Yechi

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, the wife of King David "Yechi Adoni Dovid LeOlam," ("May my master, King David, live forever!") (Kings I 1:31). When used by Lubavitcher Hassidim, it was originally 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^[1] of Yechi Hamelech ("May the king live") as a prayer to express their desire that the Jewish Messiah should come.^[2] Later on, many of his followers began to consider this term synonymous with the above Yechi, using it to refer to Rabbi Schneerson himself.

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 1984, 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.^[3]

In 1985, a year later, (also at simchat torah) the rebbe gave a long talk about moshiach in general and the leader of the generation being the moshiach. Stating "I will not be troubled if one will translate 'Moshiach' literally, i.e. the righteous Moshiach, since that is indeed the truth. The leader of the generation is in fact Moshiach of the generation."^[4] In that Sicha the rebbe also said that every Jew has a spark of moshiach in him and that we only need to reveal it.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s with the rise of Chabad Messianism 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 welcome moshiach". The Rebbe continued by stating that the way to welcome 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, received many special missions from the Rebbe throughout the years, received a bottle of Vodka from the Rebbe and proclaimed "Yechi" three times, while the Rebbe reportedly 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. ^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[5][citation needed]}

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 brotherly atmosphere of a farbrengen.^[6]

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. On certain occasions; the rebbe made increasingly big signs of encouregment such as on Rosh Chodesh Kislev 1992 (5753); when the rebbe moved his hand back and forth with extreme energy.(This video might be available for viewing on 770live.com)

In the years following the day of 3 Tammuz, there came to be a policy of either acceptance or rejection of regular declaration 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,^[7] of those opposed to Yechi (the so-called "anti" faction), many admittedly accept the message contained therein. Many believers, or meshichisten, say Yechi under their breath after prayer.

Many outside of Chabad have criticized Yechi. For example, 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).

Most of the Chabad movement has been hostile to this proclamation, and have sought to limit the damage which it has cast on their movement. Most notably, Chabad's umbrella organization – Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch has taken an active role in the opposition. Its opposition within Chabad has been seriously damaged after the Rebbe lost his visible grip on the movement, for the Yechiniks (Yechi promoters) no longer felt accountable to anybody within the movement. Merkos alleges that this has caused massive misrepresentation of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Most of the Shluchim (Chabad’s employees) take the line of the opposition. Perhaps most notably is Rabbi Berel Shemtov from Detroit Michigan.

• Jewish Messiah
• Menachem Mendel Schneerson
• 770 Eastern Parkway
• Na Nach Nachma
• Chabad Messianism

• "Against All Odds" The Jewish Week 06/18/2004

• Countdown to Moshiach, a Book giving a comprehensive overview about why many Lubavitchers say "Yechi".
• Torah Sources on Chabad and Moshiach