In honor of Chof Beis Shevat, a new monumental volume containing 762 (!) pages of the Rebbe’s answers and guidance has been released, featuring hundreds of newly discovered answers and responsa, now all available to the public completely for free.

This is the 27th volume of Likkut Ma’anos Kodesh and the fifth supplement volume to the set, which chronologically documents the tens of thousands of the Rebbe’s answers to chassidim over more than 40 years, making the Rebbe’s guidance accessible to every Chossid.

Despite the immense amount of the Rebbe’s Torah available to the public – published numerous times and in various formats, including everything from Sichos and Ma’amorim to Farbrengens, letters, and even diaries documenting the Rebbe’s schedule, the “Ma’anos” – handwritten answers issued by the Rebbe, especially when the growing demand on the Rebbe’s schedule left no time for formal letters – have unfortunately received little or almost no attention, and to a certain extent remain largely unknown.

The tens of thousands of Ma’anos have been collected by a group of dedicated bochurim, who went through hundreds of Seforim and Teshuros, as well as reaching out to many chassidim, shluchim, and askonim from around the world who merited to receive answers from the Rebbe in those years and were gracious to share them for the benefit of the public.

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The following is a small selection of Ma’anos, printed in the latest installment:

1. Where to spend your vacation money

In response to someone who wrote about his family’s summer plans, the Rebbe first acknowledged that they needed to rest well and then wrote (5 Av 5714):

“The money they would spend on a vacation should instead be used to arrange a vacation at home (- by adding household help and the like). In general, it is very questionable if it’s worth schlepping for two weeks to… They should spend the summer happily here.”

2. A shliach has a different type of Semicha…

To Reb Nachman Sudak, who wrote about fellow shliach Reb Faivish Vogel, who was considering taking time off from his Lubavitch activities in England to learn and receive semicha – since he was bothered by the fact that he never received semicha before leaving yeshiva – the Rebbe wrote (21 Sivan 5742):

“His semicha is [the fact] that an institution of the Frierdiker Rebbe relies – is somech – on him. And [by being involved in his activities], his mind and heart become pure ten thousand times more [than through learning].”

3.  Absent-minded and buying a car 

In response to a member of Anash who wanted to buy a car but was worried that he frequently becomes contemplative and doesn’t pay attention to his surroundings, the Rebbe wrote (5 Shevat 5740):

“If he can change this, then he should buy; if not, [then he should] not.”

4. Leave Brooklyn and go on shlichus

To Reb Zalman Abelsky, who reported what he shared with the chassidim while spending time in New York – that most of Anash in Brooklyn should go out on shlichus – the Rebbe wrote (Chol Hamoed Sukkos 5724):

“What he says is very, very true. Halevai that someone will finally succeed with this important matter, although (until now) my words have not accomplished anything.”

5. A mixed teen club to attract more Jews

To Reb Nachman Sudak, who wrote about an initiative to create a mixed teen club to attract more teens, and mentioned that a rav had reportedly agreed, the Rebbe wrote (beginning of Adar Sheini 5749):

“?! The above-mentioned mixed [gathering] is against Shulchan Aruch. How can [a rav] allow it?! And what will such approval help if it is against Shulchan Aruch?!”

6. I failed my test in Yeshiva…

In response to Yaakov Yisroel Muskal, a bochur at Yeshiva Geovhah – Heichal HaTorah, who felt unhappy with himself for not performing well on a test he had worked hard on, although he scored an 80 on what he felt he didn’t put in enough effort, the Rebbe wrote (Summer 5718):

“Being that one of the marks was an 80, this is a sign and proof that when you want, you can be successful (although success in different areas of learning is not the same for everyone). You should therefore increase in his diligence, and the success will grow, although, as usual, not all at once but step by step.

“When you find it hard to focus in his learning, you should stop for a few minutes and then try again.”

7. The results of not testing the bochurim are obvious

In a lengthy answer to the hanhala of Tomchei Temimim at 770, the Rebbe wrote (11 Tishrei 5721):

“It is already a number of years that I have encouraged, requested, and pleaded that they test the bochurim at least once or twice a year… When the bochurim know they will never be tested, it is obvious what the results will be… Even more shocking is that no one pays any attention to this, even after more than five years that I have been raising the issue.

“It would be appropriate that they select, from among the guests, testers, who will test all the bochurim thoroughly and without favoritism…”

8. Meeting the kallah during engagement

In response to a chosson who asked about meeting his kalla during the engagement, noting that they had already met twice, the Rebbe wrote (19 Iyar 5726):

“This is against what is desired according to Yiras Shomayim and certainly Chassidus. On the contrary, [even] the earlier (meetings) were wrong. The time has come – and for a while now – to annul this practice.”

9. Expanding 770 for Tishrei

To the gabboim of 770, who wrote to the Rebbe about their idea to knock down a wall in the corner of the shul to accommodate the expected large crowds in Tishrei, and to use the space previously used for hanging coats and shiurim to add another 80–100 seats, the Rebbe wrote (2 Av 5740):

“In a way that a rav will agree and allow it.”

The Rebbe also underlined twice what they had written: “that it will be done in a fitting and beautiful way.”

10. Change the song about Moshiach

In response to French singer Reb Yitzchak Bitton, who shared with the Rebbe the lyrics to a song he had composed about Moshiach titled Son of King David, the Rebbe wrote (beginning of Tammuz 5736):

“If it is possible to easily add [to the song]: and yehi ratzon that this should be b’karov mamash.”

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Download the complete volume.

To read the previous volumes of Likkut Ma’anos Kodesh, click here.

To submit Ma’anos and answers from the Rebbe to be included in forthcoming volumes, for hakdoshos and dedications in the printed version of the latest installment, or for any other comments, email: [email protected]