Once, the chassidim indeed suggested to the Rebbe that he take a brief respite from his non-stop schedule and go away for a short vacation. As a spokesman, they chose the elder chassid, Reb Nissan Nemanov. Reb Nissan summoned up all of his powers of persuasion, but to no avail. He tried to explain that all the previous Rebbeim had gone on vacation from time to time. “Why,” he concluded, “shouldn’t the Rebbe do so as well?”

The Rebbe smiled and replied, “When the chassidim sat and studied, the Rebbeim could go on vacation. Today, it’s the chassidim who go on vacation, so the Rebbe must stay and study.”