Please Tell Me What the Rebbe Said

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Throughout the Rebbe Shlita's nesius, he has shown a special regard and concern for children. The many children's rallies and Tzivos HaShem activities demonstrate the great affinity the Rebbe shows for children and the major role they play in his outreach efforts.

Not only has the Rebbe inspired many activities involving children, he has also directed many sichos to them. But children have a great thirst to know, and they want to understand not only the talks directed to them in particular, but everything the Rebbe says. After sitting for hours on Shabbos afternoons, participating in the Rebbe's farbrengens, and afterwards, the children would ask their parents: "Please tell me what the Rebbe said."

Adapting the Rebbe's talks for children involves several stages. In addition to choosing the ideas appropriate to convey to children and structuring the conceptual development of these thoughts, it is necessary to try to enter a child's thinking processes. Therefore original stories and analogies were incorporated into the germ of the idea taken from the Rebbe's sichos. In certain instances, our original material was woven into the fabric of the Rebbe's message so that the principals in the story communicate the Rebbe's ideas. In other instances, the story creates a framework in which one of the Rebbe's ideas is highlighted.

Achdus and Ahavas Yisrael are themes which the Rebbe often underscores and therefore, they feature frequently throughout the book. They also featured in the book's composition, for it involved the synthesis of the efforts of many different people. We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following:

David Grossman for editing;
Hinda Baruch for proofreading;
Orit Martin for the cover and the illustrations;
Ruth Pepperman and Yosef Yitzchok Turner for the layout and typography;
Rabbi Aharon Leib Raskin for researching sources;
My husband, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, and Rabbi Yonah Avtzon, the director of Sichos In English, for their assistance in every aspect of the production.

The Zohar states that one of the signs of the coming of Mashiach is that young children will know the Torah's mystic secrets. Studying the Rebbe Shlita's teachings reflects the fulfillment of that prophecy, granting the children a foretaste of the teachings of Mashiach.

May the Torah and the prayers of the many thousands of adults and children who have learned to study and pray through the Rebbe's inspiration generate blessings for his complete and perfect health. May he continue to guide us with inspiration and vision, leading the entire Jewish people to Eretz Yisrael in the true and complete Redemption. And may this take place in the immediate future.

Malka Touger

Jerusalem,

Rosh Chodesh Kislev, 5754