אַאַמוּ"ר אָמַר לְרָב אֶחָד — בַּעַל עֲבוֹדָה וּמַתְמִיד בְּלִמּוּדוֹ: אַ רָב בּעֶדאַרף בְּכָל עֵת וּבְכָל רֶגַע געֶדֵיינקעֶן, אַז תָּמִיד שְׁטֵייט עֶר אוֹיף דעֶם שְׁוועֶל וואָס צְווישׁעֶן מְזַכֵּי הָרַבִּים אוּן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם מַחְטִיאֵי הָרַבִּים, אוֹיף דעֶם שְׁוועֶל פוּן עוֹמֶק רוֹם אוּן עוֹמֶק תַּחַת, אוּן אַלעֶ עִנְיָנִים בּעֶדאַרף נוֹגֵעַ זַיין אִין פְּנִימִית נְקוּדַת הַנֶּפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וַוייל בְּנַפְשׁוֹ הוּא.

My revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], once told a certain rabbi who took his Divine service seriously and was a diligent scholar: “At all times and at every moment, a rabbimust remember that he is standing on the threshold between those who bring merit to the people and those who lead them to sin, Heaven forbid — the threshold between the loftiest peaks and the lowest depths. All their concerns must touch the innermost point of his soul, for his very soul is at stake.”1

A Story with an Echo

In a related situation, the Rebbe Rashab once advised one of his chassidim to accept a position as a shochet, a ritual slaughterer. The chassid hesitated, and explained his apprehensions to the Rebbe: “I am afraid to undertake such a responsibility.”

“Whom, then, should I send?” replied the Rebbe Rashab. “Someone who is not afraid?!”