A chassid once came before Rav Fishel of Strikov and complained that he needed to marry off one of his daughters but he had no money to do so. “Rebbe, what shall I do? he said. “I need advice because I can think of no way to marry off my daughter by natural means!”
Rav Fishel who was known to affect miracles did not hesitate to suggest to the chassid a solution:
“Listen to me; please go and purchase a lottery ticket and G-d willing you should have hatzlacha and siyata Dishmaya (success and Heavenly help).”
With this blessing from the Strikover Rebbe, he dutifully went to purchase a lottery ticket. Some weeks passed and as the date of the lottery approached the chassid’s financial state of affairs took a sharp downturn. He could not even provide for his family’s needs nor purchase provisions for Shabbos. Feeling out of options, the chassid succeeded in finding someone to buy his lottery ticket for the amount he needed to buy something for the coming Shabbos. He reasoned thus, “I have no Shabbos candles, no challos, and no wine for kiddush; no one will lend me any more money and my creditors are hounding me. At least let me have basic Shabbos provisions!” He sold the ticket and with the proceeds he made Shabbos.
A few days later the lottery numbers were announced and the chassid’s ticket was, in fact, the winning ticket! But it was the Yid who had purchased the ticket from the chassid who became the recipient of the seventy thousand rubles in prize money.
The terribly anguished chassid returned to Rav Fishel and poured out his heart to the tzaddik: “Rebbe rebbe, why did this happen to me?! What was I to do!? Should my family and I have fasted and sat in the dark all Shabbos?!” he cried.
Rav Fishel was heartbroken over the chassid’s misery. He stood up and announced to the astonished chassidim gathered round and then to his gabbai and family, “That’s it! I am closing shop. Lock the doors; turn away all petitioners and send the chassidim home. I am no longer a rebbe!” He closed the doors to his room and barred anyone’s entry.
“But why? What has happened?” they all wanted to know.
Rav Fishel explained his reasoning to them, “Why is it that Hashem did not grant my beracha to this chassid and instead challenged him so? It must be that I am no tzaddik and so, I am no rebbe!”
Obviously, everyone was distressed over this announcement. Rebbe Fishel was loved and respected. His berachos brought wondrous salvations.
Hearing about the disappointing news, Rav Simcha Bunim of Peshischa made his way to Strikov to see what could be done to convince his rebbe, Rav Fishel to change his mind.
When he arrived, he was allowed in and found his rebbe distraught. “What is the meaning of this rumor that I heard that you shall no longer be a rebbe?”
“It’s true!” cried the tzaddik, “If I cannot help, Hashem must not heed me, I must not be a tzaddik and I am no rebbe!”
“You are a rebbe; let me prove it,” answered Rav Simcha Bunim. He proceeded to cite Chazal who say on the one hand a tzaddik can decree and even cancel Hashem’s decrees (Moed Katan 16); however, we recite another statement from Chazal (from Tana Dvei Eliyahu) every day before Pesukei D’Zimra in Shacharis: “Who among Your handiwork, whether among those up in the heavens above or those below, can say to You what to do or how to do it?” Now you might suppose that these two statement of our sages are contradictory, but I shall resolve them for you now. And then the rebbe will see why he is
