Yom Holedes - Part IX

00:00 The hemsech to an earlier series regarding Yemeledes birthday and its customs, aspects, and lessons. We continue now with installment number nine, discussing the marking of a Yemeledes of a dear one after a hundred and twenty. We will first focus regarding the Rabbeim's Yemeledes after their histalkus, how it is being commemorated. On Chof Ches from Tov Shin Yud Beis, late 1951, the Yemeledes of the Rebbe Rashab, the Rebbe published a maimar, a discourse of the Rebbe Rashab, and in the preface, the Rebbe discusses this point of commemorating a Yemeledes also after the histalkus, the passing of the celebrity. The Rebbe, the Rebbe cites that it, it was already mentioned in another place that there are those that discuss if we could say that after the passing of a person, the neshamah, the soul, still attains deeper understandings in inyanim of Torah. Is there an increase in the knowledge of the neshamah? The Rebbe says it is reflected in a controversy between the Ramban and his counterpart, the Raavid. The Rebbe continues, in Chassidus it is mentioned very clearly that the neshamahs in Gan Eden are learning Torah. Even after they have left this physical world, they are still attaining and escalating in limudat Torah. And the Rebbe says, nevertheless, there's also space for the two above opinions. One who holds that after a hundred and twenty there is an increase and an elevation in the learning and understanding inyanim of Torah, and the other one holds different. So the Rebbe says, how is it that one

02:27 does not contradict the other? How could it be that the neshamah, as it is bashamayim, should attain Torah? Torah was given on Earth. Lo bashamayim hi, as the Talmud says. It is not in heaven. So the Rebbe explains the difference is as follows. The ikar inyan of Torah, the primary inyan of Torah, which is to clarify a halacha which was not known or was not understood because of questions that seem to be in conflict, and therefore there was no clarity in the halacha. So the Rebbe says, to clarify a halacha or to, uh, explain a halacha, that is solely accomplished through a neshamah as it is in a physical body. On the other hand, there is also Torah as it is existing in heaven, and especially to those neshamahs who studied Torah while they were living here on Earth. And this brings about that after that, they merit to study the spiritual halacha of what they studied on Earth, and that they experience in Gan Eden. And the Rebbe adds that we find it also by malachim, angels, that they are also listening in to the neshamahs studying Torah in Gan Eden. Then the Rebbe refers to the Rebbe Rashab, who was mentioned earlier, was born on Chof Ches. So the Rebbe says, we see beenagda to the Rebbe Rashab, a reshimah, a document that the previous Rebbe wrote in the year Tov Shin Heh. The previous Rebbe was here in the United States, and this was already about twenty-five years after the histalkus of

04:37 the Rebbe Rashab. The previous Rebbe writes as follows: Today is the, the birthday of my father. He was born on Monday, Parshas Chai Sara on the twentieth of Ches van in the year Tov Reis Chof Alef which is late eighteen sixty, nine AM. In my dream, this is in late 1944, I saw my father dressed in Shabbos clothing and with an illuminated, elated face to a great extent, a simcha, a joy. And he said to me, "In these twenty-four hours will complete eighty-four years since my neshamah has descended in this low world, and I will have special guests that will be visiting me." Ukvfi haSeder, and as the Seder is that everyone from the Rabbeim will deliver a discourse on the chapter Tehillim that corresponds to his age. The Rebbe continues that this reshimah is from late 1944. And b'meile, it is 84 years since the birth of the Rebbe Rashab. And b'meile, at that point, the connection of his age to Kapitel Peh Dalet is concluded. So the Rebbe says, from this we see that even after the hishtalkos, there is a concept of learning and hearing Torah from the Rabbeim. And Torah that relates to the physical time as it is in this physical world. Since it is 84 years since he was born, so the Rabbeim will deliver a discourse on the chapter of Tehillim that corresponds to his age at that time. In a sicha from Tafshin Mem Ches 1988, the Rebbe mentions that Yemeledes is also relevant after the hishtalkos.

07:08 The Rebbe mentions from the tractate Neksuves 39a. The Rebbe also refers to the Rogatchover, which the Rebbe hinted to in the earlier preface to the Ma'amar of the Rebbe Rashab. And the Rebbe continues and explains that there is a direct connection between the birthday and the day of the passing. As it says in Kehelas, תב שם שמן תב וימא מובס מימי בודה A good name is more than good oil, which means a reputation is the most primer thing that can be for a person. וימא מובס And the day of passing more than the day of birth. And as it's mentioned that יום הלדה, that the day of the birth forgives on the passing. As it is mentioned in Rashi in the tractate of Megillah. From this we see that there is a connection from birthday and passing and therefore also a commemoration of the birth date after the passing. And finally in Lekutei Sichas Chelek Chaf, volume 20, page 400, the Rebbe gives another explanation how a birthday is enhanced even after the hishtalkos of the tzaddik. The Rebbe says, in addition to the fact as our sages tell us, מה זרי בחיים אף הוא בחיים In the same sense that his children are alive, he is alive. Although he is already after 120, but they are basically keeping him alive by conducting themselves as being his students and students of students and following his teachings. So this contributes that מה זרי בחיים אף הוא בחיים In the same sense that his descendants, children, the

09:32 students are בחיים conducting themselves in his spirit. In the same sense, אף הוא בחיים he continues to live. And במילה this is an increase in the years even after the neshama went up למעלה We will im yirtzeh Hashem continue in the next installment.