1487 (5786-38) 23 Sivan 5786 (June 8, 2026)

"Morning, And G-D Will Know"

With a quaking heart, he entrusted his money to the hotel manager. "If the man wasn't honest, a half-year's work far from home would be for naught," he worried to himself.

Why This Week? The apt title of the story is a quote from this week's Torah reading, Korach [in Israel, next week outside of Israel], Num. 16:5

Story in PDF format for more convenient printing.

"MORNING, AND G-D WILL KNOW"

Chasidim traveling home after spending an inspirational Shabbos with Rebbe Mordechai ["Mottel"] of Chernobyl were repeating the various Torah insights that they heard from him. "We never had such a good Shabbos," they said.

An unlearned chasid nodded his head in agreement. "You're right. I never had such an inspirational visit to the Rebbe like this one."

The chasidim wondered what he meant because they knew that he couldn't follow the Rebbe's deep Torah thoughts. They enquired, so he told them about the conversation he had with Rebbe Mottel.

"The Rebbe asked me to tell him my [daily schedule]. I told the Rebbe that the first thing I do each day is go to the marketplace. When I'm finished with my business, I go to shul to davven [pray].

"Rebbe Mordechai told me that it isn't proper to do so. He insisted that I should begin the day with prayer. I told the Rebbe that I would lose too much business. That's when he told me the following story:

"There was a melamed [teacher] who couldn't find any children to teach near his home. The only position he found was to tutor the children of a wealthy man who lived far away. "He went there, and after half a year, he put the money he earned - 300 silver rubles and 80 groshen ['cents'] -into his pouch and, guarding it very carefully, set out on the long journey home.

"Friday arrived and, he was still on the road, so he stopped at an inn for Shabbos. What should he do with the money to keep it safe? A half-year's wages is not something to take lightly. He was tempted to keep the money on him throughout Shabbos, but he decided that wouldn't be proper, so with a quaking heart he entrusted his money to the hotelier. If the man wasn't honest, a half-year's work far from home would be for naught," he worried to himself.

"The entire Shabbos he wondered whether he did the right thing, and if he will ever see his money again. "Immediately after Shabbos, he asked the hotelier for his pouch and breathed a sigh of relief when the man gave it to him.

"But there was still a possibility that the hotelier stole some coins. So, he sat down at a table in the inn's dining hall and counted out the money. He began with the rubles. He stacked them on a table and counted out exactly three hundred silver rubles, the amount that should be there. Thank G-D. Then he began counting the copper groshen.

"Someone saw him counting the groshen and shook his head in disapproval. 'If the hotelier is dishonest, he would have stolen silver rubles. If he didn't, you can be certain he didn't steal the eighty copper groshen either.'"

The Rebbe concluded, "Every morning, the Creator of All returns your soul when you awaken. Don't you see that He is taking care of you? He is caring for your life, your health, for all your needs. If He cares for these, you can be certain that he will supply you with parnassah [livelihood] as well. There is nothing to fear. Davven early in the morning, and then go about your business. G-d will support you in this way too."

The chasidim listened to this story in astonishment. A few moments after he finished, they unanimously agreed that he had an even better Shabbos than they!

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Source: Adapted & supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from "Torah Wellsprings" - Rav Elimelech Biderman (Bahar 5782 / May 2022) - as translated by R. Baruch Twersky.

Why This Week? The apt title of the story is a quote from this week's Torah reading, Korach [in Israel, next week outside of Israel], Num. 16:5.

Bio: Rabbi Mordechai ("Mottel") Twerski of Chernobyl [1770 - 20 Iyar 1837], the son-in-law of Rabbi Aharon the Great of Karlin, succeeded his father, Rabbi Menachum-Nachum, becoming the second rebbe in the Chernobyl dynasty and eventually a leading rebbe of his generation. His eight sons all became major Chasidic leaders.
[One of them, Yaakov-Yisrael Twerski of Cherkassy, the first Hornsteipel Rebbe, married Devora Leah, one of the six daughters of Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch, son of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (the match was arranged by the two grandfather-Rebbes), in order to maximize the possibilities for fulfillment of the prediction of the students of the Maggid of Mezritch that the Moshiach will be born of his elder disciple or the youngest.]

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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