Mincha was to have taken place at 3:15 p.m. today. At two o’clock, the Rebbe sent a message that he would be five minutes late. The Rebbe came into mincha exactly five minutes late!

Two lessons can be learned from this:

1. Always keep to your time.

2. If one is going to be late, even as little as a few minutes, advise those who may be waiting.

The usual post yom tov Kinus Hatorah commenced today at 3:45, following mincha. My usual speech (which also afforded some light entertainment) commenced around six; following the “heavy stuff.” When I arrived at my appointed time, Dayan Fisher [from England] had just started his address which he only concluded at 7:15.

As soon as he finished, there was a mass exodus. The bochurim needed to eat; and though a couple of hundred still remained, many later complained to me that they had come especially to hear my discourse, and that it was unfair that I should speak at such an awkward time. One must remember that this Kinus Hatorah continued non-stop until 11:30 p.m. with only a short break at 9:30 for maariv.

There was a continual flow of people coming and going throughout the entire event.

Another matter that upset me was a group of about fifty men and boys who, while I was speaking, stood at the rear of the hall talking non-stop. I was especially annoyed when members of my audience begged them to keep quiet, all to no avail. I later discovered that they were Israelis who did not understand a word of English, so they chattered on. This was too bad for me.

When I wish to quote from the parsha in my address, I am limited to only two parshas: Nosso and Behaaloscho. This is because I only attend the Shavuos-time kinus (which is when we visit the Rebbe). After these many years of talking at the kinus, my potential themes are becoming limited. However, this year, I did find something novel in the latter sedra.

We learn (Behaaloscho 9:6-10) that the men who were carrying the remains of Yosef Hatzadik (to be transported to Israel for burial) complained to Moshe that because of their righteous work, they were impure and therefore unable to partake in the mitzvah of preparing and eating the Korban Pesach.


They offered a solution to which Moshe responded: “Wait and I will hear [from the Almighty] what the procedure in such cases should be!” Rashi comments that Moshe said this with confidence, like a student who is certain that he will get a reply from his mentor, his Rebbe, at any time. Rashi adds, “How fortunate is the human being who is certain that he can speak with the Shechina (Divine presence) at any time he wills.”

Our Sages, of blessed memory, maintain that every generation has its own Moshe Rabeinu. We are fortunate and should be happy that our own Moshe Rabeinu can be approached at any time for advice and help, and that our Rebbe can, at any time, contact his own Rebbe, the Frierdiker Rebbe, to decide on important matters and obtain an immediate reply.

I concluded with my usual appeal: make the Rebbe happy. Do not be a tzorrus chossid. Do not only write when – G‑d forbid – there is a trouble. Children have a habit of taking their parents (and their Rebbe) for granted. The Rebbe likes to be shown some appreciation occasionally.

I then spent about half an hour reading excerpts from my previous diary.