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בַּמַּאֲסָר הַשֵּׁנִי שֶׁל רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן — בִּשְׁנַת תקס"א

During the Alter Rebbe’s second incarceration, in 5561 (1800),

לֹא יָשַׁב בִּתְפִיסָא וּמַאֲסָר כָּבֵד כְּבָרִאשׁוֹנָה

the conditions of his confinement were not as harsh as they had been the first time.

אֲבָל הַמַּלְשִׁינוּת הָיְתָה כְבֵדָה יוֹתֵר

The slanderous charge, however, was far more severe,

כִּי עִקָּר הַהַלְשָׁנָה הָיָה עַל תּוֹרַת הַחֲסִידוּת, וְהַהִתְנַגְדוּת הָיְתָה גְּדוֹלָה בִּמְאוֹד

for it focused [not on himself personally but] on the teachings of Chassidus, and the opposition was intense.

"הָיָה תָּפוּס בּ"טַיינעֶ סָאוועֶט

He was imprisoned in the Tainy Soviet prison,

יוֹם שֶׁיָצָא לְחֵרוּת: נֵר ג' דְּחַנוּכָּה

and was released on [the day of] the third Chanukah light.

Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English