6 Stories As Told By Rabbi Groner

By Shneor Ossowiecki

While we are in shock and disbelief of the current events going on, so many precious souls brutally taken away from us, particularly, the passing of an individual who means so much for the whole Chabad community world-wide, the Rebbe’s personal secretary, Rabbi Leibel Groner OBM.

At the same time, I feel privileged to have get to know (or met) this special person, and had the great zechus to hear from his incredible first hands stories, as he had the unique talent to relate them and let you live and see the events through his eyes.

In Rabbi Groner’s memory, I would like to share a few of the stories I recall hearing from him throughout the night-long farbrengens in which he would pour out his memories, and let the inspiration live on.

1. Spiritually more than physically

When Reb Shmuel Zalmanov compiled Sefer HaNigunnim, he wished to insert a sicha from the Rebbe as a preface for the book. He therefore prepared a certain sicha, and gave it into the Rebbe’s secretary so the Rebbe can be Magiah and it could be used for his book. Time went by, the book was complete waiting to be printed, but the Rebbe had not yet returned the sicha for publishing.

Rabbi Zalmanov didn’t know what to do, as the SIcha was given to the Rebbe and there was nothing more they could do to hasten the Rebbe’s reviewing of the Sicha.

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It happened at that time that a bride and groom came with their families to New York so the Rebbe would officiate their wedding. They had scheduled with the Rebbe months before, and finally they flew in for the special occasion. However, as they arrived in the United States, the Rebbe announced that he would not officiate that wedding as he originally intended to. That is, the Rebbe explained, since the bride and groom had traveled on the same flight, which is not in accordance with the Halacha and tznius guidelines. The Rebbe therefore would not agree to officiate their wedding.

When Rabbi Zalmanov heard about this incident he got excited. Finally, the Rebbe would have some spare time, as the Rebbe had set aside time for that Chuppah and now the Rebbe would not attend it. He therefore wrote to the Rebbe requesting that the time the Rebbe had designated to be at that wedding, that Rebbe should take to finally work on the sicha for the Sefer Haniggunim.

The Rebbe’s answer didn’t hesitate to come: “To be there spiritually takes more than materially”.

I.e., although the Rebbe would physically not be present at the wedding, he would definitely be there spiritually. And that takes more effort than physical presence.

2. Better to listen to the Rebbe’s words

A man once called Rabbi Groner seeking the Rebbe’s advice for his business. When presenting the question, the Rebbe replied that he would only answer if the businessman would promise to listen to the advice, as it would be worse for him to go against the Rebbe’s word than if he had not asked in the first place. However, the Rebbe added, the man should not know that the Rebbe had requested for the promise.

Rabbi Groner was now left with the task of getting a warranty from this man that he would listen to the Rebbe’s advice, without disclosing that the Rebbe had requested so.

He calls the man back relating the following story:

When the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe visited Chicago in 1930, there was a Jewish boy who became a Zionist and wanted to do Alyiah to Eretz Yisroel. His father, an orthodox Jew, was against the idea and tried to discourage the son about the trip, to no avail. Hearing that the Rebbe is coming to town, the man was able to bring his son to ask the Rebbe’s advice. The Rebbe answered: he could go but not right now.

The son didn’t pay attention to the Rebbe’s answer and boarded the first ship heading to Israel. Soon after, the sad news came that the ship with all its three hundred travelers had sunk. Needless to say, the father was devastated. He came crying to the Rebbe: the Rebbe had obviously seen the tragedy coming, as he clearly told the boy to push off the trip. Why didn’t the Rebbe reveal what was coming, sparing hundreds of lives?

The Rebbe’s answer was very sharp: “Sometimes we [I] say something and we don’t know why we are saying it; but this is what we see above. And if one doesn’t listen, it is much worse!”.

(Rabbi Groner had heard this story from a Jew in Chicago when studying there in Yeshivah as a Bochur.)

Upon hearing this story, the businessman got the hint and immediately gave Rabbi Groner his word that he would listen to the Rebbe’s advice. A few months later, the same businessman calls Rabbi Groner back thanking him for requesting the promise.

Had he not promised – the man explained – he would fail to follow the Rebbe’s words, as it didn’t make any sense to him. But he wouldn’t betray his promise. And as it turned out, if that would be the case, he would lose a lot of money.

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When relating to the Rebbe how he got the man to promise, the Rebbe thanked Rabbi Groner, as he heard a story of his Shverthat he’s never heard before.

3. Four days at the Ohel

A man once asked the Rebbe for a Bracha for his wife. She was unwell, and the doctors explained that she would need to undergo four surgeries.

The next day, the Rebbe announced he would go to the Ohel. Upon returning, the Rebbe asked Rabbi Groner to inquire about the woman’s wellbeing. He was informed that the doctors had changed their mind and she would now need only three surgeries.

The next day, the Rebbe again went to the Ohel. At that night, news came that she would only need two surgeries. The same repeated itself the third day, when the doctors said she actually only needed one surgery, and finally, on the fourth day, after going to the Ohel the husband reported that his wife would need no surgery at all.

(Generally, the Rebbe would only go to the Ohel twice a month. Every trip to the ohel meant that the Rebbe would fast the whole day and stand on his feet hours long. Still, the Rebbe did it for four days straight for the sake of this Jewish lady.)

4. What time was the baby born?

A man once called 770 requesting an urgent Bracha for his wife. As she went into labor, they were experiencing serious complications to deliver the baby.

Finally, in the morning, news came that Baruch Hashem at 6:00am the baby was born, baby and mother were healthy. When hearing the news, the Rebbe strangely wanted to know the exact time the baby was born. Rabbi Groner forwarded the message to the father, who went to ask the medical staff for the exact time of birth.

When hearing the uncommon question, the reaction was uncomfortable: Be happy your baby is healthy! What difference does it make what time he was born?

But the man insisted. It was a little unclear, amongst the confusion they were not thinking of marking the precise time. But finally, the nurse in charge was able to confirm that the birth actually took place at 5:30am.

When reporting back to the Rebbe, the Rebbe explained to Rabbi Groner: When I heard about the complications, it bothered me the whole night and it didn’t let me fall asleep. Finally, at 5:30 I fell asleep. I realize that the actual birth could not have been at 6am…

5. Saving a vishnizer Chossid

A Vishnitzer Chossid was once in Los Angeles on a business trip. While in California, he fell ill and had to be submitted to the Hospital. While there, one particular nurse started harassing the Chossid, trying to persuade him to a sin CH”V.

As much as he tried to push her off, she wouldn’t give up and kept coming back. One particular night, the nurse entered the room and declared that she would not leave until he would agree to what she wanted.

The Chossid didn’t see a way out of it and in his mind, he started considering giving in to the nurse’s pressure. All of a sudden, the phone on his room rings.

“This is Rabbi Chodakov, the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s secretary. The Rebbe told you to immediately gather your stuff and leave the hospital, right away!”

This is what he did. The man later told that he had never encountered the Rebbe. He never told the Rebbe he was in LA, much less that he had been hospitalized. Nevertheless, the Rebbe knew exactly what hospital and what room he was to be found, and the Rebbe saved him form a grave sin.

6. Shidduch from heaven

A bochur once became close to Chabad, and came to learn in 770. It came time for Shidduchim, and a girl was suggested to him. After getting the Rebbe’s approval, he moved on with the Shidduch. However, his family was against the Shidduch, and pressured him to decline it.

Once again, he asked the Rebbe if he should continue, to which the Rebbe agreed. Seeing that his family was still unhappy, he asked a third time, and the Rebbe still conceded with the shiddush. The parents threatened that they would not participate at the wedding, but the bochur wouldn’t give in, as he got the Rebbe’s Bracha.

Finally, the mother came to 770, burst into the Beis Medrash, ran to her son and slapped him on the face. “You are not getting married to her!”, she yielded.

However, the Bochur wouldn’t budge. Seeing the mother’s distress, some chassidim advised her that she perhaps would have better luck by talking to the Rebbe himself, as the boy would only listen to the Rebbe’s instruction.

And so she did. She came into Yechidus and expressed her reasons why in her opinion this shidduch was not appropriate for her son.

The Rebbe replied: In heaven, there are several books of Shidduchim. When your son came to ask for my advice, I agree, as I saw no opposition to this shidduch in the heavenly books. When I heard that the family was not in favor, I checked all the books for a second time. And so I did the third time he asked me, and I still found no issue with this shidduch in all the Shidduch books, so I couldn’t but approve the Shidduch.

After hearing such an answer, the mother realized that it would be foolish of her to oppose the Shidduch and she immediately agreed.

(The Rebbe would never talk about his own greatness or spiritual powers. But when it was to save a Shidduch of a young couple, the Rebbe went out of his way and revealed that he has access to all the heavenly Shidduch files, upon which he bases his Bracha for the Chosson and Kallah.)

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May we hear no more of pain and sorrow, and celebrate together with Moshiach and all those who have passed on, NOW!