story of the week (By Yehuda Z. Klitnick)
Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik Yehuda Yechiel Safrin of Komarna (1st day Adar 5634) author of Heichel Habracha, and more, had a close chosid, R’ Noach. He was a scholar, and a successful merchant. He would often travel to various fairs. His love for the Rebbe was reciprocated by the Rebbe. One year, near the end of the winter and still snow on the ground, and the rivers were still frozen, and the only way to travel over them was with a sled. R’ Noach had to travel to a fair. His intention was to stop in Komarna for the Shabbos before the fair, and get a bracha for hatzlachah from the Rebbe. The chosid arrived in Komarna Friday afternoon. He went in to the Rebbe to give him shalom, but he was disturbed by what he saw. Usually, the Rebbe gave him shalom with a joyful look on his face, but this time the Rebbe looked very sad.
R’ Noach assumed that the Rebbe was busy preparing for Shabbos and figured he would talk to the Rebbe about the fair on Motzei Shabbos. The entire Shabbos, the Rebbe kept looking at R’ Noach sadly, and didn’t speak a word to him. R’ Noach became worried as he didn’t understand what the Rebbe saw on him. Motzei Shabbos, R’ Noach asked the gabbay for an appointment with the Rebbe.
The gabbay who knew R’ Noach, was certain the Rebbe would welcome him and see him immediately. To his surprise, the Rebbe told him he would see him after Melaveh Malkah. R’ Noach became more confused when he heard this. Apparently, the Rebbe sees something happening, and that’s the reason the Rebbe had looked at him very differently that Shabbos than he had ever looked at him before. R’ Noach strengthened his Emunah, and did not lose hope. R’ Noach went into Shul and sat down to eat Melaveh Malkah, and heard stories about Emunah and Bitachon.
Suddenly it grew quiet, as the door opened, and the Rebbe came in, standing by the door. Everyone stood up, and the Rebbe stood by the door for a while, looking at the Chassidim and his glance fell on R’ Noach again, who began to tremble from fear of that severe look.
The Rebbe summoned R’ Noach to his room and spoke to him warmly: “I hear that you’re traveling away immediately after Melaveh Malkah. It hurts me that we weren’t able to talk the entire Shabbos as we usually do. Therefore, I want to compensate and not let you go home empty-handed. Before you leave here, the gabbay will give you a package. Inside the package will be my Beketche, a very light robe. You will put on the robe when you need to. You’ll see then how light it is to wear. But be very careful to keep it with you at all times,” the Rebbe said. R’ Noach lit up from simcha, and realized that the Rebbe had no hard feelings towards him, quite the opposite! He was lending him his own Beketche, which he had never done for anyone else. After Melaveh Malkah the Rebbe said goodbye to R’ Noach, and the gabbay gave him a small package, and R’ Noach gave the gabbay a tip as thanks.
After Melaveh Malka, R’ Noach and gentile driver harnessed the horses to the sled and packed all the packages on it, and the chosid and the driver sledded out of town. The small package the Rebbe had gifted him, R’ Noach tied it to himself and wouldn’t let go of it the entire time. They expected to arrive at the fair Monday. The entire Sunday they rode in the sled. They stopped only at a Jewish inn, where the chosid davened, and ate something. It was a very smooth trip. That Sunday night they had to travel all night, because the fair opened Monday morning and had to hurry. Finally they reached a river which would lead to the fair, The driver checked and looked over the ice carefully to see if it was thick enough to carry the weight of the horses, the sled, the two people, and all the packages. When he was certain the river was frozen enough, he took them across the river. But half-way across the river, the ice began to break. They tried to hurry across, but the sled, with the chossid and the driver fell into the river. The screams of the chosid and the driver went unheard, because the river was far from any residence. The driver, who was able to swim a little, tried to drag the reins of the horses to pull it out of the river, but instead the horse pulled the driver deeper into the water. The chosid was completely unable to swim, but suddenly he remembered the Rebbe’s robe that was tied to him. He was desperately trying to stay afloat and breathe, and somehow opened the package and managed to put on the Rebbe’s robe. Suddenly, he felt as light as a feather. He felt as if he were floating on top of the water. He was able to swim! He swam to the shore, and stood up on his feet. He was saved! He thanked the Hashem for the chessed He had done for him. He looked for the driver and the wagon, he found nothing. There was no sign of them at all. They had gone down to the depths of the water, and had not managed to make it out.
Dressed in the Rebbe’s Beketche, R’ Noach began looking for a Jewish inn, so he could rest there and dry out. From there, he hoped he could find his way home. He soon found a Yiddishe inn, where a good-hearted Yid took him in and sat him next to their oven, and gave him warm food to eat and drink. The chosid told the Yid what had happened to him, and how he was saved because the Komarner Rebbe, saw what would befall him, and prepared a Yeshua for him. R’ Noach told of his dealings as a merchant and he lost merchandise that fell in the water as well as his money. He asked the Yid to arrange a horse and wagon that could take him to Komarna and then home. At home he has money to repay him for all the expenses.
In Komarna the Rebbe said to him, “Nu? We told you our Beketche was a light one! Then the Rebbe said “I saw that there was a harsh decree on your life, and I was very sad on Shabbos. I worked hard tear the decree entirely. But Chazal say (Vayikra Rabbah 10:5), that davening accomplishes half of the desired result. So I davened and asked Hashem to please spare your life, and Hashem helped. You lost your horses and merchandise, but your life was spared.” R’ Noach was grateful to the Rebbe and thanked him. R’ Noach repaid the Yid for his help, and managed to make some good deals and recouped his losses very soon after.
