An old recording shrouded in mystery of a conversation of the Rebbe is being shared on social media. Here’s what’s behind it.
By COLlive reporter
During Rabbi Simon Jacobson‘s highly acclaimed weekly virtual broadcast, MyLife: Chassidus Applied, he surprised audiences with airing for the very first time the earliest recording to date of the Rebbe.
The old recording was shrouded in mystery with the exception of the voices – which were clearly that of the Rebbe and Rabbi Mordechai Hodakov, the Rebbe’s longtime chief secretary.
In the recording, circa June 1949, one can hear Rabbi Chodakov speaking, with the Rebbe interjecting in the middle, with a few comments. The recording was quickly shared on social media.
AUDIO: Exclusive recording of Rebbe
Rabbi Jacobson recalled that someone had sent him the recording a while back, but the nature and circumstances of the recording were unknown.
When was the recording from? Why did the Rebbe, uncharacteristically, seemingly interrupt Rabbi Chodakov mid-sentence? What topic was being discussed?
The mystery was solved after Rabbi Jacobson recollected his own experience in editing the Rebbe’s sichos as part of the “choizrim” group led by the preeminent Chassidic scholar Rabbi Yoel Kahn.
“As I was listening to the recording again and again trying to discern its origins,” explained Rabbi Jacobson, “I realized that Rabbi Chodakov was reading the Friediker Rebbe’s sicha of Yud Beis Tammuz 5708 (now printed in Sefer HaMaamorim 5709 p. 198) about the role of a mashpia.”
“But then,” wondered Rabbi Jacobson, “why was the Rebbe commenting?”
“And then it came to me. They were proofreading the sicha in preparation for publication. Through my years of working and publishing the Rebbe’s sichos, I was very familiar with this type of exchange: This is the way we were trained to proof the Rebbe’s sichos. One person reads the newly typeset proof, while the other compares it to the original manuscript, to ensure there are no discrepancies,” explained Rabbi Jacobson.
Rabbi Jacobson says he looked up the sicha and saw that it was printed in a kuntres dated… Gimmel Tammuz 5709.
“I realized that this audio, recorded in 1949, is a rare find — the earliest recording to date of the Rebbe, and the only one capturing his voice (speaking about a subject) prior to his assuming leadership (after Yud Shevat 5710), when he was known as the Ramash!” he says.
In the recording, one can hear the Rebbe questioning the connection between the ideas presented in the transcript of the sicha, and even expressing, amusingly, at the end of the recording: “nu s’iz altz Moshiach’s tzeiten” (nu, it’s all Moshiach’s times) using an expression that describes a situation in which everything is possible.
VIDEO: Rabbi Jacobson explains the recording
In honor of upcoming Gimmel Tammuz, Rabbi Jacobson shared this rare and exclusive recording in this week’s episode of My Life: Chassidus Applied, aired weekly on COLlive.com.
The episode, which is part of the very popular series applying Chassidus to our present life challenges, was dedicated to frankly discussing the challenges faced by a new generation of adults who have never seen the Rebbe and are challenged to understand what the Rebbe means to them and how they can get inspired to connect with the Rebbe with passion and mesiras nefesh.
“The Rebbe lives on,” explained Rabbi Jacobson, “through his teachings and directives. The challenge — and mission — of our times is to not rely on inspiration from outside of ourselves, but to proactively initiate self-generated efforts, avodah b’koach atzmo. This is central theme of the Rebbe’s leadership, and it couldn’t be more apropos and relevant than to our post-Gimmel Tammuz times. But even though we may not see the Rebbe, we must know that the “shepherd never forsakes his sheep.” The Rebbe continues more than ever to pour upon us his blessings for direction and strength. We must be wise and do our part to receive them.”
This newly discovered recording of the Rebbe, going back 76 years ago, has now emerged, and is a type of reminder of the Rebbe’s continuing presence among us, he says.
CORRECTION:
Rabbi Eliezer Zaklikovsky, an author and researcher, tells COLlive.com that the earliest audio of the Rebbe was released in the DVD attached to his monumental book Mekadesh Yisrael (Kehot Publication Society, 2000).
In the supplement titled “Talks and Images at Wedding Celebrations-5703-5723,” the Rebbe is heard saying the first 2 blessings under the chupah at the wedding of Rabbi Eli Chaim Carlebach on Shushan Purim 5709 – March 16, 1949.
