The tenth "chamber" in the palace of daily life.
Monday, the 28th of Kislev, the fourth day of Chanukah, 5703 (1942).
Lessons: Chumash, Miketz, Monday, with the commentary of Rashi.
Psalms, from chapter 135 until chapter 139.
Tanya, we are in chapter 3, from the words "for the intellect" until "delicate, and its branches."
The Rebbe notes that the source of the saying is a talk delivered by the Rebbe Rayatz on the 19th of Kislev 5698 in Otwock. This is not a saying in the usual sense, but rather an account of a practice that the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek and members of his family had during Chanukah. And thus he relates: "The practice by the Tzemach Tzedek," and he describes his custom.
Before we continue — this is the first time in the calendar that we encounter the appellation "the Tzemach-Tzedek," the only one among our Rebbes, our leaders, whose title derives from the name of his book rather than from an acronym of his name. "Tzemach Tzedek" is the name of the book he authored, and this is remarkable.
The Rebbe spoke about this on one of the nights of the festival of Sukkot in 5746. First he brought the well-known and simple reason — the gematria of his name: the name "Tzemach" has the same numerical value as the name "Menachem," and the name "Tzedek" has the same value as his second name, "Mendel." This also explains why it is written "Tzedek" without a yud and not "Tzaddik," for the gematria of his name is "Tzedek." This is one reason.
The Rebbe added another allusion: the two names "Tzemach" and "Tzedek" both allude to Mashiach. "Tzemach" — as in the verse "a man whose name is Tzemach (sprout)," which is an appellation for Mashiach; and "Tzedek" — as in "Mashiach Tzidkeinu (our righteous Mashiach)." Now, with the Tzemach-Tzedek, the third Rebbe, there was a special emphasis on the dissemination of Chassidus: it spread to many circles, even to the circles of the Misnagdim — whereas in the generations before him there were even imprisonments on account of this dissemination, in the time of the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe. With the Tzemach-Tzedek there came about a kind of peace and a spreading of Chassidus across wide expanses; and here they come to allude that the dissemination of Chassidus across wide expanses is what brings Mashiach. Therefore, in his name is noted the allusion to the name of Mashiach, for this is the action that brings Mashiach — the spreading of the teachings of Chassidus throughout the entire world. This concerns the appellation.
Now let us examine the saying itself. What was the practice of the Tzemach Tzedek? "For on one of the nights of Chanukah they would hold a kind of farbrengen [gathering] with the members of the household," when they all came to take part in it together with the Rebbe. The Rebbe addressed this point on Shabbos Parshas Miketz 5718: Why is this practice related to us? Not merely as history, but because it contains an instruction for each and every person — to sit with the members of one's household, and particularly on Chanukah, and to invest time in this; not in passing, but with full attention, out of an awareness that now one is sitting with the members of the household and investing in them, for this is a very important point. Therefore we are told that the Rebbe himself conducted himself this way on one of the nights of Chanukah, "and his daughters-in-law would also come"; that is, not only the sons, but the entire extended family, including the daughters-in-law, took part in this farbrengen.
"And it was called "latkes-ovent"" — "the evening of latkes," a special gathering for Chanukah. "And so it was by the Alter Rebbe and the Mitteler Rebbe" — the Rebbes who preceded him as well, the Mitteler Rebbe, the father-in-law of the Tzemach Tzedek, and the Alter Rebbe, his grandfather, conducted themselves in this way, that on Chanukah they would hold a sort of gathering with the members of the family.
"Among the stories which the Rebbes would tell every year at this meal, there were stories that were discussed every Chanukah, even though they had already spoken about them the previous year."
When the Rebbe Rayatz recounts this on the 19th of Kislev 5698 (1937), he also reveals to us a certain topic that was discussed at those gatherings. We do not possess all the stories that were told, but he relates that one of the subjects that was repeated was the matter of the cantillation marks (ta'amei haTorah) of the Torah. As is known, in the reading of the Torah there are cantillation marks, and he spoke about how these marks are very lofty, and do not appear in a Torah scroll — unlike the letters and unlike the crowns (tagin) that are found in it.
He further related that the Alter Rebbe had special melodies of Torah cantillation for each section of Scripture: the Torah had its own melodies, the Prophets had their own melodies, and the Writings had their own melodies, each with different tunes. And within the Torah itself he had special melodies for important passages — for the Song at the Sea, "Az Yashir," he had its own melodies, and for "Vayehi Binso'a" he had his own melodies. He expanded on this, that the Alter Rebbe had special melodies, and he even taught these melodies to his grandchildren.
Another interesting expression occurred at those meals, when the Tzemach Tzedek turned to his eldest son, Rabbi Baruch Shalom (the Rashab), and said to him: "You saw the grandfather" — meaning the Alter Rebbe; and to his second son, the Maharil, he said: "You saw my father-in-law" — meaning the Mitteler Rebbe; and to the rest of the sons, the younger ones, he turned and said: "You did not see — so look at me. I received from the grandfather, from the Alter Rebbe," and he detailed everything that he received from the Alter Rebbe and all his powers, literally in thought and in speech. "Look at me, and you will be able to see the grandfather." These are subjects that were apparently spoken about every year, and this is one of the "tastes" that the Rebbe Rayatz reveals to us from that gathering.
At the conclusion of the saying comes a practice that relates not to the Tzemach Tzedek, but to the Rebbe Rashab, the fifth Rebbe: "My father, my teacher and my Rebbe" — the reference is to the Rebbe Rashab — "would give Chanukah gelt on the night of the fourth or fifth candle"; on one of these two nights he would give Chanukah gelt to the children.
Let us say a few words about Chanukah gelt. The Rebbe spoke about this at one of the farbrengens, on Shabbos Mikeitz 5727, and explained the idea behind the custom of giving children money. He noted that there is money on Purim as well — matanos la'evyonim (gifts to the poor) — but there is a difference between the coins of Purim and the coins of Chanukah: on Purim, "gifts to the poor," meaning giving to those who lack, to fill their deficiency; whereas on Chanukah we give to children, who lack nothing — they grow up in their parents' home and have everything. The children receive Chanukah gelt so that they will have money to buy toys, a matter of luxury, which alludes to wealth — to give them beyond their needs. For on Chanukah a very lofty divine light shines, which is expressed in the loftiness of the light, containing coins of money at the level of wealth — and this is the idea of Chanukah gelt.
Another interesting passage: a letter written by the Rebbe's father to his son, the Rebbe, on the eve of Chanukah 5696. This is a very short letter, appearing in his collected letters, in which there are several points that explain the value of Chanukah gelt. Among these matters he brings an interesting source in the revealed part of Torah for Chanukah gelt: in the Gemara, in the laws of Chanukah, one of the Amoraim states that it is forbidden "to count out coins by the light of the Chanukah candle" — meaning it is forbidden to count money by the light of the Chanukah candle, because it is forbidden to make use of its light.
The Rebbe's father asks: Why does the Gemara specifically cite the example of coins, rather than simply stating that it is forbidden to make use of the Chanukah light — for any use is forbidden, even to read by its light? Rather, the fact that the Gemara cites "coins" is a sign that on Chanukah this was a common thing in the home, for people would distribute coins. Thus it takes the practical example: everyone now has money that he received as Chanukah gelt, and if he wishes to count how much he received — let him not count facing the Chanukah lights. This is a hint that the matter of coins, Chanukah gelt, is connected to Chanukah.
Over the years, the Rebbe strongly encouraged the observance of this custom—to give Chanukah gelt to children—and not only to the young ones but even to grown-ups; he also encouraged that spouses give to one another, the husband to his wife and the wife to her husband. The Rebbe strongly encouraged the giving of Chanukah gelt, as well as holding children's gatherings on Chanukah, and he would give the children Chanukah gelt—both money for tzedakah and money of their own, which they could use as they wished. The custom of Chanukah gelt is a very important and powerful custom.