AND HIS NAME IS: CHAIM MOSHE

It was 5724/1964. Rabbi E.L. Klein, a talmid chacham and yirei shomayim traveled to the United States on a fundraising trip for a network of boys’ elementary school yeshivos.

R’ Klein was not a Lubavitcher Chassid and he had no connection to Chabad, but he knew that if you make a trip to America, you visit the Rebbe.

Upon arriving in the U.S. he made an appointment for yechidus. At the appointed time he prepared himself for his encounter with the Rebbe.

In gan eden ha’tachton, the entrance that leads to the Rebbe’s office, some Chassidim were already waiting. They waited in silence, thinking or saying Tehillim, and making sure that the note on which they wrote names for a blessing was in their pocket.

R’ Klein also had written a note with names for a blessing. With the time came, his heart beat a little bit faster as he encountered the Rebbe.

Without saying a word, he handed the Rebbe the note. The Rebbe took it, read it, and then said, “May Hashem bless all those mentioned in the note …”
Suddenly, the Rebbe stopped talking. He looked at the note and then at R’ Klein and he asked, “Your oldest son that you listed here, is his name only Moshe?”

R’ Klein was taken aback. Of course he was named Moshe, just Moshe. He remembered his son’s bris mila even though it was a number of years ago. Moshe was already in school and other children had joined the family, but of course he remembered the bris of his son.

“Yes,” R’ Klein said unhesitatingly. “My son is Moshe. He was named for my grandfather who was Moshe.”

It seemed as though the Rebbe accepted this because once again he said, “May Hashem bless all …”

Then, once again, the Rebbe paused and asked R’ Klein, “Are you sure that he is only named Moshe? Not Chaim Moshe?”

R’ Klein was confused. Why was the Rebbe asking him such a peculiar question? His oldest son was Moshe, just Moshe. He had already answered the question.

“Rebbe, I am sure. The name I gave him was only Moshe,” he said firmly.

The Rebbe shrugged in surprise. It was as though the Rebbe was saying, it can’t be, but he went on to another subject.

R’ Klein left the yechidus happy with the blessings that the Rebbe gave his family. He pushed the odd exchange to a corner of his mind. He spent the next three weeks working. He went to the homes of rich Jews who opened their hearts and their pockets and donated money.

***

The plane landed in Eretz Yisrael and the passengers clapped. R’ Klein took his hand luggage which he had watched carefully throughout the trip. It contained a lot of money for the yeshivos.

He left the terminal holding his bag. He was looking forward to seeing his family after being away for so long.

His children were still in school and R’ Klein waited for them to come home.

The bell rang to announce the end of the day. Moshe Klein, left school with his friends and headed for home.

In an instant, he was hit by a car on the busy Rechov Rabbi Akiva in Bnei Brak. Moshe lay on the pavement, unconscious. An ambulance raced up and medics provided first aid.

The terrible news was heard by the father. This was certainly not the welcome home he anticipated.

The best doctors worked on Moshe and did the best they could but they had no words of encouragement for the parents. The situation was critical.

R’ Klein asked tzaddikim for a bracha for a refuah shleima. He did not suffice with one tzaddik but asked more and more Rebbes to pray for his beloved son Moshe.

R’ Klein also went to the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz. “Rebbe, bless my son Moshe with a complete recovery; he is in critical condition!”

The Admor said, “Add the name Chaim; it’s a segula for long life.”

R’ Klein could not believe his ears. “Chaim Moshe … Chaim Moshe … That is what the Lubavitcher Rebbe had said! The Rebbe saw the future and provided him with life with the addition of the name Chaim!”

At that moment, R’ Klein knew his son would recover.

At the first opportunity, his son was renamed Chaim Moshe and the miraculous recovery began. The doctors who were so worried were amazed to watch the unexpected recovery.

Chaim Moshe recovered completely and it was as though nothing had happened to him.

Today, Chaim Moshe is a father and grandfather. Although his children and grandchildren are not Lubavitcher Chassidim, they know that his life was given to him as a gift thanks to the Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach. ■