Being the 10th generation descendant of the Kutzker Rebbe zl, I feel the obligation to share a short story I learned about him today in Poland at the Warsaw Cemetery. The Kutzkers great friend, the Vakker Rebbe son of Rav Yitzchak of Varka, was an extremely holy man, connected with G-d in unimaginable ways. Before the Vakker Rebbe passed away, he told the Kutzker and his son that he would be in touch. A few months had gone by without a word from the Vakker. The Kutzker had grown curious and worried about his longtime friend. Also having a tremendously strong connection to G-d, the Kutzker ascended his soul to the gates of Heaven. The angels at the gate told him it was not his time yet, but he explained, I am only here to search for the Vakker. Immediately they let the Kutzker go through the gates. He searched throughout the first level of Heaven, but the Vakker was nowhere to be found. The Kutzker Rebbe went to the next level of Heaven, still being unable to find his friend. After climbing to the highest point of Heaven, the Kutzker reached a large forest. This forest had such an abundant amount of trees, that it was difficult for the Kutzker to wiggle his way through. Eventually the Kutzker came to an ocean. There was a man standing on a rock in the middle of the ocean. The man screamed TAKE THEM BACK! The Kutzker had recognized his old friends voice. It was the Vakker Rebbe! Again, he shouted, TAKE THEM BACK! The Kutzker somehow managed to get the Vakkers attention and asked him, Why are you screaming these words? Who are you talking about? The Vakker replied, This ocean is a body of water made up of the Jewish peoples tears. The Vakker went on, I do not want to receive my piece of Gad Eiden (Heaven) until G-d takes back all of their tears. The Kutzker then realized why the Vakker had not visited him as he said he would. The Vakkers holy soul was too busy begging G-d to change the reality of what had happened. There are a few things we can all learn from this story. First, Tzadikim (righteous men) such as the Kutzker and Vakker Rebbe, are at such an incredibly elevated level that when they reach Heaven their souls are unable to rest when others are suffering. Second, we should all learn to be so unselfish and giving as the Vakker Rebbe, who not only delayed his time to enter the Heavens as he deserved, but was delaying his time in order to beg for the Jewish peoples tears and suffering to cease and be taken back. Lastly, we should take the time to pray for the Jews who were enslaved in Egypt, exiled in Spain, murdered in Russian Pogroms, dehumanized and slaughtered in masses during the Holocaust, and any other point in history when the Jews faced radical forms of Antisemitism. May the tears and suffering of our Nation, Am Yisrael, cease with G-ds help. Am Yisrael Chai!
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 00:32:52 +0000
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