Basic Review
After the Mikvah
Please note the correct version of the story mentioned in this lecture, which is actually two stories, below:
Reb Avraham, the father of the Mezritcher Maggid was a melamed (teacher) working in a city not far from his home.
Travel in those days was rather difficult, so although he did not come home all the time, he made sure to return home once a month.
His wife would always know when he was coming home and made sure that she was tehorah (had immersed in mikvah) in time for his return.
Once, when he was expected to return home, the weather turned very frigid and stormy. His wife did not expect him to make the trip in such inclement weather and so she did not go to the mikvah.
Despite the weather, Reb Avraham made the trip and came home. It was quite late, but his wife prepared and went to the mikvah, despite the late hour.
Arriving at the mikvah, the mikvah attendant refused to admit her, saying it was way too late and she should have come earlier.
Distressed and broken hearted, Reb Avraham�s wife turned around to go home. On her way, she saw a very elegant carriage on the road. The occupants of the carriage, seeing a distressed woman, brought the carriage to a stop.
Inside the carriage were four very lovely ladies, who asked if they could be of assistance.
She explained what happened and they told her that they too were on their way to the mikvah, she should come with them.
She figured that the mikvah attendant would surely open the mikvah for such elegant and distinguished ladies, so she joined them and indeed was able to immerse in the mikvah.
She was so overjoyed at being able to go to the mikvah, that she left the mikvah, forgetting to take a note from the mikvah attendant, verifying that she had immersed in the mikvah that night.
Realizing that she forgot, she began to cry, and felt terrible that she had forgotten.
Suddenly a note fell down from heaven!
Entering her home, Reb Avraham smelled a wonderful aroma surrounding her. He asked her what had happened. She told him all that had occurred and showed him the note.
He told her that the beautiful fragrance was the perfume of Gan Eden and the four women were the four Imahos (Sara, Rivkah, Rochel and Leah).
That night their son the Maggid of Mezeritch, Reb Dov Ber, was conceived.
(It is said that the Rebbe of Karline, a student of the Mezritcher Maggid, would kiss that note.)
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Reb Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch, was physically quite frail and weak. Often too weak to be intimate with his wife.
Despite this, she would make sure to go to the mikvah in the hope that he would regain sufficient strength.
One night, she came home from the mikvah in extreme exhaustion herself, fainting on the doorstep.
That night the Maggid had the strength to be with his wife. Despite her extreme exhaustion, she rallied and found her own strength to be with her husband.
That night their son, Reb Avraham the Malach was conceived.
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