Simchas Torah 5713 (1952-53)

00:02 This is Behemeshech and in reference to the earlier installments where we discussed the Yuman, the diary of the month of Tishrei, Tavshin Yud Gimel, late 1952, 70 years ago. In these installments, we discussed the events which took, took place by the Rebbe during Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first days of Sukkos and Shemini Atzeres. We now continue with installment number seven, where we will elaborate on the events of Simchas Torah. It was Simchas Torah morning that year. It was on a Sunday. Already prior to the Hakafos in the morning, the Rebbe advised that Hasidim should dance. When they were selling the Psukim of Ataraisa, the Rebbe personally bought a Pasuk for the benefit of Hasidim who were still in Russia, and the Rebbe honored with the recital of the Pasuk, Rab Shmuel Levitan, who was from the older Hasidim and distinguished amongst them. Likewise, the Rebbe bought a Pasuk for the benefit of Hasidim in Paris, and he honored Rab Benyomin Gorodetsky to say this Pasuk. Rab Benyomin Gorodetsky was the representative of the Rebbe in Europe in general and in Paris in particular. The Rebbe also bought a Pasuk for the benefit of Hasidim in England, and the Rebbe honored Rab Benzion Shemtov, who was a Shadar Shliach in England, representing the Rebbe, that he should say this Pasuk. Another Pasuk the Rebbe bought for the benefit of Anash in Brazil and in Australia, and the Rebbe honored Rab Yehuda Chitrik, who was Mashpia in Montreal, and his son, Rab Tzvi Hirsch Chitrik, who

02:14 was Shliach in Brazil. After Hakafos, when Kriyas HaTorah took place, the Rebbe was honored with the Aliyah of Chas and Breshes, and the Rebbe was called up to the Torah in a special manner, which was exclusively on Simchas Torah. After Mincha, around five PM, the Rebbe came out to Fabreng, and the Rebbe Fabrenged in the yard. The davening and everything was taking place upstairs in shul, but the yard was a wider area and larger than the shul, and that's where the Rebbe Fabrenged. This yard later became the big shul as it was expanded over the years, the Rebbe Shul, which today extends to Kingston Avenue. That particular year, the Rebbe also instructed that they should build a big sukkah, twice as big as the one they made last year. And at this Fabrengen, the Rashag, the Rebbe's older brother-in-law, partis-participated. In the beginning of the Fabrengen, the Rebbe washed his hands for the Sudar, and he said l'chaim. And after that, the Rebbe instructed to sing the Nigun, which comes prior to the Meimer delivering the discourse. And the Rebbe then said the Meimer, which began with the words, "Lahavan Inyan Simchas Torah." The Meimer took about thirty-five minutes. And after the Meimer, the Rebbe continued the Fabrengen and spoke about the concept of Shemini Atzeres, that it is a Yom Tov for itself, as our sages mention that there are six different Inyanim, Pizar, Kshav, which identify Shemini Atzeres as a Yom Tov for itself. In the continuation of the Fabrengen, the Rebbe spoke

04:18 about adding more time to the Yom Tov of Simchas Torah. That although Simchas Torah finishes at a certain time, but the Rebbe customarily would always continue past this moment. And the Rebbe de-derived from this a lesson, a directive in a practical sense, that everyone should set up a designated time every day to learn the necessary Halachas, to know what one needs to do, which is basically in the Limud of the section of Eret Chayim in Shulchan Aruch. And in addition to being knowledgeable of it, there is also a unique quality that when everyone is learning the same thing, there is a unity amongst all who are learning the same Inyan in Torah. After that, the Rebbe spoke about the unique quality of Igud Talmidei Yeshivas, as we mentioned it in an earlier installment, which is the abbreviation of Atah, that all the Talmidim who has signed up in the Igud should say l'chaim and should sing a joyous Nigun. In continuation, the Rebbe spoke an additional Sicha, the need to found a group which is called Igud N'shei of Nei Chabad. Today, it is referred to Igud N'shei of Nei Chabad in the United States, an organization which is sort of an umbrella for the women and daughters of Chabad women. And the purpose for that is that they should learn the Halachas that they need to learn, that they need to know, and the Sichas. And they should discuss amongst each other Inyanim of Chinuch and stories about Hasidim. And the Rebbe spoke about

06:08 the ma'al of the egud that in Eretz Yisrael, they already made a egud. A egud was founded already in Chalamed. And since we have over here the husbands and the parents of the women who are living in Eretz Yisrael, so they should not wait for invitations, but she should immediately be meyasit the egud till Shabbos Breishes. In other words, solidify it that it should have a foundation. In the middle of the farbrengen, the Rebbe asked someone for his mother's name. And then the Rebbe said that the Ebeshte should help. The Rebbe was mentioning the person's name and his mother's name, that he should have a redemption. The person cried very much. The Rebbe gave him l'chaim and a piece of challah from the Rebbe's plate. After that, the Rebbe told Rabbi Zalman Duchman, you have a maimer, you have a quote. The Rebbe said it in Russian, and you should mention this quote three times. The one who is writing the diary writes that it seems the Rebbe was referring to a nigun of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak in Badiczef. Towards the end of the farbrengen, the Rebbe spoke about V'Yankev Holoch L'Darkei, which was announced in Lubavitch and likewise by the Rebbe. The Rebbe spoke about it in great length over the years and also mentions it in letters that a Yid now leaves Chedesh Tishrei and the Yom Tevim and he goes out into the year, into his usual pattern. Either it's Yeshiveyel, somebody that's learning all day, or a businessman. And this comes

08:00 after the joy and dancing of Simchas Teirah. And in Rikudim, the Rebbe says when it comes to dancing, everyone is equal. From Hasidim, Anshemaisa, to the usual folk people, everyone is equal in the union of dancing. The Rebbe distributed mashke for Anash who are Anshlichas in Or Yasade in the suburbs in order to make farbrengens there. The Rebbe also gave mashke for Anash Hasidim in Montreal in Canada saying Anash in Montreal are there not for parnosa, but this is Anshlichas from the Ebeshte, spreading the wellsprings forward. And then the Rebbe commented that I see amongst them only those who came out from Russia and Poland. The Rebbe asked, where are the Americans? Toward the end of the distribution, the Rebbe mentioned the takona of learning Chumish, Tillem and Tanya every day. Chitas. The Rebbe connected it with Parsha Breishes and then the Rebbe instructed to sing the Beineni, which was a nigun cherished very much by the previous Rebbe, and to sing the Alter Rebbe's nigun. The fourth part of the nigun should be sung seven times. And then Nezoritza and Vareikesi Loch and Brocha and the nigun Gimut Nuas, which is mekubah from the Bashemtiv, the Magid and the Alter Rebbe. And the Rebbe concluded that we find ourselves now going into Isra Chag, which is a day after Yomtev, which is an inyan of the Rabbonim. On the other hand, Arevim Alai Divrei Seifim. As our Chazal tell us that words of our sages is very accepted and very cherished by us. And

09:53 the Rebbe asked to sing the nigun Kive Simcha. After Birchas Hamozin, the Rebbe mentioned the story of the Rebbe Tzuntveida Leah, the daughter of the Rebbe Malash. When she was a child and she cried and they would give her something to calm her down, she would say, I'm not stopping to cry, I'm just making an interruption. So the Rebbe says, I am just making an interruption, a half soccer till the next farbrengen. And the Ebeshte should help, it shouldn't be a true half sick, but only externally. The farbrengen finished about 12 a.m. The Rebbe did not distribute Kesel Brocha on his own and he advised that they should distribute Kesel Brocha to all present. And then before leaving, he wished it should be a freileche Yomtev and a good year and a healthy winter. We will, with the mitzvah of Hashem, continue in the next installment.