By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
Rabbi Chaim Yitzchak Poupko, a respected rabbinical figure in Brooklyn, frequently joined the Rebbe’s Chassidic gatherings at Lubavitch World Headquarters. The Rebbe would at times turn to Rabbi Poupko and ask if he had any comment on the scholarly talk.
Rabbi Poupko became ill, and was too weak to continue attending the Rebbe’s Chassidic gatherings. Many years later, on the occasion of his grandson’s thirteenth birthday, he decided to bring him on a visit to the Rebbe.
Upon seeing Rabbi Poupko, the Rebbe exclaimed, “I haven’t seen you for a long time! It’s most probable that during this time you have paved innovative approaches in scholarly Jewish learning.”
Rabbi Poupko felt that the Rebbe was giving him a blessing, and responded that he hoped it would come to fruition.
The Rebbe responded, “I can only give the blessing, but you have to fulfill it by yourself.”
The elderly rabbi realized that the Rebbe was indicating that learning should not diminish even as one ages. Rabbi Poupko wittily responded that though he is an elderly man, he hadn’t lost his faculties.
The Rebbe then said, “As it says regarding Moshe, he lived until the age of 120, but ‘his eyes were not dim, nor his natural force abated’ (Deut. 34:6).”
With a smile, the Rebbe added, “You still have a long time until then…”
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