The letters sent by Harav Levi Yitzchok Schneerson to his son, the Rebbe, in the days leading up to his wedding were printed with a clear and understandable explanation in a new sefer released in time for Chof Av.
In connection with his father’s Hilula in 5744, the Rebbe wrote in a Michtov-Kloli (free translation): “I have the personal responsibility and great privilege to request and ask etc. that on Chof Av, the yahrtzeit of my father, to learn from his Torah at a farbrengen and to donate to tzedaka in honor of his Neshama.”
Now, in time for Chof Av, the 77th Hilula of HaRav HaGaon R’ Levi Yitzchok Schneerson zt”l, the Rebbe’s father – a new sefer elaborating on his Torah novellae has been published.
This newly-published sefer, entitled “Yalkut Levi Yitzchok – Michtavei HaChasunah”, employs the same style used in the “Yalkut Levi Yitzchok al HaTorah” series (five volumes to date, covering parshiyos Bereishis through Mishpotim, with a sixth one in the works), and includes insights and pirushim that R’ Levi Yitzchok wrote in his correspondence with the Rebbe before his upcoming Chasunah on Yud Daled Kislev 5689, and beyond it, as well as other places in his seforim which speak of the same themes.
It also is the beginning of their correspondence spanning many years (which appears in “Likkutei Levi Yitzchok – Igros Kodesh”, and some of which has subsequently appeared in the Rebbe’s “Reshimos” and other sources), as the Rebbe left Russia after Simchas Torah of 5688, and unfortunately never saw his father afterwards.
Indeed, the sefer also includes R’ Levi Yitzchok’s letters to the Rebbe which were only discovered in recent years, and appeared in the kuntres “Michtovei HaChasunah”, Kehos, 5759.
The current volume with over 450 pages, provides both the letters in their original form as well as as they appear elucidated, alongside interesting facsimiles, including the Shtar HaTenaim from the Rebbe’s Chasunah, and facsimiles of the letters written by R’ Levi Yitzchok and his brother R’ Shmuel Schneerson, to the Rebbe, and is published by Kehot Publication Society, the Chabad-Lubavitch publishing arm.
Compiled by Rabbi Dovid Dubov, shliach to Princeton, New Jersey, and author of the “Yalkut Levi Yitzchok al HaTorah” series, the sefer, as the volumes which precede it, “opens up” and develops R’ Levi Yitzchok’s unique style in Torah to the reader.
Complete with punctuation, new paragraph subdivisions, numerous annotations and sources from Chazal, Kabbalah, and Sifrei Chassidus, it deciphers and explains Kabbalistic concepts and gematriyos, as well as appendices which discuss where the concepts discussed therein – are to be found throughout the seforim “Likkutei Levi Yitzchok” and “Toras Levi Yitzchok”, complementing those in the current sefer.
Additional features of the sefer include:
Unknown anecdotes of the Rebbe related to his chasunah (in the “Mavoi”).
An encompassing treatment of the days on or around Yud Daled Kislev, throughout the years of the Rebbe’s Nesius. This includes Sichos or Maamorim associated to the Rebbe’s chasunah and the wedding of a nossi, as well as letters of Rebbetzin Chana and Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, and the Rebbe’s maynos to individuals, on the above themes.
A full Kuntres, of 100-plus pages, in the same style of the “Yalkut Levi Yitzchok” series, on the brief “Reshima Al HaMaasar” that R’ Levi Yitzchok wrote about his golus, wherein he connects the various numbers and names of the places with his name, all according to Kabalah. This too is followed by a an appendix which discuss where the concepts discussed therein – are to be found throughout the seforim “Likkutei Levi Yitzchok” and “Toras Levi Yitzchok”, complementing those in the Kuntres. The Kuntres appears with some additions to the one which appeared two years ago.
The new sefer includes facsimiles of R’ Levi Yitzchok’s original ksav yad along the margins of his Zohar – incorporating the whole of ‘siman 90’ found therein. The preface also includes several rarely-known anecdotes connected to the saintly mechaber.
A few hundred copies of the sefer were distributed as a teshura to the Shluchim of the Former Soviet Union at their regional “Kinus HaShluchim” in Almaty, Kazakhstan – where R’ Levi Yitzchok is buried – this past week.
The sefer is available for purchase in Kehos of Eretz Yisroel, and will arrive in the United States in the next month or so.
A booklet-sampling from the new volume which includes the first Michtov written to the Rebbe, as well as the telegram on the day of the Chasunah which R’ Levi Yitzchok wrote in precisely 101 words – has also been released and distributed this week in New York.
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