"Where are you running to?" the merchant, R' Boruch, asked R'
Yehoshua the butcher as he followed him down the main
road.
"I am running to the synagogue! Didn't you hear? The Kelemer
Magid, R' Moshe Yitzchok, has come to town!" R' Yehosha
continued running, with R' Boruch following close behind.
The synagogue was packed! All seats were taken, and many
people stood crowded in the aisles. Outside, dozens of
spectators stood upon the windowsills; the entrance to the
synagogue was completely blocked. The children, too, tried to
peek inside, and climbed on the backs and shoulders of one
another, reaching greater heights so that they could look
through the upper parts of the windows.
"Please, move your foot, just a little more, so I can stand
up there, too!" begged a young lad. His friend almost lost
his footing, but at the last moment they both stood erect on
the windowsill, hugging each other and looking eagerly into
the interior of the synagogue.
"Keep quiet!" called another friend, "You are not letting me
hear a thing!"
Up the stairwell slowly climbed an elderly lady, breathing
heavily. Right by her, several young girls skipped up
lithely, trying to reach the women's gallery, which was just
as crowded. Women of all ages tried to peek down at the
Magid.
The place was packed, and the noise was ear-shattering. All
faces were turned towards the bimah, where the Magid
stood. At last, in a loud booming voice, he began a beautiful
song, "What will be when Moshiach comes?" Everybody joined in
and sang along , "Vos vet zein ven Moshiach vet
koomen?"
The voice of the Magid boomed above the crowd, "Moshe our
leader will teach us Torah; Aaron Hakohen will bless us then;
Dovid Hamelech will sing his psalms; This is what will take
place when Moshiach comes!" The Magid's famous song boomed
loud and clear. The crowd was clearly enthused, and with
shining eyes, the menfolk sang along with him. Men and women
alike, wiped the tears streaming from their eyes . . .
Women wiped away the tears and in trembling sotto voce,
echoed the words, "This is how it will be when Moshiach comes
. . . Oh, let him come soon!"
The voice of the Magid boomed again, "What do we have to do
in order to speed his coming? How can we improve our ways, to
merit his arrival?"
Everyone in the audience knew the answers:
"We should be exact in our weights!" called Boruch, the
merchant . . .
"We will slaughter an ox, and make a feast, just as in the
time of King Solomon!" said Yehoshua the butcher.
"We should include all poor people in the feast, and give
them all their needs for Shabbos, free of charge," the
gabbai tzedokoh cried out.
"We should launder our garments in his honor," called Masha
the washerwoman.
"We must fix all torn clothes, and sew new ones to the poor
and needy," said Beila, as she hugged her little son tightly,
"All in the honor of Moshiach!"
"We must help our parents; and do much more housework!" a
young girl exclaimed.
"We must do many more mitzvos!" Keila, an elderly
woman, cried hoarsely.
"We should all do teshuvoh immediately!" echoed her
friend, another elderly woman.
The entire crowd was enveloped in great enthusiasm. The voice
of the Magid boomed above all voices, "This is how we are
going to speed the arrival of Moshiach, and bring him to us
soon!"
"Let him come soon!" echoed everybody in the crowd.
Indeed, may this month of Nisson be the month of the
Redemption for all of Klall Yisroel, here and now!
