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

Receiving Responses

In the early years of the nesius of the Rebbe, one of the elder Chassidim of Eretz Yisroel once asked the Rashag what he thinks about the Rebbe. He responded with the following:

‘Often, my brother in law is asked a question, and he says he needs to ask the shver. When he returns from the ohel, he then communicates an answer, saying that it’s from the shver.

Now, whatever you may say about my brother in law, one thing is clear to me, and that is that he is not a liar. If he says that he received a response from the shver, then without a doubt that is exactly what took place. I know for myself that I am incapable of receiving responses from the shver these days. If he is able to do so, then that is enough for me to be his chosid’

Sefer Hashidduchim

There was a bochur, who came from a non-Lubavitcher chassidisher family, who started becoming attracted to Lubavitch and Chabad Chassidus, and gradually started adapting Lubavitcher minhogim. His parents were less than pleased (for some strange reason . .) and tried with every means at their disposal to dissuade him from his errant ways. When they were unsuccessful, they tried to comfort themselves with the thought that he was probably just going through a phase (as teenagers are, in fact, wont to do), and would, in all likelihood, return to his senses in due time.

To their great consternation, not only did his momentary madness not become cured, but he became more and more set in his newfound path, eventually joining a Lubavitcher Yeshiva full time. The parents were devastated by this development, but continued to hope and pray that when he would reach the stage of shidduchim, which was coming up quite soon, he would realize the error of his ways. Deep down they understood that if he would actually plan an marrying a Lubavitcher girl (persish the thought), that would be an indication that the change was irrevocable, and his fate would be sealed.

In the meantime, this bochur did indeed begin to receive suggestions for shiduchim, and, upon receiving the Rebbe’s brocho, began meeting with one. Things developed, and (despite the prayers of his hopeful parents) there was another letter to the Rebbe and . . Mazal Tov! . . he was engaged.

His poor mother was devastated and enraged at what she viewed as his betrayal. She went straight to 770, and – unable to control her anger – went over to her son and delivered him a resounding slap on the face in front of everyone! The bochur did not respond, but his friends, who had witnessed the attack, approached her, saying: ‘what do you want from him? Now he’s a Lubavitcher, and he followed the directives of the Rebbe. If you are upset, you should complain to the Rebbe’.

The woman realized the wisdom of their words, and arranged for herself a yechidus with the Rebbe, during which she expressed her anger at what had occurred. The Rebbe allowed her to finish venting, and then responded simply:

“There is a sefer hashidduchim (in heaven), in which all of the shidduchim are inscribed. When your son asked me if he should meet the girl, I checked and saw that their shidduch is inscribed there, so I gave them my brocho. When they were ready to conclude, I again checked the sefer hashiduchim, and verifying that they were indeed found there, I gave my brocho. What else could I do?”

The woman was overwhelmed, and her mindset was completely reversed. This is someone who has access to the sefer hashiduchim! She now looked at the Rebbe with utmost respect and awe. And she left the room grateful of the fact that her son’s shidduch was verified with the sefer hashiduchim (although, admittedly, prior to the yechidus she had not been aware of it’s existence). (see also sipurei Chassidim on Parshas Ki Sisa, regarding what the Sar Shalom said about the marois hatzoivois).

Freud and the Baal Shem Tov

There was a person in yechidus by the Rebbe, and the Rebbe was speaking with him about Freud. [Freud was a scientist, a doctor and a groundbreaking thinker (known as the father of psychoanalysis). He stood out, in particular, for his very critical and negative analysis of all of a human beings actions and behaviours].

During the yechidus, the Rebbe remarked to him: “Freud dug deep into a person’s character, and uncovered all of the negative forces therein that determine his behaviour, the unflattering reality that resides there within.

But the Baal Shem Tov dug even deeper, and revealed the otzros, - the treasures!

Yom Tov with the Rebbe

Rabbi Alefsky, a Gerrer chosid, was in an airport late one night, and was surprised to notice an obviously Jewish family that were spread out on the floor. When he inquired as to what they were doing on the floor of the airport, he was informed that they were en-route from Paris to New York, and that they had somehow missed a flight, or it had been cancelled or something, and they were awaiting the next flight which would be the following morning.

‘Why don’t you find a place to stay overnight?’, asked Rabbi Alefsky, surprised that a family with young children would choose to bed down in the midst of such a public place. The family explained that they were penniless, and any cost for accommodations would be beyond their means.

Rabbi Alefsky made a quick calculation; ‘Listen’, he informed them, ‘I don’t live in a big house, but I can’t leave you here on the floor. I have a 2 bedroom apartment, so I’ll move my family into one bedroom, and make the other one available for all of you.’

The family gratefully accepted his offer, and happily joined him on his trip home. On the way they conversed some more, and Rabbi Alefsky learned that they lived in France, and were on their way to Crown Heights, to spend the upcoming Yomim Tovim with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Rabbi Alefsky was himself a chosid, who appreciated the importance of spending Tishrei with his Rebbe, yet he found the lengths to which this family was going to achieve this; - making the overseas trip despite having no money – to be rather extreme.

The next day, after he had returned them to the airport and they thanked him for his kindness, he expressed his wonder: ‘I know that going to the Rebbe is important, but does it really warrant such self-sacrifice as you are displaying?’

In response, the father called over his youngest daughter, and pointed her out to Rabbi Alefsky. “Do you see this girl”, he asked him, “well let me tell you her story.

“When she was about 3 years old she became ill, and lost the function of her feet. We ran from doctor to doctor, but to no avail; she was unable to take even a single step!

“Heartbroken, we came to the Rebbe for Yechidus, and begged for his brocho that her health should be restored. The Rebbe looked at her, and commanded: ‘Go, and kiss the mezuzah!’ We were flabbergasted, and began to explain the Rebbe again that this was impossible for her, because of the condition of her feet. But the Rebbe disregarded our words, and repeated to her: ‘Go, and kiss the mezuzah!’

“To our astonishment, she got up, and hesitatingly took a step. While it was only one step, it became a first step – literally as well as figuratively – until gradually her ability to walk was fully restored.

“Now do you understand?”, the man concluded his amazing tale, “having being the personal recipients of such a wondrous miracle by the Rebbe, can we even consider not spending Yom tov with him, regardless of the hardships involved?!”

A Misnagdisher Hergesh

During the nesius of the Frierdige Rebbe, there was a chosid who had an illness in his kidneys, and the doctors recommended surgery to have his kidney removed. They asked the Frierdige Rebbe, who responded that they should not go ahead with the operation.

There was a non-Lubavitcher Rov who was involved at the time, and he strongly objected to their following the advice of the Rebbe. “He is not present” that Rov protested, “he did not see the ill person, and cannot have a proper understanding of the severity of the disease. This is a very serious situation, and it is plain wrong to follow the opinion of someone who is offering it from afar”.

Needless to say, the chosid heeded the advice of the Frierdige Rebbe, to the consternation of the Rov.

22 years later, the above-mentioned Rov met the chosid who had been unwell. “So”, asked the Rov, “did you ever remove your kidney in the end?”

The chosid responded that 2 years ago he finally had the operation.

“You see”, retorted the Rov, “I was right”!

The Rebbe listened to the story, and remarked: “That is a misnagdisher hergesh”!

Zionism

A prominent Rosh Yeshiva of a Mizrachi Yeshiva was once in Yechidus, and he said to the Rebbe: ‘I heard something in the name of the Satmar Rov that will shock you”. When the Rebbe asked him what it was, he said: ‘I heard that following your visit to the Satmar Rov to be menachem oveil him, he remarked: ‘I see now that he is as much against Zionism as we are; it is merely expressed differently’.

The Rebbe reacted with equanimity. ‘He is correct’, the Rebbe said, ‘they are against the people, while I am opposed to the ideology’.

Unconditional Surrender

In the year 5712, there was a gathering during which the Rebbe met with the Rashag (his brother in law) and the donors of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva. This was during the week of Parshas VaYetzei, and they were discussing the upcoming dinner that would benefit the Yeshiva. During the course of the discussion, they repeatedly asked the Rebbe to participate in the dinner, but the Rebbe did not consent.

One of the philanthropists there promised $5,000 to the Yeshiva (in those days!), and added that if the Rebbe would attend the dinner he would increase it to $10,000. A number of the other attendees as well, when stating their pledges, promised a significant increase if the Rebbe would attend the dinner.

After a while, the Rebbe remarked smilingly: “It is now 10 years since “Pearl Harbor”, which resulted, after a few years [due to America entering the war], to the new concept of an “unconditional surrender”.

“Why must you make conditions?” the Rebbe asked them. In the spirit of an “unconditional surrender”, you should commit to the increased donations without any strings attached!” 

הריון ולידה קלה

There was a young teenage girl who went to the Rebbe for a dollar. When she passed by, as the Rebbe handed her the dollar he said "הריון ולידה קלה".

Now, if there are any of you who don’t know what that means, I’ll let you in on a secret: The girl didn’t either know what the words meant. In fact, she was surprised that the Rebbe had spoken to her in Hebrew, when all she understood was English (this was because she didn’t understand what the words meant; - had she any idea what they meant, she would have had something to be much much more surprised about than the Rebbe’s choice of language!)

She went over to Rabbi Leibel Groner, and asked him what the Rebbe had said to her. But he was, understandably, uncomfortable about sharing with her precisely what the Rebbe had told her, so he merely informed her that the Rebbe had given her a brocho.

Years, in fact many years, passed. The girl grew up, got married, and started growing a fine Chassidishe family. One day her husband decided to get her a gift: he would purchase for her all of the videos of her with the Rebbe. He contacted JEM, and made the necessary arrangements.

After awhile, he contacted them again to finalize the deal. “We have all of the videos that you requested, except for one”, they informed him. “Why except for one?”, the yungerman asked. “There is one video that we can’t release, the Rebbe discusses sensitive, personal matters, and it is confidential”, he was told.

But the husband was adamant: he must have all of the videos of his wife. He did whatever was necessary (probably got her involvement or consent), and got the video released. Now, after all these years, the woman was finally able to watch the video and understand what the Rebbe was saying to her.

At around that time, this woman was, in fact, expecting, and there were complications. The doctors instructed her to abort, in order to save her life. But she decided that the video, the words that the Rebbe had spoken to her that she’d finally understood, were the Rebbe’s directive to her. And she continued the pregnancy.

And it turned out (how could it be otherwise!) that it ended up being (from there on) a הריון ולידה קלה, exactly as the Rebbe had said!

3 Dollars

One day, a man walked in to the home of the shliach, the de facto Chabad House of S. Thomas, and handed the shliach 3 dollar bills. By way of explanation, he told him the following:

This story was removed to to claims of inaccuracies.

An accurate version of the story  in the comments would be greatly appreciated.

Ki Korov

A bochur was seeking a shiduch (as bochurim are wont to do, sooner or later), and decided to ask the Rebbe for a brocho. He came on Sunday, while the Rebbe was distributing dollars, and when his turn came to pass in front of the Rebbe, he requested a brocho for a shiduch.

The Rebbe gave the bochur a brocho. In fact, the Rebbe gave him an unusual and remarkable brocho! The Rebbe said to the bochur – with regards to his anticipated shiduch – כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד, indicating that his shiduch was not only forthcoming, but would happen (apparently) very imminently.

Amazed but delighted, the bochur left the Rebbe with a spring in his step and a gleam in his eyes.

But, strangely, days, weeks and then months passed by, with no sign of his long-awaited salvation. The bochur continued to do his part in trying to move things forward, but, despite his best efforts, nothing was materializing.

Finally, after a very long wait and much worry and heartache, the bochur’s prayers were finally answered; - he found his bashert, and they were engaged. They had their l’chayim, and, in an auspicious time, their chasuna, everyone was overjoyed and they lived happily ever after.

But there was a troubling thought niggling in the mind of this bochur (who was, of course, no longer a bochur). What did in fact happen to the Rebbe’s amazing brocho?! The Rebbe had, after all, not just given him a brocho for a shiduch, but had stated quite unequivocally that it was very near, and would take place very speedily. Was all that time that he spent waiting and wishing and working on it and worrying to be considered “very speedily”?! What was he to make of it?

Years passed, and the bochur-turned-yungerman had the opportunity to acquire and view the video in which he had requested the brocho from the Rebbe, when the Rebbe had responded in such an unusual manner.

And there and then, while watching (after all these years had elapsed), he suddenly discovered something extraordinary: He had been, on that fateful day, at the very back of the “men’s line” for dollars. Behind him was the beginning of the woman’s line, and that line was headed by (although they didn’t know each other yet at the time at all)  . . . none other than his ultimate kallah and wife!!

Indeed, כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד! In the most literal and simple sense – although in a way that, at the time, none of them would have imagined – his shiduch, his kalah was as near to him as can be. She was physically near, - she was right behind him!

Zollen zei vissen ver iz di balebus

When R’ Reuven was in NY, he spent as much time as possible with the Rebbe, and grabbed every opportunity possible to see the Rebbe again and again. On those nights that there was yechidus, meaning that the Rebbe would be spending most (or all) of the night receiving people for yechidus. R’ Reuven would spend the night at 770, waiting for the Rebbe to leave – at the end of yechidus – to go home, so that he could see the Rebbe leaving 770.

One particular night of yechidus, in the middle of the night, police cars suddenly appeared, and sealed off any access to the entire block of Eastern Parkway. This was followed by a helicopter materializing and hovering just above 770. On a few rooftops he was able to spot snipers that seemed to be on the lookout for anything suspicious. And then some security personnel arrived, and were obviously scrutinizing the steps and approach to 770 for any signs of suspicion.

Then 3 Rolls Royce’s drove up, and a few men emerged and walked directly into the Rebbe’s room. They spent some time there, and then came out and were driven away.

R’ Reuven’s curiosity was piqued. He had a special privilege of enjoying an “open door” policy, i.e., he had permission to come into the Rebbe whenever he wished, and he took advantage of that privilege at this time. He walked into the Rebbe, and asked “Who were those men?”

The Rebbe enlightened him: “They are scientists who work for the government in the field of atomic energy. They encountered a difficulty that they couldn’t resolve, and they came to ask for my assistance”.

“And did the Rebbe help them?” asked R’ Reuven, intrigued.

“Yes”, he was told.

Shocked, he could not contain himself, and blurted out: “Why did the Rebbe help them, atomic bombs are so dangerous and cause so much damage and devastation?!”

The Rebbe gave him 3 reasons: “Firstly, their research is for peaceful uses”.

“Secondly, America is a malchus shel chesed, a government that has a history of doing so much to support and assist Torah and mitzvos in so many ways, and I felt it’s only right to help them where possible”.

“And thirdly”, the Rebbe concluded, “zollen zei vissen ver iz di balebus!” [- let them know who is in charge!]  

Directed by the Rebbe

It was a few days before Pesach, and a chossid from Arizona was passing by the Rebbe. The Rebbe, unexpectedly, stopped the chossid and remarked: “You are going to ____ (here the Rebbe named a small city in Texas), I would like you to bring these 2 pounds of Matzos to ____ (here the Rebbe named a person living in that city).

The chosid made a quick calculation. The small city in Texas that the Rebbe had named did not have direct flights, neither from NY nor to Arizona. To travel there in person would mean to lose 2 complete days, which would result in him arriving home Erev Pesach. He didn’t think that he could manage that. He did, however, attach great importance to the personal shlichus that was given to him by the Rebbe, so he decided that as soon as he would arrive home, he would go straight to the post office and ship the package to the desired destination.

(as if the Rebbe couldn’t have had it shipped without that chossid)

This chossid duly boarded his flight with the precious package, and began his journey to his own hometown. However, en route they encountered an unexpected difficulty: The plane suddenly developed engine trouble, and the captain instructed everyone to fasten their seat belts, because they would need to make an emergency landing. As the passengers complied, the captain got onto the loudspeaker again, and informed them where they would be making their unscheduled stopover for repairs. And – you guessed it – it was none other than in the small municipal airport in the small city in Texas to which the Rebbe had originally sent the chossid!

Now, we can think that, under these circumstances, the chossid would get the message to stop fighting his destiny, and to resolve, instead, to obey his instructions. But our chossid had other ideas: Now he was losing even more time, and a detour was even less feasible (even though he was already in the right locality). He still retained his initial plan, to send the package by post.

While he was in the airport with his fellow passengers, waiting for their aircraft to be declared sky-worthy, he was approached by a local Jew. “Are you Rabbi ___”, he was asked. “Do you have a package for me?”

That’s right, that person was his intended recipient, who came to the chossid to pick up his matzos!

Excuses

Rabbi Berel Zaltzman was born and raised in the former Soviet Union and was very active in the religious underground network there, even hosting a Yeshiva in his home for a number of years. He emigrated from Russia to Israel with his wife and 6 children in 1971, and has been involved in the various shlichuyos of the Rebbe since. In addition to being a respected chassidisher Yid, Rabbi Zaltzman is renowned as a talented and inspiring Chazan

When R’ Berel came to New York the first time, he had the zechus to have a yechidus with the Rebbe. During the yechidus, the Rebbe instructed him to hold concerts, and also to produce a record. R’ Berel set to work immediately carrying out the directives of the Rebbe.

Now, you should know that producing a record is not as easy as it sounds. There is much work that has to go into it, as well as considerable financial investment.

About a year later, R’ Berel was by the Rebbe again for Tishrei, and, during his yechidus, was able to report on having carried out the Rebbe’s directives. The Rebbe then told him to produce a 2^nd record. Rabbi Zaltzman at that time was still in debt from the first record, and, in addition, his own business was not doing very well, and he was struggling with his own livelihood. Thus, the new directive of the Rebbe sounded rather overwhelming.

When he returned to Eretz Yisroel (where he was living at the time), he discussed the matter with a number of his mashpi’im and some of the Eltere Chassidim. All of them, without exception, told him very emphatically that it was very obvious that the Rebbe did not mean for him to work on another record now, in his current situation, when it would be an unreasonable undertaking for him, and his material circumstances did not allow for it. At some later stage, he would be able to return to it. He followed their sage advice, and postponed the new project indefinitely.

The following Tishrei, he once again joined other Chassidim in their trip to the Rebbe, and had the great zechus of a yechidus with the Rebbe. At the beginning of the yechidus (Oh NO) the Rebbe asked him about the new record. When R’ Berel didn’t answer, the Rebbe exclaimed: “You didn’t make it? Why not?!” R’ Berel continued to stand silently, and the Rebbe said to him “Ohn a farvos?!” [You won’t even give some reason/excuse]

Rabbi Zaltzman saw that the Rebbe wanted an explanation, so he told the Rebbe about his difficult financial situation, as well as the debts that remained from the first record, that precluded him working on a new one at this point. 

The Rebbe listened to his explanations, and exclaimed in wonder: “Mit Stalin hostu zich gekent an eitzah geben, un du kenst zich nit geben kein eitzah mit a por toizent doller??!!” [Against Stalin you managed to hold your own, and you couldn’t deal with a challenge of a few thousand dollars].

[Needless to say, immediately following that yechidus he put together the necessary resources and, in a short time, took care of the second record].

Go out into the street and shout that you need help!

In the early years of the nesius of the Rebbe, there was a family in Crown Heights that was struggling. Their financial situation was tight, and this resulted in their being unable to hire help in their home. It was a household that was blessed with many children BH, and the house was a constant scene of chaos. Needless to say, the frazzled mother was very harried.

The family were not Lubavitcher Chassidim (like the majority of the families in Crown Heights at the time), but they had heard of the “new” Lubavitcher Rebbe, and some acquaintances were encouraging them to seek his advice and brocho. The husband was against the idea, not believing that any benefit would come from it, but his wife was at her wits end, and, desperate for some solution, she decided to try it.

When she came into yechidus, she told the Rebbe about her problem, expressing the fact that she was desperately in need of help. The Rebbe turned to her and said: “You need help? Then go out into the street and shout that you need help!”

The woman left the yechidus rather puzzled, and called her husband to relate what happened. Her husband laughed at her. “You see”, he said, “I told you that there’s no point in going to the Lubavitcher Rebbe; if you wanted to do something crazy you could have done so on your own”.

The woman, however, had more emunas tzaddikim than her husband (or perhaps she was just more desperate), and she decided to carry out the Rebbe’s instructions. She went out into the street, and began to scream that she needs help.

Suddenly a black man came over to her and asked her what she needs. She told him that her house was in complete turmoil, that she wasn’t coping, and that she was in desperate need of help. “I can probably help you”, he told the startled woman, “let me just check with my Mum”. Sure enough, the next day, bright and early, their newly hired black worker was putting the house in order.

The things he did in the house were - for the woman - a lifesaver. But she was still very nervous; - who knows how much he’ll charge at the end of the week, and they, after all, could not afford to pay (which was the reason they hadn’t hired help until then).

At the end of the first week, the woman (with no small measure of trepidation) approached her shvartze and asked him how much she has to pay him. “Just buy me a bottle of whiskey” was his reply. The woman was delighted. She had had housework for a week practically for nothing.

However, as he began working the second week, she began to worry again. ‘This week he’ll surely demand pay’, she thought to herself, ‘and I’ll have nothing to give him’. But her fears were again completely unfounded. At the end of the week, the worker once again informed his grateful employer that all she owed him was a bottle of booze.

This went on for about 30 years! At the end of that period, the woman passed away. Shortly thereafter, the black worker passed on as well. [Some Chassidim remarked, regarding this story: The Maharal created a golem that couldn’t speak, but the Rebbe created one that could speak].