כְּשֶׁרָצָה רַבֵּנוּ הַזָּקֵן לְבָרֵךְ אֶת ר' יְקוּתִיאֵל לֶיעפּלֶער בַּעֲשִׁירוּת, אָמַר שֶׁאֵינוֹ חָפֵץ בָּזֶה, שֶׁלֹּא תַּטְרִידוֹ הָעֲשִׁירוּת מִלִּמּוּד הַחֲסִידוּת וְהִתְעַסְּקוּת בַּעֲבוֹדָה. וּכְשֶׁרָצָה לְבָרְכוֹ בַּאֲרִיכוּת יָמִים אָמַר: אָבּעֶר נִיט מִיט פּוֹיעֶרשׁעֶ יאָהרן, וואָס עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ, מעֶן זעֶהט נִיט קֵיין גֶ-טלִיכקַייט אוּן מעֶן העֶרט נִיט קֵיין גֶ-טלִיכקַייט.

When the Alter Rebbe wished to bless R. Yekusiel Liepler with wealth, the latter replied that he had no desire for it, lest it interfere with his study of Chassidus and involvement in Divine service.

When the Alter Rebbe then sought to bless him with long life, he replied: “But not peasant years. Not years of those ‘who have eyes, but do not see; who have ears, but do not hear’1 — who neither see nor hear G‑dliness.”2

A Chassid to Remember

We sometimes look at things in reverse. First, we imagine, we will become financially secure, then sort out our affairs, and finally find the peace of mind to serve G‑d. R. Yekusiel realized that the opposite is true. A person’s first priority must be his spiritual life; thinking about making money comes later.

Regarding the Alter Rebbe’s second blessing, R. Yekusiel was of course not asking for an additional gift. Rather, he was again stating what was obvious to him: the only life worth living is one in which a person appreciates the Divine truth that permeates creation. Such a life is not merely a quantity of years, but a life of years that are alive.3