R’ Itche

Years ago, some bochurim were on merkos shlichus in the city in which R’ Itche a”h was a shliach at that time. They stayed, naturally, in his home. They found it a bit surprising that every single night, regardless of how late it was, R’ Itche was sitting and learning when they went to sleep, and every morning when they awoke, he was sitting at the table learning.

It was only much later that they learned the reason for this: R’ Itche had no extra room for them in his home, but since these bochurim were shluchim of the Rebbe, he gave his own bedroom to them, and sent his wife to sleep in the children’s room. In order that they shouldn’t notice that he had nowhere to sleep, he made sure to be learning whenever they went to sleep and awoke!

Ess iz gornisht!

The sister of R’ Chaim Boruch and R’ Chesed Halberstam was once diagnosed with a tumor in her brain r”l, that the doctors felt was inoperable. The parents ran from doctor to doctor, but were given little hope. Finally, one doctor told them that in Eretz Yisroel the doctors have very little experience in this particular field. He suggested therefore that they travel to America, where that had been much more development in this area of pediatric treatment, and there they would undoubtedly find a surgeon who would be willing to treat her.

The father took his daughter to America, and, in fact, found a surgeon who was prepared to operate on her.

R’ Chesed was then already learning in Lubavitch (he had been attracted to a chassidus shiur of R’ Yosef Segal, and went to learn in Kfar Chabad), and he called his father and urged him, once he was in the United States in any case, to seek a brocho from the Rebbe. The father was at first very reluctant, they were after allTzanzer Einiklech and Tzanzer chassidim, and he told his son that this was not theirderech. His son was, however, persistent, and the father, after all, was desperate to get help for his daughter, so finally he acquiesced.

When the father came to 770, and the Rebbe saw him, the Rebbe shook his hand and said: “Sholom Aleichem, why are you here?”

Rabbi Halberstam told the Rebbe about his daughter’s illness. The Rebbe looked at him and said emphatically “Ess iz gornisht!” [It is nothing]. The father stood there in shock – they had come from Eretz Yisroel with all of her x-rays etc. and situation was dire – and the Rebbe repeated again: “Ich hob dir gezogt, ess iz gornisht” [I told you, it is nothing]!

Amazed, Rabbi Halberstam rushed back to the hospital where the surgery was to be performed. When they were taking her for x-rays etc. he questioned the doctors: “What do you need this for? I brought all of her test results from Israel?” The doctor replied: “When we do surgery here, we base it only on our own tests, not on tests performed elsewhere”.

Shortly afterwards, the doctor came to Rabbi Halberstam in surprise. “Rabbi, why did you come to us”, he asked, holding the new test results in his hand, “there is nothing at all wrong with your daughter”!

Nachas to the Rebbe

R’ Bentche Shemtov made a Bar Mitzva for his son, and wrote on the invitation that he requested everyone to join him in wishing his son that he bring nachas to the Rebbe. A Litvishe Rov who had received the invitation came to him with a complaint: ‘Shouldn’t the focus be on giving the Eibishter nachas, why focus on a human being?

R’ Bentche told him that it was a good question, and perhaps he should direct it to the Rebbe himself. The Rov complied, and sent the question to the Rebbe under an assumed name.

The Rebbe responded: If the goal is to give the Eibishter nachas, it is much easier to fool oneself. A person can always convince himself that the Eibishter is delighted with whatever he’s doing. However, when he uses a human being who he knows as the measuring stick, then it is much more difficult to go astray, and much easier to come to a clear conclusion about what is really expected and what not!

The Reward is at the End

Once, the Rebbe distributed a Kuntres Ahavas Yisroel to all the mashpi’im, and the Rebbe personally signed each one. R’ Reuven was in America at the time for a family simcha, but was out of town at the time of the distribution. He approached the Rebbe afterwards and complained that he missed out on receiving the kovetz. The Rebbe, however, didn’t respond.

On the day of their departure to return to Eretz Yisroel, the Rebbe called in R’ Reuven and his wife to the “Gan Eden haTachton” and handed each of them a kuntres. At first they were both ecstatic. But when they looked inside, they were devastated; - the copies that they had received were unsigned. However, there was nothing to be done about it, and they tried to overcome their intense disappointment and continue with their trip.

On the plane they were both dozing off, when suddenly R’ Reuven awoke with a start! ‘Why did the Rebbe give me the kuntres?’ he asked himself, ‘was it not in order that I study from it?!’ He immediately awoke his wife and they proceeded to learn the entire kuntres together, from beginning to end(!).

As they completed the kuntres and turned to the very last page, their eyes lit up, quite literally! There, on the final page, staring out at them in all its splendour, was the signature of the Rebbe, with which each of their kuntresim had been adorned! R’ Reuven learned from this the simple lesson: Sometimes you just have to work on doing what the Rebbe expects of you, and that will be the way that directly causes you to receive what you are hoping to receive from the Rebbe!

A yungerman, by the name of R’ Yisroel Zussman, was compelled by his circumstances to go into business after his wedding. This yungerman was a scholar of note and a serious individual; therefore, despite meeting with great success in his business endeavors, it always irked him that he had been unable to pursue his true goal of continuing his learning.

One of his acquaintances, aware of his inner turmoil, suggested to him that perhaps he would feel more satisfaction if he would enter an age-old Yissochor-Zevulun pact; - he should support a young scholar who is dedicating his life to learning Torah, and he would thus have a share in that scholar’s Torah learning. R’ Yisroel liked the idea very much, and (after consulting with Rav Shteinman) decided to accept it. R’ Shteinman even suggested a “Yissochor” that he undertake to support; - a serious scholar in Bnei Brak by the name of Rabbi Yudaikin, a descendent of the Vilna Gaon, who was dedicating his life to learning Torah and serving Hashem.

Rabbi Yudaikin, when approached about the proposition, refused to accept more than his most meager requirements, just enough to get by, and these were sent to him by R’ Zussman on a regular basis. The partnership was very satisfying to both of them. Years past by, with this arrangement continuing to be maintained.

One day, R’ Yisroel was travelling to New York on a business trip. Before he left, he received a sudden frantic phone call from a relative. She told him that she had heard that he was travelling to New York, and she had an important request to make of him. He said he would be glad to help her, but she asked him to promise that he would fulfill her request. Cautious (realizing that this would be no simple request) and curious, he assured her that he would, and went over to her house to hear from her what it was that she desired.

When he arrived, his relative, who was expecting, informed him tearfully that she had just been diagnosed with a malignant tumor r”l the previous day, and the doctors ordered immediate treatment of chemo-therapy. However, the issue of her pregnancy complicated matters. The doctors felt that it was crucial for her to abort. They told her that if she didn’t terminate her pregnancy, then either the baby would be severely damaged in any case, or it would be an orphan. Her doctor emphasized with her about the difficult decision that she had to make. However, he said to her: “If you were my daughter, I would unhesitatingly tell you to abort”.

The desperate woman now tearfully beseeched her cousin, ‘Please, when you are in NY, use the opportunity to approach the Lubavitcher Rebbe on my behalf. He is known for the wonders that he has performed, and I will follow whatever he advises.

Rabbi Zussman could not refuse her desperate plea, and Sunday found him in 770, waiting his turn in line to receive a dollar from the Rebbe.

The date was 26 Adar 1 5752. It was one minute before 7 p.m., during the last hour of the dollar distribution of that day (and the last hour of the dollar distribution to date). The mazkirim and their helpers were focusing all of their energies on rushing things along as fast as possible in order to finish off asap.

R’ Yisroel later related: ‘As I neared the place of the Rebbe, I noticed the great efforts in hurrying everyone along. The truth is, I understood them well. There were, after all, thousands of people in line, and if everyone would take just one extra moment, it would amount to additional hours. However, I felt that the issue about which I had come was a matter of pikuach nefesh, lives were at stake, and I determined to present my question. I decided that when I reached my turn I would grasp the shtender of the Rebbe tightly, so that no one can remove me until I am done’.

‘I reached the place and stood in front of the Rebbe. I felt hands grasping me to pull me along, and I noticed the Rebbe glance at them sharply, to indicate that they should allow me to say my piece. I quickly described the dilemma of my relative and her question.’

‘The Rebbe asked me for her name and the name of her mother, which I provided. Suddenly, the Rebbe closed his eyes for a moment, right in front of me, and then opened them. I had the sense that he took a quick trip to higher realms and then came back down to us’.

‘The Rebbe then turned to me and said: “It’s not the disease that you said, it’s something else, the doctors should be told to look for something else”.

R’ Yisroel stood there in shock, not knowing how to react, but the Rebbe continued: “What she has is not that disease, so there is no place for her other question (about terminating the pregnancy). She will give birth, and it will be a very special child”!

Completely overwhelmed, R’ Yisroel found himself outside, and immediately ran to a telephone to convey the exact words of the Rebbe to his relative. Needless to say, the new tests that were taken showed no trace of cancer, and – at the right time – she indeed gave birth to a healthy baby!

The professor who had been treating her was flabbergasted; - the 2^nd tests completely contradicted all the earlier ones (!), and she began to interrogate her patient, asking what special foods she ate or what treatments she had tried to bring about this miraculous change. R’ Yisroel, upon his return to Eretz Yisroel, visited this professor, and personally shared with her the exact details of what had transpired. Visibly moved, she banged on the table with her hand and exclaimed emotionally;“Indeed, there is a G-d!”

R’ Yisroel decided to share the story with his partner, his “Yissochor”. He went to Rabbi Yudaikin and related the entire story, saying: “Listen, I know that you and I are both from a Litvishe background, but this is a miracle that I have personally experienced!”

Rabbi Yudaikin responded: “It’s a hard story to believe, I need to verify it. But if I can, in fact, verify all the details, I will personally begin to learn Chassidus.” True to his word, Rabbi Yudaikin (after verifying the story) began diligently learning Chassidus as well. Apparently, he recently printed a 900 page sefer of his ha’oros on Tanya.

Dancing with the Eibishter

One year (in the very early years of the Rebbe’s nesius), during hakafos, the Rebbe  was pulling people into the circle. One of those that the Rebbe pulled in was an American balebos. After hakafos the Rebbe apologized to the balebos (for dragging him in).

The balebos waved off the Rebbe’s apology, saying: “On the contrary, it was a great honor for me to dance with the Rebbe”. To which the Rebbe responded: “Tantzen darf men tantzen mit der Eibishter!” [You should be dancing with the Alm-ighty].

What was her name?

It was very soon after the histalkus of the Frierdige Rebbe, and one of his Chassidim, R’ Sholom Ber Gordon a”h, was sitting in office when the phone rang. At the other end was a balebus of his who was in tears. Their son had been in a baseball game, when one of the players, carelessly, swung the bat into his head. The boy immediately lost consciousness, and the doctors held out little hope. In despair, the father turned to his Rabbi for help.

Rabbi Gordon sat in his room, overwhelmed by the terrible news. “I suddenly felt the immense loss we had suffered so much more acutely”, he later related. “Had it been just a few months earlier, I would have known exactly what to do. I would need only to send in the name of the injured child to The Rebbe, and the salvation would be sure to come imminently. But what is there to be done now?!”

As he sat in deep concern, he suddenly remembered: ‘the Ramash’ (the Rebbe)! He would surely know what to do!

He immediately contacted the Rebbe’s secretary, and mentioned the name of the comatose youth and his mother’s name, for a brocho for a refuah shleimah. The Rebbe said he would bring the name to the tzion of the Frierdige Rebbe for a brocho.

But then, the Rebbe turned to the mazkir and asked: ‘What was the name of the boy’s mother?’ The mazkir repeated the name that he had been given. The Rebbe thought for a moment, and asked again: ‘Are you sure that that’s the name of the mother?’

The secretary called Rabbi Gordon, who confirmed that that was indeed the name that his balebus had given him. The mazkir reported this to the Rebbe, who asked him again to verify. Puzzled, the mazkir told Rabbi Gordon, who called the father again. Thus it was discovered that due to his great agitation the father had indeed confused the name of his wife when speaking to rabbi Gordon. The correct name was immediately communicated to the Rebbe, who gave a brocho.

Needless to say, the boy made a full recovery