Rebbe Mikhal of Zlotchev was asked an embarrassing question: “You are poor, Rebbe. And yet everyday you thank God for taking care of your needs. Isn’t that a lie?”
“Not at all. You see, for me poverty is a need.”
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One of his prayers: “I have but one request; may I never use my reason against truth.”
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Like all of the Ball Shem’s disciples he dreaded pride. He said: “When I shall meet my Maker, I will be asked why I didn’t learn all that man can and must learn during his passage on earth. I shall reply: Don’t blame me. I wasn’t intelligent enough, that is hardly my fault.”
“ Then why didn’t you give up earthly pleasures and devote yourself to serving the Lord?” —— “You must not blame me, I shall say, I lacked the physical strength for that. Then the court will examine my humanitarian activities and I shall be forced to admit that here too I failed to do my duty. My excuse? That I myself led a destitute existence. In the end, I can foresee it, one of the judges, unable to restrain his anger, will cry out : “One thing I cannot understand. You neither lived nor prayed as you should have, why then you are so proud?” And to that” said Rebbe Mikhal , “ to that argument I shall have no answer.”
Elie Wiesel
from Souls on Fire
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