One of the Rebbe’s followers had been married for many years but had no children. One day he was in the Rebbe’s house together with a number of other childless men who had come to plead that the Rebbe intercede for them. This man also spoke to the Rebbe and asked him for children.
The Rebbe replied, “Why all this commotion? The main offspring of the righteous are their good deeds (Rashi on Genesis 6:9). This is foremost. Ask that you be a good Jew – that you be worthy of following the true path. If you are worthy of physical children, all the better. But the most important thing is to draw close to God.” This brings your main offspring.
From that time on, the man stopped speaking to the Rebbe about children. He occupied himself only with his devotions in the way of the Rebbe’s other followers.
This time, the Rebbe opened the discussion, saying, “Still, it is well that you should have children. Bring me a hundred rubles and it will be so.” The man quickly went and brought the money to the Rebbe.
אִישׁ אֶחָד מֵחֲשׁוּכֵי בָּנִים, וְהָיָה מֵאַנְשֵׁי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל. וּפַעַם אַחַת הָיָה בְּבֵית רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל, וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ אֶצְלוֹ כַּמָּה חֲשׂוּכֵי בָּנִים וְשִׁחֲרוּ אוֹתוֹ שֶׁיַּעֲזֹר לָהֶם. וְנִכְנַס הָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל מֵאֲנָשָׁיו גַּם כֵּן, וּבִקֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ גַּם כֵּן עֲבוּר בָּנִים.
One of the Rebbe’s followers had been married for many years but had no children. One day he was in the Rebbe’s house together with a number of other childless men who had come to plead that the Rebbe intercede for them. This man also spoke to the Rebbe and asked him for children.
הֵשִׁיב לוֹ: מָה הָרַעַשׁ הַזֶּה? הֲלֹא עִקַּר תּוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. וְזֶהוּ הָעִקָּר, עַל כֵּן הָעִקָּר לְבַקֵּשׁ עַל יַהֲדוּת שֶׁתִּזְכֶּה לֵילֵךְ בְּדֶרֶךְ הַיָּשָׁר וְכוּ'. בְּוַדַּאי אִם אֶפְשָׁר לִזְכּוֹת לְבָנִים בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת בְּוַדַּאי מַה טּוֹב. אֲבָל הָעִקָּר הוּא לָשׂוּם לֵב לְהִתְקָרֵב לְהַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, כִּי זֶה עִקַּר הַתּוֹלָדוֹת וְכוּ' כַּנַּ"ל.
The Rebbe replied, “Why all this commotion? The main offspring of the righteous are their good deeds (Rashi on Genesis 6:9). This is foremost. Ask that you be a good Jew – that you be worthy of following the true path. If you are worthy of physical children, all the better. But the most important thing is to draw close to God.” This brings your main offspring.
וּמֵאָז פָּסַק אוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל לְהַפְצִיר אוֹתוֹ עֲבוּר בָּנִים. וְהָלַךְ וְעָסַק רַק בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה' כְּדֶרֶךְ אַנְשֵׁי רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל.
From that time on, the man stopped speaking to the Rebbe about children. He occupied himself only with his devotions in the way of the Rebbe’s other followers.
אַחַר כָּךְ שׁוּב פַּעַם אַחַת הָיָה רַבֵּנוּ שָׁם וְנִכְנְסוּ גַּם כֵּן חֲשׂוּכֵי בָּנִים אֶצְלוֹ וּבִקְּשׁוּ אוֹתוֹ ז"ל עֲבוּר בָּנִים.
Some time later, a number of childless people asked the Rebbe again to intercede for them. This man was there, but did not say a word.
וְזֶה הָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל שׁוּב לֹא פָּתַח פִּיו לְבַקֵּשׁ אוֹתוֹ עַל זֶה. וְהִתְחִיל רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל בְּעַצְמוֹ, וְאָמַר לוֹ: אַף עַל פִּי כֵן טוֹב שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לְךָ בָּנִים. וְאָמַר לוֹ: לֵךְ וַהֲבֵא לִי מֵאָה רוּבְּל סוּג, וְהָלַךְ מְהֵרָה וְהֵבִיא לוֹ.
This time, the Rebbe opened the discussion, saying, “Still, it is well that you should have children. Bring me a hundred rubles and it will be so.” The man quickly went and brought the money to the Rebbe.
וּבְאוֹתוֹ הַלַּיְלָה הָיָה לֵיל טְבִילָה וְנִפְקְדָה אִשְׁתּוֹ וַתַּהַר וַתֵּלֵד בֵּן.
It was the night of his wife’s immersion, and she conceived and eventually gave birth to a son.
יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁיִּזְכּוּ לְגַדְּלוֹ לְתוֹרָה וּלְחֻפָּה וּלְמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים אָמֵן.
May it be God’s will that they be worthy to raise him to Torah, to marriage and to a life of good deeds. Amen.