An upright young merchant once set out from his home in Vilkomir to buy up stocks of tobacco in Niezhin. Though not a chasid himself, he was on very friendly terms with a celebrated chasid by the name of Reb Yaakov Kadaner, so before he left he called on Reb Yaakov, who said: "My friend! Even though you are not a chasid, I would still ask you to visit the grave of a renowned tzadik (righteous person) who is buried in Niezhin, Reb Dov Ber of Lubavitch, the son of Reb Shneur Zalman of Liadi."
The young man gave his promise, and set out for a journey that was to take six months. While he was far away trying to do business, his wife became so desperately ill that the doctors despaired of her life. One evening she lost consciousness, and though three expert physicians sat by her bedside all night, there was nothing they could do to help her. Then, at ten in the morning her illness loosened its hold on her, she began to regain her strength. Within a month, without the aid of doctors or medicines she regained her strength and was strong and robust. Her friends were amazed, but not nearly as much as the doctors.
When her husband finally came home, he barely stuck his nose in the door. Without even stopping to take off his overcoat, he ran off in agitation to the home of his friend Reb Yaakov.
"Now I ask you," said Reb Yaakov, "is this the way to do things? After you have been away from home for over half a year, you don't even stay there a little while to gladden the hearts of your wife and little ones, but off you run to say hello to me?! There must be something behind your behavior, something remarkable."
"And indeed," affirmed the other, "something remarkable did bring me to you, something of a marvel. You see, my business dealings out there fell through, and I not only lost everything I owned, but got myself deep into debt through all kinds of unfortunate circumstances that befell me on the way. To make things worse, throughout all that time I was in a state of fear: I imagined that my wife was desperately ill. When I arrived in Niezhin I recalled my promise to you, and went to the local mikva (ritualarium) to immerse myself in its spiritually purifying waters in preparation for my visit to the holy resting place of the tzadik. Though all the way there my warm clothes had sufficed to keep out the bitter cold, as soon as I came close to where he lay I was overcome by an awesome fear, the likes of which I have never experienced. My hair stood on end, and despite my warm clothes I trembled in a feverish cold. It even occurred to me to flee from that fearful place, but then I thought: 'No evil is going to befall me on account of the tzadik who lies here. Why should I flee from the presence of the tzadik?'
"So I began instead to read the quotations from the mystical Zohar, and the chapters from Psalms, and other passages, which are inscribed there on a tablet, on the wall of the enclosure which is built around the grave. And while I read, I wept rivers of tears. Then I wrote out two notes which expressed my special requests - one note bearing a prayer for the welfare of my family and myself, and the other especially for my wife, for my heart was uneasy. The moment I put those two notes on the grave, I was overcome with the most exquisite joy I had ever experienced. It was just as I imagine the flavor of the Garden of Eden to be. It took me two full hours to tear myself away from that bliss, and to depart from there with a heart full of gladness and peace.
"That joy accompanied me all the way home, and when I arrived, I was told the whole story of what my wife had been through, including the events of that long, long night that ended only at ten in the morning. I asked what date this had been. Sure enough, it was the very day on which, at ten o'clock in the morning, I had placed the notes on the resting place of the tzadik. You cannot be surprised, therefore, that when I heard all of this, I did not even take off my greatcoat, but ran as fast as I could to tell you, my friend, of the wondrous ways of heaven.
"I have only one thing to add. If your Rebbes are so alive and luminous after they have departed from this world, then they must be even greater and even holier in their lifetime!"
From A Treasury of Chasidic Tales, Mesorah Publishing.
