Weekly Chasidic Story #1069 (s5778-38/
21 Sivan 5778)
An Expensive Mitzvah Repair
He waited at the side of the road for several hours in the hope of encountering
a passerby who would happen to be carrying the proper strings.
Connection: Weekly Reading of Shelach concludes (Num. 15:37-41) with
the mitzvah of tzitzis.
An Expensive Mitzvah Repair
Reb Meir Refoel's was a respected community leader in Vilna until
he became a chasid of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first Chabad Rebbe.
Once, during a business trip, he noticed that some of his tzitzis
strings had torn and become invalid. He immediately removed his four-cornered
garment and told his driver to stop, so as not to move four amos (1.92m
- a bit more than 6ft) without tzitzis. He even insisted on waiting at
the side of the road for several hours in the hope of encountering a passerby
who would happen to be carrying tzitzis strings.
As it was getting dark outside they saw someone in the distance.
Reb Meir called out to the man but he did not reply. He called louder until
he was shouting, and finally the man turned towards him.
"Do you have any tzitzis strings by any chance?" asked Reb
Meir in Yiddish.
"And if I would," said the man, "do you think I'm going to unload
and rummage through my stuffed sack for just a few strings?!"
"I will pay you well," Reb Meir assured him.
"How much?" barked the man, "A few rubles? Not worth my time!
I need to get back in time before nightfall!"
"I will pay you anything you ask!" begged Reb Meir. "I will give
you all the money I have!"
"Alright," said the man; "give me what you have and I will do
it for you."
Reb Meir promptly gave him all the money he was carrying. The man quickly rummaged
through his sack, found the tzitzis and gave it to him.
Soon after, Reb Meir visited the first Lubavitcher Rebbe. As he walked in, the
Alter Rebbe stood up and handed him the exact money he had paid for new
tzitzis strings. Apparently, that man who 'sold' them was Eliyahu HaNavi
(Elijah the Prophet); who had appeared in order to test Reb Meir's commitment
to the mitzvah.
~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an English emailing
of //LlmaanYishmeu.com (#305) in 2015, based on the Hebrew Migdal Oz p. 177.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Shneur Zalman [of blessed memory: 18 Elul 5505 - 24 Tevet 5573
(1745 - Dec. 1812 C.E.)], one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch,
successor to the Baal Shem Tov. He is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic movement
and the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major
works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings.
Connection: -- Weekly Reading of Shelach concludes (Num. 15:37-41) with
the mitzvah of tzitzis.
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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