In Lubavitch, reaping the wheat for matza was a special event. Reb Zalman of Shzerbina was the chossid who supplied the wheat for the Rebbe’s shemura matza, and all the local yiddishe farmers, several yoshvim – men who studied full time in the Rebbe’s beis medrash – and some guests in Lubavitch at the time, would join Reb Zalman and his family for the reaping. The Rebbe himself would also participate, first the Rebbe Maharash, and later, the Rebbe Rashab.
The harvest day had to be clear, with a hot sun, and had to be preceded by three dry days. Reb Zalman would travel to Lubavitch with a number of wagons to transport the chassidim, and since they could not forecast the weather, they often stayed in Shzerbina for a week or longer. The Rebbe was brought by special transport on the chosen day.
For Reb Zalman, this was a tremendous simcha. Blessed with the zechus of reaping the wheat for the Rebbe’s shemura matza, being able to fulfill the mitzva of hachnsosas orchim, which he truly enjoyed, and especially having the opportunity to host the Rebbe, gave him chayus for the whole year.
From the day he set out with his wagonloads of helpers, the towsnfolk in Lubavitch began their speculations about the next day’s weather. Day by day, they eagerly awaited the messenger from Shzerbina who would let them know that the harvest day had arrived. When that finally happened, the Rebbe would set out on the two-hour ride to Shzerbina.
When the sun blazed its strongest, between the hours of twelve noon and two, the chassidim reaped the wheat, happily and earnestly. Wearing their hats and gartlach, they worked energetically in the sweltering heat, as if they were accustomed to such intense physical labor.
Even when he was already advanced in years, Reb Zalman himself, with his flowing beard and joyful, shining face, would rush around the fields with his scythe in hand, as if he were a young man. His simcha carried him! His feet lifted lightly off the ground to fulfill a shlichus of HaShem, as can happen only to one of His true servants who feels an inner delight in performing His mitzvos.
While some men reaped, others sang, their pleasant voices reaching far and wide. The local women and their children, dressed in their Shabbos best in honor of the occasion, stood at a distance. Their faces clearly showed that something extraordinary was taking place.
When the work was over, some of the chassidim went to wash themselves. Reb Zalman would put on his silk Shabbos kapote and lead Mincha to the joyous niggun of Simchas Torah. As he concluded the final Kaddish, he would wait for the minyan to help him turn over in somersaults, as they were accustomed to do on Simchas Torah. He did that three times back and forth, and broke into a lively dance.
Next came a festive seuda of milchig delicacies, at which the Rebbe delivered a maamar and farbrenged for hours. After Maariv, he would retire to rest in a room that had been prepared for him, while the chassidim continued farbrenging through the night.
At ten o’clock the next morning, after Shacharis, the Rebbe would leave for Lubavitch. Later that day, Reb Zalman would bring the chassidim back to Lubavitch, taking along the sack of wheat they had reaped, ready to hang in a designated room.
(לקוטי דיבורים ח"א ע' קכא)
