The Threat and the Chametz Fire

A renowned businessman named Heilprin was privy to the doings of the nobility. Through his contacts he heard that a certain aristocrat was threatening the Jews: if they did not give him 20,000 rubles by Pesach, he would punish them with terrible decrees. Heilprin immediately sent a letter to Rav Aharon of Chernobil, asking him and his brothers, who were also notable scholars and Rebbes, to exert themselves to raise the enormous sum.

Rav Aharon's response amazed everyone. When he read the letter, he said simply, "Why is he bothering me with these fantasies?" The Rebbe's secretary was shocked. "But Rebbe, this is a grave matter for all the Jews." Rav Aharon paid no attention. Heilprin sent a messenger to speak with him directly, and the messenger received the same answer. "Please, Rebbe," he said, "give me something in writing that I can show my employer, or he may not believe that I even saw you." The Rebbe agreed and told him, "Go back to your employer and tell him to worry about business and forget about this thing."

The matter reached the ears of Rav Aharon's brother, Rav Yitzchok of Skver, who also wrote to him and asked him to make every effort to collect the sum. Rav Aharon's answer did not change.

Then the morning of Pesach arrived. The Jews of Chernobil had the honored custom of bringing their leftover chametz to Rav Aharon, who would throw it all into a great fire. This year he took the bowl that held his own chametz and quickly emptied the whole of it into the fire. To the chassid who had carried the bowl he said, "My brothers think that evil decrees are cancelled with money, but that is not so. They are cancelled like this."

The chassid was puzzled, for the Rebbe's meaning was not clear at all. Rav Aharon continued, "Do you remember the words of the hymn recited on the Shabbos before Pesach? One verse says, 'Why are we told to burn the chametz by the sixth hour? To recall Divine haste, of edicts to be rid.'"

Relief and amazement filled every Jew when the news spread that the nobleman who had hung the decree over the heads of the Jews had suddenly died, and his terrible threat had died with him.