Shvuos 5704 (1944): The New Booklet

00:00 The COVID Chag HaShuas will discuss an additional article of Rabbi Melacha Mendel Greenfield from Eitz Israel, who in the past wrote various articles on the booklets which the Rebbe published in the 1940s. These were booklets in English on the various Yomim Tevim festivals, Chanukah, Pesach, Purim, and Shuas. And we will now focus on the booklet of Shuas which was published in 1944. Came out then in pocket-size format. It contains 12 pages which includes Kiddush for the Shalish El Golim and information about the names of the Yom Tov. Also a timetable for the years around the time of Matan Teda and basic concepts in the Jewish belief and at the conclusion a message which the Rebbe wrote to the children, the COVID Chag HaShuas. Likewise, the Rebbe would write a message for every one of the Yomim Tevim, as we already on earlier occasions discussed the booklet of Chanukah and the booklet of Pesach. Every one of these booklets were printed on high-quality paper, colored paper. Every Yom Tov has its color. And generally the titles on the covers are appearing as with a special color. The titles themselves have a special color different than the other words on the cover or inside the booklet. In a letter that the Rebbe writes to Rab Yankov Katz, Alav HaShalom, from Chicago, who sponsored many different activities, etc., of the previous Rebbe, the Rebbe writes the following. This is a letter from the 24th of Sivan Tov, Shin Dalet, 1944. The Shuas booklet gained much success and it

02:52 gave us encouragement to continue with the series of these booklets. Thanks to him, in the name of Merkaz Lindyan Echinoch and his participation, his great participation in publicizing the distribution of these booklets. Three years earlier, when my father-in-law, the Rebbe, Frentel Friediker Rebbe, approached the idea of founding the Institute Merkaz Lindyan Echinoch, which is the Education Institute of Chabad, many people said, in America, such a thing won't be able to last. America is different. Prohibited things, forbidden things, in America, a person needs to do it. Which means, America, a person is permitted to do anything. But the Rebbe continues, our Aveda proved to us that in America we could and there is an obligation that there should be a Chinuch, education, Altarus HaKadesh, in a very enhanced way, in a very positive and pure way. And this means study books and pages of various reading material should be clean completely from heresy. In this land, the Rebbe writes and bolds it, were born groups of young children who are already being active for the benefit of Shabbos, Judaism, etc., etc. But we need help. We need helpers. Because the Aveda is big and in addition, it is very necessary. Therefore, every devoted friend is very dear to us and we hope that one devoted friend will also bring and introduce it to other friends of his. This is the letter. From this letter we understand that in addition to the fact that Rab Yankiv Katz was active in publicizing the booklet, B'negia Teshuas, as well

05:46 as other booklets of Merkaz, we understand from the Rebbe's letter that all these booklets is all a follow-up to the famous announcement that the previous Rebbe said, America is no different. America is not anders. Discussing the booklet, the booklet begins with the names of the Yom Tov. The headers are in Hebrew, but the explanations are in English. It's interesting to note that the names of the Yom Tov appear in the following sequence. The first one, Chag HaShvuos. The next title is Man Matan Toraseinu. The third one is Chag HaKotzir. And the fourth one is Chag HaBikurim. And after that appears the Kiddush V'Shalish L'Golim, very clear fonts in Hebrew and at its side translated in English. And it also includes Birchas Shechayonu and Leishev Basuka since this also includes Shalish L'Golim, Eshmini Ateles. And it also includes Birchas Yatnahas, which is said on a Yom Tov that falls out on Mitzvah Shabbos. In one of the sections of the booklet appears the title, The Revelation. It was the sixth day of Sivan in the year 2448 after the creation of the world. Dawn came and with it came thunder and lightning. And the sound of the shofar was heard growing strangely louder and louder. All the people in the camp of Israel trembled. Then all was quiet again. The air was very still. Not a sound was to be heard. No bird twittered, no donkey brayed, no ox load. Every living thing held its breath. Even the angels interrupted their heavenly praises. Everybody and everything

08:36 kept silent, waiting. Suddenly Hashem's mighty words were heard from one corner of the earth to the other. And it began with Alechi Hashem Elikecha, I am God, thy God. One after another, Hashem proclaimed the Ten Commandments. During the next 40 days and nights, Mesha was Hashem's disciple, learning all the commandments as well as the proper interpretation of the Torah, which were to be transmitted orally from generation to generation. Subsequently, Mesha wrote on parchment all the five books of the Torah, word for word, from the Beis of Reches to the Lamed of Yisroel, the last word of the Chumash, as it was dictated to him by Hashem himself. We will, with the permission of Hashem, continue in the next installment.