Power Of Faith

The reputation of the simple Jewish innkeeper whose blessings always came to fruition reached the ears of the Rebbe of Apta. The Rebbe, who was living in Mezibuz at the time, decided to travel to the innkeeper's village to see what he could learn from the man.

When the Rebbe met the innkeeper, he watched him for some time. Yet, he could discern nothing special about the simple Jew's behavior or mannerisms. Finally, he approached the innkeeper directly. "Tell me, what is the source of your power to bless people? How is it that your prayers are heard and listened to so readily in the heavens?" the Rebbe asked him.

"I am but a simple Jew," the innkeeper began. "What you see is what I am. However, I must admit that my faith in the Almighty is unshakeable," the innkeeper answered modestly.

"Please tell me more," the Rebbe begged.

"I have always believed that whatever G-d does is for the best. Whatever comes my way I know is from G-d and so I accept it lovingly and with the understanding that even if it is seemingly bad, ultimately it is for the good.

"Even when things look really bleak, I trust in G-d and do not despair of His help. I also give charity with an open hand and go out of my way to help those who are not as fortunate as I am."

The Rebbe encouraged the innkeeper to continue, and so he did. "Let me give you an example. My house is always open to wayfarers and travelers. I try my best to treat them royally. Once, when I was busy attending to my guests, a messenger from my landlord came banging at my door.

"'I have a message for you to appear before the landlord at once.' When I explained to the messenger that I would come as soon as I finished taking care of my guests he intimated that the landlord was very angry and would easily throw me in prison if I failed to show up immediately.

"I thanked the messenger and then quickly considered my options. If I left immediately the guests would go to bed hungry as they certainly would not wait to go to sleep until I returned to feed them. Haven't we learned from our ancestor Abraham that welcoming and caring for guests is equal to or perhaps greater than greeting the Divine Presence? I had no choice but to finish taking care of the guests. When they were all fed and I had shown them to their rooms, I proceeded to the home of the landlord.

"To my surprise, the landlord greeted me very happily. We had an amiable visit and then he sent me along my merry way."

The innkeeper saw that the Rebbe of Apta was interested in hearing more, and so he continued with another amazing story. "Two years ago, I suddenly became very poor. No matter what I turned my hand to was not successful. My family, though upright Jews, did not share my unshakable faith in G-d. They begged me to try my luck somewhere else. Perhaps, they suggested, in a larger city I would be able to find a partner who would go into business with me.

"Eventually I acquiesced to their urgings though I did not relish the thought of putting my faith in flesh and blood rather than in G-d above. All my life I had trusted only in G-d and now I would trust in man? But keeping peace in one's home is also a mitzva and so I sent on my way.

"As I walked past orchards, fields and vineyards bursting with their luscious produce I began to think of the Creator. My faith in G-d became even stronger. If He could create this entire world and sustain it, certainly he could support my family and me!

"I decided then and there to ask G-d to be the partner whom I was seeking and from the depth of my heart I begged Him to accept my offer. I would give Him one half of everything I earned henceforth if he would become my new business partner. "Just then, I felt something in my pocket. I reached in and my hand withdrew a silver coin. It had not been there before as I had searched and researched all of my pockets long ago for a few copper coins with which to buy food for my family. Surely this was the answer to my prayer and G-d had agreed. I immediately returned home and purchased a supply of liquor with the coin. I sold the liquor quickly and at a nice profit. I set aside half of my profit in a special cash box for my "partner."

No one knows who my partner is but I handle His money even more carefully than I do my own. I distribute His half where I believe it can be best used." When the tavernkeeper finished his story the Rebbe of Apta rose, thanked him and left.

When the Rebbe returned to his Chasidim in Apta, he related to them everything he had heard from the tavernkeeper and concluded, "Whoever has strong enough faith to become a partner with G-d and is meticulously honest in his dealings is able to perform wonders and miracles."

Power Of Faith

In a small corner of the vast expanse of Russia there lived a Jewish innkeeper. In appearance, there was nothing special about him. He dressed like a peasant and spoke like a peasant. But this simple, earthy man was admired and respected by villagers all over his district. It was known to one and all that he was in reality a holy man, a miracle worker. Whomever he blessed, was sure that the blessing would be fulfilled.
So, after a time, the reputation of the innkeeper wonder-worker spread, until word of him reached the Rebbe of Apta, who then lived in Medzibuzh. The Rebbe became curious to meet this man and learn his secret. If the man was, indeed, as simple as they all said, then whence his mystical power?

The Apter Rebbe harnessed his horses and went to the tavern. When he arrived, he looked the tavern-keeper up and down, but could perceive no nuance of greatness in him. He studied his movements, but saw nothing remarkable in anything the innkeeper did. Finally, the Rebbe approached the man and questioned him, "Tell me, please, from where are your special powers? Why does Heaven grant all of Your blessings?"

The man smiled, and replied straightforwardly, "My powers come from my faith in G-d which is as strong as a mighty oak.

"Since my youth, I have always trusted in G-d, and no matter what ever happened to me I was always certain that it would be ultimately for the best, since it came from G-d. I never despaired and I always gave tzedaka generously, particularly when times were tough.

"As for guests, I have always kept an open house and treated passersby with the greatest hospitality."

The innkeeper paused and then continued. "One night, when I had a house full of guests, there came a knock at my door. It was a messenger from the poretz [landowner] saying that I was to appear before him at once or else he would have me thrown into prison.

"Now, I had a problem, for I had a lot of hungry people to feed. If I left at once, they would probably go to bed hungry.I stayed and took care of my guests, putting my trust in G-d that no harm would come to me.

"Only hours later, after my guests were comfortably in their rooms did I venture out to meet my landlord. When I arrived, he was brimming with goodwill; apparently he had had a change of heart. Not only didn't he throw me into jail, but he greeted me like an old friend. Everything worked out all right.

"Whenever I put my trust in G-d, I have nothing to worry about. Two years ago I lost all my money. I had no trouble maintaining my faith, but it was a different thing for my family. They were desperate and begged me to go and find a partner. They could see no other solution.

"This was against my own ideas. Why should I suddenly begin to rely on flesh and blood when all my life I had trusted only in G-d, and He had never let me down? In the end, I couldn't hold out against them, and so, I set out to find a business partner.

"I walked through the green countryside, bursting with G-d's goodness and bounty, red apples here, luscious grapes to the other side, contented cows grazing lazily, and I stopped in my tracks. My heart was almost bursting with my love of G-d, and my trust in Him had never been greater. Could not the One Who created all of the beautiful greenery and sustained it eternally also care for me and my little family? Why was I seeking out some human being to lift me up from all my troubles. I raised my eyes to the heavens and prayed, 'G-d, You are the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, please grant my prayer. I have lost all my money, and I cannot operate my inn. My family tells me to get myself a partner, a mere mortal of flesh and blood. Why can't You become my partner? We'll split everything down the middle. Your half, I'll distribute to the poor, and my half, I'll use to support my family.

"No sooner had I finished, when I felt something in my pocket. I reached for it, and to my astonishment it was a silver coin of such value that I had never owned one like it. And I knew that G-d had accepted my proposition; we were partners, and this was the first profit.

"With this coin I replenished my stock and resumed my trade. When the first profits came in, I put one half aside for my 'partner' in a box which I keep behind the counter. I am scrupulously careful with these funds, even more so than with my own money. This is my whole story."

The Apter Rebbe, who had been listening with rapt attention, rose, thanked the tavern-keeper, and left. When he returned to his own shul in Medzibuzh he told the entire tale to his chasidim, and concluded "When one enters a partnership with G-d, and is completely honest in his business dealings, G-d enables him to perform wonders."

The Matza That Prevented A Divorce

The rebbetzin of the Apta Rav, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel, was busy finishing up the last minute preparations for the seder when there was a knock on the door. A servant opened the door, and there stood two charity collectors who were making the rounds gathering matza for the town's poor. The servant, seeing a stack of matzas wrapped in a napkin on the table, took it and innocently gave it to the men.

When, a bit later, the rebbetzin entered the room and noticed the matza missing, her heart fell, for this was no ordinary matza. They were the meticulously-prepared and guarded matzas which her husband had baked just before the holiday was ushered in.

She called in her household servants and soon discovered how it happened, but there was nothing to be done about it. She couldn't bring herself to disappoint her husband by telling him about the mistake, and so, with a heavy heart, she wrapped some ordinary matzas in a napkin and placed them on the table and said nothing about it.

Several days after Passover ended a young couple came to Rabbi Heschel seeking a divorce. The Apta Rav asked the husband why he wanted a divorce. He replied that his wife had refused to cook the Passover food without gebrokts - according to the custom which requires that no matza come into contact with water.

The Rav called over his rebbetzin and asked, "Tell me, what kind of matzas did we use for the Passover seder?"

His wife was startled by the sudden question, and she was afraid to respond. The Rav encouraged her and calmed her fears, and she went on to explain to her husband the entire episode that had transpired the afternoon of the holiday.

The Rav then turned to the young husband and said in a kind tone, "Listen to me, son. On the first night of Passover I ate regular matza and I pretended not to notice any difference. Why did I do this? I didn't wish to bring about any hard feelings or anger, G-d forbid. And you wish to divorce your wife over this Passover custom!!"

The young man immediately recognized his folly and the couple left completely reconciled.