The Rebbe Maharash would often convey information in a humorous way, and this was one of those occasions. He said to the chassid, “There are three types of chassidim who take my advice: One says, ‘The Rebbe receives so many letters from people seeking guidance that the information he has amassed from them has given him broad knowledge about all areas of life. That’s how the Rebbe knows what advice to give.’ The second type says, ‘No, he’s actually brilliant and has such a good head that he knows the right thing to say from all his research about all the different subjects that he has studied over the years.’ Then there’s the third group — the foolish people — who say the Rebbe has ruach hakodesh.”
“You asked me the same question three times. Surely you fit into one of the above categories, and whichever chassid you are, you should have listened to my advice!”
Humor aside, when a person asks a tzaddik for guidance on how to conduct himself in any area of his life, he can trust with perfect faith that the tzaddik’s range of vision extends to whichever area of life he is inquiring about because it’s coming from the G-dly source within the tzaddik.
G-d Communicates Through Various Mediums
It states in the Book of Exodus that “After the Jewish people saw the great miracles that took place in Egypt and at the Red Sea, they believed in G-d and in His servant Moses.”
There is a Midrash on this verse, stating that by believing in Moses, they believed in G-d — meaning — that their belief and trust in Moses was an expression of their belief and trust in G-d.
Now a person could easily say, “I believe in G-d with all my heart. I just don’t believe in Moses.” This Midrash comes to say that if someone lacks belief in Moses, he actually lacks belief in G-d. Does that seem a little extreme? But if G-d created a system in which He manifests Himself through the tzaddik — which the tzaddik then manifests to us — then believing in the tzaddik means believing in G-d Who created this system of communication. And if a person doesn’t believe in the tzaddik, we can infer the opposite.
Recognizing that G-d and the tzaddik share a oneness of spirit means that one’s faith in a tzaddik is an expression of one’s faith in G-d; love for a tzaddik is an expression of one’s love for G-d; and fear or awe of the tzaddik is an expression of one’s fear or awe for G-d. This is what makes one’s spiritual connection to a tzaddik such an undeniable imperative: the connection brings out a person’s faith, love and awe for G-d in much greater measure than could otherwise exist.
Because the millions of Jews who had just witnessed tremendous miracles “believed in G-d and in His servant Moses,” they recognized that G-d’s presence can rest within, and work through, an individual. All of his ability to perform miracles came from the G-dly presence within him. So their belief and trust in Moses actually exhibited their belief and trust in G-d.
A similar phenomenon took place in the Holy Tabernacle (Mishkan) in the desert, the Mishkan that existed in Israel after the Jews entered the land, and in the First Temple up until its destruction:
The Urim v'Tumim
As part of his priestly garb, the Kohen Gadol (High Priest) would wear a breastplate in which a holy parchment called the Urim v’Tumim was inserted. The letters of the Hebrew alef-beis were inscribed on precious stones set on the breastplate and when the Kohen Gadol was approached with a question, the Urim v’Tumim would cause certain letters to stand out, spelling the answer to his question. Now, no one would ever believe that the parchment or the breastplate had independent power: clearly G-d was working through the Urim v’Tumim to answer people’s questions.
The fact that the people believed and trusted an answer from letters on a breastplate was an expression of their belief and trust in G-d, because if G-d had instructed people to receive His communications in this way, their belief in the method demonstrated their belief in Him.
The above are perfect examples to illustrate the similar relationship between G-d and a tzaddik to inspire and enhance a person’s Divine service. For just as the Jewish people received advice from Moses and the Urim v’Tumim, so, too, the tzaddik of every generation communicates G-d’s words through whatever means he is given to do so. Believing in a tzaddik exhibits a belief in G-d because of one’s recognition that G-d works through the tzaddik.
While this concept may be initially difficult to internalize, stories of chassidim who sought and received remarkable advice from their Rebbe strengthen our belief in this phenomenon.
A Story
There was once a chassid of the Alter Rebbe named Reb Meir Raphaels. This chassid was one of the leaders of the Jewish community in Vilna, a city known for its staunch opposition to the chassidic movement. Reb Meir Raphaels was quite skeptical about Chassidism himself until the following story took place.
Before he became a chassid, a woman came to him from a faraway town demanding that he find her wayward husband. If he was not found, she would not be able to obtain a legal divorce (a get) and with her ensuing status as an agunah, she would never be able to remarry.
When Reb Meir Raphaels asked why she would come to him — someone who had never heard of her or her husband — she said she had come on the instructions of the tzaddik, the Alter Rebbe, who told her to go to the city of Vilna to find whom she was looking for.
After she described her husband’s appearance, Reb Meir Raphaels assured her that there was no such person in his city. Somewhat irritated by the concept of a Rebbe and the chassidic movement in general, Reb Meir Raphaels tried to dismiss her, but she was persistent. “If the Alter Rebbe sent me here, then my husband is here,” she said firmly, determined to see the fulfillment of the Rebbe’s words.
Every day she would show up on Reb Meir Raphaels’ doorstep asking, “Do you have any news? Have you heard anything?” Annoyed as he was by her persistence, he had no choice but to address her, although his patience was wearing quite thin. This scene repeated itself day after day until, one day, the chief of police paid him a visit with news that several out-of-town prisoners were being routed through his jail. He asked Reb Meir Raphaels to come to the jail to try to arrange for the release of any of the Jewish prisoners by paying their fines or penalties.
Reb Meir Raphaels was shocked to find that one of the prisoners fit the exact description of that given to him by the agunah. Sure enough, the man turned out to be her husband, and after some forceful prodding, agreed to give his wife the get. It was hard for Reb Meir Raphaels to admit that the Alter Rebbe had ruach hakodesh, as believing in such things would challenge his whole way of life. Nevertheless, this incident made him think very seriously about the Alter Rebbe who apparently possessed the ability to see that which the ordinary mind and ordinary eye could not see.
The Trustworthiness of the Tzaddik
Sometimes a chassid comes to his Rebbe and the Rebbe gives him a particular instruction without any explanation. If he is a true chassid, he needs no proofs or logic. Assured of the Rebbe’s lofty spiritual status, the chassid is secure in knowing that whatever the Rebbe tells him is what G-d wants him to know or do. Of course, what the Rebbe does not say is also part of G-d’s directive.
The reason for this “secrecy” has its source in the Torah. The words “in all My house he is trusted,” allude to Moses’ role as a “trusted servant.” But what does it mean to “trust Moses with all of G-d’s house”? A human king trusts a servant “with his whole house” because the servant won’t steal or take anything from the palace. But what could Moses possibly take — or not take — from G-d’s “palace” that would determine whether or not he was trustworthy?
The answer lies in what it is that requires safekeeping. Sometimes there are non-material things in the palace that need to be guarded. Palace secrets, for example, crucial to the safety of the kingdom, need to remain within the confines of the palace.
So a trusted servant is privy to sensitive information of which people outside the walls of the palace are simply unaware. Even though the servant’s position in the king’s inner chambers allows him to see, hear, and know certain things, he never divulges that which he has been commanded to protect.
This is what it means that Moses was trusted with all [the things] in G-d’s house. Moses’ spiritual sight encompassed the world, the future, and the inner dimensions of people’s lives, but he only disclosed those things that G-d gave him permission to reveal.
To make life more understandable or bearable for people, revealing G-dly secrets about their lives would have been greatly helpful to them. Nevertheless, for their own personal growth, people need to have free choice and the particular life experiences that G-d plans for them. Telling them things they are not meant to know would interfere with this process. As such, Moses had to restrain himself from revealing that which G-d meant to be hidden.
This is what made him — and what makes all tzaddikim — G-d’s trusted servants.
People might not be inclined to follow a Rebbe’s advice if they don’t understand all the details and ramifications of what they are being told to do, but a chassid who truly trusts his Rebbe understands that he has been told exactly and only what G-d wants him to know. More than that is not in the Rebbe’s hands. Regardless, it is to the person’s benefit to act on the Rebbe’s advice.
Sometimes the Rebbe’s guidance is purposely unclear: he will merely hint at something since it is not G-d’s will that the instruction itself be clearly revealed. The true chassid understands that the Rebbe conveyed the information in a roundabout way for good reason and it is up to him to figure out for himself what has to be done.
A story is told of a certain wealthy chassid who came to the Rebbe Rashab to get his blessing before returning home after a lengthy visit in the Rebbe’s court. The Rebbe struck up a conversation with him about a certain problem in the yeshivah and insinuated that 10,000 rubles would be needed to ameliorate the situation.
Since the chassid was very wealthy, he understood that the Rebbe wanted him to offer the amount but didn’t want to ask for it outright. Nevertheless, he managed to maneuver the conversation in such a way that he could wriggle out of parting with his money. He set out immediately for home.
On the way, he approached a stretch of road that was only wide enough for one carriage. Just then, however, he saw another carriage coming straight toward him from the opposite direction; one of them would have to move to the side and let the other pass. The chassid took the initiative to be the one to continue on, and, in so doing, inadvertently forced the other carriage off the road.
To his ill fortune, the occupant of the second carriage happened to be a very high official and, outraged by the turn of events, fined the chassid 10,000 rubles. The contrite chassid later admitted his foolishness, acknowledging that had he given the Rebbe the 10,000 rubles that he needed, the incident would surely have never happened.
Who knows what the Rebbe saw? Perhaps he foresaw that the chassid was destined to lose 10,000 rubles and hinted that if he gave 10,000 rubles to tzedakah (charity), it wouldn’t be foolishly lost or wasted. Or perhaps he wanted the chassid to have the spiritual merit of giving the tzedakah of his own volition. Whatever the case, the chassid learned an invaluable lesson: that a person should pay heed even to the Rebbe’s intimations, regardless of the reason.
In the next story, there is neither clear direction nor intimation. There is only the sharing of information that makes no logical sense at all. In such a case, a chassid simply has to trust his Rebbe and watch the events unfold.
In the earlier story about the agunah, Reb Meir Raphaels became more intrigued by the Alter Rebbe and the chassidic movement but still wasn’t ready to commit to it himself. A second incident took place which finally convinced him to become a chassid of the Alter Rebbe.
Another Story
Shortly after the incident with the agunah, a traveler came to Vilna and was hosted for Shabbos at the home of a wealthy Jew. Observing that his host sighed every few moments, the guest realized that he must be very concerned about something and asked him what was weighing so heavily on his mind.
It wasn’t easy for the host to open up, but he finally divulged that he had been wrongly accused of a serious crime, and with a court case pending, could possibly be sentenced to Siberian exile. No matter which lawyer or which angle he employed, the situation looked hopeless.
The guest asked to speak with him privately and suggested that he travel to his great teacher, the Alter Rebbe, to get his advice and blessing. Distrustful of the chassidic movement but desperate to find a solution to his dilemma, the host called his business partner after Shabbos and the two of them went to their friend Reb Meir Raphaels to ask his opinion.
Although Reb Meir Raphaels was reserving judgment about the Alter Rebbe, the incident with the agunah made him wonder if perhaps the Alter Rebbe was indeed a G-dly man. The two men were greatly surprised when Reb Meir Raphaels suggested that they go to the Alter Rebbe to receive his blessing and advice.
Although they would never consult a chassidic Rebbe under normal circumstances, they took Reb Meir Raphaels advice, hoping for the best. But when they arrived for a private audience with the Alter Rebbe, they were stunned when he appeared to ignore all mention of their dire situation and instead ask them a question in Torah: “Are you familiar with the statement of the Rabbis which states: ‘The way a kingdom conducts itself on earth is actually a reflection of how the Supernal Kingdom conducts itself in heaven’?”
Stupefied, they looked at each other as if to ask, “Is this why we traveled all this way? What does this question have to do with anything?!” The Alter Rebbe gave them little time to respond and continued, “I see you have no answer. I will give you one.” He then gave them a clear explanation that satisfied the question he had posed.
As they exited the room, the two men were livid! Not only did the Alter Rebbe ignore their situation, he didn’t give them any advice. Furthermore, while explaining the passage from the Torah, his main interest seemed only in impressing them with his Torah knowledge. All they got from the visit was a loss of time, money, and hope.
All options exhausted, they traveled to Petersburg where the court case was to take place. Speaking to various lawyers, they received the same prognosis from them all: the situation was impossible and a plea for mercy would be their only hope.
With nothing to lose, they decided to fabricate a chance meeting with the Minister of Justice who was known to take a walk in a certain park everyday. They would bribe the park’s guard to allow them to enter the park and hide in the bushes, and when the minister would take his walk they would jump out, fall on their knees, and beg him for mercy. This was their only hope. Having bribed the guard, they arranged with him that when the minister passed by, he would give them a signal.
Indeed, shortly after hiding in the bushes, they spotted a very dignified man walking toward them. The guard signaled but it was the wrong signal, for the man approaching was the Minister of Education and not the Minister of Justice.
Unaware of the guard’s mistake, they ran out from the bushes and fell to their knees, crying and pleading. Finally the man said, “Your predicament is clearly terrible, but I’m sorry... I am not the person you are looking for.” Embarrassed, they began to run away but he called them back. Aware that government ministers could make trouble for people for far less than breaking into a palace park and disturbing a dignitary’s solitude, they fully expected some sort of punishment but, to their shock, he said, “I am the Minister of Education. There is a question that the Czar asked me a few days ago and I’ve been troubled by it for days. You look like Torah scholars; maybe you can give me the answer. The Czar wants to know, ‘What does the Jewish Talmud mean when it says that the earthly kingdom conducts itself like the Heavenly Kingdom?’”
When they heard this question, they immediately understood the reason for the Alter Rebbe’s seemingly incongruous conversation. After giving the Minister the Alter Rebbe’s explanation, they listened dumbstruck as the Minister told them it was the best answer he had heard to date and would convey it immediately to the Czar. When the Czar heard the answer he was so pleased, that the Minister of Education asked his colleague, the Minister of Justice, to arrange to have their records wiped clean. Against all odds, they were able to return home free men.
When Reb Meir Raphaels heard this second story, he finally decided that the Alter Rebbe was really a tzaddik and he subsequently became his student.
In this unbelievable story, the Alter Rebbe helped save the lives of two men without giving them one word of direct advice or guidance. Even that which he did tell them made no sense to them until they eventually saw the wisdom in his words. So even though a Rebbe can’t always reveal exactly how or what to do in a given situation, it is incumbent on the chassid to trust the Rebbe and know that there is a message for him in the Rebbe’s words and a hidden directive in how to conduct his life.
