‘It Seems That Someone Else Is in the Room’

Rebbetzin Fraida, the Alter Rebbe’s daughter, was an illustrious woman and was very dear to her father, who would recite Chassidus privately for her. Her brother, the Mitteler Rebbe, would give her a question in Chassidus to ask their father, and then hide in the room to listen to the answer.

Rebbetzin Fraida, a daughter of the Alter Rebbe, was an illustrious woman and was very dear to her father, who would recite Chassidus privately for her. Her brother, the Mitteler Rebbe, would often ask his sister Fraida to ask their father a question about Chassidus, and then he would hide in the room to listen.

Rebbetzin Fraida married R. Eliyahu Schneerson. She passed away on the 17th of Sivan,  תקע”ג (1813), and is buried in Haditch near her father.

*

In a letter to her brother, the Mitteler Rebbe, Rebbetzin Fraida explained the meaning of the “kaitz” and the avoda required to usher it in:

The geulah is a great spiritual revelation which will cause everyone to perceive Hashem as the only true existence (Yichuda Ila’a). “Kaitz” refers to the end of material wants – as the posuk says, “kaitz kol basar,” the end of all flesh – which is necessary to perceive Elokus. In preparation, we need to reduce our material desires through Iskafya.

In his Reshimos, the Rebbe explains that to achieve this “Kaitz” and rid oneself completely of physical wants, one must have bittul to a Rebbe. The people of Ephraim “calculated the kaitz” on their own and left Mitzrayim without Moshe. They therefore fell amongst the frivolous and degrading Plishtim, since yeshus actually leads to becoming selfish and undignified. Their dry bones were ultimately revived by Yechezkel, who was a humble prophet.

*

On one occasion of private Chassidus from the Alter Rebbe to Rebbetzin Fraida, when the Mitteler Rebbe was hiding in the room, the Alter Rebbe spoke about the bigdei kehuna (the clothing of the kohanim).  

When it seemed to the Mitteler Rebbe that his father was concluding without having explained the avneit (the belt), the Mitteler Rebbe quickly took off his gartel and threw it towards his sister.  

Fraida took the cue, and asked the Alter Rebbe “Is there no explanation about the avneit?” The Rebbe responded, “It seems that someone else is in the room besides the two of us…”

*

For sources, visit TheWeeklyFarbrengen.com