The Belzer Rebbe made an exchange and healed the son of the Poritz
A Yid who was a close chosid of the Sar Sholom, Reb Sholom Rokeach, the first Rebbe of Belz, had lived in Belz, Ukraine, when he was younger. However, he later moved to Russia. He made friends with the local Poritz there, who saw his honesty and let him use his bar. The Yid made a good living from the bar and lived in peace there. The son of the Poritz suddenly lost his mind one day. He was no longer able to talk to people normally. There was a great deal of sorrow in the Poritz home. They sought assistance from a variety of doctors, and when that failed, they turned to witches and magicians. They were unable to find a cure for his son, and nothing worked. To the Yid, who was now his close friend, the Poritz opened up and asked if he knew anyone who could heal his son. The Yid was convinced that the Belzer Rebbe could assist the Poritz and heal his son, so he suggested that he go to Belz and talk to the Grand Rabbi there. The Yid remarked, "This is a minor matter by the Rebbe."
The Yid told the Poritz this for another reason. In order to visit the Rebbe and his family, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, he hoped to obtain a wagon from the Poritz and use it to travel to Belz. The Poritz consented to travel to the Belzer Rebbe because they were open to trying anything. With his son strapped to his seat, he boarded a wagon and set out for Belz, using the Yid as a guide. The Yid entered Belz as soon as they got there to greet the Belzer Rebbe and offer him Shalom.
He explained to him that the Poritz's son had become ill and that it would be wonderful if the Rebbe could cure him after the Poritz had taken him to numerous medical professionals and witches who were unable to assist him. "Don't bring me cases like that," the Rebbe reprimanded. It is sufficient for Yidden to approach me and request my assistance. I must now complete this task for Goyim as well. The Yid was extremely distressed when he left the tzaddik's home. He now felt remorse for manipulating the Rebbe into something completely unrelated to the Rebbe in order to satisfy his own personal needs. The Rebbe was correct. When did the Belzer Rebbe have to bring yeshuos to Goyim and heal them?
He painfully informed the Poritz that the Rebbe was unable to assist them. The Poritz became enraged. I'll behave that way toward Yidden if that's the case. Go inform your Rebbe that the hundreds of Yidden who reside on my properties, along with their spouses and kids, will now all go hungry because they depend on my towns and villages for their livelihood. You will be the first of them to be banished from my properties. Right now, I won't even take you home. You will be traveling with your wife and kids, escaping my territories, by the time you locate a donkey that will transport you home!
The Yid pleaded with the Poritz to allow him to return to the Rebbe. The Poritz agreed. After hearing what the Poritz had to say, the Yid returned to the Rebbe and explained that he and hundreds of other Yidden were now in danger. "Rebbe!" he exclaimed. "Should so many Yidden be forced from their homes because of one goy? Yidden needs assistance now, not just a goy! The Belzer Rebbe remarked, "Yidden is having trouble now." "I must assist if that is the case. Tell him to go home with his son in my name when you visit the Poritz. He ought to count the towns he passes as he departs from this one. After counting seven towns, he should enter the seventh one, proceed to the town's priest, and enter his home. I swear that his son will recover there, in his home.
The Yid departed with joy, certain that the Poritz's son would be healed and that assistance had arrived. The Yid's words caused the Poritz to become happy as well. He started getting ready to go back home. In the end, they arrived at the seventh town. The Yid were familiar with the town and knew that its priest was a Jew-hater and a wicked man. Many Yidden had fled in tears to the Belzer Rebbe, pleading for assistance, as a result of this priest's evil deeds. When the Poritz and his son arrived at the priest's house, the Poritz informed him that his son would be healed there and that the Rebbe of Belz had sent them there. He lost his temper when he heard the Rebbe's name. He started to curse the Yidden. He was so furious that it was overwhelming. He continued to curse the Yidden until he lost his mind. He started hurling everything in his home, including the furniture. The Poritz became frightened and thought, "What? Doesn't my son's insanity cause me enough trouble already? To whom was I sent by the Belzer Rov? Another crazy individual? He seized his son and hurried away. He rushed outside and started looking for the Yid to berate him, but all of a sudden he saw that his son was following his instructions and moving in a composed manner. He was talking like he always had before he lost his mind! His son was no longer insane and had gone to the priest! The Poritz cried and fell to his knees in gratitude.
Yidden will gain a great deal. The Poritz was so appreciative that he was kind to Yidden after the evil priest was sent to an insane asylum and never again hurt a Yid. "What are we doing here?" the Poritz asked the Yid on the way home. The Rebbe helped me, and I'm not even going to him to thank him?! Come with me to Belz! I want to give a few hundred rubles to the Rebbe. They went back to Belz and visited the Rebbe. The Rebbe was thanked by the Poritz. The Rebbe was assured by the Poritz that he would always treat the Yidden well. He offered the Rebbe several hundred rubles as a reward, but the Rebbe declined. "I refuse to accept any payment!"
The Yid offered an idea. "Let's enter the Beis Hamedrash and inform the gabbai that you will provide him with sufficient funds to purchase new clothes for the scholars." The Poritz approved of that concept and carried it out. He went back home after that, and for the remainder of his life, he treated Yidden with kindness and treated them very nicely.
