The Rebbe's Special Dollars

In 5738 (1978), the year in which the idea of building a palace for the Rebbe first arose, construction of the “Beis Menachem” shul in Kfar Chabad, named for the Rebbe, was completed.

 

The Gabbaim of the shul called the Rebbe’s office with a daring request;  they wished for the Rebbe to come to Kfar Chabad to the dedication of the new shul and be revealed as Moshiach.

 

The Rebbe’s amazing response was that the request should be in writing.

 

The invitation was written and many of Anash signed it.

 

Reb Zushe Rivkin, one of the gabbaim, gave it to the Rebbe who gave him $1800 in single dollar bills to distribute to whomever signed the invitation.

​

The Rebbe said: ”Give only to those who have already signed; as for those who will sign afterwards, may Hashem give them from His full, open, holy and expansive hand, and if there are leftover bills, do good things with them.” Many bills were left over.

 

In 5752, after the Rebbe gave permission for the palace to be built, R’ Zushe suggested that the remaining dollars be sold to those who contributed towards the building of the palace, with the assurance that contributors would be guaranteed blessings from the Rebbe for what they needed.

 

The Rebbe agreed to this idea on condition: “But it should be for a large sum of money.”