ולא יהיה בבני ישראל נגף בגשת בני ישראל אל הקדש (בהעלותך ח:יט)

A Yid once came to the holy Kozhnitzer Maggid zt”l. This Yid was blessed with health, wealth, and wonderful children; he lacked nothing. The Maggid asked him, “What is it that you need?”

The man replied, “Boruch Hashem, I am lacking nothing.”

The tzaddik then asked, “If so, why did you come to me?”

The wealthy man answered, “Even though I do not need anything now, I came to ask the tzaddik to daven for me that I should never come to need the help of a tzaddik.”

The holy Imrei Chaim of Dzikov zt”l explained this story through the pasuk: “ולא יהיה בבני ישראל נגף בגשת בני ישראל אל הקדש.” Rashi comments: “שלא יצטרכו לגשת את הקודש” — that they should not need to approach the Sanctuary.

At first glance, this seems difficult to understand. The pasuk itself says “בגשת בני ישראל אל הקדש” — that the Yidden will come to the Beis Hamikdash — while Rashi explains that they will not need to come.

The explanation is based on the story above. “ולא יהיה בבני ישראל נגף” means that Yidden will be blessed so abundantly that they will not have to come because of suffering, tragedy, or calamity. Why, then, will they come? Rashi explains: “שלא יצטרכו לגשת את הקודש” — they will come only to ask the tzaddik to daven that they should continue to lack nothing and never come to need the assistance of a tzaddik.