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Book Title Once Upon A Chasid
By Yanki Tauber
Published and copyrighted by Kehot Publication Society
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What a M'chuton!

And G-d spoke suddenly to Moses, Aaron and Miriam
And He called to Aaron and Miriam… If there be a prophet among you, I G-d make Myself known to him in a vision, and speak to him in a dream. Not so is it with Moses my servant… Face to face I speak with him. (12:4-8)

G-d appeared to them suddenly. Aaron and Miriam began to call "Water! Water!" for they needed to purify themselves and were caught unprepared. G-d wished to demonstrate to them the difference between their prophecy and the prophecy of Moses: with Moses, there was no set time to speak, for the Divine presence was to be found with him at all times.

- Rashi's commentary

For several days in 1804 the small town of Zhlobin hosted an encounter of two great chassidic groups. The occasion was the famous "Zhlobener wedding" in which a granddaughter of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi wed a grandson of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Barditchov. During the festivities, chassidim of both Rebbes hopped from event to event, comparing notes as to what was happening in "Chabad" or 'Barditchov'"

At one point, Rabbi Schneur Zalman asked: "What's going on at the mechuton's?"1 The chassidim informed him that Rabbi Levi Yitzchak had already finished with the morning prayers. "What a mechuton!" remarked the Rebbe. "He runs a hand over his eyes, and his soul is ready to soar in prayer. I could never manage such a feat -- I cannot even begin to pray without several hours of preparation."

Later in the day, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak inquired after Rabbi Schneur Zalman and was told that the latter was still before his morning prayers. "What a mechuton!" said the Barditchover. "Whenever he arrives, he is accepted with open arms. As for myself, if I wish to enter the heavenly gates of prayer I must come at the appointed hour, when the door is open for all…"


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FOOTNOTES
1. Yiddish term for a relative by marriage.

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Yanki Tauber is content editor of Chabad.org.
 

Reader Comments
Latest Comments:
Posted: June 13, 2009
What a M'chuton!
this is a beautiful read. thank you for writing it.
Posted By jeff, miami, florida

Posted: Sep 17, 2005
"Every man is my superior is some way. In that I can learn from him." - Emerson
Posted By Eric S. Kingston, CA



 


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Once Upon A Chasid
  There is no better way to convey the unique and often subtle "chassidic dimension" to the wisdom of Torah than to tell a story. Hence, Once Upon a Chassid--a collection of stories, anecdotes, conversations and sayings culled from the immense sea of writings, transcribed talks, letters and diaries of seven generations of Chabad-Lubavitch.

 Kehot Publication Society and Merkos Publications, the publishing divisions of the Lubavitch movement have brought Torah education to nearly every Jewish community in the world. More than 100,000,000 volumes have been disseminated to date in over 12 languages, both for newcomer as well as for those well versed in Torah knowledge.