For this year’s Albany Yud-Shvat Farbrengen (this year held at Shabbos House) we asked participants to share a Basi L’Gani tidbit, a favorite segment or message, to share as a part of a Basi L’Gani smorgasbord. This isn’t an exact transcription, but is the general gist of what was shared. There’s a lot of Chassidic lingo that maybe not everyone would understand, but you can certainly get the general idea.
Quick “Basi L’Gani” and Yud-Shvat Background: Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (aka The Previous Rebbe) was the 6th Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, from 1920 – 1950, renown as the Rebbe of Mesiras Nefesh, of personal sacrifice, for his great stand against the communists, and his establishment of the underground Jewish network in the Soviet Union. He arrived in New York in 1940, narrowly escaping the Holocaust, and continuing his work to strengthen Jewish life in America. In his last years he rarely said Maamorim publicly, but wrote them for publication instead. Basi L’Gani was prepared for publication on Yud-Shvat, the 10th day of Shvat, which is the day he passed away. To Chassidim, this 20 chapter Maamar has become his last words to them. Yud (10th day of) Shvat is also the day (in 1951) when the Rebbe (Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn) assumed formal leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch. At an historic and momentus farbrengen marking the yartzeit of his father-in-law, the Rebbe said a new maamar, based on the first chapter of his father-in-law’s Basi L’Gani, and the Rebbe did so each year thereafter, based on the following chapter of the original Basi L’Gani. Hence, there is a whole book with many Basi L’Gani Maamorim of the Rebbe, each expanding, explaining and creating new vistas and spiritual horizons – all based on the original Basi L’Gani of 1950.
Rabbi Yisroel Rubin: I have early memories of the Basi L’Gani Maamorim, and remember coming to New York from Montreal for Yud-Shvat in the early 1960’s. I remember the farbrengen when it was in a rented hall with rounded curtain tops and the Rebbe on the stage. When the Rebbe said the Basi L’Gani Maamar each year it was like a Tekias Shofar of sorts, there was relief, yes, the Rebbe continues to be our Rebbe, his leadership of the Chassidim is yet again renewed. My favorite part of the Maamar? I was always struck by the unique perspective that there’s Shtus d’Kdusha – which means there’s two ways one can be irrational, one is below reason, and one is above and beyond reason. Chassidus lifts us up to live at that level that’s beyond logic, that transcends it. The Maamar takes Shtus with its very negative Shittim connotation, and transforms it to the Shittim-wood used to build the Mishkan tabernacle. It’s an amazingly different lens, and highlights an incredible level of dedication. One more thing. While we certainly studied it, I actually never heard the recording of the Rebbe’s first Maamar until tonight. And this gives me new insight to a word in the first line of the Rebbe’s Maamar (1951). When he quotes the Medrash on Song of Songs, the Rebbe adds the word “Bmkomo” which means that we’re specifically referring to the Medrash entry on this very verse. Why would the Rebbe need to emphasize that, and not rely on later footnotes and sources? Chassidim have an old vurt about this: This same teaching is listed in several places in the Medrash, but on this specific verse it is said using names that allude to the Rebbe and his father-in-law. Hearing the Rebbe say the Maamar in the original recording, I have a new understanding: The Rebbe says “afen Urt” which means on this place. A key message in Basi L’Gani is that the purpose is to bring G-dliness down to the world, wherever we are. “On this place” is a message about keeping Local. The mission is to where you are. No matter how lowly or distant or challenging. It’s on this place!
R’ Shmuel Kochman: I think one of the most powerful messages of Basi L’Gani is to establish “a new normal”. We kind of expect that spiritual stuff is holy, and see the physical world as a challenge, but the Maamar insists that spirituality belongs here and was here to begin with, and our job is to bring it back. But spirituality revealed in this world is not a paradox or radical thought, the Maamar sees it as the default mode, the original setting, and whatever we are dealing with now is abnormal. It turns our view of reality on its head.
Rabbi Avraham Laber: Whats sets this Yud-Shvat apart, what makes it unique? This year marks 100 years since the passing of the Previous Rebbe’s grandmother, Rebbetzin Rivka. In fact, the reason why the Freidiker Rebbe dates the Basi L’Gani Maamar for Yud-Shvat publication was to honor her yartzeit. He was actually very close with her, and she was a big influence on him. In addition to being an important crucial link spanning several Chabad generations, Rebbetzin Rivka was a wellspring of stories, which she generously shared with her grandson, who in turn wrote them and retold them to Chassidim. She played a big role in the Friediker Rebbe’s love of Chassidic stories. And this in turn is something I find extremely special and unique about the Rebbe’s first Basi L’Gani Maamar in 1951. In a rare departure from Maamar style, the Rebbe tells stories in middle of the Maamar, short stories that tell of Ahavas Yisrael (love of one’s fellow) and of selfless dedication to others. Those stories stand out for me.
Eli O’Brien: A few days ago my brother Meir left back to school, and he gave me a book titled “Memoirs” that the Gordon’s gave him to read. It’s written by the Previous Rebbe R’ Yosef Yitzchak, about the early Chassidim, and the times, people and places that led to the start of the Chassidic movement. I enjoy literary analysis, and there’s a theory called Extensionism – which understands art, writing or music to be an extension of the person, and is a way to learn about the person through their art, music or writing. By reading this book, you get a glimpse inside what was dear and beloved to the Previous Rebbe, and how he shared that in his writing.
Mrs. Rochel Rubin: Talking about the Freidiker (Previous) Rebbe’s writing and love of stories. His attention to detail, his vivid descriptions bring stories and characters to life, you can see it in your mind’s eye, the way he describes it. And some authors or singers excite you for the moment, but once it passes and you are onto other things it no longer sticks. Not so with the Previous Rebbe’s writings, they have a way of endearing themselves, of penetrating deep within, so that they remain in your heart. It is amazing to me that a Rebbe spent so much time and effort to share stories and write them down, with so much attention to detail, so much warmth, as Eli said, it’s a glimpse into the Previous Rebbe. In this way he was quite different from his successor, his son-in-law the Rebbe. Different styles. That old generation went through so much, they were so broken and shattered, these stories were nostalgic, warm and uplifting.
Rabbi Mendel: My grandfather, R’ Michel Piekarsky, had a lung ailment that became more pronounced in his later years. He was fiercely independent but in the last years he appreciated when I walked him home after the Rebbe’s farbrengens. It was after a long, intense day, and he wouldn’t eat much before the farbrengen, so he had low energy, and it was hard for him to walk. We walked home slowly together, and he would stop and rest a bit on the low pillars often found near the entrances of Crown Heights apartment buildings. We had some special conversations on those walks, because he would be coming straight from the aura of the Rebbe’s farbrengen. Once he told me, “This Rebbe is not like the old Rebbe. If you had a problem, and shared it with the old Rebbe, he would cry along with you. This Rebbe? He would encourage you to do more, to double your efforts, etc”. So I asked him, “Which style do you prefer?” My Zeide was a Chassid of both Rebbes. He replied, “Each generation has what it needs.”
Dr. Yehoshua Rubin: There’s a passage in Basi L’Gani that shows how Temple sacrifices were not just animal offerings, but they also had to come from an offering from within the person. The wording of the verse “M’Kem” implies that the sacrifice must come from within the person. Not only was a lamb offered on the altar, but we had to sacrifice our inner-animal, to consume it with a fiery love for Hashem. The Maamar goes into detail explaining how many of the details of the service in the Temple remains true and relevant in our personal lives, as we built a dwelling place for G-d within each and every one of us.
Rabbi Abba: One of the most memorable phrases from the first farbrengen, Yud Shvat 1951 was “layg nit kayn faygelach in busem” which is an expression that means don’t sit around with “birds in your chest” wishful lazy thinking, your hands in your pockets and think that everything will be done for you. Each Chassid must toil, everyone must give their utmost, there is no “leaving it up to the Rebbe”. I have so many fond memories of years by the Rebbe, and it brings back much feeling, but that’s not enough, we must all give whatever we can, and as seen by those Chassidim who didn’t have opportunity before Gimmel Tammuz, yet through personal effort and investment much can be accomplished.
R’ Itche Gordon: First of all, simply from a human lens, one has to think a bit about the background of this Maamar, which is considered to be sort of the Freidiker Rebbe’s Chassidic will and last message. The Freidker Rebbe endured a tremendous amount of hardship, stress and personal suffering. He went through a lot. I know a lot of older people who would say I’m done, I’ve had it, I’m no longer interested, adios! But not the Freikder Rebbe! This Maamar is filled with encouragement, and strength, and positive outlook, and possibility. He emphasizes that we have the strength and ability to do it. In terms of a specific message, a favorite piece? I will share my take on this year’s Maamar (based on chapter 4) from 5714: When they set-up a boxing match they try to make sure it is a fair fight. Heavyweights don’t fight lightweights. But hey in life it’s not a fair struggle. We need money more than money needs us. Instead of us consuming money, the money is consuming us! It doesn’t feel like the fight is properly balanced. But the truth is, underneath each of us lightweights is a Superman hiding underneath the surface. This refers to the G-dly Spark inside our soul that has superhuman strength and special supernatural powers, and if we harness that strength and reveal it in our lives, we can tip the fight in our favor.
Rabbi Yossi: I was learning a kid-friendly Sicha of the Rebbe with my son Mendel. The Rebbe was highlighting the Medrash that says that the Jewish children were the first to recognize G-d at the Splitting of the Sea. The Medrash explains that this goes back to when Jewish mothers fearful of Pharoah’s decree to throw Jewish newborn boys into the Nile brought them to the fields where G-d’s hand cared for them until they were old enough to return to their families. But hey, a Klotz Kasha occurred to us: Moshe himself (who was 80 at the time of the Exodus) was one of those babies supposed to be thrown into the Nile. That means that the “children” referred to here, must have been senior citizens by now! Not sure of how to best understand this, but here’s one message we took. Age is not based on your license or passport. Young at heart is real. And it made me realize something about the Rebbe. The Rebbe founded Tzivos Hashem, the children’s youth group of Chabad, when he was 80 years old! That’s when he made special events for kids, spoke to them on their level… amazing if you think about it. One thing I found out this year about Basi L’Gani, is that years before 1950, the original Basi L’Gani was said at the time that the Rebbe (R’ Menachem Mendel) first visited his future father-in-law the Previous Rebbe. Perhaps this is another reason for the Rebbe’s fascination and attachment to this Maamar, it may have been the very first Maamar that he heard from the Previous Rebbe in person.
Rabbi Mendel: There’s really so much to connect with in Basi L’Gani, hard to pick one segment. But I’d like to share a takeaway from our recent visit as a family to the Rebbe’s Ohel. We went this past Sunday. It has sort of become our tradition that on our way out, we stop off by the video playing continuously in the “Ohel House” and hear something from the Rebbe before we head on our way. What we heard this time was not a Maamar, but the Rebbe was explaining the opening line of Basi L’Gani in a Sicha format. And the Rebbe said something very special (and something you aren’t likely to hear from most Torah scholars about the world we live in). The Rebbe negated the notion that this is a horrible, terrible world, on the contrary, “It’s a precious wonderful world..” filled with opportunity etc.
Raizy Rubin: In addition the viewing the world as a precious world, the Rebbe viewed people as precious souls. The Rebbe didn’t write off or dismiss anyone, on the contrary, the Rebbe saw the spark within everyone’s souls.
In addition to this smorgasbord above, we also watched several beautiful JEM My Encounter segments, of Mrs. Pinson from Tunisia, and R’ Benzion Vishedsky about R’ Simcha Gorodetsky, of Rabbi Dr. Immanuel Shochat… as well as segments of the first Basi L’Gani Maamar with subtitles on Chabad.org.