Rebbe Shmuel Shmelke of Nikolsburg
The city of Nikolsburg, Moravia, was famous for its long chain of great rabbis reaching back almost a thousand years. The last in this line was the great Rebbe Shmuel Shmelke, a pupil of the Maggid of Mezeritch.
Rabbi Shmelke was a great Talmudic and legal genius, his advice was impeccable and his brotherly love was seemingly without limit. But despite his flawless character and selfless nature he was once the center of a controversy that only a miracle was able to quell.
A wealthy Jew in Nikolsberg, whom we will call Groisman, was sued by a poor man. After hearing the arguments from both sides, Reb Shmelke decided in favor of the poor man.
Groisman was livid. He would get his revenge! But he was clever about it. He began quietly complaining and, because he was rich, people listened. At first it was only his family and friends but slowly the circle widened. Within a few months the city became a cauldron of discontent.
Gradually Groisman's claims became public: Rabbi Shmelke is one of the Chasidim. He studies the mystical teachings of the Torah! Maybe tomorrow he'll make up a new religion!
One day, everyone in the city was called to a meeting in the Great Synagogue. The entire city packed into the huge prayer hall. Accusations were made. A heated debate ensued. Eventually, it was decided to take a vote. The vote was in favor of ousting the rabbi. Groisman had succeeded.
Suddenly the voice of the elderly shamash (sexton) rang out."I must talk!" He waited until there was silence. "Two things I said I would never tell... but now I must." It was about ten years ago, soon after Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke became our rabbi. I was knocking on windows before sunrise to wake everyone for morning services. When I got to the rabbi's house I saw a light in his window. I looked in. He was studying Talmud with an ancient-looking Jew. I thought he might be one of the 36 hidden tzadikim (righteous people). When I saw him there again the next morning, I decided I'd ask.
"Later that day I spoke to the rabbi. 'What? You saw him?' he asked. Finally he answered, 'Well if you saw him I'll tell you. That was Elijah the prophet. But please don't talk about it.'
"A few days ago I saw him again, but this time it was really frightening. It was late at night and the rabbi was standing at the door escorting some people from his house. When they got to the door I saw them. One was the same Elijah the Prophet but the other.... he was a king with royal garments, a crown, even a royal scepter! I was petrified with fear and awe.
"The rabbi escorted his guests a few steps then he returned to his house to continue his Torah study. I still don't know how I became so bold but I knocked on the rabbi's door, told him what I had just seen, and asked him for an explanation.
"The rabbi looked at me for a while, told me to sit down and explained. He said that a few weeks earlier in a certain town in Poland a tragedy occurred. There, there lived a simple Jewish artisan who was obsessed with hatred for idols and idolatry. The third of the Ten Commandments 'You shall not make a graven image...' burned in his heart; he spoke of it constantly.
"One night he ran into town and began smashing every statue he saw, including the ones in front of the church. He was caught by a crowd and beaten to death for his crime. It was with greatest difficulty that the Jewish community was able to convince the non-Jews that he acted alone.
The elders of the community refused to provide for his widow from the widow's fund. They argued that because he knew very well that he would be killed for his actions he was responsible for throwing away his life and his widow should be paid from the communal charity like all the other paupers rather than the more honorable and higher sum from the widow's fund.
"The widow went to the town's rabbis and they brought the case to our rabbi. Rebbe Shmelke was pouring through the holy books for a solution when the two people I mentioned visited him.
"The king was none other than Menasha, the idolatrous son of King Hezikaya! Since his death, over 2,000 years ago, he had been reincarnated time and time again to atone for his sins, among which was putting an idol in the Holy Temple! But his soul found no rest until it became incarnated in this Jewish artisan. His unexplainable hatred of idols was caused by Menashe's tormented soul seeking repentance.
"That is why he came to Rav Shmelke; to explain to him that the artisan was neither crazy nor suicidal, rather he was sacrificing his life to destroy idolatry and sanctify G-d's name; the only thing that would purify Menashe's soul. Reb Shmelke didn't tell me what he would decide but he did ask me to keep the matter quiet but I couldn't.
Now, my friends and brothers." The Shamash concluded. "I felt I had to tell you this so you should know what a holy Rabbi we have. I beg you not to be angry with him and I hope he won't be angry with me for telling." Then turning to Mr. Groisman he said, "Surely if he decided against you it was for the benefit of everyone involved including you...or at least your soul."
The group dispersed and the impeachment was withdrawn.
