Mendel went from being a poor shoemaker to being the official boot maker to the Czar's officers. He used to be a poor man like most shoemakers, lived humbly and did his best to do 'a good job.' One day his poor mazal changed to mazal tov — good fortune. An officer of the Czar's army was on his way back to his unit. As he rode through town he noticed Mendel's shoe repair shop on one side of the street and a tavern on the other side, right across from Mendel's place and he had a great idea. He dismounted and went in to see Mendel. "I want you to fix my boots and shine them up. Come with me to the tavern. I'll give you my boots and bring them back to me as soon as you're finished. Make sure you do a good job, or else you'll have to get me a new pair of boots," he ordered Mendel. Meekly Mendel followed the officer into the tavern, a place he preferred to stay a way from. He took the officer's boots back to the shop and very carefully he did a beautiful job. The officer in the meantime had a few drinks and he was happy to see Mendel come in with his boots just as his feet were getting cold. He took the boots and looked them over. He was impressed with Mendel's beautiful work. His boots were so beautiful they would surely be the envy of the other officers. He paid Mendel handsomely and even thanked him. Later, the officer returned had Mendel make him a new pair of boots and he was even more pleased with Mendel's craftsmanship. Mendel was very happy and sure enough it wasn't long before a stream of officers found their way to his workshop. Soon everyone wanted a pair of Mendel's handmade boots. And so Mendel became the official boot maker to the czar's army.

B"H he was getting wealthier every day. He bought a beautiful home just on the edge of his small town, surrounded by a large garden and a high fence. Now he had everything, family, money, honor and home to show off with. And his esteem in the community rose accordingly. He was no longer a simple shoemaker, now he was a successful and highly respected manufacturer. And so, many people would come to him for advice and help. He was invited to be on important town committees, he was honored in his shul. People looked up to him. Mendel was actually a simple ordinary person, but all that respect and flattery got to him. As his money and honor grew, he believed that he was getting wiser each day. Before he was a quiet humble man; now he was a haughty boor. One more thing that grew along with his growth in wealth was his paranoia. Sadly Mendel was always fearful that everyone was scheming to take his money, slowly, day-by-day his fear about this grew. More and more Mendel stayed away from his townsfolk, less and less he appreciated visitors to his home. He actually bought two guard dogs to protect himself from unwanted visitors.

At that time the holy Baal Shem Tov's name was spreading over the region. Many were they who spoke of his holiness and his openness, caring and love for his fellow_Jews. To many, just hearing his holy name was an inspiration. Mendel kept on meeting more and more people who had gone to see the Baal Shem Tov, and often they would ask him if he had met him yet. "Who's the Baal Shem Tov and why should I bother to go and meet him; I’m probably Just as important as him if not more so," Mendel thought to himself. Mendel did notice however, that people were really impressed to meet anyone who had met the holy Baal Shem Tov and so he thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to be able to say that he had indeed met him. As it happened Mendel found himself in the vicinity of Medzibuz during the last days of Pesach and he decided to stay over for the rest of the holiday. The night before Shvi'i shel Pesach he went over to the Baal Shem Tov's shul. He found some hasidim praying, some were studying and some were sitting around farbrenging and singing, telling stories about their master and discussing his teachings. They welcomed him warmly and invited him to join them at the table, but no one made a fuss over him. Actually they seemed rather simple to him and he felt a bit out of place. They told him that the Baal Shem Tov would soon come in to learn with them, and so he decided to stay.

Suddenly, all the hasidim stood up in silence, the Baal Shem Tov had entered the shul. As soon as he sat down at the head of the table they all quickly crowded around him to catch every one of his words. Mendel found himself at the edge of the group of hasidim. It had been quite a while since the last time that he was treated just as an ordinary person and this made him a bit uncomfortable. He had grown accustomed to being honored and he actually liked receiving attention. It was strange for him to be among these hasidim.

After singing a niggun the Baal Shem Tov started to teach. Mendel listened in but he did not_ really understand most of what he heard. He did catch one idea, but it made no sense to him. The Baal Shem Tov said that it is possible to say one's prayers and yet the prayers may not ascend to heaven for a long time. It is entirely possible that the prayers of one who prayed at 10:00 o'clock in the morning should reach Hashem before the prayers of one who had prayed much earlier in the day.

"That makes no sense at all," Mendel thought to himself. The Baal Shem Tov continued, "There are some Passover 'Seder' recitations and prayers that have yet to ascend to heaven, even though they were said five days ago." Mendel did not listen much after that; he was baffled as to why so many people were giving this man so much attention, especially since he didn't seem to say anything that made much sense. "Why did I bother coming here, I should just have stayed home. There is nothing special about this man and he says these foolish things. Can it be possible that the words I said at my seder have not yet reached Hashem? How ridiculous! And just look at these hasidim, pushing around their master, just to hear silly ideas!" Mendel thought. It was too late for him to get home for Yom Tov, and so he resigned himself to being with the Baal Shem Tov and his hasidim for the last two days of Pesach.

Mendel found that praying with the hasidim was very intense and very different from anything he had ever experienced. They sang, they cried, they were loud and they were silent, they danced, they 'shuckled' fervently - they were uninhibited. He ate simple food and slept in a simple home; he missed the comforts of his home.

The Baal Shem Tov had instituted a custom that is practiced to this very day— Moshiach's Seudah. About two hours before the end of Pesach, hasidim have another meal at which we eat matzah and drink another four cups of wine with much singing and dancing in honor of Moshiach and the ultimate redemption; may it come quickly in our days. Mendel had never participated in such a meal, and frankly he was already anxious for the holiday to be over so that he could run out and find some bread to eat. But these hasidim were in no rush, in fact it seemed as if they would be much happier if Pesach wouldn't end.

At one point in the meal the Baal Shem Tov and the hasidim sang a very hauntingly beautiful niqqun and everyone went into a very deep and high place. Everyone's eyes were shut and only Mendel was looking around. In the midst of the niggun the Baal Shem Tov put his hands on the shoulders of those who were next to him, and they did likewise. It became very quiet. Mendel, as unaccustomed as he was to all of this, did sense that something extraordinary was taking place and without much thought, he too shut his eyes and placed his hands of the shoulders of those who were next to him. It was not long before he began to have his first-ever lofty experience.

Mendel felt as if he was transported to a heavenly sphere and he was seeing a replay of his own seder— what had actually happened on the first night of Pesach. Mendel had gone to shul and knowing that it was customary to invite the needy to one's Seder, he approached two wayfarers and invited them. He didn’t introduce himself to them, he just said "You and you, you'll be my guests tonight," and then he went to his seat at the front of the shul. He didn't really want any guests, but it was the respectable thing to do. In fact he finished the prayers before everyone else and went home alone. When the services were over the two wayfarers waited for their host. The shul was already empty and the shamash was about to close up. He saw these two forlorn fellows and asked them if they had been invited anywhere. They told him that someone had indeed invited them but they did not know who it was; they described him as best as they could. "It sounds like you're going to Mendel's home. I'll tell you how to get there, but be careful!" the shamash told them. He didn't explain, but he was thinking about Mendel's vicious dogs.

Mendel had gone home before everyone else and had already started his seder as his two guests were still finding their way to his home. He had already made Kiddush and was about to say, "Ha Lachmah Anya— This is the bread of affliction that our ancestors ate in the land of Egypt. All who are hungry, let them come and eat, all who are needy let them come and join us in..." just as his two guests were about to open the gate.

Back to Medzibuz - Mendel is standing with the hasidim and he sees himself sitting at his seder table. He sees the words of Ha Lachmah Anya leaving his mouth. He sees the letters and the words as they begin to ascend to heaven. Suddenly one of his guard dogs jumps up and with a great snarl snatches the word “Ha” right out of the air and devours it. And then the second dog ferociously jumps up and snatches the word “Lachmah” before it rose and it too devoured the word. And so it was with every word that he said. Why? Because at the very moment that he was reciting the words of the Haggadah about inviting the poor and needy, his two guard dogs were ferociously attacking his poor guests. They barely got away and ran for their lives. Now Mendel realized what the Baal Shem Tov meant when he said that some seders never ascended to Hashem. He grew faint and passed out on the floor. The hasidim revived him. Later that evening he had a chance to have a personal conversation with the Baal Shem Tov and he humbly asked for his guidance in doing tshuvah. He felt very embarrassed to look at the Baal Shem Tov, but the master's love and words of encouragement restored his confidence. Needless to say, Mendel came home a much more humble and joyous servant of Hashem.(This story was told by Rabbi Sholom Brodt.)