Naso: 5782 - Rabbi Shimon Zonnenfeld from Nachlah with a wonderful chassidic story for the Shavuos holiday about Reb Peretz Chein. The story was recorded at the conclusion of Rabbi Betzalel Mizrachi's daily Daf Yomi class in…

00:02 Speaker 1 He saw five generations of our Rebbeim. As a child, he saw the Alter Rebbe. He was a chossid of the Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzemach Tzedek, was with the Rebbe Maharash, and also saw the Rebbe Rashab, [unclear]. He saw five generations of Rebbeim. They called him Reb Peretz of Chernigov—“the Chernigover”—because he was a rabbi in Chernigov. Before he became a rabbi there, he was a melamed, teaching children. Once, he was sitting with his students in the beis midrash, learning with them. Suddenly, a Jew he didn’t know came in, sat down, and listened to him teach the children. They were learning Bava Metzia: “This one says, ‘It is all mine,’ and this one says, ‘It is all mine.’”

00:51 Speaker 2 Two people are holding—

00:53 Speaker 1 Two people are holding a tallis, sorry. “This one says, ‘It is all mine,’ and this one says, ‘It is all mine,’” and he was explaining the Mishnah to them. The visitor sat and listened, then raised his hand and asked the melamed, Reb Peretz, if he could ask a question. “Please, ask,” Reb Peretz said. He said, “When we say Hallel, it says, ‘This is the day Hashem has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ Then it says again, ‘This is the day Hashem has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.’ But the first time it’s written in large letters, and the second time in small letters. Why? ‘This one says, “It is all mine,” and this one says, “It is all mine”’ is written in the same size letters both times. Why are the letters smaller the second time?” Reb Peretz the melamed was astonished by the question. He asked him, “Tell me, are you Reb Shmuel Munkes?” He didn’t know him; he had only heard of him. He understood that only Reb Shmuel Munkes could ask a question like that. The man said, “Yes, I am indeed Reb Shmuel Munkes.” So Reb Peretz said, “Tell me the answer”—he didn’t know it. Reb Shmuel Munkes said, “I’ll tell you the answer. In the Mishnah, ‘This one says, “It is all mine,” and this one says, “It is all mine,”’ we’re talking about two people. Each one insists with equal force that it’s all his. That’s why both statements are written in letters of the same size. But ‘This is the day Hashem has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it’ is said twice by the same person. The first time he says it with greater conviction; the second time he’s not quite as enthusiastic, so it’s written in smaller letters.” What does this have to do with Shavuos? “Those days are remembered and reenacted.” We celebrated last year; every year we celebrate the giving of the Torah.

02:45 Speaker 1 We need to know that every year we receive it anew, with the same conviction.