The Rebbe’s Tears at All the Lost Potential

Addressing a group of bochurim and mashpiim on Erev Rosh Hashana, the Rebbe spoke, with his eyes closed, about the lost potential for ‘uforatzto’ throughout the previous year. As he ended, tears streamed down his face.

Erev Rosh Hashana 5719. Rabbi Chodakov summoned a group of bochurim to enter the Rebbe’s room. They were joined by Reb Shmuel Levitin, Reb Yisroel Jacobson, Reb Binyomin Goredetzky, Reb Sholom Morozov, and Rabbi Chodakov.

When they entered, the Rebbe looked at everyone, then closed his eyes and began to speak. “From the beginning of the year I spoke about ‘uforatzto,’ and throughout the entire time, I haven’t seen any movement. I don’t know the reason for this, and it makes no difference.

“What more can I do? I spoke, begged, wrote, once, twice, up to ten times. And throughout the years, perhaps a hundred times. L’poiel, nothing has happened. Not in communal matters, and not in personal matters. And in the personal matters, people were involved in the pettiest things.

“Especially in general matters, uforatzo did happen. Everyone was involved in tzimtzum – more tzimtzum, less tzimtzum. And today is the last day of the year 5719.

“The only way to utilize the lost potential of 5719,” the Rebbe said, “is to continue the year until Yom Kippur. This can be accomplished by having 24-hour shifts of two or three people up, learning and saying Tehillim…”

As the Rebbe spoke, his eyes remained closed. Towards the end, the Rebbe began weeping, and tears streamed down his face. He lay his head on his hands and wiped his face with a handkerchief.

(Yoman – Sichos Kodesh 5719)

From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash