The Rizhiner And R. Avraham Shlomo Are Treated Differently by God

When the Rizhiner was still very young, his mother the Rebbetzin Chavele asked him to travel to the Apter Rav to receive Rabbinic Ordination.

He agreed and took along R. Avraham Shlomo. On the way, R. Avraham Shlomo constantly mocked “Rebbeism.”¹

At night, they stayed at the same station [lodging area] and they both stood up to pray.

R. Avraham Shlomo prayed the Eighteen Benedictions for a long time. The Rizhiner gave him such a forceful push nudging him to stop and he moved his feet backward [i.e. he took three steps back thereby concluding the prayer].

And then he asked him these three questions:

1. Why did he move his feet back?
2. Why did he pray for so long?
3. He asked him to explain the verse [statement about God] “Who is patient, and overlooks the rebellious.”² If He is patient, he does not overlook [sin]?³

R. Avraham Shlomo answered the three questions:

1. It says “Even if the king greets him, he should not respond to him; and even if a snake is wrapped on his heel, he should not interrupt his prayer.”⁴ However, if a scorpion approaches him, he stops.”⁵ It is stated, “Beware of the burning coals of Torah scholars, for their bite is the bite of a scorpion.”⁶ Therefore, I moved my feet back [and stopped my prayer] when you pushed me.
2. You are an experienced soldier; therefore you can render your service quickly. I must take my time. It takes me much longer to load my gunpowder.
3. He overlooks the rebellious refers to me – he is patient refers you, because it states that the Holy One, Blessed Be He decrees, and a Tzadik annuls [the decree].

I.F.

Rabbi gold

A grandson of the Malach

1. i.e. the institution and conduct of Chassidic rebbes.
2. Mussaf prayers of the High Holy Days.
3. Possible explanation: overlooking sin implies that God ignores sin or turns a blind eye to it, whereas patience implies that God notices the but tolerates it without ignoring it. 
4. Mishna, Berachot 5:1.
5. See Talmud Berachot 33a, Rav Sheshet said: They only taught this mishna with regard to a snake, as if one does not attack the snake it will not bite him. But if a scorpion approaches an individual while he is praying, he stops, as the scorpion is liable to sting him even if he does not disturb it.
6. See Pirkei Avot 2:10 “Rabbi Eliezer said… warm yourself before the fire of the wise, but beware of being singed by their glowing coals, for their bite is the bite of a fox, and their sting is the sting of a scorpion, and their hiss is the hiss of a serpent, and all their words are like coals of fire.”