Story of the week
The Belzer Rebbe's gartel rescues a Yid from harm
A chosid of the first Belzer Rebbe, HaRav Shalom of Belz, also known as the “Sar Shalom”, once traveled from deep in Russia, from a faraway shtetl, to be in his Rebbe's holiness for Yomtov Shavuos. But things did not unfold as he anticipated. When he approached to give "Sholom Aleichem" greeting to the Rebbe, he was met with an altogether unnerving response: "Return now to your home. You will reach it in time for Yomtov. I am giving you this gartel as a gift. When you are awake throughout the night of Shavuos, and you will recite the saying of Tikkun Leil Shavuos, make sure that you wear it the entire time. Go lechaim ule'sholom, my son."
The Rebbe's pronouncement struck the man like a thunderbolt. With a bitter wail, he exclaimed: "But Rebbe, I beg you, let me stay here in your presence. I suffered greatly on the long and hard road from my town, just to be here with the Rebbe for Shavuos. How can I just turn around and repeat the journey in reverse?" The Tzaddik appeared unmoved. He merely emphasized: "Now is not the time to ask questions. Just follow my instructions. Another detail: Beware of removing this gartel the entire night, and this year don't go to beis medrash as you usually do to recite the Tikkun. Say the entire nusach at home after your Yomtov meal and all will be well." Having exhausted all appeals, he had no choice but to return home.
After an exhausting and strenuous journey, he rolled into the shtetl late in the afternoon on Erev Shavuos. Needless to say, his wife was startled to see him back so soon and quickly surmised that something was odd. "What are you doing back here, Husband? The idea was for you to spend Shavuos with the Belzer Rebbe, so what happened? Not only that, but do realize how late it is? The zman is in forty-five minutes, barely enough for you to get ready for Yomtov. "Believe me, I am as puzzled as you are. With barely a word, the Rebbe sent me back home with this gartel in hand, which he instructed me, without the slightest hint of an explanation, to wear the entire night of Shavuos."
His wife, whose emunas tzaddikim was very firm, simply said: "If the Rebbe told you what to do, then we have to obey. We must not think into it. There's obviously something going on here that we don't understand." The chosid ate the Seuda, and sang nice Zemiros. After the meal, the chosid instead of going to Shul as he would always do that night, sat at home, wrapped in the gartel as the Rebbe had directed, and said the Tikkun Leil Shavuos as he did every year, with a loud and studious niggun. Suddenly, he heard heavy bootsteps at his door and knew instinctively what they meant.
His gubernia -locality- had been plagued by an elusive band of merciless, bandits, who would invade houses, steal what they could and eliminate any witnesses. He was prepared to meet his Maker when the bandits starting pounding on the door with their hatchets. They managed to break in, but upon seeing the Yid, they became paralyzed and speechless, glued to their spot helplessly. Our chosid took the Rebbe's gartel and used it to tie the leader's hands and feet as the others watched helplessly. He ran to call the police who came and arrested the whole band, showering our hero with praise for apprehending the vicious fugitives. Now the Rebbe's intentions became clear as day: the purpose for the man's return home was to rescue his wife from a cruel end and to save his property, but one thing remained a mystery: why did the paralysis envelop the intruders the instant they stepped across his threshold? Upon interrogation, the truth emerged: the robbers revealed that they had heard that the man would be away for the Jewish holiday, which made his family and property a tempting and easy target. Their plan was to kill, and empty the house of all valuables. But when they viewed the chosid encircled in the Rebbe's gartel, a panic took them in its grip and their criminal career came to a crashing end. The chosid saw now, that the Belzer Rebbe's wondrous gartel and Ruach HaKodesh guarded him at long distance from the Rebbe, and kept him whole in body, sprit, and worldly possessions.
