R. Yohanan of Rakhmastrivka (d. 1895) once traveled to Zwinogródka. There he had a fervent follower Piater Brodski. He had a brother-in-law named R. Shpiegel who was a consummate Lithuanian (litvak) from Vilna – a mitnaged.
When R. Yohanan came to the town the whole town came out to greet him. Brodski wanted his brother-in-law Shpiegel to also go and greet the rebbe. However, Shpiegel refused to understand why a man of flesh and blood should be shown such honor. On the contrary, he was very angry that such a commotion was being made over a Jew and indeed he did not go.
During the week he noticed that there was no one with the rebbe (he lived just across the residence where the rebbe was staying) so he decided to visit the rebbe and present his arguments before him. So it was. He did not find anyone with the rebbe and the attendant (gabai) immediately let him in. R. Yohanan received him and Shpiegel started to argue. What, rebbe, makes you deserving of such honor? Why should so many Jews come to you, give you money to redeem their souls (pidyonot), and fear you so?
And at each question, R. Yohanan nodded his head and said to him: “Indeed, you are right. This is indeed so. But, you know why? Because this is what God wants – and if this is what God wants then I tell you should indeed fear me. This Shpiegel later became a follower and recounted this story himself to Pinchas Landau.
I.F.
Pinchas Landau
