We are at the sixty-third lesson in the chain of lineage and the life story of the Rebbe, in these last lessons, and this time we will focus on the year 5729.
The first thing mentioned in this year: "5729 - begins to explain Iggeret HaTeshuvah of the Alter Rebbe, and continues with this in the year 5730". This whole subject of explaining Iggeret HaTeshuvah is a most interesting one. In truth, already a year earlier, in 5728, at the farbrengen of the yahrtzeit of the Rebbe's father, 20 Menachem Av 5728, the Rebbe explained things that his father had written on Iggeret HaTeshuvah in Tanya; but in 5729 he began with this with a most special emphasis.
This found expression in several ways. Already at the end of the previous year the Rebbe asked that Iggeret HaTeshuvah be printed as a booklet on its own, and through that he strongly aroused that each and every person should study it. Chassidim connected this to the fact that the Rebbe said that the great miracles that took place in 5727, in the Six Day War, were like a great shofar coming from Heaven to arouse the Jewish people to return in teshuvah, and in connection with this he greatly aroused about studying Iggeret HaTeshuvah.
In that year, 5729, the Rebbe came down to the prayers with Iggeret HaTeshuvah. In the years before that he would come down with the siddur and the sefer Tanya, and at times he would look into Tanya a little before the prayers; whereas in this year he came down with Iggeret HaTeshuvah, and regularly he would look into it for a few minutes before the prayers. And at the farbrengens, beginning from Shabbos Parshas Vayeilech, which is Shabbos Teshuvah, the Rebbe began to explain Iggeret HaTeshuvah in a systematic way, chapter after chapter.
There were stages in this: first the Rebbe completed all of Iggeret HaTeshuvah, explaining several passages at each farbrengen; and from 19 Kislev he began a second cycle of explanation, and continued with it throughout the entire year, and even in the following year, as mentioned here. An interesting expression the Rebbe said on Simchas Torah, that in order for the study to be with pleasure he speaks about it at the farbrengen, to add spice to the study.
Part of the Rebbe's explanations, the edited ones, were printed in Likkutei Sichos, and the unedited ones were printed there as well, and that is a subject in its own right. Seemingly this is the only part of Tanya that the Rebbe explained in a comprehensive way, from its beginning to its end.
The next point mentioned here: "Proposes that at every public gathering - they should combine it with Torah and tzedakah. Arouses that at every wedding those extending good wishes should connect their wishes with giving to tzedakah and Torah". The Rebbe spoke about this at the farbrengen of 19 Kislev 5729, and then the emphasis was especially on weddings and celebrations and the like. For there is a good custom, that when one blesses someone, such as when saying "Mi Shebeirach", one gives tzedakah on his behalf; and the Rebbe said that especially when it concerns the establishment of a home, at a wedding, the best gift is to give tzedakah in the merit of the groom.
And so too with Torah study: the Rebbe brought that it is written in Shulchan Aruch that there is a concept of studying Torah in the merit of another person. Just as there is the partnership of Yissachar and Zevulun, so too in Torah - there is the matter of a person studying Torah and his study also being in the merit of so-and-so. And the Rebbe said that at every such occasion of one person extending good wishes to his fellow, they should connect the wish with giving to tzedakah and with giving to Torah.
The next point: "Arouses regarding strengthening neighborhoods in which Jews live". The words were said at the farbrengen of Acharon Shel Pesach. The Rebbe said that it is customary at these farbrengens to also speak about matters of nigleh, generally with the participation of a Torah convention, but this time he wished to speak about a matter that is like an epidemic: in that period a movement of Jews emigrating from the Jewish neighborhoods had developed; they simply sold their homes to non-Jews, and many neighborhoods emptied out.
The Rebbe spoke very sharply, and especially about the Crown Heights neighborhood, that they should speak about this and strengthen the neighborhood and not leave. He elaborated at great length on the prohibitions involved in this according to nigleh, and even spoke sharply about the danger that would, G-d forbid, befall those who would leave; and in contrast - about the blessings he gave to those who would remain, and especially to those who would come to live there.
Let us mention a few of the points the Rebbe spoke about in matters of nigleh. First, there is a halachic problem in selling, and even renting, an apartment to a non-Jew when this causes harm to another Jew; and in this case it causes harm to all the Jews in the neighborhood, and even has an indirect effect on Jews in other neighborhoods.
The Rebbe further spoke about the problematic nature of selling synagogues for all sorts of other purposes, and in this there are several matters:
The sanctity of the synagogue - by selling it, the matter of sanctity is nullified.
The reduction in the number of existing synagogues - there were such and such a number of synagogues, and now there will be one fewer.
Harm to the Jews who pray there - those Jews who were accustomed to come and pray in this synagogue, where the nusach was theirs and the place was close to their home; and once the synagogue is done away with, it becomes difficult for them to get there.
The Rebbe further spoke of an important point, that all those who emigrate also have a spiritual problem with the children and family members: by the time they move to another neighborhood, and by the time they acclimate to the new place and arrange the daily schedule, there is a great spiritual loss in this. From every angle the Rebbe greatly strengthened this matter, and encouraged that they remain in their place, and that they speak and come and strengthen the Crown Heights neighborhood, and he likewise spoke in general about all the neighborhoods in New York.
The last point in the year 5729: "Founds the housing development 'Nachalat Har Chabad' in the Holy Land" - in Kiryat Malachi. Following the wave of immigration that arrived from Georgia, the Rebbe asked that they locate a place suitable for establishing a neighborhood, so that the immigrants from Georgia would come there and live alongside Chabad chassidim, and through that would be strengthened in Judaism. In 5729 the then Deputy Minister of Absorption, Lova Eliav, revealed that there were several hundred apartments in Kiryat Malachi waiting for new immigrants. Meetings and discussions on the matter began, the Rebbe gave his consent, and indeed all these apartments were given to the immigrants who arrived from Georgia, and thus the neighborhood was established, for which the Rebbe chose the name "Nachalat Har Chabad".
What is the reason for this name? The Rebbe spoke about the precision in the neighborhood's name. First, an acronym: the Rebbe's mother passed away in 5725, and here, when the neighborhood was established in 5729, "Nachalat Har Chabad" forms the acronym of the letters "Chanah" - after the Rebbe's mother.
The Rebbe further spoke about the word "Nachalat", that one who comes to live there arrives at rest and at inheritance. And likewise about the word "Har", which was said in connection with Avraham Avinu - who, as is known, the entire world was on one side and he was on the other side; and each of the Patriarchs called the place of the Mikdash by a different name, and Avraham called it "Har". In the place being called "Nachalat Har Chabad", there is in it both a place of settlement out of tranquility, and also the empowerment of the ability and strength to become a tower of light for Jews in every other place, in the way of Avraham Avinu. This is the uniqueness of the Nachalat Har Chabad neighborhood.