The Yismach Moshe was not a Chassid his entire life. His son-in-law once encouraged him to visit the Chozeh of Lublin. On the way, he thought of two questions he wanted to ask.
First, he wondered why Chassidim were always so happy. The Shulchan Aruch says that it is proper for a yerei Shamayim to feel sadness over the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash.
He also wondered why Chazal say, Ha’ba l’taheir mesayin oso (“One who comes to purify himself is helped”), using the plural form of mesayin. He thought perhaps it was hinting to the help a tzadik can give a person in serving Hashem.
When he entered, the Chozeh immediately asked him, “Why do you look so sad and weak? It is true that the Shulchan Aruch says to be sad over the Churban, but the Chovos HaLevavos says, Da’agaso b’libo, v’tzahalaso al panav (“His worry is in his heart, and his joy is on his face”).
The Chozeh continued, “I say Tikkun Chatzos with great grief and tears pouring down my cheeks, and yet I am always b’simchah. My rebbe, Reb Shmelka of Nikolsburg, gave a mashal for this. There was once a great king who had troubles and was forced to flee far from his kingdom. He came to the home of one of his loyal friends. The friend cried bitterly when he saw the king’s suffering, yet at the same time he was overjoyed that he had the privilege of hosting the king.”
The Chozeh then finished by saying, “Even though I normally would not tell you about my own avodas Hashem, Chazal say, Ha’ba l’taheir mesayin oso (“One who comes to purify himself is helped”), so I had to help you in your avodas Hashem.”
Needless to say, after seeing the Chozeh’s open Ruach Hakodesh, that he knew both questions that he was about to ask, and upon seeing his great kedushah, the Yismach Moshe became a devoted Chassid of the Chozeh of Lublin.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 90.
