A Chassidic leader demands inwardness. Not only does he impart strength to his followers through his teachings and forcefulness, but he receives strength in return from their obedience and commitment to his directives. The Avner Institute presents heartfelt anecdotes from Chassidim of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, whose discourses and conversations became intensely spiritual and intellectual moments.
In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h
Three Hours of Enlightenment
Rabbi Nochum Garlick relates:
At the Simchas Torah farbrengen of 5681 (1921), the Previous Rebbe said l’chaim many times on liquor, drank a great deal, and said amazing things.
Chassidim, nervous about the Rebbe’s health, called his mother, Rebbetzin Shterna Sarah, who approached him and asked him not to take any more liquor. The Rebbe answered, “Yes, Mother,” and she left.
When, after her departure, the Rebbe continued making toasts, the Chassidim called the Rebbetzin back. The same scene repeated itself, and the Rebbe continued
drinking copious amounts of liquor. At about nine o’clock, he looked at the time and said, “We have to say a ma’amer.”
The Chassidim sang a melody in holy preparation, and the Rebbe began to recite a discourse. At first, his words were difficult to discern, because his speech wasn’t clear. Then he returned to the beginning of the discourse, and within a few minutes, his speech was clear. He then spoke Chassidus for three hours. It was very deep and enlightening.
As the Music Played
Rabbi Dovid Chein relates:
The Previous Rebbe was once sitting on the porch (I believe it was at a vacation home) when he heard someone playing exquisite music before an audience. After the musician finished playing, the Rebbe had someone call him over, and the Rebbe pointed out that this person had left out a small part of the tune.
The musician, amazed that the Rebbe noticed this, declared that he had intentionally left it out, knowing that if he had played the tune in its entirety his audience would have gone “completely crazy.”
It was a great wonder: how did the Rebbe know that he left out that tiny part?
He Cried Twice
Rabbi Mendel Futefas relates:
The spiritual advisor Rabbi Chatshe Feigin (may Hashem avenge his blood) never cried, not even on Yom Kippur, because his nature was such that he could not cry. He cried only twice in his life.
The first time was after his wedding, when he was still a businessman, and he had regular learning sessions in revealed Torah and Chassidus. In a private audience with the Previous Rebbe, he was asked by the Rebbe to leave his business and become a spiritual advisor at the yeshiva Tomchei T’mimim.
Noticing the businessman’s hesitation, the Rebbe said, “Nu, we’ll postpone it for another time.”
On Yom Kippur, Rabbi Chatshe stood near the Previous Rebbe, who was reading the Maftir in tears. When he reached the words, “for from before Hashem he is fleeing,” the Rebbe raised his voice for emphasis.
Rabbi Chatshe understood the message. Unable to restrain himself, he left the room and wept. He immediately accepted the position of advisor.
The second time was after the Previous Rebbe left Russia. The Rebbe appointed Rabbi Chatshe as his secretary and loaded him with so much work that Rabbi Chatshe had no time to learn, which pained the man greatly. During a private audience, he complained about the workload and asked the Rebbe to allow him a certain time of the day for learning.
After Rabbi Chatshe finished speaking, the Previous Rebbe told him that the city of Globoka lacked any Talmud Torah, and that Rabbi Chatshe should go there and found a branch of Tomchei T’mimim. Rabbi Chatshe, understanding that the Rebbe did not accept his complaints, began to weep.
The Rebbe wept too. “I have the same problem,” he said, “but can we sit with our arms folded?”
Seeing the Rebbe in tears, Rabbi Chatshe wept even more and left the room.
To Live Out the Year
Reb Dovid Chein relates:
In the early winter of 5688 (1928), after the Previous Rebbe left Russia, the elder Chassidim got together to farbreng, including Rabbi Itche the Masmid (scholar). They sadly discussed the general decline in Divine service, in particular the learning and spreading of Chassidus, because of the Rebbe’s departure.
Rabbi Itche declared, “Whoever did not come and learn Chassidus would not live out the year!”
That farbrengen left a powerful impression, and throughout that winter, they learned Chassidus with a tremendous energy.
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