HISTORICAL AND EDUCATIONAL NOVEL OF THE ALTER REBBE AND THE ORIGINS OF CHABAD-LUBAVITCH PUBLISHED IN COMMEMORATION OF YUD-TES KISLEV
Jerusalem, Israel (November 22, 2021)
Lehavdil Press proudly announces the release of one of their debut publications, The Dual Luminary – Revolution: A Novel of the Alter Rebbe, Chabad-Lubavitch, and the French Revolution. The purpose of The Dual Luminary is to present the life, story, and some select teachings of the Alter Rebbe and the early Chabad movement as well as the contemporaneous history of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries in a way that is unique, dynamic, and engaging for both Chassidic and non-Chassidic audiences.
The Dual Luminary is one of several “breakout” works for Lehavdil Press which has previously focused on creating and sharing content online for the Torah-observant Jewish Community. The media company now plans to expand their reach by publishing and highlighting stories based on different communities within the Jewish world.
“My wife and I are Torah-observant Sephardi Jews, but we have had a long-standing friendship and alliance with Chabad…,” Dual Luminary authors Ben & Sarai Kerido have noted. “When it comes to acknowledging the greatness of a tzaddik who changed the world in such enormous ways, personal nusach and the eating of kitniyot on Pesach are completely irrelevant. The legacy and spiritual contributions of the Alter Rebbe have immense value for every Jewish person.”
Lehavdil Press was founded in 2019 to promote and distribute Torah-based content to audiences across a wide spectrum of Jewish communities. Lehavdil actively seeks to educate readers and consumers about Jewish history, experiences, and personages, including those that fall outside of the more commonly known realms. Lehavdil Press also strives to present Torah concepts and observant Jewish educational materials in a manner that is both relevant and relatable. (Learn more at Lehavdil.com, and follow us on Facebook.)
The Dual Luminary – Revolution is available for purchase in both print and ebook format from Amazon (with other distribution channels soon to follow) for $18.00 and $7.99 respectively. The book is now being released in honor of the Alter Rebbe and the commemorations of Yud-Tes Kislev.
We would love to hear your feedback! Please feel invited to e-mail us back at news@lehavdil.com and let us know your thoughts, questions, and/or comments!
SAMPLE:
Reb Schneur Zalman gazed at the intricately bound book with a dark red leather cover. Gold Hebrew lettering shimmered on the front of the work entitled Likkutei Amarim. Using soft motions, the Rebbe opened the book and turned to the first page. The light of the Chanukah candles reflected on his intense eyes as they were met by the first words of the book, “Tanya, It has been taught…”
Reb Zalman frowned slightly as he continued to inspect the printed version of his greatest work. Reb Sholom Shachna’s smile faded; Reb Dovber became uneasy.
“Tati,” Reb Dovber asked, a hint of concern growing in his voice. “What’s wrong?”
The Rebbe sighed long and heavy, rubbing his beard in dismay. Finally he answered.
“As it is written in Mishlei, ‘Many are the thoughts in a man’s heart, but it is the counsel of the Most High that prevails.’ It was my fervent desire that the book be completed by the beginning of the month of Kislev – about three weeks ago – so that it could be studied on the day of my mentor’s yahrzeit. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, willed it otherwise, and the printing was completed on the twentieth of Kislev. The twentieth of Kislev,” the Rebbe repeated again. He then muttered a third time, “The twentieth of Kislev.” He exhaled once more, deeper and heavier than the previous time. “Kol man d’avid Rachmana l’tav avid,” Reb Schneur Zalman announced ruefully in Aramaic the famous quotation of Rabbi Akiva. “All that the Merciful One does is for the good.”
Reb Sholom Shachna retreated with wide eyes out of the foyer towards the front door, motioning for Reb Dovber to join him. Sholom whispered softly into the ear of his brother-in-law.
“I must be missing something,” Reb Sholom Shachna said as he watched his father-in-law from the entrance of the house. “I understand that the Rebbe wanted his work to be published earlier in order to study it on the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch, but that timeline simply wasn’t possible. And the publication was finished only a few weeks later than he had requested. Why is he so distraught? I don’t understand.”
Reb Dovber peered at his father sitting in front of the Chanukah candles. An ominous dread began to wash over the Rebbe’s son as he carefully observed his father. The soft orange light from the flickering flames danced on his face and sparkled in his melancholy eyes. Reb Dovber waited a long moment before replying with evident concern straining his voice.
“I don’t understand either.”
INTERVIEW WITH AUTHORS BEN & SARAI KERIDO:
Q: What prompted you to write The Dual Luminary – Revolution and The Dual Luminary – Revelation?
A: My wife and I are Torah-observant Sephardi Jews, but we have had a long-standing friendship and alliance with the Chabad world. In my exposure to Chabad and the Alter Rebbe, I became very curious as to why Rabbi Schneur Zalman of blessed memory so ardently opposed Napoleon Bonaparte. I had heard the basic premise behind the Alter Rebbe’s opposition, namely that Napoleon’s success would be financially beneficial to the Jewish people but spiritually destructive. But I didn’t fully understand that position, especially in light of how dedicated Rabbi Schneur Zalman was to enhancing the parnassah and economic well-being of his community. I began to study the spiritual and historical context and environment influencing the Alter Rebbe’s viewpoints. By the end of that in-depth research I not only had my answer, I realized that the material at hand was prime for writing an epic saga about the life of the Alter Rebbe and the origins of the Chabad-Lubavitch sect of Chassidic Judaism. Besides all that, when it comes to acknowledging the greatness of a tzaddik who changed the world in such enormous ways, personal nusach and the eating of kitniyot on Pesach are completely irrelevant.”
Q: Why did you choose the genre of historical fiction?
A: While historical fiction has its drawbacks, I really wanted to introduce the reader to the Alter Rebbe in a very unique and dynamic way. There are some terrific biographies about Rabbi Schneur Zalman of blessed memory, and Chabad.org has a lot of great content. And, of course, most Chabad rabbis and rebbetzins are very well versed on his life and legacy, and they are more than happy to share his story with an interested listener. But I wanted to present the Alter Rebbe in a way that made him “come alive” for the reader who might not have that level of preexisting knowledge of the founder of the Chabad Chassidic movement. I went to great lengths to be respectful, and I did my best to avoid “artistic license.” I wanted The Dual Luminary to be both engaging and hyper-accurate.
Q: Why do you feel that it is important to study and understand the life and teachings of the Alter Rebbe?
A: The Alter Rebbe emphasized the importance of balancing an academic study and practical observance of the Torah and Halachah with a sincere and intense emotional connection with the Most High. He encouraged the heart to be ruled by the mind. He further reiterated the need to suppress our base, selfish desires, referred to as the “animal soul,” in order to reach our positive spiritual potentials. And he also stressed the importance of the mitzvah of ahavas Yisrael, love for our fellow Jews. These principles were also taught and emphasized by the Lubavitcher Rebbe. And the rabbinical shluchim of Chabad sent out by the Rebbe have brought these concepts to the far corners of the world, inspiring Jews of every type and caliber. In short, even though I am Sephardi and not Chassidic, I believe that it is crucial for every Jew to internalize and apply these teachings. If the Jewish world as a whole strove to adopt these principles, we would all be much better off. In fact, we might already merit the arrival of Moshiach (may he come speedily in our days).
Q: What impressed you most about the Alter Rebbe?
A: Perhaps what struck me most about the Alter Rebbe was his strength blended with both sincere compassion and true humility. This was a rabbi who could – and literally did – confidently spar with emperors, conquerors, and tyrants. And yet, for all that strength, he could humbly seek peace with those who viciously and baselessly opposed him, and also gently but firmly admonish his son, Dovber (the Mittler Rebbe), to always be sure to hear the cry of a child. That, to me, is a most impressive display of genuine greatness.
Q: What was the hardest part of writing The Dual Luminary?
A: Undeniably it was using the Ashkenazi spellings and pronunciations of Hebrew terms, like Shabbos instead of Shabbat. I love my Chassidic and Ashkenazi fellow Jews… but boy, as a Sephardi Jew, forcing myself to use the Ashkenazi lingo was downright painful at times.
Q: What was your favorite part of writing The Dual Luminary?
A: I came at this project from a very unique perspective. I am an Israeli-American IDF special forces veteran (and current reservist) as well as an international security and defense consultant. That’s a fancy way of saying that I have a lot of knowledge and comprehension of military strategy and the specifics of combat and weaponry. I am also a “hobbyist historian,” if you will. It was absolutely fascinating to sync up traditional Chabad accounts of the Alter Rebbe with historical documents of surrounding warfare, etc. For instance, there is a story that Rabbi Schneur Zalman sounded the shofar on Rosh Hashanah at the earliest permitted moment of the day partly as a request for Divine assistance to be provided to the Russian armies of the Czar against Napoleon’s forces. Comparing that account to historical records and journals, I discovered that the Alter Rebbe sounded the shofar almost simultaneously with the first barrage of Napoleon’s cannons at the Battle of Borodino (Mozaisk) – the battle that ultimately decided Napoleon’s fate in Russia and secured his eventual demise. Even more amazingly, through the linking of Chabad records with historical accounts I discovered that the Almighty Himself seemed to have engineered the life of Napoleon Bonaparte in an enormous and mind-blowing display of Hashgacha Pratis that unexpectedly permitted the survival of not only the Alter Rebbe and his whole family, but the entire Chabad-Chassidic sect of Judaism. I mean, I literally got chills as I compiled the data and realized what I was looking at.
Q: And what was that discovered Hashgacha Pratis, Divine Providence, that you mentioned?
A: You’ll have to read the books and find out. Yes, that’s a shameless plug and I am leaving you in suspense, I know. [Chuckles to himself with a mischievous smile.]
Q: When will The Dual Luminary books be available for purchase? Can we get a sneak preview?
A: The Dual Luminary consists of two parts, Revolution and Revelation. The first book, Revolution, will be released on Amazon in both print and ebook, BE”H, just before Yud-Tes Kislev 5782 (November 23, 2021) in honor of the “Rosh Hashanah of Chassidism” as well as the anniversary of the release of the Alter Rebbe from prison. The second book, Revelation, will be available in both print and ebook on Amazon, BE”H, on Kaf-Dales Teves 5782 (December 28, 2021), in commemoration of the yarhzeit of the Alter Rebbe. The Dual Luminary will also be distributed through other platforms shortly, BE”H. For more information, please visit Lehavdil.com.
We would love to hear your feedback! Please feel invited to e-mail us back at news@lehavdil.com and let us know your thoughts, questions, and/or comments!