A Historic Moment on a Historic Day: Volume 120 of Torat Menachem
There is a widespread custom among Chassidim, to bring the Rebbe a gift in honor of his Yom Huledes in some spiritual aspect: be it Torah study, engaging in mivtzoim, establishing new institutions or enlarging existing ones.
There is no doubt that one special form of gift is when Chassidim engage in the study of the Rebbe’s Torah—the matter in which he invested his very essence.
On Purim 5732, the Rebbe made the following statement regarding gifts for his birthday (translated from Toras Menachem vol. 67):
“About those who are asking about my birthday, now is the time to express that first and foremost, they should connect it with limud haTorah—charity, supporting Torah study, does not suffice. Although it is seemingly improper to [go into] detail and ask for a certain kind of gift, however because the intent of those giving [the gift] is to cause pleasure by the recipient… therefore, whatever the gift might be—charity or good deeds in one way or another—it is a fair and good thing to request that [the gift be] connected with learning Torah, both nigleh and chassidus.”
In that light, the offices of Lahak upstairs in 770 were buzzing with a special feeling over the recent months. The lights were on until the late hours of the night, as the team made every effort to complete the 120th volume in time for 11 Nissan.
In Eretz Yisrael as well, Rabbi Bentzion Sheinberger, responsible for the printing of the books, made superhuman efforts to print and bind the new volume ship it by air to ensure that it arrived in time.
It was truly a moving experience for the members of Lahak, who have merited to transcribe and disseminate the Torah of the Rebbe with his close instruction and guidance, to enter the Ohel with the 120th volume of Toras Menachem, as the Rebbe’s 120th birthday arrived.
Since the establishment of Lahak in 5741 until Chof Zayin Adar 5752, forty-three volumes of Toras Menachem—Hisvaaduyos were published, spanning the Sichos and Maamarim of 5742-5752.
Afterwards, they began collecting, compiling, transcribing and publishing the Rebbe’s Torah from 5710 and onward in an organized fashion.
Now, they have managed to publish the 77th volume of the set, a 648 page book, containing the Sichos and Maamarim of Tammuz-Av-Elul 5734.
Upon leaving the Ohel, where they entered with—and studied from—the first volume that arrived just hours earlier from the publishing house in Israel, a lchaim was said in the tent between Rabbi Dovid Feldman, Rabbi Yisroel Shimon Kalmenson, and Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook of Lahak Hanochos, wishing each other Mazal Tov and success for the continuation of their holy work, and the hope that very soon we merit to hear new Torah from the Rebbe directly, Torah chadasha me’iti teitzei.
