The Rebbe Who Didn’t Believe
The Tiferes Shlomo relates that the G-dly tzaddik, Rav Fischel of Strikov adamantly refused to believe that any Jew ever sinned. In fact, even if someone would report to him that a Jew had, Heaven forbid, transgressed a prohibition, he would deny their report. He countered: “No Jew could do an aveira (sin)!” This belief was due to his immense sanctity; he was so attached to Hashem and his ahavas Yisroel was so strong that he never saw anything negative in any Jew, as it says in parshas Balak, “Lo hibit aven beYaakov v’lo roah amal b’Yisroel.” (Tiferes Shlomo Avos)
The Chozeh's Bed
Rav Pinchos of Ostila told how his father Rav Yosef of Ostila once learned that the Chozeh of Lublin would be passing through Ostila.
Rav Yosef greatly wished that the Chozeh would choose his home to visit during this rest stop and so he began advance preparations in order to host this important guest. He knew that the Chozeh’s custom was that as soon as he arrived, he would lie down to recover from his journey. So, Rav Yosef hired a G-d fearing carpenter to build a new bed expressly for this purpose. He explained his intentions to the carpenter: “When the holy Chozeh lies down on another’s bed, his holy senses are attuned to the spiritual vibrations of the bed. If he finds fault with the impression left by the bed’s previous occupants, he will complain that the bed is painfully pricking him as if with spikes. Therefore, I ask you, please immerse yourself daily in the mikvah before you begin your work and as you work think clean pure thoughts.” At first, the carpenter was afraid to undertake such a delicate task and concerned that he was not up to par. Eventually, Rav Yosef convinced him to carry through with the job and the carpenter began work on the Chozeh of Lublin’s new bed.
Still feeling unworthy, the carpenter nevertheless carried out the task. But as he worked, he was constantly disturbed by thinking, “What a holy tzaddik will be resting on this bed!”
Finally, the new bed was completed and the carpenter brought it before Rav Yosef. Rav Yosef was ecstatic. He made up the bed with brand new linens, pillows, and blankets and locked the room so that no one should enter to touch the bed or lie upon it even by accident.
After a few days, the long-awaited moment of the Chozeh of Lublin’s visit arrived. The tzaddik was invited to rest in Rav Yosef of Ostila’s home. “Please rebbe, come; I have prepared a room and bed for you to rest up from the long tiresome trip.” To the delight of his host, the Rebbe of Lublin accepted and Rav Yosef led the Chozeh to the room where the new bed was.
However, no sooner did the holy tzaddik lie himself down when he jumped up and cried out, “Gevald! Es shtecht mich! – Oy the bed is stabbing me.”
Rav Yosef was greatly astonished. How could this be? Still, attempting to find a solution, he said, “Please rebbe, rest in my own bed.” The Chozeh of Lublin laid down on Rav Yosef Ostila’s bed with a sigh of satisfaction. “Ahhh! Now that’s better. This bed is massaging all of my tired limbs; I can feel the purity and sanctity seeping through me.”
The Chozeh was soon fast asleep resting peacefully in Rav Yosef’s own bed.
Rav Yosef was puzzled with all of this and so, when the Chozeh woke up, he posed the question to the tzaddik: “Rebbe I assure you that I have had this bed made brand new especially just for you and I have this room locked, and no one has entered and no one has ever used this bed before! In fact, I hired a Jewish carpenter, a G-d fearing man to build the bed with the best of intentions. What could have gone wrong?”
“No no. Heaven forbid,” answered the Chozeh, “It’s not that the bed is not kosher; it most assuredly is. However, every time I lied down, I could feel sadness overtake me, and it pained me as if I was being poked. This bed was made by a G-d fearing Jewish carpenter indeed, but he was working on it all during the nine days between Rosh Chodesh Av and Tisha B’Av and as he mourned the destruction, his dark thoughts made an impression on the bed. That is what I cannot stand; I sense pain and suffering on that bed!” explained the Chozeh. (Niflaos Harebbi p. 7 #5)
