Shivchei HaRan, An Account of His Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
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וְתֵכֶף אַחַר רֹאשׁ־הַשָּׁנָה, הָיָה רְצוֹן רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל לַחֲזֹר תֵּכֶף לְבֵיתוֹ. וְלֹא הָיָה רוֹצֶה לִנְסֹעַ כְּלָל לְשׁוּם מָקוֹם, לֹא לִצְפָת וְלֹא לִטְבֶרְיָה.
As soon as Rosh HaShanah was over, the Rebbe was ready to return home. He wanted to leave at once, not wanting to visit anywhere – even the holy cities of Safed and Tiberias.
אַךְ הָאִישׁ שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ הָיָה כָּסְפּוֹ חָזָק מְאֹד לָזוּן עֵינָיו בִּמְקוֹמוֹת אֶרֶץ־יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּבָא אֶל רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל וְאָמַר לוֹ: שֶׁיֵּשׁ שַׁיָּרָה לֵילֵךְ עִמָּם לִטְבֶרְיָה.
The Rebbe’s attendant wanted very much to travel to and feast his eyes on all the sacred shrines in the Holy Land. He told the Rebbe that there was a caravan leaving shortly, and they could join it to Tiberias.
וְהֵשִׁיב לוֹ: "יֵשׁ לְךָ כִּסּוּפִים לִטִבֶרְיָה, לֵךְ שְׂכֹר חֲמוֹרִים וְעָשָׂה כֵּן". וְנָתַן לָהֶם אַדְרוּף (דְּמֵי קְדִימָה). וּבַחֲזִירָתוֹ מֵהַבַּעַל חֲמוֹרִים אָמַר לוֹ תֵּכֶף: "שָׂכַרְתָּ חֲמוֹרִים?", הֵשִׁיב לוֹ: "הֵן".
The Rebbe replied, “You want Tiberias? Then go hire donkeys!” His attendant hurried to the stables and put down a deposit. The moment he returned from the stables, the Rebbe asked him if he had secured donkeys, and he answered in the affirmative.
אָמַר לוֹ רַבֵּנוּ ז"ל: "תֵּכֶף וּמִיָּד תֵּלֵךְ וְתִקַּח מֵהֶם הָאַדְרוּף, וְאִם לֹא יִרְצוּ לְהַחֲזִיר לְךָ, אֲזַי תַּנִּיחַ לְאִבּוּד הָאַדְרוּף, כִּי אֵינִי רוֹצֶה לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם".
Then the Rebbe said, “Go this minute! Get the deposit back! If they won’t return it, forget about it. But I will not leave now!”
וְאַחַר שְׁתֵּי שָׁעוֹת אוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ, נָפַל הָאִישׁ הַנַּ"ל שֶׁהָיָה עִמּוֹ בְּחֻלְשָׁה גְּדוֹלָה רַחֲמָנָא לִצְלָן. וְאָז נָתַן שֶׁבַח וְהוֹדָאָה לה' יִתְבָּרַךְ. אֲשֶׁר מְנָעוֹ לָלֶכֶת עִם הַשַּׁיָּרָה הַנַּ"ל.
Two or three hours later, the Rebbe’s attendant became extremely ill. Then he thanked God that he had not traveled with the caravan.