Dear Friends,
I’m writing to you from New York. The reason for my visit here is connected to me and my family personally. It’s a story which took place even before I was born, and I would very much like to share it with you.
The story begins in the early 1970’s. Five years have passed since the wedding of my parents. Like many couples, they were looking forward to having a family of their own, however for various health reasons they did not yet merit to fulfill their dreams. They went from doctor to doctor but none of them was able to help them.
Finally someone suggested a world renowned professor. When they arrived to the appointment, the professor checked the whole file and said with a very serious face the most terrible news one could hear in such a situation: “I will grow hair on the palms of my hands before you will have children..”
Following these words, with a heavy heart, they decided to stop all treatments.
As any other Chassid, my father used to travel to see the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson in New York at least once or twice a year.
At his next visit, my father went into a private meeting (which in the Chassidic world is known as “Yechidus”) in the Rebbe’s room. It is customary to write your requests and wishes on a piece of paper and hand it to the Rebbe as you enter the room.
At this meeting my father wrote very clearly that quite a few years have passed since their wedding and they have still not merited to have children, and the doctors don’t give much hope.
When he handed his paper to the Rebbe, the Rebbe looked at him and blessed him.
Then my father gathered courage and said something which is not so common to say to the Rebbe:
“Rebbe, ich bet a havtoche” (Rebbe, I’m asking you to give me a promise)
There was silence in the room…
Then the Rebbe looked my father in the eyes and with a broad smile said to him:
“Ich hob shoyn gezogt: Tizku le’gadlom le’Torah le’chupa u’lemaasim tovim“ (I already said: may you raise them to torah, chupa and good deeds)
Who needs more than this? Not only did the Rebbe give them a blessing for a child, but he gave them a blessing in the plural form “may you raise them…”
About a year later on the Hebrew date of the 11th of Nisan, which by chance is also the birthday of the Rebbe, my oldest sister Paya was born.
I don’t know if that professor grew hair on the palm of his hands, but since then, thank G-d, the house kept getting filled with the laughter of children. My parents merited to have ten children! (Five boys and five girls)
The power of the Rebbe’s blessing.
Rabbi Chaim Drukman
Chabad of Central Switzerland
