By Rabbi Nissan Telushkin for COLlive and Hasidic Archives
Rabbi Michel of Zlotchov, the famed student of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, would always lead the afternoon services before Rosh Hashanah—the final prayer of the year.
Once, he arrived to prayers, peeked inside, and immediately shut the door. He repeated this a few times, before running home. Everyone waited patiently for his return. Indeed, he came back, and led the prayers as usual.
When asked what happened, Rabbi Michel explained that he had seen a dishonest individual standing in the crowd. “How could I stand before our Creator,” he said, “if my heart is not at peace with one of G-d’s children, and I feel that he does not deserve my love?”
He explained that he opened and closed the door a few times in hope that he would see the man expressing some regret for his actions, but he did not. Rabbi Michel thus decided to go home and pray alone.
But after a few moments at home, a Biblical verse came to his mind about the future redemption of the Jewish people: “And out of all the nations shall bring a gift for G-d… and to Jerusalem, My holy mountain, as an offering to G-d, in a pure vessel, to the House of G-d (Isaiah 66:20).”
Rabbi Michel then thought that all Jews, even those who are unworthy, will heed G-d’s call to return to Jerusalem and their offerings will be accepted by G-d. “I, too, am permitted and required to love even those who are unworthy of love. Those who are unworthy need us to pray for them to return to the ways of G-d. But we are not allowed to deny them love.”
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