It was Rosh Hashana eve, and hundreds of Jews stood in line to give letters of requests for blessings to the Rebbe. As the line progressed, a yeshiva student turned to a shliach near him asking about the blessing “may you be written and inscribed for a good year” that the Rebbe was then conveying to each person:

“How can this ‘standard’ blessing be intended specifically for me?” he asked.

The shliach gently explained, “An average person is indeed incapable of bestowing a communal blessing individually. But the Rebbe is different. He is your Rebbe,” the shliach said with assurance. “Although you are one of thousands of black hats standing in line, he knows you personally and showers his blessings upon you. This is the Rebbe’s greatness.”

When his turn arrived, the student handed his letter to the Rebbe, received the standard blessing, and turned to leave. But the Rebbe summoned him back. The Rebbe turned to the boy, stared deeply and knowingly into his eyes, and repeated, “May you be written and inscribed for a good year!”

“Birth is G‑d’s way of telling you: You matter.”
—The Rebbe

“Many become leaders because they brought others to believe in them. The Rebbe is a great leader because he believes so much in us.”
—From “Bringing Heaven Down To Earth”