"Today you are all standing before G-d, your G-d. . . . even your woodcutters and water carriers . . . ." Nitzavim 29:9, 10

The Zolotchover Water Carrier

BEFORE leaving Mezibush, Reb Yechiel Michel of Zolotchov had yechidus with his Rebbe, the Holy Baal Shem Tov. During the yechidus, he requested, "Rebbe, please give me a blessing that I strengthen my service to HaShem."

The Baal Shem Tov gave him a blessing and then suggested that he visit the water carrier of Zolotchov on his way home and to give him the Baal Shem Tov's warmest regards. Of course, Reb Yechiel Michel was happy to carry out the Baal Shem Tov's simple request. As he was traveling to Zolotchov, he started thinking, "The water carrier can't be just a simple Jew.[1] If the Baal Shem Tov is sending me out of my way to see him and give him the Rebbe's regards, he must be a tzaddik nistor."[2]

As soon as Reb Michel arrived in Zolotchov, he found where the water carrier lived and went directly to his house.

When the water carrier's wife came to the door, Reb Michel introduced himself and said, "I have regards for your husband from the Baal Shem Tov." He explained that he was returning home from a visit with the Rebbe and that the Rebbe had asked him to stop in Zolotchov and to convey his warm wishes to her husband, the Zolotchover water carrier.

"He is not home right now, but he will come shortly," the water carrier's wife answered. "You look tired from your travels," she continued, "won't you please come in and sit down and I'll get you a cold drink."

Reb Michel came into the water carrier's house. After he had a moment to look around, he thought, "My G-d, this is the most rundown house I've ever been in. There's almost no furniture and look at the children, they're so thin and barely dressed in rags."

A little while later, the Zolotchover water carrier arrived. He was overjoyed to receive the greeting from the Baal Shem Tov that his visitor, Reb Michel, conveyed. The water carrier immediately turned to his wife and said, "Please prepare a special meal for our guest. This is a special occasion for us. It's not every day that one receives regards from the Holy Baal Shem Tov."

The wife got busy preparing the feast, while Reb Michel told the water carrier some of the Torah teachings that the Baal Shem Tov had spoken while he was in Mezibush.

After some time, the wife called Reb Michel and her husband to the table for dinner. When they were seated, she served two small rolls and a dish of two tiny fish, one for each.

Before Reb Michel took the first bite, he heard the children whispering to each other, "He'll probably leave something for us. After all, a guest is not supposed to eat everything. Umm, that fish will be a real treat." Reb Michel felt so sorry for the children, he could barely get himself to even take the first bite. Then he thought, "These poor children, this poor family, what a way to live." He felt so bad that he could not keep from crying.

"Why are you weeping?" the water carrier asked his guest.

"I feel so sorry that you and your family have to suffer such poverty," answered Reb Michel.

"It's really not how it looks," answered the Zolotchover water carrier. "Let me explain with this parable."

A rich man, who was marrying off his daughter, invited all the local townspeople to the chasana. Being rich, the father spared no expense in the preparations. Everyone, and especially the poor people, eagerly awaited the day of the chasana. When the wedding day arrived, all of the townspeople gathered to partake in the Simcha and the dinner and dancing that followed the chupah. But just as the kallah was being led by her parents to the chupah, she fell down and fainted. After efforts to revive her were unsuccessful, the saddened wedding guests began leaving.

Meanwhile, some of the poor people who had been awaiting the wedding party for weeks, sat down at the food ladened tables and began eating. They said among themselves, "Of course we feel sorry for our host and the family, but why should all this food go to waste."

The other poor people, who also had been looking forward to a big, delicious meal didn't join their friends because they felt, "It just doesn't seem right to sit down and eat while our host is suffering."

"And this is how I look at my life," the Zolotchover water carrier explained. "The chasana represents the Beis Hamikdosh where all the Israelites gathered, at least three times a year, to rejoice with their host Hashem. And I am the type of poor soul who is sensitive to the Ribono Shel Olam's[3] misfortune, the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh.[4] So I cannot bring myself to enjoy the bounty of this physical world while I know that the Ribono Shel Olam is still mourning the destruction of the Beis Hamikdosh and the exile of His people."

And so it was.

Freely adapted by Tzvi Meir HaCohane (Howard M. Cohn, Patent Attorney) from a story found in SIPUREI CHASSIDIM and translated in STORIES OF THE BAAL SHEM TOV by Y.Y. Klapholtz.