By
Rabbi A.L. Scheinbaum
At
times, it takes “patience” for Hashem’s plan to manifest
itself. A chasid of the Lev Simchah, zt”l, asked the Rebbe (through
one of his gabbaim, aides), about a certain shidduch, match, for his
daughter (this is the prevalent custom among chassidim, especially
Gur. (The family will not go further unless the Rebbe responds
affirmatively.)
The
Lev Simcha
The
Pnei Menachem
The
Lev Simchah did not respond affirmatively (nor did he say, “No”),
which left the petitioner to use his common sense. The average chasid
will not go further unless the answer is positive. Undeterred, the
petitioner asked a mekubal, a holy scholar who was steeped in
studying kabbalah, for his opinion concerning the shidduch. The
mekubal’s answer was “Yes.”
The
petitioner was now in a serious quandary. What should he do? The
chasid went to the Pnei Menachem, zt”l (the Lev Simchah’s brother
and next Rebbe), “I went to the Rebbe,” he began. “He did not
give me a clear answer. I left him in a quandary concerning what I
should do. I spoke to a mekubal who told me to go forward with the
shidduch. What should I do?”
The
Pnei Menachem replied, “You should know that a mekubal has powerful
insight, but he only sees what is good now. He is unable to see if
this shidduch will be good in twenty years or through the next
generation (what type of children and grandchildren will descend from
them).
The
Rebbe (and all Rebbes) have the ability to see generations later,
even what is best for each neshamah, based upon its previous gilgul
(transmigatory soul, earlier “version” of himself).
The
Pnei Menachem continued, “A chasid once came to my father, the
Imrei Emes, zl, and petitioned him for a blessing which would provide
him with monetary wealth. The Rebbe demurred. The man returned a
number of times, until the Imrei Emes assented and blessed him with
wealth. The blessing came true, and the man became very wealthy.
“This
chasid had one son, a brilliant, talented, pleasant looking boy, who
was a budding Torah scholar. He would be a “top catch” when the
time for him to marry came around. Shortly before he reached
marriageable age, he was in a tragic accident, which cost him his
leg. He was, sadly, no longer at the top of the shadchanim’s list.
The father’s demands for a suitable wife for his son were no longer
“demanding.”
“In
the end, he married a lovely girl, who happened to be the tailor’s
daughter. Shortly before the wedding, the man went in to speak with
the Imrei Emes and ask for a brachah for the young couple.
“The
Rebbe said to the father, “It was Heavenly ordained that your son
should wed this girl. Years ago, it would have been quite a suitable
shidduch for you, since you were not affluent, and neither was the
tailor. When you besieged me time and again to grant you a blessing
for wealth, however, this shidduch, which Heaven had decided was best
for your son, became below your dignity, in light of your newly
acquired financial status.
“As
a result, your son had to undergo a painful experience which left him
an amputee. Now you are open to accepting the shidduch that was meant
for your son from the very beginning. Now you understand that one
does not “push” Hashem. If the Almighty is
not forthcoming with
His blessing, He has a good reason for it.
Reprinted
from the Parshas Chaya Sarah 5777 email of Peninim on the Torah.
