Lessons

Rabbi Lipszyc's Story of the Week Dedicated in the merit of Shneur Zalmen ben Yitzchok Meir Hakohen There's one more important tidbit about Dr. Starr, which I believe is noteworthy, especially because of the lesson it teaches.  Rabbis and fundraisers should especially take note.  Dr. Starr was a Baal Shemke’s Yid (a sincere and simple Jew, in the sense of no “false airs” about him,) who wanted to learn so that he can live a Torah true life. I spent as much time as I could learning with him but it wasn’t enough, he wanted more. So he looked around and found that a rebbi from the local Jewish Day School, (Beis Yehudah), who was giving adult classes. As a child, Dr. Starr had actually attended this day school for a short period of time. As it turned out, the rebbi that was giving these adult classes was the very same rebbi who taught him when he attended the day school, so he felt quite comfortable attending his adult education classes.  Six years Dr. Starr was simultaneously learning with both of us --his former rebbi from day school and myself. One day, this rebbi said to him, “how long will you continue sitting on the fence, the two of us (referring to myself and himself) are teaching two opposite approaches in Judaism, chassidic teachings and mussar. You need to choose which direction you want to follow.” In all probability, this rabbi was thinking that given this “ultimatum,” for sure Dr. Starr would choose to stick with the older, more experienced, and former rebbi from his childhood. Dr. Starr, on his part, was caught totally by surprise. He had been learning Torah for the past six years, and believed it was the Torah of One G-d, the same G-d for all Jews. He tried to discern what two opposite teachings was this teacher referring to? Finally, after wrestling with this lack of understanding of the differences for a couple of weeks, during which time he didn’t discuss with me what was going on, he returned to his childhood teacher and said, “I really couldn’t figure out what differences in teachings you were referring to. However, since you said that I had to choose between the two of you, the only way I could decide which way I want to continue, was for me to think about the two of your personalities and choose which one I would rather be like. As I thought about that, I realized that for the past six years I have heard you make barbs and denigrating remarks about Rabbi Lipszyc and Chabad, yet not once have I heard Rabbi Lipszyc say a negative word about anyone. So I choose to be like him. I thank you for all you have taught me in the past, and I especially thank you for bringing the differences to my attention.” Thus, to the surprise of his childhood rebbi, he stopped attending his classes and focused on becoming a chossid. Only then did Dr. Starr tell me about this whole exchange. Although I was not consciously being extra careful not to speak ill of others until then, it was a lesson for me to be extra careful from then on.  To end on a positive note about that rebbi, I reiterate that eventually, perhaps as a result of his learning the same lesson I did from Dr. Starr, he became a promoter of the teachings of the Rebbe.  Dr. Reuven Starr a”h eventually did understand the differences of the approaches between chassidim and non-chassidim, and became a true chossid and follower of the Rebbe.  At this juncture, I would like to make mention of a special greatness of Dr. Starr’s wife Esther a”h. When Esther was a little girl, while swimming, she once got a terribly painful ear infection. From then on she was terrified of water, and never went swimming again. When Dr. Starr became Torah observant, of course it meant that they would start keeping taharas hamishpacha, the laws of family purity. This included the woman’s obligation to immerse herself in a mikvah or body of natural water on a monthly basis. Despite her being absolutely terrified of doing so, every month Esther would, with true mesiras nefesh, immerse herself in a mikvah. To receive Rabbi Lipszyc's Story of the week via Whatsapp add the number 513-456-7595 to your phone contacts, and then send a text to with the message "Join".  Support Rabbi Lipszyc's work by Donating at https://chabadcrimeaorg.clhosting.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/2511910/jewish/Crisis-Relief/lang/en or sending checks to: Chabad of Crimea World Friends, 1601 Union St, Brooklyn, NY 11213