In HaYom Yom it is written: Yud-Tes Kislev is a day for farbrengen and for undertaking positive hachlatos to fix times to study nigleh and Chassidus publicly, and to strengthen the ways of chassidim in true friendship. It is customary to divide up the Shas for learning, according to the procedure set out in Iggeres HaKodesh.
(היום יום י"ט כסלו)
In the winter of תרס"ב (1901), the Rebbe Rashab was in Moscow for the purpose of pidyon shvuyim. He succeeded in annulling a libel against some Yidden who had been arrested, but did not want to leave until they were actually freed.
On Motzoei Shabbos, which was Yud-Gimmel Kislev, the Frierdiker Rebbe called a meeting of the committee of older bochurim of Tomchei Temimim. He told them that it was doubtful whether the Rebbe Rashab would return to Lubavitch for Yud-Tes Kislev, but the schedule would nonetheless go on as planned. On the following leil Shabbos all the talmidim would have their seuda in the main zal together with their mashpi'im and roshei yeshivah, and there would be another seuda on Motzoei Shabbos. In addition, some privileged bochurim would join a special farbrengen with the Frierdiker Rebbe on Sunday night. Hearing that the Rebbe Rashab might not be in Lubavitch in time for Yud-Tes Kislev brought tears to the eyes of some of the older bochurim.
The Frierdiker Rebbe relates: A few days before Yud-Tes Kislev, many respected orchim, and the talmidim of nearby Lubavitch yeshivos, began to arrive in Lubavitch. There still was a hope that my father would return in time. On Thursday morning some chassidim discussed the possibility of either asking the Rebbe to come in from Moscow, or suggesting that they travel to join him there – though this was highly improbable for they lacked traveling permits. The hours elapsed and the cloud of sadness grew, especially since the Rebbe had not been with them in Lubavitch the previous Yud-Tes Kislev.
At 8:30 PM on Thursday night a letter arrived from my father, the Rebbe. At 9:30 I entered the zal and announced that we had merited receiving a holy letter which explained the meaning of the approaching Yom-Tov, and that it would be read out on the Chag HaGeula. This piece of news raised the spirits of the chassidim, and they eagerly anticipated the hour when the letter would be read.
On erev Shabbos after Mincha, I directed that everyone should learn Chassidus. An hour-and-a-half later we davened Kabbolas Shabbos, and then everyone returned to their places, ready to hear the letter. I stepped up to the bimah together with the two mashgichim and read out the letter word by word. It reads in part:
"Yud-Tes Kislev is the Yom-Tov on which our soul's illumination and chayus were given to us, this day is Rosh Hashana for Chassidus [...] It is the fulfillment of the true intention behind the creation of man on earth – to reveal the light of the inward part of our holy Torah. [...] It is our duty, on this day, to awaken our hearts with an innermost, deepseated desire and will, in the very core of our heart, that HaShem illuminate our neshama with the light of His Inner Torah. [...] "From the depths I called to You, HaShem," to elicit the depth and pnimiyus of HaShem's Torah and mitzvos to illuminate the inwardness of our neshama, so that our entire being will be dedicated to HaShem alone, to banish from within us any of the natural traits that are evil and unworthy – so that everything we do, both in our service of HaShem and in worldly matters, will be carried out leshem Shamayim."
Everyone stood and listened with shining faces, and as I finished they broke out with a joyous niggun.
(לקו"ד ח"ד ע' 1518, קונ' ומעיין ע' 15, היום יום בתחילתו)
