Lag B'omer 5750 (1990)

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On Tuesday, the 13th of Iyar 5750, on his way back from the Ohel, the Rebbe told Rabbi Y. Krinsky that he wants to distribute a special coin on Lag B’Omer this following Sunday, less than a week away…

The efforts put into this project were enormous, it’s a process that usually takes at least two months’ time. After much effort, two factories that agreed to mint these coins by the following Sunday were found. One in Milan, Italy that agreed to take the job and then ship the coins via airplane to the US on Sunday, Lag B’Omer, and another factory in the US, which agreed to try, but doubted the possibilities of having the coins ready on time.

He asked the Rebbe with which option to proceed? The Rebbe said that the factory in Italy won’t be a good idea for it would come in on the day of the parade which is too late, and so the Rebbe thanked him for his efforts and said he will get his s’char regardless. The Rebbe wrote that he took the blame for not bringing up the idea earlier.

They didn’t give up and continued to brainstorm, and after a two-day marathon of work somehow they managed to get it done. The Rebbe, pleasantly surprised by the results, wrote Rabbi Krinsky a very special Bracha: “May your mind be settled in your own matters, as you have done for me in this matter”!

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One side of the coin had the pasuk “Hinei ma tov…” engraved on it, surrounding an image of 770 in the center, with the words “Lubavitch World headquarters” under it. The bottom of the coin read “Shnas Ha’Arboim, Shnas Nissim.” (see Besuras Hageula, p. 5) 

The other side had “Lag B’Omer 5750 — Yom Hilula D’Rashbi” inscribed around an image of a bonfire.

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the Rebbe began handing out packages of coins to the counselors to distribute to the children at the end of the parade. During the distribution, it began raining. The Rebbe gave out 30 packages of 89 coins each, totaling 2,670 coins.

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As the distribution ended, while the rain continued pouring down, the Rebbe began singing “hinei ma tov.” While encouraging the crowd, the Rebbe entered 770, spoke for a few minutes with Rabbi Shalom Masas, Chief Rabbi of Morocco and a delegation of Jewish-Moroccan dignitaries. The Rebbe then accompanied him to the driveway, when the Rebbe began singing “Ki BeSimcha” and encouraged the song with his hand and then returned to his holy room.