There was once a Chassid who came to the Chortkover Rebbe seeking his blessing and a salvation. He had an upcoming trial with a life and death outcome and the verdict looked grim. The Chassid was greatly strained and his somber mood radiated defeat and sadness. It was Motzo’ei Sukkos and the Yom Tov had just ended. The Chassidim in the Chortkover’s court were celebrating the spiritual heights and the great lights that the festival had left them with; they were on a great spiritual high and were dancing joyfully. The Rebbe advised the hapless Chassid, “Join them, join the Chassidim and dance with them and you shall see your salvation.”
“Rebbe, how can I dance at a time like this?” asked the despondent Chassid.
“Let me tell you a story,” said the Chortkover, and this is the tale he told:
From on high it was made known to the holy Ba’al Shem Tov that if they were unable to sanctify and bless the new moon on Motzo’ei Yom Kippur it was to be taken as a sign that the coming year would be a difficult one, with harsh sentences and decrees against the Jews. Now it was Motzo’ei Yom Kippur and the new moon was nowhere to be seen. As torrential rains poured down, a thick layer of clouds covered the skys and even darker clouds clouded the Ba’al Shem Tov’s mind, as he wondered how it would be possible to sanctify and bless the new moon in such weather. What chance was there that the new moon would appear?”
Whatever spiritual methods the Ba’al Shem Tov tried, whatever yichudim and kabbalistic unifications and meditations the Tzaddik did were to no avail. Nothing helped. The skies continued their dark, cloudy raining and the tears flowed from the Ba’al Shem Tov’s eyes as he tried and failed to gain favor and reveal the reluctant moon.
Meanwhile the talmidim and Chassidim were oblivious to their master’s sorrow. As was their custom on Motzo’ei Yom Kippur, the Chassidim danced and danced, singing, praising, whirling, twirling in joy, celebrating the holy day and the atonement and forgiveness it granted.
Their joy broke all bounds! Their dancing was infectious and as it began in the outer courtyard despite the heavy rain, it continued to sweep up all the Chassidim indoors, in the house of study and tefillos, until every room was full of Chassidim dancing with boundless joy! Then the Chassidim burst into song and danced into the Rebbe’s inner sanctum. The doors flew open as the Chassidim in their excitement asked their Rebbe and master to join in their dance. The Ba’al Shem Tov acquiesced and soon he too was swept up in the rhythm of the dance and the song of the happy souls of the joyous Chassidim. As soon as the Tzaddik danced with them, his clouds parted – and then the message began to be relayed from outdoors inward that an amazing thing had happened. The rain had ceased, the clouds had parted and the moon was shining in all its resplendent glory. Said the holy Tzaddik, the Ba’al Shem Tov, to his talmidim, “What I was unable to succeed with my yichudim, you, my talmidim, have succeded in doing with your simcha, dancing and joy!”
The Chortkover concluded his tale, the Chassid understood the lesson, joined the dance and saw his salvation. (Nesivos Sholom I 15:5 p288)
