TWO REBBES
My rebbe from Peshischa said that everyone needs to have two rebbes, one from this world and one from supernal worlds up above – Olam Ha’elyon. I understood that he was referring to the Maharal because he was telling us just then how he had been to his kever in Prague. He said that he had studied the Maharal’s sefarim before davening and that his tefillah that day was especially fluent and fluid. I heard that when he was at the Maharal’s kever in Prague, he asked for three things and promised that if they were fulfilled he would publicize the great value of the Maharal’s sefarim (Ramasayim Tzofim on Tana Devei Eliyahu Chap 18, cited in Gevuras Ari p10, footnote #24).
A VISIT FROM THE TOSAFOS YOM TOV
Once, as the Rebbe Reb Bunim of Peshischa sat together with his disciples, an elderly talmid chacham, who remembered Rav Bunim from his younger days when he was in Vadislov, approached and greeted him. Since he remembered Rav Bunim as a youngster, he did not greet him by the title Rav or Rabbi and the disciples and talmidim of his chevraya were upset by this and rebuked the elderly guest for his lack of honor and respect for their rebbe. “You know what?” replied the elderly talmid chacham from Vadislav, “I will test your rebbe and ask him a question from the commentary of the Tosafos Yom Tov. If he knows the answer I will indeed honor him with the title Rav and Rebbe.” He asked Rav Bunim, and the Rebbe Reb Bunim closed his eyes in concentration and rested his head on his arm for several minutes. Finally he lifted his head, opened his eyes, and delivered a very good explanation in the Tosafos Yom Tov, answering the visitor’s question. The guest was amazed. “I asked many scholars, but no one could answer my question. How did you know the answer?” “Well,” explained the Rebbe Reb Bunim, “I ascended on High and asked the neshamah of my departed rebbe the Yid HaKadosh, who in turn went to visit the Tosafos Yom Tov himself in the heavenly academy. He explained that the printer had missed a few words. He explained the answer to me and that’s how I know it!” (Yechabed Av, Shem Ha’gedolim Ha’chadash pg 30b)
THE DAY THAT THE REBBE QUIT HIS JOB
A chassid once came before Rav Fishel of Strikov and complained that he needed to marry off one of his daughters but he had no money to do so. “Rebbe, what shall I do? he said. “I need advice because I can think of no way to marry off my daughter by natural means!” Rav Fishel who was known to affect miracles did not hesitate to suggest to the chassid a solution:
“Listen to me; please go and purchase a lottery ticket and G-d willing you should have hatzlacha and siyata Dishmaya (success and Heavenly help).”
With this blessing from the Strikover Rebbe, he dutifully went to purchase a lottery ticket. Some weeks passed and as the date of the lottery approached the chassid’s financial state of affairs took a sharp downturn. He could not even provide for his family’s needs nor purchase provisions for Shabbos. Feeling out of options, the chassid succeeded in finding someone to buy his lottery ticket for the amount he needed to buy something for the coming Shabbos. He reasoned thus, “I have no Shabbos candles, no challos, and no wine for kiddush; no one will lend me any more money and my creditors are hounding me. At least let me have basic Shabbos provisions!” He sold the ticket and with the proceeds he made Shabbos.
A few days later the lottery numbers were announced and the chassid’s ticket was, in fact, the winning ticket! But it was the Yid who had purchased the ticket from the chassid who became the recipient of the seventy thousand rubles in prize money.
The terribly anguished chassid returned to Rav Fishel and poured out his heart to the tzaddik: “Rebbe rebbe, why did this happen to me?! What was I to do!? Should my family and I have fasted and sat in the dark all Shabbos?!” he cried.
Rav Fishel was heartbroken over the chassid’s misery. He stood up and announced to the
