Yud Shevat (The tenth day of the Hebrew month of Shevat) is the anniversary of the passing of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, sixth Rebbe of Lubavitch, of blessed memory, (5710/1950). On the same day, one year later, his son-in-law, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, assumed the mantle of leadership of Chabad.
During a farbrengen—a Chasidic gathering that evening, the Rebbe delivered his inaugural discourse titled Basi Legani—“Enter my Garden,” marking his official acceptance of the position of Rebbe. He explained that our generation has been entrusted with the task of fulfilling the purpose of creation by creating a dira btachtonim — a dwelling place for the divine, thereby drawing the divine presence back down into this physical world. It is our generation that will bring moshiach.
He also made a statement establishing his “agenda” as Rebbe of Chabad. Freely translated it reads in part, “The three loves—love of G-d, love of Torah and love of one’s fellow Jew—are one. One cannot differentiate between them, for they are of a single essence.
If you see a person who has love of G-d but lacks love of Torah and love of his fellow, you must tell him that his love of G-d is incomplete. And if you see a person who has only love for his fellow, you must strive to bring him to love of Torah and love of G-d—so that his love toward his fellows should not only be expressed in providing bread for the hungry and water for the thirsty, but also to bring them close to Torah and to G-d.”
There is a story told about the Rebbe’s early life that seems to be almost symbolic of everything that was to follow.
When he was nine years old, the young Menachem Mendel courageously dove into the Black Sea and saved the life of a little boy who had rowed out to sea and lost control of his small craft.
That sense of “other lives in danger” seems to have dominated his consciousness; of Jews drowning in assimilation, ignorance or alienation—and no one hearing their calls for help: Jews on campus, in isolated communities, under repressive regimes.
This year, Yud Shevat begins Friday night (Jan. 19) at sundown and lasts through Saturday night. The day is marked by Torah study, Chasidic gatherings and reaffirmation to the Rebbe’s mission as articulated above.