כל הנפש הבאה ליעקב מצרימה יצאי ירכו מלבד נשי בני יעקב כל נפש ששים ושש (ויגש מו:כו)

Rashi says that Eisav had six souls and the passuk relates to him(Bereshis 36:6):  “נפשות ביתו” the souls of his household – in plural, since they served many idols.  Not so with our forefather Yaakov, as it says “כל הנפש” and ”כל נפש ששים ושש”- in singular form, since they all served Hashem.

In the remote hamlet of Koponia, not far from Siget (Sziget, Hungary), the residents earned their livelihood by producing liquor and selling it to the non-Jewish inhabitants.  One day, the town’s priest started instigating against the Yidden and decreed that no one was allowed to purchase liquor from a Yid.  Within a short time, the Yidden felt their livelihood decline. They went to the Yeitav Lev of Siget zt”l to ask for a bracha – blessing.

The Yitav Lev told them: “We say ‘בורא נפשות רבות וחסרונן על כל מה שבראת להחיות בהם נפש כל חי’ – Hashem is the Creator of many souls and their needs.

According to Rashi, by Yaakov it says שבעים נפש in the singular form because they all serve Hashem, and by Eisav, it says נפשות because they worship many idols.

The holy Rebbe told the distraught Yidden of Koponia: “בורא נפשות רבות ‘ these are the non-Jews that are called נפשות and “וחסרונן” – Hashem also created what they’re lacking – על כל מה שבראת להחיות בהם נפש כל חי – everything was created to sustain the Yidden who are called “נפש” – this will bring about that the non-Jews will have to purchase from the Yidden what they lack.  And why do they need to live if they don’t want to give Yidden business?” Said the Yeitav Lev.

Soon after, an epidemic spread amongst the non-Jews, and the government investigated its source.  They concluded that drinking liquor would cleanse them from the illness.  They also learned that the priest forbade purchasing liquor from the Jews and they held a court hearing against the priest, which concluded that he was to be blamed for this epidemic and he was punished harshly.