Yom Holedes - Part X

00:00 The hemsekhe to the earlier installment regarding ye'meledes, commemorating ye'meheledes, birthdays of the rabbeim, also after their histalkus. We continue now with installment number ten to elaborate further on this topic. It was during the farbrengen of Shabbos Parshas Ki Sovai, Chai Elul, the eighteenth of Elul, תשכ"ו, 1966. Chai Elul is the birthday of the Ba'al Shem Tov and the birthday of the Alter Rebbe. The Rebbe elaborated on a sicha which the previous Rebbe delivered on the eighteenth of Elul תשג", 1943. And the Rebbe said as follows. During the farbrengen of Chai Elul תשג", the Friediker Rebbe related what his father, the Rebbe Rashab told him after they came back from a stroll on Chai Elul תרנ"ח, 1898. It was two hundred years after the birth of the Ba'al Shem Tov, and the conversation took place before Ma'ariv. The Rebbe Rashab said as follows. This is how it is translated by Sichos in English, the sicha of the previous Rebbe in תשג", 1943. Now, as the time before Ma'ariv draws near, an announcement is no doubt being made in heaven about the birthday celebration of the Ba'al Shem Tov. Tzaddikim, wake up, prepare yourself for the holy celebration. This invitation is addressed to all the neshamas, not only of the tzaddikim who have undergone their respective punishments, but to all the neshamas that have been purified after their revealed stay in the world below. Because all the souls have a common root in the world of Atzilut, and ultimately they all have a common root in the

02:23 infinite essence of Elokus, Godliness. Rebbe Rashab continued, "When I contemplate the life story of the Ba'al Shem Tov and of the Alter Rebbe, the way they devoted their lives to self-sacrificing toil in sanctification of the name of Hashem by battling against the evil prosecutor in the world above and against those down here below who opposed their ideology and their teachings, and through the grace of Hashem, they overcame them. It is clear to me that the current celebration of their birthday in heaven must resemble the celebration that greets warriors who return from the battlefield decorated with wreaths of victory. It is written that the kingdom of heaven resembles an earthly kingdom. There's the expression in the Talmud, malchusa d'raki'a ke'ei malchusa d'ara. In an earthly kingdom, when a triumphant commander-in-chief returns from the battlefield, the king goes out and greets him personally, followed by all his ministers of state and the governors of his provinces. They all sing the victor's praises, and his name is immortalized in the chronicles of the nation's heroes. Since in the kingdom of heaven he is doubly rewarded, no one can envision the intense joy and the luminous splendor that are now radiating in the heavenly abode of the Ba'al Shem Tov, the Maor. A conquering hero is not celebrated alone. In addition, all of his soldiers and officers are customarily honored with medals and gifts, each according to his r-rank and to his loyal dedication to the cause. Likewise, in today's holy celebration above, Chai Elul, all the members of

04:41 the Holy Brotherhood, all the disciples of the Ba'al Shem Tov and their disciples, and the nesi'im of Am Yisrael of the various generations, together w-with all those who are spiritually bonded with them, the souls of all of the above, each in his own way, will no doubt be presented there today with the gift of an ongoing ascent. We too, mere dwellers in houses of clay," referring to this coarse world, "in this material world below are being recalled by the celebrant, the Ba'al Shem Tov, who is arousing heaven's mercies, and those who are following in the footsteps of his disciples, immersing themselves in the teachings of our forebearers, the rabbeim, along their broad path in divine service, the path that requires avoda in one's heart, refinement of one's character attributes, and ahavas Yisrael, a love of every fellow Jew." The Rebbe elaborates on the expression, "We too, mere dwellers in houses of clay." And the Rebbe explains that what is discussed here in the Sicha of the previous Rebbe relates also to souls which are enclosed not only in the physical body, but in a coarse body. And nevertheless, also the above-mentioned matters reach them. And the Rebbe says, think a minute. We're discussing here the celebration of the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe. Their unique qualities, how great they are, and in particular when their birth dates are being celebrated, commemorated. And in particular, when their birthdays are being celebrated as warriors who return from the battlefield decorated with wreaths

07:17 of victory. This shows a very great revelation that is drawn down from above. And even in relationship to the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe, it is considered like something that is hovering above and beyond. And despite this great unique event, it is drawn down and it also reaches those souls who are enclosed in a coarse body. And Ad Rebbe, on the contrary, because it comes from such a high level, therefore it has the potential to reach the lowest level. And as mentioned in the Sicha, we too, mere dwellers in houses of clay, in this material world below, are being recalled by the celebrant above in his prayer that arouses Hashem's mercy. And since it is an awakening that comes from above, so it is dependent on the one who initiates it above. But although it is coming from above, there also needs to be some sort of a preparation, an initiative on the part of the person in this physical world. In a Sicha of the previous Rebbe, in that same year, Tov Shin Gimel 1943, page 90, the Friediker Rebbe tells a story that after the passing of the Alter Rebbe, his great-grandson, Rabbaruch Sholom, who was the oldest son of the Tzemach Tzedek, began fasting every year on the day of Chayel, on the birth of his grandfather. When the Mittler Rebbe found out about it, the Mittler Rebbe spoke a Sicha about the uniqueness of a birthday of a Tzadik and what takes place before the Tzadik descends here. When

09:50 all the Tzadikim above gather and they give the best wishes to this Neshama, that this Neshama should be able to fulfill her mission, what it needs to accomplish as a Tzadik in this physical world. And from then on, Rabbaruch Sholom, after hearing the Sicha, changed from fasting on Chayel to a Monday or a Thursday, which is closest to Chayel. We mentioned earlier that the Rebbe advised people who asked in regards to fulfilling, commemorating a Yemei Ledes for someone that's no longer in this physical world, if there's any point in it. There was a response to a family whose child passed away very young. And they asked the Rebbe, what should they do? Should they continue commemorating the Yemei Ledes? The Rebbe responded that they should continue according to the customs of Yemei Ledes, those customs that could be fulfilled. They should also contribute to Tzdakah in the amount of the numerical value of the name and also make Echsidishe Fabringen. Another interesting experience was on Yud Aleph Nissan Tov Shin Mem Ches. The Rebbe was then in the house. The Rebbe was distributing dollars. A Chassid by the name of Rab Peretz Hecht went by receiving a dollar and the Rebbe tells him, this is for your mother. Dos if a de mutter. He looked at the Rebbe and he's wondering. His mother passed away 20 years earlier or whenever it was and he doesn't understand what that means. The secretary told the Rebbe that it's Rab Peretz Hecht, implying that he doesn't have a

12:02 mother. So the Rebbe said, no, it should be Li'lu Nishmas. A while later, Rab Peretz Hecht thought it over and he realized that day was his mother's Yemei Ledes birthday. And the Rebbe gave him a dollar for his mother 20 years later, commemorating that day.