Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz relates: A community leader was in the middle of yechidut, private audience, when he noticed that something was definitely troubling the Rebbe. The latter’s face appeared lost in thought.
Finally mustering the courage, he said, “the Rebbe seems upset. I hope nothing is wrong?”
The Rebbe sighed, “a newlywed couple came to me and asked for my blessing and permission to go on shlichut, be my emissaries. I said only if they get their parents’ consent.”
“So the parents didn’t consent?” the man asked.
“Oh yes, in fact, they did. The couple came back to me with their parents’ permission, so I gave them my blessing.” The Rebbe’s face took on a more serious cast. “But the woman is an only daughter among five brothers, all of them also on shlichut around the world,” and he gave the names of the countries. “Now the parents are alone with all their children far away.”
The Rebbe gazed out the window of his office. “Right now they are at the airport. And they’re crying. Although the tears are tears of joy, they are still tears, and right now I am with them.”
From the Avner Institute, reprinted from COLlive
