Yom Kippur 5712 (1951)

00:01 The hemshech in continuation to the earlier installments where we discussed the events that took place by the Rebbe, Reshisone Tofshin Yud Beis, late 1951, as it is recorded in writing by Rabbi Elchan, we now continue with installment number five, discussing Erev Yom Kippur and the day of Yom Kippur. Erev Yom Kippur, after Shacharis, Chassidim were preparing to receive Lekach from the Rebbe. The Rebbe said, if a person will not request, he will not get. This is based on the custom that when it comes to Lekach, the reason that we receive Lekach is in order that we should be already accomplished for the year and won't need any more gifts from any human being. So therefore, a person needs to request it in order to receive it. When Chassidim requested the Lekach and they lined up, the Rebbe gave each one a piece. Chassidim observed that to one person, the Rebbe gave from one location, one corner of the box. To another person, the Rebbe gave from another corner of the box. To one person, the Rebbe gave a small piece. To another person, he gave a large piece. And the Rebbe benched each one individually with the bracha of Shana Teva U'Mesuka, a good and sweet year. Rabbi Yael records that when he entered the Rebbe's room to receive Lekach, the Rebbe told him, a Shana Teva U'Mesuka, it should be a good and sweet year. And the Rebbe then gave him an additional piece of Lekach and said, Dos ef adem taten umamen, shraib

02:06 ze a Shana Teva U'Mesuka abriyas anacheinu. Translated from Yiddish, this is for your father and mother. Write to them, this is on the Rebbe's behalf, bracha of a good and sweet year and good health. In the afternoon, a kvutze, a group of Chassidim went into the Rebbe's room to request his bracha and the Rebbe benched them. And this was something that continued all the years. On Erev Yom Kippur, after Mincha, the Rebbe would give a bracha klalis for klal Yisrael, for Yidden all over the world. And again after Mincha, a group of Chassidim went in to the Rebbe's room and requested for a bracha. And before the evening, another kvutze, another group of Chassidim entered the Rebbe's room. As it was getting closer to the evening, the Kol Nidre, the bachadim, the talmidim of the Yeshiva in 770, entered the Rebbe's room to receive the bracha from the Rebbe as a father to children. This is the auspicious time when the father benches his children. Rabbi Yael says, I was also in the kvutze that went in towards the evening. In the earlier kvutzes, groups, amongst the younger light, bachadim also went in. And when the third kvutze left the Rebbe's room, the Rebbe called Rabbi Yael and said, tell the bachadim they could go in later again. I didn't understand what he meant when he said that. And I was figuring that he was referring to those bachadim who did not yet enter the Rebbe's room for the bracha, for the earlier brachas. So

04:25 I was wondering why davka the bachadim. I wanted to ask for clarification. But before I had a chance to say anything, the Rebbe said, ich mein eich divo zaynesh in given, oben nard the talmidim. I am also referring to those who were already here before. But I exclusively am referring to the talmidim, to those that are learning in Yeshiva. When they all went in, the Rebbe was already wearing his kikel and the talus. His face was awesome. Very serious expression. And when we entered, the Rebbe looked at all of us. That look threw a fear on us. Not even once did I ever see such a look on the Rebbe's face, such an expression on the Rebbe's face. And the bachadim who I shared it with later also consented that they never saw such a serious expression. And before he began speaking, after he looked at the bachadim, he covered his face with the talus, completely trembling. And he began that you are the Rebbe's children, referring to the previous Rebbe. He said that with a voice choking from tears. And then he began saying the verses of Birchas Keanim, Va'edabel Hashem, Gaimel, and he said it from an open siddur which was on the table. And when he said Yevarech Echah, he raised his holy hands as Nesiyas Kapayim. The Rebbe, Metsi Dei, is like a father, Mamish, blessing the children on Erev Yom Kippur. And Rab Ye'el continues and says, you should have seen, he's describing it to his father, how the Rebbe

06:43 was shaking. Ha'levai, we should be children. In other words, we should conduct ourselves as appropriate as his children. Le'el Yem Ha'kipurim, the night of Yom Kippur when the Rebbe davened with the Elam together, Ma'irev, after Ma'irev, the Rebbe remained in shul to recite the complete Tehillim. There were some individuals that went over to the Omet and they said it very quickly and they concluded it when the Minyan was still in the middle of Tehillim. And the Rebbe saw that the Omet was left unattended. There's no Chazan at the Omet. The Rebbe himself walked over to the Omet and announced the conclusion of every Peydek as a Chazan and also the Yerot after Esvarim. In the morning, as is mentioned in a Yuman, in the diary of Rabbi Groner, the Rebbe did not receive the Aliyah in the morning as the Rebbe would receive Mafter Yeina. And when Rabbi Chadiko was called up to Raftera, the Rebbe said Raftera privately for himself and he sat during Kriyas Atera. And by Yiska, the Rebbe received a Sefer Teda. The Rebbe would generally hold on to the Etz Chayim of the Sefer Teda during Yiska. During Musaf, in the Peyot of the Asara Halugi Malchus, those that were killed by the Romans, as it was discussed, the ten distinguished great scholar sages. So between one paragraph and another, the Rebbe would say Tehillim. The Rebbe began from the beginning of Tehillim and that's how the Rebbe would say the Asara Halugi Malchus and between one paragraph and another,

08:48 he would say Tehillim. The intermission between Musaf and Mincha was one hour. At Mincha, the Rebbe received Mafter Yeina. During Ne'ilah, from the beginning, from Ashri Yevot Ziyen till Chazarat HaShatz, when the Chazan reached the words, Chamil Al Masecha, have mercy on your creation, the Rebbe stood. After that, the Rebbe sat down. During Ne'ilah, the Rebbe placed his hands on two packages of Pideynis that the Rebbe brought earlier into the shul, placed it in the drawer of his tender. And when it came to Birchas Keanim, which the Chazan says during Ne'ilah, the Rebbe constantly placed his hands on them. During Ne'ilah, Rab Ye'el makes note in his Yuman, in his diary, that the Rebbe asked several times, what time is it? And the Rebbe advised the Chazan that he should extend the davening a little more in order that he should finish in the right time and not early. Meitzah Yom Kippur after the fast, the Rebbe sent out Mezeinas cake to make Ech Sidishe Fabringen. On Yud Gimel Tishrei, Tovshin Yud Beis, it was Shabbos Parsha Hazinu, marks the Istalkos of the Rebbe Marash, the fourth Rebbe of Chabad. The Rebbe spoke a Sicha after Mincha that Shabbos relating stories when he gave to the Rebbe Marash. In general, this took place very few times by the Rebbe over the years. It was not a Fabringen. It was a Sicha after Mincha that the Rebbe marked a unique day with elaborating, speaking about the contents of the day.