When Reb Saadya Liberow visited 770 in 5719, he spent hours davening with devotion, oblivious to his surroundings. The Rebbe stopped to watch in delight “vi a chossid shteit un davent.”
The esteemed chossid Reb Saadya Liberow first came to the Rebbe in 5718 (1958) from his shlichus in Morocco, and periodically came thereafter on a consistent basis. His stays in 770 were spiritually stirring experiences for him, during which he would spend many hours covered in his talis, davening with devotion.
Reb Yisroel Friedman relates:
“I remember one Shabbos in 5719 (1959), as Reb Sa’adya stood and davened in the smaller shul of 770, the Rebbe walked in. The Rebbe stood there for a few moments, looking at him with a special expression of pleasure; the Rebbe’s face literally shone as he observed the chossid davening, totally oblivious to his surroundings…”
Reb Sa’adya’s son, Reb Sender adds, “On another occasion, the scene repeated itself. This time, after the Rebbe watched my father daven for a moment, the Rebbe turned to the bystanders and said, ‘Zeht vi a chossid shteit un davent – Look how a chossid stands in prayer.’”
(Techayeinu, Issue 7; “Reb Sa’adya Liberow,” Adar 1 5768)
From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash
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