Reb Menachem Mendel of Kosovo decided to visit his Rebbe, Reb Feivish of Zabrze, who was spending Shabbat in Skole. Being poor, he traveled on foot.
By Thursday evening, he reached an inn in a nearby village and asked the innkeeper for a place to sleep. The innkeeper replied: “A room to sleep I can give you, but for an evening meal I have nothing. Even my small children are asking for bread, and I have none. I owe the landowner much rent. If I don’t pay soon, he’ll arrest my family and me. I have no money at all.”
Reb Menachem Mendel was deeply pained by this and couldn’t sleep all night. In the morning, he blessed the innkeeper that Hashem should help him, and continued on his way.
On the road, he saw a beautiful wagon with a Jew inside who asked: “Young man, where are you heading?” He replied, “To the Rebbe of Zabrze.” “If so,” said the man, “come ride with me, I’m also going there.”
The Surprising Request
Reb Menachem Mendel replied: “I’ll only travel with you if you give me twenty reinish silver.” The man was surprised: “Isn’t it enough I offer a free ride, and you ask for money?” Still, he added, “I’ll give a respectable donation, but not such a large sum.” Reb Menachem Mendel said, “Believe me, I don’t need the money for myself—it’s for others and for your benefit.” The rich man asked, “What benefit will I gain besides the mitzvah of tzedakah?” “Who knows what tomorrow will bring,” Reb Menachem Mendel replied, “as life is a wheel of fortune...” These words moved the rich man, and he gave him the twenty reinish silver. Reb Menachem Mendel said: “I won’t move until you return with me to the nearby inn to see the mitzvah you’ve done.”
The Secret
The rich man agreed. They went to the inn. Reb Menachem Mendel gave the money to the innkeeper and told him to go to town to buy mashke for the inn. He blessed him with success in all he does. Then he said to the rich man: “One mitzvah brings another. Let’s daven here shacharit, and meanwhile, give your wagon driver some money to buy bread for the children and us.” The rich man gave the driver money, and soon he returned with a sack full of bread. Reb Menachem Mendel distributed bread to the children, gave the rest to the inn keeper for Shabbat, and kept a bit for himself for the journey.
Before leaving, he whispered to the innkeeper: “Know that from now on, you will rise higher and higher. While in a short time, this rich man will go back 10 steps. So, know what you should do to repay a good deed for a good deed.”
Know How to Act
They continued to the tzadik of Zabrze, It was packed but the tzadik said: “Make room for those who just performed a great mitzvah.” Reb Menachem Mendel told his Rebbe everything that had happened with the rich man, that he saved the lives of several souls. The Rebbe said: “I know, my son, I know. But did you tell the innkeeper that he should know how to act with the passage of time?” “I told him,” replied Reb Menachem Mendel, “and he accepted it upon himself.”
After Shabbat, the rich man returned home content. But soon, his fortune turned. His business failed, and he became a pauper, forced to beg from city to city.
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The Benefit of Tzedaka (continued)
Meanwhile, Reb Menachem Mendel became known as the Rebbe of Kosovo. With great love for the Jewish people, he blessed and helped others. People flocked to him, and he instilled in them love of Torah, of fellow Jews, and of G-d.
Years later, the former wealthy man, now poor, found himself near Kosovo. He didn’t know the Rebbe was the same man he had helped years before. Fellow paupers told him: “Let’s go to the Rebbe of Kosovo. He gives generously.” When they arrived, the Rebbe recognized him and called him privately, saying: “I want to give you advice, and may Hashem be with you. I will give you a letter to a wealthy man, and through him your salvation will come.”
A Good Deed for a Good Deed
The man was surprised by the attention but said nothing. He delivered the letter. The wealthy man, without even opening it, said: “I know it’s from the Rebbe of Kosovo. Today he appeared to me in a dream and said the time has come to repay a good deed with a good deed.” He reminded the poor man of the events years earlier and shared the secret the tzadik had whispered to him. The poor man’s face lit up with joy. The wealthy innkeeper said: “Stay with me until I make a true accounting of all Hashem has blessed me with, and then we’ll travel to Kosovo, and what the Rebbe will tell us, we will do.” That’s what they did.
We do not know the psak din (verdict) of the Rebbe, but what is known is that the poor man received a large amount of money and the Rebbe blessed him with success. The man began once again to do business and became even wealthier than before.
Source: Translated and adapted from Sippurei Chassidim by Rabbi Zevin. Adapted and reprinted from melavamalkastories.com.
