Once the Ari HaKadosh left with his students as was their way to learn outside the city. They turned to pass by the grave of the Tanna Hoshea ben Bari, there the students sat and drank in his words with a thirst. Suddenly, his face darkened, he saw with his Ruach HaKodesh that a large swarm of locusts was approaching the city and will destroy the food, and the entire city of Tzefas will perish from hunger. The students were frightened and asked what happened that this harsh decree was decreed against their city?
The Arizal replied that there is a poor man in their city, his name is R’ Yaakov. This poor man sits in hunger and not one of the residents of the city is aware of his difficult situation, and R’ Yaakov complained to Heaven about his situation, and so it was decreed the locusts should come upon them. Because of the explanation of the Arizal, the students collected a nice sum of money, and he sent his student R’ Yitzchak to bring the money to the poor man.
R' Yitzchak hurried to find the house of R’ Yaakov the pauper, and when he arrived, he heard his crying before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, and he said, “Ribono shel olam, why was it decreed on me and my family this terrible hunger? Am I worse than all the other residents of the city? Doesn’t HaKadosh Baruch H feed and sustain from the karnei re’eim [a large creature like a wild ox] to the eggs of lice, what will be of me and my family?” R’ Yitzchak rushed in and gave him the money and the face of the poor man lit up. R’ Yitzchak explained that because of his crying a terrible famine was almost decreed on the city of Tzefas. He returned to his Rav and his friends outside the city. A short while later, the students saw a heavy cloud of locusts approaching the city of Tzefas, but the Ari HaKadosh told his students not to be concerned for the decree was already nullified. Just then, a strong wind arose and took the locusts with it to the sea, not one locust remained.
The Torah warns us to pay the poor man his wages on that day, 'והיה בך חטא'ה'כי עני הוא ואליו הוא נושא את נפשו ולא יקרא עליך אל – ‘for he is poor, and he risks his life for it; let him not call out against you to Hashem, and there be a sin in you’ (24:15), and Rashi explains, ‘And there be a sin in you – in any case, even if he does not call out against you, but they take what is due through one who calls out.’
These words arouse us to the great need to be careful when it comes to interpersonal matters, especially in these days when we all want to be written in the Book of Life, we must be doubly careful not to distress another Jew, because ‘they take what is due through one who calls out’, and Teshuva, Tefillah, and Tzedakah nullify the bad decree. – Tiv HaTorah – Ki Seitzei
