Translated and presented by Boruch Merkur
The Rebbe clarified the concept of long life – true life, which is free of interruption – in order that one would not consider it as it appears to the naked eye, but he should know that even after the histalkus there is the concept of uninterrupted life, eternal life, with regard to the nasi ha’dor, the leader of the generation [the Rebbe], and through him eternal life is channeled to the entire generation. * Source materials compiled by Rabbi Majeski. Translations appear in bold. Underlining is the author’s emphasis.
On the 26th of Sivan of that year, the Rebbe MH”M spoke about the ongoing leadership of the Rebbe Rayatz, continuing even after the histalkus, as well as his own role in carrying it out. In particular, this entailed the Rebbe overseeing Merkaz L’Inyonei Chinuch’s fundraising campaign, which was waning in the wake of the histalkus:
My revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, led and directed [Machne Yisroel and Merkaz L’Inyonei Chinuch] until the histalkus, and even after the histalkus he continues to lead – overseeing the various operations of Merkaz L’Inyonei Chinuch. Indeed, he has chosen me to bring these matters to fruition, including efforts to raise funds to cover its large overhead.
(Ibid 115)
Later on, during the farbrengen of Shabbos 9 Tammuz, in preparation for the celebration of 12-13 Tammuz, Chag HaGeula, the Rebbe MH”M spoke at length about the verbal allusion the Rebbe Rayatz had made to eternal life in the year prior to his histalkus:
In last year’s sicha of 13 Tammuz, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, spoke about the concept of life – long life, true life, life without interruption (eternal life). He discussed the topic in terms of avoda, how it applies to the service of G-d. For in addition to every person having his own life, he also enlivens others. And he concluded: “True life is k’dusha, holiness, and k’dusha is ein sof, endless [eternal].”
As a prelude to this discussion: Since everything is by Divine providence…it is certainly by Divine providence that my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, spoke about eternal life specifically on 12-13 Tammuz of 5709, leading up to his histalkus on Yud Shvat 5710 (but he didn’t speak about it in the preceding years, 5708 or 5707).
To illustrate the subtleties the Rebbe Rayatz attributes to Divine providence, the Rebbe MH”M tells of the great significance the Rebbe Rayatz attached to something he had happened to say (“haht zich im geredt”) in a maamer he delivered on Rosh HaShana 5687, prior to his incarceration. There the Rebbe Rayatz mentions the Baal Shem Tov’s doctrine that even the most minute details of worldly events are controlled, in every aspect, by Divine providence. This supervision extends to even the mineral kingdom, the most lowly and material aspect of the physical world. The Rebbe Rayatz admits that at the time he spoke these words, he was unaware of their significance, especially insofar as this was an aside, out of context of the rest of the maamer. The Rebbe continues: Were it not for this (had he not said these words), he would have been unsure as to whether he would have been able to survive the ordeal and get through the incarceration.
The same applies in our case: During the final Chag HaGeula [of 12-13 Tammuz] of his life in this world, my revered father-in-law, the Rebbe, was compelled to clarify that matters of holiness are eternal. He went on to explicitly mention (so that there would be no room to err about what he means) the concept of long life – true life, which is free of interruption – in order that one would not consider it as it appears to the naked eye (for such a reality has nothing to do with k’dusha), but he should know that even after the histalkus there is the concept of uninterrupted life, eternal life, with regard to the nasi ha’dor, the leader of the generation [the Rebbe], and through him eternal life is channeled to the entire generation. Thus, even now it is possible and necessary for each individual to enliven others in matters of k’dusha (and not just emphasize his own vitality).
(Ibid 119-120)