Lag B'omer by the Rebbe: part II

00:02 B'keshet L'Lag B'Omer, we find in the later years that the Rebbe would from time to time occasionally write a letter that would contain directives how the day of Lag B'Omer should be fulfilled in a, in an auspicious way. The letter was written before Lag B'Omer in order that Hasidim, Yidden in general, Klal Yisroel should be able to fulfill these directives. We'll now discuss a letter from taf shin lamed, nineteen seventy, a letter from taf shin lamed daled, nineteen seventy-four, a letter from nineteen eighty-seven, taf shin mem zayin, and taf shin mem tes, nineteen eighty-nine. The letter from taf shin lamed, the Rebbe writes to the students and talmides, the boys and the girls that are preparing, um, involved in the pru u'lessen activities for Lag B'Omer. And the Rebbe derives a lesson from the story of the students of Rabbi Akiva that passed away because they did not conduct themselves to each other with the appropriate respect. So the Rebbe says, what we need to derive from it is three points. One, there should be serving Hashem, learning Torah and doing mitzvahs with an excitement, with a chayus, and that should permeate the entire person and also the daily conduct. A second ekuda is loving a fellow Jew as yourself, and that also should be with a special chayus, a special excitement and liveliness. And the third point is that every Yid that we meet, a Yid that is observing Torah mitzvahs, we should look at him, and we're obligated to look at him with

02:07 a favorable eye. Although he might be from another circle, might have different customs, but still it should be with a favorable eye. And then the Rebbe adds, even one who has not yet reached the standard of fulfilling Torah mitzvahs in an appropriate way, he is still lacking the fulfillment of Torah mitzvahs. We also need to look at him with a favorable eye and helping him reach the level of Torah mitzvahs as desired. In taf shin lamed daled, nineteen seventy-four, Lag B'Omer was Friday. The Rebbe then wrote a letter to those that are involved in communal, community affairs in different cities, especially those that are involved in something that is at this time mitzvah Lag B'Omer, the mitzvah Lag B'Omer. And the Rebbe in this letter stresses two points that we find by Rab Shimon ben Yochai, that Rab Shimon ben Yochai's study of Torah was his profession. He was occupied with it the whole time, and therefore he was exempt from other matters of mitzvahs, Torah milve, certainly in yomim, as it's mentioned in the Chazal and also in Halakha. And the second point, the Ahavas Yisroel, that he was ready to exempt the whole world from judgment. So the Rebbe says, although this is a very high standard, Rab Shimon ben Yochai and his colleagues' level of Torah sheYom, Torah sheNam, Torah sheNam, constantly occupied with Torah. So the Rebbe says everyone could do it at least to a certain extent, designating a time for learning on a daily basis. And when something is

04:06 set, it's a krios, it never, never fades. It never becomes batul. And the ma'aleh, the Rebbe says this means that from this auspicious day and with the kayach of this day, a person should set up time for learning every day. One who already has it should increase in learning. And all this should be permeated with Ahavas Yisroel, loving a fellow Jew without limitation, setting up times of learning also with Yidden around you in your environment. And the Rebbe says that this is basically in nigla, the revealed part of Torah, and pnimyus haTorah, the ingan of, uh, Chassidus, which is as the Razbi was the one that began teaching pnimyus haTorah. And now to a letter from taf shin mem zayin. The letter is dated Erev Rosh Chodesh Sh'ar, nineteen eighty-seven, to all the children, to all the Jewish children. And the Rebbe speaks to them in this letter, writes them to remember Rab Shimon ben Yochai and his good deeds, and to learn from his lessons in Torah in making a strong resolution to fulfill it with joy and as appropriate, and also to influence others to do likewise. So therefore, the Rebbe says that every one of you, turning to the children, should prepare himself for this by learning the lessons and the good deeds that Rab Shimon ben Yochai did in his lifetime. And you should ask your parents and your educators that they should help you in all this. Interesting in this very same day, this year, the Rebbe is writing to

06:07 all the Jewish parents and to all the educators, men and women, that they should help the children fulfill everything that he mentions in the letter-- the Rebbe mentions in the letter to the children. And then we go on to the letter from nineteen eighty-nine, exactly thirty years ago. The Rebbe speaks about the the calendar setting of Lag BaOmer, which was then on a Tuesday. So the Rebbe says to increase in the three pillars on what the world stands on, and by giving tzedakah in numerals of eighteen and Lag BaOmer, Lag BaOmer is the eighteenth day and year. In Avoda, in Tequila, to recite chapter of the thirty-third chapter in Tehillim, and in Torah to learn the, uh, portion of the Torah that relates to that day's year in the Parsha, which is in the Chumash of the . So that's basically the three that the Rebbe gave us in . One, tzedakah in the numerals of eighteen. In, in Avoda, in Tequila, to recite chapter in Tehillim. It's connected with Lag BaOmer, and in Torah, to learn the portion of Torah that relates and is studied on the day of Lag BaOmer. in the coming installment, we'll discuss additional Lag BaOmer. The to the earlier installment to Lag BaOmer and the Rebbe's letters prior to Lag BaOmer. Continuing now, the with installment number two, discussing various responses from the Rebbe to Lag BaOmer, one relating to the Lag BaOmer parade, year nineteen seventy, and the second response is relating to a project, a Lag BaOmer

08:35 in . The first response, the Rebbe writes, "Thank you. The the continuation of earlier Parsha," the Rebbe says, "I enjoyed very much. It was, it was-- I, I was very pleased with it." that they started this whole project . means with a broad scope . "It should be the will of Hashem that the desire of Hashem should be in the hands . It should be successful much higher, higher and higher than calculated and permeated with joy and good-hearted it should bear good fruit for the whole year. and Rav Shimon is worthy that we can rely on him, and especially the day of his rejoicing to all that relate to this. " The Rebbe says, "I will mention it in the resting place of the previous Rebbe." And the Rebbe mentions a hundred dollars . He enclosed a hundred dollars as a participation in pr-preparing for the parade. In the second response, which was basically a, uh, question, the using a plane Lag BaOmer in and it seemed like making publicity with it by throwing down leaflets. So the Rebbe says, "Lag BaOmer an airplane Lag BaOmer in is not an at all." It does, does not make any sense, does not belong there. The also throwing announcements, leaflets, even from a car. I once heard as, as on a side note in regards to another, um, event that took place that the Rebbe said in Israel. It is something that can really throw fear on people when things are being dropped from the air,

11:07 and therefore to avoid it as much as possible. The Rebbe continues now in this, uh, response, the , not to include side advertisement in these leaflets from this day, Lag BaOmer, which means the focus should be only on Lag BaOmer and no side things which could also be, uh, could be the Rebbe's referring to advertisements or, or anything side outside of Lag BaOmer. there should be activities going on with the there. it is understood, self-understood that it's re-- it, it is necessary. The Rebbe says the of the program and who is in-- who, who-- and, and who's in charge this- Is, is up to the Hanhalah, the management who will be in charge on the site. the Rebbe says, and simply that all this should be in a way that it should be it should negate any suspicion of anything that can result in a negative light. The Rebbe wants that it should be a positive light solely focusing on Lag BaOmer and . The to the earlier installments Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe. We're continuing now, Be'ezras Hashem, with installment number three, discussing Lag BaOmer, Tosh"y, nineteen fifty-seven. Rabbi Levi Rafkin, alav ha-shalom, shliach in Morocco for over forty years, describes it as such. It was Lag BaOmer in the morning on a Sunday. The organizers were up early or, or up through the night, and all of a sudden we see the rain is coming down. It really shook us up how every step is with difficulty. It's already six, seven, seven thirty

13:25 AM and the rain is coming down. The children are supposed to arrive already with the bus. It's nine thirty. And telephones seven seventy from all corners are ringing. Parents, madrichim and bus company, what's gonna be if it's gonna rain? Is the program still on? We called up Rabbi Khadikov, and Rabbi Khadikov said in a half hour he will give a response. We understood that he is gonna contact the Rebbe immediately, who can move on, uh, as understood that the answer that the Rebbe relayed was not to worry. It-- the day will be a nice weather, and there won't be rain. Can move on about seven forty-five AM, the rain stopped till twelve at night the next evening. A whole day there were black clouds, but the rain did not come down. As Yidden that stood from the side watching said, "Az ef the Lubavitcher Rebbe shteyt vet ken regnen nit heym." If the Rebbe is standing outside, rain will not come down. You can be sure about it, he said. After the buses arrived with the children and the music began, and Rabbi Yankel Hecht described in English for the children who the Rebbe is, announced that all the four thousand children and more than five hundred organizers and thousands of people that came to see, to view this event, they should all remain standing silent when the Rebbe comes out. The music played the Nimamim without words. And during the Nigun, the Rebbe came out to the Elam, went up on the Bima, and

15:30 the Rebbe asked they should sing the Nigun Mitzrayim And the Rebbe added that the boys should sing and the girls should clap with their hands. The Rebbe spoke a sicha for about ten minutes, that we find ourselves between Pesach and Shavuot. Yetsias Mitzrayim and Kabbalas HaTorah, and both Yom and Tevim have this common denominator that the children have a very great part in what took place then, Yetsias Mitzrayim and Kabbalas HaTorah. Then started the halucha, the march. The children went by the Rebbe, and they went onto the Parkway of Eastern Parkway. They walked to Troy Avenue. The Rebbe stood the whole time till the children all passed the review stand. And, uh, uh, Troy Avenue, they went on the bus to go to the park. And the Rebbe came out again when the buses were coming by seven seventy on the way to the park. The Rebbe came out and clapped with his hands for the children. The Shabbos after Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe stressed that we're still under the impression of Lag BaOmer, and on Lag BaOmer, the Mesiba Shabbos has gathered Jewish children. This was actually the first parade that had children from public schools and all institutions, not only from Yeshivas, as it was the year earlier in nineteen fifty-six. To tell them the children about Torah and mitzvahs, Shabbos, which weighs out all other mitzvahs and c- and also Therefore, the Rebbe says, everyone that took part in the Lag BaOmer parade, especially those that who invested a great effort with

17:41 body and soul, should say l'chaim for themselves and the children. And we should reach the stage that we will be proud and able to say, Just look at the children that we have brought up. They are the children blessed from Hashem. It's interesting to note that when reading the letters of the Rebbe at the time, we observe that the Rebbe in correspondence with Hasidim over the world Encouraged Tzach in Israel to utilize the Lag BaOmer parade appropriately with activities in Iran and Yerushalayim. Also, after Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe made mention in a letter to Australia inquiring and assuming that the day was utilized in its fullest capacity. The to the earlier installments by the Rebbe will continue, and now Be'ezras Hashem, installment number four, discussing the extension of Lag BaOmer nineteen eighty. On Lag BaOmer, before five o'clock, the Rebbe went to the EL, and the Rebbe returned shortly before nine, about ten to nine in the evening. After Mincha, little after nine, the Rebbe was there would be a short farbrengen at nine thirty. The Rebbe came into the farbrengen after Ma'ariv and said that although it's already after Lag BaOmer, but because of sacred matters, the night follows the day, so therefore it is an extension, a of Lag BaOmer. The Rebbe mentioned the story of the Arizal, that the Arizal visited once in, uh... Times of the, uh, occasions that he visited the tomb of the Rashbi and stayed there for three days, uh, and, um, was there with his family in

19:42 Meron. So the Rebbe explained that this is the reason why there were three farbrengens, the farbrengen of Shabbos, the day before Lag BaOmer, and during the parade on Lag BaOmer, and the Lag BaOmer farbrengen, which is when the Rebbe was speaking about it, farbrengen after the AL. the Rebbe gave a to continue the with the children, activities with the children as it took place till now, and whoever will increase more than three, three days, should be . At the conclusion of the farbrengen, the Rebbe asked to sing the preparation before the Alter Rebbe's and the Alter Rebbe's in the . And after that, the Rebbe mentioned in the that after the that we did with the children, by the . We can now request from the . The Rebbe, after told Rabbi Yankel have to say l'chaim on a full kos and also to his helper. Now, Yankel said l'chaim on a small kos. So the Rebbe said, "this is a full kos he spoke longer than that." Then the Rebbe added that everybody wants to participate to say l'chaim could join Moshiach. Seemed like this was a to make it quicker, the, um, l'chaims. The Rebbe began singing the and before leaving the farbrengen, the Rebbe began the on Monday. The from the Rebbe about a farbrengen Lag BaOmer wrote, uh... The wrote to the Rebbe a rally for the children, and when to make it. Should they make it Monday or Tuesday? So the Rebbe answered, it's a short notice, short time

22:03 that they have to prepare, it could result there's a suspicion that it might not be done in an order-orderly manner, they should, uh, leave it for the next day, Tuesday, which is the when the Teve was mentioned twice in the creation on the Tuesday of the six days of creation. And the Rebbe adds, Rebbe says enclosed is the my participation in the expenses, and I will mention it at the resting place. for a great success. The Rebbe sent out a, a, a one hundred dollar bill. to that, the Rebbe was asked if they should also notify and broadcast on the radio that the Rebbe is gonna have a rally, and the Rebbe answered yes. The Rebbe again went to the EL It's the second day in a row on Monday, . on Tuesday after Mincha, the Rebbe spoke a sicha with short to, to the children at the rally. The Rebbe mentioned the fact about the Arizal, that the Arizal was accustomed to come to Meron Lag BaOmer, and he left . The Rebbe also connected the with a in Parashat Balak which speaks about Yidden after a long stay, the, the the in the area. So then after that, they left. That was the first move away, leaving from The Rebbe took out lessons, for the children. The Rebbe also expressed himself in a to this, uh, rally that is considered a farbrengen, referred to it as a farbrengen. The Rebbe spoke about Lag BaOmer and he spoke about at the conclusion. The Rebbe

24:20 asked they should sing In a story of the Arizal visiting Meron, somebody wrote to the Rebbe that they saw in the Sefer that the Arizal traveled to Meron once in Lag BaOmer, who he and his whole family, and they sat there the first three days of that week. So the Rebbe commented, number one, that this is where it says . And then the Rebbe continues that if the is that he came there like BeMeir and he stayed an additional two days, so it is not like it's mentioned here that he stayed first three days of the week. It doesn't seem to be the same thing. One hand, he was there like BeMeir another two days, but then the continuation of it, the Rebbe says that seem to be the same idea that he stayed the first of the which, which in the continuation it says, he stayed the first three days of the week, which I can till here is the comment, the answer of the Rebbe, Benigeita, the Alisa Limeron. The hem shekht of the early installments, Benigeita, like BeMeir by the Rebbe. Continuing now, BeEzras Hashem, with installment number five, discussing like BeMeir, Tuv Shin Chavah of nineteen sixty-six. It was Metzarim Shabbos, the evening before like BeMeir, which was on a Sunday. It became known then that the Rebbe is coming out to the parade, and the joy by Hasidim BeChlav, and especially by Bachadim, broke all limitations. That morning was very rainy, and as a result of that, before the parade,

26:43 many kids were taken into the shore to stay out of the rain, and some were asked to stay in the buses w-with which they came to seven-seventy. Already earlier, when the Rebbe came from the Mikveh, Rabbi Hecht went over to the Rebbe and told the Rebbe that in his program for like BeMeir, rain is not on the schedule. The Rebbe commented on that and said, "Also in my program, rain is not listed in the program." B'pel, when the Rebbe came out to the parade, the rain stopped, and it was then a beautiful day. After the Sicha that the Rebbe spoke, about ten minutes, Rabbi Yankel Hecht translated the Sicha. And while he was translating the Sicha, the Rebbe made two comments. One, when the Rebbe spoke about the reward for Tehilim mitzvahs, Parsha BeChukai Sai, the Rebbe just mentioned the word V'nasati, which is from the context in the Pasuk, V'nasati gishmechem be'itam, I will give rain in their time. The Rebbe just mentioned the word V'nasati. Rabbi Yankel Hecht mentioned V'nasati gishmechem be'itam. So the Rebbe said the reason that I did not mention the continuation of the Pasuk, gishmechem be'itam that there will be rain, because this was a time that we did not want rain. A second comment, when the Rebbe said BeChukai Sai telechu, which is the beginning of this week's Parsha, the Rebbe did not say im, if. The Rebbe said BeChukai Sai telechu, that Yidden will follow the chukim of the Aibishter. Rabbi Yankel Hecht said im. So the

28:54 Rebbe said, "I intentionally omitted the word im, if. It's not an if. It's definite that Yidden will follow the, the directives, the mitzvahs of the Aibishter, BeChukai Sai telechu." The, the hem shekht of the early installments, Benigeita, like BeMeir by the Rebbe. We're continuing now, BeEzras Hashem, with installment number six, discussing like BeMeir, Tuv Shin Lamed Vov, nineteen seventy-six. The like BeMeir, Tuv Shin Lamed Vov was on a Tuesday. And despite that it was not on a Sunday, as funny and as communal people, uh, um, activists decided that it would be appropriate to make a parade. This being the hem shekht to what the Rebbe spoke, Shabbos Mevarchim Iyar a few weeks earlier, declaring the year Eshnas Hachinuch, stressing that every child should receive a Jewish education. And in addition to that, the Rebbe also introduced the twelve Psukim, Mamarei Razal in the beginning of Iyar. At a Farbrengen, the Rebbe introduced the first six of the twelve Psukim, Mamarei Razal. And therefore, great efforts were put in to, uh, make a parade happen that year, like BeMeir on a Tuesday. It wasn't easy because it wasn't the usual Sunday that a permit is issued a little easier than on a Tuesday when they need to close the parkway. But BeEzras Hashem, they accomplished it, and a parade took place on the Tuesday. The Rebbe came out to the parade. It was the first time the Rebbe came out wearing his Gartel. It was also the first time that the Rebbe stopped a few times

31:17 during the Sicha in order that Rabbi Yankel Hecht should translate the Sicha in English. Generally, the Rebbe up till then would say the Sicha all as one continuation, and later Rabbi Hecht would translate it. From then on, it became a new format that the Rebbe would make some breaks in the Sicha, and Rabbi Yankel Hecht would translate it. At this parade, the Rebbe added the second part of the twelve Psukim in Tanya, which are basically the le-- the, the six of the twelve. With this, the Rebbe completed the twelve Psukim in Tanya. Of Tanya, the Rebbe chose , connected it with Lag BaOmer, the thirty-third chapter, the thirty-third day of the Omer. After the parade, they sang the of the Rebbe's father, and the Rebbe motioned that Rabbi Moshe Hecht, the brother of Rabbi Yankel Hecht, Shliach in Connecticut, should dance. After he began dancing with, with additional people, a group joined them, and the Rebbe then announced, "L'shana habaah b'Yerushalayim." In the Shabbos after Lag BaOmer, during the nigun after a Sicha about Chinuch, the Rebbe turned to Rabbi Yankel Hecht and told him that he should say L'Chaim on a Bikkos. And after that, the Rebbe told him that he should change his place from where he would usually be standing at the Farbrengen to go in. This was right in front of the Rebbe, uh, amongst the tables, and he should sit there during the Farbrengens. And from then on, this became his , his steady place. The the earlier installments to

33:37 Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe, we're continuing now Be'ezras Hashem with installment number seven, discussing the various Lag BaOmer Farbrengens by the Rebbe. In the year and , those two years, the Rebbe Farbrengen Lag BaOmer. Likewise, nineteen sixty-two, there was a Farbrengen that took place by the Rebbe on Lag BaOmer. nineteen seventy was the first time there was a Farbrengen after a parade that took place in the morning. In nineteen seventy-three was a different setting. Lag BaOmer was Sunday, and on Shabbos, a day earlier, there was a Farbrengen, and the Rebbe spoke lessons that we derive from Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. Later on in the Farbrengen, the Rebbe said that the reason that he spoke about these topics at the Farbrengen was in order to relay it to the children the next day at the parade. The Rebbe did not come out to that parade. nineteen seventy-five, there was a Farbrengen, and the Rebbe washed for Hametz. and , nineteen seventy-seven and 1978, there were Farbrengens respectively on Lag BaOmer. 1980, there was a Farbrengen on Lag BaOmer. The Rebbe did not say a Ma'amer at that Farbrengen. 1985 and 1986, the Rebbe Farbrenged both years on Lag BaOmer. In at the Farbrengen, between the Sichas, started to sing the nigun We Want Moshiach Now, very special enthusiasm, a long time, an hour and a half. And after that, the Rebbe said that's cus-- it's customary by Hakofos to announce till now . And the Rebbe quotes from the previous Rebbe that if

36:13 they're not gonna announce till here is and it ends, they won't know where to stop. And the they won't be able to go to the next Hakofa, the Hakofa Beis. if they don't stop the Hakofa, the, the Hakofa Beis, they won't be able to go to Hakofa Gimel. So therefore, the Rebbe says if there will be a , somebody that's, uh, running the structure, the gabbai or shamesh should, uh, sh-should pick someone. And the Rebbe says it doesn't have to be with meetings and with the whole, uh, Yishiv Hadass and writing down all the details or voting who they should vote for and so on, and he will be the one that should announce . then we can think about the Hakofa after that till the seventh Hakofa. In Bechol Ei, from the Rebbe concludes the sicha, there should be a, a, uh, preparation to go and greet Mashiach Tzidkeinu together with all the shuls, all the batei midrashim. And, uh, the yechidus that we should already announce when we are going Ɣaרצאנו הגאולה. In regards to the times of the farbrengen, in תשי"א and in תשל"ז, the Rebbe farbrenged the night before Lag BaOmer. That's 1950 and 1977. In תשכ"ב, ל and תש-- תשלה and תשמ"ה, which means 1962, 1970, 1975, and 1985, the Rebbe farbrenged on the day of Lag BaOmer between Mincha and Ma'ariv. In תשלה, the Rebbe explained halakhically what the conditions are when a person sits down to eat, to farbreng, between Mincha and Ma'ariv. The Rebbe quoted from a

38:32 sicha of the previous Rebbe from תש"ד from 1944. The hemsek to the earlier installments B'neguer to Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe, we're continuing now be'ezras Hashem with installment number eight, discussing the various ma'amarim that the Rebbe chose to deliver on Lag BaOmer. Generally, the ma'amarim were said within the setting of a farbrengen during the farbrengen. There was one exception, תשכ"ט, fifty years ago, 1969. The ma'amar, the Rebbe delivered upon returning from the EL after the trillas, the Ma'ariv. The ma'amar was said upstairs in the zal, in the shul, and it was only a ma'amar. The beginnings of some of the ma'amarim from the Rebbe on Lag BaOmer, some began with a passuk and some began with a quote from the Zohar. Ma'amarim that began with a passuk, uh, one was, "וספרתי לכם למחרת השבת." Another, uh, passuk was, "גל עיני ואביטה נפלאות מתורתך." Gal einai, open up my eyes, reveal, and gal is the letters like ל"ג, ל"ג בעומר. And another passuk was, "הנה מה טוב ומה נעים שבט אחים גם יחד." Actually, that was the ma'amar of תשכ"ט, 1969, mentioned earlier. In addition, as mentioned, the Rebbe would at times begin the ma'amar with a quote from the Zohar. On several occasions, there was a beginning, the story in the Zohar that there was a time, זמנה חזא דאיסתיך עלמא דמיתרא, the world needed rain, and they came to the Rashbi, and Rashbi said the passuk, "הנה מה טוב ומה נעים," and the rain came down. So, and, uh, so this is how the

40:53 Rebbe would begin, that זמנה חזא דאיסתיך עלמא דמיתרא, the world needed rain. Another, um, occasion, the Rebbe said, "לדברי המסכה להוגן עניין הלולא דראשבי," to understand the Hillula of the Rashbi. On another occasion, it's interesting, "דברי המסכה להוגן עניין ראשבי," to understand the inyan of the Rashbi. Another occasion, the Rebbe said, "עלילה דאדי רלייצ'וקא sey," which is a part of the Zohar, which goes on to describe the, uh, elevation, the aliyah that took place for the Rashbi when he went up at the time of the hisdalkus. He said then, "בחד קטירה," with one, uh, knot, I became connected with Hashem. Generally, when there was a ma'amar during a weekday farbrengen, at least up to a certain point where the Rebbe would say a ma'amar with the tune of a ma'amar and a nigun before the elom would get up. So Lag BaOmer, likewise, was a ma'amar with a nigun. But we do find, interestingly, a few exceptions. One is תשל"ז, 1977, when the Rebbe said the ma'amar, "גל עיני ואביטה נפלאות מתורתך." It was a ma'amar in the format of a sicha. Another occasion was תשמ"ו, 1986. The ma'amar during that farbrengen was also in the format of a sicha. Im yirtzeh Hashem, in the next installment, we'll continue discussing the ma'amarim in the season of Lag BaOmer. The hemsek to the earlier installments B'neguer Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe, and in completion of this series on Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe, wanted to make note of some points that were discussed in an earlier

43:16 audio file, number three-fifteen. B'nega'ah to the Ma'amer on Lag BaOmer taf shin lamed zayin, forty-two years ago, the Rebbe then said a Ma'amer lahov lingin hilula derazbi with a nigun before the Ma'amer, a regular, uh, uh, tune of a Ma'amer. The Shabbos after Lag BaOmer, during the Shabbos Fabringen, the Rebbe said another Ma'amer beginning with the passage Gal Enai va'abita neflos miterasecha, Gal Enai being the letters of lamed gimel, Lag BaOmer, and this Ma'amer was in the format of a sicha, Ma'amer k'ein sicha. In addition, in taf shin mem hei, the Rebbe at the Fabringen Lag BaOmer said a Ma'amer k'ein sicha, a Ma'amer in the tune of a sicha, not a Ma'amer with a nigun before as a regular Ma'amer. In general, a Ma'amer k'ein sicha was said by the Rebbe quite often, especially in the chafs, in the lameds, and the mems, and it was discussed in the audio number sixty-four and sixty-five. With this, we're concluding the series on Lag BaOmer, and im yirtze Hashem, we'll be discussing Chag HaShavuos. The hemsekhe to the earlier installment has been a gift to Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe. We're continuing now, be'ezras Hashem, with installment number nine, discussing the Ma'amarim of the Rebbe l'chvaye, in honor of Lag BaOmer, and the different timings. Lag BaOmer can never fall on Shabbos. Me'ale if there was no Fabringen taking place on the day of Lag BaOmer itself, as is i-in the middle of the week. We find that in the Ma'amer that the Rebbe delivered during

45:32 the Fabringen on the Shabbos prior to Lag BaOmer, or the Ma'amer, uh, uh, on the Shabbos after Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe makes mention b'nega'ah to Lag BaOmer. We mention a few different categories and various years what actually took place, b'nega'ah to the mention of Lag BaOmer in the Ma'amer. Firstly, the Ma'amer that was delivered on the Shabbos before Lag BaOmer, although that Shabbos had a designated parshah, and usually the rabbeim would focus on a pasuk of that parshah, and this is how the Ma'amer would usually begin, yet we find a few exceptions. In taf shin giotes nineteen fifty-nine, it was three days before Lag BaOmer, fifteenth of Iyar, and the Rebbe began the Ma'amer then lahov lingin hilula derazbi, to understand the hilula derazbi. In taf shin lamed gimel nineteen seventy-three, it was a day before Lag BaOmer, and the Ma'amer of that Shabbos right before Lag BaOmer related to Lag BaOmer. In taf shin mem beis nineteen eighty-two, again was the fifteenth of Iyar, three days before Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe then delivered the Ma'amer, uh, uh, beginning from a quote of the Zohar, which the Zohar it's told that there was a time they needed rain, and they came to Razbi for rain. Zim nachor de Yisrael am ha-lemitra. Likewise, in taf shin mem zayin nineteen eighty-seven, the Rebbe before Lag BaOmer, a day before Lag BaOmer, mentions the concept of Lag BaOmer within the Ma'amer of that Shabbos parshah, V'nigdashti b'sehach b'nei Yisrael. And now continuing where the Rebbe made mention of

47:59 Lag BaOmer hilula derazbi in the Ma'amer, in the Fabringen that took place the Shabbos after Lag BaOmer. The Ma'amer began with a pasuk of the parshah, but the Rebbe added also a point b'nega'ah to Lag BaOmer as a hemsekhe to Lag BaOmer. This was in taf shin chaf hei, taf shin chaf vav, which is nineteen sixty-five, nineteen sixty-six, taf shin mem alef, nineteen eighty-one, and taf shin mem Ches, which was quite more than a week later in the Ma'amer of Bechukotai. Speaking about the Shabbos after, we find that although the Shabbos after has had its own parshah, still the Rebbe makes mention in a very obvious way by beginning the Ma'amer on the topic of Lag BaOmer. This took place in taf shin chaf zayin, Lag BaOmer was Sunday, and this was the Shabbos after the Rebbe begins the Ma'amer in a quote of the Zohar b'nega'ah to the need for rain at that time. It's nineteen sixty-seven. This was two days before the Six-Day War. In taf shin lamed daled nineteen seventy-four, Lag BaOmer was Friday. On Shabbos, the Rebbe began the Ma'amer with a, a quote from the Zohar, and the Ma'amer is also edited by the Rebbe as we have it today, uh, in Muge, in the Ma'amarim that are edited by the Rebbe. Another feature that we find b'nega'ah to the Ma'amarim of Lag BaOmer, few of them at least, is a continuation. In taf shin lamed, for example, nineteen seventy, the Rebbe said a Ma'amer on Lag BaOmer, and the

50:05 Shabbos after, the Rebbe continued speaking about the topic that he discussed earlier. So there were two Ma'amarim, sort of when it get to Lag BaOmer. In Tefshon lamed zayin, farbrengen was Thursday night, so the Rebbe then said a ma'amar, and the Shabbos after continued. In Tefshon mem nineteen eighty, interesting, uh, what took place then. There was a ma'amar the Shabbos before and the Shabbos after, and although the Rebbe farbrenged on the day of Lag BaOmer, there was no ma'amar during the farbrengen on Lag BaOmer. Another interesting, uh, fact which was observed that we find certain years that the Shabbos after Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe would explain something from the Ze'a. We find it in three years, Tefshon Yud Dalet nineteen fifty-four, Tefshon Chaf Alef nineteen sixty-one, and Tefshon Chaf Dalet nineteen sixty-four. That right after Lag BaOmer, the ma'amar right after, uh, which sometimes was mamash a few days later, there's a whole bir on a Ze'a that relates to that time, that Parsha. Im yirtze Hashem, in the coming installment, we'll discuss, uh, uh, ma'aysim from the Rebbe, personal stories that people told with their personal experience that they were zecher to receive broches on Lag BaOmer. The hemshech to the earlier installments when it get to Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe, we're continuing, and now, Be'ezras Hashem, with installment number ten, discussing sipurim, stories of broches that the Rebbe gave for children on Lag BaOmer. It was Lag BaOmer, the end of the mems, the end of the eighties. And Rebbe Berl Weiss,

52:17 alav hashalom, came from California together with his son, yibadel lechayim tovim, Rabbi Moshe Aron. And straight from the, uh, flight coming in from Los Angeles, they came to seven seventy, where the Rebbe was distributing dollars after ma'ariv. Rebbe Berl approached the Rebbe and asked the Rebbe for a brocha for his son, was waiting for children many years, and they didn't have any children yet. The Rebbe immediately said, "Mir haben doch haynt mit uns Rab Shimon bar Yochai." We have today with, with us Rab Shimon bar Yochai. Rebbe Berl immediately, uh, said, requesting from the Rebbe and pointing at the Rebbe, "Mir viln a brocha fun dem Rab Shimon bar Yochai." We want a brocha from this Rab Shimon bar Yochai, pointing at the Rebbe. The Rebbe became serious, and the Rebbe answered, "Tzu zein boles ubonos." Will be boys and girls. And Hashem, he was geventched with children, boys and girls, sons and daughters. Another occasion, a lady asked the Rebbe for a aftocha for children. She was one of the shluchas, and she didn't let go. She didn't give up till the Rebbe responded. And she said to the Rebbe, she finds herself on shlichus, which is l'ma'ala m'derech hateva, higher than nature. So therefore, she wants to have also a brocha higher than derech hateva. The Rebbe promised. Her husband wanted that it should also be b'derech hateva. So b'meila, after a while, she went to check herself out by a doctor, and the doctor told her that she is expecting. The hemshech

54:24 to the earlier installments when it get to Lag BaOmer, we're continuing now, Be'ezras Hashem, with installment number eleven. Story that happened in Taf Shin Mem. As customary by the Rebbe that on the day of Lag BaOmer, people would approach the Rebbe. Couples who waited for children for years would approach the Rebbe in front of the house, front of the Rebbe's house, while the Rebbe was leaving the house, in front of the mikveh building on Albany and Union, in front of seven seventy, anxiously waiting to be zecher to receive a brocha from the Rebbe. Many people were helped with the broches that the Rebbe gave the couples. In Taf Shin Mem, the Rebbe told one of the maskirim that all the letters that are coming in as requests for children should be kept in a separate envelope together. After Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe went to the EL on an occasion close to after Lag BaOmer. The Rebbe took along all the names. A few months after Lag BaOmer- The Rebbe asked of the Maskir that he should contact these families, these couples who wrote in a request for a bracha and ask what is happening. This was about thirty, forty couples. All of them were already expecting a child. It was that year, Taf Shin Mem, Lag BaOmer, interesting to note that the Rebbe spoke about the connection of brachos for children with Lag BaOmer, that we find it also by Rashbi that there was a couple that were married for many years, and they didn't

56:50 have children. Rashbi gave them a netzer what they should do. She should take the most, uh, precious thing she has in the house and bring it to her parents' house. And soon after that, they were gibengst with children. The Rebbe spoke about it by Lichos at that Fabregen. And after Lag BaOmer, the Rebbe told the Maskir to keep all these names separate in a separate envelope. And as mentioned, they were all gibengst within a few months. The Hemsekte, the early installments, been a year, Lag BaOmer by the Rebbe. We're continuing now, Be'ezras Hashem, with installment number twelve, discussing Lag BaOmer, Taf Shin Daled Mem, thirty-five years ago. It was Lag BaOmer morning, as was customary by Hasidim, those that needed brachos for children, the couples would approach the Rebbe on different occasions that day, asking, begging for a bracha for children. Avzal Meshim and Dvorkin, the Rav in Crown Heights, instructed that for the sake of privacy, these couples should wait at the Rebbe's house instead of waiting at seven seventy. For this morning at the Rebbe's house, there were a few younger lights from the Kaleel who were appointed to keep order. Rav Alter Bukket, who also learned in the Kaleel that year, was appointed to make sure to be right near the Rebbe's car. And as soon as the Rebbe gets to the car, he should open the door. And as soon as the Rebbe settles, sits down in the car, he should close the door. And this will allow that the Rebbe

58:54 should be able to leave to seven seventy without delay. Rabbi Bukket describes the scene as follows. There were many couples there, younger light of Anash, Hasidim, some not from Hasidim. There were many couples of Hasidische, um, circles, Satmar, et cetera. The Rebbe walked out of his house 10 a.m. and he got to the car 10.20, which means twenty minutes it took the Rebbe to walk from his house to the car. Many people approached the Rebbe. And then finally, Rabbi Bukket says, his moment came. The Rebbe got to the car. The door was open. He held the handle of the door and the pressure was great. Everybody was pushing towards the car. And he was holding with great force the door of the car in order that it shouldn't bump into Chalila to the Rebbe. The Rebbe came into the car. The Rebbe sat down and Rabbi Bukket was ready to close the door. Suddenly, a younger man is pushing in, pushing in, sticking his head in to the car. And he tells the Rebbe that he's married many years. He doesn't have any children. He relays to the Rebbe his name, his mother's name, his wife's name, and her mother's name. Rabbi Bukket says, I see that this is a younger man of Satmar and he's asking a bracha from the Rebbe. The pressure was growing and I'm holding on with all my energy in order that they shouldn't squeeze this younger man that is standing and speaking to the Rebbe. The Rebbe gave him

1:01:02 a bracha and suddenly I hear the Rebbe continues. And the Rebbe says to him, Der kind ver darfun hobn mit vemetsish piln zach. The child will need who to play with. The younger man didn't understand what the Rebbe's telling him. The Rebbe told him, say amen. He immediately answered amen loudly and he left. I closed the door and the Rebbe went to 770. Years passed. I went out on shlichas to Boston. Fifteen years later, Chodalet Melachem Av Taf Shin Nun Tes. It was the Yemei Ledes of my father, Aboa Nachasad Ramchai Meir Bukket. And Rav Alta Bukket decided to visit the tzion of his father, which was not far from burial. He decided To come in the early hours of the day, 4 or 5 a.m., to say Ma'ariv Lashon and to go back to Boston in order to be back in the city 9 a.m. for the workday. Rav Alter is standing in the Eyal, he's reading Ma'ariv Lashon, and he sees a young man, a Satmar Hasid, walking in with his two sons. It looked strange, such an early hour in the morning. What are they doing here, Becholal? And why in such an hour? His puzzle grew even greater when after they read their pidgin, the father tells the two sons, take out the maimer. And both of them take out the maimer, the bar mitzvah maimer, which is recited at a bar mitzvah of Hasidim Chabad. And they're reading the maimer on its own. Rav Alter realizes that this Hasid, this

1:03:21 Satmar young man, is looking at him and with an interesting focus. Something is not clear. After they all walk out, Rav Alter couldn't hold himself back and he comes over to the father and he says, what is this and what's happening here? The Satmar young man told him, these children are children from the Rebbe. They were born in the schuss of the bracha of the Rebbe. And he begins his story. I was married many years. I did not have children. One day I went over to the Rebbe to ask for a bracha and the Rebbe benched me. And after that the Rebbe told me, der kind, der darf en hoben mit vem er tzu spielen darf. The child will need someone with whom to play with. And the Rebbe instructed me I should say amen. And in this merit, the schuss of this bracha, I have these two twins that you're seeing in front of your eyes. Rabbi Bukit, all shaken up, says, tell me, when did that happen? Was that not like Beimer Tov Shem Dalet Mem, which was 15 years earlier at the Rebbe's house? He says, yeah, like Beimer Tov Shem Dalet Mem at the Rebbe's house in the Rebbe's car. Now the Bukit says, I can't believe it. I am the one that held up the door of the Rebbe's car that they shouldn't squeeze you from the pressure that was gathering on the door. The Satmar Hasid answered, yes, now I understand. Your face looked familiar to me, but I

1:05:10 was not matzliach to remember from where. Now I have a clear picture. And this Hasid tells Rabbi Bukit, as you see, these are two children, the twins that were born in the schuss, the bracha of the Rebbe about two years after like Beimer. And today is their bar mitzvah. Im Yirtza Hashem, in the next installment, we'll discuss different quotes that the Rebbe said about like Beimer. The hemsach of the earlier installments been a gear to like Beimer. We're continuing now in conclusion with installment number 13, discussing various responses that the Rebbe gave or the Rebbe told individual people and also an interesting story in regards to preparing for a like Beimer parade. The Tmimim Bachadim in Montreal relate a story that they heard from Harav Greenglass, Alav HaShalom, who was mashpia in Temche Tmim in Montreal, that he was once waiting upstairs in the hallway, 770, when in the years when the Rebbe would pick up his mail from the maskiro's office and take it to his room. On the way, the Rebbe read one of the letters and before the Rebbe entered his room, the Rebbe tore the letter into four pieces and threw it into the garbage. Rabbi Greenglass rushed to get this letter and he saw that this letter is full of complaints against floats that are being built for the parade and bikal teda that it causes for talmidim. And Rabbi Greenglass saw it factually that the Rebbe did not even see a need to respond to this letter but Pasha

1:07:20 tore it. From then on, Rabbi Greenglass, Alav HaShalom, traditionally would visit the place where the Bachadim would prepare for the parade and he would also participate in painting and preparing for the parade. And now we're going to gear to an inyan that the Rebbe told Rabbi Elchan. This was in the early 60s. The Rebbe told him that like Beimer is an auspicious day for these inyanim, for inyanim of chassidus. As heitcha chasdan, it just begins. As we say, Pesach Rab Shimon opened, Rab Shbi opened up all the channels. The melech, this is an auspicious day to learn and to write v'chulo. It seems like this was in regards to the Sefer HaErekim Chabad encyclopedia that Rabbi El began working at that point and the Rebbe gave him an encouragement v'chulo. On another occasion, the Rebbe once gave over to Rabbi Chadikov like Beimer, early 60s, that like Beimer is an auspicious time to begin a new inyan. And the Rebbe told him, you shouldn't ask me from where do I take this, do I know this, in the same sense that I also didn't ask when I was told. Mirz Hashem, in the next installment, we're going to clarify some details that were discussed in the earlier installments.