SIMPLE FAITH

The Alter Rebbe was a close student of the Mezritcher Maggid. When the Maggid passed away, two tzaddikim committed to spreading Chassidus and leading the Jewish people. One was Rabbi Avraham the Malach, the son of the Maggid, who moved to Volhin. The other was Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk who lived in Russia.

Some time went by and R’ Menachem Mendel moved to Eretz Yisrael together with 300 students. The Alter Rebbe also wanted to go to Eretz Yisrael but the Maggid appeared to him in a dream and told him to stay in Russia and lead the Chassidim. So, the Alter Rebbe remained in White Russia and had many Chassidim.

The Alter Rebbe was offered a position as Rav in Liozna which he accepted, on condition that they support him and his family as well as the young men who learned in the kollel and the talmidim who learned Torah, as well as the Chassidim who came to visit the Rebbe.

The condition was accepted and the Alter Rebbe moved to Liozna. The Chassidim looked upon him as their Rebbe and obeyed him but the Alter Rebbe did not want this position and tried to avoid it.

R’ Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk, in Eretz Yisrael, heard about this and sent him a sharply worded letter. He wrote that he demanded that the Alter Rebbe accept leadership of the Jews in Russia and not avoid this important job.

The Alter Rebbe wrote back: This job of leading the Chassidim is hard for me and I cannot do it alone, but what can I do when the Rebbe [R’ Menachem Mendel] orders me? I have no choice but to agree but I request that every day you think of me and bless me.

R’ Menachem Mendel rejoiced over this letter with the Alter Rebbe’s agreement and sent letters to the Chassidim saying: Accept the Alter Rebbe as your Rebbe.

***

The Alter Rebbe, despite his illustrious position, acted modestly and with simplicity. He was careful not to waste money since he was being supported by the public and also because the Torah preserves the money of the Jewish people.

His family knew that the Rebbe was not pleased by wasting money and each time they bought an expensive garment, they were careful not to show it to him.

One day, his grandson, R’ Menachem Mendel, put on an expensive belt that cost fifteen rubles, a large amount at that time.

Whenever he had to go and see the Rebbe, he took off the belt so the Rebbe wouldn’t see it. But one time, he rushed in to see his grandfather and oy, he forgot to take off the expensive belt.

How did the Rebbe react?

The Alter Rebbe looked at the belt and said, “You have a fine belt there. How much did it cost?”

The young man was silent, not knowing how to respond at first. Then, having no choice, he told the truth. “The belt cost fifteen rubles,” he said, looking downward.

The Rebbe was annoyed and said, “Are you so rich that you can buy such expensive items?”

The Rebbe did not wait for his response and asked, “Please tell me, how much money did you receive as a dowry?”

“2000 rubles,” he said.

“What do you plan on doing with this money?”  asked his grandfather.

“I will give the money to a rich man who is honest and upright and he will do business with it and I will profit,” he answered confidently.

The Alter Rebbe did not like the idea. “What if the rich man loses the money? Then you will lose both the profit and all the money …”

“He is very rich and trustworthy,” said his grandson.

“If he is rich now, so what? The wheel turns. Today he is rich and tomorrow he can be poor.”

“If so, what should I do with the money?”

The Alter Rebbe pointed at a pushka in the room. “Put the money in that box and you will have a reliable investment.”

R’ Menachema Mendel was taken aback. Should he give all his money to tzedaka? Surely the Rebbe did not mean that seriously, he thought.

The Rebbe saw that his grandson was uncertain and he said, “I meant it seriously, that you should give the money to tzedaka. That way, you will only gain. If you give it to the rich man, you will lose it all.”

The grandson found it hard to do this and left the room. He gave the money to the rich man and what do you think happened?

Yes, the rich man turned into such a poor man that he had to beg for handouts. All of R’ Menachem Mendel’s money was lost.

Some time passed and the Alter Rebbe asked his grandson, “Please tell me, how much did you earn from the money you gave the rich man?”
R’ Menachem Mendel looked down and said the truth. “Nothing remains of it.”

“Why didn’t you listen to me? Why don’t you believe in the Rebbe like the believers of Volhin?”

Then the Rebbe told him about a simple Jew with tremendous faith.

“I once traveled to Mezritch and it was freezing outside. The wagon driver took me to an inn. The innkeeper was an old, G-d fearing man. He rubbed my feet with snow and warmed me up until I recovered my strength.

“I asked the old man, ‘How many years are you living here?’ He said, ‘More than 50.’

“I asked him, ‘Do you have a shul with a minyan here?’

“‘No,’ he said. ‘For Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur I go to the nearest town and daven in shul with a minyan.’

“‘How is that possible? You are an old man. Why shouldn’t you daven regularly with a minyan? Why don’t you go and live in a town with a shul?’

“The old man asked, ‘How will I support myself?’

“I said, ‘How many Jews live there?’

“‘One hundred,’ said the old man.

“If Hashem can provide a living for one hundred Jews, why shouldn’t He be able to provide for you too? You should know that I am a student of the Maggid of Mezritch.’

“The old man listened and did not respond. Half an hour later, I suddenly saw wagons loaded up with belongings and furniture. I asked, ‘What is this about? What are you doing?’

“The old man said, ‘I am going to live in town, like you told me to do.’”

Said the Alter Rebbe to his grandson, “I was young at the time and still, when an old man heard that I am a student of the Maggid, he immediately carried out what I said without arguing. He left his house and parnassa after 50 years. And you? You heard me tell you twice that you will lose your money and you still didn’t believe me.” ■