A Story of Trust

That Rabbeinu Hakodoish Zetzuka"l told over this story on the night of the 4th of Elul 5566 It was publicized byRabbi Yisroel Karduner of blessed memory. [Rabbi Nachman] spoke up and said, furthermore I have told over a story about trust (in God) and this is it: A king said in his heart, “Can anyone be found with nothing to worry about, more than I? For I have everything good and I am king and ruler." And he went to investigate this.

He would go at night and he would stand behind the houses to heed and listen to the talk of the populace. He would hear the worries of each one, that for this one it isn't working out properly in his store; and afterwards he went to another house, and heard that he has a worry for which he has to obtain an audience with the government; and so too, all the other worries of each and everyone.

Afterwards he went and saw a low house standing submerged in the ground, the windows low down, literally hugging the earth, and the roof fallen in and broken. He saw there, someone sitting playing the violin so, that it was necessary to listen attentively in order to hear the sound.

He was extremely happy, and there was a pot with beverage set before him, and the beverage was wine, and foods were set before him, and he was extremely happy, full of happiness without any worries whatsoever. He went and entered the house and asked about his wellbeing, and he answered him. And he saw the pot with the beverage before him and the variety of foods, and how he was just full of joy.

And he honored (-offered refreshment to) the king to drink, and he drank with the king, and the king also drank for the sake of comradery. Afterwards he (the king) lay down to sleep, and he saw that he is just happy without any worry. In the morning the king got up, and he also got up and escorted the king out.

The king asked him, "From where do you (have the wherewithal) to buy all this?" He answered (him), "I am able to fix all necessary repairs of broken objects. For I am not capable of a complete craft, just the repair of broken items.

I go out in the morning and I mend some things, and when I have earned from this a sum of five or six golden, I buy for myself all these items of food and drink." When the king heard this, he said in his heart, "I will ruin this for him". The king went and made a proclamation, that whoever has something to be fixed, should not give it to anyone for repair, rather he should fix it himself or buy a new one.

In the morning he went asking for things that need fixing and they told him that the king had decreed not to give anything to anyone for repair. This was bad in his eyes, but he trusted in Hashem. So, he went and saw a rich man chopping wood and he asked him, "Why are you chopping wood? Is this befitting of you?" He said to him, "I searched for someone to chop the wood and couldn't find anyone, so I was forced to chop it myself".

He said to him, "Allow me, and I will chop with you". And he chopped the wood, and the rich man gave him a golden. He saw that this is good, and he went to chop more wood, until he had earned six golden; he once again bought the whole feast (Rabbeinu used this language: 'Un der se-uda iz gi-ven ah se-uda' - and the feast was a feast), and he was happy.

And the king went again behind the window of his house to see; and he saw that this one is sitting, and the drink and foods are before him, and he is extremely happy. The king went and entered inside the house, and he saw as before, and he lay down there also like the first night; and in the morning the man got up and escorted the king out.

And he asked him, "From where do you (have the wherewithal) to buy this, for this costs money?" He answered him, "My practice was to fix all the things that were broken, and afterwards the king decreed to no longer give anyone to fix, so I chopped wood until I put together money for this as before". The king went from him and decreed not to give anyone to chop wood.

And when the man came to chop wood, he was told that the king had decreed an edict not to give anyone to chop wood. And it was bad in his eyes, for there was no money (to be made), but he trusted in God. So, he went and he saw someone cleaning a shed and he asked him, "Who are you, that you should clean a shed?" He answered him, "I searched but couldn't find anyone to clean for me, so I was forced to clean it myself".

He said to him, "Allow me, and I will clean". He stood and cleaned it, and he gave him two golden. He went and cleaned more sheds and put together six golden, and he purchased again the whole feast as before; he went home (and the feast was a feast) and he was extremely happy. The king went again to see, and he saw again everything as before, and he entered the house as before.

Afterwards in the morning he again escorted the king out, and the king asked him again as before, and he answered him everything recounted above. The king went and decreed not to give anyone to clean a shed. In the morning the man went searching for sheds to clean, and they told him that the king decreed against this as mentioned. The man went and hired himself out as a soldier by the minister who acquires soldiers for the king.

For there are soldiers who are conscripted as determined by the country, and there are soldiers which are hired. So, he went and hired himself out as a soldier, and he stipulated with the minister that he is not hiring himself out interminably - just temporarily, and that he would be given his wages each and every day in the morning.

The minister immediately dressed him in an army uniform and girded him with a sword on his side, and sent him to the necessary place. Afterwards, in the evening, when he had done all his tasks, he threw off the uniform and purchased for himself the whole feast mentioned above; he went home (and the feast was a feast) and he was extremely happy. The king went again to see and he saw that everything was set before him and he is extremely happy as before.

He entered his house and lay down as before, and he asked him as before, and he told him everything recounted above. The king went and called the minister and commanded him not to lift his hand to pay anyone from the treasury that day. In the morning he went to the minister to get his pay for the day, and he did not acquiesce.

He asked him, "Did I not stipulate with you, that you would pay me every day?" He answered him, that the king had decreed not to pay anyone today. All his arguments with him were to no avail, and he told him, "Better I pay you tomorrow for two days, but today it is impossible to pay you". What did he do? He went and broke off a piece of the sword and fixed a piece of wood in its place, and it was not visible or evident at all from the outside.

He went and pawned the piece, and purchased again the whole feast mentioned above (and the feast was a feast). The king went again and saw that the joy was complete as before, and he again entered his house and lay down there as before, and he asked him as before, and he told him everything recounted above, that he was forced to break the blade of the sword from the handle, and he pawned it in order to buy for himself the necessities of the feast, "and aft

er, when I receive the money for that day, I will redeem, and fix the sword - and it won't be at all discernible, for I am able to fix anything broken (and there will be no harm to the king)". The king went to his home, and he called the minister and commanded him; being that there was someone sentenced to death, therefore call that soldier that you hired to be a soldier, and command him specifically, that he should cut off the head of the one sentenced to