The
Farbrengen Marking 50
years Since Yud Shvat 5710
At
the conclusion of the wide-ranging activities to mark fifty years of the
Rebbe’s leadership, and after fulfilling all the customs the Rebbe
established for this special day, everyone gathered for the grand Yud
Shvat farbrengen in 770.
The farbrengen
began at 8:30 p.m. and was emceed by Rabbi Shmuel Butman, director of
Tzach and the International Campaign to Bring Moshiach. Rabbi Butman
referred to what the Rebbe said in the Yovel year of the Geula of
Yud-Beis Tammuz. During the Yovel year, “each man returned to
his portion,” and we too should anticipate returning to our portion,
i.e., Eretz Yisroel, the portion of every Jew. “Each man returns to
his family,” meaning that there should be true unity within the Jewish
family.
Thousands
of shluchim, Tmimim, Anash, guests, local residents, and mekuravim
sat together at the farbrengen. The evening began with the Dvar
Malchus, a video of a sicha from 5732. Then all the Rebbe’s
niggunim were sung along with chazan R’ Berel Saltzman,
accompanied by the Eli Lipsker Band. This was followed by a rousing “Yechi.”
After
reading the Rebbe’s chapter of Tehillim, and additional chapters for
the complete recovery of Rabbi Marlow (Chaim Yehuda Kalman ben Rochel),
the emcee spoke about the significance of the Yovel. Rabbi Osdoba
was the next speaker, connecting the fact that Moshe took care of
Yosef’s remains to the mission of the Rebbeim of the sixth and seventh
generation. The next speaker was Rabbi Chaim Sasson. Speaking in Hebrew,
he captivated the crowd with his enthusiasm and unique understanding of
the topic of Moshiach and Geula. He related his encounters with Jews of
all types around the world, and concluded that by properly explaining
the issues, everything is accepted.
Since Yud
Shvat marks the passing of the Rebbe Rayatz as well as the beginning of
the Rebbe’s leadership, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gurary, member of the
administration of Agudas Chassidei Chabad, was asked to speak. Rabbi
Gurary reminisced about his childhood, when he stayed with the Rebbe
Rayatz for the first time on Pesach 5680 (1920). Rabbi Gurary has the z’chus
of not only being close to the Rebbe MH”M from the very beginning
but also having been with the Rebbe Rayatz throughout his nesius.
Rabbi Gurary also related incidents from the period between Yud Shvat
5710 and Yud Shvat 5711. He concluded by saying that we must stand
strong in our faith, and we must internalize our complete certainty in
the imminent revelation of the Rebbe MH”M.
Among the
huge crowd, those from France stood out, led by the Av Beis Din
of the rabbanim in France, Rabbi Hillel Pevzner. Rabbi Pevzner
drew many parallels between the Yovel as it is described in Torah
and the Rebbe’s fiftieth year of leadership. In the Yovel year,
two types of servants were liberated: those who had their ears pierced
and those who had been sold to gentiles. In other words, even those
slaves who were on the lowest level went free in the Yovel year.
We too have to know that even someone on the lowest spiritual level has
to be moved and inspired in this auspicious time to rise above his lowly
state. This is done by making good resolutions and by connecting to the
Rebbe and fulfilling his directives.
Rabbi
Yosef Yitzchok Katzman spoke in English. He connected the stories the
Rebbe brings in his first maamer to the various stages of the
Rebbe’s avoda over fifty years. He also related two amazing
stories of the Rebbe Rayatz and the Rebbe MH”M, illustrating their
incredible mesirus nefesh for ahavas Yisroel.
Other
speakers were Rabbi Yoram Ulman of Australia, Rabbi Ben Shimon of
France, and Rabbi Reuven Matusof of France. The farbrengen was
organized by the gabbaim of the shul and the International
Campaign to Bring Moshiach. Rabbi Butman thanked all the organizers,
especially Rabbi Yaakov Herzog and Rabbi Shalom Dov Ber Drizin for
sponsoring the event.
After the
official part of the program was over, the crowd remained to farbreng
in small groups until the morning hours.
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