Excerpted From a Ma’amar by the Tolna Rebbe שליט"א
I heard from my esteemed father-in-law, Rav Yaakov Yitzchak Weisblum zt”l, a story he heard about the Divrei Chaim of Sanz זיע"א from a Sanzer chasid. Every year, at the end of Simchas Torah, the Divrei Chaim would throw apples to his chasidim, and anyone who received one was assured to enjoy a comfortable parnasa (livelihood). This was a tried-and-tested segula for wealth. Each year, the chasidim would crowd together and push and shove, striving to receive the great benefits of this special segula.
As the number of chasidim grew, this started becoming dangerous, to the point where it was actually life-threatening, with thousands of chasidim eagerly vying for the apples thrown by the Rebbe. Eventually, the Rebbe’s son, the Gorlitzer Rebbe זיע"א, approached to him and informed him about the dangerous situation. He implored the Divrei Chaim to refrain from this practice, in the interest of safety.
The holy Rebbe of Sanz replied, “A special bounty of blessing and wealth descends upon me from heavens at those moments… How can I not bestow this bounty upon my fellow Jews?”
The Gorlitzer Rebbe came up with an idea. He suggested that an announcement be made in the beis midrash in the Rebbe’s name that anyone who dares to push in order to receive an apple from the Rebbe will endure ten years of poverty. Everyone should instead stand in place, and those who receive an apple without having to push will benefit from this segula.
The Rebbe of Sanz shuddered upon hearing the idea, but realizing that this was necessary to avoid life-threatening danger, he agreed.
Sure enough, on Motzaei Simchas Torah, before the Rebbe threw apples, the gabbai stood and announced in the Rebbe’s name that everyone must stand in place, and whoever pushes is guaranteed ten years of poverty.
Everyone in the room stood frozen in place, until suddenly, from the edge of the beis midrash, an elderly Jew was seen pushing and shouting.
The chasidim sharply reprimanded him. “What are you doing?” they asked. “The Rebbe warned that whoever pushes will face ten years of poverty! Do you want to be poor for ten years?”
The man answered, “Look, I am a very old man. The Rebbe promised ten years for anyone who pushes – what do I care if I’m rich or poor if I am guaranteed another ten years of life? Should I not push for the promise of living another ten years?”
This story reflects the ideal of אמונה פשוטה, simple, unflinching faith, as in the Torah’s description of Benei Yisrael after the splitting of the sea: “ויאמינו בה' ובמשה עבדו” – They believed in G-d and in Moshe, His servant” (Shemos 14:31). This pure faith depends upon the education that one receives as a child from his home, specifically, from the righteous mothers who teach and inspire their children to live with simple belief. May HKB”H bless and assist the righteous women in this sacred endeavor, to bequeath אמונה פשוטה to their children, and they should be privileged to see בנים ובני בנים, בנים עוסקים בתורה ובמצוות, amen.
