He said, “This tale has been told only once before, and this was before Solomon’s Temple was built. The only ones who understood it were the prophet who told it and the one to whom it was told. Even the other prophets could not fathom it. Although this story has already been told once, it is now a totally new concept.
Many things have changed since it was last told. It was told once before in accordance with that time, but now it must be told in accordance with the present.
“This story has removed any questions I might have had about what we are doing. At first, I found it very difficult to understand why we are not respected in this world. But this story answered any question I might have had.”
Shortly afterwards, the Rebbe told the story of “The Master of Prayer” (see “His Wisdom” #148). However, he said that this was not the story he had mentioned earlier. He said that the first story was much more beautiful than that of “The Master of Prayer,” as awesome and wonderful as the latter may be. Happy is he who is worthy of hearing this story in the World to Come.
שְׁנַת תק"ע בַּחֹרֶף אַחַר חֲנֻכָּה בְּעֵת שֶׁבָּאתִי מִבֶּרְדִּיטְשׁוֹב, אָמַר לִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה לְסַפֵּר.
When I returned from Berditchev after Chanukah in the winter of 5570/1810 (see note 350, p. XX), the Rebbe told me that he had a story to tell.
וְאָמַר: שֶׁהַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַזֹּאת שֶׁרוֹצֶה לְסַפֵּר, לֹא סִפְּרוּ אוֹתָהּ כִּי אִם פַּעַם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי בַּיִת רִאשׁוֹן וְגַם הַנְּבִיאִים לֹא יָדְעוּ הַסּוֹד שֶׁלָּהּ, כִּי אִם הַנָּבִיא שֶׁסִּפֵּר אוֹתָהּ וּמִי שֶׁסִּפֵּר אוֹתָהּ לְפָנָיו. וְהוּא חִדּוּשׁ גָּדוֹל. וַהֲגַם שֶׁכְּבָר סִפְּרוּ אוֹתָהּ כַּנַּ"ל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן הוּא חִדּוּשׁ גָּמוּר, הַיְנוּ דָּבָר חָדָשׁ לְגַמְרֵי.
He said, “This tale has been told only once before, and this was before Solomon’s Temple was built. The only ones who understood it were the prophet who told it and the one to whom it was told. Even the other prophets could not fathom it. Although this story has already been told once, it is now a totally new concept.
כִּי בְּוַדַּאי מֵאָז עַד עַתָּה נַעֲשָׂה מַה שֶּׁנַּעֲשָׂה. וְאָז סִפְּרוּ אוֹתָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי אָז, וְעַתָּה צְרִיכִין לְסַפְּרָהּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁרָאוּי עַתָּה (וְלֹא זָכִינוּ לְשָׁמְעָהּ).
Many things have changed since it was last told. It was told once before in accordance with that time, but now it must be told in accordance with the present.
וְעַל יְדֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה, שׁוּב אֵינוֹ קָשֶׁה לִי כְּלָל בְּעִנְיָנֵנוּ. כִּי מִתְּחִלָּה הָיָה קָשֶׁה לִי קְצָת מִפְּנֵי מָה יִהְיֶה כָּךְ, דְּהַיְנוּ שֶׁאֵין לָנוּ שׁוּם חֲשִׁיבוּת בָּעוֹלָם וְכוּ'. אֲבָל עַכְשָׁו, עַל פִּי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנַּ"ל שׁוּב אֵינוֹ קָשֶׁה לִי כְּלָל.
“This story has removed any questions I might have had about what we are doing. At first, I found it very difficult to understand why we are not respected in this world. But this story answered any question I might have had.”
וּכְבָר הָיָה מוּכָן לְסַפֵּר מַעֲשֶׂה זוֹ, אַךְ אַף עַל פִּי כֵן נִתְגַּלְגֵּל הַדָּבָר וְלֹא זָכִינוּ לְשָׁמְעָהּ.
The Rebbe was prepared to tell the story, but events intervened and we were not worthy of hearing it.
אַחַר כָּךְ בְּסָמוּךְ סִפֵּר הַמַּעֲשֶׂה שֶׁל הַבַּעַל תְּפִלָּה הַנִּדְפַּס בְּ"סִפּוּרֵי מַעֲשִׂיּוֹת" וְאָמַר שֶׁאֵין זֹאת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנַּ"ל. וְאָמַר שֶׁהַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנַּ"ל שֶׁרָצָה לְסַפֵּר הוּא יָפֶה עוֹד יוֹתֵר מִמַּעֲשֶׂה זֹאת שֶׁל הַבַּעַל תְּפִלָּה הַנִּפְלָאָה וְהַנּוֹרָאָה מְאֹד. אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁיִּזְכֶּה לְשָׁמְעָהּ לֶעָתִיד.
Shortly afterwards, the Rebbe told the story of “The Master of Prayer” (see “His Wisdom” #148). However, he said that this was not the story he had mentioned earlier. He said that the first story was much more beautiful than that of “The Master of Prayer,” as awesome and wonderful as the latter may be. Happy is he who is worthy of hearing this story in the World to Come.