The Rebbe Accepting The Nesius: Difference between revisions

The Rebbe's nesius began after the histalkus (passing) of his father-in-law, the Frierdiker (Previous) Rebbe, on Yud Shvat 5710. From that day, the Rebbe began leading, but for a full year, he refused to formally accept the position. As time went on and Chassidim increasingly beseeched the Rebbe to formally accept the nesius, he gradually softened his refusal, until one year later on Motzei Yud Shvat (the night of Yud Alef Shvat), at a farbrengen marking the Frierdiker Rebbe's yohrtzeit, the Rebbe said the maamar "Basi LeGani" and thereby formally accepted the Chabad nesius.

After the histalkus of the Frierdiker Rebbe on Shabbos Kodesh Parshas Bo, Yud Shvat 5710, with the levaya taking place the next day on Sunday, Yud Alef Shvat, the prominent Chassidim were certain that the Rebbe (then known as "the Ramash") was destined to be the Frierdiker Rebbe's successor.

Extensive work was done by Chassidim worldwide to encourage the Rebbe to accept the nesius. This activity was led by prominent Chassidim across the globe:

These Chassidim enthusiastically supported the Rebbe's nesius and influenced Chabad Chassidim in America, Eretz HaKodesh, and worldwide to accept the Rebbe's leadership. Simultaneously, these mentioned Chassidim worked to have Chabad institutions accept the Rebbe's nesius.

On Motzei Yud Alef Shvat 5710, shortly after the levaya, a gathering of Chassidim took place in 770.

The senior Chassidim wrote to prominent Chassidim in Eretz HaKodesh: "The rabbonim of anash explained at length how all anash, regardless of age, unanimously agreed that the Rebbe Ramash shlita is worthy to fill the position of the Rebbe, to continue the nesius and lead the Chassidic community until Moshiach comes speedily in our days."

On Sunday evening, 11 Shvat 5710, following the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus, Chabad Chassidim gathered at the Chabad shul in Nachalat Binyamin, Tel Aviv. Before this assembly, a preliminary unplanned meeting was held at Rabbi Eliezer Krasik's home, attended by senior Chassidim who had merited to be in the presence of the Rebbe Rashab and Frierdiker Rebbe.

During the assembly, tears flowed freely, but discussion turned to next steps. All unanimously decided: The Ramash must be crowned as Rebbe. Rabbi Avrohom Paris stood and declared: "Rabbosai, I know the Ramash. I worked with him in the same room for ten years, desk next to desk. I barely worked - I just watched what he does. And I tell you he hides himself, he deceives us all. I tell you - he is the Rebbe!"

In the months after the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus, large crowds packed the small zal to hear the Rebbe's farbrengens. Some suggested building a bima for the Rebbe's table so more could see, but feared the Rebbe wouldn't agree.

The first time the bima was set up, Chassidim worried the Rebbe would refuse to use it since he hadn't yet accepted the nesius. To their surprise, the Rebbe came to the farbrengen, went up on the bima, sat at the elevated table, and began the farbrengen.

On 26 Teves, New York Jewish newspapers published that Chabad Chassidim had accepted the Rebbe as the Frierdiker Rebbe's successor. The articles mentioned ksivei hiskashrus given to the Ramash and that formal acceptance would be on Yud Shvat 5711. When the Rebbe learned of this, he asked Rav Chodakov to publish a denial in all newspapers. Rav Chodakov told the elder Chassidim, who pleaded with the Rebbe not to publish the denial. Only after much begging did the Rebbe agree. A week later, on 3 Shvat, official notices were published about the upcoming acceptance of nesius.

On the yohrtzeit of Yud Shvat 5711, representatives of Chabad communities in America and Canada came to give ksivei hiskashrus on behalf of their communities.

Similar ksivei hiskashrus arrived from Paris, European countries, Yerushalayim, Australia, South Africa, Morocco and elsewhere.

Before the acceptance of nesius, telegrams arrived from gedolei harabbonim and rabbinic organizations: Agudas HaRabbonim of America and Canada, the Chief Rabbis of Eretz HaKodesh, leaders of the Eidah HaChareidis in Yerushalayim, the Association of Russian Refugee Rabbis in Eretz HaKodesh, the Vaad HaYeshivos in Eretz Yisroel, the Gaon of Tchebin, Rav Charlap, Rav Meltzer, and Chabad institutions worldwide.

Senior Chassidim desperately wanted the Rebbe to accept the nesius. His continued refusal led them to hold secret meetings discussing how to arouse the Rebbe's ratzon to accept. At one meeting, they decided a minyan of anash would go to the Frierdiker Rebbe's Ohel and read a general pan on behalf of all Chassidim worldwide, requesting the Frierdiker Rebbe influence the Rebbe to accept the nesius.

* Farbrengening every Shabbos Mevorchim, and from Shabbos Mevorchim Cheshvan every second Shabbos

On Motzei Yud Shvat 5711, at 9:45, the Rebbe entered the farbrengen marking the first yohrtzeit of the Frierdiker Rebbe. The Rebbe began with words about strengthening hiskashrus to the Frierdiker Rebbe. In the second sicha, the Rebbe hinted at accepting the nesius, speaking about the American custom when starting something new - to make a "declaration." Related to this, he gave a "declaration" about ahavas Hashem, ahavas haTorah, and ahavas Yisroel.

Afterwards in the zal there was tremendous simcha, as everyone danced and rejoiced that "we have a Rebbe."

On Thursday Yud Alef Shvat, the Rebbe arrived at 770 wearing a sirtuk. After davening, the Rebbe asked Rav Yehuda Leib Groner to call secretaries Rav Chodakov and Rav Mindel to his room. The Rebbe said they needed new letterhead and asked for suggestions. They proposed replacing the Frierdiker Rebbe's name with the Rebbe's, but the Rebbe said this wasn't enough change. The Rebbe wanted 770's address to appear at the top, in Yiddish and English. The final text read: "Office of K'vod K'dushas Admur Menachem Mendel Shlita Schneerson."

Shortly after, Rabbis Simpson, Jacobson, Levitin and Kazarnovsky were called to the Rebbe's room. The Rebbe asked them to arrange transfer of the Frierdiker Rebbe's library to his authority, explaining the nesius wasn't complete without this. Weeks later, Rav Simpson arranged a meeting to tell the Rebbe they'd gotten him a key to access the library. The Rebbe struck the table in disapproval saying, "This you call an achievement?! Until the library is under my authority, my leadership isn't complete!"

After formally accepting the nesius on Yud Shvat 5711, Chabad institutions sought the Rebbe's leadership. A special meeting was held in New York with senior Chassidim including Rabbis Jacobson, Ashkenazi, Gordon, Simpson, Kazarnovsky, Haskin, Zalmanoff and Mentlik. They decided all institutions should be under the Rebbe's nesius and created general regulations stating: "The Nosi is K'vod K'dushas Admur Shlita and documents should be printed with: Founded by K'vod K'dushas Admur Rabbi Shalom DovBer and his son K'vod K'dushas Admur Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak of Lubavitch, under the nesius of K'vod K'dushas Admur of Lubavitch Rabbi Menachem Mendel Shlita Schneerson."

After accepting nesius, the Rebbe founded new organizations and mosdos in multiple countries:

All these institutions operated under the Rebbe's nesius.

The Rebbe began saying maamarim - a practice reserved only for a Rebbe in Chabad. Unlike previous Chabad Rebbeim, the Rebbe didn't write his maamarim himself. From the first "Basi LeGani," he instructed Rav Yoel Kahan to transcribe and submit for editing. Chassidim would review and write down the maamarim themselves. The Rebbe only edited some of the maamarim and sichos, with the editing schedule changing several times over the years.