Bayis - A Person's Home - Part 10

00:00 Behem sek in continuation to the earlier installment on the concept of a Bayis Yehudi, a Jewish home, we now continue with installment number 10, discussing various directives of the Rebbe regarding the purchase of a home and the Rebbe's brachos upon being notified about the finalization of the purchase. In a letter in Igrus Kedes, Chelek Yitzayon, Volume 17, Omet Samachtes, the Rebbe writes as follows. It is well known my opinion on this matter that it is appropriate to buy a house instead of renting because the money that is being used to pay for rent, paying someone else, one could already in the same time pay for a mortgage that he took out for his own house. And the Rebbe says vikal, and it's easy to understand. Another inyan that the Rebbe points out in regards to a house is that we heard many times, the Rebbe says from the previous Rebbe, based on the words of our sages in many different places, the Rebbe negiah to the location of the house and the house itself, the residence itself, one needs to take in consideration the opinion of the wife, the Akeres Abais, the homemaker. Ubefrat, the Rebbe says, especially when one of the reasons is taking in consideration the location, the environment, and women are more roggish, more sensitive to the influence of the sviva and the friends, therefore her opinion needs to be consulted. Going on now to some of the details, I once saw a letter that someone wrote to the Rebbe, this was

02:12 in the Chafs in the 60s or early 70s, describing an apartment that he saw. And he writes to the Rebbe, benegiah tenesun coming into the house, that there are windows in the house and there's a lot of sunlight comes into the house. And at the time I was hearing that the Rebbe made a point of that to some individuals to make sure that there's sunlight coming into the house. When the Rebbe would be notified in regards to the purchase confirmation, the Rebbe would send a letter giving broches for this new beginning. In a letter on the 12th of Menachemov, Tov Shintezai in 1956, the Rebbe writes to Rabbi Yeshua Velensky in the city of Bridgeport as follows, Shalom Avrocha, in response to your letter of this past Thursday, I was pleased to read in it about the purchase of the house and Hashem Yisbarach should help that it should be in a good and auspicious hour. And Meshana Mokim, Meshana Mazal, Oteva Ulevrocha, when one changes a location, it also changes the mazal for good and for blessing, Beteva Niravan Iglen, a revealed goodness. And together with the other Hasidim, Anash that are in the same location, they should also add in the Atslocha to increase in the nyonim of strengthening Yiddishkeit in general and in spreading of the wellsprings of Hasides till they reach out to the outside. The Rebbe encloses a check of one of the kupas, one of the funds of the previous Rebbe as a gmilas chesed for the purchase of

04:21 the house and this should bring Atslocha in this house and its surroundings. The Rebbe concludes Bebrocha with blessing and fixes his signature. In a letter of Tezai and Tamus Tov Shin Yud Gimel 1953, the Rebbe writes to a Hasid in response to his letter in which he writes that the purchase of the house was finalized and now it is under their name, under their title, Yirotzim Hashem Yisbarach should be the will of Hashem, that their house should be the way that their heart requests a house which would be a meeting point for Hasidim and Hasides and Hashem Yisbarach should bless them and give them success to build up a Bayis Ne'eman Be'Yisro, sincere house in the literal meaning and also in a deeper meaning as it's mentioned in many places of Hasides and also in the series of discourses of the Rebbe Marash that begins with the verse Mayim Rabim Tov Rishlamad Vov late 1875 which where he speaks about the inyan of a house that a house calls on the inyan of Teydesh of Alpeh. And the Rebbe concludes Bebirchas Atslocha, blessing for success, Begashmi Yisbaruch Nis, physically and spiritually. While we're speaking already about a house, there's a sikha from the Rebbe which the Rebbe spoke to the sponsors, the contributors of the Machnes Israel Development Fund. This was on the 8th of Tishrei, Tov Shin Mem Tes, late 1988, to the Kutzah of Yedidie Lubavitch, Friends of Lubavitch, and the Rebbe initiated something new. The Rebbe says since the beginning of every

06:25 year, we're looking for a certain direction, for a certain goal. Since the beginning of the year, a person receives additional energy, and therefore there is enough energy and liveliness to begin new things. So therefore, the Rebbe says, I am allowing myself as an old friend that meets you quite often, at least every year, to suggest for you a plan for this year, and with the hope that you will be able to fulfill it in the most wishful way. And then you will prove that I am not an old friend, but a young friend, someone that has young ideas. The Rebbe says, in particular, when I'm not so old as it is on the passport. And the suggestion is as follows. This year should be referred to as Shnas Habinyan, the year of building, a year where people should dedicate their energy and keichas to buy new buildings, and especially buildings for in yonim of Yiddishkeit, spreading Yiddishkeit, spreading the wellsprings of Chassidus. They should be houses for teyrah, avedah, gemilus chassodim, which is the study of teyrah, prayer, and doing loving kindness, and bati Chabad. And the Rebbe says once they buy, they should also not limit themselves just to a certain amount of rooms, but to allow that they should have extra rooms, because eventually they'll be able to make good use of them. The Rebbe continued speaking about it also a few days later, and this became known as Shnas Habinyan, which is the end of 1988 going into 1989.