The Rebbetzin - Part II: Stories

00:00 In honor of Chovet Shvat, the 22nd day of Shvat, marking the Yartzeit, the Hilulah, of the passing of the Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka, we will relate a few stories regarding the Rebbetzin. The first story is one which was recently related by Rab Aaron Raskin, co-owner of the fruit and vegetable store, president in Kingston in Crown Heights, where the Rebbetzin would be a steady customer. It was a month prior to the 22nd of Shvat, Tov Shin Mem Ches, 1988. The Rebbetzin called the store, as Rab Adam phrases it, to thank us for the services which we provided, and added, especially when her assistants would call from this number, quote-unquote, referring to the number of the Rebbe's house. The Rebbetzin continued, "You would take care of the order, even if it was a minimal order for only five pounds potatoes. Nevertheless, you would process it immediately." During the conversation, my father, Rab Micho, Alav Ha-Shalom, whose shlation is concluding tonight, was listening in on the conversation through the s- phone speaker, and he then intervened and said, "You probably remember my shver, my father-in-law, Rab Getzel Rabashkin, who worked with us." And the Rebbetzin confirmed that, of course, she remembered him. He would say, Rab Getzel would say, "Our service to the Rebbe's house is considered by us as businesses who advertise that they are purveyors to Her Majesty or loyalty. Likewise, we merit it to be the same, purveyors to the Rebbe's house." The Rebbetzin then said, "I am requesting a bill for the produce which I

02:18 did not yet receive. Please advise me how much is the bill." Because in general, when the Rebbetzin ordered on her own, she would pay immediately. But since this was done by assistants, she wanted to have a bill which was still outstanding. And then the Rebbetzin continued, "It rokt uns ef kest?" Kest is an expression as a father-in-law supports and feeds his son-in-law. This is the end of the conversation. I will go on to a second story, a personal story told by Rabbi Krinsky, the Rebbe's maskir, secretary. "In my job as a maskir of the Rebbe," Rabbi Krinsky relates, "I would receive calls from the Rebbetzin for various matters which needed assistance and processing. This included also if there was a long trip taking place, and especially if it was a trip outside of the city." So I would get several calls about this project. "One day, around Yud Shvat, I picked up a heavy box, more than I can carry, and I hurt my back. The pain was very intense, and I could not go into work. It was a snowy day, and I was not successful in reaching a doctor, an orthopedist, for an appointment. Around seven thirty PM that evening, while I'm sitting at home with my wife at dinner, I received a call from the Rebbetzin. I did not want to tell her my condition, not to cause her any worries. But I immediately understood that she is somehow aware of the problem. I was then obliged to tell her the details.

04:31 When she asked me if I already went to a doctor, I told her that I was not successful in reaching the doctor. Without a pause or a delay, the Rebbetzin continued, 'Do you remember that a year ago you took me to a specific orthopedist in New Jersey?' And the Rebbetzin continued, 'Tomorrow morning, we will call him, and he will surely be willing to see you.' And the Rebbetzin added, 'If it is hard for you to drive, I will drive and take you there.' I thanked her for her concern and idea to call this doctor, and I said, 'Okay, I will do it, but I will drive.' The next morning, I drove in the Rebbetzin's car with the Rebbetzin. Baruch Hashem, I was able to drive. I was uncomfortable that the Rebbetzin needed to come along, but that was her choice, and I respected her wishes. The treatment took about a half hour, and during this time, the Rebbetzin waited in the waiting room like a mother is waiting for her child to come out. After the treatment, Baruch Hashem, I felt much better to the extent than, that on the way back, when I took the Rebbetzin home, I parked the car-" by her house and I walked back to 770. Moments after I reached the office, the intercom rang in the secretariat's office and the Rebbe asked I should come into his room. When I entered, the Rebbe was then in his room just returning from Mincha and he was still standing and he

06:27 asked me what did the doctor say. I understood that the Rebbe was already briefed about my visit that morning. I told the Rebbe that the doctor said that I need to walk straight. The Rebbe then said, Ich zog shen fun lang az midalv gain b'derech ha'yosher. I am already saying from a long time period that one needs to go in the straight path. The third story is one that I heard from a young man, a man whose wife witnessed the story. It was in mid-summer, Tovshin Memzayin 1987, and the young man's wife was standing at the window of her apartment on Albany Avenue. In those moments, the Rebbetsen's car turned on to Albany Avenue. The car stopped at the bakery, which was located on the street level of the block. The driver, Rabbi Chesed Halbashdam, went into the bakery while the Rebbetsen remained sitting in the car. When the young man's wife noticed the Rebbetsen's car, she told her friend who was present in the apartment that the Rebbetsen was there. The young man's wife intentionally walked away from the window so that her friend could stand there on her own. Although her friend lived in Crown Heights all her life, she had never seen the Rebbetsen. So she went over to the window. Nine months later, in Iyar Tovshin Memches, spring 1988, which was several months after the petira of the Rebbetsen, this woman gave birth to her first child. This was after a wait of more than 10 years since her wedding. She

08:25 later disclosed that while looking at the Rebbetsen from the window, the Rebbetsen looked up at her. They made eye contact and she had her thoughts.