A Holy Loan

The Rebbe Rayatz used to relate that after the passing of Rav Shneur Zalman, the young Rav Menachem Mendel continued to enjoy the guidance of his grandfather and mentor. The Alter Rebbe would appear to him in dreams, and in visions during the day, to answer the questions that arose in his studies, both in the revealed part of Torah, the Gemara and halacha, and in the hidden teachings of Kabbalah and Chassidus.

Then the visits suddenly stopped. Rav Menachem Mendel had gathered a number of questions that he could not resolve to his satisfaction, and he longed to see his grandfather, but the Rebbe did not appear to him. This caused him great pain.

Early one morning Rav Menachem Mendel was on his way to the shul of his uncle and father-in-law, Rav Dovber of Lubavitch, who had succeeded Rav Shneur Zalman as the leader of Chabad Chassidus. His path took him through the marketplace of Lubavitch, which was just coming to life. There he was approached by Rav Mordechai Eliyohu, a simple man, a yirei Shomayim, who earned a meager living buying and selling in the market.

“Please, Rav Menachem Mendel,” said Rav Mordechai Eliyohu, “can you lend me five rubles until this evening or tomorrow morning? Today is a market day. If I had a few rubles in hand, I could hope to earn something, with Hashem’s help.”

“Of course, Rav Mordechai Eliyohu,” Rav Menachem Mendel replied. “Come to my home after the morning tefillos, and I will give you the money.”

Rav Menachem Mendel reached the shul and began to prepare for davening. His tallis was already folded over his shoulder, and he was examining its tzitzis before putting it on, when a thought came to him. “Why did I tell Rav Mordechai Eliyohu that I would give him the money after I finished davening? Today is market day, and every moment is precious to him. I should have given him the money at once.”

He took the tallis off his shoulder, hurried home, took the money, and went to look for Rav Mordechai Eliyohu. By now the marketplace was full of people, animals and merchandise, with wagons parked everywhere and stalls being set up. After a long search he found Rav Mordechai Eliyohu, gave him the loan, and returned to the shul.

When he had put on his tallis and wound his tefillin around his arm and head, he saw his grandfather standing before him, his face radiant with joy.

Thirty years later, Rav Menachem Mendel told the events of that morning to his youngest child, Rav Shmuel of Lubavitch. “When one helps a fellow earn seventy kopeks on the sale of a calf,” he said, “the gates of the heavenly chambers are opened before him.”

Rav Shmuel later told the story to his son, Rav Sholom Dovber of Lubavitch. “Do we even know,” Rav Sholom Dovber mused, “where to find the ‘gates to the heavenly chambers’ that open for us every time we do an act of charity? But no matter. The main thing is that we extend ourselves with a whole heart and true feeling. What greater joy can there be than the joy of being privileged to help a fellow man?”