A group of chasidim organized to spend a Shabbos in Chernobyl with the Rebbe R’ Mordechai ZT"L ( no Mordechai is not the Purim connection ). They hired a wagon and driver but not before assuring the driver, a misnaged ( non-chasid ), that he could daven in the big non-chasidic shul in Chernobyl and still be welcome to stay and eat with them, and that they would be prepared to return home Asap after Shabbos. They arrived in Chernobyl Friday afternoon, settled at their place of accomodation and proceeded to have a wonderful, inspirational Shabbos with the many chasidim and of course with the Rebbe. The driver, uninvolved and oblivious to the chasidic atmosphere around him, spent Shabbos his own way. As soon as Shabbos was over he rushed over to the group announcing that he was ready for the trip back immediately, as they had guaranteed. They begged off just a bit saying that the minhag was to get a Birchas Preida - a parting blessing from the Rebbe, before going home. The driver reluctantly agreed to the small delay. The chasidim convinced him that while he was waiting anyway, he might as well get a bracha too.                  R’ Mordechai was in the practice of not only giving out a quick bracha, but he also ’interviewed each person who came in and gave them some advice as well. The driver entered the Rebbe’s room, and the Rebbe, in a friendly manner, asked him who he was - he hadn’t noticed him in shul or at any of the gatherings. He replied that he was just a driver, not a chasid, but was convinced to anyway get a bracha from a tzadik. The Rebbe said of course he would bless him but first he inquired, "what is your typical day like?" The driver answered that it depended whether he had a trip that day or not - when he did not have a trip he was good Jew - he would awaken early to say the whole T’hillim before davening, then daven slowly with the minyan and after davening he would say other things before going home to eat. He would then do some maintenance on his horse and wagon, take care of this and that and before he knew it he was back in shul for some learning before Mincha and Maariv, supper and bedtime. On days when he had a trip things were different. He had to get up before dawn and prepare for the trip, pick up the passengers at dawn to take advantage of the sunlight. Davening would be a grabbed opportunity during a quick break to slap on his tefillin and say Shma and shmoneh esrai at breakneck speed. He didn’t have the luxury of being a good Jew while he was trying to make a living, he admitted to the Rebbe sheepishly. The Rebbe, accused the man of not telling the whole truth. The driver did not understand. The Rebbe asked, " even on the days that you have a trip, what do you do before you prepare the things for the trip - right when you get up don’t you say Modeh Ani and before you go to sleep those nights don’t you say the bracha of Hamapil"? "of course , the driver said,"that goes without saying". "So", the Rebbe analyzed, "you admit that you know that you entrust your very life to Hashem every night and every morning you get up and thank H-M for returning to you your soul - your life and then you say the brachos thanking Hashem for the fact that you woke up with everything functioning healthily again; let me tell you a story:   

                           There was a poor melamed (teacher of small children) who barely made ends meet. One day his wife alerted him to the fact that their oldest daughter was approaching shidduch age and when people inquired about what type of dowry the parents were prepared to offer, she did not know what to reply. They talked and talked and decided that he would divvy his students out to other teachers and take to the road to try and raise money for the dowry. When asked about it, she was to say that there would be a dowry, but only when he returned. She made him promise that he would return exactly one year from that date. He travelled from town to village to city, living in the beggars quarters and after eight months,decided that he had done well and it was time to start heading home. Of course he took a different route to try and collect even more on the way and three days before his scheduled arrival date in his town, he found himself in a small close by village on erev Shabbos. He decided to spend Shabbos there and then head on home. He was hosted by the richest man in town who treated him royally. Before Shabbos he realized that this village was too small to afford a rabbi, where he would usually entrust his money and so he was forced to ask his host if he had a safe place to put his money over Shabbos. The host gladly obliged and showed him his safe where he put the money to the man’s satisfaction. While in the middle of Kabbalas Shabbos, a terrible fright came upon the man - he had entrusted the host with all that he had worked for the whole year - and did not write out a reciept!! Dark thoughts of grand larceny swirled around his increasingly obsessing mind. While everyone around him was having a wonderful Shabbos, in shul, at delicious meals with harmonious zmiros and warm family atmosphere, he didn’t enjoy a thing and was only itching for Shabbos to end to be able to check on his money. Unfortunately for him though, no one was in a great rush to end Shabbos and by the time havdalah finally ended, he was bursting as he approached his host to retrieve his money. The host obliged with a smile and opened the safe. The three bags looked untouched but he was so self-brainwashed into suspecting foul play that he began to count the coins - perhaps during Shabbos the host couldn’t control himself and grabbed some coins, leaving the bags looking intact. He counted the bag with the gold coins first - 47 - ok so far and he opened the bag with the silver ones. He counted out 156 - that one was not touched and then he opened the bag of copper coins - the pennies - and started to count when he felt an angry slap on his hand. His host, completely insulted said," I realized too right after Shabbos started that we had forgotten to make a reciept and knew that because of that your mood had gone dark. I saw that you were fidgeting all night and day and that nothing I could even say to you would console you and alleviate your suspicions of me. I even understood when you counted the gold and then the silver coins thinking that I may have been tempted. But after finding that nothing was missing from the more valuable bags you are still so obsessed to think that I would steal a few pennies?!"                                                                                                                    The Rebbe said to the wagon driver," you admit that you wholeheartedly believe that you entrust Hashem with your life and your health every night and thank H-M for restoring it every morning. Yet you demonstrate by your actions that when it comes to your livelihood, you can’t just rely on Hashem alone, you can’t take the time to do the right thing and daven to H-M properly because if you don’t rush you won’t make the money - if H-E can be trusted with your life, don’t you think H-E can be relied upon to make sure you get your due?!"                                                                                                     

The Rebbe blessed him and the journey home began. In the wagon the chasidim were reminicing about the wonderful Shabbos they had and how inspired they were from the various aspects of it. Suddenly the wagon driver turned around to them and said," if that is what inspired you, then I was for sure inspired more than any of you." After telling them of his conversation with the Rebbe, no one could disagree.                                                                                                 

 OK, this is way too long. This is a story worth studying. Of course we can learn about bitachon and level-headedness. But just to point out to you that Mordechai was a man who would not budge from his principles. He was convinced of the truth and righteousness of those principles and valued them even in the face of death ( Haman could have easily killed him for not bowing down to him ). To put it another way, Mordechai brought his bitachon to life. That was what the Rebbe was telling the wagon driver - if you already believe, then value and live your beliefs. May we all take strength from the noble examples of Mordechai and Esther, enhance our emunah and act on our bitachon - then we will find ourselves truly happy and content - Mishenichnas Adar Marbim B’simcha.                                                                                                  

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a happy, fun and life-improving Purim (and don’t drink too much!! )                                                        I love you all ’d’