We are in Shalsheles HaYachas, lesson fifty-two, in the life story of the Rebbe, part 12. We have reached the year 5710.
"5710 - Erev Shabbos Kodesh, 9 Shevat - publishes, in the series of kuntreisim of his father-in-law the Rebbe, the kuntres "10 Shevat 5710" (the maamar beginning "Basi LeGani")."
It should be mentioned that in his final years the Rebbe Rayatz no longer delivered maamarim publicly, because of the difficulty he had in speaking, and the maamarim were published in writing. Generally these were maamarim that had been said years earlier, and they came out anew with changes and adaptations to the date on which they were printed. The one who handled their publication and the writing of the source references and the footnotes was the Rebbe, by instruction of the Rebbe Rayatz.
Toward the date of 10 Shevat 5710, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Rayatz's grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivkah, the Rebbetzin of the Rebbe Maharash, the Rebbe Rayatz asked that the maamar beginning "Basi LeGani Achosi Kallah" be published. Originally the maamar does not open with this beginning but with a different one, and in fact its source is in the year 5683; but the Rebbe Rayatz asked to begin from the passage "Basi LeGani," and so it was published toward that date by his instruction. The continuation was on 13 Shevat, the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe Rayatz's mother, Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah.
This maamar was the last one published in the lifetime of the Rebbe Rayatz. It came out on Erev Shabbos, the eve of 9 Shevat, and the next day, on 10 Shevat, the histalkus occurred. The Rebbe indeed related to the maamar "Basi LeGani" as the tzavaah, the testament, of the Rebbe Rayatz, and throughout the years he spoke about its points as a directive for the task of our generation.
"On Shabbos Kodesh, Parshas Bo, 10 Shevat, his father-in-law the Rebbe passed away - and the crown of the nesius was placed upon him." The Rebbe took the place of the Rebbe Rayatz, even though officially he did not agree to accept the nesius until about a year later; yet the chassidim related to him as his successor right from the very beginning. "Immediately after the histalkus - he comforts the chassidim and strengthens them to go in the way that his honor, the holy Rebbe Rayatz, of blessed memory, showed them."
The Rebbe greatly encouraged the chassidim, spoke with them and wrote them letters about the fact that even though the histalkus had occurred, there would be no interruption at all in the path and the shlichus that the Rebbe Rayatz had asked of them; and this was expressed in many points.
"Continues to publish the writings of his father-in-law, and of the rest of our Rebbeim, the nesiim." The Rebbe printed further maamarim of the previous Rebbe and maamarim of our Rebbeim, the nesiim, who preceded him. After all, the previous Rebbe had proposed to the Rebbe, as was already noted in the years before that, that he be chairman of the publishing house, as advisor and organizer of "Otzar HaChassidim" and "Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch."
The Rebbe continued to publish all of these matters, "with the addition of longer introductions" - to every kuntres that was published the Rebbe attached a preface and an introduction, and they were quite literally seen as guidance for the generation.
"Publicizes general letters" - the Rebbe sent general letters to all of Klal Yisrael. The first general letter he wrote was on the first day of Rosh Chodesh Adar, some three weeks after the histalkus of the previous Rebbe, and in it the Rebbe greatly encourages going in the way that the Rebbe Rayatz showed us. He writes there that through our going in the straight path that he taught us, to connect and draw close to him, we will merit to be comforted doubly, and his honor, his father-in-law the Rebbe, will go at our head to lead us upright to our land.
During that year the Rebbe publicizes quite a number of general letters on this matter, "and in them words of arousal and strengthening."
"Regarding his farbrengens, in which he continues his holy way as in earlier days." The Rebbe farbrenged also during the lifetime of the previous Rebbe, on fixed dates, "(on Shabbos Kodesh Mevorchim HaChodesh, and festive days, as per the instruction of his father-in-law)." This was the instruction of the Rebbe Rayatz, who wrote to the Rebbe that the order on Shabbos Mevorchim is a day of saying Tehillim and a day of farbrengen, and he even explicitly instructed him to farbreng every Shabbos Mevorchim.
Therefore it was the case throughout all the years that the Rebbe farbrenged on Shabbos Mevorchim. There were certain periods in which, due to certain circumstances, the farbrengens took place on Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, as per the guidance in Hayom Yom, that if conditions require it the farbrengen may be held on Motzaei Shabbos; but always around Shabbos Mevorchim, by the instruction of his father-in-law.
"Masses of chassidim and ordinary Jews begin to stream in, thirstily drinking in his holy sichos." The Rebbe spoke and farbrenged, and the matter spread more and more - still not in an official manner, but chassidim and Jews came to hear his words.
"And they put them down in writing, and afterward they are edited by him for print." All the farbrengens were recorded, and we have today notes from the Rebbe's farbrengens from the year 5710. The first time the Rebbe edited his farbrengen, and it was published in print with his editing, was on Shabbos Mevorchim Chodesh Sivan; and after that this recurred quite a few times.
"Many turn to him to request his holy advice and his holy blessings." In the book "Yemei Bereishis," which describes the entire course of events from the year 5710 until 5711, there is also a description of the way in which Jews came in to the Rebbe personally, in yechidus, to ask for advice and blessings. The Rebbe received them all - even though he did not agree to accept from everyone, since he still had not agreed to accept the nesius - but he certainly did give advice and blessings that year as well.
"Engages with great energy in the expansion and spreading of the institutions of Torah and chinuch that were founded by his honor, his father-in-law the Rebbe." This role, of being responsible for "Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch" and for establishing the institutions, the Rebbe had received years earlier, and understandably there was no interruption in it at all, and it continued despite all the tumult and change.
"Founds "Ohelei Yosef Yitzchak - Lubavitch" schools in the countries of North Africa." Regarding the establishment of the institutions in Morocco it is told that in the month of Shevat 5710, one of the chassidim who had left Russia and was still staying in France, in Paris - Rabbi Michoel Lipsker - received a surprising letter from the Rebbe, a short time after the histalkus of the previous Rebbe.
In the letter the Rebbe writes to him that one of the things the Rebbe Rayatz had discussed with him in the days close to the histalkus was the matter of the chinuch of Jewish children in the countries of Africa, and his wish was that branches of schools and the like be founded there. The Rebbe further relates that the Rebbe Rayatz told him to write to Rabbi Lipsker that he should travel there, to organize and direct the work and to be there. The Rebbe writes all of this to him, tells him that these were the last things he heard from the Rebbe Rayatz, guides him as to how to act - including from the financial standpoint - and asks him for a reply as soon as possible as to whether he agrees to take the work upon himself. Of course he agreed immediately, and from here all the Chabad institutions in Morocco branched out. The details and the process can be seen in the book "Toldos Chabad B'Maroko."
In the final part: "Arouses regarding intensifying travel for the shlichus of "Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch" (Merkos Shlichus) during the summer months." The concept of "Merkos Shlichus" actually began already in the year 5703, when the Rebbe aroused the temimim that during the times that are not times of study in the yeshivah, during vacations and the like, they should travel to certain cities in America, to examine the state of Yiddishkeit there and to take action.
At first this was intended only for certain bochurim, who received a personal instruction about it; and afterward, already in 5708, the Rebbe turned this into a general resolution, and asked of all the students that whoever is able should utilize the possible times and visit cities to see how Yiddishkeit could be strengthened there. Thus it became, in the language of the chassidim, "Merkos Shlichus" - the shlichus of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch - and so it continued throughout all the years, expanded and operated: in all the places where there are no permanent shluchim, the bochurim would visit in the summer in order to take action, and afterward many of these places became permanent centers.
And already then, in 5710, the Rebbe aroused people to intensify this matter and to work in "Merkos Shlichus" during the summer vacations, when the intersession breaks and vacations of the yeshivah generally fall, to utilize them for this purpose.