Weekly Chasidic Story #919 (s5775-42 / 19 Tammuz 5775)

The Shabbat of Missed Opportunity

As soon as Rabbi Aharon of Karlin the Great set his foot inside the door of his unknown host and hostess, he felt himself enveloped by an overwhelming sense of holiness,

Connection: 192nd Yahrzeit of Rebbe Shlomo of Karlin.

The Shabbat of Missed Opportunity

Once during his travels, Rabbi Aharon of Karlin arrived at the town of Zarowitz close to the Shabbat. He saw a small cottage situated on the edge of the town and he knocked on the door, hoping to find some hospitality there. A small woman opened the door and listened to his request to remain there for the Shabbat. "You are welcome to stay," she replied simply, "my husband, will be home soon," and she ushered him into the house.

As soon as he set his foot inside the door, Rabbi Aharon felt himself enveloped by an overwhelming sense of holiness, and he realized that there must be something unique about the occupants of this house. R. Aharon prepared himself for the Shabbat and was about to go out the door to the synagogue when he met Reb Yitzchak, the owner of the house, just returning from his workday. The man was dressed in simple peasant garb, and there was nothing to distinguish him from any other worker. He introduced himself as Yitzchak and greeted his guest warmly, but his features disguised any emotion.

Aharon of Karlin was accustomed to celebrate the Shabbat with enthusiastic singing and prayers, and he followed his usual rituals. His host, however, rushed quickly through the prayers, hurriedly said kiddush over the wine and then sat down to eat his simple meal. But even in this plain food, R. Aharon could detect an undeniable holiness, although he couldn't figure out what it stemmed from. He studied the man and woman, but there was nothing special about anything they said or did that would set them apart from any of ten thousand other poor Jews.

When the Shabbat ended R. Aharon thanked his host and hostess and continued on his journey, the mystery unsolved.

* * *

The following week, a woman turned up in the Study Hall of the nearby city of Premishlan and spoke to the members of the local burial society requesting that they come with her. "Please come with me to Zarowitz now, for my husband is dying and he has asked that you be with him in his last moments."

The men immediately followed her to her home, but when they entered the house, her husband wasn't even there. "What is this, some kind of joke? Have you brought us all this way for nothing?"

"No, of course not, gentlemen," she replied. "My husband is on his way and will be here shortly."

Shortly after, her husband walked through the door, holding a bunch of straw. He spread the straw on the floor and laid down upon it, on his back. Then he began speaking to the burial society officials:

"My friends, it is now time for me to leave this world. I have lived a secret life as a hidden tzadik (perfectly righteous person) all my life, but the time has come for me to reveal myself. The moment that I die, go with all speed to Premishlan and bring back as many scribes as you can gather. Have them bring pens and paper, for here they will copy over my secret writings. This must be done while I am still lying here on the ground, before I am buried. Watch me, and when you see a change in my face, all writing must cease at once."

R. Yitzchak finished speaking, closed his eyes, and for a moment his face burned like a fire. Then, his lips which had been moving in silent prayer became still, and he was gone.

Scores of scribes were hurriedly brought to the cottage where the tzadik lay. Each one was given a leaf of paper to copy and they raced against time to complete their holy task. The officials' eyes were fixed on the face of the tzadik, looking for any change. Suddenly, the face lost all of its color and the box which contained his writings mysteriously closed by itself. The scratching of pens stopped abruptly, and preparations were quickly begun to ready Yitzchak the tzadik for burial.

* * *

When Rabbi Aharon of Karlin heard of the death of the tzadik and the circumstances which surrounded it, his heart was filled with bitter regret. What wondrous Torah secrets he might have learned from the deceased! He went to pay his respects to the widow and perhaps to glean some bit of knowledge from her husband's secret life.

"Well, there's nothing I can really tell you," she said. "I'm sorry, but my husband wouldn't permit it."

R. Aharon was bitterly disappointed. He wished her comfort, among all the mourners of Zion, and turned to leave. But just as he reached the door, the widow called out to him, "Wait, there's one small thing I can show you. Do you see those candlesticks there on the shelf? Well, from the day I married until the day my husband died, the candles that were lit in them burned constantly, all by themselves."

Rabbi Aharon left the cottage deep in reflection. The wondrous accomplishments of the hidden tzadik would remain one of G-d's many secrets, perhaps to be divulged only by Mashiach, himself.
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Source: Supplemented by Yerachmiel Tilles from the rendition on //lchaimweekly.org (#1014).

Biographical note:
Rabbi Aharon ("the Great") of Karlin; (1736 - 19 Nissan 1772) was a disciple of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritch. He was the pioneer of Chasidism in Lithuania, as is evidenced by the fact that in contemporary sources, "Karliner" was a local synonym for "chasid". He is remembered for the ecstatic and unrestrained fervor of his prayer, for his solicitude for the needy, and for the moral teachings embodied in his Azharos ("Warnings"). He was succeeded by his disciple Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin (1738 - 22 Tammuz 1792), after whose death the succession reverted to R. Aharon's orphaned son, Rabbi Asher of Stolin (1762 - 1826), who had been sheltered and educated by R. Shlomo since the age of 12. The dynasty still thrives today; the Chasidim are known for the volume of their communal prayers.

Connection: Seasonal--192nd yahrzeit of Rebbe Shlomo of Karlin.

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