Rabbi Moshe Shilat: "He Wiped His Tears and Said, 'I Just Heard Something Otherworldly'"

"At one of the recent Tzama events," recounts Rabbi Moshe Shilat, "when the crowd and I were singing the well-known tune 'Dalet Bavos', I suddenly saw one of our guards breaking down in tears. A brawny, bareheaded young man, truly weeping. On one hand, I wanted to embrace him, but on the other, I didn’t want to disturb him. So only after the song ended, I approached him, embraced him, and inquired about his well-being. He wiped his tears and said: 'I’ve never heard that tune in my life, and I simply don’t understand what happened to me. I feel like I’ve just heard something that is not from this world. This tune touched me in very deep places, and my soul began to cry with excitement.' Fortunately, what happens annually at Tzama touches thousands upon thousands, which is one of the reasons we strive every year to ensure these events continue and become even more successful."

"This year as well, the Jerusalem Municipality will host the Tzama events at Binyanei HaUma. At Tzama 17 there will be performances by Avraham Fried, Ishay Ribo, and Amir Dadon, special Torah classes, numerous farbrengens for yeshiva students and the general public, a giant fair of sacred books, and more activities to strengthen the event’s purpose – spreading Chassidic teachings. We feel the growing thirst each year for studying the inner dimensions of Torah and learning about Chassidism. People desire to connect deeper and rise higher in their service to Hashem, and we view it as a great mission to offer a quality response to this sacred desire."

Bringing Redemption to the World

Rabbi Moshe Shilat (48), happily married to Bracha and a father of eight, resides in Kfar Chabad, managing projects in Jewish identity. He founded the Tzama events. "I grew up in a religious national home. My father, Rabbi Yitzchak Shilat, is a prominent scholar and head of the Birkat Moshe yeshiva in Maale Adumim, and my mother, Judith Shilat, is blessed with serving the community with devotion. At some point in my youth, I felt a special connection to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and I began joining 'missions' organized by a Chabad emissary in our hometown, Maale Adumim."

Did you feel a certain lack in your religious education that led you to seek other paths in serving Hashem?

"That’s an interesting question, and to be honest, I didn’t feel any lack. What I received at home and in schools was very good for me, but when I was exposed to the Rebbe’s personality, I wanted to learn more from it. At 14, I even traveled to the Rebbe in the United States and received personal attention that amazed and moved me as a boy, and continues to inspire me as an adult today."

"Hashem guided the events, and at a relatively young age, I completed the process and became a full-fledged Chabadnik. In doing so, I saw it was right to make it my mission to strengthen Jewish identity among the people of Israel as a whole and especially among the youth, primarily through the study and dissemination of Chassidic teachings. As part of this mission, I also manage 'Chabad on Campus' - involving dozens of families who run Chabad Houses at all the active academic institutions in Israel. Additionally, I direct and guide an array of movements and educational endeavors in this field."

Within all this, what led you to establish the Tzama events?

"The 19th of Kislev, the main day around which the Tzama events revolve, is a very significant day in the Chassidic movement in general and Chabad in particular, and it was clear that it deserves special recognition. The 19th of Kislev marks the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch, the great student of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement. A few years later, on this day, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, author of the Tanya, was released from imprisonment. He was imprisoned for spreading Chassidism, and his release was a blessed sign from Heaven that the barriers were lifted, allowing the secrets of Torah to be revealed more significantly."

"This imprisonment was very unusual and is one of the few incarcerations in history with philosophical discussions at its core. Years later, the Russians’ investigation file of Rabbi Schneur Zalman was found, containing documents in his holy handwriting. It’s almost his only surviving manuscript from all his writings, containing answers to the investigators’ questions. They asked in Russian, he answered in Hebrew, and the translator facilitated their dialogue. Among other things, they questioned why he prioritizes prayer over Torah study – which isn’t true; the difference between Talmud study and prayer; the role of a Rebbe in Chassidism, and more."

"Their view was not superficial. They thought Chassidism was irrational, which frightened the regime. They feared that Chassidism brought dangerous elements to the world that threatened the peace desired by the Russian government, and in a way, they were correct. Chassidism advocates for transforming the world, fixing the world, and bringing redemption to the world."

How do you think we should view this struggle from a spiritual perspective, which is naturally much higher?

"For the Alter Rebbe, this entire issue was essentially a heavenly accusation. The direct struggle waged by the Russian authorities against the Alter Rebbe was naturally true, but it was relatively superficial. What is higher and deeper is the heavenly decree against bringing some of the most abstract Kabbalistic concepts down into comprehensible explanations, allowing people to feel, understand, and sense them."

"It is told that while the Alter Rebbe was in prison, his Rebbes, the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch, appeared to him miraculously. He asked them whether to stop teaching Chassidism, revealing the secrets of Torah, and they told him: 'Since you've begun, continue.' Indeed, after the Alter Rebbe's release, he wrote many more articles, writing them clearly and in detail, so much so that in Chabad Chassidism, they differentiate between the articles written before and after his imprisonment. After his release, he understood that the delays were removed, and Chassidic teachings received a green light to be revealed to the world, hastening the complete redemption."

A Descent for the Sake of Ascent

"After understanding all this," continues Rabbi Shilat, "it’s very clear why we make such a big deal out of the 19th of Kislev. Our first Tzama event was attended by 3,000 people. With the participation of the Jerusalem Municipality through the Department of Religious Culture, it has become a city event, and the number of participants doubled and grew each year. We are preparing to host about eighty thousand people over eight days, from the eve of the 19th of Kislev to the eve of Chanukah."

As someone who has participated in many Tzama events, it is apparent that there is a strong effort to connect Torah with melody at the event. What can you say about this special connection?

"At Tzama, very lofty tunes are sung, some of which were composed by great Rebbes themselves, and these melodies, according to Chassidic teachings, are genuine Torah. The Alter Rebbe was known to be very knowledgeable in both revealed and mystical Torah; he wrote among other things the 'Shulchan Aruch HaRav' - one of the most important halachic works in the Jewish world, and alongside it, he composed ten melodies. In Chassidic teachings, it’s clarified that through sacred melodies, one can reach a great closeness to Hashem, merit fear of Heaven, and this is, of course, not something new introduced by Chassidic teachings. This idea has deep roots in the Bible, in the songs of the Levites, in King David’s Psalms, and more. The melody is a whole world in itself, not merely a means to something greater. The melody itself is Torah and sacred."

"There are profound spiritual matters that cannot be expressed in words, and great tzaddikim know how to convey them through melodies. Indeed, when one sings these melodies, they unite with the lofty matters the tzaddikim intended with their thoughts, especially when thousands gather and sing these melodies together, just as happens annually at Tzama."

Speaking of Chassidism, in recent years, we’ve witnessed a growing demand for these teachings. What do you think are the main reasons for this interest?

"This is a good question that even the Lubavitcher Rebbe addressed, so I’ll share his thoughts in my words. The Rebbe explains that there are two reasons, which in a way contradict each other, yet also complement each other. The first reason is the decline of generations, with temptations like the internet and media stronger than ever. Precisely because of this, many people feel an immense thirst for a pure, holy, spiritual flood, which Chassidic teachings can provide."

"On the other hand, the Rebbe says we are rapidly approaching the complete redemption, which is why there’s this great thirst. There’s an awakening of Mashiach's light in our time, great things are happening, and people feel redemption is near, which is why many want more and more to taste the hidden flavors of the Torah. When we started working on strengthening Jewish identity and spreading Chassidic teachings among the youth, like on campuses, we thought the work would be much harder than it actually was – in terms of the public’s willingness to be exposed to these teachings. We have challenges, but they are mainly technical, like fundraising, and that’s where we spend most of our time. It’s absolutely worth the hard work because it is very moving and joyful to tears to see so many people from Israel longing to learn and feel these holy teachings of Chassidism, to improve their traits and actions, and to bring the world one step closer to complete redemption, speedily in our days, amen."