The story is told of Rebbe Hershele of Spinka who was a great Admor abroad, when he danced with the Sefer Torah in the hakafos on Simchas Torah. In the middle of hakafos, the Rebbe heard a large commotion that developed in the shul. He turned his head towards the noise and saw that there was indeed a quarrel at the side of the Bais HaMedrash. On the spot, the Rebbe handed the Sefer Torah to another man who would continue to dance with the Sefer Torah and headed to the area of the quarrel.
In the midst of the fight, he saw that his son who was a young man fighting with an older man, each of them was trying to shout above the other one while all the men surrounding them were fanning the flames, all of them siding with the older man.
Why Didn’t the Rebbe Try to Reconcile the Two Sides?
The Rebbe intervened on behalf of his young son and told the old man that if he could not stop, he should leave the Bais HaMedrash. Afterwards, when everything calmed down and the old man was appeased and everything returned to peace, they turned to the Rebbe to teach them how it happened that the Rebbe sided with his son in such an extreme way and did not even try to reconcile them at the time?
The Rebbe replied, ‑I heard the sound of a quarrel, I looked and realized that everyone had come out against my son, and no one tried to protect him and understand what was in his heart. At that moment, I decided to take off the mantle of the rabbinate! I removed the title of Admor from me, I set the hakafos on the side, and I approached my son to be his father! In a situation like this when everyone was attacking him, I felt that the child should know that he has a father who supports him and will be his father, no matter what!!!‑
[Of course, afterwards he was treated properly.] Our teacher, Rav Gamliel, told the story and said that he once received testimony from a man whose son had completely gone off the derech and left everything. The same man when he heard the story was very moved and turned to his son and said, ‑My son, I want you to know one thing. I want you to know and take to your heart well, no matter where you are or what situation you will be in, always remember that in any situation you may find yourself, I am your father!!! I was your father when you were a baby, and as a child, and I will always be your father!!!‑
Returned with a Wholehearted Teshuva
It was not long before the boy returned with wholehearted Teshuva, and he later said that this sentence had transformed him. How appropriate is this story for the month of Elul! Hashem, Who is the King of all kings is our Father! And if we want, then He is able to act as an uncle for us, the main thing is that we get close to him, and earn a good writing and seal [kesivah v’chasimah tovah].