Yud Shvat

Yud Shvat (the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat) is a significant date on the Chabad Hasidic calendar. It is the yahrtzeit or anniversary of passing of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (1880–1950). The day also marks the formal acceptance of leadership in 1951 by the seventh Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994). On Yud Shvat, Rabbi Menachem Mendel formally accepted the leadership of Chabad-Lubavitch movement with a public address and Hasidic discourse (maamar) at a gathering marking the first anniversary of his predecessor’s passing.^[1]

In 2004, an international conference was founded for the rabbinical students of the Chabad yeshivot to occur on Yud Shvat.^[2] The conference is called "Kinus Tmimim Haolami". The event is organized by Vaad Talmidei Hatmimim Haolami.^[3][4]

Customs[]

The seventh Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, issued a public letter instructing Chabad Hasidim how to observe the yahrtzeit (anniversary of passing) of his father-in-law and predecessor, the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn. The letter outlines 16 customs.^[5] The Chabad community also adapted these customs on the Rebbe’s own yahrtzeit, on the Third of Tammuz.^[6] The customs include:

• On the Shabbat before the yahrtzeit, each Hasid should receive an aliyah (be called up to the Torah during the reading)
• On the yahrtzeit a candle should be lit that will burn for the entire twenty-four hours. Preferably, the candle should be made of beeswax
• Five candles should be lit throughout the prayer services
• After the evening prayer (on the eve of Yud Shvat), part of the Hasidic discourse (maamar) entitled Basi LeGani, which the sixth Rebbe released for the day of his passing, should be recited from memory. If there is no one to do this from memory, it should be studied from the text. This should be continued after the morning prayer, and the discourse should be concluded after the afternoon prayer.
• After the morning prayer and the recitation of the Hasidic discourse, each individual should read a pidyon nefesh (a Hasid's request to the Rebbe to intercede on behalf of his soul)
• In the course of the day one should study chapters of Mishnah that begin with the letters of the sixth Rebbe's name.
• In the course of the day one should participate in a Hasidic gathering (farbrengen)

References[]