Later that day, I visited Rabbi Chodakov in his office. He already had the Rebbe’s replies for me personally and some replies for friends in Manchester.

In the Rebbe’s reply to me, he noted that I had been pleased with the apartment, but he wanted to know, “What did your wife say about it?”

Upon returning to the apartment, I related the Rebbe’s inquiry to Roselyn and she at once wrote a letter to the Rebbe (that she allowed me to read), and it confirmed all that I had stated. She also added how much the improvements actually benefited the members of the kollel themselves. It encouraged them to keep the place clean.

While I was with Rabbi Chodakov, Hindy came in. She and Shmuel were again producing STEP (Summer Torah Education Program), a workbook for children to occupy themselves with during the summer vacation (thirty days of study, puzzles and prizes). She left some sample pages to be delivered for the Rebbe’s perusal and discussed other matters with Rabbi Chodakov.

As befits the Rebbe’s principal secretary, Rabbi Chodakov always intersperses many words of Torah in his conversations. When I told him about my experience with the “king in the field,” he said I had better start blowing shofar as well! [The parable refers to the Almighty during the month of Elul, when the shofar is blown every day – except on Shabbos, of course. –Ed.]

I met up with my friend Tzvi Fisher. He presented me with a new pen, remarking that now I had no excuse for not writing my diaries. He also handed me a beautiful, colored photograph of the Rebbe placing a silver crown on the Sefer Torah. A lovely picture and a lovely gesture by Tzvi Fisher.

More lovely still was the story he told me. He was fortunate to have a yechidus with the Rebbe. Tzvi asked the Rebbe how the Rebbe was feeling.

The Rebbe replied, “Always freilich [happy].”

Tzvi is a real “good lad.” (Not only because he laughs at my jokes and stories.) He is an invaluable help to me. On Shabbos morning at 770, it is almost impossible to obtain a siddur, chumash or tehillim due to the large crowds. Tzvi always brings a set for me in almost-new condition. What is more, he keeps them until I need them. Where he gets them from remains a mystery! Generally, if someone puts down a siddur, leaving it unattended even for a few seconds – even right near his place – it disappears.

I had a chat with Rabbi Groner before mincha today. He confided to me that during the past few months the Rebbe had been driving himself along unsparingly to the utmost limits. The Rebbe kept everyone else on their toes, too. Time seemed to be even more precious and at a premium.

For instance, when the Rebbe gave a certain new instruction, all central offices are contacted, these in turn relay the message to their area branches. For example, London receives the instruction directly from 770 and relays it via telephone to Manchester, Glasgow, and Dublin. Manchester, in turn, is responsible for Liverpool, Blackpool, Leeds, and some other smaller cities. Leeds will contact Sheffield, Bradford, Gateshead and Sunderland and so forth. This procedure is followed across the United States, South America, Europe, Israel, Australia, South Africa, and every other country and city where there is a Lubavitcher nucleus. It normally takes two hours to cover the whole world, yet, within thirty minutes, the Rebbe was already inquiring whether the message had been received everywhere yet. Everyone can perceive the Rebbe’s insistent urging, especially regarding the five mitzvah campaigns initiated by the Rebbe up until this Shavuos. (The sixth campaign – kindling Shabbos candles – would be started a few months after Shavuos.)

The Rebbe is full of energy and seems to be untiring. The Rebbe once told me that a true Lubavitcher should work twenty-five hours in a day. I think the Rebbe tries forty-eight and succeeds, too.

The main shul at 770 has again been extended. With thousands of people from all over the world coming to spend yom tov with the Rebbe, it was still nonetheless crowded.

When the Rebbe walked into the upstairs shul for mincha, someone made the brocha of “shehechiyonu” (upon seeing the Rebbe) in a slow, deliberate and very clear and loud voice. Everyone of course answered “Amen.” We all make a brocha when we see the Rebbe for the first time after a long period, but we generally make it quietly, so as not to seem ostentatious. Maybe this fellow wanted to let the Rebbe know that he was present – as if the Rebbe did not know! At any rate it was something different. Of course there was also nothing wrong with it.

After davening maariv on Friday night, we sang the Rebbe out of shul to the tune of “Hoshiah Es Amecha,” which I started. Tzvi Fisher and Moshe Stuart (another friend from London) helped considerably in the singing. The Rebbe encouraged everyone to join in, too.