Brick Walls - Daily Dose of Wisdom

It is a Jewish Custom on the holy day of Rosh Hashana to walk to a pond or river and recite certain prayers there.

In Brooklyn, finding such a body of water within walking distance can be a bit of a problem. In the early years of the Rebbe’s leadership, there would be a whole parade every year to the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

One year, the rain poured incessantly and most assumed the walk cancelled. “Cancelled”, however, was never part of the Rebbe’s vocabulary. When the Rebbe came out for the walk, news travelled like lightning and people scrambled to join. Upon arrival at the gardens, however, they found the gates locked and nobody there to let them in.

The wall around the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens is fairly high. The Rebbe gazed up and said softly to his assistant, “How tall do you think that wall is?”

The assistant had no time to answer. The Rebbe was already climbing the wall.

As soon as they realized what was going on, those close by rushed to assist the Rebbe. He looked down and said, “If you will allow me to do this myself, I think I will be far more successful.”

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Based on letters and talks of the Rebbe, Rabbi M. M. Schneerson

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. To order Rabbi Freeman’s book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here.

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November 17, 2011

"I'd Rather Do it Myself"

I enjoyed reading this. I met him at the age of 14 with my brother who had come back from being in the service (Vietnam). I did not go up to meet him as I was very shy and self conscious of how I looked like. But from a distance I noticed his eyes always sparkled. How I wished there was a grandpa in our family that was like him.

Like the classic comedy of the Marx Brothers, Abbot and Costello, Jack Benny and Laurel and Hardy, the words spoken from the lips of the Rebbe spark humor and love for all of mankind.

Another soul like him is what the world really needs now.

Thank you for sharing that story.

Hinda Blas
Petaluma, CA