Yahrzeit of The Alter from Novardok - פ"רת ולסכ ז"י
R’ Matisyahu Salomon Zatzal once told me a story about the Alter from Novardok. There was a wealthy Yid whose name was “Dunash”. He was an address where people came to raise money for Yeshivos. He was a Chashuva Yid, and the father-in-law of R’ Yosef Leib Bloch of Telz. His house was quite lavish, and it was known that he gave the Alter loads of money when he came collecting for Novardok.
Once, a very Chashuva Rosh Yeshiva came to him for his Yeshiva, and he only gave him a small sum. The Rosh Yeshiva was upset, and asked him why he gives the Alter so much more? He replied: When you come, I can tell how you dress up so neatly for me, and you prepare a whole speech. You ask your wife: “How does my tie look?” You are so impressed with my rugs and drapes, my chandelier and the size of my home. You give me the feeling that money is important.
So when you come in, I decide to hold on to my money. But when the Alter walks in, he has no Hispa'alus from all my glory and its trappings. He totally ignores all the beauty and elegance of my wealth. He tramples on my delicate rugs, walks over to me as calm as ever, and starts singing: “Dunash’el, Dunash’el, more than money you don’t have. Give at least some money, so that at least you’ll get some Zechus in your life!”
I lose all my Chashivus for money! It becomes unimportant to me. So I open up my coffers, and give him whatever he wants. The Alter was not afraid of people, and he wasn’t afraid of their criticism. People respected him Davka because he was not M’chanef them. I knew his last living Talmid, R’ Yitzchok Orlansky Zatzal. He told me that before he met him, he was sure that he would be a very serious, withdrawn person, since he was known for his great Yiras Shamayim and his being alone in a Bais HaBedidus in the forest for years.
He was surprised to see the most jovial, happy, and Geshmake person. The Alter was always “moving” and doing something. He was “on fire” all the time. And he was “goodness” itself. He had no airs, and people were relaxed with him. Novardokers in general are very relaxed and comfortable people. They are basically devoid of tension. Whenever a Novardoker feels Me’tach (stress) or Tzim’tzum (constraint), he tries to do a Pe’ula (action) against it.
The Alter of Novardok produced the happiest people you can imagine! Besides for being Bnei Torah and Marbitzei Torah, they had a Derech in Mussar that gave you a life of true Simcha. When you get rid of those petty sensitivities that the whole world suffers from, you become close to Hashem, and your Bitachon level escalates!
The Alter Zatzal said that often people turn an: ֵﬠ ֶזר (supportive wife) to a: ְכּ ֶנ ְגוֹד (opponent) when they don’t focus on the positive side of their situation, and they lose the Gevaldige benefits they could have had. But a Chochom turns a: ְכּ ֶנ ְג וֹד (opponent) into an: ֵﬠ ֶז ר (supportive wife), when you see only good even in a miserable situation; then Hashem rewards you with more and more goodness!
