About to set out on a long-distance trip to Berlin to seek medical care, the Alter of Slabodka’s dedicated talmid, R’ Meir Chodosh, told his rebbi that he’s coming along with him. The Alter disapproved and told him not to come, but R’ Meir yearned and desired to embark on his esteemed rebbi’s journey, and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Secretly, he traveled there on his own.
To the best of his ability, R’ Meir followed his rebbi around, but he wasn’t always able to get the experience of being with his rebbi he’d hoped for, because he was doing everything behind the scenes.
On one occasion, the Alter had a dialogue with a wheelchair-bound elderly man. R’ Meir couldn’t make out what his rebbi was saying; all he saw was the man nodding his head.
The following day, the same scene reoccurred: the Alter was talking, and the man was nodding to all that he was saying. This time, however, R’ Meir overheard the Alter:
“You understand that the heart is the central organ of the body?” he was saying. “All the body parts revolve around it. Just as the entire body revolves around the heart, so too, the entire world revolves around Torah. So, therefore, I recommend that you quickly found a new Kollel before you move on to the Next World; what a great zechus you’ll have in your hands if you do so.”
After that, R’ Meir could no longer avoid his rebbi; he needed to understand what the Alter was trying to convey to the elderly man. After hiding from him for a few days, R’ Meir made his presence known to the Alter the next day.
The Alter greeted him with a smile. “When did you arrive?”
“I came several days ago,” he replied.
“So, where have you been?”
“I’ve been hiding; I didn’t want to show my face.”
“What have you been doing all this time?”
“I’ve been standing behind the wall and overhearing the conversations taking place around you.”
“So, what did you hear?”
“That’s what I came to you for. I didn’t understand the conversation that you had with the elderly man. You were persuading him to establish a Kollel. Is he a rich man? Does he have the means for it? Does he have any connections with wealthy people?”
With turbulent passion, the Alter responded: “This man has nothing in his life. He has neither the money to support Torah nor any descendants learning Torah. There’s one thing, and only one thing, that he has, and that is will. He can have a will to open a Kollel, and that will give him great reward in the World to Come. That’s the last ray of hope for him. Should I withhold that from him?!” (Ad Alos Hashachar, p. 170)
“Dream.” This is something usually associated with unrealistic, unproductive, and unfruitful thinking. In short, something that won’t come to be. But when it comes to ruchniyus, that is not the case. One’s dreams and desires are valued by Hashem, and Hashem will grant us reward for that. There are times when we cannot fulfill our desires, and yet the desire itself is treasured. There may be times that we aren’t given the capability or the physical means to actualize our dreams, but with His infinite love, Hashem grants us benefits from our dreams nonetheless.
