WHEN CHASSIDIC ADMURIM ENCOUNTER THE REBBE’S SHLUCHIM

Every year, dozens of Admurim visit cities and countries far from their headquarters. They need logistical and spiritual assistance, which they get from the Rebbe ’s shluchim. These are opportunities for direct encounters between Admurim and the work of the shluchim in preparing the world to greet Moshiach. * Beis Moshiach set out on an intercontinental journey to cover this phenomenon. We heard what goes on behind the scenes, about the impressions made on these Admurim, about private audiences with the Rebbe that they had, and about their high regard for the shluchim.

They hold forth in their Chassidic courts in the heart of a Chassidic neighborhood. Numerous Chassidim and admirers surround them. During the Shabbos tish, hundreds, if not thousands, stand around them and watch their every move and eagerly listen to every word they utter.

This is the environment in which many Admurim, leaders of Chassidic courts that perpetuate a chain that goes back, sometimes 200 years, live in. They lead their flocks with great devotion, ready to deal with every problem, and exposed to all the inner struggles and physical or financial hardships of all their followers.

The Chassidim reciprocate with great love. They preserve their dignity and are ready to follow whatever their Admur says.

However, sometimes the Admurim leave their sanctuaries for distant parts. Sometimes it’s for vacation, sometimes to raise funds or to visit the grave-sites of their ancestors. The common denominator is that they are far from their familiar surroundings.

In recent years, it has become prevalent for Admurim to stay with shluchim in various cities and countries; those shluchim who spend their entire year, and ultimately their entire lives, out in the “field,” reaching out to their fellow Jews and bringing them close to their Father in Heaven. For some insight into the approach of the shluchim doing the hosting, which is done with great respect and honor as is fitting for these Torah leaders, it is worth taking a look at a story that the Rebbe Rayatz tells in Likkutei Dibburim about the Chassid R’ Binyamin Kletzker.

R’ Binyamin was once sent by the Alter Rebbe to the tzaddik, R’ Shlomo of Karlin, where he was greatly impressed by the tzaddik’s spiritual greatness. The tzaddik begged him to stay and offered, by way of compensation, to reveal to him wondrous spiritual secrets. “The Chassid listened to everything the tzaddik R’ Shlomo told him and said, ‘The master is the master, but he is not mine; the servant – meaning himself – is a servant, but not yours.’ Then he returned to the Alter Rebbe in Liozna.”

The Rebbe Rayatz concludes the story, “R’ Binyamin’s answer was an instructive lesson to true Chassidim. Each one who was connected to his Rebbe knew that his fellow’s Rebbe is a master, but not his.”

Likewise, the Rebbe’s shluchim, while remaining devoted and loyal to the one who sent them, make sure to graciously welcome the Admurim.

ADMURIM IN PALM SPRINGS

This phenomenon, that has become more commonplace in recent years, began about three decades ago. In these faraway places, the Admurim need Jewish amenities like a shul, mikva, kosher food, etc.

They meet shluchim of the Rebbe who are ready to help any Jew, not just those who are not yet observant. This is the reason why, for example, ever since a Chabad House was opened in Palm Springs, California in 1980 by Rabbi Yonasan Levi Denebeim, many religious Jews have gone on vacation there.

I spoke with Rabbi Denebeim and he briefly described Palm Springs. “It is a desert city known for its hot springs, located between Los Angeles and Phoenix, Arizona. It’s not a desolate desert, just uncultivated.” When I asked what’s the difference, he said, “In a desolate place you cannot grow anything, but in an uncultivated place, if you plant, you can grow things. It is true physically, but I’m talking mainly spiritually. Boruch Hashem, we have been mekarev more than 200 families. Most of them have left our city to live in Eretz Yisroel or other parts of the U.S.”

This upcoming Rosh Chodesh Elul will mark 37 years since the Denebeims arrived in Palm Springs.

“Anyone who comes to stay with us is important, no matter his level of religious observance. But yes, we have hosted many Jewish leaders from all over the world. It began with the Munkatcher Rebbe, and the Bobover Rebbe, R’ Shlomo Halberstam, who led his Chassidim from World War II until his passing in 5760. Then the Bostoner Rebbe. They were followed by a wave of Admurim: The Spinka Rebbe, Skulener Rebbe, Chernobyl Rebbe, Skolye Rebbe, Biala Rebbe, and even R’ Aharon of Satmar. We also get some Litvishe roshei yeshivos.”

Why do they go to Palm Springs?

“Most of the guests come in the winter when it’s cold in New York and we have nice weather. Also, we have no beach, so people are dressed more modestly.”

R’ Denebeim told about opportunities to teach Chassidus:

“There are those who call themselves Chassidim but don’t learn Chassidus, meaning that they don’t learn Chassidus in depth; they will look briefly, now and then, into a Kedushas Levi or Maor V’Shemesh. When they come to us, they have an opportunity to attend shiurim.

“It is also our opportunity to show other Chassidic groups that the Rebbe is concerned about all kinds of Jews, not just backpackers from India and Thailand, but also Poilish and Hungarian Chassidim vacationing in Palm Springs, and even their Admurim.”

When the visits of the Admurim coincide with a special day on the Chassidic calendar, such as 19 Kislev or 24 Teves, they will often join the farbrengen hosted by the shliach. When R’ Aharon of Satmar was there for the first time, while he was still serving in an official capacity in his father’s court, he asked to join the farbrengen, saying, “I am also a descendant of the Alter Rebbe, the one who was imprisoned and redeemed.” He sat at the head of the table, with R’ Denebeim at his side, and the two farbrenged together. Here in this place, the respected Admur with tens of thousands of followers, puts his own honor and exalted position aside, and sits together with Chassidim and mekuravim, clearly enjoying himself.

Such was the case with the late Bobover Rebbe, who joined a farbrengen years before. Apparently, he enjoyed the company of the shliach so much, that two months later, before Purim, he came for another two weeks, and this time the Rebbes of Munkatch and Boston joined. The “East wall” of the Chabad House started to become crowded.

Did you inform the Rebbe of these visits?

“Like every Chassid and shliach, I send a regular report to the Rebbe about everything that I do and everything that goes on here. I was once told by the Rebbe’s secretary that the Rebbe wants to know when an Admur comes and what I discuss with him. There were times that the Rebbe sent me instructions to speak with them about certain matters. Once it was about certain additions to the prayers, another time about matters of Ahavas Yisroel and how to bring Jews close to Torah. Another time, I received a special directive from the Rebbe that whenever I am near any of the Admurim, it is incumbent upon me to give them the proper respect.”

These visits often come along with interesting stories, and R’ Denebeim shared the following:

“One winter Friday night, the Munkatcher Rebbe was staying with us and he asked to hold a tish in the Chabad House. During the tish, I stood next to him as per the Rebbe’s instructions, and I listened to what he had to say.
(Interestingly, on several occasions, he reviewed sichos of the Rebbe, while focusing on certain footnotes and explaining why the Rebbe specifically chose to address these points). The topic of his talk was ‘Jewish Hashkafa – outlook,” with the participants asking question on matters of faith and him answering. At the end of the tish, he turned to me and said, ‘In Chabad, a fifteen-year-old boy who learns in Tomchei T’mimim could answer such questions.’”

Since the Chabad House is the only synagogue in the city, the guests all daven in the Chabad minyan. “When the Admur of Satmar came for the first time, before he was an Admur, a representative of the Satmar group came to me and asked permission to use our mikva, but that I should agree to let them daven in a separate minyan with their own nusach. I responded that I had no problem with that. R’ Aharon of Satmar came in the morning to our mikva, and after immersing he came upstairs to our shul and began preparing to daven. I wondered what was going on, when they had told me they would be davening separately! That fellow then came over and told me that since it was the first day of their stay, they hadn’t gotten themselves organized yet and in the meantime, they would join us for the davening. For Mincha, I once again saw the Rav of Satmar, and for Maariv, and the next morning he came once again for Shacharis. At this point, the man did not know what to tell me.

“After the davening, the Admur (to be) approached me, and told me that he is comfortable davening in our minyan. I responded that I had been told that they would be making a minyan in their place of lodging. He responded with consternation, ‘Vos eppes?! We are davening here.’ And in fact, every time that he stayed in our city, he would daven with us on weekdays and on Shabbasos.

“After he was crowned as Admur, his entourage grew and not all of them could fit inside our small shul together with the local population. There simply was not enough space in our small room. That is when he began to daven in a separate minyan at their place of accommodations. However, every Shabbos he is careful to sell the aliyos, and everyone who purchases an aliya to the Torah is obligated to give his donation to Chabad of Palm Springs, as he said explicitly, ‘Every penny of selling the aliyos must go to the Chabad House,’ and he himself donates respectable sums to us.”

FROM MEA SHEARIM TO ZAPORIZHIA

Zaporizhia is a city in the eastern part of the Ukraine with a population of 900,000. For the past ten years, R’ Nochum Ehrentroi has been serving as the Shliach there. He and his family have built an impressive empire of educational and community institutions for the Jews of the city.

To fully appreciate the following story, it is noteworthy to point out that the shliach is a descendant of the well-known old world Yerushalmi Ehrentroi family.

Not long ago, R’ Ehrentroi was visiting the city of Dnepropetrovsk regarding matters pertaining to his shlichus. At the time, the Admur of Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok, the eldest son of the famous Admur of Toldos Aharon, was in town. This Chassidic denomination is based in Yerushalayim and identifies with the Eida HaChareidis. It is characterized by its strict adherence to tradition, its desire to preserve the old-world lifestyle of the “old settlement” of Yerushalayim, its punctiliousness in religious observance, as well as the unique Yerushalmi dress of the striped caftan.

As a Yerushalmi himself, R’ Ehrentroi felt compelled to use the opportunity to go in to see the Admur and wish him Shalom Aleichem. The Admur expressed interest in the work of the shliach, and he spoke about his work in Zaporizhia, the institutions he built and the Jewish community in the city.

“Suddenly an idea popped into my head,” recounts R’ Ehrentroi. “There were a number of adult circumcisions planned for that week, and I suggested that if he was up to traveling, it would be an honor for us if he would serve as the sandak.

“The Admur is not a young man, but the travel distance to us was not far, only 80 kilometers. After thinking it over, the sons of the Admur informed me a few hours later that he is prepared to come to Zaporizhia.”

On the given date, the Yerushalmi Admur from Mea Sh’arim along with his entourage entered the large ornate shul of the community, which is partially decorated with stones from Yerushalayim. After Mincha, they began to conduct the brissos, with the Admur serving as the sandak for two Jews, which is a great merit.

“In our community, there was another Jew who was interested to do a bris, but he was not yet ready psychologically, so he had yet to give me a final answer. For a long period of time, I tried to convince him, but he demurred by saying that he still had to think about it.

“On that same day, one of the circumcised individuals excitedly called that man and told him, ‘You are missing out! There is a very distinguished rabbi here from Yerushalayim. You should come. You will be spiritually energized for life!’

“The man agreed but they had to wait for him to come and fill out some forms. It was a matter of waiting half an hour. I asked the Admur whether he agreed to wait and he said, ‘Gladly. If we don’t wait for him, he might have a change of heart and won’t want to do a bris a different time.’

“I saw how the Admur was very moved when he was the sandak. At the bris, he read people’s names for blessings. When it was time for the third bris, he said, ‘Nu, the first two brissos were yours; this is my z’chus.’

“Since the Admur is a Kohen, I mentioned that there were several people in the community who had not yet done a pidyon ha’ben. He was happy to oblige and he requested the wording for a pidyon ha’ben for adults. I brought him silver coins and we did ten pidyon ha’bens. What a joyous day it was.”

Were the people in the community able to appreciate this distinguished guest from Yerushalayim?

“They were definitely happy even if they did not all know how to express their joy. On the one hand, it was a bit strange for them, because they aren’t used to this. On the other hand, it was a spiritual experience. At a certain point, one of the congregants went over to him and asked for a bracha. The Admur asked me to translate for him, ‘You have the blessings and strength of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.’”

After the brissin and pidyon ha’bens, the Admur sat down to a seudas mitzva. Someone from the community asked that the Admur sing the niggunim that were sung in his court. The Admur answered smilingly, “By us, we sing your niggunim [of Chabad].”

“The Admur asked me the meaning of the Ukrainian words in the niggun ‘Hey, Tzoma lecha nafshi,’” said R’ Ehrentroi. “He wanted me to write the words down for him along with the translation and meaning.

“During the tish, we spoke about how his father, the Toldos Aharon, had yechidus with the Rebbe and the Rebbe said about him, ‘He has eidele eyes.’ I added that after every broadcast of the Rebbe, Rabbi Yisroel Glitzenstein would go visit his father, the Admur, with a tape and play the farbrengen for him. The Admur added that he also had yechidus, at the end of which, the Rebbe blessed him, ‘yaarich yomim al mamlachto’ (may he have length of days upon his kingdom). ‘The Rebbe saw forty years ago that I would be in this position.’

“Then he expressed his amazement over the work of the shluchim and spoke at length about the power of the shluchim, that everywhere in the world, even the furthest places, they have the great privilege of bringing Judaism to other Jews.”

Was it a feeling of closure for you, as a Yerushalmi, that in this out-of-the way place you hosted the Admur who is the embodiment of the extremist Chareidi camp in Yerushalayim?

“His visit was something unusual. For a few hours, I felt like I was in Yerushalayim. Only those who are familiar with it know what I mean. In any case, I felt that it was an honor for the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and this is part of what shlichus is about.”

A CHASSIDIC CROSSROADS

Vinnitsa is also in the Ukraine, lying on a Chassidic crossroads, an hour from Mezhibuzh, an hour from Berditchev, and two hours from Uman, only forty minutes from Breslov. Each of these names awakens deep feelings in the hearts of tens of thousands of Jews the world over. Hundreds of thousands go every year to these towns to visit the graves of tzaddikim. Many of them pass through Vinnitsa, where the shliach R’ Shaul Horowitz lives.

Does it ever happen that you feel that you’re living in B’nei Brak or Yerushalayim?
(Laughing): “Yes, sometimes.”

If we open a map, we will discover that whoever travels from Uman to Mezhibuzh (or vice versa) must pass through Vinnitsa. Many of them need assistance in matters pertaining to Jewish observance – kosher food, a mikva, or want to daven with a minyan.

Admurim also pass through and then enjoy the tent set up by the shliach. Among the Admurim who have visited R’ Horowitz’s mosdos are Rabbi Yisroel of Vizhnitz, the Satmar Rebbe and the Admurim of Munkatch, Tolna, Zhvil, and others.

“There is an airport here. Many people who want to visit the graves of tzaddikim but want to avoid lengthy drives on the Ukrainian roads, land here. There are two weekly flights from Tel Aviv to Vinnitsa and back, so many Admurim pass through here.”

The municipal leaders are fully aware of R’ Horowitz’s work, and he is the contact person between the municipal authorities and the Jews who come. During busy times, like before Rosh HaShana, the shliach arranges smooth passage, as much as is possible, at the airport.

What do you talk about with the Admurim who stay with you?

“Usually, each one tells of his connection to the Rebbe or about a yechidus he had. When the Vizhnitzer Rebbe was here, he began to sing ‘Tzoma lecha nafshi,’ and emotionally said, ‘Now I know that the Rebbe conquered the world.’ The Admurim come here and get some sense of the revolution the Rebbe wrought in the world; how he sent Chassidim so that another Jew would have where to be and live like a Jew, even when he travels abroad.”

R’ Horowitz has many stories about hosting Admurim, though not all of them are for public knowledge. One of the Admurim, for example, told him that he regularly learns the Rebbe’s sichos.

“I remember the visit of the Tolna Rebbe who was on a pilgrimage to visit the graves of his ancestors in Tolna, Ukraine. He even spent the night in my home. He visited the mosdos and was very impressed, and gave chizuk to the children and community members. We gave him the honor of putting up a mezuza in a new wing of the Ohr Avner Chabad school. After putting up the mezuza, there was a seudas mitzva, during which the Admur spoke to the students about the importance of these days of the counting of the Omer toward the Giving of the Torah.”

The Admur led a large group of Chassidim, and during his visit he listened to a full report of the broad range of activities in the city and region, with a school, shuls, chesed organizations, etc., as well as the large scale works of the rest of the shluchim in the Ukraine.

R’ Horowitz remembers the tish that the Zhviler Rebbe held. He arrived on a Friday, on his way to the graves of tzaddikim, before a family simcha, together with a large group of Chassidim. During the tish he blessed the members of the community and then put up a mezuza in the Jewish orphanage that the shliach opened (it should be noted that the shliach’s father, R’ Mordechai Yehoshua Horowitz, is a mekurav of the Zhviler Rebbe and is also a member of the hanhala of the Chassidus’ mosdos).

The highlight of the visit was when a group of local Jews participated in a breakfast with the Admur and his entourage. During the meal, the Admur spoke movingly about the Rebbe’s concern for every Jew wherever he may be, and he spoke about the great qualities of the local Jews who, even in Ukraine, try to do G-d’s will. At the end of the visit, the local Jews spoke with the Admur and were warmly received.

Is there any special treatment provided when hosting the Admurim?

“I definitely honor them in accordance with their distinguished positions, but I try to give the proper respect to every guest, no matter who.”

Throughout the year, the shliach operates a broad range of institutions in the city. He has a school, preschool, an orphanage, a kollel, a hostel for Jewish families who don’t have a home, a soup kitchen and more.

“I recently received a phone call from the gabbaim of a very distinguished Admur who was going to be passing through Vinnitsa. I was asked to escort him as he passed through the town. The visit coincided with a shiur that I give. I told the gabbaim about the timing conflict, and although I wanted to escort the Admur and give him the honor he deserved, I could not miss my shiur.”

THOUSANDS OF KVITLACH WERE SENT TO THE SHLIACH

The shluchim are available to help every Jew including Admurim. All the shluchim we spoke to wanted to emphasize that they accord great honor for these leaders, and all who come are warmly received. Whoever needs help, is helped.

For the shluchim in Sadigora in Ukraine, it’s not a one-time hosting. For example, in years past, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Glitzenstein, today the shliach in Chernovitz, would help guests who come in Cheshvan to visit the grave of Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin in Sadigora. Sadigora, which used to be a neighboring town, was absorbed into Chernovitz and is now a suburb of the larger city.

There were times that thousands of kvitlach ended up in R’ Glitzenstein’s office from the masses of Ruzhiner Chassidim, coming from different Chassidic branches, who want him to place them on the tzaddik’s grave. R’ Glitzenstein would take care of the grave year-round in addition to his involvement in the old, beautiful shul of the Ruzhiner Rebbe in Sadigora.

When the Sadigora Rebbe zt”l, author of Abir Yaakov, came, R’ Glitzenstein arranged all the room and board needed by the Admur and his entourage, which included those in leadership positions and many Chassidim.

R’ Glitzenstein is in close contact with the Admurim of the Ruzhin dynasty, the Boyaner Rebbe, the Sadigora Rebbe, and the Rebbes from Bohush, Vasloi, and other tzaddikim descended from Ruzhin.

R’ Glitzenstein is also at a Chassidic crossroads of history and he sometimes feels like he’s in a futuristic time machine which combines the present and the past, with countless fascinating encounters. Admurim and many Chassidic courts used to be in Chernovitz and nearby towns. “A delegation comes from Boyan and for 3 Cheshvan, for the yahrtzait of Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin, the Sadigora Rebbe zt”l himself came, accompanied by his Chassidim. In my conversations with him, he expressed his admiration for the work that the Rebbe’s shluchim do, and spoke in high praise of this important work.”

R’ Glitzenstein was even involved in reclaiming the famous “palace” of Rabbi Yisroel of Ruzhin, which stands to this day within the city limits of Chernovitz. “Sadigora Chassidim mobilized to reconstruct and renovate the palace, which was delicate, complicated work.” The shliach helped tremendously so that the results would be satisfactory and consistent with how it had looked for many years. To a large extent, he served as the long arm of the Chassidus.

About a year ago, the Sadigora Rebbe held a festive event of rededicating the newly restored ancient “court” of the father of the dynasty, along with a hachnasas Seifer Torah. Hundreds of Chassidim from Eretz Yisroel and elsewhere came to take part in the event. The shluchim, R’ Glitzenstein and R’ Shlomo Wilhelm, were invited. R’ Wilhelm is the shliach and rabbi of Zhitomir and western Ukraine, of which Sadigora is a part. R’ Wilhelm himself was a tremendous help in the restoration of the Chassidic court. The high point of the event was when the Admur danced on his own with the Torah and at a certain point, he asked the main donor and the shliach to dance with him.

THE SPECIAL INSTRUCTION THAT THE REBBE GAVE THE SLONIMER REBBE

It is often said that it’s enough just to mention the name of the town Berditchev, even before mentioning the name of the tzaddik, the Defender of Israel, to arouse merit for the Jewish people. The shliach in Berditchev is Rabbi Moshe Thaler, who works primarily with residents of the town but also with the many guests who visit the grave of Rabbi Levi Yitzchok.

“When I meet with Admurim who come here, I ask them whether they had yechidus with the Rebbe, and if yes, to tell me about it,” says R’ Thaler.

“Our shlichus here shows everyone the Rebbe’s leadership and the shlichus and uniqueness of Lubavitch.” He too, like his peers, believes that “making a kiddush sheim Lubavitch, especially with Admurim and leaders, is part of the shlichus.”

Among the visitors is the Vizhnitzer Rebbe. “He was already here a few times, was very impressed, and is impressed anew each time,” says R’ Thaler. “One of the Admurim asked me in surprise whether there is a minyan here on Shabbos. I told him we have a minyan every day, and not just a minyan, but also a kollel in which local Jews sit and learn Gemara, Mishnayos, Halacha, Chassidus, etc. It makes a tremendous impression on them. There are Admurim who also have toured our other institutions.”

Among R’ Thaler’s distinguished guests were Admurim from Modzitz, the previous Nadvorna Rebbe, the Makova Rebbe and others.

The late Slonimer Rebbe once visited Berditchev. He used to be a maggid shiur in Tomchei T’mimim in Lud and later became the leader of the Chassidus. He also had yechidus. In talking to him, R’ Thaler asked for some tidbit from the yechidus. Initially he refused, but he finally said that the Rebbe told him to open a shtibel for Slonimer Chassidus in the U.S. He said to the Rebbe in surprise, “I don’t have a minyan of Chassidim in America!” The Rebbe said, “You don’t need a minyan. Six are enough and the rest will join. And the truth is, one is enough [i.e. one person who is fully committed to opening a shtibel and the rest will join].”

“I learned from this story,” said R’ Thaler, “to what extent the Rebbe encouraged rabbanim to be leaders and to establish courts, because this is their mission to their communities.”

DEALING WITH DIFFERENCES

How do you handle differences in customs?

R’ Thaler immediately recalled, “We once had the Nikolsburger Rebbe here and he davened for the amud. It was during the period of the counting of the omer and he davened according to the nusach in T’hillas Hashem, i.e., counting the omer after Kaddish and before Aleinu. He said it’s the custom of the place and a guest should conduct himself according to local custom.”

R’ Denebeim of Palm Springs told the following:

“One year, we had Rabbi Shlomo of Bobov, zt”l, here. Parshas Sh’kalim fell out during his visit. Friday night, after the davening, one of the Bobover askanim came over to ask me who would be the chazan the next day. I asked him why he wanted to know and found out that many communities have the custom of reciting piyutim on these special Shabbasos.

“I told him that we add piyutim only on the Yomim Nora’im and no other time. This is a Chabad community and the nusach here is that established by the Alter Rebbe. He did not like my answer and said, ‘By us, yotzros are very important, and it is difficult to forgo saying them.’ I told him how much it pains me, but this is our nusach. He tried to play on my heartstrings by saying that the Admur would be distressed.

“I told him that if he had asked me a few days earlier, I would have consulted with a rav or even with the Rebbe himself. I said, I’m a small Jew, merely an emissary of the Rebbe to Palm Springs, and the nusach here is that established by the Alter Rebbe who was even moser nefesh for it. ‘To change the nusach I would have to present the question to people greater than me,’ I told him.

“The next morning, before davening, I saw the Bobover Rebbe standing in his place and getting ready for the davening. That askan came over to me again with the same request and I told him the same thing I had said the night before. I saw that he was very much at a loss. ‘What will I tell the Rebbe?’ he asked me helplessly. He finally went over to him and said that the rav of the shul did not allow changing the nusach. From the side, I could see how the Admur’s face, which was usually filled with joy and charm, turned sad. The truth is, I felt terrible. I said to myself: how can I cause such difficult feelings for a Jewish leader? What should I do?

“Finally, I called over the askan and said that if the Admur himself would lead the saying of the yotzros, I would agree to the change. The askan did not accept this and said, ‘How can I tell him that?’ Apparently, it wasn’t the norm for an Admur to do that. I told him this is my condition and if the Admur agreed, then I agreed.

“He went over to the Admur and told him my condition. I saw how his face lit up and he ended up saying the yotzros with great fervor.

“I still felt bad and on Motzaei Shabbos I did not sleep all night (even though I’m the type who falls asleep quickly). The next day too, I worried about it all day; maybe I had done the wrong thing. I couldn’t sleep Sunday night either.

“On Monday morning, I got a call from the Rebbe’s secretary about something and toward the end of the conversation I told him what happened. I asked him to tell the Rebbe. I deliberately refrained from saying I wasn’t sleeping because of this. The secretary said he wouldn’t ask this of the Rebbe. I begged him that if an opportunity arose to ask, he should do me this favor.

“That same day, in the afternoon, I got a call back from the secretary who said he told the Rebbe the story and the Rebbe said, ‘Tell Yonasan [it was rare for the Rebbe to use my name] he should sleep peacefully. I would have done the same thing.’

“A big rock rolled off my heart. Wow, baruch sh’kivanti.”