The year 1938 was not an easy year for the Frierdike Rebbe. Even though physically he was out of the USSR, his heart was still there with the Chassidim who were being constantly persecuted by the communist regime. In addition, the Frierdike Rebbe’s personal health was compromised at the time.
In 5698/1938, the Frierdike Rebbe was living in Poland and he spent the Yom Tov of Pesach there. During the meals he spoke short sichos and many Chassidishe stories were shared.
We recently learned in the HaYom Yom (6 Iyar): “Our Sages state, ‘One should not take leave of his friend except amidst words of halacha (Torah law).’ According to our holy Rebbeim, this alludes to the kind of Torah teaching that propels the listener and transforms him into a mehalech — one who strides from level to level, and from peak to peak.
Many are preparing themselves for the holy day of Lag B’Omer. One of the special customs of the day is that many boys will be receiving their first haircut - Upshernish - on that day.
We are now in the weeks between Yetzias Mitzrayim and Mattan Torah. We are counting s’fira, counting down to accept the Torah anew from Hashem.
We are now during the time of S’firas HaOmer, when we should be working on our Middos. It is a time of refinement and much inner reflection about whom we are and where we should be heading. The Rebbe writes (HaYom Yom 24 Nissan): “Everyone has in him something not so good. Sending the goat to Azazel was one of the services in the Beis HaMikdash. Since something not good exists within a human being, it must be banished to ‘an uninhabited place.’”
We are now in the month of Nissan, the month in which we read the parsha of the N’siim. Every day, for the first 2 weeks of the month, we read about the Korbanos brought by one of the leaders of the tribes of B’nei Yisroel. This also occurs right before 11 Nissan, which this year will be the 117th birthday of our Rebbe, the leader of our generation. It is therefore very appropriate to discuss the topic of Jewish leadership.
Throughout the HaYom Yom there is much discussion about the setting up and printing of the Torah Ohr and Likkutei Torah. The Rebbe writes (Purim Katan): My revered grandfather, the Rebbe [Maharash], once told my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], “My father (the Tzemach Tzedek) chose the maamarim that appear in Likkutei Torah from two thousand maamarim [authored by the Alter Rebbe].”
We are still internalizing the lessons and inspiration that we learned and received on Chof-Beis Shvat, the 30th Yahrtzait of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. One of the main directives that the Rebbe initiated in her honor, on her birthday 25 Adar, was the directive that all Jewish people should celebrate their birthday.
This Shabbos, Parshas Yisro, we read in the Torah about the giving of the Torah, one of the most foundational events of Jewish history. Hashem revealed Himself to the Yidden and chose them as His nation. We celebrate the giving of the Torah on Shavuos.
This Shabbos, Parshas B’Shalach, is the special day of 11 Shvat. While the official day of the acceptance of the Nesius was on Yud-Shvat, the Rebbe puts a special emphasis on the following day, the first official day of Dor HaShvii, the seventh generation. In the sicha of VaEira 5752 (also see Besuras Geula, chapter 59), the Rebbe speaks about the specialty of our generation that began on the 11th day of the 11th month and the year 5711.
habbos, Parsha Bo, is the Shabbos before Yud Shvat, and everyone is preparing themselves accordingly. IN the Farbrengen on 19 Kislev 5738 the Rebbe says that , when celebrating a Yom Tov, once should first focus on the general theme of the Yom Tov and then focus on the specialty of that year.
We are all getting ready for 10 Shevat 5778, the 68th Yahrtzait of the Frierdike Rebbe and the Kabbalas HaNesius of our Rebbe, which initiated the dawn of the Dor HaShvii, “the last generation of Galus and the first generation of Geula.” As such, it is very appropriate to learn a HaYom Yom that connects these two Tzaddikim.
May 15, 2018