Knowing Who We Are and Preparing for Gimmel Tammuz
Begins at Home… But does not end there
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
When preparing for Gimmel Tammuz, one may pick up one of the books that were written about the Rebbe and he or she may feel that this is the way that they should prepare themselves for Gimmel Tammuz.
We will read that “The Most Influential Rabbi in Modern History: Read it and you will become a better person. From reading this book, one can better understand how Rabbi Schneerson had a positive impact on hundreds of thousands – and his life’s work continues to live on today through the organization, Chabad-Lubavitch he built which remains the largest Jewish organization in the world.”
The world needs to know about the Rebbe. The Rebbe is everyone’s Rebbe and they are better off in every way by reading about him, and its very good and important to read these books. However, as Lubavitcher Chassidim, Anash, we have our way of preparing ourselves for Gimmel Tammuz. We look into the Sichos Maamarim and letters of the Rebbe and share with our families the stories that have been passed to us through our Rabbeim and Chassidim.
Once, a yunger man told me that he went through the system but he doesn’t know the history of the Rabbeim. He then said he understands those that read the books because they want to know more about the Rebbe. I thought to myself, how can that be? Obviously, he hasn’t read the Memoirs of the Previous Rebbe, the Sefer HaToldos and Likutei Dibburim. Therefore, he doesn’t know the history of the Rabbeim! When a bachur gets to yeshiva, we teach him the Torah, but there’s no system to teach who we are as Chassidim. It’s expected that that the father and mother or the elementary school taught all of that before he came to yeshiva.
When my father sent my brother Yossie and I to Montreal, it was a half a year after our Bar Mitzvah. There was then a young man, Rabbi Pinchas Korf - who is now the Mashpia in Oholai Torah, who would fabreng with our group every Thursday night. He didn’t bring mashka, he brought the sefer HaTomim and read us stories of Chassidim. A year or two later there was an older bachor would come to our room before we went to sleep and read us the long letter of the Previous Rebbe about Chassidim that was still in typed manuscript and had not yet come out in print. That’s how I got to know our history. It gave me a geshmak, great pleasure to hear these stories and it inspired me to go on to read the stories in Sefer HaToldos etc. These days since these books are all printed in English, we don’t need anyone to read to us, and we can ourselves read and get to know that Rabbeim and earlier chassidim.
As Gimmel Tammuz approaches, we prepare by learning Sichos Maamarim, letters and stories. These days are a good time to speak with your family. You don’t need to sit all day in shul and fabreng, fabreng with your family also. Prepare in advance what you are going to say on Friday night and Shabbos day. Tell your family stories of Chassidim that will warm them up and inspire them. Then your children will know who they are, from the words of the Rabbeim themselves. With that chayus and inspiration we have the energy to go out into the world and complete the mission that the Rebbe has given us to bring Moshiach. The better that we connect and live with the Rabbeim and Chassidim, the more fitting shluchim we are to represent the Rebbe’s message in the best way.
May we all merit to see the Rebbe again with our physical eyes with the revelation of Moshiach Now!