Still Asleep at Midnight

Rabbi Shmuel Munkes once was traveling to spend Rosh Hashanah with his Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, when something happened that caused him to be stranded in a small village over Shabbat.

Soon after Shabbat was over, the villagers retired to nap before the start of Selichot at midnight, the solemn prayer for forgiveness that opens the High Holiday season.
Several minutes before the time arrived, the shamash (shul manager) began making his rounds with a lantern in one hand and a wooden mallet in the other, pounding on the shutters of each home and calling, "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up to the service of the Creator!" The entire village climbed out of bed, dressed swiftly, and hurried to the brightly lit synagogue.

In the home of Rabbi Shmuel's host there was much confusion. The entire family had dressed and gathered at the door, prayer-books in hand, ready to depart for the synagogue; but their prestigious guest had yet to emerge from his room. Finally, the villager knocked softly on Rabbi Shmuel's door. No response. Slowly he entered the room. To his amazement, he found the pious chasid sound asleep.

"Reb Shmuel, Reb Shmuel," he urged, shaking his guest awake. "Come quickly. Selichot!"

Rabbi Shmuel's only response was to burrow even more deeply under the covers.

"Hurry, Reb Shmuel," his host persisted. "They're about to begin in the synagogue any moment now."

"Begin what?" asked Rabbi Shmuel, quite obviously annoyed. "It's the middle of the night. Why are you waking me in the middle of the night?"

"What's the matter with you?" cried the villager. "Tonight is Selichot! A fine Jew you are! Why, if I hadn't woken you, you would have slept through the entire Selichot!"

"Selichot?" asked Rabbi Shmuel. "What is Selichot?"

Rabbi Shmuel's host was beside himself with incredulity. "Are you mocking me? Didn't you know that today was the Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah? Every man, woman and child of the village is now in the synagogue, trembling with trepidation. Soon the Prayer Leader will begin chanting the Selichot prayers and the entire community will burst into tears, praying and begging G-d to bless them with a good year..."

"So that's what this commotion is all about?" asked Rabbi Shmuel. "You're going to the synagogue to pray? What's so urgent that can't keep until morning? What are you praying for?"

"There's so much to pray for, Reb Shmuel," sighed the villager. "I pray that the cow should give enough milk to keep my children healthy. I pray that the oats should fetch a good price on the market this year, for soon I shall have a daughter to marry off. I pray that my horse should not break a leg, G-d forbid, as happened the year before last...."

"I don't understand," interrupted Rabbi Shmuel. "Since when do grown men wake up in the middle of the night to ask for a bit of milk?"

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Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from //chabadtalk.com/forum/showthread.php3?t=1953.

Biographical note:
Rabbi Shmuel Munkes (1834-1882)], an elder disciple of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Chabad, was known for his fervent and creative Chasidic service. Stories abound of his sharp wit and "chasidic pranks". He lived in Beshenkovitz and then in Kalisk (or the reverse?) in (or near?) the district of Polotz.

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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