התקדשותו של בית ומספרו: תנועת חב"ד ו"בית משיח" שברחוב 770 Eastern Parkway בניו יורק

The Habad movement regards the building that houses its headquarters on 770 Eastern Parkway in New York as nothing less than a temple. Even the building number, 770, is considered holy. Ascribing such a degree of sanctity to a building and its street address is a unique cultural-geographic phenomenon that cannot be comprehended without an understanding of the powerful messianic activism of the Habad movement, the lofty status of the late rebbe, Rabbi Menahem Mendel Schneerson, who is believed by many to be the messiah, or at least worthy of the title, and the fervent longing of his followers for a connection to him. It was the Rebbe himself who sanctified both the house and the number of the house, 770, which was assigned to the building by the city years before its purchase by Habad in 1940. The Rebbe spoke at length about the holiness of the building and number in his sermons, drawing parallels to the Temple in Jerusalem. In Jewish numerology, he said, 770 is equal to the Hebrew word paratzta, meaning "burst forth," a highly symbolic concept in the Habad world. It is also a numerical equivalent of "beis moshiah" (messiah's house). The Rebbe made it clear: The house on 770 Eastern Parkway was where the Third Temple would be revealed, and both would be transported to Jerusalem. When the Rebbe died in 1994, the house and number continued to be the most tangible and meaningful connection to the departed leader. For the Habad faithful, 770 in New York, its architectural replicas around the world, and even the number 770 alone, are more than a symbol. They are the precious link that enable them to commune with the Rebbe. Followers of Habad have come up with many uses for 770, incorporating it in their phone numbers, addresses, license plates, and more.