1. The Significance of 770 and the 19th of Elul
The 19th day of Elul is marked as the day when the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, the Rebbe Rayatz, first entered 770 Eastern Parkway. Today, “770” is synonymous with Lubavitch World Headquarters; you don’t even need to say “Eastern Parkway”—everyone knows what “770” means. The Rebbe himself pointed out the connection between 770 and ufaratzta—“you shall burst forth”—whose root paratzta (פרצת) has the numerical value of 770, referencing the verse in which Hashem blesses Yaakov to spread out to the east, west, north, and south. This became a slogan for Chabad: that Hasidic teaching and its enthusiasm should burst forth and spread throughout the world, engulfing it with passion and devotion. Thus, it is significant that the Rebbe Rayatz entered specifically into 770 on this day.
2. The Transformation of 770 into a Spiritual Center
The Rebbe published a booklet discussing the idea of a beit rabbanan—a house of Torah leadership—citing Talmudic sources that describe such a place as more than just an ordinary home. It becomes a sanctuary, a miniature Beit Hamikdash—a holy temple. All synagogues are considered to be like a small sanctuary (mikdash me'at). When the previous Rebbe arrived in America, 770 was just a small synagogue with only a handful of people attending. Sometimes they struggled even to find a minyan. Over time, however, it transformed into a bustling center where there was never enough space for all who wished to attend. Today, minyanim run around the clock—a testament to how much it has grown.
3. Overcoming Challenges in Establishing Chabad in America
One of the greatest challenges faced by the previous Rebbe was changing people’s mindset about America’s potential for Torah study and religious life. Many believed that America could not become a place for yeshivot, religious service to Hashem, or Jewish continuity as it had been in Europe. The previous Rebbe declared that “America is no different,” committing to change this perception through hard work and perseverance.
Together with his son-in-law (the future Rebbe), he established educational institutions, outreach programs, camps, and social services to support Jews in every way possible. Financing these efforts was difficult since most Chabad followers were recent immigrants struggling financially themselves. Over time, however, Chabad learned how to raise awareness and support even from those outside their immediate circle by demonstrating their vital role in preserving Yiddishkeit for future generations.
4. The First Entry into 770: Details and Customs
The move into 770 gave Chabad stability and permanence in America. On that first entry on Yud-Tet Elul (19th of Elul), Taf-Shin (1940), the previous Rebbe first entered the synagogue on the main floor of what was then just one building (now replicated worldwide). He prayed that all prayers offered there would be sincere and filled with true inner service to Hashem.
He then went into the dining room upstairs (the living quarters were on an upper floor), sat down, and delivered a talk about why we do not recite birkat hachodesh—the blessing for the new month—for Tishrei before Rosh Hashanah. Normally every month is blessed on Shabbat Mevarchim (the Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh), but not before Rosh Hashanah. One reason given is so as not to alert Satan—the prosecuting angel—to the coming High Holidays. Another explanation is that Hashem Himself blesses Tishrei directly, giving us strength for all subsequent months’ blessings throughout the year.
5. The Legacy of 770 as Chabad Headquarters
This first entry set in motion what would become history: 770 as the nerve center for global Chabad activity. The Rebbe often emphasized its holiness but always attributed everything to his father-in-law’s merit rather than his own accomplishments.
The previous Rebbe lived at 770 from 1940 until his passing on Yud Shvat (10th of Shvat) in 1950—a period just shy of ten years. These years followed decades of hardship under Bolshevik oppression and Nazi persecution but allowed him some measure of peace and productivity despite declining health toward the end.
6. Rabbi Soloveitchik’s Encounter with the Previous Rebbe
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik—a renowned scholar of the Soloveitchik family, who founded Maimonides School in Boston and served as rosh yeshiva at Yeshiva University’s RIETS—warmly received Chabad visitors in his later years despite the differences in background.
He shared an experience from his student days in Berlin when he accompanied Rabbi Hildesheimer of the Berlin Rabbinerseminar to visit the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe after his escape from Russia. The Rebbe was staying at an elegant hotel suite reserved for dignitaries, which surprised some visitors accustomed to more modest accommodations for rabbis.
The previous Rebbe explained that Halacha grants one who has been released from prison certain leniencies—such as cutting his hair on Chol HaMoed—so that he may make himself presentable in Hashem’s honor—a reflection on emerging from suffering with dignity before God.
7. Looking Forward: Redemption and Continuity
The entry into 770 on Yud-Tet Elul remains pivotal: it anchored Chabad’s presence in America and set up its global influence today. We hope soon all synagogues and study halls will be gathered together with Mashiach’s arrival in Eretz Yisrael—as tradition teaches they will fly together to form one great sanctuary there.
This day reminds us both of past self-sacrifice for Yiddishkeit and our ongoing mission: ensuring Jewish continuity until ultimate redemption speedily in our days.