Weekly Chasidic Story #770 (s5772-49 / 9 Elul 5772)

Conflicting Prophecies

The Chassid and his wife decided that he would go to beseech the Shpoler Zeide once more. This time, no matter what, he would not take 'no' for an answer.

Seasonal - 221st yahrzeit of Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz.

 

Conflicting Prophecies

This story was first told by Grand Rabbi Yisrael of Rizhin.


Reb Aryeh Leib
was known as the Shpoler Zeide (grandfather) since he emulated the ways of our grandfather Abraham. His home was always open to guests and he loved his fellow Jew with a genuine and encompassing love. As a result, within a short time after he arrived in Shpole, every Jew in town became a dedicated and pious individual.

The Shpoler Zeide had a chasid who was very devoted. Tragically, this individual was married for many years and still had not been blessed with children. On numerous occasions he came to beseech his Rebbe (who was quite fond of him), for a blessing for offspring, yet the Shpoler Zeide rejected his request every time.

One day, the chasid and his wife decided that enough was enough. They decided that he would go to beseech the Rebbe once more. This time he resolved that no matter what, he would not take no for an answer.

He arrived in Shpole and found the Rebbe absorbed in private contemplation. He interrupted the Zeide gently and told him the reason for his appearance. The Shploer Zeide told him that he was involved in a matter of great importance having to do with the welfare of the entire Jewish people, and now was not the time to accept individual petitions.

When the chasid realized the his Rebbe might actually be speaking to the Almighty face to face, he understood that this was an auspicious moment and he redoubled his efforts to gain a blessing from the Shpoler Zeide. He was so relentless that finally, with more than a trace of aggravation in his voice, the Zeide turned on the chasid with the full force of his presence and assured him that he would never merit having a child.

Broken, and distressed over his tragic mistake, he went on his way. If there was even a minute chance that he might have a child before, there was certainly no chance now. He absorbed himself in his business and his travel to forget his anguish.

One day he came to the town of Koretz, where the great tzadik Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz was still a young man, concealing himself in the Beis HaMedrash (study hall) so that he could engage himself solely in serving G-d. The chasid had spent enough time in Shpole to recognize a person of exemplary qualities when he saw him, so he decided to get to know Reb Pinchas a bit. His further observations only confirmed his notion that Reb Pinchas was a man of great spiritual stature. The chasid, with the hope that maybe one day Reb Pinchas could reverse the negative proclamation of the Shpoler Ziede, made a point of visiting Koretz whenever his business took him to the general area.

Once, he arrived in Koretz a few days before Pesach. Reb Pinchas was sitting in the Beis HaMedrash, learning and praying. As usual he was destitute. Nevertheless, even the demands of the approaching holiday did not cause him to waver from his studies.

The wealthy chasid went to the Rebbitzen (Rabbi's wife) and inquired whether or not they had the means with which to celebrate the upcoming Pesach. The Rebbitzen informed him that they had neither meat nor chicken nor fish. Not wine, not candles, not even matzah, and no prospects were in sight for obtaining any of these items. The chasid turned to the Rebbitzen and offered, "I will provide all the needs for the entire holiday if you will let me be at your Seder table." The Rebbitzen readily agreed.

When Reb Pinchas left his house the morning before Pesach, he knew that there were none of the provisions needed for the Holiday. Still, he went to pray and study like on any other day.

As soon as Reb Pinchas left, the chasid and the Rebbitzen went to work. The previously ordered supplies began to arrive. When darkness fell over Koretz and the candles were lit, the home of Reb Pinchas was prepared for royalty. There were meat and fish and chicken. There was the extra-strictly prepared expensive Shmura Matzah and there were wines of every type. Fresh fruits from all over the world were piled high in baskets. All the furniture in the house was replaced. The table was decked with a new snowy white cloth, new porcelain dishes, gleaming silverware, Kiddush cups and a tall candelabra. The children and the Rebbitzen had new outfits, and a white silk Kittel (robe) was draped over the back of Reb Pinchas' chair. The family anxiously awaited the arrival of Reb Pinchas.

But he, knowing that there was nothing to come home to, stayed on at the synagogue for a long while after the prayers before finally heading home. When he walked in the door and saw all that was before him, he was speechless. He immediately donned the silk Kittel and with great exultation made Kiddush and began to recite the Hagaddah. Reb Pinchas's exuberance was infectious and the family sang and chanted and discussed the Exodus from Egypt with great passion until finally they reached the festive holiday meal.

Reb Pinchas turned to the Rebbitzen and asked for an explanation. She motioned to the guest indicating that he had wanted to spend Pesach with them and had provided the bounty.

Reb Pinchas, still in a rapturous state, turned to the chasid and asked him if there was anything that he could do for him. The chasid realizing that his chance at last had come, broke down and told the whole story of how he had been a chasid of the Shpoler Zeide and how he and his wife had been childless for so many years, and how he never merited a blessing from his Rebbe until he bothered him about it when he shouldn't have and received the opposite of a blessing.

Reb Pinchas, being in the exalted state that he was and very moved by the man's story, replied, "If I have any merit in the Heavens at all, it is my oath that this year you will be blessed with a son!"

The Rizhiner Rebbe related that the moment that Reb Pinchas made his oath, a great tumult erupted in the Heavens. Here were two promises, made by two great Rebbes, and they contradicted one another. Whose would be upheld?

The Heavenly Court finally decided to examine the chronicles of the lives of each Rebbe to see if one of them had been so cautious as to have never before made an oath or promise. They found that only Reb Pinchas had been so circumspect in his speech that he had never made an unqualified promise or oath. Therefore the chasid and his wife were indeed blessed with a child within the year. The fame of Reb Pinchas began to spread.

The Rizhiner concluding his story saying, "Despite the fact that Reb Pinchas' blessing was upheld, one must nevertheless learn from this an important lesson that one ought not go against the words of another tzadik. The grandson of that chasid was Shimshon Finkelman, the Misnaged who brought about so much trouble for the grandsons of Reb Pinchas…

[…Reb Pinchas and Reb Avraham Abba, leading to their arrest and torture by being sentenced to receive 1500 blows in a gauntlet of two long rows of brutal soldiers holding a club in each hand. The victim would have to pass between the two rows absorbing the brutal blows as he struggled to reach the end. One in a thousand survived. Most barely made it a third of the way through. Surviving was not necessarily desirable since the survivor would be sent to Siberia. The two brothers actually made it through, but they were disfigured and mutilated in the process.

It is told how the legendary Awe of Heaven of Reb Pinchas resembled that of his holy grandfather. As he was passing through, one of the blows sent his yarmulke flying. Not wanting to go on without it, he backtracked to retrieve it, absorbing many extra blows as a result.

They survived and were sent to Siberia. However, they got only as far as Moscow and were not able to travel any further because of their injuries. They were admitted to a government hospital where they stayed for a number of months until the Czar died and they were granted pardons.

They returned to Slovita as heroes, mutilated in body but elevated in spirit. Many Jews were drawn to them and they acquired large followings of chasidim inspired by the Awe of Heaven of the grandsons of Reb Pinchas of Koretz.]

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Source: Adapted from the rendition of Rabbi Benyamin Adilman on //nishmas.org.

Connection: Seasonal - 221st yahrzeit of Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz.

Biographical notes:
Rabbi Pinchas (ben R. Avraham Abba Shapiro) of Koretz (1726 - 10 Elul 1791) was considered to be one of the two most pre-eminent followers of chasidism's founder, the Baal Shem Tov (along with his successor, the Maggid of Mezritch). His teachings appear in various collections (such as Midrash Pinchas), and are cited in the classic Bnei Yissaschar.
Rabbi Aryeh Leib [25 Kislev 1725 - 6 Tishrei 1811], known as the Shpoler Zeide ('grandfather'-a nickname given to him by the Baal Shem Tov at his circumcision), is famed as a miracle worker and devoted to the succor of poor Jews in distress. In his early years, he was a disciple of Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz, a leading figure in the first generation of chasidim.The Lubavitcher Rebbe stated the possibility that the Shpoler Zeide and Rabbi Leib Sarah's are the same person.

Rabbi Yisrael Friedmann of Ruzhin [1797 - 3 Cheshvan 1850] was a great-grandson of the Maggid of Mezritch, at a young age was already a charismatic leader with an large following of chassidim. Greatly respected by the other rebbes and Jewish leaders of his generation, he was -and still is-referred to as "The Holy Ruzhiner." Six of his sons established Chassidic dynasties, several of which -Sadigora, Chortkov, etc- are still thriving today.

 

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