By Yehuda Z. Klitnick
Reb Shmuel Aba Zichlinsky (1809-1889) son of Reb Zelig, was the founder of the Zichliner Chassidus, He was a miracle worker, and many followers would travel to him. He was the successor of his grandfather, Rabbi Ephraim Fishel of Strikov, the Strikover Rebbe.
Once, a group of Chassidim traveled from Lodz to Zichlin to be with the Zichliner Rebbe on Shabbos. They arrived Thursday night, and went to greet the Rebbe, to give Shalom, and that the Rebbe should bless them in their requests.
One of the Chassidim, R' Aharon Hirsch, ran a business selling flour, which he used to sell to all the bakers in Lodz, and that is how he was successful. But the tide began to turn as a Gentile who was a wholesale baker, placed orders with him several times for large quantities of flour, and he kept on postponing payment, giving excuses like "come tomorrow" or similar.
However, R’ Aharon Hirsch had to pay for the flour he sold and didn’t have enough money to buy more flour for the bakers. R' Aharon Hirsch poured his heart to the Rebbe and begged him that the Rebbe should intervene so that the Gentile would agree to pay his debt. The Rebbe after reading his Kvitel, wiggled it with his hand, telling R' Aharon Hirsch, "Go home right now, do not wait!"
The Rebbe accepted other Chasiddim’s requests, and R' Aharon Hirsch understood that he had to leave. He stood outside in the courtyard, not understanding what the Rebbe wanted from him. The Gabbay saw that R' Aharon Hirsch was standing nervously, and asked him what happened. R' Aharon Hirsch replied that he desperately wanted to be with the Rebbe for Shabbos.
The Gabbay being clever, said that the Rebbe only wanted him to leave already, implying that it was better to leave because the Rebbe knows perhaps something had happened in his house that required him to be there, and maybe he would still be able to return for Shabbos!
R' Aharon Hirsch understood what the Gabbay said, and decided if he plans to return to Zichlin for Shabbos, he cannot go by train since it departs first early in the morning. Therefore, he looked for a horse-drawn carriage with healthy horses so he can travel quickly and arrive in Lodz during the night, and still be back in Zichlin on Shabbos.
He found a fine Gentile driver and got in. They traveled all night, and R' Aharon Hirsch slept deeply. He was awakened in middle of the night when his wagon crashed into an approaching wagon. R' Aharon Hirsch got out of the wagon, and the Gentile wagon driver, began shouting at the other wagon, claiming he was negligent and owes him money and threatened to call the police.
Meanwhile, it was getting somewhat daylight, and R' Aharon Hirsch saw that the other wagon was actually the Gentile baker’s wagon, which was loaded with furniture and utensils. R' Aharon Hirsch realized that the baker was trying to flee town, so he took a stand and told him, "If you do not pay your debt now, my wagon owner will beat you up badly!"
The baker was frightened, took out his money bag, and paid everything owed to R' Aharon Hirsch, including a small debt for another merchant. R' Aharon Hirsch became very happy and told the wagon owner to check his wagon, and when he saw that no damage was done to his wagon, the Gentile was relieved! He moved his wagon aside and arranged for the baker to continue on his way.
R' Aharon Hirsch was thinking and already understood what the Rebbe saw and why he was told to go. Now it was clear to him that everything was guided by Heaven, that he had to leave then to meet the baker who was fleeing, or he could have forgotten about ever being paid his debt. He reflected and remembered what the Gabbay had said—that he might still return for Shabbos in Zichlin.
He received a renewed sense of confidence and told the wagon owner that they were returning to Zichlin, and he will pay him properly. The driver agreed, and they arrived early enough in Zichlin. R' Aharon Hirsch positioned himself among the crowd of Chassidim who just arrived for Shabbos, and gave the Rebbe shalom, but the Rebbe didn’t react on what had transpired.
In the meantime, R' Aharon Hirsch recounted the story to the Chassidim who had originally traveled with him from Lodz. It was an uplifting Shabbos. After the Shabbos ended, R' Aharon Hirsch went in to the Rebbe and told him the entire story, recalling it vividly, and the Rebbe listened carefully. R' Aharon Hirsch thanked the Rebbe and gave him a fine donation. The Rebbe blessed him to be successful with good health.
Reprinted from the Parshas Vayikra 5786 email of Pardes Yehuda.
