The Eightieth Volume of Toras Menachem and A New Search Engine
Just a few years after the internet became widespread, Lahak Hanochos made the decision to expand the availability of the Rebbe’s Torah by making all of their Seforim available on the internet, allowing anyone, anywhere in the world, to learn and print (for personal use) the Rebbe’s Sichos and Maamarim in a convenient fashion.
To achieve this goal, significant capital and much effort was invested, beginning in 5760, to upload the contents of every volume of Toras Menachem both in text and PDF format.
According to Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook, the director of Lahak, the ever-growing collection of Seforim also demanded a solution that would give the many students and researchers the ability to delve into the depths of the Rebbe’s Torah.
Recognizing this pressing need, a remarkable search engine was developed with the assistance of the professional team at Chabad.org; this sophisticated tool allows individuals to explore the vast expanse of the Rebbe’s Torah, effortlessly uncovering specific topics, expressions, or lines of interest. Gone are the days of reaching out to editors via phone or email, as immediate access to these sources is now just a few clicks away.
With the approach of Yud Aleph Nisan 5782, marking 120 years since the Rebbe’s birth and also the 40th anniversary of the organization’s establishment, the project received a revitalizing boost. Building upon the initial fifty volumes of Toras Menachem already available on the website, an additional thirty-six volumes were added.
The need for this database was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic — thankfully long-gone — which compelled many to remain confined within their homes, often unable to attend Shul or nearby Chabad Houses, for an extended period of time.
This also became more evident over the past year and a half, as hundreds of Shluchim from Ukraine, along with their families, were uprooted due to the ongoing conflict and often forced to flee in the dead of night with only a single suitcase.
The website served as a haven for the Rebbe’s Torah; providing shluchim with the ability to tap into the Rebbe’s Torah at any time and hour, from every border-crossing or makeshift lodging, and draw solace and inspiration from the newly released kuntreisim, or from exploring topics related to the drastic changes in their personal lives and missions.
Now, with the approach of Gimmel Tammuz this year, marking the beginning of the thirtieth year since the Histalkus, Lahak is pleased to announce that a full seventy-three volumes of Toras Menachem can be found on the website, including all the Rebbe’s Sichos from Yud Shevat 5710 to the end of the year 5733. Additionally, the collection includes the four volume set of Sefer Ma’amarim Melukat.
The content is available to be studied online or to be printed; you could print a full sicha or maamar or just the relevant page, and you can also search for a specific word or term within this vast and invaluable database — the most immense well of Torah teachings in Jewish history.
The ambitious project was made possible thanks to the generous contribution of the renowned philanthropist Mr. Yitzchak Mirilashvili and his family, who are always at the forefront of the project to disseminate and spread the Rebbe’s teachings.
According to a recent survey of online activity over the past year, nearly forty thousand individuals visited the website, www.lahak.org, each month!
In addition to the full volumes of Toras Menachem, the website also offers the latest weekly kuntresim, as well as a complete archive of nearly 1000 previously published kuntresim from 5771 onwards (earlier kuntresim are included in the books available on the site).
The kuntreisim also include over 1500 Igros Kodesh which were printed in the back of each weekly kuntres since 5771. This treasure trove has yet to be printed in Igros Kodesh, and is available only on this site.
Also available on the website are the 189 booklets of Reshimos, the Rebbe’s Reshimos on Tanya, and the 39 booklets of Rebbetzin Chana’s memoirs in in Yiddish, Hebrew, English, French, and Russian.
A special section of the website is dedicated to the Kuntreisim which contain Maamarim of the Rabbeim recently discovered and published by Otzar HaChassidim. These include 59 Ma’amarim from the Alter Rebbe, 2 Ma’amarim from the Mitteler Rebbe, 26 Ma’amarim from the Tzemach Tzedek, 29 Ma’amarim from the Rebbe MaHarash, 48 Ma’amarim from the Rebbe Rashab, and 85 Ma’amarim from the Rebbe Rayatz.
In honor of Gimmel Tammuz, Lahak is also releasing the eightieth volume of Toras Menachem, including the sichos and maamarim from the summer of 5735 (1975). Additionally, with a release date of Chov Av, is Sefer Maamarim 5737. This will complete the sequence of all the Sifrei Maamarim from 5711 until 5739.
