“Is there no minyan [prayer quorum] … in the Catskills?!”
Rabbi Leibel [Yehuda Leib) Groner z”l [1931-2020] was the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s personal secretary for forty years and a great help for many thousands of chasidim and others who wanted to connect to the Rebbe.
I heard the following story from his son, Menachem Mendel Groner, when he was speaking at the Tzemach Tzedek shul in Tsfat (Shabbat Parshat Vayeitzei 2023). He is himself a senior member of the educational staff of the Chabad Yeshivah in Kiryat Gat, Israel.
After my father passed away, we found many boxes of diary entries, records of what the Rebbe had told him during each of their meetings over decades. My father was often in the Rebbe’s room six hours a day. (Chasidim call this office Gan Eden Elyon (the higher Gan Eden – Paradise). Among the myriad issues that were discussed are many answers from the Rebbe on questions concerning the Torah portion. The family is sorting through all of my father’s z”l papers in preparation for a book. This story was found in the collection and concerns our family. Note: I never heard this directly from my father z”l. There is a very important lesson to be learned from it concerning personal prayer.
It is the custom for many Jewish families who live in New York to move to a bungalow colony in the Catskill Mountains during the summer months. Our family was no exception when the children were young. All the fathers would come on Friday and stay for Shabbat. However, if the Rebbe was speaking on Shabbat, my father would stay in New York.
One Friday, the Rebbe saw my father in the office, even though he, the Rebbe, would not be giving an address on Shabbat. The Rebbe asked him why he wasn’t going to “the Mountains”.
My father answered, “Tisha B’Av”. That Sunday would be Tisha B’Av nidcheh (postponed). [Tisha B’Av (the 9th of the Jewish month of Av) is major fast day, mourning the destruction of the Temples. If the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat, the actual fast is pushed off till Sunday]. Rabbi Groner z”l planned to be in Crown Heights to observe the fast and the special prayers, and of course, to be close to the Rebbe.
The Rebbe then asked him, “Is there no minyan [prayer quorum] for Kinot [penitentiary prayers] on Tisha B’Av in the Catskills?!”
My father got the hint. He understood that the Rebbe was telling him to go to be with his family.
Somehow he managed to get there in time for Shabbat and was greeted by an overjoyed Mrs. Groner and children.
His wife told him, “I prayed that you would be able to come. I happily agreed to let you stay in Crown Heights with a full heart, but I really hoped that there would be a miracle you would be able to be here with me and the children. They see you so rarely and miss you.”
My father was shocked! The Rebbe had read his wife’s thoughts! He told her to write to the Rebbe and thank him for sending him to the family, and delivered the note on his return to the office.
The Rebbe responded with a teaching for all of us. When a person’s prayers are said, not only with complete faith, but also with great joy, G-d answers them positively.
Now, my personal story related to this.
I have been traveling for Ascent for almost 40 years, to connect to alumni, to teach, and to raise funds for Ascent. Since the COVID-19 epidemic, I haven’t been travelling regularly. However, the time had come to resume my routine, which is also hard for my wife, Chaya Bracha, and family.
Regardless of the circumstances, since she understood the necessity of my traveling, this last trip, several weeks ago, she gave me a hearty blessing and her full agreement to the trip, on the condition that I finish what I needed to do in a week instead of two. I agreed and set off.
A miracle happened that I have never experienced in four decades!
The first five people I approached for donations gave me exactly what I requested! Unbelievable! I accomplished in two days what would usually take two weeks!
The chasidic adage is so true: Joy breaks down all barriers!
Let’s bring this month and its Chanukah holiday all of our simcha [joy] and light up the winter darkness.
Shaul.