Sunday January 22nd, 2012

By -Simcha Evan Finkelstein
This past Thursday, the 24 of Teves, Rabbi Chaim Schochet visited
Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim in honor of the 199th Yartzeit of the Alter
Rebbe. Rabbi Schochet is the director of the Ivy League Program Torah Study Program for University Students. This summer program has often inspired students to join our Yeshiva after the summer!
Besides Rabbi Schochet's illustrious position as the

head of Ivy League he is also cousin to Yeshiva Tiferes Bachurim's
very own Rabbi Yaakov Wagner (head of student affairs); although he
came to the Yeshiva from a much farther relationship, one that began
on the other side of the world, in melbourne, Australia. There, this
past Tishrei, Rabbi Schochet stayed as a scholar in residence for the
Yeshiva college community in Melbourne; And it is there where, Yeshiva
Tiferes Bachurim Kollel student Aaron Lazer Goodman first met Rabbi
Schochet. Aaron Lazer relates how immediately he was captivated by
Rabbi Schochet's energy and ability to relay information directly to
the hearts of his listeners (a fact which was later proven directly to
the students of Tiferes Bachurim). The relationship of these two Jews
grew over the next month; on Simchas Torah, Aaron Lazer asked Rabbi Schochet if he would consider coming to Morristown NJ sometime in the near future in order to Farbreng and share some of his unique wisdom with the Bachrim there. Rabbi Schochet
agreed, but no date was set. When both parties returned to the states
they maintained their contact via telephone for a few weeks, and it
was decided that the most appropriate time to Farbreng would be the
Yartzeit of the Alter Rebbe. It was set, and preparations were made! A
car was sent to pick up Rabbi Schochet from his home in Crown Heights
that day as the Bachurim excitedly set up food, drink, and mashke in
anticipation of the renowned Rabbi.
Rabbi Schochet arrived and sat down at the farbrengen at 9:30 P.M. The
niggunim were already going strong by then as a hush fell over the
crowd of about 75 Yeshiva and Kollel students, who were eager to hear
and listen. "L'chaim" were the Rabbi's opening words As he explained
how the Yartzeit of a Tzaddik is not a somber event, but a time to
gather together in Achdus,introspect ourselves, and make positive
resolutions for the future; Rabbi Schochet expressed how some people
fast on a Yartzeit, but that is not our way, instead we make a
Farbrengen and sing together. He then began explaining an interesting
concept in Kabbalah quoted often by alter chassidim: the gates of
Teshuvah are located directly next to the gates of song; if someone is
clever, he will start off by singing a niggun, but end off with
Teshuva, as it's very easy to hop into one gate once you're already
near it. Rabbi Schochet then introduced and began singing Niggun
HaYashan from the Alter Rebbe as everyone present was transported to a
higher plane of reality.
A few different themes were circulating during the Farbrengen. How
important it is to guard one's eye's and ears was one of the main
points. The Rabbi also spoke about the Alter Rebbe's notion that a
Chassid is not someone who's Perfect, but rather is someone who is
willing to recognize his imperfections in order to work on them in the
process of bettering himself. Rabbi Schochet told a famous story about
a billionare who left his children instructions in his will that he
desired to be buryed in his socks. His children approached many
rabbis, but the consensus was unanimous, it is asur to do so. The
children were upset, but they had no choice, they had to follow the
Rabbis' words and bury their father as is customary. After the funeral
the children were approached by their father's lawyer who handed them
a sealed envelope from their father, which read as follows:
Physicality is nothing, you can have all the money in the world but in
the end it won't mean a thing. No matter what you have you can't take
it with you, and at the end of the day, even with a billion dollars,
you can't be buried in your socks!
The feeling in the room was fiery as the Rabbi would begin speaking at
the height of a niggun, yet everyone silenced themselves instantly as
we were all on the edge of our seats to hear one more story, one more
concept, one more niggun, one more bit of anything from this
well-spoken wellspring of a man. The audience was clearly in the palm
of Rabbi Schochet's hand, willing and ready to be closer to this
beautifully true Jew. Many more stories and divrei Torah were told,
which would take me days on end to record in print, and even then I
wouldn't be able to do them justice as the way in which they were
spoken by Rabbi Chaim Schochet was with such real feeling and clear
emotions; printed words can't even be comparred. To quote the
Lubavitcher Rebbe, "Words that come from the heart, enter the heart."
In short, everyone left with a sweet taste in their mouths, and much
to think about; many made hachlatos before the Rabbi had even left at
2:30 A.M. The last idea the Rabbi conveyed was: we all need to be true
to ourselves, and no matter what happens, despite all obstacles and
challenges that people (whether on purpose or by accident) might put in
our way, we must constantly be moving forward; always striving to
reach higher and further. Ultimately with this thought process in mind,
we can't help but to succeed in all our endeavors!