Shvuos 5738 (1978) - Part 1

00:01 We find ourselves in the days following the Yom Tov of Shavuos. Therefore, we will discuss the Shavuos of Tov Shin Lamed Ches, nineteen seventy-eight, forty-five years ago. This is based on a yoman, a diary which I wrote then at the time. On the Friday, the fourth of Sivan, the Rebbe traveled to the eyal, the resting place of the previous Rebbe. On this day, the Rebbe relayed a Shavuos message via telegram to Chabad centers throughout the world. I'll read it as it was originally in Hebrew and then translate it. In English, peaceful Shabbos and a joyous Yom Tov, and receiving the Torah with joy and inwardness, and to draw it down over the course of the year. And the Almighty who does wonders should redeem us and should sh-show us the wonders in the arrival of Mashiach very soon. The year Tov Shin Lamed Ches, Erev Shavuos was on Shabbos Parshas Bamidbar. Rabbi Leibel Groner, one of the Rebbe's maskirim secretaries, relayed to the gabbai, who makes the announcements after the davening, not to announce when Mincha will take place. Generally, when the Rebbe planned to farbrengen, the Rebbe would immediately leave the shul after davening, not waiting for additional announcements, which also included the time of Mincha, if the gabbai saw that the Rebbe was waiting for that announcement. So when the Rebbe walked out before the gabbai had a chance to announce Mincha, Hasidim knew there will be a farbrengen taking place, and Mincha took place after the farbrengen. The gabbai did not announce

02:30 Mincha. It was formally announced right after that a farbrengen will be taking place. This was very exceptional since after the Rebbe had his heart condition on Shemini Atzeres, the Rebbe would not farbreng on Shabbos, but rather on Motza'ei Shabbos, in order that a PA system can be used. The maskirim announced that during the farbrengen when the Rebbe is speaking, if and one has difficulty hearing the Rebbe, one should not motion with his ear trying to hear, since the Rebbe would then exert himself and speak louder, which may strain the Rebbe's health. The Rebbe entered the farbrengen at one thirty PM. In the sichas, the Rebbe spoke that this Shabbos is Erev Shavuos, and therefore, the preparation for Shavuos needs to be with the theme of Shabbos, the einik Shabbos, the pleasure of what Shabbos expresses, and this needs to be expressed in all the preparations as we prepare for Shavuos. The Rebbe elaborated that this preparation is accomplished also with Torah and tefillah. And the Rebbe said the following, we'll translate it here from Yiddish into English. As mentioned earlier that we should utilize the time which is left till Shavuos to occupy oneself in the preparations for learning Torah, including the study of Torah, the revealed part of Torah, and pnimius haTorah, chassidus with the introduction of avodas hatefillah, davening. And the Rebbe continues, although we are already up to after Shacharis and Musaf, so it's still possible that a person could delve into the davening, arichas hatefillah during tefillas haMincha. And although by

04:39 the older Hasidim, we did not see the inyan of arichas hatefillah, extending the tefillah and lengthy format in tefillas haMincha, so the reason for that is because they have already spent hours in tefillas Shacharis, and therefore they didn't really have time that they should be able to have arichas hatefillah in Mincha. But those who have already completed Shacharis and Musaf, according to their understanding of shleimus, of completion, for Shacharis and Musaf, they can, and the Rebbe adds, onach rayyes, without responsibility, Rebbe says they can extend and continue in the Mincha in a more lengthy form. In general, the Rebbe would farbreng the evening before Erev Shavuos and also deliver a ma'amar with the formal nigun sung prior to the ma'amar. At this farbrengen, the Rebbe requested that the nigun before the recital, the delivery of the ma'amar which the Rebbe would be giving should be sung. And the ma'amar began with the words Beshoshi Yikdimu When Yidden said Naseh V'Nishma, which is the commitment to accept the Torah, announced by the Am Yisrael on this very day, the fifth day of Sivan. So the Rebbe delivered a maimer which began with the words Beshos Shehigdimu, which took place on this very day. One of the Rashes which the Rebbe chose to elaborate on, as usual by the Shabbos Fabringen, was Bamidbar, Kapitul Gimel, Pasik Mem Vov, chapter 3, verse 46. This discusses the Peidim, the firstborn. The Rebbe added a line that this relates also to him since he is a firstborn. The Rebbe also

06:56 elaborated on his father's comments on the Zeyar, as usual at the Shabbos Fabringen, and also on the final chapter in Pirkei Yoves, which is learned on this Shabbos right before Shuas. During the Fabringen, the Rebbe instructed to sing the Rebbe Marash Nigun and to repeat a certain section nine times. The Fabringen concluded at 4 p.m., followed by Mincha, during which the Rebbe received Aliyah of Shlishi im Mashiach Sefer Torah. When leaving the shul after Mincha, the Rebbe motioned to Rab Zalman Yaffa, who would be a very steady visitor coming to the Rebbe for every Shuas, that he begin a nigun and to sing it loudly and freilach. After 15 minutes, the Rebbe went home. This was a very big simcha for Chassidim, a first Shabbos Fabringen in nine months since Chedish Tishrei. In the evening, the first night of Shuas, the Rebbe entered the shul as usual for Ma'ariv about an hour and a few moments after Shkiya sunset to mark a full complete last day of Svara, which was Erev Shuas. After Ma'ariv, the Rebbe signaled to Rab Zalman Yaffa to sing, and when he began the nigun Vesamachta, the Rebbe motioned that the singing should be more intense and stronger, and the Rebbe then returned to his room. We will, im yirtzeh Hashem, continue in the next installment.