Weekly Story: Accepting the Nesius
by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon
As a continuation of the posts of the previous two weeks, this week’s article is about the farbrengen of the Rebbe on Yud Shevat 5711 (1951). While I am giving over just the basics, there might be some details that not everyone is aware of.
Your feedback is always appreciated.
As noted last week, the Rebbe went to the Ohel sometime after Shacharis. When he concluded reading the final pidyon nefesh (pa”n), he returned to 770. A few moments after arriving in 770, the Rebbe davened mincha as the shliach tzibbur, and then everyone went to eat something, as the custom is not to eat before going to the ohel.
After maariv the gabbai announced that the farbrengen will begin at eight in the evening. While at that time the shul and beis hamidrash were normally large enough for everyone to find a place at the farbrengen, this night was different. Many Chassidim came from nearby states and further, and some even flew in from Europe. The chossid, Rabbi Avrohom Nemtzov, flew in from Manchester, England.
However, it wasn’t only Lubavitcher chassidim that came to participate in the farbrengen. Many chassidim from other groups,[1] as well as non-chassidim came to 770. They all understood this was a momentous occasion not to be missed.
Therefore, even before eight in the evening, the shul was packed with a few hundred men and many more in the hallway etc.
The Rebbe arrived in 770 at 8:45 and an hour later he came into the shul to farbreng. His place was at the eastern side of the shul. (I believe it was there as that was the place that the Frierdiker Rebbe designated for him to daven. Just by davening it was in the corner next to the door and now he sat a few feet to the right of the door.)
The Rebbe began the farbrengen by expressing the need of strengthening our hiskashrus (bond) to his father-in-law, the Rebbe. In the second sicha the Rebbe quoted the saying of our sages, “When one enters a city, he should follow the customs of the city. So while I don’t know if this means I should follow the customs of America, nevertheless, I will say the following. In America at the beginning of a new era [i.e. a new president, governor, mayor etc.], they express a mission statement, of what they intend to accomplish. My statement is: The love of Hashem, the love of His Torah, and the love of every Jew is one thing and they are inseparable. If a Jew is lacking in one of these loves, it should be strengthened, and through this love of every Jew, we will go out of this bitter golus.”
By now it was almost 10:40, an hour after the farbrengen began. Rabbi Nemtzov stood up and said, “The sichos are very good, but chassidim desire to hear a maamar.” [A mashpia also talks, however, a maamar can only be said by the Rebbe. Therefore, through saying a maamar, the Rebbe would show that he is finally agreeing to become the Rebbe.]
Silence reigned as everyone waited with bated breath. The Rebbe’s expression became very serious. He then took out the booklet of Basi Lgani of the previous year and began saying, “In the maamar that the Rebbe gave out [to be learned] on the day of his histalkus, the Rebbe begins with [the words of] Basi L’Gani. The Rebbe then began saying the maamar in the special tune that a maamar is said.
In the middle of the maamar, the Rebbe stopped and said, “We will now pause and say L;Chaim.” Rabbi Nemtzov then stood up and climbed onto a table and exclaimed in ecstasy, “Chassidim, let us all say the brocha of Shehechiyanu, that we have a Rebbe!”[2] He then led the assembled in saying the brocha, mentioning Hashem’s name.
The Rebbe then instructed that the niggun named the Beinoni (which was a favorite of his father-in-law, the Frierdiker Rebbe) be sung, and then he instructed that the crowd also sings the Rostover niggun, (which was a favorite of the Rebbe Rashab.)
The Rebbe then continued explaining the first chapter of the maamar and then stopped again. This time he instructed the niggun of the Rebbe Maharash to be sung followed by niggunim of the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek.
At the conclusion of the maamar, the Rebbe tearfully related the unlimited extent of the Rebbeim’s Ahavas Yisroel.
- How the Alter Rebbe left shul on Yom Kippur in order to cook some soup for a woman who had just given birth.
- How the Mitteler Rebbe rolled up his sleeve and showed a chossid that the skin on his arm is being affected through the transgressions of that chossid.
- How the Tzemach Tzedek removed his tallis from his shoulder, went home, and after putting some money together, went to the marketplace to lend a Jew the money, so he can earn something and support his family.
- How the Rebbe Maharash travel to Paris and after entering the salon, went over to a Jew who was drinking unkosher wine and told him that wine touched by a gentile dulls a person’s mind and heart. After saying these words, he left and was exhausted. But the words penetrated into that Jews heart, and after speaking to the Rebbe a few moments later, he returned to the ways of his ancestors.
- How the Rebbe Rashab told his brother, who spoke Russian fluently, that although he wasn’t fluent in Russian, he will go to the capital to beseech them to annul a decree and he successfully did so.
- How the Frierdiker Rebbe spent a Shabbos in a tavern with drunkards in order to speak with a person, which ultimately enabled him to enter the office of the Prime Minister and taking the official seal and stamping on that decree the words REJECTED.
The Rebbe obviously didn’t say anything about himself, but Reb Moshe Groner related that on the previous night the Rebbe went out of his way to help a Jewish patient who was in the hospital.
The Rebbe also stressed that since this is the final maamar that the Rebbe, his father-in-law gave out, undoubtedly there is guidance in it to help us navigate these final days of Golus.[3]
He also pointed out that in the beginning of the maamar, the Rebbe notes that since Moshe Raibeinu was the seventh from Avrohom Avinu, therefore, he was able to bring the Shechina down into this world. Therefore, although it may not be because of our merit, the fact is that we are the seventh generation from the Alter Rebbe. The Alter began revealing Chassidus into this world in a manner that people can understand it. So since we are the seventh generation from him, it is our zechus (merit) and indeed an obligation for us to conclude what he started and bring the ultimate revelation of Hashem, and usher in the era of Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
When the Rebbe concluded the maamar, Rabbi Nemtzov stood up once more and this time he gave the Rebbe a brocha.
The Rebbe then said, “Now please listen. The Rebbeim always demanded from their chassidim that they should work on their own, and not rely that the Rebbe would accomplish everything for them. Therefore, although I now accepted to help you in every way possible, don’t become complacent in your duties and obligations. You must fulfill the mission that my holy father-in-law, the Rebbe gave you!”
A Taste of Chassidus
Vehamayim Hayah Lahem Chomah 5733
On the possuk that states, “And the water was a wall for them on their right and left,” the michilta says that the word Chomah should not be translated to mean a wall, but since it is similar to the word Chemah, it means anger. That is informing us that the waters were angry at the Jewish people and wanted to crash down on them. But because of the mitzvos that the Jewish people do, which are on the right and left, they are protected.
The Torah informs us that the Torah was given by Hashem’s right hand. Since the Torah comes down from heaven to earth, it is understood that what elevates itself from earth to heaven signifies the left. When Yaakov Avinu prayed on his way to Charan, he had a dream that his prayers were compared to a ladder whose feet are grounded on the earth, but its head reached the heaven. This teaches us that davening is elevating yourself. The Midrash continues and states, a mezuzah is placed on the right, while the tefillin is placed on the left, the weaker hand. These mitzvos protected the Jewish people.
But it is not just the mitzvos that come from the right or the left, but the whole creation was done through the right and left. [Chassidus explains that when you want to give someone a present, you give it with your right hand. However, if you really don’t want to give it, but are forced to, then you will probably give it with the left.]
[As noted in previous posts, the name Elokim expresses concealment, while the name Havaya expresses kindness. In order to create the world in a manner that we are not automatically nullified by Hashem’s essence, we see that the Torah states, Vayomer Elokim, (there was a concealment of His greatness). Only after creation was completed, does the Torah mention the name of Havaya, that Hashem desires that His greatness be revealed.]
So the entire creation was created through these two separate conduits. The question to be asked is, when Hashem’s glory will be omnipresent with the coming of Moshiach, would the conduit of concealment still exist, and would it work in harmony with the conduit of revelation, or will it become completely nullified?
In the Shira that the Jews said after exiting from the sea, the possuk states, “Your Right Hand” twice. From this we learn that there is no left side in the higher spheres of G-dliness. So that would seemingly mean that the left will no longer exist.
But in reality, that proves the opposite. The left will exist, just it will be transformed into becoming the right. Therefore, since there are two hands, just that they are both right, so therefore the left will be around, it will just serve a higher objective, not of concealment, but of revelation.
This explains two statements of our sages concerning the Torah itself. On one hand they state that Hashem says, “I created the evil inclination, and I created the Torah as its antidote.” But they also say that the Torah is the treasure that Hashem enjoys the most. However, as mentioned above, nowadays the Torah serves to protect us from becoming influenced by our surroundings. When Moshiach reveals himself, then the Torah would serve its higher purpose. This also applies to the mitzvos as well.
From this we see clearly that both of these conduits (the right and left) will simultaneously exist in a mode of harmony to accomplish something greater.
Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous seforim on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com
[1] I heard from a Satmar chossid, that his father never participated in any discussion about Lubavitch. So he once asked him, “Tatty what are your feelings about Lubavitch?”
His father didn’t want to say too much, but he told him one thing: “On Yud Shevat 5711, I decided to go see and hear from the new Lubavitcher Rebbe. I wanted to see for myself who he is, and not rely on what others are going to say. I have done this a few times before the war, while I was living in Europe.
This is the first time that I saw a new Rebbe crying so profusely, saying in various ways that he was not worthy of it, and we must continue what the previous Rebbe taught us.
The son concluded, now I understood my father’s mode of conduct; he didn’t want to get in an argument. At that time many in Satmar spoke against Lubavitch, but my father knew that they were mistaken. However, he did not want to strengthen the machlokos, so he just walked away from those conversations.
[2] As is stated in Shulchan Aruch that on hearing or experiencing wonderful tidings, one says the brocha of shehechiyanu.
[3][3][3] Reb Nissan Nemenov asked the Rebbe about his child’s wedding, and the Rebbe replied that in the maamar of BasiLgani, the Rebbe wrote… and that is guidance for you.
