In the early 1950s, shortly after the Rebbe assumed leadership, many Chabad Chassidim living in Israel had little knowledge of the farbrengens and other events at 770, let alone the incredible atmosphere of the day-to-day life around the Rebbe. They yearned to learn more, and to experience the holiness.
From a biography of Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi, who served as head of Kfar Chabad, the Avner Institute presents a vivid account, adapted from a letter dated Tu B’Shvat 1956 by Rabbi Nachman Sudak, a”h – then Director of Chabad of the UK – of the chain of events effected by the Rebbe, and the open miracles that impacted greatly on both the students at the Chabad yeshiva of Lod and Chabad Chassidim everywhere.
Dedicated in memory of loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h
Rabbi Sudak writes:
I was one of those who merited to see the Rebbe come to the Ohel. It was after the prayer service, when a group of us went there. It was freezing outside, and snowing. The Ohel does not have a roof. And, according to Jewish law, at a cemetery leather shoes are not worn, only cloth or rubber.
The Rebbe entered and stood in his place facing the previous Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, and began to read the Ma’aneh Lashon, the compilation of customary prayers and Psalms. Then he said something by memory for about five minutes before reading the pidyonos, appeals sent by many worshippers.
In the morning, tables had been placed filled with designated papers for students and congregants to write their names. I had written all of my group’s, as did Tzvi Maltzik, Yisroel Leibov, and their families.
In the beginning, the Rebbe read all of these lists, then the pidyonos. I could only stay there less than an hour, because during the first minutes my feet were going numb from the cold, in spite of the many pairs of socks I was wearing.
Yet, like a servant before his master, the Rebbe stood there, not budging from his place the entire time. In the end he stood there for more than four hours.
At Death’s Door
At the beginning of the [customary Yud Shevat] farbrengen, Rabbi Peretz Mochkin, from Canada, approached the Rebbe and said a few words – apparently asking for a blessing for his daughter-in-law, who was gravely ill. The Rebbe answered, “It is nothing.” Again Rabbi Mochkin said something to the Rebbe, who again negated it.
A half-hour later, a phone call from Canada came for Rabbi Peretz, telling him that there were only minutes left on earth for his daughter-in-law, who was “cold as ice.” A blood transfusion – a liter and a half – had no effect, and the doctors had given up. The entire family had been brought to her bed, which had been moved to a special room for death watch.
Rabbi Peretz hurried to the Rebbe with the news. The Rebbe pondered silently for a few seconds then, placing his holy hand on his holy forehead, said, “She should be healthy.”
After a few minutes, Rabbi Peretz again approached the Rebbe. Smiling, the latter answered again that she would be healthy. He then took a piece of mezonos, pastry, nibbled, and offered the rest to Rabbi Peretz on her behalf.
At five a.m., another telephone call arrived. Rabbi Peretz’s daughter-in-law had improved, and she was no longer in danger.
Above Nature
In recent weeks we saw four such incidents, and literally open miracles.
One of the yeshiva students, the son of Uziel Chazanov from Samarkand, had had his foot run over by a car. The bones were crushed, and the doctors announced that amputation was necessary. Word was brought to the Rebbe, who said not to amputate, but to continue medical treatments.
After a few days, pus and bone marrow leaked into the bloodstream, and the young man’s temperature rose to 107 degrees. Placing him in ice proved futile, and the doctors were left helpless. In despair Uziel came running with his family to the Rebbe.
“With Hashem’s help he will be healthy,” answered the Rebbe.
When the family returned to the hospital, they noticed an improvement in the son’s condition. In amazement the doctors declared that this was “above nature.”
As I write this, the boy is already back home, and he needs to remain in bedroom for only a little while longer.
Heavenly Vision
It should be noted that thirty years later, Menachem Av 5746 (1956), met with the va’ad ruchni [board of rabbis] of Kfar Chabad in Rabbi Mordechai Ashkenazi’s house, led by the mara d’asra [chairman]. This was a special trip from London, as I was following the Rebbe’s orders that my friends donate money to the prominent members there, as well as the Chabad Rabbinate in Jerusalem, to support the organizations there.
During the meeting with Rabbi Ashkenazi, I described the extraordinary event that took place Shavuos 5715, when the Rebbe announced, “Boruch Haba (welcome), and enumerated all the Rebbeim who were present!
“It was a ‘heavenly vision’ that was unforgettable,” I exclaimed, thus demonstrating the impression that the Rebbe’s farbrengens made on the participants – in contrast with the spiritual deficit experienced by the yeshiva students in Lod.
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