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!