Editing The Mitteler Rebbe (section)

== Histalkus (Passing) ==
Before his histalkus, the Mitteler Rebbe hinted to the chassidim about it by saying that 5588 would be a year of gezeiros (decrees). Before the Tishrei holidays of 5588, he left Lubavitch to visit his father's tziyun (gravesite) in Haditch. During the return journey, he became very ill, and they stopped to rest in Nezhin. His illness grew worse day by day, and he would faint whenever touched. This condition continued until 8 Kislev. On that day, he wanted to write Chassidus about Chanukah matters, but since the world was in tzaar (distress), he didn't want to indulge in writing Chassidus and therefore didn't write. Instead, he told his chassidim to go home b'simcha (with joy) and say "l'chaim". During the night, he fainted many times, and when he awoke, he requested to be dressed in a white kittel. His face reddened, and he began praising and finding merit for all of Klal Yisrael. He again requested the chassidim to be joyful, saying that simcha sweetens dinim (harsh decrees).

On the eve of Wednesday, 9 Kislev 5588, the Mitteler Rebbe began saying a chassidic discourse with great hislahavus (enthusiasm) on the possuk "Acharei Hashem teileichu" (After Hashem you shall follow). Toward dawn, he concluded the maamar with the words "ki imcha mekor chaim mechayei hachaim" (for with You is the source of life from the Life of life) and was nistalek at age 54. His honorable resting place is in Nezhin.
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The Mitteler Rebbe left a Sefer Torah that was inherited by his son Rabbi Menachem Nachum and from there to his grandchildren, the Popka family; R' Yitzchak Chaim Popka and R' Mordechai DovBer Popka. Today, the Sefer Torah is kept in the "Beis Torah Damesek Eliezer" synagogue in Flatbush.

==== Explanation of His Histalkus on His Birthday ====
The Mitteler Rebbe was nistalek on his birthday, 9 Kislev. The Rebbe (the Lubavitcher Rebbe) noted regarding this the Chazal's statement that "HaKadosh Baruch Hu sits and fills the years of tzaddikim from day to day and from month to month, as it says: 'The number of your days I shall fill'" - from which we see there is a special quality when a tzaddik's histalkus occurs on his birthday, making his years and days complete. The Rebbe adds that all tzaddikim have this quality of Hashem filling their years, but for most, it isn't visible in the physical realm. This was the special quality of the Mitteler Rebbe - that this concept was expressed even in gashmiyus (physicality).
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This aspect fits with his avodah throughout his life - to bring the highest concepts of Chassidus even into physical flesh and material matters. As his son-in-law, the Tzemach Tzedek, expressed: "If they would cut my father-in-law's finger, Chassidus would flow instead of blood." He influenced his chassidim in this direction as well, stating that his desire was "that when two young men meet in the marketplace, they should discuss Chassidus," and that "when young men understand Kesser like they understand their five fingers, I will have satisfaction from this."
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