Rabbi Yitzchok Lifsh of Tzfas told the following story:
Moshe (a pseudonym), an American bachur, sat and learned in the yeshiva’s beis medrash. Moshe was a masmid and he used even his free time to learn Torah.
In this yeshiva, in addition to Gemara and halacha, mussar was learned. The goal of sifrei mussar is to strengthen emuna and inspire a person to work on his middos.
In Chabad yeshivos, sifrei Chassidus are learned. Chassidus reveals the inner truth of everything and uplifts a person. Chassidus is a “taste” of the Torah that Moshiach will teach us. But since this was not a Chabad yeshiva, the bachurim did not get to taste the sweetness of Chassidus.
Only Moshe did not open sifrei mussar. While his friends learned mussar, he opened a Tanya, the foundational work of Chassidus.
The mashgiach in yeshiva, Rav Segal, walked over and peered at the sefer he was holding and was taken aback.
“Why aren’t you learning mussar like everyone else? Why are you learning the Chabad sefer?”
“Ummm … I saw this sefer in the library and I found it very interesting,” said the bachur, but R’ Segal didn’t “buy” it. He realized that something deeper lay behind the bachur’s unusual behavior.
After pressuring him to tell him the truth, Moshe agreed to do so, but in private.
The two of them sat in a corner and Moshe told the mashgiach this amazing story:
I have a sister who is a wonderful girl. She was beloved by her teachers and classmates.
At the age of sixteen, something started to go wrong. Her speech was affected; she found it hard to speak. Every sentence entailed great effort and things just got worse.
My frightened parents took her from one doctor to the next. In the meantime, her voice disappeared and she could not utter a sound.
The doctors carefully examined her but could not figure out the problem. My parents spared neither time nor money and went to the best doctors but they all said, “Your daughter has no vocal cords. We do not think she will get her voice back.”
It was like a cloud of sadness descended on our home. My parents looked at their mute daughter who could no longer express herself and they refused to accept this situation.
One day, my cousin said to them, “I heard about a top doctor in England. I suggest you go and see him. Maybe he will have the solution.”
My parents looked at him sadly and said, “Who haven’t we been to? What haven’t we tried? The situation is hopeless.”
But my cousin persisted. “Try, what do you have to lose?”
“Where can we stay?”
“I’ll take care of that,” he said.
My parents decided they had to make every effort, even if the chances were slim. This was a ray of hope. Perhaps something good would result.
My cousin found them a host family. They were Lubavitch and lived close to the doctor.
My parents packed and took their daughter to England. Their hearts beat faster as they entered the doctor’s office. He was their final hope.
They gave him the medical file which the doctor examined. He examined my sister. They could not read the expression on his face.
“I am sorry to tell you but I don’t have good news. Whatever the previous doctors told you is true. There is no cure. She has no vocal cords. I advise you to stop pursuing this since it is a waste of energy and money.”
Tears came to their eyes and they slowly left his office and headed back to their host. They told about their great expectations of this doctor and their bitter disappointment.
“I have a completely different sort of idea to suggest to you,” said their host, but my parents were unwilling to listen.
“We’ve had enough of hopes and disappointments. We’ve gone above and beyond our strength,” they said.
“You haven’t tried this yet, I’m sure,” he said. “Have you been to the Lubavitcher Rebbe?”
“No,” they said. “We are not Lubavitchers so why would we go to him?”
But the Chassid didn’t give up. He convinced them that it was worth a try. They certainly wouldn’t lose out.
At the next opportunity, they traveled to the Rebbe and arranged an appointment. When the time came, the parents and daughter went to see the Rebbe.
The Rebbe made a surprising request. He asked the parents to leave the room.
The Rebbe asked the girl whether she promised, if she recovered, that she would teach. She nodded.
Then the Rebbe told her to call her parents in. She went out and suddenly said to her parents, “You can come in now.”
Her parents nearly fainted from the shock. They could not believe their ears. She had spoken, as though she had never been mute!
They reentered the Rebbe’s room and emotionally thanked him.
***
This is what Moshe told the mashgiach.
“Very moving,” said the mashgiach. “Is that why you decided to learn Chabad Chassidus?”
“Not exactly,” said the bachur. “Some time went by and then I had yechidus with the Rebbe. When I walked in, the Rebbe asked me to learn Tanya. After we had experienced that extraordinary miracle with my sister, obviously, I would do as the Rebbe asked.” ■