By COLlive reporter
As reported earlier on COLlive.com, Mrs. Shulammis Saxon, who gave the Rebbe a bracha for children ‘in code,’ before her Bas-Mitzvah in 1981, was recently interviewed by JEM’s My Encounter with the Rebbe project. She explained how the Rebbe responded in kind, writing in the same code, “Thank you for the bracha.”
Now, a new development has unfolded in the 32 year-old story. Pursuant to the release of Mrs. Saxon’s story, the internal office draft of the letter was brought to the My Encounter team by an anonymous source. The original document shows the Rebbe’s handwritten note to the secretary with specific instructions on how to compose the letter to the 12-year old girl.
At the top of the letter, which is comprised of the blessings which the Rebbe would regularly convey to Bas Mitzvah girls, the Rebbe drew an arrow pointing to the words “In the margin.”
Below that, the Rebbe wrote the words “Toda al habracha – thank you for the blessing” in the code used by chasidim in Russia to communicate with the Rebbeim through the years – wherein each letter of the Alef Beis is exchanged for the following. Hence an alef becomes a beis, and a shin becomes a tof. This method is also known as “mezuzah code” – the method used for the letters spelling out G-d’s name on the reverse side of a mezuzah scroll.
However, the twelve year-old child had written her code in the opposite, exchanging each letter for the preceding letter. So the Rebbe crossed out his personal coded thank you note, and wrote the coded message again – this time, in the same fashion as the young girl had written her sincere blessing to him.
The handwritten instruction also sheds light on the privacy and respect with which the Rebbe handled the correspondence sent to him. In the top right corner the Rebbe wrote: “L’hareini – show me the letter [before preparing the draft on stationery for my signature],” so that he could be certain his instructions were properly followed.
I once heard that someone asked the Rebbe how he could daven in Shul when there were so many people around him thinking thoughts not appropriate to davening. The Rebbe replied, “My mother taught me not to look where I’m not supposed to.” So don’t worry–it’s just between you and G-d!
I am #7 responding: If the Rebbe realized that she erred, then wouldnt the Rebbe just write it in the correct mezuza code and thats it. That wouldve been a very sensitive way to show her, her error and leave it as is. But instead, the Rebbe writes it first in the mezuza code, which isnt the code he read it!! why?? why would the Rebbe initially respond in the mezuza code?? Its not how he read her messege!! But becuase the Rebbe connects to his students on a much deeper level than through written communication, he truly connects to… Read more »
While you are right that there is no need to resort to mind reading abilities, the girl didn’t make a mistake, just used a different code, which is used in Kabboloh as well, like Shem Elokim = Achdatam, and the like.
Shulamis, that was such a thoughtful brocha you gave the Rebbe.
This is quite impressive.
Kudos to you.
Your Montgomery Street neighbor , first house
Dear #7 why did you decide that ‘The Rebbe’ read her mind? Perhaps he realized that she erred? This might be the type of thinking that turns off unaffiliated Jews: Everything is ‘supra-natural.’ They don’t always see it that way. They understand it intellectually…as you could. They start thinking you’re ‘naive’ or ‘simple minded’ or worse.
Not that ‘The Rebbe’ doesn’t read minds. It’s very common, B”H. However, ‘The Rebbe’ could have realized it was an error.
is truly amazing what the Rebbe tells us no in codes etc, rather BEFEIRUSH on the maimer veato tetzave , to use the kooaich a mesirus nefesh to do the mitvos and bring moshiach KIPSHUTO and without any code…..
this is truly sensitivity
but I wonder how painful it must be for the Rebbe to read mine.
How difficult is that!–Benveniste
is that the Rebbe read her mind, as she says in the video, her INTENTION was to write it in the “Mezuza Code”, but at the end she ACTUUALY wrote it in her own way, not the “Mezuza Code”. So too, the Rebbe FIRST wrote it in the “Mezuza Code”, based on her INTENTION, but then changed it, to respond to her in the same way that she wrote it…
notice how its written first “toda al habracha” with the correct code and then again the rebbe wrote the same with the girl’s code!
It is mezuza code!!
Amazing letter!
The date on the response is the actual birthday and Bas Mitzvah of this girl!
So amazing that the original code that the Rebbe crossed out is the same “mezuza code”, however, it is coded with one letter “ahead” vs. her’s which is coded as one letter “behind”!
You wrote that the Rebbe wrote to be shown the letter after his coded message will be typed, but that doesn’t make sense, as it would have to go back for signing anyways. What happened is the following: mazkirus would send in the letters for signing along with the carbon copy for the archives, in case the Rebbe would add something, he would add it also on the copy for the archives. When this letter was brought in, the Rebbe signed the letter and wrote on the copy the instruction what to add on the signed letter on the bottom,… Read more »
Are the details of the sequence of letters not accurate according to the description above?
Wow!
The Rebbe’s sensitivity knew no bounds. It did not matter your age. The Rebbe always connected to us on an individual level