Rabbi Yaakov–Yitzchak Horowitz, known as the Chozeh (‘Seer’) of Lublin, was distressed that he was not given the opportunity of fulfilling the mitzvah of hospitality the way it should be fulfilled – that is, personally.
But then, one night, in the midst of a bitter winter, in a town three miles from Lublin, a woman was in such straits during birthing time that her family hired someone to make haste to Lublin, there to ask the rebbe to intercede in Heaven on her behalf.
By the time he reached the town everyone was asleep, and all the windows were shuttered – except for one lighted window, in the house of the Chozeh.
Never having laid eyes on the Chozeh or his house, the man knocked on the window, and the owner of the house brought him in, and made him a fire.
When he had warmed up a little, the man told his host that he was hungry. The Chozeh brought him food and drink and then asked him, "From where do you come and where are you headed?"
"I have come to your city," said the traveler, "in order to ask your rebbe to pray for an unfortunate woman who is having a difficult labor, but now in the middle of the night I won't be able to search all over town to find out where he lives. Besides, I am exhausted from this difficult walk I have had so now I would really like to sleep a bit."
"Who is this woman," asked the rebbe, as if nonchalantly. "What is her name? And her mother's name?"
The man showed him the kvitl (note), which he had been entrusted to give to the Chozeh and which, according to custom, bore both the woman's name and the name of her mother.
"I'd suggest you go to bed now", said the Chozeh, "and in the morning go along to see the rebbe." With that he showed him to the bed that was prepared for him, and the traveler slept through until close to midday.
When the man awoke, he recalled he had come on a mission of life and death. Wanting to make good his shameful delay, he made haste to set out to find the Chozeh. But his host stopped him.
"What is your hurry? Go along and first say your morning prayers, then have some breakfast. Meanwhile, if you would like to give me the kvitl and the alms for the poor, the pidyon (redemption donation) that no doubt accompanies it, I'll send along one of my family to see the rebbe."
The man agreed. After a little while, his host conveyed to him ‘the rebbe's answer’: “Mazal Tov! The woman gave birth to a son during the night, and now you can return home in peace.”
Much relieved the man ate his breakfast, and arrived home to find that things were exactly as the rebbe had told his host.
And the Chozeh for his part said that it was through Heavenly Supervision that the man had arrived at his house, in order to enable him to carry out the mitzvah of hospitality ‘the way it should be fulfilled – that is, personally.'
Source: Modified by Yerachmiel Tilles from A Treasury of Chassidic Tales (Artscroll), as translated by R. Uri Kaploun from the Sipurei Chasidim of Rabbi S. Y. Zevin.
Why this week? Our patriarch Avraham’s devotion to the mitzvah of hospitality is showcased in this week’s Torah reading, Vayera, both at its start and near its end.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Yaakov-Yitzchok HaLevi Horowitz (1745 – 9 Av 1815), known as ‘the Chozeh (Seer) of Lublin’, was the main successor to the Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk, and leader of the spread of chassidism in Poland. Many of his insights were published posthumously in Divrei Emmes, Zichron Zos, and Zos Zichron.
