Rabbi Yoel Kahan A"H - Part XII

00:01 The continuation to the earlier installments regarding an overview of Rabbi Yakov Kahn's life, we now continue with installment number 12, where we will discuss additional stories about the Rebbe, which Rabbi Yael shared with the at his Shabbos table or with Hasidim in general. The first matter is to the Seder of Pesach, an interesting observation that Rabbi Yael pointed out and what that should teach Hasidim. Rabbi Yael makes the introduction that in the earlier years, 1950 till Simchat Torah, late 1970, during the lifetime of the Rebbetzin Chava Medina, the predi-previous Rebbe's Rebbetzin, the Suedes, the meals of the Yomim Tovim, the Rebbe would eat upstairs on the second floor, which is the apartment of the previous Rebbe. But in general, when the Rebbe would drink wine during the meals, he would say l'chaim to Hasidim present at the time. One time, during a Seder night, in middle of Sulchan Oruch, which is when the meal is eaten, the Rebbe drank some wine from his cup between the fish and the meat, but he did not say l'chaim. The Mashpia, Rab Shmueluvitin, one of the distinguished older Hasidim, also was present at the table, and he realized that this was different than always by than other meals. The next day, during the day meal of Pesach, the Rebbe again drank some wine after finishing the fish. And now at this point, the Rebbe did say l'chaim. It came to the second night of the Seder. When the Rebbe drank wine after the fish, the Rebbe again did

02:19 not say l'chaim. Rab Shmuel knew, realized there's something interesting happening here. Rab Shmuel, as mentioned, as he was from the elder and, um, distinguished Hasidim, allowed himself to ask the Rebbe why there was a change. And the Rebbe explained to him that saying l'chaim gives a chashivas, an importance, a significance to the drinking of the wine. And the night of the Seder, one needs to be very particular not to give any chashivas to the, while drinking wine besides when drinking the four koses. Which means that the Rebbe was implying that the, the night of Pesach, the night of the Seder of Pesach, it is four koses. And when one will say l'chaim on an additional kos, it'll be as adding a fifth cup. Rabbi Yael derives from this how particular, how precise the Rebbe conducted himself. He says, according to Halakha, there's no problem drinking wine and saying l'chaim. But the Rebbe did not want to give any chashivas, any unique significance to an additional drink over the four koses. In addition to that, we see how important Minhag Yisrael, Jewish customs are in the eyes of the Rebbe. Since Yidden customarily say l'chaim on a kos of wine, this contributes a chashivas, an importance to the drinking. If a person drinks and doesn't say l'chaim, so it is just plainly drinking or rinsing the mouth. But when one does say l'chaim, the drinking receives a, a significant, unique importance, and therefore it is considered like adding more than the four cups of the night

04:45 of Pesach. In the first year, when Rabbi Yael came to New York, to 770, and he started to review the Sichas as soon as he was at a farbrengen. But in addition to that, Rabbi Yael also received a bracha, a blessing to be a good chozer. And this was the first shvuas 1951. It was then that Rabbi Yael describes what took place at the farbrengen, that shvuas. And that shvuas, during the farbrengen, the Rebbe advised Rabbi Yael to say l'chaim three times. The first time, the Rebbe just told him to say l'chaim. The second time, the Rebbe told him, read it first from the Yiddish, "Take for your father, say l'chaim on behalf of your father, that he should have a good parnassa." And the third time, the Rebbe told Rabbi Yael to say l'chaim, and he then said to the Hasidim around, not to Rabbi Yael himself, but to the Hasidim around, that when he will take l'chaim, he will remember, which referred to the Sichas and the Maamer that the Rebbe would deliver at every farbrengen. To conclude with an inyan of Geulah, Rabbi Yael relates that it was one day Rab Shmuelice Reitzes and Rab Moshe Tabinsky were standing in 770 on the steps, going up from the downstairs, from the big shul to the hallway upstairs, and they were discussing what will be the scene when Mashiach comes. What will take place then, those immediate moments? And they repeated a word of the Alter Rebbe that the tailor will be middle

07:09 of his work, the shoemaker will make shoes, and suddenly Mashiach will come. At that moment, while they're discussing it, the Rebbe comes out of his room, and he walks by them, and he's-- they say to each other, "Oh, he will come suddenly. Mashiach will come suddenly." The Rebbe heard the whisper from one Hasid to another, and the Rebbe concluded, "Exactly, precisely like this it'll take place, the arrival of Mashiach."