A story told by Rabbi Zalman Vishedski of Basel, Switzerland, that generated much public interest after being published on Anash.org for Gimmel Tammuz has now made its way into a song by singer Avraham Fried at a recent fundraiser event.
By Anash.org reporter
A story told by Rabbi Zalman Vishedski of Basel, Switzerland, and generated much public interest after being published on Anash.org for Gimmel Tammuz, has now made its way into a song by singer Avraham Fried at an event in Crown Heights on Tuesday.
The story is about a Russian man named Nochum, who, after becoming a contractor, stopped coming to 770 – not wanting to meet the Rebbe while dressed in his dirty work clothes. Until one day, the Rebbe asked him why he doesn’t come anymore. Nochum answered, “Ich bin aleh mol shmutzik,” I’m always dirty – referring to the dust and grime of his job. The Rebbe responded: “Kum vi du bist, ober kum” – Come as you are, but come. The story carried a powerful and timely message and sparked strong interest.
“If there’s one message I want you to go home with, it’s ‘Kum vi du bist, ober kum,’” singer Avraham Fried told the crowd at the Yaldei Shluchei HaRebbe annual men’s summer BBQ, held to benefit the children of Shluchim with special needs. After sharing the story with the audience, he added, “The Rebbe sees our neshamah and is asking us to just come – no matter what.”
Fried said that when he heard the story, he immediately thought of the words to a familiar tune. He then began singing the Rebbe’s everlasting message to the melody of “Kol Bayaar.”
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Can we get a video of him saying this story? Would be amazing!
is there a video of this (when this Nachum when he passes by the rebbe)?