Weekly Story: Creating A Brocha

by Rabbi Sholom Avtzon 

Concerning the parable of the Alter Rebbe which I posted last week, about a rich man who lent a large sum and forgives part of the loan in addition to making an extended payment plan to enable the borrow to repay when the borrower was originally unable to do so, the rich man agrees to this because he knows that in essence the borrower is honest.

I received a note from a reader of this column that the Rebbe said in the maamar of Ani Ldodi 5729(1969) (printed in Toras Menachem Sefer HaMaamorim, p. 333) that the borrower ultimately decides to pay even the part that was forgiven.

Thank you for this feedback, and as I note all feedback is welcome and appreciated.

Since Yud Gimmel Tishrei is this Shabbos, I am posting a story about the Rebbe Maharash. 

During the lifetime of his father, the Rebbe the Tzemach Tzedek, there was a stark difference between the [Rebbe] Maharash and his older brother the Maharil. When the Maharil traveled (which was quite often), he would review his father’s maamorim as well as give brochos, while his brother refused to give a brocha. 

Once they were going together on a mission of communal work and the Maharash said to him, “I will not go with you if will conduct yourself in a Rebbe’she way. Bury your Rebbe’shkeit here under this stone and you could retrieve it when we return.”

Having no choice, the Maharil agreed. 

The chassidim were anticipating that he would say Chassidus and then allow them to have a yechidus, where he would give brochos. But to their tremendous disappointment, he informed them that he can’t.

In one town, a lady who was married for some years and was not blessed with a child hoped to receive a blessing. She decided to wait next to the wagon. As they came out of the Shul she approached the Maharil and requested a blessing. Keeping to the agreement the Maharil replied that he can’t and she should go to his father the Rebbe in Lubavitch.

However, she wasn’t happy with this and she continued to implore for a brocha. The Maharil also was firm that he can’t and climbed upon the wagon.

Seeing that they are preparing to leave, she took a thick beam or piece of wood and placed it between the spokes of one the wagon wheels to prevent them from going. The Maharil turned to the Rebbe Maharash, implying that the Maharash has to take care of the situation.

The Maharash told the lady “gei ess a bulka- go eat a bagel.”

Satisfied that she received a brocha she removed the beam, and they went on their way and took care of the mission they were given.

Almost a year later this lady’s husband came to Lubavitch with a large cake to thank them for the brocha. In fact, he exclaimed we were blessed with twins.

 Somewhat surprised the Rebbe Maharash asked, “Twins?” 

“Yes Rebbe, my wife ate two bulka’s.”

The Maharil heard what happened and said to his brother, “You told me not to give any brochos, because we are not the Rebbe, and then you gave the lady a brocha?!

The Rebbe Maharash replied, “I didn’t give her a brocha, I was telling her to leave us alone.
However, she thought I gave her a brocha and it was her Emunah that came and created the brocha.”

The mashpia then brought out the lesson. Here the Rebbe didn’t mean it as a brocha, but the women’s emunah turned it into a brocha. So how much more so, when the Rebbe said numerous times that we are the generation that will definitely bring the Geulah, it for sure will be fulfilled.

Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He can be contacted at avtzonbooks@gmail.com