|
Weekly Chasidic Story #1410 (5785-12) 15 Kislev 5785 (Dec.16, 2024) "Yokel at the Theater" "Thank you; it's quite nice,"said Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Chabad. "but it is not the present I was looking forward to." Why this week: Yud-Tes Kislev, the yahrzeit of the Maggid of Mezritch [and the anniversary of the publication of Tanya in 1797, and in 1798 the miraculous release from Czarist prison of its author, Rabbi Shneur-Zalman, founder of the Chabad dynasty], this year falls on Thursday night-Friday, Dec. 20. Story in PDF
format for more conveninet printing Yokel at the Theater
On the side of the main road near Liozna lived a chasidic Jew called Berel (not his real name) and his family. As he barely eked out a living as a Torah tutor, the family's livelihood depended mostly on his wife's excellent baking. On his way into town each day to tutor his students, he would take along with him a load of his wife's bagels and other delicious baked goods to deliver to their regular customers as he went along his way. One freezing Russian winter night, as a heavy blizzard and blustery wind continued to pile high mounds of snow above the ground, Berel heard a sudden sharp knocking on his front door. He opened it, and there stood a shivering man nearly frozen to death in the barrage of a merciless storm. Berel pulled him into the house, poured him a quick shot of vodka, wrapped him in blankets and prepared him a large glass of hot tea. In those days, a wood-burning oven served both as cooking surface and heating source. The warmest place to sleep was on a platform built above the oven. Usually the little children slept on it, being prone to throw off their blankets. However, due to the traveler's vulnerable condition, Berel set his children down onto blankets on the floor and invited his guest to sleep above the oven. The next morning, at first light, the man rose, dressed and departed. An hour or so later, when the children woke up, they were surprised to find themselves on the floor. They quickly scampered back to their place over the stove to warm up and perhaps sleep some more. One of the little boys banged his foot into something hard. As he did, gold and silver coins started pouring onto the floor from the sack he had unintentionally kicked over! Astonished and excited, they climbed down as fast as they could, ran into their parent's room and enthusiastically reported their find. Was their father delighted about this unexpected treasure? No! The opposite, in fact: he was terrified. Surely the bag belonged to the traveler that had slept there. He would report the loss of his significant fortune, the police or the military would investigate, and he -- the poor Jew who only tried to help a traveler in need -- would be accused of theft and perhaps arrested and thrown into prison! As soon as he could, Berel hurried into Liadi to speak to his Rebbe, Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of the Chabad school of Chasidism. He told the Rebbe all that had happened, and asked him what to do about this fortune that had been left in his house. The Rebbe answered: "My friend, don't worry. I'm telling you, no one will come looking for it or make inquiries. The Al-mighty has sent it to you as a gift." He explained to his amazed chasid that if the man should happen to come back, of course the money must be returned to him. But he wouldn't. Nor is there any way to find him, since they didn't know his name or even the direction in which he was traveling. Therefore, the traveler must have given up all hope of its recovery and it was completely kosher to keep the coins. Noting his chasid's nervousness, the Rebbe continued: "This is my advice.
Put the money somewhere safe. Don't let anyone around here see it or know about
it. Don't make any changes in your lifestyle; continue teaching your students
until the end of the semester. By then you will be convinced that no one is
looking for the money and whoever the owner is will have given up hope of recovering
it, which in Jewish law is equivalent to relinquishing ownership. Come to me
then, and I'll advise you what to do with the money." Berel did exactly as the Rebbe said. A year went by. When he came to consult the Rebbe again, the chasid reported that his business was doing quite nicely, b'H ('Thank G~d'). Yet, to tell-the-truth, all his investments in home, store and merchandise had barely made a dent in the hoard of coins. The Rebbe nodded and suggested to him to cease buying his merchandise locally and instead to buy in larger quantities from the wholesalers in Vitebsk [the main city in that region]. That way he would make a greater profit in his own store, and he could also sell to the other retail merchants in Liozna. "Come back in another year and apprise me of your situation," the Rebbe concluded. The chasid did as the Rebbe advised. Another year went by. When Berel arrived for his annual appointment, he told the Rebbe that the sack was still mostly full and that his business had become much more profitable due to his purchasing expeditions to Vitebsk. Said the Rebbe: "Is it not so that the wholesalers of Vitebsk acquire their goods from the distributors in Moscow? Go there and buy directly, so that this year, you can sell to the wholesalers in Vitebsk as well as to the retailers in Liozna and your own customers." Then the Rebbe blessed him, and also reminded Berel to come again in a year's time and let him know the state of his affairs. So the chasid did. Another year passed. Berel's enterprise was now one of the largest of its kind in all Russia. When he had his annual conference with the Rebbe and described to him the vastness of his business and his success, "thanks to the blessings of the Al-mighty", nevertheless, he added, there still remained in the sack much gold with which to further expand the business. The Rebbe smiled and responded, "Is it not so that the distributors in Moscow buy from the exporters in Königsberg [then the metropolis of Eastern Germany), later, in 1946 annexed by the Soviet Union and renamed Kaliningrad] Travel there periodically and buy in very large qualities from the manufacturers. You can then sell to the distributors in Moscow, as well as to the wholesalers in Vitebsk and the retailers in Liozna." Another year went by. The unsophisticated chasid had become among the wealthiest businessmen in Russia. * * * The man was speechless. He felt overwhelmingly embarrassed. When he reached Konigsberg, before attending to any of his business affairs, he went to the busy commercial street with stores that specialized in valuable items of gold and silver. There he bought an expensive snuff box made of pure gold and upon his return to Liozna, he went immediately to the Rebbe's house to present it to him. "It's very nice," remarked the Rebbe, "but it is not what I was hoping for." The chasid was taken aback at the Rebbe's words, and after leaving the Rebbe's presence resolved that on his next trip he would buy him something even finer and more expensive. On the same street as before, he purchased an even fancier snuff box. Not only was it also made of pure gold, it was also inlaid with filigree silver, and encrusted with precious gems. It cost a small fortune. He confidently presented it to Rebbi Shneur Zalman. The Rebbe looked at it carefully for a few moments but then said, "This is very, very nice, but again, it is not what I had in mind." [1] Before his next trip, when he made his regular request for a blessing, the Rebbe said something that truly bewildered him." Tell me, in all your visits to Königsberg, did you ever go to the theater?" Never mind that this pious villager would never ever consider attending a theater; it is quite possible that he did not even know what a theater is and certainly not what goes on inside one! Nevertheless, he reckoned that if the Rebbe bothered to mention it to him, it must be that is what he is supposed to do. He couldn't fathom the reason why - the more so once he found out what a theater is - but on his next trip to Königsberg, he made inquiries as soon as he arrived, and followed directions to the main theater of this cosmopolitan European city. When he walked up to the cashier's window and asked to purchase a ticket, she asked him if he wanted front, middle, back, or balcony. He had no idea what she was talking about. "Just please give me your most expensive seat," he responded politely. He was ushered upstairs to a private compartment with a thickly upholstered wide chair. Being quite tired from his long journey, he struggled to keep his eyes open as he stared at the stage below, which was as yet completely blocked by a tall crimson curtain. What was going on? He couldn't venture a guess what was supposed to happen next. Well, what happened was that suddenly all the lights in the building were dimmed. The chair was so comfortable…he was exhausted…the theater was now dark… The naïve chasid fell deeply asleep. He never saw any of the performance. Indeed, he did not even know there was a performance because he continued to sleep soundly even after it ended. Finally, after everyone else had gone home and all other seats vacated, one of the staff gently woke him up. It was the janitor. "Excuse me, sir, but you really must get up and go home now. I have to finish cleaning and lock the building." The chasid was embarrassed and began to apologize for any inconvenience he had caused. "Oh, that's all right, sir," the janitor interrupted hastily, also a bit embarrassed. "By the way, sir, I see from your manner of dress that you not from this country. Where are you from?" "Belorus." (White Russia) "What town?" "Liozna." "Really?" pursued the janitor further. "You appear to be a chasid. Perhaps you are acquainted with Rebbe Zalman?" "Acquainted? He is my Rebbe!" "You don't say? Well, then, when you get home, please give him my regards." "Who are you? What's your name?" "My name is Karl." The chasid thought it quite strange that the janitor of a theater in Königsberg should have any connection to a Chasidic Rebbe but he didn't ask any questions. Back in Liozna, he went right to the Rebbe's house and delivered the message. To his astonishment, the Rebbe smiled broadly and said, "Ah! That is the present I was hoping for." * * * On his first evening in Königsberg, the chasid made his way to the theater. He again purchased a ticket for a private box, and after the lights were dimmed, once again enjoyed a refreshing nap after his long journey, confident that Karl would find him after the performance. When Karl woke him up at closing time, the chasid told him how happy the Rebbe had been to receive his regards, and that just before this current trip, the Rebbe had requested that he deliver this package to him. Karl said with wonderment, "For me? Really?" When he finished his business affairs, the chasid returned once more to the theater. When Karl discovered him there before closing, he expressed surprise that the chasid had come so soon again to the theater. The chasid quickly explained that he was ready to return home and the Rebbe had ordered him to bring the package back with him. "Oh really? I didn't even open it yet. Wait for me a minute, please, and I'll fetch it." When Karl opened it the businessman could see that is was filled with papers, handwritten by the Rebbe himself. Excitedly looking over Karl's shoulder, he realized instantly that it was a manuscript of Chasidic teachings. Karl began to thumb through the pages, scanning them quickly. Then he read one page closely and murmured, "Ruach HaKodesh ('Divinely inspired')." Finally, a few pages later, he said to the chasid, "Tell Reb Zalman I said this is all truly divinely inspired, that I don't know what teachings will be left for our righteous Mashiach to innovate when he arrives, may it be soon." Then he rewrapped the package and gave it back to the chasid. Shortly after the chasid returned the package to its author, Rabbi Shneur Zalman finally decided to allow its publication. And so, on 19-20 Kislev, the Chasidic classic Tanya was first printed. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Source: Translated and adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from Reshimat Devarim by Rabbi Yehuda Chitrik, who heard it from Rabbi Shmuel Gronem Esterma; supplemented from oral and other written sources. Biographic note: Connection: Yud-Tet+Chof (19-20) Kislev is the anniversary of
the publication of Tanya in 5557 (17 Footnotes:
To receive the Story by e-mail every Wednesday--sign up here! "Festivals of the
Full Moon"
|
|
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.