By Dovid Zaklikowski for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
It was Yom Kippur morning in Liozna, home of Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Chabad Rebbe known as the Alter Rebbe. The Rebbe was known for the fervor with which he prayed, alternating between intense, silent meditation and loud outbursts of emotion, sometimes even rolling on the floor.
On this holiest day of the year entirely devoted to prayer and fasting, his disciples were doing their best to follow his lead. But the Rebbe seemed preoccupied. Then, in the middle of the cantor’s repetition of prayers, they were shocked to see Rabbi Schneur Zalman remove his prayer shawl and stalk out of the synagogue with a sense of purpose.
Those who ran after him saw him enter the home of a poor woman who had recently given birth. There, the Rebbe took wood kindling, started a fire, and cooked cereal for the starving woman.
He then said:
“Whoever saves a life of Israel, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.
“Whoever saves a life of Israel, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.
“Whoever saves a life of Israel, it is considered as if he saved an entire world.”
Afterward, the Rebbe returned to the synagogue and resumed his prayers.
When they heard of this episode, those who opposed the Chasidic movement began to refer to Rabbi Schneur Zalman derisively as “one who desecrates Yom Kippur.”
In reply, the Rebbe cited the Jewish law that, when someone’s life is in danger on the Sabbath or a holiday, the most important member of the community should desecrate the holy day, to emphasize the importance of saving a life. He added, “I could not find someone greater than myself to do this.”
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Amazing and what a kiddush Hashem!