- Hirsh Leib Orliker once visited Mezhibuzh – [and] it was related to him that R. Baruch Mezhibuzher was sick. He wanted to [perform the commandment of] visit[ing] the sick. Since he knew that R. Baruch was an angry man and denigrated all the tzadikim of his generation, he instructed his attendant to bring along a chair, because he understood that R. Baruch would definitely not invite him to sit down.
As soon as the Orliker entered the house and R. Baruch recognized him, R. Baruch, with an expression of disdain, turned around to face the wall. In the meantime, the Orliker took the chair that his attendant brought along and sat down. R. Baruch sensed that the Orliker sat down, and he called out – while still facing the wall – “Where does a Jew get the nerve to meet the greatest person of the generation and sit down without permission?!” The Orliker replied: “How does a Jew have the nerve that [when] the greatest person of the generation comes to visit him, he doesn’t invite him to sit?!” R. Baruch asked him: “How can there be two people who qualify as one in a generation?” The Orliker responded: “You are one in a generation in awe [of God], I am one in a generation in wisdom, and R. Shalom of Prohobisht is one in a generation in matchmaking.” Then R. Baruch asked: “If you are indeed one in a generation in wisdom – nu, tell me what kind of accusation was leveled this High Holy Days in Heaven [against the Jews] and what did you answer?” The Orliker answered: “In heaven they raised the accusation that the Jews do indeed repent and lament [their wrongdoings] but [have in mind] only themselves, and don’t have in mind the Shechina in exile.” “Nu – how did you respond to this?” R. Baruch asked. “I said” – related the Orliker – “If the Jews only care about themselves – nu, Master of the Universe, do the same, care only about yourself – ‘Do for Your sake if not for ours!’” R. Baruch remarked: “This is indeed a clever response.”
I.F.
Dovid Fishman
