Weekly Moment With the Rebbe

Eternal Memory

This week we marked Yud (10 Shvat), the 73rd yahrzeit of the Previous (Sixth) Lubavitcher Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (Rebbe Rayatz), who re-established Chabad Chassidus on American shores and commitment to worldwide outreach of Torah and Chassidus. The Avner Institute presents two diaries chronicling the assumption of Chabad leadership by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson following his father-in-law’s passing; the Rebbe Rayatz’s attempt during wartime to hasten the redemption through completion of a Torah scroll; and a Yud Shvat encounter between Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson and a former classmate Rabbi Yosef Dov Soloveitchik – “The Rav” – of Yeshiva University, as told by the Rav’s pupil HaRav Herschel Schachter.

In loving memory Hadassah bas Shneur Zalman

“You must see to help me out!”

The Great and Holy day of Yud Shevat 5711 [1951]:

The [current] Rebbe davened Maariv at the amud [lectern] in the Frierdiker [Previous] Rebbe’s room, crying slightly throughout the entire davening. Before Shacharis the Rebbe glanced at the Frierdiker Rebbe’s chair. Throughout the entire davening the Rebbe cried a lot. Following Shacharis, everyone wrote paanim [requests] and handed them to the Rebbe. R’ Meir Ashkenazi handed the Rebbe a k’sav hiskashrus [communal letter] from all the Chassidim and asked the Rebbe to take on the nesius [leadership] so that Moshiach will come faster, and the Rebbe responded: “Yes, but you must see to help me out!”

Many other Chassidim from all over the country handed the Rebbe a k’sav hiskashrus from anash [congregants] in their cities. After that, one of the Chassidim read aloud a paan k’loli [communal request] on behalf of all of the Chassidim to the Frierdiker Rebbe, asking that he assures that the Rebbe accepts the nesius and that the Rebbe should be very successful, etc.

The paan was read again at the Ohel and then handed over to the Rebbe. At first the Rebbe refused to read it, but he finally began to read it while crying with great emotion. The Rebbe stayed at the Ohel for many hours, only returning to 770 very close to sunset. Mincha was Davened very quickly. After Maariv, the Farbrengen was called for 8:00p.m.

The Rebbe visited his mother that evening and only left for 770 at 8:45p.m. Throughout the evening many people came to 770 for the Farbrengen, resulting in a crowd totaling over 800 people gathered in the zal [hallway].

Wanting to Hear

The Rebbe walked into the Farbrengen at 9:45pm together with Rabbi Kazarnovsky and Rabbi Yalles. In between the sichos [discourses], the Rebbe spoke to a few people, one of them was a bochur [yeshiva student] whom the Rebbe had previously asked in yechidus [private audience] to sell his car. The Rebbe asked him whether he had sold it yet or not and when the bochur answered in the negative, the Rebbe gave him an astonishing look.

After the first sicha, Leibel Groner whispered to Yitzchak Hendel to ask the Rebbe to say a maamar [treatise]. The Rebbe had heard the request, and told Rabbi Hendel, “Tell him not to drei a kop [annoy]!” Rabbi Kramer, who was standing nearby and overheard the conversation, said to the Rebbe, “He’s right, we want to hear a maamar!” but the Rebbe waved his hand as if to discard the entire idea altogether.

About an hour after the Farbrengen began, an older Chassid named R’ A.S. Nemztov stood up and announced: “Everyone wants to hear a maamar. The sichos are good and fine, but we want to hear Chassidus!”

The shul was totally silent. Everyone’s hearts trembled as they waited to see how the Rebbe would respond.

… And so it was, at 10:40p.m. the Rebbe opened the maamar of the Frierdiker Rebbe and began to say: “In the maamar that the Rebbe gave out on the day of his passing, he begins with Bosi Legani [Song of Songs 1:1: I came into my garden] …”

Happy Occasion

The Rebbe then began to speak in a tune of a maamar. For a few seconds, everyone began pushing out of excitement, but then everything returned to normal, and the Rebbe continued saying the maamar through se’if gimmel [part 3]. While the Rebbe spoke about the avodah [service] of dor hashviei [7th generation], the Rebbe cried a lot. The Rebbe then said, “We will now take a break and say l’chaim.”

Rabbi Nemtzov jumped onto the table and cried out “We must say shehecheyanu [prayer upon reaching a happy occasion]! Hashem has helped us; we have a Rebbe!” He then said shehecheyanu with Hashem’s name, and all present responded with a wholehearted “Amen.”

The Rebbe smiled and asked Rabbi Nemtzov to go down from the table. The Rebbe requested that the Chassidim sing “The Benoni,” saying, “The [previous] Rebbe cherished this niggun [melody],” and then “The Rostover Nigun” of the [fifth Lubavitcher] Rebbe Rashab.

The Rebbe continued the second part of the maamar through se’if hei [part 5]. The Rebbe then stopped and asked everyone to sing a niggun from the [fourth Lubavitcher] Rebbe Maharash and the niggun of the [third Lubavitcher Rebbe] Tzemach Tzedek. The Rebbe then continued the maamar to the end, and concluded with a short sicha, saying that generally in Chabad the Chassidim have to do the main avodah by themselves, not relying on the Rebbeim.

All throughout the recitation of the maamar the Rebbe held his hands under the table with his eyes open looking straight ahead. Following the maamar, Rabbi Nemtzov blessed the Rebbe in the name of all the Chassidim (in honor of the
nesius) with “Bonei, Chayei, Umezonei” [build, sustain, and feed] and everyone answered, “Amen.”

At 12:55 a.m., the Rebbe started the niggun “Ki V’Simcha” as he left the Shul. Everyone continued singing this niggun, dancing with great joy for a long while. As the Rebbe walked out of the door, Rabbi Kazarnovsky wished the Rebbe “mazel
tov,” and the Rebbe smiled.

After the Farbrengen, the Chassidim reviewed the Rebbe’s words until 3:00 a.m., but the bochurim, although they were extremely exhausted, stayed even later (until 6:30 in the morning) to review the new maamar over and over again.

“To seize an opportunity”

From a diary in 1970:

On the night of Simchas Torah, 5702 [1941], during the Farbrengen before hakofos [dancing around the Ark while holding the Torah scrolls], the Frierdiker Rebbe spoke to the Chassidim of writing a Sefer Torah expressly for the purpose of greeting Moshiach.

It is important to note when this took place: At that time, the Jewish people were suffering terribly all across Europe – struggling through more horrifying afflictions than anyone could have imagined would ever occur. In those darkest of times, the Frierdiker Rebbe initiated new efforts to awaken all of his Jewish brethren to return to Hashem, seeking to seize an opportunity to bring about the ultimate Redemption. Thus did the project to write a special Sefer Torah to greet Moshiach commence.

Originally, the Frierdiker Rebbe requested that the parchment for the Sefer come from Eretz Yisroel, so he sent a telegram to R’ Shlomo Yehudah Leib Eliazarov of Yerushalayim with precise instructions: The parchment must be made from a shlil (hide of a calf still in its mother’s womb) of an animal slaughtered properly; it must be worked specifically for the sake of the Sefer Torah only; and the parchment should be six tefachim [handsbreadth] in width.

However, when he realized that the cost of acquiring such a parchment from Israel would be too great, the Frierdiker Rebbe decided that the parchment should be made – and the Sefer Torah written – in America. The Sofer chosen was R’ Shmaryahu Factor, who began to write the Sefer in the [first Lubavither] Alter Rebbe’s k’sav [writing style].

Unique Endeavor

Initially, it was arranged to start writing the Sefer on the 20th of Cheshvan (birthday of the Rebbe Rashab). For a variety of reasons, however, the writing
did not actually begin until the 2nd of Iyar (birthday of the Rebbe Maharash).
The actual writing of the Sefer began in a quiet event without fanfare in the
Frierdiker Rebbe’s room, with only the sofer [scribe] and R’ E. Simpson together there with him. The sofer drew the outline of the letters of the first word and the
Frierdiker Rebbe filled them in, setting this unique endeavor in motion.

Following the completion of the first letters, Chassidim gathered for a special
meal in the shul downstairs, where they joined together in saying, “L’chaim!”
From there, they moved on to Mincha in the room where the Frierdiker Rebbe’s mother had stayed (this was during the year following her passing, in which
the Frierdiker Rebbe regularly davened in her room). After davening, the Frierdiker Rebbe turned to face the crowd and delivered a sicha. Among the things he said then, the Frierdiker Rebbe related that when a terrible plague struck his city, the Baal Shem Tov instructed that a Sefer Torah be written – and the plague miraculously ended.

Now too, said the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Jewish nation is in dire need of immediate salvation; and he concluded, “May Hashem help that the writing of this Sefer Torah indeed bring it about!”

Special Letter

Later that day, the Frierdiker Rebbe selected three of the elder Chassidim – R’
Shmuel Levitin, R’ Elya Simpson, and R’ Dovid Shifrin – as a committee to
supervise the entire project. They were instructed to announce to the public that everyone would be entitled to purchase a letter in this historic Sefer Torah, for the price of one dollar.

In a letter dated that day, the Frierdiker Rebbe writes:

…In the merit of our holy Rebbes, Hashem has granted me the esteemed privilege to carry out the great and exalted Mitzvah of awakening and arousing immediate teshuvah [repentance], preparing ourselves for the imminent redemption, and to write a Sefer Torah expressly to greet Moshiach.

Initially, the idea was a personal secret, with intention to perform the act alone. But during the Simchas Torah meal, while speaking about the specialty of ahavas Yisroel [loving a fellow Jew], I had second thoughts as to whether I was correct in my decision to hide the truth and withhold the public from participating in this great and holy opportunity. I have therefore chosen to proclaim openly that, with Hashem’s help, I do plan on writing a Sefer Torah exclusively to greet Moshiach speedily… All those who wish to participate in the writing are to complete the necessary forms and send them to the committee.

The Frierdiker Rebbe took upon himself all of the costs of the Sefer Torah, as well as the payment due to the sofer; all of the contributions received from participants in writing the Sefer Torah were given to Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Machne Israel Fund.

As soon as this momentous project was launched, the Rebbe (as chairman of Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch and Machne Israel) immediately began promoting the new campaign on a very large scale, enlisting many Jews – including many community leaders – to sign on as participants in the writing. In the year 5708, the Rebbe wrote R’ Bentzion Shemtov that Moshiach’s Sefer Torah would likely be completed in the near future.

Bochurim who learned in the yeshiva in those years recall that every Thursday night they participated in reviewing columns of the Sefer Torah, checking for accuracy. During this period, R’ Elya Simpson composed a detailed program for the
Siyum Sefer Torah ceremony that they had scheduled for the 20th of Cheshvan, 5708. According to his plan, they would bring the Sefer Torah to the Frierdiker Rebbe’s room to request permission to proceed in writing the final pesukim; from there they planned to continue to the Rebbe’s room downstairs where the writing would take place, and then return to the Frierdiker Rebbe to fill in the last three words – “L’einei Kol Yisroel” [before all of the Jewish nation] – to be followed by a great and joyous celebration.

For reasons unknown, the plan did not materialize; but the Chassidim presumed that the Frierdiker Rebbe had given instructions that the proper time had not yet arrived…And so the Sefer Torah remained unfinished until 5730 (1970) – twenty years after the passing of the Frierdiker Rebbe.

“Leben Mit Dem Rebben”

Yud Shevat 5740 [1980]; Shabbos Parshas Bo, 8 Shevat

Following the Farbrengen in the afternoon, the Rebbe washed his hands for Mincha; then he asked Rabbi Groner to bring over the bottle of wine. The Rebbe poured some of the wine for Rabbi S. Eichorn; giving him the rest of the bottle to be distributed at that evening’s melave malka [Saturday night] sponsored on behalf of the gemach [benevolent fund], the Rebbe blessed him that the event should go well.

After Shabbos, when the Rebbe exited his room to go home, R’ Zushe Wilimovsky began the niggun “Nyet, Nyet,” to which the Rebbe responded with a sign of encouragement.

Sunday, 9 Shevat

Dr. Resnick, whose wedding was to take place that day, entered the Rebbe’s room to receive the Siddur.

As the Rebbe entered the shul downstairs for Mincha, a Russian woman thanked him for the answer she had earlier received to her letter. The Rebbe responded in Russian, saying “You will receive the blessing from Hashem!” On his way out, the Rebbe motioned to R’ Zushe to begin a niggun.

Night of Yud Shevat

When the Rebbe entered the shul for Maariv, the room was over-crowded, packed from one end to the other. As he always did on Yud Shevat, the Rebbe led the davening from the amud. Following davening, the Rebbe smiled at R’ Zalmon Jaffe, who immediately began to sing “Uforatzta.”

As he was leaving 770 to go home, the Rebbe saw Dr. Resnick and his kallah [bride]. He told them, “Tomorrow night I will not be washing (at the Farbrengen), but you most definitely will wash (for sheva brochos, week following a wedding).”

Throughout the night, Chassidim gathered together to farbreng [gather and celebrate] in honor of the great day. Many of the bochurim worked through the night preparing the Mitzvah Tanks for the next day’s parade.

Day of Yud Shevat

In addition to those already in Crown Heights, new guests arrived to be with the Rebbe for Yud Shevat, including many shluchim [emissaries] and their supporters. After Shacharis, it was announced that everyone involved in the parade should be prompt arriving to the Mitzvah Tanks so that they would be able to leave on time at 12:00 noon.

(From The Rebbe and the Rav, by Rabbi Chaim Dalfin; Jewish Enrichment Press, 2016)

At precisely 12:00 p.m., the Mitzvah Tanks set off to parade up Fifth Avenue in Manhattan; from there, they spread out all across the city to do their invaluable work. During the afternoon, two additional bleachers were erected in the 770 shul
downstairs to accommodate the Farbrengen that would take place that night.

An hour before the Farbrengen was to begin, the shul was already filled to capacity with anash, shluchim, distinguished rabbonim [rabbis] and dignitaries, including a number of senators. It is estimated that close to ten thousand people were present! Simultaneous translations were available in English, Hebrew, Russian, French, and Spanish. Still much before the Rebbe entered the shul, the eager crowd began to sing the niggun, “Chayolei Adoneinu” and continued for a very long time, into the
Rebbe’s arrival.

Before reaching his chair, the Rebbe met up with the Rav, Horav Yosef Dov Soloveichik of Boston and Yeshiva University, who had come to Brooklyn especially for the Farbrengen. The Rebbe showed him exceptional respect and offered the Rav to walk before him. When the Rebbe reached his place, he waited for Rav Soloveichik to sit down before seating himself.

Following the first sicha, the Rebbe gave Rav Soloveichik a piece of cake. Horav
E. Yalles of Philadelphia approached the Rebbe, offering his blessings in honor
of the Rebbe’s thirty years of leadership, followed by many of the other distinguished rabbonim present.

After the Rebbe’s hadran [speech], Rav Soloveichik stood up to leave. The Rebbe immediately stood and remained standing until Rav Soloveitchik had gone. Before leaving, Rav Soloveichik spoke with the Rebbe for a short while and shook his hand. Toward the end of the Farbrengen, the Rebbe himself sang the niggun “Tzomo Lecho Nafshi,” followed by all of the Chassidim.

The Farbrengen ended at 2:25 in the morning, and the Rebbe went home accompanied by police escort.

The following is a description of Rav Soloveichek’s visit as told by his pupil, Harav
Hershel Shachter, who accompanied him at the time:

The Rebbe and the Rav knew each other and had an extremely warm relationship from when they studied together in Berlin. So we pulled up in front of 770. The car stopped and the Rav came out. I walked with him up to the door and when we opened the doorway in the back of the shul, we saw what the crowd looked like. But then it opened up for us … it was just unbelievable, like kriyas Yam Suf [parting of the Red Sea]! I can’t describe how it happened, it just opened up and the Rav and I walked down the aisle and up to the platform.

At that time, the Rebbe was not yet at his seat; and as it seemed, the only empty
chair was the Rebbe’s. When the Rebbe appeared, he came up and shook hands with the Rav. The Rebbe motioned to the Rav to walk ahead and the Rav motioned to the Rebbe to walk ahead, so the Rebbe walked ahead.

The Rav sat down, and then the Rebbe sat down. The Rav had a comfortable chair which was situated not right next to the Rebbe, but a little further down. The only ones, of all the people piling around, who sat down right at the table were the Rebbe and the Rav. I was standing throughout the entire stay right behind the Rav, and I didn’t sit down the whole time.

…So there was a niggun, and then a dvar Torah [Torah lesson] from the Rebbe. The Rav sat down and he was comfortable; I was right behind him. The Rav listened very carefully to the Rebbe. Initially, he said he was only going to be there for a half-hour. An hour passed, and I myself said to him “Maybe the Rav is not comfortable…,” and he said, “No, no….”

I think he was there for two hours. The moment he stood up, the Rebbe immediately jumped up and the Rav didn’t wait for the Rebbe to come to him, he went over to the Rebbe. They shook hands, and I followed closely behind the Rav while they spoke to each other for a couple of minutes. It was a very warm conversation, very warm; you could see it on their faces … I was standing right there, and I heard the Rebbe say to the Rav, “Ir hot Boruch Hashem voille talmidim!” (You have, thank G-d, wonderful students!). It was very nice, very warm; they were both smiling at the time….

After two or three minutes, they shook hands and we started to walk back. All the while, everybody was standing, even [those] who had been sitting before; because when the Rebbe got up, everybody got up, and the Rebbe kept on standing till
we left the room.

We got back to the car and I asked the Rav, “Nu, vos zogt der Rav?” (“What does the Rav say [about the Rebbe]?”) He hesitated for a minute, and then he said “Er iz a Gaon, er iz a Gadol, er iz a manhig Yisroel… [He is a scholar, he is a great man, he is a leader of Israel.”

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