34 years ago, during the last Shabbos of the year 5749 (1989), the Rebbe presented a historic Sicha on how powerful it is not to blow Shofar on Rosh Hashanah when it coincides with Shabbos. Rabbi YY Jacobson teaches this incredible talk this week, part one of two.
At the surface it would seem, the Rebbe said, that when Rosh Hashanah is on Shabbos we abstain from blowing shofar. In truth, the Rebbe explained, not blowing the shofar is a far deeper experience than blowing the shofar.
This was a revolutionary Sicha, which flabbergasted the audience, in which the Rebbe revealed profound and extraordinary ideas in Chassidus, including what ultimate ‘bitul’ really is. It was in this sicha that the Rebbe revealed how even “Yechida” was a name of the soul, not the essence of the soul. The Rebbe even exclaimed, that “mesiras nefesh,” surrendering your soul to Hashem, does not capture the essence of who you are. When you realize who you are, you are not surrendering your soul, because there is only absolute oneness; you and Hashem are one.
In his class, Rabbi YY explores the difference between Kotzk and Chabad in terms of what “Bitul” really is, and how this Sicha captures why in Chabad Chassidus we talk less about the self and more about Hashem.
It should be noted, that it was on that Rosh Hashanah — 5750 — when for the first time in history the Rebbe held a farbrengen on the first day of Rosh Hashanah which was Shabbos. This never happened before.
Watch the class now.
Is this in likkutei sichas
Sichos Kodesh 5749
Hisvaadus 5749 vol 4
I was looking for something spiritual to listen to!