“GIVE THIS TO YOUR WIFE”

Throughout that difficult time in which Moshe was sick and was being treated, they watched the video again and again on a screen near his bedside.

It was Shavuos, and the bachurim in the Chabad Yeshiva in Lud were eating the Yom Tov meal. Suddenly, they could see a small car out the window that was driving quickly, which stopped near the yeshiva building. Out of the car sprang a man in a sirtuk and hat, a Lubavitcher. Many pairs of eyes stared at him from the windows. Who was driving in a car on Yom Tov and why? Something very serious must have occurred!

One of the bachurim was called out of the dining room. He accompanied the driver, entered the car and within minutes the car had disappeared down the street, to the astonishment of all.

What indeed did happen? Who took the bachur in the car on Yom Tov?

It was the bachur’s uncle. We will call the bachur Moshe. For a while, Moshe had not been feeling well. At first, he thought it was a typical flu or something of the sort. But when the pain did not stop, the family doctor sent him for tests.

In the middle of Yom Tov, the hospital made contact with the parents and informed them, “Your son is very sick with a disease that has spread throughout his body. There is no treatment for him here in this country. You need to take him abroad to a hospital with top doctors. Every hour is critical and can affect his condition.”

After consulting with a rav, it was decided that since it was pikuach nefesh (entailed danger to life), the bachur had to be flown on Yom Tov. This is why the uncle had taken a car to the yeshiva, in order to bring him directly to the airport.

When the family arrived abroad, doctors took Moshe for a series of lengthy and exhausting tests. When they had finished, the doctor held a meeting with the parents in his office. From his face, it did not look as though he had good news to relate.

The doctor cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses in the attempt to postpone what he had to say for a few more moments.

“According to the tests we just did… there is nothing we can do. In my opinion, it would be better not to do any treatment. It would be a pity to cause the boy unnecessary suffering when it is hardly likely that the treatment will help. I recommend that in the short time remaining to him, that you ask him what he wants to do and you try and fulfill his dreams. Pamper him, travel with him, and try to make whatever time he has remaining to him as pleasant as possible.”

The parents’ faces turned pale and they couldn’t utter a word. They had not realized the situation was that dire. When they could finally talk, they asked, “Is his condition so bad that you’re saying we should give up?” in the hopes that the doctor would say something positive.

The doctor nodded. “As I said, I recommend not treating it, but the decision is up to you, of course.” The doctor indicated that he had finished and they could leave.

The parents left the doctor’s office in great distress. They did not know what to do. Should they have their son undergo painful treatment or forget about it?

Moshe could see that his parents were in turmoil and he asked, “Tell me what the doctor said!”

They looked at each other as though wondering whether to tell him or not, but Moshe insisted that he know what his condition was. He was no longer a little boy, and they couldn’t conceal vital information from him.

“The situation is not good. The doctor recommends that we do nothing; it would be a pity to suffer needlessly, he said …” said his mother as she burst into tears.

To his parents’ surprise, Moshe was not at all frightened by the bleak prediction of the doctors. He firmly said, “I want to undergo the treatment, and I am confident that I will be healed.”

“Where do you get such strong faith from?” his parents asked, while wiping tears from their eyes.

“Don’t you remember?” Moshe asked them in surprise. “Don’t you remember when our family went to the Rebbe for dollars?”

An old memory suddenly resurfaced. It was a Sunday, and the parents, three daughters, and Moshe stood on line to receive a dollar for tz’daka from the Rebbe. The father went first. He held Moshe who was four years old at the time. The Rebbe gave a dollar to the father and son, then to the mother, the first daughter, the second, and the third. The family began moving forward when, suddenly, the Rebbe called the daughter who was standing nearby and gave her another dollar.

“Give this dollar when you light candles,” requested the Rebbe.

After her, the Rebbe called for the second daughter to come back and gave her another dollar for candle lighting. Then he asked the first daughter to come back and gave her another dollar for candle lighting. To their surprise, the Rebbe also called for the little boy, Moshe, and gave him a dollar.

“Rebbe, he’s a boy and doesn’t need to light candles,” said the father. Still, the Rebbe gave another dollar to Moshe and said, “Give this dollar to your wife for candle lighting.”

Moshe, who was only four, remembered that encounter with the Rebbe and the instruction the Rebbe had given him.

“Abba, Ima, don’t cry and don’t fret. I have to be healthy. I still haven’t carried out the Rebbe’s instruction. I have the dollar and am waiting to do as the Rebbe told me. I need to get married and give the dollar to my wife. I must live and get married so I can do what the Rebbe told me to do!”

Moshe’s parents burst into tears once again. These words echoed in their minds and strengthened their faith. They decided that Moshe would be treated and, with Hashem’s help, would be cured!

His parents located the video that was taken when they had been to the Rebbe for dollars. Throughout that difficult time in which Moshe was sick and was being treated, they watched the video again and again on a screen near his bedside.

Needless to say, Moshe overcame his illness and recovered. He later married and was able to fulfill the Rebbe’s instruction, to bring the dollar to its destination.