Weekly Chasidic Story #726 (s5772-05 /26 Tishrei 5772)

With All Your Might

"What can I do to add to the spiritual quality of life in this city?" asked the visiting tzadik, Rabbi Nachum of Chernobyl.

Connections (2): Weekly Torah - the flood waters were considered like a mikveh for the world; Seasonal -- 224th yahrzeit of the Chernobler.

 

With All Your Might


Rabbi Menachum Nachum of Chernobyl
would travel all over the country, visiting Jewish communities. His aim was to strengthen the practice of the mitzvot wherever possible, to increase Torah study and to lend a helping hand wherever he could.

In the course of one of his journeys, he reached a city in the district of Podolya and, as usual, went to pay his respect to the rabbi of the city.

"What can I do to add to the spiritual quality of life in the city?" he asked.

The rabbi sighed, "What we really need most here is a mikveh, but building one is far beyond our means. The Jews, here, struggle for their daily bread, as is. They cannot give more than they do already."

"Are there no rich people in the community?" R' Nachum asked, somewhat surprised.

The rabbi shook his head, then hesitated. "Well, actually, there is one rich Jew here, but he is an inveterate miser. He has never given to any charitable or worthy cause in the community, though we certainly have approached him, time and again."

"If your need for a mikveh is so great and the means are there, there must also be some way to soften that miser's heart. I am sure that G-d intends that source to be tapped and used. He must be the solution to the problem. I tell you, some way will be found to get the miserly Jew to build the mikveh for your city! It can be done!"

With these words, R' Nachum left the rabbi's house. He even left the city, his mind busily hatching a plan to penetrate through the miser's shell.

R' Nachum went to a nearby town where he hired a grand coach and a liveried coachman. He gave orders to be driven to the city from which he had just come.
The magnificent coach rolled through the city streets until it came to a halt in front of a spacious mansion. It was the home of the miser.

The miser, who was in at the time, could not help noticing the grand coach sweeping up his driveway and was deeply impressed. His curiosity was also tickled, for only the richest of noblemen and aristocrats rode in such splendid fashion.

He rushed to the door and opened it himself to catch a glimpse of the passenger, a most distinguished-looking Jew. He did not know that this Jew was none other than R' Nachum, for he had always avoided the Rebbe when R' Nachum came to town, lest he be asked for charity.

"Who is that sitting inside?" he asked the coachman.

"That's R' Nachum of Chernobyl, didn't you know?" replied the coachman.

The miser would have liked to slink away and disappear back into the house. He had always detested visitors and never welcomed anyone into his home. But he still had a sense of shame. He could not refuse this hospitality to this great rabbi who had stopped at his very threshold! He had no choice, but to approach R' Nachum and invite him in.

As he crossed the threshold, R' Nachum confided to his host, "Do you know that I overlooked all the possible invitations and chose to stay only in your home?" The flattery was effective. The rich man's heart expanded with pride and he ushered the Rebbe into his most comfortable room with a rush of hospitality and warmth.

It did not take long before the entire city had heard the news; the famous Chernobler Rebbe was staying at the miser's house. The prominent figures of the city rushed to pay their respects, but R' Nachum gave orders not to admit anyone. The crowds outside swelled and swelled, waiting for the Rebbe to relent and allow them to receive his blessing.

The rich miser sat within, viewing the great throng of people about his gate. An emotion, unknown until now, took hold of him. All those people waiting outside longed to see the famous Rebbe, but he refused to admit them. He, the rich Jew, was the only one whom the Rebbe agreed to see! What a privilege! He glowed with the thought.

Towards evening, R' Nachum asked if his host could come into his room. When he entered, he found R' Nachum seated at a table, poring over a sefer. Somehow, this impressive Jew with his flowing beard and stately bearing put a superb finishing touch to the luxurious surroundings of the impeccably furnished room with its brocade curtains, plush carpeting, gilt-framed portraits, silk bedding and all. He stood there, in the doorway, taking in the perfect scene. What majesty! What a perfect blend of the spiritual and the material! The host was so overcome that he would not break the beauty of the tableau; he could not take the first step forward.

R' Nachum, who had not heard the door open, did not look up.

His host continued to look at R' Nachum, his gaze fixed on that noble brow. He was enthralled by the aura of majesty and holiness that enveloped the Rebbe. "Now I understand why Jewish sages are compared to royalty," he thought. "He looks like a veritable king in his palace. Who am I, puny, inconsequential figure that I am, to enter and disturb his holy study and exalted mood?"

He stood there, indecisive, not knowing whether to advance or retreat. Finally, he took courage and tiptoed to the table, but R' Nachum still did not look up. He was deeply enrapt in his study.

The host quietly pulled up a chair and sat down at the same table. He marveled at the Rebbe's deep concentration; R' Nachum did not lift his eyes from the book.

"How fortunate he is! How good is his lot!" thought the host. "He has a multitude of people waiting outside for his blessing. Our city's wealthiest, most important and dignified people have been waiting on my doorstep, oblivious to all, sunk in his study. He has his reward in his own lifetime. If thus is his portion in this world, who knows what glory and grandeur await him in the World to Come?"

"And I," he continued, spinning the thread of his thoughts, which was changing his view on life and on eternal values, "what am I compared to this great man? I can boast of possessing money. True. But of what value is that as against the everlasting wealth of the spirit which the Rebbe possesses, his serenity of spirit and the wealth that yet awaits him in olam haba?"

When R' Nachum finally looked up and noticed his host, he jolted him from his reverie. "My dear man," he said, "it is time for prayers, I'm afraid, we must postpone our talk.'

The rich man shook himself awake from his daydream. What had the Rebbe wanted to speak to him about, anyway? He was so curious that he asked R' Nachum to daven in his home. "Don't worry!" he said with a smile. "We won't lack a minyan. There are plenty of people waiting outside for you. We can let them in."

"I do not forego praying in a synagogue all that easily," R' Nachum said, "but, for your sake, I will do so this time."

The rich man was bathed with a special feeling of wellbeing when R' Nachum uttered these words. He felt a true spiritual pleasure at the indirect compliment. He rushed out to invite the men in to pray together with the Rebbe.

They could hardly believe their ears. They could see that the miser was giving honor in full measure to R' Nachum. What had happened? He was known to scoff at and ridicule rabbis and chasidim. They marveled at the transformation. The Rebbe had effected this great change, merely by staying under his roof for a few hours. Wonders did not cease!

In a daze, they entered the rich man's house and were shown to the room where the evening prayers would be held. To their greater surprise, they saw their host scurrying about in person, bringing his finest lamps to illuminate the room, giving it a semblance of a royal chamber.

Suddenly, all was silent. The Chernobler appeared in the doorway and all eyes focused on him. Hesitantly, people edged forward to give him their greeting, among them the host himself. To look at him, one would have thought him a chasid among chasidim. No one could guess that the transformation was only hours old, that this same man had ridiculed chasidim only the day before.

There was something special about the miser's davening that evening. He found himself praying with a fire that he had never experienced.

And this time, when he came to the blessing in the shemonah esreh that ends, "King Who loves charity and justice," he felt an acute pain in his heart. Many scenes floated before his mind's eye, all of them with one common denominator -- his own stinginess. Time after time, he had refused to give to the poor or to any communal cause or project. "Charity and Justice" had had no meaning to him, for he had not lived by them. He had practiced the opposite of charity -- miserliness. If G-d loved charity, then, He probably despises him. Woe unto him!

Tears flowed from his eyes, tears of remorse and pain. And with them came a resolution to change. From this moment on, he must become a new person.
He continued to pray and to weep. Each blessing reminded him of his faults. Each blessing reinforced his resolve to change and improve.

The others had all finished their silent prayer, all but two -- R' Nachum and his host. R' Nachum's exalted prayer drew along with it the host's own prayer, drew it up and out of his heart, removed the dross and purified it.

The rest stood by, openmouthed, watching in amazement the transformation that had taken place. They had never seen the rich man so emotional before. He had always been impassive; not even the ne'ilah prayer on Yom Kippur had ever moved him, certainly not to tears. Even when the entire congregation had wept unashamedly, he had mouthed the words with a straight, unemotional, expression.

R' Nachum had burst through all the barriers in the miser's hard heart, he had broken the dam of his river of tears.

When the prayer was over, the men left and the Rebbe indicated to his host that he wished to speak to him privately. They closeted themselves in a room and remained there for a long time. No one knew what was said behind those closed doors, but the result of that historic conversation became known the following day.

R' Nachum left the city early the next morning, his mission accomplished. He was escorted by a procession of all the townsfolk, young and old alike. At their head was the host, the one-time miser. Tears of deep emotion ran down his cheeks, as he took leave of the Rebbe. People rubbed their eyes in wonder. This man, who had been so reserved, so aloof and haughty, so unapproachable, was now walking in the midst of the crowd, weeping emotionally, mingling with everyone.

But in their return to the city they were in for an even greater surprise. The rich man quickly gathered a group of laborers. When people asked him why he needed them, he replied, "To build a new mikveh! It is about time, too."

"Unbelievable!" people whispered to one another. But, on second thought, they did not think it so strange, after all. Had not the famous Chernobler Rebbe himself visited him? Had he not talked to the man at length?

The news flew through the city, The mikveh was going up. The curious visited the building site to see for themselves if the rich man was really keeping his promise. They could not help asking him if he really meant to foot the entire bill.

He looked up and smiled, "Not only for the building costs, but even for the maintenance, after it is in use!"

One daring person burst out with the question that was on everyone's lips: "But why? What had caused this sudden change?"

"Why, you ask?" The rich man fished out a sheet of paper from his pocket and said, "Here's your answer."

Everyone crowded around, looking over his shoulder or peering around his elbow. It was a document, a bill of sale. It read:
"I, Menachem Nachum of Chernobyl, hereby sell my portion in the world to come to so-and-so on the condition that he build a mikveh for the people of this city from his own money and also undertake to cover its operating expenses until the community is able to do so itself."

People looked at one another with surprise. Could this be true? Had the tzadik actually transferred his share in the World to Come to this Jew? In other words, sold it for a mikveh? What unbelievable greatness!

The rich man smiled at them. He had never swung such a successful business deal in his life!

In Chernobel, the matter was discussed among the chasidim. They did not question their Rebbe's deeds; he was beyond question. Yet, why had the very idea occurred to him?

One chasid girded himself with courage and asked the Rebbe directly. R' Nachum replied, "The question is valid. Here, then, is my answer.

"I have long been puzzled by the explanation of our Sages on the verse bechol me'odecha - "with all your might" (Deut. 6:5 - recited several times a day in the Shema Yisrael prayer), which our Sages explain as 'with all your means'. How was I to fulfill this obligation, if I do not possess any money? And, if money does come my way, it has no real value to me. How, then, was I to show my love for G-d through my possessions? Was I testifying falsely each time I recited these words in the Shema?

And then, the opportunity arose for me to hand over my most treasured possession to express my love of G-d -- my portion in the World to Come. Was I to hesitate at this opportunity or seize it and show my deep love? I chose to grasp it, and to fulfill this commandment willingly, eagerly, with all my heart!

And so, I signed the document, and, having signed it, I felt at ease. For, now, I can recite those words without any twinges of conscience. I have exhibited my love for G-d 'with all my possessions'; I have sold my most precious item of value for the love of G-d."

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Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Tales of Tzaddikim" (ArtScroll) by G. MaTov]

Connections (2): Weekly Torah - the flood waters were considered like a mikveh for the world; Seasonal -- in less than two weeks is the 224th yahrzeit of R. Nachum of Chernobyl.

Biographic note:
Rabbi Menachem Nachum, the Maggid of Chernobyl [1730-11 Cheshvan 1787], was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and senior disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch. He is the author of Meor Enayim.


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Yerachmiel Tilles is co-founder and associate director of Ascent-of-Safed, and chief editor of this website (and of KabbalaOnline.org). He has hundreds of published stories to his credit, and many have been translated into other languages. He tells them live at Ascent nearly every Saturday night.

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