“I shall be sanctified in the midst of Bnei Yisrael (22:32)”
In the chassidic court of Strelisk, under the leadership of Rav Uri Klughauft (d. 1826) who was known as “the Seraph” (fiery angel), davening was often accompanied by intermittent clapping which was meant to help one have greater kavanah and devotion. When the Seraph passed on, a group of the Strelisk chassidim decided to make their way to Ruzhin to continue their avodas Hashem under the guidance of “der heiliger Ruzhiner”, Rav Yisrael Friedman (d. 1850) who adopted an approach that emphasized respectability and regal conduct. And sudden loud clapping interspersed throughout the davening definitely did not conform to the type of decorum and noble manner of avodas Hashem that he insisted upon.
Nonetheless, Rav Friedman certainly had no intention of undermining the esteem of their previous Rebbe. So he decided to teach them a lesson. That they should truly understand the depth and nature of their previous Rebbe’s clapping…
“Clapping,” explained the Ruzhiner Rebbe, “has to be real. And let me explain to you what I mean. The ‘Shpoler Zeide’ (Rav Aryeh Leib of Shpola, d. 1811) began his career as a cheider rebbi. He would accept any boy. Even those who others found impossible to teach. He would get the most difficult boys… One of his students became a thief when he grew up! Not an occasional thief. Stealing was his entire parnassah!
“With so many acts of thievery, the authorities were bound to eventually caught up with him. And they did. When he was brought to court, the judge decreed, ‘Either you accept baptism or you shall be put to death!’
“But the education that he had received in his youth from the Shpoler Zeide had left its indelible mark. ‘I prefer to be burned alive rather than forsake my religion,’ the Jewish thief told the judge resolutely.
“And so it was. They brought him out to the pyre, poured hot tar all over his body, and set him on fire. At the last moment, just before he returned his soul to the Master of the Universe, he suddenly started to vigorously clap his hands and he cried out, ‘EMES AZ ICH BIN A GANEF, UBER A YID BLEIBT ICH! I MAY BE A THIEF, BUT A JEW I REMAIN!!!’ With that, his soul left him.
“And that,” concluded the Ruzhiner Rebbe to his new chassidim from Strelisk, “is what real clapping is all about.”
(adapted into English from dirshu.co.il)
To get notified each time a new story for Shabbos is posted, email storiesforshabbos@inspiredtorah.com.