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בס"ד

Farbrengen Booklet

י"ט כסלו תשפ"א

B”H

Inspire 5781

This year Yud-Tes Kislev falls on a Shabbos. The year started with Rosh Hashanah on Shabbos and hence the entire year is a “Shabbosdiker Year.” This is even more so since the Chag Hachagim – the Festival of all Festivals – Yud-Tes Kislev falls on Shabbos. Due to the Covid restrictions, this year we will be celebrating Inspire with a Zoom Melava Malka for all the family and have prepared this booklet to present the programme, and also to present before Anash some material with which they can Farbreng and learn with the family over Shabbos.

Contents1. Schedule of Melava Malka2. Family Quiz3. Chag Hachagim - Learning material for the entire family

Schedule of Melava MalkaYud-Tes Kislev 5781 – 5th December 2020

4:50pm Shabbos ends

7:00pm Melava Malka with Family: Sit with all the family, light candles and wash for Melava Malka (eat Kasha)

7:15pm Family Quiz

Zoom Programme Begins

7:30pm Video of the Rebbe

7:45pm Farbrengen with Rabbi Shaul Wilhelm of Oslo, Rabbi Yitzi Loewenthal of Copenhagen and Rabbi Binyomin Wolf of Helsinki

Family Quiz(Answer key at the end of the quiz)

1. On which day did the Czar’s officers arrive in Liozna to arrest the Alter Rebbe?a. On Tes Vov Cheshvan b. On the second night of Chanukah c. On Chol Hamoed Sukkos

2. Was the Alter Rebbe at home when the Czar’s officers came?a. No, he escaped through the back door when they arrived b. Yes, and he was arrested then

3. On which day was the Alter Rebbe arrested?a. On Chol Hamoed Sukkos b. On Isru Chag Sukkos c. On Shemini Atzeres d. On Simchas Torah

4. Why was the Alter Rebbe taken in a wagon which was __________ (a colour)?a. Because it was a rainy day outside b. Because this vehicle was used to transport only those suspected to be dangerous enemies of the country c. Because that was the only colour wagon which the officers had

5. What did the officers realize about the Alter Rebbe?

6. Why did the Alter Rebbe ask the officer to stop the wagon?a. Because it was Erev Shabbos b. Because the Alter Rebbe wasn’t feeling so well c. Because he wanted to make Kiddush Levana

7. Which one of these was a miracle that happened on the way to the prison:a. The sun came out and the weather was nice b. One of the axles of the wagon suddenly broke c. The horses wouldn’t budge, and they didn’t move d. The officers let the Alter Rebbe drive the wagon e. The officers agreed to pull into the side road

8. Is the following paragraph True or False? The Alter Rebbe’s chassidim divided themselves into 3 groups in order to help the Alter Rebbe: Group 1: They would concentrate on getting the Rebbe freed from prison Group 2: They would maintain the Rebbe’s activities (such as sending money to Eretz Yisroel) and raising the money to cover the enormous expense to get the Alter Rebbe freed from prison Group 3: Travelled from town to town strengthening the learning of Chassidus and encouraging the Chassidim

9. What did the Alter Rebbe reply when the official asked him to explain Ayeka?

10. Which chossid supplied the Alter Rebbe’s kosher food while he was in prison?

11. Which 2 esteemed people came to visit the Alter Rebbe in prison?

12. True/False: The Alter Rebbe’s son, HaRav DovBer fainted twice and the Alter Rebbe’s mother – Rebbetzin Rivka – assured HaRav DovBer that her father appeared to her in a dream and told her that this week the Alter Rebbe will be freed.

13. How many days after the arrest was the Alter Rebbe freed?

14. Which Kapitel in Tehillim was the Alter Rebbe saying when he was told that he is free?

a. Kapitel צb. Kapitel נc. Kapitel נ''הd. Kapitel א

15. Which words was the Alter Rebbe saying when he was freed?

16. True/False: The Alter Rebbe was brought to Reb Mordechai Liepler’s house upon gaining freedom

17. For how many hours was the Alter Rebbe tormented by the misnagid?

18. How did the Alter Rebbe respond to this Misnagid?

19. On which day did the Alter Rebbe’s complete freedom take place?

20. What is Yud Tes Kislev known as?

Answer Key:

1. C

2. A

3. B

4. Black, B

5. That he was an extremely holy person not a regular criminal

6. A

7. b. One of the axels of the wagon suddenly broke c. The horses wouldn’t budge, and they didn’t move e. The officers agreed to pull into the side road

8. True

9. Hashem asks the question of Ayeka to every individual (adam) in this world. Hashem asks, ‘where do you stand and what have you done with the number of years you have lived? For example, continued the Alter Rebbe, ‘’a person who has lived for so and so many years – and here the Alter Rebbe mentioned the exact age of the official – ‘’what has he accomplished?

10. Reb Mordechai Liepler

11. 1. The Baal Shem Tov, 2. The Maggid

12. True

13. 53 days

14. Kapitel נ’’ה

פדה בשלום נפשי .1516. False, he was mistakenly brought to the house of a misnagid

17. 3 hours!

18. The Alter Rebbe thanked the host for his cup of tea, finished drinking it, and then said a bracha acharona before leaving

19. Chof Kislev

20. The Rosh Hashona of Chassidus

Yud-Tes Kislev – An OverviewGood Yom Tov! Leshonoh Tova Bdarkei Hachassidus Ublimmud Hachassidus Tikoseivu Vesaychosaymu

Yud Tes Kislev is a great Yomtov! In the following overview we shall explain how the Rebbeim viewed the holiness of this awesome day.

Part 1 – Mattan Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorah

Part 2 – Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus

Part 3 – Yom Kippur

Part 4 – Simchas Torah

Part 5 – Purim

Part 6 – Chag Hachagim

Part 1 – Mattan Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorahThe Rabbeim of Chabad revealed that Yud Tes Kislev is the Mattan Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorah!

The Rebbe explained: “The month of Kislev is the 3rd month of the winter months. It is well known that the winter months correspond to the summer months. Therefore, the month of Kislev corresponds to the month of Sivan (the third of the summer months counting from Nissan). Just as Sivan is the summer month in which the Torah was given so too is Kislev the winter month in which Torah was given.

The explanation:

Although there was Torah learning before Mattan Torah, as in the case of Avrohom Ovinu who was a Zoken who sat and learned in a Yeshivah, however Torah was not given in a revealed way in the whole world. At Mattan Torah, the novelty was that the decree that the upper realms shall not descend to the lower realms etc., was repealed, and Torah was given

below in a revealed way by Hashem. The principle effect of Mattan Torah was its revelation to the entire world.

The same is true of Mattan Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorah in the month of Kislev. It is true that at Mattan Torah in Sivan, the entire Torah was given, both Nigleh and Pnimiyus HaTorah as recorded in Chazal that at Mattan Torah they saw the Merkavah.

However, the main revelation of Pnimiyus HaTorah below in a way in which it was understood intellectually, this was achieved in the month of Kislev on Yud Tes Kislev.

This means that the achievement of Yud Tes Kislev is the revelation of Pnimiyus HaTorah in a way so that G-dly intellect is understood with the human mind.

The Rebbe Rashab once said in connection with Yud Tes Kislv: I am unsure how Chassidus started – with Hasogoh or Avodah – i.e. when the Alter Rebbe revealed Chassidus, what was the foundation - Hasogoh or Avodah. The Rebbe Rashab came to the conclusion that the ultimate intention is Avodah, however its beginning is Hasogoh.

The Alter Rebbe writes in Tanya Ch.5: Now when an intellect conceives and comprehends with intellectual faculties… this is a wonderful union, like which there is no other, and which has no parallel anywhere in the material world, whereby complete oneness and unity, from every side and angle could be attained.

From this it may be understood that the reason why Yud Tes Kislev is called the Mattan Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorah is because then was given the opportunity that G-dly knowledge should be enclothed, understood and comprehended by the human mind.

Over the generations of leaders of Chabad, each Rebbe further developed and expanded upon this aim. No two prophets prophesied in the same style, and the same may be said of the Rabbeim of Chabad each of whom had their own unique style. As the generations progressed, we see that the Chassidus

became lengthier and deeper.

The Mittler Rebbe’s Maamorim are much lengthier and with much more explanation that the Alter Rebbe’s. For this reason the Mittler Rebbe is called Sefiras HaBinah and Rechovos Hanohor – wide rivers. Just like a river whose nature is to flow and burst its banks so too was the Chassidus of the Mittler Rebbe.

In contrast the Chassidus of the Tzemach Tzedek was mixed with Nigleh, Kabboloh Derush and Remez. Every idea in Chassidus he sourced in Nigleh, Midrash and Sod.

By the Rebbe Maharash we find that the Chassidus was arranged in Hemsheichim explaining each idea in great detail.

In the Chassidus of the Rebbe Rashab we find in a most revealed way that each idea was explained intellectually in great depth much more than in the previous Rabbeim.

The Frierdike Rebbe in his Chassidus added an extra dimension in that he started translating Chassidus into different languages in order to teach Chassidus to those who didn’t understand Hebrew or Yiddish.

How much more so in the Chassidus of the Rebbe who said thousands of Sichos, Maamorim and penned volumes of Igros Kodesh , Likutei Sichos and Reshimos.

As the generations come closer to the coming of Moshiach, in each generation there was a new development in the dissemination of Chassidus further into our intellectual grasp.

The Rebbe once explained on the Maamar Ish Al Diglo – on which there is a Maamar from each one of the Rabbeim – that each Rebbe explained this Maamar in a more detailed manner since due to the descent of the generations, it was necessary to remove greater concealments and questions in order to understand the Maamar.

Although the descent of the generations implies greater concealment however following the dictum – most I have learned from my students – the necessity for deeper and

lengthier explanations meant that new depths were fathomed in the Maamar – which without the descent would not have been revealed.

The same can be said of the Oral Law which although initially written with brevity, through successive generations developed in such a way that in the later generations, new depths were fathomed.

Since in every successive generation there is an advance in the development of Chassidus, the same is true of the day of Yud Tes Kislev. Every Yud Tes Kislev a new revelation was achieved corresponding to the time and the Rebbe of that era.

We see quite clearly that the Rabbeim engraved the importance of the day of Yud Tes Kislev in the hearts, minds and souls of the chassidim. As in every inner dimension, this took place in stages, and in each generation a deeper revelation of the importance of the day was achieved.

This may be understood by explaining the famous question as to why Chassidus was revealed in the later generations – are the later generations worthy?

The answer is that since in every generation the darkness of the exile deepens, an extra dimension of light is needed to illuminate the darkness, and therefore the soul of the Torah was revealed which has the power to arouse and reveal deep soul powers.

Therefore, in each generation, the day of Yud Tes Kislev revealed extra soul powers specifically pertaining to the challenges of that generation.

Part 2 – Rosh Hashanah of ChassidusIn the days of the Rebbe Rashab, when the Haskoloh movement was rearing its ugly head, there was an obvious need that the light of Yud Tes Koslev be increased in a way that it must be absolutely necessary to live with the light of Chassidus. It then became revealed that Yud Tes Kiselv is the

Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus.

In the words of the Rebbe Rashab:

“This day is the beginning of your deeds, the fulfilment of the the true intent of the creation of man upon earth, to reveal the light of our holy Pnimiyus HaTorah which is brought down on this day in a general manner for the entire year.

Chassidus explains the idea of Rosh Hashanah: a) Rosh – and not a beginning. Everything is contained in the head. The Or and Chayos, which includes Haskoloh and Avodoh is drawn down on Yud Tes Kislev for the whole year, b) what is brought down is a new light – a new lease of energy. This is consonant with the idea of Yud Tes Kislev being a Chag Hageulah – a festival of freedom and redemption – for then one becomes a new being! It is therefore on this day that we make a Siyum of Shas and start learning it again in a new way.

The Rebbe Rashab continues:

It is incumbent upon us this day to arouse our hearts with an inner and essential desire with the true quintessential point of our soul, that we should illuminate our soul with the light of the inner dimension of the Torah

The Previous Rebbe wrote in Igros Kodesh Vol.1 p.122 “Elders, young men and boys serve Hashem and accept upon yourselves the yoke of Hashem’s kingship. Know that on this day all our fathers from the Baal Shem Tov on will help you. Accept upon yourselves to learn Chassidus with an Emess and be extremely vigilant on this day for it is holy!

The Rebbe said that since Yud Tes Kislev is the Rosh Hashanah of Chassidus there must also be the idea of a Gmar Chasima Tova!

Part 3 – Yom KippurThe Alter Rebbe once said: “I have sanctified the day of Yud Tes Kislev like Yom Kippur – anything a Jew will request will be accepted!”

Part 4 – Simchas TorahThe Tzemach Tzedek revealed that Yud Tes Kislev has an extra dimension – it is the Simchas Torah of Pnimiyus HaTorah!

It is told of the Tzemach Tzedek that he actually put this into practice and on Yud Tes Kislev he danced Hakofos with a Tanya – the Torah Shebichsav of Pnimiyus HaTorah.

What is Simchas Torah?

Although Torah is described as “Your wisdom and understanding”, which is connected with wisdom and learning, nevertheless, on Simchas Torah one dances with a closed Sefer Torah. The Simchah expresses itself, not in the study of the Torah but with dancing with the Torah.

The Rebbe explains: The joy of Simchas Torah is the rejoicing over the essence of the Torah, not with the Torah how it became revealed and intellectualized, rather the joy over the essence of the Torah.

This is in no contradiction to that mentioned previously that Yud Tes Kislev is like Yom Kippur – for on Yom Kippur the second set of Luchos were given, however the rejoicing was pushed off until Simchas Torah, and on Simchas Torah the true rejoicing over these tablets is internalized.

Just like on Simchas Torah we finish reading the Torah and begin again, so too on Yud Tes Kislev we finish learning the entire Shas (since the Chalukas Hashas is on Yud Tes Kislev) and we finish and begin the new cycle of learning Tanya, the Torah Shebichsav of Chassidus, as Tanya is divided in the days of the year.

Part 5 – PurimIn the days of the Alter Rebbe, Chassidim approached the Alter Rebbe and suggested that the story of Yud Tes Kislev should be written in a Megillah and be read in public like we read the Megillah on Purim. The Alter Rebbe responded:

“This day shall be fixed as an eternal festival in Yisroel in which there will be magnified and sanctified His Great Name and thousands of Jewish hearts will be aroused to do Teshuvah and serve G-d with the heart for the story is engraved in the heart of Yisroel Above and written in the heart of Yisroel below (another version – the story when it will be engraved in the heart of Yisroel Sovo it will be written in the heart of Yisroel below).”

The Alter Rebbe meant to say that there is no need to write a Megillah for the story is engraved in our hearts. Chassidus explains at length the difference between letters that are written – where the ink and the parchment are two different entities, and between engraved letters – which are one with the material upon which they are engraved. The Alter Rebbe said that Yud Tes Kislev is engraved in the soul. It is an eternal festival – meaning, that its effect will last the entire year. It is written in the heart – which sends life to the whole body. Thousands will be aroused to do Teshuvah on this day. It is a mistaken notion to think that Teshuvah only means Teshuvah for sin. Teshuvah means returning to the source – exiting one’s own restraints and limitations, to be aroused to lift oneself up to a higher plateau and to become a new being.

Part 6 – Chag HachagimThe Previous Rebbe gave Yud Tes Kislev a new title – Chag Hachagim! – the Festival of all Festivals! This means that Yud Tes Kislev is not just another festival in the yearly cycle, rather it is the festival of all other festivals.

The Rebbe explains: Yud Tes Kislev is not just another festival but it is the essential point of al the festivals. The Torah says that Yomtov is a mixture of Lachem – for you – a celebration for the body, and LeHashem – for G-d – a celebration of the soul. Therefore, on Yomtov we join the two. There is no rejoicing on Yomtov without eating meat and drinking wine. The central idea behind this is that Chassidus is to touch not just the soul but it must also permeate the body, and therefore

Yud Tes Kislev is the central theme of every Yomtov.

Every Yomtov requires preparation: The Rebbe Maharash said that due to the descent of the generations, and the consequent need to increase in the illumination and arousal of Yud Tes Kislev, there needs to be a major preparation for the day of Yud Tes Kislev. Since three times creates a Chazakah, he said that one must start preparing for Yud Tes Kislev three months previously on the day of Chai Elul, the birthdate of the Baal Shem Tov and the Alter Rebbe!

Moshiach NOW!Since we are standing in the last generation of Golus and the first generation of Geulah, it is obvious that Yud Tes Kislev is not only as previously stated to illuminate further stages of darkness, but also and most importantly to prepare us for the ultimate revelation of Moshiach. The revelation of Chassidus is a taste of the revelations of the Days of Moshiach and therefore in each successive generation of Rabbeim we may see a successive preparation for that time.

This year we are in a year of Plaos Arenu – meaning Hashem will show us unbelievable wonders! May it be that on this Yud Tes Kislev we merit the wonder of the coming of Moshiach and continue the Farbrengen in the Beis Hamikdosh with Moshiach Now Mamosh!

“The Alter Rebbe said: “Whoever will rejoice in my Simchah (of Yud Tes Kislev), I will take him; a) from the metzar (narrow straits) to the merchav (broad place), b) from the material to the spiritual, c) out of Gehinom”

Sefer Hasichos 5696 -5740 p.315

GUT YOMTOV!!!