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Three months have passed. Three months since the Rebbe MH”M had a stroke. Three months of Gaguim, Davening and Emuna. On the one hand: Ad Mosai?! This can’t go on! On the other hand, total believe that the Rebbe will be Gezunt, and be revealed to all as Melech HaMoshiach. Three months since Khal Chassidim have seen the Rebbe.

It is the second night of Shavous. Almost midnight. Most Yidden have finished their Yom-Tov meals, probably asleep already. Not the Lubavitchers. After being awake the whole first night saying Tikun, tonight they are on Tahalucha to all the neighboring Yiddishe communities, to spread the Joy of Yom-Tov, and Chazer over Chassidus. After the long walk to and back, they are still in no rush to go home. A crowd gathers outside 770 – Beis Moshiach, waiting. Every year the Rebbe comes out at the beginning of the Tahlacuha to “see off” the Chassdim, and again at the end to be Mekabel them. Chassidim don’t give up on such a Giluy.

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Although three months have passed since Chof Zayin Adar Rishon, and the chance of seeing the Rebbe are next to none, many Chassidim came in for Yom-Tov. Many haven’t been in 770 since before Chof Zayin Adar.

Kabolas Shabbos almost seems normal. The Rebbe’s place is set up as usual. The light on top is lit. But instead of Davening starting with the Rebbe entrance into shul, the Gabbai gives a bang, and the Chazzan starts with the Tehillim for the day of the week, and then Kabolas Shabbos starts. Lecha Dodi is sung as usual, and by Lo Sevoishi the tune is changed to “Chayolei Adoneinu”, and the crowd continues singing Yechi, even dancing in a circle in the middle of Shul, for several minutes.

After Davening the kids get up and announce “Yechi” 3 times as usual, with everyone answering after them.

At this point the rumors start, that the Rebbe will come out for Tahalucha. It is only rumors, but it sounds concrete. Obviously, there is no way to know for sure, but the natural desire of every Chossid to see the Rebbe is burning strong. Maybe… maybe we will be Zoche.

In everyone’s mind is memories of last year, when on Achron Shel Pesach, for the first time, we were Zoche that the Rebbe said a Sicha after Tahalucha. And again on Shavous. Last year the Sicha on Shavous was unique indeed. Quoting “Poilisher Seforim”, the Rebbe explained how הכל מודים בעצרת דבעינן נמי לכם refers to the Geulah. Nami Lachem is the same Gematria of קץ – 190. And Shavous is connected to the three Tzaddikim, Moshe Rabbeinu, R’ Yisroel the Baal Shem Tov, and Dovid Hamelech, who initials spell out Miyad. We should indeed be Zoche to the Keitz Teikef “U’Miyad” Mamesh.

*

One-by-one, as the Chasidim come back, they stop outside 770. Nobody is certain that anything will happen, but the hope is strong in everyone’s heart.

Already from 10:00 people started catching places, hoping to have a good spot to see, if it were only possible, the Rebbe’s holy face. If it were to happen, it can only be through the window of the Rebbe’s room. At one point Rabbi Groner comes out and sense he doesn’t understand why anyone is waiting. This obviously drastically calms down peoples hopes, but at a later point he says he will play it by ear, and if an opportune moment presents itself, he will suggest it to the Rebbe.

The crowd outside 770 grows. They have come to tell the Rebbe “We are here” We did your Shlichus, and now Hashem, please, send a Refuah Shleima to the Rebbe. As the crowd grows, so does the singing [Later reports say that when the Rebbe heard the singing, satisfaction was seen on His face].

At 11:30 things start happening. Rabbi Groner sticks his head out the front door and looks around as if to see what’s happening. Ziknei Anash start grabbing spots as close as possible to the front. After a few minutes R’ Dovid Raskin comes out and asks to clear the area of the stairs leading up to the door, adding that “until everyone goes down from the stairs and there will be seder, the Rebbe won’t come out”. At this point everyone realized this is serious, the Rebbe was indeed coming out.

In the next few minutes, a table was set up in the entrance way, with a white tablecloth spread over it. Now with everything “Mesuder” is when the real Balagan starts. Everyone standing around started moving closer to the door, everyone with the same goal in mind, go get as close as possible, to catch a glimpse, even if only for a split second, of our Rebbe, our dear father. The stone wall and metal gates of the Chotzer were full of Bochurim half standing to get a better view.

Everyone was sure the door will close for a short while, and the Rebbe will sit on his red chair, but the door stayed open, with several of the Vaad Hamesader standing in the doorway to completely block the view.

The pressure and pushing is intense, the waiting and yearning indescribable, similar to Tekios or Hakofas. After a minute or two of tense waiting, at 11:51, the Rebbe came out to the door on a chair (being pushed by Yingy Bistritzky of Hatzala). Accompanied by Mazkirus and the doctors.

The Rebbe was sitting on the chair by the table, wearing a Kapota, slightly bent over, for over three minutes. The Rebbe gaze was intense, penetrating and alert. The Rebbe looked mainly to his left, from time to time turning his eyes to the sides to scan the crowd, with an expression of great satisfaction on his face.

Those who managed to see, were shaken to the depths of their hearts. Many shouted in trembling voices “Shehechiyanu”. Some started singing – almost screaming – “Orech Yomim”, others “We want Moshiach now”. Other were just screaming “Rebbe, Rebbe”. All pushing forward, climbing on the gates, to get a better view, for a second, of the Rebbe.

After a minute Rabbi Groner turned to the Rebbe and asked if the Rebbe wants to finish, with no reaction. After a while he asked again, this time the answered in the affirmative, and returned to his room. Before going in, the Rebbe nodded to R’ Yoel Kahn, and looked towards to R’ Dovid Raskin.

The whole event took only a few minutes, but the emotions that were felt for that short while can not be put into words. Many were in tears, with feelings of shock from the suddenness of the event. The hearts were broken. At the time nobody tried to look anywhere, with only one thought in mind: to see the Rebbe again, after more then three months of being hidden. The stream of tears cannot be interpreted as anything “Chitzoni” with those that were Zoche to see (sadly only about half the crowd that was present. Some were able to see only the Rebbes hat, some only the table) quickly moving aside to give others the opportunity to see as well.

The singing and dancing outside 770 continued for a while. The feelings were mixed – on the one hand, tears from having seen the rebbe in such a situation, on the other hand, the joy of having been able to see the Rebbe, even for a moment.

*

Thirty years have passed. Our feelings of Gaguim to see the Rebbe, coming out to see the Chassidim, are greater than ever.

Even now, in the final moments of Golus, we cannot relax and get used to the situation. AD MOSAI?! If after a few weeks of not seeing the Rebbe, the yearning was so intense, for sure nowadays, after so many years. We need to wake up, and stand ready for the Giluy that we know we will get any second now. It should be unfathomable that Moshiach should not come this second!

Every Chossid pictures in his mind the moment he will see the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach Shlita again, face to face, gazing into the Rebbes eyes. But we are sure that this time, it will be with his complete Hisgaalus, as he leads us all, together with all Yidden, to the Geulah Shleima and we will all say to him together “Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu V’Rabbeinu Melech HaMoshiach L’Olem Va’ed”

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Originally published in Expressway 358 Magazine. For full archive visit bit.ly/expressway358. To subscribe email [email protected]

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