Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Friedman zt"l
Grand Rabbi of Sadigur
In 1938 Austria was annexed to Germany and the years of horror began.
Reb Avraham Yaakov of Sadigur fled European soil soon after and arrived in Eretz Yisrael.
Having left behind thousands of Chassidim, the Rebbe of Sadigur settled in Tel Aviv with the few Chassidim who had escaped with him.
Not that the Rebbe’s Avodoh was any different, with or without a multitude of Chassidim. He served his Creator in his humble, holy way regardless.
During the war years, the Rebbe was the address for any Chassid who managed to escape the inferno and reach Eretz Yisrael. These lonely Yidden from the spectrum of Chassidic courts found a new Rebbe and mentor. Yet, when the few Rebbes who survived came to Eretz Yisrael, the Rebbe encouraged each Chassid to return to his former Rebbe, even though it meant that he was left once again with very few followers.
At one point during his early years in Tel Aviv, it was discovered that the Rebbe swept the pavement in front of his house every morning before sunrise. Asked about the reason behind this strange custom, the Rebbe's eyes misted over with emotional tears as he related the following.
"In 1938 when the Germans took over Austria, they began a new sport. Nazi thugs would roam the streets of Vienna looking for 'fun.' On one occasion they chased and dragged out of their homes several Rabbanim and Rebbes and forced them to sweep the dirty pavements. To the accompaniment of the mocking laughter of the Austrian goyim, only partly drowned out by the loud weeping of Vienna's Jews who were forced to watch their leaders so degraded, these Rabbanim were given brushes and soapy water and forced to scour the paving stones on their hands and knees."
"I, too," continued the Rebbe, "was part of this unfortunate group and as I lowered my head and scrubbed, I made a promise to myself, I took upon myself that if, Hashem saves me that I survive the war and merit to go up to Eretz Yisrael, I would sweep the streets of the Holy Land!
"Now that I have merited to reach these holy shores, I am happy to fulfill my promise."
Subsequent to his revealing the story, the Rebbe realized that his Chassidim followed him every morning to observe him. Considering his promise fulfilled, he stopped abruptly and was never seen sweeping again.
Once, a Jew who had long strayed from the Torah path died. A Chassid told the Rebbe the news and added, "May his death be an atonement for him."
"It is forbidden to speak like that," rebuked the Rebbe sharply. "Do I look the way I do, due to my own efforts? And did he look as he did through his own fault? The reason I am what I am is because I had the father that I had, and he looked the way he did because of his father.
"Who knows? Perhaps had I been the son of his father and he the son of mine, what would he have looked like and what would I look like . . . ?"
He continued vehemently, "Hakodosh Boruch Hu hates one who speaks against Jews, his children. And I too do not like them. There is yet to be born the father who isn't hurt when bad is spoken of his sons. A person must do everything and try to correct them as much as possible, but never speak against them."
Then he repeated, "Hashem hates them and I too do not like them."
"Let me tell you a story of the value of a Jew," the Rebbe continued.
In the town of Belz, one of the Chassidim told the Belzer Rav that a certain Yid, a barber, had given people haircuts on Shabbos.
After the Rebbe spoke to the Yid in question, the man apologized and asked the Rebbe what he could do to put it right.
The Belzer Rebbe instructed the barber to donate to the Beis Hamedrash a candle as atonement for his sin.
To the Chassid who had seen and reported the deed to him, he gave instructions to bring two candles for the Beis Hamedrash.
As for himself, the Rebbe and Rabbi in whose city a precious Jew could do such a sin, the Belzer Rebbe donated five candles for the Beis Hamedrash.
