Chanukah In Novardok
Bitachon Weekly | December 25, 2024
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Chanukah In Novardok

Bitachon Weekly | June 27, 2025

HaRav Yaakov Koppel Pasternak Zatzal told me that he remembers one Chanukah seeing R’ Gershon Liebman Zatzal dancing in the middle. This Yeshiva was as poor as can be, and they barely had wat to eat. But the Alter Zatzal taught them to laugh at Olam HaZeh. Issues that would normally bother people and “eat them up” with aggravation, were a joke in Novardok.

Having decent clothes wasn’t simple either. The Novardokers were like soldiers who tried to prove how they could live B'simcha with a minimum of Olam HaZeh. For his special Chanukah dance, R’ Gershon put on a “new” pair of Tzitzis in honor of the occasion. He took an old pair of Tzitzis from one Shaimos box, and another pair from a different box, and sewed them together. He made himself a giant pair of Tzitzis, and he danced.

R’ Shmuel Birnbaum Zatzal remarked that he saw the Alter of Novardok's son-in-law, R’ Yisroel Yaakov, dancing on the table at a Chanukah Mesiba. The Kaidenover Chasidim would dance on tables during Simchas Torah, including a 90-year-old Chassid of Chabad, who was always dancing on tables. R’ Gershon mentioned that he was once collecting for his Yeshiva in Washington, and he was dancing on a table to be M'sameach. There is a picture of R’ Yakov Galinsky Zatzal holding an umbrella and dancing on the table at the Chasuna of R’ Chaim Kanievsky’s daughter.

Rabbi Mandel will be Davening every Erev Rosh Chodesh for monthly donor’s of minimum $10. Any names given will be added to the list. To join please email your names to [email protected] or text 8482454278. To set up a donation please click on this link https://pay.banquest.com/shaareibitachon or payments can be made via zelle [email protected]. Thank You to all who already signed up for the Monthly partnership!!

HaRav Yaakov Koppel Pasternak Zatzal told me that he remembers one Chanukah seeing R’ Gershon Liebman Zatzal dancing in the middle. This Yeshiva was as poor as can be, and they barely had wat to eat. But the Alter Zatzal taught them to laugh at Olam HaZeh. Issues that would normally bother people and “eat them up” with aggravation, were a joke in Novardok.

Having decent clothes wasn’t simple either. The Novardokers were like soldiers who tried to prove how they could live B'simcha with a minimum of Olam HaZeh. For his special Chanukah dance, R’ Gershon put on a “new” pair of Tzitzis in honor of the occasion. He took an old pair of Tzitzis from one Shaimos box, and another pair from a different box, and sewed them together. He made himself a giant pair of Tzitzis, and he danced.

R’ Shmuel Birnbaum Zatzal remarked that he saw the Alter of Novardok's son-in-law, R’ Yisroel Yaakov, dancing on the table at a Chanukah Mesiba. The Kaidenover Chasidim would dance on tables during Simchas Torah, including a 90-year-old Chassid of Chabad, who was always dancing on tables. R’ Gershon mentioned that he was once collecting for his Yeshiva in Washington, and he was dancing on a table to be M'sameach. There is a picture of R’ Yakov Galinsky Zatzal holding an umbrella and dancing on the table at the Chasuna of R’ Chaim Kanievsky’s daughter.

Rabbi Mandel will be Davening every Erev Rosh Chodesh for monthly donor’s of minimum $10. Any names given will be added to the list. To join please email your names to [email protected] or text 8482454278. To set up a donation please click on this link https://pay.banquest.com/shaareibitachon or payments can be made via zelle [email protected]. Thank You to all who already signed up for the Monthly partnership!!

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