Menachem always looked forward to the Rebbe’s Shavuos farbrengen. Beyond the excitement every chassid feels at such gatherings, this one had special significance for Menachem. The day after Shavuos was his birthday, and he would consider the kos shel berachah the wine which the Rebbe distributed at the conclusion of the farbrengen as the Rebbe’s birthday present.

One year, as was his custom, Menachem did not hasten to get in line for kos shel berachah. Although there were some who hurried to approach the Rebbe, the yeshivah students generally chose to wait, sing joyous chassidic melodies, and watch the Rebbe while he distributed the wine.

Menachem reviewed the subjects expounded at the farbrengen with some friends, and then joined them in singing and watching the Rebbe. He would, he thought, approach the Rebbe after the lines thinned out.

Watching the Rebbe can be very absorbing, and Menachem did not realize that the number of people in line was dwindling. Suddenly, he realized that a song had ended, a few last people approached the Rebbe for wine, and then the Rebbe reached for his siddur to recite a final blessing. Kos shel berachah had ended; Menachem had missed his opportunity!

If it had been another farbrengen, Menachem might have resigned himself to the loss, but this was his “birthday” farbrengen! The following day, he wrote the Rebbe that he had unwillingly missed receiving kos shel berachah the night before. Was there any way to receive it now?

A short while afterwards, the Rebbe’s secretary, Rabbi Binyomin Klein, entered the yeshivah’ s study hall and called Menachem out. He did not want the others to know, he told Menachem, but he had something for him from the Rebbe.

The Rebbe had sent him wine from kos shel berachah!