He Has Two Brains

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The Yahrzeit of Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro of Dinov (1784?-1841) is commemorated on the 18th of Tevet. The following meise / hasidic tale appeared in Sefer HaHasidut, Meah Tzadikim, Raphael, Yitzchak, 1961, Tel Aviv. (Freely translated by Gabbai Seth Fishman.)

He Has Two Brains

They used to say about him, (i.e., about Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov), that he actually had two brains.

One time, a particular woman came to him and, she didn’t hold back her upset, pouring out, in his presence, her bitter words.

All the while, he sat writing his new thoughts of Torah, his Torah innovations.

And so, the woman concluded that he had not heard a single one of her words.

She started to cry, and said: “Rabbi, why don’t you wish to hear of my hopes and wishes?”

And he said to her: “I have heard every word. If you want, I will relate to you everything you said to me when you were with me ten years ago.”

(Ten Clear Teachings)

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