The Avner Institute presents a sweet story from Mrs. Chaya Kahan, whose daughter Rivka, inspired by her mother, wrote a heartfelt letter and received proof of the Rebbe’s willingness to take time off from the thousands of matters crossing his desk to tend to his youngest Chassidim.
“I don’t know if I will ever be able to share my experiences with the Rebbe,” says Mrs. Chaya Kahan, from Kfar Chabad Israel, “because I will never have enough words to describe how much he looked after me and guided me, every step of my life.” She enjoyed a unique relationship with the Rebbe. At age six her daughter Rivka had written to him a sweet and simple letter, and received a sweet and charming response.
I remember sitting down and writing a letter to the Rebbe. My little daughter Rivka peered over my shoulder and asked me, “Mommy, what are you writing?”
“A letter to the Rebbe.”
“Why?” she asked.
“I need his advice for something that’s going on.”
My daughter watched my careful pen strokes for a while and finally asked, “Mommy, will the Rebbe answer you?”
When I told her yes she suddenly piped, “Hey, can I write a letter to the Rebbe also?”
“Of course,” I answered.
My daughter then sat down and wrote the following:
Dear Rebbe:
I Love you very much.
Chasia Rivka Kahan
To my excitement, two weeks later an envelope came in the mail addressed to “Miss Chasia Rivka Kahan.” I then called my daughter over, and we read the letter together:
Miss Chasia Rivka Kahan,
Blessings and Greetings.
I was pleased to receive your letter, and I thank you very much for letting me know how you feel.
I am therefore sure that you conduct yourself in a way that is fitting for a Jewish girl, the daughter of Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah, the mothers of our people, whom you have surely heard about.
With Blessing,
(The Rebbe’s signature)
ty!