When a Husband Disappeared and a Family Turned to the Rebbe

In a small village near Vitebsk lived a widow raising her three children. She made a modest living by running an inn.

Her eldest daughter was married to a young man who was devoted to Hashem, and the couple lived close to her to help with the inn. Many villagers would come to eat and drink there including the local priest, who began to engage the young son-in-law in religious debates.

The priest enjoyed the conversations, and the young man, proud of his knowledge, would always come out feeling victorious. Over time, his confidence turned into arrogance. The more he argued, the more inflated his ego became.

Torah scholars who passed through the village warned him not to engage in debates with priests, explaining that it was not appropriate. But he didn’t listen. Instead, he laughed off their concern.

Eventually, the priest brought two more priests from nearby villages. They all debated, and again the young man felt he had the upper hand. The priest admired him greatly and instructed the villagers to treat him with extra honor, calling him a wise and special person.

One day, the priest invited him to come meet the chief priest of Vitebsk. He had told him about the young man’s brilliance, and the chief priest was curious to see for himself. At first, the young man hesitated. But the more praise and temptation he heard, the more appealing the idea became and he agreed to go.

In Vitebsk, he was warmly welcomed at the chief priest’s home, and they immediately entered into deep conversation. The debate lasted for some time, but once again, the young man emerged feeling victorious.

The chief priest praised him in front of many others. They asked him to stay longer, delighted by his intellect and presence. They gave him a comfortable apartment in the priest’s courtyard and brought him food daily. For several days he was surrounded by admiration.

When he returned home, he said nothing about where he had been. But his pride had grown, and he became even more distant from his Jewish roots.

A few weeks later, prominent Torah scholars came to the inn. As they sat discussing Torah, the young man eagerly inserted his opinions. But compared to their depth of knowledge, he was still inexperienced. The scholars gently told him that a young man should show respect and listen to those older and wiser. Their words hurt him deeply and instead of reflecting, he felt anger toward them.

Later, the chief priest visited the village again, and when people saw how highly the priest regarded the young man, their respect for him grew. So did his pride.

After the holiday of Sukkot, the young man suddenly disappeared. For weeks, he was nowhere to be found. Then he came home, walked around like someone dazed, and eventually packed his belongings and vanished again and this time for good.

His family was distraught. Weeks passed with no word. Then one day, a letter arrived. It was from the young man. He wrote that he was now living at the chief priest’s home, where he was treated with honor. The priest had promised him a prestigious position if he would join their faith.

At first, the family didn’t understand what he meant. Then one of the sons jumped up in shock. “He wants to convert,” he cried. “He wants to leave Judaism! This is heartbreaking!”

A wave of grief swept over the family. Their weeping filled the house. In desperation, they made their way to the study hall of the holy Rebbe, the author of the Tanya (Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi), pleading for help.

The widow and her daughter burst into tears in front of the Rebbe. “Our Rebbe, please help us,” the widow cried. “My son-in-law wants to convert. Please save him.”

Everyone in the study hall was deeply shaken. The cries of the two women pierced the hearts of all who were present.

The Rebbe was silent for a moment, then turned to them and said:

“Let me tell you a story. When I was in Mezeritch in the winter of 1769, a young man from a nearby town was overtaken by a spirit of confusion and decided he wanted to convert. He approached a priest who eagerly accepted him and brought him into his home.

When the young man’s father heard what was happening, he rushed to the Maggid of Mezeritch and poured out his heart in tears: ‘Rebbe, my son is about to convert!’

The Maggid listened with compassion and began teaching Torah on the verse, ‘When a soul sins.’ I was there. The Maggid then asked ten students to stay all night in the study hall and recite Tehillim (Psalms) without stopping until midday.

At exactly midday, the young man suddenly walked into the room. No one asked him where he had been. He stayed with the Maggid for several days and then returned home.”

The Rebbe said no more. He simply turned and went into his room.

But everyone understood the message. Immediately, a minyan of men gathered to recite Psalms all night. The widow and her daughter returned home, hearts heavy yet full of hope.

That night, as they were still praying, a young man entered carrying a bundle. He saw the group saying Psalms and joined them, tears streaming down his face. The men recognized him but said nothing.

He remained in the study hall for a full week. Afterward, he moved with his family to a new place, became a devoted Hasid, and lived a life of awe and love for Hashem.