I always enjoy retelling the story of the Rebbe Reb Elimelech of Lizhensk (1717–1787) as he hurried to be with his rebbe Dov Ber the Maggid of Mezritch for Shabbos.
The hour was late and Reb Elimelech was in a rush. Suddenly a non-Jewish Polish man called out “Zhid! Come over here and help me load these packages onto my donkey!”
Reb Elimelech looked at the quickly setting sun answered “I can’t sorry ” and continued on his way. The Pole yelled after Rav Elimelech “Don’t tell me you can’t tell me the truth; you could if you wanted to you just don’t want to!”
Reb Elimelech stopped in his tracks. He looked Heavenwards and said “Hashem everything has a reason and everyone is Your messenger. That man was sent my way to have me realize that every time I think I cannot do Your bidding I should realize that in truth I could do it if I wanted to; I just don’t want to!”
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