In the year 5746 (1986), 40 years ago—and notably with the same calendar alignment (“kvius”) as this year—an unusual development took place surrounding Yud-Alef Nissan, the Rebbe’s birthday.
Unlike most years, no farbrengen was held on Yud-Alef Nissan itself.
When Rabbi Hillel Dovid Krinsky—who oversaw the televised farbrengens—asked about it, the Rebbe responded that the farbrengen would take place on the following Shabbos. The message reflected a familiar theme: Yud-Alef Nissan is not confined to a single day, but extends into the days that follow, especially with a unique kvius.
Indeed, on the night after Yud-Alef Nissan—Leil Yud-Gimmel Nissan—a farbrengen took place as a continuation of the special day. The connection was also recorded at the time in a handwritten note containing points from the farbrengen.
Among the themes discussed:
• The central mission of a Jew is to reveal Hashem’s oneness—the Infinite—in the physical world. Yud-Gimmel Nissan carries a unique empowerment for this avodah.
• This is reflected in the “Nasi” portion of these days, especially the sections “This is the dedication of the altar” and “When you light the lamps,” which describe drawing G-dliness into physical reality.
• The connection between the Tzemach Tzedek (whose yahrtzeit is Yud-Gimmel Nissan) and the Rambam (whose birthday is Yud-Daled Nissan):
• Both compiled and systematized the entire body of Torah into clear halachic rulings
• The Rambam works in a top-down manner, while the Tzemach Tzedek works bottom-up
• Both extended their influence even to the nations of the world
• This connects to the time of Erev Pesach
• The well-known expression that the Rebbe Rashab is the “Rambam of Chassidus.”
• The importance of daily Rambam study, siyumim, and the custom of distributing mashkeh at such occasions.
• The connection between tzedakah and the baal ha’hilula, as well as the broader mivtzoim.
• From the Rambam of the day:
• Hilchos Shabbos and its connection to Yetzias Mitzrayim
• The halacha of stepping even one cubit beyond the boundary
• The reason for reciting besamim at the end of Shabbos
Remarkably, video footage of this farbrengen—recorded by R. Eli Blachman—was lost for many years. It was recently rediscovered in the archive of Rabbi Yosef Ceitlin of The Weekly Sicha (TWS), and is now being published in full for the first time.
This newly uncovered recording offers a rare window into a unique farbrengen—one that stretches beyond a single day and highlights the continuing light of Yud-Alef Nissan.
