‘Something Big For Gimmel Tammuz’

By Shea Cohen

Around 6 years ago, I was farbrenging in 770 with my former Mashpia. It was Motzoei Shabbos Gimmel Tammuz 5778 (תשע”ח). A nice frum yid sat down by the farbrengen and joined the conversation.

At one point, he asked, “How many years ago was Gimmel Tammuz?”

“24 years ago,” I answered.

“So Chabad must be preparing something big for next year – 25 years, no?” he asked.

My friends, my Mashpia and I all looked at each other baffled and shocked. The thought of 25 years not seeing the Rebbe didn’t cross anyone’s mind for a second.

And here we are, still stuck in the golus. It’s been almost 30 years.

When the October 7 war in Eretz Yisroel began, Yidden all around the world took upon themselves extraordinary hachlatos: Tehillim, Tefillin, Torah, Neshek, Mivtzoim and so on… But now, more than 6 months into this terrible war, we are getting used to and numb to the situation. It doesn’t bother us constantly anymore. If, on October 8th, I had told you this would happen, you wouldn’t even believe it.

The problem didn’t start this year, or 6 years ago. In fact, for 44 years, the Rebbe instilled in us an urgency. An urgency to bring Moshiach. An urgency that there is no time to waste. An urgency that “shechintah b’galusa.” An urgency that we can’t feel comfortable in Galus. An urgency to reach every yid.

It is with this urgency that the Rebbe told us on that fateful night some 33 years ago, “טוט אלץ וואס איר קענט און זען אראפבריינגען משיח דא למטה.”

It is with this urgency that the Rebbe told us (on Purim 5723): “ר אויבערשטער קאן שוין ניט פארטראגן דעם ליל הגלות און קלאפט ביי יעדער אידן אויפן טיר און בעט זעך מערניט אז “פתחי לי” .. מ’דארף ניט ווארפן ווענט און האקן טירן ס’איז גענוג “פתחי לי כחודו של מחט”. און דעמאלט זאגט דער אויבערשטער “כי קרובה ישועתי לבוא.”

The Rebbe conducted his daily life with this urgency and expects us to follow suit.

Now, almost 30 years later, we must ask ourselves: where is that sense of urgency?

The urgency that things are not the way they should be, the urgency that this is an abnormal time and something abnormal must be done, the urgency that we have to bring Moshiach and that no else will do it for us.

It starts by understanding who the Rebbe is and his love for us. By understanding that “hu bachayim” in a very real way. But must not stop there. It’s time to realize that it’s already 29 years and we still haven’t brought Moshiach!

Perhaps, at least for these next two months until Gimmel Tammuz, we can live with such a mindset—to actually be the Rebbe’s Chassidim not only in heart but also in our daily lives.

Perhaps if we realize the responsibility that lays upon our shoulders and make this our personal business, we will stop getting so caught up with our own petty issues (physical or spiritual) because we will realize that there is a much bigger picture to worry about besides our own personal needs and desires.

And surely, if we commit our lives to this responsibility and open a “פתח כחודו של מחט”, then we are promised that “קרובה ישועתי לבוא,” and even before Gimmel Tammuz we will be able to tell the Rebbe openly “עשינו שליחותך…” this will be the day we will hear the Rebbe say “ראו גידולים שגדלתי.”

Just to finish off, with the Sicha of Purim 5747:

“יעדער איד זאל וויסן אז דורך זיין איין און איינציקער מעשה ..דיבור און ..מחשבה.. איז דא דער פסק דין אז “מביא ישועה והצלה לעולם”..איז א דבר ברור אז די איין און איינציקע זאך וואס מ’דארף משלים זיין אז יעדער איד זאל וויסן אז דאס איז זיין ענין הפרטי”

“Every Jew must know that by his single deed, and by his single word, or by his single thought…his every action can truly bring redemption to the entire world!”