KabbalaOnline.org "Two Inspired Gifts" Story #1315
KabbalaOnline.org "Two Inspired Gifts" Story #1315
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From the desk of Yerachmiel Tilles< editor@ascentofsafed.com>
Story #1316 (5783-23) 6 Adar 5783 (Feb. 27, 2023)
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TWO INSPIRED GIFTS
A wealthy man invited
a wandering pauper to join his family for a Shabbat meal. Over the course of
the evening the host, his family, and the other guests
shared Torah insights. Some were lengthy and complex, others just a
simple thought or idea. But everyone contributed.
When it was the
pauper’s turn, however, he excused himself apologetically. “I don’t know
anything,” he said simply. All eyes turned toward the host for a reaction, but
he continued the program without comment.
At the end,
following Grace After Meals, the guests prepared to leave. Exhausted, the
pauper turned to go. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the
magnate’s son-in-law, wearing a mocking expression. And he didn’t hold back. He
called the pauper a simpleton and an ignoramus, and then yelled at him that he
should be ashamed of himself for not having any Torah thoughts to share.
In the middle of the
tirade, the poor man found his voice and retorted, “You’re one to talk! You’re
going to be a small-town rabbi, living off a weekly salary of two coins.
Is that something to be smug about?”
The son-in-law fell
silent, thrown off by the unexpected response. Comfortably ensconced in his
wife’s family, the thought of leaving the supportive fold and becoming a
small-town rabbi had never entered his mind.
Incensed by the jab,
the son-in-law renewed his rant, which had now become personal.
Meanwhile, the wealthy
host was in his room, preparing to unwind from the long week. When he heard the
shouts, he went to investigate and found the curious scene in his dining room.
“What happened?” he asked.
In a self-assured
manner, the son-in-law explained. The wealthy host turned to his guest and
asked about the strange insinuation.
“Have a seat and I
will tell you my story,” replied the pauper, gesturing to some chairs.
“I am a simple tailor
and live rather modestly in a small village. For years my livelihood depended
on the residents from the surrounding villages, and on occasion I visited the
nobleman’s estate to sew for him. When he decided he wanted to introduce a
consistent uniform for all his employees, he asked me to provide an estimate. I
gave it some thought and finally determined a price.
“Knowing me to be an
honest man, the nobleman agreed and handed over the entire sum up front. Money
in hand, I set out for the city to purchase the required material.
“When I arrived, I
discovered that the city was in the throes of a distressing scandal: a
family—father, mother, and children—had been jailed, thrown in a pit for not
paying the rent they owned.
“Seeing the family’s
pain sparked a compulsion to help. I remembered the vast fortune sitting in my
pocket. When I heard how much they owed, I couldn’t believe my ears! It was the
same amount I carried, down to the last coin. I presented the money and strode
past the disbelieving onlookers to welcome the family I had freed.
“I hope G‑d forgives
me for what I did next. With nary a yarn on my wagon, I returned to the
nobleman and claimed that I had been the victim of a robbery and therefore
unable to acquire the materials I needed for his uniforms. The nobleman
believed me and replenished the missing sum without a second thought. This
time, I acquired the material and finished sewing his entire order.
“Because our village
did not have enough Jews for a prayer quorum, for many years my wife and I
traveled to a neighboring town for the month of Tishrei. The year after I
freed that family, we arrived at the town as usual. On Yom Kippur eve
I headed to the synagogue rather early for Kol Nidrei. After all, I
reasoned, if I didn’t go to shul the rest of the year, I could at least
show up early for Yom Kippur.
“I chose to stand next
to the entrance. Tallit (prayer shawl) covering my head, I
opened to the first page of Psalms and began to recite the holy
words. While reading, I noticed a figure approaching me. I looked up and
recognized the man I had freed just months before. Except—I don’t know how I
realized it then—he was after death; the man had come from beyond his grave.
“He explained that he
was no ordinary person; he had been one of the 36 righteous men that hide among
us. He had no means of repaying my kindness in this world but promised that now
I would be rewarded as well as in the World to Come.
“‘I have come to
return the favor,’ he said. ‘Allow me to teach you how the holy day of Yom
Kippur is experienced in the spiritual worlds above. ’He then stood at my side
for a while, describing something I couldn’t quite understand.
“The man paused, ‘All
I’ve said until now,’ he announced, ‘pertains to the spiritual world of Asiyah.
In the next higher spiritual world of Yetzirah, however, it goes
like this—’
“He then talked about
Yom Kippur in Yetzirah and also moved on to explain the even
higher spiritual world of Beriah.
“As I said, I didn’t
understand a word. Everything was foreign to me—the concepts, the terms, the
indefinable descriptions. Nothing clicked. But whatever he was saying warmed my
heart to tears. I sobbed the entire time as though wrapped in an emotional
vortex.
“Suddenly, I felt
pushing. I realized I was blocking the doorway and people were trying to pass.
It was late; people must be cramming in for Kol Nidrei . I took a step back,
to make space for the latecomers.
“As though I had been
suddenly doused in cold water, I awoke to someone screaming at me: ‘Just
because I’m the gabbai (beadle) doesn’t mean I’m not hungry!’
“Reality dawned on me:
Yom Kippur was over. I had slept through everything. The pushing was from all
the congregants rushing home for the meal. The gabbai, unable to lock
the synagogue because of me, had become impatient.
“The tzadik (righteous
person) I had freed turned to me, saying, ‘This is only the beginning. Now
travel to the Seer of Lublin, where you will receive the rest.’ And just
like that, he disappeared.
“Gripped by confusion,
I wondered about what I had merited to experience. In truth, I was a simple
man, elevated to eligibility because of a single good deed. I wasn’t
spiritually equipped to assimilate such holy things.
“I arrived at the inn
where my wife and I were staying to find a table set with food and drink, but
nothing mattered anymore. The only thing on my mind was Lublin.
“‘I have to get to
Lublin,’ I said.
“‘At least have
something to eat or drink!’ protested my wife nervously.
“I didn’t care. ‘No!
Lublin!’
“When I arrived, the
Seer greeted me by saying, ‘I’m well aware that you’re not ready. For me to
help you become spiritually attuned, you must stay here for a whole year. We
will pray together every day from the same siddur (prayerbook).’
“Of course, I stayed
and accompanied the Seer for a year, crowding around his yellowed siddur whenever we prayed. When the year was
up, the Seer told me to roam the countryside alone for three years, in a
self-prescribed exile.
“Before I left, he
gave me a parting gift. ‘Whenever you chance upon someone,’ he said, “‘nothing
about them will be hidden from you. From their day of birth till their last
breath, you will know everything about the person.’
“So here I am,”
finished the pauper, “still wandering about. But I know that you” —the
pauper pointed to the son-in-law— “will eventually be the rabbi of a small
town, living off two coins per week.”
Time passed and the
wealthy man’s fortune took a dip, and indeed, his son-in-law was forced to
search for a rabbinical position. He had two offers: one town would pay a
salary of three coins per week, the other town two coins.
The son-in-law chose
the latter!
His reason?
“I heard from a holy
man we hosted for Shabbat that I am destined for just two.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source : Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the excellent translation
from Shemuot VeSippurim Vol.1, page 226, by Asharon Baltazar on Chabad.org.
(The story also appears in Sippurei Chassidim and its English version,
“Treasury of Chassidic Tales”.)
Connection: Weekly reading of Tetzaveh: the
‘uniforms’ of the Kohanim-priests.
Biographical note:
Rabbi
Yaakov-Yitzchok HaLevi Horowitz (1745 –9 Av 1815), known as ‘the Chozeh (Seer) of
Lublin’, was the main successor to the Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, and
leader of the spread of chassidism in Poland. Many of his insights were
published posthumously in Divrei Emmes, Zichron Zos, and Zos Zichron.
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- Sefaria CalendarOur Prayer and hope: All the gates to the Har ha-Bait have to be opened for Jews and non-Jews seven days in the week 24 hours a day. The Jews need to have the freedom to go with Tefillin, Tallit and Torah Scroll up on the Mountain to serve Hashem. And do קידה ('Kidah' prostate, laying down, before Hashem) Everyone showing his/her respect for the Jewish and all other religions. But NOT for the words/deeds/sins spoken against any word of the Torah of Moshe Rabbeinu and the 'real' teachings of the Jewish Rabbis. The Jews must be the guardians of the Har ha-Bait.תפילתנו ותקוותנו: כל שערי הר הבית צריכים להיפתח עבור יהודים ולא-יהודים שבעה ימים בשבוע 24 שעות ביממה. ליהודים צריך להיות חופש ללכת עם תפילין, טלית וספר תורה במעלה ההר כדי לשרת את ה' ולקוד קידה .מתוך הפגנת כבוד ליהודים ולכל הדתות האחרות, אבל לא למילים/למעשים/לחטאים הנאמרים נגד תורת משה רבנו. מלמודי רבנים, היהודים חייבים להיות שומרי הר הבית.Ariel, hopefully your Representeeאריאל, מקווה שהנציג שלך
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