Translation by Yehoshua Siskin
We paid a shiva call last night in Tel Aviv at the home of Rebbetzin Devorah Butman who had passed away. The rebbetzin had been the head of the Chabad Women's Organization for dozens of years. She initiated many ambitious projects that had a positive impact on tens of thousands of women.
Her children are Chabad emissaries all over Israel and throughout the world, and her living room was filled with those who had come to offer their condolences. Suddenly I saw her son, Rabbi Yehudah Butman from Ramat HaSharon, get up from his low-to-the-ground mourner's chair, leave the living room, and take one of the visitors aside. I did not understand why.
But then Rav Butman began to put tefillin on the visitor, something that was apparently done each time they met. Immediately afterwards, the rabbi went to the kitchen, returned with a beautiful box of matzahs, and handed it to the visitor. Afterwards, the rabbi returned to his mourner's chair.
As I left the apartment, it occurred to me that I had been privy to one of the messages of Pesach, the holiday that reminds us of leaving Egypt in haste. It's a holiday that teaches us to take advantage of every moment, to make haste to do the right thing at all times.
