Some of my favorite and most unforgettable memories took place between the walls of 770 Eastern Parkway.
Having grown up in Crown Heights, I merited to spend my young and teenage years seeing the Rebbe. The month of Tishrei, and its many yomim tovim, was when we accumulated many of those cherished moments.
Interestingly, one of my fondest moments is from Yom Kippur. I remember spending this special day in the women’s section upstairs, with cold air blowing out of the A/C units and the distinct smell of the musty seforim. As the crowd would head back into 770 for Mincha, anticipation would begin to build. But it wasn’t for the fast to be over.
As the davening went on, the main shul would get fuller and fuller. by the time Mincha was over, if you weren’t wedged into a spot where you could crane your neck for a glimpse of the Rebbe, there was no getting in. By the end of Ne’ila, the crowd would roar Shema Yisroel, Baruch Shem and Hashem Hu Ha’elokim.
And then, as if we all forgot that we hadn’t eaten for 25 hours, we all joined in the joyous singing of Napoleon’s March. The Rebbe would stand on a chair, and in later years a step, and the exhilarated singing was deafening. We all joined in the singing, forgetting that we were so packed in we could barely breathe, and felt pure and holy, having been cleansed during a day like Yom Kippur.
And one more moment was worth it all. After maariv, the Rebbe would turn to us and, in unison, he wished us, and thousands of Chassidim wished the Rebbe as loud as we could, “Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov!”
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It was the highlight of the entire month and the height of joy. Even now, I can’t write this without tears filling my eyes, as the longing for those special days washes over me yet again.
After marrying and being blessed with children, I would stay home with the little ones on Yom Kippur and daven in solitude. Yet, each year as the fast concluded, and we said “Leshana Habah B’yerushalayim!” there was one more thing we would say together – “Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov!”
Each year, when we say “Gut Yom Tov!” three times, as we did back then, my voice cracks a little bit, as it is now more of a prayer of longing. In addition to my personal requests on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, I ask Hashem for the ultimate Geulah with the certainty that when it happens, the Rebbe will be looking out at the crowd and wishing us again, “Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov! Gut Yom Tov!”
With blessings for a happy and sweet new year,
Mica Soffer
Publisher and editor of COLlive.com
This brought tears to my eyes as well. Growing up on shlichus I only have a few memories of tishreis with the Rebbe- but every moment you described is engraved in my mind as if I was there every year. Thank you for sharing this with us and for all that you do to put out this website with integrity and dignity. Hashem should bentch you and your family.
Thanks for sharing
Thank you for writing what many of us feel in our hearts.
Those truly were the days!
Please Hashem, may we merit Moshiach , speedily.
A good gebentche year for everyone.!
Thank you for sharing this
Moshiach now!
such an inspiring read for this time of year
Ty for sharing! Brings me back to those special times, may we merit Moshiach now!
Reading this gave me the chills. I can still feel the building rocking during Napoleon’s March. Brings me to tears. I remember and feel it like it was yesterday. Can’t fathom that’s it’s already been 30 years!!
Oh Rebbe, we miss you!
People wrote to the Rebbe to come, (but have no fund’s) to come.
The Rebbe answered very very powerful, wherever you are and cannot come to me, you are more then ever with me a lot more than with Chassidim who are in Crown Height’s for Tishrei.
As this your Shelichos.
I personally know Mica what an amazing person so smart, nice and creative
thank you for everything you do for the community
Amazing beautiful thank you so much for your beautiful story