Saying the Correct Words

על פי ה’ יסעו…ועל פי ה’ יחנו…(בהעלותך ט:יח)

According to the word of Hashem, they would travel…and according to the word of Hashem, they would encamp…

Rashi says in the name of the Sifri: על פי ה’ יסעו ועל פי ה’ יחנו… ביד משה…  – According to the word of Hashem, they journeyed, and according to Hashem’s word, they rested…  and by the hand of Moshe.

Once the Sar Shalom of Belz zt’’l spent a Shabbos in the city of Rava. After Shabbos, the chassidim asked the Sar Shalom to stay for another Shabbos.  The Sar Shalom answered them: “I bid farewell from my Rebbetzin for just one Shabbos. If you really want I should stay for another Shabbos, you will need to travel to Belz and ask my Rebbetzin if she agrees.  If she disagrees, I can’t stay for another Shabbos.”

A delegation of Chassidim traveled to Belz to Rebbetzin Malka a’’h.  They didn’t phrase the question to her based on The Sar Shalom’s words.  They told the Rebbetzin that they asked the Rebbe to stay for another Shaboos, and he agreed.  Saying they just came to let her know about this arrangement. The Rebbetzin answered them: “If the Rebbe wants to remain in Rava, another Shabbos, can I say no?”

When the Chassidim heard her answer, they felt that they didn’t justly fulfill their Rebbe’s request, and they told her the truth – that The Sar Shalom didn’t yet decide, and he sent them to ask the Rebbetzin if she agreed, and only then, will he remain for Shabbos.

When the Rebbetzin heard their message, she led them into The Sar Shalom’s chambers and showed them that everything in the room was crying because the Sar Shalom wasn’t home. “Even the walls are crying! So how can I agree that the Rebbe should stay for another Shabbos?” 

The delegation of Chassidim returned to Rava and relayed the Rebbetzin’s words to the Sar Shalom. He commanded to prepare the horse and buggy for his journey back to Belz. 

Filed under Parshas Behaaloscha | The Holy Sar Shalom