In Loving Memory, and in Honor of the Seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l:

The 3rd of Tammuz: The Yartzeit of The Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l:

This Shabbos - the third of Tammuz, is the yartzeit of the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, whose name was Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l.  May Hashem place his Neshama (Soul) in a high place in Heaven. 

In honor of his yartzeit, I will quote some of his teachings, some facts about him, and a beautiful story about him:

Facts:  Reb Menachem Mendel was born in the year 1902, according to most.  Though if you look on some of his certificates and documents, they say that he was born in 1895.1  Since he died in the year 1994, he then would have lived to 99 years old!  Wow!  He lead the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement from the 10th of Shevat in the year 1951, until his death, in 1994.  The Lubavitch Movement was almost killed by the Holocaust, but he, with lots of Help from Hashem, 'revived it'2, and now, Baruch Hashem, it thrives greatly, may Hashem help it keep growing and thriving.  Many revered Reb Menachem Mendel greatly for the incredible person that he was. 

Teachings:   Reb Menachem Mendel, as the Sixth Rebbe did, stressed the imminent coming of the Mashiach.  These are some sayings from him:  He said: "Each individual has the capacity to build communities and endow communities with life...  So that each community member becomes a source of inspiration."3  He also said: "This world is not a jungle, it is Hashem's Garden.  But for a garden to produce good fruit, one must work particularly hard...  It takes more toil and more time."4 

A Story:  Rav Shlomo Besser shlita relates about his first encounter with the Lubavitcher Rebbe zt"l:  He says that, when he was a boy, his father took him to the 770 Yeshiva to Daven.  He recalls that he could not find a Siddur to Daven out of.  And then, he saw a Siddur perched on the table where the Rebbe sat.  The Rebbe motioned to him to come, sit next to him, and Daven.  So he did.  The Chassidim did not like that, and so they motioned that he should move away from the Rebbe.  The Rebbe looked up, and said "Vos vilt ir fun im, es davent zich zeir gut mit im!" Which, in English means "What do you want from him?  My Davening is going very well with him!"5

I wish every single Jew a wonderful, wonderful Shabbos, and may Hashem help us all to have one.  Amein, so may it be His Will. 

Refoel Berel

1 Wikipedia.  Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l. 

2 Wikipedia.  Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson zt"l.  From an article in the 'New York Times'. 

3  TheRebbe.org - Chabad.org.    

4 TheRebbe.org - Chabad.org.

5 TheRebbe.org - Chabad.org.  My encounter with the Rebbe - 'The Rebbe and I Shared a Siddur'.