Power Of Charity

A century ago, there lived in the town of Polotsk in Russia a simple storekeeper by the name of Reb Yisrael. He was a follower of Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, the third leader of Chabad. Once, on a visit to the town of Lubavitch, he heard a discourse of Chasidic philosophy from the Rebbe, explaining how our father Abraham was charitable monetarily, spiritually and bodily. The Rebbe proceeded to give a profound mystical explanation to show how Abraham's physical acts of charity in this material world were in a sense higher than Supernal Kindness.

Reb Yisrael did not understand the entire dissertation, but he did grasp these few words about Abraham, which he repeated over and over until he committed them to memory. When he came home, the Chasidim gathered to welcome him at the customary festive reception for those who returned from Lubavitch. They asked Reb Yisrael if he could perhaps repeat the discourse that the Rebbe had said. Reb Yisrael replied that he could not, but he had committed to memory a few words about Abraham's charitableness, which he proceeded to repeat to them.

After the reception, Reb Yisrael went back to his store as usual.

Nachman and Yosef, also storekeepers in Polotsk, were friends of Reb Yisrael. Reb Yisrael decided that he would go into Nachman's store and ask him for a loan. He did not need the money, but having heard from the Rebbe the great quality of charitableness (which includes lending money without interest) he wanted to give his friend Nachman the opportunity to fulfill this great mitzva. Nachman and Yosef followed his example; every day they would borrow and repay small amounts of money from each other.

When Reb Yisrael was next in Lubavitch, Rabbi Menachem Mendel came out of the synagogue and asked one of the senior Chasidim, "Who is that person over there?" looking toward Reb Yisrael. The Chasid was at a loss to answer, for Reb Yisrael was not one of the well-known Chasidim. Eventually he discovered who the person was and that he was a storekeeper from Polotsk. Rabbi Menachem asked that Reb Yisrael be sent to his room.

When Reb Yisrael came in, the Rebbe asked him about his work and his daily schedule. Reb Yisrael replied that he got up every morning at five, said Psalms, drank a cup of tea, chopped wood, and then went to the synagogue to pray. After the prayers, he studied a chapter of Torah, went home to eat breakfast and then went to the marketplace to his store. Later, in the afternoon, he went to the synagogue again, to say the afternoon prayers, studied a little more, prayed the evening service and went home.

The Rebbe was not satisfied. "Nu, and what about tzedaka?" he inquired.

"I am a poor man and cannot afford to give charity," Reb Yisrael replied. After further questioning by the Rebbe, however, Reb Yisrael's strange custom of taking and giving back small loans came to the surface.

Later, Rabbi Mendel Menachem's son, Rabbi Shmuel, asked his saintly father, "What do you seek in him?"

The Rebbe replied, "I saw, surrounding the simple store- keeper, Reb Yisrael, a radiance, a pillar of light as great as that of the Supernal Kindness.