10 Shvat 5719
Among the memoirs of the Rebbe my father-in-law the Ba’al
Hahilula there is a whole booklet about his grandfather, a
large part of the booklet also discusses his grandmother
which her Yartzait is also on the tenth of Shvat. Among the
stories there is a short story which has been printed already.
He relates that when she was 18 years old she was very not
well the Tzemach Tzedek -meaning her father in-law- called
her into his office to ask her what the doctor had said she
answered him he said being that she is so weak she should
eat as soon as she wakes up in the morning. The Tzemach
Tzedek asked “so what do you do?” She answered “so I wake
up very early in order to Daven the whole davening for I do
not want to eat before davening.”
Which means that she would sleep however much time
shorter then usual in order to keep to the doctors orders to eat
very early however it didn’t work too well for she hadn’t slept
properly.
So the Temach Tzedek told here that regarding mitzvos it is
stated in the torah “V’Chai Bahem” and he explained it the
way the Magid had explained it -as I mentioned in the
Ma’amer.- “Which means we have to give the mitzvos live
meaning in order to do the mitzvos whatever it takes we have
to make sure it’s alive and well. Therefore we need to be
healthy and strong so “RATHER EAT IN ORDER TO DAVEN
THAN DAVEN IN ORDER TO EAT!”
(Maaseh Rav Tape #3 Side 2 the eighth Sicha)
