Pesach Publications - Part 13: The Rebbe's Talks on the Haggada (5732/1972)

00:01 This is Behemshek in continuation to the earlier installment regarding the Rebbe's Sichas talks on the Haggadah. We now continue with installment number thirteen. In this installment, we will discuss an additional and exceptional Pesach during which the Rebbe elaborated on the Haggadah more than usual. This took place on Pesach Taf Shin Lamed Beis nineteen seventy-two. It was right after Yud Aleph Nisan, the date when the Rebbe reached his seventieth year. During this Pesach, the Rebbe farbrenged on the first days of Pesach, and likewise on Shvi'i shel Pesach in the mid-afternoon. For a detailed description, we will cite from various yumanim, diaries, which were written by bochurim who studied at the time in seven seventy. The first day Pesach was on a Thursday. In the diary, it is mentioned that after Musaf, various announcements were made in the presence of the Rebbe. Generally, the Gabbai would make the announcements, and the Rebbe stood and listened and waited till the end of all the announcements. A general pattern which was by the Rebbe that if the Rebbe is planning to farbreng, so then the Rebbe would walk out before they announce Mincha, which means that the Gabbai would understand from the Rebbe that the Rebbe is gonna be farbrenging, and Mincha will take place immediately after the farbrengen. If the Rebbe does not plan to farbreng, so then the Rebbe would look at the Gabbai, and the Gabbai understood that the Rebbe is waiting for the announcement of Mincha. On this day, the first day Pesach, after Musaf,

02:20 the Rebbe began walking out immediately, which meant that there will be a farbrengen. Overall, the farbrengen began three thirty in the afternoon, and it continued till five thirty. Likewise, the second day, the farbrengen was till about five twenty-five. To discuss it in more detail, when the Rebbe reached his room after Musaf, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Chadikoff, his chief secretary, Maskir Rushi of the Rebbe, "What time are Chassidim planning to visit the shuls to give over Chassidus in the shuls?" Because the Gabbai announced that those who need to go to the shuls should not forget to go. Rabbi Chadikoff told the Rebbe what time they're planning to go, and the Rebbe said, "If so, the farbrengen will be three thirty." At the farbrengen, the Rebbe said l'chaim, and we'll mention further the various inyonim, topics that the Rebbe spoke at the farbrengen, elaborated on the Haggadah, on the "Heilech Maanya, Dechol Avah Vosanah," how this is something that a person could point with the finger because Yetzias Mitzrayim is something which is a basic concept every day and an, a big foundation in the emunah of Am Yisrael. And the ma'aleh, it's all one extension of Yetzias Mitzrayim from then till today. The Rebbe also explained Al Pi Chassidus, the four questions of Ma Nishtana, as the Rebbe Rashab explained it, as the Rebbe cites it in the Dayeym Dayeym on the nineteenth of Nisan. And likewise, the Rebbe elaborated on the inyan of the conclusion of Dayenus, which concludes with, at the end, "Avalach Askamah

04:33 Vekamah Lechapel Al Kol Avonei Seinu," building the Beis HaMikdash, the Beis HaMikdash. When the Rebbe spoke about picturing that a person has left Mitzrayim today, which this is the theme of Heilech Maanya, the Rebbe then continued and said that those who have left most recently Russia, it would be advisable, it would be appropriate that they should ask the four kashes, the Ma Nishtana. Which means the Rebbe wanted the children who have arrived from Russia during Taf Shin Lamed Beis nineteen seventy-two or a little earlier should ask the Ma Nishtana in public. The Rebbe gave them a Haggadah, and the Rebbe said if the children are not available, the adults should ask the, the Ma Nishtana. There were two children there from Russia, and they asked the questions, and they concluded, as is the custom in circles, in some circles, "Tatei Chabadir Gifrekt", Father, I have asked you four questions, and please give me an answer. The Rebbe smiled when he heard that. During the farbrengen, the Rebbe also elaborated on the chapter of Tehillim, which corresponds to the Rebbe's age, as the Rebbe was then seventy So the custom is to say the next chapter, 71, and the Rebbe, over the days of Pesach, elaborated, explained many of the psukim, the verses of chapter 71. During the farbrengen, the Rebbe also added that it's still possible to be mezakeh to give Yidden matzah schmura. At the conclusion of the farbrengen, they sang a nigun, a very intense nigun. The Rebbe stood up to dance to

06:42 the side where the Yidden who have come out of Russia were standing, and the Rebbe motioned very strongly with his hands to sing louder and more joyous and intense. The Rebbe did not sit down after that, but immediately went to Mincha. After Mincha, they sang the nigun Alachas Kama veKama. After Ma'ariv of the first day Pesach, the Rebbe told Rabbi Chadikov that also tomorrow there will be a farbrengen taking place. And the Rebbe asked, are they planning to go into the different shuls to Chazak Chassidis? Rabbi Chadikov answered, it's not noted exactly what he told the Rebbe. It was also Friday, which is a tight schedule. The next day, farbrengen began 3.30 as the first day. The Rebbe said l'chaim, spoke very yesichas, and also explained paragraphs in the Haggadah. When he gave to the Ma Nishtana, the Rebbe elaborated at length a few yesichas that the Rebbe explained the inyan of Ma Nishtana, how it relates to the inyan of Golus, how the Rebbe Rashab explained it. And the Rebbe also mentioned that all the children, including those who have just come out of Masacha Barzel in Russia, should ask the questions as we will see soon. During the farbrengen, the Rebbe took a bottle of wine, his bottle of wine, and poured wine into his kos, and gave over that this should be distributed to the children to say l'chaim. There were children who were not standing all together as one. Some children were one section of the shul, some another section. The

08:49 Rebbe advised they should all stand together. They should go up on the bimah. And the Rebbe also asked if everyone has received from the wine. And then the Rebbe instructed that the children should ask the four kashas on behalf of Am Yisrael. Before the Ma Nishtana, the Rebbe said they should begin singing a nigun, and they began the nigun Utzu Eitzah. After that, all the children together asked the Ma Nishtana, and paused briefly after every one of the four kashas. After the Ma Nishtana was completed, the Rebbe said since they said it well, they should say l'chaim another time. And the Rebbe instructed they should sing the nigun Al Achas Kama veKama. In the conclusion of one of the sichas, the Rebbe concluded his bracha with the words and with the nigun, which means that neither in water or fire will we break. This is a theme, a nigun, which Yidden sang in Russia. The words are in Russian. And the whole elam sang it together. The farbrengen concluded approximately 5.25 p.m. We will, im yirtze Hashem, continue in the next installment.