The Heel of a Davener

Reb Chaim Zelig, a peddler and wagon driver, was one of the chassidim in Vilna. He and his workmen were known by the pejorative term "shmaiser," meaning "one who whips the horses." Zalman Leib, one of Chaim Zelig's workers, was particularly singled out with this less-than-honorable nickname. Orphaned from a young age, Zalman Leib's job was to lead the cheder boys back and forth from school. He was a simple, sincere yirei shomayim who sat daily by the seforim, trying, and failing, to understand what he read. He primarily learned the Yiddish translations of seforim and some Tzena U'Rena.

Zalman Leib had joined the chassidim, adopting their style of davening as well as their customs and practices. He was ashamed of his ignorance and was easily moved to tears. When he davened, he poured out his soul before his Maker, and his sweet, sincere voice and haunting melodies stirred even the most hard-hearted of men. The misnagdim saw in Zalman Leib an easy target for their battles against the chassidim, so they always had his nickname ready: "the chassid Zalman Leib shmaiser."

When Rav Boruch Mordechai moved to Bobruisk with scores of families to head the flock of chassidim there, Zalman Leib left his job as wagon driver and shmaiser behind and joined them. He rented a small vegetable garden, which provided him with a meager income, and with his profits he hired a melamed to teach him a daily Torah shiur. Thus, he was content.

From the time that Rav Boruch Mordechai had become an ardent follower of the Alter Rebbe, his father-in-law's family had kept their distance from him. His brother-in-law, the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Avigdor, was especially ashamed of Rav Boruch Mordechai's new Chassidic outlook. Once, Rav Avigdor was visiting Minsk, and when he heard how highly they praised Rav Boruch Mordechai there, he decided to try to make amends. He sent word to his brother-in-law in Bobruisk that he planned a visit, and Rav Boruch Mordechai arranged a welcoming committee of the best lamdanim and most honorable citizens to receive the visiting Rosh Yeshiva properly.

When Rav Avigdor arrived, he was led to the beis medrash, where he would deliver a pilpul as his welcome speech. The welcoming committee directed him first to the side room reserved for guests, where he could rest and refresh himself after his travels. It happened that the side room was also used by those chassidim whose tefillos and devotions took extensive time and required peace, quiet and concentration. As Rav Avigdor rested, he heard a most lovely melody, a haunting voice davening to Hashem with deep yearning. The sound moved his heart and stirred within him feelings he did not know he had. Rav Avigdor knew that Bobruisk was a center of Chassidus, and he realized that this must be one of the chassidim, whose morning tefillos were still going on well past midday.

When Rav Boruch Mordechai arrived to greet him, Rav Avigdor asked who the tallis-clad figure was whose tefillos had left such an impression. When he discovered that it was none other than Zalman Leib shmaiser, he called out mockingly, "Is Zalman Leib shmaiser also a davening chassid? He is nothing more than the heel of a davener." Rav Boruch Mordechai hesitated to respond. He had just repaired their relationship and did not wish to reopen the rift.

Later, after Rav Avigdor had concluded his welcome speech, full of pilpul, derush and aggadah, he was in a jovial mood. Gazing out at the audience, he spotted Zalman Leib. Once again he remarked loudly, "Here he is, none other than the heel of a davener himself."

At this public shaming, Rav Boruch Mordechai could not hold back. He felt that such a remark was a slight not only to Zalman Leib, but also to all the sincere chassidim, and even to the entire movement of Chassidus. He retorted, "The heel of a davener is very great, and the Torah tells us that his greatness benefits us in three ways."

The lamdanim of Bobruisk, who knew that their Rav was an accomplished Torah scholar and sage, understood that this was no offhand remark. They waited to hear what would follow.

Rav Boruch Mordechai continued, "We learn in Pirkei Avos 3:1 about Akavya ben Mahalalel. This refers to the akev, the heel, of the mehallel, the davener who praises Hashem. Akavya ben Mahalalel teaches us three things to focus on so that we will be saved from transgression: know from where you come, and be not proud and arrogant; know to where you are headed, and be not stirred by desire; and know before Whom you will one day stand in judgment, and so fear sin."