Editing Mesechtas Chagigah (section)

== Poshei Yisrael (Sinners of Israel) ==
A story is told about a Jewish man from the Satmar chassidim who was childless. Being a chassid, he approached his Rebbe for a blessing for zera chaya v'kayama (viable offspring). His Rebbe blessed him and then added a surprising instruction: "Gei tzu yenem" (Go to that one), referring to the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

When he merited to enter the holy room of the Rebbe and present a pidyon nefesh with a request for a blessing from the Rebbe for zera chaya v'kayama, the Rebbe inquired about his daily schedule. The chassid laid out all his activities throughout the day, and after the Rebbe listened to the chassid's words, he replied that he should go to a doctor.

But with this, the yechidus (private audience) was not concluded. Suddenly, the Rebbe diverted from the topic for which the chassid had come, and began asking him questions about what was happening in the Satmar court recently. The Rebbe inquired whether the Satmar Rebbe had marked the yahrzeit of his first wife with a farbrengen or tish, and what was discussed at that tish. The chassid answered in the affirmative, and that at that tish there was a siyum on Masechet Chagigah.

"And what was discussed in connection with the siyum of Masechet Chagigah?" asked the Rebbe. The chassid replied: "My Rebbe spoke about what is written: 'The sinners of Israel are as full of mitzvot as a pomegranate,' as it is written 'Like a piece of pomegranate is your temple (rakatech),' and our Sages said: Don't read 'rakatech' (your temple) but 'reikanin' (the empty ones among you)." And about this the Satmar Rebbe asked in the Hadran he delivered - how is it possible that the sinners of Israel would be full of mitzvot like a pomegranate?" When the Rebbe heard the chassid's words, he suddenly became very serious. Here the Rebbe found it appropriate to share with this chassid the essence of his approach and outlook on a Jew: "I too have learned these things," said the Rebbe, "and I too was troubled by a question: How can one who is 'full of mitzvot like a pomegranate' be called a sinner?"
Description	What you type	What you get
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Bold & italic	'''''Bold & italic text'''''	*Bold & italic text*