My Machberes,Rabbi Gershon Tannenbaum

Abolish NYC Subways Fares

Der Blatt, the Yiddish weekly published by the Satmar community, reported that Theodore Kheel, renowned nonagenarian labor mediator and philanthropist, has contributed $100,000 to the Institute for Rational Urban Mobility for a study to make the New York City Subway System free. If more people would use mass transit, traffic congestion would be radically reduced.

With the turnstiles completely removed, the cost of running the subways and buses would be derived from tolls on incoming bridges and tunnels. Those driving into the city would benefit from the decreased congestion. Free mass transit would pay for itself by reducing losses in time and productivity, and improving public health.

While the 92-year-old Mr. Kheel is personally chauffeured through the city in a private car because of a back problem, he said he is more than willing to pay for that privilege.

Questions whether the subway system would be able to carry the increased number of passengers can be answered by a review of the subway's history. In 1943 the NYC subway system carried eight- million passengers daily. Today's passenger load is less than four-and-a-half million daily. The fare in 1943 was five cents - one nickel.

During the administration (1966-1973) of New York City Mayor John V. Lindsay, the idea of free rides on the subways for New Year's Eve was introduced. In order to keep drinking drivers off the roads, subways continue to be free on New Year's Eve and early morning.

Subways On Shabbos?

With increasing permitted use of automation and technology on Shabbos, such as halachically acceptable elevators and escalators, the possibility of using fare-free subways on Shabbos and Yom Tov would be of great interest. The majority of poskim in the past have leaned towards disapproval. The ability to use the subway on Shabbos was inhibited due to such considerations astechum Shabbos (measured distances prohibited outside a city) and maaris ayin (appearance of transgressing Shabbos). Should the entire NYC subway system become fare-free fulltime, the question of subway usage on Shabbos could be more clearly defined.

Erev Shabbos Snow

In a Letter to the Editor in Der Blatt, a reader describes his own personal experience on Friday, Erev Shabbos Shekalim, January 26, 1978. On that day, he and his brother boarded a bus full of passengers traveling to Kiryas Yoel in Monroe to be together with the then Satmar Rebbe, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, zt"l (1886-1979). The bus left Lee Avenue in Williamsburg early in the afternoon. New York City candle lighting time that Friday was 4:48 p.m.

As the bus left Brooklyn, snow began to fall. With each passing minute, the snowfall increased. When the bus reached the New York State Thruway, the snow began to hinder travel. Traffic slowed down to an almost complete standstill. So much so, that the hour hands on watches seemed to be moving faster than the bus.

As the sky grew darker and the snow higher, passengers became increasingly concerned about the time of their arrival. They realized that the likelihood of their reaching Kiryas Yoel before Shabbos was unlikely. This took place before the advent of cellular phones. If they could not reach Kiryas Yoel, where would they be for Shabbos?

Among the passengers was Rabbi Leibish Leizer, son of Rabbi Yaakov Leizer, zt"l (1906-1998), late Pshevorsker Rebbe. Rabbi Leibish later succeeded his father and serves as today's Pshevorsker Rebbe. He, too, wanted to be with the Satmar Rebbe for Shabbos. All the passengers on the bus looked to Rabbi Leibish for guidance in their collective time of crisis.

As the sky grew increasingly darker, passengers hoped they would, at the least, be able to spend Shabbos in Monsey. At 4:30 p.m., Rabbi Leibish announced that the children and elderly aboard the bus continue to travel to the maximum possible time allotted.

According to his calculations, that would be 12 minutes past sunset or one-half hour after candle lighting time. Sunset that day was 5:06 p.m. The bus, according to Rabbi Leibish, would be able to travel until 5:18 p.m. and would have to stop at that very moment.

Being within lengthy walking distance of Monsey moments before sunset, Rabbi Leibish instructed that the men empty their pockets and put on their gartlech (prayer sashes) and talleisim, so as not to carry on Shabbos. Everyone began secreting their valuables wherever possible. At precisely 5:18 p.m., the bus pulled onto the shoulder of the Thruway and everyone disembarked and trekked towards Monsey.

The group reached the Shiniva Beis Midrash just as Minchah was being completed. Many were welcomed into the warmth of the beis midrash. Others continued to Beis Midrash Charedim where they quickly davened Minchah and were advised that they would each be assigned to a member congregant for Shabbos.

A family whose Shabbos guest elected at the last minute not to come because of the predicted snowstorm welcomed the aforementioned letter- writer and his brother in. Prepared for other guests who did not come, the family provided their unexpected guests with a rich array of Shabbos foods and delights.

As we read about hundreds of flights that were cancelled because of the relatively minor snowfall that the New York City area recently experienced, we must always be prepared on Erev Shabbos for every possibility. Chazal (our Sages) tell us that whoever prepares for Shabbos will have food on Shabbos.

We have to prepare for the consequences of our decisions. One noted contemporary posek stated that during inclement weather, if one travels Friday afternoon, candles, challah and grape juice, at the minimum, should be taken along for the possibility, however remote, that one would become stranded for Shabbos.

Hachnasas Sefer Torah At Munkatch

On Motzaei Shabbos, February 17, Shlomo Zalman Teichman and his family of Los Angeles commemorated a new Sefer Torah in the Munkatcher kehillah in Boro Park. The Sefer Torah was completed in the home of Rabbi Moshe Leib Rabinowitz, Munkatcher Rebbe. In spite of the cold weather, hundreds crammed into the Rebbe's home, with hundreds more remaining outside its doors to take part in the great event.

Munkatcher Rebbe dancing with the new Sefer Torah.

When the Sefer Torah was carried out the door of the Rebbe's home, the crowd exploded in song and dance. The Sefer Torah was carried under the traditional chuppah accompanied by fiery torches to the Munkatcher Beis Midrash on 14th Avenue at 47th Street, escorted by hundreds of yeshiva students carrying flags. As the Sefer Torah was passed to chassidishe rabbis, rebbes, and roshei yeshiva, the escorting and growing crowd of thousands increased its singing and dancing. Coming closer to the beis midrash, the dancing and singing intensified. As the beis midrash's Sifrei Torah were brought out to greet their new addition, there was much celebration.

When the Sefer Torah arrived inside the doors of the beis midrash, the huge crowd squeezed to make room for the Rebbe to hold the Torah and perform the traditional dances before depositing the Sefer Torah into the Aron HaKodesh (holy ark).

Shlomo Zalman Teichman holding the new Sefer Torah.

Immediately thereafter, the crowd made its way by car, bus, and foot to the Renaissance Ballroom on 14th Avenue and 59th Street, where a melaveh malkah tisch and festivities were held late into the night.

Another Munkatch Hachnasas Sefer Torah

The very next morning, many reassembled at the home of Rabbi Moshe Citron, scion of the illustrious Dorog rabbinical family, to rejoice as he too dedicated a new Sefer Torah. Joy was evident not just on the faces of the members of the Citron family, but on the faces of all participants as the Sefer Torah was led towards the Munkatcher Beis Midrash. The Munkatcher Rebbe performed the traditional dances with the new Torah inside the shul.

Munkatcher Rebbe in traditional circular dance.

An elegant meal was served in honor of the new Torah in the Khal Chassidim Hall where guests were presented with a special commemorative sefer authored by Rabbi Moshe Citron.

Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe To Visit USA

A delegation of Seret Vishnitzer chassidim arrived last week to prepare for the imminent visit of Rabbi Eliezer Hager, Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe of Haifa. The Rebbe will be coming to take part in the wedding of his granddaughter, daughter of Rabbi Aaron Tovia Spitz, Seret-Vishnitzer Rav in Boro Park. She is also a granddaughter of Rabbi Moshe Spitz, zt"l, late Bistritzer Rav.

The Rebbe will be headquartered in Boro Park where he will celebrate the sheva berachos including the Shabbos sheva berachos. A huge tent will be erected to accommodate the expected crowd.

Seret-Vishnitzer Rebbe

The chassan is the son of Rabbi Yechiel Meir Katz, Zshibo Rav in Montreal, and grandson of Rabbi Asher Shmuel Katz, zt"l, Zshibo Rav. Rabbi Asher Shmuel was a disciple of the late Satmar Rebbe and was instrumental in establishing and leading the Satmar Yeshiva in Montreal. He is interred adjacent to the Ohel (burial room) of the Satmar Rebbe, zt"l, in Kiryas Yoel, in the cemetery's very first row that is reserved for prominent rabbis who were kohanim, so that male kohanim family members can visit their gravesites.

Seret Vishnitzer Geneology

The Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe is a son of Rabbi Boruch Hager, zt"l (1895-1963), greatly loved Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe who established Yeshiva Yacheil Yisroel and extended the Vishnitzer chassidishe dynasty in Haifa; son of Rabbi Yisroel Hager, zt"l (1860-1936), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Ahavas Yisroel; son of Rabbi Boruch Hager, zt"l (1845-1893), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Imrei Baruch; son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, zt"l (1820-1884), Vishnitzer Rebbe and author of Tzemach Tzaddik; son of Rabbi Chaim Hager, zt"l (1795-1854), Kosover Rebbe and author of Toras Chaim; son of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Hager, zt"l (1768-1825), Kosover Rebbe and author of Ahavas Shalom.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel was the son of Rabbi Yaakov Kopel Chosid Hager-Kapiletis, zt"l (d. 1787), Kolomayer Rebbe and disciple of Rabbi Yisroel Baal Shem Tov, zt"l (1698-1760), founder of the Chassidic movement. As one of the leading students of the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Yaakov Kopel Chosid served as shaliach tzibbur, and his nusach is used to this very day by all of his Vishnitzer progeny.

Under the leadership of today's Seret Vishnitzer Rebbe, shuls and yeshivas were established in Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, Ashdod, Elad, as well as in Boro Park, were thousands of chassidim study daily. On Sunday, March 18, a grand celebration will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Seret Vishnitz institutions by Rabbi Boruch Hager, zt"l (1895-1963), in the then relatively non-religious city of Haifa. Thousands are expected to participate with many coming from Israel, Canada, and Europe.

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