Rabbi Yoel Kahan A"H - Part III

00:01 The continuation to the earlier installments regarding an overview of the life of Rabbi Yael Kahn, we now continue with installment number three, where we will discuss additional aspects about Rabbi Kahn, or as he was fondly referred to by his first name, Rabbi Yael. Rabbi Yael would also lead the singing during the Rebbe's farbrengens. In the later years, at the beginning of the farbrengen, the Rebbe would motion to Rabbi Yael to begin singing a nigun before the Rebbe would begin speaking. Likewise, occasionally, the Rebbe would ask Rabbi Yael to sing specific nigunim during some of the farbrengens. The Rebbe would tell him which nigunim to sing. During the Rosh Hashana farbrengens, when the Rebbe would ask to sing a nigun of all the rabbeim, the Rebbe would mention the name of the specific Rebbe who, uh, whom's, of whom's nigun to sing at that point. Likewise, before delivering a ma'amar, when customarily a specific nigun is sung, the Rebbe would motion to Rabbi Yael to begin the nigun known as the ma'amar nigun. In the year late 1962, it was the year marking 150 year anniversary since the passing of the Alter Rebbe, Rab Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad Hasidus. The Rebbe initiated a new project that a Chabad Hasidus encyclopedia should be created, should be compiled. Rabbi Yael was given the task of doing the job. The entries were created in the sequence of the alephs, the alphabet. The first volume was published in 1971, followed by additional volumes over the following

02:34 decades. Every volume contains explanations of the entry in a very comprehensive manner, with numerous details and references noted in the footnotes. The Hebrew title of this encyclopedia is called Sefer Ha'erkim, Sefer Ha'arochim Chabad. When the Rebbe received the first volume, he said to an older distinguished Hasid, "I knew he can do it when I chose him to do it, but I did not expect that it will be to such an extent." The Rebbe was very pleased. When the second volume was published, the Rebbe then said, "The house was filled with light." At this point, there are nine volumes and still at the letter aleph. When it came to publish the Sefer, the first volume, Rabbi Yael did not fix his name on the cover of the Sefer, although he wrote the Sefer. He felt that this is all the keichas that he received from the Rebbe, and therefore the design on the cover is one that is used on all the Rebbe's seforim. That was an expression of bitul that he, Rabbi Yael, had for the Rebbe, that he is just a channel, a typewriter through which the Rebbe has his projects accomplished. In addition, people would turn to Rabbi Yael to discuss with him personal matters as marriage issues, et cetera. Rabbi Yael would listen patiently and then would guide them through in a clear, logical manner. At times, to have a clarity in a certain halacha, et cetera, rabbonim would consult with Rabbi Yael and request from him if he can study

05:05 through the halacha and explain it the way he sees it and understands it. Im yirtzeh Hashem, in the next installment, we will discuss short stories that were relayed from Rabbi Yael.