Our story took place 1000 years ago in a country past the Asian desert and near the Sambatyon River. That country had a king who loved the Jews. The Jews lived peacefully and learned Torah.
The problem was that the local priest hated the Jews. This priest was a magician and could kill a person by looking at him. He began going about the Jewish streets, looking at people, and killing them.
The Jews were terrified and didn’t leave their homes, lest the priest look at them.
The leaders of the community held an urgent meeting.
“Let us send a delegation to the king and ask for his help,” suggested one of the people. They all liked this idea and this is what they did.
The delegation poured out their hearts to the king. The king was very angry and said to his servants, “Bring me the priest.”
The priest was brought and when the king chastised him for his actions, he cleverly said, “Jews do not accept the Christian religion and they are sinners. If the king is not sure I am right, I suggest that the Jews choose a representative with whom I will debate. I will prove the correctness of Christianity. If I win, the king will decree that all the Jews convert and whoever does not, will be killed. If the Jew wins, the king will allow him to do as he wants to me.”
The king agreed to the evil priest’s suggestion.
The king called the leaders of the Jewish community and informed them, “In three months, a debate will be held between the priest and one of your representatives whom you will choose.” He also told them what would happen if they would not win the debate and what would happen if they won.
The leaders of the Jewish community were very frightened and tried to come up with a plan. In the meantime, all the Jews gathered and prayed that Hashem save them.
“Nobody can face the priest,” they said sadly. “Before the debate begins, he will look at the person and will kill him with his gaze!”
Suddenly, one of the men stood up and said, “Beyond the Sambatyon River there is a Jewish settlement where righteous Jews live. There is even a Sanhedrin there that decides capital cases. Let us send someone to them and ask them to send a representative. He surely will not be affected by the priest’s magic.”
“But how is that possible?” they asked. “The Sambatyon River throws stones all week and it is impossible to cross. It only rests on Shabbos but it is a desecration of the Shabbos to cross a river.”
The rav of the community listened to this discussion and said, “Because there is danger to life, someone must cross the river on Shabbos. But that person will not be able to return, since it won’t be because of danger to life.”
After discussing this, it was decided that they would send a Torah scholar and G-d fearing man, Rabeinu Meir b’Rabbi Yitzchok Shatz.
R’ Meir found it difficult to accept this mission but realized there was no choice; it meant saving their lives. He divorced his wife since he would not be able to return home. Thus, his wife would be able to remarry.
Erev Shabbos, he parted tearfully from his former wife and only daughter and the members of the community. He packed some necessities and set out. He was given a letter from the rav of the community who explained why he was sent.
R’ Meir stood near the river as stones were constantly thrown forth. When Shabbos began, the river stopped ejecting stones and then he crossed the river.
When the Jews on the other side saw R’ Meir, they took him to the jail since he had desecrated the Shabbos. On Sunday, they brought him before the Sanhedrin where he took out the letter and explained why he was there.
“Indeed, danger to life supersedes Shabbos,” paskened the judges. “If so, we will hold a lottery to determine which of us will go and help the community.”
The tailor’s name was picked. He was a tzaddik and G-d fearing.
During the week, until Shabbos, a prophetic spirit came upon R’ Meir and he composed an extraordinary poem in honor of Hashem. In it, he details the greatness of the Creator and the reward for one who keeps Torah and mitzvos. The poem is called Akdamus. It is written in stanzas and according to the alef-beis.
Before Shabbos, the tailor gave his wife a divorce because he would not be able to return. Then he tearfully parted from his family and community. They all prayed for his success.
The last one to part from the tailor was R’ Meir. He escorted the tailor until the river and on the way, taught him the poem he composed.
“Please, disseminate this poem among the Jewish people so they know the greatness of Hashem,” he requested.
When Shabbos began and the river had quieted, the tailor crossed over. He was welcomed joyously by the community who were anxious for his arrival.
As soon as Shabbos was over, a delegation was sent to the king to inform him that they had chosen someone to debate the priest and that the debate could even be held earlier.
The king told the priest to get ready and the date for the debate was made earlier. A big platform was set up in the center of the city and at the appointed time, all gathered to see what would happen.
The priest and the tailor went up on the platform. The priest stared at the tailor and expected to see him fall down dead, but to his surprise, nothing happened.
The priest realized that this was a great man he was facing and became nervous. He said, “Before we start the debate, I will bring joy to the king with something marvelous that nobody has ever seen.”
The priest took two huge millstones that were near the platform and placed them on his shoulders. Then he did magic and threw them in the air and they remained in the air and began spinning rapidly.
The priest said to the tailor, “So, what amazing thing can you do?”
The tailor said, “You choose. Either I will bend a mighty tree so that the treetop touches the ground and you will have to hold the treetop so the tree does not go back up. Or the other way round, you bend a big tree and I will hold it so that it doesn’t straighten back up.”
The priest chose the first option because he was sure that the Jew couldn’t do it, but Hashem gave the tailor great strength. He went off the platform with a prayer to Hashem in his heart. To everyone’s surprise, he bent a large tree to the ground. The priest had no choice and with pounding heart he grasped the treetop. But at that moment, the tree sprang back up, throwing the priest.
The priest flew between the millstones which ground him up until nothing remained of him. May all Hashem’s enemies perish like that!
All were astounded to see the great miracle that happened for the Jews and the king warned that bitter would be the end of anyone who dared to harm the Jews.
The next day, a great thanksgiving meal was held in which the rav urged everyone to strengthen their Torah and mitzvos. The tailor also spoke words of chizuk and repeated the Akdamus poem which he wanted to spread to Jews the world over.
Indeed, in Jewish communities everywhere, it is customary to recite the Akdamus poem publicly on Shavuos. In Chabad, this is not the practice but we know that the Rebbe would recite this poem to himself between aliyos during the Torah reading on Shavuos. ■