Weekly Chasidic Story #694 (s5771-28 / 8 Adar B 5771) Purim During Pesach! Upon finishing the reading of the Scroll of Esther, a soul of a deceased person suddenly appeared to Rebbe Yosef Meir of Spinka. Connection: Seasonal
Purim During Pesach!This amazing story was told annually by Rebbe Yosef Meir of Spinka, after the Seder on the second night of Pesach. Once, on the second Seder night, after finishing all the haggada and songs, a certain young man was still not tired. The thought entered his mind that as it is written that evil Haman was hanged on the second day of Pesach, it would be appropriate to now read the Megillah (Book of Esther). He decided to do so. [Jewish law actually recommends adding a special dish to the Seder meal to celebrate the occasion.] Upon finishing the reading, suddenly a soul of a deceased person appeared to him. "What do you have to do with me and what do you want from me?" he asked it. [The veteran Spinker chasidim like to point out that whenever Rebbe Yosef Meir told a story about one of the tzadikim, he was always careful to include full details, and especially the name of the tzadik involved. Therefore, if he every year left this young man nameless, it could not be otherwise than that it was he himself!] The poor soul explained: This year, I decided not to leave the gate; I would wait there until Purim the next year. But after only a short time, a month, I suddenly heard the Megillah being read, on Pesach night! I knocked on the gate of Gan Eden, until the guardian of the gate came out and asked me why am I knocking. I told him I heard the Megillah, so please let me in. He said, true, someone is reading the Megillah, but now is not the time for Megillah. I said, if the Megillah is being read, you must admit me. In the midst of this dispute, a member of the Heavenly court came out and asked what we were arguing about. He listened to our explanations and agreed with the guard that now is not the time for Megillah. But he also said that if I were to go down to that young man who is reading Megillah, and he should decide that I can enter, then I will be permitted inside.
Do you need to be told what the certain young man decided?
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