Baal Shem Tov stories

 It is said in the name of the Satmar Rov that he scoffed at people who believed all of the stories of the Baal Shem Tov (saying that if one doesn’t believe that they could have taken place, then he is an apikores, but if he believes that all of them actually took place, then he is a fool). He is reputed to have said: ‘It is not possible that all of the stories actually took place, because just think how many of the stories are alleged to have occurred on a motzoei Shabbos, and there were not enough Motzoei Shabbosim in the Besht’s lifetime to accommodate all of the stories’.

In contrast, the following is an excerpt of a sicha of the Rebbe:

“When there is a story that reaches us, it is a clear indication that that story contains an important lesson for us in our avodas Hashem. There is an irrefutable proof for this. As many stories as have been publicized about the Baal Shem Tov, when we consider that we are dealing with the Baal Sh”T, who’s entire life was with a BaSH”T hanhogo, and every moment was miraculous, we realize that the actual number of miraculous stories that took place with the Baal Shem Tov (that have to account for every moment of his life), has to be much much greater than the number of stories that have reached us. Why, then, we must ask, have only these - relatively few – stories reached from amongst the countless that undoubtedly took place? Obviously, because these have an important lesson for us!”

Hisorerus Tshuva

Tishrei 5736 (1975) the orthodox world was shocked to hear that, at the second night of Hakofos by the Rebbe in 770, Chaim Cohen, the former judge of Israel's Supreme Court, received a "hakofo" at the Rebbe's minyan and was honored with reciting a verse of Ato Horaiso."

In fact, the decision to give him this honor was not reached easily. Chaim Cohen, in his younger years, was an orthodox Jew, and a member of Agudas Yisroel, but later broke away and left religious Judaism. He became a promoter of liberal ideas and even married a divorcee despite the fact that he was a “Cohen." He was also a main player in the "Who is a Jew" controversy and was one of the judges who signed the law that conversions do not have to be according to Halacha, an issue that r”l caused the Rebbe much pain.

Therefore, when Chaim Cohen arrived that Simchas Torah to the Rebbe's Hakofos the gaboim were hesitant in honoring such a man. They were also concerned that the larger orthodox community would have serious complaints against Lubavitch, for giving honor to someone who was known only for his opposition to anything precious to the Orthodox community. Their dilemma was so much greater because they realized that any opposition to a decision to honor him would focus on the fact that it was done in the presence of the Rebbe, and with his apparent consent.

No-one wanted to take responsibility for the decision and its’ ramifications, and the only recourse was to ask the Rebbe himself for direction. One of the secretaries approached the Rebbe with the question, to which the Rebbe immediately responded: "A Jew is here with a hisorerus teshuva, and you don't want to give him a Sefer Torah?!”

So they gave him a Sefer Torah, he even said a posuk of the Ato Horeisa and then went into the circle to dance with all those who received a Hakofo. The Rebbe then started the song "Utzu Eitza V'sufar" by himself and for 45 minutes nonstop without a letup waved and clapped with his hands to increase the singing. The people that were there including Chaim Cohen became very tired and wanted to stop to rest but did not do so while the Rebbe is increasing the singing. During the entire 45 minutes the Rebbe stood there looking at Judge Cohen while he was holding and dancing with the Torah.

As they had feared, there were those who expressed their reservation against this decision, accusing Lubavitch of supporting the enemies of the frum establishment. Many Lubavitcher Chassidim were themselves puzzled by the event.

Recently, 30 years later, new details have emerged concerning this event: Chaim Cohen had a very close friend who lived in Manhattan and whenever he (Chaim Cohen) would visit N.Y. he would stay by this friend.

Some years after that Simchas Torah, one of the shluchim to Manhattan met this friend of Judge Cohen and invited him to come to the Rebbe. The friend adamantly rejected the offer saying: "Ever since Chaim Cohen attended that hakofos by the Rebbe he changed much of his views and opinons and I am not yet ready to change my opinions. I am the one who has to suffer as a result of Chaim Cohen’s Simchas Torah spent by the Rebbe!"

Tzedaka refines

The Alter Rebbe wrote: ‘Through a person performing acts of tzedaka נעשים מוחו ולבו אלף פעמים ככה [his heart and mind become one thousand times more delicate]. On numerous occasions the Rebbe pointed out that this is not an expression, or an exaggeration, but literal. And the Rebbe illustrated: This means that what would have taken you 1000 hours to learn you will be able to learn in 1 hour.

Mock Trial

A chosid, during a mock trial by the KGB in Russia, was given his few moments to present his defense, prior to sentencing. Knowing that the conclusion was already predetermined, and the whole “trial” was a farce, he chose, instead, to use his time to share a story:

A lion once went over to a rooster and roared ‘I am going to gobble you up!’

Trembling with fear, the rooster asked the king of the beasts why it deserves such a terrible fate. ‘Because you trot through the homes of people, tracking dirt and dust in your wake’, explained the lion.

‘But my actions are actually beneficial, they enable the homeowners to find lost objects, and they are very thankful for my behavior’, explained the rooster, in its’ defense.

‘I am going to gobble you up!’, the lion roared even louder than before.

‘Why, your majesty’, the rooster questioned again, in desperation.

‘Because early every morning you crow and crow, and make such a ruckus, and don’t let anybody sleep’.

‘But, that is what enables people to wake up, and it is so crucial to their productivity’, exclaimed the rooster.

‘I am going to gobble you up!’, bellowed the lion at the top of his lungs.

‘Why should you do this, your majesty’, the rooster cried.

‘Because I am strong and you are weak’, was the final, unanswerable retort of the lion.

And with this, the chosid rested his case.

14 cents

R’ Mendel Vechter was a very prominent Satmar chosid, and was the son of R’ Lipe Vechter, who was a respected Satmar Rov and one of the leading Rabbonim in Toronto. It came about that R’ Yoel Kahan began learning chassidus with him, and R’ Mendel was very influenced by what he learned. Initially the agreement was that R’ Yoel would only quote from the Alter Rebbe (and not from the Rebbe), and R’ Yoel would have to “smuggle” in explanations from the Rebbe “in disguise”. Gradually, R’ Yoel revealed to him the source of these interpretations, and R’ Mendel Vechter started developing a connection with the Rebbe.

At one point, he started attending the Rebbes farbrengens. At that time he was still living in Williamsburg, and was a very influential educator in Satmar, and for him to get “caught” in Lubavitch would be very dangerous, to put it mildly (almost like a bochur being caught in . . .). There was a room upstairs in 770, that was the operations center for WLCC, from where the farbrengens were broadcast around the world. There was a small hole in the wall of that room, from where one could look down at the farbrengen.

It was arranged that Rabbi Vechter would sit in that room and observe the farbrengen from up there as a roieh ve’eino nireh (sounds like the tricks bochurim come up with to avoid being observed when they go to . . .)

One day, when there was a farbrengen scheduled for that evening, R’ Mendel Vechter was visiting with a Dayan in Satmar. Before he left, the Dayan asked him to wait, saying that he, the Dayan, owed R’ Mendel 14 cents (as change for something), and he wanted to repay it. R’ Mendel looked surprised, indicating that 14 cents was insignificant, and didn’t warrant any attention.

But the Dayan disagreed, saying: “Vos meinst du, mi fertzen cent ken men mekadesh zain fertzen nooshim” [What do you mean, with these 14 cents one can be mekadesh 14 women].

That night, at the farbrengen, in the middle of one of the sichos, the Rebbe remarked: “A person may find 14 cents, and think that they are of no importance. But he is wrong. With those 14 cents one can give 14 times tzedakah, and that is 14 connections with Atzmus Ein Sof Boruch Hu”!!

The Big Complaint

When the Alter Rebbe began to disseminate Chassidus they came to him with a complaint about his Chassidim.

What was the complaint? There are those that are not holding by anything, but they behave and make as if they are advanced enough to have hisbonenus, as if they are advanced enough to have a love for G-d, as if they are advanced enough to have a fear for G-d, as if they are able to learn chassidus and act accordingly.

The Alter Rebbe heard the entire complaint and said: “If so, then the psak of the mishna should apply. The mishna says that someone that is not blind, crippled or lame and pretends that he is, “Won’t die of old age until he becomes like one of them”

Since they pretend to be chassidim, and they pretend to have ahavas Hashem, yiras Hashem and hisbonenus and davening at length with all of the things that chassidus demands, and they have no connection to it – they should know that  “He won’t die of old age until he becomes like one of them” until they become all of those things!

Automatically, if it looks like someone is moved to do something that he has no relevance to, in the end, the mishna has a psak din for everyone, that “He won’t die of old age until he becomes like one of them” and he will be moved from his place.

Like the (Friedige) Rebbe said that now the ice was affected, when the ice was already affected, in the end, it will become, and then it will become warm water and afterwards it will become mayim chaim.

Should this be through mashke, should it be through a nigun, it should at least look like he was moved...

A Chasuna in Atzilus

In Atzilus there was once great rejoicing; - a new shiduch has been announced. And this was not just any shidduch, - two of the most prominent and worthy beings in existence were going to join in a union of marriage. The chosson was none other than the illustrious Chochmo, the very tippy top ofhishtalshelus, and the undisputed leader of atzilus.

And the equally worthy kalla was none other that Malchus, her royal highness all the way from the other end of atzilus. The bringing together of these 2 unequalled mechutanim would undoubtedly be the chasuna of the century!

At the vort, all the who’s who of olamos hoelyonim were present, and all were clamoring to get a better view of the head table, where the choson and kala were sitting, regal and imposing. The L’chayims were flowing like water (I wonder what they drink in atzilus), and, over the din of the band, everyone was excitedly expressing their good wishes.

Presently, it became time for the speeches. The hall (or heichal) became silent, and the chosson began speaking in confident tones. As is customary, he began to speak about his yichus and virtues (yes, of course he was gezha). He explained where his lofty roots were, koach mah, and vehachochma me’ayin timotzei and what that “ayin” refers to etc.

The assembled guests were duly impressed, and Malchus felt a sudden need to match Chochma somewhat, to let people know that she’s also not a nobody. So she, then, took her place at the celestial stand, and began her talk. Malchus, she explained, was also in possession of very important roots, she was rooted in none other than Kesser elyon etc. etc.

Suddenly, in the midst of her oration, there was a great commotion; - Chochma had suddenly indicated that he was calling off the shidduch! It was a scandal, with everyone shocked and outraged! Chochma, however, was adamant, there was no way he was going ahead with it. To the startled guests, he finally explained:  “The main virtue of Malchus, and the reason I was so interested in her, is her bittul. The fact that לית לה מגרמה כלום, she is merely a mekabel from the rest of us. The moment that she started seeing herself as a meyucheses as well, and began extolling her own importance, she was no longer attractive to me”!

Balebos

In Rostov, the Rebbe Rashab lived upstairs and the Friedige Rebbe lived on the ground floor. From time to time, the Rebbe Rashab would make kiddush and farbreng by the Frierdige Rebbe. At one of these farbernegens, the Rebbe Rashab wished a l’chayim to the baal habayis.

The Frierdige Rebbe turned to his father, and tearfully implored him: ‘Father, please remove this title from me. A balebos is a dovor mezuham, - a disgusting creature, and I wouldn’t want to be adorned with this label’!

Shaking Hands

A Gerrer chossid related the following story:

‘I met the Rebbe personally only once, when a friend took me to 770 to get kos shel berocho. We waited in line, slowly inching forward as we came nearer to the Rebbe’s place and to our turn to receive our wine and blessing.

‘Now (as you all know), during kos shel brocho there were in fact 2 separate lines (that were each, in turn, “fed into” from various smaller lines). One passed in front of the Rebbe, and the other passed behind the Rebbe. The Rebbe would alternate between distributing the wine to the line in front of him and to the line behind him. However, ignoramus that I was, I didn’t know any of this at the time. All I knew was that I was in line awaiting my turn to receiving kos shel brocho, and I assumed that all would receive at the same place.

‘Imagine my surprise, therefore, when, just as I reached the Rebbe’s place, the Rebbe abruptly did an about-face, and turned his back to me! I was left feeling shock, humiliation, consternation, and wondering what I had done to deserve this!

‘It took only a few moments until the Rebbe turned back to my line, and I feel that he recognized my impressions on my facial expressions. In a marked departure for his regular practice, the Rebbe – after pouring a bit of wine into my cup – put down his becher, and reached out and shook hands with me!

The Philosopher

Two Jewish ‘knights of the road’ were trudging wearily to the next town where they hoped to schnor something to eat. Suddenly they came upon a loaf of fresh bread which had apparently dropped from a baker’s delivery truck.

The starved pilgrims pounced upon the precious find like two birds of prey. “Break it in half and let’s start eating,” said one impatiently. The other, however, was somewhat of a philosopher, and being of an aesthetic turn of mind, protested vigorously against the unseemly haste of his colleague.

“How can you be so greedy?” he scolded. “Before we consume this heaven-sent loaf, let us feast our eyes upon it and gratify our visual and spiritual senses. Let us take note of its beauty and revel in its fragrance.”

“Bread is bread,” grumbled the pragmatic partner. “Let’s eat, I’m famished.”

“Ah, but bread is not simply bread, my uncouth friend,” replied the other. “Every object in this great universe is not single but double.”

“What’s double about this bread?”

“It has both a spiritual and a material element; a tangible and intangible aspect; the precept and the concept. So you see, we have really found not one but two loaves of bread.”

“Well, if you’re through with your speech,” said the other curtly, let’s eat.”

“Eat your share now if you wish,” suggested the aesthete, “but I’ll first take a short nap. When I’ve rested, I will then ask G-d’s blessing and enjoy my food like a civilized man.”

But when the philosopher awoke, he was astonished to find not a single crumb remaining.

“Where is my portion of the bread?” cried the good man indignantly.

“Oh, it’s around somewhere,” answered the simpleton, waving his hand airily. “You said the bread was double, so I ate mine and left the other for you.”

Manhattan

It is told, that when R’ Itche der masmid came to America, he travelled to Manhattan, and was shown the massive skyscrapers (at that time they didn’t have such big buildings in Lubavitch). His reaction was: ‘It says in chassidus that gashmiyus stems from ‘shmorei ho’oyfanim’ (roughly – the excrement of the malochim), un do hoben di malochim gut gekakt!’.

Salary

R’ Michoel “der Alter” was a renowned chosid and a mashpia in Tomchei Tmimim. During the farbrengen of Yud Shvat 57430, the Rebbe spoke about him, and repeated a story that R’ Michoel used to tell his students. The following story is about his being hired for the position:

When the Rebbe Rashab decided to employ R’ Michoel as mashpia in the Yeshiva, he called in a chosid who would serve as a go-between; who would present the “offer’ to R’ Michoel. The Rebbe Rashab was telling the chosid exactly what to say to R’ Michoel; - what his responsibilities would be, what would be expected from him, how he should go about it etc. At the end, the Rebbe Rashab concluded “And tell him that he’ll get paid 4 rubles a week”.

The chosid was very surprised: he knew well of R’ Michoel’s level of avodas Hashem, and how little value he attached to material matters. Thus, it felt strange to him to go and discuss with R’ Michoel something as mundane as . . a salary! Although he didn’t say anything, the Rebbe noted his incredulity on his face, and set his mind at ease, saying: “Daaga nit, in krume d’chafya al mocho farnemt dos an ort!” [=Don’t worry, although his mind, his intellect, is totally preoccupied with spiritual and G-dly matters, nonetheless there is room for concern about the amount of his pay in “the membrane that covers the brain”; - i.e., it concerns him at least in a ‘makif’dige’ way]

2 Generations

A shliach in a city was applying for a position as a Rabbi in a local shul. The shliach contacted the officers of the shul, and it was arranged that he would come speak there on a Shabbos, after which he would be able to meet the congregants and have an opportunity to introduce himself to them.

When the designated Shabbos arrived, the shliach came to the shul. The president of the shul introduced him warmly, explaining that he was a representative from Lubavitch, who will share some Torah thoughts with them, and afterwards perhaps things would develop further.

Now, every shul or institution is dependent on the support of donations etc. for its sustenance. In many cases there is one (or 2) very wealthy member/s who usually bear the lion’s share of the financial burden. In this shul, as well, there was one main donor, who happened to be, unfortunately, not very fond of Lubavitch (to put it mildly).

Thus, when the president completed his introduction, this gvir got up and shouted: ‘I protest! I don’t want a Lubavitcher speaking in my shul!’

The president, however, was unfazed, and retorted: ‘We have already arranged for this guest to speak today in our shul, please everyone give him your attention’.

The protestor became even more furious, and screamed: ‘If you let this Lubavitcher speak here, then I’m leaving (and I’ll take my money elsewhere)’! But the president remained steadfast, informing him that if he wished to leave he is free to do so, but the speech will go on as scheduled. The man stormed out, and the shliach gave his speech.

After davening there was a kiddush [during which the president approached the shliach and brought him l’chayim, telling him: ‘you know we usually serve only scotch here, but for you, since I know you’re a Lubavitcher, I bought a bottle of absolute'], and the shliach met a number of people.

But there was one question that was greatly troubling him, and finally he asked the president directly: ‘What caused you to so forcefully defend me, even at the risk of alienating one of your important donors? Of course, I greatly appreciate it, but it was very puzzling to me’ The president told the shliach to come to his house motzoei Shabbos, when he would answer him.

On motzoei Shabbos, the president served the shliach a melaveh malka, and told him the following story:

During the (2^nd world) war, there was a youth who found himself, at a river bank, trapped between the Russian front and the German front. He didn’t know what to do (knowing that the one thing that they both had in common was their animosity towards the Jews). Finally he decided that the Germans would kill him for sure, and he was better off taking his chances with the Russians.

He duly crossed the river, and, as expected, as he neared the Russian front, he was seized by their soldiers. He explained that he was a Jewish youth, running for his life,  and he could sense that they trusted him. They took him to the medical tent,  and told him to take some food and rest up,  and didn't appear to give him another thought. Bone weary, he fell into a deep sleep. A few hours passed, when, suddenly, a group of soldiers burst into the room, grabbed him roughly, and handcuffed him. He was shocked at the startling change in their attitude, but it very quickly became clear to him: In the middle of the night, the German forces had carried out a surprise attack against the Russian positions, with numerous casualties. It was clear that they had received information, and the Jewish boy fell under suspicion of being a spy!

In vain did he try to defend himself,  trying - unsuccessfully - to impress upon them the ludicrousness of him, a Jewish boy, spying for his mortal enemies the Germans. It was wartime, and the slightest suspicion of such treason was more than enough basis to put him to death r"l. Indeed, they conducted a swift trial, and prepared to execute him. There was nothing more to do or say.

Moments before they shot him, the vehicle of the commanding officer passed by. He stopped, and inquired what was going on. When he was informed about what happened, he looked at the boy sharply, and said "I'm taking him with me". The  commanding officer took the boy with him to his tent, and then, to boy's utter surprise,  he turned to him and asked in a perfect Yiddish: "ver bizt du, vos tust du do?"

The boy was, understandably in a state of shock - moments before he had already been sure he was breathing his last - and it took him awhile until he could speak again. But gradually he calmed down, and told the officer his entire story. The officer reassured him down, telling him that he believes him, and that he has no need to worry. At that point the boy gathered his courage (or perhaps his curiosity overcame his fear) and questioned the officer about what he was doing there. At that, the officer began to share his story:

'My father', he began to relate, 'was a follower of the Lubavitcher Rebbe. When I got my notice to appear for the draft, my father immediately brought me to the Rebbe for a brocho that I be spared. The Rebbe, however, to the great surprise of both of us,  responded to our request with the words "ess iz nito vos tzu ton" (there's nothing to be done). My father began to cry, and begged the Rebbe to give us some advice to save me from being taken to the army. The Rebbe repeated his earlier statement, however, and added "there will come a time, while in the army, when he will have the opportunity to save the life of a Jewish youth, and he should be sure to take advantage of this opportunity when it arrives".

'I've been in the army many years (the commanding officer concluded his narrative to the youth), and have been promoted numerous times, until I reached this very high position, but I never saw the opportunity about which the Rebbe had spoken. Today, when I recognized the Jewish features on your face, I realized that the Rebbe had meant you, and that it was in order to save your life that I had joined the army in the first place!'

The president of the shul now looked at the shliach pointedly, and exclaimed: "I was that boy in the war, all those years ago, and the Rebbe saved me. I owe my life to Lubavitch, and you can be sure that I will pay no attention to any screaming, but will do whatever it takes to get you this position!!"

[In fact, the shliach got the appointment, and went on to be very successful in his new position. It would seem that the Rebbe with his ruach hakodesh was not only saving the life of a Jewish youth so many years later, but was also - through that - securing a job for a shliach 2 generations even further down the line!]

Searching in the right place

In the wise city of Chelm, Chaim was once searching desperately under a street lamp. His friend Moshe passed by, and asked him what he was seeking. “I lost my expensive gold watch”, Chaim explained, “and I must find it”.

Well, Moshe was good-natured, and immediately joined his friend in his quest. But, an hour passed, with no progress being made. Finally, Moshe questioned Chaim: “Are you sure that this is where you lost it?”

“Not at all”, Chaim clarified, “as a matter of fact, I know with certainty that it was lost 2 blocks away. Not being familiar with the logic of Chelm, Moshe was incredulous. “If you didn’t lose it here, then why are you searching here?”

“Simple”, said Chaim, surprised at his friend’s denseness, “the street where I lost it is dark, while here there’s a light!”

A dollar from the Rebbe

A man, who was not yet a religious Jew, once went by the Rebbe during the distribution of dollars. This individual had never yet been circumcised, and while he was there, the Rebbe promised him that if he would have a bris done to himself, the Rebbe would give him an additional dollar.

This man – we’ll call him Jacob – was impressed by his encounter with the Rebbe, but was, nevertheless, not inclined to accede to this particular request of the Rebbe. Thus, the years went by, and Jacob remained, very unfortunately, an oreil.

However, with the passage of time, Jacob had a son who became enamored with Yiddishkeit, and the son took the plunge to become a full fledged baal Teshuva. Recently, this son got married, and Jacob, the proud father was ecstatic, and not a little bit emotional, during the chasunah. During one of thesheva brochos, Jacob got up, and, in a very moving address, he recounted the experience he had with the Rebbe years before. He concluded by announcing that – as a gift to his dear son, the chosson – he would finally take the step of having himself circumcised. Needless to say, all the listeners were duly impressed, and encouraged him warmly.

A day or 2 later, a stranger walked over to Jacob. ‘I want you to know’, he began, ‘that I was one of the waiters at your son’s wedding, and it was a very uplifting experience for me. I was specifically touched by the way the wedding clearly affected you. As a token, I want to give you, as a gift from me to you, this dollar that I once received from the Lubavitcher Rebbe’. Saying so, the man presented Jacob with a dollar! [This waiter had not been at the sheva brochos, and was completely unaware of the remainder of the story].

מלאים מצוות כרימון

A Satmar chosid didn’t have children for a number of years, and had received many brochos from his Rebbe, to no avail. Finally, during one yechidus, he gathered courage, and declared that he will not leave the room until the (Satmar) Rebbe promises him a child. The Rebbe was incredulous. “Ahavtocho?! That is not in my power, you know well that this is one of the three keys that Hashem did not give to any human. All I could do is to continue to give you my heartfelt brocho”.

But the chosid would not relent, insisting that he would settle for nothing less than a guarantee. Finally, the Satmar Rov said to him in exasperation: “Di vist a havtucho? Gei tzi yenem!”

The chosid left the room confused, and asked the gabay who “yenem” refers to. The gabay immediately explained that when the Rov says “yenem”, then he is referring to the new, young, Lubavitcher Rebbe, who resides in Crown Heights.

Thus it happened that our determined friend found himself, late one night, in the unlikely position of entering the room of the Rebbe for a yechidus. He complained to the Rebbe about his childlessness, and the Rebbe gave him a warm brocho. The chosid, however, rejected it, and reiterated his demand for a promise (with a money-back guarantee). When the Rebbe looked at him in amazement (over his unusual demand), the chosid quickly explained that he was sent here by the Satmar Rov. The Rebbe became very serious, and acceded to his request.

The Rebbe then turned to the chosid, and said: “I understand that your Rebbe recently had a yohrtzeit, and he surely made a tisch for the occasion, perhaps you can repeat some of the words of Torah that he said there?”

The chosid thought back, and recalled a vignette: ‘The gemoroh states that even “poshei Yisroel”, - sinners – are מלאים מצוות כרימון, and the Rov questioned this, saying, if they are “poshei Yisroel”, as the gemoroh itself attests, how, then, can we say that they are filled with mitzvos?’

The Rebbe’s countenance became somber again, and he remarked: ‘I, too, have difficulty with this gemoroh: If they are, after all, מלאים מצוות כרימון, a fact that Toras Emes attests to, how, then, can they be referred to as “poshei Yisroel”?!”

Extreme Hiddurim

R’ Hillel Paritcher was a fanatical mehader bemitzvos, to an extreme (for example, he didn’t sit on a chair because of a concern for shaatnez etc.). He once remarked, that the driving force between all of his extreme hiddurim is his desire to understand a vort chassidus.

Seeing the Rebbe

The Frierdige Rebbe often suffered from ailing health, and did not spend time visibly with the Chassidim. Thus, many months could pass, with the average chosid not having any opportunity to see the Rebbe. The exceptions were prominent Chassidim or illustrious guests, who would be invited to join the Rebbe for meals on occasions.

Once, R’ Bentzion Shemtov and R’ Avrohom Paris were returning from a meal that they had spent with the Rebbe. They were going downstairs to join the rest of the Chassidim, who were sitting in shul, saying Tehillim for the health of their beloved Rebbe. Presently, R’ Avrohom Paris turned to R’ Bentzy Shemtov, saying: “Ay, Bentche, if only we could see the Rebbe the way all of the other Chassidim see the Rebbe!”

“Avrohom, what are you saying”, Rabbi Shemtov asked him puzzled, “we are the ones who just had the great zechus to see the Rebbe and spend time with him, it is the other Chassidim who are missing out?!”

“No, R’ Bentzion, you don’t understand”, he explained, “we sat at the Rebbe’s table, witnessed him eating and drinking, in what appeared to be a physical manner – the same as us - and we can easily be led to viewing the Rebbe with the limitations of our human perspective. In contrast, the Chassidim sitting downstairs are viewing the Rebbe with the untainted view of their mind’s eye, and they are seeing him as a Rebbe; - a holier loftier more spiritual person. I was wishing that despite the fact that we watched the Rebbe in a physical sense, we should nonetheless view him in the pure sense, as we should see our Rebbe!

It wasn’t a dream, it was reality

This story took place with a woman in Australia, it is written in first person, in the words of the woman with whom it happened:

“I hadn’t been feeling well for some time, and when I finally underwent comprehensive tests, I was presented with the worst possible news: The doctor informed me that I was suffering from a rare, but very serious, blood disease, one that is in fact much worse even than leukemia r”l. His prognosis was that I had at best a few days left to live. I lay in the hospital, miserable and depressed, and prepared for the end. My only brother, with whom I was very close, hadn’t visited me, feeling himself unable to face either me or my situation.

One night, I had a dream. In my dream, I saw myself standing at the beginning of a long dark tunnel (this is in fact a very common form of near-death experience). At the other end of the tunnel, I saw my grandmother (who had already departed from this world), and she was beckoning to me. I felt as if there was a powerful force drawing me towards her. Although I understood the significance of joining her, I was myself also agreeable to do so, eager to leave my misery and suffering behind.

Suddenly, I saw a man with a grey-white beard, standing behind me on my side of the tunnel (I subsequently identified him as the Rebbe). “Don’t go”, he called to me with great urgency, “hold on tight!”

I began to hold on tight (although it is not clear to what I was holding on), and then I awoke. I was visibly excited about what I had seen, to such a degree that, a nurse who came in to my room just then, questioned me about the cause of my excitement. I was, however, too uncomfortable to share my experience with her, and remained silent. Yet, shortly afterwards, when my mother entered the room to visit me, I shared the whole story with her.

My mother listened, without interruption, then said to me: “Wait, I’m going to call in your brother”. My brother was in the waiting room, having forced himself to come to take advantage of, what he believed to be, his last opportunity to see me alive. As soon as my mother returned to the room with my brother, she instructed my brother: “Tell her what you dreamt last night”.

My brother immediately began to relate: “Last night, I dreamt that I saw you at the beginning of a long dark tunnel. Suddenly, I saw grandmother at the opposite end, beckoning to you. I was filled with fear, when suddenly I saw the Lubavitcher Rebbe standing behind you, telling you to stay put and hold on tight. Then I awoke”.

We marveled at the fact that we had the identical dream, and I was filled with new hope and optimism.

Needless to say, I recovered. A few month later, when the worst was already behind me, I decided that I should pay a visit to the Rebbe, and express my appreciation. Accompanied by Rebbetzin Groner (wife of Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Groner), we took the trip from Australia to New York, and came to the Rebbe (while he was distributing dollars?).

When I was in front of the Rebbe, someone said ‘This is the lady who had the dream”. The Rebbe immediately responded “It wasn’t a dream, it was reality!”

Ver zainen zei

There was a Lubavitcher yungerman, we’ll call him Yossel, who had a neighbor and acquaintance who was of Hungarian descent, who – since the war – had become lax in his practice of Yiddishkeit. This neighbor was planning a simcha in his family – his daughter was soon to be wed – and he approached Yossel to ask if he could arrange for him a yechidus by the Rebbe. Yossel was surprised, not knowing his neighbor to be of the Rebbe-frequenting type; nonetheless, he was, of course, happy to oblige, and scheduled a yechidus for a few weeks hence.

A few weeks later, Yossel suddenly received a very curious phone call from the mazkirus of the Rebbe: “The gentleman for whom you arranged a yechidus did not complete his yechidus, he left, abruptly, in the middle. We are also calling to inform you that there is a check for this individual that he can pick up from our office”.

Yossel was, understandably, intrigued, and immediately set out to locate his acquaintance, in an effort to get to this bottom of this bizarre story. When he found him, and went into the room to speak to him, the fellow took one look at Yossel and burst into tears. “Your Rebbe”, he exclaimed passionately, “is like no other!”, and he proceeded to share the following remarkable experience.

“A you know, I am the proud father of 3, the oldest of whom is destined to get married in the near future. What you are, surely, unaware of, is the fact that recently my business suffered several significant setbacks, leaving me in debt, and overwhelmed by the financial burden of the upcoming wedding.

“Knowing from my pre-war experiences about the Chassidic way of dealing with difficulty, I decided that I would have no recourse but to approach all of the Rebbes, and beg for their assistance. I wrote a kvittel, describing the difficulty in which I find myself, and, armed with it, I proceeded to the doors of all of the prominent Jewish leaders in the country. However, in order to increase the impact of my story, I altered the facts slightly. Believing that being the father of a larger family would elicit more sympathy, I described myself as a father of 10 rather than three, and, in my kvittel, I added 7 bogus names to the 3 genuine ones of my existing children.

“Armed with this kvittel I made the rounds of all of the Rebbes (and here he proceeded to list for Yossel the names of all of the Rebbes then in America), and all of them expressed their sympathy and made some contribution.

“When I came to your Rebbe, however, I was in for the shock of my life. As I was sitting in the room, and he was reading my kvittel, as soon as he finished reading the first 3 names, he pointed to the remaining seven, and, turning to me, asked ‘ver zennen zei’ [and who are they]?!!’

I was so overcome with an intense feeling of shame at having been exposed, that I could not contain myself, and ran from the room!”

Tekia Child

On Rosh Hashono of the year of 5734, while most of the tekios went as usual, when it came to the final tekiah, it appeared ‘not to go’. The Rebbe was repeatedly ‘trying’ to blow this final tekiah through various efforts – turning over the shofar and blowing from the opposite side, wiping it off, shaking it out etc. But all of this appeared to be to no avail. The shofar did not produce any sound.

During the emotional wait for the last tekiah that year, there was one chosid in the crowd who was experiencing turmoil in his own life. Having been married already for a few years, he had not yet been blessed with a child. Moved by the troublesome tekiah and by the unseen adversaries that the Rebbe was clearly facing, this chosid burst into tears, and began to cry about his own personal troubles as well. Then and there, he resolved that if he would be blessed with a child, he would take pains to ensure that the child was never exposed to any secular publications (apparently in the home of this particular chosid, the presence of secular reading material was commonplace). He further resolved to cancel any subscriptions he had to magazines etc. that fall under that category.

Immediately following the hachloto of this chosid was when the final tekiah was finally successfully blown! The yungerman took this as such a clear indication that his emotional teffilah was indeed answered, that immediately after Rosh Hashonoh he went about carrying out his side of the deal; - cancelling his subscriptions and removing “foreign presences” from his home. Sure enough, within the year he was the ecstatic father of a newborn son!

The chosid never informed the Rebbe of his hachloto during those tense moments on Rosh Hashono. The first time he brought his son the Rebbe for kos shel brocho, the baby was about a year old. Presumably it was a shock to him when, after pouring the wine, the Rebbe suddenly turned to him and asked: “Ah, dos iz di tekiah yingeleh?” [this is the tekiah child]!

Tone of voice

R’ Meir Schapiro, founder of the illustrious Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, travelled far and wide to raise the vast funds that were needed to maintain his Yeshiva. During the course of his travels, he had many interesting encounters, amongst which was the following: Once, when R’ Meir Schapiro approached a wealthy man for a donation, he was met with a challenge: “It says in the mishna ‘this is the way to study Torah, you should eat bread with salt, drink water, and sleep on the ground and toil in Torah.’ How, then, can you expect people to give you money to provide your students with luxurious sleeping accommodations and abundant food?!”

With a twinkle in his eye, R’ Meir responded with a story (though not historically accurate):

Once, the Alter Rebbe, in an effort to try to extinguish the flames of controversy between Chassidim and misnagdim, decided to personally visit the Gra (the Vilna Gaon) in an attempt to placate him. It was not long after Pesach, when the Alter Rebbe arrived at the doorstep of the Gra, seeking conciliation. The Gra, however, was incensed.

“Just today”, he thundered while banging his fist on the table for emphasis, “I was informed that the local Chassidim had the audacity to recite the Halel in their minyan on the first night of Pesach. How dare they?! Don’t they know that Rema states unequivocally that this is NOT our custom?! Such insolence is unforgiveable!!”

The Alter Rebbe responded with a gentle voice and a smile, “And were you present when the Rema made this statement? Why do you assume that the Rema proclaimed it in a thunderous voice, while banging his fist on the table?! Perhaps, rather, he said it in a respectful, apologetic and admiring way: ‘Regretfully, we, Ashkenazim, unfortunately never had that beautiful practice of reciting the Halel in shul on the night of Pesach”.

“I say the same to you”, R’ Meir concluded to his challenger, “why do you read the mishna as a demand and directive? Perhaps, rather, it is said in a regretful tone ofvoice: ‘How sad and unfortunate it is that this is the way of Torah, that the Torah students are neglected and deprived to such a degree, that they end up eating bread and sleeping on the floor etc., and yet they continue to diligently toil in Torah!”

R’ Eizik Homler

R’ Eizik Homler was one of the prominent Chassidim of the early generations of chassidus. Although a yungerman in the times of the Alter Rebbe, he was already a chosid of note then and recognized by the Alter Rebbe (who once invited him in to a maamar that was being said exclusively before the elder Chassidim, remarking “a yungerman ken veren an alter man”). He was later a distinguished chosid of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek.

Once the Tzemach Tzedek sent R’ Eizik on a mission to R’ Yisrael of Ryzhin (there was a very close relationship of great love and affecrion between the Tzemach Tzedek and the Ryzhiner, and the Tzemach Tzedek would refer to R’ Yisrael as the ‘heilige Ruzhiner”). On Friday, R’ Eizek was conversing with the Ryzhuner, who was smoking a pipe.

The holy Ryzhiner had the custom that from chatzos on Friday he would accept the holiness on Shabbos upon himself, and refrain from any work. Thus, as the hour of midday arrived, the Ryzhiner removed the pipe and pushed it aside. At the same time, his face changed it’s appearance to such a degree that, as R’ Eizik later testified, had he not known who it was he would not have recognized him.

R’ Eizik later related: “As I witnessed this, I felt intense shame, such a shame as I had not felt in my entire lifetime. For I clearly saw how this Tzaddik is ascending to higher realms, while I am remaining down below”.