וּבְחֹל־הַמּוֹעֵד סֻכּוֹת הָלְכוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם, וְגַם רַבֵּנוּ הָלַךְ עִמָּהֶם, לַמְּעָרָה שֶׁל אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא. וְשָׁם עָשׂוּ כָּל הָעוֹלָם שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה וְרִקּוּדִין וּמְחוֹלוֹת. וְהוּא לֹא הָיָה שָׂמֵחַ כְּלָל. רַק יָשַׁב שָׁם בְּהַכְנָעָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבְלֵב נִשְׁבָּר. During Chol HaMoed Sukkot, the entire community went to the Cave of Elijah, where they celebrated with singing and dancing. The Rebbe went along but did not take part in the festivity. He merely sat there with a broken heart, appearing to be in a very dejected state.
וְשָׁאַל הָרַב רַבִּי זְאֵב הַנַּ"ל אֶת הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ: "מַה זֶּה וְעַל מַה זֶּה, שֶׁהוּא בְּעַצְבוּת מִן רֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה עַד עַתָּה? ה' יוֹדֵעַ אִם טוֹב הַדָּבָר". Rabbi Zev went to the Rebbe’s attendant and asked him, “What is this all about? Your master has been depressed since Rosh HaShanah. God only knows if this is good.”
וְגַם בְּשִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה עָשׂוּ הַקָּפוֹת בְּרִקּוּדִין וְשִׂמְחָה כַּנָּהוּג, בִּפְרָט שֶׁהָיוּ שָׁם אֲנָשִׁים חֲסִידִים. On Simchat Torah, the congregation made the customary rounds in the synagogue, dancing joyfully with the Torah scrolls. The mood was especially jubilant because of the many chassidim there.
וְהוּא ז"ל הָיָה גַּם־כֵּן בְּבֵית־הַכְּנֶסֶת, וְלֹא רָצָה לַעֲשׂוֹת שׁוּם הַקָּפָה, רַק יָשַׁב שָׁם בְּהַכְנָעָה וּבִכְפִיפַת רֹאשׁ. The Rebbe was in the synagogue, but would not even carry a Torah. He just sat there with his head bent, looking utterly dejected.
(כַּאֲשֶׁר דַּרְכּוֹ הָיָה כֵּן עַל־פִּי הָרֹב קֹדֶם שֶׁזָּכָה לִפְעֹל מַה שֶּׁהָיָה רוֹצֶה בְּכָל־עֵת וּבְכָל שָׁעָה, שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ לֵב נִשְׁבָּר מְאֹד, בְּכָל פַּעַם וְכוּ' כַּאֲשֶׁר יְבֹאַר לְקַמָּן). [This was always the Rebbe’s way. Each time he wanted to accomplish something important, it was preceded by an extremely brokenhearted mood. This happened very often (cf. “His Praises” #6).]
וְאַחַר שִׂמְחַת תּוֹרָה אָמַר לְהָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ: "בָּרוּךְ ה' פָּעַלְתִּי מַה שֶּׁרָצִיתִי עַל צַד הַיּוֹתֵר טוֹב וְנָכוֹן, וְאַף־עַל־פִּי־כֵן הָיָה בְּדַעְתִּי לְהִתְמַהְמֵהּ כָּאן מֵחֲמַת חִבּוּב אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַכְשָׁו בִּרְצוֹנִי לִנְהֹג נְסִיעוֹת לְבָתֵּינוּ לְחוּץ לָאָרֶץ. עַל־כֵּן לֵךְ וּשְׂכֹר הַסְּפִינָה לִסְטַנְבּוּל". After Simchat Torah, the Rebbe told his attendant, “Thank God, I have attained my goal. Everything has been accomplished with the greatest degree of perfection. I was going to stay a while because of my love of the Land, but now I have changed my mind. Go book passage for us back to Istanbul. I am ready to return home today!”
וְלֹא אָבָה הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ לִשְׁמֹעַ אֵלָיו, וּמֵאֵן לִנְסֹעַ לְבֵיתוֹ, כִּי אָמַר שֶׁרְצוֹנוֹ לִהְיוֹת בִּטְבֶרְיָה וְכוּ'. The Rebbe’s attendant refused to listen. He said, “I am not yet ready to return. I still want to see Tiberias and the other holy places.”
וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: "מֵאַחַר שֶׁאַתָּה מִתְאַוֶּה לִהְיוֹת בִּטְבֶרְיָה, לֵךְ וּשְׂכֹר חֲמוֹרִים לְשָׁם". כִּי דַּרְכּוֹ הָיָה לִבְלִי לְהִתְעַקֵּשׁ הַרְבֵּה עַל שׁוּם דָּבָר וְכוּ'. The Rebbe replied, “If you really must see Tiberias, then hire donkeys and we will go.” This was always the Rebbe’s way; he was never stubborn about anything.35Cf. Tzaddik #119, #430-435; Yemey Moharnat #56; Avenehah Barzel, p. 18, #15.
וְשָׂכַר חֲמוֹרִים לְעִיר־הַקֹּדֶשׁ טְבֶרְיָה, וּבָאוּ לְשָׁם לְעֵת עֶרֶב. וְכָל הַלַּיְלָה הָלְכוּ אַנְשֵׁי טְבֶרְיָה לְקַבֵּל פָּנָיו, זֶה נִכְנָס וְזֶה יוֹצֵא. וְהַרְבֵּה הִלְבִּישׁוּ עַצְמָם בְּבִגְדֵי שַׁבָּת לִכְבוֹדוֹ וְלֹא הָיָה יָשֵׁן כָּל הַלַּיְלָה מֵחֲמַת זֶה. They got the donkeys and traveled to Tiberias, arriving there in the evening. All that night, the people of Tiberias went to meet the Rebbe. As soon as one would leave, another would come. Many dressed in their Shabbat garments in honor of the Rebbe. Because of this, he did not sleep all that night.
וּבִתְחִלָּה נִתְאַכְסֵן בְּבֵית שְׁאֵר־בְּשָׂרוֹ, נִין וָנֶכֶד שֶׁל הָרַב הַקָּדוֹשׁ מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב נַחְמָן מֵהָרִידֶענְקֶא ז"ל. אַךְ רַבִּים אָמְרוּ שֶׁצְּרִיכִין לִרְאוֹת בִּשְׁבִילוֹ בַּיִת גָּדוֹל שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ הַרְחָבַת הַדַּעַת. וּמִיָּד הִסְכִּימוּ שֶׁיִּתְאַכְסֵן בְּבֵית הָרַבָּנִי הַמְפֻרְסָם הַוָּתִיק וְהֶחָסִיד מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב צְבִי הַרְקֶער, וְנִכְנַס לְשָׁם. When the Rebbe first came to Tiberias, he stayed with a cousin who was also a grandson of Rabbi Nachman Horodenker. However, the community felt that a larger house would provide him with more peace of mind. It was agreed that the Rebbe should stay in the home of the saintly Rabbi Zvi Harker.36Rabbi Zvi Hirsch ben Avraham of Horky (or Gorky). One of the leaders of the Tiberias community, he was later involved in the dispute between Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi and Rabbi Abraham of Kalisk. See Nissan Mindel, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi (Kehot, N.Y., 1971), p. 229, 303 (note 13).
וְשָׁלַח אֵלָיו הָרַב הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַמְפֻרְסָם מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב אַבְרָהָם קַלִּיסְקֶר ז"ל: בַּאֲשֶׁר שֶׁיּוֹם הֲקָזָה הוּא אֶצְלוֹ, עַל־כֵּן הוּא מִן הַנִּמְנָע שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ אֶצְלוֹ לִתֵּן לוֹ שָׁלוֹם. וְהֵשִׁיב רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: שֶׁבְּלֹא זֶה הָיָה בְּדַעְתּוֹ לֵילֵךְ אֵלָיו. וּמִיָּד הָלַךְ לְהַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל, וְקִבְּלוֹ בְּכָבוֹד גָּדוֹל מְאֹד מְאֹד וּבְאַהֲבָה יְתֵרָה וּבְחִבָּה גְּדוֹלָה מְאֹד מְאֹד. וְגֹדֶל הָאַהֲבָה וְהַחִבּוּב שֶׁהָיָה לְהָרַב הַקָּדוֹשׁ מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב אַבְרָהָם הַנַּ"ל עִם כְּבוֹד רַבֵּנוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ, ז"ל, אִי־אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר וּלְסַפֵּר. Rabbi Abraham Kalisker, head of the Chassidic community in the Holy Land, lived in Tiberias at the time. He sent a message to the Rebbe saying that he had just received a bloodletting treatment and could not come to greet him. The Rebbe answered that he had already intended to go to Rabbi Abraham. He went immediately and Rabbi Abraham greeted him with great affection and respect. The bond of friendship that was forged between the two is beyond all description.
וְשִׁחֵר פָּנָיו שֶׁיִּתְאַכְסֵן אֶצְלוֹ, וְהֵשִׁיב רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: שֶׁזֶּה אִי־אֶפְשָׁר שֶׁיַּעֲמֹד בִּקְבִיעוּת אֶצְלוֹ. אַךְ עַל שַׁבָּת אַחַת יִהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ. וּבְיוֹם מָחָר שָׁלַח בִּשְׁבִילוֹ. וְקִבְּלוֹ עַל שַׁבָּת הָרִאשׁוֹן פָּרָשַׁת נֹחַ. Rabbi Abraham pleaded with the Rebbe to stay with him. The Rebbe answered that he could not move in permanently, but would spend one Shabbat there. The very next day, Rabbi Abraham sent a message inviting the Rebbe for the next Shabbat, the Shabbat of Noah.37The Torah reading that recounts the story of Noah and the flood (Genesis 6:9-11:32). This was 3 Cheshvan (October 13, 1798).
וּבְלֵיל שַׁבָּת כָּפַף רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל אֶת ראֹשׁוֹ שֶׁיְּבָרֵךְ אוֹתוֹ, וְקָפַץ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת מִמֶּנּוּ לַאֲחוֹרָיו בִּרְעָדָה גְּדוֹלָה. וְדִבֵּר בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת גָּדוֹל וְלֹא הָיָה אֶפְשָׁר לְהָבִין מַה שֶּׁאָמַר. אַךְ בְּסוֹף דְּבָרָיו שָׁמְעוּ שֶׁאָמַר: "אֵיךְ אָנוּ מִתְבַּיְּשִׁים בִּפְנֵי זֶרַע הַבַּעַל־שֵׁם־טוֹב ז"ל". On Friday night, the Rebbe bowed his head for Rabbi Abraham to bless him. Rabbi Abraham jumped back, trembling violently. He began to speak with such great excitement that it was impossible to understand him. His final words, however, were clear: “How abashed we are before a descendant of the holy Baal Shem Tov.”
וְלֹא רָצָה לְבָרֵךְ אוֹתוֹ. אַךְ אֶת הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִם רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל בֵּרַךְ מִיָּד כְּשֶׁכָּפַף ראֹשׁוֹ. Rabbi Abraham absolutely refused to bestow his blessing on the Rebbe. However, as soon as the Rebbe’s attendant bowed his head, Rabbi Abraham gave him the blessing.
וְהָיָה שָׁם בִּשְׁעַת הַסְּעֻדָּה שִׂמְחָה גְּדוֹלָה וּבִקֵּשׁ הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל אֶת רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל שֶׁיֹּאמַר תּוֹרָה. וְלֹא רָצָה בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן, וְאָמַר הַצַּדִּיק הַנַּ"ל בְּעַצְמוֹ תּוֹרָה. וְכֵן הָיָה בִּסְעֻדָּה שְׁנִיָּה וּשְׁלִישִׁית. The meal was the scene of great rejoicing. Rabbi Abraham asked the Rebbe to deliver the Torah lesson, but he absolutely refused. Rabbi Abraham then said the lesson himself. The same thing took place at the Shabbat morning meal and again at seudah shelishit.
וַאֲמִירַת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל הַצַּדִּיק מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב אַבְרָהָם הַנַּ"ל הָיָה בְּהִתְלַהֲבוּת גָּדוֹל וּבִצְעָקָה גְּדוֹלָה וְלֹא נִשְׁמַע שׁוּם דִּבּוּר. רַק לְבַסּוֹף סִיֵּם: "כָּךְ הוּא עִקַּר עֲבוֹדַת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ". וְרַבֵּנוּ ז"ל הָיָה מְשַׁבֵּחַ וּמְפָאֵר הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁלּוֹ בְּלִי עֵרֶךְ, כִּמְעַט שֶׁאֵין דֻּגְמָתוֹ. Rabbi Abraham delivered the lesson with fiery enthusiasm, shouting so loudly that it was impossible to understand his words. Again, only his last words could be heard: “This is the root of devotion to God.” The Rebbe praised his lesson beyond all measure, saying that it was second to none.
גַּם אָנֹכִי שָׁמַעְתִּי מִפִּיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ שֶׁאָמַר: "שֶׁשְּׁלֵמוּת הָיָה רַק לְהַצַּדִּיק מוֹרֵנוּ הָרַב אַבְרָהָם" הַנַּ"ל. וְאָמַר לִי: "הֲלֹא רָאִיתִי כַּמָּה צַדִּיקִים, אֲבָל שְׁלֵמוּת הוּא רַק אֵצֶל הַצַּדִּיק הַקָּדוֹשׁ הַנַּ"ל". We also heard this from the Rebbe’s holy lips. He said, “Perfect sincerity only exists in the tzaddik, Rabbi Abraham.” Another time, he said, “I have seen many tzaddikim. But I have seen perfection only in this holy man” (cf. Tzaddik #553).