Yud-Gimmel Elul: The Frierdiker Rebbe’s Chassunah

Today, Yud-Gimmel Elul, marks the anniversary of the Frierdiker Rebbe‘s chassunah in 5657 (1897).

When the time came for the Frierdiker Rebbe to get married, three prospective shidduchim were presented. Two were daughters of wealthy chassidim, while the third was Nechama Dina, daughter of Reb Avrohom Schneersohn of Kishinev. The Schneersohn family of Kishinev was not wealthy, but the Rebbe Rashab chose this shidduch because he wanted his son to marry within the family.

Reb Avrohom Schneersohn was the son of Reb Yisroel Noach of Nyezhin, son of the Tzemach Tzedek.

The tena’im were signed on 28 Sivan 5656 (1896). Because the kallah was only fifteen years old at the time, however, the wedding was delayed until the following year. The city chosen for the chassunah was Lubavitch, home of the chosson and the Rabbeim.

Yud-Gimmel Elul that year fell on a Friday. In those days, as was customary in many Jewish homes, weddings were often held on Friday, with the festive wedding meal combined with the Friday night meal. In this case, the meal took place immediately following the chuppah.

That morning, the Rebbe Rashab placed the shtreimel on the Frierdiker Rebbe’s head and instructed him to make the brochoh of Shehecheyonu.

Following the chuppah, the chosson and kallah were led amid singing and dancing to the wedding meal, which took place in the big zal. During the meal, the Rebbe Rashab walked around together with three chassidim, distributing mashkeh. The Rebbe poured l’chaim for each person and said l’chaim with them. He also said the maamar “Samach Tesamach.”

The newlywed couple lived in an apartment attached to the Rebbe Rashab’s home in Lubavitch.

Throughout the week of sheva brochos, the Rebbe Rashab delivered a maamar at each meal. These maamarim were later compiled into the sefer Maamar Samach Tesamach, 5657.

On 15 Elul, during one of the sheva brochos, the Rebbe Rashab announced his plan to establish a yeshivah in which the study of nigleh and Chassidus would be combined. That yeshivah would ultimately become known as Tomchei Tmimim.

In his sicha of Yud-Gimmel Elul 5748 (1988), the Rebbe spoke about the unique hashpa’ah of this day. The Rebbe explained that every year, on Yud-Gimmel Elul, the hashpa’ah that took place on that day in 5657, when the Frierdiker Rebbe got married, is renewed. It is not merely a commemoration of something that happened in the past. The hashpa’ah of Yud-Gimmel Elul comes down again each year and becomes greater with every passing year.