A Quality Vacation
When the Rebbe Rashab went out to relax, which he often had to do for health purposes, he would take off his kapota and, holding onto his tzitzis, he would sit down and say, "This is datche" (Russian for "vacation").
Explaining the inner meaning of vacation, he pointed out that in Lashon HaKodesh a vacation site is called נאות דשא – "a pleasant pasture," a place where one grows just as grass grows. How does grass grow? In its description of the Six Days of Creation, the Midrash tells us that each individual blade of grass decided to grow separately, although HaShem had not clearly instructed so. Similarly, there are times when every individual Yid, though he may be busy with others during the year, should be occupied with his own personal growth in the ways of HaShem. (סה"ש תש"א ע' 150)
The Frierdiker Rebbe recalled his summertime memories of תרנ"א to תרנ"ג (1891-1893):
In Lubavitch, chassidim follow the local summertime custom of "datche" from after Pesach. They would sit in the courtyard, breathe the fresh air, and exchange stories about chassidim of bygone generations. Generally, the Rebbe Rashab would not join them, for he was preoccupied with avoda, davening every day until five o'clock in the afternoon. Occasionally, though, he would come out and comment on the stories. (סה"ש תש"ב ע' 120)
The Gemara relates that when Rebbi Zeira felt weak and could not concentrate, he would relax near the entrance of the Yeshiva of Rebbi Nosson bar Tuvia, so that when the chachomim passed by, he would be able to rise in their honor. (ברכות כח ע"א)
The Rebbe taught that the true reason for vacation is so that one should be able to learn the entire day. This is true for children as well as parents. When children see their fathers increasing their learning time during their vacation, they will do the same. And since a Yid was created to learn Torah and do mitzvos, this is the only way that he truly feels happy and at ease. (שיחו"ק תשל"א ח"ב ע' 367)
Yiddishkeit Year Round
In earlier generations, in Europe, children would be in cheder throughout the entire year, learning all through the day and even into the night. Thus, they were constantly in an atmosphere of kedusha. Arriving in America, Yidden began following the local custom of taking regular breaks from school. Their children, who already learned very little in the day schools, would have vacation every weekend, as well as a few weeks in the winter and a couple of months in the summer. At that time, a number of camps opened, yet none really focused on raising the standards of these children beruchniyus.
At a farbrengen on Shavuos תשט"ז (1956), the Rebbe addressed this topic:
"Once, children would have days off from cheder only twice a year, on Pesach and on Sukkos, and that system produced children who were healthy beruchniyus as well as begashmiyus.
"Today, especially in America, this has changed. The children, being too 'tired' from the few hours they learn, must regularly travel away for the 'weekends,' while some are even 'mehader' to leave a day earlier... This happens even more during the summer, when one 'must' relax from the Fourth of July, and then upon returning, relax some more to recover from the trip..."
The Rebbe concluded, "And from such an approach, people expect to raise children properly?!"
The Rebbe therefore suggested that an institution be opened, which on the outside would appear as a camp, but in truth would be exactly like a cheder. The Rebbe pointed out that the summertime can have an additional advantage over the rest of the year, for during this time children will have more time for kedusha, being free of secular subjects, and in a few weeks they will be able to learn what would usually take them a couple of months. In addition, they will be spared any negative influences from home, as well as the excessive spoiling that their parents may shower upon them. (בנאות דשא ע' 2, 15)
At the farbrengen of י"ב תמוז תשמ"ה (1985), the Rebbe spoke of the lesson we should learn from the mesirus nefesh of the Frierdiker Rebbe for the chinuch of children. In recent times, the Rebbe said, a strange custom has been introduced – closing the cheder during the summer. Such a practice is not only contradictory to frumkeit, but is wildly irresponsible (in Yiddish: a vildkeit)! The life of a Yid is Torah, and one cannot take a break from life. What kind of message does this relay to children?
The Rebbe added that even in those places where they do learn something, this is done in a burdensome way, as if only to fulfill an obligation, and not as life. The Rebbe explained that the source of this problem is the adults' misconception that Torah is meant chas veshalom to burden a Yid, when in truth, it was given in order to better his physical life! It is merely the darkness of galus that prevents a Yid from accepting this concept. We must do everything possible, the Rebbe concluded, to ensure that children's summertime studies should not be reduced, and indeed should be enriched. (תו"מ תשמ"ה ח"ד ע' 2450)
On numerous occasions the Rebbe spoke about the need to continue learning as usual throughout the summer, and called the break from learning a "strange" and "distasteful" custom. (ראה תו"מ תשמ"ז ח"ד ע' 105, 135)
Consider
What defines a Yiddishe vacation: that one observes halacha while on vacation or that the relaxing itself is done differently?
How can one continue learning throughout the summer? Won’t this ruin the opportunity to relax?
