Editing The Rebbe Accepting The Nesius

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.

= Background =
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.

= Senior Chassidim's Activities for Accepting the Nesius =
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:

In America: Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson, Rabbi Yisroel Jacobson, Rabbi Shneur Zalman Gurary, Rabbi Shmuel Zalmanoff, Rabbi Shmuel Levitin, Rabbi Shlomo Aharon Kazarnovsky, Rabbi DovBer Haskin, and Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi.

In Eretz HaKodesh: Rabbi Eliezer Karasik, Rabbi Moshe Gurary, Rabbi Shmerel Gurary, Rabbi Avrohom Paris, Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, Rabbi Avrohom Chen, and Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Naeh.

In Europe: Rabbi Nissan Nemenov, Rabbi Yisroel Noach Blinitzky, Rabbi Avrohom Sender Nemtzov, and Rabbi Saadya Liberow.

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.

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

Rabbi Eliyahu Simpson - the Frierdiker Rebbe's gabbai - spoke about the obligation to continue the chain of Chabad Rebbes and strengthen the connection to Beis Chayeinu (770). In meetings held after the histalkus, Rabbi Simpson was among the first to encourage anash (Chassidim) to request and demand that "the Ramash" accept the burden of Chabad leadership.

In the year following the histalkus, Rabbi Simpson frequently entered for yechidus (private audience) with the Rebbe to discuss accepting the nesius, transferring the Frierdiker Rebbe's library to the Rebbe's authority, and other sensitive and crucial matters related to Beis HaRav (the Rebbe's family).

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."

= Acceptance of Nesius by Aguch in Eretz HaKodesh =
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!"

= The Rebbe's Initial Refusal =
In the months following the histalkus, Chassidim worldwide wrote ksivei hiskashrus (letters of connection) to the Rebbe. Some were communal letters signed by entire communities, others were personal. Despite this, the Rebbe refused to accept the nesius.

= Signs of Agreement =
Gradually, signs emerged that the Rebbe might accept:

=== Building a Bima for 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.

Despite concerns, Rav Simpson decided the crowd must be able to see the Rebbe. Using his golden hands (inherited from his father), he built a low bima that could be quickly assembled and disassembled to save space.

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.

=== Newspaper Announcements ===
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.

=== Ksivei Hiskashrus Yud Shvat 5711 ===
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.

=== Congratulatory Telegrams ===
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.

= Minyan at the Ohel =
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.

The delegation traveled to the Ohel on Beis Iyar, the Rebbe Maharash's birthday. Among the elder Chassidim were: Rav Jacobson, Rav Kazarnovsky and Rav Simpson, along with prominent yungeleit including Rav Berel Baumgarten and Rav Yosef Weinberg.

Rav Simpson read the pan on behalf of the group requesting a hora'ah. Indeed, from then on they no longer heard the Rebbe say "he has no hora'ah."

== Ya'amod Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu ==
Throughout this period, Rav Dovid Raskin would call people up to the Torah. When calling the Rebbe, he would say "Ya'amod" loudly, then whisper "Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu," before continuing with the Rebbe's name aloud. On Simchas Torah, there was a change - Rav Alter Dovber Chaskind read the "Reshus for Chosson Bereishis." When he reached the words "V'ata Kum," he burst into tears and called out loudly "Ya'amod Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu HaRav..." saying the Rebbe's name.

In Kislev and Teves, hints could be found in the Rebbe's sichos and conduct that he was willing to accept the nesius, though not very overtly.

Rav Groner in his letter from those days lists several behaviors showing progress toward accepting the nesius:

* Accepting people for yechidus
* Agreeing to be called to Torah as "Adoneinu Moreinu V'Rabbeinu"
* Not protesting when Chassidim write "K'vod K'dushas Admur Shlita"
* Mofsim occurring in healing and other matters
* Answering questions on gashmius and ruchnius
* Farbrengening every Shabbos Mevorchim, and from Shabbos Mevorchim Cheshvan every second Shabbos

= Formal Acceptance Event =
On Motzei Yud Shvat 5711, at 9:45 PM, the Rebbe entered the farbrengen marking the first yohrtzeit. He began discussing strengthening hiskashrus to the Frierdiker Rebbe. In the second sicha, he hinted at accepting the nesius by discussing the American custom of making a "declaration."

At 10:40 PM, the Rebbe began the maamar "Basi LeGani," explaining the seventh generation's role (referring to himself as the seventh Rebbe from the Alter Rebbe) in bringing the Shechina down to this world and bringing the geulah (redemption).