Once, during the lifetime of the third Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, there was a certain chossid of his who made his livelihood through buying forests and selling their lumber.
The primary season for chopping the trees was during the winter, when snow covered the ground, making it easy to haul the lumber to the river banks. They would then leave the lumber by the banks until the summer, at which time the logs would be made into rafts and transported to various destinations.
During this season, the chossid would spend his day in the forest, supervising the work, but when night fell, he would go to the local synagogue to study. While most of the attendees studied in partners, there was one older individual who studied alone—as he considered the congregants to be significantly inferior to himself in their Torah knowledge and mental prowess.
When this older individual observed that the chossid too was studying by himself, he figured that it was due to his ignorance—surely being ashamed to study with a partner. The old man approached the chossid in order to assess him. When he realized that this chossid was a brilliant scholar, he suggested that they become study partners and the chossid acquiesced.
One day, the chossid observed that his new study partner had something troubling him that he seemed to wish to express. The chossid told him: “Why are you hesitant in asking? Please tell me what it is that is bothering you.”
The man replied: “I’ll tell you the truth. I study many works of philosophy and I have many questions concerning the authenticity of Torah. However, I have no one to ask my questions to.”
The chossid suggested that the gentleman ask him the questions. Indeed, everyday he posed a question to the chossid, which the chossid answered to the satisfaction and delight of this elderly scholar.
As the holiday of Pesach approached, the chossid told his new study partner that he intended to go home for the holidays. It was a difficult farewell and the man cried: “Until now I have had an excellent study partner for Talmud and someone with whom to discuss my questions in philosophy. As you are leaving, what will I do now?!”
The chossid responded: “My advice is that you should travel to Lubavitch and ask your questions to the Rebbe. He will surely answer them.[1]”
When this chossid himself traveled to the Rebbe for the holiday of Shavous, he was pleasantly surprised to meet the elder individual. When asked what had become of his questions, the scholar replied:
“After Pesach—per your advice—I traveled to Lubavitch and had a private audience with the Rebbe. When I told the Rebbe that I have many philosophical questions that bother me and that I feel my faith in Torah wavering, the Rebbe replied: ‘These questions did not bother the Talmudic sages, Abaye or Rava, why should they bother you?’”
“From that point on, all my questions left me, and I have dedicated myself to the earnest study of Chassidic thought.”
(Reshimos Devarim, Vol. 1 Pg. 127)
[1] The third Lubavitcher Rebbe, along with being brilliant in both the exoteric and esoteric sections of the Torah, was as well an expert in Jewish philosophy and authored a book on the subject entitled, “Sefer Chakira.”
