Introduction
The Previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, was arrested at midnight on the eve of the 15th of Sivan 5687 (1927), due to his incessant activities on behalf of Jews and Judaism throughout Communist Russia. He was incarcerated in the Spalerno prison whose name, as he later wrote, "was enough by itself to strike dread, fear and trepidation in the heart of all who heard its mention..." However, as the Rebbe later explained, "during the imprisonment there was a 'sowing' which then enabled a tremendous growth in the dissemination of Chassidus". The sequence of events triggered by this arrest culminated in the Previous Rebbe immigrating to New York and turning the Chabad movement into a worldwide tool for spreading Torah Judaism and Chassidus.
Contemplate And Act Accordingly
"These days are commemorated and actualized" (Megilah 9:28). We should recall the happenings of "those days" in order to again "actualize" all of the goodly influences that were then conferred. (Moreover, we should do so as soon as possible, so "that they not be delayed (even) as a wink of an eye"!)
A Liberation For Jewry
On the night of the 15th of Sivan, an overarching and unique incident occurred to my father-in-law, Leader of our generation. Although only the negative dimensions of the event were apparent at the time, it was subsequently clarified the entire episode was in fact the catalyst of a great salvation.
The affair he bore in this case also carries the connotation of 'uplifted' and 'elevated'. In other words, he raised us to the extent that from that point onward we are no longer required to undergo episodes of a similar nature, and may suffice with accomplishing the equivalent via our spiritual service." (ibid p.480)
On this night, the eve of the 15th of Sivan in the year 5687 (1927), ???, the infamous prison ordeal of the Previous Rebbe began. At that time, only the negative aspect of the episode was apparent and it appeared to be wholly undesirable (to make an understatement...), and this outlook was expressed by an outpouring of prayers and pleas, as is well known.
However, it has become clear in retrospect that the ordeal was the catalyst of a great salvation. It was this incident that eventually enabled the Previous Rebbe to exit that country altogether along with his family and all of his books, manuscripts, and other possessions. According to the ways in which that country was then run and based on its laws, such an exit would have not been possible were it not for the events of the incarceration and so on. The Previous Rebbe was then able to go to a place and lifestyle wherein he was capable to engage in all of his activities - the chief among them being the dissemination of Chassidus amidst the general dissemination of Judaism - without any restrictions whatsoever. These activities then continuously expanded and flourished until they reached the advanced state that we witness today...
The beginning of this salvation began on the 3rd of Tammuz, when the Previous Rebbe was partially released, and subsequently developed into a state of complete redemption on the 12th and 13th of Tammuz - days which became a Yom Tov for all Jews worldwide and whose observance as such continues to proliferate.
Although during that year we only saw the events as a completely and utterly undesirable episode, it later became apparent how the events allowed the Leader of our generation to arrive in the 'lower hemisphere' [i.e., America]. That in turn allowed an even further intensification of the dissemination of Chassidus, amidst the general dissemination of Torah and Mitzvos via the spread of Judaism in general. In particular, this resulted in Torah and the wellsprings [of Chassidus] being disseminated in many foreign languages.
Although the original 15th of Sivan occurred in a very undesirable manner, nevertheless, in the subsequent years (i.e., following the redemption of the 12th of Tammuz whereby it was revealed that the intention behind the incarceration was only in order to facilitate the subsequent redemption), the 15th of Sivan too bears the theme of redemption.
This is somewhat similar to the enslavement of the Jews in Egypt, whereby following their servitude involving the literal building with "mortar and bricks", the same theme was accomplished during their subsequent exiles via engaging in the intense study of Torah - "the 'mortar' (Kal v'Chomer - one of the Thirteen Methods of deriving Torah laws), and the 'bricks' (Libun Hilchasah) refers to the clarification of practical rulings."
