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Weekly Chasidic Story #647 (s5770-32 / 6 Iyar 5770) Medical Corps "Don't be concerned," the Koznitzer Magid assured them;"it was surely not an evil spirit or sorcerer." Connections (2): Seasonal - Iyar: Month of Healing, and Weekly Reading -- Acharei Mot
Medical CorpsThe shoemaker and his wife had prayed every day, begging the Al-mighty to grant them a child. Alas, the answer had consistently been "No." But their faith was as strong as their desire, and they decided to go to the renowned tzadik, Reb Yisrael, the Maggid of Koznitz to ask for his blessing. When they arrived at his court and were admitted into his room they told their story and received the Rebbe's assurance that they would be blessed with a child. True to his word, the woman gave birth to a baby boy, but soon after his birth, the baby became seriously ill. The parents were sick with worry and the father went back to Koznitz to ask for a blessing for the baby's recovery. The Rebbe assured him that G-d would send a complete recovery. But instead of recovering, the baby went from bad to worse. The mother sat by his cradle day and night, her lips incessantly
reciting the words of the Psalms. One morning, totally exhausted, she involuntarily
dozed off. When she awoke, she was startled to see a soldier standing over the
baby's cradle holding a spoon and a bowl and gently spooning something into
the baby's mouth. She screamed in fright and the soldier quickly disappeared. The Maggid reassured them that they had no need to fear. Then, as soon as the couple left, the Rebbe summoned his attendant. "Go to the cemetery and knock with this cane of mine on the grave of soldier so-and-so. Announce that I request him to come to me." The attendant did as he was told, and the soldier soon appeared before the Maggid. The Maggid asked him, "Who appointed you to be a children's doctor?" The soldier replied. "When I was a young child I was snatched and forced to go into military service for thirty years. I was torn from my parents and my home, and as the years passed I forgot all about being Jewish and I lived exactly like my gentile comrades. Only my identity papers proved my Jewishness, and I thought no more about it. "One day as I was strolling in the countryside with my comrades, we came upon an elderly Jew. A few of my fellows had the idea of robbing him, and they took his 75 rubles. Then, fearing discovery, they beat him, bound him and hanged him from a tree, and left him for dead. "That was too much for me. My long-dormant Jewish spark flared in my heart, and I quickly slipped away from my unit and stealthily returned to the spot. There I found him mercifully still breathing, so I cut him down with my pocket-knife and sent him on his way. I even gave him 75 rubles from my own pocket. "After I died, I found myself facing the Heavenly Court. They said they couldn't send me straight to the Garden of Eden, because I'd been sinning all my life. But they couldn't send me to the other place, either, because I had saved one man's life, and whoever saves the life of one Jew is given credit for having saved the whole world - and especially since I'd actually given my life for that mitzvah. So, they decided to allow me to function as a children's doctor, and gave me permission to save the lives of little children whenever the situation is desperate. And that is how I came to heal this little baby." When he had ended his story the Maggid said to him, "You may now return to the Garden of Eden, for you have earned your full reward." With that the soldier saluted and disappeared, and his soul rose to the highest level of Paradise. This story was often told by the Chasidic rebbe R. Yechiel Meir of Gostynin, who used to add: "We may be expert in assessing the value of gold and silver and gems - but to appreciate the true worth of a Jew is way, way beyond us." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition in A Treasury of Chassidic Tales (Artscroll), as translated by our esteemed colleague Uri Kaploun from Sipurei Chasidim by Rabbi S. Y. Zevin, and from the version posted on lchaimweekly.org (#1053).] Connections (2): Seasonal - Iyar: Month of Healing, and Weekly Reading -- Acharei Mot Biographical notes: R. Yechiel Meir Lifschitz of Gostynin [1816 - 21Shvat 1888] was sometimes
known as Der Tilim Yid (the Psalms Jew) because of his constant instruction
to those who came to him for advice and support that they turn to the reading
of the Book of Psalms. He was a disciple of R. Menachem Mendel of Kotsk and
of R. Yaakov Aryeh of Radzymin, after whose death he became chasidic leader
in Gostynin. Many referred to him as "one of the 36 hidden tzadikim."
His teachings appear in Merom HaRim and Mei HaYam.
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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.