The Chofetz Chaim used to travel and sell his seforim. One day, he arrived in Vilna and went to an inn to eat and rest. Seated next to him was another person, obviously Jewish, because because he paid extra for kosher food. The man ordered a hot drink and food but devoured it without saying a bracha.
The Chofetz Chaim observed this and felt an urge to approach him and offer guidance. However, the innkeeper intervened, saying, “Please don’t go over to him and rebuke him. You don’t understand; he’s a mercenary. He was taken from his home as a child, stolen and drafted into Czar Nicholas’s army, and became a cantonist. He served in the army for 25 years. He left at seven and returned at 32 after experiencing the worst of life, including killing. He came back as a hardened warrior. There’s no point in approaching him. If you do, he may be violent and hurt you. At best, your rebuke will fall on deaf ears.”
The Chofetz Chaim smiled and said, “I’ll be okay.” He then approached the man and said, “I heard all about you. I heard that as a Jewish child, you were drafted into the army at a young, tender age. You were taken from your parents, and instead of growing up with loving parents who would protect you, you were exposed to a world of violence and barbarism for the czar. Instead of receiving a Jewish education, learning alef-beis and Chumash, you were taught to use weapons and worship avodah zarah in the Russian church. You were forced to forget your Jewish roots and the Torah and had to eat treif and commit aveiros. Yet, I am jealous of you. I wish I had a portion in Olam HaBa like you.”
The man’s jaw dropped, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He couldn’t believe the words he was hearing from a man with a long white beard, obviously a great tzadik.
Moved by the recognition and words of admiration, the man asked, “Who are you, Rabbi?”
“Yisroel Meir Kagan.”
The man exclaimed, “What? I heard of you, you are the Chofetz Chaim!! And you are jealous of me?! How can you, the Chofetz Chaim, possibly be jealous of me?”
The Chofetz Chaim answered, “I am jealous of your lot in Heaven. You’ve been out of the Jewish community for 25 years and endured a Gehinnom on earth. You have every reason to abandon the path, forget it all, and just enjoy yourself now. But instead, you’ve chosen to be better. Instead of eating in a treif tavern, you came here to maintain your innate holiness and purity. You’ve chosen to make Hashem proud. After all you’ve gone through, your determination and sacrifice to eat kosher food are what I envy.”
Then the Chofetz Chaim added, “You’re absolutely incredible. And if you took a few moments to learn some basic things, your place in Heaven, your lot for eternity, would be indescribable.”
The man asked, “What must I do?”
From then on, the Chofetz Chaim gently guided him, slowly adding more mitzvos and Torah study, until this “hardened soldier” became a complete baal teshuvah.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 92.
