The seforim hakedoshim teach us that there are sparks of Elokus (Divinity) scattered around the world, waiting to be redeemed. Any time a Yid is faced with a challenge, he is being presented with an opportunity to redeem a spark of Hashem’s presence. We are like the knight in shining armor who is charged with rescuing the princess. When we start to think about challenges in this way we are emboldened to accept the charge and navigate the challenge successfully.
The two holy brothers, Reb Elimelech and Reb Zusha, before they became well-known Rebbes, spent years traveling in a self-imposed exile from town to town and village to village as poor beggars. The story goes that they once came to a particular town and knocked on the door of a wealthy man, asking for a meal and a place to sleep. The wealthy man took one look at them and sent them on their way, refusing to help these two “beggars.” The brothers managed to find another place to stay in the town.
Years passed. Reb Elimelech and Reb Zusha were now famous tzadikim, and whenever they traveled, they went with a whole entourage of gabbaim and chassidim. They happened to need to travel through that very same town, and the gabbaim reached out to the same wealthy man in advance, asking him to host the Rebbes. This time, he excitedly agreed to host the two great tzadikim for as long as they needed.
When Reb Elimelech and Reb Zusha heard about these arrangements, they called over the gabbaim and told them to bring their horses and all their luggage to the wealthy man. They themselves, however, would stay somewhere else in town.
The wealthy man heard a knock on his door and quickly opened it, expecting to see the two great tzadikim he would be hosting. But lo and behold, all he saw were horses and suitcases!
When asked for an explanation, the tzadikim explained, “When we came to you the first time, years ago, you didn’t want to host us. What’s the difference between us now and us then? The only difference is that now we have horses and luggage, and then we had nothing! So it must be the horses and luggage that you are interested in hosting. That is why we sent you our horses and suitcases!”
When Moshiach comes, Hashem will be revealed, and He will travel with a great entourage, with “horses and luggage.” There will be a massive display of honor for the King.
Who will be the ones with whom Hashem can “stay”? Who will be part of the inner circle of the King? It will be those who took care of Hashem before the horses, before the luggage. The Yid who rescued a spark of Hashem’s presence when there was no fanfare. The Yid who withstood a nisayon when Hashem’s presence was concealed and still in exile.
Every time we overcome a challenge and serve Hashem even when His presence is hidden, we are rescuing the princess. And by doing so, we earn our place as close servants of the King when Hashem’s full honor returns and the whole world runs to serve Him, b’vias goel tzedek, bimheira b’yameinu, amen.
Based on a “Vayimaen” video.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 96.
