After midnight on the night before Rosh Hashana, Reb Leibel Bistritzky was saying Tehillim upstairs in 770, when the Rebbe walked in. After inquiring whether he would be blowing shofar, the Rebbe gave him a maamar and a special bracha.
Reb Leibel Bistritzky relates an encounter that took place on Erev Rosh Hashana 5715:
It was one past midnight when I arrived at 770. I wasn’t allowed into yechidus, so I walked into the upstairs Zal, and stood by the wall near the door, and began to recite Tehillim. I was planning to stay a while and go home.
Suddenly the Rebbe walked out of his room and noticed me. “Leibel, what are you doing here?”
I told the Rebbe that there is a minhag that a child comes to his father for a bracha before Rosh Hashana. Since I wasn’t allowed in, I said Tehillim.
“Are you blowing shofar this year?” The Rebbe asked.
When I answered in the affirmative, the Rebbe turned to Rabbi Chadakov and asked him to bring a copy of the maamar that was said the last Shabbos, dibbur hamas’chil ‘Ketapuach Beatzei Yaar.’
“Take this,” the Rebbe said as he handed me the maamar. “Hold on to it during tekias shofar, and may your tekios be heard.”
(Kfar Chabad issue 804 p. 34)
From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash
Discussion
In keeping in line with the Rabbonim's policies for websites, we do not allow comments. However, our Rabbonim have approved of including input on articles of substance (Torah, history, memories etc.)
We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.