The Saraf of Strelisk zy”a was known for his fiery, enthusiastic tefillos. When he davened, he would scream loudly and vigorously. A guest from Germany once came to stay in the Rebbe’s house. In his hometown, the custom was to daven quietly and somberly.
When the Rebbitzen asked him how he liked it in Strelisk, he replied, “Everything is fine and good but there is one thing I don’t understand. Why does the Rebbe scream and make so much noise when he davens? Why can’t he stand still and pray quietly?”
The Rebbitzen answered, “His heart is burning within him and this causes him to scream.”
The guest said, “My heart also burns within me but I still daven quietly.”
The Rebbitzen stood her ground and maintained her opinion that when someone has a fire burning within them, it is natural to scream. If one does not scream, it is a sign that their heart is cold. The guest would not agree. He continued to claim that his heart also burned with passion but he manages to keep his composure. Seeing that they would not agree, the Rebbitzen left it at that.
On Friday afternoon, the guest handed his wallet to the Rebbitzen, asking her to put it away for him in a safe place. Right after Havdalah, he asked for his money back but she acted as if she knew nothing about it.
She said, “What money? You never gave me anything.”
Of course, the man disputed her and said that he had given her his wallet to watch over Shabbos but she kept telling him that he must be mistaken, as she did not have his money. Finally, the man lost his patience and he began to scream at her, “Why are you doing this to me?”
She then said to him, “Why are you yelling? Why don’t you speak calmly and quietly?”
He responded, “Because you got me all heated up. I can’t speak calmly when you made me so burning mad.”
She then told him, “Listen to yourself. You just admitted that one can’t be calm and quiet when a fire is burning within him. My husband screams during davening because that is when he is on fire, and you scream about money because that is what gets you fired up.”
She then returned his wallet, having taught him an important lesson.
Reprinted from the Parshas Tazria-Metzorah 5785 email of The Way of Emunah: Collected Thoughts from Rabbi Meir Isamar Rosenbaum.
