A grandson, Rav Avrohom Yehoshua Heschel writing in Hamodia’s Inyan Magazine, related the following: “The Potiker Rav was walking home from the mikveh with the Rebbe on Henry Street on the Lower East Side when the Rebbe said: “What’s going on there?” pointing across the street. A woman was sitting with shopping bags and other things on the stoop. “Let’s go over there and see what’s going on,” said the Rebbe. The Rebbe said to the woman, “What are you doing here outside so early in the morning?” She said, “The landlord put me out. I didn’t pay the rent.” “Where does he live?” She said, “here on the first floor.” So they knocked on the door. The landlord seemed a bit astounded to find the Kopycznitzer Rebbe and the Potiker Rav standing at his door so early in the morning. “Rebbe, this is a business. She hasn’t paid the rent in six months,” he told the Rebbe. “How much does she owe?” “Sixty dollars- that’s for six months.” The Rebbe took out the money from his pocket and gave it to the landlord. He then walked to his Bais Medrash and walked back to bring another $60 to the landlord. He said, “I am paying six months in advance. Now can she move back in?” “Yes, yes, she can move back in.” “Now let’s go daven,” he told the Rav. Now I understand the pshat in the pasuk ‘Tzedek Lefanav Yehalech’ – Righteousness goes before him.” The Rav commented when he told the story. The Rebbe was so careful in regard to shmiras einayim that he didn’t actually see the woman. His heart felt that this woman was sitting outside at 6 am in the morning. Chessed was so intrinsic in the Rebbe that his heart ‘saw’ her across the street.
