By Nechama Bar
Jews lived peacefully in a town called Chekov in White Russia. They lived under particularly good conditions, hard to find elsewhere. This was thanks to the ruler of the town. The graf-landowner was goodhearted and considerate and most importantly, he loved Jews.
Numerous Jews had good jobs on his property. The poor of the town were exempt from taxes and the leaders of the Jewish community, the rav, shochet, chazanim and teachers, were given pasture land for cows and goats for free! These good terms enabled the Jewish community to flourish.
But this idyllic situation, in which they could learn and observe Torah without worry, did not last long. The count was weak and sickly all his life. He often traveled to his doctor, Dr. Bretenson, who lived in Vitebsk.
When the count was young, he was able to manage his estate despite his feebleness, but as he got older, his health deteriorated.
The count saw that he was no longer able to run his property and he decided to appoint a manager to supervise his mansion and businesses. Unfortunately, the manager hated Jews and he was happy to do them harm and disturb their peaceful lives.
If that wasn’t enough, at just this time, a new priest was appointed to the church in the area, and he too, hated Jews.
The priest befriended the manager and encouraged him to fire the Jews from their jobs and to start collecting taxes from the poor.
The Jews of the town, who had been accustomed to wonderful living conditions, began to suffer greatly. Many of them lost their jobs and the poor had a hard time paying taxes.
Most of the Jews of the town were Chassidim of the Rebbe Maharash (1834-1882). The Chassidim would often travel to Lubavitch to spend time with the Rebbe on Shabbos or Yom Tov. They would delight in the Rebbe’s teachings and feel spiritually uplifted.
When they met with the Rebbe privately, they would ask for blessings for their material and spiritual needs. But while this saga was unfolding, they were embarrassed to tell the Rebbe about their parnasa difficulties and their enemies who embittered their lives.
This is how life went on for two years.
R’ Shmuel Isaac’s, one of the Jews from Chekov, went to the Rebbe for Shavuos 5640. R’ Shmuel had an important position on the count’s estate. He was very rich and was respected and he also had set times to learn Torah and gave tz’daka generously.
When R’ Shmuel had a private audience with the Rebbe, the Rebbe asked him to tell him about the parnasa of the Jews of the town.
R’ Shmuel did not hold back a thing. He told the Rebbe about the count’s illness, about the new manager, about the cruel priest, and the Jews’ difficult lot.
The Rebbe said, “I know that the count’s condition is critical. Dr. Bretenson told me about it. Why didn’t you tell me before about the change for the bad and the parnasa difficulties?”
The Chassid remained silent. The Rebbe continued, “Go back home. The next time you encounter the count, tell him in my name that I know about his critical condition and I promise him that if he helps the Jews in the town and in nearby towns, he will earn a month of life and health for every Jewish family he helps.”
R’ Shmuel was amazed by this promise of the Rebbe and he returned home encouraged. He was confident that the count would agree to this worthwhile deal.
The Chassid hurried to the count’s mansion but it was impossible to see the count since his illness did not enable him to get up. He was confined to his room and the wicked manager did not allow any Jews to visit him.
R’ Shmuel did not give up. He continued going to the mansion, day after day, in the hopes that a miracle would occur and the count would come outside so he could see and talk to him.
One fine day, the doctor said the count should be taken outside for a short outing in the nearby forest to get some fresh air.
When they carried the count to the buggy, R’ Shmuel was in the courtyard. The count was thin and he looked frail. The count noticed him and said he should join him in the wagon.
This is how R’ Shmuel had the opportunity to convey the Rebbe’s message. He excitedly told the count what the Rebbe had promised, while extolling the tzaddik’s virtues and the miracles he had performed.
The count got some color in his cheeks and his back straightened somewhat with the encouraging thought that he could recover from his illness.
Without waiting a second, the count told R’ Shmuel to immediately make a list of all the Jews in the town who could making a living from his estate, and to go himself or send someone to the nearby towns and compile a list of the Jews who could be supported by him. The more Jews, the better! It meant more months of life!
The list was ready within a few days. It had more than 160 families from the town and dozens more families from the nearby towns, all of whom would have ample livelihoods!
As soon as the count began to keep his part of the deal, his health improved at a rapid rate, and to the surprise of everyone he regained his strength and became perfectly healthy.
The count was grateful to R’ Shmuel and promoted him. Every year, in gratitude to the Rebbe, he would send R’ Shmuel with a lulav and hadasim from his garden as a gift to the Rebbe.
Fourteen years of health and wealth passed by pleasantly and during those years, the count never fell sick.
Then one day, he felt very weak and there was a sudden deterioration in his health. He quickly called for R’ Shmuel. “Go to Lubavitch and tell the Rebbe that I feel very weak and according to my calculations, I should get another year and seven months of life. The Rebbe needs to keep his promise!”
This was after the passing of the Rebbe, so R’ Shmuel went to the Rebbe Maharash’s ohel and prayed there. Of course the Rebbe did not remain in debt and the count was given more months of life as a gift, just as the Rebbe promised.