Yechi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The phrase "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu v'Rabbeinu Melech haMoshiach l'olam va'ed!" (יחי אדוננו מורנו ורבנו מלך המשיח לעולם ועד) is used by many Lubavitch Chassidic Jews to proclaim that the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902-1994), is the awaited messiah as prophecied in the Hebrew Scriptures. It may be translated "Long live our Master, our Teacher, and our Rabbi, the King Messiah, for ever and ever." The phrase can be seen printed in various settings, notably on pamphlets and small prayer cards circulating in Crown Heights, NY; Safed, Israel; Chicago, IL; Baltimore, Maryland; Miami, FL; London, England and elsewhere. It is chanted at the end of daily communal prayers in many Lubavitch congregations, including the main Lubavitch synagogue in Crown Heights, "770". Yechi has a complex and controversial history; it remains the topic of serious debate within the Lubavitch community.

1 Early history
2 The Rebbe's response
3 After his passing
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Early history

Yechi began as the phrase "Yechi Adoneinu Moreinu Verabbeinu," ("May our master, teacher and Rebbe live!") to which the response was a shout of "Yechi" ("May he live!"). It appears to be based on the statement made by Bathsheba "Yechi Adoni Dovid LeOlam," ("May my master, King David, live forever!") (Kings I 1:31). Generally, it was recited in the presence of Rabbi Schneerson after twelve special verses known as "the Twelve Pesukim" whose recitation the Rebbe encouraged in his teachings.

A child honored with reciting the last verse of the Twelve Pesukim would call out the phrase, to which everyone would respond. This was repeated three times. The response would be accented on the second syllable. After three calls, everyone would chant the word Yechi together in a 2-3-2-3 pattern. This was followed by singing "We Want Moshiach Now".

In 1988 Rabbi Schneerson spoke of the importance of declaring the ancient Jewish cry of Yechi Hamelech ("May the king live") as a prayer to express their desire that the Jewish Messiah should come. Many of his followers began to consider this term synonymous with the above Yechi, using it to refer to Rabbi Schneerson himself.

[edit] The Rebbe's response

On a number of occasions throughout the leadership of the rebbe, there were some Chasidim who wanted to publicly express their opinions about the rebbe as Moshiach, However the rebbe never allowed this to be done.

On Simchat Torah 1985, in response to reports that certain people were publishing material and singing songs with this content, the Rebbe publicly stated at a farbrengen (gathering) that those involved were starting a new war against Chabad (i.e., Lubavitch chassidism) and all its Rebbeim, even including the eventual messiah, and that he should never have to speak about it again. ^[1]

In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the rebbe's talks became increasingly focused on the topic of Moshiach, that Moshiach was about to come, and what we need to do to accomplish this. These talks would often take on a sense of urgency. On one occasion, during the rebbes talk at the International Conference of Shluchim, he stated "the work of the Shluchim has already finished, and the only task left is to accept moshiach". The Rebbe continued by stating that the way to accept Moshiach was through increasing in Torah and Mitzvos.

In the early 1990s, some Hasidim became more vocal about Rabbi Schneerson being Moshiach, even serving him with a petition to reveal himself as the long-awaited messiah.

The first singing of the full version of Yechi in front of Rabbi Schneerson took place on April 20, 1991 during the Sabbath Farbrengen. Rabbi Dovid Nachshon, the "Tankist" from Israel who, throughout the years, received many special missions from the Rebbe, received a bottle of Vodka from the Rebbe and proclaimed "Yechi" three times, while the Rebbe smiled with satisfaction. That night, as the Rebbe entered the small synagogue upstairs for the evening prayers, some 20 Chassidim sang Yechi and the Rebbe encouraged their singing.

On April 29th, the Rebbe encouraged the singing of Yechi while leaving the main Lubavitch synagougue, both after the afternoon prayers and the evening prayers. ^[2]

However on Shabbas Parshas Noach 1992 when some chassidim started to sing a similar song, the Rebbe stopped them and remarked that it was strange that he should remain sitting there. He complained that he should have stood up and left the room, his only deterrent being a desire not to disrupt the farbrengen.^[3]

After Rabbi Schneeerson's stroke in 1992, which left him partially paralyzed and unable to communicate readily, it became customary for chassidim to recite the Yechi chant after prayers and at general prayer gatherings for his recovery. Slowly but surely, the full text of Yechi, with its messianic implications, began to be introduced into the mainstream.

In the fall 1992, on Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Schneerson was brought to a window constructed on the upper level of the synagogue at 770 Eastern Parkway overlooking the main sanctuary. Chassidim sang the full version of Yechi, and he made motions with his left hand (his right side had been paralyzed by the stroke). This gesture was perceived by many as encouragement.

[edit] After his passing

In the years following the death of the Rebbe, there came to be a policy of either acceptance or rejection of Yechi on a community by community basis. Generally speaking, Yechi is fairly common in the Crown Heights Lubavitch community, as well as that of Safed (Tzfat), Israel, among many other communities, while it is discouraged in other satellite communities around the United States.

It is difficult to establish a map of "who's who"; in both practice and principle, there exist entire spectra of levels of commitment and/or opposition to the Yechi campaign, subject to variables such as: whether one believes in its message; what exactly one believes that message to be; whether one says it aloud, or believes others should do so, or be allowed to do so, etc. In fact, of those opposed to Yechi (the so-called "anti" faction), many admittedly accept the message contained therein. ^{[citation needed]} Many believers, or meshichisten, say Yechi under their breath after prayer. ^{[citation needed]} ("The King Messiah" has similarly made its way into Grace after Meals for the meshichisten, with a similar degree of variability.)

While no statistics are available regarding these phenomena, both sides claim that a majority of Lubavitchers hold as they do. ^{[citation needed]}

Non-Lubavitch Orthodox Jews often frown on the recitation of Yechi during prayer ^{[citation needed]}, though according to Halakha it poses no threat to the kosherness of the prayer to which it is appended. R. Aharon Feldman has written concerning the proper behavior of a Jew who finds himself in a congregation where Yechi is chanted, extending to whether he has an obligation to leave and even speak up, though he wrote that the practice itself is not contrary to Jewish law. (excerpt here). However, many Lubavitcher respond that R. Feldman has held antagonistic views towards Chabad for many years, and that this is just another excuse for him to lash out. Regardless, most Lubavitchers do not consider these pronouncements significant. With few total exceptions, they at least tolerate occasional declarations of Yechi, if not actually condone them as an appropriate development in Lubavitch chassidic custom.^{[citation needed]}