USA (12): Holidays / Summer Vacation

00:01 The hem shech in continuation to the earlier installments in regards to the Rabbeim of Chabad in the USA. We continue now in conclusion with installment number twelve, referring to the Sicha of the twelfth of Tammuz, Tof Shin Yud Gimel, nineteen fifty-three. The custom in this country is that when there is a workday between two holidays, they make a bridge, called in the language of the country a bridge, connecting the two holidays so that the workday is canceled and becomes included in the holidays. This concept has a source in the Torah from which it later involved in the world. In Shulchan Aruch, Hilchas Pesach, Siman Taf Chof Tes, Chapter four twenty-nine, it is stated that on the first of Nisan, the Nisan began offering their sacrifices for the dedication of the Mizbeach. And each nasi, each leader of his shevet, his tribe, on the day that he offered his korbon, had his own festival. And Erev Pesach is a festival for all Yidden since they would offer the Korban Pesach. Thus, the only free day is the thirteenth of Nisan on which there was no festival. The first twelve days were for each tribe separately. The fourteenth day is Erev Pesach for Klal Yisroel, so the only empty day seemed to be the thirteenth of Nisan. Nevertheless, since the thirteenth of Nisan falls between festival days, it too assumes the status of a festival. Tachanan is not recited on it, and fasting is prohibited. In addition to this law, which is a custom recorded in the

02:07 Shulchan Aruch Harav Hayyim, we also find a source for this idea in Halacha L'Moshe MiSinai. Halacha, as it is traditionally passed on from Moshe Rabbeinu, that any gap of less than three tefachim is considered lavud. Which means a gap that is less than three hand breaths is considered joined together. When there are two partitions on either side with an empty space of less than three tefachim between them, the empty space between the two partitions is nullified and is regarded as part of them. And these two references Rebbe mentions in regards to the custom in the country that when there is, for example, two days, one is a holiday and the other one is a holiday, either it's a weekend or what, what it should be, the one in the middle, the second day, is also already included and it all becomes one series of holiday. Going on now to the Sicha of the twelfth of Tammuz, Taf Shin Yud Daled, nineteen fifty-four, where the Rebbe is discussing, elaborating the custom of going to the country, of going to upstate New York for the summer vacation. In this country, the Rebbe says the custom is that during the summer, people leave the city for a vacation resort. Consequently, when the month of Tammuz arrives, the panic begins. Everyone has to pack up and head off to the country as it is referred to here. Anyone who wants to be regarded as, quote-unquote, somebody, as is customary in this country where there is a book listing people

04:01 according to their social standing, known in the local language as who's who, must do so. This is reminiscent of what we find in the Gemara. Regarding birds, the Gemara says, scripture listed the unclean ones, the impure ones, while regarding animals and beasts, scripture listed the clean ones. In other words, there is a kind of who is who even with regard to kosher animals, and similarly, there exi-exists the opposite kind of who is who. Instead of every Yid wanting and hoping that Hashem should inscribe him, and the Rebbe quotes here from a posek in Malachi, the Navi Malachi, and it is also mentioned in Pirkei Avos chapter three. "Vayikosiv sefer zikaron lefanav l'yirei Hashem ul'chochei shmei." That Hashem inscribes him in the book of remembrance for those who fear Hashem and think upon his name. The moment the bell rings announcing that the red page on the calendar has arrived, the Fourth of July, he must leave the city and, and travel to the country. And although he specifically chooses a place that costs another hundred dollars more, despite receiving a smaller room and specifically a place where it is difficult to obtain cholov Yisroel, as a result, he will have to reduce the amount of milk he drinks, although it is necessary for his health and will therefore need the doctor's services more often. Why? Because that is where the important people are staying, those who pay larger amounts of income tax, and therefore he too must be in their company. It makes no difference

06:05 whether he has the money or not, whether he's healthy or not, whether he enjoys himself there and becomes tanned from the sun or merely grows dark from exhaustion and toil. He has no comfortable place to sleep. The food is poor and every day he has to travel back and forth to the city. He becomes completely worn out, er, uzgerisen. Yet he simply has to go to the country. The same applies here regarding the trip to the country. There are people who spend the entire year living as though every day were Shabbos or Yom Tov. They are not especially busy. They take leisurely walks and hurry home only so as not to miss mealtime, dinner, supper, breakfast, lunch. The Rabbis presumably There are still more names to the various meals throughout the day. Yet, when the 4th of July arrives, they begin packing their belongings and head for the mountains. Although they will have a smaller room, the meals are never served on time, they cannot even go for walks because they must climb uphill, and they have neither the strength nor the patience for that. As a result They lie around all day and consequently gain another 10 pounds. Nevertheless, the main thing is that they observe the custom of the country. From the 4th of July until after Labor Day, they rolled around and became completely worn out, uzgerisen geworden in the mountains, but not in the city, whether New York, Chicago, or any other city. With this installment, we conclude the series on

08:08 the Rabbim of Chabad and the USA.