MORE CHILDREN? COME FOR TISHREI!

Translated by Michoel Leib Dobry

When the Rebbe promises that there will be more children, he doesn’t mean just one. Within that year, my wife became pregnant yet again, and it was quite thrilling to experience how each birth took place during the month of Tishrei. We now clearly understood the meaning of my amazing dream: The Rebbe promised children, he knew that they would come during Tishrei, and he made sure to add that I shouldn’t forego my trip to Beis Chayeinu.

The following exciting story was told to Beis Moshiach by one of the mashpiim of Yeshivas Tomchei T’mimim in Eretz HaKodesh. While the subject of our story chooses to remain anonymous, this doesn’t detract from its very unique nature. “I call the two children born to us during the last four years ‘the children of Tishrei,’” the mashpia said as he began his story in a voice filled with undisguised emotion.

THE REBBE FINDS A WAY

“Ever since 5745, three years before I was on k’vutza, I have been stringent about coming to 770 every Tishrei to spend Yom Tov with the Rebbe. It became a firmly established practice for me, no matter how great the financial hardships. Once I became a Baal Ha’bayis, married for several years, I could no longer allow myself to come for an entire month as I did when I was a bachur or even during the first years of my marriage. Instead, I would come for either the first half or the second half of the month. In recent years, it has been my custom to arrive during Chol HaMoed Sukkos and remain until after Simchas Torah. During my stay in Beis Chayeinu, I would draw forth tremendous strength to last the entire year.

“After the birth of our eighth child, there was a period of three years during which we did not merit to have more children. My wife became pregnant on a number of occasions, but the pregnancies always came to a premature end for one reason or another. We considered that perhaps it was simply a decree from Heaven, but we couldn’t accept that. Our desire to increase the size of our family was very strong, and the fact was that until then we had never had a break of three years without the birth of another child. We wrote numerous letters to the Rebbe asking that he give us a bracha, yet as the months passed, we began to feel that our dream of more children was fading away.

“On the 2nd of Elul 5768, just a few days before I was planning to make my customary visit to my travel agent and order an airline ticket to spend Sukkos in 770, I had an amazing dream. In the past, I had many dreams about the Rebbe where I only saw him, but this time the Rebbe gave me a message. In my dream, I saw my wife and myself passing by for dollars. My wife went by first, and the Rebbe gave her a dollar and blessed her with ‘Hatzlacha Rabba’ (much success). Then it was my turn. As I was about to approach the Rebbe, I thought to myself: Should I take this opportunity to ask the Rebbe to give us a bracha for more children?

“The Rebbe knows the needs of every Chassid, but when I came before the Rebbe, I said in Yiddish: ‘Rebbe, nach kinder’ – in other words, bless us with more children. The Rebbe replied, ‘You will have, but come for Tishrei.’

“I woke up shaking like a leaf. The Rebbe didn’t express a hope or a wish; he gave a clear promise. However, the Rebbe also said that I should continue to come for Tishrei as I had in the past, to see and to be seen. I was deeply moved by this dream, but I didn’t tell anyone about it. I felt that this was no ordinary dream. It was something real.

“Although I had originally planned to go to 770 for Sukkos, as I had done in recent years, I went to the travel agent the following day and asked for a ticket for the first half of the month – Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Thus, I was with the Rebbe for the Days of Judgment and Mercy, and I requested a bracha for more children. After Yom Kippur, I returned to Eretz Yisroel filled with faith and conviction that we would soon have good news to tell the Rebbe – and that’s exactly what happened. A few months later, we had good news…

“We were simply overjoyed. Then we came across a small dilemma when we realized the full meaning behind the Rebbe’s instructions. The Rebbe had told me that I had to come for Tishrei, but my wife’s due date was in the middle of Tishrei. Leaving her at home right before the birth with eight children, some of whom were still very young, was no small matter. However, we remembered the Rebbe’s clear message, and we checked with the doctor, who confirmed that the baby was due at the beginning of Sukkos. I arranged a ticket for Rosh Hashanah, and after a few days of spiritual elevation in Beis Chayeinu, I headed back to Eretz HaKodesh.

“I arrived home on the day before Yom Kippur, and just two days later, on the day after Yom Kippur, my wife gave birth to our ninth child in a good and auspicious hour.

“However, there’s more to the story. When the Rebbe promises that there will be more children, he doesn’t mean just one. Within that year, my wife became pregnant yet again, and it was quite thrilling how each birth took place during the month of Tishrei. We now clearly understood the meaning of my amazing dream: The Rebbe promised children, he knew that they would come during Tishrei, and he made sure to add that I shouldn’t forego my trip to Beis Chayeinu.

“That’s exactly what I did. As in the previous year, I traveled to the Rebbe for the first half of Tishrei while my wife gave birth to our tenth child during the second half. Our happiness knew no bounds. I was engulfed by many feelings: First, the Rebbe expressed his thanks to us for our faithful efforts in making our customary trip to see him every year for Tishrei, and we merited having two children born during that month. Second, the Rebbe is with us just as he was then, and when a Chassid makes an important request, the Rebbe finds the way to respond.”

ENDLESS 
PROPHETIC VISION

At the conclusion of the interview, we asked the mashpia to relate to us one episode that he personally experienced over the years, and he happily complied.

“This happened in 5749, a year after k’vutza. When the Rebbe came in to daven Mincha, a middle-aged Jew from Bucharia came up to the Rebbe and asked him something in Russian. The Rebbe raised his head, answered him in Russian affirmative ‘Da,’ and then continued towards the platform. When the minyan was over and the Rebbe returned to his room, many of the Chassidim surrounded this Jew and inquired about his discussion with the Rebbe. The man proceeded to tell them the following moving story:

“During the Second World War, his father was in the Red Army. One day, he suddenly disappeared without a trace. This Bucharian Jew was then only a young boy, and when he grew up, he began to inquire about his father’s possible whereabouts. After spending much time searching after him, he eventually heard about the greatness and virtue of the Rebbe, known for his endless prophetic vision. He came to 770 to ask the Rebbe if his father was still alive. The Rebbe heard his question, raised his head, and responded simply, “Da…”