Nine Years Since Chaf-Ches Nissan 5751

THE GATHERING IN 770
The International Campaign to Bring Moshiach, directed by Rabbi Shmuel Butman, organizes a yearly event as a reminder of the Rebbe’s message of Chaf-Ches Nissan 5751. Signs saying “Tut altz vos ir kent” (Do all that you can)! were hung up in the shuls and streets of Crown Heights, calling upon everyone to come Tuesday night, the night of Chaf-Ches Nissan.

Hundreds of Anash and Tmimim came to encourage one another and to suggest ideas for projects and personal commitments. Rabbi Butman began the program by emphasizing the need to put even more effort into bringing the Redemption. “This directive is the daily fare of every Lubavitcher Chassid in his hiskashrus to the Rebbe,” he said.

Rabbi Shalom Dovber Gutnick of Australia spoke about the necessity of publicizing the besuras ha’Geula without fearing those who scoff. He was followed by Rabbi Leibel Groner, who repeated what the Rebbe had told him after the sicha nine years ago. The Rebbe said there was no need to break one’s head to figure out what he meant, for it was simply to increase in learning, both in quality and in quantity, in tefilla, in tzedaka, and in mivtzaim.

Tamim Yehoshafat Oliver reminded everyone about the importance of the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach campaign. He quoted from the Rebbe’s sichos, showing how important this is and how it is directly linked with bringing the Redemption.

The program ended with the suggestion that everyone learn a concept about Redemption with his family at least once a week at the Shabbos table. This was followed by a farbrengen with Rabbi Pinchas Korf.
 

THE MAIN GATHERING IN ERETZ YISROEL
Nearly a thousand people came from all over the country for the gathering marking Chaf-Ches Nissan 5751 in Beis Menachem in Kfar Chabad. Mashpia Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Ginsberg began the program by saying that everyone wants to know what to do to strengthen his connection to the Rebbe and to bring Moshiach. Rabbi Ginsberg focused on the “straight path” the Rebbe taught us: learning inyanei Moshiach and Geula, particularly the weekly Dvar Malchus. Learning leads to action, publicizing the fact that “Behold, Moshiach is coming.”

Rabbi Pinchas Leibush Hertzel spoke about how the Rebbe made Moshiach a topic of conversation everywhere in the world. Rabbi Zalman Notick, mashpia in Toras Emes in Yerushalayim, spoke of his impressions the night the sicha was said. After the sicha, groups of people began to farbreng and he, as a Tamim, circulated among the farbrengens. He was surprised at the discrepancy he found. At one farbrengen, the people reacted to the Rebbe’s sicha with bitachon and simcha that a new era was beginning in the revelation of Moshiach, while at a nearby farbrengen, people were brokenhearted over the Rebbe’s harsh words.

“The Rebbe said he was crazy about Moshiach, and we Chassidim must take the Rebbe’s lead. If we open our eyes, we will see how the world is ready for redemption and is ready to accept the besuras ha’Geula. We have the job of bringing this message to the world.”

Rabbi M.M. Gluckowsky spoke about why the Rebbe wanted to shake up the Chassidim. He made a comparison to the reply of the Rebbe Rashab to a man who had approached the Rebbe for a bracha and advice. He was told that the Rebbe couldn’t help him. But it was not said for a negative reason. Only after the Chassid left, brokenhearted, did he become a “vessel” for the brachos. “Likewise, with us. The Rebbe shook us up in order to make us vessels to prepare the world for Moshiach.”

“One way of doing this is by connecting as many Jews as possible to the Rebbe, especially through the Igros Kodesh, where we see so many miracles.”

Tankist Rabbi Elozor Kenig of Natzeret Ilit spoke about the simcha we must feel, which results from realizing how the Rebbe has thousands of akshanim (stubborn Chassidim) who are devoted to inyanei Moshiach and Geula.
 

S. DENIS, PARIS
Over 150 people gathered at the Chabad House in S. Denis, near Paris, to mark Chaf-Ches Nissan. The program was organized by Beis Moshiach of Paris, and began with the study of the sicha of 5751, led by Rabbi Reuven Matusof, who analyzed the sicha in depth. Following this, Rabbi Mendel Belinov, director of the Chabad House, said the Rebbe’s new perek, ending with the heartfelt proclamation of “Yechi” three times.

Other speakers included Rabbi Yoel Eidelman, shaliach and maggid shiur at the yeshiva in Brunoy, and Rabbi Eliyahu Dahan, shaliach and chief rabbi of the city of Lille. The evening included a raffle for a ticket to travel to the Rebbe, won by Rabbi Eliyahu Braun; a showing of different video clips of the Rebbe, including the sicha of Chaf-Ches Nissan; and a late-night farbrengen.