In the early 5720s, the Rebbe encouraged many at their birthday yechidus to study halacha. At the next year’s yechidus, the Rebbe asked if they knew it, and explained what he meant.

What began as a critique of mivtzoim, turned into an emotional yechidus about the fate of the Holocaust children. At the end, Antwerp’s Harav Eliyohu Shternbuch then borrowed the Rebbe‘s pen and paper to write a kvittel.

When Tzivos Hashem Headquarters reported to the Rebbe and asked for a bracha for their dinner honorees and supporters, the Rebbe expressed shock that no rabbonim were invited to grace the event. 

When a certain mechanech said that he “knows everything there is to know about chinuch,” the Rebbe objected and insisted that there’s always more to learn.

At the farbrengen of 19 Kislev 5734, the Rebbe decried the use of goyishe terms instead of Yiddishe ones, such as ‘morale’ instead of emuna and bitachon, or Friday night instead of Shabbos.

From the start of the nesius, the Rebbe encouraged going to other shuls to teach Chassidus. If there aren’t enough shuls to go to, the Rebbe said, the bochurim should repeat the maamarim amongst themselves in 770.

Marriage, explained the Rebbe, is a serious matter. When one chosson informed the Rebbe that they would be going on a honeymoon trip, the Rebbe replied sharply.

When a teacher told the Rebbe that he is struggling financially and “has no mazal,” the Rebbe reminded him how lucky he is to teach children Torah and have a lasting impact on their lives.

Before heading out to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, R’ Yisroel Shmotkin entered yechidus with the Rebbe. Asking for a shlichus directive, the Rebbe told him to do something that didn’t sound like “shlichus.”

An old-school mechanech who demanded order and structure, Rabbi Chayim Benyemini of Petropolis, Brazil, asked the Rebbe why today’s students struggled with it. In highlighting its importance, the Rebbe explained that this was the Sitra Achara’s “dying leap” before Moshiach.

Rabbi Aharon Dovid Gancz was a recently married young man when he was forced to escape his hometown for learning Chabad Chassidus. When he presented his dilemma to the Rebbe, he received new insight into finding solutions.

When the Bostoner Rebbe planned to open a yeshiva next door to the Rebbe’s home, some chassidim asked them to find another location. But the Rebbe told him to stay since he enjoyed the noise.

In a yechidus with Dr. Mordechai Shani, director of the Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, the Rebbe underscored the soul’s role in healing and involving the patient in the healing process. Today, that top hospital prides itself in world-class medicine “with a personal touch.”

Two hours after hakafos on Simchas Torah night 5717 (1956), the Rebbe entered the sukka and distributed l’chaims. For some, the Rebbe had personal and direct words.

The Rebbe celebrated joy, highlighting its importance in being victorious and calling it “the novelty of Chassidus.” But to one sad chossid, the Rebbe had a very different message.

Rabbi Yisroel Shmotkin recalls a Shabbos Shuva farbrengen at which the Rebbe disclosed where and when he read the Panim given to him, and how select Panim – with commitments for added learning – would be chosen to be read.

In advising R’ Shlomo Zarchi to make a minimal cheshbon hanefesh daily, the Rebbe said, “How can one go to sleep without having clarity as to what transpired that day?”

At an emotional farbrengen, the Rebbe spoke through uncontrollable sobs about a Yid’s struggle between having an appreciation for davening and material attractions.

When a person told the Rebbe at ‘Dollars’ that he once attended a Tomchei Temimim yeshiva, the Rebbe clarified that it wasn’t something that he could get away from.

During yechidus, the Rebbe asked classroom teacher R’ Shmuel Kaufman of Detroit whether he told his class stories. With the Rebbe’s encouragement, he went on to become a master storyteller.