Weekly Story: I Didn’t Go Lie Down Until Everyone Was Healthy

Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Being that this past Shabbos Reb Yosef Yitzchok Greenglass was niftar, I chose to post the story of his miraculous birth as I heard it from Rabbi Nissim Mangel sheyichye, who as a student in the Montreal Yeshiva at that time slept in Rabbi Volff Greenglass’s house. He heard these details from Rabbi Greenglass himself.

Shortly after Mrs. Greenglass was admitted to the hospital, the doctor came out of the room and took Rabbi Greenglass aside, and explained that there were severe complications. He then asked him a question no person would want to have to decide; “Who should we save, your wife or the unborn child?”

Obviously, the answer was “Both.” But the doctor reiterated that it wasn’t an option.

Being that it was late at night and Rabbi Greenglass thought that the Rebbe might no longer be in 770, he went home and called one of the Rebbe’s secretaries and gave over the dire situation. The Secretary called back stating that the Rebbe response was “To save both of them.”

Rushing back to the hospital, he told the doctor that he should save both of them.

The doctor tried to convince him to prioritize one of them but Rabbi Greenglass was adamant that the doctor should save both.

The doctor heard this and said I will listen to you, but I am warning you that you should prepare for the real prospect that tomorrow morning there will be one or possibly two fatalities. Now my advice is that you should go home take care of your other children and prepare for the eventuality.

Early in the morning, he returned to the hospital and after being there for some time he met the doctor who with a broad smile on his face said, Rabbi Greenglass, miracles of miracles G-d was kind to you, I was able to save both of them. Mother and child are both healthy and out of danger.

Rabbi Greenglass immediately called up the secretary and gave over the wonderful news.
However, being that this was early in the morning and the Rebbe doesn’t come to 770 until around ten in the morning, the secretary said I will inform the Rebbe when he arrives.

Shortly after the Rebbe arrived, the secretary called back and said, the Rebbe would like to know what time was the child born?”

Rabbi Greenglass replied that he doesn’t know the exact time, but he will ask and call back.

Returning to the hospital, he waited for the doctor and asked him this question.

The doctor replied, “Rabbi Greenglass, what does it matter when the baby was born? As long as they are both alive and healthy, who cares?!”

Rabbi Greenglass responded, “You are correct. I wouldn’t have asked this question, but last night after you asked me that question, I called a great Rabbi in New York and he is the one that told me to reply that you are to save both of them. Today after I informed him of the wonderful news, he asked this question; so being that he asked, I have to give him the answer.”

The doctor understood and went into the nursery and looked at the paper on the crib. He came out and said, it says on the card that it was at four in the morning.

Rabbi Greenglass thanked him and called the Rebbe’s secretary and gave over the information. A few moments later the secretary called back and said, “The Rebbe would like to know if it was four in the morning or three because he believes it was three.”

Returning to the hospital, Rabbi Greenglass repeated this question to the doctor and the doctor said I will investigate and ask the nurse who was on duty and wrote the time of the birth on the paper.

A short while later he said, Your Rabbi was correct, the baby was born at three. However, until the baby was cleaned up and checked out that he is out of danger and then brought into the nursery it was four and therefore she wrote on the card four. But now I am asking you a question, what difference does it make what time the child was born as long as he is healthy?”

Rabbi Greenglass responded that he doesn’t know. However, out of appreciation for the doctor’s efforts in saving both of them, he called the Rebbe’s secretary and said, “I wouldn’t ask the Rebbe this question, but being that the doctor accepted the Rebbe’s response to save both of them and he is asking me what difference does it make what time our son was born, I am asking the Rebbe this question.

The secretary called back and said, “The Rebbe replied that he didn’t lie down until he saw that the mother and baby were healthy, and that was at three in the morning.

This week’s post is l’zecher nishmas HaRav Hachossid Reb Yeshaya Zushe ben HaRav Hachossid Reb Avrohom Dovid Wilhelm, who was niftar Wednesday night, Daled Kislev 5782

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com