Weekly Story: I Am Here For You

by Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon 

During a farbrengen in honor of my yom holedes, on the 6th day of Pesach, one of my brothers related the following story  which he heard from our father a”h. May all the brochos be fulfilled. As always your comments are welcomed and appreciated. 

A chossid once came to the Rebbe Rashab and asked him which of the following two shidduch proposals should he accept. Both are from good families, mentioning each family by name, and they themselves have a refined character, just one is from a wealthy family and the other is from a poor family. 

The Rebbe replied, the girl from the poorer family is more appropriate for your son.

Evidently this was not the answer the father was hoping to receive and he muttered to himself, I should have anticipated this answer, after all she is a distant relative to the Rebbe. [As if to say the Rebbe is taking care of his family, even if it is only a distant relative].

Sensing his thoughts (or perhaps he muttered it louder than he thought), the Rebbe made a motion with his hand that showed that he was displeased with this sentiment and said, “How can you suspect us of that. Ever since the Alter Rebbe, we were guided by the principle that we should never have an ulterior motive [besides from responding in the best interest of the person who is asking].”, we are doing something that is beneficial for ourselves, the Rebbe initiated these points for our benefit as well.

As we are putting away our Pesach utensils and preparing for the next months, let us apply this statement to our lives. The fact that the Rebbe requests from us to learn Chitas and Rambam, plus other studies and implores us to go on mivtzoyim and draw another Jew closer to  Hashem and Judaism we should know that when we fulfill his directives. it is as much for our benefit as for that persons,

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