The only known recording of the Frierdiker Rebbe (12 Tammuz, 5709) has been translated into English for the first time.
On 3 Shevat, 1992—a little more than a month before himself suffering a major stroke and all but losing his capacity for speech (27 Adar, 1992)—the Rebbe shared a most remarkable thing with the Chassidim:
“When G-d appeared to Moses at the burning bush and informed him that it was his destiny to lead the Jewish people free from exile, Moses responded, “I am utterly incapable of filling such a role as I am not a man of words. I am heavy of tongue and heavy of mouth (I stutter and slur, and cannot express myself properly).”
“To which G-d replied,
A) I will fill your mouth, speaking and working through you, allowing you to find your voice and hit upon the proper words with which to fully articulate yourself.
B) Aaron your brother will serve as your spokesperson and mouthpiece, addressing the people and communicating to the masses on your behalf.
“The Rebbe then said that like Moses, the Frierdiker Rebbe was “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue.”
כבד פה וכבד לשון”
—
In the last several years of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s life, he was wheelchair-bound and extremely unwell.
It was exhausting and physically painful for him to speak then, his speech grew unclear and became heavily slurred, and his words were nearly impossible to make out and decipher (other than to the trained ears of his personal secretaries).
During this time, one of the Frierdiker Rebbe’s doctors asked him, “How could G-d afflict you so and rob you of your speech of all things, when you are the Rebbe, who must teach and spread Chassidus, and who therefore requires not only an average capacity for speech, but an exceptional above-average capacity for verbal communication!”
The Frierdiker Rebbe did not reply.
But despite his suffering and the difficulties involved, G-d provided him the strength to produce copious amounts of Sichos, letters, and Maamarim in his final years.
The Rebbe then explained that just as G-d appointed Aaron to serve as the mouthpiece of Moses to carry his messages to the masses, Hashem took the Rebbe’s speech, intending that we would serve as the Rebbe’s spokespersons and Aarons, carrying his message and Torah far and wide.
(Sefer Hasichos, 5752, pp. 292-293)
I’ve heard it before, but could not understand it. Yasher koach!
So good to hear the freidiker rebbe.
What he said is so important
What do you remember!
What do we remember of being with the rebbe in yechidus and by fabrengens?
The rebbe was hinting that there would be a time when he wouldnt be able to speak. But like with moshe rabenu, who hashem gave him a way to speak, the rebbe would find a way to communicate with us. He would find a way to send us an answer
Ty Collive for sharing!
It mamesh brings the Rayatz to life when hearing is vocals. My takeaway is i will try my best to push myself to say some tehillim each day…I tend to miss this is pushing me!
And that WE need to be the spokespeople of the Rebbe, and spread the besuras hageulah and the identity of Moshiach.
Shivers and chills! The Fridiker Rebbes VOICE!