The Hafess Hayim called his wagon driver into his study. “I understand that you are traveling to Salant. Please speak to R’ Yosef Zundel,” the Hafess Hayim requested. “Ask him for a blessing on my behalf.” R’ Yosef Zundel was famous throughout Lithuania for his vast Torah knowledge and piety. His blessings were valued and treasured by some of the greatest names in the Torah world.
The wagon driver duly went to R’ Yosef Zundel’s home and asked, in the name of the Hafess Hayim, for a blessing. R’ Yosef Zundel thought for a moment, then replied, “May it be Hashem’s Will that you walk barefoot and bear stones!”
The wagon driver was shocked. This was the prized blessing that the Hafess Hayim had wanted? R’ Yosef Zundel’s words seemed so strange, so utterly bizarre, that the man thought it would be wiser not to mention them to the Hafess Hayim at all. He returned to Radin and went about his business, avoiding the Hafess Hayim entirely.
A day later, he received a summons from the Hafess Hayim. “I see you have returned from Salant,” the Hafess Hayim said. “Why haven’t you brought me an answer from R’ Yosef Zundel?”
“Rebbe,” the wagon driver stammered, “I went to R’ Yosef Zundel, but he - he didn’t make sense! I couldn’t pass on a blessing like that!”
“Why not let me judge for myself?” the Hafess Hayim gently suggested.
The wagon driver, embarrassed to repeat R’ Yosef Zundel’s peculiar blessing, muttered, “He said that Hashem should bless you to walk barefoot, and to bear stones.”
The Hafess Hayim smiled. “Ah, what a blessing!” he sighed. “May it come true very soon...And it would be enough to walk barefoot, without bearing stones as well!”
His family asked, “How could this be a good blessing? What does it mean?”
“Why, it’s simple,” the Hafess Hayim explained. “As you know, I am a Kohen. R’ Yosef Zundel blessed me that I should soon merit to serve Hashem in the Bet Hamikdash, where the Kohanim walked barefoot as they performed their duties. He also blessed me that I should merit to serve as Kohen Gadol, and bear the twelve stones of the hoshen; but as for me, I would be content to be ‘merely’ a Kohen, and serve Hashem in His Holy Temple - may it be rebuilt speedily, in our days!” (Taryag Tales)
Reprinted from the Parashat Vayigash 5784 email of Rabbi David Bibi’s Shabbat Shalom from Cyberspace.
