Gimel Tamuz: the Individual Connection with the Rebbe
On this auspicious day of Gimmel Tammuz, a person might think; of what significance am I in the Rebbe’s “grand plan”? The Rebbe is investing in the potential of the Jewish nation as a whole to bring the Geula. As an individual person how do I fit into the picture? How much do I count?
Some stories that I have heard from distinguished people follow. These stories teach us that the Rebbe is connected with every Yid on an individual and personal level.
Continued in the Extneded Article…
“Don’t forget to fulfill your Hachlota”
On Rosh Hashana, one particular year, the Rebbe was blowing shofar as was his custom. There was some difficulty with the blowing of the shofar. The Rebbe tried for a long time and also tried blowing the second shofar that the Rebbe had with him, but with no success.
In the crowd of the thousands of people assembled, stood a Chossid, who in those moments made a non-verbal hachlota (resolution), that he would take upon himself good deeds in order that the tekios should be successful. At that point, the Rebbe continued the tekios completing them successfully.
After davening when the Rebbe was leaving the shul, walking through the two aisles of people, the Rebbe stopped and turned to this individual person in the crowd and said to him, “Don’t forget to fufill your hachlota!.”
“Please look out for him”
One year on Shmini Atzeres, when the Rebbe was preparing to go to the bima with the Sefer Torah to begin hakofos, he began looking for someone in the crowd. At a certain point, the Rebbe saw him and proceeded to begin the hakofas. The next evening, the same thing happened again.
People standing near the young person who the Rebbe had sought out in the crowd, asked him about himself. He told them that he was from Israel. Prior to his arrival here, his mother had written to the Rebbe, “My son is being drafted into the Israeli army. Before he is drafted, I decided to send him to you for Tishrei. Please look out for him!”
“I don’t know that name”
A Shliach in Florida, once sent the Rebbe a pidyon for a person needing a blessing for good health. The person himself had never written to the Rebbe. When the pidyon reached the Rebbe, the Rebbe responded, “I don’t know that name”.
The Shliach returned to the person and asked him again for his name and his mother’s name. He informed the shliach that he had an additional name which had not been relayed to the Rebbe. The shliach re-sent the pidyon with the correct full name and the brochos requested were fulfilled.
This story teaches us that a person need not be formally introduced to the Rebbe. The Rebbe as a Ne’si Hador, has always been fully aware of all the Yidden in this generation, to the extent that when a different name was sent to him, the Rebbe responded, “I don’t know that name”.
Vyehi rotzon that we should merit to see the Rebbe very soon with our own eyes, “Einei bosor” leading us towards our Holy Land and the Bais Hamikdosh
