By Rabbi Sholom DovBer Avtzon

Our sages teach us machashavah tova hakodosh boruch hu mitzarfa l’maaseh. This is commonly translated to mean, that if a Jew makes a good decision and for whatever reason they are prevented from fulfilling it, Hashem considers it as if the good deed was fulfilled and gives the person the reward as if it was fulfilled. 

Chassidus takes an even deeper approach – that when a person makes a commitment to fulfill a mitzvah, Hashem will arrange that they be able to fulfill it.

The following story which I heard from a son of HaRav Hachossid Reb Michel Vishedsky, when I went to be Menachem Avel the family on his petira this year on Rosh Hashanah, brings it out clearly.

My father, Reb Michel ben Reb Moshe Vishedsky, was asked this year what story or incident in his life defines his life and would be the story that he thinks about continuously. He replied by singling out the following episode of his life:

When I was a teenager, the chossid who continuously took an interest in my welfare was Reb Mendel Futerfas. Perhaps it was because my father was imprisoned by the  communists because of his activities on behalf of strengthening Jewish observance, and we would often be seen together, even while walking in the streets. 

Now Reb Mendel had a special aura that even the non-Jews recognized and respected to the extent that they often requested a blessing from him.

One day, when I was fifteen years old, as we were walking in the street a large individual suddenly out of nowhere rushed over and pleaded that Reb Mendel gives him a blessing. Please bless me that there will be harmony in my house, between me and my wife and also between us and our children. 

Reb Mendel immediately replied, if you give this young man a job, your requests will be fulfilled. 

Being that I looked older than my years, the man did not think that I was still high school age, and he hired me on the spot. His business was fixing clocks and watches.

I worked very long hours, coming home every day at around nine in the evening.

Months passed and on Yud-Beis Tammuz, the farbrengen began around three or four in the afternoon in someone’s apartment, and it would continue on until the early hours of the morning. Since I was working, I came to the farbrengen at around nine in the evening.

Reb Mendel wasn’t happy with my late arrival to the farbrengen as he realized that it wasn’t my attitude to the farbrengen, but it was a result of my daily schedule.  After giving me a lchaim to say, he spoke to me and said Michel, you have to make a hachlata to learn every day. You must learn Chassidus and Nigleh a few hours a day. But if you work such long hours it will never happen. Make a hachlata that you won’t work past five in the afternoon!

I was hesitant, as I feared that the owner would dismiss me completely, and the family needed the money I was earning. So I didn’t reply.

Seeing my hesitation, Reb Mendel gave me an additional lchaim and then another one. At a certain point I promised him that I would stop working at five.

I don’t remember anything else about that farbrengen, as I wasn’t use to drinking a lchaim and especially a few, but the following morning when I woke up, I was not able to go to work.

I did go back the following day and apologized to my boss for not coming the previous day explaining that I was not feeling well. I then tried to tell him of my firm decision of stopping work at five in the afternoon, but he turned away to take care of something urgent, and I figured I will find the opportunity later on in the day. I went over to him a few more times, but each time he was called to take care of something urgent and I couldn’t speak to him.

I heard the chiming of the numerous clocks and felt that the time was slipping away. Finally I saw that it was fifteen minutes before five, and I knew I had to speak to him immediately. 

Before I had the opportunity to get up, he suddenly came over to me and said, Michel, how old are you?

Fifteen, I replied. 

Fifteen he said in bewilderment, so when are you going to learn algebra and science in order to go to college and get a degree? So that means because of me, you are not going to get further on in life. From now on, every day you must leave the shop at five, so that you can study properly and get a solid education. 

At that moment I saw how if a person makes a true hachlata, they will definitely have the opportunity to fulfill it.

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A note of caution, while in this story it is mentioned that a mashpia gave a teenager mashke to drink, that was in a different time and situation. We have to remember that the Rebbe make guidelines on drinking.

I also heard from a few members of the original hanhalah of Tomchei Tmimim of America, that the Frierdiker Rebbe instructed them that when they farbreng with the students in the mesivta (high school), they should take a bottle of 7UP, and pour a drop of mashke in it, and that is the Lchaim they should use during the farbrengen. 

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Rabbi Avtzon is a veteran mechanech and the author of numerous books on the Rebbeim and their chassidim. He is available to farbreng in your community and can be contacted at [email protected]