Living Torah Archives

During a lively Purim Farbrengen, Chassidim sing a joyous Niggun from the opening verse of the Megillah.

Chasidim sing the nigun Hu Elokeinu.

The last discourse that Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, published before his passing commences with the verse “I have come into My garden.” The Previous Rebbe explains that this refers to our world, the innermost dwelling place of G-d.

According to the statement of the Midrash, G-d created the world because he desired to have a “dwelling in the lower realms.” Yet a verse in Song of Songs refers to G-d’s world as His garden. A deeper look at the descriptions “dwelling” and “garden” provide an insight into the very nature and purpose of creation.

Chassidim join the Rebbe in singing a joyous melody known a nigun simcha.

Chasidim sing the joyous song, Ashreinu, at a farbrengen.

The Rebbe asks a recent emigrant from Georgia to sing a traditional song of the Georgian Jews.

Chasidim sing a rousing melody at a farbrengen marking the passing of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Previous Rebbe.

The last discourse that Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, published before his passing commences with the verse “I have come into My garden.” The Previous Rebbe explains that this refers to our world, the innermost dwelling place of G-d.

In a letter to one of his disciples, Maimonides describes the taxing daily schedule he endured as court physician to the sultan of Egypt. It not only drained him to the point of exhaustion, it also left him nearly no time to pursue the true joy of his life: Torah study.

The Rebbe distributes bottles of L’chaim at a Farbrengen at 770.

At the time of the Song of Moses, the Jews were in the midst of a great journey through an awesome desert. They had yet to reach, conquer and establish a Jewish homeland. By contrast, at the time of the Song of Deborah, the Jews were already settled in the Land of Israel. Deborah was called upon to organize a campaign against Canaanite invaders.

At the crossing of the Red Sea, the Jews proclaimed, "This is my G-d, and I will exalt Him!" But the first to recognize G-d's hand were those children born in Egypt during the harsh decrees. G-d Himself had hidden them away in the fields and sustained them.

The Rebbe asks a recent émigré from Georgia to sing a traditional song of the Georgian Jews.

“Bosi L’Gani – I have come to My garden.” G-d created this world to be a glorious Divine orchard for His presence. Man is charged with planting and tending this orchard by creating a “fruit-bearing tree” out of his own portion of the world.

The Previous Rebbe wrote a discourse that served as his last teaching. Its title quotes the verse where G-d says, “I have come to My garden, My abode.” By choosing those powerful words, the Rebbe taught his generation and future generations, that beneath all its outer appearances, this world is G-d’s own garden and dwelling place. No matter how strong the urge to give in to cynicism or despair, no matter how bad things may appear, this teaching shows and empowers us to search out and reveal the essential goodness and G-dliness of the entire creation.

A lively niggun sung during the times of the Soviet Jewish resistance. “Water will not drown us and fire will not burn us”.

“Let all those seek You rejoice and delight in You, and let those who love your deliverance say always, ‘May G-d be exalted!’” (Psalms 70:5) Although the tune of the Niggun is much older, the words were added in honor of the Rebbe’s sixty-ninth birthday.