Emuna Daily

A woman once asked R’ Yaakov Kamenetsky zt”l whether or not it was permissible to lie about one’s earnings in order to obtain government food stamps.  R’ Yaakov responded that this was absolutely forbidden.  The woman asked “But don’t many gentiles cheat about these things?” R’ Yaakov replied, “But they did not stand at Har Sinai – we did.”

The Chidushe HaRim, known to not get involved in miracles, passed through the town where the Holy Reb Elimelech of Lishensk had once resided. He was searching for anyone in the town who once saw the holy tzaddik.  After a long search he picked a random resident of the town that he had not know previously and said, “You!  You have seen the holy tzaddik, Reb Elimelech! The yid responded in the affirmative. The Chidushe HaRim then said, “Don’t think I did anything special. It is well known that once a person had laid eyes on the holy tzaddik, Reb Elimelech, they no longer look like a regular person.”