An excerpt from Chapter 14 of Od Avinu Chai, a comprehensive (but concisely written) work on Rebbe-Chasid relationship, based strictly on the Rebbe’s own words in Sichos and Igros Kodesh. Compiled and written by Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin, Head Shliach of Wisconsin. The first in a series on COLlive.com in honor of Gimmel Tammuz.
Click here to download Chapter 14 Excerpt
There are those who have never been with the Rebbe. Others have actually seen the Rebbe, not just once but numerous times, yet they remained unaffected. This, for all intents and purposes, means they were never actually with the Rebbe at all. “זיי הָאבן ניט דערהערט” They did not grasp it. They merely imagine they saw the Rebbe, which enables them now to think that the opportunity is lost.
This is what the lesson of Pesach Sheni is about. Whoever did not make the first Pesach sacrifice – even if this was their own fault (“לכם”) – can repair the past by means of the Pesach Sheni. Likewise those who have thus far been oblivious and lacking in feeling, etc., can henceforth recognize and feel (“דערהערן”) thereby amending the past.
The reason for this, as stated, is that “the Rebbe is not alone, and the chassidim are not alone,” and through the koach of the Rebbe which is found within the chassidim; now, too, they can recognize and feel, even if until now they had not.
משיחת מוצאי פסח שני תש”י – תו”מ עמ’ 50
Our Sages say (of Moshe Rebbeinu), “מה להלן עומד ומשמש אף כאן עומד ומשמש “; likewise, the Zohar (cited in Iggeres HaKodesh, ch. 27) states, אלמלא צלותא דצדקייא בההוא עלמא לא מתקיימא עלמא שעה חדא (“If not for the prayers of tzadikim in that (higher) world, our world would not be sustained for even one moment”).
Our generation remains entrusted to the Rebbe; this responsibility has neither changed nor been passed to anyone else. Without a doubt, the flow of sustenance and blessings are channeled “בשביל חנינא בני” – the Rebbe of this generation – through our hiskashrus to him, in all the various ways previously described, ,ברוחניות ובגשמיות “.הנה כל הקרוב קרוב אליו קודם לברכה”
The Rebbe has neither abandoned his flock nor his vineyard, the Kerem Chabad. Indeed, as in the past, all Am Yisroel are his flock to which he tends (as he so often declared the Nosi is responsible for all concerns of the generation), as we observed through his leadership and care for every community, and every individual, in every corner of the globe.
When the Rebbe was physically with us, there were those who doubted whether the Rebbe really “knew” them. Occasionally the Rebbe specifically made a point to bring to their awareness that he really does “know” them. It is no different today: There is no question that the Rebbe knows and recognizes all his chassidim, all who are bonded with him and, indeed, every individual in Klal Yisroel.
***
Endeavoring to see the powers of the children that will be revealed later…
On Wednesday evening, 6 Tishrei 5750 – twenty-five years from the histalkus of his mother, the Rebbetzin Chana, A”H – after Ma’ariv the Rebbe delivered a sicha that lasted approximately half an hour. Afterwards, for four and a half hours, he distributed to each and everyone in attendance – men, women and children – an envelope containing: a piece of Lekach [honey cake]; a kuntres [pamphlet] with the ma’amar “Ushe’avtem mayim b’sosson” from the Tzemach Tzedek; the mich’tav k’loli issued for the occasion of Vov Tishrei; and a dollar bill for tzedakah – as he said to each one, “Hob a zissen yahr” [“Have a sweet year”] or “L’shanah tovah u’mesukah” [“To a good and sweet year”].
On the following Shabbos, the Rebbe spoke at length regarding this distribution, and at the end he said:
This was given specifically into the hand of each and every individual – even to the children, in order that it should be each one’s property, including the children; they, too, can acquire things of their own. And so too, the endeavor was made to see each and every one, in order to see the powers that every Jew has, including the children; for they too possess powers that will be revealed later as they do and fulfill these [inyanim], both within themselves and in their influence on others; including (and in particular) – in “Hafotzos hamayonos” [“spreading the wellsprings” of Chassidus].
***
“Did you receive the letter yet? I already signed it!”
Once on the occasion of a Yechidus Klolis for Chassanim and Kallos as the Rebbe was distributing dollar bills to be given for Tzedakah, he stopped one Chosson and, after giving him the dollar and wishing him, “Blessing and success!” asked him: “Did you receive the letter yet? I already signed it.” The Rebbe was of course referring to the letter of blessing he customarily sent for weddings. Everyone present wondered what the Rebbe meant: that day, more than twenty Chassanim passed before the Rebbe, each of whom had received his own letter. Why did the Rebbe mention the letter to this Chosson in particular?
The chosson himself explained the back story:
Some days earlier, a group of Chassanim were discussing the Rebbe’s letter of blessing for the wedding. Some held that although the text of the letters was the same, as prepared by the Rebbe’s secretariat – nevertheless, when the Rebbe signed them he put his entire essence into each one, granting the blessing detailed in the letter to each couple personally. Anyone, if he is a “P’nimi” [a focused and deeply invested person] performs even seemingly superficial actions truthfully, from deep within; how much more so the Rebbe, they reasoned without a doubt that he puts his entire essence into every detail of what he does.
This fellow reasoned that it was hard for him to believe that the Rebbe – with so much on his shoulders – even checked the name of the Chosson appearing on each of the letters; he simply signs each letter and immediately moves on to the next.
It was to this Chosson that the Rebbe said a few days later: “Did you receive the letter? I already signed it!”
The Gaon and Chossid, R. Yoel Kahan, relates that one time he had the opportunity to tell this story at a chassidishe farbrengen. After the farbrengen, one of the participants approached him and said: “I know that is a true story. I am that Chosson!” …
***
“But the Rebbe sees you…”
The story is told of an elderly man who regularly visited his wife who was stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, and was extremely careful to keep his visits exactly to the schedule. On one occasion, when he was very pressed for time, they asked him: Why must you visit her every single day and be so punctual? She doesn’t recognize you! He answered, “True, but I recognize her!”
The same is true in our case. Although we do not see the Rebbe with our physical eyes – both those who had the privilege to see the Rebbe as well as those born after Gimmel Tammuz –the Rebbe definitely sees us, guides us, concerns himself on our behalf, and showers us with goodness, kindness and blessings.
***
Your Father Was at My Farbrengen
by Rabbi Reuven Flamer
The first time I was at the Rebbe’s farbrengen was on Chai Elul 5738.
Fast forward to 5770 (2010), I was asked by a group of (non-chabad) Chassidim in Monsey, where I live, to farbreng Chai Elul, which occurred on Shabbos that year.
During the four mile walk from my home, it occurred to me that according to Hayom Yom (30 Shvat), today is my birthday: As the Rebbe said, that nowadays the farbrengen too is a yechidus.
Plodding along I asked myself what I remembered about that Chai Elul farbrengen. Almost nothing I had to admit. (I was young, still new in the Chabad world and was on my way to Morristown Yeshiva the next day and did not understand the significance of the entire event that day.)
So that was understandable. But what of the tens if not a hundred farbrengens afterward? Can I replay them in my mind? It then came to me, that now I understood something I had felt for quite some time: Being a newcomer to Chabad, I felt for many years that I was an outsider to some degree. This included even my relationship with the Rebbe. I had also thought that he did not really know me the way he did those who grew up in Chabad. This, despite that I had learned in Yeshiva for many years and I had been on Shlichus, etc.
No, I concluded on that Shabbos afternoon walk; the reason I felt this way was of my doing, not my history, or the Rebbe’s awareness of me. Since I could not remember all those farbrengens, like other Chassidim who even remember the day the Rebbe wore a new hat or whatever, this was a sign I really was never fully there – I certainly was there in body, but I never was “there” and fully engaged.
And this I said to myself, was the reason I always felt that the Rebbe did not know me; at least that I felt that he did not. Really it was my fault.
These thoughts continued past that Shabbos, the 18 of Elul, until after Yom Kippur. It bothered me deeply during that Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. I kept it to myself and told no one of my thoughts or feelings.
My unmarried daughter at the time of the holidays was away on shlichus at a Chabad House and returned home for Succos. On the second night after Kiddush, she suddenly blurted out: “Tatty, I forgot to tell you, I had a dream of the Rebbe a while ago.”
“Please tell me. A chassid who the Rebbe comes to in a dream is very significant!” “Well, I was washing negel vasser (washing of the hands upon awakening), and suddenly the Rebbe was by my side. He looked at me and asked me my name. “Sarah Rachel.” “Sarah Rachel who?” I responded, “Sarah Rachel Flamer.” The Rebbe looked at me again and said: “Ahh… Sarah Rachel Flamer. Your father was at my farbrengens,”
My heart skipped a beat…
Od Avinu Chai addresses topics like What is a Rebbe? Why is a Rebbe so important in terms of a Yid’s relationship to Hashem? Why is this so central to Yiddishkeit and Chassidus? How do we relate to the Rebbe now after Gimmel Tammuz? Where do we go from here? The Rebbe’s guidance on the special mission of Dor Hashvi’I, the centrality and the promise of Moshiach Tzidkeinu in our generation, visiting the Ohel, and more.
To read the booklet in PDF format click here: Od Avinu Chai,
You can obtain a printed copy by clicking here: http://www.Chabadwi.org/OAC
This was greatly needed!
I bought this booklet recently, well worth reading and contemplating the approach.