A Shabbat Story: Zalman Confessed And the Plague Came to a Sudden End

The cold was bitter that night, the kind of cold that makes your bones ache. Moses sat in his wagon, lost in the forest, realizing that if he didn’t find shelter soon, he might freeze to death. Desperate, he scanned the darkness and spotted a small flickering light in the distance. He urged his horse through the trees, following the glow until he reached a small town: Mezeritch.

It was the middle of the night. All the homes were quiet and dark except for one. There, the lights were still on in the home of a great and holy man, Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezeritch, the main student and successor of the Baal Shem Tov. Rabbi Dov Ber was known for his deep Torah study and powerful spiritual insight. He barely slept and was always learning.

When Moses knocked, the Maggid opened the door himself and welcomed him warmly, fulfilling the mitzvah of hachnasat orchim, welcoming guests. Moses was given a place to sleep, food, and care. In the morning, after praying and eating, he was summoned again by the tzaddik.

“You’re from Slutsk, in Lithuania,” said the Maggid. “Your horse didn’t lose its way by accident. It was Hashem who brought you here. When you left your home, your son was very sick.” Moses nodded in amazement. Everything the Maggid said was true. He knew he was standing before a man of God, and he listened closely.

The Maggid continued: “Right now, there’s a terrible plague affecting the children in your city. Everyone is searching for the reason. They want to know: who brought this suffering upon the town?”

He went on to describe what Moses would find when he returned home. “There will be a brit milah (circumcision) for a newborn boy, and many rabbis and townspeople will be there. Someone will whisper that a young man, we’ll call him Reuben is to blame for the plague. People will start shaming him. Some will even hit him. But Reuben is innocent.”

The Maggid looked Moses in the eye. “You must not join them. Do not say a word. Just watch.”

Then he continued, “Also at the celebration will be Zalman, a very wealthy man. He is the one truly responsible. He has sinned greatly, and his behavior brought this punishment upon the town.”

The Maggid explained what Moses had to do: “When Zalman stands up and tries to strike Reuben, you must grab his hand. Hold him back. Then shout loudly that he is the real sinner. Tell him that if he doesn’t confess, the rabbis will have to place him in cherem (excommunication).”

Moses hesitated. “What if Zalman denies it?” he asked. “What if the town turns against me?”

The Maggid promised: “He will confess immediately. The moment you speak, he will admit the truth. And when he does, the plague will stop. But if you remain silent, your son like so many others will die.”

Moses knew what he had to do.

He returned to Slutsk. Everything unfolded exactly as the Maggid had described. At the brit, Reuben was suddenly accused and attacked. Zalman stood up, ready to strike. And then, just as he had been told, Moses grabbed Zalman’s hand and cried out, “You are the one who brought this plague! Confess your sins or be excommunicated!”

Zalman froze. Before anyone could respond, he broke down. He admitted everything. And from that moment, the plague disappeared. Children stopped getting sick. The fear and sadness that had hovered over the town lifted, and peace returned.

Thanks to the Maggid of Mezeritch and Moses’ courage to follow his words, a community was saved from suffering and a father was reunited with his son. The power of truth, guided by divine wisdom, brought healing to all.