Tishrei by the Rebbe 5716 (Late 1955) - Part VIII: Leil Simchas Torah

00:00 The in continuation to the earlier installments in regards to Tishrei late 1955, and the Yamim Tovim of that Tishrei. We continue now with installment number eight, discussing Leil Simchas Torah, the evening which led into the day of Simchas Torah. It was after midnight that the Rebbe came in for HaTorah SheBe'al Peh. This was the custom by the Rebbe that earlier in the evening, the Rebbe would farbrengen for a few hours, then there would be an intermission, and then the Rebbe would come in around midnight to continue with HaTorah SheBe'al Peh and the Hakafos. The path to the Hakafos had a bench standing in the middle, and Rab Yankel Holzman tried to remove it until several people said to him that there was no need to move the bench because the Rebbe would simply jump over it. Indeed, the Rebbe passed the-- by them, smiled, and leaped over the bench. The were sold for the benefit of the Yeshiva Tomchei Temimim. In general, every posek was sold for at least $18, and many of the buyers honored the Rebbe to recite their verse. The posek which had been recited the previous evening by the Yidden of Eretz Yisrael, who were honored with the posek, was purchased today by the Rebbe himself on behalf of Eretz Yisrael in general and Kfar Chabad in particular. The Rebbe was standing on the floor of the Shalash, which was actually, actually already accumulating mud from the weather, and Rebbe would dance very strongly during the Hakafos. During the first and

02:06 seventh Hakafa, the Rebbe was given a Sefer Torah, and he would dance with the Rashag, his older brother-in-law, in the center of the Shalash, which is the courtyard. The yard downstairs of seven seventy. In the regular Russian dance, which is the minhag of Y- of Chassidim in, from Russia, dancing holding hands on the second person's shoulder. And Rab Shmuel Lewitin also joined the dance from time to time. During the maining Ha-- re-remaining Hakafos, he danced, the Rebbe danced in his place with great enthusiasm. During the Hakafos on both nights, not only were the sukkah, which as mentioned, also served as a sh-shul, and the courtyard also filled to capacity. But even the opening entire street of Eastern Parkway in front of seven seventy, which is known as one of the widest avenues in New York, was crowded with people until the street was blocked to traffic and the police had to come to maintain order. And even they barely managed to restore order among the masses. There is no doubt that the highlight of the rejoicing was on this night. The entire street danced with the Chassidim. Thousands gathered for the Hakafos in Lubavitch, and people who passed by were naturally drawn into the sweeping dances. After they concluded the Hakafos, the Rebbe announced that all those who had not yet received a verse, a posek from HaTorah SheBe'al Peh, and had not yet received Hakafa should now recite HaTorah SheBe'al Peh again, and they would arrange the Hakafos until everyone received one. And so

04:08 it was the balabatim, married young men, went home to eat the Yom Tov seudah, and the bocherim went up to the Beis HaMidrash to c- make the Hakafos again for those who had not yet received a posek and Hakafa. Later, one of the older Chassidim, Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson, brought out a bottle of strong liquor with several small cups and began distributing it to all those present. After the Yom Tov meal in the previous Rebbe's apartment concluded, where the Rebbe would also participate to eat the Yom Tov suddes, this was around five or five thirty AM, the Rebbe entered the Shalash, the courtyard, and joined in the dancing of the bocherim. The Rebbe announced that whoever had not yet received Hakafa should raise his hand, and only four such people were found. He instructed them to take Sefer Torahs out from the Aron Kodesh with the proclamations announcing the first Hakafa with and so forth. After all the Sifrei Torah were returned to the Aron Kodesh, the Rebbe jumped onto a bench in the middle of the Shalash, holding a bottle of mashke in his hand, and proclaimed that as is customary every year, all those who would accept upon themselves to add each day a portion in the study of Nigle Chassidus will receive mashke to say l'chaim, to strengthen this commitment throughout the year. In general, th-throughout the past year, the Rebbe had been urging the study of the Chassidishe Parsha, Torah 8 and Lekutei Torah, which are Chabad discourses of the Alter Rebbe.

06:00 While speaking- The bench on which the Rebbe stood began to shake, and for a moment it seemed as if it might, chas v'shalom, fall. The Rebbe said, it's all right for me, but what will be with the mashke? At 6.30 before dawn, in the middle of the distribution of mashke, the Rebbe looked outside, noticed that dawn had not yet broken, and said unexpectedly, Shmini Atzeres and Simchas Teide are a continuation of Rishishona. As the Rebbe has mentioned earlier in the Fabregen, that whatever is accomplished in Rishishona in the solemn manner is accomplished Shmini Atzeres through Simcha. So now is the time to seize the moment for Slichas, because this is Rishishona comes after Slichas and Shmini Atzeres reflects it. Therefore, let them now sing the nigun Darkecha Elikeinu Leharechapecha. The Rebbe began to sing the nigun on the words Darkecha Elikeinu, which is speaking to the Almighty, that his way, his path is to delay the anger. But the crowd, which numbered at that time only 200 people, did not know the nigun. Thus, several times the Rebbe sang it again and again until the crowd learned it. And with great arousal and fury and enthusiasm, everyone together sang this heartfelt nigun to the words recited in Slichas and the prayers of Yom Kippur. Accordingly, now when we sing Darkecha Elikeinu Leharechapecha and our standing, the Rebbe continues, is as poor as empty, we must derive from this only benefit, that we should recognize the state in which we stand as poor and empty. And

08:08 therefore we are like an empty vessel, for an empty vessel holds both in the measure of Hashem and in the measure of man. And the Rebbe concluded, now go out to dance with the nigun Darkecha and afterward go rest a bit and prepare for Darkofes of joy and continue the joy for the entire year. This continued until 6.55 a.m. And around 7.30 in the morning, the Rebbe went home. We will continue, Im Yirtza Hashem, in the next installment.