Share Your Experience

As a yeshiva student in the mid-70s, I often saw the Rebbe. We students looked at him with love and awe. And we absorbed much insight and inspiration by studying his teachings, and by observing him. When he walked into the shul to pray, he was calm yet intently focussed on the prayers. When he spoke and led the singing at farbrengens, we internalized the wisdom and the joy. And when we entered his office to ask for advice and blessing, we were profoundly moved. We constantly felt that we were in the presence of greatness, a holy person. And we felt much optimism about ourselves, and about changing the world for the better. Reply

It is difficult to put in a few words what the Rebbe was to me personally. When I was in my late teens and early twenties I was a student in Hadar Hatorah. I used to write to the Rebbe quite often about once a month. He did not always answer right away but eventually he did answer all my questions. Sometimes he would answer me in writing, sometimes he would answer in a farbregen and sometimes he would send a sheliach to hadar hatorah to announce the answer outloud after davening. The sheliach would say , "The rebbe told me to say the following...."
How the Rebbe knew I would be there at that moment only indicates that he had a special connection to the upper worlds.
The Rebbe was like a second father to me and how he managed to make time for me with all the things on his plate is unimaginable. His love for every single jew is without question very intense. This sort of pure love transcends time, distance, and even this world to the next. Reply

Standing on front of the Rebbe It was in the spring of 1991, I don't recall if before Pesach, or after, I went with my mom to 770 on a Sunday to receive a dollar and a Blessing from the Rebbe. We waited in line for about 3 hours. There was a bachur who told those waiting in line, that the Rebbe would look into one's eyes, and know everything one did in life. After hearing that I just wanted to go home, I
was sure that my thoughts and my memories would cause the Rebbe nothing but disgust.

Anyway, my turn came, and I did not dare look the Rebbe in the eye. I knew I had to say something, anything, so I just blurted out, without thinking: "Rabbi, I need a job.."

Then I thought, that I should have asked for more important things....but it was too late.

The Rebbe said "Bracha ve Hatzlacha" and held out a dollar towards me. I looked the Rebbe in the eye for about a split second, and just walked away with the dollar.

All I can say is that I shall never, ever forget the ten seconds or so during which I stood in the presence of the Rebbe. The look in his eyes was something out of this world, I cannot describe it. It was like witnessing something from Olam Ha'Bah. Reply

visiting the OHEL in 2011 I had been at the Synagogue -770- twice to see the Rebe years ago. At the end of 2010 I had a diagnoisis of kidney's cancer with some metastasis. I'm 71 years now .I had a surgery and my right kidney was extracted. In April, 2011 my son took me to New York, and then to Queens, to pray to the Rebe at the Ohel. We send papers with prayers. Since then I feel better each day more.
I have His photo over my bed, and I'll never forget Him.
Sorry for my English, I'm Brazilian and live at Rio de Janeiro. In September I'll go there again with the help of G'OD. Reply

The Soul coming from G-D I have attended the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Learning Centre in Winnipeg Manitoba Canada for over two years.
I attend Chumash Class almost every Monday.
When the class ends around 10-10:30pm we are privileged to view a DVD of the late Rebbi,
Rabbi, Rebbe Menachem M. Schneerson.
He always leaves me feeling closer to him after watching the DVD's. He has a soulful way of warming ones soul and heart. And he communicates with wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
Sometimes I feel he is soulfully beside me.
I pray he continues to send forth peace and hope to all whom listen to his messages.
Rebbe Schneerson, I pray you will continue to inspire me. Hashem bless you Rebbe. You bring a white light to the world at large.
Todah Rabah.

Chaim(Hart) Peikoff Reply

Honey Cake My mother told me the following story : On Hoshana Raba it was the Rebbe's custom to distribute honey cake to the holiday guests and especially to women (Men received Yom Kippur eve).

In 1977 (?) She, as a young teenage girl, was busy helping in her married sister's kitchen preparing for the holiday meals. Due to the amount of guests that came to eat the Hoshana raba meal, she could not leave to go see the Rebbe and receive the cake and blessing, so she planned to go later. Every hour or so she would inquire how long of a line is there yet to see the Rebbe.

When she finally got a chance to leave, she changed her clothes and went toward 770. When she walked up Brooklyn Ave and then Eastern Parkway and realized that people were not in line anymore and she probably had missed her chance, she was broken. She ran to the front steps of 770, and she saw the Rebbe's back as he walked up the top steps from his Sukkah to the building. She quietly started to cry. At that moment, the Rebbe turned around and saw her, he then said something to Rabbi Groner, and continued inside. Rabbi Groner approached my mother and told her to wait by the sukkah. The Rebbe then came out of the building and returned to the sukkah, and gave my mother a piece of honey cake and blessed her for a good sweet year. By then, a few more latecomers had gathered behind my mother, and they received the same. Reply

How did He Know? This happened in the late 5740's at a farbregan grape juice was distributed for L'chaim. Now I am blessed with limited eyesight so I was worried how would I know when the Rebbe would wish me L'Chaim?
This was of particular concern as I was on the fringe of the crowd and off to the side. As the Rbbe was acknowledging diffrent people he looked in my direction and made an exaggerated montion as to make sure it would be clearly seen.
It seems that the Rebbe knew I needed that special wave, nod, salute? Reply

First time I saw the Rebbe In 1978 I visited Crown Heights for the first time. I wanted to see the Rebbe, so someone took me to the room where the Rebbe davened. Mincha. The first moment I saw him, he was in the doorway, and a mother holding an infant was standing next to him. The Rebbe handed the infant a coin, and instructed him to put the coin in a pushka. The first moment I saw him, he was teaching an infant to do a mitzvah. Reply

My experience when being in the presence of Rabbi You have permission to publish my story. When I was a child, I went to a shabbaton for Shabbat in Crown Heights.and davened in Rabbi Schneerson's shul. I made eye contact with the Rebbe from across the Shul and when I saw him look at me , I felt a wonderful surge go through me.
I'll never forget the ice blue color of his eyes. It was an experience that was very spiritual and extraordinary. I will never forget that experience. I've only told this story to my parents, until now. Though I don't come from a Lubovich background, I've always been drawn to the Lubovich community . I've always had warm feelings and love for The Rebbe.and the Lubovich community for all the good that he did and they do. I never did meet The Rebbe. I wish I had. Reply

Erev Yom Kippur Many years ago a co-worker who lived in Crown Heights suggested I go to Eastern Parkway for a blessing from the Rebbe. I decided to go on the eve of Yom Kippur. After services, The Rebbe was giving out dollar bills. After waiting on line with the women, it was finally my turn. When I stood in front of him, He said to me "A Good Year". That turned out to be the year I met my husband. We have been married now over 20 years. Thank you Rebbe! Reply

The Rebbe's special sensitivity On the night of our wedding, which was on the first day of the Jewish new month, there was supposed to be a Chassidic gathering, known as a fabrengen, that very evening. The Rebbe changed the time of the gathering to the afternoon, so our wedding could take place on time. We never asked for this special kindness.

The Rebbe also came out of his office to wish my parents and great-grandmother Mazel Tov. Reply

Rebbe's Sensitivity to each individual I was privileged to grow up in Crown Heights in the 1950's & 1960's. One Friday I found a stray kitten on Kingston Ave. I was about 14 years old, I scooped it up and was about to take it home. As I looked up I saw the Rebbe approaching. He was on his way to visit his mother on President St. I froze not knowing what to do. He stopped in front of me, looked at the kitten in my arms, gave me a huge smile and wished me to have a good Shabbat. A few years later when I was in a private audience with the Rebbe, he encouraged me to write about the laws of cruelty to animals for my High School Journal. I did and continue to be involved in animal welfare. Reply

l met the rebbi,and enjoyed the moment it was a casual moment at some event and l
introduced myself, he asked me a few questions,maybe to test my validity.
and to my own surprise l answered and then
we spent a wonderful few moments.
not bad for a LA reform temple kid. Reply

A Mother's Plea During the Korean War, my father was drafted into the army and sent to California for basic training. He made the difficult call to his mother in Brooklyn to tell her his unit would be shipping out to Korea in a week. She was devastated by the news and terrified that she would lose her only child. She went to the Rebbe begging his prayers to protect her son and the Rebbe assured her that her son would not go to Korea. Two days before my father's unit was to ship out, he called to say a tearful farewell to his parents. "So nu," my grandfather said to his wife, "your Rebbe was wrong. Our son is going to war!" But that's not what happened. On the very day the unit was to ship out, my father woke up with a high fever and was diagnosed with the flu.His unit left for Korea and he spent the rest of his army service on that base in California! To this day, I still carry the printed holy words the Rebbe gave my grandmother. Reply

Being with Rabbi Schneerson In 1970, I was taken by my Reform Rabbi of Spring Valley, with my confirmation class, to visit 770 Eastern Parkway. R. Schneerson came over to us, spoke as a group to us, then inidividually. I was very taken that he took the time to look into my eyes, smile and make me feel very warm and accepted. He gave me and each one of us a dollar with a blessing. His kindness is what I have found in Rabbi Wolosow and my father, Chaim Laib, ben Yenta. I'm very glad I had the opportunity afforded to me at age 15 to meet the Lubavitcher rebbe. Reply

Visit to 770 in 1979 I was part of a group of kids from Panama , Central America , that went to Miami , Florida in 1979 for a two month camp sponsored by shluchim from Chabad. It was called Camp Jett (Jewish environment through Torah) . Midway through the camp we had the opportunity to travel by car to New York for the Yorkzeit of the Previous Rebbe Z¨L¨ on february of 1979. Little did we know that we would have the chance to go to a big farbrengen at 770. The next day we were told to form in two lines in front of a golden elevator at 770. Before you know out of the elevator come two men with long white beards and after them out came the Rebbe!! Z¨L¨ ...He stood no more than 10 feet from us and looked at us with a deep stare . I will never forget his deep blue eyes and will always feel blessed to have been so close to this Tzadik.
I always tell my father that the best thing he did for me , better than sending me to college in the U.S. was those two times he sent me to Yeshiva Camp Jett , especially that second one where we had that encounter I just described. For that I will always be grateful to Chabad Lubavitch and to the Rebbe , may we see him again in person soon.... Reply

Our Mother and the Rebbe Our Mother was advised to have a heart valve replacement at age 80. She came to NY and we brought her to the Rebbe for dollars and a blessing. The Rebbe gave her a blessing for good and long, healthy years. She passed away at age 88, never had the heart valve replacement and was in relatively good health until her passing. Reply

Bar Mitzvah A friend's son had many problems as a preteen, but had begun to study Judaism. He had not done well at his local Hebrew School & was now studying with Chassidim in Brooklyn.

On the day of his becoming Bar Mitzvah, he was called to the Torah by the Rebbe. His nervousness made him falter, even though he knew the prayers extremely well.

The Rebbe made him feel comfortable and never made him feel as though he had not been prepared.

My parents, who were there, were very proud of their friend's son and the way the Rebbe made him feel. Reply

Bringing Heaven to Earth In 1992 I attended a wedding in Crown Heights. One of the guests told my husband and me this story:

When he was a boy, this young man attended the Bobover Yeshiva in Crown Heights. One day, as he walked to school, weighed down by a very heavy book bag, he and the Rebbe passed each other on the street. The Rebbe greeted the boy and asked him where he was going.

The boy answered that he was going to the Bobover Yeshiva, and the Rebbe noted, "It looks like you are carrying a lot of books. May I see your book bag?" The boy handed the Rebbe his bag, and the Rebbe's eyes widened at how genuinely heavy it was for such a young boy to be carrying.

The Rebbe paused and then leaned close to the boy. "Do me a favor,” said the Rebbe. “When you get to school, please tell your principal that the Lubavitcher Rebbe said, ‘Get lockers.’"

Within the month, lockers were installed in the Bobover Yeshiva! Reply

Rebbe Dollar My husband could not find something he knew was located in his office and it belonged to a client.

This was so important that if not found my husband could literally be put out of business.

Everyone had looked through hundreds of closed cans and boxes looking for this item without success.

I decided to ask the Rebbe for a blessing and stood in the "dollar line" until it was my turn. When I began to explain the situation, one of the Rebbe's secretaries tried to pull me away, but the Rebbe wanted to hear what I had to say. After explaining, the Rebbe gave me a dollar for myself, one for my husband, and then another for my husband to put in the Charity box at the office, and then said "Your husband will find what he is looking for right away."

We immediately went to the office and put the dollar in the charity box. I picked up one can and my husband another. When he opened his can my husband said "Here it is!" This can had been checked before, and like I said one of hundreds, but there it was, the first can my husband picked up and it was really "right away". Reply