In recent months, the team of Chozrim and Manichim at Lahak Hanochos have been working around the clock to prepare Toras Menachem volume 72 for release before this coming Yud Alef Nissan, which will mark the beginning of the Rebbe’s one-hundred-twentieth year.
This Yud Alef Nissan also marks another important milestone: It is the fortieth anniversary of the formation of Lahak Hanachos, the organization established with the goal to publish all the Rebbe’s Torah in Lashon Hakodesh in an organized fashion. The first pamphlet released – after their official formation – was the Farbrengen of Yud Alef Nissan 5741.
The pages of volume 72 had already begun to pass through the printing machines of Yad Hachamisha in Eretz Yisrael under the able supervision of Reb Bentzy Sheinberger, when an urgent call came in from 770. It was Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook, the director of Lahak Hanochos, who breathlessly instructed him to “stop the presses.”
In an amazing event of Hashgacha Pratis, a certain member of Anash had appeared at Lahak’s office holding a selection of kisvei yad kodesh which he had collected over the years. He had decided to donate them to Lahak for the purpose of sharing those invaluable texts with the public. A quick glance at the papers caused Rabbi Brook to miss a beat.
It was a note written to the Rebbe by Reb Yoel Kahan, the Rebbe’s Chozer, asking about unique wording the Rebbe used at a certain Farbrengen “kinei lecha rav,” while the original term in the Mishna is “aseih lecha rav ukinei lecha chaver.” Another question was regarding a phrase the Rebbe used during a recent Maamar, “ki achin vigamim miutin,” which perplexed the chozrim at the time. On the note, in a zigzag fashion going back and forth, the Rebbe wrote his answer in detail.
Unbelievably, those very Sichah and Maamar were included in the newest volume that had just gone to print!
Apparently, the answer had never reached Reb Yoel Kahan and was therefore not included as a footnote in the transcript of this farbrengen. A decision was quickly made to stop the presses and reorganize the farbrengen based on the newly discovered answers.
The team at Lahak was overjoyed to make such an unbelievable discovery at just the perfect moment – 47 years after was written, but right before the sefer went to print. Rabbis Yisroel Shimon Kalmenson, Mendel Kaplan and Aharon Leib Raskin began to immediately work on deciphering and understanding the answer, along with chief editor Rabbi Dovid Feldman. They were also assisted by Otzar Hachassidim editors Rabbi Eliyahu Matusof and Rabbi Dovid Olidort.
Despite the unexpected but exciting delay, great efforts were invested to move on with the printing so that the first copy would make it to the Ohel on Yud Alef Nissan.
With Hashem’s help, the new volume will be available for purchase in Eretz Yisrael and around the world after Pesach. Members of Lahak’s subscription club will receive it directly to their homes.
Why not include rabbi yoel kahan in incorporating the answers from the rebbe to the questions, since the answer from the rebbe was sent directly to him. Rav yoel kahan would understand best what it meant. Amazing hashgocha. I wonder if the rebbe was told at the ohel before the discovery of these answers, about the future publication of this volume. I feel the rebbe made sure you got his answers on it
Wow! incredible how our beloved Rebbe finds a way to recognize the holy work of the Lahak team.
“KOL achin v’gamin miutin”?
Has there ever been the vilna gaon in a footnote of a maamer?
The Baal Shem Tov said about the Vilna Gaon “there is a child that the Samech-mem is stuffing with Shas and Poskim” This is something the Rebbe Rashab said and it was supposed to be printed in TOras Shalom, but the Rebbe said not to print it.
And by the way, yes I love Biurei haGra on Shulchan Aruch.
*where does the Rebbe Rashab say this??
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