בְּמִנְחָה אֵין אוֹמְרִים תַּחֲנוּן.

Tachanun is not recited in the Afternoon Service.1

בּאַ כְּבוֹד קְדּוּשַׁת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, אִיז, לְבַד דעֶר עִנְיָן פוּן הִתְעוֹרְרוּת רַחֲמִים אוֹיף דִי מְקוּשָּׁרִים, געֶוועֶן אַ עֲבוֹדָה פוּן דעֶרמאָנעֶן בֵּינוֹ לְבֵין עַצְמוֹ דִי מְקוּשָּׁרִים, אוּן אַרַיינְטראַכְטן בְּעִנְיַן אַהֲבָתָם וְהִתְקַשְּׁרוּתָם כַּמַּיִם הַפָּנִים, וואָס דאָס אִיז מְעוֹרֵר דִי כֹּחוֹת פְּנִימִים פוּן דעֶם וואָס מְ'טראַכט וועֶגעֶן עֶם, וִוי מִיר זעֶהעֶן בְּמוּחָשׁ, אַז מְ'קוּקט שְׁטאַרק אוֹיף אֵיינעֶם מוּז עֶר אַ קוּק טאָן, וַוייל דִי הֲבָּטָה פְּנִימִית אִיז מְעוֹרֵר דעֶם עֶצֶם הַנֶּפֶשׁ, אוּן אַזוֹי אִיז אוֹיך אִין דעֶם כֹּחַ הַמַחֲשָׁבָה.

In addition to arousing Divine compassion upon those who had a deep soul-connection with them,2 our forebears, the holy Rebbeim, observed another sublime practice. [From time to time,] while alone, they would bring to mind those individuals and meditate upon the love and connection3 [they felt for the Rebbe. Then,] as water reflects a face, [the Rebbe would shine these feelings back].4

This practice arouses the innermost spiritual potency of the individual who is being thought about. This we can plainly observe. When we look powerfully at someone, he must respond by looking back, because a penetrating glance arouses the essence of the soul.5 The same is true of the power of thought.6

A Story with an Echo

On Shemini Atzeres, 5693 (1932), when the Rebbe Rayatz had left Russia and was living in freedom in Riga, Latvia, he began a farbrengen with the words,“Thinking is potent,”7 and then proceeded to describe the unique nature of deep, concentrated thought. Shortly thereafter, the subject turned to the members of the chassidic brotherhood who were being hounded and oppressed by the Communist regime in Russia, and some of the past and present yeshivah students (temimim)and older chassidim (Anash) were mentioned by name.

The Rebbe continued: “Thought knows no bounds. No partition can obstruct it; at all times it reaches its required destination.”

One of those present, who had recently succeeded in reaching Riga from Russia, then asked: “But what benefit does the other party have from that?”

“He benefits in rich measure,” replied the Rebbe.

After a significant pause, the Rebbe turned to that chassid and asked: “And where were you last Sukkos…?”8