Surfing on the Waves of a
Good Fabrengen!
By Rabbi Shimon Raichick
These articles in the last few weeks’ have discussed the meaning and purpose of a true chassidishe fabrengen. Some may think that an inspiring fabrengen the likes of which were commonplace in the past is rare or even impossible today. We ask ourselves; is it really possible to have a great fabrengen nowadays?
Let’s begin with a story. While recently in New York I heard Rabbi Yossi Denberg from Florida tell a story about his great uncle Reb Nisan Neminov. He heard the story from Reb Yoel Kahn. Once, in the 1950’s Reb Yoel saw the Rebbe’s secretary, Reb Moshe Leib Rotshtein walk out of the Rebbe’s room shaken up. He asked him why he was so upset. Reb Moshe said that the Rebbe had asked him to do something earlier in the day and tonight asked if it was done. He told the Rebbe about the various unexpected difficulties he encountered that prevented him from accomplishing the Rebbe’s instructions. The Rebbe then told him about a letter he recently received from Reb Nisan from France. Reb Nisan wrote that people are speaking about him, saying that he’s not a mekushar (bound) to the Rebbe. He said that after much soul searching and examination of all the powers of his neshama he was unable to find anywhere in his being where he was not a mekushar to the Rebbe. Still, people persist in saying that he is not a mekushar. Therefore his lack of hiskashrus could be hidden in the higher powers of the neshama, which he cannot find correct unless he were a tzaddik. Therefore, he wrote the Rebbe that he is willing to do whatever the Rebbe wants from him regardless of what it is. The Rebbe then turned to Reb Moshe Leib and said; “I didn’t ask Reb Nisan to do anything but he’s ready to do everything. I asked you do something and all I got were excuses…” (Others tell this story differently, but the meaning is the same) This story shows the true hiskashrus of a chosid to a Rebbe. If he feels that something is missing he will do anything to complete the connection.
Many will hear this story and say to themselves that it’s a great story but I’m not Reb Nisan and therefore it is not relevant to me. Even if I go to a fabrengen there’s no chance I’ll reach that level. So what does telling this story accomplish?
This year, at the tail end of the Kinus HaShluchim, I met some businessmen from LA who had been at the Kinus. They weren’t shluchim nor had they studied in a Lubavitcher Yeshiva. They wanted to go to the Ohel so we went together. It was obvious that they were quite moved by their experience at the Kinus. After writing our panim and a few l’chaims, Mr K, decided to read his pan out loud; “Thank you Rebbe for everything that you have done… I am your servant and am ready to do anything that you tell me to….” Mr K puts on tefillin. I don’t know how much Chassidus he learns or for how long he davens. He’s a businessman. So what happened that got him so inspired? He went to the Kinus, he absorbed the atmosphere, he met the shluchim, made l’chaim, and sang some nigunim. This is what moved him and caused him to realize that one must be connected to the Rebbe. The Kinus was the chassidishe fabrengen.
When someone leads a fabrengen he needs to realize that he is not a lecturer or a performer. Giving over at a fabrengen is the sum total of living Chassidus, learning, davening, and then fabrenging to inspire both him and others. For this to work, those that attend need to realize that they are players’ not just observers. If you are in business, and you attend a trade show or a convention, people will try to sell you on many ideas. If you aren’t interested in their product, as good as the presentation may be, you still won’t be sold. If it matters to you, if your life and livelihood depend on it, then it will arouse you.
In order to be moved by a Yud Tes Kislev or a Yud Shevat fabrengen you need to be a player, not just an observer. You don’t need to take a time machine backward a hundred years to sit with the original chassidim, it’s still available today if you really want.
Over 15 years ago in the yeshiva there was a Rosh Chodesh Kislev fabrengen. Many of those who attended were not there in 5739 and some had never actually seen the Rebbe. One boy in particular wasn’t interested to be there. All he really wanted to do was go surfing. The whole night the person leading the fabrengen really put himself into it and drew this boy into it with him. He had a profound impact on him. It came without any plan or specific preparation. He just let go and it happened by itself. This is how a true fabrengen works both in the past and in the present. To live this way lays the foundation of our future as Chassidim. Chassidus gives us the energy and strength to take us out of our own bondage and bring a personal redemption for ourselves and others and leads toward the true and complete geula.