Lived Avodah

Reb Reuven Donin was known as “the tractorist of the Rebbe” — a chossid whose strength, directness, and burning ahavas Yisroel became tools in the Rebbe’s shlichus.Before entering Tomchei Temimim, Reb Reuven worked with tractors and heavy machinery. Later, he would use those same kochos to move people — closed hearts, confused bachurim, Yidden who had drifted far, and neshamos waiting to come home.In this episode, we explore Reb Reuven’s search for truth, his first yechidus with the Rebbe, his deep connection to Reb Shlomo Chaim Kesselman, his farbrengens, his bittul, and the question that stood at the center of his life:What does Hashem want from me?What does the Rebbe want from me?For more stories and a fuller biography of Reb Reuven Donin, see the Hebrew book הטרקטוריסט של הרבי.

In this episode of Lived Avodah, we explore the life and fire of Reb Zalman Moshe HaYitzchaki— one of the unforgettable ovdim of Lubavitch.Reb Zalman Moshe was known for his burning bittul, his relentless war against yeshus, his deep hiskashrus to the Rebbeim, and his sharp, uncompromising demand for emes. His life gives us a glimpse into what it meant for Chassidus to become avodah — not only ideas to understand, but a life to live.Many of the stories about Reb Zalman Moshe can be found in A Father to So Many Chassidim, the book about his son-in-law, Reb Avrohom “Mayorer” Drizin.

Reb Itche Der Masmid was a chossid without rest — a man whose life burned with Torah, davening, hiskashrus, and mesirus nefesh. In this first episode of Lived Avodah, we enter the world of a chossid who pushed beyond ordinary limits, living with a fire that could not be contained by comfort, fear, or time.This episode is only a glimpse. To get the fuller story of Reb Itche’s life, listeners are strongly encouraged to pick up the book The 25th Hour.