100th Anniversary of “Ayin Beis”

By COLlive reporter

This year, 5772 – 2012, is the centennial celebration of the landmark and historic “Hemshech Ayin-Beis” (Continuum 72), a treatise of Chassidic-Kabbalistic mystical thought delivered and written by the Rebbe Rashab.

“Ayin Beis contains the greatest and most monumental cosmic secrets of existence and beyond,” states Rabbi Simon Jacobson, a world-renowned scholar who has dedicated a website to its teachings.

“Ayin-Beis” holds the record for the longest ever series of Ma’amorim (chassidic discourses). Its name means ’72, an abbreviation referring to the year 5672 when this series first began.

A “Hemshech” literally means a continuum or series, and refers to a sequence of Ma’amorim whose theme flows for several weeks, months or years.

The Rebbe delivering the discourse would usually begin with that week’s Parsha and ask preliminary questions which open the way and lead into the theme of the Hemshech. Each week, after an introductory paragraph, the Ma’amar picks up the flow of the theme, taking it to the next level.

It took the 5th Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom Dovber of Lubavitch, often referred to as the “Rambam of Chassidus,” 4 years to deliver the 144 discourses (from 5672-1912 to 5675-1916). One part which was never publicly said, only written in manuscript.

For decades, due to its highly mystical nature, and the daring revolution its release signifies, it was not published. It was first released in 5737-1977, with the instruction of the current Rebbe, with special precautionary measures taken.

To honor the 100th anniversary, the first-ever release of Ayin-Beis in English will be made available to the public this Shavuos.

Chayenu, a wide-ranging weekly Torah publication, will be serializing the discourse in installments over a couple of months (it will feature Hebrew-English side-by-side).

The English translation will eventually be feature as a book in the acclaimed “Chasidic Heritage Series” by Kehot Publication Society, the Chabad-Lubavitch publishing house. (The original version is available on http://www.Kehot.com”>Kehot.com).

“Ayin-Beis” in English will be included in the Shavuos-Nasso edition of Chayenu, now distributed over 4000 booklets weekly in 13 countries worldwide. (It is also available in 8 Crown Heights stores). Find out more at Chayenu.org.

The classes are broadcast live every Sunday morning, 8AM EDT, subsequently archived and available anytime thereafter. We see this as an interactive forum, welcoming your comments and thoughts in our open blog. In time, we will be adding as well as related resources.

The secrets of Ayin Beis are also available to the wider public on Rabbi Jacobson’s website www.AyinBeis.com which offers video classes, an overview and resources on the Maamar.

VIDEO: Rabbi Jacobson on Chapter 1

DOWNLOAD:
+ Sample of Ayin Beis in Chayenu (PDF)