Relieved with the Bracha the Rebbe Rashab’s Shliach had given him, R’ Asher went to the draft office. At that time, the Russian armed forces were looking for sailors to man their submarines and a sailor had to be clean shaven, which R’ Asher was not. The draft officers told R’ Asher that he must cut off his beard, to which he replied that he is a religious Jew and is therefore prohibited from cutting his beard. The draft officers were Russian rednecks, brash and coarse, and R’ Asher’s response made them burst out laughing. A naval commander walked by the office, and drawn in by the raucous sound, inquired as to the reason for their laughter. They laughingly told him to ask R’ Asher why he can’t cut his beard! The commander got the same honest answer from the Chassid and immediately started laughing uproariously too, singing a popular Russian song, “The Russian military will do just fine without you!,” as he sent R’ Asher home!
