We are in the third lesson in the order of Shalsheles Hayachas, and in it we begin the first period in the description of the life of Admur Hazaken. We will learn the first lines.
The first thing the Rebbe brings regarding Admur Hazaken: "Born 18 Elul 5505". Admur Hazaken was born on 18 Elul, which is known to be also the birthday of the Baal Shem Tov - the birthday of the two great luminaries.
The place of birth is not entirely clear, and the doubt is whether he was born in Liozna or in Posen - and as we have already seen, his grandfather was named Rabbi Moshe of Posen.
The year of birth, 5505, was commemorated by the Rebbe Rayatz: the Chabad publishing house, which publishes all the books of chassidus in the world, was named by him "Kehot", and one of the reasons for this is that "Kehot" (קהת) shares the same letters as 5505 (תק"ה) - the year of birth of Admur Hazaken. In other words, every Chabad book reminds us where it all began: from the year 5505, from the moment the soul of Admur Hazaken descended to the world and the Torah of chassidus began to spread in the world.
"And his mother's name was Rivkah daughter of Harav Avraham". The story is known, that when Admur Hazaken was imprisoned and they came to ask Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev to pray for him as he requested, they did not know his mother's name to give him; Rabbi Levi Yitzchak opened the Chumash and found: "And Yaakov saw that there is sustenance (shever) in Egypt", and he explained - "shever" (שבר) is an acronym for Sh'neur B'en R'ivkah.
From the wording "Rivkah daughter of Harav Avraham" we learn that the name of Admur Hazaken's grandfather on his mother's side was Avraham. Later, when we get to the names of Admur Hazaken's sons, we will see that his second son was named Chaim Avraham, and there we will detail that it became clear to Admur Hazaken himself afterwards, that his grandfather's full name was Chaim Avraham and not just Avraham. But at this stage it is stated that the grandfather's name is Harav Avraham.
The description continues: "At the bar mitzvah celebration" after Admur Hazaken reached the age of thirteen, "the geonim of the generation described him with the title Rav Tanna Hu U'palig". The Rebbe Rayatz describes in his sichos, that the geonim of the generation were present at the bar mitzvah to participate in it, and it was a unique occasion. Admur Hazaken, as a thirteen year old boy, said such wondrous chidushei Torah, that all the geonim present there were amazed, and on the spot they ordained him to the rabbinate and gave him the title "Rav".
This title comes to express his greatness, and its source is in the Gemara: In the Talmud there is a group of amoraim who were at the beginning of the period of the amoraim and their status is like a tanna. Generally the status of a tanna is higher than the status of an amora, and therefore an amora cannot argue with the words of a tanna, and when the words of an amora are brought and there is a Mishnah contrary to his words - the words of the amora are rejected. But there are a few individual amoraim whose status is like a tanna and they can argue with a Mishnah, and one of them is Rav. Several times in Shas, when they ask about Rav that ostensibly there is a Mishnah contradicting his words, the Gemara says: "Rav Tanna Hu U'palig" - Rav is a tanna, and he can argue with another tanna.
Thus, even though he was in the period of the amoraim, this is a very great title. And in our case, they called a young thirteen year old boy by it, to say that even though he is young - he has power like in the period of the tannaim. The Rebbe Rayatz notes that this special title of Admur Hazaken was recorded in the ledger of the chevra kadisha.
And we will add a few words: When Admur Hazaken was a five year old child, his father Rabbi Baruch registered him in the ledger of the chevra kadisha, meaning he should be registered as someone who will serve in the chevra kadisha. Admur Hazaken himself said over the years that he holds gratitude to his father for entering him there already from the age of five. Thus, for example, it is told that when the Maggid of Mezritch passed away, Admur Hazaken merited to be among those attending to his holy body, and even won the lottery to attend to the head of the Maggid. And why did he merit to enter the lottery at all? Because it was decided that only someone who has membership in a chevra kadisha could participate in this, and Admur Hazaken was registered there as a future attendant already from the age of five; and when he reached bar mitzvah age, they added to his name in the ledger of the chevra kadisha the title "Rav", as he received special ordination up to the level of "Tanna Hu U'palig".
"In the year 5520 - his wedding". Admur Hazaken married at the age of fifteen, in the year 5520, and the time of the wedding was on Erev Shabbos Parshas Nachamu, 12 Menachem Av.
And what happened immediately after the wedding? "He makes a great campaign with his toil and his money among the Jews to engage in working the land". Admur Hazaken invested the dowry money he received after the wedding, along with his toil, to encourage Jews to have a livelihood - that they should buy land and have the ability to work; and he engaged in this matter greatly.
In the later years he engaged in this even more. It is told in Sefer Hatoldos, that when he returned for the first time from Mezritch, after hearing the Baal Shem Tov's approach of cherishing simple Jews and the concept of dirah betachtonim, he further invested in this - to find simple livelihood for Jews, with toil and money.
In the year "5524" when Admur Hazaken was nineteen years old, "he goes to Mezritch for the first time" - as told in the Hayom Yom of 11 Menachem Av. There it is described that Admur Hazaken went together with his brother the Maharil, except that his brother went without his wife's permission and therefore returned immediately, while Admur Hazaken, who went with permission, remained with the Maggid until after Pesach of the year 5525.
Many other things occurred in his life, but we address and read only what the Rebbe included in summary - the main points in the Shalsheles Hayachas of Admur Hazaken.