It was Shabbos Selichos and there was a large crowd. On Erev Shabbos before Davening Minchoh a group of Avreichim and Yidiedim stood in the Beis Hakneses and spoke to each other. As it is written in Seforim HaKedoshim, that during this Shabbos everyone must make a Cheshbon HaNefesh (self-inspection) on all that he has done all of the Shabbosos and all the days of the year. If so, we must rectify and make a Cheshbon HaNefesh of the whole year, and we shall see that we are empty handed and we must rectify all of our actions. Standing broken heartedly, we concluded to go into the Rebbe [Reb Yisroel of Stolin - Frankfurter] ZY”A and we shall all reveal our hearts blemishes, and request advice to rectify ourselves. As we concluded, the Rebbe entered the place that we stood originally, without asking us anything, and he said as follows in his Heilige words. “We must tell Moshe’n Zhandar to make a big Kugel, the Kugel should be as big as all of the Kugels of the whole year”. We did not say anything, as we saw his words were Ruach HaKodesh. After that he continued, “Nu, it is known that this Shabbos is a Shabbos that encompasses all Shabbosim and is even greater than Rosh Hashonoh. Every Yid must make an evaluation of his actions of the whole year. Only a good accountant makes an evaluation calm and happily, he will therefore not be mistaken. And if he finds a mistake, he is not Moroh Shechoroh (depressed), rather he corrects that the coming year it shall correct in contrast to the previous year, and in the coming year it shall be good.” He continued Bilishon Kodsho, “This is a steady rule, even Cheshbon HaNefesh, must be lively and happily, like the good accountant. And even if it is not perfect, we must ask Slichoh (forgiveness) and for the future keep a good diary.” One person asked, how can one be happy with such a Cheshbon HaNefesh that everyone knows about themself? The Rebbe ZY”A stood in his place and proclaimed, “We do not mean Simcha Shel Mitzvoh (happiness of a Mitzva), we mean plain Simchoh and not Moroh Shchoroh’dig Chas VeSholom.” And the Rebbe went with his words and instilled in everyone a great unmeasurable happiness during that Shabbos and to the days of Rosh Hashonoh, Simchoh and Sosson, good heartedly.
Sefer Birkas Aharon
