A Tallis Katan With Two Holes

Whenever an opportunity arose, the Imrei Chaim of Vizhnitz would retell this story about Rav Raphael's remarkable control over his middos (character traits). Once, after his tisch (the Shabbos table at which the Rebbe presides), the Imrei Chaim shared song, stories and words of Torah with his chassidim for a remarkable seven hours. Exhausted and weak, he walked home in the cold and rain, only to discover that the attendant who had the keys was nowhere to be found. While he waited a wearisome stretch of time for his gabbai to arrive, the Imrei Chaim told this story.

For many years, Rav Raphael of Bershad had a burning desire to obtain pure white wool from the Holy Land, to make a resplendent, mehadrin (especially choice) tallis katan and tzitzis, as befits such a precious mitzvah. After great effort, he finally obtained the exclusive wool from Eretz Yisroel. Elated, he gave the wool to one of his chassidim and urged him to take special care to make a tallis katan and tzitzis from it.

The chassid realized the great lengths the Rebbe had gone to and the importance of his mission, and he approached the task with great care. Despite all his good intentions, he accidentally folded the tallis katan over twice, and when he cut the opening for the head, he ended up with two holes instead of one.

With trepidation he brought the ruined garment to his Rebbe. Rav Raphael had been waiting with great anticipation to see the culmination of his efforts and to fulfill the mitzvah b'hiddur (in a beautiful way). When the chassid entered, the Rebbe noticed how crestfallen he looked. “What is it? What is wrong?” he asked, beckoning the chassid to come near. The chassid held out the ruined garment in shame. He could not lift his eyes to meet the Rebbe's as he waited for the Rebbe's anger and disappointment to fall upon him.

Instead he heard Rav Raphael's delighted voice. “Of course this garment needed two holes. Yes, yes, exactly. One hole, as every tallis katan has, for the head, and another hole to teach Raphael to suppress and contain his emotions and not be angry.”

When he finished the story, the Imrei Chaim said with great emotion, “Kodesh kodoshim, holy of holies. From where can we learn such lofty behavior? This story shakes me and excites me much, much more than any miraculous tales you could tell me about the tzaddik.”