By COLlive reporter
The Library of Agudas Chassidei Chabad in Brooklyn, NY, located in the complex of Lubavitch World Headquarters centered at 770 Eastern Parkway, has renewed construction to expand its footprint on Monday.
The “Aguch Library,” one of the largest private Jewish libraries in the world, is stationed at 766 Eastern Parkway with a connecting passageway to 770. Now, it is stretching next-door into 760 Eastern Parkway.
The 5,850 square-foot two-family home was purchased by Merkos L’inyonei Chinuch in 2014 from the heirs of R’ Meir and Sima Itkin OBM for a reported $2.4 million. Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist Yitzchak Mirilashvili donated a large size of the amount.
“The new purchase will allow the library to further grow its collection, which has become an important resource for scholars and historians worldwide,” Lubavitch Headquarters commented at the time.
The basement was allotted for the administration of the Yeshiva, while the ground floor is used as the residence of Rabbi Yoel Kahn, Head Choizer of the Rebbe, preeminent scholar of Chabad Chassidus and Head Mashpia of Yeshiva Tomchei Tmimim Lubavitch – 770.
The second floor was given to the library which possesses more than 250,000 individual volumes and tens of thousands of manuscripts and artifacts. The library has an ongoing need for expansion and has received the blessing of the Rebbe over the years to continue growing.
Back in 5749 (1989), Rabbi Levin wrote the 5,000 seforim are waiting for space to be stored. The Rebbe instructed him to speak with Aguch about purchasing the nearby building or expending the current one.
What was clear from the Rebbe’s instructions was that any expansion should keep the library adjacent to 770 instead of searching for a separate location. “To build within the property of 770,” the Rebbe wrote in Tishrei 5750.
“The library has been overpacked for several years,” Head Librarian and Director Rabbi Berel Levine told COLlive.com. “There are hundreds of boxes of seforim that cannot be opened because of a lack of space to store them.”
While the 766 location has undergone an initial stage of renovations, further work was needed, Rabbi Levine said. He thanked developer Yossi Papack for spearheading the first and the current round of renovations which began on Monday. The work is expected to be completed in a few months.
The final expansion won’t be visible to the wider public. The majority of the library, which holds priceless manuscripts and handwritten notations by the Lubavitcher Rebbes, including the siddur of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, is only accessible to a select few. Their contents, however, are available for review and study on their website chabadlibrary.org
VIDEO: Rabbi Levine reviews the background of past expansions
Why should it only be accessible to a select few??? Hai Teves is all about the library belonging to the chassidim, not a select few!
And who decides who that select few should be??
1) so we don’t have people walking off with seforim c”v
2) those parts of the library are off limits to most people but you can still access the seforim either by going to the reading room or online
3) Aguch is in charge of deciding who has access and the Rebbe appointed people to be in charge of aguch, so I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about
Luckily it’s all available online
#chossidel
Nobody can walk off with any seforim if there is adequate security.
Ain Domeh Shmia L’riah. The effect of seeing for example the BESHT Siddur or any kesovim vechulu, not just online, would leave a profound impression. Concealing it from public view in the literal sense is not in the spirit of HEI TEVES or the Rebbe’s intention which was the seforim and kesovim belong to the chassidim and should be fully accessible in the literal sense to the chassidim, whatever security is required to facilitate that.
In a public Fabreng the Rebbe stated the library is to be available to scholars. No private library is open to the public. Way to costly.
Aguch (chaired by someone the Rebbe entrusted) had a diverse Lubavitch board, again, this setup was designed and endorsed by the Rebbe.
No one is accusing Rabbi Levin or his staff of walking off with seforim ch”v.
Great job Feter Berel