“A hearty yasher koach, ” said Rabbi Chodakov (the Rebbe’s personal secretary) to Rabbi Mendel Baumgarten.

Rabbi Baumgarten was surprised. Rabbi Chodakov was not prone to emotional expressions. It’s true that the Rebbe had just given Rabbi Baumgarten and his wife a broad smile as he left 770, but why was Rabbi Chodakov so excited?

It was about 2 AM Monday morning. Rabbi Baumgarten and his wife had just returned from conducting a Shabbaton with university students in College Park, Maryland. His chassidic sixth sense told him that since participation in such outreach efforts was encouraged by the Rebbe, he should stop in at 770 before going home.

When he arrived, the Rebbe had just finished seeing people for yechidus that night, so Rabbi Baumgarten decided to stay and watch as the Rebbe left the building. As the Rebbe was leaving, he saw Rabbi Baumgarten and his wife waiting in the corridor, and gave them a broad smile.

Why was Rabbi Chodakov so happy? “Throughout the week, the Rebbe has been earnest, intense, you could almost say upset,” he told Rabbi Baumgarten. “Even at the farbrengen on Shabbos , he spoke in a demanding tone, asking why the chassidim were not doing more outreach work. This is the first time he has smiled all week!”