The Amulet

Reb Zalman Maliner was a wealthy chassid of the Tsherkaser Rebbe. His main income was from the sale of lumber, and he had vast holdings.

The Rebbe once summoned him. “Here, take this,” he said, handing Reb Zalman a kameya (amulet). “You must wear this amulet and carry it on your person at all times during the weekdays.” The Rebbe wagged his finger for emphasis and warned him again, “Remember: all week long, no exceptions.”

Reb Zalman donned the mysterious amulet and followed the Rebbe's orders. Every day of the week he wore the kameya. He removed it only after the mikvah on Erev Shabbos and put it on again on Motza'ei Shabbos, when the week began again.

One Erev Shabbos, after Reb Zalman had returned from the mikvah and removed the kameya, a gentile lumber merchant arrived and asked to conclude a lucrative business deal. At first Reb Zalman refused, but the merchant insisted on closing the deal on the spot, and Reb Zalman relented. “The hour is late and my day of rest is about to begin,” he explained. “I agree to the deal on condition that you go to the forest adjacent to the lumber yard and take care of the goods yourself.”

The merchant agreed, but he returned when he found the gate locked. Reb Zalman saw that he had no choice, and he hurried off together with the merchant. In his haste he forgot to put the kameya back on.

No sooner had Reb Zalman opened the gate than a large tree fell and killed him on the spot. It became clear to all who knew him how the Rebbe's amulet had protected his life all the years he wore it.

Rav Avrohom of Slonim testified that he heard from an eyewitness, a venerated chassid, that after the tragedy they opened the amulet and read the Rebbe's holy handwriting: “I adjure you, all tree and forest spirits of peril, that you not harm or injure Reb Zalman. Signed, Yaakov Yisroel of Tsherkas.”