During the time when the Besht lived in Talusk, there was a local innkeeper who was very poor and had a very hard time paying his rent to the local landowner. The landowner employed a Cossack policeman who would often cause much pain to the innkeeper when he came to demand the rent. This Cossack was a constant source of anguish for the innkeeper.
One month, he didn’t have a penny for rent and he feared that the Cossack would harm him, and possibly even kill him. He ran to the Besht and tearfully told him about his plight. The Besht said, “Go home. Don’t be afraid. Hashem will help you today. Even if you don’t have the money, the Cossack will not be able to hurt you.”
That day was market day in town. The innkeeper managed to make a business deal, and he made a big profit. Suddenly, he saw the Cossack running towards him with a very angry look on his face. Since he had yet to pay the rent, he wanted to punish him. When the Cossack got close to the innkeeper, he froze. He was unable to move at all!
The Cossack begged the innkeeper to help him. The man ran back to the Besht and told him what happened and said that he was worried that the landowner would be mad at him and would evict him from the inn. The Besht told him, “Tell the Cossack that he must commit to never harm another Jew. If he does this, he will be fine.”
As soon as the Cossack made this commitment, he was able to move again. The innkeeper then counted the money he had earned and saw that it was the exact amount he needed to pay his rent.
