Two Women Received the Blessing of the Tzadik. Why Did It Only Fulfill for One?

It is so important to believe in the words of a tzadik with innocence, even if we do not understand. As the Gemara (Pesachim 42, a) narrates about Rav Matna who arrived in the city of Papunia and taught a halacha regarding baking matzot: "A woman should knead only with water that has 'slept over night,'" meaning water that had been drawn the previous night to prevent it from being warm and causing the dough to leaven. The Jews of Papunia misunderstood and thought he'd meant water belonging to them and brought all their jugs saying to Rav Matna: Give us your water. Rav Matna clarified he meant the water at their homes that had been left overnight after drawing.

This story might seem like a pleasant joke, but why does the Gemara include it? The Gemara is not a storybook. It seems there is a critique of the innocent Papunia residents who misunderstood, but our sages actually praise them. They held such great respect for scholars that they followed Rav Matna's words with complete faith even when the directive seemed odd (based on Me'am Lo'ez Song of Songs).

If the Tzadik Promised, We Must Rejoice and Trust in Salvation

From the story of Chana, the mother of Samuel the prophet, we learn about the trust in sages. Chana had waited nineteen years for children. Broken-hearted, she went to Shiloh to beseech Hashem for a child. Eli the Kohen, the tzadik of the generation, saw her and inquired about her distress. Chana revealed her deep desire for a child, leading Eli to bless her with a son.

What is astounding is that upon hearing the blessing from the tzadik, Chana's outlook entirely changed even though nothing in reality had altered. The Scripture tells us: "Her face was no longer downcast" (1 Samuel 1:18), and commentators explain her countenance changed from sadness to happiness due to her faith in the tzadik's blessing. Despite fasting from sorrow, she began to eat once she received the blessing.

Further explained by "Davar Shmuel," citing our sages, Chana's face, which had appeared like a monkey due to grief, recovered, and she and her family bowed to Hashem in gratitude for the salvation, though she was not yet pregnant. They were confident in Eli's blessing, resulting in a miracle that defied nature. Previously unable to conceive, her body became fit for childbirth during that time.

Faith in the Tzadik's Blessing Draws Salvation

As we explained, faith attracts salvation. Similarly, belief in the blessing of a tzadik, Hashem's emissary, draws salvation as well. Hashem gave power to a tzadik's blessing. The tzadik is a conduit for Hashem's abundance, and if one believes in his blessing and the power Hashem granted the tzadik to alter heavenly decrees and draw the prepared salvation, the blessing finds its mark.

When a person has faith in the tzadik's blessing, even if the rabbi did not bless or mistakenly blessed something else, it still has the power to bring salvation. There is a known story of an Arab woman who believed the Baba Sali blessed her with a child, though he hadn't actually done so, yet she conceived because her faith in the tzadik's blessing brought her salvation.

It is told of two women who approached a rebbe seeking blessings. The first woman came because her husband owed a massive debt to a nobleman who intended to imprison him. Although he did not consider going to a rabbi, he agreed to her going to the tzadik. The second woman came on her husband's request due to his illness, asking her to advocate for him with the rebbe.

When they reached the rebbe, the assistant accidentally switched their notes. The first woman was given a note implying her husband was ill and received advice from the tzadik to use cupping (a healing method common then, also known in Chinese medicine today, involving placing cups on the patient to draw blood and aid circulation and healing).

The woman, unaware of the note-switch, accepted this odd advice with innocence and faith. Upon returning home, she conveyed the rebbe's words to her husband. He laughed, questioning how cupping would change the nobleman's decree, but after her earnest persuasion, he agreed to undergo the cupping. During this time, the nobleman's agents arrived and saw him lying with cups on him. They reported this back to the nobleman, who then felt uneasy, thinking that because of him the Jew fell ill, and in a change of heart, forgave the debt. Thus, the good woman drew salvation through her faith in the tzadik's blessing.

By faith in the tzadik's blessing, salvation is drawn. This occurred with the Admor of Vizhnitz, who had two women visit him seeking blessings for children. The rebbe blessed both, but only one had a child. When asked why, the rebbe explained: the woman who succeeded left with confidence the blessing would materialize and immediately bought a baby carriage, which led to her salvation. The other hesitated in believing she could be helped, and thus was not blessed.

Even Today, the Tzadik's Blessing Has Power

Some believe a tzadik's blessing has the power to come true but assume it was only for tzadikim of the past. This is a mistake. In every generation, Hashem plants tzadikim, and even today, people witness salvation following the blessing of a tzadik.

A woman shared that her daughter was critically ill in the hospital. One day, the hospital called her to come say goodbye, as her daughter was on the verge of death. Feeling her world collapse, she immediately sought a blessing from a rabbi. The rabbi blessed her daughter to recover, and against all odds, the daughter survived, with Hashem's help, built a family, and is now a mother of five children.

I personally knew someone who for many years could not conceive, and medically there was no chance for her to have a child. Out of deep anguish, she turned to R' Chaim Kanievsky, who blessed her with many children. Today she is a mother to a blessed family!

There are many more stories of salvations granted to those who trusted in sages. Faith in a tzadik attracted heavenly salvations to them.

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