The Nazis killed most of the Jews in Europe. The Allies fought a fierce war against them and with Hashem's help, they were able to turn the tide of the war, and the Nazis were forced to flee. However, even as they fled, they still didn't give the Yidden any respite. They made death marches. They marched the Yidden across Europe in the middle of Winter. At this time, as the Allies continued their onslaught, a large group of these people were brought to Bergen Belsen. Within a month the number of inmates there tripled. It was an awful situation. They had always suffered hunger. Now it was a triple hunger. The illness, the sickness, was beyond unbearable. Now we're talking about people that it was only a matter of time until they would be free. The Allies were closing in on the Nazis. Bergen Belsen was divided into different camps. In one of them in addition to the Jews, were also Russian POWs.
One day the Nazis came into that camp and they announced, “We know that in another few days, the English are going to arrive here. We want you to tell them all the good things we've done. So, we brought you fresh rolls.” The hunger in the camp was unbelievable. The fellow who related this story said that for five years he never had a fresh piece of bread. All day long he was thinking about food. If you would have asked him at that moment, if you had the choice, what would you prefer, to be freed or to have a fresh roll? He would answer definitely that he would take the fresh roll. Because the mind could think of nothing else but food.
The guy got on line. He looked at the basket of rolls and saw that there weren't too many rolls left in the basket. He was worried that by the time he got to the basket, nothing would be left. He started getting very anxious and his heart started pounding like crazy. He broke out in a pouring sweat. But as he came closer, he was able to count the rolls and there were 7. There were 6 people in front of him, so he knew he would get the last roll.
The line moved very slowly, and he finally got to the basket and got the last roll. It was small, but it was fresh and it smelled like Heaven. He held it in his hands, looking at it and smelling it. But then he looked and saw that there were other sacks of rolls. He had been worried over nothing. There were plenty of rolls for everybody.
Then he had a chutzpa-dike thought. You know, let me get back on the line and get another roll. The Nazi won't remember who was there before, there were so many Jews. So, I can get away with it. So, he got back into another line. The Nazi screamed out “Next”, and he got in line and got a second roll. The guy felt like he just won the sweepstakes. He was in 7th Heaven. He was a rich man.
Suddenly someone put his hand on his neck, and in a threatening voice whispered to him, “I saw that, Jew.” He turned to see who was talking. It wasn't a Nazi. It was a Russian soldier. The guy grabbed him and said, “Give me the second roll, or else.”
The Yid started to think, this guy's a prisoner just like he is. Why should I give him my roll? So, he turned around to face him and said, “I'm not giving it to you.” At that second, strong hands grabbed ahold of him. The Russian called over two of his friends. They didn't have to work too hard to schlepp him, he was a mere sack of skin and bones. They dragged him to a nearby barrack. They started to pound him and they beat him to a pulp. He almost died. They took away both rolls and left him for dead.
The Yid felt that he was in the shadow of the Angel of Death. He was a goner. He said, “Ribbono Shel Olam, now You decided it's time for me to die? Right before the Allies free us? Now? I've been suffering for 5 years; I could have given you my neshomah any time. But now?!” He was full of complaints against the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Out of exhaustion and pain, he fell into a deep sleep. When he finally woke up, he saw that the Sun was shining. He said to himself, “What's going on? How could that be.” The Nazis always woke them up at 4 o'clock in the morning. Even though they were all exhausted, they got up. If anyone didn't get up, the Nazis made sure he never got up again. For 5 years he had never woken up to daylight. But there it was. Sunny daylight. He was very bothered by this until it dawned on him: the Nazis are gone. They had run away from the Allies. We're free! But why is it so quiet? Where is everybody?
He sat up and looked around and he saw people that looked like they were sleeping all over the place. He walked out of the barracks and he saw people all over the floor. He even saw some of them with a part of the rolls still in their hands.
Then he realized. Those rolls were poisoned — pure poison.
Hakadosh Boruch Hu wanted him to remain alive. So, Hashem put the idea in his head of taking a second roll, and the Russian spotted him, and he had the insanity of refusing to give the soldier one of the rolls, so he got beat to a pulp and the soldier took away both rolls, thus saving his life.
A person doesn't understand the ways of Hashem. He thinks Hashem is undermining him. And really Hashem is doing the best benefit for him. (R’ Eliezer Parkoff)
