Story: The Tzaddik Waits For Him Until He Finishes Crying / A Wondrous Story
Story: The Tzaddik Waits For Him Until He Finishes Crying
A wondrous, miraculous story was told by an important young man belonging to a large Chassidic group (who recently drew close to Morinu HaRav shlit"a, along with a large group of his friends, may they live). Last week, in the middle of the Maariv (evening) prayer with Morinu HaRav shlit"a—as is known, by the loving-kindness of Hashem, we have recently merited to pray Mincha and Maariv with the tzaddik over the phone with immense vitality, as well as Sefiras HaOmer (the counting of the Omer). We hear the voice of the tzaddik singing the prayer with indescribably pleasant melodies, especially during Sefiras HaOmer and the prayers that follow it, and the awakening melody of "Ana B'Koach," where every word is repeated seven times. It is amazing to hear how Morinu HaRav shlit"a, amidst the immense intensity of his indescribable suffering, is completely attached to the living and enduring King, not feeling this world and its vanities at all, sitting and singing to the Creator of all worlds. This is exactly as Rebbe Nachman zy"a writes in Likutey Halachos, that a person was created only to feel the sweetness, pleasantness, delight, and friendship of nullifying oneself to the Infinite (Ein Sof). And we hear the voice of the tzaddik singing, "Ana, Ana, Ana, Ana, etc., B'Koach, B'Koach..."
Whoever has not witnessed this event every night—how the students of the tzaddik sing and play music with the holy Rav shlit"a with immense devotion (deveikus) and tremendous joy—has never seen true goodness in his days. One can feel how all the vanities of this world, its lies, and its illusions are completely nullified and melt away in the face of the supernal pleasantness that the tzaddik bestows upon those attached to him. In any case, this young man was participating in the prayer over the phone via the Breslov information line. Suddenly, in the middle of Sefiras HaOmer, he was struck by confusions and doubts about the tzaddik. As is known, the Baal Davar (the Evil Inclination) fights with all its might whenever someone wants to draw close to Hashem and to true tzaddikim. In the bitterness of his soul, he began to cry bitter tears. As the holy Rebbe Nachman zy"a writes, when doubts arise, one must cry out to Hashem, and the word "Kashya" (question/doubt) is an acronym for "Shma Hashem Koli Ekra" (Hear, Hashem, my voice when I call). He cried until he calmed down, feeling that Hashem had heard his voice, and he was strengthened... But wonder of wonders! The entire time he was crying before Hashem, the Rav shlit"a paused and waited for him until he stopped crying, and only then did he continue. Everyone heard this that night: in the middle of the song "Lamnatzeach Binginos" (Psalm 67) which is sung after Sefiras HaOmer, the Rav suddenly stopped for a few minutes and then continued, and no one understood why. Later, this young man told this story. Certainly, the Rav shlit"a participated with him in his sorrow and terrible pain, just as the holy Rebbe writes, that the tzaddik hears the sighs of all those who are attached to him.
A Wondrous Story: The Broken Flashlight That Shined Again in the Merit of Torah Study
An avreich (Torah scholar), one of the students of Morinu HaRav Eliezer Berland shlit"a, related a wondrous event he experienced. He owned a high-quality flashlight with a strong beam, which he had bought specifically so he could study Torah on the road during nighttime travels. The flashlight required regular charging with a special charger, but one day it simply stopped working. No matter how much the *avreich* tried to turn it on, the flashlight would turn off after a short minute, and he sorrowfully assumed that the device was completely broken.
Thirst for Torah in the Darkness
That evening, after the Maariv prayer and Sefiras HaOmer in the presence of Morinu HaRav shlit"a, which were recited with immense vitality and enthusiasm, the avreichim and the young men remained in the beis midrash (study hall). As is their holy custom, they sat down to learn and complete their daily study sessions. One could tangibly see the tremendous thirst for words of Torah that Morinu HaRav shlit"a constantly instills in his students, as everyone just wanted to grab another page of Gemara and another paragraph of Likutey Halachos.
However, at that time, a significant difficulty arose. Recently, a problem had developed with the lighting in the place, and only a very dim light was on, making it difficult to read the letters. The avreichim made a great effort to learn, but the lack of light made it very hard for them. Suddenly, that avreich remembered that the broken flashlight from that morning was sitting in his pocket.
He Who Commanded the Oil to Burn
A simple and strong emunah (faith) awakened in the heart of the avreich. He said to himself: "Perhaps in the merit of the tzaddik and his precious students a miracle will occur, and the flashlight will turn on properly." He took out the flashlight, turned it on, and placed it up high on the ceiling so it would illuminate all the learners sitting beneath it.
And wonder of wonders! Ten minutes pass, and another ten minutes, half an hour goes by, and even a full hour—and the flashlight does not turn off. This was in complete contrast to what had happened earlier in his home, where the device refused to work despite all attempts. The flashlight continued to shine with a precious light, to the great joy of those studying.
This event tangibly demonstrated to everyone that a tzaddik rules through the fear of God. As the Sages said: "He who commanded the oil to burn, will command the vinegar to burn." All of nature is subjugated to Hashem, may He be blessed, and to His faithful servants, and in the merit of the Torah and the tzaddik, even a broken flashlight can illuminate the darkness.
From Issue 80 — Parashas Emor
From the series "A Tzaddik Rules Through the Fear of God" — "Shafir Amar Nachmani" Publications