My youngest child was 10 years old when I became pregnant with my son Yonatan, in the winter of 2014.
At the 18-week ultrasound, the doctor discovered many large fluid spots in the baby’s brain. He told us that in his 30-year career he had never seen such large and numerous spots and was unsure what to make of it. Thankfully, the baby’s organs were all healthy, which ruled out Down syndrome, but further investigation was needed to come up with a plan. In the meantime, he scheduled our next ultrasound for six weeks later.
We were plunged into great emotional turmoil, especially because the prognosis was unknown, but we refused to consider “other alternatives.”
I immediately called my rebbetzin, Mrs. Toby Bernstein of Chabad of Richmond Hill, so that we could pray together for everything to turn out alright, and to write to the Rebbe.
I had been to the Ohel before with Mrs. Bernstein when I joined her at the annual conference of Chabad emissaries, and I felt certain that I must now turn to the Rebbe for a blessing. I sat down and wrote a detailed letter outlining the situation and requesting a blessing and sent it to the Ohel.
As I waited out the six weeks for the next ultrasound, I found considerable comfort in reciting Psalms—chapter 118 in particular.
The day of the ultrasound arrived, and after an hour of scanning the head radiologist came over to us and asked in a frustrated tone, “What are you doing here? Your baby is perfectly fine. There is no evidence of any spots whatsoever!”
We were overjoyed by the wonderful turn of events and looked forward to welcoming a healthy baby to the world.
I was scheduled to have a C-section, but G‑d had other plans. I went into labor 24 hours before the scheduled C-section, and gave birth on the 20th of Cheshvan to a healthy baby boy whom we named Yonatan. I later learned that this is the birthday of the fifth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Shalom DovBer, known as the Rebbe Rashab—an auspicious day.
Three years later, Mrs. Bernstein invited me to join a women’s trip to the Ohel and I decided that it was time to bring Yonatan along to thank the Rebbe for the miraculous blessing of his birth.
I had brought my book of Psalms from home, and as I entered the Ohel holding Yonatan in my arms, I opened to Psalm 118 to say (what I thought)1 was the Rebbe’s chapter.
To my utter surprise, the picture of the ultrasound with the large and numerous fluid spots in the baby’s brain was still wedged in that very page! I had completely forgotten that during those tension-filled weeks, I had said this specific psalm over and over again and had placed the picture of my unborn baby at that spot as a page marker.
Standing at the Ohel, holding the picture of the ultrasound with its dire prognosis in one hand and my healthy Yonatan in the other, I was overcome with deep emotion and a feeling of perfect clarity. I felt as if the Rebbe was smiling at me, acknowledging that he was with my little Yonatan throughout the entire ordeal until its happy conclusion.
Truly amazing story and can't imagine the anguish and then relief.. but I'm just so confused..why ask/thank the Rebbe when you can ask G-d? Everyone has the same access? No disrespect intended
We do ask G-d but a tzadik , a Rebbe, has a more "direct line" and his prayers can affect salvation and blessings because a tzadik has no sins and therefore his prayers are more readily accepted. He is able to perform miracles and that is why we turn to a tzadik to intervene for us in the Heavenly realms, just as Moses did for the Jewish nation.
BH.Hi Anonymous, This week's Torah portion discusses Korakh and his revolt against Moses and this was his exact case "the entire nation is holy and God is among them and why do you raise yourself above God's community‽"
Last week, we find that Kalev, one of the spies went to pray at the the cave of Avraham, Issac and Jacob, that they intervene and bless him not to fall together with the rest of the spies. Joshua didn't go, since he already has Moses' blessing.
Some people define Judaism by studying or hearing about other religions and acting the opposite of them. I believe that to be wrong. We should look at OUR sources to find out OUR religion. One who studies will reveal that God has written in his Torah & made it very clear, that the connection that He wants to have with us, is always through Moses, & the "Moses in every generation" (Zohar. Talmud Sota).
We must also pray ourselves directly to God. But a proper connection to the tzadik/Moses of the generation, is vital in Judaism.
Good Question, I was thinking a few days about it. I think its like by Rachel or Moshe. We ask them to advocate for us. Like you would say to a teacher to relay to the headmaster: will you ask him to let me get away with it this one more time? We could knock on the headmasters door ourselves, but we ask the teacher to advocate for us.