UPON ENTERING 770, THE ENCOURAGES THE SINGING, YUD-ALEPH NISSAN 5732*.

NISSAN 5779 z 32 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 5732-1972 לע״נ הרה״ח ר׳ אליהו ציון ע״ה בן הרב חנני׳ ע״ה נלב״ע כ״ז ניסן ה׳תשע״ג ת'נ'צ'ב'ה' נדפס ע״י בנו הרה״ת ר׳ יגאל ישראל וזוגתו מרת חי׳ צירליא ומשפחתם שיחיו ניאזוף

Hisvaadus Chassidim Yud Aleph Nissan

As we approach the auspicious day of Yud-Aleph Nissan, A Chassidisher Derher sat down for a with two shluchim, Rabbi Yossi Paris of Montreal, QC and Rabbi Binyomin Scheiman of Des Plaines, IL. They shared with us some recollections from their time by the Rebbe, and guidance on how to approach Yud-Aleph Nissan today.

NISSAN 5779 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 33 A Yom Tov Yud-Aleph Nissan, we give matanos it publicly but if it was a weekday for Everyone to the Rebbe, make and he said it only in the presence of the Rabbi Paris: I was a bochur in 770 do all we can to be by the Rebbe on Frierdiker Rebbe. in the late 5720s* and early 5730s*. this day. But like many things in dor Chassidim also didn’t celebrate Those were the years that Yud-Aleph hashvi’i, this was something built up their birthdays and many in previous Nissan really became the public Yom over time. generations did not even know the Tov that it is today. We were zoche In general, if we look back at exact date of their birth. that the Rebbe shared the day with us previous generations, the Rebbeim Chai Elul was a chassidishe yom tov Chassidim and all of klal Yisroel, giving celebrated their birthdays privately. for centuries before it was revealed us the opportunity to take part in his The Rebbe Rashab said a maamar by the Rebbe Rashab that it was the simcha. Today it is a given that we add every year on his birthday. If Chof birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and the in our hachlatos in preparation for Cheshvan fell out on Shabbos he said Alter Rebbe. Even when the Rebbe 3 TISHREI 5745, LEVI FREIDIN VIA JEM 211549 3 TISHREI 5745,

NISSAN 5779 z 34 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 5720S-1960S, 5730S-1970S Rashab “revealed” it, he only told this was the Rebbe’s birthday. The first time openly, and they made secret to the Frierdiker Rebbe, who chose to Chassidim learned about the date was farbrengens for Yud-Aleph Nissan. make it public many years later. in 5707*, when the Rebbe was visiting This all changed in 5731*. That When we look at Yud-Aleph his mother, Rebbetzin Chana, in year when the Rebbe returned from Nissan, we find the same. Nobody France. Rebbetzin Chana suggested to the , it was announced that he really knew when the Rebbe’s birthday a small group of Chassidim there that would hold a farbrengen between was. Interestingly, when the Rebbe they should ask the Rebbe to farbreng Mincha and Maariv. This caught published in 5702*, because it’s his birthday—and the everyone by total surprise. In that he placed the Frierdiker Rebbe’s Rebbe agreed. farbrengen the Rebbe said the famous instructions regarding a yom huledes However, it remained a Yom Tov maamar “Beyom ashtei asar.” It was a in the Hayom Yom for Yud-Aleph among Chassidim for many years short farbrengen with one sicha and a Nissan, but no one really knew this before the Rebbe began fabrenging maamar. and officially celebrating the day with Perhaps the purpose of that us. surprise farbrengen was to kick off the The first time the Rebbe made a festivities for the Rebbe’s seventieth farbrengen for Yud-Aleph Nissan was year, shivim shanah, Yud-Aleph Nissan in honor of his sixtieth yom huledes, 5732*. in 5722*. That year, Tzach (Lubavitch That year thousands of people came Youth Organization) made a huge from all over the world. It was the shturem all over the world for people largest crowd 770 had seen until that to make hachlatos in the number 60 in point. honor of shnas hashishim. On the day For months before Yud-Aleph of Yud-Aleph Nissan, Rabbi Hodakov Nissan, bochurim and anash made went into the Rebbe’s room before hachlatos in the number 70. 70 Mincha with the stacks of duchos by heart, 70 blatt Gemara, containing all the hachlatos. When 70 dollars to tzedaka, etc. The he came out, he announced that the hisorerus was incredible. There were Rebbe would hold a special farbrengen four niggunim made that year on the that night. Rebbe’s new kapitel! But besides for that one year, There was also great excitement in Yud-Aleph Nissan was still celebrated the Jewish world and beyond. Many quietly. When I was growing up in world leaders and elected officials Kfar there was a big public sent letters of recognition, scrolls of farbrengen on Yud-Tes Kislev and honor, and keys to cities to present Yud Shevat, but not on Yud-Aleph to the Rebbe at the big farbrengen, in Nissan. In yeshiva, we farbrenged recognition of Yud-Aleph Nissan. in the dormitory rooms ourselves. The hachanos reached their peak I remember one year Reb Yoel at the Purim farbrengen, about a farbrenged in a bochur’s house, month before Yud-Aleph Nissan, not in yeshiva. I heard from Reb when the Rebbe spoke openly about Leibel Raskin a”h that when he was it, responding publicly to those that a bochur in the 5710s*, they were had asked what they could give the uncomfortable to even farbreng Rebbe as a matana for his birthday. The Rebbe requested that all matanos

Chai Elul was a chassidishe yom tov for centuries before it was revealed that it was the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe.

NISSAN 5779 5702-1942, 5707-1947, 5722-1962, 5710S-1950S 5731-1971, 5732-1972 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 35 for his birthday should also include 71 new institutions, and pledging The Day it all Started an element of Torah. Never before 10 percent of the costs for each new Rabbi Scheiman: Obviously, for us 1 had the Rebbe so clearly and publicly mosad. There is a video of that as Chassidim, Yud-Aleph Nissan is the addressed the celebration. incredible farbrengen and I highly most important day on the calendar. If אי לאו האי“ ,On the day of Yud-Aleph Nissan, suggest that people take the time to not for Yud-Aleph Nissan (If it weren’t for that day...”2...“) ”יומא .Rabbi Hodakov, in the Rebbe’s watch it name, distributed $71 to the head From that year on, the Rebbe In the farbrengen of 7 Adar 5745, of every Chabad mosad. The Rebbe farbrenged every year on Yud-Aleph the Rebbe speaks about the birth of was celebrating together with his Nissan (until 5745*). Moshe Rabbeinu. Rashi says that when נתמלא“ Chassidim. We are truly fortunate that Moshe Rabbeinu was born the house became filled ”,הבית כולו אורה There is no need to describe the the Rebbe chose to celebrate his famous farbrengen that year. Everyone own birthday with his Chassidim, with light. The Rebbe elaborates on the is surely familiar with the Rebbe’s something that did not exist in all the chiddush in Rashi’s words: Even before announcement of the formation of previous generations. Moshe Rabbeinu had a bris, before

NISSAN 5779 z 36 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 5745-1985 KSAV YAD TO A CHOSSID WHO VISITED THE REBBE FOR YUD-ALEPH NISSAN 5732*: ת"ח על הקורת רוח וכו' מביקורו כאן בימים אלו. ויה"ר שיהא ג"כ לתועלת הרבים )נוסף על שכל יחיד – עולם מלא הוא(. אזכיר עה"צ להנ"ל ולחה"פ כשר ושמח. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PLEASURE OF HAVING YOU VISIT HERE IN THESE DAYS. MAY IT BE HASHEM’S WILL THAT IT ALSO BE FOR THE BENEFIT OF MANY (IN ADDITION TO THE FACT

10 NISSAN 5744, YOSSI MELAMED VIA JEM 125465 MELAMED YOSSI 5744, 10 NISSAN THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL IS AN ENTIRE WORLD. I WILL MENTION ALL OF THE ABOVE AT THE OHEL, AND FOR A KOSHER AND HAPPY PESACH.

he even had a name, as soon as he On a personal note, Yud-Aleph this with the famous words of the entered the world, he didn’t even have Nissan always stood out to me more Alter Rebbe that he doesn’t want מער ניט אז“ ,to do anything, the house was filled than any other yoma depagra. I started Gan Eden or olam haba only Hashem Himself.” In—דיך אליין with light.3 noticing that the Rebbe comments on In a farbrengen on Yud-Beis the number 11 at every opportunity. another sicha, the Rebbe says that the Tammuz, the birthday of the In Chassidus the number 11 coming of Moshiach is connected Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe explains symbolizes higher than hishtalshelus. specifically with 11.6 that the “house” refers to Hashem’s The world is made up of ten sefiros, On another occasion, the Rebbe house, this world. The Rebbe’s that’s the natural order, and 11 is offered a lengthy explanation on when birthday is not just a simcha for above that, reaching the atzmus the early seeds of yetzias Mitzrayim those who live in his “house,” his of Hashem.5 Eleven represents the and the birth of am Yisroel actually Chassidim, but for the whole world, deepest connection with Hashem. began—on the Sunday before they left because on that day a new light began In the farbrengen of Yud-Aleph Mitzrayim, which occurred on, you illuminating the entire world.4 Nissan 5745*, the Rebbe connected guessed it, Yud-Aleph Nissan.7

NISSAN 5779 5732-1972, 5745-1985 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 37 JEM 103644

THE FARBRENGEN OF YUD-ALEPH NISSAN 5732*.

that when one does a proper Rebbe’s children, then most certainly—כזכיות On Chof-Beis Shevat 5752*, the Rebbe even said that the uniqueness of teshuva, his aveiros are transformed “af hu bachaim,” the Rebbe is alive and the number 22 is that it’s double 11! into merits. relates to us in this way too. Rabbi Paris: On this note, I I remember how a few days later at As the zar’o bachaim of the Rebbe, remember something interesting the a farbrengen with Chassidim, someone it is important that we make the effort Rebbe said in connection with Yud- pointed out that the Rebbe is actually to go to the Rebbe as often as possible, Aleph Nissan on Shabbos Hagadol hinting to the nature of Yud-Aleph on the various yomei depagra and 5729*: The possuk in Yehoshua tells us Nissan and what it really means: The especially for Yud-Aleph Nissan. that the Yidden who were born in the Rebbe’s whole life is about bringing Before Yud-Aleph Nissan 5742*, desert did not have a bris mila until myriads of Yidden back to Yiddishkeit. the Rebbe’s 80th birthday, the Rebbe the end of the 40 years, right after they No wonder this lesson about mila said in a sicha that people should not crossed the Yarden. What date did happened on Yud-Aleph Nissan! travel to come in. Many shluchim this occur? The Rebbe quoted several couldn’t resist and went anyways; it’s sources that indicate it was actually on Traveling to the Rebbe the Rebbe’s birthday, how could one Yud-Aleph Nissan. Rabbi Scheiman: During the court not be there?! By nature I’m a kabbalas The mitzvah of mila is unique in case over the sefarim, the Rebbe spoke ol’nik, so I stayed in Chicago that year. I also convinced some of my fellow ,מה זרעו בחיים אף הוא בחיים“ the fact that it is one of two mitzvos a lot about aseh that warrant karres if they’re just as his [the Rebbe’s] children are shluchim to stay. neglected (the other one being alive, so too he is alive.” On numerous Imagine how we felt when we Korban Pesach). When one fulfils the occasions, the Rebbe says that when watched the hookup and heard mitzvah of mila, the potential karres is we see “zar’o bachaim,” then we know the Rebbe thanking everyone for transformed into a positive act. This is that “hu bachaim.” coming, adding that he would give We are the zar’o bachaim of the each participant a as a token זדונות נעשו לו similar to the concept of Rebbe. When we act as zar’o, the

NISSAN 5779 z 38 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 5732-1972, 5752-1992, 5729-1969, 5742-1982 Not knowing what to do, he asked the this time she would get a dollar from the Rebbe. I guess she realized that the Rebbetzin, and the Rebbetzin answered last few times she didn’t get one. him “we didn’t mean friends.” My wife told her that when we go to the Rebbe we always get brachos. If of appreciation. We saw the shluchim his birthday party, of course he’ll say the Rebbe has time, maybe he’ll come from Chicago who had gone in, go by not to. Every father would tell his out and daven with the Chassidim, to get a Tanya. The others who I had children not to waste their money, farbreng, have yechidus or give out convinced to stay with me were very not to bother themselves, etc. But dollars, but we always get the brachos. upset with me, to say the least. certain things you don’t ask! You go, The Rebbe is certainly pouring Interestingly, it was later published and once you’re there it is very much out brachos on this day. There is no in the “Encounters” by Reb Zalmon appreciated. more opportune time to be in close Jaffe, how he was planning to be by Especially now after Gimmel proximity to the Rebbe than on Yud- the Rebbe that Yud-Aleph Nissan, but Tammuz, we have to show even more Aleph Nissan. after the Rebbe said not to come in that zar’o bachaim, and the way to do that is by going to the Rebbe just like Bringing Nachas he was thinking of cancelling his trip. to the Rebbe Not knowing what to do, he asked the before. Rabbi Paris: The focal point of Rebbetzin, and she replied that, “We After Gimmel Tammuz, my Yud-Aleph Nissan is to bring the didn’t mean friends.” wife and I decided that our family’s Rebbe nachas. We are friends, or even more schedule of going to the Rebbe would In Montreal for a number of years, so as I said earlier, children. This is continue unchanged. A few years later, Rabbi Berel Mockin would arrange our father’s birthday. If one asks his we were driving for Yud Shevat, and a meeting in the weeks approaching father whether or not to fly in for one of my younger daughters asked if Yud-Aleph Nissan to determine what

NISSAN 5779 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 39 Not knowing what to do, he asked the parent, and getting the parents’ names was another difficult task. Rebbetzin, and the Rebbetzin answered Of course this made us work hard him “we didn’t mean friends.” to enroll even more students, to make the list longer. We wanted to bring the matana we would bring the Rebbe for a year. When you learn something Rebbe as much nachas as possible. that year. One year we decided that 350 times it stays with you even after When I came to New York on 9 our matana was a new mikvah in 70 years. Nissan I submitted the booklet to Montreal. Every member of anash gave So we made a hachlata that each of mazkirus as our matana to the Rebbe. $1000 and we built a beautiful mikvah. us would take something and learn it Shortly afterwards, I received a It was clear to every person that every day from Chof Cheshvan until beautiful answer from the Rebbe. "נת' ות"ח ודבר בעתו כו' ואשרי חלקם ודכל Yud-Aleph Nissan was about bringing Chof-Beis Shvat, 90 days in honor of המסייעים וכו' – שליט"א. אזכיר עה"צ ולחה"פ .something to the Rebbe, you couldn’t the 90 year milestone כו"ש וכל המברך מתברך בבר' של הקב"ה כו'." come empty handed. For my hachlata, I chose to learn Every year, as it gets closer to Yud- the sichos the Rebbe said on the day I “It was received; thank you. The Aleph Nissan, our shlichus centers came on shlichus to Chicago, on Rosh timing is appropriate, etc. Fortunate around what we are bringing to the Chodesh Adar 5740*. is their lot and that of everyone who Rebbe for his yom huledes. Every extra That day the shluchim were going assisted etc.—shlita. I will mention mitzvah that we do with someone, to leave to Australia. Before Mincha, this at the Ohel, and for a kosher every tefillin that we put on, every totally out of the blue, Rabbi Groner and happy Pesach. [In response to shiur that we make, at the forefront of came out of the Rebbe’s room and the blessings for Yud-Aleph Nissan:] our mind is that this is something I announced that there would be a Anyone who blesses another is blessed can take to the Rebbe for Yud-Aleph farbrengen after Mincha. with Hashem’s blessing, etc.” Nissan. As that was the day we moved on It’s interesting to note that shlichus, and the whole farbrengen in the letter accompanying the A Matana for was in essence a tzeischem l’shalom for booklet I wrote that we made all the the Rebbe shluchim, I feel a special connection. preparations for Pesach in school, with Rabbi Scheiman: You can’t come Over the years I have come to see a model seder and ma nishtana along empty handed to the Rebbe. You have more and more how so many things in with everything the kids need to know, to bring a matana and it has to be that farbrengen applied directly to me and the Hebrew school program was something substantial. and my own shlichus. now closed for Pesach. This year marked 90 years since the The matana that we bring to the At the farbrengen, the Rebbe spoke it ;”א ווילדע זאך“ Rebbe’s chasunah on Yud-Daled Kislev. Rebbe accomplishes two things. First about this. He said it’s Chassidim all around the world took of all it’s a present for the Rebbe. But doesn’t make sense that the yeshivos on extra hachlatos in honor of this in addition to that, it’s also beneficial and Talmud Torahs are closed at milestone. for us, as it helps us live with the the time of year when children need The shluchim in Chicago had a Rebbe more. the most education, about how to farbrengen on Chof Cheshvan. At that Rabbi Paris: In 5735*, the Hebrew celebrate the seder and to observe farbrengen someone recounted how he schools that my wife and I started in the halachos of Pesach. All that is was once discussing a maamar he was Montreal for public school children accomplished is that the kids are home learning with Reb Mendel Futerfas. were already quite successful. We had for a week disturbing their parents’ Reb Mendel was animatedly talking around 400 students by then. preparation for Pesach. Better they about the finer points of the maamar, I decided that for Yud-Aleph should be busy practicing the ma as if he had just learned it. So the Nissan that year I was going to bring nishtana. bochur asked him why he punkt now the Rebbe a booklet with the Hebrew Since then the school is in session learned this maamar. names and mothers’ names of all the until erev Pesach. Reb Mendel told him that he students in the school. There was a period of time that I learned this maamar as a bochur over This was a very difficult task. Many didn’t get any answers to the duchos 70 years earlier but he was taught that of the children didn’t know their I had sent to the Rebbe. One year I you have to live with a maamar for a Jewish name so I had to go to each came back from the Rebbe to Montreal year. So he reviewed it every single day

NISSAN 5779 z 40 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 5740-1980, 5735-1975 YOSSI MELAMED VIA JEM 23289 MELAMED YOSSI

THE REBBE LEAVES 770 FOLLOWING THE FARBRENGEN OF YUD-ALEPH NISSAN 5737*.

on Yud-Aleph Nissan and went to visit One needs to do all they can to be is explained that other Yomim Tovim some baalei batim. by the Rebbe on Yud-Aleph Nissan, are a reflection of a specific quality of One of the people I visited never but after being at the Ohel and doing Elokus, but Chanukah and Purim are wanted to put on tefillin. This time what we have to do, we are certainly not a specific quality rather Hashem I told him, “Today is the Rebbe’s on the right track if we spend the rest Himself.9 birthday, how about you give him of the day doing the Rebbe’s mivtzoim. So too, Yud-Aleph Nissan is the a present?” and he agreed. So I Indeed, when the Rebbe spoke day when it all began. It is about the suggested that his present to the Rebbe about not coming in for Yud-Aleph Rebbe himself! I don’t know what could be to put on tefillin today. He Nissan in 5742* (as mentioned by will be with the other chassidishe was happy to do the mitzvah in honor Rabbi Scheiman earlier), the Rebbe Yomim Tovim but we will certainly be of the Rebbe. said that instead “people should be celebrating Yud-Aleph Nissan when When I wrote this story to the active in spreading Yiddishkeit in their Moshiach comes. Rebbe, I received the first answer in a place, especially through doing the 1. For a complete description of this long time. mivtzoim!”8 farbrengen and the whole period of Yud-Aleph Rabbi Scheiman: In addition to all Nissan 5732, see ‘A Time To Expand,’ Derher Mivtzoim the hachalatos and matanos, we should Nissan 5776. Rabbi Paris: I once heard a vort remember that sometimes, the best 2. Based on Gemara Pesachim 68b. from the veteran shliach in Montreal, matana we can bring to the Rebbe 3. Hisvaaduyos 5745 vol. 2 page 1289. Rabbi Simcha Zirkind a”h, that Yud- is ourselves. Showing up can be the 4. Sicha 12 Tammuz 5722. Aleph Nissan is an opportune time greatest gift of all. 5. Yahel Ohr page 48. for doing mivtzoim. I always found Chazal say that when Moshiach 6. Hisvaaduyos 5745 vol. 3 p. 1724. this to be the case, seeing tremendous comes, all the Yomim Tovim will 7. Hisvaaduyos 5749 vol. 3 p. 7. hatzlacha on the mivtzoim I did on be cancelled with the exception of 8. Hisvaaduyos 5742 vol. 2 p. 1084. that day. Chanukah and Purim. In Chassidus it 9. Torah Ohr Megilas Esther page 90:4.

NISSAN 5779 5737-1977, 5742-1982 A CHASSIDISHER DERHER 41