אות - קמח

The story of the Seven Beggars [Shivah Betelres] which is printed in Sipurei Ma'asiyos — he told it over several days, and each time told the matter connected to it that was related about it through which he began to tell the story: First, on holy Shabbas eve (293) he began through the tobacco [snuff] he took from one of his followers, and he remembered the letter that I had sent to my friend that had reached him o.b.m., in which I had written that he should be joyful. Then he spoke about this. And he answered and said: I will tell you how once people were joyful. And he began to tell the story (294). And he told the entire beginning of the story until the end of the story of the first day — about the beggar who was blind. And all this was on holy Shabbas eve — and I was then at my home in Nemirov. And afterward on Tuesday my friend came to his home (295) and told me this story and I stood trembling and astonished. For although I had already heard many awesome stories from him, a story such as this I had never heard from his holy mouth. And afterward I traveled there and came to the home of Rabbainu o.b.m. at the time when he was already closed in his room. And in the morning which was Wednesday I entered to him and spoke with him much. And I told him stories from the world that I had recently heard, and afterward he spoke with me about the aforementioned story that he had told on holy Shabbas eve. And he said that he greatly desired to know [meaning: to tell] the ending — that is, what happened at all the remaining seven days of the feast. And also the entire ending of the conclusion of the story of the king's son who received the kingdom from his father while still alive — from which the story began. And he then told me that so — each and every day from the seven days of the feast, one of the seven beggars comes every day and blesses them and gives them a gift for the discourse etc. And he also spoke with me about the order of the story of the elders who are masters of memory — whose narrative I had not heard in proper order with good explanation from my friend. And he explained to me himself a bit in order. And he also spoke with me about the matter of the boasting of the blind beggar that he remembers nothing at all (in German: "Ich gideink gar nisht") — whose explanation is: "ich gideink gar nisht" — meaning he remembers when there was still no existence at all etc. And he marveled at this. And afterward I greatly longed that he begin to tell from the second day — but I did not succeed at it, for in the meantime his servant (296) came and said: Rabbi, the time for the meal has arrived. And he set the table before him to eat, and I was compelled to leave his presence. Afterward, after he had slept a little after his eating — I returned and entered to him, and stood before him and told him several matters from the affairs of the world and the rabbi from Berditchev whom I had recently been near (297). And I spoke with him about the matter that everyone is full of worries and lacks — that all the great wealthy men are each lacking very much etc. And afterward I answered and said before him this verse (Koheles 3:11): "He has also put the world into their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that G-d has done from the beginning to the end" (see Rashi's explanation). He answered o.b.m.: Is this not our story?! And immediately he asked: Where are we in the story? And I was immediately startled from the great yearning I had to hear this, and I answered him in a rush that we stand in the second day. He answered and said: On the second day they went back and yearned how etc. (as printed there). And he told on that Wednesday the entire story of the second day. And afterward on holy Shabbas eve — the story of the third and fourth days. And afterward on Sunday — the story of the fifth day. And afterward on the following Tuesday — the story of the sixth day. And after he concluded the story of the sixth day we stood before him, and one of his followers told before him some story. He answered and said: Is this not from the matter of the story of the seventh day?! And he said that it seems that the world is relating from his story, and he greatly desired to tell it — but we did not merit that he tell it then, and he never told it again (298). 293. RAK: The 25th of Adar II, 5570. 294. RAK: In Chayai Moharan, Discourses Connected to the Stories, 4, Moharnat writes: "And I heard that he said then: 'What do you know about how to be joyful from within melancholy — I will tell you how once people were joyful.'" 295. RAK: Rabbi Naftali. 296. RAK: Two years earlier Rabbainu had a servant named Rabbi Michal — and it is possible he is mentioned here. 297. RAK: Moharnat began that summer to manage Rabbainu's financial affairs in Berditchev. His father also had a large business there. 298. RAK: Rabbainu said that the conclusion of the story we will not merit to hear until Mashiach comes.