The wedding day of the 6th Rebbe of Chabad-Lubavitch, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the Rebbe Rayatz, and Rabbanit Nechama Dina in 5657 (1897) became a significant date in the Chassidic calendar. As the Rebbe explains, this is a day when, year after year, the energy of joy is awakened in the world – reaching the level of “perfect joy,” as emphasized in the wedding blessing: “Make these beloved companions greatly rejoice, just as You gladdened Your creation in Gan Eden in ancient times” (From the Rebbe’s talk on 14 Elul, 5748).
From the Rebbe’s explanations:
– The marriage of every Jew (even a private individual) is a reflection of a broader concept: the union of the entire congregation of Israel and the Almighty in the times of Mashiach. This is why the seven wedding blessings (Sheva Brachot) conclude with the theme of Redemption: “Speedily… let there be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride…” (based on Yirmiyahu 33:10-11).
If this holds true for everyone, it applies all the more so to the wedding celebration of the leaders of the generation, for “the leader of the generation is everything” (see Rashi on Chukat 21:21), [his whole life and work encompass all the tasks of the generation]… (From the talks of Shabbat Parshat Ki Teitzei, 14 Elul 5751).
• It is known that the celebration of the Rebbe Rayatz’s wedding was accompanied by the revelation of a deeper understanding of Torah concepts. On each day of the Sheva Brachot, the Rebbe Rashab – the chatan’s father – delivered maamarim, profound discourses on the mystical aspects of the Torah. These were later compiled into the series known as Sameach Tesamach (5657).
• On the second day of the Sheva Brachot, 15 Elul, the Rebbe Rashab revealed his plan to establish a new type of yeshiva. His vision was to turn it into a place where students would study the “complete Torah”: both the revealed part of the Torah and the teachings of Chassidut, which help to comprehend the Torah’s inner meaning and the light concealed within it. Later, this yeshiva was named Tomchei Temimim. Today, yeshivas under this name operate in various countries around the world.
• As with any special date in the Chassidic calendar, the Rebbe notes, the unique spiritual influence of 13 Elul can be re-experienced year after year:
– It’s said: “And these days are remembered and kept” (see Esther 9:28). Every year, that same joy from the wedding of the Rebbe (my father-in-law), the leader of our generation, is bestowed anew, just as it was the very first time. Moreover, each time this joy is amplified, in accordance with the principle cited in Tractate Brachot (28a): “In matters of holiness, we [only] elevate” (Based on the Rebbe’s talks, 14 Elul 5748 / 1988).
