770’s annual mechiras hamitzvos, when the kibbudim for the upcoming year are auctioned, will take place online this year for the first time, with bidding open to the wider Chabad community.
By Anash.org reporter
Do I hear $50,000?
For the first time, 770’s annual mechiras hamitzvos, when the kibbudim for the upcoming year are auctioned, will take place online, allowing the wider Chabad community to participate.
The minhag of mechiras hamitzvos is held in many communities, wherein the gabbai or another administrative member of the shul auctions off various kibudim such as special aliyos, hagba and gelila, chazak and/or other special mitzvos for the coming year.
Prior to Gimmel Tammuz, 770’s mechiras hamitzvos would be held in the Rebbe’s presence during the farbrengen of Shabbos Breishis. The Rebbe would instruct the gabbai to don a shtreimel before he announced those who had purchased the mitzvos, with the actual selling arrangements organized before Shabbos.
In one sicha following the sale, the Rebbe said that since 770 is a universal shul – a beis knesses kloli, therefore even those who do not live in Crown Heights could bid and purchase mitzvos.
Following Gimmel Tammuz, the full mechiras hamitzvos, including the actual sale, began taking place on Shabbos Breishis, which meant that only those who were in 770 at the moment could participate. Nonetheless, the mitzvos continued to fetch high prices, with just pesicha for geshem bringing in $31,000 in 5781 and $50,000 in 5782. In 5783, records were broken with the combined sum of all the mitzos totaling half a million dollars.
According to information provided to Anash.org, and confirmed by R’ Yosef Yitzchok Kratz, this year, a dramatic change is set to take place, changing the entire system of mechiras hamitzvos in 770. The mitzvos will be put up for auction online, with any Chabad chossid from around the globe able to bid. The auction will close on Shabbos Breishis on the Bima.
The new system will give many more chassidim who desire the zechusim associated with the kibbudim to bid on them, and potentially purchase them. They will also allow groups to organize and purchase a kibbud together and other such arrangements. It will avoid the need to have a lengthy break on Shabbos Bresishis to sell the mitzvos.
The bidding opened tonight, Monday night, and will remain open up until Shabbos Breishis.
Click here to bid or to see where the auction is holding.
That’s wonderful news BH! Meanwhile, there WAS some sort of mechiras hamitzvos today in 770, which was somewhat lengthy. Please explain.