By Rabbi Shmuel Pevzner
As we approach Yud Alef Nissan, which will mark 120 years from the Rebbe’s birth, Chassidim are looking for an appropriate way to prepare for this special and auspicious day.
We need not look too far, as the Rebbe himself clearly told us the fitting gift for a Rebbe’s 120th birthday!
In a farbrengen in honor of the Rebbe Rashab’s 120th birthday, the Rebbe said (Sichos Kodesh 5741, vol. 1, pp. 429-430):
This year marks the 120th birthday of the Rebbe Rashab. On the posuk [referring to mankind after the Mabul], “his days will be a hundred and twenty years,” the Zohar comments: “This is an allusion to Moshe Rabbeinu… who bestows life to all Jews from the Tree of Life.” The Zohar also points out that the word “b’shagom” is a reference to Moshe—and they also share the same numerical value of 345 as noted in the Gemoro (Chulin 139b).
The Rebbe also noted the words of the Zohar that “Moshe did not pass away,” and since the concept of death did not apply to him, he is able to bestow life to Jews in all generations.
The “Tree of Life” from which Moshe bestowed life is a reference to the Torah, as the Zohar explains at length… Since today is the birthday of the Rebbe Rashab, special emphasis should be invested in the study of his Torah — his Maamorim. Even one Maamar of his contains a wealth of knowledge, and there are numerous of them available in print. We only need to “search” and then we will surely “find!”
The Rebbe concludes:
“Finding” connotes success immeasurably greater than the effort invested, like literally finding a lost item. It is also related to the posuk, “motzosi ess Dovid Avdi” — “I have found my servant Dovid”—referring to the coming of Moshiach.
In light of this wondrous sichah that is so relevant to us now, it was decided by Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis — the Central Lubavitch Youth Organization that a most fitting preparation for the Rebbe’s 120th birthday is that all the Rebbe’s printed Torah to be studied amongst Anash and Temimim in preparation to Yud Alef Nissan the Rebbe’s 120th Birthday.
The Rebbe often noted in connection to the Chalukas Hashas on Yud Tes Kislev that each participant is considered to have completed the entire Shas. Thus, all Chassidim who participate in the current Chalukah will have the tremendous zechus of completing all of the Rebbe’s Torah—Sichos, Maamorim, Igros Kodesh, and Farbrengens.
A special website has been set up for this campaign:
YudAlefNissan120.com
The site is very user-friendly and each participant will receive an automatic notification detailing his selection, as well as several reminder emails in the coming months.
This Chalukah is building on the success of the previous ones that were held in honor of 70 years of the Rebbe’s nesius, as well as in preparation for Gimmel Tammuz, where we merited to see how Anash and bochurim quenched their strong desire to connect with the Rebbe by studying his Torah—which is the way the Rebbe provides in Hayom Yom (9 Adar II).
“Tzeirei Agudas Chabad hamerkozis organized a similar Chalukah in honor of Yud Shevat marking 40 years of the Rebbe’s nesius, and merited to receive encouraging responses from the Rebbe, which highlighted how much Nachas it brought to the Rebbe” said Rabbi Shmuel Butman, Director of Tzeirei Agudas Chabad Hamerkozis, the Contral Lubavitch Youth organization, heading this effort.
Rabbi Butman adds that “in the previous Chalukos, many participants took upon themselves to study complete volumes! Each participant motivates the others as well, and the study effects a wondrous unity that is possible only through Torah—the Torah of the Rebbe the Baal Yom Huledes.”
We have complete bitachon that this Chalukah brings much nachas to the Rebbe, and that this coming Yud Alef Nissan, we will celebrate with the Rebbe in Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh, with the true and complete redemption.
