Weekly Dvar Torah: Happy Birthday Rebbe, Happy Birthday Chassidim
Celebrating 122 years since the Rebbe’s birth, we really have what to celebrate.
Even the celebration is stronger and is felt more now than years ago. When I grew up we almost didn’t know about the Rebbe’s birthday, let alone celebrate this very special day.
Today we compose a new song every year on words of the Rebbe’s new Kapitel Tehilim that we will say till the next birthday. We did not have this when I was a child.
Today we have massive campaigns in numbers corresponding to the Rebbe’s age, it may be the amount of Mitzvah Tanks parading on the streets to help Jews act Jewish.
We try to help many Jews to put on Tefillin, or to light Shabbos candles, at least equal to the years of the Rebbe’s age. We study Torah in numbers which correspond to the years of the Rebbe’s age. We try to establish new Chabad institutions to spread Yiddishkeit, at least in numbers like the Rebbe’s age.
And of course, we cannot miss the Farbrengens that we hold to celebrate the Rebbe’s birthday on a massive scale, joined by tens of thousands all over the world.
This is all new. Pardon my dating myself while I claim that something new is already more than 50 years in the making. But when I grew up this all didn’t exist.
When did this all change, and what’s so significant about this change?
The Hayom Yom of 11 Nissan says: “On one’s birthday one should spend some time in seclusion, bringing to mind recollections from the past and pondering over them. As to those [of his bygone actions] that call for rectification or repentance, one should repent and rectify them.”
Reading into the Rebbe’s insight of what constitutes a birthday, it seems quite clear that a birthday is a very somber and private day. It sounds more like a day of reflection similar to Yom Kippur, than a day of partying and celebration. And this is really how birthdays were observed once upon a time.
Things changed when the Rebbe turned 70. The Rebbe himself was inspired by the overwhelming love and jubilation of his Chassidim, and he responded by publicly celebrating and participating in our joy.
After Chassidim were singing and dancing with incredible ecstasy and fervor during the Farbrengen of his 70th birthday, the Rebbe declared; “I’ve waited for a moment of inspiration, and the moment has arrived, and therefore I am requesting for birthday gifts in the form of 71 new Chabad institutions to spread Yiddishkeit all over, and I will participate financially in all these new institutions.”
The following year the Rebbe said that since this project was so successful, I will now ask for 72 new institutions as a birthday gift for this year. Let’s not forget this was in 1972-3, when Lubavitch was only starting to grow. And indeed, Lubavitch grew in leaps and bounds ever since, to become a worldwide movement with thousands of centers to build Yiddishkeit wherever there is even a single Jew.
What is it about the birthday of the Nasi Hador (the leader of the generation)?
When Moshe was born the house was filled with light, the redeemer of the Jews was born. In the midst of the dark enslavement of Jews in Egypt, a light came into this world and it ultimately led to redemption.
When the current leader, the Rebbe, turns 122 and we start reading chapter 123 in Tehilim, the significance of number 123 comes into play. Thank you, Hashem, for the Rebbe.
Rambam teaches that the way to say Hallel, is to have the cantor say verse by verse out loud, and the congregation chants Hallelu-y-a after each verse. This happens 123 times until you complete the Hallel. Then Rambam adds to say, to remember how many times we say Hallelu-y-a, is the equivalent to the life of Aharon who lived 123 years.
When we want to really praise Hashem, which is what Hallel is about, and we want to really chant Hallelu-y-a in the praise of G-d, think of 123 years of Aharon’s life.
When the Rebbe was born, even if we knew that he brought light to the world, it can’t compare to 123 years of his life. We thank you Hashem for all that the Rebbe did over the 123 years since his birth.
How apropos the symbolism of comparing the Rebbe to Aharon, the great lover of the Jewish people. He loved peace, he pursued peace, and he loved his people to bring them closer to Torah.
But what is even more important for us Chassidim. The Rebbe started spending his birthdays not in private, but rather very much in public. He held Farbrengens with us for many hours of the day, and he handed out Tanya’s to us all through the night. And he stood for many hours to distribute dollars and blessings to us all. The Rebbe made it clear that his private birthday time he spends with us his Chassidim, because we are really one.
And how can you not attribute the miracles that Jews in Israel experienced this past week, if not to the blessings of the Nasi Hador. Just like the first Jewish leader, our current leader is working full time to lead his people to victory and redemption.
Thank you Hashem for giving us the Rebbe. Thank you Rebbe for leading us. And thank you for including us to be part of this phenomenal experience.
Happy Birthday Rebbe, Happy Birthday Chassidim, we have what to celebrate.
Have a great Shabbos and a Happy and Kosher Pesach,
Gut Shabbos, Gut Yomtov
Rabbi Yosef Katzman
