Rebbe Mordechai of Zvhil, zt”l, was known for the power of his brachos, even when he was still young and did not yet have a very large following as a Rebbe. One time, someone who was suffering an illness came to visit him and asked for a brachah for a refuah sheleimah, and gave him a large amount of money.
Rebbe Mordechai gave him a Brachah, and shortly afterwards, the man was healed. Thirty years later, that man’s illness returned to him. By that time, Rebbe Mordechai was known as the Zvhiller Rebbe.
The man once again took a lot of money and went to get a brachah from the Rebbe, and requested that the Rebbe please daven on his behalf. The Rebbe replied, “I have a suggestion for you. I know someone who is struggling because he is very poor. Why don’t you take the money you are offering me and give it to him instead? He will also daven for you, and with Hashem’s help, you will have a complete recovery.”
The man said, “Rebbe, thirty years ago, I was sick with the same illness, and my Refuah came when I gave money to you and you davened for me, and now I would like to do the same thing and give you money again.”
The Zvhiler Rebbe responded, “Thirty years ago, I was a very poor man myself. When you gave me the money back then and had a complete recovery, it was in the merit of giving Tzedakah that you were healed. But now, Baruch Hashem, I don’t need the money. Therefore, I advise you to give your money to the poor. The merit of giving Tzedakah will surely help you recover once again, and I will surely Daven for you again!”
The man listened as he was advised by the Rebbe, and shortly after, he was completely healed!
Reprinted from the Parshas Lech Lecha 5787 email of Rabbi Yehuda Winzelberg’s Torah U’Tefilah.