ELUL: EESH L’REIEIHU UMATANOS L’EVYONIM --Esther 9,22
...these are auspicious days to contemplate the content and teaching of a story told by my holy father-in-law*, about the Tzemach Tzedek** about gemilas chassadim:
The Tzemach Tzedek used to see his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe***, after the Alter Rebbe’s passing, while he was awake or in a night vision in his sleep, and the Alter Rebbe would solve all his difficulties and questions in the Torah, niglah and nistar.
A GEMACH IS GREATER THAN GIVING TZEDAKA
Once the Tzemach Tzedek was locked in his room, learning diligently. As he was learning, many questions that he could not solve arose, and he very much wanted to see his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, as usual, but this time that did not happen, and it caused him great pain.
The next morning, as the Tzemach Tzedek passed the marketplace on the way to his saintly father-in-law, the Miteler Rebbe’s**** Shul for shachris, he met a merchant named Mordechai Eliyahu. Mordechai Eliyahu asked the Tzemach Tzedek for a loan of a few rubles, to be paid back in the evening or the next day, as that day was a good day for him to profit, since it was a market day. The Tzemach Tzedek told him “come to my house after davening, when I return home, and I will give you the loan.”
For what happened next, please see next week’s BET.
--- from Rebbe’s letter. Otzer Igros Kodesh B’nai Hayeshivos edition P110.
*6th Chabad Rebbe.
**3rd Chabad Rebbe.
***The Baal HaTanya, Founder of Chabad.
****2nd Chabad Rebbe.
Chai Elul: Yom Holedes of the Baal Shem Tov and the Ba’al HaTanya.
