והייתם נקיים מה’ ומישראל (מטות לב:כב)

Then you will be absolved from Hashem and from Israel…

When the Ahavas Yisroel of Viznitz zt’l was vacationing in a resort in Karlsbug, the mailman wanted to deliver an urgent letter addressed to the Ahavas Yisroel.  His shamash wanted to accept the envelope, but the mailman refused to hand it over, saying it was addressed to the “Rabbiner Hager.”

When the mailman was admitted into the Ahavas Yisroel’s room, he asked, “Are you the Rabbiner?” The Rebbe, however, didn’t react.  After repeating his question a few times without receiving a coherent answer, the mailman left without delivering the envelope.

The shamash asked the Ahavas Yisroel why he didn’t adequately respond to the mailman, the Rebbe explained: “When I come up to Shamayim, and they will ask me ‘if you were the Rebbe of so many Chassidim, why didn’t you rectify them?’ I’ll answer; they were the ones that called me Rebbe, a title that’s not applicable. But as soon as I crown myself with this false title, as Rebbe, what will I answer in the World to come?”

Filed under Parshas Mattos |