901) The Shul to be open in the evenings - Part 2

00:01 Hemsek, this is in reference to the earlier installment relating to the Rebbe's call to have shuls open for the evenings that people can come in and learn in shul. We now continue with installment number two, where we will discuss an additional sikha when the Rebbe again addressed this topic. This took place on the twentieth of Av, marking the day of the yartzeit, the hilulah of his father, which the Rebbe marked every year with a fabregen. And this was in Tov Shin Lamed Tes, nineteen seventy-nine, almost one and a half years after the Rebbe first spoke on this topic during a fabregen Yud Aleph Nisan Tov Shin Lamed Tes, the eleventh of Nisan, nineteen seventy-eight. The Rebbe said the following as it is translated here into English. "There is another matter which begins on the fifteenth of Av, and surely is relevant when a few days have already elapsed since the fifteenth of Av. In this matter, we see how in America or in the United States, everything needs to be repeated two or three times, and hopefully it will succeed. Regarding the fifteenth of Av, the Talmud tells us that one then begins adding or dedicating more time of the evenings for Torah study, which literally means that the increase in Torah is connected with the night." And the Rebbe continues, "A few years ago, a big and positive commotion was made to keep the shuls open at night. It inspired many who followed and fulfilled it in a practical sense, coming to shul to

01:58 study Torah. And this continued for a certain time period. But now, ein kel v'eineina, there is neither sound nor response. Why is there neither sound or response? Because the shuls and study halls are closed. If the shuls and study halls would be open, Yidden would come in to learn, and we would then have the voice of Yaankev Hakel Kel Yaankev in the shuls and the study halls. And since it is after the fifteenth of Av, and we are still in the month of Av, it would be worthwhile to renew the commotion which was made in the past that the shuls and study halls should be open also in the evenings and the nights. And from the commotion, the Torah study should be fulfilled in a matter of a kel d'mama daka, a still, thin voice, and divrei chachamim b'nachas nishmoyim, words spoken softly by wise men are heeded. And in order that the study of Torah will be successful, one needs prior to this the introduction of tefillah in the shuls, which tefillah accomplishes b'irchah ba'teirah tochilah, making the blessing of Torah, which means remembering who gave us Torah, which instills in the person fear of heaven, that the Torah study is for no other personal preferences, but exclusively Torah lishmah for the sake of Torah itself, as it is explained by Rabbeinu Yena in the Talmud in the Tractate of Nedarim eighty-one A." In conclusion, we will relate from an unusual yechidus of Rabbi Yehuda Levin, who was then the Chief Rabbi of Moscow.

04:02 Rabbi Levin visited the Rebbe on Rosh Chodesh Tammuz Tov Shin Chof Ches, nineteen sixty-eight, and the Rebbe spoke with him at length about the Yidden there in Moscow, in Russia at the time. Although in that yechidus they were limited in what can be mentioned in front of a stranger, there was also an escort that came along with the, um, Rav, but the Rebbe managed to discuss with Rabbi Levin for quite a time different aspects of what was taking place. The Rebbe mentioned that in the past it was customary that in the shuls during the evenings they would study Ayin Yaankev of the Talmud, which attracts, it appeals to the heart of the person and ingrains in him fine character traits. Likewise, they would study Shulchan Aruch, Code of the Jewish Law, to be knowledgeable in the practical halachas. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.