The Campaign the Rebbe Launched 32 Years Ago

The Inside Story of Chabad in America Through the Mindel Archives

Welcome to our weekly program, The Inside Story of Chabad in America Through the Mindel Archives. This program — I want to mention especially a yechidus that the Rebbe called in Rabbi Chadakov and Rabbi Mindel for — we'll mention that a little later.

When the Rebbetzin passed away in 1988, Tashmach — now, it seems from the time the Rebbetzin passed away until Gimmel Tammuz is six years. I think there's also [something notable] — a [relative?] is named after her, and also [another is named after] the Rebbetzin [unclear]. It was six years after that — in those six years there was a change in the Rebbe's hanhagos.

There was a change in the farbrengens that he used to hold. Yud Tes Kislev was a big farbrengen; Purim, Yud Beis Tammuz — years ago these were still held late at night. Then these farbrengens stopped, but on Shabbos he would farbreng — because years back he would farbreng only on Shabbos Mevorchim, whereas now he would farbreng almost every Shabbos, though shorter. That's one change, starting from when the Rebbetzin passed away.

Another thing that changed: the public letters. Rabbi Mindel used to come in to the Rebbe and receive dictation to write the letter — it was Rabbi Mindel's practice to take the Rebbe's dictation, and then he composed the letter. Before Rosh Hashanah, before Sukkos, before Pesach — all these letters were done by Rabbi Mindel. And how did this change? Rabbi Groner writes that when the Rebbe would go to the Ohel, [he would receive guidance], and he would build on the previous letters — there was a slight change, but they did not make entirely new letters. But the Rebbe said: before you give out the letter, you have to show it to Rabbi Mindel. And I have here [a record of how] Rabbi Groner wrote to Rabbi Mindel all the time, asking him to look over the letter — and sometimes Rabbi Mindel would change the letter, sometimes not — because the Rebbe wanted that a letter could not go out without Rabbi Mindel's approval. This is how it was done all those years. But for some reason, this is one of the things the Rebbe also stopped.

Besides the farbrengens, also the hanhagah of the Rebbe going to the Ohel [changed] — he went to the Ohel more often than he used to in years past. He used to go only once a month, and then he went much more often.

Also, we saw — before the Rebbe's stroke — we didn't realize at the time, but years back the Rebbe used to bentsch [give out] lulav the first day of Sukkos, then he would open his door and people would come in to be bentsched, but he never used to watch each and every one. Then the Rebbe stopped doing this himself — he gave the esrog and lulav over to Rabbi Meir Harlig, and people would line up and be bentsched by him all those years.

But the last Sukkos before the stroke — the same thing happened: the Rebbe opened the door, and the Rebbe was standing in the sukkah, and the Rebbe watched each and every one walk by. Usually on Yom Tov it was ten o'clock, but this time it was ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o'clock, one o'clock, two o'clock — and the Rebbe was still standing, and we didn't even realize the time — it was three o'clock. I remember it was very, very late. We didn't realize this is what was going to happen — the stroke — but this was like a remez, a hint, a preparation, that this was going to be the last Sukkos that the Rebbe would stand there in this way. This is one of the things that happened.

Also, that year — the Rebbetzin [passed away] in Shevat — and Nissan, Iyar, Sivan — five months later, the Rebbe called over Rabbi Chadakov, Rabbi Mindel, and Rabbi Picasso [?]. At that time, the Rosh Yeshiva, the Rebbe's Rov, was Rabbi [Vorker? — unclear], and after he passed away, Rabbi Picasso [?] [took on that role] — [unclear] — he told them [certain details] also.

He called them in and told Rabbi Mindel to write down what he was going to say. I have all the material that he wrote down exactly — a tzavaah, a will — every tzaddik gives a will, and the words of a tzaddik are always important. This is the will of the Rebbe — this is the authentic will, not the [legal] one — that's the English one, which had to be done because it had to be done officially — but the real will was the Rebbe's words.

In Elul, a few months later, he called them over again — Rabbi Chadakov, Rabbi Picasso [?], Rabbi Mindel — and he told them the will again. So this happened in that year of Tashmach.

Now, between the first will — that's when the Rebbe spoke — and Elul, the Rebbe called in Rabbi Mindel and Rabbi Chadakov, and he told them — and this was the yechidus — soon I'll tell you what the Rebbe told them: a new mivtza, which they called [the campaign], later known as the Vaad Hamesaiya. And the Rebbe told them this was based on the farbrengen of Tu B'Av, Tashmach, the farbrengen of Shabbos.

The Gemara says that from Tu B'Av, since the nights are getting longer — "mikan," from then, "whoever increases will be increased." And since the nights get longer, of course we should increase in Torah and mitzvos. At the farbrengen, the Rebbe said we should command all the Jews of the generation to spread light, to be like a lamplighter who lights candles — "ner Hashem nishmas adam," the candle of G-d is the soul of man — and especially the Jews whom the Rebbe appointed, [as shluchim]. The Rebbe said this because that week was the week of Tu B'Av. The Rebbe said: since there is a term — [harchev? — unclear] — which means to widen, they should widen, they should add to their efforts, and the purpose is to help [the activists] be [successful] in [chinuch? — unclear].

So we should establish something new also — a kinus. Not just once a year; everybody knows there is once a year a kinus [convention], but the Rebbe wanted it to be more than once a year — it should increase.

On Monday, the Rebbe called in Rabbi Chadakov and told him [the details], and I will read a partial report, because Rabbi Chadakov, after listening to the Rebbe's words, went to Rabbi Mindel's room, and they wrote down and discussed exactly what the Rebbe had said. Rabbi Chadakov and Rabbi Mindel decided that they should write to [describe] how they should check over exactly what the Rebbe had said, and then they should send it out to people. Meanwhile, that day, Rabbi Mindel called Rabbi Krinsky and told him that he should arrange a conference call so that he could convey what the Rebbe had said.

Now I'm going to read to you what Rabbi Mindel wrote after the discussion — this was a historic yechidus. He wrote it in Hebrew, but I translated it into English:

"After the yechidus of yesterday, Monday, [Rabbi Mindel] and [Rabbi Chadakov] got together in Rabbi Chadakov's room to compose the points that the Rebbe, shlita, told us: to identify the project with a name, and to establish an address, so that we should right away contact Chabad activists everywhere."

This is the name that they chose: "International Committee for Increased Activity." And the address was 1449 Union Street, Brooklyn, New York. I have everything here documented.

The letter continues: "This is what the Rebbe said to them today, after the Rebbe, shlita, called us and appointed us to carry out, in action, what the Rebbe, shlita, spoke of at the farbrengen of Shabbos, officially. The Rebbe emphasized that this is the first opportunity, right after the farbrengen Shabbos, and after being at the Ohel Sunday — he went to the Ohel — and this was [written] on Monday. Also, from our part, we should not lose time; we should give over the directive by telephone even today, given the urgency of the matter — so that this week we should present to the Rebbe a reshima, a list of Chabad activists whom we contacted by phone, so the Rebbe can take it to the Ohel."

And afterward, Rabbi Mindel spoke to Rabbi Krinsky, then he spoke to Rabbi Shemtov and Rabbi Cunin — we'll speak about that — but first I want to tell you the four points that the Rebbe said:

1. Notify all Chabad institutions everywhere to appoint three people who will be responsible to carry out, in actuality, the additional activities that the Rebbe is asking for, expecting in all matters — in keeping with the theme of Tu B'Av, "whoever increases," which was discussed at the farbrengen of Tu B'Av.

2. The three people appointed will be doers, and will inspire others to do, in their respective institutions, community, and city, and will, every three months, send a detailed report of their actual increased activities. They should not send it to the offices of 770, not to the Rebbe directly, but to the specific Vaad Hamesaiya on Union Street, headed by Rabbi Chadakov and Rabbi Mindel.

3. These appointed three will hold a kinus — a gathering — a few times a year, to strengthen their activities, share their past, and plan for their future, in an ever-increasing way.

4. The Rebbe said, a few times: this is not the time to practice humility — we must do the utmost, and with the greatest emphasis, of actual deeds, in an ever-increasing way. This is what the Rebbe said.

The letter continues: "Now, after we made this outline, we called Rabbi Krinsky, notified him of the above, and requested that he arrange an international conference call — as is done from time to time — so that we could, in one call, give the message to all communal leaders and activists in the cities and communities, informing them of the guidelines of the Rebbe, and they in turn would convey the message to everyone else.

This conference call was to take place yesterday at 10 PM" — meaning yesterday this letter was written, Monday, and this is being written Tuesday — "10 o'clock at night I got a call from Rabbi Krinsky, who notified me that the call took place and the guidelines were read to the participants. Some of them requested a written copy by fax; they will surely do what they are able to do.

Rabbi Krinsky said: we contacted, yesterday evening, Rabbi Shlomo Cunin, and gave him all the details, and he enthusiastically undertook to spread the message to all the shluchim in California. We also contacted Rabbi Shemtov with the same message. I requested of Rabbi Krinsky to compile a list of the people and institutions whom we contacted, so that we can update the Rebbe on the matter."

Rabbi Mindel signs the letter.

And this was done. This is the letter regarding what the Rebbe said.

Now, G-d willing, next week we are going to continue with what happened afterward — what people sent in, their names — and maybe some people listening will have comments; it's very interesting. So whoever listens to this program, if they want to hear what the Rebbe said and see their name — I don't know if it will be next week or in two weeks — but there are very interesting [names]. Next week we're going to read the names of some of the early people who sent in right away.

And with G-d's help we will continue next Thursday night, our weekly program. Thank you.