A Shavuot Miracle In Tunisia

Matzliach "the Antique Dealer," as he was known, lived long ago in Tunisia. He was a great lover of Torah, though not an outstanding scholar. And, though he was not very rich, he gave charity generously.
He was particularly known in the Jewish community for his special custom in connection with Shavuot, the festival of the Giving of the Torah. Every year he invited ten scholars to his home on the first night of Shavuot. He prepared a fine feast for them, and after the meal they would recite the special "Tikun" prayers and study Torah the entire night.
Matzliach started this tradition when, years earlier, he learned of the custom to stay awake on the first night of Shavuot. At the time, he was greatly surprised to hear that the night before G-d was to give the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai, they did not stay awake! Indeed, they slept soundly, so that when G-d descended on the mountain early in the morning, His chosen people were not there! It wasn't that the people were not eager to receive the Torah, but rather that they wanted to be well rested and refreshed for the great moment of Divine Revelation.
And so it became the custom of Jews everywhere to make up for this by staying awake the night of Shavuot, in this way "correcting" what had happened. In fact, this is what "Tikun" means - correction.
One year when Shavuot approached, Matzliach found himself in a difficult situation. Business hadn't been good and not only didn't he have money for his usual feast, but he didn't even have the funds for food and wine for the holiday. Sadly he told his wife Mazal about his predicament.
"I still have my precious earrings," Mazal said, taking them off and giving them to him. "Take them to the pawnbroker to get a loan until things improve."
Matzliach took the earrings to the pawnbroker and received a tidy sum.
As he was walking home, Matzliach met the chief rabbi of Tunisia, Rabbi Hai Tayeb.
"You saved me a trip," the Rabbi said. "I'm going around collecting for our poor, so they can celebrate Shavuot with joy."
Without hesitation, Matzliach gave the Rabbi the money he had just received from the pawnbroker.
On his way home, as Matzliach wondered what he would tell his wife, he heard his name called.
"His Majesty sent me out to buy a set of antique coffee-cups. I have no idea where to get them," said one of the servants of the ruler. "But you are an antique dealer. Get them for me, and you will be amply rewarded."
"I will try my best," Matzliach promised. The dealer he went to had such a set and was happy to sell them off cheaply to Matzliach.
Matzliach went to the Royal court and was introduced to the King. "Just what I wanted," he said. Then he asked how much he owed for the cups.
After hearing the price, the surprised king asked, "That's all you paid for these precious cups? The ruler of Tunisia is not looking for bargains. You shall be paid their full value!"
Matzliach left the king's palace with a large sum of money. Walking home, he met the Chief Rabbi again.
"I can now afford to double my donation," Matzliach said happily.
"Thank G-d, we both did well today," the Rabbi said. "Have a happy Shavuot."
Indeed, it was a happy holiday for Matzliach and his wife Mazal. And what made them happiest was that this year, too, they could observe their custom of celebrating Tikun-night as before.

The Shortest Shavuot Sermon

The Shavuot prayers had ended and the Chasidim of Reb Chaim of Sanz had gathered to receive the Rebbe's blessings and to hear him recite kiddush and partake of some wine and cakes. They lingered, waiting for the elderly Tzadik to complete his lengthy prayers until he finally emerged from the shul.
Reb Chaim had become legendary for his great compassion for the poor and needy and his generous dispensing of charity, but still, his followers were surprised at his words as he took his place at the table.
"When I was a young man, I used to deliver a carefully honed discourse every Shavuot to a group of great scholars. Now, however, I am an old man, and I don't have the strength for that kind of learned give and take. Instead, I will deliver to you only a very short word: I need one thousands reinish for a needy cause, and I will not recite Kiddush until you decide between yourselves how much each of you will bring to me. I need the money in cash, as soon as the holiday is over. I leave you to arrange it between yourselves. At that, the Rebbe left the room.
The Chasidim had no choice but to discuss how to meet their Rebbe's demand. Four of the wealthiest divided the entire amount between themselves, and a delegate was sent to the Rebbe to assure him that the matter was taken care of. Only then did Reb Chaim make Kiddush.
No sooner had the holiday ended than the entire sum of money was given to the Rebbe who handed it to a certain pauper who needed it for a dowry for his daughter.

The Miracle @ R' Akiva's Daughter's Wedding

Rabbi Akiva and his wife, Rachel, had a kind and beloved daughter, a rare jewel. As she grew up, her family concerned themselves with finding a suitable match for her, a young man who would appreciate her special qualities. When such a person was found, the family began making wedding preparations. The family was understandably excited. But Rabbi Akiva was a bit worried. Years before, an astrologer had told him that a terrible disaster would occur on his daughter's wedding day. She would be bitten by a poisonous snake and die.

Rabbi Akiva placed his trust in G-d, knowing well that the stars and astrology do not control the lives of Jews. With great devotion, Rabbi Akiva prayed that no harm would befall his cherished child.

The wedding day arrived. Guests came from far and near to celebrate the wedding of the daughter of the esteemed and revered Rabbi Akiva. Everything proceeded seemingly uneventfully.

During the wedding meal, while everyone was enjoying the delicious repast, a poor man walked into the hall. "Can anyone give me something to eat?" he called out in a soft voice, too weakened by hunger to speak loudly. No one heard the poor man. No one except for the bride, herself. She got up from her place of honor. Though she had fasted the entire day, she quietly, humbly, gave the beggar her own portion of the wedding feast. No one noticed this simple act of kindness which the bride showed to the poor man.

Later that evening, as some of the guests had begun to leave, the bride went to her room to rest. She had been wearing a gold pin in her hair to keep her veil in place. She removed the pin from her hair and looked around in the dim light for a place to put it. Finding no suitable, secure place, she stuck it in the wall near her bed.

When the bride awakened in the morning and went to take her pin, an incredible sight met her eyes. A dead snake had been impaled by the pin!

Not much time passed before Rabbi Akiva heard about the snake. He immediately remembered the words of the astrologer. Certainly this was the snake about which he had foretold.

Rabbi Akiva asked his daughter, "Tell me, did you perform any good deeds yesterday at your wedding?"

The bride considered the events of the previous day. "I saw a poor, hungry man at the wedding who was asking for food. No one heard him but I. So, I took my own portion of food from the wedding feast and gave it to him."

Rabbi Akiva then told her of the astrologer's forecast and concluded by saying, "In the merit of your charitable act - the food which you gave to the poor man, your own life was saved."

Our Sages teach, "Tzedaka saves from death." In addition, it is customary for bride and groom, and their relatives (and anyone who cares about them) to give charity on the wedding day, as the Lubavitcher Rebbe explains: In light of the saying of our Sages, "Great is tzedaka, for it hastens the Redemption," there is a special quality to the tzedaka given by groom and bride - "king and queen" - to hasten and bring about the imminent true and complete Redemption...

The Rebbe also explained: Parents, grandparents, siblings, and all relatives and friends who desire the welfare of the groom and bride and who want to participate in the joy of the groom and bride, should increase the amount they give to charity on the day of the wedding. This applies as well to the teachers and the "matchmaker" of the groom and bride. Their gift should be in honor of and accompanied by prayerful wishes for the eternal well-being of the groom and bride, that the mitzva (commandment) and merit of tzedaka stand them in good stead and that their joy be unbounded and everlasting.

The Great Mitzvah of Hachnosas Kallah

A young girl approached the rabbi of her village. With tears in her eyes she described her situation to the kindhearted rabbi. She was engaged, but her joy in her upcoming wedding was marred by the fact that she was an impoverished orphan, and her intended was also very poor. There was no money for a wedding gown or even a proper wedding feast.

The rabbi turned to her and said, "Don't worry, my child. With G-d's help we'll celebrate a fine wedding." The young girl went home, comforted by the rabbi's optimistic words.

No sooner had she left when the rabbi immediately donned his coat and set off to visit some of the wealthier members of the community to attempt to raise money for the wedding.

His first stop was at the home of a very wealthy and generous man, and the rabbi felt confident that he would find success there. When he arrived, the wealthy man greeted him warmly.

"Peace unto you, Rabbi," he said. "I am greatly honored by your visit. Please allow me to fulfill the mitzva of welcoming guests properly." With that, he offered the rabbi a seat and served him some fruit.

The rabbi pointed to the fruit and said, "While I enjoy the fruit that you have so kindly offered me, I want you to enjoy the fruit that I have brought."

The man looked puzzled, and the rabbi went on to explain:

"As we say in our morning prayers, 'These are the things, the fruits of which a man enjoys in this world and the remainder is held for him in the World to Come: Honoring one's father and mother, giving charity, hospitality, visiting the sick, endowering a bride...'

"You see, my friend, I am collecting money to enable a poor orphaned girl to get married, and I have come to offer you a chance to partake in this great mitzva, hachnasat kalla."

His host smiled at him and replied, "If you will stay and enjoy some refreshments, I will take upon myself the full expense of the wedding, And if your time permits, I would like to tell you a story which will explain why I'm so eager to fulfill the mitzva of hachnasat kalla."

The rabbi was indeed curious to know what motivated his host to make such a generous offer, settled himself comfortably and listened intently to the man's story.

"This happened soon after my own wedding had taken place. It was my first time heading out to the market to seek my fortune. I had a substantial amount of money in my pocket, and I was eager to get involved in the noise and excitement of trading in the marketplace.

"As I was about to get started, I noticed a poor woman standing off to the side, crying quietly. I was greatly affected by her obvious distress, and went over to her to uncover the cause of her sorrow. When I inquired as to what was wrong, she informed me that her daughter was to be married shortly, and she had no money to cover the expenses, and both she and her daughter were heartbroken.

"At that moment, the bundle of money in my pocket began to feel like a heavy burden. I took it out and handed it to the woman without saying a word, and then I left quickly before the woman could even thank me.

"I had no choice but to return home, as I had no money to purchase goods in the marketplace. As I made my way home, a stranger stopped me and greeted me warmly, and then he offered me some diamonds for sale. As my father had been a diamond merchant, I was able to examine the stones competently, and I judged them to be beautiful stones offered at a fair price. I told the stranger that I would be happy to purchase them, but I had no money.

"The stranger didn't seem surprised by that, and he said, 'I knew your father, and I know you to be an honest man. Take them on credit, and when you resell them you can pay me back. You will be able to find me in the study hall.'

"I had no problem selling the stones at a substantial profit. At the end of the day I hurried to the study hall to pay back my debt. I searched the study hall, but the stranger was nowhere to be found. When I arrived home, I calculated my earnings, and they were ten times what I had given that poor woman. I put the money aside, but I have not seen him since. Since then, I have, thank G-d, been very successful, and I have always been aware of the importance of this mitzva. Permit me then, rabbi, to arrange the wedding of the orphaned bride in my home."

With that, the wealthy man handed the rabbi an additional sum of money to pay for the wedding gown and to cover additional expenses of setting up a home.

The wedding was celebrated amidst great joy and festivity, and the young couple was able to set up a true Jewish home which was the pride of the community.

Reprinted from Talks and Tales, published by Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch

Hershel-goat

This story took place in the time before the name of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov had become known in the world. He was then a "hidden tzadik" (holy man) who traveled through the cities and towns spreading the basic concepts of Chasidism amongst the simple people. He strengthened their faith, inspired them to love their fellow Jews, and stressed the importance of praying with the proper devotion and of saying Psalms.

Once, in the course of his wandering, he came to the city of Brod. As was his custom, he went directly to the market place and began to talk to the simple, common Jews. Soon he was surrounded by an enthralled circle of people, listening eagerly to his tales of great Rabbis, and their ways and customs.

As he was speaking, he noticed a particular Jew, a porter by trade, passing through the marketplace with a heavy load on his shoulders. His appearance was quite miserable. His clothes were torn, he was wearing wooden shoes, his face was covered with sweat. But the Baal Shem Tov saw something that the others there could not see: above the man's head shone a pillar of pure, bright light.

"Hershel, you should carry your burden in peace," called out some of the assembled people to him. There were those who added in a mocking tone, "Go in peace, Hershel-goat." Hershel the porter answered all, with a benevolent expression on his face, "You should be blessed," and continued on his way.

From the people of the city, the Baal Shem Tov heard that this Hershel was a widower, who had lost his wife some ten years previously. He had two sons who learned in yeshiva. He made a good living, but spent most of his income on the upkeep of four goats who lived together with him. Everyone assumed that he loved goat's milk. This is how the nickname "Hershel-goat" came about.

Over the next few days the Baal Shem Tov watched Hershel but could not find anything extraordinary. Wanting very much to have revealed to him the man's secret, the Baal Shem Tov fasted for three consecutive days and nights, during which time he prayed and begged G-d to help him uncover the secret.

On the afternoon of the third day, as he was leaving the synagogue, he met Hershel. "Reb Hershel," he appealed to him, "I would very much love a glass of warm goat's milk. I have heard that one may buy some from you."

"Come with me," invited Hershel with a radiant face. "I will give you a cup of fresh milk. However, I will not accept money from you, as I too would like to fulfill the mitzva (commandment) of hospitality."

For quite some time the two of them wended their way through the narrow alleys, until they reached the outskirts of the city. When Hershel opened the door of his little hovel, he was greeted by the happy bleating of his goats, who rushed over and began to lick his hands. He took a pan and milked the goats, strained the milk, poured a cup of the warm fresh milk and handed it to his guest the Baal Shem Tov. Hershel then began to tell him his life story.

He told him about his wife, a woman of great kindness, who dedicated herself in particular to the mitzva of ministering to the sick. "There was no sick person whom she did not assist, and for whom she would get all possible help. She also attended to poor women who were giving birth.

"After she passed away, ten years ago, she appeared to me in a dream," he continued. "She told me how wonderful it was in the World of Truth, and how great is the merit of doing a kind deed for a Jew. When her soul ascended on high to the Heavenly Court, it was happy to recognize many people whom she knew. These were all the people whom she had helped and supported during their illnesses. They had all come to bear witness to her goodness.

"After she told me how much appreciated in Heaven is every favor that is done for a fellow Jew, she suggested that I concern myself with charity work.

" 'You are a simple Jew' she said. 'You don't know how to learn Torah. Busy yourself with charity and good deeds, and especially help the sick, the poor, and women giving birth. But you must do this in a way so that no one will know.'

"I obeyed my wife's words: I saved every penny and bought four goats. I feed them fine food, so that they will produce rich and nutritious milk. This milk I distribute to the sick and the poor, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, Who heals all flesh, helps and the milk makes the sick people well.

Hershel also told his guest that his wife had revealed to him that the next day he would meet a poor Jew who would request a glass of milk. "Invite this person to your home and tell him about your deeds," his wife had told him. "Through him you will receive many blessings."

Now the Baal Shem Tov realized that because of the pure, honest work of Hershel, his goodness of heart, his giving of himself and his love of fellow Jews, he merited the crown of light which accompanied him wherever he went. The Baal Shem Tov brought Hershel into the circle of "hidden tzaddikim" who taught him Torah step by step. But even when he became very learned in Torah and accomplished in his studies, he didn't stop taking care of the sick and the poor.

Eventually, Hershel passed away unrecognized, at the age of approximately one hundred. But up in Heaven, a glorious welcome was accorded the soul of the holy man who was once known in Brod as "Hershel-goat."

Tzeddakah Money Goes Where It Belongs

When the Baal Shem Tov saw that Reb Dovid, one of his chasidim, was not arranging a match for his daughter, he called in some of his other disciples. "Collect two hundred rubles. Take the money to these two addresses, look over the two young men and decide who is more suitable for Reb Dovid's daughter."

The chasidim visited both young men and chose the second of the two. They then concluded the engagement to the satisfaction of the young man and his family. The father of the groom told the chasidim, "Take this gift along for the bride and tell her father that I await a similar gift for my son."

Reb Dovid and his daughter were delighted with the good news and the gift. Reb Dovid tried to put the money together for a gift to send in return, but due to his extreme poverty he was unable to come up with a sizeable sum.

Reb Dovid wrote a letter to the groom's family, assuring them that he would eventually be sending a dowry. Then, he traveled to the Baal Shem Tov to explain his predicament. The Baal Shem Tov listened compassionately and said, "Do not worry. Trust in G-d and everything will be all right."

When Reb Dovid arrived home he found a letter waiting for him from the groom's family. 'We have not yet received the dowry. Is it not time for our children to celebrate their wedding?"

Overwrought with worry, Reb Dovid decided to travel once again to the Baal Shem Tov and explain the urgency of the situation.

"I told you not to worry," the Baal Shem Tov told Reb Dovid. "Go home, put your trust in G-d, and everything will work out well."

Reb Dovid returned home, but upon his arrival, Reb Dovid found another letter: "We are leaving for your city within two weeks. Please be prepared for us."

"Two weeks," Reb Dovid read, in sheer misery. He didn't even have enough food in his house for his own family let alone the groom's family and all their guests. His only option was to go once again to the Baal Shem Tov.

As Reb Dovid neared the Baal Shem Tov's study hall, one of his traveling companions pointed to a beautiful carriage travelling in front of them and said jokingly, "There is your help."

As it happened, the passenger in the carriage arrived just a moment before Reb Dovid and they both entered the Rebbe's room together. The Baal Shem Tov greeted only Reb Dovid and said, "I want to tell you a story. There lived in Danzig a wealthy merchant named Reuven. Once he was returning from a very successful business trip with his bookkeeper and secretary. The two men became jealous of their employer's wealth and plotted to rob him. They attacked the coach driver and beat him to death. They then bound Reuven to a tree.

" 'Please, spare my life for the sake of my wife and children,' Reuven pleaded. 'Take all of my money but spare my life.'

"The two thieves laughed. 'We cannot leave you alive. Prepare to die.'

" 'Then give me five minutes to say the final confession,' Reuven pleaded.

"The thieves agreed. While Reuven said the final confession, he wept from the depths of his heart. He called out to G-d, 'I swear that if my life is spared, I will give one quarter of my fortune to the poor of my family and one quarter to other needy causes.'

"At that moment the sound of hoof-beats were heard approaching. The would-be-murderers fled, leaving Reuven tied to the tree. It was a nobleman approaching with his servants. Having come upon an abandoned wagon loaded with costly merchandise, they entered the forest to investigate.

"The noblemen sent two of his servants to accompany Reuven home. There, Reuven rejoiced wholeheartedly with his family. After the celebration, Reuven called in a bookkeeper and ordered him, 'Add up all of my assets.'

"But when Reuven saw what a large sum half of his fortune was, his determination faltered. He decided that giving half of his fortune all at once, would break him. He therefore decided to 'pay it off' over many years' time.

"A short while later, Reuven's wife became ill. The local doctors could not figure out what was wrong with her. They sent Reuven's wife to specialists who sent her to other specialists. Reuven and his wife traveled from country to country, specialist to specialist. But no doctor could diagnose her illness.

"Finally Reuven's wife said to him, 'Let us go to the Baal Shem Tov.'

"Reuven agreed to his wife's suggestion," the Baal Shem Tov concluded. "How much money have you spent on doctors ever since your wife became ill?" the Baal Shem Tov asked the second visitor, finally acknowledging his presence. "Was it not more than a quarter of your fortune, the amount you should have given to the poor? Redeem the rest of your pledge immediately, down to the last penny. You will see that your wife will regain her health."

Reuven was still in shock from the Baal Shem Tov having so vividly described the horrifying events of the past few months. Dutifully, in front of the Baal Shem Tov and Reb Dovid, Reuven emptied his entire purse of money. It contained three thousand gold coins.

The Baal Shem Tov gave the money to Reb Dovid and it was not long before his daughter's wedding was celebrated amidst much joy and happiness.