Weekly Chasidic Story 643 (s5770-28 / 8 Nissan 5770)

Earning the Prize

The young man determinedly maneuvering forward explained: "I want to get a dollar as soon as possible [from the Lubavitcher Rebbe] so I can go on line again and get another one."

Connection: Seasonal -- 11 Nissan: Lubavitcher Rebbe's birthday

 

Earning the Prize

Yerachmiel Tilles


Uri and Moshe (not their real names) were roommates at the prestigious Chabad yeshiva in Brunoy, a suburb 20 km (13 miles) southeast of Paris. In the month of Shvat 5752 (1/92), Uri won a lottery for a ticket to fly to New York to spend an occasion with the Lubavitcher Rebbe. That Sunday morning, as every week, a long line extended on Eastern Parkway as hundreds and perhaps thousands of Jews from all walks of life waited patiently on line to receive a blessing from the Rebbe and a dollar bill to give for charity.

Standing in his place and looking around, Uri was surprised to notice one young man determinedly darting his way forward and slipping in front of those before him. He asked for an explanation and was told, "I want to get a dollar as soon as possible so I can go on line again and get another one."

The idea intrigued Uri. Why not? But just as was about to bolt from his place on line and surge forward, he had a second thought. Fool the Rebbe? That's ridiculous. Of course the Rebbe will know. Better to simply request from the Rebbe the amount of dollars that he needed.

He started to calculate. Parents, siblings, cousins, etc. The total was fifteen. Fifteen? Could he really ask the Rebbe for such a large number? He had never heard of anyone asking for so many.

His turn came. And at that moment, standing eye-to-eye with the Rebbe, he decided he just couldn't do it; it was too presumptuous.

The Rebbe looked at him, smiled, and carefully counted out 15 dollars. "For the members of your family," he murmured to Uri, and gave him a blessing as well.

Uri returned directly to the Yeshiva. He would be able to go home to distribute the dollars to his relatives until the Passover vacation that begins two weeks before the Seder, but that meant he could proudly tell all his friends the story and show them his treasure.

His roommate, Moshe, was especially impressed. And then came his own turn to fly to New York. But whatever plan he formed about dollars from the Rebbe based on the inspiration of his roommate unfortunately did not come to fruition. Instead the tragic event of 27 Adar A 5752 occurred, when the Lubavitcher Rebbe suffered a massive stroke. There would be no more Sunday morning meetings with the Rebbe and distribution of dollars from him for charity.

Moshe returned to France and almost immediately started in on his roommate. "Please give me one of your Rebbe dollars. You have fifteen. Fifteen! I don't have any and now I can't get any. I'm only asking for one."

Uri refused. He had summoned all of his courage to ask for this large number of dollars for the sake of his family, and the Rebbe had clearly designated the bills for them. It was not possible to give them to anyone else. Not even "just one."

The days went by. Moshe continued to plead. After getting the same response over and over he realized he needed a plan. He decided to bargain.

"Listen, Uri, give me one of your dollars and I'll be your servant for a month! Until the Pesach break. I'll carry your books. I'll bring you water to wash your hands. I'll… I'll give you massages! Whatever you say."

Uri was pretty sure he shouldn't accept, but how could anyone refuse such an offer! He gave in. As for Moshe, he happily kept his side of the bargain, and did all the minor tasks and favors for his roommate that Uri could think of. He even invented a few extra in order to discourage Moshe, but it didn't work. Moshe continued cheerfully "earning" his dollar until the morning they were about to leave for their respective homes.

"Okay, Uri, pay up. I did what I promised to do. Now do your part and give me one of the dollars from the Rebbe." Uri was reluctant to deprive one of his relatives -"Which one?" he wondered nervously-but he knew he had no choice. Moshe had indeed fulfilled his promise mehadrin min mehadrin. Reluctantly he handed over one of the dollars that he had received from the Rebbe's holy hand.

A half year later, Moshe and Uri became brothers-in-law! Without Uri knowing about it, a month or so after Passover, his sister started dating Moshe seriously. The Rebbe's fifteenth dollar had been delivered into appropriate hands after all!

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[Slightly embellished from the version I heard in the Chersky sukkah half a year ago from someone who knows both men in the story. Please do not reprint without permission.]

Biographical note:
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (11 Nissan 1902 - 3 Tammuz 1994), became the seventh Rebbe of the Chabad dynasty after his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, passed away in Brooklyn on 10 Shvat 1950. He is widely acknowledged as the greatest Jewish leader of the second half of the 20th century. Although a dominant scholar in both the revealed and hidden aspects of Torah and fluent in many languages and scientific subjects, the Rebbe is best known for his extraordinary love and concern for every Jew on the planet. His emissaries around the globe dedicated to strengthening Judaism number in the thousands. Hundreds of volumes of his teachings have been printed, as well as dozens of English renditions.


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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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A 48 page soft-covered booklet containing eleven of his most popular stories may be ordered on our store site.


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