Celebrating Yud Shevat in Mitzpe Ramon

Image via WikipediaYud Shevat, this past Shabbat, is the date of the Yahrzeit of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe and the date that the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Shneerson (z"tzal), became Rebbe. It is celebrated with a big Fahrbrigen among the Chasidim. When The Rebbe was alive, chasidim, shlichim, friends, hangers-on, people from all over the world would come to Crown Heights to celebrate with the Rebbe. Over 10,000 people would all crowd into 770 Eastern Parkway, Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights, to see and hear the Rebbe. Students would stand against the walls and climb on each others shoulders, three high, to be present in the room with the Rebbe. Polite fights would break out among those who had arrived early to chain up the seats on a bench to "reserve" it, only to return and find others had done the same, making it impossible to use the bench without negotiation.

When the Rebbe came into the room, the sea of people would part like the Yam Suf, so the Rebbe could walk past. Then the Rebbe would speak, hand out mashke, and acknowledge his Chasidim from all over the world. The scene was uproarious but decorous.

Happy is the eye that saw it and the ear that heard it. Alas, this scene is no more since the Rebbe passed away. But his work continues on even stronger through the shlichim (emissaries) the Rebbe sent out to literally the four corners of the world to work with Jews and bring them back to their Jewish roots. The Rebbe wrote in a ma'amer (chasidic discourse) that the reason we are happy and celebrate on the yahrzeit (anniversary of the death) of someone, is because the effect of all their good deeds is felt all at once on that one day. How much more so a Tzadik like the Lubavitche Rebbe, the Gadol Ha'dor (pre-eminent of his generation), who changed the Jewish world through his actions throughout his life.

We had our own little celebration at a Fahrbringen in Mitzpe Ramon with Rabbi Slonim and Reb Tal, his assistant.

Reb Tal, right.

Rabbi Slonim, with his son.

Our own Fahrbringen in Mitzpe Ramon on Yud Shevat

May we all be strengthened in our Yiddishkeit and commitment to the values the Rebbe taught through the merit of his works.