Located by Yitz Grossman.
Once a poor person entered the home of Rabbi Meir Lehman, the Rabbi of Mintz, and pestered him with incessant demands for money. The Rabbi gave him a sizeable donation which was really more than he could afford. But the poor person was not satisfied with that and asked for more. The Rabbi finally lost his patience and asked the man to leave him alone. With that the poor man left the house.
However, after several minutes Rabbi Meir’s conscience began to trouble him He felt that he had not treated the poor man with sufficient respect, that his incessant demands were most likely a result of his desperate situation, and that his suffering was what had made him speak to the Rabbi with such rudeness.
He immediately sent some of his students and family members to find the man and ask him to return, but they were unsuccessful. Then Rabbi Meir himself went out into the street to search for him, but he too was unable to find him.
For many months the Rabbi worried over the fact that he had been unable to ask forgiveness from the poor man. He felt miserable because he had not had more patience and had perhaps caused the poor man anguish by embarrassing him.
About a year later, the same man returned to Mintz to the house of the Rabbi, and this time he was received with open arms, as though he had been eagerly expected. The Rabbi, with tears in his eyes, asked forgiveness from the poor man, who had completely forgotten the incident and was taken by surprise by the Rabbi’s behavior. Of course he immediately forgave Rabbi Meir, who compensated him generously.
From then on the poor man became accustomed to staying at Rabbi Meir’s home for several weeks every year, while the Rabbi took care of all his needs. During his annual visits he would be treated with great honor by the Rabbi.
He immediately sent some of his students and family members to find the man and ask him to return, but they were unsuccessful. Then Rabbi Meir himself went out into the street to search for him, but he too was unable to find him.
For many months the Rabbi worried over the fact that he had been unable to ask forgiveness from the poor man. He felt miserable because he had not had more patience and had perhaps caused the poor man anguish by embarrassing him.
About a year later, the same man returned to Mintz to the house of the Rabbi, and this time he was received with open arms, as though he had been eagerly expected. The Rabbi, with tears in his eyes, asked forgiveness from the poor man, who had completely forgotten the incident and was taken by surprise by the Rabbi’s behavior. Of course he immediately forgave Rabbi Meir, who compensated him generously.
From then on the poor man became accustomed to staying at Rabbi Meir’s home for several weeks every year, while the Rabbi took care of all his needs. During his annual visits he would be treated with great honor by the Rabbi.
