הֶמְשֵׁךְ הַגָּדוֹל הַיָּדוּעַ בְּשֵׁם "בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁהִקְדִּימוּ, תֶּעֱרַ"ב" הִתְחִיל אַאַמוּ"ר לְאָמְרוֹ יוֹם א' דְּחַג הַשָּׁבוּעוֹת תּער"ב בּליוּבּאַוִויטשׁ, וְסִיְּימוֹ שַׁבָּת פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּרָא תרע"ו בְּרוֹסְטוֹב, בַּמַּאֲמָר הַמַּתְחִיל וה' אָמָר הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם. וּבוֹ קמ"ד מַאֲמָרִים. וְיֵשׁ בַּכְּתוּבִים חֵלֶק שֵׁנִי שֶׁלֹּא אֲמָרוֹ, וְלֹא נֶחֱלַק לְמַאֲמָרִים.

[The Rebbe Rashab] began delivering the long series1 of maamarim entitled BeShaah SheHikdimu 5672 [1912]2 on the first day of Shavuos of that year in Lubavitch, and completed its delivery on Shabbos Parshas Vayeira, 5676 (1916), in Rostov, with the maamar entitled VaHavayah Amar HaMechaseh Ani MeiAvraham. It comprises 144 maamarim. The manuscripts [of the Rebbe Rashab] include a second part which was never delivered orally and which is not divided into individual discourses.3

To Fill In the Background

It was a special moment. At a farbrengen in 5737 (1976),4 the Rebbe unexpectedly spoke about publishing the above classic series of maamarim, which until then had appeared only in private and incomplete printings. The Rebbe explained that publishing them would be an important step in disseminating the wellsprings of Chassidus outward, because they included some of the Rebbe Rashab’s deepest teachings.

On the other hand, the Rebbe expressed a degree of hesitation which implied, among other reasons, that a significant act of dissemination of this kind might arouse a kitrug — a reciprocal accusatory voice — in the Heavenly Court, which could be countered by the collective merits of a multitude. He therefore asked the chassidim to share it with him. Whoever desired to contribute a dollar towards the publication of the text would become a full partner, sharing in both the spiritual merit and the spiritual burden associated with its publication. At the end of the talk, envelopes were distributed into which chassidim happily deposited a dollar and a card with their name and mother’s name, indicating their participation in the project.