Formally Demanding a Farbrengen

On Tuesday, Sivan 15 (June 11), the Rebbe went to the Ohel. After the Rebbe got back we all davened maariv, after which the Rebbe left 770 for home. Roselyn and I met the Rebbe in the street.

The Rebbe touched his hat to Roselyn and asked her if she enjoyed Yom Tov in spite of my leaving her for the meals at the Rebbe’s table, to which Roselyn said, “Yes.”

I then thanked the Rebbe for the previous Shabbos farbrengen, and told the Rebbe it was most enjoyable.

The Rebbe replied, “It was my pleasure.” Always the perfect gentleman is our Rebbe.

Since I have been coming to 770, beginning in 5719 (1959), there has been a farbrengen on almost every Shabbos I have been present. Please G-d, I hope this will continue. I was well aware that there was not meant to be a farbrengen on the upcoming Shabbos, which was the last Shabbos of our stay in New York this year.

If one wants something, then one must ask for it. So, I then requested another farbrengen for the next Shabbos.

“Have a rueker (restful) Shabbos,” said the Rebbe. There is no farbrengen scheduled for this Shabbos.

The Rebbe also told me that he had heard that some wives were actually complaining that we had too many farbrengen, which spoiled their Shabbos meals, and so forth.

So there it was. It seemed quite clear, no farbrengen, definitely no.

Many of the yeshiva boys were telling me that they want a farbrengen; didn’t we all!

As this will also be my last Shabbos with the Rebbe for the next twelve months, I must take home enough to last until next Shavuos! Additionally, some of my friends on the charter flight have come here for their first and only time. They deserve and need another farbrengen too.

On the other hand, I really should have rachmonus (pity) on the Rebbe. I was really stumped! But, a chossid who wants to hear a word of Torah from his Rebbe, must not have rachmonus.

I was meant to go into yechidus Thursday night, and I figured it would be easier to ask the Rebbe personally and not through a written correspondence.

However, Rabbi Chodakov begged me to postpone my yechidus until Sunday night. “Too many people, better for the office, better for the other people and better for the Rebbe.”

I told Rabbi Chodakov that I wanted to talk to the Rebbe about a farbrengen and Sunday would be too late. He suggested that I indeed write this to the Rebbe.

A lengthy correspondence ensued (not through the post office), in which I pointed out that I was resting every day while in New York and the farbrengen was the only time I could hear the Rebbe saying a word of Torah. Besides which, all those people had come from England especially to hear the Rebbe. Two farbrengens, on Shavuos and the following Shabbos, were not enough.

I wrote to the Rebbe that I had stayed in New York especially for this. I could have just as well gone home last week. I don’t need rest on Shabbos. I rest all week while in New York.

Meanwhile, the Rebbe kept indicating that there would not be a farbrengen. So much so that Rabbi Chodakov, when called by the yeshiva in Newark, New Jersey, told them not to come in for this Shabbos as there would not be a farbrengen.

By Friday afternoon there was still no change. The Rebbe, it seemed, would not relent. There was definitely not going to be a farbrengen.

On Friday night, the Rebbe left 700 at 11:30! Which is extremely late. “Pundits” close at hand say that when the Rebbe goes home late on Friday night, there is a good chance of a farbrengen the following day. (Could the Rebbe actually be spending a considerable amount of time preparing? Some would do well to take note and to emulate the Rebbe’s diligence in preparing before public addresses!)

On Shabbos morning, when the Rebbe came down for shacharis, he called over Rabbi Zalman Duchman and showed him a Rashi and said he would be speaking on that Rashi at the farbrengen this afternoon.

So in the end we felt very lucky to have a farbrengen on this Shabbos. This, of course, to the utter dismay of the forty yeshiva students from Newark, New Jersey, and also Moshe Feller of Minneapolis, who stayed at home after being told by the office at 770 not to come, as there would not be any farbrengen.