Emuna Peshuta/Emunas Chachamim

[Jude]

The story is told of Nachum who owned hundreds of cows and who was quite prosperous, that is, he was doing fine until a cattle epidemic began killing his cows. When he lost 300 out of his 700 cows in one week, Nachum decided he had to see his Rebbe in Shtefenesht.

He arrived before Shabbos, too late to see the Rebbe but he tried his luck anyway and pleaded with the gabbai to let him in. The gabbai consulted with the Rebbe, but the Rebbe refused to see him.

Nachum spent Shabbos in Shtefenesht wondering how many more of his cows had died. At shalosh seudos the Rebbe sang "Baruch Hashem, yom yom." He reached the words, "nidachim kovetz." Nachum was sitting far away, with many Chasidim between him and the Rebbe and it was hard for him to make out what the Rebbe was saying.

The Rebbe said, "nidachim kovetz" and Nachum, in astonishment, said, "He's talking to me!" He had heard the words "nidachim kovetz" as "Nachum, koif veitz" (Nachum, buy wheat).

It was a clear instruction from his Rebbe, an answer to his unasked question. He understood that the Rebbe was telling him to sell the rest of his cows before they all died and to use the money to buy wheat. In other words, he was being told to change professions! (Nachum knew a lot about cows but nothing about wheat).

Nachum went home after Shabbos without speaking to the Rebbe. He sold the remaining cows and bought tons of wheat. He became a rich man and he went back to the Rebbe to thank him.

The Rebbe said - when you came to me before Shabbos I pushed you off because I had no answer for you. I saw that there was a decree of poverty on you and I could do nothing.

But with your honest belief you heard things I didn't say and in the merit of this emuna peshuta (simple belief) you opened a new channel of prosperity that hadn't existed before. It was YOU who saved YOURSELF. When you must be saved, even an error in hearing can help. Salvation can come from anywhere!

[iamachassid]

There was a woman who believed in tzadikim but her husband didn't, she came to the Rebbe because the landlord was threatening to throw them out of their inn and into jail if they wouldn't give in the rent soon. Also at the Rebbe's was a woman who didn't believe in a Rebbe but her sick husband did. The Rebbe sent a message for the woman with the sick husband to put on leeches and for the poor couple he said he would daven for them. However, the shamesh accidentaly mixed up the messages. the woman with a sick husband didn't mind hearing the Rebbe would daven for him. However, the woman whose husband ridiculed the idea of going to the Rebbe, especially for something as far out of the Rebbe's realm as rent, now had to convince her husband to listen to (what she thought was) the Rebbes advice and put on the leeches. With her emunas chachamim (and womanly wisdom) she convinced her husband to put them on. When the messenger came to collect the rent they still didn't have he saw the man lying there, screaming in pain, with blood and leeches all over him! He ran back to the castle and the landowners mother yelled at her son for being so heartless to demand money from someone so sick. Not only did she drop the debt for the month but she gave them the inn free for the next three years! Emunas chachamim, kabalas ol to a Rebbe, pays!

[stwill]

I once heard this story :

A woman who had no children traveled to the Tzemach Tzedek for a Bracha in the last year of his life. When she arrived in Lubavitch, she was told that the Tzemach Tzedek is not well and is not receiving anyone. Disappointed, she went to the Shul and met the (future) Rebbe Maharash. She begged him to give her a Bracha, but the Rebbe Maharash refused, saying that he is no Rebbe, and doesn't give Brachos. The woman wouldn't take "no" for an answer and badgered him non-stop, until, exasperated, he exclaimed "Gei es a Pulke" ("Go eat a drumstick", which I guess is equivalent to nowadays' "go fly a kite")

The woman went home and cooked not one, but two drumsticks and ate them. Sure enough, nine months later she gave birth to twins! In the meantime, the Tzemach Tzedek had passed away and the Rebbe Maharash had become Rebbe. The woman's husband went to thank the Rebbe Maharash for his Bracha.

The Rebbe Maharash later said that this couple was decreed not to have children, but the Emunah Pshutah of the wife overturned the decree.

[shterna sara]

In the version of the story that I heard, the woman was told to " ess a bulka!" which I understand means a roll (lachmania)!! One misunderstanding leads to another!!