Emuna Daily

A chasid once traveled to Lublin to spend the yamim noraim with the Chozeh of Lublin.  When it was his turn to introduce himself, he was shocked when the Chozeh told him to go home right away.  Thinking that he misunderstood, the chasid presented himself the next day.

“What?  You’re still here,” the Rebbi exclaimed, “I told you to go home.”  Deeply dejected, the chasid set out on his journey home.   On the way, he stopped at an inn to spend the night.  There he met a group of Chasidim traveling to the Chozeh.   After a few rounds of l’chaim, the Chasidim started to dance, drawing the chasid into their circle.  Round and round they went, joyfully singing Hashem’s praises.  Gradually, the chasid’s gloom turned into simcha.  At the height of their ecstasy, the Chasidim turned to him, “Come on back with us to the Rebbi.”  The chasid decided to give it another try.  Perhaps the Chozeh would welcome him this time.  To his great surprise, the Chozeh was delighted to see him, embracing him warmly, the Chozeh declared, “A Rebbi cannot accomplish the miracles Chasidim achieve through simcha.  He went on to explain, “When you came to me the first time, I saw Heaven had decreed that you will die shortly.  I sent you home because I did not want you to die here on yom tov, but because of your simcha, you caused the Heavenly decree to be annulled,” and indeed the chasid lived until a ripe, old age.

The Skulener said, “This story represents the underlying story of Simchas Torah.  After our intense prayers of the yamim noraim and after the decree was sealed, we dance on Simchas Torah, for even if the decree was not favorable, it is possible to reverse it and change it into goodness and blessing through the power of simcha. ~ Divrei Chizzuk