There was a soldier in Czar Nicholai’s army who was an addicted drinker. He would drink away all his money. One day, he found himself strapped for cash; how was he going to fill his addiction? He wasn’t the type to just call it an evening; he wanted more to drink, but how would he pay for it?
He approached the innkeeper and asked if he could get a drink on credit. The innkeeper, though, replied that he only extended credit with collateral; the soldier would have to hand over something as a guarantee that the money would eventually be paid.
The soldier searched himself for something to give the innkeeper, but the only thing he had was the weapon with which he fought. Lacking any other choice, he took the weapon that he was given from the Czar and handed it over to the innkeeper. “When I have money,” he told him, “I will repay you and take back my weapons.” In the meantime, his weapon remained at the bar.
The problem arose when Czar Nicholai visited that army base to check in on the soldiers. This soldier carried a large bag, as though he had his weapon inside it, which itself wasn’t conspicuous, as many soldiers held their weapons in a bag. Overall, the Czar was pleased with the order and discipline he saw in the camp, but toward the end of the inspection, he called over that drunken soldier and asked him to open his bag.
Why the Czar had specifically chosen him, the soldier couldn’t tell. But the nervous soldier nonetheless stepped forward with a racing heart, opened his bag, and without a choice, showed the Czar that it was filled with straw. Understandably, he was punished severely.
The question begs to be asked: How did Czar Nicholai know to suspect that soldier? Other soldiers were also carrying their bags, but this soldier aroused his suspicion. Why did he accuse only him?
Rebbe Asher of Stolin repeated this story and suggested the following: The Czar had many soldiers. They were all carrying their ammunition. As they carried their weapon, you could see that they were exerting themselves, as the ammunition was heavy and weighed them down. The Czar noticed how this soldier was holding it effortlessly and with ease. He thus understood that the bag must be empty. Heavy bags clearly indicate the powerful content contained inside.
Rebbe Asher of Stolin continued with a fundamental lesson to be learned for our avodas Hashem. When one is confronted with challenges and obstacles which weigh in on him, he shouldn’t view it as something preventing his growth, but rather should understand them as signs of growth. (Reprinted with permission from Mechon Be’er Haparsha, Beha’aloscha p. 15)
