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Weekly Chasidic Story #1339 (5783-46) 20 Av 5783 (Aug. 7, 2023) "The Rebbe's Young Translator"
Story in PDF format for more conceneint printing
THE REBBE'S YOUNG TRANSLATOR
There I found three people waiting, who I later learned were brothers. They were frantically speaking to the secretary in Spanish. "Por favor, please, let us see him!" one of them begged. "I don't have much time, the doctor said." "He is very sick," another added. Rabbi Klein stared at me for help. He couldn't understand them, while of course I knew Spanish because of my many years in Argentina when my father, Berel, served as the head shaliach, emissary of the Rebbe for that country. After a brief conversation with Rabbi Klein, I turned to the men and translated apologetically in Spanish, "The Rebbe is not meeting with anyone at this time, during the Nine Days," (the days of mourning from Rosh Chodesh Menachem-Av through Tisha b'Av for the Holy Temple in Jerusalem). The men sagged in dejection. I tried to distract them by asking where they were staying. They answered that they had taken rooms at a certain expensive hotel, and had even brought along their doctor from Argentina. After I explained to them the protocol, they understood they had to wait a few days until after Tisha B'Av. Rabbi Klein, understanding the urgency, gave them the nearest appointment. In the interim, I met with them and we even 'farbrenged' (sat together and discussed). Before their planned day of yechidus (private audience with the Rebbe), I suggested, "The Rebbe's blessings are more powerful if you commit to fulfill some mitzvah. Maybe you can choose one that you would be willing to do on a regular basis." The men spoke among themselves and finally nodded in agreement. That same day they had me take them to purchase three pairs of tefillin. Every morning, I went to their hotel to help them to put them on. * * * On the day of their yechidus, I wrote to the Rebbe all the details I had gleaned about these gentlemen. The sick man, his wife, and his two brothers arrived at 770, where I was waiting to go in with them, at the secretaries' request, to translate. Reverently, I entered the room and stood on the side of the room to the left of the Rebbe. The Rebbe invited them to sit. After reading the letter that I wrote, the Rebbe said, "If you wish for your brother's recovery, you must commit to keeping kosher." I translated it, but apparently not properly. The Rebbe corrected my Spanish [!], saying, "That is not what I meant." I tried again, and the Rebbe nodded his satisfaction. The Rebbe then turned to the sick man. "Please show me where your disease is located." The man, who had skin cancer, rose and pointed to the area. The Rebbe put on his glasses to look closer. After a glance, he said to me, "Pinye,[2] tell him I see nothing." Then, he showered them with blessings. When he finished, he asked to see the exact same spot again. Again, he put on his glasses, stared for a moment, and insisted, "Tell him I see nothing." The group rose to leave, but I couldn't move. I was stunned by what I had witnessed. Even after they left the room, I remained stuck in my place so that another secretary of the Rebbe, Rabbi Leibel Groner, a"h, literally had to pull me out. The next day, the man and his wife went to the hospital. To the amazement of
the doctors, the growth had disappeared. Naturally the couple was ecstatic;
from that day they were scrupulous about keeping kosher. From New York they
went to Miami, where they also kept strict kashrut. Several months later, in Kislev 5734/1973,[3] I got married. This couple, who was quite close to my father, were invited to the wedding, but they didn't come. Disappointed, I asked my father why they were absent, but my father didn't answer. When I asked him again the next day, he explained hesitantly. "They went on vacation to Punta del Este." [4] My father sighed. "Unfortunately, they became less careful about kashrut. Within a short time after, the cancer returned. The man died a week later." Hearing this, I went to console the family, who happened to be still sitting shiva, the seven-day mourning period. At the entrance to their residence I saw, seated on the steps, one of the brothers whom I had met previously in New York. Before I could say a word, he said to me sorrowfully, "See what happens when you don't listen to what the Rebbe says." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Connection: This week's Torah reading, Re'ey, has a large section [Deut. 14:3-21] of basic laws for keeping kosher. Biographical note: Footnotes:
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Yerachmiel
Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor
of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories
to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells
them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.