Rabbi Chaim Horowitz שליט״א related the following story: "in the Torah world, everyone heard of the Mashgiach "HaGaon" HaRav Shlomo Wolbe ztz”l. HaRav Wolbe taught in Yeshivas "Beair Yaakov" and was an admired figurehead. He authored the famous seforim "Alei Shor", in it, he counsels every Jew how to behave in life's situations, how he should improve his character and his conduct. Most of all he was considered one of the biggest experts in Chinuch HaBanim and understanding the Torah's perspective on Parenting and Educating our children. He was revered and admired by the greatest Tzaddikim of the previous generation.
But, not everyone knows that he himself had a son that went off the derech to the extent that he openly proclaimed that he is leaving the Torah ways and the Mitzvot.

After his son was already completely off the derech, Rav Wolbes daughter got engaged and after the engagement, the new Chattan was invited for a Shabbat meal to the Volbes home, as was customary in the Israeli communities. The preparations for the Chattan's arrival brought about great excitement: special foods were made and the table was set in a very special way. The married couples were invited and the single students that usually stay in the Yeshiva joined for this special occassion.

In the middle of the Shabbat meal, the doorbell rang!! Everyone panicked at the sound of the doorbell on the holy Shabbat. The doorbell rang again… and a few seconds later the door opened and in a loud voice they heard: "Shabbat Shalom".

It was the son that left the Torah ways. He arrived in his car and was dressed in his weekday clothes. In one hand he had his car keys and in the other a pack of cigarettes! Everyone present wanted to bury themselves from shame and embarrassment. What will the Chattan think when he sees such blatant desecration of Shabbat in his future wife’s home? They didn't know how to react, and everyone looked to the head of the family, the saintly Rav Volbe. They watched and learned what a parent must do in such a terrible situation:

The great man could rightfully blown up at his son and yelled: “You knew that we are making a special meal for the Chattan – and this is the way you came in? You rang the bell? Why did you have to do that? You’re so brazen! You knew what buzzing the bell would do! You wanted everyone to look at you – OK so now you got what you wanted! Such Chutzpah! You did that on purpose just to be spiteful and rebellious! You could have knocked and entered respectfully!, etc.

He may have been ‘entitled’ to react that way, but that’s not the way that Hashem wants a father to deal wayward child. Instead, the Rav got up from his seat with a huge SMILE on his face, he walked to his son while opening his arms to embrace his son with tremendous affection! And he said: "Shabbat Shalom! It’s so great that you came to join us! We were worried that we wouldn't have the honor of your joining this special meal with our new Chattan." He hugged his son again and led him to the table! He sat him next to him and made sure that food was brought to him right away and he didn't stop praising him before the entire family. He continued to shower his son with love and he focused completely on him. He asked him: "How are you doing… You look so good today… I hope you came hungry… but most importantly you came and I greatly appreciate it". The great holy Rav kept showering him with warm loving words and compliments to boost his self-esteem. At the end of the meal when everyone left, Rav Volbe hugged this son tightly once again and thanked him with all his heart that he came to join the family Simcha. Our family wouldn’t have been whole without you here…. We’re so so happy that you came… we love when you come!

The son became so emotional from all of the love and acceptance showered on him by his father, which was magnified by the rebellious way that he came to the home, and then when he left the house and approached his car, he had a deep feeling inside of him that he just couldn't ignite the engine and desecrate the Shabbat. He left the keys in his parents’ house, he kissed his father and he walked to his house on foot. The warmth and love he received from his father, specifically that night, satiated his heart and gave him the feeling that he was part of his family. And guess what? From that night on he decided to change his ways. Do you know what happened to him? That ‘rebellious’ son did complete Tshuva and he became a respected Rosh Yeshiva. Many years later the ‘wayward son’ was asked: what made you return to the Torah ways? He replied in the following words: "the special and true love that I received from my father on that Shabbat, the reception that he gave me with no conditions, even though I desecrated Shabbat in front of him, even though I acted so rebellious and even rang the bell and walked in holding my cigarettes he didn’t’ get mad at me and he didn't chastise me, and he didn't even coerce me to wear a Kippa at the Shabbat table or make a Beracha, instead he showered me with warmth and love – this and only this is what brought me back to Torah!!" This is the awesome POWER of warmth and love that we need to shower on our struggling children.

P.S. Now we understand why the Chazon Ish zt'l Called Maran Rav Wolbe, the "Mechanech Hador!