Over four hundred Yidden again gathered for a Shabbos of Emunah and Bitachon with R’ Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin this past Shabbos at the Westin Princeton in New Jersey.
The annual Shabbaton had all the trappings of a luxury Shabbos getaway – a fancy hotel, savory Seudos catered by a five-star caterer, a well-known Baal Tefillah, a world-class performer, an exciting children’s program, and so on – but this Shabbos is actually much more than that: The attendees were not there to escape their weekday reality for a short weekend. They were there for the insight, inspiration, and encouragement to transform it.
“We’ve been to many Shabbatons” one guest shared, “but from the moment we walked in we knew this one would be special. From the warm greeting when we arrived to the heartfelt tzeischem l’shalom, we felt like personal guests of Rabbi Rubashkin.”
The guests heard from Rabbi Rubashkin a number of times over Shabbos as he drew clarity from Torah sources on how to deepen and apply our Emunah and Bitachon to challenges in life. Each guest received a Shaar HaBitachon booklet, and Rabbi Rubashkin guided them through the solid foundations that Rabbeinu Bachya teaches, bringing practical application to familiar concepts.
Rabbi Shloime Taussig, as the Baal Tefillah, also led the heartfelt Tefillos and Zemiros at each Shabbos Seudah together with his mezamrim. Time and again, the guests got up, propelled by a particularly lively niggun, and danced together around the Shul or the dining room
Seudas Shabbos was followed by a keynote address by Rabbi Rubashkin and then an uplifting Oneg Shabbos that ran well into the night. The men discussed personal, practical questions with Rabbi Rubashkin, while the women heard from Rebbetzin Rubashkin and Rebbetzin Ginsberg in a setting conducive to lively interaction and discussion.
Throughout the Shabbos, the many guest speakers rounded out the program, each contributing to and enhancing the theme of the Shabbos in their own unique way. Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger set the tone and laid out the goals of the Shabbos with his opening remarks touching on relief from daagas machar and the recognition of small yeshuos which helps bring the big yeshuos. Rabbi Getzel Rubashkin spoke before Davening on how to reach a meaningful Tefillah, addressing the perceived tension between Tefillah and Bitachon.
Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz spoke after the grand Kiddush, laying out the power of achdus and a true understanding and application of Bitachon in real-life, high-stakes situations that call for hishtadlus.
Rabbi Aron Ginsberg spoke before Mincha, drawing insight and inspiration from the Megillah and applying Bitachon in the realm of chinuch and reaching all children. Rabbi Shloime Taussig led a spirited Shalosh Seudos, while Rabbi Rubashkin addressed the women’s Shalosh Seudos on the importance of hidur Mitzvah and mesiras nefesh which brings out the core of Emunah.
Rabbi Aron Weinberg spoke at the Melava Malka, highlighting the impact our Bitachon has on those around us and the power it has to take us from a situation of arrur to one of baruch.
There were many opportunities for more informal conversations and time was also set aside for private one-on-one chats with Rabbi and Mrs. Rubashkin for those who wanted to discuss more private, personal matters, which many attendees did.
Babysitters minded the babies while capable counselors ran fun-filled children’s programs, so the kids had a blast, and the parents could benefit from everything the Shabbos had to offer. This year, the kids were entertained and inspired by master storyteller and gameshow host Yossi Blaustein, who regaled them with stories all Shabbos and ran a special gameshow at the kids’ Melava Malka.
The women had a pre-Melava Malka event, a special video presentation by Mrs. Shavy Grossberg.
A rousing Melava Malka capped the inspiring Shabbos. Benny Friedman took the stage, stirring hearts with the heartfelt Motzoi Shabbos niggunim and lifting feet with energetic dancing music played by Yossi Cohen. While the attendees enjoyed a full milchig Seuda, Rabbi Rubashkin shared stories of Tzaddikim and the lessons in Emunah and Bitachon they contained. Rabbi Wineberg inspired the crowd with his uplifting message, and the joyous dancing that followed lasted into the wee hours of the morning.
Over the Sunday morning breakfast spread, Rabbi Rubashkin spoke about “Bringing Bitachon Home,” taking the inspiration and clarity attendees had experienced over the special Shabbos and internalizing it, taking it with them, and applying it to daily life. Underscoring that our true strength and clarity comes from Torah, each guest was given audio recordings of Rabbi Rubashkin’s 40-day Shaar HaBitachon Shiur.
One of the guests summarized it very well. “Bombarded as we are challenges – personal, communal, and national, local and global – we are at constant risk of becoming overwhelmed, or worse, deaf and callous.”
“We came to this Shabbos to awaken our sensitivities and to strengthen our faith in our Creator’s master plan and our appreciation for the opportunities we are given to serve Hakadosh Baruch Hu. We each left inspired in our own way.”
Shiurim and study sessions of Shaar HaBitachon and other Seforim on this important topic are, Baruch Hashem, widespread. This special annual Shabbaton was an opportunity to come together and focus on the next step: bringing the hard-earned clarity from our minds to our hearts, from an idea that we understand to the reality that we live. We have our work cut out for us, but we’re already looking forward to next year’s Shabbaton, may it be in Yerushalayim HaBenuyah with Moshiach.
You can find information on Rabbi Rubashkin’s many weekly Shiurim for men and classes for women at alephbeisgimmel.com/classes
[Press Release]
