Emuna Daily

Shortly before the Gaon of Vilna’s passing, he gathered his tzitzis in his hands and began to cry. “Why are you crying?” his students asked. “Here on earth,” he responded, “we have unlimited opportunity for growth. For the minimal task of placing a four-cornered garment with tzitzis upon ourselves each morning, we will be rewarded immeasurably for having fulfilled mitzvos every second of the day.

I am about to depart for a world where I will no longer be rewarded for my actions.”

A store owner who did not observe Shabbos came to Rabbi Yitzchok of Alexander with a complaint that his business was unsuccessful.  Rav Yitzchok advised him, “Take me as a partner, and you will be successful.” Of course, the man agreed.  The Rabbi asked for one-seventh of the profits, and again the man agreed.  Then Rav Yitzchok said to him, “I will forgo my share of the profits, but you must close your store on Shabbos, since that is the equivalent of my seventh of the business.”

When people heard that the Alexander Rebbe was a partner in the store, the man’s business prospered, and he became a Shabbos observer. ~ Maasiyos HagdolimHachodosh as quoted by R’ Zellig Pliskin