Weekly Chasidic Story #1404 (5785-06 ) 4 Cheshvam 5785 (Nov.4, 2024)

"Two Rebbes, Two Prisoners…and an Angel"

Rabbi Ze'ev-Wolf of Zhitomir, who was a colleague of Rabbi Menachem-Nachum of Chernobyl - they were both close disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch -- was very upset by his friend's suffering and sought means to alleviate the difficulty of his friend's imprisonment.

Why this week?
1) In this week's Torah reading, Lech Lecha, Avraham went to war against great odds in order to rescue Lot. His nephew and brother-in-law, Lot from captivity. (Gen: 14:11-16)
2) The 11th of the Jewish month of Cheshvan (Monday night - Tuesday) is the yahrzeit of Rebbe-Nachum of Chernobyl.

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Two Rebbes, Two Prisoners…and an Angel

G-d appeared to Avraham Avinu ("our patriarch") and said to him, "Go forth from your land, from your birthplace." Rashi [the primary commentator] explains the verse, "For your pleasure, for your own good." The question is well known: what pleasure or good is there in being exiled from your country and having to walk around without a set home or even a bed? This extraordinary episode in the lives of two tzadikim (righteous people) offers a surprising solution.

Rabbi Menachem-Nachum of Chernobyl was heavily involved in tzedakah (charity), chesed (deeds of kindness), and pidyon shevu'im (redeeming captive Jews). He spent much of his time collecting money and sending it to the poor in the land of Israel.

At that time, there was a war between Russia and Turkey and the Turks were in control of the land of Israel. Since Rebbe Nachum sent money to the land of Israel, the Russians accused him of sending money to the Turks to aid them in their war against Russia. The Russians took him captive and placed him in jail.

Rabbi Ze'ev-Wolf of Zhitomir, who was a colleague of Menachem Nachum - they were both close disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch -- was very upset by his friend's suffering and sought means to alleviate the difficulty of his friend's imprisonment.

One day he approached the prison guard and bribed the man to allow he and his friend to exchange places every Thursday. Rebbe Nachum would be set free for the day and Rebbe Ze'ev would sit in the prison.

One Thursday, when Rebbe Ze'ev came to bribe the guard so that they could switch places for the day, Rebbe Nachum called him over and said, "There is no need for you to bribe him anymore. Today I shall be set free, G-d willing."

And so it happened.

When asked how he knew that he was going to be set free, this was Rebbe Nachum's response:

"This morning a woman from the upper world appeared to me and asked, 'What is the meaning of Rashi's comment, "For your pleasure, for your own good'?" What pleasure and what good is there from walking around in exile?'

"When I remained silent, she promptly answered her question by saying that his entire life Avraham Avinu performed the mitzvah (commandment) of hachnasat orchim (hospitality) with great enthusiasm. His home had openings on all four sides, so that from whichever direction travelers approached, they could easily find an entrance. Then Avraham Avinu would serve food and drinks with kindness to everyone who crossed his thresholds.

Nevertheless, he was still lacking in the completeness of the mitzvah since he himself had never been hosted by others.

"So G-d appeared to him and said, 'Go forth from your land' meaning then you will feel the same feelings that a person who needs to be hosted feels.

"And this is 'for your pleasure and for your own good' means that after being hosted by others you will be better able to fulfill the mitzvah of hospitality completely and properly.

" ''The same principle applies to you,' the mysterious woman continued. 'Your entire life you engaged in the mitzvah of redeeming captives, and G-d wanted you to feel for yourself what prisoners feel.'

"From her words I understood that my time in the prison had ended and that I was about to be released. I felt so relieved. I also burned with curiosity. Sensing that she was about to depart, I quickly gathered courage and asked her, 'Please tell me who you are.'

"She replied 'Sarah, the wife of Avraham,' and suddenly disappeared."

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Source: Copy-edited, adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition by Rabbi Yisrael Abargel as translated from the original Hebrew in his weekly publication, "MESILLOT: Pathways to the Soul" (#25), based on HaDe'ah VeHaDibur (Kuntres 183, p.29).

Why this week?
1) In this week's Torah reading, Lech Lecha, Avraham went to war against great odds in order to rescue Lot. His nephew and brother-in-law, Lot from captivity. (Gen: 14:11-16)
2) The 11th of the Jewish month of Cheshvan (Monday night - Tuesday) is the yahrzeit of Rebbe-Nachum of Chernobyl.

Biographic notes:
Rebbe Menachem-Nachum Twersky of Chernobyl [of blessed memory: 5490 - 11 Cheshvan 5548 (1730-1787)], was a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov and senior disciple of the Maggid of Mezritch, and subsequently the founder of the Chernobyl dynasty of which many branches still function today, such as Trisk, Skver and Rachmastrivker, in addition to the all the courts throughout the Jewish world that bear the name Chernobyl. He is the author of the important Chasidic work, Meor Enayim. Also, he is said to be a grandson of Adam Baal Shem (predecessor of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov).

Rebbe Benyamin Ze'ev-Wolf of Zhitomir [5512 - Purim 5560 (1772-1860)], the third son of Rabbi Yechiel-Michil of Zlotchov, was one of the inner circle of disciples of the Maggid of Mizritch. Famous for his sincerity and his exceptional love of his fellow Jews, including the irreligious, he is the author of Ohr Hameir, known for its wealth of material on the history of Chasidism and the teachings of its founders.

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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