The above story (with the Viznitzer chosid) has a sequel:
Years later, the Viznitzer chosid did a shidduch between his grandchild and a grandchild of the Skulener Rebbe. The Skulener Rebbetzin was going to America to go to the Rebbe for a dollar and a brocho before the chasuna, and she invited her mechuteneste, the daughter in law of the above baal hamaaseh, to accompany her, to which she happily acquiesced. When she went by the Rebbe, and the Rebbe gave her a dollar and a brocho for the chasuna, he then gave her an additional dollar, telling her ‘please give this to your shver’ (father in law)
[This was somewhat puzzling. The Rebbe didn’t give her a dollar for her own husband, her children, or any of her immediate family members, but only for her shver].
When they returned to Eretz Yisroel, there was a family gathering, during which the “shver”, the father in law, expressed his disappointment. “I was so upset when I found out that you went to the Lubavitcher Rebbe for a dollar”, he told them. “You see, I used to have a dollar from the Rebbe, but it was lost. Had I known that you were going, I would have asked you to get another one for me. I felt so bad when I realized that I missed this opportunity”.
Hearing this, the daughter in law happily took out the dollar that the Rebbe had sent for him, and handed it to him!
This story is about much more than the ruach hakodesh of the Rebbe. We all know with certainty that the Rebbe is with us, he continues to lead us and guide us, to give us “dollars” and brochos and hashpo’os.
But, while that may be true about the Rebbe, it is up to us to be keilim. When we think about it and care about it, then these hashpo’os from the Rebbe become tangible and visible.
The family members of this woman who went by the Rebbe weren’t thinking about it, they weren’t concerned about getting a dollar from the Rebbe. And, in fact, they didn’t get one. It was the father in law, who felt bad, who felt that he was missing the dollar and was yearning for it, to him the Rebbe sent a dollar!
The lesson to us is clear!
L’chaim! May we each – especially during these days of bein hametzorim, yeihopchu lesimcha - focus on our yearning for the beis hamikdash, our yearning for giluy Elokus, our yearning for a dollar and a brocho and a farbrengen from the Rebbe, and may this yearning enable us to experience it in a tangible and visible manner through the immediate revelation of Moshiach Tzidkeinu TUMYM!!!
Rabbi Akiva Wagner
