Educating Children on the Chassidic Dates in the Month of Elul - Rabbi Yosef Avraham Pizam shlita

00:02 Speaker 1 You’re listening to “Lema’an Yishme’u,” a podcast from Machon Halacha Chabad.

00:09 Speaker 2 11 Elul. What happened on 11 Elul? It’s the wedding anniversary of the Rebbe Rashab, of blessed memory, and the righteous Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, a"h. They were married in 5635. If you want the details, you can find them in Nissuei Hanesi’im, compiled by Rabbi Zalman Hertzel in an illustrated edition. You can read there about the weddings of our Rebbeim. It has accounts and descriptions that are very beautiful and very interesting, and that’s important. Now, what should children do on a day like this? First of all, it’s important—very important—to raise our children to know the Chabad dates well. So I suggest that every father take the initiative, but without pressure. When you tell a child something under pressure, that’s exactly when he doesn’t feel like doing it. Do it however you like, in a pleasant way. Show him the book Yemei Chabad. Show him the book Eis Lada’as. Show him the various books for children about our Rebbeim, so he becomes familiar with the dates. Beyond that, each parent can use their creativity: hold quizzes at home, offer prizes of various kinds. “If you learn this, read it, and know it, I’ll ask you about it and give you something.” Please! Our children need to know the Chabad dates well. So yes, it matters to us when the Rebbe Rashab’s wedding anniversary is. We need to know it. The Rebbe Rashab, Rabbi Sholom Dovber, married on 11 Elul 5635. Whom did he marry? Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, daughter of the Rebbe Rayatz of Ovruch—of Ovruch. Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Ovruch was a son of the Tzemach Tzedek. Now, a few interesting details about this wedding. On Motzaei Shabbos, 11 Elul 5635, the wedding of

02:31 Speaker 2 the Rebbe Rashab and the righteous Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah took place in Ovruch, where the bride’s father lived. He was Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak, son of the Tzemach Tzedek, and served as a Rebbe in Ovruch. The Rebbe Maharash wanted the wedding to be in Lubavitch, while the bride’s father wanted it in Ovruch. In the end, it was decided that the wedding would take place where the bride lived. For various reasons, the Rebbe Maharash did not travel to the wedding, and only the groom’s mother, Rebbetzin Rivkah, accompanied him. As mentioned, the Rebbe Maharash escorted those traveling to the wedding beyond the city limits. He then instructed his son, the Rebbe Rashab, not to wear his shtreimel for the wedding, but to wear it only in Lubavitch. And that is what the Rebbe Rashab did throughout his life: he wore his shtreimel only when he was in Lubavitch. The Rebbe Maharash also asked him to return to Lubavitch for the Shabbos of sheva brachos. Despite the objection of his father-in-law, the righteous Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak, son of the Tzemach Tzedek, the Rebbe Rashab left before Shabbos. But he did not manage to reach Lubavitch and spent Shabbos on the road. Throughout the seven days of sheva brachos, the Rebbe Maharash was filled with joy and delivered 32 maamarim of Chassidus. When the Rebbe Rashab returned to Lubavitch, on 19 Elul, the Rebbe Maharash was overjoyed. He said to his son, “I have greetings for you from Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, together with an understanding heart.” And on this, the Rebbe Maharash delivered 42 maamarim, the numerical value of “an understanding heart.” Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah related: “After my wedding, when I arrived in Lubavitch as the Rebbe Maharash’s daughter-in-law, I felt disheartened. I saw that everyone in the Rebbe’s family was tall, while I was short. My father-in-law, the Rebbe Maharash, said to me, ‘Don’t be disheartened. It is well known that shorter trees produce better fruit.’” And what happened? With what was she blessed? She was blessed with one son,

05:31 Speaker 2 but what a son—the Frierdiker Rebbe, our Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak. Our Rebbe Yosef Yitzchak. A Rebbe who fought Hashem’s battles like a lion. A Rebbe of extraordinary genius in the profound depths of Chassidus. The Rebbe who revealed to us the entire history of Chassidus, from beginning to end, with such precision and such powerful, soulful vitality, and so much more. The Frierdiker Rebbe. Yes, that was his mother. Shorter trees produce better fruit. Oh, what fruit! So 11 Elul is a joyous day for us. It’s a good day to do good things, to hold weddings and to make a meal for the poor—all kinds of good things that increase joy in anticipation of the Geulah, and Ahavas Yisroel, which brings the Geulah closer. 13 Elul is the Frierdiker Rebbe’s wedding anniversary. First, regarding 13 Elul, I’ll begin with the Rebbe’s instructions, and then tell a little of the story. On the anniversary of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s marriage to the righteous Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, a"h, one should study the wedding maamarim of our Rebbeim, particularly those delivered at the Frierdiker Rebbe’s wedding. The Rebbe says to publicize that those holding weddings on these days should add even more joy, and continue adding joy during the seven days of celebration afterward. That also applies to those currently in their seven days of celebration. Better yet, they should increase the number of meals, particularly in keeping with the Jewish custom that once prevailed at every wedding: to hold a meal for the poor, where they would serve the finest food. The Frierdiker Rebbe’s wedding took place on 13 Elul 5657. He married Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, daughter of the holy Rabbi Avraham Schneersohn of Kishinev. The Frierdiker Rebbe was then seventeen years old; he had been born in 5640. In 5657, he was seventeen. When the Frierdiker Rebbe reached marriageable age, many different matches were suggested, including wealthy matches promising a large dowry. The Rebbe Rashab and his wife, the righteous Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, wanted

08:07 Speaker 2 the match with the daughter of the holy Rabbi Avraham Schneersohn, while the grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivkah, wife of the Rebbe Maharash, favored the other matches. So they decided to ask the prospective groom himself—the Frierdiker Rebbe, then a young man of seventeen. They told him about the proposed matches and added that, in keeping with what the Torah says about the marriage of Yitzchak and Rivkah, “Let us ask her,” they were asking for his opinion. The groom replied, “Well? That very same parsha says, ‘You shall take a wife for my son from my family and my father’s household.’” Since Rebbetzin Nechama Dina was the daughter of the holy Rabbi Avraham Schneersohn, and thus family, he said straightaway: “Find me someone from the family.” Here is the wording of the invitation the Rebbe Rashab sent for the wedding of his son, the Frierdiker Rebbe: “As Hashem, may He be blessed, has granted me the privilege of celebrating the marriage of my exceptional only son, our teacher Yosef Yitzchak, may he live, to his match, the daughter of my cousin, the chossid Rabbi Avraham, may he live, of Kishinev; and as the wedding has been set, in a good and auspicious hour, for Friday, 13 Elul, may it come upon us for good, in Lubavitch—I therefore call upon my dear friends to come and share in my joy, to rejoice together in friendship. May Hashem, may He be blessed, grant us the privilege of rejoicing.” And the Rebbe Rashab signed it with his holy hand: “Sholom Dovber.” To sum up: 13 Elul is the Frierdiker Rebbe’s wedding anniversary. During the sheva brachos, as we’ll hear in a moment, his father, the Rebbe Rashab, announced the founding of the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah. Tomchei Temimim has since spread far and wide; there is no place in the world without a Tomchei Temimim yeshivah. More on that in a moment. On 15 Elul 5657, a great change came about in the world: the Rebbe Rashab founded the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah. At a wedding meal for the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe Rashab announced the founding of a yeshivah where the study of Nigleh and Chassidus would be combined. “For ten years,” said the Rebbe Rashab, “I have thought about founding”

10:46 Speaker 2 This yeshivah. During those years, I visited many times the tziyunim, the holy resting places of my father, the Rebbe Maharash, and my grandfather, the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch. The yeshivah is not being founded just for Torah study. Thank G-d, there is no shortage of Torah study; there are many yeshivos. The intention is to bring light: to illuminate the study of the revealed Torah together with Chassidus and fear of Heaven, closely joined, so that this remains with a person even as he walks through the marketplace. The yeshivah I am founding today, with His help, is the subject of my prayer to Him: may He bestow upon it a spirit of fear of Heaven, a spirit of avodah in practice, a spirit of pleasant character traits, and a spirit of kabbolas ol of the kingdom of Heaven. About two years later, on the night of Simchas Torah 5659, during hakafos, the Rebbe Rashab said: “The yeshivah founded through the kindness of the Most High still has no name. Now I am giving it a name: I call it Tomchei Temimim, for the yeshivah’s purpose is to study Hashem’s revealed Torah and the teachings of Chassidus in a complete way, and then it is a yeshivah that nurtures the soul. The yeshivah’s name is Tomchei Temimim, and the students who study and conduct themselves in its spirit are called Temimim. May the Giver of the Torah, blessed and exalted be He, bless those who study and those who support them, materially and spiritually.” The announcement of the yeshivah’s founding was on 15 Elul. Studies at the yeshivah actually began on 18 Elul. And as the Rebbe Rashab said then, in the “All Who Go Out to the War of the House of David” sicha on Simchas Torah 5659, “I see that there will be three generations.” One generation, of whom it is said, “Your enemies, Hashem, have taunted,” will raise and educate a second such generation. In the end, a generation of exceptionally gifted, fully accomplished people will emerge. But their faith in Moshiach will be weak, and they will be among those who “have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed one.” The task of the Temimim we are raising here, says the Rebbe Rashab, is to be faithful emissaries who will fight these outlooks and opinions—those of “Your enemies, Hashem, have taunted” and those who “have taunted the footsteps of Your anointed one”—and instill pure faith in Hakadosh Boruch Hu and in Moshiach, with complete faith

13:56 Speaker 2 and scrupulous precision. Not an approach of “the power of leniency is preferable,” but a commitment to the will of Hakadosh Boruch Hu as expressed in the Shulchan Aruch. To stand with mesirus nefesh for the souls of our holy people, wherever they may be in the world. And that is what the Temimim did for three generations. They were the ones who stood with mesirus nefesh in Russia. The mesirus nefesh of those Temimim has no parallel—the graduates of Tomchei Temimim, educated by the Rebbe Rashab and the Frierdiker Rebbe. In our generation, the Temimim take that same strength of mesirus nefesh to fight the spirit of permissiveness in the world and the alien ideas in the world; to bring holiness and purity, light and joy, and Geulah into the world. The task of the Temimim is to bring the entire world—to remedy the situation and bring the entire world—to a state of true and complete Geulah in actual fact, with the revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu immediately, right now. So that is 15 Elul, the day Tomchei Temimim was founded. The Rebbe Rashab appointed the Frierdiker Rebbe as its director in practice. There are instructions for us in this about what we must do. And the Rebbe—as we mentioned, with the Rebbe there are always instructions, instructions, instructions. The Rebbe does not let us rest, does not let us rest. The Rebbe demands work; the Rebbe demands Geulah. The Rebbe tells us in his holy sichos: “It is proper, from 15 through 18 Elul, to increase one’s study of Chassidus, to study more each day, particularly the Chassidus of the Baal Shem Tov, the Alter Rebbe and the Rebbe Rashab, and especially that of the Frierdiker Rebbe, the Rebbe’s Rebbe—all the Rebbeim connected with the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah. In addition, wherever possible, establish new classes during these days, as well as strengthening those already in place.” Well, open new classes—what is a yeshivah? Torah. Open new classes; turn the home into Tomchei Temimim. Increase in avodas hatefillah, the work of prayer, which is especially connected with this yeshivah, which educates its students in avodas hatefillah. Increase in tzedakah, including spiritual tzedakah: be luminaries, spreading tzedakah in a spiritual sense as well, with a kind word, good advice and a welcoming expression. Hold a chassidic farbrengen with a large gathering, befitting the King’s honor, in every place where

16:42 Speaker 2 a Tomchei Temimim yeshivah has been established, and open a new branch of the yeshivah in every suitable place. There are further comments, requests and announcements in which the Rebbe asks us to make a great stir about Tomchei Temimim. 18 Elul. So as parents, and certainly as educators, we will surely strengthen our children in these matters. And we ourselves will be strengthened by the radiance of our children’s wonderful sincerity and pure vitality. We should simply feel that it is a Yom Tov—that 18 Elul is a Yom Tov, that 15 Elul is a Yom Tov. We should have genuine joy and vitality and move forward toward the next goal, the true and complete Geulah through Moshiach Tzidkeinu, while bringing merit to the many—and this applies at every age. 18 Elul is the birthday of the holy Baal Shem Tov. I’ll tell two short stories about that. So, the first story: Who was the Baal Shem Tov’s soul, according to what the Frierdiker Rebbe relates? The Frierdiker Rebbe was not a children’s storyteller. The Frierdiker Rebbe was a great Rebbe, and as the Rebbe explains, our Rebbeim, the leaders of our people, are prophets. If he took the trouble to speak about this at farbrengens and tell this story, then we have much to learn from it. It is an enduring part of our heritage. The Frierdiker Rebbe relates that there was a Jew from Tzfas who appeared to be a simple man. One day, Eliyahu Hanavi came to him and said, “Tell me what special good deed you did on the day of your bar mitzvah, for which I was sent from Heaven to reveal the hidden teachings of Torah to you and tell you when Moshiach will come—the time of the coming of Moshiach.” The Jew replied, “What I did, I did only for Hakadosh Boruch Hu, and I have no interest in anyone knowing about it, not even Eliyahu Hanavi.” He said to him, “But then you will lose the opportunity to know the secrets of the Torah and the time of the Geulah.” The Jew replied, “I did not do what I did for this or any other reward. I did it

19:11 Speaker 2 because that is what Hashem wants, for Hakadosh Boruch Hu alone.” It was decreed in Heaven that although the time of the Geulah would not be revealed to him, because he was on such a level of mesirus nefesh, serving Hashem for its own sake, solely for the sake of Heaven, with no interest in anything else, he would merit to be taught the inner dimension of Torah and its ways. Eliyahu made him, a simple Jew from Tzfas, into an extraordinarily exalted hidden tzaddik, and the world knew nothing of his holiness. They did not know. After he passed away and ascended on high, he was in Heaven. On the one hand, he deserved the loftiest Gan Eden. He had reached such high levels, especially since he served Hashem for its own sake—he had even refused to tell Eliyahu Hanavi what good thing he had done for Hashem on the day of his bar mitzvah. On the other hand, so many secrets had been revealed to him, secrets of the inner dimension of Torah—secrets which, if taught in this physical world, if made known here in this world, would hasten the Geulah and bring it about. So it was decreed in Heaven that he would not go to Gan Eden, but would first go to this world. In this world he would receive the strength and the influence needed to teach the Torah he had learned from Eliyahu Hanavi. Achiya HaShiloni would come to him and teach him more and more wondrous matters and secrets—the teachings of Chassidus. He would teach them to the entire Jewish people, and through this, “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem,” and the true and complete Geulah will come. That is one story about who the Baal Shem Tov, born on 18 Elul, was. The second story, about the Baal Shem Tov’s birth, is also told by the Frierdiker Rebbe. Rabbi Eliezer, the Baal Shem Tov’s father, and his mother, Rebbetzin Sarah, were both unable to have children; from birth, neither of them could have children. That is how the Frierdiker Rebbe tells it, precisely, at a farbrengen.

21:28 Speaker 2 In 5697. It’s printed in Sefer Hasichos 5697. They were childless, and one day there was a discussion in heaven. They said that this new soul, the soul of that Jew from Tzfas, needed to be born to such righteous people—to Rabbi Eliezer and Sarah. The Satan said, “I’ll go test them to see whether they’re worthy.” Eliyahu Hanavi said, “I’ll go.” And that was accepted in heaven. Eliyahu Hanavi went down and came to put Rabbi Eliezer through a very difficult test. What happened? Rabbi Eliezer was a hidden tzaddik, but he earned a comfortable living, and every Shabbos he ran what was already like a real Chabad House. Twenty or thirty guests came every Shabbos. Along comes Eliyahu Hanavi, dressed as a poor man with his staff and pack in hand, for the second Shabbos meal. Now, if he arrives like that in the middle of Shabbos, he has surely come from beyond the Shabbos boundary. He’s carrying outside the eruv. What’s going on here? But you have to bring such a Jew close. Rabbi Eliezer doesn’t think twice. He asks him, “Have you made Kiddush?” He gives him Kiddush, gives him all the food for the Shabbos meal, and treats him with honor. The guests turn on their host. What’s this? Here’s a man who... and he’s treating him so well. The insults... Rabbi Eliezer was deeply distressed. As the Frierdiker Rebbe relates, he went into a side room and cried. He cried... then came back and welcomed him even more warmly than before. When Rabbi Eliezer escorted Eliyahu Hanavi on Sunday afternoon, still not knowing who he was, the man said to him, “Listen, Rabbi Eliezer, I am Eliyahu Hanavi. I was sent to test you. You are going to have a son who will illuminate the eyes of the Jewish people.” Yes, it’s a miracle. You’re childless, your wife is childless, but Hashem has decided. That’s what will happen. A child will be born to you.

24:00 Speaker 2 When he is two and a half years old, tell him: “Hashem is the G-d of heaven and earth; there is nothing besides Him. Do not fear or be frightened of any creature in the world, for there is nothing besides Hashem.” That is the story of the Baal Shem Tov’s birth. It happened on 18 Elul. From here we’ll move to the Alter Rebbe’s birthday and its connection to the Baal Shem Tov. So, the birth of the Baal Shem Tov took place on 18 Elul 5458. Now let’s tell what happened on 18 Elul 5505: the birthday of the Alter Rebbe. Ten months had passed since the wedding of Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivkah. Rabbi Baruch was also one of the Baal Shem Tov’s chassidim, and he and Rebbetzin Rivkah had still not been blessed with a child. Rabbi Baruch was very distressed. After meeting his friend, the chossid Rabbi Yitzchak Shaul, Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivkah decided to travel to the Baal Shem Tov. Every year on 18 Elul, his own birthday, the Baal Shem Tov would hold a meal and teach Torah. And the Baal Shem Tov told Rabbi Baruch the secret: “At this very time, by next 18 Elul—next 18 Elul.” You can understand. Before Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivkah left Mezhibuzh, they went in to the Baal Shem Tov for a parting blessing. Rebbetzin Rivkah, feeling deeply inspired, said to the Baal Shem Tov, “When Hashem fulfills the Baal Shem Tov’s holy blessing and gives us a living, healthy son, I will dedicate him to Torah and avodah in the Baal Shem Tov’s way.” She made the same vow that Chana, the mother of Shmuel Hanavi, had made. The Baal Shem Tov blessed them, and they departed happy and in good spirits. On Wednesday, 18 Elul 5505, a son was born to Rabbi Baruch and Rebbetzin Rivkah, mazal tov, and his name was called in Israel

26:37 Speaker 2 Shneur Zalman, after his grandfather, his father’s father. That same day, 18 Elul 5505, the Baal Shem Tov returned from immersing in the mikveh. He was in such an uplifted, joyful mood that all his students were amazed, but no one dared ask why he was so happy. The Baal Shem Tov led the prayers as chazzan. Everyone wondered why he was praying with such joyful Yom Tov melodies. They were even more surprised when the Baal Shem Tov did not say Tachanun that day. After the prayers, the Baal Shem Tov invited his students to a seudas mitzvah and was filled with joy. During the meal he said, “On the fourth day, the luminaries were set in place. On this Wednesday, in the week of ‘Arise, shine,’ a new soul descended into the world. It will illuminate the world with the revealed Torah and Chassidus. It will show mesirus nefesh for the path of Chassidus and will succeed until the coming of Moshiach.” The Baal Shem Tov was referring to the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch and founder of Chabad Chassidus. He took the Baal Shem Tov’s teachings and brought them into human understanding so that every person could grasp them. He brought them down to the lowest levels, so that every Jew could take part in them and live by them. And what are the Rebbe’s instructions concerning this day, 18 Elul? The instructions of the Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. 18 Elul. Since it became known that 18 Elul is the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov, in 5458, and of the Alter Rebbe, in 5505, it became customary in some places, especially in Chabad shuls, to hold a farbrengen on that day. The farbrengen centers on stories of the deeds of tzaddikim, strengthening the ways of chassidim in general and Ahavas Yisroel in particular, and making good resolutions to set regular times for studying Torah, both its revealed and inner dimensions. That is how the Frierdiker Rebbe describes it in Sefer Hasichos 5693. Making an honest accounting is especially important during the last twelve days of Elul. From 18 Elul until the end of the month, each of the twelve days corresponds to a month. The first day corresponds to Tishrei. The

29:45 Speaker 2 second day, 19 Elul, corresponds to Cheshvan, and so on. The third day, 20 Elul, corresponds to Kislev, and so on, as the Rebbe explains in Likkutei Sichos, volume 24, page 518. So during those days, we should always aim to add more and more in Torah and mitzvos, to correct the matters of the month represented by that day. The Rebbe Rashab and the Frierdiker Rebbe would say “Gut Yom Tov” on 18 Elul. Once, the Rebbe concluded a sicha on 18 Elul with these words: “My father-in-law, the Rebbe, once said ‘Gut Yom Tov’ on 18 Elul.” And the Rebbe himself said, “Gut Yom Tov.” On another occasion, at the end of a farbrengen on Shabbos, 18 Elul, our Rebbe related: Once, someone came into the Frierdiker Rebbe’s farbrengen in the middle of Shabbos, 18 Elul, and said, “Gut Shabbos.” The Frierdiker Rebbe smiled and replied, “Gut Yom Tov.” Because Shabbos truly is the day from which all the days of the week are blessed, and Yom Tov means festivals for rejoicing. May it be Hashem’s will that the joy continue into the coming days, throughout the entire year, with holiness and rest, gladness and joy. “Gut Yom Tov,” the Rebbe said. May you be inscribed and sealed for a good and sweet year, and may Hashem grant material and spiritual good, in a way that is visibly and openly good. I heard from one of our teachers that he tells his students, “Happy Chai.” “Happy holiday,” of course, but he also says, “Happy Chai.” May it truly be so: may Chai Elul be alive for us and bring happiness to us and to the entire Jewish people, wherever they may be. 29 Elul, the birthday of the Tzemach Tzedek. The Tzemach Tzedek was born on 29 Elul 5549, the eve of Rosh Hashanah 5550, to his father, the holy Rabbi Shalom Shachna, and his mother, Rebbetzin Devorah Leah, the Alter Rebbe’s second daughter. He was named Menachem Mendel after the holy Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Horodok, who passed away on the first of

32:25 Speaker 2 Elul 5549. When he was born, his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, author of the Tanya and the Shulchan Aruch and founder of Chabad Chassidus, provided a special piece of cloth he had kept to wrap the baby in for the first time after his birth. The Alter Rebbe had done the same when his son, the Mitteler Rebbe, was born. On Shabbos Shuvah 5550, the infant Tzemach Tzedek’s shalom zachor was held. On Friday afternoon, it was announced that the Alter Rebbe was inviting all the townspeople and guests to the shalom zachor meal. His sons and sons-in-law, along with some of the elder chassidim—about three minyanim in all—would wash for the meal. The rest of the townspeople and guests would come after the meal and, before bentching, eat beans and lentils and join the zimun. The meal would take place in the large shul in the Rebbe’s courtyard. During the meal, the Alter Rebbe was filled with extraordinary joy. He repeated the last words of his teacher, the Maggid of Mezritch, spoken in his final hours, in which he revealed the secret of the night of watching before a child enters the covenant of Avraham Avinu, peace be upon him. The Alter Rebbe then delivered a maamar of Chassidus. When he finished, he instructed those present to sing. Afterward, he bentched over a cup of wine and instructed that everyone present receive some wine from the cup of blessing. At the Shabbos day meal, too, the Alter Rebbe was filled with tremendous joy. He was in a state of revelation the likes of which had never been seen. What joy—the Tzemach Tzedek had been born. These events and many others are described in Sefer Hatoldos of the Tzemach Tzedek and in the volume on the Tzemach Tzedek in the Rabbeinu Nesieinu series. You can read a great deal in them and learn about the life and work of the Tzemach Tzedek. How much Hakadosh Boruch Hu gained by bringing the soul of the Tzemach Tzedek, the Moshiach of his generation, down into the world. As the Rebbe always points out, Tzemach has the same numerical value as Menachem, and Tzedek has the same numerical value as Mendel. That is why the Tzemach Tzedek’s books are called Tzemach Tzedek, corresponding to the names of our righteous Moshiach, for he was the Moshiach of his generation.

35:19 Speaker 2 And so, on a day like this, the Rebbe says, the Tzemach Tzedek is certainly doing everything in his power. Even now, he is acting in the heavens above to bring about the true and complete Geulah, now, very soon. We can help, every one of us. How? By preparing properly for Rosh Hashanah, as good Jews do. By adding to our recitation of Tehillim, studying more of the Tzemach Tzedek’s teachings, giving more tzedakah, studying more about Geulah and Moshiach, and increasing in Ahavas Yisroel. Through Ahavas Yisroel, [unclear] the Redeemer.