A CARTON IN EXCHANGE FOR A SUITCASE

Presented to mark the passing of the Rebbe Rashab on Beis Nissan

By Miri Levin

The train entered Petersburg. The Rebbe Rashab looked for his luggage that was stored in the cargo compartment. A suitcase full of rare holy books was missing!

After much searching, the Rebbe left the train station in great anguish. The holy books were gone.

A few days later, a young Chassid entered the Rebbe’s room. “Eliyahu! It’s so good that you came.”

Eliyahu looked up in surprise. He had yet to tell the Rebbe about his urgent problem. It was good he had come? Did the Rebbe have a solution to his problem?

“Here is the solution,” said the Rebbe. “Eliyahu will bring the suitcase from the train.”

The solution? Suitcase? Train?

The Rebbe did not offer an explanation. The confused Eliyahu was given a ticket with the number of the storage compartment where the suitcase had been placed.

“Please bring me the suitcase, Eliyahu.”

Eliyahu went to the train station. He looked all around in bewilderment. Something strange was going on here. No train was entering or leaving the station! And Eliyahu, who had not heard about the missing luggage, sat down to wait for the train with the suitcase on it.

Eliyahu removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. An uncomfortable feeling suddenly came upon him. There was someone staring at him.

The man standing opposite him stared at his cigarette. He doesn’t look like a criminal, decided Eliyahu.

“Can I offer you a cigarette?” Eliyahu held out his open box. The man did not hesitate. Within seconds, he was puffing and his smoke joined Eliyahu’s smoke.

“What are you doing here when there are no trains?” the stranger asked Eliyahu in a friendly way.

“Rabbi Schneersohn sent me here to get his suitcase,” said Eliyahu.

“Interesting!”

The man put out his cigarette and said, “You came to just the right man. I am the manager of the luggage retrieval department at this station. Show me the number on your ticket.”

Eliyahu’s eyebrows rose in surprise. He pulled out the ticket from his pocket and handed it over to the manager. The man looked at it and called over some workers.

“Sasha and Roman, go to the storage center and look for this number.” He gave them the ticket. A few minutes later the men returned. “There is no suitcase with that number on it.”

“That’s not possible,” said the manager. “Search thoroughly.”

The men spent a longer time looking. “I found it,” exclaimed Sasha triumphantly, as he lifted a heavy package under which was the missing suitcase.

The Rebbe welcomed Eliyahu who dragged the suitcase with difficulty but with great delight.

“Now I owe you. What would you like?” asked the Rebbe.

Eliyahu instantly recalled the purpose of his coming. The suitcase wasn’t the solution and he needed urgent advice.

“I married a short time ago,” Eliyahu began tearfully. “I received a dowry of 10,000 rubles from my father-in-law. I invested most of the money into a failing business and the money vanished. My wife and her father are furious with me, and rightly so. What can I do?”

“How much money remains?” asked the Rebbe.

“1000 rubles,” said Eliyahu.

“Go to Kertz and Hashem will provide you with a good parnasa. Just don’t forget to take food along with you.”

Eliyahu went to Kertz which was burning on that hot summer day. He immersed in the cool ocean and then sat down to eat something. An uncomfortable feeling suddenly came upon him. There was someone staring at him. History was repeating itself.

A man sat opposite him and stared at the baked goods in his hand. He doesn’t look like a criminal, decided Eliyahu.

“Can I offer you a cookie?” Eliyahu held out the open package. The man did not hesitate. Within seconds his crumbs joined Eliyahu’s crumbs.

They got to talking and Eliyahu told the man his situation. He hoped that this would be the storage manager of Kertz who would help him with his problem.

Well, he wasn’t the storage manager but he was able to help Eliyahu.

“You have 1000 rubles left … Listen!” The man suddenly stood up. “I have an idea that I need to check out. Come here tomorrow at this time. Don’t forget to bring more delicious cookies.”

The next day, two people were waiting for Eliyahu. Another storage manager!

Not quite.

The other man was a paper merchant. In his bag was a carton full of cigarette papers. Was Eliyahu interested in buying it for just 1000 rubles?

Eliyahu was not sure.

“It’s a bargain!” the man from yesterday said.

Eliyahu took out his remaining 1000 rubles and the carton and the money exchanged hands.

What would Eliyahu do with a carton of cigarette papers?

The image of Tzvi Gurary came to mind. He lived in Kremenchug and was also a Chassid of the Rebbe Rashab. He owned a factory that manufactured cigarettes. Maybe he would want to buy his cigarette paper.

“Where did you buy this paper?” asked R’ Gurary, looking curiously at Eliyahu.

“In Kertz,” was his answer.

“How much do you want for it?” asked R’ Gurary.

“10,000 rubles,” said Eliyahu. “The amount of my loss.”

R’ Gurary shrugged in refusal. “4000 rubles,” he said

4000? Eliyahu shook his head no. He would find a better customer. But the best offer Eliyahu could get was just 5000 rubles. What about the Rebbe’s promise?

At this same time, R’ Gurary was traveling by wagon to Kertz. If Eliyahu had gotten such good merchandise there, why shouldn’t he go to the source?

“Cigarette paper? There is a shortage,” said the cigarette seller to R’ Gurary apologetically. “There isn’t any available even in other locations.”

None. Zero. Zilch.

That was the answer all the cigarette sellers gave him.

If so, concluded R’ Gurary, then … Eliyahu!

He sent a telegram to Kremenchug which said, “Save the merchandise for me. Payment: 10,000 rubles. Tzvi Gurary.”

See Eliyahu – the Rebbe does not remain in debt.