‘I Watched How the Rebbe Honored His Mother’

As a young child, Rabbi Yossi Bukiet arrived in Crown Heights on Pesach night to catch the Rebbe walking his mother home. While his father hid from the Rebbe, he told his son to go and watch them and learn an incredible lesson in Kibud Eim.

By an Anash.org reader

I read the beautiful story that R’ Bentzion Elisha shared on Anash.org from what was shared by Rabbi Yossi Bukiet about his father, Rabbi Chaim Meir Bukiet, longtime Rosh Yeshiva of the Lubavitcher Yeshiva in New York.

I would like to share another story that Rabbi Bukiet shared at the farbrengen about his father, the Rebbe and Rebbetzin Chana – whose birthday is today, 28 Teves.

R’ Chaim Meir Bukiet a”h didn’t live in Crown Heights. He was a Rov in a shul within walking distance from Crown Heights, though it was quite a distance. In the early years, anyone could join the Rebbe’s seder after finishing their own, and on the second night, the Rebbe would Farbreng in 770 after the seder.

Because R’ Chaim Meir didn’t live so close, he wouldn’t come for the first seder, but since he wouldn’t miss a farbrengen, he would make the effort to come for the farbrengen on the second night and try to catch at least the end of the seder as well.

One year, when Rabbi Yossi Bukiet, was a young child, he came with his father on the second night of Pesach. As they were walking to 770, they noticed the Rebbe walking his mother, Rebbetzin Chana, a”h, home before the Farbrengen. They realized they had already missed the Rebbe’s seder.

R’ Chaim Meir, being a true chossid, felt it wasn’t appropriate to remain in the Rebbe’s presence while he was walking his mother home. He quickly stepped into the doorway of a building on Kingston Avenue to avoid being seen. His young son, thinking this might be another entrance to 770, ran into the doorway after his father.

R’ Chaim Meir turned to his son and told him, “You don’t need to be extra chassidish (i.e. avoiding being seen while the Rebbe is escorting his mother). Go outside and learn what it means to truly honor your mother.”

Rabbi Buket listened to his father and stood outside to observe. What he witnessed was the Rebbe’s incredible Kibbud Eim.

Rebbetzin Chana was elderly, and after every few steps, she would stop to rest. The Rebbe would stop alongside her, patiently waiting without showing any rush. He would speak to her softly, smile, and make her feel completely at ease. When she was ready to walk again, the Rebbe continued at her pace, step by step, until they reached her apartment on President Street.

It was clear that the Rebbe had all the time in the world for his mother and wasn’t in a rush at all. Only after bringing her into her home did the Rebbe leave—and at that point, he practically ran back to 770 to start the Farbrengen.

Rabbi Yossi Bukiet then understood that while the Rebbe was truly in a hurry to get to the farbrengen, he made sure that his mother never felt rushed or hurried in any way.

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