“Do They Know What Shabbos Means to Me?”

After the heart attack in 5738, the Rebbe began farbrenging on Motzaei Shabbos instead of Shabbos afternoon so he wouldn’t have to strain himself to speak. When chassidim asked that the Rebbe keep that arrangement, the Rebbe commented that they didn’t appreciate what Shabbos meant to him.

The majority of the Rebbes sichos and maamorim were said on Shabbos, at the farbrengen. Although this meant that it all had to be transcribed from memory, and that a hookup couldn’t be arranged for Chassidim around the world, this is how the Rebbe wanted it. Indeed, often the Rebbe explained the value of holding a Farbrengen on Shabbos; how Shabbos itself enhances the farbrengen and how this impacts the entire week.

After the Rebbe suffered a heart attack on Shmini Atzeres 5738, a new setup was arranged. The Rebbe would farbreng on Motzei Shabbos, on a microphone, so that it would be less strenuous.

After a while, the Rebbe asked the doctors for permission for the farbrengens to return to Shabbos afternoon.

Worried for the Rebbe’s health, some Chassidim implored the Rebbe to stay with the new arrangement.

After their request was brought before the Rebbe, the Rebbe turned to his mazkir Reb Leibel Groner, and said, “Do they know what Shabbos means to me?”

(Teshura Groner Weingarten 5771)

From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash