Weekly Chasidic Story #1304 (5783-11) 11 Kislev 5783 (Dec. 5, 2022)

"A Timely Crossing of The River"

After listening to the innkeeper's request for advice, the Maggid of Mezritch pointed to the youngest of his companions, Rabbi Shneur-Zalman of Liadi. "Please go ask him," he responded. "He has exceptional wisdom."

Connections (5)
: 1- Next Monday night (Dec. 12), starts Yud-Tes [19th] Kislev, a Chasidic celebration commemorating the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor to the Baal Shem Tov;
… 2 - the miraculous release from Czarist prison of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first Chabad rebbe,
… 3 - and the publication of his magnum opus, Sefer Shel Beinonim ("Tanya" vol 1).
… 4 - Also, last Sunday was Yud [10th] Kislev, the anniversary of the liberation of his oldest son and successor, Rabbi Dov-Ber [see the last four paragraphs of the story],
… 5 - and the preceding day [last Shabbat] Tes [9th] Kislev, was the date of R. Dov-Ber's birth and of his eventual passing.

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A Timely Crossing of The River

"We will stay here tonight," the Maggid of Mezritch said to his students who accompanied him on his trip. They had stopped at a roadside inn, and requested from the Jewish owner lodgings for the night.

The innkeeper, a G-d fearing Jew, welcomed the party of tzadikim (righteous people) with great joy and honor. He thanked G-d that such a great merit had come his way, to host under his roof holy people like the Maggid and some of his greatest students.

He hurried to arrange a table for his guests laden with all the best food, after which he prepared beds for the whole group. When the guests had finished their meal the innkeeper approached the Maggid and asked to speak to him.

The Maggid agreed and the innkeeper said: "Already for a long time I wanted to come to the Rebbe to ask his advice. I was about to leave for Mezritch and here the Rebbe himself came to my house! Please Rebbe, give me your wise counsel."

After listening to the innkeeper, the Maggid pointed at one of his companions, the youngest of his students, Rabbi Shneur-Zalman of Liadi.

"Please go to him and ask him for his advice," he said to the innkeeper. He added an extraordinary remark, "He has exceptional wisdom, and the soul of the Ramban (Nachmanides, i.e. Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman) lives in him. He will merit a son like me. Do what he tells you."

The middle-aged innkeeper did as he was told by the young tzadik. He approached Rabbi Shneur Zalman and told him what worried him.

For years the inn has afforded him a generous livelihood, since many travelers stop there. He receives them, gives them a place to eat and sleep, and so makes a good profit. Thank G-d, till now the income he made was considerate. Lately though the expenses of operating the inn grew, the rent was raised markedly and, in addition, a heavy tax was put on his earnings. Now he couldn't make ends meet any more.

As a result, added the innkeeper, he thought to leave this inn, with its high rent, and move to a vacant inn on the other side of the river. The cost of running that inn would be less and he would make more profit.

Rabbi Shneur Zalman heard him out, thought for a while, then agreed to the move to the other inn. He told the man that the move would be for the best, in light of the saying, "Changing one's place changes one's fortune -- for good and for blessing."

The innkeeper was glad with these words and Rabbi Shneur Zalman went to his room.

It was early morning, Rabbi Shneur Zalman was in his room, learning Torah. When he left his room he was surprised to see the innkeeper waiting at the entrance. Looking around him Rabbi Shneur Zalman noticed that the inn was completely empty. There was nobody there, nor was there any furniture or any of the other household goods that had been there before.

The innkeeper saw his astonishment and explained: "I heard an explanation of the saying of our Sages '...and take advice from him', that the meaning is that after getting advice from a tzadik one should immediately act upon it, without waiting even one moment. That is why, after I got your advice last night, I right away started to pack all my possessions and transfer them to the other inn across the river."

He added that the Maggid and his other students had already moved to the other inn and they were waiting there for Rabbi Shneur Zalman to join them.

The innkeeper and Rabbi Shneur Zalman left the inn and got into the boat which would take them across the river.

They had hardly stepped into the boat when there was a sudden blinding flash of lightening followed by a tremendous crash of thunder. The lightning struck directly on the inn, which they had left just a few moments before. The lightning strike caused a big fire and in no time the building went up in flames, leaving nothing but a heap of blackened wood and ash.

Everyone was astounded by the Divine Spirit of Rabbi Shneur Zalman and the tremendous faith in tzadikim of the innkeeper, who, by immediately following the advice of the tzadik saved all his possessions from the fire.

The innkeeper merited to live to a great old age. In his later years he heard that Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the author of the Tanya, the six-volume set of Jewish Law known as Shulchan Aruch HaRav, and the founder and Alter (elder) Rebbe of Chabad Chassidism, had passed away. His son, Rabbi Dovber, was his successor and lived in the town of Lubavitch.

The innkeeper could still hear the voice of the Maggid of Mezritch when he told him that his student the Alter Rebbe would "merit a son like me." He decided to travel to Lubavitch to see the son of the Rebbe.

On entering the room of Rabbi Dovber, the Mittler Rebbe, he was amazed to see how much the Rebbe looked like the Maggid. He knew that the young Rebbe was called Dovber after the Maggid. He was so overcome with emotion on seeing the wondrous likeness between the Maggid and the son of his student that he collapsed in a faint.

This story was told by the grandson of the Alter Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek [the 3rd Rebbe], to his son [the Maharash,the 4th Rebbe], so that one should learn from the behavior of this simple innkeeper how to follow the advice of tzadikim.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the somewhat literal translation by C. R. Benami, long-time editorial assistant for www.AscentOfSafed.com, of an article in the popular Israeli weekly, Sichat Hashavua (#1775).

Connections (5!):
1- Next Monday night (Dec. 12), starts Yud-Tes [19th] Kislev, a Chasidic celebration commemorating the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch, successor to the Baal Shem Tov;
… 2 - the miraculous release from Czarist prison of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, the first Chabad rebbe,
… 3 - and the publication of his magnum opus, Sefer Shel Beinonim ("Tanya" vol 1).
… 4 - Also, last Sunday was Yud [10th] Kislev, the anniversary of the liberation of his oldest son and successor, Rabbi Dov-Ber [see the last four paragraphs of the story],
… 5 - and the preceding day [last Shabbat] Tes [9th] Kislev, was the date of R. Dov-Ber's birth and of his eventual passing.

Biographical notes:
Rabbi Dov Ber, [c.1700 - 19 Kislev 1772], known as the Maggid of Mezritch, succeeded his master, the Baal Shem Tov, as the head of the Chasidic movement. Most of the leading chasidic dynasties stem from his disciples and his descendants. The classic anthologies of his teachings are Likutei Amarim and Torah Ohr (combined by Kehas Publishing as Maggid Devorav l'Yaakov), and Ohr HaEmmes.
Rabbi Shneur Zalman [18 Elul 1745-24 Tevet 1812], one of the main disciples of the Maggid of Mezritch, is the founder of the Chabad-Chassidic movement. He is the author of Shulchan Aruch HaRav and Tanya as well as many other major works in both Jewish law and the mystical teachings
Rabbi DovBer Shneuri [9 Kislev 1773 - 9 Kislev 1827] was the eldest son and successor to Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of the Chabad movement. The author of numerous deep, mystical texts, he is known in Lubavitch circles as "the Mittler (Middle) Rebbe.

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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