The Rebbe Who Didn’t Believe

The Tiferes Shlomo relates that the G-dly tzaddik, Rav Fischel of Strikov adamantly refused to believe that any Jew ever sinned. In fact, even if someone would report to him that a Jew had, Heaven forbid, transgressed a prohibition, he would deny their report. He countered: “No Jew could do an aveira (sin)!” This belief was due to his immense sanctity; he was so attached to Hashem and his ahavas Yisroel was so strong that he never saw anything negative in any Jew, as it says in parshas Balak, “Lo hibit aven beYaakov v’lo roah amal b’Yisroel.” (Tiferes Shlomo Avos)