6 Tammuz 5711

This letter is printed in Igros Kodesh v.4 p. 367. The ksav yad is not printed there.

Reb Benche ז"ל

In connection with Hey Tammuz, the Yartzeit of Rabbi Bentzion Shemtov ז"ל, we present the following note written by the Rebbe.

In the 40's, the Rebbe would often translate many of the English letters and telegrams that the Freirdike Rebbe would receive. Here the Rebbe translates a letter written by the secretary of a (Lubavitch) Shul in Manchester, England.

מזכיר ביהכנ"ס במאנשעסטער
ת"ח בשם הנהלת ביהכנ"ס בעד הסידורים שקבלנו מהמל"ח ובבקשה לשלוח עוד.
שמחנו לקבל פני שני אורחים נכבדים בביהנ"ס שלנו הרש"ז גורארי והרב"צ שם טוב.
ובטח גם הם היו שבעים מהקבלת פנים.
ותמיד פתוחה הביהכנ"ס לקראת אורחים כאלו.
פ"ש מהרב שלנו ר"ש ביין הפרעזידענט יפו וכל חברי הועד.

This note was originally printed in a Teshura of a Nachshon family wedding 5758

"Vlomar Borchu"?

"Halocho l'ma'ase"; if one heard "Borochu", then goes on to daven "Kabolas Shabbos" alone, does one say "Velomar Borchu" or not?

In this note added to a “Michtav Klloli” dated Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, 5710, the Rebbe answers that our custom is to recite 'velomar'.

"ובמענה על מכ' מכ"ב אייר – הפ"נ יקראו בהיכל כ"ק מו"ח אדמו"ר הכ"מ שבו נכנסים יחידות ועל הציון.

- מנהגי' לומר ברכו לפני ערבית של ש"ק. ובמילא אומרים ולומר כו' אם מתפללים ביחידות. ואין נוגע אם שמעו ברכו מקודם. וראה זח"ב קלה, ב: ולומר ברכו כו' בגין למיפתח לגבה בברכה כו'.

בברכת החג וכ"ט"

This answer is printed in Igros Kodesh vol. 3 letter 614 from Likkutei Sichos vol. 24 pg. 412.
(To note that in Igros Kodesh the first and last line of the Ksav Yad is missing).

English Hagoho

Lag B'omer 5736

and here's video footage of the parade:

Lag B'omer 5726

I will bl'n be posting a series of pictures from the Lag B'omer parade 5736 later on today, or if i don't have the time after Shabbos.

a freilichen

Nshei Chabad Convention 1963

Here are the Yiddish and English announcements for the 8th annual Nshei Chabad convention in 1963. The Rebbe makes the identical point on both versions that they should add mention of it being the 150th anniversary of the Hilulah of the Alter Rebbe.

Yechidus 13 Tammuz 5741

Here is a recording of a yechidus in English from 13 Tammuz 5741 with The Lubavitch Senior Girls School from London.

Special thanks to Rabbi Shmuel Lew and Rabbi Pinny Lew for the recording.

Yechidus Isru Chag Shavuos 5739

Here is a yechidus in English from Isru Chag Shavuos 5739 with The Lubavitch Boys Junior School from London.

Special thanks to my Brother in Law Mr. Dovid Paley, who was present at the yechidus, for providing the recording.

Invitation to BG's Wedding - 2 Iyar 5713

Bochurim

This picture appears to have been taken during the mid lameds.

If you can, please identify any of the people in the comments.

Farbrengen Picture

I'm sorry for not having posted over the last few weeks, Pesach has taken it's toll. To keep things going, here is another picutre from the series that I posted a month or so ago.

A gutten moed!

Audio File

I have a recording of a yechidus from Isru Chag Shavuos 5739. The Lubavitch Junior Boys School in London took a group of 7-10 year olds to 770 for Yom Tov. The Rebbe gave them all a siddur and spoke to them in English for a few minutes.

The problem is that when i try and transfer the audio from cassette to my computer it comes out very muffled. The original is reasonably clear, however, on the MP3 all you can hear is the background noise.

If anyone has some good advice on how i can convert it please leave a message in the comments.

thanks

Bring Them Close to Chassidus

This Michtav Kloli-Proti is printed in Igros Kodesh v. 3 p. 305 except for the last line of the Ksav Yad Kodesh.

21 Adar II, 5738

19 Adar-Sheni 5711

A post Purim letter to Shlomo Carelbach's Chassidus group.

Purim Related Hagoho

A belated Purim related hagoho. I'm guessing it is from Di Yiddishe Heim.

Necessity to Learn Chassidus

In this letter the Rebbe strongly advocates the necessity to learn Chassidus from a purely halachik perspective. The writing style is also more forceful than is usual in the English letters.

The story behind the Rebbes second Megila

Purim 5724
(the old Megila, note 'aseres bnei homon' on its own 'amud')

On the eve of Purim 5729 (1969) the Rebbe entered the Shul for the reading of Megila, with a new Megila enclosed in a silver case. This Megila was given to the Rebbe by Rabbi Getzel Rubashkin z"l.

Interestingly, the Rebbe seemingly changed from his usual practice of not using a sliver case etc.[1] (as we can see from the older Megilas case in the first picture), and accepted the case made of silver.

Purim 5729

the new Megila in it's silver case.

Here’s the story of the Megila as told by Reb Getzels daughter, Mrs. R. Duchman;

“My father bought a Megila from a well-known sofer (scribe). When he showed his new Megila to Reb Yeshaya Matlin z”l (who was also a sofer), Reb Yeshaya commented that it was written beautifully, and that even the Rebbes Megila is not as beautiful.

“Hearing that, my father decided to buy a Megila for the Rebbe from the same sofer”.

Rabbi Groner adds that when Reb Getzel brought the new Megila to the Rebbe [2] the Rebbe took out 50 dollars; quoting the verse “Sone matonos yichye” (“He who hates gifts will live”)[3], but Reb Getzel refused the money. The Rebbe insisted that he would not accept the Megila unless Reb Getzel took the money, so he finally consented. However, as he left the Rebbes room, he went into the “Merkos” office and “returned” the money he had just received as donation[4].

---

[1] see “Mr. Manchester” letter of 1 Rosh Chodesh Adar, 5742.

[2] If I’m not mistaken RG presented the Megila to the Rebbe, just before the Rebbe left his room to hear the reading of the Megila on Purim eve. – Ed.

[3]Mishlei ch.15, vs.27, see Megila 28,a.

[4]Taken from a ‘Teshura’ 12 Adar 5758, pg.36.

Purim 5700

One Friday morning when I was a bochur in Montreal, Reb Volf Greenglass called me to his house and handed me a double sided page of a sicha and hagoho. He told me I could make a copy and I should make sure to return it to him before Shabbos. Interestingly, he received it as a present from the Rebbe. The Rebbe actually gave him two pages, however, one of them he had already given as a gift to someone.

The transcript was originally edited by the Frierdike Rebbe in pencil and then it went through a further hagoho by the Rebbe in blue pen. You can see how the Rebbe has written over the pencilled hagoho to make it clearer in some places.

I believe it was printed already, however, I think I have the clearest copy as I took it from the original.

It is one of my most prized possessions.