During the early morning hours on Simchas Torah, an elderly chassid walked over to a group of young men who had taken a brief recess from the continuous dancing in “770”.

“Tired, eh?” he commented with a smile. There was no need for an answer; their red faces, limp hands, and drenched clothes said it all.

“Let me tell about one Simchas Torah night in the late 1940s right here in “770”, while the Previous Rebbe was alive. The Rebbe, who we used to call by his initials, ‘the RaMaSh’ was dancing all night, from 10 p.m. till 7 a.m., as he always did on Simchas Torah. None of us, not even the most energetic, could keep up with him.

“At one point, one of the Previous Rebbe’s household attendants came down to the shul. Although the Previous Rebbe’s quarters were on the third floor of “770”, he was worried that the noise of the singing and dancing might disturb the Previous Rebbe’s rest.

“Someone approached the Rebbe and whispered the attendant’s message into his ear. In response, the Rebbe removed his shoes, and continued to dance barefoot all night long, singing a melody softly and saying, ‘Sha…sha…sha,’ instead of the words.”