By Aaron Zev Birds

As Chassidim living in the post-Gimmel Tammuz reality, there are many questions one may ask: “How do we know the Rebbe is truly alive?” “How can we remain connected to the Rebbe after the Histalkus?” The questions continue endlessly, becoming more complicated as each one leads to another.

What many Chassidim fail to realize, however, is that the Rebbe already addressed everything.

דער רבי האט אלץ באווארענט.

After the Histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe on Yud Shevat 5710, Chassidim around the world were left shocked, confused, and searching for direction. Many had not experienced — or did not remember — the Histalkus of the Rebbe Rashab in 5680. Even those who did remembered how quickly afterward the Frierdiker Rebbe assumed the Nesius, leaving little time for uncertainty and darkness.

Now, however, days, weeks, and months passed. No matter how much Chassidim begged our Rebbe to officially accept the Nesius, they did not receive the answer they desperately awaited.

Turning to the Rebbe for guidance, Chassidim began hearing the יסודות: what a Rebbe is, why a Rebbe is essential to a Yid, and how one connects to a Rebbe. Most importantly, the Rebbe taught that a Rebbe is not merely a physical presence. “חיי הצדיק אינם חיים בשרי כי אם חיים רוחני” — the life of a Tzaddik is fundamentally spiritual. A Rebbe continues helping Chassidim wherever they may be. As Chazal say: “מה זרעו בחיים אף הוא בחיים.”

Again and again, the Rebbe explained these concepts, preparing Chassidim for what was to come. Even after officially accepting the Nesius on Yud Shevat 5711, the Rebbe continued to elaborate on the essence and purpose of a Rebbe בתוך גוף גשמי בעולם הזה הגשמי והחומרי.

And perhaps those Sichos were not intended only for the Chassidim of that generation.

After all, they soon had a Rebbe visibly leading them — a Rebbe who farbrenged, answered letters, held yechidus, distributed dollars,  edited maamorim, and guided every aspect of a Chassid’s life.

The Rebbe was speaking to a later generation.

The Rebbe was speaking to us.

To the Chassidim, Mekusharim and Shayachim, after Gimmel Tammuz, who would one day search for guidance, clarity, and direction — learning how to believe, how to live, and how to grow.

Through those Sichos, the Rebbe taught us how Chassidim can — and will — prevail until the coming of Moshiach, which will come through our avodah.

These Sichos were not merely said as material for “דע מה שתשיב,” only to answer those who question when we say “Der Rebbe lebt.” They were not merely said for moments of weakness or confusion regarding the Rebbe’s נצחיות.

They were said to be lived with.

We must eat, sleep, and breathe these Sichos.

For a Chossid today, the Rebbe gave us a  “Shulchan Aruch” (so to speak) — a clear path for how to remain connected and how to live according to what the Rebbe wants from us.

And these Sichos are no secret. They are not hidden Kisvei Yad accessible only to a select few. They were said publicly, printed openly, and placed before us — a שולחן ערוך ומוכן לאכול.

Starting from soon after Yud Shevat 5710, the Rebbe publicly began delivering Sichos that laid the foundations of what it means to be a Chossid — particularly in a time when one cannot physically see the Rebbe.

Quoting the Zohar repeatedly, the Rebbe emphasized: “צדיק דאתפטר אשתכח בעלמא דין יתיר מבחיוהי” — after a Tzaddik’s Histalkus, he is found in this world even more than during his lifetime.

One striking example took place on Rosh Chodesh Sivan 5710. Reb Yossel Robinson, a prominent yid from Chicago, had just completed payment of the mortgage on 770 Eastern Parkway, the building purchased by the Frierdiker Rebbe ten years earlier as the headquarters of Lubavitch in America. In honor of this milestone, he requested that the Rebbe farbreng.

At that farbrengen, the Rebbe shared a remarkable story:

“I received a letter from a Chossid in which he wrote regarding the [Frierdiker] Rebbe: ‘דער רבי זאל זיין געזונט.’ To be honest, I derived great pleasure from this expression. He was not embarrassed to write the truth. And it is the truth, because ‘חיי הצדיק אינם חיים בשרי כי אם חיים רוחנים,’ and therefore the Rebbe’s health is not merely physical health, but spiritual health — and דער רבי וועט זיין געזונט forever.”

The same idea was explained repeatedly regarding every aspect of a Rebbe’s life throughout the farbrengens of that year, and indeed throughout the Rebbe’s entire Nesius — until Chof-Zayin Adar תשנ”ב, when the Rebbe’s koach hadibbur was put on hold until the coming of Moshiach.

Yet this “Shulchan Aruch” the Rebbe gave us did not end after Yud Shevat 5711. Its details and “halachos” continued to appear constantly throughout the years, especially during the annual Yud Shevat farbrengens. Nevertheless, as Chassidim began to “enjoy” and get involved with the Rebbe’s work, this topic wasn’t the “forefront issue” to be discussed.  

But this topic was back on center stage in the winter of 5745, when the famous story of the Mishpat Hasforim began (ultimately ending over five years later and celebrated yearly on Hei Teves). A relative of the Frierdiker Rebbe had decided it was time for him to come and take his “inheritance,” emptying out the Frierdiker Rebbe’s holy library housed at 770, selling many holy Sforim, Michtovim, and Chafatzim to merchants and enjoying the profit.

The first time the Rebbe mentioned it publicly was at the Yud-Beis Tammuz Farbrengen of that year. The Rebbe was shocked that someone could claim that the Frierdiker Rebbe had passed away thirty-five years earlier, making a Rebbe just like a regular individual who comes and goes, with family taking their inheritance and waving goodbye, R”L. “A Rebbe only gets stronger,” the Rebbe said with passion at the Yechidus for guests three days later, “thirty-five years לעבעדיקער, נאך שטארקער, און מער אקטיוו!”

With such incredible clarity and understanding, the Rebbe explained how ridiculous it would be to say that the Frierdiker Rebbe passed away on Yud Shevat thirty-five years earlier, and that with that his life had “ended” R’L.

The Rebbe reminded everyone of the famous Gemara which discusses the time when Yaakov Avinu passed away and was placed in Me’aras Hamachpeilah by his children. The Gemara states: יעקב לא מת. וכי בכדי חנטו חנטייא וספדו ספדייא? מה זרעו בחיים אף הוא בחיים.

About this, the Rebbe said: “The Gemara says, ‘Yaakov didn’t die,’ and then immediately asks, ‘How can that be?! There was a levayah with hespedim, etc., etc.’ Yet, despite all of the above, it still comes to the conclusion that ‘הוא בחיים!’ Why? Because ‘זרעו בחיים!’ When we Chassidim continue all that he began, learning his Chassidus and fulfilling his takanos, then he is physically alive down here in this physical world!”

We Chassidim have both a great zechus and a great responsibility. We must continue to learn the Rebbe’s maamorim and fulfill his takanos because it is up to us — זרעו, דער קינדער פון דער רבי זאל געזונט זיין — to keep our Rebbe alive down here, מיט אונדז, צווישן אונדז, און ביי אונדז.

And obviously, it goes both ways. Through our Rebbe being בחיים, we are בחיים.

In the last maamar that the Rebbe edited and then distributed on Purim Katan 5752, the Rebbe, in a similar fashion to the Frierdiker Rebbe in his last maamar, Basi L’Gani, prepared Chassidim for the years to come. In the maamar, the Rebbe discusses the story of Purim and explains the maamar Chazal, קיימו מה שקבלו כבר, that only when Yidden are in a state of כתית — crushed and forced to be moser nefesh — can their true colors emerge, revealing the beauty of Yiddishkeit in its full glory.

The Rebbe then teaches us that staying strong in Torah during such times can only happen through remaining connected to the משה שבדור. In the story of Purim, that was Mordechai, and now it is none other than the Rebbe. Staying connected to the Rebbe keeps us grounded in Torah, life, and happiness, forever and ever.

As the holy day of Gimmel Tammuz is coming, and Chassidim worldwide are looking to connect, learn and recommit ourselves to the Rebbe, let’s not get carried away.

Let’s remember the truth: It’s 32 years that our Rebbe is very much alive, strong, and active. Among us, and through us. Rebbe, we will do your holy work. learn your sichos, watch your farbrengens, and bring fellow yidden closer to Yiddishkeit.  Let us hope that very soon — today, now — our Rebbe will be seen with our very eyes, with the coming of Moshiach, teikef umiyad mamash.

Come, brothers, let us hold strong together.

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