People used to travel to collect Ma’amad [money to support the household and interests of] R. Aharon Tchernobeler. They would send distinguished householders, Chassidim with Kvitlach [lists]. The lists contained an assessment of how much each person was expected to give.

Once a Chasid came to Liove and one of the Ma’amad Kvitlech [lists] contained the following information: the Nagid [donor] R. Meir son of R. Gavriel [is assessed for] 4 times Chai [18]. There was the largest sum that they taxed in the shtetl.

No one knows however who this R. Meir Son of R. Gavriel was. No such name was known in Liove. 

People reminded themselves that there was someone by the name of Meir who served as an assistant to the butcher. But no one knows his father’s name because he was never called up [to the Torah]. But when he was asked how he is called to the Torah he answered Meir son of Gavriel. He was told that there was a letter from R. Aharon Chernoybeler demanding Ma’amad [support] for 72 Rubles. He says with great confidence: I assume that if the Rebbe determined this amount, I will find the money to pay.

But in the same week, he did not have what to eat. So he visited a Gentile in a village to find some business. On the way, he found a wallet with money and when the money was counted it amounted to exactly 72 Rubles. After this story he became a person of great Bitachon [trust in God] – people would loan him money and he becamea merchant of animals and he became a very wealthy person and philanthropist. 

I.F.

Liaver Rebbe