The Seven Branches of the Menorah - The Kanim
The "Seven Branches of the Menorah" is a concept that the Rebbe introduced in the early years of his nesius (leadership). Its purpose was to have seven bochurim in yeshiva who excel in learning nigleh (revealed Torah) and seven talmidim who excel in learning Chassidus.
History of the Concept[edit | edit source]
In early Kislev 5719, during a routine yechidus with the hanhala of the Central Tomchei Tmimim Yeshiva, the Rebbe requested that they select the "Seven Branches of the Menorah" - meaning seven bochurim who are more inclined and suited to learning nigleh and excel in it, and seven bochurim who are more inclined and suited to learning Chassidus and excel in it.
Immediately after the yechidus, the hanhala chose the "branches" - Rav Mordechai Mentlik selected the nigleh branches and Rav Yoel Kahan selected the Chassidus branches.
A week after that yechidus with the yeshiva hanhala, the Rebbe called the chosen bochurim for a yechidus and explained to them the great zechus they had received, and on the other hand, the great responsibility. During the yechidus, the Rebbe also explained what was required of them as "Seven Branches" to influence others through their learning and the other talmidim of the yeshiva.
The branches would add an extra hour of learning each day - the Chassidus branches would learn maamarim of the Rebbe Maharash, and the nigleh branches would learn various masechtos.
The day after the farbrengen, the Rebbe sent a note to Rav Mordechai Mentlik requesting that the bochurim participating in the "branches" give shiurim to the yeshiva. From then on, it became a minhag in 770 that every Friday afternoon there would be a nigleh shiur given by one of the nigleh "branches" and every Friday night there would be a Chassidus shiur given by one of the Chassidus "branches".
Two weeks later at the Yud Tes Kislev farbrengen, the Rebbe requested that all the chosen bochurim say l'chaim and mentioned their names. After they said l'chaim, the Rebbe asked them to start a niggun, and they began singing "Ufaratzta" to the tune of Ki Elokim.
The Rebbe also demanded that they write their chiddushim and print them in a kovetz pilpulim. Indeed, two days after the first kovetz appeared, the Rebbe mentioned it at the Shavuos 5719 farbrengen.
The Rebbe wanted the minhag of the Seven Branches to spread to other yeshivos and sent a letter on 12 Sivan to the hanhala of the yeshiva in Lod, including the kovetz pilpulim, requesting them to adopt the idea.
When one of the 'branches' wrote to the Rebbe about feelings of gaavah (pride) he was experiencing as a result, the Rebbe dismissed this and wrote to him that the yeshus comes "from the chometz in a person, and not chas v'shalom from learning Torah and Chassidus."
In Chassidus[edit | edit source]
- Yehuda Leib Alevsky - The Rebbe's shliach in Cleveland, Ohio
- Aharon Chitrik - Member of Otzar HaChassidim editorial board
- Mordechai Leib Chein - Member of World Chabad Center for Greeting Moshiach Tzidkeinu management
- Betzalel Jacobson
- Yisroel Chaim Lazar - Crown Heights resident
- Alter Shneur Zalman Lipsker - Among the Rebbe's shluchim in Philadelphia
- Shmarya Roitblat - Mashgiach in Chassidus at Tomchei Tmimim Ohalei Torah Crown Heights
In Nigleh[edit | edit source]
- Yosef Yeshaya Abrams - Rosh Yeshiva of Miami Yeshiva Gedola
- Moshe Bogomilsky - Member of Central Lubavitch Rabbinical Committee
- Peretz Feigenson - Chairman of Torah Classes Committee of Central Tzeirei Agudas Chabad
- Yisroel Friedman - Rosh Yeshiva of Tomchei Tmimim Ohalei Torah Crown Heights
- Avraham Korf - The Rebbe's shliach in Florida
- Yitzchok Raitport - Dayan in Crown Heights Beis Din Tzedek
- Avraham Shem Tov - The Rebbe's shliach to Philadelphia
Further Reading[edit | edit source]
Rav Shalom Yehuda Leib Ginzburg, "Avinu Malkeinu", Hatamim System 5771