Shehechiyanu

The first day of Chanukah is the 14th yahrtzeit of the helige Tolna Rebbe ztz"l Rebbe Yochanan Twerski. He often repeated the story of the Antoniner Rebbe who would ask why we don't make שהחיינו upon dying. The time of death is a magical moment for which we prepare our whole lives and we should be rejoicing in the fact that we finally meet HKB"H.

After lighting the Chanukah candle on the first night and making שהחיינו the Antoniner passed away.

Wonder of wonders.

More wonders.

The Rebbe ztz"l was very ill on the first night of Chanuka תשנ"ט and after he made the brachos - including שהחיינו - he refused to talk. His family members came to say goodbye and he made bodily motions but would not utter a word. It was STRANGE. That night he passed away and the family understood that he didn't want to speak after שהחיינו creating a הפסק between שהחיינו and his demise. So he too was זוכה to say שהחיינו before death like the Antoniner Rebbe in the story he was fond of repeating.