ונתת את הברכה על הר גריזים ואת הקללה על הר עיבל (ראה יא:כט)

 You shall deliver a blessing on Mount Gerizim and a curse on Mount Ebal.

A local, regional count employed a Chassid of the Sar Shalom of Belz zt ’l.  One day, the count’s only son suddenly had a nervous breakdown and became mentally ill. The doctors couldn’t offer a cure.

The Chassid came to The Sar Shalom and related the incident with the count’s son, adding that the count’s behavior towards the Yidden living in his region can sometimes be good or bad.  The Sar Shalom agreed to see the count.

When the count and his eighteen-year-old son arrived, The Sar Shalom questioned them about his son’s ailment.  The Sar Shalom told him, “If you promise to act kindly to the Yidden, then I can heal your son.”

Of course, the count promised.

The Sar Shalom handed the count a closed envelope and told the chassid to accompany the count and deliver the envelope to a priest known for his hatred towards the Jew. When they arrived at the priest’s home, the priest started cursing the Yid, and banished him from his property.

The count handed over the envelope, saying it was from a Chassidic Rabbi, which enraged the priest even more.  He started screaming hysterically and acting violently, breaking everything within his reach. A Doctor was immediately summoned and admitted the priest to the hospital to treat the sudden onset of his mental illness.  However, the priest’s condition worsened and remained so until his death.

The count’s son recovered, returned to The Sar Shalom to thank him, and gifted him silver and gold. From then on, the count and his son acted nicely to the Yidden in their region.

The Sar Shalom later explained his actions. When Hashem created the world, He differentiated between good and bad.  And Hashem gave Tzaddikim the power to interchange between good and bad.  They can bestow good upon the non-Jews when necessary, and a Kiddush Hashem will come forth through their actions.  The Sar Shalom further explained.  It says in the pasuk ונתת את הברכה על הר גריזים ואת הקללה על הר עיבל – the Targum Onkelos expounds ית מברכיא – that tzaddikim can give brachas and have the power to bestow good and bad.  Therefore, I took the ailment from the count’s son and gave it to the priest.

Filed under Parshas Re’eh | The Holy Sar Shalom