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By Rabbi Gershon Avtzon

On 14 Kislev 5739, the Rebbe held a special Farbrengen. At that Farbrengen he explained that he is holding this farbrengen to celebrate his 50th anniversary with the Chassidim (as it is “the day that connected me to you and you to me”.)

The Rebbe continued to ask the obvious question: What is the source in Torah – or in the writings and actions of our holy Rabbeim – that seem to show the importance of celebrating such a milestone? The Rebbe explained at length the concept of “when you go to a city, you follow the customs of the city” and then continued with the following words:

“Similarly, in the present case, it is customary that many friends gather together on a wedding anniversary and join in good-wishes and celebration. A Jew should accept that custom and transform it into an act of Torah. By marking the anniversary with an assemblage of many thousands of Jews (which brings about the revelation of the Shechinah) and conducting that assembly in a holy place, in a synagogue and in a house of study (in particular, the place where the Previous Rebbe spent the last ten years of his life), the celebration becomes a Torah happening.”

With this understanding, we must realize and internalize the importance of celebrating the 75th year of the Rebbe’s leadership: It is a tremendous milestone that should awaken great joy and celebration as well as tremendous focus and emphasis on the mission of our seventh generation: To bring about the revelation of Moshiach and the revelation of G-dliness in this physical world.

In looking for inspiration for this momentous occasion, I decided to focus on the Farbrengen on 11 Nissan 5737. The reason for that decision is obvious: On that date, the Rebbe turned 75 years old (as the Rebbe was born on 11 Nissan 5662) and there were many important lessons shared by that Farbrengen. While I encourage everyone to learn the entire Farbrengen (and the diaries of the events that surrounded the Farbrengen), I would like to share a seemingly small anecdote that occurred by the Farbrengen, but I think is a tremendous lesson for our Avodas Hashem as it relates to Yud-Shevat 5785.

Between the Sichos, many people came to give the Rebbe special presents they prepared. There were new Sefarim as well as old hand-written Sefarim and many Torah journals etc. Two Russian artists, Vladimir and Gregory Dashevsky, brought a portrait they had painted of the Rebbe with a sefer Torah in a large frame: “Dear Rebbe, in the name of the Russian Jewry who came here and are happy to be here with you, I am an artist and I have the honor to present this to you… We want to give you this as our heartfelt gift. We believe you will have many healthy years for all the Jews.”

The artists raised the picture in the air to show it to the entire crowd. Motioning that they should put the picture down, the Rebbe told the artists with a large smile “They already see the original! Thank you and be well. The main thing is, strive that it be obvious about you that you follow in the footsteps of this picture: Torah.”

There are three lessons that I took from this relatively small and informal encounter:

1. We must connect with the original (live) Rebbe and not get lost in the “picture of the Rebbe” (history): When we celebrate Yud-Shevat, we must internalize that the Rebbe’s leadership is current and not just historical. To too many people, their relationship with the Rebbe is 5785 is connected and focused on people’s memories and stories of the past. While it is important to know every detail of the Rebbe’s history, it is most important to always remember that we need to (see and) connect with “the original”.

2. I once heard the following thought from Rabbi Moshe Walberg (One of the Roshei Yeshiva in Kfar Chabad) at a Farbrengen: “I was once invited to a Chanukas Habayis of one of my former Talmidim. I entered his apartment and saw a beautiful picture of the Rebbe smiling hanging in the middle of the room. Right under the picture was a full-screen in which this couple would sit and watch movies together. Does this couple not understand that instead of the Rebbe smiling – as it looks like in the picture – he could be crying in their apartment?”

Too many times, we are happy to be connected with a “picture of the Rebbe” – to consider ourselves cultural chabad Chassidim – and it is time that we work on being connected to the “original”.

3. Never forget that “The main thing is, strive that it be obvious about you that you follow in the footsteps of this picture: Torah.” It can’t be that the day of Yud-Shevat passes and we do not accept upon ourselves a practical addition in our Avodas Hashem. Every person knows what areas they should be working on to improve and now is the time to begin the process of making those improvements.

“May we be privileged to see and meet with the Rebbe here in this world, in a physical body, in this earthy domain — and he will redeem us.”

***

Rabbi Gershon Avtzon is the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Lubavitch Cincinnati and a well-sought-after speaker and lecturer. Please feel free to share your thoughts on the above by sending me a R’ Avtzon email: [email protected].

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