By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
For many years the Judaic administration of the United Lubavitcher Yeshivoth in New York had a monthly audience with the Rebbe Rayatz (and later the Rebbe).
This was a unique opportunity to guide them on of their issues, and even tell them off when they felt something was amiss.
Rabbi Chaim Meir Bukiet retold several of the Rebbe Rayatz’s comments:
1. Sitting at the window of his office, looking out to the street, the Rebbe said that he sees the students cross Eastern Parkway in middle of the street (paraphrased), “Every time I see this, a shiver goes down my spine at the danger they place themselves in.”
2. The Rebbe told them that he sees the students go to eat lunch and supper, but not breakfast. They responded that they eat some cake in 770 for breakfast. The Rebbe said that it is not enough, and the students need to have a proper breakfast.
3. A yeshivah student was walking around with torn clothing. The Rebbe told them, “In Europe, a worker would go in the marketplace with torn clothing. Therefore, at the time, a yeshivah student could go that way too. However, here, a worker goes with proper clothing, so too a yeshivah should go that way to not cause a desecration of G-d’s name.”
4. They would bring in a list of the students who need a shidduch. One time they said that the person on top of the list is there for a very long time, “He is a very chassidishe bachur.” The Rebbe Rayatz responded, “You cannot know who is truly chassidish, until five years after their wedding.”
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As a Talmud in Pittsburgh the bachurim were privileged to engage with Rabbi Sholom Posner. If I rember correctly he spent time with us on 3 distinct occasions and each time he related how the Frierdiker Rebbe came into the zal when he was a bachur 3 times and each time the Frierdiker Rebbe told them to tuck in thier shirts. This made an impression on us.