DEDICATED TO TORAH
Chassidim once asked Maharil, the Alter Rebbe’s brother: What was the zechus by virtue of which his parents were blessed with four sons who were Torah giants?
Maharil told them that it was probably due to the yiras Shamayim and the passionate love of Torah of his mother, Rebbetzin Rivka. He illustrated this with the following story:
My father, Reb Baruch, once traveled on a business trip and brought back an expensive coat as a gift for my mother. Our melamed’s wife became so envious that she began nagging him to give her gifts as well. This distressed him, and his usual enthusiasm faded. Noticing this, my mother questioned him and he told her of his troubles. Without hesitation, she took out her coat and gave it to the melamed, saying, "Give this to your wife, and continue to teach my sons with enthusiasm."
(רשימו"ד חדש ע' 198)
When Reb Levi Yitzchak, the Rebbe's father, was exiled to a remote village in Kazakhstan, Rebbetzin Chana joined him with mesirus nefesh. Although they lacked essentials, and lived on minimal rations of bread and water, she went to great lengths to enable her husband to write his chiddushim. She would secretly gather various herbs from the fields and soak them to create ink. And since there was no paper on which to write, Reb Levi Yitzchok wrote his insights on the margins of the seforim she had brought with her.
After Reb Levi Yitzchak passed away, the Rebbetzin guarded those precious writings, and with mesirus nefesh smuggled them out of Russia. If the authorities had discovered them while inspecting her luggage, they would probably have imprisoned her, especially since she was the wife of someone who had been imprisoned and exiled for disseminating Yiddishkeit. Besides, her family name was Schneerson. Yet she took them with her, and succeeded in getting them out of Russia. Now, in her merit, they are available to be learned by all.
(תו"מ תשמ"ב ח"א ע' 58)
The Rebbe Maharash was very organized. The chassidim knew his exact schedule, including the time at which he would go for a stroll. As soon as he left they would quietly enter his home and copy the maamorim, while one of them stood outside to watch. His daughter-in-law, Rebbetzin Shterna Sara, who was able to write quickly and neatly, would join the copyists. There are some maamorim whose only surviving copy today is in her handwriting.
(סה"ש תד"ש ע' 65, תו"מ ח"א ע' 221, חל"ח ע' 72)
The Rebbe taught that the value of supporting and encouraging a husband's Torah study is relevant to a young girl as well, since she is being educated to become an akeres habayis, and must be taught about this as well.
(תו"מ תשד"מ ח"ב ע' 960)
ENCOURAGING STUDY
The Rebbe once said:
One of the responsibilities of a woman, who is the foundation of her home, is to see to it that her husband studies Torah. At night, she should ensure that he doesn’t go to bed until he has finished all his daily shiurim, even if it means falling asleep over the sefer... Similarly every morning, she should wake up her husband to learn Torah. The same is true for a sister towards her brother.
In the postwar refugee camp in Poking, there was a noteworthy practice: someone would make the rounds every morning and wake everyone up to learn Torah. In fact he would not move on until each sleeper actually got up.
The Rebbe concluded, "In plain words: All Chabad women and girls should see to it that a generation of lomdim will appear, a generation that will observes the mitzvos and gives tzedaka. And this will bring them all the blessings in children, health and parnassa."
(ש"פ נשא תש"כ, תו"מ חכ"ח ע' 136)
The Rebbe also held that women are responsible for instilling in their children an appreciation for the outstanding value of Torah study:
It is the task and shlichus of women in this generation to implant in children an appreciation of the Torah’s innate goodness, and not because he will be patted on the shoulder and told that he’s a good student. That innate quality of Torah study is superior even to mitzvos, because through Torah one achieves a complete unity with HaShem.
(תו"מ חל"ו ע' 132)
In preparation for Rosh HaShana תשכ"ב (1961), the Rebbe wrote a letter to all women of Anash about the need for a cheshbon nefesh concerning the Torah study of their husbands. The Rebbe explained that it is the women's duty to encourage and strengthen the learning of their husbands, brothers and sons. In fact a woman should demand (!) that her husband maintain a daily learning schedule, so that the mere sight of his wife will remind him to sit down and learn.
The Rebbe notes the great reward which women receive from their share in the mitzva, and asked that all women requesting a bracha of the Rebbe for the coming year should include a detailed report of all the learning undertaken by their husbands.
(אג"ק ח"כ ע' ש"ל)
CONSIDER
Did the Alter Rebbe's mother's actions affect her children spiritually or naturally?
Why should a woman ensure that her husband studies Torah? Is it a form of arvus – general responsibility - to ensure that others perform mitzvos?
