There were once two chasidim who were followers of Rebbe Moshe Tzvi of Sevran. One, Reb Meir who had recently lost his wife, was a poor Torah scholar. The other chasid, Reb Tzvi Verbka, was a wealthy innkeeper. Divine Providence decreed that their lives become entwined as follows:
After the untimely death of his wife, the young Reb Meir went to live and study at the court of his Rebbe. He set out on foot to Sevran. On Lag B'Omer he stopped at an inn belonging to Reb Tzvi. There, he joined the other Jews in their festive celebration. Although Reb Tzvi was away on business, he had prepared a large meal complete with ample refreshments.
When the guests had all eaten and drunk they decided to have some fun. One of the locals suggested: "I've got an idea! You're a widower and the innkeeper's daughter is a widow - why don't the two of you get married?"
Reb Meir was an earnest young man, and after thinking it over he agreed. The laughing crowd proceeded to the daughter's house where they presented their idea to her. Seeing that they were all happily drunk, she saw no harm in humoring them. When Reb Meir proposed the match to her she agreed in a spirit of fun. The crowd drew up a marriage contract and brought out four broomsticks and a tablecloth to serve as a chupa. The bride and groom performed their respective roles perfectly, even breaking the glass at the end of the ceremony to shouts of "Mazal tov!"
The bride and groom were carried on the shoulders of the drunken celebrants, and the merry-making continued into the night until everyone was tired. They all went off to their rooms, leaving Meir abandoned. The next morning he resumed his trip and soon arrived in Sevran.
Meanwhile Reb Tzvi returned home. Seeing the littered remains of the night's feast and the make-shift chupa he asked what had gone on. When he was told about the make-believe wedding between his daughter and the poor traveler, he began to wail: "What have you done? This was a perfectly legal marriage and you have married my daughter to some wandering beggar!"
There was nothing to do, but to go his Rebbe without delay and obtain a divorce for his daughter. Reb Meir had already arrived in Sevran and had explained the story to Rebbe Moshe Tzvi.
When the Rebbe suggested that he give her a divorce he flatly refused; he was very satisfied with the arrangement. The Rebbe summoned a rabbinical court that decided that the father of the bride must pay the groom damages of 1,800 rubles, after which he would grant the divorce. Both sides agreed, but a delay of a few days was requested in order to gather the money.
The Rebbe moved quickly. Borrowing 300 rubles he set about to transform the appearance of the young groom. With a haircut, a new suit and a beautiful fur hat, Reb Meir was a sight to behold. He impressed everyone with his good looks and intelligent mien.
When Reb Tzvi arrived, money in hand, the Rebbe took him aside and whispered, "I have found the perfect match for your daughter." He introduced Reb Tzvi to the renovated Reb Meir, whom he didn't even recognize. Reb Tzvi was duly impressed and agreed to the match. When the Rebbe revealed the truth Reb Tzvi's face fell.
But the Rebbe spoke further: "I heard in heaven that this match has been decreed. You, however, were supposed to have lost your entire fortune, and so been forced to take this match. When I prayed on your behalf I succeeded in averting that part of the sentence."
When the Rebbe saw that Reb Tzvi was still unmoved he continued: "Let me tell you a story. There was a wealthy man with a daughter of marriageable age. The Baal Shem Tov told him of a match for his daughter and asked that the girl's brothers meet the prospective groom. When they arrived, they noticed a bagel-seller in the street. Secretly, the Baal Shem Tov called to the peddler and gave orders that he be groomed and properly attired.
"The Baal Shem Tov then called the now elegant-looking bagel-seller to appear and he invited the visiting brothers to test the young man on any aspect of Talmud they wished. They asked the most difficult questions and to their surprise, he answered brilliantly. They rushed home to tell their father about the excellent match the Baal Shem Tov had proposed. The couple was introduced, the arrangements made, and a beautiful wedding was celebrated.
"Soon after the wedding the bride and her family were shocked to find that the groom, who had seemed so scholarly the week before, showed no evidence of his previous brilliance. The brothers went to the Baal Shem Tov for an explanation and he told them: 'I saw in a vision that this bagel-seller was your sister's destined mate. It had been decreed that your father die, leaving her an orphan forced to go begging. In that way she was to have met her husband. But I pleaded for your father's life, promising to arrange for the couple to meet in some different way.' "
Reb Tzvi's face had softened; he was now convinced that this match was right. The couple lived many happy and prosperous years together, frequent visitors to the court of the Rebbe of Sevran.
