When the Rebbe came to America, he was appointed by the Frierdike Rebbe to be in charge of Merkos L’Inyanei Chinuch and Kehos. One of the responsibilities he was given was the printing and spreading of Chassidus throughout the world.
I would like to start off with a story that I heard from the first Shliach to Cincinnati, where I live on Shlichus, Rabbi Shalom Ber Kalmanson: Shortly after my marriage in Montreal, I began working at Beis Rivka there and founded camp Pardes Chana in memory of Rebbetzin Chana a”h, the Rebbe’s mother. Later on, I had various shlichus opportunities, and on Lag B’Omer, 5734 (1974), I and my wife had yechidus with the Rebbe.
One of the great Chassidim of the Frierdike Rebbe was Rabbi Refoel Kahan. Reb Refoel learned in Tomchei T’mimim in Lubavitch and later received his Smicha from the famous Chassid Rabbi Mendel Chein. He was a Rav in a number of cities and finally became the Rav of the Chassidim in Riga, Latvia.
While the Yom Tov of Chanuka is behind us, we do not stop thanking Hashem for the miracles that He has done and continues to do for us all the time. As Chassidei Chabad, we go directly from Chanuka to the Yom Tov of Hey Teves.
I would like to take this opportunity to discuss a very fundamental message conveyed by the Hayom Yom: The year begins on 19 Kislev and not Rosh Hashana!
This week we celebrate the 90th wedding anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin. While a Chassid should celebrate this day every year, when a special anniversary number comes around, that celebration is bigger and stronger.
There is a fascinating letter that the Frierdike Rebbe wrote on Gimmel Tammuz 5695, to his son-in-law, our Rebbe. This long and amazing letter, which everyone is encouraged to read in its’ entirety, speaks about the seder of the chassidim when visiting the Rebbeim.
We have entered the Chassidishe month of Kislev. It is a month filled with many Chassidishe Yomim Tovim as well as the Yom Tov of Chanuka. The month starts with Rosh Chodesh Kislev, the day that we celebrate the great miracles and kindness of Hashem for the complete restoration of health to our Rebbe in 5738.
Some of you may have never heard of the city of Gomel. That is because, as with many Russian names, we pronounce it Homel while in Russian is was pronounced Gomel. The same is true with the names Kohen and Kogan, Horowitz and Gorowitz.
There is a fascinating letter of the Frierdike Rebbe, which is the source of three separate quotes in the HaYom Yom, which was written on 25 Nissan 5698 (Igros Vol. 4 pg. 340). It is a letter written to Rabbi S. Rein who was a Shochet in his city. He was a Tamim and was blessed with many talents.
From the year 5648, the Rebbe Rashab, whose birthday is 20 Cheshvan, would spend much time travelling for health-related issues. This was very hard on his young and only son, the Frierdike Rebbe. During the time that the Rebbe Rashab was in Lubavitch, he made a point to really spend time and connect with his son on a very deep level
There is a famous Chassidic story regarding the power of a farbrengen.
T’shuva is something that we are always thinking about, as it is the prerequisite for Avodas Hashem.
January 3, 2019