Becoming a Tzadik

The story goes that the great tzadik and posek Rav Chatzel Shinievar once came to visit a small town, and went to the local shul to daven. When it came time for Tachanun, he saw that everyone skipped it and proceeded with the next part of davening. The Rebbe didn’t understand why they skipped Tachanun, and turned to the Yid standing next to him to ask for clarification, as it was not any sort of Yom Tov that day.

The Yid responded that the minhag in their city (which was common in many towns in Poland) was that when a great tzadik came to visit, they considered it like a Yom Tov and skipped Tachanun. Since the Rebbe had come to visit, they skipped it. The Rebbe nodded his head and skipped Tachanun along with the rest of the shul.

After davening was over, the Rebbe explained to his Chassidim: “The fact that the rest of the shul skipped Tachanun I understand, it is because you all think that I am a big tzadik. But I know that I am not a big tzadik, so why would I myself skip Tachanun?

Then I remembered that the Gemarah says that the Jewish people have the responsibility, and power, to sanctify the new moon. What if the Jewish court uses the wrong calculations and makes a mistake, choosing the incorrect day as Rosh Chodesh? The Gemarah says that since we have the power to establish Rosh Chodesh, our decisions are accepted in the Heavenly court even if we accidentally make a mistake.

The Rebbe continued; since you all skipped Tachanun because you think I am a tzadik, even if you made a mistake, your position is accepted in the Heavenly court, and therefore I skipped Tachanun as well.”

Take It To Go!
There is a very important lesson in this story. When we look at another Jew, and we decide to say that this Jew is a big tzadik or big tzodekes, then that is how it is in Heaven as well. This should be our standard assumption about every Jew. Then this perception will become not only our perception and Heaven’s perception, but will become the Yid’s reality as well. As Rebbe Nachman of Breslov said: “When you judge another person favorably, you help them become the person you are judging them to be.”