After recovering from polio disease, Zalman Lipskier underwent surgery, for which he insisted on keeping his head covered. The head nurse gave him a surgeon’s cap and attached a note not to remove it. The Rebbe later told Zalman what he should do with it.
At the age of nine, Zalman Lipsker fell into a coma and was diagnosed with polio disease. Despite the doctors’ grave prognosis that he may never recover, the Rebbe assured the family that they will hear good news. Indeed, within a week he awoke, leaving only his left arm paralyzed.
At the age of sixteen, when Zalman underwent a procedure on his arm, the medical staff instructed him to remove his yarmulke, but he insisted on wearing it. Seeing his resilience, the head nurse gave him a surgeon’s cap with a piece of surgical tape attached, on which was written, “Do not remove cap from patients head due to religious belief.”
After Zalman was released from hospital, his brother Berel sent the cap with the attached note to the Rebbe. The Rebbe returned it with an expression of pleasure.
Sometime later, once he had fully recovered, Zalman merited a yechidus. As soon as he came in, the Rebbe asked him, “Do you still have the yarmulke?”
When Zalman responded in the affirmative, the Rebbe said to him, “Show it to your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!”
From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash
Discussion
We appreciate your feedback. If you have any additional information to contribute to this article, it will be added below.