Novardok

The Chazon Ish said about a person who is always getting angry and insulted that this is a sign of being a small person. People who think big and live with Hashem are not so Makpid on their Kavod. Worrying about your Kavod all day, and being too concerned about the impression you make on people, makes you a spiritually low person.

A person I know, was close to the Kapitchnitzer Rebbe. He observed that the Rebbe was not a sensitive person. He was busy doing Chesed for others day and night. Getting hurt by others and angry at people, was not his thing. Even when the Nazis forced him to do menial work in order to be M’vazeh him, he still didn’t seem to care, since his Kavod meant nothing to him.

A higher person [more spiritual] who lives in order to come close to Hashem through Bitachon and perfecting his Middos, does not care if others seem to be more successful than him. He isn’t busy competing and being jealous of others’ accomplishments, as he knows that “accomplishment” is in the hands of Hashem. He enjoys his davening, learning, Chasadim, and Bitachon in Hashem, and has no time for pettiness.

The Alter of Novardok had absolutely no fear of wealthy people, and he let them know it! He made fun of their fancy houses and all their elegance. Kavod, Kavod, Kavod! You are giving yourself away! Your silly lust for Kavod is all over your house. This is Novardok mentality.

Yet, when the Alter needed to build a Yeshiva in a town which had Chasidic leanings, he would act like a typical Chasidic Admor, and he knew all the shtick to pass for a total “holy Rebbe”. The Chassidim would be impressed with him, and they would send their children to Novardok. Many, many of his greatest Talmidim were originally Chasidic.

In general, Chassidim were comfortable with Novardok since they were known for their high level of Yiras Shamayim. R' Chaim Halperin Zatzal was an Ostovtze Chassid back in Poland. After the war, he joined R' Gershon Zatzal. The Pshevorsker Rebbe was a best friend and admirer of R' Gershon, and R' Shloimke Zviller Zatzal gave his house over to a Novardok Yeshiva in Yerushalayim, and he was responsible for their food supply.

When Novardokers crossed over from Russia to Poland, they stopped off at Zvill to tell the Rebbe about their dangerous journey. He would go to the Mikva, and would come out telling who will make it safely and who won’t.

I was told that after a while the Novardokers stopped coming to him, and relied more heavily on their constant involvement in working on Bitachon, since if you are a true Baal Bitachon you can succeed even when it was originally decreed in Shamayim that you won’t be Matzliach.