss.

  • THE REBBE: IT IS PIKUACH NEFESH MAMOSH !

    The Rebbe addresses the disastrous affect of Goyishe music, in an amazing reply to a famous bandleader (printed in Likutei Sichos volume 38 page 179 and Igros Kodesh volume 29 page 259). Following are excerpts (free translation):
    ” THE PRESENT REALITY IS, THAT THE POPULAR MUSIC THAT CAPTURES HEARTS AND HAS CAPTURED THE ‘MARKET’, IS NOT ONLY SECULAR, BUT FURTHERMORE, THE ESTABLISHED APPROACH OF THIS MUSIC IS TO IMPACT THE LISTENERS’ YETZER HORA, DESTROYING EXISTING LIMITATIONS AND ORDER (INCLUDING, AND TO OUR VERY GREAT PAIN, MAINLY, IN THE AREA OF TZNIUS) ETC.
    THIS IS PIKUACH NEFESH MAMOSH (LITERALLY LIFE THREATENING) ETC.
    THIS MUSIC DOES NOT LIMIT ONE AT ALL. ON THE CONTRARY, ITS MOTTO IS: EVERYTHING IS PERMITTED TO YOU, EVERYTHING IS APPROPRIATE THAT ONLY YOU YOURSELF SHOULD EVALUATE THE NATURE OF THE MUSIC, AND WHEN THE TIME COMES, ONLY YOU WILL DECIDE WHAT YOUR APPROACH SHOULD BE TO EVERYTHING, WITHOUT ANY ‘PREJUDICED’ OPINIONS WHATSOEVER”.

    • Honest Question

      What does it mean : “WITHOUT ANY ‘PREJUDICED’ OPINIONS WHATSOEVER”??

  • Music

    I play chassidic music and the only way to learn new style and technics is by listening to the goyishe music. Is that also a problem? Every singer must listen to goyishe music. Boruch S.

    • Rabbi shopping

      Looking for a heter to listen to goyishe music? Shop on Amazon for a rabbi who will give you a heter. He might also give you lots of other heterim.

  • Whow! Radical!

    Are you saying that if I listen to music I will get sick?

    That is a bit too much! My Music Library List Play is filled with music that needs deleting.

    What about goyish books – is that the next thing to be forbidden?

    Kindle is used by everyone!

    This is really radical.

    • Torah

      Getting the Torah was also very radical. A bit too much for other nations that were offered it. Yet we all said Naaseh Vnishma.

  • R. Singer

    Goyishe music covers a whole lot of genres…I was raised with classical music, and could never leave Frederic Chopin behind…his music has carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life, inside and outside of Chasssidus, as does listening to the Rebbe sing Stzama Lacha Nafshi (forgive sp).

    • Music is food for soul

      I will paraphrase your comment to illustrate the folly of your thinking:

      “Trief food covers a whole lot of ingredients…I was raised with lobster and shell fish, and could never leave shrimp behind…this food is associated with so many fond memories which carried me through some of the darkest moments of my life, inside and outside of Chasssidus…”

    • Feh!

      At least say lehavil when comparing Chopin to the Rebbe. To you it’s all the same nebech, but not to us.

  • When Is A Story More Than Just A Story?

    Q. When Is A Story More Than Just A Story?
    A. When it wakes people up to examine themselves.

    This story was an alarm clock.

    There is no snooze button on this alarm clock.

  • זהבה

    כששואלת
    את עצמי – מי אני

    אני קצת ספרדי, קצת אשכנזי,
    קצת ישראלי, טיפ טיפה גלותי,

    אני אולי דתי ואולי חילוני אבל ביני לביני,
    אני יהודי וזה יחודי.

    לא טוב יותר מהאחר לא רע יותר

    פשוט יהודי

    זכרי זאת לעולם

    זהבה

    • English Please!

      Many of us, me included, do not understand your comment. Please translate ALL your previous and current comment into English – your comments are part of Malka’s Story!

  • Keep the Peace

    Only write stories that everyone can agree with. Only stories that do not offend anyone. Kosher food and shabbos is out because those who do not keep it will be offended. So is all other mitzvos or Torah. But make sure story is about yiddishkeit. How silly!

  • Curious

    Why has NO ONE yet answered my ORIGINAL QUESTION?

    Of course non Jewish music has negative effects. That was not and isn’t my question. Again, I ask:

    In all the answers over the years, does anyone know of any other case where the Rebbe associated listening to Jewish music with healing an ILLNESS?

    (We do know of cases where the Rebbe said to check tefilin, mezuzos, kashrus, taharas hamishpocho).

    My question does NOT mean that Malka’s story is not true. It is just interesting to know if she is the only one that ever got such an answer.

    • Observation

      The Rebbe had a unique relationship with her. I think she is the ONLY ONE that was told that SHE should make a shehakol on cooked rice (contrary to Alter Rebbe that says one should wash for bread and make Hamotzi).

  • Sfira

    Just in time for sifira, you run an ant-music story. We don’t listen to ANY music during sefira. Genius.

  • זהבה

    וקרב פזורינו מבין הגויים ונפוצותינו כנס מירכתי ארץ -ישעיהו כז,יג

  • זהבה

    קרב – כנס, פזורינו – נפוצותינו, גויים – ירכתי ארץ.
    כל א מהם שייך למלכה
    ותן לחכם ויחכם עוד
    זהבה

    • So Negative

      Why do you stress the negative – as if she is “lost”, when really she is very connected to the Rebbe!

  • English PLEASE!

    Please post translation in English so that we can all understand the conversation between Zehava and Malka! Many of us do not read and understand Hebrew.

  • English PLEASE!

    Zehava, You posted many important comments and we ALL want to fully understand them. Can you or the website please translate them? THANK YOU!

  • To Zahava

    You should meet with Malka. She wants to meet you and when you get such an opportunity, do not squander it.

  • Amazing Story

    I heard the story on yom tov and just reviewed it on line. Mamash amazing!

  • Next part?

    You wrote: for the time being final segment

    That means there is more to the story.

    Nu?

  • Curious

    To 41

    According to the Alter Rebbe
    The brocho on rice – if you are not eating it as part of a meal, or having said mezonos hoadomo and shehakol on other things IS Shehakol!

    To 43
    People being inspired doesn’t mean it’s true. And, by the way, people are also inspired by goyishe music.