Palace (Armohn) for The Rebbi Melech HaMoshiach

Armohn L'Rebbi Melech HaMoshiach (Palace for the Rebbe King Moshiach) is an initiative that came from the Rebbe himself, to build a palace for the Rebbe in Kfar Chabad.

History

Reb Zusha Rivkin, a Chabad Chossid from Kfar Chabad, initiated an idea to build a house for the Rebbe in Kfar Chabad. When his brother Reb Chaim traveled to New York in 5738/1978, he asked him to present this idea to the Rebbe.

Reb Chaim entered for 'yechidus' with the Rebbe and shared the idea. The Rebbe responded, "He wants to build a house for me in Kfar Chabad?" and immediately continued with a broad smile, showing with his holy hand a decisive gesture - "Armohn!" (Palace!). Afterwards, the Rebbe continued and said, "But not as it is now. In the meantime, he should wait."

Zusha received the instruction and meanwhile approached an architect, asking him to prepare an outline plan for a palace. The plan was quickly prepared and sent to the Rebbe. The Rebbe's response was: "Received with thanks. For the time being, wait with the building." The Rebbe attached ten coins to the response: five lira coins and five half-dollar coins.

During the next decade and a half, Reb Zusha never stopped requesting the desired building permission again and again. But the Rebbe did not grant the coveted approval, responding that the time had not yet come and they should wait.

On 16 Shvat 5752/1992, Reb Zusha's wife, Mrs. Naomi Rivkin, passed before the Rebbe during a 'yechidus-klalis' and asked if her husband could begin building the palace. The Rebbe replied: 'Ask a Rav in the Holy Land.' Zusha turned to Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi, the Mara D'Asra of Kfar Chabad, and told him about the Rebbe's instruction to build a palace and to ask a Rav in the Holy Land. After clarifying the details, the Rav approved the construction. On the following Sunday, Mrs. Rivkin passed by the Rebbe during dollars distribution and told him about the Rav's agreement. The Rebbe gave her an additional dollar saying: "As the Rav instructed, so shall you do, and with much success. Blessing and success."

Now Zusha had three possible locations in Kfar Chabad for building the palace. Zusha flew to the Rebbe, and on Friday, 26 Shvat, a few minutes before 10 a.m., the time the Rebbe leaves his room for Shacharis, he waited for the Rebbe near his room with an aerial photograph marking the possible locations for building the palace: near Beis Menachem, near the Tzeirei Chabad building in Eretz Hakodesh, and near 770. The Rebbe received the photograph from Reb Zusha's hand and immediately said: "May you have abundant parnassah!" A few hours later, the Rebbe issued (through his secretary Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner) a response circling the words from his letter: "Near Beis Aguch" [=next to 770, Beis Agudas Chassidei Chabad].

Regarding the construction of the palace, the Rebbe wrote to Reb Shmuel Shmueli at the beginning of Adar Rishon 5752/1992: "Many people have houses in different countries and especially in the Holy Land as is well known and customary. The Mitteler Rebbe had a property in the Holy Land. To this day, there is a Schneersohn house in Hebron."

Laying the Cornerstone

On Erev Shabbos, Reb Zusha brought in a bottle of mashke to receive during the mashke distribution, on which was written: "For the Armohn," and during the farbrengen on Shabbos Kodesh, the Rebbe gave him the bottle while Reb Zusha did not announce what it was designated for. On Motzei Shabbos, Reb Zusha asked the Rebbe on which date to hold the cornerstone laying, and also - whether to make it a nationwide event. The Rebbe's answer was (in essence): Hold the cornerstone laying on a 'Yoma D'Pagra,' Purim Katan, and not nationwide, I will mention it at the Tziyun. Before traveling back to Eretz Yisrael, the Rivkin couple passed by the Rebbe during dollars distribution. The Rebbe gave Reb Zusha an additional dollar and said: "This is for the buildings." Afterwards, he said to his wife with a broad smile: "Surely she also participates in the buildings." Then the Rebbe gave him another dollar, a third, and said: "This is for the other buildings."

Without publicity, the news of the cornerstone laying spread by word of mouth, and many hundreds of Anash Chassidei Chabad from all over the country participated in the event. On the platform of honor sat the Rabbonim of Anash and elder Chassidim. The Rav of Kfar Chabad, Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi, and the elder of Chabad Rabbonim, Rabbi Dovid Chanzin, and the elderly Chossid Rabbi Alter Hilevitz, gave moving speeches about the privilege of building the Rebbe's estate.

Immediately after the ceremony, after midnight, Reb Zusha received a phone call from the Rebbe's secretary, Rabbi Groner, who told him that the Rebbe wanted to know who were the honored guests present at the ceremony, and whether pictures were taken. Reb Zusha replied that he would prepare a list and send it the next morning, but the secretary explained that Reb Zusha needed to answer immediately because the Rebbe was listening to the conversation. Reb Zusha immediately began listing the names of the various participants, and when he merely mentioned the name of one of the elder Chassidim, Reb Alter Hilevitz, Rabbi Groner interrupted him and said that the Rebbe was very pleased that he was there and that it was enough.

After the Cornerstone Laying

At a friendly gathering that Rabbi Zushe arranged with some of his friends, including architect Mordechai Menashe Gurlik and the local rabbi, Rabbi Ashkenazi, to discuss standards for building the Rebbe's estate, an idea arose - to build the Rebbe a house modeled after his home on President Street in Crown Heights. The Rebbe responded sharply: "If they want to build, they should consider what they want and decide. After several years they decided to ask me?! And during a farbrengen?! I will mention it at the gravesite."

An architect and engineer drew up a detailed plan of the palace, and even came to Kfar Chabad to see the designated area and decide exactly where - near 770 - the palace should be located. After a comprehensive tour of the area and examining all aspects, the architect wrote his conclusions: "The plot located west of 770 - Agudas Chassidei Chabad House - is recommended in every sense to be the estate on which the palace for the King Moshiach will be built, for the following reasons: a. The plot is suitable for the size of the building. b. The plot overlooks the entire coastal plain and can be seen for miles. It gives a sense of the meeting of heaven and earth. c. The palace built on this plot will create a beautiful and respectable square together with 770 - Agudas Chassidei Chabad House - and will be called 'King Moshiach Square'."

After a period during which Rabbi Zushe tried to advance the project alone with the help of his wife, they concluded that for the benefit of the matter, it was desirable to establish a committee, and Rabbi Zushe invited several people to join. On 26 Adar Sheni, 5752 (1992), the first meeting was held, attended by Rabbi Zev Zalmanow, Rabbi Shlomo Garbarchik, Rabbi Moshe Halperin, and Rabbi Zimroni Tzik. At the meeting, it was decided that it would also serve as a founding meeting for establishing an association. Rabbi Zev Zalmanow was appointed treasurer of the association, and they began planning with the architect.

Towards 11 Nissan 5752 (1992), there was a strong desire to begin construction before this significant day, and after much effort and running around, by Friday, 7 Nissan 5752, the foundation pillars of the palace were already in place.

In the weeks that followed, the committee gathered for discussions regarding the various functions the palace was meant to serve, what the measurements would be, etc., and decisions were made that all agreed were necessary, and a budget framework was established. At this stage, the committee decided that it was necessary to formulate a policy regarding public participation. The question was asked by the Rebbe in parallel with the submission of plans and maps. The Rebbe's response was written by secretary Rabbi Yehuda Leib Groner: "a. To his letter and what is attached to it [=the maps], he gave his consent and blessing. b. They can accept participation from the public. c. Blessing and success." In accordance with the Rebbe's response, the committee issued a call to the public to participate in the construction, and a basic participation opportunity was set at a value of 100 dollars, with each donor being promised a certificate of honor confirming their participation, alongside the perpetuation of their name in the golden book of the palace building.

Rabbi Zushe proposed to the Rebbe the possibility of selling the Rebbe's dollars in his possession to those who would donate toward building the palace, and to promise in the Rebbe's name that they would be blessed with what they need. The Rebbe agreed to the idea but stipulated that it should be for a large amount.

For various reasons, the completion of the palace's construction has been delayed until now.

In the month of Tishrei 5770 (2009), Rabbi David Deri, a resident of the Crown Heights neighborhood, established an association aimed at building the palace, following a special letter he received from the Rebbe in Igrot Kodesh. As soon as he became involved, he worked to open an internet site on the subject, after which people informed him that they were willing to assist in building the palace. These days he is working to approve the association as one that can benefit from income tax funds.

Following his appeal to the Kfar Chabad committee, the relevant parties informed him that if he succeeds in raising at least half of the money needed for construction, it would be possible to work on obtaining building permits.

On 10 Shevat 5779 (2019), a women's conference was held in Kfar Chabad, and it was decided to conduct a mass signing of people to show support for building the palace. Rabbi Shneur Lider enthusiastically joined Rabbi Shneur Schneerson of Ramat Aviv in his activities regarding the construction of the palace, and as of the month of Tammuz 5780 (2020), there are over 3,500 signatures. At the same time, it was published that there are commitments of over 10 million shekels for building the palace.

On 28 Elul 5780 (2020), the Tanya book was printed at the site.

In the year 5781 (2021), the 'Young Married Men's Committee' in Kfar Chabad began organizing a monthly Kiddush Levanah (Sanctification of the Moon) at the palace site. In the month of Adar, the Kfar Chabad committee discussed the palace issue, and in a letter written to the palace committee in the month of Sivan, it was stated that "it was decided that the approval of the Mara D'atra Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi and the Chabad Rabbinical Court must be obtained; after their approval, the general assembly will discuss it." In the month of Tammuz, a plan was received from architects Chaim Dotan and Mordechai Gurlik, dividing the work on the palace construction into three stages and proposing the work on building the palace at 60,000,000 dollars.

On 27 Tammuz 5782 (2022), Rabbi Meir Ashkenazi signed an approval for the construction of the palace.

At a gathering for the palace construction held at Beit Moshiach 770 in Tishrei 5783 (2022), Rabbi Shneur Schneerson said that in the coming months, a significant breakthrough was expected that he could not reveal, but with careful estimation, it can be assumed that this is the final stretch before construction begins. He further noted that tens of thousands of shekels were already prepared for this stage in the bank account, and reviewed some of the actions that had progressed in recent years in this regard.

For Further Reading

• What About the Palace?!, Nachshon Peretz, Beit Moshiach Weekly Magazine No. 1298 pages 22-27.
• The Evolution of the Rebbe's Approvals for Building the Palace for the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach, R' Yosef Ashkenazi, HaRav Ashkenazi (Book) Part 2

External Links

• Documentation of the cornerstone laying ceremony for the Palace from the Va'abita Niflaot archives
• Palace for Melech HaMoshiach - Article about the Palace in 'The True and Complete Redemption' newspaper Sivan 5752 (pages 3-7)
• The Palace for Melech HaMoshiach - A film documenting the history of the initiative, the Rebbe's references to the subject, and a simulation of the building (link not active, 18 Adar 5781/2021)
• Yitzchak Yehuda Holtzman, Palace for Moshiach, Kfar Chabad Weekly Adar 5772/2012, website
• M. Fried, Torah Scroll? Palace! ● A sharp opinion article
• Torah explanation: Why do we need to build a palace for the Rebbe? website
• The Palace Story ● Half a jubilee since the cornerstone
• Newspaper articles regarding the building of the Palace - Chabad Info
• Collection "Palace on its Judgment Sits," published by the Committee for Building the Palace. (Printed by Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim Beer Sheva)
• Video clips related to the Palace