The 12th & 13th of Tamuz: Part VI

00:00 Referring to the earlier Yud Beis Yud Gimmel Tammuz installments, we're now continuing Be'ezras Hashem with installment number six, where we will, Im Yirtzeh Hashem, discuss the Yud Beis Tammuz Farbrengen. The Farbrengen took place annually in the evening between Yud Beis and Yud Gimmel Tammuz. As the Rebbe cited an example on occasions that in Halacha it is stated that when it comes to Kodshim, to sacred matters, the night follows the day. Another reason is also that the redemption, the Geulah, of the previous Rebbe in a practical sense actually took place on the thirteenth day of Tammuz, not Yud Beis, but Yud Gimmel. That was the peh mamash, uh, of the Geulah. The Farbrengen would begin around eight-thirty PM, and in later years it was changed to nine-thirty PM. If Yud Beis Tammuz would be on Shabbos, then in addition to the Farbrengen on Shabbos, a second Farbrengen would take place on Sunday evening. This was referred to the formal Farbrengen of Yud Beis Tammuz when many more people were able to attend. On the second floor in seven-seventy, the Rebbetzin HaMedina, Frieda Rebbetzin, would make a Mesiba, a gathering for many women who had a connection or would visit her throughout the year. The Mesiba would take place three times a year, Yud Tes Kislev, Purim, and Yud Beis Tammuz. Before the Farbrengen, the Rebbe would go up to the second floor and sit down at the table where the previous Rebbe and Rebbe over the years ate the Yom Tov seudas. A group of older

02:05 Hasidim participated. A light kibud, snack, and drink was served. There was a short conversation or conversations at the table. The Rebbe would then walk to the room where the Rebbetzin HaMedina sat with her guests and waited till the Rebbetzin saw him and would then nod with his head as a greeting and would return to his room. A while later, the Rebbe entered into the shul to begin the Farbrengen. The Rebbe immediately, upon sitting down, would begin speaking as opening words relating to the contents of the day and a lesson derived. After the sicha, Rabbi Mendlik, who was the Rosh Yeshiva in seven-seventy, and he was also the Sar Hamashkim, the one that would serve the Rebbe the wine, he poured in wine into the Rebbe's kos. The Rebbe would then make the brachos on the cake and wine and would say l'chaim to the assembled. That is when the first nigun would begin at the Farbrengen. Although the topics of the sichas may have varied from year to year, but the basic spirit and sort, sort to say, spine of the Farbrengen was the theme of Yud Beis Tammuz, the previous Rebbe's liberation, and the lessons derived from this day. The Rebbe would also deliver a maimer during the Farbrengen. Amongst the topics that the Rebbe addressed over the years during the Fabre- this Farbrengen would be deriving lessons from specific aspects that took place during the arrest of the previous Rebbe or during the redemption. In addition to that, there would, in the middle

04:19 of the early eighties, in the early eighties, the Rebbe would also speak much about the moment of silence and concept that the Rebbe stressed very much to be instituted as a law in the public schools which would regulate and raise a civilized generation. Likewise, the Rebbe stressed the necessity of spreading, publicizing the seven Noachide laws. Occasionally, a representative or a dignitary of the city, state, or federal level would be in attendance, seated in a bench behind the Rebbe, and after the sicha, this person would walk over to the Rebbe for l'chaim and a brief conversation. On other occasions, the Rebbe would choose to make mention or focus on a current event which dominated the news. The Rebbe would analyze it and derive a lesson which can be learned from it. At times, the Rebbe would speak a sicha regarding Eretz Yisrael. The Rebbe would quite often dedicate a sicha for the Jewish women addressing the She'o Bnei Yisrael and their qualities in regards to chinuch, education, Torah and mitzvos in general, and their unique influence on their environment. Towards the end of the big weekday Farbrengen, there would be a sicha dedicated to the Yidden who were still in Russia, during which the Rebbe would conclude with a bracha for them and their families for being able to leave as quick as possible. In Taf Shin Yud Beis, nineteen fifty-two, the Rebbe initiated, established a magbis at the Yud Beis Tammuz Farbrengen. A magbis is a fundraiser, and this was, uh, for the sake of

06:33 the Mesadris Olam Yeshiv Yitzchak, a network of chadorim for young children in Eretz Yisrael and Morocco, et cetera. Envelopes were handed out for the tzedakah, and small papers were for the writing of people's names and their mothers' names, which the Rebbe would take to the eyl. When the Rebbe initiated this magbis in nineteen fifty-two, the Rebbe said the following: "Everyone could par- can participate by contributing at least eighteen cents. One can give for someone who is not present, and the money should be handed in within eight days." In conclusion, the Rebbe would ask to sing the Hachana, the preparation nigun to the Alter Rebbe's nigun, and then the Alter Rebbe's nigun, which is sung at Chuppas, followed by the nigun Nezer Yitzhak. The Rebbe would announce that people should not forget to make a Bracha Achreine, an after Bracha. The Rebbe would make the Bracha Achreine from his siddur quietly and would walk out by beginning a freileche nigun.