A Purim Tragedy

On my way to Tolna tonight to hear megilla reading I saw a death notice on the wall and stopped frozen in my tracks. A friend of mine, an American born Talmid Chochom, father of 12 young children, about my age [40 for the record] suddenly passed away yesterday and the funeral was today right before megilla reading. To compound the tragedy he is the second child his parents lost. Their young son died many years ago. I am good friends with the father - a very special tzadik.

I walked up to the Rebbe Shlita's apartment in complete shock. When he saw me he said "ר' אלחנן, אנחנו הולכים בקו השמחה" - We go with simcha. The niftar was very close to the Rebbe, seemed to always be in the beis medrash and would transcribe the Rebbe's talks. I am sure the Rebbe is deeply saddened but the path of Chasidus is always to find reasons to be bi'simcha.

Even in tragedy.

PS - Sunday night there will be an עצרת התעוררות and the Rebbe Shlita asked that everybody come. So if you know people who understand yiddish and live in yerushalayim and would appreciate his words, please tell them.

May we soon experience the geulah hashleima and see how everything was ממש ממש for the best. In the meantime we believe....