Meals in the Home of the Frierdiker Rebbe

During the Frierdiker Rebbe's nesius, Shabbos and Yom Tov meals were held for Beis Harav family and elder chassidim in his apartment on the second floor of 770. The Rebbe continued this custom after the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus until 5731.

Meal Proceedings

After the Frierdiker Rebbe settled in 770, he would have his Shabbos meals in the living room of his second-floor apartment. Although the Frierdiker Rebbe would say lengthy sichos at these meals, they were not part of his regular farbrengens that also took place there, but rather Shabbos meals with family and elder chassidim.

The Frierdiker Rebbe sat at the head of the table, with the Rashag to his right and the Rebbe to his left, surrounded by additional chassidim. The Rebbetzins and other women sat at a table set up in the kitchen. The meals took place on Rosh Hashanah, Motzei Yom Kippur, Sukkos, Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, first and last days of Pesach, and Shavuos.

This arrangement continued after the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus, with plates, cutlery, a cup, and challos still being set at the Frierdiker Rebbe's place. Once when the Rebbe was asked why this seating arrangement continued as before, he replied that it evokes memories of how things were before the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus.

It is told that once when cutlery was missing for one person and they took from the Frierdiker Rebbe's setting, Rebbetzin Nechama Dina protested and ordered that her husband's cutlery be returned immediately.

After Shacharis on the first day of Pesach 5710 - after the Frierdiker Rebbe's histalkus, the Rebbe expressed disappointment that now when entry was permitted to all, people weren't taking advantage of the opportunity to eat the afikoman in the place where the Frierdiker Rebbe conducted the Seder for nearly ten years.

The Rebbe spoke very little, mainly responding to questions asked of him, and spent most of the time looking at the Frierdiker Rebbe's prepared place. Sometimes the Rebbe would instruct someone to tell a story or sing a niggun. The bochurim would often ask the Rashag to pose certain questions to the Rebbe.

Additional Details

The Rebbe would enter for the meal 15-20 minutes after davening ended. At the Seder, the door would be opened after the Rebbe entered to allow bochurim and chassidim to enter. In 5727, due to crowding at the first Seder that caused the table to collapse, it was announced that entry would only be permitted after bentching, before Shfoch Chamascha. In 5729, due to extreme crowding, the Rebbe directed that temimim would no longer be allowed to participate at all, though following Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka's words, the Rebbe permitted only Kvutza students to be present. At the final Seder held there in 5730, the Rebbe said that since the "doorkeeper" wasn't present, everyone would be allowed to enter.

On Motzei Yom Kippur 5729, Reb Chaim Baruch Halberstam photographed the Rebbe but later in the meal the Rebbe sent a messenger telling Reb Chaim Baruch that photographs downstairs (in the main zal) were sufficient.

In addition to these meals, on Yud Tes Kislev, Purim and Yud Beis Tammuz, there was a brief farbrengen there with the Rebbe, a few chassidim and Beis Rebbe before the Rebbe's main farbrengen. They would sing a niggun and someone would share something, but the Rebbe didn't speak at these farbrengens. These farbrengens were a continuation of the Frierdiker Rebbe's farbrengens that took place on these days. These farbrengens were not known among the chassidim, who did not participate.

The Rebbe discontinued this custom in 5731, after the passing of Rebbetzin Nechama Dina, the Frierdiker Rebbe's wife, on the tenth of Teves that year. This also led to the cancellation of the occasion where the Rebbe would explain passages in the Haggadah after the Seder, and the Matan Torah maamar which the Rebbe would say in the early morning hours after saying Tikkun Leil Shavuos in his room, to which he would go after the meal.

Further Reading

• Rabbi Mordechai Menashe Laufer, Hamelech BiMesibo (The King at His Table), two volumes, Kehot Publication Branch in Kfar Chabad, 5753. A record of the Rebbe's words at these meals
• Vaad Talmidei HaTemimim HaOlami, Hamelech BiMesibo, within Kovetz L'Chizuk HaHiskashrus Issue 65 page 14