Monday, January 08, 2007

Violence is Never Condoned


This story about the Rebbe appeared in COL. To me the story is poshut but it seems like some of our co-religionists need to be reminded that the Rebbe was against violence especially between our fellow Jews.

At the Kinus Hashluchim in Ashkelon last week, an individual related this incident that occurred in 770 on Yom Kippur of 5747:
A group of girls from Kfar Chabad had remained all night to secure seats in the Ezras Noshim so that they could view 'Napoleon's March' on Motsai Yom Kippur. When one of the girls had gotten up in the early morning and left her place for a moment of refreshment, planning to return immediately, a girl from France had taken her place, despite the protests of her friends.

As the girl returned to her place demanding her seat, the French girl gave her a blow that rendered her fainting and after futile attempts of Hatzoloh to revive her failed, she was presently removed for hospital care.

When Rabbi Yehudah Leib Groner approached the Rebbe, asking for a blessing for this girl, the Rebbe demanded that the offender apologize adding that he would not descend to the shul until she would do so. For fact, the Rebbe entered the shul at 10:30 and on Motsai Shabbos he sent a message to the French girl ordering that she returns to France before Sukkos.

Another person related that he/she was present when Rabbi Groner delivered the Rebbe's message to the shliach from France (presumably, Rabbi Shmuel Asimov), who was responsible for the visit of this group of girls to 770. The shliach's attempts to intervene on behalf of the French girl, included an entreaty that great efforts were exerted on bringing her to Chabad and that it would not be a good idea to have her sent home. These arguments however, did not alter the Rebbe's decision and Rabbi Groner told him that the Rebbe insisted that the girl be sent home.