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The anniversaries of the passing of both the Ramak, Rabbi
Moshe Cordovero(19/7/06) and the Ari, Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (30/7/06) -
two important days in Safed and for the world of Kabbalah - both fall during the
period known as the Three Weeks. This story touches on both.
The waiting room of Rebbe Simcha Bunem of Pshischa was once
occupied by the venerable inner circle of elder disciples, whose hushed
deliberations were interrupted by the entry of a young man dressed in the modern
garb of a "Deitsch'l" (the nickname given to assimilationists). His
request: to be allowed to speak with the tzadik.
Now this was a most unusual phenomenon. People like this did not
normally believe in tzadikim or mix with Chasidim. There was no
doubt about it - this stranger was here only to pester their rebbe with
vexatious questions. They therefore made him unwelcome.
The man only answered meekly: "So what can I do? I'll have to go
somewhere else" - and he departed.
His quiet answer, though, affected them, and they decided to
tell the rebbe of his visit. The tzadik trembled to hear their report,
and expressed his displeasure at the fact that they had allowed him to leave. He
even ordered them to go out at once in search of the stranger and to bring him
back.  | | " He should follow the teachings of the Ari...." | | |
They caught up with him on the highway and explained themselves,
but when he returned with them they were flabbergasted to hear the question he
put to the rebbe: "Two matches have been proposed to me. One match is with a
beauty, though she is not of noble birth; the other is of distinguished
ancestry, but is not a beauty. Which should I choose?"
As surprised as the rebbe's disciples were that this should be
the question he had brought to the rebbe, they were far more surprised to see
with what earnest deliberation the rebbe weighed his question before answering:
"Beauty! That really is beauty!"
As soon as the stranger left, the tzadik turned to his
disciples: "This 'Deitsch'l' asked me whether he should study the Kabbala
according to the school of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, the Ramak, or according to the
teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, the Ari; I told him that he should follow the
teachings of the Ari."
[Adapted from the rendition in "A Treasury of Chassidic Tales" (Artscroll),
as translated by Uri Kaploun from Sipurei Chasidim by Rabbi S. Y. Zevin.]
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