By Yonason Gordon

Illustration Photo - A baby playing next to a bookshelf full of Seforim

Much is being said about the state of book buying and learning. But if we are going to discuss seforim, we should really look back to Hei Teves—the victory of the seforim. Put simply, the message the Rebbe conveyed at that time was that we should do more:

“In recent years great and wonderful things in the area of spreading Yiddishkeit have been accomplished … If so, the question is raised, why was it necessary that in this era and in this area there should be a problem?”

Op-Ed: Bayis Molei Seforim

By Yonason Gordon

Illustration Photo – A baby playing next to a bookshelf full of Seforim

Much is being said about the state of book buying and learning. But if we are going to discuss seforim, we should really look back to Hei Teves—the victory of the seforim. Put simply, the message the Rebbe conveyed at that time was that we should do more:

“In recent years great and wonderful things in the area of spreading Yiddishkeit have been accomplished … If so, the question is raised, why was it necessary that in this era and in this area there should be a problem?”

“We must say that the reason for the problems was only to bring a greater level of ascent. The only reason for the troubling and uncertain situation was to accomplish greater things many times over in the spreading of Yiddishkeit.” (Hei Teves, 5747, excerpted from “Hei Teves” by Rabbi Bogomilsky)

Today we are living in a time where people are truly “thirsty for the knowledge of G-d.” The books topping the bestseller lists are works exploring (ineffectually) spirituality and meaning. One such work (which has already sold more than 7 million copies) could be summed up as a misguided attempt to explore the concept of isarusa delesata and isarusa dele’eila. Other books in the recently popular field of “positive psychology” loosely discuss “tracht gut s’vet zein gut.”

The potential for true and widespread hafatzas hamayanos is great. The seforim of the Rebbeim are fundamentally important and should be supported. In a similar vein, works geared for mivtzoyim are central both amongst Shluchim and Anash. To be a student is one very important level. But to be a teacher, takes the content of the hafatzah (ma’amorim, sichos, etc…), and adapts it for the particular needs of the student.

A Chassid should always ask himself how to spread chassidus in a way of ophen hamiskabel. People want to listen. People want to listen, we just need to speak their language.

Yonason Gordon has over seven years experience in the Jewish publishing and marketing fields. His email address is chochmah248@gmail.com.

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3 Comments

  • Annon

    Well Said, Right now at Kehot all seforim are up to 50% off. so chup arien chevre

  • Abie

    This is worth reading again, and the more I think about it the more I believe young bochrim and girls also should be taken to visit the Shaffer house.

    Bayis molay seforim:
    With all this sale going on it’s a good time to remember a fixture of seforim sales R’Gedaliah Shaffer O”H. Anyone who wants to see a bayis molay sforim should go to his house. His kids say that his sfrom are still the main feature of the house.Whoever ever came into this house is amazed and in awe of the fullness of the house with sforim. At this time of Hay Teves he is missing from our midst at the sforim sales.
    Yeshiva children should be brought to his house as an example of a chasidishe house and the rebbe’s desire for a bayis molay seforim.

    01/01/09 – 09:59 –
    john wrote:

    i agree soo much it hit me soo much his house

    01/01/09 – 16:39 –
    chana wrote:

    That’s a great idea to bring kids to the Schaffer house. If we want to teach children what the real values are in home decorating we should take tours to see a real chassidashe home with true inner beauty. We should also give credit where credit is due and that means to his aishes chayil who made her house into a true chassidashe home, not with decorations but it is a chassidashe library. Bronya Shcaffer who is a well known speaker adn lecturer and teacher proudly tells her visitors that it’s not just books but he knew every single sefer and where it is and what is in it. Being in her house many times as a student I saw the great pride and joy she has in her husband’s collection of seforim and books. May this family know only happiness and nachas.