220 Years Since His Passing: Ten Fascinating Facts About the Dubno Maggid

This evening, as Shabbat begins, marks the 220th yahrzeit of the Dubno Maggid.

1. Rabbi Yaakov Krantz, famously known as the "Dubno Maggid," was one of the greatest preachers and storytellers of his time, known for his rich parables. He passed away on the 17th of Tevet, 1805.

2. Dubno Maggid was born in 1740 in Zhetl, Lithuania, and learned Torah under the guidance of his father, the chief rabbi of the town. He served as a preacher in various towns before becoming the Maggid in Dubno for eighteen years. He traveled widely across Poland, Germany, and Lithuania to deliver his sermons.

3. He had a close relationship with the Vilna Gaon, who enjoyed discussing Torah with him and listening to his parables. This made him revered by all the Lithuanian scholars.

4. The Maggid was renowned for his unique and brilliant parables, which combined Torah, wisdom, and ethics. Often spontaneous, his stories used popular images and were accessible to the common people, demonstrating a deep understanding of human nature.

5. The Dubno Maggid did not favor terrifying descriptions of Gehinnom or moralizing through fear. He preferred straightforward, witty, and impactful words. Once, when asked why a wealthy man would give to a blind person and a disabled person but not to a scholar, he quipped that the wealthy man feared becoming blind or disabled himself, but had no fear of becoming a scholar...

6. His fame led imposters to mimic him, some even delivering lectures in his name. He usually ignored these attempts unless he found the lecture to be lacking in integrity—then he would challenge them with wit.

How did the Vilna Gaon respond to the Dubno Maggid's reproof?

"The Heavenly Court," the Maggid says, "is not an ordinary court."

7. During his lifetime, he did not publish books, although he prepared notes for a book on "Good Traits." These notes, along with letters and drafts of articles, were discovered about forty years later by Avraham Dov Ber Flam, who dedicated his life to publishing the Maggid's teachings.

His works include: "Ohel Yaakov"—discourses on the Torah, "Kol Yaakov"—on the Five Megillot, "Kochav MiYaakov"—on the Haftarot, "Emet LeYaakov"—on the Passover Haggadah, "Sefer Hamaalot"—on virtues, and "Mashal Yaakov"—his parables.

8. One famous parable explains the verse, "Israel, you did not call upon Me, for you grew weary of Me": A merchant sends a messenger to fetch a parcel from the port. The messenger, exhausted and overwhelmed by the load, arrives out of breath and declares to the merchant: "I brought your requested package."

The merchant immediately responds: "This is not my package." Surprised, the messenger asks why he thinks so.

The merchant explains: "Simple. My package is not heavy; diamonds aren't heavy." The Dubno Maggid used this parable to illustrate that serving Hashem should be natural and suited to a person, "pleasant and sweet," and if it feels burdensome, one should examine where they might be mistaken. This underscores the teaching that observing halacha should be with joy and serenity, akin to holding a beloved father's hand.

To progress in joyous service of Hashem, a person should dedicate a few hours daily to happiness, focusing solely on the positive and avoiding any guilt.

9. Another parable illustrates the illogicality of those who observe mitzvot only when convenient: A poor man borrows a spoon and fork from a wealthy neighbor and returns them with an additional teaspoon, claiming it was "born" to the spoon and fork. The wealthy man later loans his best cutlery set, which isn't returned. When questioned, the poor man says that "sadly, they all died." The wealthy man protests, but the poor man asks why accepting the "birth" of the teaspoon wasn’t questioned.

10. In yet another parable: A villager visits a winter market wearing heavy clothes and wants to buy silk garments. The shopkeeper provides a fitting garment, but the villager finds it tight and unsuitable.

"Are you mocking me?" he angrily asks. "The garment doesn't fit." "It does fit," the shopkeeper replies, "you just need to remove your heavy clothing first before trying on the silk."

The lesson: Torah, like the silk garment, feels comfortable only when one sheds the "heavy layers" of desires and distractions, thus allowing the sweetness and pleasantness of the holy Torah to be truly felt.