The following anecdote was once related by R’ Mendel Futerfas:
Once, on Simchas Torah, the
celebrated chosid R’ Itche der
masmid asked two elder
Chassidim to join him in the formation of a beis
din. The two were both old and respected – one was a chosid by the name of
R’ Meir Markowitz who was a chosid of the Tzemach Tzedek and was at that time
over 1oo years old, and the other, a chosid from the times of the Rebbe
Maharash, was in his 80’s – but R’ Itche der masmid was held in the highest esteem by all,
and they complied.
As soon as the beis din was formed, R’ Itche announced that
the beis din is hereby ruling that – for the
upcoming year - every member of anash must attend a shiur chassidus from 6:00
a.m. until 7:00, followed by shacharis (R’ Itche would give a shiur in Torah
Ohr and Likkutei Torah during that hour throughout tha year).
He added, in the name of the beis din, that anyone who would
not obey would not be motzie
shnosoi(i.e., would not make it through the year alive)!
There were Chassidim in the group who
worked the night shift, and only got home early in the morning, and there were
others who were struggling in their livelihood and had no time at all to spare.
But no-one, and I mean no-one, missed that shiur throughout that year. In fact,
if anyone would even consider sleeping in, his wife would forcibly drag him out
of bed, knowing what the consequences would be to her if her husband would ch”v
be on the receiving end of the beis din’s ruling!
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