Rav Scheinbaum shared a story about a man who was once waiting in line to enter the office of the Yismach Yisroel, the Alexander Rebbe, zt”l. While he was waiting, he noticed something that struck him as unusual. The poor people entered the Rebbe’s office, handed him a piece of paper on which they had written their requests from him, and they came out of his office almost immediately. It was so quick. They would donate a couple of pennies for Tzedakah, get a quick Brachah, and then it was on to the next in line.
However, the wealthy people would enter the Rebbe’s room and spend quite some time engrossed in conversation with the Rebbe. This man was confused and he became enraged. True, it is the way of the world that the wealthy get preferential treatment, but he would never have expected this to occur with the holy Alexander Rebbe! This was something that could be expected in a bank when someone with a large deposit to make enters, and the entire staff, from the president down to the tellers, all come out to greet him. He could not keep his incredulity to himself.
When he entered the Rebbe’s room, he immediately shared his feelings. The Rebbe understood the man’s consternation, and with a friendly smile and extreme patience, he explained to the simple man why the wealthy people took much longer for their requests to be discussed.
The Rebbe said, “Believe me, my time is very valuable. I have much to achieve with the short time that I have for myself. I must learn and maintain everything I am devoted to, but I give a certain amount of time to listen to the requests of Yiden in need, and I attempt to address their concerns and offer them Brachos.
“When a poor person enters my office, I immediately know what is on his mind. I know what he has and how much he is missing, and I attempt to offer him my Brachah. When a wealthy man enters my room, he is usually smiling and feeling good about himself, as if he does not have a care in the world, and I begin to investigate the real reason for why he is seeking my Brachah.
“I ask him, ‘How is everything?’ to which he replies, ‘Wonderful, could not be better.’
“‘Truly?’ I ask. Is there nothing that is bothering you? Is your family well? How about your business? Are you faring well with your partner?’ With each question, another layer of the false front of happiness is removed, until he exclaims that his business is going down, his partner has deceived him, and that he and his wife are not on the same page concerning how to raise their children, which is causing their children have serious issues.
“After some time, I have been able to reveal the real reason for his visit. You must realize that it takes time to reveal that the wealthy man is himself quite poor.”
The man understood and learned that everyone has concerns to deal with, and their outward appearance is not a good way to determine what is really occurring with them. The reality of their situation will actually be nothing to be jealous about!
Reprinted from the Parshas Bamidbar 5785 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefillah.
