A Moment with the Rebbe

During the 5710’s (1950’s), the Rebbe would often daven in the courtyard adjacent to 770. Before Shabbos Bereishis 5718 (1957), when the Rebbe suggested to the administration that the davening be held there, the caring gabbai argued that it was cold and dirty down there.

At the farbrengen, the Rebbe relayed the conversation, and suddenly began to cry.

“Everything is b’hashgacha pratis, to teach us a lesson. Here we are, after all the yomim tovim, and we are told that it is still kalt un shmutzig (cold and dirty).”

The Rebbe continued sobbing uncontrollably. “Elul, slichos, Rosh Hashanah, Aseres Yemei Teshuva, Yom Kippur, the four days before Sukkos, Sukkos, Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah. And it’s still cold and dirty!

“The only comfort is the fact that we have such clear hashgacha pratis. Usually the lesson isn’t so easily attained. Here the lesson is so clear.”

(Toras Menachem vol. 21, page 134)