The story is told about a follower of the great Rabbi Dovber, the “Maggid” or the Rebbe, of the Ukrainian town of Mezritch. The saintly Rabbi (who passed away in 1772) was the second leader of the Chassidic movement. The follower who came for a visit was poor, lived a troubled life, and struggled with maintaining a positive demeanor and attitude, and constantly worried about his plight in the unrelenting poverty and other challenges of Eastern Europe.
The Rebbe, the great
Maggid, directed the poor man to the Ukrainian village of Anipoly, home of a
star student of his, Reb Zushe, to receive guidance and direction in the art of
being satisfied with his lot.
The man duly arrived
at Reb Zushe’s home, and it was not a pretty sight. The residence was not much
more than a rundown hovel at the edge of the town. A few rickety chairs around
a very old table were the only pieces of furniture in this shack. The walls
were wobbly, and the roof leaked. It was hard to imagine people living there.
Poverty screamed from every corner of this shanty. I personally visited this
village recently, and running water is still absent there. Some of the homes in
this village seem to match the one in our story…
After spending a day
or two in the presence of Reb Zushe, the follower shared with his host that he
had been sent at the Rebbe’s suggestion, to learn how to deal with difficult
situations. “Oh,” said Reb Zushe, “it is such a great honor that the venerable
Rebbe thought of me. I just don’t quite understand why the Rebbe would send you
to me to learn how to deal with difficulty when I don’t have anything difficult
in my life to deal with?”
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