Like a Stone on the Heart:
The Shem M’Shmuel asks why it says these things should be “on” one’s heart, rather than “in” one’s heart, which would seemingly make more sense (as in the verse in Devarim 6:14: “In your mouth and in your heart to do them”).
He answers in the name of the Kotzker Rebbe zy”a that the pasuk is saying that the mitzvos should be “like a stone on one’s heart”, and when the heart opens at specific times, the stone should fall into it.
He explains that one’s heart is usually closed, and nothing can enter it. Even in such times, however, one shouldn’t think that he can’t accomplish anything so he might as well not even try. Rather, he should do what he can, even if he doesn’t feel like he is affecting his heart. By doing so, he will be placing “a stone” on his heart, and even if it can’t enter now, there will come an auspicious time when his heart will open and the influences he accrued will be able to enter.
Returning the Wealth:
There once was simple, unlearned man, who happened to be very wealthy. From time to time, he would travel to spend time in the court of the Chozeh of Lublin zy”a. Whenever he came, he would donate large sums to all of the tzedakah funds associated with the court.
One year, the man suffered numerous misfortunes and ended up losing all of his wealth. Since he was now penniless and couldn’t give any tzedakah, he was too embarrassed to go to Lublin. He became so depressed that he felt no enjoyment in life. Left with no other choice, he began to work as a porter in the marketplace – carrying people’s purchases home for them – and he earned a very meager living from this work.
The local priest was aware of the situation and he came up with a plan to get the man under his control. He started to converse with him in a friendly way and pretended to commiserate with him. After a few conversations, he told him, “Look how bad things are for you. You were so faithful to your religion. You kept all of the Jewish commandments and helped your fellow Jews. And how did G-d repay you? How do you Jewish brothers treat you now? Why don’t you join us. I guarantee you that if you convert to our religion, you won’t be lacking anything!”
Of course, the formerly rich man did not agree right away. He resisted the priest’s entreaties and tried to remain a good Jew. But the priest would not let up and he continued to try to persuade him to abandon Yiddishkeit. When the man got home and saw his hungry wife and children, he fell to a state of despair and finally decided to accept the priest’s offer.
However, he went one last time to the bais knesses. He opened the Aron Hakodesh and cried out to Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam! You know good and well that if I had sufficient parnassah to sustain me and my family, I would never listen to the priest. But my situation is so bad that I have no other choice. Please forgive me for what I am about to do.”
He then told himself: I have already appeased Hashem. Now, I must go to Lublin to bid farewell to the Rebbe for the last time.
The priest knew that if he went to the Chozeh, he would not go through with the plan to convert, so he tried to convince him not to do it, but he insisted on going. Since he couldn’t afford to hire a wagon, he traveled on foot all the way to Lublin. When he got there, he went in to the Chozeh and told him about his decision.
The Rebbe did not rebuke him or yell at him. He simply told him, “My dear son, I understand that you are upset at Hashem. You feel that you have legitimate claims against him. Let’s get together a bais din to hear your complaints and hear what they have to say.”
The man said, “Rebbe, I have always done whatever you told me to do. I will do this as well if that is your advice.”
The Chozeh immediately summoned three talmidei chachomim to serve as the bais din. He sat them down to judge the case and he asked the man, “You are upset at Hashem for taking away your livelihood. Are you certain that this isn’t a punishment for some sin that you committed?”
With his ruach hakodesh, the Chozeh began to list numerous aveiros that the man had committed. However, the man said, “Yes, I did do those sins. But aren’t there many other wealthy men who have done much worse things? Why do only I deserve to be punished?”
The Chozeh asked him to wait outside while the dayanim deliberated. After a while, they called him back in and told him their ruling. They ruled that the man was a sinner and, therefore, deserved to be punished. However, because of the precept of “v’asisa hayashar v’hatov” (to be fair), Hashem should have treated him in a manner that goes beyond the letter of the law. Therefore, He should return his wealth to him if the man does full teshuva from all of his sins.
The man agreed to the ruling, which was written and signed by the three judges.
He came home in a very good mood and showed his wife the written ruling. However, she got very angry and yelled, “How will this piece of paper help us?” He had firm emunah, however, and he believed that the ruling would be fulfilled. In the meantime, he continued working as a porter. One day, he was in the marketplace looking for work when a man dressed like an important minister approached him and related that he was a guest in town. He asked him to transport a fancy-looking box to a certain address. The man took the job, expecting to be paid nicely for his work. He brought the box to the address he was given and waited for the minister to arrive. A few hours went by but the minister did not appear. He asked passersby if they knew the minister who was staying in this house and they all laughed at him, saying that no such person had been there.
When it got dark and there was still no sign of the minister, he took the box home with him. Out of frustration, he threw it on the ground, and it split open, spilling out a fortune of gold coins. When he counted the coins, he saw that it was the exact amount of money he had when he was wealthy, right before his financial downfall began. He recognized this as a sign that the Rebbe’s bracha was fully fulfilled, and he proceeded to do full teshuva.
