Upon the passing of Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidut (known as the Alter Rebbe), his son, Rabbi Dov Ber, the "Mitteler Rebbe" assumed the mantle of leadership. He instituted many innovations which led to the wider dissemination of Chasidic teachings. One of his requirements for newly married men, was that while they still lived in the home of their parents-in-law, they devote three hours daily to study Chasidut. With this system in place, the number of young men who were knowledgeable in Chasidut grew, and their influence also spread as they matured as teachers and mentors.
As time passed, the general Jewish public become more widely exposed to the new teachings, which took hold in many towns and villages throughout the region. There was in the town of Liepli, a Chasid of the Alter Rebbe named Reb Yekutiel. He was a salt dealer and although he was widely admired for his piety, his knowledge of Torah, and particularly of Chasidut, was meager.
Once, one of the Mitteler Rebbe's young Chasidim came to Liepli and remained there for a week, reviewing with the villagers one discourse of the Rebbe each day. The topics discussed in these brilliant discourses dealt with the most elevated and lofty concepts, things normally closed to the human intellect, but illuminated by Chasidic thought. The young teacher was very adept at explaining these subjects, so that his audience was spellbound by his words. Poor Reb Yekutiel was among the throng of listeners, but to his utter dismay, he couldn't understand even one word. He couldn't reconcile himself to the thought that here was a man many years his junior who had so much knowledge in his grasp, while he, an elder Chasid, understood nothing.
Many years later Reb Yekutiel described this incident and the terrible inner turmoil he experienced to friends. "Here was I, a 40-year-old Chasid, having gone to the Alter Rebbe for some 15 years. One day, this young man, a mere babe, comes to the town and gives over the Rebbe's teachings with such burning fervor, while I couldn't understand a word he uttered.
"Every day I went to hear this young man and every day I grew more and dispirited over my lack of understanding. I was missing out on so many profound spiritual insights, I couldn't bear the pain. Finally, I decided to ask the young teacher to sit with me privately and review the material. I stopped working in my business and devoted all my time to studying for three weeks, but even with all this effort, I failed to reach my goal. The teachings remained closed to me.
"When, after three weeks the young man left, I was totally devastated. I wept and fasted for many days, all the while praying and begging G-d to open my eyes to these precious teachings, but all to no avail. Finally, one day, I saddled my horse and rode off to Lubavitch to ask the Rebbe what to do."
It had been almost a year since Reb Yekutiel had been to Lubavitch and many changes had taken place. Now, 60 young scholars sat and learned the Rebbe's words, reviewing them constantly with one another. The Shabbat after Reb Yekutiel arrived, the Mitteler Rebbe said two Chasidic discourses, and although Reb Yekutiel understood a bit of the first, the second was completely unintelligible to him. To the young men surrounding him, however, it was all perfectly clear! He returned to his room and wept bitterly.
When he was granted a private audience with the Rebbe, Reb Yekutiel recounted in great detail his entire trial: how the young teacher came to Liepli and how he struggled to understand his words, but failed in every attempt. The Rebbe replied, "There is nothing that can stand in the way of a person's will. Although a person's will is not his essence, nevertheless it contains the power to sway the soul in the desired direction."
The Rebbe explained that true desire is the key that opens the soul's faculties and powers, particularly the faculties of thought and understanding. "If you truly desire it," the Rebbe concluded, "you have the ability to broaden your understanding."
Those words had a deep impact on Reb Yekutiel. He decided right then that he would remain in Lubavitch as long as necessary to achieve his goal. He sent a message to his family, informing them of his decision, and set to work. For four months he struggled in his studies, often meditating on one thought for many hours, and he would review his topic of study many times. As the months went by, Reb Yekutiel felt a transformation taking place within himself. As he later told his friends, "I felt as if I had been created anew. Thank G-d, I succeeded in scouring the old pot. I had become a new, clean vessel."
Reb Yekutiel returned home with his mission accomplished. Many years later, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok, (the previous Lubavitcher Rebbe) said in reference to this story: "One can see from this story the attitude that prevailed amongst the Chasidim of yesteryear. When a Chasid heard in his private meeting with the Rebbe, that his desire, his will, is a crucial tool for his personal transformation...he disregarded any discomforts or difficulties, and never flagged in his efforts until the desired end was achieved."
