Our Heroes: Rabbi Arye Leib Kaplan

Rabbi Leibel Kaplan was born in Paris in 1948 * He headed the Chabad mosdos in the holy city of Tzfas for 25 years * He passed away on a Russian highway on the 16th of Iyar, 1998, only a few miles away from the town of Lubavitch.

Horav Hachossid, Rabbi Arye Leib Kaplan, the director and founder of Chabad mosdos in Tzfas in Northern Israel, was born to Horav Hachossid Reb Moshe Binyomin and Mrs. Sorah Kaplan in 1948 in Paris, on the 19th of Tishrei and grew up in Manchester, England. His mother is a member of the Pinson family, Chabad Chassidim for generations.

Leibel’s talents began to manifest themselves at a young age. The young Leibel was a diligent student. He wrote his first letter to the Rebbe when he was nine year old, asking a question in Torah for which his teachers had no answer. The Rebbe responded to the young boy in a very personal way inquiring about his studies and then answering the question. The letter was later published in the Rebbe’s Igros, vol. 15 pg. 47. The Rebbe included a whole Matzo along with his response.

Rabbi Avrohom Shemtov recalled, “When the Matzo arrived on Pesach, my father Reb Benzion managed to open the package and everyone received a piece of Matzo. After Yom Tov, when the letter was opened, it was discovered that the Matzo had been sent to the young Leibel.”

Picture Being a Shliach Responsible for a Whole City

In 1956, the family moved to New York from England, and Reb Leibel began studying in Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim. When he was fourteen, he went into Yechidus with the Rebbe for the first time. After his Yechidus, as is the custom among chassidim, he Farbrenged with a group of Chassidim all night.

During the Farbrengen, he told the assembled about a question that he had asked the Rebbe. When he came home in the evening, he found that it was difficult for him to keep from opening the refrigerator or looking into the pots.

The Rebbe told him that he needed to picture himself as the owner of a whole city or a shliach who is responsible for a whole city. How appropriate is it for such a person to head straight for the pots or the refrigerator?

From 1962 through 1965, Reb Leibel served as a chozer, one of the scribes who would memorize and then later transcribe the Rebbe’s Shabbos and Yom Tov Farbrengens. These were lengthy and analytical talks, sometimes lasting for more than six hours. In 1965, he studied in Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim in Montreal. Although he was one of the elite students, he dedicated time and energy to study with a child who was preparing for his Bar Mitzva.

Two Year Mission in Australia

By 1967, Reb Leibel had returned to 770. Rabbi Chaim Gutnick of Melbourne, Australia was opening the Yeshiva Gedola. The Rebbe personally selected a group of bochurim to be on Shlichus there for two years, learning and doing outreach to the Jewish community of Melbourne. Reb Leibel was chosen to head the group. This group proved to be the forerunner of similar groups sent to Lubavitch Yeshivas worldwide. The fruit of Reb Leibel’s efforts and exertion are obvious to this day. He developed a group of students who regarded him as their mentor and are now serving as Shluchim, Rabbonim and Mashpiim in Chabad communities.

When the bochurim returned from Australia in 1969, they merited to attend the Rebbe’s Pesach Seder in the Previous Rebbe’s apartment in 770. When the Rebbe reached the afikoman, he asked if Reb Leibel had already eaten the afikoman. Reb Leibel answered that he had.

“They are my family members”

At the second seder, the Rebbe again asked Reb Leibel if he had eaten the afikoman, and Reb Leibel answered that he had not. The Rebbe instructed that chairs should be brought in for the bochurim and that they should be seated. The Rebbe waited until every one of the bochurim was seated and then requested that every bochur should receive a cup and a haggada.

The Rebbe then took from his afikoman and distributed a piece to each of the bochurim. During the conclusion of the seder in which the bochurim participated, the Rebbe kept a constant watch on them. When the Rebbe saw Reb Leibel sharing a seat with another person, he said, “One should not sit on one chair with a Shliach.” When the Rashag, the Rebbe’s brother-in-law, asked the Rebbe that it is cited that the afikoman is given to household members, the Rebbe responded, “They are my family members; they toiled for two years.”

During the Acharon Shel Pesach Farbrengen, the Rebbe initiated a new campaign to strengthen the neighborhood of Crown Heights. After Yom Tov, the Rebbe’s talk was prepared for publication in a Rabbinical monthly, “Hamoar”. It was sent in for the Rebbe’s comments and final approval. Weeks and months passed, and the Rebbe did not release the Sicha.

After midnight between the 7th and 8th of Tamuz, the Rebbe suddenly sent out the Sicha with his comments and instructed that it should be published immediately.

The secretary realized that the Rebbe had added the famous words of the Rebbeim that after a fire, one becomes rich. The Rebbe also advised that all the letters of the Alter Rebbe, the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek that discuss this topic, should be included in the booklet.

Earlier that evening, there was a wedding in Boston. Bochurim from 770 had traveled to their friend’s wedding. The group consisted of the future distinguished Rabbonim, Shluchim and Mahpiim, Rabbi Arye Leib Kaplan, and may they live and be well, Rabbis Yosef Minkowitz, Shlomo Majesky, Shmuel Light, Sholom Ber Levitin, Yosef Samuels, Eli Hecht, Meir Minkowitz, and Hirshel Morosow.

Rabbi Minkowitz recalled, “After midnight, we drove home in a station wagon. When we reached New Rochelle, NY, a trailer truck driving behind us crashed into our car and spun it around. Vapors ignited, and the car was engulfed in flames. The bochurim in the front escaped through the doors.

Miraculously, the window in the back fell out, and the bochurim in the back managed to escape through the back window. The bochurim in the middle seat, Reb Sholom Ber Levitin, Reb Leibel Kaplan, and myself were stuck with flames all around us. We put our hands on the burning doors but were unable to open them. Reb Shmuel Light opened the door for us from outside.

We were all scarred from the fire. The bochurim began rolling on the road in order to extinguish the fire on their clothing. We all emerged with scars from the fire.

“The rescue personnel asked how many fatalities there were, and we responded, ‘None.’ They were shocked and said they had never seen such a fire in twenty-one years. The entire car was destroyed. We were taken to different hospitals. Reb Leibel needed to be treated in a burn unit.”

On Tuesday afternoon, the Rebbe asked about the accident and the condition of the bochurim. The Rebbe then said, “It seems that it was for them that we released the supplement to the Sicha which discusses fire.” The Rebbe instructed his secretaries to distribute a copy of the booklet which contained the Sicha, the supplement relating to fire to each bochur. He requested a slight correction relating to an error in the booklet, and added, “Plus a blessing for a speedy and complete recovery, and to become rich, in the sense of a Chossid, Yireh Shomayim and Lamdan.” Rabbi Hodakov told the bochurim that it seems that the Rebbe releasing the Sicha had averted a terrible tragedy.

During a Chanuka Farbrengen in 1970, the Rebbe asked that all the Shluchim present should say L’chaim. Reb Leibel assumed that he had already completed his Shlichus. The Rebbe turned to him and said, “Leibel, once a Shliach – always a Shliach.”

In 1971, Reb Leibel became engaged to Ms. Sara Hinda Lieberman, the daughter of Horav Moshe Dovid Shlita, currently the chief Rabbi of Antwerp, Belgium, who resided in Detroit, Michigan at the time.

“I am taking him for myself”

After his wedding on the 8th of Teves, Reb Leibel received numerous requests from communities around the world to serve as their leader. The Rebbe encouraged him to continue his studies and advised him a on a course of study in the Kollel. When one emissary asked the Rebbe about employing the talented young man, the Rebbe responded, “I am taking him for myself.”

In addition to his studies, Reb Leibel worked for “Vaad L’Hafotzas Sichos”, a committed group of diligent scholars that worked to prepare the Rebbe’s Sichos for print. At that time, the Rebbe began editing his talks on a weekly basis. These were later published in the thirty-nine volumes of “Likutei Sichos”.

A group of diligent scholars would edit the Sicha with references and sources for every Shabbos. It would then be sent to the Rebbe to add his comments and references. On these occasions, Reb Leibel merited many responses from the Rebbe.

The story of the Shlichus to Tzfas began in 1964. President Shazar of Israel suggested to the Rebbe that a Chabad village should be built in the Tiberia-Tzfas area. This was in addition to the Chabad centers in Kfar Chabad, Jerusalem, Lod, and Kiryat Malachi. The Rebbe responded, “As self-understood, I was excited about the suggestion. At present, I am lacking the details, including what caliber of people should settle there, whether it is appropriate for the Jews of Russia. I hope in the near future to contact you about this matter.”

A few days after Pesach 1973, Reb Leibel was summoned by the Rebbe’s Secretariat and informed him about his new Shlichus, to renew the Chabad village in Tzfas. As a dedicated chossid, he agreed but was told that he also needed to obtain his wife’s consent.

The Rebbe asked if his wife was aware of the difficulties involved. Reb Leibel then turned to Rabbi Hodakov who described the background and details.

Reb Leibel wrote a letter to the Rebbe acknowledging their awareness. A few months passed, and he had not received a response from the Rebbe. In the month of Tamuz, the Rebbe gave the directive to leave for Tzfas.

On the 15th of Tamuz, Reb Leibel applied for visas at the Israeli embassy. When he returned to 770, he was contacted by Rabbi Groner and told that the Rebbe wants to see him immediately.

Reb Leibel told Rabbi Groner that he needed to prepare himself for Yechidus. Rabbi Groner told him that the Rebbe was waiting for him and to just knock on the Rebbe’s door. He did so and entered. The Rebbe told him, “I called you in today, so you can begin packing before the three weeks. There is a need to build a Chabad shechuna that should stand out separately and not be absorbed in the outskirts of the city. You should contact Zushe Wilmovsky. He is an energetic Yungerman and higher than calculations and politics. And you should be in charge.”

The Rebbe concluded,”Begin packing before sunset. When one packs, the first items to be placed in the suitcase should be the Talis and Tefillin. The next morning, you may take out the Talis and Tefillin to use for the morning Tefila.”

During the Yechidus, the Rebbe took out a Tanya from his desk drawer. In it, the Rebbe had written special Brochos with his signature. In addition, the Rebbe gave Reb Leibel a siddur for Mrs. Kaplan plus eighteen dollars to make Farbrengens in Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim, at the Western Wall, in Yeshiva Toras Emes, in Nachalas Har Chabad, and additional places, to be determined by the communal leaders.

The Rebbe asked Reb Leibel what language he would speak, and he answered that it would depend where he would be. The Rebbe then asked, “Can you speak Hebrew?” Reb Leibel answered, “A little.” The Rebbe continued, “Is it with a Sefardic accent?” Reb Leibel answered that his Hebrew was a little Sefardic. The Rebbe asked, “Did you ever speak with a Sefardic accent?” Reb Leibel answered that he had in the past when he was in Montreal and that it was good. The Rebbe concluded, “This is good because if you will speak a good Hebrew, they will think you are an Israeli, but actually they lose themselves for an American; therefore, it would be better if they realize you are an American.” The Rebbe instructed Reb Leibel to notify the Rebbe prior to his departure. The Rebbe escorted Reb Leibel put of his room.

After a day or two, Reb Leibel asked Rabbi Hodakov when he should leave. Rabbi Hodakov relayed the Rebbe’s message to Reb Leibel, “Why is he waiting?” Reb Leibel immediately made the last preparations for the trip.

On Erev Rosh Chodesh Menachem Av, prior to their departure, the Rebbe walked out with Reb Leibel, his wife and baby and spoke with them for a few moments. The Rebbe gave them a letter, a newly public message that the Rebbe has just released, and coins for Tzedaka. In addition, the Rebbe gave their infant Menachem Mendel the letter and coins for Tzedaka, adding that the infant was also going on Shlichus, and when he grew older, it would be explained to him. The Rebbe remained standing outside of 770 until they left and their car could no longer be seen in the distance.

The first task that Reb Leibel tackled when he reached Tzfas on the 3rd of Menachem Av was to renew the destroyed Chabad Tzemach Tzedek shul. The Rebbe advised that people should be able to daven there on Rosh Hashana and immediately after the completion of the shul, a kolel should be created. During the next few days, a clarification arrived from the Rebbe that the shul should be ready for Slichos. The contractor doing the construction said that to have it ready for Slichos was a dream. It goes without saying, that the shul was ready, and on Shabbos Slichos twenty-five people davened in the newly erected shul.

In the following days, the Rebbe issued additional directives, which included organizing a Tahalucha on Rosh Hashana, gathering the children at the Kosel HaMaarovi, and additional directives. The Rebbe was interested in the women’s section of the shul, the learning schedules, and the leadership of the Kolel.

Shortly afterwards, the Yom Kippur War broke out, and the Israeli ambassador Chaim Herzog came to the Rebbe to request that he send young chassidim to boost the country’s morale. The Rebbe responded, “I have just sent you a young general…”

Reb Leibel became involved in spreading Torah and Chassidus among the soldiers on the Northern front.

In Iyar 1974, the Rebbe instructed that the building of a Chabad village begin in Tzfas and should be called “Kiryat Chabad”.

In 1982, the war in Lebanon erupted. Reb Leibel was advised by the Rebbe to publish a Tanya in the palace in Beirut.

He was to leave the Tanya there for people who would be staying there for longer. The Tanya was also printed in Tyre, Sidon, Chazavia, Nabatiye, etc.

Tzfas Mosdos

With no money or support, but with boundless optimism and military precision, the Kaplans began building.

They quickly revitalized full neighborhoods and set up an educational system that today includes twenty-five kindergartens, two elementary schools, two high schools, two yeshivas, two women’s seminaries, a post-graduate rabbinical seminary, Chabad Houses, and a world-renowned learning retreat center. A short time before his petira, an additional school was established for the children of Shluchim studying in Israel.

The city of Tzfas was energized by Rabbi Kaplan. He was involved in every facet of city life, serving as city councilman and vice- mayor for many years. On one occasion, the Rebbe referred to him as “Director and Founder of Chabad Mosdos in Tzfas”.

For many years, Reb Leibel also served as chairman of the Lubavitch umbrella organization in Israel. This brought him into contact with leading religious and political leaders, many of whom privately sought his advice and perspective on public policy matters. Reb Leibel combined his intense and successful activism with rare scholarly pursuit.

Scholastic works

He was the author of a number of books, including a scholarly refutation of a book that was published by one of the leading misnagdim in Israel. The book was published under a fictitious name, and it reached many Roshei Yeshivos and Torah giants in Israel and the world over. Eventually, it became known that the booklet stemmed from Lubavitch.

People speculated that an entire kolel was employed to compile such a high level scholastic work. Reb Leibel also wrote thoughtful essays on a wide range of Judaica topics. Heeding the Rebbe’s instructions, Reb Leibel also held the position of Dean and senior Talmudic lecturer in the post-graduate rabbinical seminary.

In the dark days of pre-Glasnost Russia in 1986, Leibel Kaplan was one of the Lubavitch emissaries entrusted with missions to the former Soviet Union, where he met with Jews, Farbrenged, and gave many shiurim. In 1987, he traveled to Russia with his wife, and they both gave shiurim. In the following years, the shiurim that he delivered via telephone were recorded and distributed to many other people.

The emissaries in Minsk, Belarus, had secured his help in arranging funding for their activities. During the shiva days, the family received a letter from one of Reb Leibel’s students in Russia saying, “You should know that many people have taught us, but Reb Leibel’s contribution was superior to all. Regarding the rebuilding of Russian Judaism in our days, we could write in large letters, ‘Horav Arye Leib Kaplan built this structure’.”

When the Minsk institutions celebrated their groundbreaking, they begged Reb Leibel to attend. Despite his busy schedule, he agreed and brought with him religious articles such as handwritten Tefillin and Mezuzahs that were unavailable in Minsk.

Two yeshiva students from Minsk came to the Moscow airport, greeted him and drove with him to Minsk. Reb Leibel spent two hours with them in Chassidic discussion, talking about his memories of the activities undertaken in the Soviet Union, the responsibility of a Lubavitch emissary, and so on. At 4:00 AM he read the traditional prayer of Shema Yisrael and went to sleep.

One hour later, just 15 miles from the historical town of Lubavitch, a tractor truck crashed into the car, and Reb Leibel was killed instantly. His body was later interred in the historic cemetery of Tzfas.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Sarah Kaplan, who continues in his Shlichus; his son, Horav Menachem Mendel, a shliach in Detroit, MI; his son, Horav Chaim Chaikel, succeeding his father as executive of Agudas Kiryat Chabad and directing the mosdos in Tzfas; his daughter, Mrs. Devora-Dobra Hertzel, wife of Horav Sholom Ber Hertzel, who are Shluchim in Rosh Pina; his daughter, Mrs. Chana Wolf and her husband Reb Menachem Mendel, Shluchim in Ashkelon; his son, Reb Meir, a Shliach in Vancouver Island, Canada; his son, Reb Schneur Zalman Shraga Mailach, a Shliach in Montreal Torah Center; his son, Reb Levi, a Rosh Yeshiva in the Yeshiva Lubavitch, Oak Park, MI; his son, Reb Yitzchok Izik; his daughter, Kayla Mushke and grandchildren.

Yehi Zichro Boruch! May Reb Leibel, a legendary chossid known for his talents, who in his short life of fifty years, combined his intense and successful activism with scholarly pursuit, conducted the restoration of Chabad in Tzfas, created numerous mosdos for all age levels to meet the needs of the Yidden in Tzfas, in addition to his scholastic works of great depth, serve as the inspiration to commit ourselves to the Rebbe’s directives, and to fulfill them to our fullest potential and with all of our capabilities, spiritually and physically, and thereby accomplish spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus to the environment around us.

We should speedily witness, “The ones who dwell in the dust will awaken and rejoice,” with Reb Leibel among them.

Adapted from the Kfar Chabad Magazine and Chabad.org