Shmini Atzeres & Simchas Torah 5712 - Part I

00:00 The hemsech in continuation to the earlier installments in regards to Chag HaSukkot, Taf Shin Yud Beis, late 1951, the events that took place by the Rebbe. We continue now with the last days of Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret, Simchat Torah, as it is recorded in the Yamanim, the diaries of those days. L'il Shemini Atzeret, the first night of Shemini Atzeret, the bacharim fulfilling the Rebbe's directive to visit various shuls and to bring simcha into the shuls and increase simcha amongst the mespalelim, the members of the various shuls. This is referred to as talucha, and this is a custom that is kept up until this very day. A few yamim tevim that the Rebbe would ask that they should visit Yidden in different neighborhoods. This also takes place on Pesach, the seventh day of Pesach, Shvi'i Shel Pesach, and also the first day Shavuot, where Siddim visit the shuls and they speak there and they bring simcha to the shul. On this evening, during Atah Ereza, the psukim were not sold, and the Rebbe was honored with reciting the Atah Ereza. When the Rebbe concluded the first round of the Atah Ereza, the Rebbe advised to add, to say it another two times, in total three times. And every time they would honor the Rebbe with reciting the first and the last pasuk of Atah Ereza. The Rebbe advised who should be honored with the other psukim, for example, Kehanim, Leviim, or visitors who are here from out of town. During Hakafot, the Rebbe stood on his place

02:21 and danced a lot. In addition to the first and last Hakafa, during which the Rebbe danced with his brother-in-law, Rav Shmarya Gurari and Rav Shmuel Devitin. During the height of the Hakafot, during the climax, it was very hot. And this was the shul upstairs where the Hakafot took place. The windows were blocked by the audience, and when they realized that there was a need to bring in air from outside, they cleared a pathway to the window in order that the Rebbe should have air around him. The Rebbe danced very strongly and also encouraged very much the Yodei Hagdeisha, and he also sang on his own. And this simcha inspired simcha and excitement amongst all who were present. The Hakafot did not take a long time. It concluded at 9.30 p.m., but the dancing continued till 1.30 a.m. after midnight. Going on to the next night, L'il Simchat Torah, which was always the big night in Lubavitch. After Ma'arev, the Rebbe came in to the downstairs, which was the yard, open yard. It was the sukkah until Shemini Atzeret. The Rebbe came in to Fabreng, and he made kiddush there. And as mentioned in an earlier installment, that the Rebbe advised that they should remove a certain section of the schach where the Rebbe would Fabreng in order that it should be rendered no longer as a kosher sukkah, which will enable the Elam to Fabreng in the sukkah on Simchat Torah, and it would not be considered adding another day sitting in the sukkah. That

04:38 was the reason the Rebbe asked to remove a certain section of the schach. During this Fabrengen, the Rebbe explained the words of the previous Rebbe, that the Shehecheyanu that we recite for Simchat Torah also refers to the Torah itself. And the Rebbe cited from a sicha, from a talk of the previous Rebbe, which was published in the kuntres. It was released in the booklet which came out, Simchat Torah, that in Simchat Torah there are open gates, gates of light, gates of blessing, and gates of success. And the Rebbe explained in length why is it that these three gates are mentioned. The Rebbe also elaborated on the pasuk Atah Ereza. Towards the conclusion of the Fabrengen, the Rebbe mentioned that he's sitting in a place where there's no schach, as mentioned earlier, and therefore everybody's allowed to say l'chaim. Even those that are standing under a schach, the Rebbe got up and he danced in his place. During the Fabrengen, there was a big audience, and therefore it was also very tight. Towards the end of the Fabrengen, the Rebbe asked if everybody returned from the shuls where they visited for the talucha, as mentioned earlier. The Rebbe reminded everybody to make an after-blacha, and then he said that in the conclusion of the after-blacha, they should sing a joyous nigun, and with this nigun they should go to Hakafot. After the Fabrengen, the Rebbe went upstairs to a shul upstairs, which is where the Hakafot took place. Mitchesh em in the next installment, we will

06:45 continue.