Hayom Yom: Tackling Life's Tasks - 30 Nissan, The 1st day of Rosh Chodesh Iyar

A Story with an Echo

A villager had married his daughter to a chassidic scholar. After the initial period of adjustment to married life, the young son-in-law began to leave home from time to time to visit his Rebbe for Shabbos. As a dedicated chassid, he also wanted others to appreciate his way of life, but being somewhat immature, he was a little too pushy. One of the people who bore his zealous efforts was his father-in-law. “Come see the Rebbe,” the young chassid constantly pressed him. “Visit him for just one Shabbos,” and the like. The father-in-law did not object to his son-in-law’s involvement with a Rebbe, but he was personally uninterested. “I’ve seen many Rebbes,” he assured him. “I’m sure that he’s special, but it’s not for me.”

Nevertheless, after a time, and more to quell his son-in-law’s incessant requests than for any other reason, he agreed to accompany him for one Shabbos. That Friday evening,the Rebbe led the prayer service. The son-in-law was overwhelmed with the sweetness and sincerity of the Rebbe’s prayers. “Wasn’t it outstanding?” he asked his guest.

“I told you I’ve seen Rebbes before,” his father-in-law answered indifferently.

Afterwards, when the Rebbe partook of the Shabbos meal together with his chassidim, the son-in-law listened in rapture to the wistful melodies and intuitive teachings. Again, however, the father-in-law was unimpressed: “I’ve seen many Rebbes before.”

The same exchanges repeated themselves throughout Shabbos morning and Shabbos afternoon. The son-in-law was extremely impressed with his Rebbe; the father-in-law remained unmoved.

As they were preparing to return home Saturday night, several chassidim invited them to a Melaveh Malkah. The son-in-law was embarrassed to keep his father-in-law waiting and decided to defer to his wishes. To his surprise, however, the father-in-law agreed: “I always have a Melaveh Malkah at home, and there’s no reason for this Shabbos to be any different.”

They spent a couple of hours with the chassidim, sharing a modest meal, songs and stories.

Throughout the whole of the following week, the son-in-law did not mention a word about the Rebbe to his father-in-law. Suddenly, on Thursday night, he was overwhelmed when his father-in-law proposed: “Let’s go to the Rebbe again.”

“Why do you want to go?” the young man asked. “Nothing you saw impressed you!”

“True, I was not impressed by the Rebbe’s insights and songs, but I was moved by the Melaveh Malkah. We were in a home with a dozen chassidim for two hours and I couldn’t tell who was the host and who were the guests. If a Rebbe can engender such togetherness among his chassidim, I want to be one of his followers.”