Today if the 3rd of Tamuz, the 14th anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. It is an auspicious day, a day fit for prayer, for inspiration, for growth.
I had the privilege of meeting the Rebbe personally a few times.
My mother tells of how, as a one year old baby in my father’s arms, I was clapping and jumping in the Rebbe’s synagogue, known as 770 (pronounced seven seventy), while the Rebbe was encouraging the lively singing of the Chasidim, and smiling and waving most particularly at me.
I remember saying a Torah verse at age 8 in front of the Rebbe, during a children’s rally before the holiday of Passover, as the Rebbe was watching proudly – so it seemed to me - from the side.
I most vividly remember my pre-Bat Mitsvah trip to NY during the holiday of Sukkot and Simchat Torah.
It is too difficult to describe the many facets and qualities of the Rebbe, his immense knowledge, his tireless commitment to the Jewish people, his care and love for every single person, no matter his origin, his level of observance or his stand in life. If we’re here in
The following story epitomizes – in my eyes – the deep love the Rebbe had for his people.
Every Sunday (and on other occasions as well), The Rebbe would stand and distribute one dollar bills to the many visitors who came to visit him, often from far, to ask for his blessing and advice. Thus, the Rebbe was making them in charge of giving it to charity. The Rebbe, who was well into his eighties, was standing in his room for 8 hours straight, greeting men, women, children, Jews and non-Jews alike, with a blessing, sometimes a piece of advice, an answer to a question.
Once an elderly lady who had been waiting online for a long time, asked the Rebbe: “How do you do it? How do you not get tired?”. The Rebbe smiled and answered: “Every soul is a diamond. Can one grow tired of counting diamonds?"
Below is a video of the Rebbe giving a dollar to a Russian child from Israel.