Weekly Chasidic Story 635 (s5770-20 / 12 Shevat 5770)

A Stunning Fruit Basket

The stranger set down a gigantic basket bulging with choice fruits in front of Rabbi Yosef Meir of Spink.

Connection: Seasonal -- the festival of Tu B'Shvat

 

A Stunning Fruit Basket

 

It was the night of Tu B'Shvat, and a large gathering of chasidim surrounded the table of Rabbi Yosef Meir of Spink. At the head of the table sat the Rebbe, explaining the significance of the New Year for trees. He spoke of the things that men and trees have in common.

"With great effort and the investment of much energy, one can help a tree grow -- even a crooked one that has lacked nourishment and water. Sometimes, through devoted and persistent care, we can turn a stunted tree into a blooming one."

At that moment, a bearded and well-dressed Jew entered the room. He walked over to the table and set down a gigantic basket bulging with choice fruits. Looking up, the Rebbe spotted the guest and broke into a broad smile. He invited the man to sit beside him and showed him the most remarkable warmth all through the evening. None of the chasidim knew the stranger's identity. Who was this man who had brought such a stunning fruit basket and had been honored by such tokens of the Rebbe's affection?

Afterwards, the chasidim heard the story from the guest himself.

"I was born in Germany," he said, "and arrived here only a few years ago. The education and upbringing I received at home were completely divorced from any connection to Torah and mitzvot. My father and grandfather identified with the Haskalah ("Enlightenment") movement in Germany, and raised me accordingly.

"On my arrival here, I opened a textile factory. At first I sold my goods only in the surrounding area, but success soon smiled on me and my business expanded greatly. I sent my merchandise to every part of the country and even to neighboring countries. Everything was wonderful.

"Then tragedy struck one morning. I purchased an enormous quantity of raw material at an exceptionally low price, and was already mentally counting up the tremendous profits I expected to make from the deal. I paid for all the materials in cash and returned to my office. I was sitting there, dwelling pleasurably on the successful deal I had just concluded, when the supplier of the materials suddenly walked into my office and demanded payment for what he had sold me.

"At first I though he was joking. Very soon, however, it became clear that I had fallen into a trap. I remembered that the man had not signed a receipt for the money I had paid him. What remained was the contract, signed by me, authorizing the materials to be transferred and obligating me to pay for them.

"Furious, I threw the man out of my office, but he was unmoved by my anger. Before he left he informed me that he planned to sue me in court. I sat slumped in my seat, feeling frustrated and helpless. It was clear to me that he would win the case in court, and instead of the vast profits I had anticipated, I would soon be a poor man. In very low spirits, I went outside for a breath of fresh air.

"In the street, I ran into an acquaintance and told him all about the misfortune that had just occurred to me. He suggested that I accompany him to see his Rebbe and ask for advice. In my despair, I was ready to agree to anything.

"I'll never forget the glow in the Rebbe's eyes on the evening I was first privileged to enter his room. I could not conquer the tears that insisted on coursing down my cheeks, and managed only with difficulty to tell the Rebbe what had befallen me. When I finished my story, the Rebbe turned to me and asked if I was Shabbat observant. I barely knew what Shabbat was, and did not attach much significance to his question. I explained that a good deal of my business was done on Shabbat, making it impossible for me to refrain from working on that day.

"The Rebbe went on to ask if I was careful to eat only kosher food. I answered in the negative, justifying myself by saying that my many business pressures prevented me from paying attention to such details.

"Then the Rebbe asked if I at least put on tefilin. Once again, my answer was no.

"The Rebbe began to try to persuade me to put on tefilin every day. 'If you agree to put on tefilin each morning,' he said, 'I guarantee that you will emerge from your trial having won your case.'

"After much inner debate, I agreed to the Rebbe's request and left him with a lighter heart. And from that day on, I began to faithfully put on tefilin every day. It wasn't easy for a man like me, and sometimes I nearly stopped -- until I remembered the Rebbe's promise. One mitzva pulls another in its wake, and the mitzva of tefilin dragged me along to begin observing other mitzvot.

"My day in court arrived. It was Tu B'Shvat, exactly one year ago today. My chanced of winning the case seemed nil, but I went to court in comfortable spirits, inexplicably placing my trust in the Rebbe's promise.

"The supplier portrayed me as a cheater, a man who had taken his material and then refused to pay. To back up his claim, he presented the contract I had signed. I then took the stand and told the truth, that I had paid but had not received a receipt. I don't know how to explain it, but the judge was persuaded of the truth of my story, and acquitted me of any wrongdoing.

"From that day on, my offices are closed on Shabbat. Not only has this not harmed my interests, but business has boomed! I have begun to live a full life of Torah and mitzvot, though I am not an actual chasid."

The man smiled joyously at his rapt audience. "Today, on the anniversary of the day when I won my court case because of the Rebbe -- and when I was, so to speak, reborn -- I thought it proper to bring the Rebbe a basket of the best fruits."

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[Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Stories my Grandfather Told Me" (Mesorah) by Zev Greenwald]

Biographic note:
Rabbi Yoseph Meir (ben Rabbi Samuel Tzvi) Weiss (18 Adar 1838- 6 Iyar 1909), founder of the Spinker dynasty, attended the Chasidic masters of Belz, Vizhnitz, Zhidichov and Sanz, and studied under several prominent rabbinical sages in his native Hungary. In 1876 he became a Rebbe in his own right, eventually attracting many thousands of followers including prominent Torah scholars. He authored a number of important books, of which the most well-known is Imrei Yosef on the Torah readings and the festivals. He was also famous as a miracle worker. After many years of being buried abroad, his remains were brought to Israel in 1972 and reinterred in Petach Tikvah; his body was completely intact!


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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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