Rabbi Dov Ber, the second rebbe of Chabad, was once on a mission from his father, Rabbi Schneur Zalman, the founder of Chabad. His travels brought him to the town of Orsha in time for the festival of Purim.

The usual crowd of merrymakers gathered in the synagogue and the cantor read the Megillah in the traditional singsong tune. After concluding a job well done, as was customary in the shuls of old, a tray was set out for people to leave tips for the reader.

Rabbi Dov Ber reached into his pocket and placed a five-ruble note in the dish. The simple folk were shocked at this enormous amount, as the entire community’s donations didn’t even add up to one ruble. The Megillah reader was so taken aback, he turned to the visitor and said, “Rebbe, I really don’t deserve such a large sum!”

Rabbi Dov Ber responded, “No, no. You deserve it alright. I heard you read a marvelous story that I’ve never heard before.”

When the venerable teacher in Lubavitch, Rabbi Shmuel Gronem Esterman, related this story to his students, he explained:

Rabbi Dov Ber heard Megillah from his father every other year of his life. And from his holy lips, Rabbi Dov Ber only heard deep, G‑dly secrets. This was indeed the first time Rabbi Dov Ber actually heard the plain Purim story read aloud.

From Reshimot Devarim (Chitrik), p. 108.