The Rebbe’s Request of Rabbis For Yom Kippur Sermons

By COLlive reporter

It’s noon at 770 Eastern Parkway. Rays of sunlight filter through the windows of the offices of Lahak Hanochos, publishers of the Rebbe’s teachings, on the upper floor of the Merkos building adjacent to 770.

Suddenly, in the midst of the usual quiet and focused workday, a call of joy is heard, and all the members of the editorial staff rush to gather to the main office.

Over the years, the staff have learned to identify the nuances in the calls to gather in the office of Lahak Director Rabbi Chaim Shaul Brook, and the enthusiasm sounded in the current call is definitely one that implies a new and exciting development.

It is the sound of the call that goes out upon discovering a new ‘giluy,’ in the midst of these dark days of Golus that have lasted over 25 years; whether the uncovering of a new transcript of a farbrengen that lay previously hidden and unavailable to the public, or the discovery of a recording of a sicha that had been gathering dust in some corner of the world, which now, upon arrival, sheds light on topics that had challenged the best minds involved in the Rebbe’s Torah. Or the most exciting discovery: pages of the Rebbe’s own personal edits to a Sicha that for whatever reason hadn’t yet reached the desks of Lahak.

It’s a day of celebration, with no exaggeration. The familiar ruffle of the “Geleh” folios that would be sent into the Rebbe’s room with the hope of it being returned with edits, additions and explanations in the Rebbe’s personal handwriting, the script so well-known to each of the members of the editorial board who all merited to work under the Rebbe’s direct guidance in the appropriate manner of writing, editing, proofreading, and publishing.

Two pages. Each is an entire world. The folios are lovingly passed from hand to hand; after the initial excitement dies down, it is time to get to work. They quickly sit down to study the Sicha, taking careful note of each edit and each footnote, each word and each dot.

With the approach of Rebbetzin Chana’s 55th Yahrzeit on the upcoming Shabbos Vov Tishrei, the members of Lahak Hanachos are proud to share this impressive discovery with Anash and Shluchim and the world at large.

It is a synopsis of the Rebbe’s farbrengen, prepared by the Rebbe’s Choizer Rabbi Yoel Kahan – that took place on the sixth Yahrzeit, Vov Tishrei 5731 (1970), when the Rebbe spoke sharply about the need to correct the law of “Who is a Jew” in the Land of Israel, and requested that rabbis and community leaders utilize their Yom Kippur sermons to address the issue, taking advantage of the heightened atmosphere and inspiration found in their synagogues on the holy day.

Seventy Years to the Rebbe’s Leadership

A short visit to the offices of Lahak at the start of the year 5780 (“Tihei Shnas Paratzta”), a year that will be marked by the theme of seventy years to the Rebbe’s leadership, demonstrates that the members of the Lahak editorial board are taking no vacations. It’s difficult to find a dull moment to speak to them about their extensive work, which has become famous in Lubavitch and indeed throughout the Torah world.

On the desk in one office we find the final round of edits on the soon-to-be published volume four of Toras Menachem – Tiferes Levi Yitzchak on chumashim Bamidbar and Devarim. In a second office, we find the content of the next volume of Igros Kodesh, the Rebbe’s letters and maanos from 5738 (1977-8), in the final stages of preparation. In a third, a mafteach is being created for volume 67 of Toras Menachem – Hisvaduyos, as the Rebbe wished.

In conclusion, the editors at Lahak all express the same singular desire: that we merit to once again hear Torah from the Rebbe. They are ready and poised to transcribe it and publish it for the world. Amen, kein yehi ratzon.

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