The Humble Giant – A Brief Biography OF R’ Nissan Mindel OBM
Commemorating Rabbi Nissan Mindel on his 21st yartzeit, Yud Bais Tammuz, we are honored to share a brief biography of a true giant and genius of contemporary Chabad history – who served the Frierdiker Rebbe and the Rebbe from 1938 until 1994.
Rabbi Nissan Mindel served the Rabbeim in various capacities using his eclectic talents:
– as their personal secretary, tasked with all their correspondence which he composed in four languages
(The Letter and the Spirit series – whose letters we feature here weekly- is an example of the many thousands of the Rebbe’s English letters)
– as prolific writer of Chabad literature for young and old, which helped in the establishment of Chabad chassidus in America and enabled its dissemination to the world through its unprecedented educational activities. Rabbi Mindel was personally chosen by the Frierdiker Rebbe for this task ” to open Chassidus to the world.”
– as founding member of the three pillars upon which Chabad stands, appointed by the Rabbeim to MERKOS, MACHANEH and AGUCH.
– and finally, as emissary of the Rabbeim, sent to many dignitaries and leaders and to major national public events as their representative.
We remember and salute a true soldier of our Rabbeim – Nissan ben Bunia
(This brief biography is from the forthcoming book from NMP : Chabad in America Through the Folders of Nissan Mindel).
Rabbi Nissan Mindel sees the development of his life’s events with an eye of a true thinker and philosopher, noticing the Divine providence in the path he took.
With characteristic humility, wisdom and deep faith Rabbi Mindel tells of the insight and appreciation he gradually gained for the truth of the motto he would often quote” many are the thoughts in the heart of man and the plan of Hashem will endure.”
In reminiscing about his very productive, interesting and at times dramatic life, Rabbi Mindel saw the hand of Hahsem guiding him in so many ways:
I was born on the 2 nd of Nissan, 1912/5672, one of nine children to Yaakov Yitzchak and Bunia Mindel, in Riga, Latvia. My family was at one time quite well off, having had a chocolate factory, but with the Communist Revolution and the confiscation of all private businesses, we became impoverished. At a young age I quickly learned to become self sufficient. I would wake up daily at the crack of dawn and walk a great distance, rain or shine, to the next town where I tutored a young boy. This would earn me a few coins for my daily needs and only then my day at cheder would begin.
Open anti-Semitism was part of life. As a youngster, I was once accosted by a group of hooligans spewing anti-Semitic words at me. I would not let them get away with it and stood up to them the best I could. Their vicious attack left me with a permanent injury to my ear and I remained deaf in one ear, a condition I lived with for the rest of my life, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to correct it with surgery. On one occasion years later, when I asked the Frierdiker Rebbe about fasting on Tisha b’Av due to the complications brought on by this condition, the Rebbe answered that I should ask a rov, and made it a point that I ask a “kluger rov”, a clever rov. I consulted with Rabbi Shmuel Levittin, who ruled that I was not to fast on Tisha b’Av beyond a half a day.
In 1927, when I was 15 years old, I learned in the Yeshivah Torah V’ Derech Eretz, which incorporated both Torah and secular studies, as espoused by Rabbi Shamshom Raphael Hirsch, the great Orthodox rabbi and leader of German Jewry in the nineteenth century. This viewpoint encouraged the older students to pursue university studies in addition to a strong adherence to Torah and mitzvos and fear of Hashem. (the Frierdiker Rebbe, R’ Yosef Yitzchak, opposed this viewpoint of sending students to university. Even though they would probably have a positive influence on their environment, he nevertheless considered university a spiritually dangerous place).
A recollection I have of my youth is the well known Ragatchover Rov, Rabbi Yosef Rosen, who lived in our town. I remember going once to him to ask a halachic question, if I was permitted to play chess on Shabbos. (Chess was one of my hobbies). The Gaon answered, “If one knows how to play, one may play on Shabbos”.
My first connection with Chabad started in 1928. During this time the Frierdiker Rebbe left Russia and moved to Riga, Latvia, after his release from prison on the 12/13th of Tammuz in 1927, an event which impressed me deeply. I started to participate in the farbreingens/gatherings of the Rebbe, on the 19th of Kislev and other occasions. One vivid memory I have of these occasions is of me hanging from the doorpost at one such farbreingen in a very big crowd and glancing at the holy face and eyes of the Rabbe. This glance remains seared in my mind and heart.
That year, my brother Asher was to travel to Argentina, South America and my uncle (and future father- in-law), the chossid R’ Avraham Sender Nemtzov impressed on him to have a private audience with the Rebbe before his trip. My brother agreed and I pushed myself to accompany him. I was quite awestruck, but nevertheless entered with my brother and stood behind him, in the holy presence of the Rebbe.
The Rebbe spoke with Asher, then 17 years old, and what I remember from his words was that my brother’s primary focus as he goes from one country and one environment to another is to always remember from where he comes and his essential upbringing and way of life.
My uncle and father-in-law R’ Avraham Sender Nemtzov had a great uncle, R’ Shaul Raksin who was born in Lubavitch. R’ Avraham Sender spoke with his uncle R’ Shaul in 5760 (1900) about the recently established Yeshivah Tomchei T’mimim in Lubavitch (1897) and said that he would like to visit and possibly learn there. R’ Avraham Sender was a young married man of 27 at the time that he traveled with his uncle to Lubavitch. R’ Shaul spoke with the Rebbe Rashab (R’ Shalom DovBer) on behalf of his nephew R’ Avraham Sender and asked if he could join the newly founded yeshivah. When the Rebbe Rashab was told that R’ Avraham Sender was 27 years old and married and had served in the army for four years, he did not agree to the request, saying that the yeshivah accepted only young boys.
R’ Shaul encouraged his nephew to request a private audience with the Rebbe and present his case personally. The Rebbe agreed to receive him and again explained that the yeshivah prefers to admit only young boys. The Rebbe explained this with an analogy – the young students are like young saplings that could still be easily molded and influenced, so why should we accept an older student who is like a tree already set in its direction. With all this, R’ Avraham Sender stood his ground and seeing his determination and sincerity, the Rebbe Rashab agreed, conditionally, to accept him as a student in Tomchei T’mimim. The menahel of the yeshivah was the Rebbe’s only son and successor, R’ Yoseph Yitzchak, who kept a discerning eye on his new student. Ultimately, R’ Avraham Sender excelled in his studies and proved himself one of the best students. To the extent that Rebbetzen Shterna Sarah, the Rebbe Rashab’s wife, was accustomed to asking him questions.
R’ Avraham Sender’s last private audience with the Rebbe R’ Yosef Yitzchak was in Paris. He traveled from Manchester, where he was living at the time, for the occasion, but when he arrived he was told that it was too late, the Rebbe had already retired to his room. However, when the Rebbe overheard Chassidim saying that R’ Avrahm Sender the shochet had arrived, the Rebbe immediately came out of his room and invited his chossid in for yechidus. During this private audience, the Rebbe told him – “R’
Avraham Sender, you searched for the truth, you found the truth and you are living the truth.”
In 1930 I traveled to England to continue my studies at the University of Manchester, where I completed a second master’s degree in economics. My dissertation was a comparative study of the economics of Latvia and England.
I stayed in England for a few years and got married there in 1937. My focus was now on providing for my family and I therefore came into some business arrangements with an uncle who dealt in lumber from Russia. The job entailed transactions through the telephone, which I found a pleasant way to do business.
It was at this time, in 1937, that the Rebbe R’ Yosef Yitzchak contacted Rabbi Chodakov, principal of Torah Im Derech Eretz , who was also the Director of Jewish Education in Latvia, a government position which afforded him numerous opportunities to be in touch with the Rebbe about chinuch matters. The Rebbe was in Latvia at the time and was asking Rabbi Chodakov to suggest one of his students who could serve in the position of secretary to the Rebbe. When my name came up, the Rebbe inquired about my background and qualifications and showed an interest. And so when my wife and I visited Riga that year, Rabbi Chodakov promptly got in touch with me to arrange a meeting and offered me the position of secretary to the Rebbe R’ Yosef Yitzchak. When I found out that the Rebbe lived in Otvotzk, Poland, I replied that I had no interest to live in Poland and refused the offer. Rabbi Chodakov persisted and asked for a second meeting, at which time I replied that I cannot accept without first consulting with my wife. Rabbi Chodakov first asked that I discuss the matter with my wife and then he offered me attractive conditions, giving me the option to set my own terms as well. Being that I was not in the least interested to be in Poland, yet not wanting to offend or show disrespect to my teacher/menahel, I set extreme conditions that I was certain would not be accepted (but which were!). When I discussed the matter with my wife, her answer was that she felt that Poland was a “death trap” and she did not wish to live there. Rabbi Chodakov contacted me yet a third time, by phone this time, and suggested that I come to Poland for a month or two on a trial basis. My wife agreed with this suggestion, but she herself would return to England and wait for me there.
After the High Holidays of 1937 (5690), I joined the Rebbe in Otvotzk, Poland with the intention of staying but a couple of months, which eventually lasted much longer. I had planned to rejoin my wife in England for Pesach. During these few months I was invited to join the Rebbe’s family for Purim, at which time the Rebbe himself was not home, he was at a sanatorium. At this time, the Rebbe’s son-in-law, R’Shmaryahu Gurary, the Rashag, asked that I extend my stay another 6 months with a promise to advance my salary and offered to meet whatever condition I may ask for. When I asked my wife for her advice, she said that she cannot prevent me from staying, but she would continue to stay in England and wait for me there.
And so I stayed in Otvotzk. During this time, I very much wanted to learn chassidus, Tanya, yet at first I did not have particular success. I learned with the secretary of the Rebbe, the chossid R’ Yechezkel/Chatche Feigin hy’d. When we got to a topic I did not understand and asked questions about it, R’Chatche would say that for the time being we will skip it and go to another topic. I was not used to this way of learning.
I stayed in Otvotzk until Rosh Chodesh Elul 1939, learning and dorming at the Tomchei T’Mimim Yeshivah. Most of my work revolved around the yeshivah, including public relations – part of which was a newspaper column I wrote entitled “The Lower Yeshivah” (Yeshivah shel Matta). The yeshivah made a strong impression on me and I felt a deep personal loss after its destruction during the holocaust. During this period in 1939, the Rebbe R’ Yosef Yitzchak had occasion to be in contact with the U.S. government officials because of his students in the yeshivah, two American boys – the Hecht brothers, R’ Shlomo Zalman a’h and R’ Avraham sh’y. These American boys were ordered by the American embassy to return immediately to the States, due to the precarious pre-war situation. When I asked them if they had plans to return, they simply answered that they came to Otvotzk at the directive of the Rebbe and they intend to return only at his directive. I spoke to them of my situation as well and mentioned that I needed to return to my wife in England.
On the day that I had this conversation with the Hecht brothers, I had but two weeks left on my visitor’s visa and time was of the essence. Before leaving Otvotzk I had a private audience with the Rebbe, during which I explained the situation and asked permission to leave. The Rebbe agreed and even asked some detailed questions about my passport and citizenship papers and gave me his blessings.
From Otvotzk I traveled to Riga, an eight hour trip and would get a visa there for England. On the way, I stopped in Warsaw and saw that the preparations for war were growing to a critical level. In a panic, I contacted my cousin, Shimon Pasternack, whom I had asked to fill in for me in Otvotzk while I would be away, and urged him to leave Otvotzk immediately! When I got to Riga my uncle, Shimon’s father, asked me why I had left Shimon in Otvotzk at such a dangerous time. Needless to say I suffered guilt pangs.
When I got to the English consulate in Riga, I heard about the bombing of Otvotzk and here I was, stuck in Latvia. This was in Elul 1939, at the outbreak of World War II. When Rabbi Chodakov heard that I was in Riga (I was stuck and could not reach England) he asked that I utilize the time and take charge of the high school class, grade 12 of the Yeshivah Torah Im Derech Eretz for the next few months. Many students at the time knew English and Rabbi Chodakov mentioned that the Rebbe wanted that
chassidisher stories should be translated to the new language, English, for them. He sent me a collection of stories for translation, the first one that I translated was the well known story of the chossid and the Alter Rebbe – “Gavriel Nosseh Chein”.
In the days of Chanukah 1940, Rabbi Chodakov told me in confidence that the Rebbe and his family had safely reached Riga from Poland and that the Rebbe was in a sanatorium. He asked me to work at preparing the necessary exit papers for the Rebbe and his family by contacting Washington and all other necessary agencies in Riga to secure permission to leave Riga and enter the U.S.A.
It was then that I learned of the harrowing experience of the Rebbe and his family when they found themselves in Warsaw at the outbreak of the war. Bombs were raining down around them as they tried to hide from the Nazis y’sh and find shelter in a different place every night, to avoid detection. At one point some officials came with the necessary papers and offered the Rebbe and his family transport to safety. The family members feared some trap and were suspicious but it was soon determined that
these were authentic U.S. government documents. The officials escorted the Rebbe to safety with the help of the Nazis who showed them the way! This was puzzling indeed, how could the Nazis be helping Jews? They clearly did this out of fear of the Americans.
This is how the Rebbe and his family came to Riga in utmost secrecy. It was not easy getting the necessary papers, but after much effort contacting various and numerous government agencies and officials I obtained the documents. The only way for me to reach England was to first get out of mainland Europe and travel to America. I worked at acquiring visas for Rabbi Chodakov and his wife as well and they ended up traveling to the U.S. with the Rebbe.
In addition, I made efforts to secure papers for R’ Mordechai Dubin and R’ Shimon Yitzchak Vitenberg, two well known communal leaders and members of the Parliament of Riga. R’ Mordechai would not leave Riga and his responsibilities to the community. Every day after davening lines of people would be waiting to speak with him and seek his help and R’ Mordechai cared for their needs to the best of his ability. He was ultimately exiled to Siberia by the Bolsheviks. R’ Shimon Yitzchak served on the board of the Yeshivah, Torah V’ Derech Eretz, was a lawyer and a senator and epitomized the best of the teachings of R’ Shamshon Raphael Hirsch. He too would not leave his communal responsibilities and stayed to help his fellow Jews in Latvia. He was murdered by the Nazis y’sh.
In our group that finally left Riga for America by way of Sweden there were eleven people: the Rebbe and Rebbetzen Nechamah Dina, the Rebbe’s mother Rebbetzen Shterna Sarah and her nurse Manya (Rosen), the Rashag and his wife Chana and son Berka, Rabbi Chodakov and his wife, Rabbi Lieberman and myself. We traveled by plane to Sweden, as boats were no longer permitted to travel out of Riga. The plane was small with a seating capacity of 18. We came practically empty handed, except for a package of manuscripts which the Rebbe held in his holy hand the entire time. Because there were still some available seats on the plane, the Rebbbe insisted that they be filled with another seven Jews whose lives we could save. And so we did.
We landed by plane in Stockholm, Sweden and from there we took a boat to the port of Gottesberg, (?)Sweden, where we boarded the ship Dratninghalm (?), which would sail to America.
My official papers identified me as “travel assistant to the family of the Rebbe” and were valid for six months. Needless to say, due to the unforeseen developments of the war, my six month stay extended until the end of the war.
Our voyage across the Atlantic was not very comfortable to say the least, with many a stormy days. On one occasion the forceful waves caused quite an upheaval inside the ship and as a result the Rebbe was thrown off his bed. His grandson, Berka and I were summoned to help the Rebbe back to his bed (as he was wheelchair bound at the time – from the tortures he endured in the hands of the Communists due to his self sacrifice for Torah and mitzvos). In keeping with his consistent good nature and positive ways – I found the Rebbe smiling while lying on the floor. As we picked him up he reassured us that he was b’h fine and wanted to know if anyone else had fallen during this upheaval. We told him that no one was hurt and he burst out in genuine laughter, happy and relieved that everyone was fine.
We arrived in N.Y. on the 9 th of Adar II in 1940. On the very next day, the 10 th of Adar II, the Rebbe called me in and asked me with concern if I felt comfortable in my accommodations – as we were staying in the Graystone Hotel in Manhattan and my “bedroom” served as the Rebbe’s study during the day. The
Rebbe also spoke to me, in his fatherly way, about the need for a young man to eat at least one warm meal a day. And then he added “by the way, a number of years ago you came to me with your brother, how is he doing?” I was deeply touched by the Rebbe’s concern and love.
In the year 1940/41, the Rebbe suggested that I translate the Tanya to English, an effort which was attempted numerous times in the past without success. In truth, I was somewhat taken aback that the Rebbe chose this sefer at a time when it seemed more urgent to publish educational material for the Jewish American youth (little did I realize that this too would shortly be asked of me!). It was not only the Rebbe, but also his son-in-law, the Ramash (R’ Menachem Mendel Schneerson), who impressed upon me the need to translate the Tanya.
Upon his arrival in 1941 to the U.S.A., the Ramash put his efforts into matters of education as per the directives of the Rebbe, his father-in-law. It was then that the three Chabad pillars of education were established: Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch, Machaneh Yisrael and the new Agudas Chassidei Chabad (Aguch). The three people appointed by the Rebbe to head these three organizations were the Ramash, Rabbi Chodakov and I. The Rebbe instructed that the Merkos officers (4 people) and the Merkos activities (15) should be included and listed in the back of every Chabad siddur that is printed. This is done to this day. This is how the three organizations were directed for the next 10 years. It was during this transitional decade that Lubavitch went from the limitations it experienced in Europe to the unusual expansion it has been blessed with on the welcoming shores of America.
During the year 1942, the Rebbe called me in and asked that I make efforts to recoup the many manuscripts and possessions that were left behind in Poland. The Latvian ambassador in Poland at the time had reassured the Rebbe that he would place these in safekeeping, which he did. The manuscripts thankfully were spared, but the possessions unfortunately were destroyed during the bombing. The Rebbe mentioned that there is surely a place in New York where microfilms could be made of the
manuscripts which he had managed to bring with him and so would I be so kind as to take these manuscripts and transfer them onto microfilm. The Rebbe then handed me his precious bundle of manuscripts that night!
When I realized what a treasure was in my possession, I could not sleep that entire night. Among the manuscripts, I found hand written documents written by the Ramash, mafteichos/indexes, of lengthy topics on numerous Chassidic books (these were eventually published over the coming years). I found
these indexes to be an invaluable help, as they opened for me a new world. With their help I was able to study various topics in chassidus. After I made microfilms of these indexes I was able to study them during my free time in the nights and thus advanced in my study of chassidus.
It was during this period that I gained an appreciation for the value of time – as I put in eighteen hours of work daily. To the point where I suffered headaches from the intense concentration and lack of sleep, not wanting to waste precious time. I went to the doctor complaining of headaches and was told that I needed to sleep at least six hours a day.
After having studied the Ramash’s indexes at great length, I felt somewhat more confident and empowered to translate the Tanya. It was then that I asked the Ramash if he would help me in this endeavor and he gladly agreed to do so. Still and all, I did not want to take too much advantage of his kindness. The work of translating the Tanya, which was finally completed in 1960/61, naturally took away time from my other responsibilities.
Translating the Tanya had a profound effect on me and drew me into the inner world of chassidus. Although I was beginning to understand and appreciate chassidus Chabad, I did not yet consider myself, nor was I planning to become a Chabad chossid. The translation of the Tanya however had a tremendous influence on my work in general.
During the years 1940 through 1944 I served in my dual roles, working for Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim under the direction of the Rashag and also working for Merkos, Machaneh and Aguch under the direction of the Ramash. By 1944, I was working exclusively for Merkos. This work I did in close proximity to the Ramash, working with him as a colleague in his office, the office which was later to become the yechidus/private audience room when he became Rebbe.
The Frierdiker Rebbe requested that I write a monthly magazine for children – something he felt was very much needed. When I asked Rabbi Chodakov where I would find the time for this, he answered “you will only be the editor.” The bottom line was that I ended up doing the entire job, writing and editing. On Chanukah 1942, the first issue of the children’s monthly magazine in Yiddish – Shmuessen Mitt Kinder – was published. Shortly after, we added a second monthly, Talks and Tales, in English. These two magazines which I wrote would be published every month for the next 47 years. It was a number of years later, right after the war ended, that my wife, Necha (Nettie) was able to join me in the U.S. and she became my lifelong partner in the work of the children’s monthlies and other works as well. She helped with translating, proofreading and the like and with her support in general. Except for a secretary who was hired to do typing, no one, except for my very capable wife, helped me with my work. It was yet during the war that my wife began translating the Rebbe’s Memoirs/Zichronos to English, at the personal request of the Rebbe. The Rebbe had penned his Memoirs in Hebrew and upon his arrival to the U.S. he asked that they be translated to Yiddish, which they were, by Mekler. These Memoirs, as they were being translated to Yiddish, were simultaneously serialized weekly in the Yiddish newspaper – Tog Morgen Jurnal. Now, the Rebbe wanted to make them available to the English speaking public as well and so asked if my wife would be so kind as to do the English translation. Since my wife was in England during the war, we had a number of telegraphic exchanges during which she agreed to undertake this most honored task. She felt truly humbled by the Rebbe’s request. Many years later at the distribution of dollars (and blessings), as the Rebbe was giving my wife a dollar and yet another, he also gave her recognition for her devoted work – he thanked her and blessed her for her efforts in helping to educate tens of thousands of yiddisher children.
I very much wanted to venture out into writing on more profound topics, but Rabbi Chodakov encouraged me to continue in my successful and vital writing for the young. There is no point in changing course, he said, especially as the magazines you author so well and elegantly serve such a critical need for the spiritual well being of the children. The Ramash checked each and every issue of Talks and Tales (English) before it went to print every month (he continued to do so without fail when he became Rebbe as well) and Rabbi Chodakov checked the Shmuessen Mitt Kinder (Yiddish) every month. Over the years, material from these two monthly magazines filled many books. The five volumes of the popular Storyteller and the two volumes of My Prayer all come from these monthlies. We are planning more b’h.
It was especially in the column of Wonders of Nature/In Nature’s Wonderland, which appeared every month in the two children’s magazines, that I saw a great opportunity to inspire and strengthen the young in their faith and understanding of Divine providence. In light of the science being taught in those years – science such as evolution, which assaults the young of today, the importance of laying this solid foundation of faith in the Creator, cannot be overemphasized. Ultimately, in the words of the Rambam in his Laws of the Fundamentals of Torah (Hilchos Yesodei Ha’Torah), when one contemplates the creation “how numerous are Your works Hashem,” and “how great are Your works Hashem” – it brings one to the love of Hashem and the fear of Hashem. In connection with this – the Frierdiker Rebbe once commented to me that he very much enjoys reading the Shmuessen Mitt Kinder and “especially when I read the Wonders of Nature column, I gain fear of Heaven from it.”
In addition to my secretarial and literary duties, I was sent on numerous missions by the Frierdiker Rebbe and later by his successor, the Rebbe. In 1942 I accompanied the Rebbe on his trip to Chicago and in 1947 I was sent by him to post- war Europe on fact-finding social/education missions (France, England and Germany). Then, in the 1950’s and 60’s, I was sent numerous times by the Rebbe, his successor, to Russia (for manuscripts and for the general strengthening of the spirits of our Jewish brethren behind the Iron Curtain), to South Africa (for Jewish communal matters), to the Suez Canal, Egypt (for the printing of the Tanya) and to Eretz Yisrael (for Jewish communal matters and meetings with dignitaries and political figures). During subsequent years, in the 1970’s and 80’s, the Rebbe sent me on missions to Washington D.C. and Albany N.Y. for conferences on education and the aging, in addition to missions to Russia – to retrieve Chabad manuscripts and books and to Eretz Yisrael – for education matters. After the sad day of Yud Shvat, 1950, (the passing/histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe, R’ Yosef Yitzchak), there was no doubt in my mind as to who would fill the position of seventh Rebbe – “all sevenths are beloved.” Whoever asked me what they should do I would suggest that they direct their questions and requests to the Ramash in the form of a pan (pidyon nefesh) – a formal note traditionally given to a Rebbe. My father-in-law, R’ Avraham Sender, was the first to publically recognize and declare the Ramash – Rebbe and requested that he say a Chassidic discourse/maamar, at the farbreingen/public gathering of Yud Shvat 1951., the first yartzeit of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
Upon the ascendancy of the Ramash to the position of seventh Rebbe on the 10 th of Shvat, 1951, my duties continued as before and I continued serving as personal secretary to the Rebbe, R’ Menachem Mendel, in addition to writing the two monthlies and other writings that I authored over the years and going on missions on which the Rebbe sent me.
My role as personal secretary to the Rebbe entailed coming three times a week (and sometimes even more) to the Rebbe’s room to take dictation in shorthand, in answer to the personal letters which people had written to him. Dictation by the Rebbe was always in Yiddish, where the Rebbe would explain a number of points that were necessary for the answer to the letter .The Rebbe would then tell me which language the letter was to be written in – English, Hebrew, Yiddish or Russian. I would then
take these points and compose the letter, which the Rebbe would then read and edit if need be before signing and having the letter mailed. This was the procedure with every letter. And so it went with official letters to dignitaries, public/communal letters in honor of a forthcoming Yom Tov or gathering such as a dinner or convention and standard letters for births, bar/bat mitzvahs and weddings. Letters were typed with two copies, one which the Rebbe instructed to be filed in the Merkos office in 770 and
the second for me to keep in my files. On occasion, as the need arose, the Rebbe would contact me by phone regarding the writing of the letters.
It was years later, after much thought and having mentioned it to the Rebbe and getting his approval, that I decided to compile some of the English letters in book form, so that people would benefit from the important universal lessons and valuable insights and advice in them. And of course any name or other clue that might identify the letter writer would be excluded to maintain privacy. Thankfully, the first volume of these letters is being published under the title – Letter and Spirit, with more volumes to follow, b’h.
In retrospect, I see the hand of Hashem in the choices I was given in life and the decisions I ultimately made based on these choices. Decisions which brought me to a life dedicated to a mission far different and greater than I could have imagined and for which I feel privileged and thankful to Hashem… “Many are the thoughts in the heart of man and the plan of Hashem will endure.”
Rabbi Nissan Mindel passed away on the 12 th of Tamuz 1999/5759. His soul seems to have been intrinsically connected with the Rabbeim he so humbly and ably served for close to sixty years. The significant day of the 2nd of Nissan, the day of his birth, is the day of the Rebbe Rashab’s passing and the Frierdiker Rebbe’s ascendency to the position of sixth Rebbe and the auspicious day of the 12th of Tamuz, the day he passed away, is the birthday and day of liberation of the Frierdiker Rebbe.
