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