The Avritsher Rav, author of Bas Ayin, was not content to allow his feelings toward the Holy Land stagnate. His desire to perceive and experience the kedusha of Eretz Yisrael grew day by day and never ceased.
In connection to this great boundless love, Rav Mordechai of Slonim once related:
After the Avritsher Rav came to live in Eretz Yisrael, he settled in Tzefas. One day soon after, a strange thing happened; the Bas Ayin locked himself in his room for a while. No one was permitted entry. Finally, the door opened and out came the Rebbe, completely besimcha, and his joy radiated outward as he invited his family to mark the occasion with a festive meal. A large seuda was prepared and a close Chassid, Rav Fischel Bernstein, asked the Rebbe to please explain the reason for the festivity. The Bas Ayin spoke and simultaneously unraveled the puzzling secret behind his seclusion in his room.
“When I still lived in Chutz Lo’oretz (the Diaspora), our community hosted a Shada”r (Shlucha DeRabbonon, a Rabbinic emissary from the Holy Land, sent to collect tzedoka in the Diaspora to help support institutions in Eretz Yisrael). The Shada”r praised Eretz Yisrael effusively and in his attempt to praise and glorify the Holy Land, he seemed to exaggerate, making the following statement: ‘What should I say? Why, even the simple stones cast by the wayside on the roads of the Holy Land shine like brilliant diamonds and gemstones!’
“After I came to live here in Eretz Yisrael, I saw that his words were exaggerated and that the stones here are just ordinary stones. One day, I met the Shada”r again, here in Eretz Yisrael. I confronted him and said, “I searched for those gems lying on the road and I could not find them!’
“However, rather than apologize, the Shada”r retorted, ‘Whoever has pure, untainted eyes can truly see the gems!’
“When I heard that,” said the Avritsher, “I locked myself in my room and began to work on myself until I succeeded. I can now say that I do see even those stones in Eretz Yisrael that have been cast by the wayside shining as brilliantly as diamonds and gems! Now that I merited this, I have to thank Hashem – and so, to mark the occasion, I made this festive meal.” (Maamar Mordechai 8)
