R’ Asher Sossonko once related the following story, describing it as similar to the previous three stories where the Yetzer Tov fooled the Yetzer Hora.
R’ Yankel Zhuravitzer was a very special Chassid who lived during the times of the Frierdiker Rebbe. The Frierdiker Rebbe once said about him, “If I had twenty Yankels, I would have turned over the entire Russia!”
Once, R’ Yankel was walking in the streets of Moscow when he noticed a nonreligious Jew across the street, busy with his peddling business. The Jew was in good spirits, as business was brisk, and when he saw Yankel standing there, dressed in Chassidishe garb with a beard and Payos, he mockingly called out, “Reb Yid, perhaps you have Tzitzis or Mezuzos to sell?” R’ Yankel used this opportunity to approach the Jewish peddler, and ignoring his mockery completely, gave this Jew a proper, warm Sholom Aleichem. R’ Yankel began a lengthy conversation with the peddler about his roots, history, and life, and was able to connect deeply with this Jew through their meaningful conversation. The Jew gave R’ Yankel his address, and R’ Yankel told him he would bring him Mezuzos the next day.
The following day, as promised, R’ Yankel showed up at the peddler’s house equipped with Mezuzos, a hammer, and nails. He knocked on the door and then, before even entering, hammered a Mezuzah onto the doorpost. R’ Yankel met the Jew’s family, played games with the younger children and Farbrenged and connected with the older ones. The family was so moved by this encounter that they asked R’ Yankel to come to their home more often. As he was leaving, R’ Yankel took out an Alef Beis chart and showed the children some of the letters. R’ Yankel also spoke with the father about arranging for a Melamed to teach his children and made sure to leave a Siddur behind for them.
From then on, R’ Yankel would visit this family often, and each time he came, there was tremendous Simcha in the house, especially among the little children. Eventually, the Jewish peddler’s family took on the mitzvah of kashrus and became Ba’alei Teshuva, all because of R’ Yankel’s deep love for another Yid.
R’ Asher Sossonko related that when he was in Nevel, a beardless Jew from Moscow, came to the city. He hired a Melamed for his son, taking care of room and board for him too, which was very unusual because the Moscow Jews were known to be more assimilated to Russian culture. Why would such a “worldly” Jew bring his young son to Nevel to learn? Curious, R’ Asher went over to the Jew from Moscow and asked him how he came to bring his son to Nevel, to learn in a Chassidishe Cheder. The Moscow Jew told R’ Asher, “I am a R’ Yankel Zhuravitzer Ba’al Teshuva. He made me into a Jew, and I want my son to be a Jew, too.”
