Sweetening the Judgments with Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli

Stories of Tzadikim – Sweetening the Judgments with Rabbi Zusha

One day, Rabbi Zusha happened to be passing by a place where a brit milah was being performed and saved a child. Immediately after the circumcision, the infant began bleeding heavily. The mohel tried every possible way to stop the bleeding, but nothing helped. The situation was becoming critical. Rabbi Zusha noticed that something unusual was happening. Once he understood what was happening, he instructed everyone present to quickly begin the seudat mitzvah. Everyone was astonished: how could anyone be thinking about food at such a moment?! Seeing that no one was hurrying, Rabbi Zusha shouted: “Wash your hands immediately—quickly.” When everyone sat down at the table and began eating, the bleeding stopped at once. Rabbi Zusha explained: “We read in the Torah, in Parshat Mishpatim (24:11): וְאֶל-אֲצִילֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיֶּחֱזוּ אֶת-הָאֱלֹקים וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ – ‘Ve'el atzilei benei Yisrael lo shalach yado va-yechezu et ha-Elokim va-yokhelu va-yishtu’ – (But He did not raise His hand against the nobles of the children of Israel, and they beheld G-d, and they ate and drank). This means that when the Middat HaDin, the Attribute of Judgment, expressed through the Name “Elokim” – (G-d) – hangs over a person, one should eat and drink. This sweetens the accusations Above. That is why the bleeding stopped.” (From the book by Rabbi Dr. Yaakov, “Brothers”)