Later during this farbrengen, at the precise moment that the Rebbe spoke about matan Torah, a sudden downpour began. The sky was rent with continuous lightening flashes, accompanied by rolling crashes of thunder. Heavy rain pelted down with terrific force. This is exactly as it must have sounded thousands of years ago during the giving of the Torah! (The storm ended by the time the farbrengen finished.) The following is some of what the Rebbe said at this farbrengen.

The Jewish people were chosen by G‑d to be His very own people and to receive the Torah. We accepted this unconditionally. In fact we said “Naaseh V’nishma,” (we will do [first] and [then] we will listen [and understand]).

But, G‑d wanted guarantors before He trusted us with His Torah.

After various candidates were offered, G‑d accepted the children as sureties. Throughout the ages, we will be responsible to impart to them the teachings of the Torah. In their turn, these children would hand it down to their children, and so on, right down to our present generation and then further.

In a few weeks’ time summer vacation will commence. This affords a marvelous opportunity to teach children additional limudei kodesh (Jewish studies), because for the duration of the summer holiday – about three months (in the United States, and about half that time in England) – regular schooling is suspended. So, in places where during the year it may be difficult to find competent teachers, during the summer months many teachers are available and very willing to teach and at the same time earn a few extra dollars. We must take advantage of the vacation period.

The Rebbe elaborated on the above point at each of the three farbrengens over our visit this Shavuos.

During another sicha, the Rebbe – amazingly – offered to reimburse up to twenty percent of expenses to any kosher summer camp (not only Lubavitch) that would accept recent immigrants from the Soviet Union!