When Rabbi Dov Ber was a young man he met one of his father's Chasidim in the town of Janowitz. The two became involved in conversation during which the young Dov Ber seemed to denigrate the Chasid's achievements in Torah scholarship and Divine service.
The Chasid replied, "How can you compare yourself to me? Look who your father is-he's our Rebbe. How can you compare his spiritual level to that of my predecessors? When you were conceived your parents' intentions were pure and lofty and they managed to bring into this world a pure and elevated soul. That is you. While you were a child growing up in your father's house, he watched your every development and guided your every move. So he achieved his aims in educating you, bringing you to a great level. This is all tremendously impressive.
"With me it was completely different. My father was not a very pious type- he probably grabbed my soul from a big pile of souls heaped up in a corner of heaven. When I was growing up, I ran wild as an untamed goat in the field. I made my own way from early on doing the best I could. Now, I make my living supplying the local peasants with money to buy grain. During the planting season I travel the countryside making deals with them. During the winter, I have to retrace my steps trying to collect the debts. And don't think this is easily done, because it surely isn't. First, you have to buy yourself a bottle of vodka, so you won't freeze on the road. In order to catch the peasant at home you have to travel in the middle of the night, since the peasants rise while it's still dark. When you finally find the peasant, you have to make a l'chaim with him and his wife, too, to get them in a good mood, so that he might want to talk business with you.
Finally, after all of this, maybe you'll be lucky enough to get paid. You go around to three or four peasants and go through the whole production at each place. Finally, you're ready to go home, take a quick dip in the mikva and go to pray. Can you imagine what kind of praying I can muster after such a 'preparation' ?"
Now, this Chasid was, in fact, exceedingly humble in describing his very considerable spiritual accomplishments, but his words had a profound effect on young Dov Ber, who found the Chasid's description of his hardships overwhelming.
Upon his return to Liozna, Dov Ber came to his father, full of remorse over his own lack of true spiritual growth. He told his father of the words of his Chasid and added that after his conversation with the Chasid, he felt that all of his achievements were pretty worthless.
When the Chasid next visited the Alter Rebbe, the Rebbe told him, "I am very beholden to you. You have made a Chasid of my son."
