One Sunday morning in 1991, Rabbi Peretz Hecht, my father Rabbi Chaim Meir Bukiet, and I, waited together in the famous line that led to where the Rebbe, of righteous memory, would distribute dollars to be given to charity.

Rabbi Hecht approached the Rebbe first. The Rebbe gave him a dollar, and then handed him another dollar saying, "This [dollar] is for your mother." Rabbi Hecht froze; his mother had passed away many years ago.

The Rebbe, noting Rabbi Hecht's confusion, repeated, "For your mother."

Rabbi Hecht stared at the Rebbe, unable to utter a word. The Rebbe asked with a smile, "You know that you have a mother?!"

Rabbi Hecht bent over and whispered to the Rebbe's aide, Rabbi Leibel Groner, that his mother had passed away many years ago. Rabbi Groner repeated this information to the Rebbe. The Rebbe immediately responded, "And so what?"

Rabbi Hecht took the dollar for his deceased mother and left, very puzzled and befuddled.

Immediately after exiting the building, Rabbi Hecht began to cry out, "Oy vay! Today is my mother's birthday!"

The Rebbe gave him a dollar for charity to be given in his mother's merit on her birthday.