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Telling the Truth


From the Chassidic Masters

The visitor from Hungary stopped a passerby on a street in the town of Lisensk with the query: "Can you please direct me to the home of the great Rabbi Elimelech?"

The man raised his eyeslids in astonishment: "You mean to tell me that you journeyed all the way from Hungary to see this 'Rebbe of Lisensk'?! Have the exaggerations and embellishments about this man traveled that far already? I know this Rabbi Elimelech personally, and the man is an absolute zero. I'm afraid that you've wasted your time and money on these silly rumors."

The visitor was outraged. "You lowly, despicable man!" he thundered. "What do you know! You obviously have no understanding of anything holy and spiritual!" Still fuming, the visitor stormed off.

Later that day, when he entered Rabbi Elimelech's study for his appointed audience, he nearly fainted in shame and remorse. The man he had derided earlier on the street was none other than Rabbi Elimelech himself! With tears in his eyes, he begged the Rebbe's forgiveness.

"Why are you so upset?" asked Rabbi Elimelech. "There's no need to apologize. I told you the simple truth, and everything you said was also true..."
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From the Chassidic Masters
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Latest Comments:
Posted: Jan 22, 2011
Follow-up
I'm sure that one day we will know what this story means. And it'll be all the more rewarding to understand it.
Posted By VAL, BROOKLYN, New York

Posted: Jan 17, 2011
To Val again
My first post was wrong.I made a mistake.

I should had said:

"Why did the Rebbe lowered himself so much * and accepted* the visitor´s words of *scorn* as trues.
Posted By Carmen

Posted: Jan 16, 2011
to Carmen
Carmen, I'm not sure I understand your last post, but I do think a part of the story has possibly just made sense to me.

The past several days, the Daily Dose by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman (the last picture of the daily changing pictures on the Chabad.org homepage) has been about the Rebbe's teachings on nullifying one's ego -- kind of like reaching "zero". And in the story Rabbi Elimelech says that he "knows this Rabbi personally, and he's an absolute zero."

But this only explains half of the story. The Rabbi told the visitor "There's no need to apologize. I told you the simple truth, and everything you said was also true..." How can everything the visitor said be true if he called the Rabbi a despicable man who doesn't understand anything spiritual and holy.

If I did understand the first half right, I'm still lost on the second. And I'm not sure I understand your latest explanation neither.
Posted By VAL, BROOKLYN, New York

Posted: Jan 14, 2011
Relative truth
I think I´ve got the point.

What the Rebbe was saying is that all is from G-d and that he was only an instrument, so to speak.

But, if he had acquired the level and the merit to be a Rebbe, it is because he, and probably his ancestors, had strived to reach that, so he himself (relatively) deserved the praise of his fellow man.
Posted By Carmen

Posted: Jan 12, 2011
Gershon
What is the value of such "humbleness" I ask myself.

What do you think?
Posted By Carmen

Posted: Jan 11, 2011
So...
So why is the story called "Telling The Truth"
Posted By VAL, BROOKLYN, New York

Posted: Jan 11, 2011
Val
He was being humble.
Posted By Gershon McGreevy

Posted: Jan 11, 2011
Exactly,Val.I agree.
If the Rabbi had understanding,why did he put himself so down?
Posted By Carmen

Posted: Jan 10, 2011
Gershon
Gershon I'm still not sure I understand. What does that mean? The Rabbi obviously does have an understanding of everything holy and spiritual.

Carmen, I'm just as lost as you.

Gershon, lease help further if you can. The point of this story must be very great.
Posted By Val, BROOKLYN, New York

Posted: Jan 9, 2011
Val and Carmen
You both missed the point. When Rabbi Elimelech told the visitor that everything that he had said was true, he was not referring to the fact that the visitor held him in high regard. Rather, he was referring to the visitors derisive statesmen that he (Rabbi Elimelech) "obviously have [has] no understanding of anything holy and spiritual!"
Posted By Gershon McGreevy, Wichita, KS



 


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Cause and Effect
Pushcart Prophet
The Mysterious Journey to Leipzig
The Homeowner
The Man Who Crossed the River with a Kerchief
The King and I
The Cantonists' Minyan
Telling the Truth
Herschel Goat
The Clock
The Traveler
Menasheh the Informer
The Leaf
Hypocrisy
The Fire
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