LESSONS FROM THE MAAMAR BASI LeGANI

In the Maamar Basi LeGani (5710), which the Previous Rebbe gave out for publication for his yom hilulo, there are directives and lessons for everything. There are certain things explained in the Maamar which seem to be irrelevant, but they are directives for various issues. That which appears in parentheses have special lessons.

(Shabbos Parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei 5710)

In the first line of the Maamar Basi LeGani the Previous Rebbe cites the Midrash Rabbah ("bimkomo - on this verse") - that the Midrash is on Shir HaShirim (5:1). This Midrash also appears in Bamidbar Rabbah.

However, in Shir HaShirim Rabbah (5:1) the Midrash brings this quote in the name of "Menachem, the son-in-law of R. Elazar..." (in contrast to the way it appears in Bamidbar Rabbah (13:2), where it is quoted in the name of "R. Yishmael ben R. Yosi."

Chassidim understood this to be an indication from the Previous Rebbe who should succeed him as Rebbe...

"Menachem, the son-in-law."

In the year 5750 (1990), when the Rebbe began speaking so strongly and forcefully about the imminent arrival of Moshiach, encouraging that it be proclaimed and announced in the newspapers etc., there was a rabbi closely associated with Lubavitch who was bothered by the fact that many identified the Rebbe himself as Moshiach.

He came to the Rebbe when the Rebbe was distributing dollars (for tzedakah) and he asked the Rebbe outright: "Rebbe! Is it true what they say about you, that you are Moshiach?!"

The Rebbe responded: "In Tof-Shin-Yud [5710 - 1950] I didn't want to become Rebbe!"...

When Hashem gave the command to make the Mishkan, and the Jews had already built all its components, they were concerned and asked Hashem: "We have already made the Mishkan. When will Your presence come and dwell in our handiwork?" Hashem responded: "Basi LeGani" - I have already come to My garden, My sister My bride, to the place where the Shechinah was originally, because the primary place of the Shechinah was in this physical world.

In Shir HaShirim Rabbah this appears in the name of "Menachem, the son-in-law of R. Elazar."

This indicates the complete manifestation of the Shechinah dwelling down here in our physical world, through the "(first redeemer who is the) final redeemer" - whose name is Menachem (Sanhedrin 98b).

(Sefer HaSichos 5752 p. 400)