Once, a foreign ruler summoned Rebbe Reb Shmelke before him. The Rebbe Reb Shmelke traveled together with his talmid, Rav Moshe Leib Sassover. Together they journeyed by ship and were at sea for many weeks. It was the night of Rosh HaShana when a great sea storm raged and began to toss the ship to and fro among the high waves. The entire crew was seized with fear and thought that at any moment they might capsize and drown.
Rebbe Reb Shmelke was deep in meditation while Rav Moshe Leib Sassover sang and danced all night, singing Shiras HaYom – oz yoshir Moshe – bellowing in a loud voice! Every few minutes Rebbe Reb Shmelke asked if it was already dawn, as he sat in eager anticipation, burning with hislahavus, aflame with excitement for the upcoming moment when he could blow shofar!
As soon as dawn broke, Rebbe Reb Shmelke blew the shofar and immediately the storm ceased, the waves calmed down and the sea returned to normal. They were saved!
Afterward, Rebbe Reb Shmelke asked Rav Moshe Leib why he sang and danced.
“I thought at any moment we would drown and I would come face to face with my Maker. I was so excited to meet and see Hashem, how could I refrain from singing and dancing?!” was Rav Moshe Leib’s reply.
When they came before the king, Rebbe Reb Shmelke’s regal, stately appearance filled them all with awe, respect and reverence. They saw he was a G-dly man and so they freed him of any charges and wrongdoing. Tzaddikim who retold this story explained further that it wasn’t Rebbe Reb Shmelke’s shofar blowing that calmed the sea, not at all; rather it was his ga’aguim – his pining, heartfelt desire all night long for the opportunity to fulfill the mitzva that did it.
