Story #1485 (5786-36) 9 Sivan 5786 (May 25, 2026)

"Miracles vs Bribes"

One of the wealthier homeowners didn't find favor in the eyes of the bivouacked Polish soldiers. They arrested and beat him, put him in chains and took him back to their camp to give him a 'trial' and hang him.

Why This Week? Towards the end of this week’s Torah reading, Baha’alotecha, we are told, “This man Moshe is more humble than any person on Earth."

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Miracles vs Bribes

Some two hundred years ago, Poland waged a bloody war of independ-ence against Russia and, as in many wars, the Jews were the losers. Both sides hated them and they were almost totally defenseless, their only shields were prayer and 'tzadikim' (totally pure, righteous Jews).

Once the Polish forces passed through a certain Jewish town and demanded the inhabitants to provide them with food and lodging. For some reason one of its wealthier homeowners didn't find favor in their eyes. Perhaps he didn't work fast enough or perhaps he really did refuse to help them but, in any case, they arrested and beat him, put him in chains and took him back to their camp to give him a 'trial' and hang him.

His wife and daughters were left alone weeping, screaming and carrying on until one of the neighbors suggested that they should try getting a meeting with the Polish commander and beg for mercy. After a few days of trying they came up with nothing. It was impossible to even find the commander, no less speak with him.

Then someone else suggested added prayer, charity and repentance which they also tried. But their father still remained locked up. Finally they decided to travel to the great tzadik and chasidic master, Rabbi Shlomo of Radomsk, and pour their hearts out. Not that they were chasidim, they were desperately grasping at straws.

They arrived at the Rebbe's headquarters and because of the urgency of their situation, were immediately, granted an audience. They entered the Rebbe's office and explained, begged, pleaded, and wept; they needed a miracle before it was too late!

"Miracle?" the Rebbe said. "I think you can solve the whole problem with money. Offer the commander a proper sum of cash."

They tried to protest; getting an audience with the commander was impossible! They had been trying for days with no luck. And for sure he wouldn't take money, he had so much already. His troops had stolen millions!

When the Rebbe refused to reply, they understood that they had no choice but to try.

And it worked! Somehow, everything just clicked. The first officer they met astonishingly agreed to arrange a meeting with the commander, and as soon as they entered his tent and offered him money he immediately replied, "Good! Thirteen thousand rubles and he's free!"

They ran home, fetched the money, which was a small fortune, brought it to the commander, and he kept his word - another wonder! He freed the Jewish prisoner.

The reunited family did not right away return home. Instead, they immediately headed for Radomsk to tell the Rebbe what happened, thank him profusely and, of course, give him a sizeable donation.
As soon as they finished their story, before they could say a word of thanks, the Rebbe interrupted and asked, "And how much did he demand? How much did you have to pay?"

They answered and he replied. "What! Thirteen thousand? Why that is ridiculous! Far too much! But don't worry; you will get it all back. Every ruble!"

They tried to disagree; the money was no so importance to them they just wanted to thank the Rebbe! To no avail. He again ignored them and they backed out of his room.

A short while thereafter, the Russians totally crushed the Polish forces. When they captured that commander, he tried to save his skin by handing over lists of all the money and booty they had taken, among which was the 13,000 rubles. Just days later the Russian army, in a display of kindness, and honesty, returned every penny! The Rebbe had accomplished two incredible miracles!

So, they again headed to Radomsk full of gratitude and bearing money for the Rebbe's synagogue. To their total surprise, however, when they finished telling him what happened and began thanking him and op-ening the envelope to pay him, he silenced them with an angry reply.
"What, you think you can buy me with your flattery and money? I don't need your money or your stories either. Miracles? Feh! What are you talking about? Now leave before I have you evicted!!"

They tried to explain, to protest, to clarify to the chasidim outside the Rebbe's room, as well as to slip a few rubles into the hand of the Rebbe's secretary, but after the Rebbe's outburst all the chasidim wanted to do was to get them outside as pleasantly and as efficiently as possible.

A day or two later one of the Rebbe's secretaries summoned up courage, approached the Rebbe and humbly asked. "Rebbe, that family you yelled at. After all, what did they do wrong? They only wanted to thank you. What is the problem with that?

The Rebbe smiled and replied. "I couldn't have asked for anything worse! We see that when the Jewish people sinned with the Golden Calf and G-d wanted to destroy them, Moses protested. So G-d explained to Moses that His intention was not to end Judaism (G-d forbid) but rather to make a new improved Jewish people beginning with Moses in place of Abraham Isaac and Jacob (Ex.32:10). Whereupon Moses replied, 'If that is your plan, then erase me from your Torah.' (Ex.32:32)

"At first glance," the Rebbe continued "this is hard to understand. Why did G-d have to tell Moses what He was about to do. Why didn't He just punish the Jews and explain later? But the answer is that G-d 'could not do what He wanted in this matter if Moses protested. He set up the world in a way that totally humble tzadikim like Moses can, so-to-speak, 'force' G-d to change His will.

"So He proposed to make Moses the founder of a new Judaism. Why? Because, G-d hoped that if Moses accepted the role he would become a 'bit' egotistical and this tiny bit of egotism would puncture his humility, thereby nullifying his ability to 'stand in G-d's way'.

"That is also why G-d earlier ordered Moses to take his staff and turn it into a snake in front of Pharaoh before beginning the plagues (Ex. 7:9). Namely, to remind Moses not to hearken to the snake that tricked Eve into wanting to 'be like G-d' (Gen.3:5) i.e. with the power to work miracles, which would lead to becoming egotistical.

"That," concluded the Rebbe, "is why I refused the praises and money of these people. The only power I have is humility. I know that if I took any credit, it would destroy my total submission to the Creator and my ability to help others."
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Source: Modified and supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles, from the free translation by Rabbi Tuvia Bolton (from Kol Sipurei Baal Shem Tov, vol. 4, p 127) in one of his weekly e-mailings <torah @ohrtmimim.org> in Elul 2021.

Why This Week? Towards the end of this week's Torah reading, Baha'alotecha, we are told, "This man Moshe is the most humble, more than any person on Earth. [Num. 12:3]

Biographic note:
Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen Rabinowitz of Radomsk [1803 - 29 Adar 1866] is the author of Tiferet Shlomo. He attracted thousands of chasidim; the masses revered him for his lofty prayers, beautiful singing voice, speaking ability and benevolence towards their needs, while the more scholarly Hasidim admired his profound discourses in Halakha and Kabbalah. He (the Tiferet Shlomo), the Chidushei HaRim of Gur, and the Tzemek Tzedek, the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, all passed away during the same week. (based on Daily Zohar.com) His son, known as the Chesed L'Avraham, said of him: "He would bring all of his ruach hakodesh (Divine inspiration), blessings and wonders into reality by means of quoting verses, so that nobody would realize that it was actually a miracle." (from inner.org)

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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