One Chanukah, a prominent timber merchant in Poland, approached the holy Avnei Nezer of Sochatchov, pouring out his predicament. The merchant had six fine daughters ready for marriage but lacked the necessary funds for their dowries and wedding expenses.
A promising opportunity arrived: he could purchase a vast forest of high-quality trees at a significant discount, as the owner urgently needed cash. However, there was a catch. Heavy snows covered the forest, making tree felling impossible until late winter around Adar. Additionally, timber shipments relied on frozen rivers to transport the logs on rafts, a method only feasible during the colder months when snow and ice on the rivers helped keep the rafts afloat.
It was precisely regarding this matter that the merchant in question approached the Rebbe with his query:
“Would the Rebbe please tell me, in the coming month of Nissan, will the snow still cover the rivers, or will the sun shine strongly enough to melt it? This question determines the entire business deal—whether I should proceed with it or abandon it, as otherwise, I risk losing all my money!”
When the Rebbe heard the man’s question, he wanted to dismiss him outright: “Am I a prophet to know the state of the snow on the rivers four months from now? Such a question belongs to the meteorologists, where the forecaster sits and ‘dreams up’ weather predictions for the coming days... And even they cannot say during Chanukah what the snow on the rivers will be like in Nissan. What does this have to do with me?”
But the simple man would not relent. “The Rebbe knows everything!” he insisted firmly. “There is no one else in the world to whom I can turn with such a question—only to the holy Rebbe himself!”
The Rebbe tried several times to explain that such a question was inappropriate and that it was improper to trouble him with it. But to no avail—the man persisted, pleading with all his heart. “The fate of all six of my unmarried daughters depends on this deal! I must know whether to proceed or withdraw!” Seeing that the man would not give up, the Rebbe called for his gabbai and asked him to escort the nuisance out of the room.
“Why are you troubling the Rebbe?” the gabbai asked the man angrily. But the man, in his great simplicity, did not understand why they were upset with him. He repeated his question, saying he was only asking about the “weather forecast” for the coming month of Nissan. When the loyal gabbai heard the question, he paused, uncertain whether he should remove the man.
Noticing the gabbai’s hesitation, the Rebbe smiled and asked, “Do you, too, think I am a forecaster? How could I possibly predict the state of the snow on the rivers in Nissan?”
However, the clever gabbai, who knew the Rebbe well, remarked, “If someone comes to the Rebbe with such a question, perhaps it is indeed a ’Rebbe-like question.’ After all, no ordinary person would ask such a thing!”
The gabbai, feeling compassion for the man, tried to advocate on his behalf, explaining to the Rebbe that surely the questioner did not mean to inquire based on meteorological knowledge. “Rather,” he said, “he asks in pure faith, believing in the tzaddikim and seeking only your guidance.”
The gabbai elaborated further: “We are currently in the holy days of Chanukah, when the wondrous hidden light shines forth—a light through which one can see from one end of the world to the other. As believers and the children of believers, we trust in the power of the tzaddikim, especially during these days of miracles!”
Upon hearing this, the holy Rebbe stood up, went to a corner, and offered a brief prayer to the Creator with reverence and awe. He then turned to the man with a radiant expression and gave him a heartfelt blessing:
“Go home and proceed with the deal in the best possible way! May Hashem assist you so you do not incur any loss, and may you marry off your daughters with ease and honor!”
The man rejoiced greatly at the clear answer and the accompanying blessing. Indeed, the deal went through successfully. After Pesach, the man thanked the Rebbe for his wise counsel and faithful guidance. From that lucrative deal, the man became wealthy, and from then on, his success blossomed, making him one of the great magnates of Poland.
This story teaches the immense power of faith in tzaddikim, who possess insights beyond the need for forecasters or predictors through the Torah within them. Their holiness enables them to sense and perceive blessings, especially during the days of Nissan and Iyar—days that are inherently blessed with success, divine assistance, and goodness in both spiritual and material matters.
