0383 - The Rebbe's Connection with R' Levi Yitzchak Freidin Part 5

00:01 The first years that Reb Leidi Yitzchak Freidin came to the Rebbe, he did not have a beard. And later he grew a beard. And he said it wasn't easy for him to grow a beard. You know, some people have a hard time having a beard. And it was a problem with his family. And also the neighbors that he had in the city where he lived in Cholon, it wasn't easy for him to grow a beard. But nevertheless, he grew the beard. And the first time he came to the Rebbe, when he had already a beard, he was sure the Rebbe would acknowledge it. The Rebbe would make a certain comment about his beard. He came to the Rebbe, and the Rebbe didn't say a word. Didn't say anything. Didn't mention it. Didn't comment on it. The whole month of Tisha, the Rebbe didn't say anything. He felt very bad. He was broken by himself. He thought that he did such a great thing. And to him, it was basically a mesirus nefesh to do this. And the Rebbe didn't even comment on it. So he felt bad. The next year when he came, and the Rebbe saw him, so the Rebbe made with his hands like over his face, like showing him about the beard. And then the Rebbe said to him, Yashar Koach. The Rebbe thanked him for growing the beard. And he said later that I see the way the words that he used, how smart the Rebbe is. The first time that

01:13 he came and he had the beard, even though he grew the beard, he really wasn't sure he's going to keep the beard. Because since it was very hard for him, it's at all the inyonim, so he was very possible that he would have cut off the beard later and not have the beard. It's only when he came the second year, by then the Rebbe, it was established and it was sure to have a beard. So he says he understands why the Rebbe waited. In the beginning, he didn't say anything because the Rebbe knew it's not so poshet. But the second year when he came a second time with the beard, that's when the Rebbe acknowledged it and the Rebbe said Yashar Koach. And he was very, very happy.