What You Should Have Discussed with the Mekubal

In the Catskill Mountains, during the 5700s, Reb Hershel Fogelman encountered a mekubal who looked at his palms and told him his past. When Reb Hershel told our Rebbe what had happened, the Rebbe had a different idea of what he should have done.

Reb Hershel Fogelman related:

Once, in the 5700s (1940s), while I was in the Catskill Mountains, I met a man whom people regarded as a mekubal. He claimed that he could look at your hands and tell you your past, present and future.

He tried my hands and said more or less accurately what transpired with me, of which he had no way of knowing otherwise.

When I returned to New York, I went to the future Rebbe’s office and told him about this individual. He asked me some questions about him, and I mentioned that he didn’t have a beard.

The Rebbe said to me, “You should have spoken with him about ‘yichuda tata’a’ and ‘yichuda ila’a,” which are fundamental Chassidus concepts that discuss the oneness of Hashem.

He told me that the Frierdiker Rebbe had spoken and written to many who were involved in practical Kabbalah. He also shared what a famed chossid said that if he met someone at a levaya who could bring the corpse back to life, it would not faze him. But if he truly understood ‘yichuda tata’a’ and ‘yichuda ila’a,’ now that would be impressive.

(Baron Fogelman Teshura Cheshvan 5775)

From The Weekly Farbrengen by Merkaz Anash