THE BINARY TZADDIK

Dear Reader sh’yichyeh,

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.

The special events that took place in 5714, the 25th wedding anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin, are well documented (the following was diarized by Rabbi Dovid Raskin a”h):

In the year 5714, Yud Daled Kislev fell out on Shabbos Parshas VaYishlach. It was the 25th wedding anniversary of the Rebbe with the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka. Friday night after Maariv a group of elder Chassidim approached the Rebbe to wish him Mazal Tov and blessings.

The Rebbe responded: When there will be healthy and happy Chassidim, from that I too will be happy. The next morning after davening, the Rebbe went into his room, and there was no farbrengen expected. R’ Yehoshua Korf went home to daven at length. As he passed the corner of Kingston Ave. and President St., the Rebbe’s mother, Rebbetzin Chana, was standing there. She greeted him with a “Gut Shabbos,” and he wished her Mazal Tov for the wedding anniversary. The Rebbetzin asked R’ Yehoshua what was happening in 770 and whether there was a farbrengen. R. Yehoshua answered that “Bentche was planning to farbreng…” and then went home.

Meanwhile in 770, after davening, soon after the Rebbe went up to his room, he came out and began looking for R’ Berel Yunik, but he was not in 770. The Rebbe then sent out through his secretary R’ Laibel Groner a Kiddush cup, a bottle of wine and mezonos. The Rebbe inquired where was everyone holding, and someone answered that some people are finished davening, some are still in the middle and some before.

The Rebbe said: Those who are holding after Shacharis should make Kiddush and those who are holding before should just say l’chaim. The Rebbe then began a farbrengen with a maamer which begins “V’chol bonayich.” Then followed several sichos. In those sichos the Rebbe explained many wedding customs which we do (see Likkutei Sichos Vol. 23 p. 522). After one of the sichos, the Rebbe said that those who still need to finish davening, or those who need to daven, should do so now, and then related the following: When Chassidim were in Petersburg by my father-in-law for Rosh Hashana, the mikva was a distance of several hours walk. Chassidim, bachurim and Anash went to the mikva anyway and they returned in middle of Shacharis…. But by the time the congregation reached t’kias shofar, they were all holding with the Rebbe. There were some who davened in 20 or 50 minutes in order to hear t’kios from the Rebbe my father-in-law. Then the Rebbe sent several people to finish davening and asked them how long it would take them.

The Rebbe also said during one of the sichos: In general, a wedding is a communal thing for a private individual, but by me, through the wedding I was later pulled into communal matters, whether I’m happy or… but its already a matter of fact. This is the day which connected me to you and you to me! I will wear you out and you will wear me out and together we will “wear-out” the true and complete Geula. Hashem should help we should see good fruit in our toil.

At the end of the farbrengen a Chassid stood up and said: “Everyone is asking for a blessing from the Rebbe Shlita that he should lead us towards Moshiach!” and the Rebbe answered: “Through Chassidus we will bring Moshiach. Chassidus is not for special individuals but rather, everyone needs to have set times to study it.”

It is fascinating to point out that it is specifically in the HaYom Yom of 14th Kislev, the day of true hiskashrus of the Rebbe and Chassid, where the Rebbe elaborates on the deepest Avoda of a Chassid. The Rebbe explains at length, based on a sicha of the Rebbe Rashab from the year 5674, that there are four general titles and levels of Avoda: Tzadik, Yashar, Tamim and Chassid. After explaining the first three levels, the Rebbe writes:

“Above them all is the title chassid, whose rung comprises three levels: (a) One who is neither troubled nor disturbed by worldly matters. This is a level that everyone can reach and is obligated to reach; (b) One whose concerns are solely about G‑dliness. Although ‘this is not distant from you,’ it is not relevant to everyone; (c) The level described in Tikkunei Zohar: ‘Who is a chassid? One who is benevolent (mis’chassed) towards his Creator (Kono) — that is, towards his nest (ken dilei).’ As explained in Tanya, this refers to a person whose Divine service is motivated by his desire to unite the Holy One with His Sh’china, thereby illuminating even the lower realms, and not motivated merely by a desire to satisfy his thirsting soul.”

While regarding some of these levels the Rebbe writes that they are not for everyone, the fact that they are incorporated in the HaYom Yom is because there is some connection that we do have to these levels. It is also clear that the first level of hiskashrus, which is “One who is neither troubled nor disturbed by worldly matters,” is something that we need to focus on as, “this is a level that everyone can reach, and is obligated to reach.”

What does this all mean practically? Worldly matters can be divided into two components: time and space. There are many who want us to “get real” about our Hiskashrus to the Rebbe. They divide their reasoning into two parts: 1) Time: It is already 5779, nearly 25 years after Gimmel Tammuz 5754, and therefore we need to face the reality and adjust; 2) Space: We cannot see the Rebbe in physical space and therefore it is not possible to stay connected.

Thus, comes the HaYom Yom of 14 Kislev, the day of Hiskashrus, and tells us: “One who is neither troubled nor disturbed by worldly matters. This is a level that everyone can reach and is obligated to reach.” We remain happy and connected to our Rebbe and we are confident that: “I will wear you out and you will wear me out and together we will ‘wear-out’ the true and complete Geula.”

Dear Chassidim!

While this is the general theme of Yud Daled Kislev, is gets extra vigor and strength when we are celebrating the 90th wedding anniversary of the Rebbe and Rebbetzin. As Chassidim that live with the Rebbe and Moshiach, we have an extra chayus in the Sichos of 5751-5752, the Sichos that are devoted to explaining to us our Avoda to bring Moshiach. It is fascinating to point out that that year, beginning from Nissan 5751, began the “Shnas HaTzaddik – 90th year” of the birth of the Rebbe. The Rebbe spent much time that year connecting the “90th year” to the coming of Moshiach.

One of the amazing points revealed that year (see sicha Acharei-K’doshim, footnote 126): There are a few letters which are connected to Geula. They are “double letters,” like the letter “pei,” which Moshe Rabbeinu used to take the Yidden out of Galus Mitzrayim when he said “pakod pakadeti es’chem.” Another one of those letters is the letter “Tzaddik”. That special letter is connected to Moshiach, as it is brought down that Moshiach will say “Tzemach tzamachti Lachem.”

The Rebbe continues: “It is worth pointing out that Moshe was 80 years old when he took the Yidden out of Mitzrayim.” The Rebbe is pointing out that it is amazing to see that Moshe’s age in the year that he took the Jews out of Mitzrayim, 80-years-old, matched his message of “pakod pakadeti es’chem” which starts with the letter “pei” whose numerical value is 80.

Many people, when learning this statement of the Rebbe, do not realize the depth of that observation and what the Rebbe is alluding to. The Rebbe is hinting to us that the Geula will come through Moshiach who will say “Tzemach tzamachti lachem,” which starts with the letter “tzaddik.” What is the numerical value of that letter? 90! And this was said as the Rebbe started saying kapitel tzaddik!

So L’chaim! May the “tzaddik shana” of the Rebbe’s wedding anniversary finish off the Avoda that started with the Shnas HaTzaddik of the birth of the Rebbe and may we be zocheh to the full hisgalus now!

Rabbi Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well sought-after speaker and lecturer. Recordings of his in-depth shiurim on Inyanei Geula u’Moshiach can be accessed at http://www.ylcrecording.com.