Neos Deshe (Summer Retreats)

The term "Neos Deshe" was used by our Rebbeim in many sichos regarding summer travel to "datche" (vacation resorts and healing spots), based on the possuk in Tehillim: "In lush meadows (Bneos Deshe) He lays me down, beside tranquil waters He leads me."

By Our Rebbeim

Our Rebbeim would periodically travel to Neos Deshe during the summer months to change their environment, gather strength, and improve their health.

The Rebbe Rashab

The first time the Rebbe Rashab traveled to Neos Deshe near Lubavitch was in 1895. While the revealed reason was his weakened health, the Frierdiker Rebbe later shared that the true reason was that the Rebbe Rashab wanted to be together with him and dedicate time to his personal chinuch. During their two-hour walks in Neos Deshe, he revealed his holy decision to personally guide his son's education. The schedule of walks was kept with extreme precision, even on rainy and gloomy days. During these walks, the Rebbe Rashab devoted himself to educating his son, guiding him and revealing lofty concepts.

The Rebbe Rashab would come to Lubavitch from Neos Deshe every Monday. On Thursday, 12 Tammuz, his son the Frierdiker Rebbe's birthday, they would wake up early, immerse in the river, and travel to the Ohel of our Rebbeim in Lubavitch. There, in front of the open Aron Kodesh, he had his son take an oath and transferred to him the work of communal activities in physical and spiritual matters.

When traveling to Neos Deshe, the Rebbe Rashab would read Tikkun Leil Shavuos for the second time, and when traveling about four parsaos, he would command to stop, wash his hands, and recite Tefilas Haderech.

When traveling to Neos Deshe in summer, he would pack the holy manuscripts and take them with him. The places where the Rebbe would travel for summer Neos Deshe (datche) varied. In his later years, he would travel to Zalshe, about thirty kilometers from Lubavitch. The journey from Lubavitch to Zalshe was by wagon. When traveling, he would take with him, besides other items, his manuscripts in two boxes, and when the wagon driver would load them onto the wagon, the Rebbe would stand in the courtyard supervising the entire time.

The Frierdiker Rebbe

In 1937-1938, the Frierdiker Rebbe was in poor health, and following doctors' orders, he traveled several times to rest in Neos Deshe in Perchtoldsdorf, Austria. During his stay there, the Rebbe would visit him frequently, during which they would discuss Torah and Chassidus, and the Rebbe received instructions regarding communal affairs.

The doctors forbade the Frierdiker Rebbe from exerting himself and instructed him to rest from intellectual Torah study. Because of this, the Frierdiker Rebbe used one of the opportunities when his son-in-law visited to sit and play chess with him. At a farbrengen on 11 Nissan 1947, during the Rebbe's visit to Paris, the Rebbe related that after the first round, the Frierdiker Rebbe thought the Rebbe was manipulating the game to let him win. Therefore, the Frierdiker Rebbe requested another round, which the Rebbe won.

In 1941, at Neos Deshe near New York, the Frierdiker Rebbe related: The custom in Lubavitch when traveling to Neos Deshe was to travel in the evening, stop along the way, farbreng in the field on the grass, and arrive at Neos Deshe by dawn. When my father would arrive at Neos Deshe, he would remove his outer garments and remain in his tallis katan, sit down and spread out the tallis katan, saying "This is recovery."

On this occasion, he explained the spiritual aspect of Neos Deshe - it means a house of grass, referring to how grass grows individually. In a "house" one learns and davens, but one is busy with people. In Neos Deshe, the kal vachomer is by itself, what one is immersed in, the concept of "his heart was elevated in the ways of Hashem" - serving with joy.

From 1941-1944, the Frierdiker Rebbe traveled to Neos Deshe at a recovery home in Morristown, New Jersey for about a month. During this time, the Rebbe would occasionally travel for several hours to visit him.

The Rebbe

The Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach throughout his entire nesius never went on vacation or traveled to Neos Deshe. The only exceptions were his three extraordinary visits to Camp Gan Israel and Camp Emunah in the Catskill Mountains in 1956, 1957, and 1960. During his visits to camp, the Rebbe toured the camp grounds and afterwards washed for a seudas mitzvah and special farbrengen. The Rebbe's sichos from these visits were published in the sefer "B'Neos Deshe" by Kehot.

It is told that one of the elder chassidim once asked the Rebbe why he doesn't go on vacation from time to time, as the previous Chabad Rebbes would occasionally go to Neos Deshe to change their environment and gather strength. The Rebbe smiled and answered that in previous generations, the chassidim were immersed in learning and davening so the Rebbe could allow himself to go on vacation, but in our generation the chassidim go on vacation so at least the Rebbe needs to remain at his post.

Once the mazkir Rabbi Eliyahu Quint asked the Rebbe why he doesn't go on vacation. The Rebbe replied with a smile: "If you can find me a 'replacement' while I'm on vacation, I can go."

Once the Rebbetzin sat down on a lounge chair on the porch. The Rebbe also came to the porch and related the customs of the Rebbes in "datche" during summer days, and afterwards said: "Far dem yahr, hab ich shoin yotzei geven datche" (For this year, I have already fulfilled my obligation of datche).

Instructions and Customs

Extended entry - Days of Vacation

• Utilize time in vacation cities to act and influence the entire environment in matters of Yiddishkeit, Torah and mitzvos, and strive to bring Jewish hearts closer to their Father in Heaven.
• It is obvious that one should not conduct themselves in a way of "going where no one knows them and doing whatever their heart desires."
• It is a great mitzvah to publicize in the "countries" that the "laws of tznius" in Shulchan Aruch are not only for winter days but also for summer days, not only in the city but also in the "country," and not only for children but also for adults.
• There is already an established order in several yeshivos that they travel to "country" for fresh air together with the students, teachers and Roshei Yeshiva, and continue there with the yeshiva schedule, thus fulfilling both "for Hashem" and "for yourselves." Therefore: Travel to "country" together with the yeshivos, with the teachers and students (and similarly for female students), as long as there is no lack in Torah study and mitzvah observance, and on the contrary, that it should increase even more.