Posted to Chabad News, Shlichus on
Arutz 7
Rabbi Berel Lazar

Chief Rabbi of Russia Walks 19 Miles to Keep Shabbos

Last week Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar was faced with a dilemma: he needed to be at an important ceremony with President Vladimir Putin, but it was scheduled for Friday.

The memorial event was to be located in the Belgorod region, in the town of Prokhorovka, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Prokhorovka.

The Kremlin promised the rabbi a plane would depart immediately following the ceremony, two hours prior to the start of the Sabbath. This ensured the Chabad-Lubavitch emissary would be in Moscow an hour before the traditional Shabbat candle-lighting, as the flight was only an hour long.

The president and World War II veterans did their part to honor the Soviet tanks that stopped the Nazi forces from breaking through the defense lines, as planned.

Rabbi Lazar boarded the plane on time as well. But the pilot did not depart as scheduled, because military aircraft were still in the air, participating in the ceremony.

Although the rabbi asked to be let off the plane, the pilot did not allow it. Instead, he vowed to make sure his Jewish passenger would reach Moscow at least 10 minutes before the Sabbath began.

He kept his word – but it meant that Rabbi Lazar had barely enough time to telephone his son to let him know he would be delayed.

Rabbi Lazar set out on foot, walking the 19 mile (30 kilometer) distance to his home – an eight-hour journey. He arrived at about 6:00 a.m., just in time to grab a quick bite to eat and a nap before leading services at the Marina Roscha Synagogue.

Sources close to the rabbi told Arutz Sheva the incident was an example of the special connection between Rabbi Lazar and Russia’s president, explaining the rabbi chose to honor the wishes of the president although it was not required, and despite the great complexities involved in maintaining proper observance of the Sabbath.

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11 Comments

    • Milhouse

      Have you ever heard of a major city where the airport is outside the techum?

  • yossi A

    This is very nice, the Rebbe always told people ty Friday afternoon Chosid shoite

  • anonymous

    for starters maybe it was within a city?
    The obvious comment should be yes It was a Kiddush Hashem but also a Issur One should not take upon himself such a travel Erev Shabbos. I think it would have been better to politely & respectfully decline because of Shabbos I cite Murphy s law as proof! whatever can go wrong can & will go wrong! The proof he barely landed before Shabbos!

    • Milhouse

      “Politely and respectfully decline”?! You seem to have no idea what this means. When Putin gives you an invitation, you do not “politely and respectfully decline” if you have any other choice. There is a whole category in halocho for shtadlonim, who are given many heterim that are not available to the rest of us, because they are not able to do their work without cutting corners. Nechemiah was given a heter to drink goyishe wine(!) because his shtadlonus was that important.

  • moshe

    #1 relax, maybe it was Sheremetyevo International Airport which is 30 km from the shul and the walk is through all built-up areas

  • Old Timer

    His Uncle R Gershon Mendel Gorelick walked from Kennedy Airport to CH 43 years ago, was all over the papers, Not sure why he flew so close to Shabbos.

  • stopmaking random things up

    Moscow airport is in the same city,ok?
    there was no problem with techum Shabbos!!!!

  • Alby

    there was obviously no problem with techum Shabbos but it’s good to see that we still have our misnagdim around